Jayalakshmi Vilas
Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a heritage building in Mysore.
Description
Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a building of architectural importance in Mysore city, Karnataka. It is located in the verdant surroundings of Manasa Gangothri, the campus of the University of Mysore. It rises on a hillock on the west side of Kukkarahalli Kere. Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion houses a museum of priceless collections of artifacts. The Karnataka government classifies it as a heritage structure.The mansion was built in 1905, during the period of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, for princess Jayalakshmi Ammani, the eldest daughter of the Maharaja Chamaraja Wodeyar, at a cost of Rs. 7 lakhs. The location was intentionally chosen to be on top of a small hillock above Kukkarahalli Kere. It was originally called 'the First Rajkumari Mansion'. The first princess Jayalakshmi, was married to Sirdar M. Kantharaj Urs in 1897, who later became the Dewan of Mysore. Kantharaj Urs had a house in the Fort of the Palace called "Gunamba House" after his mother. The mansion was built to be commensurate with their status of princess and dewan.
The mansion was gifted by the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamaraja Wodeyar, to the University of Mysore to establish a postgraduate center in its campus.
The building was in a state of neglect for a very long time. The building was restored at a cost of Rs. 1.17 crores with funds from the Infosys Foundation. Renovation began in 2002 and were completed in 2006. It was inaugurated by the governor of Karnataka on 16 January 2006 by switching on this new illumination system.