It was Dasara time: A 10 day festival celebrated in Mysuru. The first nine days, called the Navarathri, followed by the 10th day, Vijayadhashami. On Vijayadhashami, the famous Jamboo Savari (Jumboo Savari) procession is held in the streets of Mysuru.
Goddesses Chamundeshwari idol is placed in the Golden Ambari (Howdah) and is carried on top of a decorated elephant from Mysuru Palace to Bannimantap, where the Banni tree is worshiped.
More about Mysuru Dasara.
We decided to witness the vibe of Mysuru Dasara Festival for a day and also visit a few local places. So we headed to Mysuru on October 2nd 2022 (7th day of Dasara). Started from Bengaluru at 5.30 am in our own vehicle. It took us around 3.5 hrs to reach Mysore. Now there is an Expressway which cuts down the travel time to less than 2 hrs.
We had breakfast at the Mylari hotel, which is famous for its exceptional Dosa and Idli. Post that we started off by visiting the Mysuru Palace.
The Mysuru Palace
10am
It was a Sunday in Dasara season, so as we expected there was a crowd and we had to stand in queue to get the entry ticket which costs Rs.100 per Adult. We were inside the palace within 30 mins.
The Musuru palace is the residence of Wadiyar Dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysuru. The Palace is aesthetically pleasing with its architecture, the paintings on the walls and carvings on wooden doors.
The famous Golden Ambari, idols and many other items used by the rulers are on display for the visitors. Lifestyle Portraits of the Wadiyar family gives us a glimpse of the ways of living the dynasty had.
Since it was Dasara time, The Magnificent Golden Throne (or Ratna Simhasana) decorated with precious stones and jewelry was on display. There was a separate entry ticket (of Rs. 50) to see the throne and taking photos was not allowed. It takes around 1.5 hrs to see the entire palace from inside and out.
Post that we had lunch at the Ahara (Food) Mela organised on account of Dasara, where different types from different parts of Karnataka were made available.
Golden Ambari
Sri Chamundeshwari Temple
3pm
Post Lunch, we headed to Chamundi Hills (12 kms from Palace) on which the sacred Sri Chamundeshwari Temple, built by the rulers of Hoysala Dynasty and Vijayanagara Empire is located.
We can either reach the top of the hill by any vehicle or take the stone staircase. A crowd similar to the Palace is expected. As we enter the top of the hill we can see the status of Mahishasura, depicted in literature as a demon king who is believed to be slayed by Chmundeshwari (goddess Durga) on the top of this hill.
The Special entry to the temple (also has a queue) costs Rs. 100. We bought the special entry ticket and it took us around 45 mins to see the Goddess and exit the temple, at around 4.15 pm. We had coffee nearby and as we had more time left in the day, we decided to visit the popular Mysuru (Mysore) Zoo.
Mahishasura
The Zoo Visit
5pm
Spanning across a vast terrain of over 150 acres, the Mysuru Zoo is home for a wide variety of species. It is one of the oldest Zoos in India, established by Maharaja Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar in 1892.
The Zoo houses the Big cats (Tigers, Lions, Jaguars, Cheetahs and the Leopards), Elephants, Rhinos, Hippopotamus, Exotic Birds and Reptiles like Anaconds, Cobras etc.
Open to visitors from 8.30 in the morning till the last entry in the evening which is at 5.30, the Zoo is closed on Tuesdays. It takes around 2 to 3 hours to see the entire Zoo. It also has a food court inside. We came out of the Zoo at around 6.45 and then Headed towards the palace, to witness it glowing.
The Illuminated Palace
8pm
The Mysuru palace is covered with more than one lakh bulbs, which when illuminated provides a spectacular view of the structure. A mind blowing experience.
The palace will be illuminated on Sundays and Public holidays from 7 pm to 7.45 pm.
In Dasara time, the roads surrounding the Palace will also be covered in lights giving us an amazing experience. I have added a video below of the drive .
After Witnessing the spectacle and purchasing the authentic Mysore Pak at
Guru Sweets (family of the chef who discovered it) , we headed to Bangalore.
Heading back to Bangalore
9pm
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