By Gouri Satya

On Nov. 1, 1956, we celebrated Rajyotsava, which has become an annual event to mark the unification of the State.

The celebration marked the historic event when most of the Kannada-speaking regions came together to form a greater Mysore State on Nov. 1, 1956. This was followed by the rechristening of Mysore State as Karnataka 17 years later, another historic event.

The State had to wait for D. Devaraj Urs to become a Chief Minister to regain the name Karnataka. He exhibited remarkable Statesmanship by building a consensus in the Legislature. He proposed a resolution in the Assembly on July 27, 1973, and it received unanimous support in both the Assembly and the Council. Subsequently, the Parliament passed the Mysore State (Alteration of Name) Act on August 21, 1973 and it officially came into effect on Nov. 1, 1973.

The renaming celebrations were held at two significant locations, Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru and Hampi, capital of the historic Vijayanagar Empire.

At the celebration in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Devaraj Urs unveiled a granite tablet inscribing the new name and map of the State, proclaiming the historic occasion.

The age-old name Mysore went back into history as Kannadigas celebrated the occasion with jubilation across the State. As the reorganised State turned 69 and moved towards its 70th year, last Nov. 1, it is good to remember these events.

But, interestingly, with the State assuming the new name, Karnataka, the famous Mysore turban also slithered into the background. Perhaps, not many know of this interesting coincidence.

On the day when Mysore State became Karnataka, senaior IAS Officer, K. Balasubramanyam, was the Revenue Commissioner of the State in Bengaluru. He remarked, ‘When there is no Mysore now, why should I continue to wear the Mysore turban’ and discarded his old gold lace turban of Mysore (Mysore Peta) in favour of a black cap of Northern Karnataka.

This led to the gradual vanishing of the elegant Mysore Peta, a common headgear till then. It was a common sight to see many officials and political leaders of the region wearing the traditional gold lace turban without fail. They were chastised or ridiculed if they attended duty without the beautiful Mysore turban, which commanded dignity and status.

Many of the political leaders and Congressmen switched over to the Gandhi cap. The Northern Karnataka turban (rumal) drew attention amidst Gandhi caps in the Vidhana Soudha. Minister of Urban Development Upnal with his outsized turban was jokingly called ‘The Minister of Turban Development’! But, the rumal too was short-lived.

None of these — the laced Mysore turban, the Northern Karnataka’s rumal or the Gandhi cap — are to be seen as headgear today. The Mysore turban is only to be seen in the portraits of Sir M. Visvesvaraya generally displayed in schools and offices or those of the Maharajas and during the Dasara celebrations.

The placing of a Mysore turban on the head while honouring achievers or guests at functions these days is perhaps a consolation that Mysore Peta still has some relevance. By discarding his Mysore Peta, Balasubramanyam had set a new trend.