Mysore

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Mysore is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka in India. It is approximately 140 km away from Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The city, situated at the base of the Chamundi Hills, can be reached both by rail and road transport.

The name Mysore is a derivative of Mahishasura, a demon from Hindu mythology. Mysore city was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty. So the city houses a lot of historical monuments.

There are plenty of places to see in Mysore. The Mysore Palace, Chamundi Hills, St Philomena's Church, Brindavan Gardens, Mysore Zoo, Rail Museum, Jaganmohan Palace, Karanji Lake, Kukkarahalli Lake and Lalitha Mahal Palace are some of the big attractions in this city.

The city has a cool climate so it can be visited at any time during the year. The people here are very friendly and speak Kannada, English and Hindi. Thank God for Hindi and English or else we would have been lost in this beautiful city.

There are many motels here which offer a nice stay and a panoramic view of the city. One can make on-the-spot bookings also after checking the rooms. Most of the motels are 3-star.

The food is good. I personally prefer the vegetarian food over the non vegetarian, as the latter is prepared very differently from the non-vegetarian fare we are used to in Mumbai. The pricing of the food is very reasonable and the quality of the food is quite nice. You can taste spicy Andhra style cooked food, served on a banana leaf, at one of the many food outlets here. Eating on a banana leaf was a first for me and I enjoyed the experience.

Mysore is famous for its silk sarees, and ivory and sandalwoods handicrafts. These handicrafts are extremely unique and beautiful and I felt like buying all of them. Unfortunately, they are priced rather exorbitantly. Making one of these beauties your own will make a huge hole in your wallet.

This city is like a pit stop on the way to Tamil Nadu, so you will have many inter state buses plying through Mysore. The city is not clogged with traffic as compared to Mumbai. There are state transport buses and rickshaws taking you around the city at low rates.

Mysore Palace

The Mysore Palace is the official residence of the Wodeyars. This place is beautiful both by day and night and is very massive. A must-see for anyone who is on a trip to Mysore. The Palace is a huge tourist attraction.

Chamundeswari Temple

The Chamundi Hills are located very close to the Mysore Palace and are at a height of 1000 metres. There is a statue of the demon Mahishasura at the summit. The hills offer a panoramic view of the city. One can also visit the hill via a stairway, consisting of 1511 steps, to reach the top. Buses ply regularly to Chamundi Hills from the central bus stand.

A major attraction here is the Chamundeswari Temple and the Nandi.

St. Philomena's Church

St. Philomena's Church, one of the oldest and largest churches in India, is located in Mysore. This church was built in 1959 in Gothic style and is one of the largest cathedrals in South Asia.

Brindavan Gardens

Brindavan Gardens are near the Krishnarajasagara dam built on the river Kaveri. These gardens were built in 1932 and are a huge tourist attraction thanks to the musical water performance held in the evenings.

Engine at Mysore Rail Museum

Rail Museum, set up in 1979, was the first one in the country and has a good collection of engines and coaches used in the British era.

Mysore Zoo is very close to the Palace of Mysore. The official name of the zoo is Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens. I was unable to photograph a single animal here :-(

Jaganmohan Palace, built in 1861 by the King, is currently an art gallery.

Lalitha Mahal Palace is now converted into a hotel and offers a panoramic view of the city.


I felt that Mysore is a better city to live in as it is rich in all aspects, be it food, literature, or the arts. I just loved this city so much that I found it difficult to leave.

Chamundi Hills (Mysore)

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Chamundi Hills are located around 1000 meters above sea level.

Atop these hill is the famous Chamundeswari Temple and a few small temples and the Rajendra Palace. The Palace is closed to the public. The foothills of Chamundi are home to the famous Nandi temple, which has a huge statue of Nandi the Bull.

Neel and I had inquired with the locals here before boarding a bus to Chamundi Hills. It took us around 45 minutes to reach the top. Alternatively the top can also be reached via stairway.



Chamundeswari Temple

If you love trekking and climbing, like I do, then you need to take the stairway. There are 1511 stairs that you have to ascend in order to reach the top. As we were hard-pressed for time, we had to take the bus all the way up.

Once there, we saw that the number of devotees was increasing by the minute. Had we stood in the line it would be evening by the time we reached inside the temple premises. So we bought VIP tickets in order to enter the temple. When we got there, aarti, meaning prayers, was going on inside the temple.

The temple was painted in a shade of yellow and beautifully carved. On a serious note, I like the way the temples in the south are decorated with beautiful carvings.  



Mahishasura

The view from outside the temple is simply amazing. It offers a panoramic view of the city. One can see the race course, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysore Palace and Karanji and Kukkarahalli Lakes.

There is a huge statue of Mahishasura. Legend has it that the demon Mahishasura was killed by the goddess Chamundeswari, also known as Chamundi, after a fierce battle. So the hills were named Chamundi Hills and the temples built in her honor.  



Chamundeswari Temple

 On the way down, we saw a huge statue of Nandi the Bull. Later we headed off to see the world-famous Mysore Palace.