Travel to Mysore, India – Episode 740

Hear about travel to Mysore, India as the Amateur Traveler talks to Rahul Iyer about the city of palaces in the Indian highlands.

Rahul says, “I have been to Mysore several times. My mother is originally from Mysore and grew up there. I actually have a lot of family and friends in Mysore. It is a very unique and royal city. It is an old royal city. There are tons of palaces in the city. I happen to be an archeological buff and an art buff. That’s what Mysore provides. That coupled with the fact that Mysore is in a climate that is a lot more tolerable compared to the rest of India because of its elevation. It is a lot less stressful, in my opinion than in the rest of India. You have two royal families that claimed control of Mysore at different times. You have the maharajah of Mysore the Wadiyar dynasty and then you have the Tipu Sultan. They fought with each other at times. You have got a very deep culture and history.”

Rahul recommends a 5-day itinerary for Mysore. He recommends flying into Bangalore and taking a train to Mysore. Mysore has a domestic airport. There are some nice hotels and simple hostels in the city. He recommends the luxurious Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel which was built as a retreat by the maharajah of Mysore. If you get there in time the day you arrive get to the Mysore Palace when it is illuminated at 7:00 pm.

The first day he recommends taking a half-day to visit the  Mysore Palace. Get there early to avoid the long lines at this popular attraction. You can see the audience chamber for the maharaja, the historic murals, the numerous restored carriages, and the beautiful gardens. The Wadiyar dynasty ruled from the late 1300s but this palace was completed in 1912.

The Jaganmohan Palace is another palace from the same family that is now an art museum. You can tour some of the rest of the mansions and palaces in the city by auto rickshaw or you can rent a bike and cycle around the city.

You can visit the Chamundi Hills which have a view of Mysore. There is a Hindu temple there that overlooks the city. You can get a great view of the city including the palace from there.

For your second day, Rahul recommends a tour to the outlying temples in places like Belur, Halebidu, and Shravanabelagola. Shravanabelagola is a pilgrimage site for the Jain religion with a large statue. Emporer Chandragupta Maurya came here on pilgrimage in the 300s BCE. Halebidu is a Hindu temple that dates back to the 12th century. Belur is a 12th-century Vishnu temple.

For day 3 Rahul recommends the museums (the Railway Museum and the Natural History Museum in particular) and a visit to the Devaraja Market. Rahul also sends us out of town to see the butterfly sanctuary and botanical gardens out at Karanji Lake.

For day 4 Rahul sends us to the dam and gardens at Krishna Raja Sagara. Then in the town of Srirangapatna, you can see the palace of the Tipu Sultan.

For day 5, Rahul schedules a catch-up day for what you did not fit in the first 4 days.

We talk about the typical south Indian food you can find in Mysore. This is a region where much of the food will be vegetarian. 

Learn why Mysore might be a place to add to your next India itinerary.

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This episode of Amateur Traveler is sponsored by AthleticBrewing.com the ?North America Brewer of the Year at the 2020 International Beer Challenge.

To try their award-winning non-alcoholic beers at AthleticBrewing.com. Use the code Travel20 and get 20% off your first order. Free shipping on orders of two 6-packs or more or use their store finder to find it on shelves near you.

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Show Notes

Mysore
Wadiyar dynasty
Tipu Sultan
Railway Museum, Mysore
Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel
Mysore Palace
Dosa
Sambar (dish)
Mysore Dasara
Jaganmohan Palace
Vinayaka Mylari, – Restaurant
Cheluvamba Mansion
St. Philomena’s Cathedral, Mysore
Trin Trin: Public Bicycle sharing system in Mysore – About Trin Trin
Chamundi Hills
Belur, Karnataka
Halebidu
Shravanabelagola
Maurya Empire
Chandragupta Maurya
Hoysaleswara Temple
Jainism
Regional Museum of Natural History Mysore
Devaraja Market
Dufferin Clock Tower (Chikkagadiyara)
Karanji Lake
Cauvery
Mysore style
Krishna Raja Sagara
Balmuri Falls (Srirangapatna)
Srirangapatna

Community

Carol on Travel to Saskatchewan – Episode 666

Hello. Re: strangely episode 666
I find it insulting that woman didn’t have the grace to mention Wanuskewin Heritage Park – minutes outside Saskatoon. 

Further, another activity to do in Saskatchewan almost anytime in summer is to attend a Pow wow. She waxed on about her heritage conveniently omitting the First Nations people. It could be accommodated to have a guest host to share the exciting experiences one can have in Saskatchewan with the Indigenous peoples and culture.

Carol

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