Fairytale wedding of Wadiyar family scion: The strange myth of Mysuru's former rulers

The wedding ceremony of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja, the scion of the Wadiyar dynasty, and Trishika Kumari Singh, of the Dungarpur royal family reads like a fairytale: a young, photogenic couple, perfectly matched in every way, tying the knot in the grand precincts of the Amba Vilas Palace in Mysuru. But the story of the Wadiyars has taken more fantastic turns than this. When Yaduveer was adopted last year by Pramoda Devi, the widow of the previous rajah of Mysuru Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Maharani, many saw in it an embodiment of a curse that has plagued the royal family since the 17th century. [caption id=“attachment_2861346” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Yaduveer Wadiyar with Trishika Kumari. Image from Facebook[/caption] According to lore, in 1612, Alamelamma, the wife of a ruler the Wadiyar king deposed, cursed the clan just before she jumped to her own death from a cliff: “Talakadu Maralaagali/Malangi Maduvaagali/Mysuru Dhoregalige Makkalagade hogali” she is believed to have screamed, effectively cursing the Wadiyars to remain barren and childless. Reports of whether or not the curse applied to every king who ascended the throne, are conflicting. Some accounts claim that none of the kings have given birth to their heirs, always adopting them from within the extended family. For instance, Raja Chandra, a family member, was quoted as saying: “Since 1610, barring one king who had a deaf and mute son, no other king in the Wodeyar line has had children. People can say it is because of the curse or not, but the history is true: that cannot be denied.” However, other accounts say that it is every alternate generation that has remained childless. Srikantadatta was a direct descendant of the previous ruler Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar. But Jayachamarajendra himself was a nephew of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, who wore the crown before him. Six rulers since the 17th century (in all) have been adopted sons, according to this report in the Daily Mail. (There have been several attempts to explain the “curse” including the putting forward of genetic reasons such as the kings marrying within the close Urs family.) Whether it afflicted every generation or alternate ones, Maharani Pramoda Devi and Srikantadatta didn’t have any offspring, and she adopted Yaduveer after her husband’s death in 2013. The adoption of Yaduveer was not without its own controversies — an older nephew of Srikantadatta, Kantharaje Urs had expected he would be named the heir and filed a case against Pramoda Devi (and seven other defendants) asking for the family’s property to be divided. Moreover, Yaduveer wanted to finish his degree in the US before taking on the royal mantle, and accordingly his coronation was held only in May 2015 – the engagement with Trishika is believed to have taken place that June. “Yaduveer is a very sweet boy, mature for his age, knowledgeable and responsible and has shown all the qualities required to carry on the legacy of the king,” Pramoda Devi told Scroll at the time of his adoption. “It is now my duty to introduce him to a new responsibility. He may need guidance initially, since there are very few old-timers around now who know the intricate details of the customs and rituals.” As the formal reception for Yaduveer and Trishika is held on 28 June (with another celebration planned for 2 July) it seems the next turn in the tale of the Wadiyars is ready to play out.