The Wodeyar dynasty or Wadiyar dynasty ruled over the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1947. It is the only royal family in India that has ruled over a kingdom for more than 500 years. The rule of this royal family extending over 5 centuries was headed by 25 kings.
Origin of the Mysore Wodeyar Dynasty
Wodeyar, alternatively spelt Wadiyar or Odeyar, as the members of the Mysore royal family were addressed by their subjects, translates to ‘lord’ or ‘king’ in Kannada. According to legend, the royal family is descended from Krishna of Dwaraka. Legend says the Wodeyars made Mysore their abode upon seeing the natural beauty of the place. But according to historians, the Wodeyars adopted Puranic legend to claim themselves as direct descendants of the legendary Lunar Dynasty.
Raja Vijaya Raj Wodeyar, who established the dynasty in 1399 and later came to be known as Adi Yaduraya Wodeyar, was a local feudal lord. The Mysore Wodeyar family and its descendants continued to rule the kingdom under the Vijayanagar Empire until the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1565. The Mysore Kingdom then became an independent kingdom until 1799, when it came under the reign of the British Empire during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III.
The Kingdom of Mysore was initially a small empire that was a vassal of the Vijayanagara Empire. As the Vijayanagar Empire disintegrated, the ninth king Raja Wodeyar I, expanded the borders of the kingdom and changed the capital city from Mysore to Srirangapattana. Subsequent kings of the Wodeyar dynasty expanded the frontiers till Trichy in Tamil Nadu. The dynasty reached its peak under the reign of the fourteenth king, Chikka Devaraja. Under his capable rule, the administration of the empire was reformed and a new, coherent system of taxation was also introduced.
During the reign of the 24th king of the Wodeyar family, the kingdom of Mysore witnessed a golden era. Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV was a philosopher-king, who heralded an important phase in the making of modern Mysore. He set up an educational infrastructure and worked towards alleviating poverty, improving rural reconstruction, public health, industry, and economic regeneration. The king, an accomplished musician himself, was also a patron of the fine arts. During his reign, the grand kingdom of Mysore made several strides in development.
Mysore was the first Indian state (In 1905, Mysore was a princely state and known as the Kingdom of Mysore. The country hadn’t yet been divided into states then) to generate hydroelectric power in Asia in 1902, and street lights were installed in Bengaluru, making it the first Asian city to have street lights in 1905. Several educational institutions also came to be during his reign, including the University of Mysore and the acclaimed Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The infamous Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam was also built during his reign. Victoria Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital, and Minto Eye Hospital were all projects started during Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s rule and still live on today. Such was the progress of this kingdom during his reign that Mahatma Gandhi hailed him as a ‘Rajrishi’ (saintly king) and called his kingdom ‘Ramrajya’ (an ideal kingdom comparable to the one ruled by Rama). Lord John Sankey acknowledged his noble and efficient reign and called Mysore “the best-administered state in the world” at the Round Table Conference in London in 1930. During his reign, princes from other royal houses from across India were sent to Mysore to learn administration.
Quote on Mysuru Wodeyars:
“Wodeyars of Mysore were one of the largest feudatories of the Vijaynagara Kingdom ruled for more than 6 decades. From A.D. 1399 to 1947 A.D, 25 rulers ruled Mysore. Yaduraya and Krishnaraya were the founders of the Dynasty. They claimed their decents were Yadavas of Dwaraka. Dwaravatipuravaradhishwara, and Yadavakulatilaka are the titles enjoyed by all the rulers. Raja Wodeyar was the 9th and was the first powerful ruler of the dynasty. He greatly contributed to expansion of the kinzgdom. Raja Wodeyar started Navaratri festival in Mysore in 1610 A.D. Ranadhira Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar greatly expanded Mysore Kingdom. Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar was the 14th ruler of the dynasty. During his period Mysore empire largely extended and greatly contributed to the field of administration, art and literature. He assumed the title Navakotinarayana, Tenkanaraja, Karnataka Chakravarthi, Aprathimaveera etc. After Chikkadevaraja Wodeyars there was a small vaccum in dynastic history. Kings were puppets in the hands of Dalvoys Devarajayya and Nanjarajayya ruled upto 1761 A.D. From 1761 to 1799 Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan ruled in Mysore. Krishnaraja Wodeyar III, greatly contributed to the administration, art architecture and literature. From 1831 to 1881 Mysore was under commissioners’ rule. Mark Cubbon and Lewing Borwing the chief commissioner laid the foundation of modern Mysore. In the year 1881 rendition of Mysore to Chamaraja Wodeyar X. Later Dewans were appointed by the British government which made Myore progress greatly. Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV was well served by Dewans like Sir M. Visveshwarayya, Kantaraja Aras and Mirza Ismail. His age is the golden era of the history of Mysore kingdom. Gandhiji visited Mysore in the year 1926 called Mysore state as Ramarajya and called king as Rajarshri. Jayachamaraja Wodeyar was the last ruler of the kingdom and in the year 24th October 1947 Mysore State emerged independent. Presently Yaduveer Wodeyar is the 27th ruler in Mysore. Mysore state unification completed on November 1, 1956. Wodeyar legacy is still continuing in Karnataka. KRS Dam, Mysore University, Kannada Sahitya Parishad, Victoria Hospital, Cheluvamba Hospital, Shivanasamudra Hydro Electricity Project, Mysore Palace, Amba Vilasa Palace, Jayalaxmi Vilasa, Maharaja, Maharani College, State Bank of Mysore etc. and many more are ever lasting contribution to the history of Karnataka. Lord John Sankey rightly said that Mysore state was the best administered and model modern state in India. Dasara festival is being celebrated even today as symbol of their glory as Nadahabba of the people of Karnataka,” said Dr. Sanmathi Kumar, HOD & Assistant Professor, Department of History, SDM College (Autonomous), Ujire.
Kings of Mysuru Wodeyars:
Kantheerava Narasaraja Wodeyar II
Dodda Krishnaraja Wodeyar I
Immadi Chikka Krishnaraja Wadiyar II
Immadi Chikka Krishnaraja Wadiyar II
Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar VIII
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III
Chamaraja Wodeyar X
Rajarshi (Nalvadi) Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV
Art and Architecture of Mysuru Wodeyars:
The palace is a three-storey stone structure made with fine granite, grey in colour, having deep pink marble stones atop and a five-storey tower measuring 145 ft. The size of the palace measures 245 feet by 15 feet. Designs of the domes illustrate Indo-Saracenic architecture which was applied by the British architects in British India during the late 19th Century. It incorporates elements from Indian, Indo-Islamic, Neo-Classical and Gothic revival styles.
Three gates of the compound lead to the palace – the front gate (more specifically the East Gate) opens for the VVIPs and otherwise during the Dasara; the South Gate is designated for general public; and the West Gate normally remains open in Dasara.
Apart from these the cellar of the palace has many secret tunnels that lead to several confidential areas and other places like the town of Srirangapattana. Several fancy arches adorn the façade of the building with two smaller arches on either side of the central one that is supported with long pillars. A sculpture of the Goddess of good luck, prosperity and wealth, Gajalakshmi, with her elephants is seated atop the central arch. The palace facing Chamundi Hills is a manifestation of the devotion of the Maharajas of Mysore towards Goddess Chamundi. The emblem and coat of arms of the Mysore Kingdom adorns the entrance gate and arch. A large, beautiful and well-maintained garden surrounding the palace makes the site even more spectacular. arms of the Mysore Kingdom adorns the entrance gate and arch. A large, beautiful and well-maintained garden surrounding the palace makes the site even more spectacular.
The Grand Festival:
The renowned Mysore Dasara festival is celebrated in the palace every year during autumn. The palace remains illuminated during 10 days of the festival with around 100,000 light bulbs from 7.00 pm to 10.00 pm. During the festival the Chinnada Simhasana or Ratna Simahasana that is the royal throne decorated with fascinating designs on its gold plates is displayed. Different religious and cultural programs are performed in the palace during this time. On the auspicious day of Mahanavami that is the 9th day, after worshipping the ‘Pattada Katti’ or the royal sword it is taken on a procession with camels and elephants. The conventional Dasara procession initiates from the palace on the 10th day or Vijayadashami with great pomp and zeal, the central attraction of which is the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari seated on a golden mantapa made of around 750 kg of gold.