Mysore is a very elegant city, smaller than Bangalore and better designed, with straight(ish) wide boulevards which meet at large roundabouts each with a statue or sculpture raised impressively above the traffic.
Mysuru was ruled by the Wadiyar dynasty from 1399 until Independence, they were so well liked they became the new state’s Governor, the family still live in a portion of the palace today.
The old wooden palace burned down so the Maharani Vanivilasa built a new palace on the foundations of the old one and commissioned Henry Irwin to design it, starting in 1897 it was completed by 1912. The architectural style is Indo-Saracenic with domes, arches and collonades.
When you enter the palace the first huge room that come to is the Kalyana Mandap (marriage hall) also known as the Peacock Pavilion because the vaulted domed glass ceiling depicts peacock feathers and throws down jewel like colours into the vast space below.
A marble staircase leads you up past the silver chair room
Then on to the Durbar Hall, another breathtaking space with gold painted pillars and intricately detailed ceiling motifs and works of art on every wall.
Just before the hall is a plaster cast model of the Sultan, it’s a bit random!
We were disappointed that we didn’t get to see the Golden Throne which is literally embellished in gold, silver and various jewels. It is only on display once a year. Not surprising as it’s priceless. Here is a photo from the guide book.
We went back at 7pm as the outside of the palace is lit up for 2hrs each Sunday evening. It was worth the effort.
Can you guess which one’s which? 😉
The next day had us heading for Sirangapatnam. It had been a fort for over 300 years until Tipu Sultan was defeated by Wellington on 4th May 1799.
What you can see today is the bare bones of the fort walls in amongst the homes and businesses but Daria Daulat Bagh (Spleandor or the Sea) Tipu Sultan’s summer palace is still there, made from wood it’s beautifully and intricately decorated with stories of Tipu’s battle scenes. The design is pretty much the same as his palace in Bangalore but much mores lavishly decorated.
We couldn’t visit Sirangapatnam without going to see Tipu Sultan’s mausoleum, The Gumbaz, where he is interred with his father and mother.
He is on the left (under the tiger skin print) his father is in the middle (blue silk) and his mother is on the right (green velvet).
The last temple we visited during our stay in Mysore was the Kesheva Temple in Somnathpur. Very like the ones we saw in Hassan area they were built in the late Hiysala style. The temple has 3 sanctuaries and each still have their roof unlike the others built 100 years earlier.
The star shaped outer cladding is in different layers. The bottom is of elephants, symbolising strength and stability, the next layer are horsemen for speed, then followed by floral scrolls. The next band (at eye level) tells the stories of the epics, dotted with many representations of the gods. Above their heads is a row of monsters and foliage.
I forgot to mention, there was one other temple we went to visit which is on the top of Chamundi Hill overlooking Mysore. It is dedicated to Durga Chamundeswari, celebrating her victory over the buffalo god. But when we saw this fella outside we wondered what was going on
The temple itself wasn’t much better, looked more like a Disney set than a temple!
We’ve had a great time in Mysore and we’re looking forward to moving on to Ooty