Beyond the Royal Veil (ATOM Study Guide)

Beyond The Royal Veil is a documentary that takes us into the lives of two men from the Indian aristocracy; Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar of Udaipur in Rajastan and The Yuvraj (crowned prince) Digvijay Sinh of Wakaner in Gujarat. Both men have undertaken a personal mission which is to preserve their cultural heritage and the traditions of their ancestors. Both have inherited huge ancestral palaces which require constant upkeep and restoration which is proving to be an enormous financial burden. This documentary deals with the way in which both men have sought to raise revenue in order to pay for the upkeep of the palaces so that they can keep the traditions alive.
The film serves as an interesting case study in culture, marketing and the tourism industry. The strategies adopted by both men are quite different and provide an opportunity for students to look at the difficulties associated with maintaining the integrity of traditional culture whilst using it as a means of raising revenue which will ultimately lead to its preservation. The heritage will be preserved but what form will it take?
The film also contains springboards for discussion and research on Royalty and modern society which has relevance for Australia and the republican debate.
Curriculum links

This film would have relevance for senior secondary school students of Economics, SOSE and History. It would also be valuable for post secondary studies in the areas of Business, Marketing, Tourism and Hospitality.