MYSURU: If all goes well, Madhuvana, the cemetery of erstwhile royal family of Mysuru, may become yet another tourist attraction. Incidentally, most of the tourist attractions dotting the city have roots in the Wadiyars, the erstwhile Mysuru rulers.
On Tuesday, works were launched to remove weeds and shrubs on five acres that forms Madhuvana, which translates into land of honey, and is popularly known as ‘Khasa Brindavan’ (private garden). This is were the mortal remains of the kings and their immediate family members are still being cremated.
Followed by the removal of weeds and shrubs, the works on topiary to give a look of a garden will be taken up.
Unlike the graves of commoners, the cemetery is indeed a royal attraction, with every site of cremation (the royals follow the practice of lighting the pyre of sandalwood logs), later covered by a beautifully carved structure akin to a temple with ornate pillars and doors, that also gives a glimpse of the style of architecture then.
Memorials of Ranadheera Kanteerava Narasimharaja Wadiyar, who was popularly known as ‘Wrestler King’; Chamaraja Wadiyar IX and Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the celebrated and 24th ruler of Yadu dynasty, still stand distinctly apart in the same row.
Dowager queen Kempananjammanni and mother of Nalwadi, and his successor and nephew Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar the 25th and the last ruler were also cremated here.
Restoration of sites
A palace source, privy to the projects taken up by Pramoda Devi Wadiyar under SDNR Wadiyar Trust (named after Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar) told TNIE that the works have been launched with the interest of giving Madhuvana a new look in the interest of tourism. However, the plans are still in the stage of infancy.