Erstwhile Mysore Royals Get Relief in Temple Case

The Chamundeshwari Temple was built by the erstwhile royal family atop Chamundi Hill on the outskirts of Mysuru.

At a press conference on Monday, Mysore royal family member Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said the temple development authority is “unconstitutional” as the Chamundeshwari Temple is part of the list of private properties belonging to the erstwhile royals.

The list of properties were fixed when the princely state of Mysore merged with the Indian government in 1950. The chief secretary of the state government was a signatory in the list of properties.

Pramoda Devi also pointed to a writ petition filed by her late husband and scion of the erstwhile royals, Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, versus the department of Muzrai in 2001 which is still pending before the High Court.

“As of now, the authority will not come into effect. The act is not recognised as of now,” she said and asserted to counter any objections from the state government.

She said, “Right from the first chief minister of the state to the present -- all of them have created hassles for the royal family. It is not a new thing.”

Pramoda Devi said the proposed authority aims to control the moveable and immovable properties of the temple but that cannot be allowed as a "religious institution" cannot be owned.