Mysore is known as the Heritage City of India. It was my second solo trip, fulfilling a long-time wish to visit this awesome place in Karnataka. A friend had a room in Mysore, and all I had heard about Mysore was the Mysore Palace. I had no other idea about this place. Nevertheless, I needed a break from the monotony of college classes, so I decided to go to Mysore and informed my friend that I was coming.
I caught the bus early in the morning, around 6:30 a.m., from Manjeri. It was a KSRTC bus of the Kerala government; I always like KSRTC, finding the journey comfortable. I secured the window seat.
The route to Mysore passed through Wayanad, and I was excited and happy. Looking outside, breathing fresh air, the route through Calicut was not new to me, so I wasn't surprised. I listened to music, hoping for the best scenes during the trip. One of the best scenes I encountered was from the Wayanad Churam, a steep ascent with nine hairpin turns. I carefully observed the hill view from the bus.
After 2 or 3 hours of the journey, I reached Wayanad. The route through Wayanad was stunning and unforgettable, with sleeping tea plants, stubborn hilltops, and astonishing sights. The bus crossed the Muthanga check post.
Looking outside, the forest seemed scary and deserted, lacking the greenish and enjoyable scenes I expected. It was dreadfully silent and frankly quite boring. I vaguely remember the place name, something like Mullenahalli. I tried to get some sleep, but I couldn't.
I reached Mysore bus stand around 1:00 p.m., feeling starving, but I didn't take lunch. I called my friend and asked for his address, then took an autorickshaw from the prepaid booth. The driver was in a hurry. I captured a video of the safari from the back seat, marking my first visit to Mysore. After an 8-kilometer rickshaw safari, I arrived at the destination according to the address. I called my friend, Praseej, and he asked me to wait there. So, I sat on the bench at the bus stop and took out my food. It wasn't heavy, just fried bread and a banana. Praseej arrived when I finished my food. I sat behind his scooter, and he drove us to his room.
His room was near the bus stop. I took a shower and changed my clothes. We had a chat about old school days, friends, and current life. He suggested I rest and promised to show me around the next day.
I woke up early in the morning and took a shower. I checked on my friend; he was still sleeping. I tried to wake him up, but he remained asleep. A few hours later, he woke up and told me that he was very tired. He convinced me that we could start the journey soon. Around 10:30 a.m., we began the journey, taking breakfast from a restaurant on the way and filling the fuel tank of the scooter. The weather was too hot, but Praseej had warned me earlier, so it wasn't a problem for me.
We decided to visit Mysore Palace first. So, we geared up and headed there. The palace was visible from the road at a long distance. I was astonished, 'What an impressive royal palace.' We entered through the entrance gate after taking the tickets. There was a stunning temple, namely Bhuvaneswari Temple. I took pictures of the temple and continued to walk through the splendid garden pathway. The view of the palace was interesting, and I gazed at its beauty as I walked.
Praseej told me about the beauty of the palace at its peak during the night, with a light show. So, we moved towards the entrance where we could enter inside the palace. After the security check, we slowly walked through the palace. There were plenty of antiques displayed, and the history of the royal family was explained on boards
The architecture of the place is amazing. I was shocked as I looked at the pillars and halls; it was very charming. It took an hour to see the entire palace
We geared up for the next place, 'Jaganmohan Palace,' initially used by the Wodeyars, kings of Mysore, as their home. It is now converted into an art gallery and a function hall, being one of the seven palaces of the royal city of Mysore. Inside the art gallery, we found magnificent paintings by the famous artist Raja Ravi Varma. Additionally, we paid a visit to the sideway hall outside the art gallery, which houses many antique collections.
Next, we hurried to St. Philomena's Cathedral, built in 1936. I was stunned by its elegant architecture, but we only spent a few minutes there.
The climate became as hot as hell. After visiting the Sand Museum and Wax Museum, which weren't far away, we decided to return to the room. There wasn't much to see at the museum; we just clicked some photos of the sand sculptures.
After that, we went to the wax museum, which consisted of various galleries displaying different kinds of musical instruments, traditions, and cultures from around the world. It also housed many life-size wax statues. We returned to the room after having lunch. Praseej told me we could go to Chamundeswari Hills in the evening.
We continued our journey around 5:45 p.m. with no hot sunlight. Chamundi Hills are one of the major pilgrimage sites, housing the Chamundeswari Temple at the top. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Chamundeshwari or Durga, and the temple premises were crowded. We walked around the temple and sat down on the steps behind it. The architecture of the temple was impressive.
As the sky dimmed, we scooted from there. Praseej said we were going to see something scenic. I was confused, wondering what that would be. He stopped the scooter after ten minutes of travel, and there I was, looking around, when something struck my eyes: the landscape view of entire Mysore. It was more than just amazing.
We relaxed there and waited for the night to come. The view of Mysore at night was shining and ravishing. We spent more time there, as the scene was magnificent and needed to breathe in some fresh air.
The day was special for me as I touched the soul of 'The Heritage City.' I wished I was living here.
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