Mysuru Royal Family Matriarch Pramoda Devi Wadiyar
Explaining the Dasara workflow, she said the govt first writes to the family seeking the Ambari, which is then handed over through the palace assistant commissioner of police, who is also responsible for its safe return.
Mysuru: The golden howdah used during Jamboo Savari and the royal throne are not covered under the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1998, and will remain with the erstwhile royal family, its matriarch Pramoda Devi Wadiyar claimed Wednesday. Responding to Mysuru district in-charge minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s statement that the govt paid the family Rs 80 lakh for the howdah during this year’s Jamboo Savari on Oct 21, Pramoda said the amount was a longstanding honorarium, not rent. On Bengaluru Palace, she claimed the property and surrounding land remained with the family despite the Bengaluru Palace Acquisition and Transfer Act, 1996.
At a press conference, she said the govt could commission its own howdah if it did not wish to use the Wadiyar family’s. “If the govt gets one made, it will no longer have to seek ours, and there will be no problems,” she said. The payment was royalty, she said, as the govt commercially exploited it through Nada Habba publicity material and Jamboo Savari ticket sales from the palace forecourts.
The high court has directed that status quo be maintained and allowed the family to conduct religious ceremonies even in portions under govt control.
An appeal is pending before the Supreme Court; the family’s position is that the properties are private assets and do not belong to the govt. * Maintains that the family‘s occupation of a portion of Mysuru Palace is not a govt favour; cites court order to maintain status quo