A trip down Mysore memory lane – June 1, 2018.

On the last weekend of May 2018, we decided that the best way to spend the upcoming long weekend was to head down to Mysore and revisit our childhood memories. Having grown up in Mysore, I have a special connection with the place and am always excited when we decide to drive there for even the smallest events.

Situated around 120 km away from the bustling city of Bangalore, Mysore is a peaceful city that holds a significant place in Indian history. On a good day(rarely in Bangalore) one can expect to reach the city in two to three hours of road travel. On usual Bangalore days though, it takes an hour or two longer to reach-  depending on the traffic conditions. Let the travel not upset you though – as the journey is filled with visual treats and delectable eateries making your journey worth every moment.

During our trip, we visited the Chamundeshwari temple on Chamundi hill and the Shiva and Sri Narayana Temple situated beside it. Named after revered goddess Chamundi, the Chamundeshwari Temple sits atop the main hill on Chamundi. Since the early days of the Maharajas of Mysore, the idol of goddess Chamundi has been carried on a decorated elephant as part of the celebrations in the annual Dussehra festival.  Which is also one of the best time to visit Mysore, as the whole city is lit with colorful lamps and everyone is in the festive fervor.

Whilst walking towards the temple,  approximately halfway through the journey,  you will notice the statue of Bull Nandi and the Vahana of Lord Shiva. This is 4.9m tall and 7.6m long and is carved out of a single piece of black granite. Every aspect of the journey towards the temple has an element of beauty and purity in itself, at every step one feels immense joy and peace along with the serenity of being away from the city troubles. We reached the place in the evening and did our temple tours till early night, but I’d caution others planning a trip to be mindful of the temple timings and plan their visit accordingly.

The other agenda on our travel plan was, Nanjangud. Situated around 25 km from Mysore, it thrives along the banks of river Kabini. Also popular for its Shiva temple and the scenic beauty, we decided to visit this temple the following evening and then spend some time exploring the temple town.

The journey from Mysore to Nanjanagudu will transport you into a different space altogether. Filled with stunning natural visual sights and brimming with lush greenery all around- this road trip will make you never want to go back to the city side. With very little population and mostly nature to converse with, you’d feel at your peaceful peak

Visit to BR Hills : June 2019:  Biligirirangana Hills, commonly called BR Hills, is a hill range situated in south-eastern Karnataka, at its border with Tamil Nadu (Erode District) in South India. We visited BR Hills  just before monsoon onset. Road  drive  from Mysore was pleasant, especially from yelandur to BR hills was  covered by fields on both the sides. Hill top has God Biligiri Ranganatha Swami temple. This hill is also known for Soligas Tribal community development.