Blogs from Mysore, Karnataka, India, Asia

Today is our last day in Mysore before heading over to Hampi for the next few days. It has been a leisurely day of admin and getting food for the journey. We decided to go and see the Railway Museum this morning and got a tuk tuk over there. Despite being another bank holiday this time it was open - thank goodness. Once again it was much cheaper for locals than for us but at 80 rupees each it was probably still worth it. Most of the description signs aren’t completed and the little train thats supposed to go around a small track isn’t working. I think it’s aimed at kids but looks like a health and safety nightmare to me if you have little ones. It’s great for big kids though! It has examples of ... read more

Top of the list of things to see in Mysore has to be its palace. Built in 1912 by British architect Henry Irvin to replace the previous palace which had burnt down. It’s on the sight of a fort which was first constructed in the 14th century. It’s relatively cheap at 50 ruppees to enter. The outer grounds open from 10am and the residential part from 11am. The crowds definitely got heavier later on so I’d recommend getting there early. We started by wondering around the grounds, going into the Hindu temples flanking either side of the palace, along the walls, and into the palace elephant stables (where you can say hello to them for free). We decided that if we weren’t told off then it was probably ok to go to, in this way we ... read more

Woolly says – It had seemed like a good idea, in fact a brilliant idea and although tired from our overnight journey to Bangalore having dropped off our belongings, changed and found some breakfast we took our first trip on the Indian Metro. It proved simple and easy to use and after two trains that took us through the city below ground we popped up at the central train station, managed to find a ticket office before realising that the next train wasn’t until 1.30pm, not a problem, to use up the two hours we can join a queue to sort out our next train tickets we thought. Having stood in the foreigner’s queue with our completed paperwork it all seemed to be going well and just as our tickets were about to pop out of ... read more

Day 9: Hassan—Mysore 26 September 2017 After breakfast, we drove to Mysore (130 km/ 3.5 hrs approx). 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. Mysore still carries on its placid shoulders the aura and glamour of palaces, the grandeur of festivals of times gone by, but all of it with a quiet, unhurried dignity. It is often called the Jewel of Karnataka - its arts, culture, buildings, festivals, gardens and parks being the quintessence of the state’s heritage. We were dropped off to our hotel (where we were upgraded to a ... read more

We arrive at what appears to be a market rather than a Hindu temple at the top of Chamundi Hill just outside Mysore, but most of the goods for sale are items that can be used as offerings at the temple. There are garlands of flowers, brightly coloured powders, colourful strings and coconuts. There are also special blessings baskets containing a combination of these things. The name of the temple is Chamundeshwari and the present tower of a building is covered in carved figures mostly dedicated to Shiva, the god of destruction. There are many depictions of Nandi the bull that Shiva rides upon, the biggest of which stand 15 feet high carved from granite. We watch worshippers bring their offerings to a stone trough where, after placing their bananas, ghee candles, coloured powers, flowers and ... read more