Embracing Modernity: Vijaya Mohana Muktamba (1845-1885), the Last Princess of Tanjore Granddaughter of the illustrious Mahārājah Serfoji and daughter of Mahārājah Śivājī Authored by Jeetendra Hirschfeld Chennai, January 2009 (revised in 2013) COPYRIGHT All Rights Reserved © 2009-2013 Author: Jeetendra Hirschfeld, Sathir Dance Art Trust (est. 1995) The text, photos, and video of this essay are protected by copyright. Reproduction, in part or in whole, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the author/publisher. Introduction This essay is the first research into the life of Princess Vijaya Mohana in the Tanjore Marāṭha kingdom. It has undergone several iterations of publication. Following its first 2009 release, I updated the essay, incorporating the latest findings. The revisions allowed for a more comprehensive research presentation on the subject matter. Two shorter versions of this essay, “Princess of Tanjore, Vijaya Mohana” (2009) and “Life and Times of the Tanjore Princess: Vijaya Mohana” (2009), were also made available on www.sathirdance.blogspot.com (and later on the Academia website). Additionally, I published the essay “The Abduction of Vijaya Mohana Muktamba, Princess of Tanjore” in 2009. JEETENDRA HIRSCHFELD, 2009 1