Mewar coronation row: City Palace gates in Udaipur open after four days

Jaipur, Nov 28 (IANS) The long-standing dispute over coronation rituals within Udaipur's former royal family was resolved on Thursday evening as the gates of the historic City Palace were finally reopened at 6:30 PM after being closed for four days.

Lakshyaraj Singh, cousin of Nathdwara MLA and newly anointed Mewar family member Vishvaraj Singh, personally arrived to unlock the gates. Addressing the crowd, he expressed gratitude, saying, “I want to thank the government, the people of Udaipur, and the administration. An atmosphere of harmony has been reestablished in the city.”

The closure had caused significant inconvenience, with tourists being turned away and local shopkeepers experiencing a dip in business. With the reopening, tourist activities are expected to resume. Udaipur Collector Arvind Poswal also issued an order lifting Section 163, which had been imposed in the City Palace area.

The controversy stemmed from the coronation ceremony of Vishvaraj Singh Mewar, held on November 25 in Chittorgarh, where he was declared the 77th Diwan of Eklingji, following long-standing traditions.

As part of the post-coronation rituals, Vishvaraj Singh attempted to perform Dhuni Darshan at the City Palace in Udaipur but was met with closed gates. This led to a tense standoff involving a property dispute within the royal family. The situation escalated to stone pelting from both sides, prompting Vishvaraj Singh to leave and ask his supporters to disperse.

By Wednesday, Vishvaraj Singh was able to offer prayers during Dhuni Darshan after partial access was granted. The situation finally normalised on Thursday evening, marking the end of the dispute with the complete reopening of the City Palace gates.

--IANS

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