Jayalakshmi Vilas
RAMESH K.N
The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion
MYSORE: Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, reckoned to be an architectural jewel in Mysore, will
come alive in its brilliant hues and bathe in milky white light on Monday when Governor T.N.
Chaturvedi switches on the new illumination system for the heritage structure.
The beauty of the illuminated mansion will border on the sublime and will be ethereal when
the lights are on, according to the Special Officer N.S. Rangaraju, Department of Ancient
History and Archaeology, University of Mysore. "It is befitting that the royal mansion gets a
facelift and is illuminated during its centenary year," he added.
A proposal that was first mooted almost two years ago it has seen the light of the day
because of the efforts of the Vice-Chancellor of the university J. Shashidhar Prasad and
Registrar N.D. Tiwari, said Prof. Rangaraju.
The illumination system will incorporate 40 special bulbs each ordered and certified by
Philips and is reckoned to cost nearly Rs. 6 lakhs. Prof. Rangaraju said the mansion would
be illuminated on all public holidays, including Sundays, and on special occasions such as
festivals or major events. It will be a new attraction to tourists and the locals alike. The
specially installed bulbs take about 15 minutes to attain their full luminosity and the system
has been tried and okayed, he said. Four of the 40 lights will be perched on a high pole
every day and will swathe the sublime building with milky white light on all nights.
These special bulbs are not the regular neon lights but are akin to the ones used to
illuminate the Crawford Hall, according to Prof. Rangaraju.
The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion was meant to one of the palaces for the royal family
and was acquired by the University of Mysore to establish the postgraduate centre at
Manasagangotri.
The structure was in a dilapidated state because of neglect and was fully restored and
conserved with funds from Infosys Foundation. Today, the splendid mansion is cited as an
example for heritage and architectural conservation and will house the Mysore University
Museum Complex, reckoned to be the first of its kind among universities in the country
s
RAMESH K.N
The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion
Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a heritage building in Mysore.
Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a building in of Mysore city, Karnataka. It is located in the green surroundings of Manasagangothri, the campus of the University of Mysore. It rises on a hillock on the west side ofKukkarahalli Kere(lake). The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion houses a museum of priceless collections of artifacts.
The Karnataka government classifies it as a heritage structure.The mansion was built in 1905, during the period of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, for princess Jayalakshmi Ammani, the eldest daughter of the Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar, at a cost of Rs. 7 lakhs. The location was intentionally chosen to be on top of a small hillock above Kukkarahalli Kere(lake).
It was originally called 'the First Rajkumari Mansion'. The first princess Jayalakshmi, was married to Sirdar M. Kantharaj Urs in 1897, who later became the Dewan of Mysore. Kantharaj Urs had a house in the Fort of the Palace called "Gunamba House" after his mother.
The mansion was built to be commensurate to their status of princess and dewan.The mansion was acquired by the University of Mysore to establish a postgraduate centre in its campus known as Manasagangotri. The building was in a state of neglect for a very long time. The building was restored at a cost of Rs. 1.17 crores with funds from the Infosys Foundation. Renovation began in 2002, and completed in 2006. It was inaugurated by the governor of Karnataka on Jan 16th 2006 by switching on this new illumination system.
Architectural features
The renovated mansion has 125 rooms, 300 windows, 287 exquisitely carved doors and it was spread across 6 acres (24,000 m2). There are entrances on each side, different from each other. The entrance on the northern side has an extrusion on the stairs presumably to be used as alighting platform from cars and chariots.
The mansion is chiefly built of brick and mortar, timber and iron. Stone was dispensed with considering the amount of delay it would have on construction if it were used. There are separated drainages for rain water and used water.
Mansion to be illuminated on Monday
Special Correspondent
`The beauty of Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion will be sublime when the lights are on'
NEW LOOK SOON: Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion which will come alive in brilliant
hues. —
MYSORE: Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion, reckoned to be an architectural jewel in Mysore, will
come alive in its brilliant hues and bathe in milky white light on Monday when Governor T.N.
Chaturvedi switches on the new illumination system for the heritage structure.
The beauty of the illuminated mansion will border on the sublime and will be ethereal when
the lights are on, according to the Special Officer N.S. Rangaraju, Department of Ancient
History and Archaeology, University of Mysore. "It is befitting that the royal mansion gets a
facelift and is illuminated during its centenary year," he added.
A proposal that was first mooted almost two years ago it has seen the light of the day
because of the efforts of the Vice-Chancellor of the university J. Shashidhar Prasad and
Registrar N.D. Tiwari, said Prof. Rangaraju.
The illumination system will incorporate 40 special bulbs each ordered and certified by
Philips and is reckoned to cost nearly Rs. 6 lakhs. Prof. Rangaraju said the mansion would
be illuminated on all public holidays, including Sundays, and on special occasions such as
festivals or major events. It will be a new attraction to tourists and the locals alike. The
specially installed bulbs take about 15 minutes to attain their full luminosity and the system
has been tried and okayed, he said. Four of the 40 lights will be perched on a high pole
every day and will swathe the sublime building with milky white light on all nights.
These special bulbs are not the regular neon lights but are akin to the ones used to
illuminate the Crawford Hall, according to Prof. Rangaraju.
The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion was meant to one of the palaces for the royal family
and was acquired by the University of Mysore to establish the postgraduate centre at
Manasagangotri.
The structure was in a dilapidated state because of neglect and was fully restored and
conserved with funds from Infosys Foundation. Today, the splendid mansion is cited as an
example for heritage and architectural conservation and will house the Mysore University
Museum Complex, reckoned to be the first of its kind among universities in the country
s
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