Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X was the twenty-third maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore, between 1868 and 1894.
Adoption and accession
Chamarajendra Wadiyar X was born in the old palace in Mysore on 22 February 1863, as the third son of Sardar Chikka Krishnaraj Urs of the Bettada-Kote branch of the ruling clan. His father died about a week before his birth. His mother, Rajkumari Putammani Devi, was the eldest daughter of MaharajaKrishnaraja Wadiyar III. Following the failure of heirs male, Krishnaraja Wadiyar III decided to adopt Chamarajendra. The adoption was done on 18 June 1865 and was recognised by the British Government of India on 16 April 1867. Krishnaraja Wadiyar III died on 27 March 1868, and Chamarajendra Wadiyar X ascended the throne at the royal palace, Mysore, on 23 September 1868. However, since 1831, the Kingdom of Mysore had been under the direct administration of the British Raj, which had earlier deposed Krishnaraja Wadiyar on allegations of misrule. Later, the Privy Council of the United Kingdom ordered the reversal of the British East India Company's decision to annexe Mysore. By the Rendition Act of 1881, the princely state of Mysore was reconstituted and restored to the Wadiyar dynasty. Chamarajendra Wadiyar X was groomed by the British to take charge of the administration. He was officially handed the reins of governance on 25 March 1881.
Reign
Although his reign proved to be a brief one, he left an indelible mark on the Kingdom of Mysore. He was aptly aided by Rangacharlu CE and Sheshadri Iyer two of the most competent Diwans. He instituted the Representative Assembly of Mysore Kingdom in 1881. This was the first modern, democratic legislative institution of its kind in princely India. He sponsored the famous journey of Swami Vivekananda to Chicago in 1893. He gave primacy to women's education and founded the Kannada Bashojjivini School. He gave a fillip to the industrialisation of the Kingdom of Mysore by instituting several industrial schools and conducting the annual Dasara Industrial Exhibition. He facilitated the founding of Agricultural Banks to help finance farmers and initiated life insurance for government employees. Many of the most famous landmarks of Mysore and Bangalore owe their existence to him. Prominent among these are:
Chamarajendra Wadiyar X was a great patron of arts and music; his court boasted of artists like Veena Subbanna, Veena Seshanna, K. Vasudevacharya. Veena Padmanabiah, Mysore Karigiri Rao, and Bidaram Krishnappa, among others. The maharaja was a violin virtuoso himself and used to daily provide accompaniment to Veena Subbanna's vocal and Veena Sheshanna's veena performances. His favourite kriti's included Sujana Jeevana and Lavanya Rama. He was also a connaisseur of Javali'sKritis.
Family
In May 1878, Chamarajendra Wadiyar married Vani Vilasa Sannidhana Kempananja Ammani Avaru, daughter of an arasu of Kalale, a prominent nobleman of Mysore state. They had four sons and three daughters, of whom the following survived to adulthood:
Princess Jayalakshmi Ammani,, married in 1897, her youngest maternal uncle, M. Kantaraj Urs, was the Diwan of Mysore between 1919–1922. Jayalakshmi Vilas Palace, Manasa Gangotri, now Post-Graduate Centre of the University of Mysore, was built as her residence.
Princess Krishnaraja Ammani,, married in 1896, Col. Desaraja Urs, Commander of the Mysore Armed Forces, from the Bagle family of Mogur in Mysore State. Karanjivilas Palace, now Indian Postal Training Centre, was built for her. They had one son and three daughters. She and her three daughters died of tuberculosis. The royal family built the Krishnajammanni Sanitorium in her memory. Her son Rajkumar C Desaraj Urs had three children – Rajkumar Prithviraj Urs, Col Desaraj Urs, and Geeta Devi Urs.
Princess Chaluvamba Ammani, married in 1900, Sardar M. Lakshmikanta Raj Urs, a nobleman of Mysore State. The Cheluvambavilas Palace, now the headquarters of CFTRI, was built as her residence. There is also a maternity hospital and park named after her.
