Royal wedding: Vidwan Janardhan Iyengar and team to start rituals today
Mysuru: Vidwan Sri Janardhan Iyengar, the Dharmadhikaari of Mysuru Palace is set to lead a team of 15 priests, who will perform a series of wedding rituals at the famed Mysuru Palace from Saturday morning prior to the royal wedding at the Kalyana Mantapa on June 27.
“A sea of over 10,000 people were present to attend the royal wedding of late Maharaja Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar in February 1976,” recalls Mr Iyengar. Scion of the royal family of Mysuru, Sri Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar will wed Trishikha Kumari of the royal family of Rajkot at the Palace on June 27.
Sixty-six-year old Mr Iyengar has been associated with the Palace ever since he was 14 and was present at the Upanayana of Srikantadatta Wadiyar, the weddings of Srikantadatta Wadiyar, and his two younger sisters, Indrakshi in 1978 and Vishalakshi in 1980 besides the rituals of at least 42 Dasaras.
He is an expert in Rig Veda and had taught the Vedas to Srikantadatta Wadiyar with whom he was closely associated. He said, “The weddings of the royal family are done as per Sri Vyshnava and Smartha traditions. The wedding of Srikantadatta Wadiyar was spread over six days. Past glory is something which cannot be replicated but the traditions remain intact.”
“Even earlier, Mysuru maharajas have married brides from royal families of North India. Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar married Pratap Kumari, a princess from Jaipur. Even the first wife of Sri Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, Sathya Prema Kumari was a princess from Jaipur,” Mr Iyengar said. Meanwhile, Mysuru Palace remained closed for visitors on Friday and will continue to be closed till June 29.
