All about my travel experiences: July 2010

It is 31-July-2010 4:45 am and alarm rang. But we woke up at 5:15 am due to cold. We brushed and took bath. Packed up bag with camera, umbrella and rain coat and obviously with cash. Got ready by 6:10 am. Called up the Indica driver at 6:20 am since he is suppose to pick up us at 6:30 am. To our sock we found that we gave him a wake up call. By somehow he was in our door by 6:35 am with a very fresh look. We started from our house at 6:40 am and went toward Corporation Circle junction in Bangalore. Then from there caught Mysore road. Crossed NICE road, Ramnagara, Channapatna , Maddur, Mandya before we reached Srirangapatna at 9:00 am.

Triveny Sangam

We turned towards left from Bangalore Mysore highway in Srirangapatna and headed towards Triveny Sangam. This place unites 2 rivers Loka Pavani and the Kaveri river. It was a nice place with boats available. It was like that round boat as shown in Roja movie. I don’t know what the name of that boat is. This same boat is also available in Hogenakkal, Tamil Nadu. They take Rs. 100 for a ride with 3 persons for 15 min. You can ask them to rotate the boat in water and they really do it at very high speed. But we did not ask him to do that. We came back to the bank of the river and took some photograph. Looked around for some time and came back to our car.

Gumbaz

On the same way while returning we reached Gumbaz where we parked our car and went in at 9:30 am approximately. It was just 5 min drive from our first stop. Already there were many tourist busses and cars. So it was a bit crowded but not that much. We went inside and it a nice scenery place and it is really nice and well maintained. It is a place where Tupu, his father Hyder Ali, his mother Fatima Begam and wife Fakr-Un-Nisa’s tomb is available. Other than that there are many other tombs available outside the main building who all are relative of Tupu Sultan. I just remembered one such tomb which is Tupu’s Maternal Uncle’s tomb. In Gumbaz, the tomb and mosque was build by Tipu Sultan as a tribute to to his illustrious father, Hyder Ali (1722 – 1784 A.D), after his death.We again took many photographs and came out. We paid Rs. 20 for Car Parking after receiving a token for car parking. It took us 30 min to see this place.

Dariya Daulat Bagh

We went to Summar Palace of Tupu Sultan which is Dariya Daulat Bagh which was build in the year 1784 A.D which is another 5 min drive. The ticket cost is Rs. 5 each and parking is Rs. 20. It is a nice scenery place and very well maintained. We have again taken couple of photographs and one among them is my present desktop picture. The palace is quite small compare to any other palaces. It’s a wooden small palace. It has 2 floor where 1st floor is inaccessible. Only ground floor is accessible and contains lots of hand drawn pictures dated 18th century. It also contains few guns, swords and different kinds of knives.

Nimishamba temple

Then we went to the Nimishamba temple where it is in the bank of river Kaveri. The parking fellow took Rs. 5 because he did not give us parking token. (Rs. 5 is his and not the authority’s) We went to river bank and wet our feet. There were lots of people selling vegetables in small basket inside temple premises. Very well kept in those small baskets. Here we found “goat on a boat” and took good pictures as usual. We did not enter the temple and came out. When we came to our car, we found that our driver is missing and we went to search for him. We found him taking his breakfast in a small shop which is a house. We also felt hungry and entered the shop and ate idly and rice. It was a nice homemade food. It was around 10:30 am when we left here.

Tipu’s death place

We headed towards Tipu’s death place which is 15 min drive. Short cut road from Nimishamba temple is really bad and one should not even walk on that road. Anyway we drove in 5 km/hr and reached headed toward Bangalore Mysore highway and towards right. Till now we were on the left hand side on the highway and now we are in right hand side of the highway. It is in this right hand side where Tipu’s fort was there. The entrance was a fort gate followed by big mosque. The fort is round in shape. So you can start from your right hand side or left hand side.
We started from our right hand side from the mosque and the second place to visit Tipu’s death place where Tipu’s death body was found. It is a small place surrounded by walls.
Another 1 min, there was Sri Gangadhareshwara Swami Temple.

Sri Gangadhareshwara Swami Temple

From there another 2 min and we were in the demolished palace of Tipu Sultan. It was said that after Tipu was dead, British people has demolished and burnt his whole palace.

Demolished Fort

From there another 1 min it was a jail (which we did not visit).

Rangasamy Temple

From there we went to Rangasamy Temple which is another 2 min drive. We left our footwear in our car and went to the temple. The moment we are about to come out of our car, it started to rain and we took our umbrella. In another 2 min, rain stopped. But we had those umbrellas in our hand. There were many shops around the entrance of the temple and they had various items. We went to the temple. You could buy ticket for various types of archana for Lord Vishnu which I think was for Rs. 5, 10, 15 and 20. We did not get any ticket and went inside for a free entry. We had a darsan of lord Vishnu and then inside the main temple, there were many other small sub temples inside the main temple which had other god and goddess. After visiting all these sub temples we came out and bought a packet of 4 ladoos for which we paid Rs. 30. Then we came out and bought a packet of sandalwood aggarbatti for Rs. 40 with a bit of bargaining. Back to our car and paid a parking fee of Rs. 20.
From there we had came back to the same mosque and out of the fort gate and landed in the Bangalore Mysore highway. We had to drive for 15 min and came to Ranganathittu Bird sanctuary.

Ranganathittu Bird sanctuary

We have to pay for everything at the entrance. So for 3 people and car we had to pay Rs. 105 and for boating and camera we had to pay Rs. 100. We entered the sanctuary and parked our car. We walked inside and it really nice place to see. It is in the bank of Kaveri river. Very well maintained sanctuary and we got chances to take lot of good pictures. From there we went to boating palace and we saw that it was a cuous over there for who will get in the boat. There was no quequ and hence which ever boat comes first, all tries to get into that boat. Luckly we got in one boat and it was one of our greatest adventures of our life. There were lots of rocks above the water and a small island in the water which was full of swan and their nests. On top of those rocks were crocodile waiting to catch their prey. In one place, one crocodile was just hand distance away from our boat with its mouth open to catch its prey. In one side other river there very long trees and bats were hanging from there. So after a ride of 30 min, we came back from where we started our boat and returned back to our car. It took an hour to visit this place. It was near about 12 o’clock. From there we went to Heritage City Mysore which is 15 km away from Srirangapatnam.

St. Philomena’s Church

In Heritage City Mysore, the first place we visited was St. Philomena’s Church. It was a very old church and it was awesome. We have taken couple of pictures and went inside. Photography was prohibited inside. Inside the church one can go the basement and come out from behind the church. On that way it is marked with name who has been cremated in its ground. From there we came out and got inside the car.

Chamundi Hills

We headed towards Chamundi Hills which is 30 min drive on a hill top. The temple can be seen from St. Philomena’s Church on a high hill top. On the way, we can see a very beautiful aerial view of Mysore city. We reached the hilltop, kept our footwear inside the car and came out to visit the temple. When we reached the temple, we found that temple was closed from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm. So we ate icecream and on the way out from temple gate there are many small shops. We bought amul choco and elaichi drink and also a bottle of water. Then we bought a nice mobile and pen stand. Back to our car. Started to come down from the hill top.

Nandi Bull

On the way we came to Nandi Bull which is on the same route just 5 min drive. It is a huge bull made of black stone. Don’t ever buy anything from all those hawkers sitting near the mate gate. Many of them will claim that all items they are selling are made of stone and are hand sculpted. Beware they are fake. They are made of clay and painted like stone. From there we came back and we gate a very clear beautiful picture of Lalitha palace.

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens

Back to plain land we reached Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens within 15 min drive. Got the ticket for Rs. 45 for 3 of us. I have visited many zoos, but according to me, I feel that this zoo is the most maintained, clean and animals get to eat proper food. The walking path is near about 4 km. Each living creature are worth looking at. I have watched 2 things which I did not see in my entire life. It was a very pleasant and cool day. It was bit cloudy too. First we saw normal peacock open its tail and walking inside its cage and displaying its beauty. Next we also say white peacock also opened its tail and that is something I never saw. We went for half a km and came back to main entrance since it was already 3;30 pm. We have visited the zoo multiple times so we thought to go to the palace. Also if we start to walk in the zoo, we cannot leave it before 1 ½ hour. Mysore palace stops at 6 pm everyday. So we came out and got inside the car giving Rs. 20 for parking fee.

Mysore Palace

From there we went to Mysore Palace. It is very well maintained palace. The moment we entered the parking lot of the palace, it started to rain heavily. We took out our umbrella and went to the ticket counter. It was Rs. 20 per head. Remember that camera is not allowed inside the palace. Also footwear is also not allowed inside the temple. You cannot bypass these since scanner is available in the main entrance and police will check you as if you are inside airport and about to board a plane. Footwear will be kept for Rs. 0.50. But if you are keeping 3 footwear, then you have to pay Rs. 2.00. The entrance is in the right side of the palace. Now enter the palace and it is awesome. In one room you will see magnificent chairs and furniture and many other things. All cannot be described. You have to visit the palace to see everything. I still remember in 2003, I have visited this palace with my parents and one of the room’s floor was carved with gold in white marble. Which is now gone. It has been replaced with white cement. From the palace we came out from back door and landed in Kaveri Emporium. They sell authentic sandalwood items. Behind the shop we can see a temple. From there we got our footwear and left the place at 5:30 pm. Also rain has just stopped. We got in our car and came to the front of the palace through the same road and had to zoom to take snap of the palace. Remember that the road near the front of the palace is no parking zone.

Vrindavan Garden

From there we headed towards Vrindavan Garden. It was nearly 30 min drive from the place which is 18 km from Mysore Palace. They made nice parking lot for different types of cars which was not available previously. On the way they took Rs. 20 for parking. There are people who will randomly stop your car to check whether you have parking ticket or not. Remember that they won’t check if you have valid parking ticket. Even if you have plain white paper cut like printed ticket size, it will serve same purpose. Anyway we reached the ticket counter and got 3 tickets and camera ticket for Rs. 100. The musical fountain starts from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm in weekdays and 7:00 pm to 8:55 pm on weekends. Few hawkers were selling handmade small umbrella for Rs. 10. We got 3, so that we can give 2 in our office to our collogue. I was feeling very hungry, so got 3 family pack of Lays and Kurkure. Walked all the way in the dam which is really nice to walk in the evening. Reached the musical fountain place and got in the top row at 6:30 pm because top row gives the best view of entire location. We finished our snacks packet and at 6:55 pm show started. It started with a tamil song, followed by hindi song and then English song and then Sare Jaha Se Accha song. These 4 songs lasted for 30 min and the show is over. People started to leave and next batch of people started to come in. If you want to seat and see another round of show you can very well do that. But since we had to come back to Banaglore, we had to leave. One the way we got icecream and somosa and then got in the car. We also got a devils horn from this palace.
We started from there at 7:00 pm and reached my house at 10:45 pm. Total distanced travelled was 396 km. The day was very pleasant and cloudy sometimes. The driver was very good and cooperative person.