The district administration is chalking out elaborate plans to celebrate the centenary year of Mysore’s famous landmark, the palace.
One of the magnificent structures that attracts huge number of tourists every day, the erstwhile residence of the Mysore royal family will turn 100 next year.
To mark this historic event, the district administration is planning year-long programmes. After the ensuing Dasara, it will be organising cultural programmes throughout the year on Sundays and during special occasions when it is splendidly lit up in the evenings, according to district in-charge minister S A Ramadas.
Historical records reveal that prior to the present structure there existed a palace for the royal family if not as big as the present one but on a smaller scale. The presence of such a royal house can be traced to the early 17th century when a court poet of then ruler, Kantheerava Narasaraja Wadiyar, describes it elaborately in his poetic work ‘Kantheerava Narasaraja Vijaya’ in 1634 AD.
Subsequent records reveal that after shifting of the capital from Mysore to Srirangapatna and the subsequent Anglo-Mysore wars, it was neglected and had become dilapidated making it unfit for occupation. When the capital was shifted back to Mysore in 1799 after the last Mysore war, a new palace was built for the then Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III.
This palace, chiefly built of wood and mud with elaborate paintings in thick wax colours, was destroyed in a fire accident in 1897 and the construction of a new palace on an larger scale was taken up in 1901. It was completed about a decade later in 1912.
The famous front wing of the palace, with the magnificent Durbar Hall and the Amba Vilasa Hall, has now become a ‘must visit’ place for tourists, attracting record visitors.
The flow of visitors to the palace, which houses artifacts collected by the royal family, beautifully carved figures, pleasingly executed colourful paintings, including those of the famous royal artist of Travancore Raja Ravi Varma is increasing every year.
The palace is now under the control of the Karnataka government and managed by the Palace Board.
