Mysore/Mysuru: With just over a week left for the grand inauguration of Dasara-2025 and only a day remaining for the assembling of the Golden Throne inside the iconic Durbar Hall of the Mysore Palace, maintenance work on the royal chandeliers has begun in full swing.

On Sept. 16, entry to the Palace will be restricted from 10 am to 1 pm to facilitate religious rituals related to Sharannavarathri and the ceremonial assembling of the Golden Throne.

The Mysore Palace Board has undertaken the upkeep of the priceless chandeliers that adorn the ceilings of the Public Durbar Hall, Private Durbar Hall and Kalyana Mantap ahead of the Navarathri festivities. The process includes thoroughly cleaning the chandeliers with soap and water and replacing fused bulbs to ensure dazzling illumination during the celebrations.

Scaffolding has been erected to access the towering ceilings for cleaning, not just the grand chandeliers but also the dome and pearl chandeliers in hues of white, red and green. These exquisite chandeliers were imported from Czechoslovakia around 1926, making them nearly a century old and invaluable pieces of heritage.

“A significant part of the preparations involves cleaning the ornate Czech-made chandeliers in the Public and Private Durbar Halls and replacing fused bulbs to ensure they shine brilliantly throughout the festivities,” said T.S. Subramanya, Deputy Director, Mysore Palace Board.

In total, over 150 chandeliers of varying shapes and sizes are being cleaned. These chandeliers add to the grandeur of the Palace’s interiors, particularly in the Khas Durbar Hall and Kalyana Mantap, where dome-shaped chandeliers complement the ornate ceilings adorned with intricate paintings and Italian marble flooring.

Among these, the Public Durbar Hall houses nine chandeliers, the Private Durbar Hall has eight, while the Kalyana Mantap features one massive chandelier along with four smaller ones, each contributing to the Palace’s majestic splendour.