By H.K. Shivananda, I.A.S.(Retd)., Ex-Administrator, MCC and Ex-Director, ATI, Mysuru
Amongst the several Palaces built by Wadiyars in Mysuru City, Lalitha Mahal is the second biggest Palace after Mysore Palace and has a grandeur and beauty of its own. Built in twenties of last century for the exclusive use of Viceroy for his stay at Mysuru as and when he visited, at a cost of Rs. 13 lakh on a total area of 81 acres, it was subsequently used as a Guest House for European Guests of Maharaja visiting Mysuru. Its architecture has a similarity with that of St. Paul's Cathedral London. It came to the control of State Government in 1973 and was run as a Heritage Hotel by ITDC as part of Ashoka Group from 1974 to 2018. Karnataka Government took it back in 2018 and Jungle Lodges and Resorts, a State Government undertaking, is managing it now.
