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Aug
06 |
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Mysore Trip
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I went on a site seeing trip to Mysore. This is a very simple and beautiful city. Being the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore is a majestic, mysterious and mesmerizing city. It has inherited all Indian traditions in spite of its modernity. First, I visited the St. Philomena's Church. This beautiful Cathedral was built in 1956 and is one of the largest churches in the country. It has been built in the Gothic style with beautiful stain glass windows and lofty towers. The illuminated church is a wonderful site. The main hall or nave of the cathedral can seat up to 800 people and is as exquisitely conceived as the ornately crafted exterior with beautiful stained glass windows depicting scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ. The Cathedral has a crypt that houses a beautiful statue, acquired from France, of St. Philomena, a 3rd century saint from Greece the twin spires of the Cathedral, 175 feet in height, are seen from miles around making it a distinctive city landmark.
Next I visited the 12th century Temple of Chamundershwari which is About 13 Kms from Mysore. The gigantic 4.8 meter tall monolith of Nandi Bull's Sculpture, the Bull denoting the vehicle to Lord Shiva, and is one of the seven bulls in the country. Also close to the temple stands a gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura.. The temple has large silver gates and golden idols. It is considered to be a very religious temple, where the blessings of the goddess help devotees to fulfil their need. The hill gets its name from the Goddess Kali or Chamundi, the consort of Shiva and she is the family deity of the Maharajas of Mysore. The Chamundeswari Temple is a fine quadrangular structure with a high gopuram (tower) and dwara (entrance) which is a visible landmark from many miles.
My further visit was to the famous Mysore Palace. Once the residence of the Wodeyars, this structure is one of the largest of its kind in India. Built in 1912 in the Indo Saracenic style, this place excludes a grandeur that is unmatched. The Golden Royal Elephant Throne, the Durbar Hall, the Kalyana Mantap and the Gallery are the main attractions here. Today it is a museum housing treasures from across the world reflecting the rich and colourful history of the erstwhile princely state of Mysore The majestic Durbar Hall with its ornate ceiling and sculpted pillars and the Marriage Pavilion with its chandeliers, cast-iron pillars and Belgian stained glass arranged in peacock designs in the domed ceilings and the magnificent jewel-studded golden throne are the main attractions The palace when illuminated presents a spectacle of breathtaking beauty
From there I went to the Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, which is very picturesque. There were different species of Trees and Birds. The Lake was placid and Beautiful. Situated at about 67kms from Srirangapatna, lush green islands on the river Cauvery, are home for an astonishing variety of migratory birds from as far away as Siberia - Spoon bills, Open Bill Stork, White Ibis, Little Egret, Darter, Pond Heron, Cattle Egret, Cormorant, Wild Duck, Peafowl. A little boat takes you close to the islands where the trees are covered with birds of different species. The Sanctuary here is a paradise of wildlife. Ranganathittu is indeed a visual delight.
Finally I went to the famous Brindavan Gardens at the Krishnaraja Sagara Built in 1924, this is India's first irrigation dam. Sir.M.Vishweswariah, the engineer who designed and built this dam, has shown his acumen in converting a dam site into a beautiful garden with colorful fountains and ponds downstream Brindavan gardens is located 12 Kms north-west of Mysore city and has rows-of colorful fountains. There is a boating pond to cross the dam from the south bank to the north bank and at the northern edge are the dancing fountains. Using advanced lighting techniques, the fountains are made to jump and dance to the tune of music. The dam is over 3 Kms long and is constructed at the junction of three rivers - Kaveri, Hemavati and Lakshmanathirtha. This site has been popularized over the years by the large number of Indian/foreign films shot at this location. At 6.30 PM the garden lights up with fountains shining to different coloured lights. The variety of flower beds glow in the light adding to the charm. This spectacular sight makes Brindavan gardens unique. |
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| By
deenkumar Posted Date
1129 day/s ago |
| a very good travelogue |
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| Forward this diary to a friend |
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