UDAIPUR: Rajasthan authorities took control of portions of Udaipur’s iconic City Palace Tuesday following violent clashes between two factions of Mewar royal descendants. The unrest stemmed from a decades-long property and succession dispute reignited by a ritual linked to the coronation of Mewar’s kings.
The conflict pits the family of Arvind Singh Mewar, chairman of Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) and younger son of Udaipur’s last king Bhagwat Singh Mewar, against descendants of his elder brother Mahendra Singh Mewar, who died on Nov 10 at 83.
Mahendra’s son Vishvaraj Singh, the BJP MLA for Nathdwara, declared himself the 77th titular head of Mewar royal family and held a “coronation” ceremony Monday at Fateh Prakash Palace in Chittorgarh Fort.
Long-standing Udaipur tiff saw Mewar brothers living separately
As part of his accession ritual, Vishvaraj sought entry to a shrine within City Palace, sparking resistance from MMCF and his uncle’s family. MMCF had issued public notices barring unauthorised access to the palace and Eklingji temple, both of which are under the trust’s control. The trust cited a family history exhibit at the palace that claims Mahendra Singh “voluntarily and seceded from the family of his father”.
Vishvaraj attempted to visit the palace shrine but was blocked, resulting in a scuffle that escalated to stone-throwing outside the mansion. Several people, including police officers, were wounded. The dispute dates back to 1983, when Mahendra Singh challenged his father over leasing and selling stakes in royal properties since 1963. These assets had been transferred to a company established by the family. “Through his final will dated May 15, 1984, Maharana Bhagwat Singh Mewar appointed Arvind Singh Mewar as executor of the will, which has been probated up to SC,” said MMCF advocate Sheetal Kumbhat.
The trust continues to control several properties, including City Palace and Eklingji temple. This long-standing rift saw the two brothers living separately: Arvind at Shambhu Niwas within City Palace and Mahendra at the nearby Samor Bagh mansion.
Vishvaraj criticised the district administration: “It is my right to visit the temple of my ancestors on such a special occasion. I sought administration’s assistance, but they did not help. No one can be stopped from visiting a place of worship.”
Arvind’s son Lakshyaraj accused his cousin of politicising the situation and misusing his position. “We are legal occupants of City Palace. If they have any objection, this can be challenged in the court of law,” he said. Vishvaraj is scheduled to visit Eklingji shrine Wednesday.