Mysuru: The golden howdah used during Jamboo Savari and the royal throne are not covered under the Mysore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1998, and will remain with the erstwhile royal family, its matriarch Pramoda Devi Wadiyar claimed Wednesday.At a press conference, she said the govt could commission its own howdah if it did not wish to use the Wadiyar family’s. “If the govt gets one made, it will no longer have to seek ours, and there will be no problems,” she said.Responding to Mysuru district in-charge minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah’s statement that the govt paid the family Rs 80 lakh for the howdah during this year’s Jamboo Savari on Oct 21, Pramoda said the amount was a longstanding honorarium, not rent. The payment was royalty, she said, as the govt commercially exploited it through Nada Habba publicity material and Jamboo Savari ticket sales from the palace forecourts.Responding to the minister’s remark that the family continued to occupy a portion of the palace, she said this was no favour from the govt. “The palace neither belongs to the govt, nor was it built by it. The govt cannot take over our portion,” she said. The high court has directed that status quo be maintained and allowed the family to conduct religious ceremonies even in portions under govt control.Explaining the Dasara workflow, she said the govt first writes to the family seeking the Ambari, which is then handed over through the palace assistant commissioner of police, who is also responsible for its safe return.Describing the howdah, palace and throne as private property that had never left the palace, she said the family had a right to know which elephant would carry the howdah. While she admitted that no protocol ever existed, she said a longstanding understanding was always there. Citing an incident during Jamboo Savari in Shivamogga this year, when an elephant ran amok and damaged the howdah, she stressed the need for due diligence in selecting the animal.Recalling the 1998 acquisition talks, when Siddaramaiah was deputy chief minister, she said the govt had offered Rs 1 crore and an acre of land if the family vacated the palace within six months. Srikantadatta rejected the offer. “You cannot even buy a single pillar of the palace for Rs 1 crore,” she said.On Bengaluru Palace, she claimed the property and surrounding land remained with the family despite the Bengaluru Palace Acquisition and Transfer Act, 1996. An appeal is pending before the Supreme Court; the family’s position is that the properties are private assets and do not belong to the govt.She alleged police barricades caused difficulties during Ayudha Puja and that Jatti Kalaga could not be held during Vijayadashami after wrestlers were denied entry. Blaming poor coordination among govt departments, she referred to a four-page letter sent to the media. She welcomed CM DK Shivakumar’s assurance that he was willing to resolve the issues, saying she was ready to discuss them with the CM and ministers.Points for gfx:‘NOT A GOVT FAVOUR’* Pramoda Devi clarifies golden howdah, royal throne not covered under Mysore Palace Act; remain private property* Says Rs 80L paid by the govt for howdah during Dasara is an honorarium, not rent* Claims Wadiyar family had a longstanding understanding that it would be informed about the elephant chosen to carry the howdah* Maintains that the family‘s occupation of a portion of Mysuru Palace is not a govt favour; cites court order to maintain status quo* Alleges barricades and denial of entry to wrestlers disrupted Ayudha Puja and Jatti Kalaga* Further claims Bangalore Palace and its surrounding land remain with the family
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