Jayachamaraja Wadiyar’s legacy has not dimmed with passage of time, says Gopalkrishna Gandhi

Mysuru: The crown that adorns kings and queens often slide, and lose their sheen with the passage of time, but in a few exceptional cases, they continue to glow long after the monarchs have left this world, which is the case of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last king of the erstwhile Mysore State, said writer and former West Bengal governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi.
Participating in the centenary celebrations of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, the last maharaja of the erstwhile Mysore State at Durbar Hall of the Mysore Palace, Gopalkrishna, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, said, “The crown I am referring to is not the one that adorned his corporeal frame, but what history and the respect among his subjects has bestowed upon him over time. This crown has transcended mortality. His fame, stature and position remain undiminished in the collective memory of his subjects. These are not crowns made of gold or silver and studded with precious gems. This crown has been forged from a metaphysical alloy, made from the mixture of fond feelings his name evokes in the minds and hearts of the people.”
Juxtaposing Jayachamaraja’s legacy with the many momentous events that transpired during his lifetime, and after his demise, Gopalkrishna sought to set the multifarious accomplishments of the king in perspective. “It has been 45 years since Jayachamaraja’s death, 48 years after the government took away royal privileges from kings and queens and 69 years after the integration of the Mysore State within the Indian Republic, his legacy has lost none of its lustre. Alongside his contributions as a ruler, Jayachamraja is equally revered for his knowledge in philosophy and music. The philosopher and former President of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who introduced one of Jayachamaraja’s books, pointed out that the king was a practicing disciple of philosophy. The ‘Queen of Song’ MS Subbalakshmi, no less, performed a composition of Jayachamara Wadiyar at the United Nations,” Gopalkrishna said.
The former governor reminded the audience that, besides his subjects, Jayachamaraja Wadiyar had impressed the British, who deemed him worthy of a 21-gun salute – he was one of the five kings of India to receive this honour.
Nine conferred ‘Jayachamaraja Prashasthi’
As many as nine personalities from various fields were awarded the ‘Jayachamaraja Prashasthi’ in acknowledgement of their contributions to their respective domains.
*Sudha Murty (Social Service)
*AL Shivarudrappa (Philosophy)
*BNS Iyengar (Yoga)
*TV Venkatachala (Kannada Literature)
*MA Lakshmi (Sanskrit Studies)
*B Saroja Devi (Cinema)
*Syed Ghani Khan (Agriculture)
*Ajay Desai (Wildlife Activism)
*Pranavi Urs (Sport)
Gopalkrishna Gandhi’s ode to Mysuru
In an age marked by turmoil and turbulence, coming to Mysuru is akin to transitioning from a state of tension to calmness, it is a move from anxiety to reflection.
- Gopalkrishna Gandhi | Writer and Former Governor of West Bengal