Kayo Shri Gowri

Kāyou Shri Gowrī (Kannada: ಕಾಯೌ ಶ್ರೀ ಗೌರಿ) was the official state anthem of the Kingdom of Mysore, under the rule of the Wadiyar dynasty. The anthem was composed by Basavappa Shastry (1843–1891), the court poet of the Mysore Court under the rule of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, who reigned between 1868 and 1894.^[1]

Kāyou Shri Gowr

English: "O Goddess Gowrī (Parvati)"
State anthem of Kingdom of Mysore (1399–1948) and Mysore State (1947–1958)
Lyrics	Basavappa Shastry, 1831
Music	Basavappa Shastry, 1831
Adopted	1831
Relinquished	1950 (74 years ago) (1950)
Succeeded by	Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate

History

In 1831, the Kingdom of Mysore was taken over by the British Raj. The king, Chamarajendra Wadiyar X ordered Basavappa Shastry, the court poet, to compose an anthem for the state.^[2]

A favourite of the Maharaja, the anthem was played when Rabindranath Tagore visited Bengaluru in 1919 to deliver his speech on the “Message of the Forests.” He had come to the city at the invitation of Albion Bannerjee who was the first counsellor under the Royal Diwan, M. Kantaraj Urs. It is believed, Tagore's song “Anondo Loke” was heavily inspired by “Kayou Shri Gowri”.

The anthem is still in use today, by the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, led by Maharaja Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. It is mostly played at the Mysore Palace, when the king attends a festival or procession. It is also used and saluted by the Maharaja during the Mysore Dasara festival.

Lyrics

The anthem propitiates the Hindu goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal deity of Mysuru, whose temple is on the Chamundi Hills. It calls upon the goddess to protect and bless the kingdom.

Kannada script	Latin transliteration (ISO 15919)	English translation
ಕಾಯೌ ಶ್ರೀ ಗೌರಿ ಕರುಣಾಲಹರಿ ತೋಯಜಾಕ್ಷಿ ಶಂಕರೀಶ್ವರಿ ವೈಮಾನಿಕ ಭಾಮಾರ್ಚಿತ ಕೋಮಲಕರ ಪಾದೇ ಶ್ರೀಮಾನ್ವಿತ ಭೂಮಾಸ್ಪದೆ ಕಾಮಿತ ಫಲದೇ ಶುಂಭಾದಿಮ ದಾಂಭೋನಿಧಿ ಕುಂಭಜ ನಿಭ ದೇವೀ ಜಂಭಾಹಿತ ಸಂಭಾವಿತೆ ಶಾಂಭವಿ ಶುಭವೀ ಶ್ರೀ ಜಯಚಾಮುಂಡಿಕೆ ಶ್ರೀ ಜಯಚಾಮೆಂದ್ರ ನಾಮಾಂಕಿತ ಭೂಮೀಂದ್ರ ಲಲಾಮನ ಮುದದೇ	kāyou śrī gowrī, karunṇā laharī, tōyajākṣi, śankarīśvarī vaimānika bhāmārćita komalakara pādē śrīmānvita bhūmāspade kāmita phaladē śumbhādima dāmbhōnidhi kumbhaja nibha dēvī jambhāhita sambhāvite śāmbhavi śubhavī śrī jaya ćāmuṇḍike śrī jaya ćāmendrā nāmāṅkita bhūmendra lalāmana mudadē	O Great Goddess Gowri, thou lotus eyed Goddess benign, Pour forth on our king thy blessings divine. Thou lady celestial, of the loveliest grace, Upholding all being unbounded as space. As Indra to the demons, Agastya to the sea, Thou makes all powers of evil to flee. All good that men seek is by thy hand outpoured, The consort co-equal of Shambho (Shiva), thy Lord. O victorious Chamundeshwari, dark visaged lady divine, Watch over Thy namesake of the victorious King Chamarajendra's lineage.

Music

The anthem is set in Raga Kalyani (Carnatic) and Yaman (Hindustani). The western chords are in C major (Ionian mode). The anthem gained immense popularity and for a while was sung by school children across the state as their morning prayer.

References

1. "Kayou Shri Gowri Anthem". 30 August 2015.
2. "On Independence Day, Modi Marched To A Song of Freedom From Mysore". The News Minute. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2022.