Appooppanthaadi -3 Mysore

06.01.2011: The most beautiful thing to see in Mysore now is in the front of Jos Alukkas Jewelry Shop. No one can move ahead without stopping for a while in front of this shop and enjoy the scene. Three caparisoned elephants standing tall, nine men mounted on them (three each on each elephant) holding the famous decorated umbrellas,‘aalavattam’ and 'venchamaram’, the mahouts standing by the side of the tuskers.... A fabulous view that takes you right over to a scene at any temple festival in Keralam. The elephants move their heads and trunks according to the accompanying chorus of percussion and wind instruments. This chorus also call 'pakka vadyam' is also an essential part of a temple festival in the God’s own country. All the characters in this scene are artificially made but look so real. Alavattom and venchamaram are two beautiful objects flaunted by the persons mounted on the elephants to give richness to the scene

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The first thing that comes to mind when we think of Mysore is the Brindavan Garden. Located around 25 kilometers from the city, this garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. The fountains dotted all over the garden come alive in all their enchanting best once the sun sets. The cynosure of everyone’s eyes, only unlucky souls could miss it. The best time to visit the garden is if we are there by around 1630 hrs we can enjoy the garden in the daylight and take a few good photographs. By that time, darkness sets in. The rest will have to be seen to believe

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Then comes the Mysore Palace. This palace is located right at the centre of the city. Hardly a kilometer from the Mysore bus stand and railway station. We can simply walk from the bus station or railway station to the Palace. Palace is opened from 9 in the morning to 5 in the evening. Though I visited Mysore several times, I could never go inside the palace due to mistiming the visits. Looking from outside itself gives a great look of the Palace. The Palace is illuminated on every Sunday night . Come, watch it. No need to spend so much of money and go to Europe or Singapore or Malasiya. Our own India has countless beautiful and historic locations to visit.

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I don’t remember to have termed any place I visited exotic. This adjective suits only to one place. It is far away from the main land. It was once known as kalapani and now it is Andaman. I have a lot to tell about the islands. But now let me tell you about Mysore.

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Chamundi hills is located around 15 kilometers from the city. Another beautiful sight. Remember all these can be visited in a day itself if we engage a taxi. Just go around in the car and enjoy. Though we can complete all places in a day, it is always advisible to stay back there to go around for two more days. The Mysore market, the silk sarees and the antiques. Nothing can be missed.

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Just 18 KM away Srirangapanam is located. It was the capital of Tipu Sultan. History sleeps there. if you love to see the sleeping history, visit Sreerangapatnam next day. Around 80KM away Sravanabelagola is located. Do not miss it too.

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Mysore can be reached from Bangalore easily by bus. In Bangalore both railway station and the bus station are close to each other. From the Bagalore Majestic bus station, there are a number of buses plying to and from Mysore. From Volvo buses to ordinary buses the buses stand in queue in the bus station. It takes just a little more than 3 hours to reach Mysore from Bangalore by the Volvo bus and the cost of the ticket is two hundred and fifty rupees. Thanks to the four lane highway, the journey is as smooth as flying on board an airplane. I am typing this sitting in a bus that takes me to Bangalore from Mysore. Those who travel from Keralam can reach here from Palakkad – Coimbatore-Satyamangalam and Mysore or from Sultanbathery.

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There are many good hotels nearby the Mysore bus stand and railway station. Hotel Pai Residency is right in front of the bus stand. Then The President – their slogan is “Presints’s Rule : Athithi devo bhava”. Like in any tourist places these hotels too are so expensive. A night’s stay at President may relieve your purse of around two thousand five hundred rupees. There are so many cheaper hotels like Dasaprakash located around one kilometer from the bus station. We can see so many white tourists staying in this hotel. I did not like the room I stayed in this hotel. Perhaps they give lowly rooms to ‘coloured’ people. Anyway, the rent is so affordable here. Hotel Siddarth charges 1800 rupees and check out time is 24 hours.

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Now, any more ponderings? Pack up your belongings. Take your desi credit card or and board the train to Bangalore. From Mysore, Ooty is very close. It is just 160 Kilometers and so many buses are running between the two places. So, when you plan for the next vacation, the iterary shall be first reaching Mysore and then over to Ootty. Who advised you to visit Europe then?

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