By Amanpreet Singh
Hey, Cloggers! Our jungle boots were exchanged for city sneakers, and we went south to the cultural capital of Karnataka: Mysore. This was not a journey full of mountains, but was more of a journey through history and buildings and discovery of the most exquisite street food in the royal city. We had the necessities of our Mysore travel guide; we were off on an epic adventure of palaces and laughing, and the crew, Rahul, Simran, Vikram, and me.
Chapter 1: Mysore Palace at Night (The Epic Start)
You cannot visit Mysore and leave the Palace as your special destination. We decided to visit on a Sunday when the illumination was scheduled to take place, the spectacle where the whole complex of the Mysore Palace is illuminated using almost 100,000 bulbs. This was the epic moment of the journey.
Being outside the palace premises when the sun was going down, and the bulbs lit gradually, was simply amazing. The palace becomes a gleaming, golden view of the night sky. The majesty is really overwhelming, and we are so small, but we are related to the kings and queens. It was a truly amazing, communal experience of awe that rendered us speechless, and a demonstration of how wrong the history books are.
Chapter 2: The Temple Climb and the Views
The following day, we got our breakfast by climbing up Chamundi Hills to see the famous Chamundeshwari Temple. The ascent (or the journey, to the less ambitious of us, was the driving one) was well compensated by the panoramic vision of the whole city of Mysore, which was spread beneath.
The fun with friends replaced this. Then, having paid all the required respects at the temple, we spent a good hour in search of the ideal darshan image with the enormous statue of the Nandi. Photobombing continued by Rahul, Vikram was firmly convinced that he would go down the steps, and Simran was the only one who managed to remain calm. Crew chaos in a historically sacred environment!
Chapter 3: Sandalwood Scents and Silk Shopping
All Mysore guidebooks emphasize that Mysore is the seat of sandalwood, silk, and incense, and we sank deep down into the local bazaar. We meandered through the Devraj Market- a gorgeous, olfactory treat of flower garlands, spices, and colourful produce.
This had been the Prettiest part of the journey. The odors were unbelievable, and the mere incident of the market and its sheer volume and color were intoxicating. We bargained (poorly) in souvenirs and tried all the sweet samples availed. It was a beautiful and enveloping experience that didn’t afford to forget that travel is not about great monuments, but about the lives of simple, beautiful people.
Mysore makes a great place to travel with friends since it has a dose of royalty, boasts a thriving market culture, and provides a breathtaking architectural scenery to both solemn admiration and pure nonsense. Go there, make the planning of the palace illumination, and do not forget the purchase of incense!
What’s your favorite royal monument in India? Share your thoughts below!
Stay regal, Amanpreet Singh clogtheblog.com
