Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, an economic graduate from the University of Massachusetts, has been crowned the new Maharaja of Mysore, (renamed Mysuru) at a coronation ceremony at Amba Vilas Palace last week. It was conducted by more than 40 priests across 15 temples spread across the Mysore Palace grounds.
He succeeds his grand uncle Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar. Srikantadatta Wadiyar, who died in December 2013, was childless and did not name an heir, but his widow Pramodadevi Wadiyar adopted Yaduveer Gopalraj Urs, a relative, at a ceremony in February.
After his coronation, the maharaja became known by his full title, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. The crowning ceremony was attended by more than 1,000 guests from India and abroad, including former Indian prime minister HD Deve Gowda and Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah.
Yaduveer performed several poojas at the Palace and offered prayers to the royal family's presiding deity Goddess Chamundeshwari. After this, he offered pada puja to his foster-mother Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, who adopted Yaduveer on 23 February this year and rechristened him as Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar.
Yaduveer will succeed his late great-uncle Srikantadatta Narasimharaja, who died of a cardiac arrest on 10 December, 2013, and maintain the lineage of the erstwhile royal family.
After the coronation ceremony, the new King greeted the people from the balcony of the Palace, after which he took a tour of the Amba Vilas.
The new maharaja will now become the custodian of more than 1,500 acres of land spread across Mysore, Bangalore, Hassan, Channapatna and other places of Karnataka. But, he will also be inheriting a legal battle with the Karnataka government, which wants to take over the palace properties.
He is also likely to face a legal challenge from one of the late maharajah's nephews, Kantharaj Urs, who is upset that he was not chosen as successor. The dispute over the inheritance is because the Wodeyar kings have never had children - legend has it that the dynasty has suffered from a 17th century curse.
Historian Nanjaraj Urs says some of the members of Wadiyar dynasty had contributed greatly to the development of the state, but the crowning ceremony now is a "farce". "The real maharajas had an intimate relationship with the people. There was affection and it is that emotional attachment which makes this family popular. "But now it is just a function in a traditional family. You can call the ceremony by any name but all of it is within the family."
