By Gouri Satya, Sr. Journalist There is an Agrahara in Mysuru with a name that sounds somewhat strange. Though this is an old Agrahara, like the other Agraharas in city, its name does not match with the names of other Agraharas. And that is Kathvadipura Agrahara as generally called though its actual name is ‘Kathvadipurada…
Veteran Journalists of 50s & 60s
February 16, 2021By Gouri Satya, Sr.Journalist On this day three years ago (Feb. 16, 2018), I wrote an article titled ‘Saga of Small Newspapers in Mysuru’ for the Anniversary Issue of Star of Mysore. For this Special Issue, I thought I should record some of the veterans with whom I was associated with during the early days…
Great British Mutiny: The revolt that took many lives
January 25, 2021By Gouri Satya, Sr. Journalist In my previous article on the De Havilland Arch of Srirangapatna (Star of Mysore dated Dec. 20, 2020), I had mentioned about this engineer’s association with the 1810 mutiny in protest against the appalling conditions of the Army in Mysore, resulting in his dismissal from service and subsequent reinstatement in…
De Havilland Arch was an engineering marvel
December 20, 2020By Gouri Satya, Sr. Journalist De Havilland died at Beauvoir, Guernsey, in 1866 at the age of 90. His wife Elizabeth died in 1816 at the early age of 35 and she was buried in St. George’s Cathedral Cemetery, Madras, which was conceived and built by De Havilland himself. Ironically, his wife was among the…
Landmarks for Dewans and their services forgotten
November 2, 2020By Gouri Satya, Sr. Journalist While writing about the streets and Keris of Mysuru, perhaps I should also highlight landmarks Mysuru has in memory of the Dewans who served the then Mysore State. Dewan is an Urdu word meaning the Prime Minister of a kingdom, more precisely an ‘Advisor’ to the monarch. As we are…
Bubonic Plague and birth of a composer
July 23, 2020By Gouri Satya, Sr.Journalist Killer plague had attacked Mysuru when ‘Saraswathi Vilasa Karnataka Nataka Sabha’ Drama Company was at its height My previous article on the plague of 1896 published in these columns on April 1 ‘When Bubonic Plague hit Mysore State in 1896’ received an overwhelming response and was shared by many on the…
Time to take a look at Bubonic Plague of 1896
March 27, 2020By Gouri Satya, Senior Journalist The outbreak of Coronavirus across the countries has led to radical measures like curfew, lockdown, and isolation to fight against the dreaded COVID-19. But such deadly outbreaks were not uncommon and they took a heavy toll of human lives, let alone the loss of cattle. How these outbreaks were fought…
How Mummadi and his Queens built Mysore
February 16, 2020By Gouri Satya, Sr.Journalist As a few other subjects drew my attention, I could not continue to write about the past history of Mysore for the last few weeks. My earlier articles on the old city of Mysore published in these columns, in particular on Agraharas and Keris, received overwhelming response. Readers posted hundreds of…
Nearing century, Varsity Union building cries for attention
October 27, 2019By Gouri Satya, Sr.Journalist Though authorities claim Mysuru as a ‘Heritage City’, the erstwhile royal city is facing the threat of losing its edifices fast and soon. Many heritage structures stand neglected with no up-keep, projecting their dismal condition. The latest addition to the list of such neglected structures is the Maharaja’s College Union Building,…
Palace Durbar Hall, a concern
October 6, 2019By Gouri Satya, Sr.Journalist Mysore Palace is one of the most elegant buildings about which every Mysurean, nay, Indian should take pride. The fact that it has been drawing footfalls exceeding those visiting the world-famous Taj Mahal in Agra shows what a grand structure the Mysore Palace is. But the century-old structure is raising concern…
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