Shifting Jamboo Savari to Rathothsava day was only a suggestion, clarifies Pramoda Devi Wadiyar

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Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru addressing a press conference on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram

Clarifying that her proposal to reschedule the Jamboo Savari from Vijayadashami to Rathothsava day was merely a suggestion, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru stated that the final decision rests entirely with the State government.

Addressing a press conference on the Mysuru palace premises on Wednesday, Ms. Wadiyar explained that her proposal was aimed at garnering public support rather than offending the government. She noted that the idea was shared via a press statement rather than an official letter to the State government.

Ms. Wadiyar also thanked Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for assuring her that the government would examine the suggestion and address recent administrative lapses through dialogue, adding that she looks forward to meeting him soon.

Though she said she did not blame the State government for the lapses, Ms. Wadiyar clarified that her grievances were specifically directed at the lack of inter-departmental co-ordination and the “high-handedness of police personnel” at the Brahmapuri and Karikal Thotthi gates of Mysuru palace. 

She stated that these lapses disrupted the erstwhile royal family’s traditional religious rituals on Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami, prompting her to suggest moving the Jamboo Savari to Rathothsava day.

Addressing the cancellation of this year’s Vajramushti Kalaga (popularly known as Jatti Kalaga) after the police allegedly denied entry to some wrestlers at the palace gates, Ms. Wadiyar noted that while the centuries-old martial art is a customary palace tradition, it is not a religious ritual. 

She pointed out that the event had been cancelled on a few previous occasions as well. Waiting for the delayed wrestlers this year would have caused the family to miss the auspicious muhurtha (scheduled time) for the Vijaya Yatre, part of their private Vijayadashami procession, leaving them no choice but to call off the wrestling bouts.

Responding to reporters’ queries, Ms. Wadiyar asserted that both the Golden Throne and the Ambari (golden howdah) remain the private property of the erstwhile royal family. She explained that the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1998, applies strictly to the Mysuru palace and does not extend to other assets listed in the private inventory of the former Maharaja of Mysore. Furthermore, she noted that the 1998 Act itself is currently under legal challenge in court.

Drawing a parallel to the Bangalore Palace dispute, Ms. Wadiyar remarked that although the Karnataka government had enacted the similar Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act in 1996, the erstwhile royal family continues to retain possession of the palace and its surrounding land while their appeal remains pending before the Supreme Court.

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