New king ascends throne in Mysore

Tribune News Service

Bengaluru, May 28

In a glittering ceremony, US-educated Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar, the adopted son of Pramoda Devi Wodeyar, was today crowned as the head of the Mysuru royal family.

The coronation took place at Kalyana Mantap in Amba Vilas Palace at Mysuru this morning amid Vedic chants and slogans hailing the Mysuru royalty as the 23-year old titular king ascended the silver throne known as ‘Bhadrasana’.

Yaduveer, the 27th King of Wodeyar dynasty, will ascend the golden throne on the occasion of ‘Dasara’, when he will preside over the ‘khasa (private) durbar’.

Pramoda Devi Wodeyar, widow of last king Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, formally adopted Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs in February after which he took the name of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar.

Yaduveer has completed his graduation at Boston University in the US. He is the grandson of Princess Gayatri Devi, the eldest sister of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar. Yaduveer's fiancé Trishika Kumari, who also belongs to a royal family, attended the event. Their wedding is expected to take place sometime soon. About a thousand guests, including family and friends, attended the coronation ceremony. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda was among those present at the function.

The Wodeyar dynasty ruled the Kingdom of Mysuru from 1399 to 1947, the last king being Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, who ruled from 1940 until Independence in 1947 when he acceded his kingdom to the dominion of India, but continued as the Maharaja until India became a Republic in 1950.