Dasara: Maharani, Karnataka government finally work out a truce

Mysore: With the Mysore Dasara barely a week away all issues that were threatening to derail it were sorted out by the state government and maharani Pramoda Devi, widow of the late scion of the Mysore royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, here on Thursday .

Demonstrating that all was well finally,  the maharani and district in-charge minister, V. SrInivasa Prasad, who is also chairman of the Dasara Executive Committee, addressed a joint press conference in the residential portion of  the palace, announcing the arrangements that have all the elements of a truce.

In a win-win formula,  the government has decided to dedicate the cultural programmes to be held in front of the  palace to the memory of the late maharaja and to drop dance and music recitals that could make it seem too much of a celebration when the royal family is still in mourning for Mr Wadiyar.  

Though not seeming entirely convinced, Ms. Pramoda Devi said she had accepted the official Dasara invitation from the government and agreed to co-operate with it in holding the celebrations in the interest of the public at large.

"There has been a lot of speculation. A few self-proclaimed historians are going hysterical distorting things and creating unnecessary tension. I want to put an end to all this, which is why I volunteered to hold a joint press conference", she explained, adding , "We can't stop any of the traditions unique to the royal family. But because there is no successor yet,  no one will  sit on the golden throne this year.  I didn't blackmail the government using the golden howdah, but  only requested it to scale down the celebrations inside the palace."

The minister, for his part, recalled that in the past  Dasara was celebrated even when a maharaja passed away. "We will continue with this tradition, doing nothing more which will hurt the sentiments of  the royal family, " he assured.

Meanwhile, the royal family  began preparations for holding its private durbar from September 25.

The golden throne was taken out of the palace strongroom and assembled at the private durbar hall under the supervision of Ms. Pramoda Devi.

Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar had passed away in December last year.