On the tenth day of Navaratri, the royal scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar performed the traditional Ayudha Puja rituals at the Mysuru Palace, continuing a centuries-old practice unique to the Wadiyar dynasty. The day’s ceremonies began at 6 am with a Chandika Homa inside the palace. Between 7:30 and 7:42 a.m., the royal sword and other weapons were ceremonially taken out through the Ane Bagilu (elephant gate) to the Kodi Someshwara temple, accompanied by the royal elephant, horse, cow, and camel palanquin. At the temple, the weapons were washed with water drawn from a sacred well before being brought back to the Kalyana Mantapa courtyard. The homa concluded with purnahuti at 9:15 am.
Later in the morning, rituals continued in the palace courtyard, where Yaduveer offered puja to the royal elephant, horses, cows, and the royal sword. The scion also performed rituals for the royal insignia, golden palanquin, and private weapons. The palace elephants Preethi and Chanchal were among those worshipped, followed by a ritual puja of the royal family’s luxury vehicles. The ceremony concluded with the royal anthem Kayo Sri Gowri.
As part of the Ayudha Puja, the palace elephant brigade received special rituals. Twelve elephants including Captain Abhimanyu, Cauvery, Balle Lakshmi, Roopa, Hemavathi, Bhima, Ekalavya, Prashanth, Kanjan, Mahendra, and Dhananjaya were lined up in the palace courtyard. Their feet were washed, turmeric and vermilion applied, and garlands adorned on their foreheads.
Priests led by Prahlada Rao performed Vedic chants, while mahouts and kavadi caretakers offered puja to both the elephants and their tools, including the ankusha (goading stick). Officials from the Forest Department, led by DCF Dr. I.B. Prabhugouda, along with senior and junior officers, participated in the rituals. After the ceremonies, forest officials posed for photographs with the elephants.
Following the Ayudha Puja, the lion emblem on the golden throne was ceremonially dismantled, marking the end of the royal family’s private durbar. Yaduveer and his wife Trishikha Kumari Wadiyar also performed the ritual of removing the sacred kankana (thread) tied on the first day of Navaratri, before offering prayers at the temple concluding this year’s festivities at the palace.