Mysore

We have been to Mysore many times. We drive home via Mysore sometimes. I like everything about Mysore. The Bangalore Mysore highway , how it is kept to feel like you are going on a holiday when you drive through, and the well planned city of Mysore . The sheer number of historically important tourists attractions stuffed together into one tiny city.

Must be the active presence of the Wodeyars still in the city when you are there at least for a moment you feel taken back to the age of the Wodeyars and Tipu sultan. It is truly the land of palaces. There are more palaces here than modern buildings. The only thing we see properly during our Mysore trips was the Mysore palace which is soo big that you cant help but see it when you pass by.

We decided to make a proper trip to Mysore and we did. The only places we missed were the high tea from the Lalit Mahal Palace and the Mysore zoo visit. I remember from the school days trip that they used to have a white tiger.:). So we went to a few places and went to Ranganthittu and Srirangapattana all in 2 days. This post covers only the Mysore part starting with the Brindavan Gardens.

THE VIEW OF BRINDAVAN GARDENS FROM THE ENTRY POINT

A STATUE NEAR THE DAM

THE KRISHNARAJASAGAR DAM

FOUNTAINS OF BRINDAVAN

WATERWORKS

MORE WATERWORKS

The fountains and pools here spell the abundance of water from the reservoir .We visited only one portion of the gardens which is towards the left of the dam . There are more attractions in the right side park including a Musical fountain. I remember it from my school days. Tourists are not allowed over the dam to see the reservoir. Wonder why. I remember going on top when i came around 6-7 years back. The employees of the dam and some official vehicles were allowed on top. I really wanted to go and see but i am usually spooked by large water bodies anyway.

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

THE KAUVERY RIVER

THE CHAMUNDESHWARI TEMPLE ON CHAMUNDI HILLS

MYSORE CITY VIEWED FROM THE CHAMUNDI HILLS

I personally felt the chamundi hills visit is not worth it. I was awed when I came here for the first time . That was during school days .But this time I felt it was a waste of time. I could have visited the zoo.:(Any hoo as per Krish's wish we went there and spend quite some time there too.

ST PHILOMENA'S CHURCH

NEO GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE

Mysore had a lot of historical places , palaces and everything but it was the last place I expected to see a Gothic style church. There weren't many tourist around here . Made it even more scary. And the chapel was quite small for the church of this size and really dark. Scared much. And we visited around twilight . Scared a little more and we visited the underground catacombs. Scared out of my wits and wanted to run away.

PALACE GUARDS OF THE MYSORE PALACE

THE SIDE VIEW OF THE PALACE, THE TOURISTS ENTRANCE AND THE FRONT ENTRANCE TO THE PALACE

THE PALACE GROUNDS AND THE TEMPLE

Ooo the palace. The Good old Mysore Palace which completely blew me over when I first visited as a kid. Each rooms were soo elegant I imagined the kings and the the queens and the guards in every room I saw. And half of the palace were not open to the visitors and my imagination ran wild picturing what could be in the other half. and then the locals stood in every corner demanding money for each and every step we took brought me back to reality.

THE MYSORE PALACE

HELLEWW TIGER :P