Jaganmohana Palace - Mysore

Those who go to Mysuru never miss visiting Mysore Palace. But hardly anyone of them visits or even knows Jaganmohana Palace. It was destined to become the abode of the Mysore Royal family. But destiny had different plans, and now it serves as a treasure trove of dramatic paintings.

The interesting heritage building has its own history, which is more intriguing. 

The Mysore royal family was forced to leave Mysore in 1831 CE by the East India Company. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III filed a lawsuit. Years passed by; the British Government took over the administration of India from the East India Company. In 1861, the royal family was allowed to return to Mysore but not to the palace. Hence, there was a need for a new palace, and Jaganmohana Palace was thus born. 

By 1881, the ruling in favor of the royal family allowed it to reoccupy Amba Vilas (Mysore Palace). Jaganmohana Palace was used for music and dance. However, the wooden palace was destroyed during a royal wedding ceremony in a fire accident. The current structure of Mysore palace was built between 1897 and 1912. The Mysore royal family shifted their abode to Jaganmohana Palace and resided here in those fifteen years.

The expansive facade and the auditorium behind were built as part of the extension of the palace in 1900. In 1902, the crowning ceremony of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar was held here, attended by Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India. The first session of the Legislative Council of the Mysore state was held here. The early convocations of Mysore University were conducted here. Thus, in a few years, the palace caught the attention and became a prominent landmark of Mysuru.

The palace was converted into an art gallery in 1915. In 1955 Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar gifted many precious articles and paintings to the gallery and enlarged the same. It was renamed Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery in his honor.

The three-storied palace was built in a traditional indigenous style of architecture. The fascinating facade has three entrances, and the entablature has mini shrines and religious motifs. The wooden doors have delicate carvings of ten Avatars of Vishnu.  

The auditorium with high ceilings made of wood supported by broad Neo classic columns looks fascinating. 

The art gallery has an incredible number of paintings (may be more than 2000) belonging to different art styles, such as Mysore, Mughal and Shantiniketan. Prominent among them are 16 paintings done by Raja Ravi Varma and the Lady with the lamp painted by Haldenkar. Rabindranath Tagore and Abanindranath Tagore are notable artists whose works are on display. 

Weapons, musical instruments, sculptures, brassware, ivory artifacts and old coins are other exhibits in the gallery. Many life-size portraits of Mysore royal family members and British officers are on display.

A French musical calendar clock with a mechanism in which a parade of miniature soldiers beats drums every hour is a highlight. A big red colored Ganesha sculpture, Buddha's life events carved in ivory, rosewood cabinets supporting a few painting frames, paintings of the Dusshera procession, and cupid clocks are a few other interesting artifacts.

Unfortunately, mobile and cameras are not allowed inside the palace. Otherwise, I could have written a much more elaborative article covering every painting.

Happy travelling.

Visit my site, krishnakumartk.com, to know more about the travel guides and other books that I have written.