Varsity Union building, Mysuru - this heritage site may fall apart if restoration is not done soon

The Varsity  Union bldg. Mysuru. starofmysore.com

The Varsity  Union bldg. Mysuru. starofmysore.com

The persistent complaint that  the erstwhile royal city of Mysuru is in dismal situation as it will be losing its prestigious  tag as a ‘Heritage City  soon because many  heritage structures  stand neglected is an unfortunate piece of news. In the last several years historians and heritage lovers have been  crying hoarse about them, but  one by one the  buildings have fallen into a roaster of neglected structures' facing doom. Included in this list is the Maharaja’s College Union Building  that was built in 1920 (College union wa formed in 1915).  Nearing century, Varsity Union building since 2019 has been in a poor state  and so far there has been no  response whatsoever either from the government or from the city office.

Prolonged negligence,  lack of periodic repairs and retape have impacted the building whose walls look shabby with plaster peeling off in many places. Fallen into disuse, the overgrowth of vegetation and wild weeds on the ceilings, particularly all along the edges have promoted mechanical weathering. Root wedging and heavy vegetation  have  created  vertical cracks  down towards the arch. Here the wooden protection has become weakened.  and the windows on the walls are broken and shaky. The weakened rook due to unchecked wild grass and vegetation takes in more water when it rains The seepage on the roof poses a major  threat to the architecturally well-built old building on the campus.

The Union Building during the 1950 and 1960s  played no less role than other buildings. Right from its inception, it had been a center of activities in which the teachers and taught participated  with interest and the mutual  exchanges continued till the 1970s. part f the building is used by the  Department of Journalism, the Electronics Digital Information Centre,and  the Mysore University Employees’ Credit Co-operative Society, It is a paradox the building houses ,the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology.. I wish the teachers and the students had taken the plight of the occupants of the building to the higher authorities for some temporary remedy at first. 

Writing about the The College Union of the Central college campus (the building came up 10 years later after Maharajah Collage Union building), Meera Iyer of INTACH mentioned : The college union soon became a focus for intellectual and cultural activity. It hosted debates and talks by several eminent speakers and became a training ground for future leaders of society.  This was true of the College Union of the university. 

Varsity Union building, Mysuru.starofmysore.com

A sign board in front of the building in English and kannada says “Union Building” and notifies both in Kannada and English, “Mysore Heritage”ironically, the building is losing its heritage value as time goes by and  happens right under the nose of  students who use part of the building. 

Will the Union Building  face the same fate  as   Devaraja market and Lansdowne buildings  that are facing slow death?      

https://starofmysore.com/nearing-century-varsity-union-building-cries-for-attention/