Mysore
INDIA | Wednesday, 11 March 2009 | Views [574]
The next morning brought the beginning of our long trip north, to
Rajasthan. We trudged down to the bus station in ooty and jumped on the first
bus to Mysore. We were pleasantly surprised by the comfy cushioned seats and
several (welcome) toilet stops along the way. It was an enjoyable bus ride
through the hills and also a national park where we saw elephants in the wild
from the bus window. As we descended, the temperature started rising again and
when we reached Mysore in mid afternoon, it was back to the high twenties again. Mysore is not a big
town and we quickly found our way around. The massive spires of the palace act
as a good landmark for tourists lost in the winding streets near the market.
After dumping our bags at the lodge we were off to see the palace (which we
subsequently renamed as Marc’s toilet). The grounds of the palace were massive,
as befits such a majestic building. Four turrets stand at the corners of the
fortifying walls and long avenues lined with trees point towards the palace
from each direction. Entering the palace grounds we went to look at several of
the elaborate (but not multicoloured!) temples before entering the palace
itself. After removing our shoes and locking away our camera and paying for the
privilege (unfortunately no photos are allowed to be taken inside) we toured
the inside of the palace. We entered and walked along the ground floor corridor
which was a maze of carved stone pillars with a lovely lotus type design on the
ceiling. Then we passed the central courtyard which is guarded by two huge
bronze tigers. We entered the first hall which had a beautiful mosaic tile
floor and old paintings of the days of the British Raj adorning the walls. After
a short flight of very beautiful marble stairs, we arrived in the stunning
mezzanine floor which is open to the air, as the front of the building is built
in the style of an amphitheatre so that the king and his consort could look
down upon his subjects and his elephant festivals brought before him in the
palace grounds. Another maze of intricately carved pillars but this time the
ceiling was a kaleidoscope of colours and mirrors. After the open mezzanine
floor we re-entered the main building by way of the most luxurious and gaudy
room yet. Gold was heavily used everywhere in this room, for pillars, for the
ceiling and the doors were of carved wood and solid silver. Stained glass
windows in the ceiling in blue and pink added to the multicoloured theme. This
was the last room (and certainly the most extravagant) open to the public
before we were once again returned to midday heat outside. A quick
tour around the maze of streets in Mysore brought us
back to the hotel for a little rest before dinner, then we crashed out ready to
climb down from Chamundin Hill the next morning. Chamundin Hill is one of the 8
most holiest hills in south India.
Pilgrims from all over come to climb the 1000 + steps, passing a giant stone
nandi (stone bull) before reaching the temple on the top of the hill. As we
felt we were not really in need of a spiritual boost that day, we took the bus
to the top of the hill and walked down the steps, navigating our way past
several hindu priests who looking for donations in return for the little puja
(prayer), a flower and a red dot on the forehead. We also had to contend with
the temple monkeys, who spied that we had just bought a bunch of 6 bananas… one
particularly cheeky monkey, marched right up to Jacqui and grabbed her trousers
then her scarf, pulling it off, in an attempt to get the bananas. The locals
were laughing and started shouting, “thow one banana then he will leave you
alone!!”. Marc took a banana and threw it a few meters away, but the money
looked at the single banana and then back at the bunch that Jacqui was
carrying. He knew what he wanted. He came back for another try but Jacqui was
not about to surrender her lunch that easily and the monkey received a firm
kick to the chest when he tried to climb on her again. Slightly abashed the
monkey started to get the message and after placing a road barrier (and Marc!)
between herself and the monkey Jacqui quickly scoffed her bananas. After
walking to the bottom of the hill, we sat and chilled out amongst some old
stone houses and watched the monkeys play around in the trees for half an hour
before heading back to town in a tuc tuc to stock up on food for our overnight
train journey to Bangalore.
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