A DATE WITH ROYALS

Maharaja's residence in Mysore. Still lived in, hence, partly open to visitors. Its an impressive house. There's a princely collection of artifacts and trophies inside, and the mandatory protocol is to take off your footwear when you enter the guarded chambers. 

 The hall where Ruler met the nobility. Gifts, grants, petitions, adjudication, conspiracies, all happened in this space.

A bit of Europe in Mysore. Stained glass filtering tropical sun as it enters into royal home's lobby. A privileged lifestyle that, the once Royalty, presently share with commoners (even if for just a ticketed moment).

CHAMUNDESHWARI OF MYSORE

The Temple precincts are forbidden to Photography. No idea why. The sculptures, murals, reliefs, Deities, Deities' accompanists, elaborately carved pillars, the pyramidal head of the temple - they all beg to be drawn, painted and photographed. But apart from the cautionary line on signs there is the temple staff wielding a forbidding finger. No photo !

Chamundeshwari Temple at Mysore situated atop a hill, draws devotees and tourists in thousands everyday. An exquisitely crafted deity is woken up (the~hours~are~fixed)by~some~pleasant~rhythmic~sounds,~prayers~of~devotees,~fragrant~smoke,~serving~of~her~favourite~food,~and~their submission before her.

  

A HAVEN OF PEACE IN TIMES OF BATTLECRY

A short trip to Bengaluru, even in the summer's heat is not a bad idea. Once a pretty medium sized city, it discovered phenomenal popularity and proceeded to build on vertically over the same town-plan when the market forces threw it a lucrative bait. From its life as a 'City of Gardens' it recreated itself into another vision in concrete. 
The very lush green Cubbon Park, a heritage from past, strikes the visitor with a glimpse of what life may have been like.

 

 

You prostrate the tired body over a public bench, the head turns upwards and those birds of omen are right there on a perch quite approving of your sensibility to escape city and seek refuge in nature.

Karnataka - mother state to Bengaluru, was in the midst of a hotly contested elections to the State Legislature (on left). But even as the imposing house was being prepped for the new lawmakers, you couldn't help noticing that citizens there - they don't talk politics. Life has far more to it than sitting around discussing who might, who might not win...

"You see, I actually wanted to see THIS place...( !! )"

If you, upon a whim, decide to hop on to a train leaving Bangalore and destined for Mysore, you wouldn't be disappointed. A three hour ride from the big, bustling city of Bangalore lands you at the serene, green and refreshingly clean small city of Mysore (Mysuru). Its the perfect town for a short vacation. Grand palaces, abandoned palaces, magnificent gardens (Brindawan), Deities presiding over hills, the enchanting landscape.... And the local food ? Delightful !

When the visitor un-conversant with the local language tries to explain himself with multi-linguistic and theatrical tools, its a sight for the onlookers. Some reach out to assist, some respond with their own linguistic, theatrical tools, and a few revel in this moment of awkwardness. That's half the fun of travelling to unseen places. 

HISTORY'S REMINDERS

They were Palace Guards when the grand edifice was a Palace. Its an expensive hotel now, so they no longer thwart the commoners but cheerfully greet the visitors. Lalith Vilas Palace in Mysore, once the summer resort of royalty. (the older Palace that you wouldn't want to miss lies in the heart of the city, simply called the City-Palace) 

DAYS IN COUNTRY

morning in the hills. Lying still in repose for a bit longer is an option, but one would miss out on markings of pre-history. Dawn, inspiring Sun, a call to Adventure, exhausting Walks, that probability of discovering something unheard.  

APPA DEEPO BHAVA (Be Your Own Light)

Focus on the lamp's wick
as you light it,  let it light other ones
ruminate on your action, reflect
stay true stay right


find a patch of grass
lie flat upon it, all fours
look up and immerse
as your being shrinks
and gradually disappears

it was brief
it was fleeting
this journey we made
together, but for that span
what a life it was !

MONASTERY IN COORG

                                                                       

a Monastery in Coorg that bears an imposing facade and houses monks who go about their business with great composure and gentle movements. The Knocker on the gate to the shrine reveals in exquisite craftsmanship - a guardian face, warning you to let go all evil and negativity as you enter.

WHAT MODERNITY LEFT ALONE....

Be a Bird and run a sweeping gaze across the
valley below. Own that view.  Travel finds us
places and sights of a world that existed before
modern lifestyle pigeonholed us, climate controlled
it, cab-scurried us through masses, clock-timed our
days and nights, and enslaved us to a ringing gadget..

                                                                                  

COORG - LAND OF KUDUGAS

The thing with Tourism loving states is that they don't give you a heads up that a certain place is undergoing renovations and so only partly accessible. A meandering journey on up and down roads gets one there and then the surprise ! Local economy thrives on you making the trip, and their hush and smile are consensual. But that joy of journey, being in the presence of majestic monuments, peace and serenity of spiritual earth, oh... simply bliss.  

AMBLING THROUGH POCKETS OF NATURE

A walk through woods in early winter has you breathing in the purest air known to mankind. City is now distant blur. Noises of traffic, phone, doorbell, or marketplace, all cancelled out from one's consciousness. So you notice... floating clouds, hues of green, Quietness.  Western Ghats. Mangalore. Coorg. Pristine.