THE ROYAL CITY OF MYSORE

Being a student in college and staying away from home gives us a certain sense of independence and a will to travel but with a drawback of being completely 'broke'. Yet we tend to manage to save up and it doesn't stop us from travelling. We all have made "THE GOA PLAN" with our friends at some point with zero bank balance but in college it's different. We might not carry out the Goa plan but we do manage to travel somewhere close and affordable, be it solo or with our friends. 

Here I present my first step towards my life as an adult, in a different city with a lot of travel dreams. Oh! I forgot to mention that currently I live in Bengaluru, 2000 kms away from my hometown - Asansol, West Bengal. After doing a research on the places to visit in Karnataka, I came across the Royal beauty of Mysuru. Thereafter, I started saving up with my friend and made an affordable detailed plan, finally completing it last night. Yay! 😙

I initiated the plan by booking the train tickets from IRCTC one month prior. 

KSR Bengaluru (SBC) - Mysuru Jn (MYS) 

• Train : MAS MYS SPL (16021)
• Arrived at 04:00   ----   Reached at 06:40
• Fare : ₹145 per head

Mysuru Jn (MYS) - KSR Bengaluru (SBC)

• Train : HAMPI EXPRESS (16592)
• Arrived at 18:35   ----   Reached at 22:00
• Fare : ₹145 per head
  

Both times, the train arrived the destination before time.   

Mysuru Jn

  DAY 1

1. CHAMUNDI HILLS AND CHAMUNDESHWARI TEMPLE 

 The Chamundeshwari Temple is a Hindu temple located on the top of Chamundi Hills about 13 kms from the city of Mysuru. Chamundeshwari is called by the people of Karnataka as Naada Devi, which means State Goddess. It is situated at the elevation of around 3,300 ft from the sea level. 

It is believed that Goddess Durga slayed the demon Mahishasura on the top of this hill which was ruled by him, that is where the name Mysore/Mysuru comes from. The Chamundeshwari temple is considered as a Shakti Peetha and among the 18 Shakti Peethas. It is said that the hair of Sati fell here. Also, there are two other temples dedicated to Narayana Swamy and Mahabaleshwara here.

Experience : We( my friend and myself ) took an auto to the City Bus Stand from the Railway Station. It was around 6:30 in the morning and we witnessed a perfect hill station weather. It was chilly due to the rainy season. From the bus stand, we took a bus directly to Chamundi Hills (Bus no. 201). The ride was a total bliss as we passed through the city, with lots of greenery and palaces around. The route to the hills was extremely foggy and as we went upward, we could see the entire city amidst the dense fog. The bus stop was just beside the huge statue of Demon King Mahishasura. It was difficult to look around due to the fog as we proceeded towards the temple. We took coconut and flowers to offer to  the Goddess. We also visited the Narayana Swamy and Mahabaleshwara Temple. We could see the entire city from the top. We departed from there with prasad and some souvenirs.

2. MYSORE PALACE 

Mysore Palace, also called Amba Vilas Palace, is one of the most magnificent and largest palaces in India. Situated in the southern state of Karnataka, it used to be the official residence of the Wodeyar Dynasty, the rulers of Mysore from 1399 to 1950. The grand palace stands tall in the heart of Mysore city and attracts visitors from across the world. Mysore Palace is built in the Indo-Saracenic style with a touch of Hindu, Mughal, Rajput, and Gothic architectural styles. The three-storied palace along with a 145 feet five-storied tower was built using fine grey granite while deep pink marble was used for the domes. The exterior of this marvelous structure is enriched with two durbar halls, several arches, canopies, columns and bay windows. There is also a sprawling green garden surrounding the palace.

EXPERIENCE : We entered the Palace premises with a ticket charge of 100/- for adults and proceeded to the counter where you need to keep your shoes before entering the Palace. You will be walking inside the whole palace with a guided path ensuring you cover both the level and not miss on anything. We can also hire a Palace guide with separate charges. After the Palace, you can see the huge green garden spread on all directions with few temples in between. The palace visit was worth it as we could experience the royalty and richness present in our country. Outside the palace, we rode the horse cart  till the bus stand.

3. BRINDAVAN GARDEN

Built across the famous Cauvery River, the Brindavan Gardens in Mysore is a beautiful lush green spread around 19 km (12 mi) from the main city of Mysore. The garden is visited by millions of tourists every year since it was constructed and opened for public in 1932 by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail.

 Brindavan Gardens, Mysore is a place for everyone who is looking for some fresh air amidst nature’s lap. It is pure bliss to spend an evening here with illuminated fountains, botanical park, extensive species of flora, and of course the memorable boating experience.

EXPERIENCE : We took a direct bus from the City Bus stand to Brindavan Garden. It took almost an hour to reach there. Adult tickets costed 50 rupees per person. The garden is huge and filled with trees and fountains. Sitting beside the Kaveri river, witnessing the scenic beauty at it's best was a fulfilling experience. It took us around 3 hours to walk around the garden. There are plenty food shops inside and outside the garden premises. There is also a hotel within the garden for people who want to witness the wholesome beauty and greenery for a longer time. Unfortunately, we missed the main attraction, i.e. the light and sound show which starts at 6. We were too tired to wait till the evening but surely we would witness it the next time we visit the place. Before we left the place, we came across a small aquarium with different aquatic species of fishes and animals. 

DAY 2 

4.  ST. PHILOMENA'S CATHEDRAL 

St. Philomena’s Cathedral is a Catholic church that is the cathedral of the Diocese of Mysore, India. The full name is the Cathedral of St. Joseph and St. Philomena. It is also known as St. Joseph's Cathedral. It was constructed in 1936 using a Neo Gothic style and its architecture was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. This is one of the tallest churches in Asia.

EXPERIENCE : After checking out from Hotel Aavas Inn, which we booked prior on Oyo, we went to the Cathedral, which is at a walking distance from the hotel. It is one of the tallest church that I've ever seen and it got quite difficult to adjust it in our camera. There was a wedding happening at the moment and we got to see all the rituals. We sat there and enjoyed the calmness of the place. 

5. SRI CHAMARAJENDRA ZOOLOGICAL GARDEN 

Mysuru Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden) was started in 1892 by Chamaraja Wodeyar X, then the King of Mysuru. Initially as a private Zoo and was named as Khas-Bangale. It was also called as Thamasha Bangale. The zoo which has now spread over an area of 250 acres was initially meant for the exclusive visit of the royal family but public entry started as early as 1920.

EXPERIENCE : After Church, we headed towards the famous Mysuru Zoo aka Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden. After dropping our luggage at the luggage counter, we got the adult tickets for 100/- per head. No plastic was allowed inside the zoo. The zoo employees provided paper bags to transfer the food that we carried. Starting from the bird section, we walked through the entire zoo. It was exciting  as well as equally tiring. It took almost 3 hours to cover the whole zoo. Although, we had to hurry up a bit because we had a train to catch. 

                                            

We come to an end of my first travel blog ever and I wish to write hundreds of them in the near future. My visit to the City of Palaces - Mysuru was worth everything and I would love to come back again to enjoy it's serene beauty. I hope my blog was informative and excites you all to make a trip plan to Mysuru.