Mysore Princess: celebrations !!

It was one more celebration in the Mysore Palace. After the nine-day-long Dasara festivities by Prince Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, it was the 50th birthday celebration of his wife, Princess Pramoda Devi Wodeyar.

Around 400 guests had assembled to greet the Princess in the Mysore Palace on October 27. The Prince, who is also a Congress Member of the Parliament, had planned an elaborate cultural evening to celebrate his wife’s birthday. It was the best birthday gift to his talented and intelligent wife. Apart from the great event, he has gifted his wife a dazzling diamond and ruby ring. About eight months ago, there was a similar big gathering for the 50th birthday celebration of Mr. Srikanta Datta Wodeyar. Mr. Wodeyar turned 50 on March 10.

The royal couple is a greatly devoted and religious and tradition bound husband and wife, befitting the royal heritage of the Yadu dynasty, which has a past of over six centuries, as rulers of Mysore. Mrs. Pramoda Devi married the Prince 27 years ago, when she was 23. She is the great-grand daughter of Prince Gopala Raje Urs, who come from the same royal family, the family of Urs’. She hails from the Bettada Kote family.

No doubt, it was royal celebrations with many celebrities attending it, the royal couple in attendance to receive all the invitees who came with bouquets and gifts. Mrs. Pramoda Devi was dressed in a gorgeous red and cream silk sari with gold motifs, while Mr. Wodeyar stood beside her sporting a black tie and suit at the entrance of the Madana Vilas wing of the Palace. There were invitees from abroad also and they included some journalists. Film stars, officials, Congress Party leaders, industrialists and royal family relatives were among the other invitees. The three sisters of Mr. Srikanta Datta – Mrs. Kamakshi Devi, Vishalakashi Devi and Meenakshi Devi– were among those who offered gifts to their sister-in-law and greeted Mrs. Pramoda Devi on the happy occasion.

As part of entertaining the guests, music and folk dance programmes were arranged, bringing back the old royal atmosphere once again in the Palace, the house of the Wodeyars. The colourful palace walls reverberated with music and dance, a variety of
musical instruments being part of it. The music performance included two compositions of late Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wodyear, father of Mr. Srikanta Datta Wodeyar, in Karnataka music, the classical music for which Mysore and South India is popular. The late Maharaja was a great composer. He has nearly 60 compositions in the classical style, which are popular and sung by artistes in public concerts.

In another wing of the Palace, there was dazzling display of ‘Royal silks of Karnataka’. A heritage collection of royal silk sarees were put on show by Mr. Wodeyar, who has a passion for designing. There were about 175 sarees and angavasthrams, silk drapes
of men, having royal stamp on them. A section of them were displayed by models from Bangalore.

It was day to remember for all those who attended the golden jubilee year of the Princess.

Courtsey: Mysore Samachar.com