Mysore: City of palaces Mysore got its new king on Thursday with the coronation of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodiyar as the 27th titular head of the erstwhile royal family.
Coronation ceremonies were held at the Amba Vilas palace in the heart of Mysore city, about 150 km from Bengaluru.
The 23-year-old Yaduveer is the latest king of Mysore from the Wodiyar dynasty that had ruled the erstwhile Mysore kingdom from 1399 till 1950.
Yaduveer’s coronation was conducted by about 40 priests at the makeshift ‘akalyana mantap’ in the Durbar Hal of the royal palace in the presence of queen Pramoda Devi, his parents, relatives, special invitees.
Yaduveer was adopted by Pramoda Devi after the death of her husband and former king Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar last year. The couple had no children.
As per the tradition, Pramoda Devi escorted the young prince to the silver throne for his crowning and blessed him in the presence of about 1,200 members of the royal family from across the country and overseas, besides other dignitaries.
Yaduveer will be taken around the illuminated palace after the coronation, astride a decorated elephant Balarama and to greet the people from the palace balcony, as the new king of Mysore.
Yaduveer, a son of Tripura Sundara Devi and Swarup Anand Gopal Raj Urs, is the grandson of late princess Gayathri Devi, the eldest sister of Srikantadatta and eldest daughter of the last maharaja (king) Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar.
He is pursuing a degree course in English and Economics from Boston in the US.
According to a legend, Raja Wodeyar, founder of the present dynasty, was cursed by Rani Alamelamma in 1610 that “the kings of Mysore will suffer the pangs of childlessness”.
Since then, every alternate generation of the Wodeyars have problem in choosing heirs, including the last scion Srikantadatta.
Considered one of the richest royals in the country, the Wodeyars have huge moveable and immovable properties, including royal palaces in Mysore and Bengaluru, located amid vast estates valued at crores of rupees.
Srikantadatta, a two-time lawmaker, declared assets worth Rs.1,500 crore in an affidavit for contesting the 2004 Lok Sabha poll.
Among his assets were 15 luxury cars and expensive watches
With agency inputs
