Grief-stricken Mysore mourns late 'Maharaja'

The love for their 'Maharaja', Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, who passed away on December 10 in Bangalore, was visible in Mysore soon after the news of his demise spread across Mysore.

Though Wadiyar preferred to live in the Bangalore Palace during the last few years, his holding of the annual Dasara celebrations as ritually laid out in the palace here was drawing big crowds.

Obtaining passes, many of them were witnessing his private durbar in the Amba Vilasa hall of the Palace, while his procession on the Vijaya Dasami day was also a big draw.

But his sudden demise sent shockwaves across the royal city and as soon as the news broke, traders and business establishments pulled down their shutters on their own.

A sense of sorrow and gloom engulfed on the city, earlier witnessed when his father Jayachamaraja Wadiyar died, also in Bangalore, on the morning of September 23, in 1974.

Though Srikanta Datta, who was 'Srikant' for his father, was anointed 'Prince' by last ruler of Mysore, Wadiyar continued to command respect as 'Maharaja' both by the people and the Urs' community members, to which he belonged.

Yesterday, when he was cremated at the Madhuvana royal crematorium, hundreds of people had gathered for a last look of their Maharaja, who was the last link of the Wadiyar's dynasty with no natural heirs at Madhuvana as well as at the Palace, a portion of which was used as his living quarters.

People from all sections poured onto the sprawling grounds and to Madhuvana to pay their last respects. As his mortal remains were consigned to flames, at Madhuvana grounds by his nephew Chaduranga Kantharaj Urs, people raised slogans hailing the late 'Maharaja'.

Garlanded huge flexes were seen put up at several places, including the palace, by the grief-stricken to pay homage to the 'Maharaja', whose forefathers had made immense contributions to their State of Mysore.

Those who could not make it to the palace or Madhuvana grounds were seen standing before these flexes with folded hands and offering their respects.

A large number of vehicles was also seen carrying portraits of Wadiyar.

Meanwhile, the second day's obsequies were conducted at the palace and the royal crematorium in accordance with the laid-down rituals of the royal family today.

The women of the royal family participated in 'Haalu' Thuppa' ceremony in the Kalyana Mantap of the Palace, where the body of Wadiyar had been kept for the public to view the previous day.

A portrait was kept and floral tributes offered. His favourite foods were kept in front of the portrait as an offering.

At Madhuvana ceremonies were conducted under the direction of Palace priest Chandrasekhara Sastry.

Milk and ghee was offered to the ashes and 'Panchagavya', a mixture of five items - milk, curd, ghee, cow's urine and dung - was sprinkled.

After the ceremony, ashes were collected in an urn for immersion in holy rivers, including at Paschimavahini where the river Cauvery flows, by Chaduranga Basavaraj Urs, who is conducting the ceremonies of the late 'Prince', who has left behind no natural heirs.