adminThe Wadiyar (alternatively spelt Wodeyer or Odeyer) dynasty was a noble family descended from herders[1] in the Indian subcontinent that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1950, with an interruption. They were a feudatory house under Vijayanagar Emperor, took advantage of weakening Vijaynagar Empire and became free. Raja Odeyar, secured Srirangapatna in 1610, which was the seat of the Vijaynagar Viceroy.[2] The kingdom was incorporated into the Dominion of India after its independence from British rule. From 1399 to 1610, Wodeyars were of Lingayat faith and promoted it as their state religion.
The word “Wadiyar” (Kannada: ಒಡೆಯರ್) in Kannada means “Lord” or “Lordship.” Historical records use the term ″Wodeyar″ when referring to the dynasty’s royal family members; the ″W″ is silent. In more modern Kannada transliteration, the variation ″Odeyar″ is also used.
History
According to legend the Wodiyars trace their ancestry to lord Krishna and arrived from the Dvārakā, and on seeing the natural beauty of the place made Mysore their abode. However, historians Shyam Prasad, Nobuhiro Ota, David Leeming, Aya Ikegame instead suggest that the Wodiyars were local feudal lords who adopted puranic legend to claim themselves as direct descendants of legendary Lunar Dynasty. The dynasty was established in 1399 by Yaduraya Wodeyar. He ruled Mysore under the Vijayanagara Empire until 1423. After Yaduraya Wodeyar, the Mysore kingdom was succeeded by the Wadiyar rulers. The kingdom remained fairly small during this early period and was a part of the Vijayanagara Empire. After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565, the Kingdom of Mysore became independent and remained so until 1799.
During the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (1799–1868), the region came under the control of the British Empire. His successors changed the English spelling of their royal name to Wadiyar and took the title of Bahadur. The last two monarchs of the dynasty, Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, also accepted the British decoration Knight Grand Cross of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
Expansion
The Vijayanagara Empire disintegrated in 1565. The power vacuum created soon after was exploited by Raja Wadiyar (ruled 1578–1617). He expanded the borders of the Mysore kingdom and in 1610 changed the capital city from Mysore to Srirangapatna; a rare island formed by the river Kaveri, which provided natural protection against military attacks.
Later famous rulers of the dynasty included Kanthirava Narasaraja I (ruled 1638–1659), who expanded the frontiers of the Mysore kingdom to Trichy in Tamil Nadu. The dynasty reached its peak under Chikka Devaraja (ruled 1673–1704), who reformed the administration of the empire by dividing it into 18 departments (called Chavadis) and he also introduced a coherent system of taxation.
Islamic rule
From 1760 to 1799, the rule of the dynasty was essentially nominal, with real power given in the hands of the dalwai, or commanders-in-chief, Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, who expanded the kingdom aggressively and introduced ambitious economic development program that established Mysore as a major economic power, but clashed with the British East India Company. After Tipu Sultan was killed by the British in the Battle of Srirangapatna in 1799, the Wadiyars were restored to a reduced kingdom.
British Rule
Wadiyar Dynasty: Origins and Rise
The Wadiyar (alternatively spelled Wodeyer or Odeyer) dynasty was a noble family that ruled the Kingdom of Mysore from 1399 to 1950, with an interruption. They descended from herders in the Indian subcontinent. Initially, they served as feudatories under the Vijayanagar Empire. Taking advantage of the weakening Vijayanagar Empire, they secured independence. In 1610, Raja Odeyar seized Srirangapatna, the former seat of the Vijayanagar Viceroy. The Wadiyars were followers of the Lingayat faith from 1399 to 1610 and promoted it as their state religion.
The term “Wadiyar” (Kannada: ಒಡೆಯರ್) means “Lord” or “Lordship” in Kannada. Historical records use “Wodeyar” for the royal family, with the “W” being silent. In modern Kannada, “Odeyar” is also common.
The Origin Story of the Wadiyars
Legend suggests that the Wadiyars trace their ancestry to Lord Krishna and arrived from Dvārakā. They were captivated by the natural beauty of the place and made Mysore their home. Historians, however, argue that the Wadiyars were local feudal lords who used Puranic legends to claim ancestry from the Lunar Dynasty. The dynasty began in 1399 with Yaduraya Wodeyar, who ruled Mysore under the Vijayanagara Empire until 1423. After Yaduraya, the Wadiyars continued to rule Mysore, which remained a part of the Vijayanagara Empire until 1565. When the Vijayanagara Empire fell, the Wadiyars gained independence.
Expansion of the Kingdom
Raja Wadiyar, who ruled from 1578 to 1617, expanded the kingdom’s borders and moved the capital to Srirangapatna in 1610. The city, located on an island formed by the Kaveri River, offered natural protection against military attacks.
Under Kanthirava Narasaraja I (1638–1659), the Wadiyars expanded further, reaching Trichy in Tamil Nadu. The kingdom reached its peak during the reign of Chikka Devaraja (1673–1704), who reformed the administration by dividing it into 18 departments and introducing a taxation system.
Islamic Rule and British Influence
From 1760 to 1799, the dynasty’s rule was nominal as Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan, wielded real power. They expanded the kingdom and introduced ambitious economic programs that made Mysore a major economic power. However, they clashed with the British East India Company. After Tipu Sultan’s death in 1799, the Wadiyars were restored to a reduced kingdom.
The British shifted the capital back to Mysore and restored the Wadiyars. Mummudi Krishna Raja Wadiyar III, only four years old, became the king. However, the British took over the administration in 1831 after a dispute over an annual subsidy payment. From 1831 to 1881, British commissioners administered Mysore, with figures like Mark Cubbon and L.B. Bowring playing key roles.
The Revival and Growth Under British Rule
In 1868, the British Parliament restored the throne to Krishna Raja Wadiyar III’s adopted son, Chamaraja Wadiyar IX. The restoration marked the beginning of modern Mysore, with democratic reforms such as a representative assembly. Nalvadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar, the next king, earned fame as a saintly ruler, and Mahatma Gandhi praised his kingdom as an ideal one, calling it “Ramarajya.”
Under British rule, the Wadiyars shifted their focus to arts and culture. Mysore became a cultural center, fostering renowned musicians, writers, and painters.
End of the Wadiyar Dynasty
Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, the last king of the Wadiyar dynasty, ruled from 1940 until India’s independence in 1947. After India became a Republic in 1950, he continued as Raja Pramukh of Mysore State and later became the Governor of Mysore in 1956. He served as the Governor of Madras (now Tamil Nadu) until 1966, and was the last Maharajah recognized by the Indian Constitution. He passed away in 1974. His son, Srikantadatta Narasimha Raja Wadiyar, was a member of the Indian Parliament for many years.
The Curse on the Wadiyars
A legend claims that a curse was cast on the Wadiyars in 1612 by Alamelamma, the wife of Tirumalaraja, the last Vijayanagar viceroy. After Raja Wadiyar seized her jewels, Alamelamma cursed the dynasty before taking her own life by jumping into the Kaveri River. The curse stated that the Wadiyars would never have children in alternate generations, and this prophecy seemingly came true. For generations, adopted heirs ruled the kingdom.
The Wadiyars faced challenges in producing heirs, with many rulers adopting children to continue the dynasty. The last two rulers, Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV and Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, were adopted, but the pattern of the curse continued, leaving no direct descendants.
Legacy of the Wadiyar Dynasty
Despite the curse, the Wadiyars left a significant cultural legacy. They made Mysore a hub for the arts, and their rule saw the establishment of modern institutions and the flourishing of various cultural traditions. The royal family remains deeply connected to Mysore’s history, and their contributions continue to be celebrated during the annual Dasara festivities, which they first held in 1610.
