Mysore Palace

The Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is a historical palace and a royal residence (house). It is located in Mysore, Karnataka. It used to be the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. The palace is in the centre of Mysore, and faces the Chamundi Hills eastward. Mysore is commonly described as the 'City of Palaces', and there are seven palaces including this one. However, the Mysore Palace refers specifically to the one within the Old Fort.

Mysore Palace
Location within Karnataka
Alternative namesAmba Vilas Palace
General information
Architectural styleIndo-Saracenic
LocationChamarajapura
Town or cityMysore
CountryIndia
Coordinates12.3039°N 76.6547°E / 12.3039; 76.6547
Current tenantsGovernment of Karnataka
Construction started1897
Completed1912
OwnerMaharani Pramoda Devi Wadiyar
Design and construction
ArchitectHenry Irwin
DesignationsRoyal Seat of the Maharajas of Mysore
Website
https://mysorepalace.gov.in

The land on which the palace now stands was originally known as mysuru (literally, "citadel"). Yaduraya built the first palace inside the Old Fort in the 14th century, which was set ablaze and reconstructed multiple times. The Old Fort was built of wood and thus easily caught fire, while the current fort was built of stone, bricks and wood. The current structure was constructed between 1897 and 1912, after the Old Palace burnt down, the current structure is also known as the New Fort. Mysore Palace is one of the most famous tourist attractions in India, after the Taj Mahal, with more than six million annual visitors.[1]

Construction

The last palace, now known as the Old Palace or the Wooden Palace, burned to ashes during the 1896 marriage event (Dasara festivities). Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and his mother Maharani Kempananjammanni Devi commissioned the British architect Henry Irwin to build a new palace.[2] Meanwhile, the royal family stayed in the nearby Jaganmohan Palace. Construction was overseen by an executive engineer in the Mysore Palace division. He conducted elaborate architectural studies during his visits to Delhi, Madras, and Calcutta, and these were used to plan the new palace. The construction cost was placed at Rs 41,47,913 (around $30 million adjusted to inflation) and the palace was completed in 1912.[3][4]

The palace was further expanded in around 1930 (including the addition of the present Public Durbar Hall wing) during the reign of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar. Although the construction was completed in 1912, the fort continued to be beautified and its inhabitants were slowly moved to newer extensions built off the palace.

Architecture

The architectural style of domes of the palace is commonly described as Indo-Saracenic, with blends of the Hindu, Mughal, Rajput, and Gothic styles. It is a three-storey stone structure with marble domes, and has a 145-foot five-storey tower. The palace is surrounded by a large garden. The entrance gate and arch hold the emblem and coat of arms of the kingdom of Mysore, around which the kingdom's motto is written in Sanskrit: "न बिभॆति कदाचन" (never terrified).

The main complex is 245 ft long and 156 ft wide. There are fire extinguishing machines located in all parts of the palace in order to prevent any fires.[5] The palace has three entrances: the east gate (the front gate, opened only during the Dasara and for dignitaries), the south entrance (for the public), and the west entrance (usually opened only during the Dasara).

The three-storey stone building of a fine grey granite with deep pink marble domes has a facade with several expansive arches and two smaller ones flanking the central arch, which is supported by tall pillars. Above the central arch is a sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, fortune, and abundance, with her elephants. There are three major exclusive temple buildings within the Old Fort, and about 18 inside the central palace building. The palace was built adjacent to the even older Parakala Mutt headquarters, whose leaders have remained the rajagurus (royal teacher and guide) of Mysore kings. The kings of Mysore were devotees of Goddess Chamundi, hence the palace faces the Chamundi Hills.[6]

The palace houses two durbar halls (ceremonial meeting halls of the royal court) and incorporates an array of courtyards, gardens, and buildings.

Mysore Palace viewed from the side
Mysore Palace from the front

Kings of Mysore State
  1. The Yadurayas (ca. 1399-1423)
  2. Hill Chamaraja Owners (1423-1459)
  3. Thimmaraja's Wives (1459-1478)
  4. Senior Chamaraja Wardens (1478-1513)
  5. Chamaraja Wardens of the Old Hill (1513-1553)
  6. The Bola Chamaraja owners
  7. Chamaraja lords of the hill (all three people 1553-1578)
  8. Forty years long reign of king lords (1578-1618).
  9. The Chamaraja Wives (1617-1637)
  10. The second king's lords (1637-1638) ruled for only 1 year
  11. Narasaraja Owners
  12. The Lord of the Great Lords (1659-1673)
  13. Owners of Chikkadevaraja (1673-1704)
  14. The silent son of Chikkadevaraja Wodeyars (mother of 1704-1714, with the help of ministers)
  15. The Great Krishnaraja Wardens (1714-1734)
  16. The owners of Anganahalli Chamaraja
  17. Imodi Krishnaraja Wodeyas (both adopted sons, until 1766, were intrigued by the then ruling ministers)
  18. The Wives of Nanjaraja (1766- 1770)
  19. Hill Chamaraja Wardens (1770-1776)
  20. Khasa Chamaraja Wanderers (1776-1796) (Hyder Ali took power over the Mysore State for the time of the Nanjaraja Wodeyas, who died in 1782. His son Tipu Sultan was the dictator of the princely state, only Nanjaraja, hill chamarajas, only khasaraja
  21. Mummidi Krishnaraja's lords (who were only 5 years old when they came to power in 1799) independently ruled from 1810 on the British tactic that the Mummidi Krishnaraja wives had to leave the administration to the British Commissioner.
  22. The Chamaraja Wives (1881-1902)
  23. Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyars (1902-1940)
  24. Jayachamaraja Wodeyas (From 1940 until the establishment of democracy, he continued to serve as the king's chief and governor.
  25. Srikanthatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar Bahadur (20 February 1953 - 10 December 2013)
  26. Yadavir Krishna Dutta Chamaraja Wodeyar (28 May 2015- Present)
  • Mysore Palace main approach
  • Mysore Palace lighting during Mysore Dasara 2012
  • Roof artwork
  • Audience hall
  • A Courtyard of Mysore Palace during day
  • A side view of the Mysore Palace
  • A very well lit Durbar Hall (ceremonial meeting hall of the royal court) of Mysore Palace during day

References
  1. "Tourism in Mysore". 22 April 2014.
  2. "Maharaja's Palace". Mysore District. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  3. "Mysore Palace". culturalindia.net. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  4. "Mysore palace will complete 100 years next year". Deccan Herald.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 April 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. Chamundi

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