Have you heard about the palace that was built by a school principal? Before you Google this question and maybe find the answer, let me give it to you. It is the Bangalore Palace. The Bangalore Palace was constructed by Rev. Garett in 1826, who was also the first principal of the Central High School.
The palace’s Tudor-style architecture is similar to that of Windsor Palace in England. This palace was constructed for King Chamaraja Wodeyar.
Read on to know 4 unknown facts about the Bangalore Palace.
The King and his stuffed toys: The ways of the royalty go hand in hand with the idea of peculiar interests. King Chamaraja Wodeyar was a king in the true sense. He had a taste for taxidermy. The idea of having bar stools made of paws of different animals with cushions placed over them may seem a bit of a macabre way to have a drink. It is not easy to miss the stuffed elephant head at the entrance of the palace. This elephant was quite a terroriser in his heyday, and sadly, his skin is filled with hay now.
Sofa so good: The Rajas are said to have ingenious devices to make their lives even easier. Imagine having a wooden seat with an in-built weighing machine. It must have been devised for the king to keep his weight in check, or maybe it was meant for the queen. This wooden sofa, which seats two people, can calculate the weight of the person sitting on it. You don’t need to avoid this seat as the weighing scale is out of order. But it’s worth a sit-down.
Rock Rules: Gone were the days when the palace used to resonate with the voices of Indian classical music. Today, the palace grounds are a host to some of the city’s and even the world’s popular music icons. From the famous Akon to the 90’s favorite Bryan Adams, many a stage has been set for the new kings of music. Keep a lookout, maybe you will find your music icon performing at the grounds.
Of Jewels and Curses: What can a palace be without jewels and a curse fabled to be true? According to legends, some of the palace jewels were stolen by the royal consort of the then Viceroy of Vijayanagar, named Alamelamma. When she was asked to return the jewels, she refused to part with them (we wonder why). Adding more drama, she even cursed the King, swearing that Talakad would become a barren land and that the Raja’s line would have no progeny. Read about the curse of Talakad here.
Oddly enough, the curse had such an effect that it held true for generations. The town of Talakad still remains barren, and none of the Mysore kings has heirs.
There could be even more secrets tucked away in the huge corridors of the palace. Next time you visit this place, keep a lookout for sliding walls and blinking portraits.
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