Bangalore Palace

 
Up quite early this morning and through the Bangalore rush-hour by Rickshaw to Bangalore Palace, built in the 19th Century for the Maharaja/King of Bangalore by an English architect and allegedly inspired by Windsor Castle.

On the way we had the opportunity to photograph some fascinating and rather surreal wall-paintings on the walls of an underpass.

The Palace is still occupied by the last Maharaja (“last” because he has no children, and looking at the wall-painting of him I think I know why!)

The Wodeyar dynasty of Maharajas lasted from the 14th century to 1947 – the Maharajic system came to an end with the British Empire, though they kept their assets and are still considered royalty by many.

The Wodeyars also had extensive property in Mysore, where we are going tomorrow, and a collection of vintage cars, Rolls-Royces and the like, which they apparently sold last year, putting all the guidebooks out of date but no doubt helping the bank balance somewhat.

 
We were shown round by Babu, an old retainer of 70 who could still remember the grand old days of big game hunting, huge processions of elephants, soldiers and royalty which pretty much came to an end in the late 1940s.

Diaries