MYSURU:Twenty two-year-old Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was formally adopted as the heir of Wadiyar dynasty on Monday.
According to legend, Raja Wadiyar, founder of the present dynasty, was cursed by Rani Alamelamma in 1610 that “the kings of Mysore will be childless”.
Since then, every alternate generation of Wadiyars adopted a child. While the adopted person had children, the next generation was childless because of the curse. All those adopted come from Bettadakote family. After the death of the first Maharaja, Raja Wadiyar, and his son Immadi Raja Wadiyar, Raja Wadiyar’s brother’s son Ranadheera Kanteerava was adopted.
Similarly, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s brother’s son Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar was adopted and he was the last ruler of the erstwhile Mysuru state. His son Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar was childless and his widow Pramoda Devi adopted Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs. He is the grandson of Gayathri Devi, the eldest daughter of Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.