Mysore - The Imperial City

Mysore has many sites to offer that one can visit depending on one’s interest – religious (Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi Hills, St. Philomena’s church), heritage (Mysore Palace, Jaganmohan Palace), nature (Brindavan Gardens and Mysore Zoo). The city is full of natural beauty and retains the solitude and charm of a small city, even though as per statistics it is the second biggest city in the state of Karnataka.

Mysore Palace :

A proof of the city’s rich heritage is Mysore Palace or Amba Vilas Palace, the official residence of the Wodeyars. The beautiful palace is an architectural marvel and stands witness to the grandeur of the Wodeyar dynasty.

The Mysore palace is a sprawling three-storeyed structure with deep pink marble domes and is flanked by extensive lawns. Photography is not allowed inside the palace and one needs to deposit their cameras in the lockers at the gate. Hiring a government approved travel guide is recommended as he will be able to give you all the interesting and juicy details about the palace, its architecture and treasures.

(A view of the palace)

It is said that the original palace that was made of wood burned down in 1897, during the wedding of the eldest daughter of the then King Chamaraja Wodeyar and was rebuilt in 1912. The palace is now a museum housing the coveted treasures, souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes etc. of the Wodeyars. A section of the palace still houses the present Wodeyar clan.

The most impressive are the Durbar Hall with its exquisitely sculpted pillars and the Kalyana Mantapa where all the family weddings take place. The Kalyana Mantapa is grand. In fact the word grand falls short in describing the beauty of this hall. The Kalyana Mantapa is a grand octagonal shaped hall with multi-coloured stained glass ceiling and extraordinary peacock motifs on the pillars. The oil paintings here depict the famous Dasara festival of yesteryears and are three dimensional, such that whichever direction you look at them from, you will feel the procession is headed in your direction. The details in these paintings are amazing and reflect the artistic virtues of bygone era.

Everything about this palace is beautiful, magnificent, grand and true to palatial standards. If you are the imaginative kinds it is left to your imagination to construe how life must have carried on in the golden days. Halls with ornate pillars and beautifully cared ceilings, Czechoslovakian chandeliers, thrones etc. and you can visualise the king seated in his court surrounded by his ministers and a typical day in session.

(One of the gates leading to the palace)

The palace is famous world-wide for its Dasara festival. In the month of September-October every year, Dasara festival is celebrated in extravagant style to commemorate the triumph of good over evil, according to Hindu mythology. For two months the palace is lit up in the night with approximately 97,000 bulbs, which are said to be turned on at the same moment. The view of the illuminated palace against the backdrop of a dark sky is one of the most prized viewings in the city. The palace also serves as the venue for performances by leading artists, called in from all over the country. On the tenth day a procession/ parade led by royal elephants carrying the jewel encrusted Golden Throne and the Golden Howdah leaves the palace grounds and goes around the city. The Maharajas of Mysore used to sit on this Golden Throne and hold durbars in the Palace Durbar Hall. 

(A distant view by the night)

Chamundeshwari Temple :

Chamundeshwari temple, the mythological connection of Mysore, is situated atop Chamundi hills, a short uphill drive from the city. It is an active temple where one can offer prayers.

As you reach the top of the hills you are greeted by a looming statue of demon Mahishasura with a menacing look. Such is the impact of this statue that apparently its image has lingered in my memories ever since I visited it the first time with my parents when I was three year old. Not sure if this reflects anything about the statue or me. He he!

(The statue of demon Mahishasura that greets you when you reach Chamundi Hills)

The temple is a short distance away from the statue and you will need to park your car and then walk down to the temple. Nearby is a 16 feet tall monolith of Nandi bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. 

(Nandi Bull on Chamundi Hills)

Sri Jayachamarajendra Zoo or Mysore Zoo :

One of the best zoos in the country I guess. At least the best I have seen so far. Adults and children would like it equally. The zoo is huge and you need about couple of hours to do full justice. For non-walkers trams are available. The highlight of the zoo is the wide range of its residents – the looming giraffes, majestic tigers, grumpy gorillas, giant African tuskers and stripy zebras etc. The range of birds is also awesome. 

(The looming giraffes)

(The stripy zebra)

(The majestic tiger)

Brindavan Gardens :

On the outskirts of Mysore and adjoining the Krishnarajasagar Dam (KRS Dam), are the beautiful and famous Brindavan Gardens. The KRS Dam is built across river Cauvery and was constructed under the supervision of renowned engineer Sir M.Visveswaraya.

Brindavan Gardens are a major tourist attraction and are known for their fountains and well-manicured lawns. Within the compound is also an aquarium. Overseeing the garden is Royal Orchid’s Brindavan Gardens hotel where you can sip a cup of coffee while taking in the wide expanse and beauty of the gardens.

(A fountain in Brindavan Gardens by the day)

(A fountain in Brindavan Gardens by the night)

The highlight of Brindavan Gardens is the musical fountain show that happens every evening across the bridge, where an amphitheatre has been built. Do not expect this show to be at par with musical fountain shows at the likes of Sentosa Island in Singapore. However, it is good fun watching the colourful fountains dancing to the tunes of Hindi film songs.

Other places that you can visit if you have time are St. Philomena’s Cathedral and Jaganmohan Palace, which I hope to visit on my next trip to Mysore.

Srirangapatna

While I have not visited Srirangapatna personally, it too holds a historical significance. Srirangapatna served as the capital of Mysore during the brief rule of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

The town is famous for a very ancient temple, Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Other attractions include the Jame Masjid, the Daria Daulat Gardens (the summer palace of Tipu Sultan) and Gumbaz (the burial site of Tipu Sultan and his family members).

Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary

Near Srirangapatna is the Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary, which is home to several species of birds. It is a small island on the river Cauvery. We could not visit the sanctuary in entirety as the waters were brimming after monsoons, hence boating was closed, which is what you need to do to see the birds inside the sanctuary. 

(Boats docked inside the bird sanctuary)

The bird sanctuary is a must visit for any bird lover as the sanctuary is the breeding site for several bird species like herons, cormorants, storks, egrets etc. 

(Flock of birds enjoying the monsoon weather)