Somnathpur

This weekend I visited the Somnathpur temple. I had not heard of this place at all. Before a few days, one of my friends casually mentioned that she had visited this place, and it is a must. She also told me that this temple was another temple in the Hoysala Architectural style. I must admit that in the last few months, I have become a fan of this architecture style, because of the simplicity of the layout, but the sculptures are exquisite and intricate in detail.

I planned a 2 day weekend trip to Srirangapatnam. I have visited Tipu’s fort, palace and the other monuments that are related to him. So, the idea was to visit Srirangapatna on a Saturday and visit Somnathpur temple on Sunday. My husband has not visited the Mysore Palace, so we planned to visit that place as well. In this travelogue I focus only on Somnathpur.

We had checked into a comfortable hotel on Saturday evening, after the Srirangapatnam visit. I had got details pertaining to this hotel called Chandra Palace from Indiamike ( Indiamike.com ) and the person who posted reviews about the hotel was in all praise for the hospitality extended to the guests by the hotel staff. The reviews were completely correct. The deluxe room cost us rs. 390 plus taxes per day, had TV, phone and 24 hrs running hot water in the bathrooms. So, after a nice hot water bath, I settle to watch Serial LOST on Star Movies. I have become a big addict of the idiot box and I will do anything to ensure that I catch LOST at 7 pm. So, I was ready with my bottle of wine in front of the TV, and ordered the best food available Chandra Palace does not have a attached restaurant, but they offer room service facilites. The food is supplied by a restaurant nearby – Sangeeta restaurant. The food was great. We kept eating and drink, Lost serial was intriguing with suspense. And, I dunno when I hit the bed.

I woke up the next morning at 7.30 am. The Mysore palace would open only at 10.30 am. We din’t want to waste time, and hence getting to Somnathpur first was the right thing to do to save time. So, after the hot cup of tea ( I would give 6 on 10 for tea here, Most hotels make milky sugary team, which I don’t like ), after the early morning sundaes and the hot water bath, we left the hotel to get to Somnathpur at about 8.30 am. We were pretty quick.

Somnathpur is about 35 kms from Mysore and 140 kms from Mysore. For the most part of the journey is roads are good, but it is really bad in small patches. Say for about 5 kms in all, the roads are bad. The scenary of the country side is really green. This part of the year, due to the good monsoon, and may be also because the Cauvery flows here, the fields were green with newly transplanted paddy crop. The entire stretch was green. The scene of the paddy fields, with the occasional coconut trees in the middle, the farmers removing the weeds and the several cranes, the scenery was perfect.

We reached Somnathpur in about 1 hr 15 minutes. The temple was build in the 13th Century, in yr 1268, by Hoysala King. At this time, the Hoysalas had already ruled over the region for over 250 yrs and were in the peak of their dynasty. A stone slab at the base of the entrance clearly states that the temple was commissioned by Hoysala King Narsimha 3.

However the temple was actually built by Narasimha 3’s Military Commander Somnath, on the west bank of the river Cauvery and hence this place is called Somnathpur. The size of the complex is much smaller in comparison to Halebid, but it has lot of open halls or verandas all around the temple and a huge walled enclosure which is absent in the Halebid complex. It looks like a small fortification. There is a huge entrance gate, with a small gopuram, and the entire structure stands on a star shaped platform, the Hoysala style magnificiently. The river Cauvery flows to the right of the temple.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Keshava and has only 1 entrance, unlike Halebid temple that has 4 entrances. There are three Sanctum Sanctorums. On the left there is the Sanctum of Lord Venugopal with a flute and lots of cows around him are carved, the center Sanctum ( the one opposite to the entrance ) is for Lord Keshava and this idol also had a Garuda carving at the bottom, and the Sanctum on the right side is for Lord Janardhana, another form of Lord Keshava. These 3 idols are beautifully carved . The entire sanctum has a large squarish hall with the 3 sanctums on the 3 sides. The pillars have carvings, but nothing much to write about, but the entire roofs is beautifully carved. There are many figures of gods and goddesses, and flower designs are carved. The Archiological society has provided lights inside that provides for better visibility and helps for taking photographs as well.

The enterior of the temple is also great. As mentioned, the entire complex stands on a star shaped platform, and there are steps provided to get on top. There are apsaras guarding the entrance, and the carved elephants at every stairway. The temple has carved panels, with rows of elephants, horsemen, musicians, floral patters, lots of men and women, and in some places, the artisans have engraved sexual positions as well. In one place, they have depicted a orgy. Over these carved panels are beautifully carved figures of Lord Keshava, Vishnu, Narayana and many beautiful apsaras, about 190 of them. There is one beautiful carving of Ganapati. There is also the sculptures of the 10 avatars or reincarnations of Lord Vishnu. I could not recognize most of them, all of the other sculptures looked like different forms of Lord Vishnu or Narayana..may be I am right, coz it was the Keshave Temple. 5 of the best craftsmen of the time were invited to do the temple and the sculptors are said to have signed under each sculpture their respective names. Since I don’t know to read Kannada, I could not locate the signatures.

Over these sculptures was Jali work, and then the gopuram or vimana, very short one, but had many beautifully carved sculptures.

After going round the temple, and observing every thing, I quickly made a note of what I wish to photograph. I did a second round for photographing all my favourite sculptures and panels.

The over all temple is is good shape and is well maintained. Some parts of the scultures are missing, but, most of the carvings are fine. The panel are also fine, the gardens are maintained well.

It was 11 am then. 2 busses full of school children just came into the complex. The kids started walking in pairs, and they were monitored by their teachers who kept telling them ‘walk with your partner’ or ‘where is your partner ?’ It was really cute to see that all the kids were praying to all the sculptures on the exterior of the temple. The whole place was getting noisy, and just them, another bus load of children reached the place.

Just outside the temple, there is a small shop, we had tea there, and ate Brittania Good Day Biscuit. We did not have break fast, and hence we were felling really hungry. The next destination was Mysore Palace, and we wanted to finish the sight seeing fast, coz we also wanted to leave Mysore by about 4 pm so that we can reach Bangalore by about 7 pm.

Getting there

Road : Somnathpur is about 140 kms from Bangalore and 35 kms from Mysore. It is well connected by bus services from Bangalore and Mysore.
Rail : Srirangapatnam and Mysore are the closest railway heads
Air : Bangalore

Trip Duration : 1 day

Best time : Any time of the year.

Accomodation :

One can do Somnathpur as a single day trip from Bangalore or Mysore. There are good places in Srirangapatnam and Mysore if you wish to stay overnight

Chandra Palace : 150, KT Street, Mysore. Ph : 0821 2421333 / 444

Bombay Tiffany : 0821 2435255 / 2435257

I will suggest Chandra Palace, as the place is good, economical and the staff are really friendly. But, just remember that they have place for just 2 cars to park. Chandra Palace does not really have a large parking space. They have a travel desk, and can arrange tours or cars if you want.

Mahabalipuram

Being a Chennaite has its own advantages. The beach side is free and one can get there for any reason – birthday get togethers, to celebrate a new job or sulk about not having got good marks in the exam. The beach is just open to all.

And, Mahabalipuram is just about 43 kms away. Whenever any relatives or friends visit us from other cities, we take them to the beach and to Mahabalipuram. The drive on the East Coast Road, is by itself a very refreshing experience.

Mahabalipuram is on the East coast of India and it is a World Heritage Site, and you will know why when you get there.

Mahabalipuram are shore temples, a group of monuments by the sea. It is not just one structure. The group contains Rathas or chariots, mandaps or carved caves, and beautiful carvings on vertical rocks and bas reliefs. All these form the Mahabalipuram complex.

These temples were built by the Pallava King Mahadra Verma Pallava in the 7th Century.

There are several caves in the complex. The Varaha cave is independent carved structure and houses the carved statues of Varaha ( Boar ) and Vamana ( Dwaft ) – two incarnations of Lord Vishnu.

There is a cave for Dharmaraja Yudhisthir, which is separate.

There is a cave for Mahishasura, and has carved panels and bas reliefs with scenes from Hindu mythology.

The Krishna mandap is set aloof and has on it, carvings of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan Hill. The bas relief here, is over 27 meters long ( may well be the largest bass relief in the world ) shows the image of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhan mountains with his finger. This also shows the river Ganga descending to Earth. On this relief are two beautifully carved elephants, beautiful carved women with clothing style of those days, there is also a carving of a cat, trying to meditate with its eyes shut with several mice running around it.

The Pandava rathas or Chariots are by the shore. There are 5 in all, rathas for Arjuna, Dharmaraja, Draupati, Bhima and one ratha for Nakul and Sahadeva.

The most beautiful temple of this complex is the Shore temple, which has 3 temples. There is a temple for Lord Vishnu which is in between 2 Shiva temples. The compound of this temple has carved Nandi’s.

The sculptures in this temple are not finely carved with intricate designs like the Hoysala temples of Karnataka. That is because of the nature of the stone on which the temples are carved. Hoysala temples are made of soap stone that are easy to carve and it is easy to draw out intricate patterns with them. But, the stones at Mahabs and Tanjoreare very hard and hence the statues do not have a smooth finish.

Though these temples are beautiful, in my opinion, they are not maintained well. In comparison to other heritage sites like Hampi and Tanjore that are also in the south, the maintenance at Mahabs needs a lot of improvement.

There are several goats in all the temple complexes. Be prepared to inhale the smell of goat shit and walk through their droppings while climbing the hillock to the Shiva temple. The view from the shiva temple, which is at a higher altitude is breathtaking.

The other important sites here are Krishna’s butter ball. It is a big round boulder, just standing on a large rock. Is it amazing how it is just standing there. A walk to the lighthouse is good, coz the views from there are beautiful.

There are a lot of places around Mahabalipuram that one can visit. They are Crocodile bank, Kanchipuram – the City of temples, Pondicherry and there are several resorts by the sea, where one can stop by for break fast or for Lunch.

Moonraker restaurant in Mahabalipuram is very popular among the localites and among the tourists. The best sea food is available here.

At Mahabalipuram, carving and sculpting is the main occupation of people. One can see many artisans making beautiful sculptures in their work shops. These pieces are expensive, but they look really beautiful. One can pick up several pieces of these for give aways.

There are several fishing hamlets around Mahabalipuram. If you wish to go for a catamaran ride, all one has to do is befriend a local fisherman. It must be remembered that it is not too safe. There is no safety equipment and no floating jackets. You will just be tied to the catamaran, and off you will go with the fisherman. As the catamaran glides over the waves, 90% of the time, you will find yourself in water, with only your shoulder sticking out. A ride for 1 hr can cost Rs. 100, but the experience is well worth it.

Getting there

Road : Mahabalipuram Is well connected by Road from Chennai and Pondicherry. It takes 1 hr to reach Mahabs from Chennai, and 2 hrs to reach from Pondi. There are several buses available to reach Mahabs.

Air : Chennai is the nearest airport

Best time : As Mahabs is by the coast, it is sultry and hot most time of the year. The winters between Oct and March can be very pleasant

Trip Duration : 1 day

Accomodation : There are several beach side resorts on East Coast Road, where one can stay to visit the Mahabalipuram at sunrise.

Eat Outs at ECR
Basera , 146, 2/169 East Coast Road, Vettuvankeni, Chennai, Tel: (044)24492361. Food Village, 1/81 East Road, Injambakkam, Chennai – 41, Tel: (044) 24492692, 24493309. Hot Kitchen , 78,79 Injambakkam Village, , Chennai – 41, Tel: (044) 24490730, 24493139

Accomodation :
GRT Temple Bay Beach Resorts, Mamallapuram – 603104, Tel: 04114-242251,242254 Quality Inn MGM , No. 1/74, New Mamallapuram Road , Muttukkadu – 603112, Tel: 04114-245435 . Fisherman's Cove Covelong Beach , Mamallapuram - 603112 , Tel: 04114-272304-310 . V G P Golden Beach Resort, East Coast Road , Injambakkam, Tel: 044-24491101

Kushalnagar

First, I thought Coorg was a small town. When I actually decided to go there, I realized it is a district. It is one of the 22 districts in Karnataka.

Coorg has a large cover under forest, and has coffee and pepper plantations. The district is rich as Cauvery’s source is at TalaCauvery in the Coorg District. The river flows around through the district, making the place fertile for rice cultivation. Also, the mountaineous terrain ( western ghats ) brings in rains from the South West monsoon, which makes this place perfectly right for coffee and pepper plantations also.

The Kodavas the local people, are of the warrior class. Indians first Field Marshall was General Cariappa, who is a Kodava ( I hope I got his designation correct ) All the rulers of the time, had their eye on this beautiful and rich region, and wanted to make it a part of their territory, this resulted in a lot of wars. Tipu Sultan is supposed to have waged a lot of wars against the Kodavas, lots of them were taken to Mysore as prisoners of war, and were converted to Islam. I thought Tipu was religiously tolerant, but, I am sure, all of them had their wicked side.

As Tipu was helped by the French, the Kodava King sought the help of the British for support. The Brits stationed their troops in Coorg. The most important King of the Kodavas was King Muddanna, he was responsible for the progress. It was the British who encouraged the localites to start coffee and pepper plantations, as the climate and terrain is conducive. From then on, Coorg is a cash rich district, as it is one of the largest coffee producing districts in India.

The Kodavas are the only people who are permitted to carry a gun without license. This permission was given to them by the British those days, as there were a lot of raids by Tipu and other rulers. That legislation stayed. A small daggar is part of the traditional dress of the Kodavas. Kodavas pray river Cauvery and they consider it their mother, from where all life originates. They do not believe in idol worship, and pray their ancestors, and hence all homes have photos of all the elders in the family, who are no more. A oil lamp is lit every evening, in the honour of the deceased.

I got 3 days off during Independence Day, and hence I thought I will go to Coorg, to check out Kushalnagar. I have already been to Coorg, and hence this trip was not so much for the walks in the estates.

I stayed in a home stay called Alath Cad, about 240 kms from Bangalore. We started early at about 7.30 am. The route is simple, Bangalore – Mysore – Hunsur – Thitimathi – Polibetta – Alath Cad Estate on Ammithi Road. Driving through the estate is a great experience though the roads are bad. The greenery takes over. There are lot of Tata Estates here, and they have a golf course also. It took 6 and hrs to cover the distance, and we reached Alath Cad at out 2.30 pm.

Alath Cad is a 100 acre coffee / pepper estate. River Cauvery flows right through. Due to the abundant rainfall this year, the river was full and flowing at full force. Alath Cad has deluxe, super deluxe rooms and family suites. I travel budget and opted for the deluxe room, which cost me Rs. 1200 per head for bed, breakfast and dinner.

Mr and Mrs Muddiah run this place, and they are a very warm couple. This home stay is nice, coz, they have made walkable pathways through the estate with clear direction boards to the river, trekking route and the picnic spot. There are a few cycles available, you could take one of them and go around on your own.

The property also has a sports room with a good table tennis table, carom board, basket ball net and tennis / badminton court. At the lunch room aptly called ‘The Granary’, local delicacies are served for break fast, lunch and dinner.

Fortunately, it dint rain too hard. So, I was able to go off on long walks through the estate, and got some very impressive pictures of the spiders, there were just too many of them all around. We played in the river water for a while.

My entire purpose of getting to Coorg this time was Kushalnagar, and hence the next day, we set out fairly early. Kushal nagar is about 28 kms from Alath Cad, we took about 1 hrs to reach this place. Kushal nagar is the 2nd largest Tibetan settlement in India, and the monastery is called the Namdroling Monastery. There is a large hostel for the monks, a shopping complex selling every thing that you can imagine, and 2 temple complexes.

The first complex has a very ornate top, like the gopuram of a temple, but in Buddhist style. It had many Buddhist symbols on it. Even the floor had many paintings. Inside the monastery we found exquisite Buddha statues and the saints in golden colour. The walls all around had paintings in the Potala Style. Exquisite and intricate. I went click click.

The 2nd complex is the place where the Monks do their prayers. There are 3 large Buddha statues, dragons etc and a whole lot of sparrows I have not seen for many years. The chirping of the sparrows was really nice. On the floor, there were reading desks and small independent mattresses. Each desk has a book with scriptures and bell. There were large bells in this hall and large trumpets, dunno want to call them, they were nearly 30 feet in length.

The Buddhas in this hall were just huge, and massive. You will understand when you see my pictures of this place, I am not really finding the right words to explain. The walls here are again painted with Potala style paintings.

After Kushalnagar, we headed back to the estate. Nisargadhama, Harangi Dam and Dubare Elephant camp were on the way.

Nisargadhama is a place where river Cauvery turns and hence a small island is formed. There is a suspended bridge across the river. After you cross it, there is a park, you can spend some time and get back.

Harangi Dam is beautiful and due to the excess rain, the sluice gates were opened, and water was gushing out. The fizz of the water was creating rainbows and the splash was making every one wet. We climbed the dam structure, and on the other side of the dam, the Lake was like a sea. Photographs were not permitted here, security reasons. Ticket Rs. 2.

Dubare Elephant camp is a place were people can observe the life of elephants from dawn to dusk, starting with the bath in the river to eating and then their siesta. This camp which is a Jungle Lodges Property ( a Govt of Karnataka Enterprise )has 13 elephants. You have to cross Cauvery to get to the other side. As the river was full, we got into a ferry. I am told, otherwise, people can cross on foot. The star of the camp was a 2 year old elephant calf. She knew fully well she is more energetic than most of us grown up adults. The mahout allowed us to play with it. It kicked all of us and was hitting us with its trunk. It would give its truck to us, and when we hold it, it would shoo us off with force, with a thud. It was such a darling. It was getting dark, we wanted to leave.

Kushalnagar, Nisargama, Harangi dam and Dubare elephant camp can be done as a single day excursion from Alath Cad or Madikeri.

We dint’ go to Madikeri, due to lack on time. I should make a trip again, and stay specifically at Madikeri, so then, I will be able to visit Talacauvery and Omkareshar temple.

After we got back to the estate, we sipped hot Coorg coffee, ate sumptuous pakodas. I was glad we got back, just before it started pouring. We met up with the other couples who were staying at the estate, and had a big booze party. Men can think of no other way of enjoying life.

The next morning, I took a long stroll into the estate, clicked some more snaps of spiders and coffee berries. It was raining, and I took my umbrella. Went to the picnic spot. The trip was complete, when my brother acquired a leech.

At about 1 pm, we started driving back towards Bangalore. We reached at 7 pm. The trip was good fun. It was raining every night at Coorg, and also during the day. It din’t deter us, we really enjoyed it.

Getting there

By Road : Alath Cad is about 236 Kms from Bangalore and 113 Kms from Mysore. If you are going by car or biking, take Bangalore – Mysore – Hunsur – Thithimatti – Polibetta route. Alath Cad is on Ammithi Road. It takes 5 and hrs to drive from Bangalore.

Trip Duration : 3 days

Best time of the year : Throughout the year. Even the monsoons are enjoyable, if you love the rain.

Where to stay : If you wish to visit Kushalnagar and the other places I mentioned above, and want to have the coffee estate experience, try Alath Cad home stay. http://www.alathcadcoorg.com/

Mysore

This is not a travelogue, just a write up for those interested in going to Mysore.

People who come to Bangalore, definitely go to Mysore.

I have been to Mysore several times. I had gone there for an excursion, along with my classmates. After moving to Bangalore, I have crossed this place several times. If you wish to go to Kabini, BR hills, Madikeri or any other place to the west of Bangalore, Mysore is most likely to be on the route.

Mysore to me, is like any other city – Madurai, Trichy or Tanjore, they all look the same. But, they have their own history, and their own monuments for the tourists. Today of couse, Mysore is decoming swank – with IT majors like Wipro and Infosys coming up with world class development and training facilities. Hence Mysore is getting hot.

Situated 770m above sea level, Mysore has a warm and cool climate throughout the year. Mysore can be a single day trip, and it is not necessary to stay there as such. There are couple of places to see here – the Palace, Brindavan Gardens and Zoo in Mysore proper. Srirangapatnam used to be the strong hold of Tipu Sultan. You will find here Tipus’ fort and his tomb.

A little history about Mysore is essential to appreciate the place, the Palaces, the forts and the people in general.

Mysore was the Capital City of the Wodeyar Dynasty. The Wodeyars ruled Mysore from 1399 A.D to 1948 A.D. The name 'Mysore' has been derived from 'Mahishasurapura', name of the demon who was slained by Goddess Chamundeshwari. The glory of the Wodeyars can be seen in the palaces, vast gardens, shady avenues and temples which are present even today. Wodeyars have contributed a great deal towards arts and culture. Mysore was the only highly industrialized and progressive native state in India in steel, silk, soaps and also hydro-electricity. The kingdom was benefitted from visionaries like Sir Mirza Ismail and Sir M. Vishweswaria who served under the Wodeyars. In fact, they had their own private railway lines and 3 main stations, to move Gold from the Kolar gold fields to Mysore. The old stations at Kolar, Bangalore and Mysore belongs to the Wodeyar kings.

Talking about Mysore’s history, can we forget Srirangapattana . The two are not only geographically closer but almost fused together historically. Mysore became independent after the fall of the Vijayanagar empire(1565) and remained so till the independence of (rest of) India in 1947.

Hyder Ali and Tippu Sultan were Mysore Rajas based in Srirangapattana.

I usually go deep into history, and do it this time again. If you want to get to the ‘where to go, what to do’ part, skip to the bottom most part of the travelogue.

Haidar Ali Khan [1722-82] was a warrior chieftain. A Muslim from a peasant family, he rose to command the army of the Hindu state of Mysore. By 1761 he was virtual ruler of Mysore and began expanding the dominions of that kingdom at the expense of the Maratha states and Hyderabad. In 1767 the British, in alliance with Hyderabad and the Marathas, took the field against Haidar. They were soon deserted by their allies. Haidar, after some initial reverses, took his army to the outskirts of Madras and dictated the peace (1769).

Angered by the British refusal to honor a defensive alliance (formed in accordance with the 1769 peace terms) in 1772 and by their seizure of Mahé from the French in 1779, Haidar invaded the Carnatic with 20000 men, in 1780 and routed a British force under Colonels Braithwaite and Baillie . In 1781, a year after this, the two armies met again, and Hyder Ali’s forces were defeated by Sir Eyre Coote at Porto Novo, on the Madras coast, and at Pollilore.

Haider Ali died a year after this.

Tipu Sulta [1749-99] succeeded Haider Ali and was a genius, rather different in nature from his father. It is claimed that Haidar was of the Sunni or Orthodox Islamic faith. Tipu was a mystic, with a mystic's fervour. Tipus personal library consisted of more than 2,000 books in different languagesFrom the first, Tipu took the tiger as his personal symbol, and upon his accession to the throne in 1782, he made it the official emblem of the state of Mysore. Throughout India, he was known as 'The Tiger of Mysore'. Even the stripes upon his clothing, and upon the upholstery of his throne and the cushions of his chamber, represented the stripes of the tiger. His throne had eight corners, surmounted by eight tiger heads, and the whole throne was set as though across the back of a tiger, whose huge gold head projected in front. His canons, pistols and other artillery also carried the tiger symbol.

Tipu had inherited the war against the British from his father. He continued the war, and defeated them in 1783.

Tipu Sultan was a farsighted person who could foresee East India Company's design to get entrenched in India. He therefore negotiated with the French for help and also sought assistance from the Amir of Afghanistan and the Sultan of Turkey. The British were scared of Tipu's growing strength and after their defeat in 1783 they formed an alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad and Marathas. The French, however, deserted Tipu after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The British availed the chance with the help of the Nizam and the Marathas, and started the third Anglo-Mysore war in 1790.

As long as the British fought alone, Tipu always defeated them. But he could not come over their diplomacy, conspiracy and intrigue. Thus he was defeated in his capital, Seringapatam, and was forced to sign a humiliating treaty on March 22, 1792. As a result he had to concede half of his kingdom and pay an indemnity of 33 million rupees to the British and their allies. The alliance between the adversaries was soon broken and in 1795 the British, after defeating the Nizam, once again turned their attention towards Mysore.

After the treaty at Seringapatam, Tipu Sultan did not waste his time and made extensive preparations against the British. He had rebuilt his war machine in the shortest possible time with the help of the French. The British regarded it as a violation of the treaty. This led to the start of the fourth Anglo-Mysore war in 1798 with the help of the Nizam. The French were unable to provide the needed support to Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan retreated to his capital and continued fighting till he breathed his last in May 1799. Tipu Sultan is buried at a mausoleum that he himself had built, along with his father Haider Ali and his mother Fatima Begum.
After the death of Tipu, the centre of gravity shifted to Mysore and the kingdom was returned to the Wodeyars by the British in 1799 A.D.

At this point, I am forced to think, how successful the British were with their divide and rule policy. Had Tipu, joined hands with the Marathas and the Nizam and Hyderabad, the combined forces could have moved the British out of India.

Mysore City with its ambience and splendour, remained for the British as a well-earned conqueror’s resort in which they could patronise their royalty and build a few comfortable buildings for themselves.

Mysore was the political capital of the Wodeyar dynasty which ruled the state of Karnataka for some 150 years till the independence of the country from the British. These kings were great patrons of art and culture and Mysore was the cultural capital of the south under the rule of the Wodeyars. The Wodeyars made the Dasara festival an event.

As you go around Mysore and Seringapatna, you will find several palaces that showcase the splendor of these rulers.

Mysore Palace - The Maharaja's Palace is one of the important sights in Mysore. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, the Palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. It was re-constructed in 1912, coz the old palace was destroyed in a fire accident. It took 15 yrs to build it. Intricately carved doors open on to luxuriously furnished rooms. The majestic Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many sculpted pillars and paintings depicting scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharata. The magnificent jewel studded 200 KG golden throne of the Wodeyars is displayed here during the Dasera festival. Illuminated on Sundays and public holidays ,the palace presents a spectacle of breathtaking beauty.

Daria Daulat Bagh - Tipu's Summer Palace, built in 1784, is located here. Made of teak, this Indo-Sarcenic structure has ornate and beautiful frescos. It is now a museum and tells eloquently of Tipu's valor and his losing battle against the British.

Fort - It is here that Tipu charged at the British soldiers with his legendary sword. An obelisk in the fort marks the place where he fell -betrayed by his own men. The fort holds within it, a mosque and the Ranganathaswamy Temple. Outside the fort is the Gumbaz, Tipu's tomb with splendid ebony doors inlaid with ivory.

Chamundi Hills - Chamundi Hill can be reached by a 13 km road or by climbing up the 1,000 steps laid out by the Mysore Maharaja in the 17th century. Half-way up along the stone steps is Nandi, Lord Shiva's Bull, a majestic 4.8 metre monolith. At the top is the 12th century temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the Wodeyars.Close to the temple is the gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura. The summit offers a panoramic view of Mysore's lakes, parks and palaces.

Brindavan Gardens - Located at the KR Sagar Dam [Kannambadi], Brindavan Gardens is one of the best gardens in South India. Spread over 150 acres, Brindavan Gardens has since the 1960s provided the backdrop for many Indian films. Special attractions include the 'Dancing Fountains'. In Dec 2004 the entire garden was revamped with new fountains and lights.

St. Philomena’s church, Mysore Zoo and the Art Gallery are also worth a visit. There are lots of places around Mysore that may be of interest. They are Himvad Gopalaswamy Hills for trekkers and has a temple at the top, Melkote ( 50 kms ), Talakad ( 48 kms ), Sivasamudram Waterfalls ( 85 kms ), Nagarhole National Park ( 93 kms ), Kabini River Lodge ( 83 kms ), B. R. Hills ( 120 kms ), Mekadatu and Ranganna Thittu bird sanctuary.

Getting There

Mysore is a important city in Bangalore and is well connected by Rail and Roads.

Road : 130 kms from Bangalore.

Rail : Mysore has its own railway station. There are several trains to Mysore from Bangalore. There is also a Shatabdi Express between Chennai and Mysore via Bangalore.

Air : Bangalore – 130 kms

Best time : Throughout the year

Trip Duration : 1 or 2 days

Accomodation :
Dasprakash Paradise, 104, Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri. Phone: +91-821-410366/515655 . Fax: +91-821-514400
Hotel Kaynes (3 Star), 85 - 87, Hootagalli, BEML Road (Off Hunsur Road), Mysore - 571186. Phone: +91-821-402931/403104. Fax: +91-821-402934
Hotel Metropole, J.L.B.Road. Phone: +91-821-520681.
Hotel Mayura Hoysala, 2 Jhansi Lakshmi Bai Rd, Mysore - 570005. Phone: +91-821-423492.
King's Kourt, J.L.B. Road, Mysore - 570005. Phone: +91-821-421142, Fax: +91-821-422384