Mysuru:  “This is news to me!” is how the family member of Wadiyar dynasty, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar reacted, on the naming ceremony of her grandson on Feb.19, which had appeared in a section of the media today.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Pramoda Devi said, “My silence should not be taken for granted. I strongly feel that our privacy should be respected. The naming ceremony should have happened quite some time back.”

Asked when the naming ceremony of the royal baby would be held, she said, “As I said, there are traditions that need to be followed and I feel something amiss here. I do not know who is spreading these rumours.”

To another question about the naming ceremony being held at Amba Vilas Palace, where all the royal ceremonies are held including the adoption,  anointment and marriage of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, she said, “I am not at home in Mysuru on Feb.19 as I have a prior engagement on that day.”

Replying to a pointed question whether it was true that the naming ceremony is planned for Feb.19 and 20 as it happens to be the birth anniversary of her late husband Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, she said, “But I have planned some other programme for that day three months in advance.”

However, when Star of Mysore tried to get in touch with Yaduveer, the scion of the royal family, he was not available for his comments.

According to sources in the royal family, neither Pramoda Devi nor Yaduveer have discussed about the naming ceremony so far with any of the members. The source added, “The ceremony could not have been held in the shoonya masa and we had to wait till Jan.14 when the shoonya  masa ends.”

It may be recalled that Trishikha Devi Wadiyar, wife of Yaduveer, had given birth to a baby boy on Dec.7, 2017. This is the first time in over six decades that the royal family has given birth to an heir.

The last time a baby boy was born to the royal family was in February 1953, when the then Maharani Tripura Sundara Ammani had given birth to Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.