Udaipur royal family conflict tied to 1984 will of Maharana Bhagwat Singh

A longstanding dispute over the management of royal properties and temples has resurfaced within the Udaipur royal family, sparking a clash that left three individuals injured and led to heightened security in the area.

The latest conflict centers around Vishvraj Singh, the newly crowned Maharana of Mewar, and the refusal of the palace trust to allow him entry to the family temples.

The confrontation began on the evening of Nov 25 when Vishvraj Singh, the BJP MLA from Rajasmand, was barred from entering the Udaipur Palace complex by the Shri Eklingji Trust, managed by his uncle, Shreeji Arvind Singh Mewar, and cousin, Dr. Lakshya Raj Singh.

This led to protests, with supporters of Vishvraj Singh attempting to breach security barriers at the palace gates.

The palace trust issued two public notices on morning of Nov 25, which reaffirmed that unauthorized access to the royal properties would not be permitted. These notices shed light on the governance structure of the family’s royal assets.

The Shri Eklingji Trust, which manages the palaces, temples, and forts of the Mewar family, was established in 1955 by Bhagwat Singh, the 75th Maharana of Mewar. Bhagwat Singh had two sons: Mahendra Singh and Arvind Singh.

Upon his death in 1984, Bhagwat Singh excluded his eldest son Mahendra Singh from control of the trust, appointing his younger son Arvind Singh as the trust's executor.

The palace trust's recent notice also pointed out that Vishvraj Singh holds no legal position within the trust and is not a trustee. The exclusion of Mahendra Singh, father of Vishvraj, was finalized in Bhagwat Singh's will, dated May 15, 1984, which formally appointed Arvind Singh as the chairman of the trust.

This arrangement led to a long-running legal and familial divide, with Mahendra Singh even taking legal action against his own father during his lifetime.

In the years following Bhagwat Singh's death, Vishvraj Singh's father, Mahendra Singh, remained estranged from the family, and after his death earlier this year, Vishvraj Singh was formally crowned the 77th Maharana of Mewar in a traditional ceremony at Chittorgarh Fort, a rite steeped in centuries-old customs.

However, despite his coronation, Vishvraj Singh's legal standing in relation to the royal trust has been disputed. According to the palace trust, he does not possess any rights or authority within the organization.

On the day of the incident, Vishvraj Singh sought to visit two temples managed by the trust: the Dhuni Mata temple within the palace complex and the Ekling Shiv Temple, located about 50 kilometers from Udaipur.

Despite his intention to pay homage, the gates of the palace were closed to him. The trust’s notice, issued earlier that morning, explicitly denied him entry to the royal properties.

The refusal incited anger among Vishvraj Singh's supporters, who attempted to dismantle barricades set up by law enforcement. Violent clashes ensued, with stones being thrown from both sides as police attempted to control the crowd.

The palace trust accused Vishvraj Singh of attempting "criminal trespass" by organizing a rally aimed at furthering personal interests and disrupting public peace.

In response, Vishvraj Singh maintained that his actions were motivated solely by a desire to visit the family deities, emphasizing that disputes over property management should not interfere with royal traditions.

The state government has since intervened by appointing a receiver to manage the access route to the Dhuni Mata temple. Vishvraj Singh is hopeful that this intervention will lead to the opening of the temple gates, allowing him to fulfill his religious duties.