Mysore Palace

The Palace of Mysore Wodeyars is one of the most beautiful palaces of India. In India most visited tourist site after Tajmahal is this palace. Imposing structure of the palace is sure to catch the attention of the visitors from the distance itself. This tourist destination attracts six million visitors annually. Wodeyars dynasty is the only dynasty of Bharat which had ruled that kingdom almost uninterruptedly for more than five hundred years between 1399 and 1947. Like Wodeyars the palace they live also has a long impressive and great history.

When the Wodeyars initially as vassals of the Vijayanagara Empire took over Mysore in the 14th century, they built a mud fort and their palace inside the mud fort [Old Fort]. This palace underwent renovation several times.

The original palace, now known as the Old Palace or the Wooden Palace, was burnt into ashes in the year 1896 during the time of the wedding of the Princess Jayalakshammanni or by some account during Dasara festivities.

Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and his mother Maharani Kempananjammanni Devi commissioned building a new palace the next year. The new palace was completed in the 1912. The palace we see today is known as Amba Vilas palace.

Jaganmohan Palace

Earlier to this in the year 1799 the capital was shifted from Srirangapatna to Mysore with Krishnaraja III as king designate to be assisted in administration by Dewan Purnaiah. The Mysore fort and the palace were in ruins then. Imagine the situation that the coronation of the five year old Krishna raja wodyar III led by the Duke of Wellington took place at Lakshmiramanaswamy Temple, for want of better decent structure in the complex. This was the condition of the palace complex when the power was transferred to Wodeyars.

Initially Maharani Lakshmi Ammani Devi grandmother of Krishna Raja Wodeyar III with the able assistance of Dewan Purnaiah built palace in the fort-palace complex which was completed in 1804. During the reigns of Krishnaraja III he had built a palace next to Parakala Mutt in 1861 as an alternate retreat for the royal family. The palace known as Jagmohan Palace is situated west of fort-palace complex within five minutes walking distance. He had initially built as an ornate wooden palace.

Wodeyars move into Jagmohan Palace

When the palace at fort-palace complex was burnt down in 1896, the royal family of Wodeyar moved into Jaganmohan Palace built by the king Krishnaraja Wodeyar III. The royals stayed in Jagmohan Palace till the new palace was completed in 1912.

Krishnaraja wodeyar IV known as Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar [nalvadi in Kannada means forth] was a minor and his mother Maharani Kempananjammanni Devi known as Vani Vilasa Sannidhana was the regent.

Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar married Maharani Pratapa Kumari Ammani of Kathiawar (b. 1889), the youngest daughter of Rana Sri Bane Sinhji Sahib, Rana Sahib of Vana in the Kathiawar region of the present-day Gujarat State. The wedding took place on 6 June 1900 at Jaganmohan Palace where a large hall was specially constructed for this wedding as the main palace was under construction.

In 1902, the king Rajarishi Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar was installed to the Mysore throne, in a ceremony that took place in a pavilion inside the Jaganmohan Palace. The pavilion was specially constructed for this ceremony. This ceremony was attended by Lord Curzon, the then Viceroy and Governor General of India. The pavilion was used for his daily durbar by the king and also the special Dasara durbar during the dasara period.

Parakala Mutt

Sri Tirumangai Alvar of Vaishnava cult is known as “Sri Parakalan”. The mutt established by Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Jeeyar, a disciple of Sri Vedanta Desika had established this mutt with Mysore as its headquarters and named it as “Parakala mutt”.

The Mutt has had a close relationship with the monarchs of Mysore Kingdom since 1399. The kings of Mysore hold the Mutt as their official gurukul. All royal ceremonies are even today held after consultation with the mutt. Mutt is located on the western side of the present palace complex within a walking distance of five minute.

New Palace and Brahmapuri Gate

As mentioned the Maharajas consults the pontiff of Parakala Mutt before any major decision is taken and then finalise the action. On 15.10.1906 His Holiness was consulted by the Maharaja regarding “Grihapravesam” for the New Palace. Then after on 05.06.1907 His Highness Maharaja made the ceremonial entry to the New Palace with the blessing of His Holiness of Sri Parakala Mutt.

At the request of Maharaja, on 17th June 1907 His Holiness along with Sri Hayagriva and Sri Lakshminarayana [deities of Mutt] visited the new palace through west gate to perform ‘trikala’ pooja at the new palace and bless the Royal family. Now the west gate is known as Brahmapuri Gate since this gate used by pontiff of Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Mutt to visit the palace or Mysore Royal family to visit the Parakala mutt.

Temples at Brahmapuri Gate

Young Maharaja along with Maharani Lakshmi Vilasa Sannidhana moved from Jagmohan Palace to the new palace in1907. The west gate i.e. Brahamapuri Gate used by Royals and pontiff of Parikala Mutt initially had Sri Vinayaka Swamy temple. It is told that during 1916 Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar build a temple for Sri Anjaneya next to Vinayaka temple as desired by Maharani Lakshmi Vilasa Sannidhana. As in the case of north gate and south gate where temple for Sri Ganesha and Sri Anjaneya exist the west gate of the palace complex was also privileged with temples for these deities. The icon of Sri Anjaneya was made of marble is around five feet tall. The posture of the deity is very rarely seen in south India. Both Sri Vinayaka Swamy temple and Sri Sanjeevaanjaneya Swamy temple are facing north.

Sri Sanjeevaanjaneya Swamy

The murtham of Sri Anjaneya is about five feet tall and made of marble. The vigraha with prabhavalli is made of single white marble stone. He in seen in standing posture is facing north. While his right lotus foot is firmly on the ground, the left lotus foot is folded and a woman is seen trampling under the feet. He is wearing dhoti in kacham style. On both the wrist he is wearing kankanam and in his upper hand he seen wearing keruram. His left hand he is holding mace resting on left clavicle. His right hand he is holding sajeev mountain. A necklace with a pendent and upper cloth is seen in his broad bosom. His tail is seen on rising on his left side with its end bend. His gracious face assures the devotees comfort. In His ears kundalam and ‘karna pushpam’ is seen. His projected chin and mouth are adding grace to the look. His big alert eyes attract the attention of the devotees. One look at the eyes devotee will realise the reason for the charm emitting from the face of the Lord. Such is the grace of the eyes. Lord is seen with a small crown overhead.

Woman under Hanumans’ feet

The Kastbhanjan Temple of Lord Hanuman in Sarangpur, Gujarat has a woman trampling under his feet. It is said in legend of this temple that the figure under Lords’ is Shanichara. According to the legend Shanichara was giving trouble to the devotee of Sri Hanuman as per his calendar. The pious devotee prayed to his Lord Hanuman to intervene and ease him of the troubles given by Shanichara. At a point of time Lord Hanuman appeared to help his devotee, Shanichara scared of Sri Hanuman hid himself in the disguise of a women. When Lord Hanuman identified Shanichara in the covering of woman, Shanichara surrendered himself at the feet of Lord Hanuman seeking pardon. Hence we see woman under Hanuman’s feet in this temple.

Recall that this temple was built on the request of Maharani Lakshmi Vilasa Sannidhana, the princess of Kathiawar of Gujarat. It could safely be said that she had brought the rich legend of that land.

 

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Experience

Dharshan of the charming eyes of the Lord is sure to reassure the devotee that he is not to face any trouble. The sanjeevi in Lords’ hand reassure the devotee his healthily life to do many righteous deeds.  

 

Ed: December 2023