Mysuru’s Royal Legacy Rewritten: Has Princess Trishika Broken a 400-Year-Old Curse?

MYSURU: For over 400 years, the Wadiyar dynasty of Mysuru has lived under the shadow of a legendary curse—one believed to have prevented the birth of direct heirs to the royal family. But the arrival of Princess Trishika Kumari Wadiyar and the birth of her sons are now seen by many as a turning point in the dynasty’s long and storied history.

A Curse from the 17th Century

The origin of the so-called curse dates back to 1612, when the Wadiyars took control of the Srirangapatna kingdom. In the aftermath, Queen Alamelamma, widow of the Vijayanagara ruler King Tirumalaraja, fled with royal jewels and, when cornered, threw herself into the Cauvery River near Talakadu. According to legend, her dying words cursed the Wadiyar lineage, declaring that no biological heir would ever again be born into the royal family.

For centuries, the curse appeared to hold sway. Successive rulers adopted heirs to keep the royal line alive. Most recently, in 2015, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar was adopted by the royal family after the death of Srikantadatta Wadiyar, who passed away without children.

A Royal Wedding, A New Beginning

In 2016, Yaduveer married Princess Trishika Kumari of the Dungarpur royal family in a traditional ceremony held at the Mysore Palace. The event marked the union of two royal houses—but what followed made history.

On December 6, 2017, Princess Trishika gave birth to Aadyaveer Narasimharaja Wadiyar, the first natural-born heir to the Wadiyar throne in over 60 years. The birth was hailed as the moment the ancient curse had been broken. That belief was further strengthened in 2024 with the birth of the couple’s second son, Yugadhyaksh Krishnaraja Wadiyar.

A Modern-Day Princess with a Historic Role

An alumna of Baldwin Girls’ High School and Jyoti Nivas College in Bengaluru, Princess Trishika is admired for balancing royal responsibilities with a modern outlook. She remains an active public figure and is a prominent presence during the grand Mysuru Dasara celebrations each year.

Is the Curse Truly Broken?

While many view Aadyaveer’s birth as proof that the curse has been lifted, some skeptics remain unconvinced. They point out that Yaduveer, though now head of the dynasty, was adopted into the family and not born into the royal bloodline. Whether Aadyaveer and his descendants will be able to carry the Wadiyar lineage forward without further adoptions remains to be seen.

For now, however, Princess Trishika stands as a symbol of renewal and change—possibly the woman who ended a centuries-old curse and ushered in a new era for one of India’s most legendary royal families.