Renovation of iconic structure atop Chamundi Hill in full swing
Mysore/Mysuru: The iconic Rajendra Vilas Palace atop Chamundi Hill will soon regain its lost glory where the Kings and Queens, Viceroys and Ambassadors wined and dined. End-to-end and top-to-bottom renovation works are in full swing and once completed, the structure will be run as a hotel like earlier.
Giving details to newsmen about the project at the residential wing of the Mysore Palace this morning, member of erstwhile Mysore royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said that the restoration works began five to six months ago and an expert team from Tamil Nadu is carrying out the works. The restoration has been initiated by His Highness Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar (SDNR) Foundation.
Giving a 360-degree view of the renovation works through a laptop connected to a big screen, Pramoda Devi, accompanied by her Private Secretary M. Lakshminarayan, said that the structure has five domes including the one at the centre and four at the sides. It has 22 rooms and it is 120 feet from the ground. “We are aiming to complete the renovation by Dasara and once refurbished, the Palace will be run as a hotel like it was before,” she said.
The most difficult part is renovating the domes of Rajendra Vilas Palace, she said displaying the actual works slide-by-slide on her computer. Rajendra Vilas was built in the 1820s during the reign of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and it stands on a 65-acre property.
“Rajendra Vilas Palace ran as a hotel from 1975 to 1995 and later it was closed and even my husband Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar passed away. We are now making an effort to restore the glory and we are renovating it in an as-is format without disturbing or altering the traditional and heritage aspect,” Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said.
She clarified that the Rajendra Vilas Palace does not come under the heritage structure rule.
The domes of the Palace are 70 ft from the terrace and they have a diameter of 20 feet. It was white in colour earlier and the renovated structure will have the same colour and aesthetics. “There are vast amounts of glasses which need delicate work and the floor work also is being taken up. The royal family will maintain the hotel once it starts functioning and there are no plans to give it out to a third party. Along with the structure, the approach roads will also be repaired on behalf of the SDNR Foundation,” Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said.
The Hotel can be promoted as a Wedding Destination for International Tourists as well as for NRIs, HNI and Celebrities. The Advantages are Total Privacy from the Public and a Beautiful Picturesque view from the Top. If there is Open Space near the Hotel, do consider adding a Helipad in the 65 Acre Property so that Elite can land directly at the Hotel from Bengaluru International Airport. Golden Color LED lights can be fixed all across the structure so that the Hotel can be lit during Special Events and Festivals. One more Jewel for Mysuru’s Tourism Industry.
We have heard enough such self promotional press briefing by even late Srikant Wadiyar. but nothing materialized for over a decade now. Even this lady some time back said similar thing about reopening of Gun House and after some flurry of alleged restoration work , the property has gone to seed again. I think the Royal Couple have a penchant for such publicity gimmick.
But the simple question is whether Rajendra Vilas Hotel will serve liquor and Non-veg food ? Can this be allowed on the holy shrine ? Whether running a pure Veg Hotel is practicable ? It is a tall order indeed.
Hello Sanjay Kini!
Interesting ideas you have there, which will enhance the destruction of this iconic Hill!
Any link to the Sanjay Kini Tours company? If so, start lobbying the CM and his ministers, using the tested Indian way-you know how!
It appears that you want to accelerate the the destruction of the iconic Hill,
The NRIs being Indians, some of them from Karnataka would have visited this Hill when it was shining with glory.
Hey xxxx
Didn’t you forget to add a few things like: a tech- suvvy gym there in that renovated palace, the kind Yanks use, where the NRI can pound on a tread mill, and if he does not keel over with a heart attack, he could head towards for a break fast of eggs and strong black coffee, and later on for a session on ‘the thoughts and ideology’ of a Mysore Kannada poet, which he preached and did not practice!
The reason why I had mentioned NRIs, HNIs and celebrities is that the Room Rate can be kept high and there will be fewer guests at the wedding which reduce the impact on the Hill.
The Hotel can be run according to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO) which includes Sustainable Tourism (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
The Reason for a Helipad if there is open space is to reduce the number of cars that reach the hotel and also the helipad can be used to promote Heli Tourism throughout the year which will give the same bird view of the city and the need for the ropeway will not be there.
As for your concern about the Destruction of hills, there are measures in sustainable tourism like a Zero Waste Hotel, the use of Eco-Friendly Products and the use of Electric Cars to ferry the Guest.
Also being a Temple Kshetra, DJ parties playing Western and Filmi Music can be avoided to prevent noise pollution and Traditional Indian Wedding and Carnatic Music functions can be promoted.
As for Non-Veg and liquor being served according to a recent survey of a famous news channel 80% of people in Karnataka are non-vegetarians and the hotel is far away from the temple.
if you need to prevent it then it should be seen that no one in the settlement on top of the hill close to the temple consumes meat and liquor which is not practical.
Above all the owners have more concern about the hill from their press statement and will promote the Planting of trees every World Environment Day by the hotel guests like many hotels in Mysuru do.
To prevent the Destruction of the Hill,
Please request the government to make Chamundi hill road a Toll road except for the residents of the hill.
or the other suggestion is
Make Hill road only for Tourist Buses and VIP Cars
Two Wheelers and Cars of residents on Top the Hill can be allowed with Id proof.
At the Foothills of Chamundi build
A Beautiful Bus Station with Multi-Level Car parking for 500 Cars and 1000 Two Wheelers
At the Bus Station, KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) can have
100 Complete Glass Window Buses like Vistadome Coaches of railways.
50 Regular Glass Buses
25 Semi Luxury Glass
15 Luxury Buses Non AC Glass Buses
10 AC Buses Glass Buses
Let Tourists and Locals Park their Cars & bikes in the Parking lot and take these glass Buses to the hill.
Facilities at the Bus Station Complex
Food Court and Hawkers Zone
Paid Clothes Changing rooms for Men and Women
Regular Paid Toilets and Bathrooms
also have
Expensive Premium Toilets and Bathrooms
Child Nursing Room for new Mothers
Clinic and Medical Shop
ATMs
Fuel Station
Mechanic Shop, Service station, Puncture Shop and Battery Shop for Tourist Vehicles
KSTDC office
Police Chowki
Foreign Exchange Desk
Salon
Mobile Repair and Recharge Store
Prepaid Taxi Stand
Prepaid Auto Stand
Travel Agencies office
These Glass Buses will give a beautiful scenic view of the hills.
From this Foothill Bus station have frequent KSRTC Buses to the Suburban Bus station, Railway station and Airport according to arrival and departure schedule.
Develop a few More City Viewpoints at different location like the one we have at Nandi Junction.
Maybe the Terrace of Rajendra Vilas Palace can be made into a Premium ViewPoint with a Roof Top Restaurant there.
Also, all those who were bashing Tourists please remember the Mysuru Palace and Brindavan Gardens were the first attractions to this city even in the 50s which developed mysuru economy and small businesses, even before all these industries sprung up in Mysuru.
The Hospitality Industry (a constituent of the Tourism Industry)and a famous Medical Company Owner (a stakeholder in Medical Tourism) are planting trees to save Mysuru
So instead of pointing fingers at a particular industry, please suggest solutions if you can.
To Save Chamundi Hills every World Environment Day call organisations like SayTrees or with help of the forest department, 5 members of 1000 families each, plant tree saplings costing INR60/- on Chamundi hill.In the next 20 years, you would have planted 1,00,000 trees
The Best Time to Plant a Tree was 20 years ago, the next best time is today!
Best to make it as an international Yoga retreat. There is big money to be made (I know the son of famous late yoga master is minting crores of rupees serving foreigners) while serving vegetarian food and maintaining sanctity of the Hill.
Hey Kini
You need not have to produce this essay, to answer my simple question: “Any link to the Sanjay Kini Tours company? . You could have simply said YES.
Is your tourist company doing any better? If so or even if not, keep doing whatever you are doing now.
If you are still itching to destroy this Hill, why pitch your ideas here, why not meet the CM and the tourism minister? They too will ensure that you are kept away from the Hill.
This Hill is primarily for worshippers, and it was never meant to be a tourist place to visit.
It is precisely the kind of insanity that you propose that exercises the minds of Mysoreans, who care about this iconic heritage, to keep the interlopers like you far away from this Hill.
@swamy
You mean that old Yoga Guru who abused women:https://www.inspirationyoga.net/the-sexual-abuse-scandal-in-ashtanga-yoga/
Thew will be another scandal like the above, abusing runs in families.
Were you not the one who said you visited European cities, and found dirty diners and dirty hot dog stands, although the term ‘hot dog’ is not used in Europe.
You still have not answered the questions asked then? a) where did you get the Euros, lots of them required to visit European cities? b) Which cities you visited and which places there you found street vendors selling hot dogs?
@swamy
You mean that old Yoga Guru who abused women:https://www.inspirationyoga.net/the-sexual-abuse-scandal-in-ashtanga-yoga/
Thew will be another scandal like the above, abusing runs in families.
Were you not the one who said you visited European cities, and found dirty diners and dirty hot dog stands, although the term ‘hot dog’ is not used in Europe.
You still have not answered the questions asked then? a) where did you get the Euros, lots of them required to visit European cities? b) Which cities you visited and which places there you found street vendors selling hot dogs?
Of all the nationalities I know, Indians are the most unscrupulous and sell their own mothers for a few US Dollars. So much about their ancient culture!!
This Pramoda Devi says , as reported in the SOM in another article: “Retain Religious Character Of Chamundi Hill Vicinity”, and at the same time wants to develop Rajendra Vilas as a Hotel. Does she think that those visitors who come and stay in the renovated Hotel will be worshippers and not tourists? Once a nearby place is commercially developed, it is not vary far from the Temple, it is impossible to “Retain Religious Character Of Chamundi Hill Vicinity”. That simple. You cannot have bothways.
The destruction of the Hill which has been taking place during the last 4 decades, has been because, by letting this Palace as a Hotel for 20 years, signalled the message to the public, that Chamundi Hill was open for profit-making tourism, and then started the slippery slope. The Karnataka government took this hint from the people like this Pramoda Devi, before her her husband, Srikanta Dutta Wadiyar, when he was sober, that The Hill was a tourist spot.
The howling now by the eco warriors and the ‘save Chamundi Hill ‘brigade should be directed at this Pramoda Devi
Wonder why a religious shrine requires a star hotel. Just because the palace was a hotel in the past it is not justified that it start all over again. Earlier, the human footprint could be sustained by nature but with the greed oand commercialization in the name of tourism the holy hills have been facing the brunt of destruction at a rapid pace. Every other project planned by the unscrupulous in the government has had the effects of nails in the coffin. I am surprised by the tourism promoters like kini who propose and promote these recipes for disaster. It is high time that these projects stopped and Chamundi hills is left alone as a religious place. The panchayat raj operating at present too needs to be disbanded and all residential constructions carried out post 2005 needs to be demolished. The population in the hills should comprise only families of those rendering essential services to the temple. The other encroachers need to be taken to task and incarcerated as per Government laws…