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Controversy haunts Mysore's glorious landmark

The Mysore palace, which attracts million of tourists for its architectural splendour and for the world famous Dasara festivities and now locked in a controversy, has a glorious past.

Built in 1912, after the wood palace was gutted in a fire mishap, the main three-storyed building is constructed with massive grey granite and is covered by gilded dome.

The first floor houses the darbar hall measuring 155 ft by 42 ft. A private durbar hall, 'Ambavilasa' is also housed in the same floor. The second floor has several rooms and large halls on either side. A massive marriage hall is located in the ground floor.

In the octagonal marriage pavilion the walls are decorated with murals depicting the world famous Dasara festivities.

The Mysore artists, under the patronage of Krishnaraja Wodeyar-IV, had immortalised the Dasara procession on canvas in 26 panels, making the marriage hall a veritable gallery of paintings.

The central aisle has a beautiful stained glass ceiling decorated with delicate designs and supported by cast iron pillars all of which were manufactured by the famous McFarlanes of Glasgow.

According to the department of archaeology and museum, the early history of the palace in Mysore is indistinct. The annals of the Mysore royal family revealed that the rajas of the 14th century were living in a palace in Mysore.

However, the first mention of the palace in Mysore is made in 1630 AD. It is said that the then palace was rebuilt by Randheera Kanteerava Narasimha Raja Wodeyar after the old one was damaged by lightning.

According to history, in 1793 Tipu Sultan reportedly removed all the old and dilapidated buildings, including the palace, to build a new city called Nazarabad.

Even in 1799, there seems to be no place worth the name in Mysore as the Duke of Wellington emphatically stated that there was no house at all suitable for the coronation of a prince.

The ceremony, however, took place in a pandal erected in Nazarabad.

The royal family had moved into old Mysore where their ancient palace was rebuilt in the same form in two years time. It paved way for major repairs by the end of 18th century as many of the tenements attached to it were crumbling down.

Added to this there was a fire mishap. In 1897, at the close of the festivities, during the marriage of princess Jayalakshamanniyavaru, the greater part of this wooden palace was almost destroyed in the fire.

But the relief was that the history was fortunate to have a photograph of this wooden palace taken by one John Birdwood, a lancer in the Mysore army who later became the commander in chief of the Indian army.

He presented the photograph to Maharani Vanivilasammanavaru. The then regent decided to build a new palace on the model and foundations of the old palace. Henry Irwin, architect of the vice regal of Shimla, prepared the architectural plans and the present palace was inaugurated by the maharani in October 1897.

The Dasara pageant was first celebrated in a grand scale by the rulers of Vijayanagar, at Hampi.

History reveals the graphic account of these festivities by highlighting the views of foreign travellers who visited Vijayanagar. After the disintegration of the Vijayanagar empire, the Nayaks of Keladi and Ikkeri, and Wodeyars of Mysore inherited the tradition.

The Mysore rulers held the Dasara festivities for ten days, culiminating in the famous procession of the king riding a caprisoned elephant.

A controversy shrouded the palace when the Karnataka government headed by Chief Minister J H Patel passed a unanimous resolution in the state assembly on the acquisition of the palace on payment of Rs 320 million as compensation to Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar.

The crisis deepened when central income tax department asked the government not to pay compensation as the royal family owed hue tax arrears.

Mystery shrouds the reported assent given by President K R Narayanan three weeks ago on the bill as the state government to date had not received it from the Centre.

State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister M C Nanaiah, who had met the President along with Patel prior to the assent, charged that the delay by the Centre was an affront on the democracy. Patel would meet the President again, if the situation warranted, he said.

Though both the government and the royal family adopted an adamant stand on the issue, they came to an agreement, albeit temporarily, on the day the festivities began.

Amidst these developments, protests against the government's move to take over the palace are gaining momentum.

Several organisations based in Mysore had started registering their protest. Kannada Challvali Vatal Party leader Vatal Nagaraj staged a novel protest when his supporters dressed up as the maharaja and staged a demonstration before Vidhana Soudha at Bangalore.

UNI

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