Mysore Palace
Namaste !!! (That is the traditional Indian manner of greeting) and welcome onblog.
With over 3600 monuments of national importance one may feel lost in the ancient and the medieval world. But India Khazana will take you through the maze of monuments in a series of articles which will be a virtual tour of India. So fasten your belts and hang on to your seats and enjoy the guided tour of India, that is Bharath, that is Hindustan that is Jamboodwipa that is a land of ancient civilization and a melting pot of different religions, cultures, a land of myriad colours and hues that will sweep you off your feet.
We begin our tour with Mysore that is in the South of India, 139 kms south-west of Bangalore. A one-stop destination to satiate your curiousity- be it the love for temple architecture or a burning desire to savour the beauty of Indian wildlife in their natural splendour. On top of the heap is the Mysore Palace which is unmatched in its opulence. Illuminated at nights with 96,000 bulbs it is a sight to behold (check out for the photographs in this blog) Completed in 1911, the splendid structure is constructed on the foundations of an old palace which was destroyed in a fire in 1897. Henry Irwin, the architect of the Vice Regal lodge at Shimla, designed the structure which is reckoned to be modeled on the Vijayanagar Palace at Chandragiri. The exteriors, including the domes, the turrets, the arches, and the minars, reflect Indo – Saracenic features. The building is 245 feet in length and 156 feet in breadth. The gold – plated dome at the centre is 145 feet above the ground.
The beautiful carvings replete with rosewood and ivory inlay works, lavishly embellished with glittering ornaments and rich colour, present an eye – catching spectacle rarely experienced anywhere else in India. The palace comes alive in all its glory during the Dasara or the Navarathri festival in September – October, culminating with the impressive procession led by caparisoned elephants, that underline the spirit of co-existence of man and nature. With over 3 million visitors annually, it is among the most photographed monuments in India.
