Iconic Rajendra Vilas Palace set to see brighter days

Restoration of the building atop Chamundi Hills under way

Rajendra Vilas Palace atop Chamundi Hills in Mysuru which flourished as a hotel in the 1970s and 80s, is undergoing restoration and will be promoted as a hotel again in due course.

Though it has been over 30 years since the iconic building fell into disuse, the property which belongs to the Wadiyars, is now being restored under the personal supervision of Pramodadevi Wadiyar, wife of four-time MP and the last Yuvaraja late Srikantadutta Narasimharaja Wadiyar.

Ms. Pramodadevi told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the main work pertaining to the giant dome which was 20 feet across, was under way and was being monitored by experts from His Highness Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Heritage Foundation.

Being a delicate job, it is expected to take some time but the plans are to convert the historic building to a hotel as it used to be before its closure in the 1990s, she added.

Though Ms. Wadiyar refused to spell out the details of the cost involved, she said the restoration will not compromise on the architectural style or structure and it entailed the use of original material like lime mortar and stones. Any change she said will be with respect to the interiors. The structure has 22 rooms in all and will be refurbished. Ms. Wadiyar said that she would personally like to manage the hotel once launched instead of giving it to private parties.

This is the second restoration exercise of Rajendra Vilas after its closure in the 1990s and repairs and restoration took place in 2005 with workers and artisans roped in from Rajasthan.

The structure which was completed in 1938, has four chhatris or dome-shaped pavilions besides a central dome and has elements of Indo-Saracenic style of architecture with cusped arches. According to art historians, Rajendra Vilas Palace was reconstructed on an older building dating back to 1812 CE. Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar commissioned the construction of the new building but paucity of funds forced the maharaja to scale down and prevented it from being completed on the scale it was originally planned.