Mysuru royal family terms Chamundi Hill remarks by Deputy CM as insensitive

Mysuru: Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, of the erstwhile Mysuru royal family, on Thursday described Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s remarks that Chamundi Hill and the Chamundeshwari Temple are not the property of Hindus alone as “insensitive”.

Shivakumar, however, responded that people “don’t tolerate” when he speaks facts, suggesting that criticism is directed at him irrespective of what he says.

Statement by the Deputy CM

Shivakumar had made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing criticism over the government’s invitation to International Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara-2025 celebrations atop Chamundi Hills on September 22. The statement led to sharp reactions from the opposition BJP.

Royal family response

Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru MP and son of Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, said on Wednesday that Chamundi Hill belongs to Hindus and called Shivakumar’s statement “shocking” and “condemnable”. He highlighted historical references from the puranas and documented history linking the Mahabaleshwara and Chamundeshwari temples to Hindu traditions.

In her statement, Pramoda Devi Wadiyar said, “I write this with deep dismay over the way this year’s Dasara celebrations proposed to be conducted by the Government of Karnataka have unfolded, especially with politics finding its way around the sacred Chamundeshwari temple.” She added that Shivakumar’s comment was unnecessary and avoidable, noting that if the temple were not Hindu, it would not have been brought under the Muzrai Department.

She clarified that the government’s Dasara celebrations are cultural in nature, coinciding with Navaratri and Vijayadashami, while the royal family continues to observe dharmic rituals privately.

Secularism vs religious sentiment

Yaduveer Wadiyar argued that while all can enter the temple, it does not justify imposing modern secular interpretations on ancient traditions. He said, “Chamundi Hill belongs to Hindus and it is the property of Hindus. The Deputy Chief Minister’s statement cannot change this.”

He also alleged that Shivakumar’s remarks may have been an attempt to “balance things” after facing criticism within his party for reciting an RSS prayer song in the Assembly.

Controversy over Dasara inauguration

The invitation to Banu Mushtaq drew objections from BJP leaders and others due to an old video in which she reportedly expressed reservations about worshipping Kannada language as ‘Goddess Bhuvaneshwari’, calling it exclusionary for minorities.

Conclusion

The comments by Shivakumar and reactions from the Mysuru royal family have intensified the debate around the cultural and religious significance of Chamundi Hill, ahead of the Mysuru Dasara-2025 celebrations starting on September 22 and concluding on Vijayadashami, October 2.