The Hindu : Karnataka News : Remembering the last Maharaja of Mysore

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Friday, Jul 18, 2008
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Karnataka

Remembering the last Maharaja of Mysore

Special Correspondent

Jayachamaraja Wadiyar

MYSORE: The 90th birth anniversary of the last Maharaja of Mysore the late Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur will be held in the city on Friday.

Being marked as a cultural festival, it has been organised by Brahmavidya Foundation for Indian Arts in collaboration with the Urs community members and features Bharatnatyam by Radhika Nandakumar.

The cultural evening will be held at Jaganmohan Palace auditorium at 5.30 p.m. and the erstwhile Princess of Mysore Meenakshidevi, Kamakshi Devi and Indrakshi Devi will be chief guests.

The event will also see eminent space scientist K. Kasturirangan receiving the Rajayogindra Award instituted to celebrate the life and works of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, who was born on July 18, 1819. He was the 25th and the last Maharaja of the princely state and acceded to the Union of India by signing the instrument of accession when India attained independence.

Described as a noted philosopher, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar was a renowned musician who is credited with many compositions in Carnatic genre while his interest and mastery of Western classical music is also legendary. After the merger of the Princely State of Mysore with India, he held many Government positions and the first Governor of the State of Mysore and subsequently became the Governor of Tamil Nadu or Madras State. He was also the last Maharaja to sit on the golden howdah during the famous jamboo savari held to mark Dasara.

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