A tearful adieu

The remains of the last scion of the Wadiyar royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, was confined to flames on Wednesday.

With this, Mysore has lost its tryst with royalty that was started by Yaduraya in 1,399. As the body of Srikantadatta Wadiyar was being prepared for the final rites at Manuvana, the private mausoleum of the Mysore Royal on Mysore–Nanjangud Road, the family, its advisors and few senior courtiers chose Chidambar Kantaraje Urs, Wadiyar’s nephew, as the heir to perform the rites. 

Wadiyar’s nephew
The 38-year-old heir apparent is the son of Wadiyar’s second elder sister Gayatri Devi and her husband Sardar Ramachandraraje Urs. Family circles did not elaborate if Kantaraje Urs would wear the mantle of Scion of Mysore royal family.

Kantaraje Urs is a businessman and a member of the Mysore Turf Club. When the question about who would complete the last rites of Wadiyar arouse, Kantaraje Urs was immediately anointed.

Laid to rest in the royal mausoleum
Manuvana comprises all the mausoleums of the royal family members.  The mausoleum of Srikantadutta Narasimaraja Wadiyar will be built next to that of his parents Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar and Tripurasundari Ammanniyavar, said a source in the family circle.

The body was taken on a silver palanquin from the south door of the palace, escorted by the court elephant, mounted police contingent, eight horses from the palace stables and other animals of the palace.

Vaishnava last rites codes
The last rites were observed as per the Vaishnava last rites codes, that included elaborate rituals like Sreechoorna Pradhana, Tilaka Pradhana, Kumba Pradakshne and finally the Agni Pratishtapane. The rituals began at 3pm after the cortege reached Manuvana. The Agni Sparsha (torching of the pyre) was done at 5.20pm by Kantaraje Urs amid chanting of Vedic hymns by scholars from the palace.

A team of five purohits performed the rituals. 250kg of sandalwood, mixed with 150kg of other wood, was used for the pyre.

Commotion at gates
There was commotion at the gates when they were closed for public entry after 11.30am. Those who wanted to have a final glimpse of their Maharaja, had to return disappointed as they were sent back by the police.

Legal tussle
For the past four years, Wadiyar was bogged down by legal issues with the government over Bangalore and Mysore palaces and the land at the bottom of Chamundi Hills in Mysore. Wadiyar, who owned the Fernhill Hotel and Resort at Ooty, had some business concerns too, said sources in his friends circle.

They said Wadiyar was trying to do a balancing act between his financial condition and his social commitments as a the scion of the royal family of Mysore. 

Ten days ago, when Wadiyar was elected president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, he was elated by the outcome and wanted to come back to Mysore at least for a day or two before the annual scheduling of the KSCA began, said one of them.

Cow-incidence
Incidentally, a pet cow of the Wadiyar family gave birth to a male calf while the cortege of Wadiyar was preparing to leave to Manuvana, the cremation grounds. The cow, fondly called Prabhavati by the family, instantly turned into an object of fascination for the people who come to get a last glimpse of their departed Wadiyar, who claimed that their Maharaja was reborn as the calf, and chose to name it Srikanta.

Wadiyar had a protégé in nephew
Thirty-eight-year-old Chidambar Kantaraje Urs, who performed the final rites of his departed uncle, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, on Wednesday, had lost his parents Gayatri Devi and Sardar Ramachandraraje Urs at a very young age. He was brought up by Srikantadatta Wadiyar and his wife Pramoda Devi, who according to family sources raised him like their own son. They, however, did not confirm if Urs was formally adopted by the Wadiyar couple.