Mysore ( Mysuru ) serves as the capital city of the kingdom of Mysore, notably famous for it's dasara festivities (dasha-hara meaning remover of bad fate in Sanskrit ). Dasara in Mysore is a 10-day long festival, the last day being Vijayadashami which denotes the victory of good over evil, the day goddess Chamundeshwari slayed the demon Mahishasura.
Mysuru has a charming way of welcoming it's guests. We feel relaxed and refreshed in the surprisingly calm and serene surroundings of this city. We feel right at home. Though it is famous for places like the palace from which the mighty Wodeyar's who served the Vijayanagara Dynasty ruled, the zoo and other such places it is the other not-so-famous places that you get to visit and the small satisfying things you get to do in mysuru that gives this place a special place in your heart.
Seeing the palace from close quarters is something for sure but during dasara the place gets so crowded from people visiting from all over the world to see the famous procession that you don't get to enjoy it as much you'd like to. If you see the chamundi hills at night during dasara there is a huge welcome sign put up over there. Since the time i was a kid i had always wished to go there but had never got a chance until now. With a cousin of mine we hit the road on a bike at around 6.p.m. and I tell you riding a bike in mysore is one of the best feelings. We reached the top of the hill by 6.30.p.m packed some lip smacking corn and headed down. Just a little distance from the top there is a small nearly hidden road which leads towards the welcome sign that is visible from below, it is done using hundreds of bulbs. We waited there for sometime and the lights of the palace were switched on. Sitting on an old rusted railing, eating the freshly prepared corn as the chilly winds stung our cheeks, with not a soul around to disturb us, looking at the magnificent palace, Ah! what a feeling that was. That was by far the best view of the palace that I got to see. Not only the palace but half the city.
It is moments like these that inspire me not to go on a normal sight seeing tours but to explore the place, alone or with some help. After soaking in the beauty for sometime we hit the road again and on the way back stopped at a small stall to have some coffee, the owner of the stall told us that he had freshly prepared some mysuru-pak's ( a sweet ) so we decided to have one,Man! I must tell you having freshly prepared mysuru-pak soaked in pure, unadultrated ghee while drinking hot coffee is amazing. This was by far the best trip to Mysore.
Mysuru has a charming way of welcoming it's guests. We feel relaxed and refreshed in the surprisingly calm and serene surroundings of this city. We feel right at home. Though it is famous for places like the palace from which the mighty Wodeyar's who served the Vijayanagara Dynasty ruled, the zoo and other such places it is the other not-so-famous places that you get to visit and the small satisfying things you get to do in mysuru that gives this place a special place in your heart.
Seeing the palace from close quarters is something for sure but during dasara the place gets so crowded from people visiting from all over the world to see the famous procession that you don't get to enjoy it as much you'd like to. If you see the chamundi hills at night during dasara there is a huge welcome sign put up over there. Since the time i was a kid i had always wished to go there but had never got a chance until now. With a cousin of mine we hit the road on a bike at around 6.p.m. and I tell you riding a bike in mysore is one of the best feelings. We reached the top of the hill by 6.30.p.m packed some lip smacking corn and headed down. Just a little distance from the top there is a small nearly hidden road which leads towards the welcome sign that is visible from below, it is done using hundreds of bulbs. We waited there for sometime and the lights of the palace were switched on. Sitting on an old rusted railing, eating the freshly prepared corn as the chilly winds stung our cheeks, with not a soul around to disturb us, looking at the magnificent palace, Ah! what a feeling that was. That was by far the best view of the palace that I got to see. Not only the palace but half the city. It is moments like these that inspire me not to go on a normal sight seeing tours but to explore the place, alone or with some help. After soaking in the beauty for sometime we hit the road again and on the way back stopped at a small stall to have some coffee, the owner of the stall told us that he had freshly prepared some mysuru-pak's ( a sweet ) so we decided to have one,Man! I must tell you having freshly prepared mysuru-pak soaked in pure, unadultrated ghee while drinking hot coffee is amazing. This was by far the best trip to Mysore.
