A Local's Guide to Mysuru

 Ambavilas Palace

Source

Recently I met my childhood friend Vishwajith. We were glad to meet after a long time. During our conversation he told me that he is working as a tour guide in Mysuru. He was born and brought up in Mysuru. After reminiscing about our childhood days he started to speak about his profession and Mysuru. Listening to him, I realized that he knew a lot about Mysuru.

"Vishwa" I said, "I'll interview you about experiences that Mysuru can offer tourists. It will be fun. What do you say?"

"I'm game" replied my friend.

"Tell me how to reach Mysuru?"

"Even though Mysuru has an airport, it is not well-connected by air. However, it is very well-connected by rail and road."

How to Reach Mysore from Bangalore

• https://www.makemytrip.com/travel-guide/mysore/how-to-reach.html
  

"The hill temple is dedicated to which diety?" I asked.

"It is dedicated to goddess Chamundeshwari. It is one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. The 15-feet tall statue of Nandi (bull) is another major attraction in this region. It is located near the 800th step on the hill."

Chamundeshwari Temple

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Mysore Chamundeshwari Temple Sevas

Kumkuma Ashtothara	₹10
Kumkuma Trishathi	₹10
Kumkuma Sahasranama	₹10

For the complete list visit https://templesinindiainfo.com/chamundi-hills-cham...

"Why do so many people go ga ga over Ambavilas Palace?" I asked.

"Ha ha ha ha! Because it deserves all the attention it gets" replied Vishwa. "It is a three storied structure with a 44-meter-tall central tower. It is an excellent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture.

Ambavilas Palace

Source

"Tell me about the zoo. I remember reading somewhere that it houses more than 1,300 animals" I asked.

"Yes it does" replied my friend. "Popularly known as Mysore Zoo, Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens covers an area of around 157 acres. Here you will find tigers, lions, jaguars, elephants, giraffes, leopards, rhinos, baboons, crocodiles, hippos, deer and many other animals and birds."

"Experience of Mysuru is incomplete without a visit to Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery. Right Vishwa?" I asked.

"True. The 150-year-old Jaganmohan Palace was converted into an art gallery and named as Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery in 1955 in honor of HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar. This art gallery is well-known for its exquisite collection, which includes 16 original paintings by world-renowned painter Raja Ravi Verma" replied Vishwa.

Gold leaf paintings of the Mysore, Bengal and European Schools are displayed in Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery.

"Which other place do you suggest?" I asked.

"If you want to experience the culture, language and life of people in Mysuru, I suggest that you visit Devaraja Market. Knitted into the heritage of this unique city, this colorful, noisy and vibrant market is oriented along the Sayyaji Rao Road. Here the business starts well before the sunrise and continues for many hours well after sunset" replied Vishwa.

Devaraja Market Mysore History

• Devaraja Market
  Devaraja Market in Mysore is a must-visit for anyone who visits the city.

"What about Brindavan Gardens?" I asked.

Vishwa said "Oh! That is a piece of heaven on earth. It is not exactly in Mysuru, but in Mandya district. It is around 22 kilometers from Mysuru. It is spread over 60 acres.

Brindavan Gardens is adjoining to the KRS Dam, which is built across River Kaveri. It is famous for its musical fountain, colorful fountains, topiary works, pergolas and gazebos."

Continuing, he said "There are many tourist attractions around Mysuru, including Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Kesava Temple and Ranganathaswamy Temple."

What to Do in Lalbagh?

Appa (which means father), today we will go to the lake first," said my son as we entered Lalbagh, the largest botanical garden in Bengaluru. Covering an area of around 240 acres, Lalbagh is a major tourist attraction in Bengaluru. It is a treat to nature lovers.

Ashy Prinia in Lalbagh

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Hyder Ali, Sultan and de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore, commissioned the making of Lalbagh in 1760.

Lalbagh Lake

As we reached the lake, we were welcomed by monkeys and kites. My son was delighted to see ducks swimming with young ducklings in tow. “They are so cute know appa!?” he exclaimed. "Yes" I replied.

This lake covers around 40 acres; maximum depth is around 3.5 meters. It has two islands, which were formed naturally while de-silting the lake. The lake and its surrounding areas are home to a large variety of bird species, including black pelican, white pelican, spot billed pelican, egret, night heron, Indian pond heron, grey heron, purple heron, little cormorant, great cormorant, Indian cormorant, oriental darter, white-breasted kingfisher, brahmini kite, parakeet, cranes, ducks, swans and geese.

Lalbagh Lake Is in the Background of This Video

Lalbagh was originally planned over 30 acres of land here, before Tipu Sultan and the British planned it across the 240 acres that we see today.

— Mansoor Ali, founder, Bengaluru By Foot

Master's Tree

"Shall we go to Master's tree?" asked I. My son gave a thumbs up happily. What we, abhyasis of Shri Ram Chandra Mission, call "Master's tree" is actually a 200-year-old Bombax tree.

Raja Yoga Guru Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari preferred to sit under this tree during his walks in Lalbagh in the 1990s. There is a wonderful positive energy around this tree.

I sat on a bench under the tree and meditated for few minutes while my son was feeding peanuts to a monkey.

Master's Tree

Floral Clock

"Where do we go next?" I asked my son. "Flower clock" he replied enthusiastically. It was not the first time that we were visiting Lalbagh.

My son is familiar with various places of interest in this beautiful garden. In fact we have shot many videos for our YouTube channel "Knowledge & Fun" in this garden.

The 7-meter-wide floral clock was gifted to Lalbagh by Hindustan Machine Tools in 1983. It uses an electronic oscillator regulated by a quartz crystal to keep time.

"Appa, aren't they cute"? Asked my son pointing at the statues of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs placed around the clock. I nodded with a smile.

Wikimedia Commons | Source

A Video that We Shot in Lalbagh

The floral clock is always a must-visit in Lalbagh. I still remember the initial days when the clock was set up and people used to come in hordes to see the marvel. Those were not the smartphone, WhatsApp days. The word quickly got around and it was a topic of discussion among students who would rush to Lalbagh during weekends and holidays to see the clock. I hope the clock starts ticking again soon.

— Subramanya, an old-time visitor to Lalbagh

Glass House

Our next destination was Glass House, an excellent artistic structure in Lalbagh. Me and my son started walking towards it, enjoying our churmuri, a popular local street food item which I had bought from a vendor.

Built in the year 1890, Glass House was inspired by London's Crystal Palace. It is the center of attraction during the flower shows held around 26th January (Republic Day) and 15th August (Independence Day) every year in Lalbagh.

On these occasions more than 350 varieties of flowers are displayed decoratively enough to attract attention of tourists from all parts of the world.

Glass House Bangalore

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Inside the Glass House During the Flower Show

Kempegowda Tower

"Shall we climb the hillock now?" I asked my son. He started running joyfully towards the Kempegowda Tower, which is on top of a huge rock in Lalbagh.

This watch tower was built by Kempegowda II 1597 to mark the limit to which he had predicted Bengaluru would expand in course of time. It is another matter that the city has now grown beyond his expectations.

This well-maintained artistic structure stands on a stretch of rock known as peninsular gneiss, which is 3,000 million years old. Me and my boy sat on the rock near the tower, enjoying the breathtaking views of the city while munching on roasted corn laced with red chilly powder, salt and lemon.

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Kempegowda Tower Wikipedia

• Kempe Gowda Four Towers
  

Bonsai Garden

"Shall we go and say "Hi" to our little friends appa?" asked my son. I understood that he was referring to the bonsai garden. I nodded and said "Sure." Covering an area of around 2.5 acres, the bonsai garden in Lalbagh is home to more than 700 bonsai plants aged between 5 and 35 years.

We ended our trip to Lalbagh by exiting through the K H Road gate.

Five Can’t-Miss Experiences in Karnataka

Karnataka is an amazing all-rounder. Bengaluru enchants you with its beautiful gardens and amusement parks. National parks (like the famous Bandipur National Park) house endangered species like tigers and elephants. There is a religious aspect to Karnataka as well: many pilgrimage sites attract streams of devotees to this South Indian state. 

Lalbagh

Located in Bengaluru, this beautiful botanical garden is an internationally renowned center for botanical artwork, scientific study of plants and conservation of plants.

What was started as a 40-acre garden by Hyder Ali is today a world famous garden that covers an area of around 240 acres.

In addition to indigenous plants, rare plants from Iran, Afghanistan, France and other nations, this large garden has a completely carbonised trunk of a 20 million year-old coniferous tree, which was brought from Tamil Nadu.

A Bird in Lalbagh

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Lalbagh Bangalore Timings

6.00 am to 6.00 pm on all days of the week.

Wonderla

This amusement park offers you roller coasters, ferris wheel, water rides, virtual reality experiences and more. This world of breath-taking charm is located in Bengaluru. While here, don't miss Recoil, Maverick, Y-Scream, and Mission interstellar. These rides are very popular among visitors.

Wonderla Timings

• Normal Season Weekdays: 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Normal Season Weekends/Holidays: 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Peak Season : 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
• Water Park Timings on Normal Season Weekdays : 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM
• Water Park Timings on Peak Season and Normal Season Weekends/Holidays : 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Bandipur National Park

Located in Chamarajanagar District, this national park covers an area of around 874 square kilometers. This well-managed national park is surrounded by the mountains of the Western Ghats.

Source

Murdeshwar

Located in Uttara Kannada district, this town is famous for the 123-feet-tall statue of Shiva. Murdeshwar temple is another popular tourist attraction in this beautiful coastal town. The gopura of this temple has 20 stories.

Ambavilas Palace

This magnificent palace, which is the official residence of the Wodeyars, is a treat to history buffs. It is located at the heart of Mysuru city. Also known as Mysore Palace, this three storied structure has a 44 meter central tower. It was built in Indo-Saracenic architecture in the 19th century.

Source

Mind Blowing Facts About Karnataka

Karnataka Khadi Gramodyoga Samyukta Sangha in Bengeri is the only unit in India that is authorized to manufacture and supply the Indian national flag.
Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill still figures on the list of defaulters of the Bangalore Club.
R.K. Narayan’s fictional Malgudi town was named after Malleswaram and Basavanagudi, two localities in Bengaluru.

Top 5 Heritage Hotels in Karnataka

 Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel

Wikimedia Commons

History and heritage are scattered all over Karnataka. Some hotels in this South Indian state reflect its rich heritage. Some royal mansions have been converted to heritage hotels. These hotels are ideal if you are seeking glamorous staycation.

Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel

Located in Mysuru, the city of palaces, this excellent palace-turned-heritage-hotel exudes an old-world charm.

Built in 1921, this architectural masterpiece was designed to be similar to the St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

It has hosted national and international celebrities for over four decades.

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Shiv Vilas Palace

This exquisite palace-turned-luxury-hotel is located in Sandur near the UNESCO World Heritage Site Hampi. It covers around 20 acres. Your stay in this palace and its lush green resort is sure to be a memorable experience.

Royal Orchid Metropole

This upscale 1920 hotel is located in Mysuru. Spread over 2.5 acres, it is a perfect blend of old world charm and modern elegant design. This 30-room hotel is recognized as a Grand Heritage Hotel.

Perfect hotel for business stay in Mysore. Clean air, good ambience, spacious and well appointed rooms. The breakfast spread was extensive and tasty. Very satisfied with the stay and would recommend everyone to stay here once and experience luxury.

— Vijay Mhapsekar

Nehru Nilaya

This heritage hotel is located on top of Nandi Hills. It offers modest rooms, suites, cottages and patios. Built in British architecture, it was the summer retreat of Sir Mark Cubbon, who was the British Commissioner of Mysore state in the 1830s.

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Vajra Heritage

This heritage hotel is located in Rajaji Nagar, Bengaluru. It is well-known for its cleanliness and service.

Top 20 Indian Destinations for Solo Female Travelers

 Lake Pichola in Udaipur

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Solo travel gives you many opportunities for self- reflection. India offers amazing destinations for solo female travelers. Here are some of them. 

SRCM Meditation Center

Located in Chennai, this wonderful meditation center attracts visitors from all over the world. Stepping into this place is like crossing the threshold into another world.

Here you can learn techniques to relax, rejuvenate and to realize your true potential. Meditation is the main activity in this wonderful place. You need not pay anything to learn meditation here.

SRCM Heartfulness Meditation Centre

Amer Fort

Located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, this fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 16th century fort is located on Cheel Ka Teela on Aravalli hills. It was built by Maan Singh, a trusted general of Akbar.

Amer Fort Timing

10.00 am to 5.00 pm daily.

Cavelossim Beach

This beautiful beach is in between the Arabian Sea and River Sal. It is well-known for its black rocks, white sand and beach shacks. It is around 15 kilometers south of Margao.

Cavelossim Beach Shacks

Dom's Beach Shack, Sam's Beach ShackShack and Q-BA Beach shack are popular beach shacks in this region.

Kanha Shanti Vanam

Located in the suburbs of Hyderabad, near the Bangalore highway, Kanha Shanti Vanam is magnificent in its conception and design.

Great Raja Yoga Master Daaji resides here. Daaji is leading thousands of seekers onto the path of self-discovery through meditation and other simple techniques.

Kanha Shanti Vanam Images

Kovalam

This breathtakingly beautiful small coastal town is in Kerala. It is famous for its three curve shaped beaches, which offer many leisure options including sunbathing, swimming, herbal body toning massages, special cultural programmes and catamaran cruising.

Kovalam Leela

Officially known as The Leela Kovalam, this is the only cliff-top beach resort in India.

Nainital

This beautiful Himalayan town (elevation: around 2,000 meters) is in Uttarakhand. It is a popular hill station. This glittering jewel in the Himalyan necklace is famous for its scenic natural spledour and many natural resources.

Rishikesh

Located at the foothills of the Himalayas, this holy city is famous for its temples and ashrams. Ever since the Beatles rocked up at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Ashram in the late 1960s, this unique city has been a magnet for spiritual seekers.

Lake Pichola

This beautiful artificial fresh water lake (maximum depth: 8.5 meters) is in Udaipur. Created in 1362 CE by Pichhu Banjara, it is the oldest lake in Udaipur. This picturesque lake is famous for its island palaces. The City Palace complex, including the gardens at its southern end, extends nearly 1 kilometer along the lake’s eastern shore.

Lake Pichola Boat Ride Charges

	Adult	Child
Regular Boat Ride	₹300	₹150
Sunset Boat Ride	₹500	₹200

Ambavilas Palace

Also known as Mysore Palace, this popular tourist attraction in Mysuru is famous for its various exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. It is the official residence of the Wodeyars, the kings who ruled Mysuru between 1399 and 1950.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Located at No. 9, Near Junction of Manakula Vinayagar, Kovil Street and Marine Street, White Town, Puducherry, 605002, this ashram was founded by philosopher, yogi, guru, poet, and nationalist. Sri Aurobindo in 1926. It is a vibrant centre of life in a modern urban setting.

Thoseghar Waterfalls

This scenic spot is a popular tourist attraction in Maharashtra. It is located near Thoseghar, around 20 kilometers from Satara.

This 500-m-waterfall is a seasonal waterfall, so it is advisable to plan your trip between July and October.

Bodh Gaya

Located in Bihar, this village is a Buddhist pilgrimage site. It is famous for the Mahabodhi Temple Complex, which was built to mark the place where prince Siddhārtha Gautama attained enlightenment under a Bodhi Tree. This is where he became Buddha (the 'Awakened One') 2,600 years ago.

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Mandarmani

This beautiful seaside resort village is in East Midnapore district, West Bengal. Some locals told me that the Mandarmani Beach is the longest motorable beach.

Kasol

This hamlet is in Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, on the banks of the Parvati River, in Parvati Valley. Kheerganga Trek, Tosh, Malana, Rasol, Chalal, Parvati Pin Pass, Sar Pass Trek, and Manikaran Gurudwara are some popular places to visit in and around Kasol. Trekking, camping and stargazing are popular activities in this region.

Majoli

Also known as Mājuli, this island is the biggest river island in the world. The island is formed by River Brahmaputra in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti (an anabranch of the Brahmaputra) joined by the River Subansiri in the north.

Shimla

Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, this beautiful city is surrounded by snow-capped Himalayan peaks and green pastures. Traffic is banned from the central part of the city. This is what I like most about Shimla.

Packing List for Female Travellers

Travel line
Diva cup
Microfiber towel
Packing cubes
Sarong
Sleeping bag liner
Headlamp
Lock
Personal safety alarm
Hanging toiletry bag
First aid kit

Varkala Beach

This stunning beach is in Kerala. It is backed by palm-covered red cliffs. Some restaurants here play innocuous world music. There are stalls that sell T-shirts and silver jewellery.

Kaziranga National Park

This protected area is home to various animals including tigers, Indian one-horned rhinos and elephants. This park houses two-thirds of the world's Indian one-horned rhinos. This UNESCO world heritage site is located in Assam.

Hampi

This ancient town is in Karnataka. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Magnificent ruins (from the Vijayanagara Empire) of this unique town dot an unearthly landscape that has captivated travellers for centuries.

Ladakh

This Buddhist ex-kingdom is in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh means land of high passes. It is 11,400 feet above sea level. Even though it is a land of jagged peaks and barren landscape, it is alluring and awe-inspiring.

Aerial View of Ladakh

Source

Iconic Bollywood Film Shooting Locations in India

3 Idiots Was Shot in Pangong Lake

Image from Wikimedia Commons | Source

India is a beautiful country. It is a vast nation with diverse terrain – from Himalayas to Indian Ocean. There are many beautiful locations in this unique nation, which is dotted with many amazing monuments. 

Bollywood movie makers have explored India meticulously. Here are some amazing Bollywood film shooting locations in India.

Pangong Lake

Also known as Pangong Tso, which, in Tibetan, means high grassland lake, Pangong lake is an endorheic lake near Leh in Jammu and Kashmir. This 134-km-long saltwater lake is in the Himalayas. It is at an elevation of 4,250 meters. Starting with the blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’, Bollywood movies have made Pangong lake a popular attraction.

Leh is well-connected with other cities and towns in the region. Flights are available from Delhi, Jammu and Srinagar. Kalka railway station (754 kilometers) is the nearest railway station.

Indians have to obtain an inner line permit for visiting this lake. If you are not an Indian you need to obtain a protected area permit if you want to travel from Leh to Pangong lake.

Pangong lake is around 150 kilometers from Leh. Government and private companies operate buses between Leh and the lake. I suggest that you take JKSRTC bus from Leh to Pangong lake.

Pangong Lake, Ladakh

Wikimedia Commons | Source

Udaipur Palace

This wonderful palace is in Rajasthan. It was built by several rulers of the Mewar dynasty over a period of around four centuries. It is a blend of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. Popular movies 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' and 'Ram Leela' were shot here.

Flights are available to Udaipur from Jodhpur, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The city has three railway stations: Ranapratapnagar (RPZ), Udaipur City (UDZ), Umra (UMRA); and two bus stations: Udaipur, Udaipur (Cg).

Udaipur Palace Rajasthan

From Wikimedia Commons

India Gate

This war memorial is located in New Delhi. Each face of this cenotaph has "Amar Jawan" inscribed in gold the words. "Amar Jawan" means immortal soldier. India Gate has featured in many movies, including Rang De Basanthi, Fanaa and Chandni.

The best way to travel in Delhi is by Delhi Metro. The nearest metro station to India Gate is the Central Secretariat, which is around 2.4 kilometers from the war memorial.

Shillong

Shillong, which is the capital of Meghalaya, is a popular hill station in Northeast India. This enchanting city is surrounded by pine trees. Rolling hills around the city have earned it the title "Scotland of the East". Bollywood movie 'Har Pal' was shot in Shillong.

The nearest airport (25 kilometers) to Shillong is the Umroi Airport near Barapani; and the nearest railway station (105 kilometers) is the Guwahati railway station.

Helicopter services are available between Guwahati and Tura, and Tura and Shillong, on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; and between Guwahati and Shillong daily except on Sunday.

Shillong is well-connected by road. You can reach this beautiful tourist attraction by government bus, private bus or taxi. Road journey from Guwahati to Shillong gives you many opportunities to enjoy mother nature in all her glory.

Shillong Photos

Source

Rohtang Pass

This high mountain pass (elevation: 3,978 meters) connects the Kullu Valley with the Lahaul and Spiti Valleys of Himachal Pradesh. The immensely popular song “Yeh Ishq Hai“ from the movie "Jab We Met" was shot here.

Rohtang Pass is around 51 kilometers from Manali. It is open from June to October. You need permission to visit this popular tourist destination. Permits are issued on first come first serve basis daily at the Tourist Information Center between 10 am and 8 pm. If you collect your permit today, you will be able to travel the next day.

Nearest airport (104 kilometers) to Rohtang Pass is the Bhuntar Airport; and the nearest railway station (103 kilometers) is the Joginder Nagar railway station. Buses and taxis are available from the airport and the railway station to Rohtang Pass.

Darjeeling

Located in the Lesser Himalayas at an elevation of 2,042.2 meters, this beautiful town was originally set up as a sanitarium or health resort by the British in mid 1800s. But over the years, it has become a major tourist attraction.

Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Hariyali Aur Raasta, Professor, Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Hamraaz, Baharon Ki Manzil, Jhuk Gaya Asman and Anurodh are some Bollywood movies shot in Darjeeling.

Darjeeling is in West Bengal. Nearest airport (95 kilometers) to this enchanting town is the Bagdogra Airport; and the nearest railway station (88 kilometers) is the Jalpaiguri Railway Station. Darjeeling is well-connected by road with other cities and towns in the region.

Bollywood produces around 1,600 movies in a year.