Mysore palace controversy may mar Dasara celebrations

While Mysore is getting ready for the world-famous Dasara celebrations, the nearly a century-old Mysore Palace "" the star attraction for the tourists and the focal point of the festivities "" is again in the thick of controversy, dampening the festive moods.

The controversy was triggered off five years ago when the J H Patel-led Janata Dal government brought in the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act 1998.

This set off the conflict between the scion of the Mysore royal family and former Congress MP Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wodeyar and the government. Since then the issue has haunted the Mysore royal family.

After both houses of the state legislature gave their approval to the act, which envisages acquisition of the palace and its properties after paying Rs 32 crore to its legal representatives, the government appointed a commissioner to take possession of the palace.

Soon after, Wodeyar moved the Karnataka High Court and brought a stay against the implementation of the act. The S M Krishna government, which followed, did not rake up the issue during its regime.

While the issue is pending before the high court and the Supreme Court, the sudden move by the Congress-Janata Dal alliance in appointing a new commissioner for palace board under the act, has led to shock and surprise, besides giving scope for resurfacing of the conflict over possession of the Mysore Palace.

The authorities, who are busy making last-minute preparations for the nine-day long Dasara, hope that the latest developments will not mar the traditional show which they want to bring back as a major tourist attraction at least this time, after a few years.

With the arrival in Mysore of the newly-appointed commissioner Vinay Kumar, who is the state's principal secretary for infrastructure development, there were speculations that he would expedite the acquisition proceedings under the Palace Act.

Amidst reports of chief minister Dharam Singh's intervention, the commissioner, instead, inspected the Mandakalli airport and its expansion plans and left Mysore immediately.

Soon after his return from abroad, Wodeyar reacted sharply over the latest move of the government, though the issue is before the courts.

Wodeyar has blamed deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah, who was the deputy chief minister in the J H Patel government when the palace takeover move began, for the rift.

Wodeyar has also indicated that he would move the court again on the issue and said that he will fight it out legally. However, Siddaramaiah has denied his involvement in the issue.

Amidst this controversy, the assurance held out by Wodeyar that he would fully co-operate in the conduct of Dasara by sparing the golden howdah and other paraphernalia has brought a sigh of relief to the organisers here.

Built in 1912 the Indo-Saracenic style Mysore Palace has been traditionally the centre of the Dasara festivities with the Maharajas conducting their grand durbars seated on the golden howdah in the majestic durbar hall and all their religious and public ceremonies during the 10 days, including the Vijaya Dasami procession.

History books take the antiquity of the site to 1399 when the Yadu dynasty was born in the then small town by Yaduraya, from whom the geneology of the Mysore Wodeyars are traced.

The present palace stands on the site where stood a similar palace, but smaller model, built by the Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in 1800 AD.

Since then, the Mysore rulers have lived there and so continues Srikantadatta, who resides in a portion of the palace, now caught in the controversy.