The world is indeed small (and amazing)

If you are a curious bum who happens to visit the Mysore Palace, the above beautiful mural in the marriage hall is something hard to miss. Even hard to miss is the only European looking gentleman (right bottom) among all the Indian priests, ministers and soldiers.
As someone in the tourism department and with umpteen number of visits to the Palace, we always wondered who the European gentleman is. Until finally one of our guests wrote to us after a tour about the mural.

Greg Hardaker, our guest on one of our tour says the person on the mural is his grandfather. His great grandfather was a soldier who was bought out of the British army by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV to work in his service as a mechanic and clock maker. His grandfather, Georges Oates Hardaker (in the mural) was born in Mysore and worked all his life in the service of the royal family as an electrician. Greg also believes that he was responsible for the present day electrification and illumination of the Palace.

Here’s a picture of Greg with the mural. The palace authorities gave him permission to click the picture owning to the value it held to him.

When the old palace was burning, his grandfather helped carry and rescue the palace furniture and the golden throne during which he hurt his back badly. Greg also happened to find his grandfathers grave in Mysore.

What’s more is that the tombstone for his great grandfather was supposedly provided by the Maharaja himself, showing the cordial relationship shared between them. Greg was unable to find his great grandfather’s grave in Bangalore but sent us a picture of the Tombstone (below). It mentions the position he held in the Maharaja’s service.

We wonder how many more incredible stories Mysore has and we definitely wish we get to hear and share as many we can. Greg on the other hand wants to visit Srirangapatna the next time he is in India as his grandmother’s great great grandfather was a bandmaster to the Maharaja! Well, Greg- We are all ears to another amazing story!
~Royal Mysore Walks

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