Jose
Living in the Past in Mysore.
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Mysore, considered by many as the Cultural Capital of Karnataka, served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore until 1947. The Wodeyar dynasty which were the rulers of this kingdom are responsible for building some the iconic structures in Mysore today such as the Mysore Palace, which is also known as the Amba Vilas Palace. Put on display inside the palace are a whole lot of paintings, furniture and other royal artifacts.
The gates to the palace compound opens to tourists at 10:00 in the morning. There is an entry fee of Rs 40 to enter the compound. Photography and footwear are strictly prohibited inside the palace buildings. The surviving royal family supposedly stays in an extension that was added to the palace more recently. I was wandering along in the compound when I ended up near this extension. I was promptly shooed away by the drivers and security posted outside that section.
My bike's chain snapped on the way back from Mysore. It was too early in the morning, there were no garages nearby and I was just around 40 km away from Bangalore. So decided to hire a TATA ACE and hauled the bike all the way to my mechanic. Moral of the story: Carry spares and tools and learn to work on your ride.
Mysore, considered by many as the Cultural Capital of Karnataka, served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore until 1947. The Wodeyar dynasty which were the rulers of this kingdom are responsible for building some the iconic structures in Mysore today such as the Mysore Palace, which is also known as the Amba Vilas Palace. Put on display inside the palace are a whole lot of paintings, furniture and other royal artifacts.
Town Information
The Heritage City of Karnataka, Mysore, was the seat of the royal family of the Kingdom of Mysore. The city is now a major tourist destination, with travelers pouring in to visit many of the famous palaces, museums and temples in the city. The weather in Mysore is moderate compared to most other Indian cities.
Route Information
Route 1: Bangalore - NICE Road - Bidadi - Ramanagara - Channapatna - Mandya - Srirangapatna - Mysore. This is the more frequented route between Bangalore and Mysore. It is essentially a State Highway and there is a bit of traffic that you would need to put up with. The roads are not too wide but are in good condition.
Route 2: Bangalore - NICE Road - Harohalli - Kanakpura - Malavalli - Bannur - Mysore. The first section of this route is a National Highway and the second section, from Malavalli onwards, is a State Highway. Except for a small stretch in Bannur, the roads are good. This is the more scenic of the two routes and has much lesser traffic.