Yaduveer's coronation treat: A mega lunch

Mysuru: With just two days left for the coronation of the 27th Maharaja of the 600-year-old Wadiyar Dynasty at Mysuru Palace, there is a celebratory mood all across Mysuru Palace with all eyes on the royal lunch menu for the big day. The mega lunch or ‘Raja Bhojana’ on Thursday will not be prepared by chefs from star hotels but by 110 Udupi Brahmin cooks led by Mr Srinivas Rao and his brothers Jayaprakash and Suresh Rao.

A resident of Chamundipuram here, 55-year-old  Rao has 32 years of experience as family cook of the royal families. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, he said he is elated and considers it a great privilege to cook for the historic day. Srinivas Rao came to Mysuru from Udupi as a 12-year-old. His father worked at the famous Raghavendra Prasanna hotel near Prabha theatre in city. Srinivas has mastered various styles of cooking including South Canara, South Indian, Andhra, Tamil, Chinese and north Indian.  

The royal menu will have 22 items which will be served to 1500 family members, guests and invitees. For the first time it will be a buffet system with three counters to serve the delicacies. The menu will include four favourite items of late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar—Ghee Mysuru Pak, Phulkha, Paneer Butter Masala and Dal Fry.

The remaining dishes chosen by Maharani Pramoda Devi and Mr Yaduveer, include green salad, shaavige paayasa, moongdal pomogranate kosambari, cucumber kadlebele kosambari, thonde kaayi palya, Raja’s special with godambi (a salad), potato peas cashew veg biryani, curds raitha, baby corn manchurian, rice, thilisambar, curd rice with pickle, eerulli sandige, haralu sandige, baalakada mensu, beeda, banana and ice cream.

The menu for the special breakfast on Thursday will include idli chutney, sambar, pongal, shavige bath, pineapple kesaribath and coffee. A holige oota has been planned for the reception of royal family members which will have bele obbattu with Ghee, masala dosa chutney, jeera rice, dal fry, rice thili sambar, curd rice with pickle, baalakada menasu, pakoda, panipuri, masalpuri and green salad.

A green pendal of coconut leaves is being erected in the front of the palace. A huge portrait of the new Maharaja has been displayed in front of the residential portion of the palace. Sources said there will be as many as 54 rituals as per traditions of the royal family which will begin as early as 4.30 am and will be carried out by over 50 Purohits. On the first day of the ceremony on Wednesday, there will be 28 rituals with a few family members and the biological parents of Mr Yaduveer Ms Tripurasundaradevi and Mr Swarup Gopalraj Urs participating.

These rituals will include Oil bath, Kankana dhaarane, Ganapathi pooja, Chamundeswari pooja and Maathru paada pooja of Ms Pramodadevi Wadiyar, Paada pooja of Parakal Math seer Sri Abhinava Vaageesha Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Swami and others. Meanwhile, Mysuru City Police Commissioner Mr B. Dayanand told Deccan Chronicle that security for the ceremony will be taken care of by the palace security force and Devraja sub division police. Entry for visitors to the palace is restricted from 1pm.

Forest dept refuses to lend Balarama for rituals

In a rude shock for the Mysuru royal family, the state government has refused to lend 56-year-old Dasara veteran Balarama to perform the role of Pattada aane during the coronation ceremony claiming it was a private programme.

Additional chief secretary, forest department Mr Madan Gopal reportedly quoted a 2002 order and stated that elephants which belong to the forest department cannot be spared for private programmes. The order states that these elephants can be used only for Dasara, government festivals including Independence Day and for garlanding dignitaries.

The male elephant designated for the coronation ceremony will receive a holy sprinkle-Prokshana-on the occasion and will be eligible to participate as Pattada aane during the Navarathri Utsav. The royal family had placed the requisition on Saturday. The order was received by DCF Mr Karikalan. Currently, the palace has six elephants, all female. The only option now is to request for one from JSS Math.