Mysore

Went to Mysore primarily to see the famous Mysore Palace, but it turned out there were other interesting attractions.
I stayed at the "Green Hotel" , purported to be an eco friendly hotel - a rare thing in India. The main building is an old palace which was used by the Mysore princesses as a holiday retreat. It's very well preserved and maintained. There are eight bedrooms, accessed from light and airy breezeways/galleries that surround the building on three sides. (see breezeway to left)
Unfortunately I stayed in one of the sweatboxes in the "new wing" down the back, oh well, I didn't stay in the room much.

Mysore Palace, where incidentally the maharaja and maharani still live, occupies a full city block right in the middle of town. Access is gained from the ornate, southern gate. On entering, you pass a booth for checking your camera, than another for your shoes, then another to hire a guide, then you're in. The palace is stunning, if a little over the top, but then, how can anything be too much when it comes to an Indian palace?? It has, of course, the best and most expensive of everything: Belgian glass chandeliers, highly ornate iron columns from Scotland, mozaic tiles from England, lovely panels of marbel inlaid with semi-precious stones, like in the Taj Mahal and many beautifully carved wooden doors. The main colour scheme is aqua and red, with multiple splashes and dashes of every other colour of the rainbow. As I said - OTT, but it seems to work.
You get to see the main reception halls, would have loved to see the private living quarters but didn't score an invite "-(
Outside the palace, but still inside the grounds was a kind of amusement park, wih the full complement of essential Indian amusements; food stalls, souvenir shops, fortune tellers, and camel joy rides" on not very happy looking camels.
Later that day I popped in to Government House, the former British Residency. To the left is an overexposed shot of the interior courtyard/open air living reception room. Three chaps appeared out of nowhere and started showing me around on an impromptu tour, pointing out this painting and that plaque etc. They were lots of fun, and very enthousiastic, (I don't think many tourists get there).

Here they are to the left.



Here's some of the antique furniture I liked a lot, particularly these two single four poster beds



Later on I was kind of adopted by this lady, whos name I didn't catch. She showed me over the domestic part of the house, offered tea and we had a lot of laughs trying to understand one another. Here she is in her her marble kitchen.




Next stop - Chamundi Hill, for the views over Mysore and to see the famous temples.

Here's a view of the temple tower (gopuram) looking back as I descended the steps down to the lesser Bull Temple" , Here's the bull!
In the main temple I was accosted by the resident priest who dabbed a splodge of yellow paste, a tikka, on my forehead. He wanted 300 rupees. I gave him five and he seemed not in the least bothered - probably zapped me with a karmic curse on the way out.

Decided to walk down the hill (I'd taken a cab to the top). 1000 steps, whew.

Here's a snap of the finish line, looking back up the hill.

Now I'm in Calcuta 26/3/2006. More about that soon................