On the first day of the Dasara festivities in Mysore, the scion of the erstwhile royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, ascends the throne at the khas durbar in the main Amba Vilas palace.
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Wodeyar and wife Pramoda Devi Wodeyar arrive for the private durbar.
The late Hayavadana Rao wrote in the Mysore Gazette:
“On the morning of the first day, His Highness, after observing the religious ceremonies, partly at the shrine of Sri Chamundeshwari on the palace premises and partly in the Durbar Hall, takes his seat on the historical throne under a salute of 21 guns and showers of flowers. There is also a presentation of arms by the palace and the State troops assembled in the arena square below. Honours from the principal temples and maths are presented followed by offerings and presentations of coconuts (phala) and coloured rice (mantrakshate) by the Vaidika Brahmins invited to the Durbar Hall.”
Photographs: Karnataka Photo News
Where can one see pics of Dasara during HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar/ Nalvadi’s reign?
if odeyar will sit in ambari it will be the funishment for eliphant.
check out palace website
Janakke serida chinna adu. Adannu hindakke padeyuvudu hege? Ee raajavamshada aasthiyella nammade. Kallathanavannu vaibhaveekarisuvudu naachikegedu.
Looks like Wodeyar maharaja ate all the food in Mysore. And didn’t even take a hike.
Wish all of you a happy Dasara, Navaratri, Durga Puja…..Cooperate with extra security- be safe.
We really miss the pomp and pagentry of Royalty. What with these drab socialists, we don’t get to see such splendour. Having seen Khadi or two piece suits entire year, it is nice to see Royal attire at least once in a year. It is quite a harmless display. May the tradition continue unabated.
I can’t believe that in 2008 we still live in the past. It is quite hilarious and upsetting to see the pictures above. We’re still endorsing what Sardar Vallabhai Patel fought so hard to rid India of.
Vikram,
I dont think it is hilarious or upsetting. Nobody is living in the past. Dasara is part of our culture and tradition, which goes back to almost 400-500 years. There is nothing wrong in celebrating or respecting it. The fact remains that erstwhile Mysore owes its development to the Wodeyars and their equally visionary statesman Dewans!
beautful pictures…glory of mysore
@Arrow,
Well said. The Wodeyar family was instrumental in setting up IISc as well, the nations premier institute for Science and Engineering. The Wodeyars are held in high respect pretty much throughout Karnataka.
@Arrow, you are right. Dasara is a part and parcel of our culture and tradition. No wrong celebrating this Dasara. And the contribution of visionary kings like Krishnaraj Wodeyar IV and Dewans like Visvesvaraya are great for our state’s progress in the last century. Dasara is a great tradition. The visuals of Wodeyar’s private Durbar are good.
HH Wodeyar has puffed up. If you observe the picture closely, you will notice the puffed cheeks.
Vikram visvanathan says:
I can’t believe that in 2008 we still live in the past. It is quite hilarious and upsetting to see the pictures above. We’re still endorsing what Sardar Vallabhai Patel fought so hard to rid India of.
Only an ignorant man can say this. Sardar Vallabhai Patel eloquently said in the constitutional assembly while commending to the Constituent Assembly the adoption of Article 291 of the Constitution:
The Privy Purse settlements are therefore in tire nature of consideration for the surrender by the rulers of all their ruling powers and also for the dissolution of the States as separate units. We would do well to remember that the British Government spent enormous amounts in respect of the Mahratta settlements alone. We are ourselves honouring the commitments of the British Government in respect of the pensions of those rulers who helped them to consolidate their empire. Need we cavil then at the small- I purposely use the word small-price we have paid for the bloodless revolution which has affected the destinies of millions of our people?
The capacity for mischief and trouble on the part of the Rulers if the settlement with them would not have been reached on a negotiated basis was far greater than could be imagined at this stage. Let us do justice to them; jet us place ourselves in their position and then assess the value of their sacrifice. The rulers have now discharged their part of the obligations by transferring all ruling powers by agreeing to the integration of their States. The main part of our obligation under these agreements is to ensure that the guarantees given by us in respect of privy purses are fully implemented. Our failure to do so would be a breach of faith and seriously prejudice the stabilisation of the new order.
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To understand the full import of what Sirdar meant when he said : We are ourselves honouring the commitments of the British Government in respect of the pensions of those rulers who helped them to consolidate their empire, kindly read the report in Hindu in 2004:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/2004/02/01/stories/2004020100120200.htm
The irony of it is we still honour the agreements and sanads issued by British and have no qualms about reneging solemn agreements executed by the leaders of Independent India on the eve of India becoming a Republic in 1950!
The great jurist late Mr. Nani Palkhivala says in his book “ We the People” : … The basic issues involved were not concerned with privileges or privy purses, with the booming of salute Guns or the clinking of Shekels. The basic issues centered round the sanctity of the constitution and public morality……
…. If privy purses could be repudiated so could the Government’s obligation to pay the principal and interest in respect of Government Paper, because the Constitution used exactly the same words in guaranteeing privy purses as for guaranteeing the Governments obligation in respect of securities { Art. 112(3) and Art 291 } . What was at stake was nothing less than the nation’s honour and its reputation for financial integrity in the eyes of the word…..
Writing in his book Integration of the Indian States, Mr. V.P. Menon who was the right hand man of the Sirdar as the Secretary of states says:
The merger agreements and covenants are bilateral documents. As Sardar very rightly remarked, the rulers discharged their part of the contract by surrendering their States and powers. They are now bereft of any bargaining power. Because a creditor is too weak or poor to enforce his rights, a debtor should not, in honour refuse to discharge his debt. As an honourable party to an agreement, we cannot take the stand that we shall accept only that part of the settlement which confers rights on us, and repudiate or whittle down that part which defines our obligations. As a nation aspiring to give a moral lead to the world, let it not be said of us that we know the ‘price of everything, and the value of nothing.’
But sadly Mrs. Gandhi who perpetuated her own dynasty with impunity and declared even emergency to save her empire had no qualms about totally deleting the Art. 291, Art 362 etc. She also did away with fundamental right to property Art 19(f) from the constitution.
As Sirdar said need we cavil at an Individual keeping alive a tradition in his abode of nearly 650 years ancestry. Today’s God men and Politician’s spend for more ostensibly to celebrate their birthdays and 100 days in power. Rich and mighty like Mittals of the world spend a fortune to celebrate weddings. If the media go and gaga and publish the pictures what is the fault of the Individual. It is a travesty of justice to crib about a private function.
GK says:
Where can one see pics of Dasara during HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar/ Nalvadi’s reign?
Is there a way for posting pictures here?
How come late Hayavadana Rao could write?
@Vikram
Hilarious and upsetting? What? Pseudo-nationalism has profoundly eaten your mind, ain’t it?
I am sure some of you here would have been happy during the rule of Mysore kings. Some could have even been employed to wash the nether regions of the royal bodies and be honoured with handouts for it. Dasara was a way of instilling a kind of mass of psychosis in the minds of the subjects to ensure subjugation in the name of gods, gold, regality etc. It is such a shame that we have not been able to call the bluff even now. God bless Mysore and particularly Mysoreans.
Large section of the population is suffering from malnourishment, but Wodeyar looks like is eating up the whole of Mysore.
He is yet to realise that he is living in a democracy.
King is Dead, Long live the King !!! That sums its up…
It is a “gazetteer” and not a “gazette”. The difference is big, and relevant.
Vikram>>I can’t believe that in 2008 we still live in the past. It is quite hilarious and upsetting to see the pictures above. We’re still endorsing what Sardar Vallabhai Patel fought so hard to rid India of.
Willy Sardar sure played hard ball with the rulers- but also ensured their purses, dignity will be protected. Unlike in Russia, or China.
Moreover, Kings of Mysore (along with probabaly that of Baroda) were few benevolent rulers loved by local people. They did many things for the people- many of them first in India. So, people are nostalgic and not unhappy with their traditional role. King of Puri still leads the Puri Ratha Yatra.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/02/world/europe/02czar.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin
Here is an interesting article- today, Russian Supreme Court have ruled on Romanavs. They are back. NEXT IS TO TAKE OUT THE RESTING PLACE OF LENIN :)-
History’s course is full of twists, and turns. Today, unlike thought in the last few decades, many traditions have comeback and people are liking it.
TM,
Even in Thiruvananthapuram, Marthanda Varma performs Vishu festival by going in procession . But in the case of SDNRW, he is doing within the four walls of his own home and obviously it is a private function ! Just because a personal friend of the scion is allowed to witness the Traditional ritual, the bloggers cannot go bonkers and make all kind of below the belt remarks, some of which are in very poor taste. I am not able to fathom how KP allows some of the personal remarks made by the likes of soori, Ak, Tarle maga, sheshdri etc.
Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: you find the present tense, but the past perfect!
Quote by Owens Lee Pomeroy
There is nothing wrong in enacting the glorious past, imaginary or real. In this case Wodeyar is an actor putting up a show for the benefit of people. We should appreciate the gesture of people who organized this event.
I don’t think there is any reason to criticize Mysore Dasara traditions.Please read about the contributions of the Wodeyar family to our state. Moreover, the pics are from a private durbar, no one is forced to go watch. To cater to your interests, the politicians will be on TV day and night in the name of Dasara.
@jeevarathna
You may be able to post a link from flickr/other photo sharing site.
NaaDannu aLidha prabhugaLige nanna anantha vandanegaLu.
@ jeevarathna,
Marthanda Varma performing such rituals in a Communist state is a joke. Indians have realised that such customs and traditions are just another joke being played on them.
These guyz were literally playing in the hands of the erstwhile British raj without taking care of their subjects.
If you are obese in Japan then you are not eligible for a Job. This results huge insurance overheads and health care costs.
Mr Wodeyar is lucky that he is living in a country wherein he eats into the profits of malnourished citizens.
Very unfortunate we allow such parody in India.
http://i35.tinypic.com/c6wr5.jpg
http://i34.tinypic.com/7280v6.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/314uy5f.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/2qxm6c5.jpg
Tarlemaga,
As you are name suggests, You are too sick to comment. You talk as if you go and watch every citizen how much they eat ! If some one is obese due to genetic reasons it does not mean he eats in to the profits of malnourished citizen. Even if he does, he is not a King anymore and is tax paying citizen and what he does with his money is his personal business. Go and tell your comments all politicians obese or otherwise. You are lucky you are living in a republic it is not easy to sue for defamation and hide yourselves under some fancy name and likes of KP allow you express your silly jokes.
@jeevarathna
Thank you for the excellent pics!
Are these from your personal collection?
JR many thanks for the pics. duly downloaded. :)
can you identify the people in the second foto? (JCW) when was dasara started in mysore?
Apparently, according to Wiki, dasara was a vijayanagara tradition and raja wodeyar I(1578–1617) continued it in mysore. so dasara is about 600 year old tradition in karnataka.
gk & ts
They are from many in my personal collections which i have gathered from many sources .
There are four people of note in the second pic. I never tried to identify them till date ! Two in the military dress are the Sirdars ( as they were called), one of them may be from the Ursu family known as KG { one of the branch hailing from the natural brother of Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar and the other two on the left of JCRW must be his uncles (Yuvarani’s brothers).
I am only making an educated guess . For veracity you should ask old Mysoreans / Urs family.
There is a world of difference between Dasara as celebrated under Vijayanagar Empire and the one celebrated under Wodeyars. Dasara under Vijayanagar Rulers was very cruel and was mainly organized in the night. On the first day 9 sheep and nine buffalo’s used to be sluagheterd and there after doubling the count every day ! ( according to Fernao Nuniz)
Where as in 1610 Raja Wodeyar was handed over (or conquered) Sriranagapatna by the viceroy of Vijaya Nagar empire. It is from 1610 that Wodeyar’s started Dasara in a spectacular manner. But before he could do that Raja Wodeyar faced many hurdles like the Curse of Alamelamma. Believe it or not his son, Yuvaraja Narasaraja ( builder of the submerged temple at KRS which was recently trans located ) died just a day before dasara. Raja Wodeyar had to consult all the available religious scriptures and Experts and there after made elaborate rules to follow. As per the advice given, after wearing the sacred Kankana on his wrist, he was allowed to complete the Dasara rituals including propitiatory pooja to the idol of the Queen Alamelamma – the lady who cursed. I understand the same rules are being scrupulously followed even to day. Some of the video tracks available at http://www.royalsplendourofmysore.com/ are proof enough.
Wodeyar’s Navaratri and Dasara form continuous feast of ten days dedicated to the worship of DURGA, and falls on the first ten days of the month ASVINA, i.e ASVAYUJA SUDHA to ASVAYUJA SUDHA 10.
The festival is sacred not only to DURGA – Goddess of energy but also to VISHNU her brother – the god of prosperity.
Religious facts presents the observance of at least two ‘Navaratri” festival annually, the first of these in the Vasantha kala(spring) and the second in Sharat kala (Autumn). The first of these is usually celebrated as Ramanavami in commemoration of the anniversary of the birthday of Lord Sri Rama, the epic hero, and the second one is Dasara.
It is said that these two Navaratri are held to ward off evils resulting from the sickness which prevails during these two seasons.
To ward off such evil consequences both King and their subjects are called upon to perform certain propitiatory ceremonies to the Goddess Durqa or God Indra/ an instrument of Vishnu according to individual choice and observe certain rules and practices connected there to.
Some remarkable features of the festival as celebrated in Mysore, even today by the scion of the wadiyars seem to support the connection with the worship of Indra. The puja offered to the state horse, the state elephant, the state- carriage represents, it is said the respect due to be paid to Indra’s horse Uchchaissravas (White in colour with black tails) – which came forth at the churning of the ocean, Indra’s elephant – Airavata, which stands at entrance of Svarga, and Indra’s chariot – Devarata – which as speedy as the wind and as scattering the dark clouds as it cleans the sky.
And it s where in sacred the pujas offered to the throne has reference to Indra’s throne placed in the main assembly hall at Pushkaramalini which drives away the weakness of old age fatigue and fear. The puja offered to the state arms is said symbolic the respect due to the great weapons of Indra – Vajra (Thunder bolt), Vijaya (bow), Sankha (Trumpet). The respect shone to state cow is the veneration due to Indra’s ‘Surabhi’.
Thus Dasara is a religious festival and which is both thanks giving ceremony for past blessing conferred and future blessing craved for. That seems to be the idea underlying the Dasara festival. If the symbolism used in it is any guide to our understanding of it.
So from 1610, Dasara at Srirnagapatna went from strength to strength till the Rule of Immadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar (1734-1766) and but continued till the death of Hyder ( 1783) as he paid public obeisance to his nominal King atleast during dasara. There are no clear records of Khasa Chamaraja Wodeyar1776-1796) continuing with Dasara celebration there after. But definitely after his death in 1796, there was an interregnum of 3 year till his son – an infant- Mummadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar was restored Mysore Kingdom but was shifted to Mysore by Britishers. From then on it has continued as Mysore Dasara as we all know.
Hope i have been able to explain your questions succinctly.
Go ahead, celebrate the past, live in the past. Ride to work on elephants and horses. Make a massive blowup of SNW (his name is too long for me to type) and hang it front of your houses.
……. while China celebrates another spectacular Olympics, builds super highways that could make the Germans green with envy, win the race to the moon.
JR thanks. that was very informative.
that means 2010 it will be 400th year of dasara in mysore.
one more question was varaha ever a royal symbol in mysore?
ts,
Sorry i did not feel like responding after seeing the way some people respond in this forum ! It is not easy at my age to take so much of time to write a long note and then some people respond with trash.
A blog should be for exchange of ideas of like minded people. If you do not like keep away but insult us with your incongruous comments.
Yes, some of the copper plate grants and lithic records of Legendary Mysore Rulers like Randhira Kanteerva Narsimha Raja Wodeyar and Chikka Deva Raja Wodeyar bear the boar seal.
While we are discussing Varaha, a re you aware Baramulla in KAshmir was known as varAhamUlakshEtra and it is said to have been associated with varAha incarnation of Vishnu and had many temples built during 9th and 10th century and they were destroyed by Sikandra Butt Sikan !
Varaha (and Varahamurthy) I understood talking to my fathers’ friends in 1960s, was once a Mysore royal symbol and this matches with what JR says.
It is not clear why this symbol was not continued in later years. Given the Mysore royal’s chequered history, not surprising.
History is essential and looking back from the point of view of learning is not bad. If Bush did this, he would not have ventured into Iraq and not be trying to unite shiates and sunnis there or anywhere for that matter, and trying to engineer a democracy where it will not survive. History is the key.
Jeevarathna,
Please make articles of some the factual things you write of instead of posting them as comments.
Thanks.
Mr.jeevaratna, your knowledge and information is vast and your reguar posting will help us to increase our knowledge.