By: Vijay Kumar Verma, Editor-ICN Group
Mysore Palace is today one of the most famous tourist attractions in India after the Taj Mahal and is visited by thousands of people everyday.
MYSORE: A travel to Mysore cannot be considered complete without a visit to the historic Palace adoring the city in its middle as a jewel in the crown. Overlooking Chamundi hills in the East, this fort Palace was originally built in the 14th century by the then Maharaja of Wadiyar dynasty Yaduraya who then ruled the state called Mysore.
Over a period of 500 years, the palace was demolished and constructed multiple times while the present sprowling beauty was constructed between 1897 to 1912 after the Old wooden palace was gutted in 1897 during the wedding of the then Royal Princess Jayalaxmi Mani. The Palace building was designed by construction Architect Henry Irwin of England. At that point of time, more than 100 years ago, the construction was completed at a cost of Rs.42 lac, an amount which equals more than Rs. 40,000 crore of today.
The land on which the palace now stands was originally known as Puragiri, and also known as the Old Fort. The Fort walls sprowl in an area of 72 acres which is equal to 18 cricket fields. There are a number of other buildings within the complex which include a part of the old palace, a primarily wooden structure which was saved from the fire, and is called “Royal Residences” now, and also the residence of the present day heirs of the Wadiyar dynasty viz Maharani Pramoda Devi Wadiyar. It is thus also a living palace of the heirs since a part of the building is under their occupation while parts of the main palace are also used by them for royal weddings and other religious functions. There are a number of old temples too within the fort walls which have age old deities in the sanctorums.
Mysore Palace is today one of the most famous tourist attractions in India after the Taj Mahal and is visited by thousands of people everyday. In all the four sides, the Palace has majestic gates but can be approached from the main gate where formal entry tickets @Rs.50 per person are issued to the visitors desiring to enter the main palace building. However a visit to the outer lawns within the fort complex is free of cost and can be approached from other gates during the given timings. The entry gates remains open between 10.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.
I was too excited to visit the inside of the palace after some 40 years when I had had a chance to come here with my parents. I had faint memories of the visit to this small beautiful city which mostly had untarred roads then and horse carts used to ply for local sightseeing. However, these horse driven tongas, some bedecked beautifully, still ply near the palace and invite people for a joyride to the market nearby.
Waiting for the opening of entry gates well before 10 A.M. I was perhaps the only one at the ticket window. But the moment windows opened a herd of people from nowhere beelined behind me. In between I was getting enticed by the horse cart walas for the joy ride @Rs.30 only. Tempting, but I could see through their ‘Offer’ which included visits to the specific shops they are supposed to take the tourists and get commission from the shops. They refer the shops as government owned and stocking best of Karnataka Silk and other artefacts. Close to the gate there were some eateries too for quick snack. But having already had sumptuous breakfast a little before I preferred to bask in the ‘Winter” sun at the ticket counter. The winters of Mysore otherwise are sweating for north Indians. One comes across some people wearing woollens and jackets while others moving about in shorts. This is winter time, the locals say and support woollens in morning and evening hours.
( To be continued…)
