Mysore: With just 12 days left for?Nada Habba Dasara to formally begin on September 25, the district administration has found itself in a sticky situation, thanks to Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, wife of late royal scion Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar, who is opposed to hosting the cultural programmes in front of the Palace.
For the first time in the recent past,?Revenue and District in-charge Minister?V?Sreenivas Prasad, who had been consistently shrugging off media queries in this regard as mere speculations, on?Saturday admitted that the district administration was in a fix as Pramoda Devi has advised against organising the programmes at the Palace.
Traditional welcomePrasad, however sounded diplomatic, saying that he would convince Pramoda Devi during his next meeting to accord a traditional welcome to the latter for?Dasara.
“The issue needs to be resolved in a cordial manner,” he said. Prasad said it would be difficult to make any changes at this juncture as the programmes have been finalised during the?Dasara high power?committee meeting.
Earlier, when Pramoda Devi expressed her opinion against offering traditional welcome to the first batch of?Dasara elephants at Jayamarthanda?Gate of the Palace, the venue was changed to Aranya Bhavan (the forest office complex) at?Ashokapuram, said Prasad claiming the district administration had cooperated.
Prasad said the issue would be taken up with Chief Minister?Siddaramaiah who is scheduled to visit the city on September 14.
Tribute to scion
Anticipating trouble, the district administration has already made plans to offer tributes to Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar by naming the stage that will be erected in front of the Palace, after him.?It has also included a life size portrait of Wadiyar in the backdrop.
According to the?Palace sources, Pramoda Devi has given her consent to meet the representatives of district administration on September 27, during which the government is expected to invite her for?Dasara.
In her previous interaction with the district administration representatives, Pramoda Devi had stated that it would be better to refrain from organising any rejoicing events.?However, officials have remained tight lipped about the issue.
