Wadiyar unhappy with installation of statue of late seer at Gun House Circle

Mysuru: Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, member of the erstwhile royal family, has expressed disappointment over the installation of a statue of the late seer of Suttur Mutt Shivaratri Rajendra Swami at Gun House Circle in Mysuru.

The press note of Wadiyar reads: “I have learnt about placing of a statue surreptitiously during late evening hours, using a crane at Gun House Circle Mysore. It is very unfortunate that this kind of high handedness is displayed from an organisation claiming to be a prudent institution. I have supported sentiments of the members of the community who have persistently resisted installation of the statue in the said location”. (sic)

It has to be recalled that the High Court had set aside the order, permitting the installation of a statue of Sri Shivaratri Rajendra Swamy at the circle near Gun House in Mysuru city, on September 7, 2021. The bench said that the permission accorded in 2017 was in violation of the Supreme Court order.

A division bench, comprising then Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum had said that it is clear that the place where the statue was proposed to be installed is one of the busiest circles of Mysuru city. The bench noted that the map and other documents filed by the State government shows that as many as six roads join the square and the circle is certainly a part of the road.

“The Supreme Court has categorically directed the State governments not to grant any permission for installation of statues or construction of structures on public roads. Therefore, the question of permitting the installation of statue and resolution passed by the Mysuru City Corporation to install a statue does not arise. In considered view of this court, neither the petitioner nor anyone can install a statue at a circle or island,” the bench had said.

The PIL was filed by Akhila Bharata Kshatriya Mahasabha. The petitioner had contended that while their request for installing the statue of Srikantadatta Narasimharaja (SDNR) Wadiyar was turned down, citing the Supreme Court order, the authorities have granted permission for installation of the statue of Sri Shivaratri Rajendra Swami.

There is resistance to the installation of a statue at the particular circle since 2017, during the earlier term of Siddaramaiah as chief minister. Demanding that a statue of SDNR Wadiyar be installed at the Gun House Circle, instead of the proposed statue of the late Suttur seer Shivaratri Rajendra Swami, members of Aramane Ulisi Horata Samithi staged a protest, on August 29, 2017.

They said, their repeated pleas to the State government, for the installation of the statue of SDNR Wadiyar was neglected. They said the statue of the seer can be installed at another suitable place and took exception to then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, performing ‘bhoomi puja’ for the statue of the seer, neglecting their pleas.

It has to be noted that Pramoda Devi Wadiyar had written letters to the Suttur Mutt in 2017 and also in 2021, seeking their cooperation to install a statue of SDNR Wadiyar near the Gun House, as the Mutt can install the statue of the late seer at another suitable place.

Suttur Mutt authorities clarified that they have no role in the installation of the statue and it was done by the devotees of the late seer.