Day 86-87 Mysore
"Put there by the fingerprints of pilgrims"
As it turned out we arrived in Mysore earlier than if we’d caught the train. Nevertheless, over twenty trips in we were annoyed at ourselves for the dent in our budget and the stiffness in our joints. Mysore isn’t much visited despite its palaces and architecture and its status as the home of Yoga and meditation and as we were here now …we were doubly keen not to also overlook it.
Despite our night spent in the back of a car hangover… a nap and a shower propelled us into Mysore town and up Chamundi Hill (in an auto … we were tired okay) to take in some temples and cloud covered views. Slightly refreshed by the air up there we decided to walk back down – 1800 steps which were all dusted with red and orange powder, put there by the fingertips of the pilgrims that walk up them – one by one – to reach the hill top temple and Nandi – one of the largest statues of him in India which surprises you enroute.
Harvest festival in Mysore and the cows are bathed in turmeric water. I bet it's a bugger to get out.
Pleased that we’d persevered and seen some of what Mysore had to offer rather than sleeping the day away in our room, we thought we’d reward ourselves with afternoon tea at the Mahal – a one time maharaja’s guesthouse turned as we discovered Faulty Towers like hotel. The two hundred rupee entry fee was the first eyebrow raising moment although we were assured we’d get it back off our tea bill. I’d read about the feted blue ballroom but instead of being ushered in there for our crustless sandwiches we were seated in the corridor outside… and told the ballroom was only for guests of the hotel. “So we’ve paid an entry fee to sit in your corridor?"
I expressively enquired. Twenty minutes later without tea or sandwiches I sneaked in to take photos anyway – at which point we were told we could sit on the terrace if we liked, only to be moved back because of monkey threat. We did get our 200 rupees back, discounted off our £10 bill but I didn’t exactly feel like a queen…
Still the Royal Palace, Mysore’s main draw with it’s massively over the top interiors, dripping in coloured mirror and stained glass that would make Liberace look again helped redeem things.
