To accommodate CM's budget, Mysoreans miss rare pics

After much hue and cry, the district administration decided to host the 129th birth anniversary of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar on a grand note on June 22 at Kalamandira. However, what made it a low profile affair, was the forthcoming budget of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

An exclusive photo expo on life history of the erstwhile ruler as planned earlier as part of the jayanthi celebrations at Suchitra Art Gallery on the premises of Kalamandira had to be shelved at the last minute. Reason -- all the programmes chalked out in the existing budget (presented by previous BJP government) are being dropped.

Instead, to make up for the loss, the State Archaeology department put on display nearly 50 readily available portraits, including photographs and oil paintings on the history of Nada Habba Mysore Dasara. Barring a few exhibits, it was a repeat of the exhibition organised during Dasara every year.

Sources told Deccan Herald, that the Archaeology department had made all arrangements to exhibit the photographs of Nalwadi -- from his birth to death, including a rare photograph of the funeral procession of Nalwadi passing through Gun House (Shivarathri Rajendra) circle. On June 20, two days ahead of the celebrations, the department received instructions from the higher ups to drop the programmes chalked out in the existing budget.

The photo exhibition was estimated to cost Rs one lakh. It was communicated to the department that no new programmes should be organised, as it would be included in the upcoming budget. Following this, apart from the afore planned photo expo, a State-level seminar planned in the month of July again on Nalwadi, estimated to cost Rs three lakh, has also been postponed.

B Gopal, Director of Archaeology, confirmed the sudden development, which led to the last minute changes in Nalwadi’s photo exhibition. “It is the case with all government departments that have been asked to withdraw the existing programmes, till the outcome of the new budget scheduled in the month of July,” he added.

Deputy commissioner Ramegowda said the photo exhibition would be held along with another programme organised to release the souvenir of the jayanthi in a month or two.