Udaipur Royal Family Feud: Dispute Erupts Over Coronation as Maharana Pratap's Descendants Clash at City Palace

A row over the coronation ceremony at the Udaipur City Palace, a historic heritage site in Rajasthan, has caused a stir among the descendants of Maharana Pratap and created tension in the area. Within hours of being elected as the formal head of the Mewar royal family, Vishwaraj Singh was prevented from entering the palace, escalating the situation. The dispute quickly intensified, leading to scuffles and stone-pelting.

Vishwaraj Singh was coronated at a ceremony held at Chittorgarh Fort after the death of his father, Mahendra Singh Mewar, earlier this month. However, when he attempted to visit the Udaipur Palace on Monday, he was denied entry. This conflict stems from a long-standing feud between Vishwaraj’s father, Mahendra Singh Mewar, and his brother, Arvind Singh Mewar, both descendants of Rajput king Maharana Pratap. Arvind Singh currently manages both the City Palace and the Eklingnath temple, and his opposition to his nephew Vishwaraj’s visit further fueled the dispute.

Following his father's death, Vishwaraj Singh was made the head of the royal family, and according to tradition, he intended to visit the family temple and the City Palace. However, Arvind Singh served Vishwaraj a notice, which was also published in the newspaper, warning of legal action in case of encroachment or property damage. This move heightened tensions, and a large police presence was deployed outside the City Palace gates.

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After the coronation ceremony at Chittorgarh, Vishwaraj Singh and his supporters arrived in Udaipur to visit the palace and temple. However, they were unable to enter due to tight security. When they attempted to cross the barricades, police intervened. Senior officials, including Udaipur District Collector Arvind Poswal and SP Yogesh Goyal, engaged in talks with Vishwaraj and his supporters to resolve the dispute, but no solution was reached. Frustrated by the denial of entry, Vishwaraj Singh and his supporters moved to Jagdish Chowk, near the City Palace, where reports later indicated that stone-pelting occurred from the palace late at night.