India mourns Jaipur's last maharaja

By Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Brigadier Bhawani Singh died Saturday at 79
He was crowned maharaja or king of Jaipur in Rajasthan state in 1970
While India has abolished royal titles, they are still used in many areas

New Delhi (CNN) -- An Indian state has announced two days of mourning for a former king and a war hero, who died over the weekend.

Brigadier Bhawani Singh, who was crowned "maharaja" or king of Jaipur in Rajasthan state in 1970, died on Saturday at the age of 79 at a hospital near New Delhi.

India was home to thousands of small kingdoms until independence from Britain in 1947. The nation, the world's largest democracy, abolished royal titles and privileges in 1971.

Nevertheless, heirs of India's erstwhile royalty are still often addressed as maharajas or maharanis -- His or Her Highness. A number of them are now politicians in India's mainstream parties.

Singh was honored with India's second-highest gallantry award for leading troops in the war with Pakistan in 1971.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, in a statement, also remembered the late former king for his role in popularizing polo.

Authorities declared a holiday in Jaipur district for Monday to mark Singh's funeral.

Indian national flags atop government buildings in the state were also lowered half-mast for two-days of mourning, an official statement said.