Brindavan

Mysore - Our last destination was the Gardens of Brindavan and the Dam.

Map of Brindavan

We around the manicure gardens of Brindavan but their fountains was not clean of green slime and algae around the walls.

View of the Brindavan garden

Royal Orchid Brindavan Hotel

I was surprise to find a hotel within this garden.  A very regal building white wash and grand but looks empty of hotel guest.

Bust of Maharaja

Fountains

You can easily see the algae in the water fountain.

Brindavan reservoir

Brindavan Dam

We did not want to wait for the night display of water fountain as it will commence at 7pm and it will be very late when we arrive back in Bangalore.  We departed this location around 6pm and only arrive back at the hotel around 9pm.

I was very tired but could not sleep as I was nervously looking at the driver to make sure he does not dose off and also keeping a look out on what's going on the highway.   Some slow truck drivers keep to the left and some to the right; resulting in faster cars swerve from left to right with excessive horning.  Good road manners dictates that slow drivers keep to the left.

Saint Philomena Cathedral

Mysore - The St Philomena Cathedral is one of the largest and oldest church in India built by the Mysore Maharaja for his growing Christian population.   The architecture is very Gothic and beautiful.

St Philomena Cathedral

Walking inside the cathedral was beautiful with sun rays shinning on stain glasses.  A school boy walked down this narrow staircase and we decided to follow him and through a narrow and dark catacombs.

narrow passage of the catacombs

St Mary Catholic school

Mysore Palace

Mysore - The highlight is the magnificent Mysore Palace.  At the entrance, foreigners pay Rs 200 and local Indians pay Rs 40.  We had to hand over our shoes and pick up a number tag.   As part of the foreigners entrance we have to pick up the complimentary visitor handsets which do help in explaining the vast palace.  It was in English and was very clear and informative.

Mysore Palace

Visitors are prohibited from taking photos of the exhibits and interior of the Mysore palace, there were guards at every corner of the palace.   I was in awe at the grandeur of this palace.

Walking around the palace, I do not see the purpose of taking off ones shoes as the floor was dirty and unkept but I kept my socks on throughout the whole walk.

Chamundi Hills

Mysore - It was a steep drive up the mountain to an elevation of 3,300 ft.  A large crowd of devotees was gathering in front of the temple but an even larger crowd queuing to get into this mountain.   Again, I have no intention of entering this temple - the large crowd and also the fear of losing my shoes.  Everyone was walking barefooted on the dusty and dirty roads.   

Panoramic view of Mysore city

so many trash around the mountain

Ranganatha Swamy Temple

Mysore  -  I took photos from the outside and did not enter this Temple as we had to take off our shoes.   There were few tourist and mostly devotes were walking barefooted on the tar roads.

Ranganatha Swamy Temple

Everyone was looking at us as we stand out among them.  We walked briefly around the shops that lined the roads.

Indian artisans

The finished products

Colonel Bailey's Dungeon

Mysore - I thought it was a dungeon built by the British to in-prison Indian prisoners of war in fact it was the opposite.  Built by Tipu Sultan to house high ranking British officers and most noteably Colonel Bailey.   Strange but true, the British fought and lost in their Anglo-Mysore wars.

stairs down to the dungeons

wall of doom

The walls have concrete stubs to chain the hands of the prisoners to the left and right.

Fort surrounding the dungeon

Tipu Death Place

Mysore -  This was the resting place of the Mysore ruler - Tipu Sultan.

Tombstone of the Tipu Sultan

We stopped here for just 5 mins...

Jama Masjid Mysore

Mysore - Next, we visited Mysore famous Mosque - Juma Masjid.

Jama Masjid Mysore

The distinctive twin minarets of this mosque and is more than 225 years old.  This Jama Masjid was built by Tipu Sultan.

Pond within the Mosque compound

We did not bother to take off our shoes to view the interior afraid that someone might steal our shoes.

Mysore Summer Palace

Mysore - Our journey to Mysore started early at 7:15am; driving for more than 2 hrs to reach our destination at Mysore Summer Palace.

Pay to use the toilet

Surprisingly it was clean and the price is Rs1 (2 Singapore cents).

This is the summer residence of the Tipu Sultan as a Muslim ruler of Mysore with Hindu subjects.

corridor of the Summer Palace

Mysore Summer Palace

Mysore Summer Palace

Those are green blinds around the Summer Palace to block the sunlight.   I think to prevent excessive damage to the interiors and numerous photographs within the premises.