Indian Columbus

Bangalore, once famed for its pleasant weather, now grapples with notorious traffic jams. Often hailed as the Silicon Valley of India, this city was once a haven of lush gardens and expansive parks. This article sheds light on a lesser-known gem, the Shri Jagannath Temple, whose annual car festival draws over 15,000 devotees. Located in the Agara locality, this temple was erected by the Orissan community, offering a local abode for worshipping Lord Jagannath of Puri. Perched atop a modest hillock, the temple stands as a testament to Kalinga temple architecture. Resembling the revered Puri Jagannath Temple, the sanctum of this shrine also houses the divine trio—Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balabhadra. Carved from sacred neem logs, known as daru, the deities rest upon a resplendent platform called Ratnabedi. Alongside them, the sanctum hosts Sudarshana Chakra, Madanmohan, Sridevi, and Vishwadhatri. Interestingly, the trio's iconography presents only their faces, devoid of arms or torsos....

Almost all major cities have zoological parks. But, Mysuru zoo has its unique charm. Whoever visits Mysuru never misses coming here.  Founded in 1892 by Mysore ruler Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar Bahadur, it is one of the oldest zoological parks of the entire India. The credit for the beautiful landscape goes to the German Horticulturist, Mr. G.H. Krumbeigal.  Initially, it occupied just 10.9 acres. After multiple expansions, it now spreads over 157 acres, including 77 acres of Karanji Lake. Animals might not feel this zoo as a prison but as a forest. Named after the founder but popularly known as Mysore Zoo, it is a pioneer in recreating the natural habitat for different species of animals. Also, it is the first park in India to build large ape enclosures. The enclosure that was built in 1911, is considered a heritage building now. Thanks to the Mysore Maharaja for introducing many animals from European countries to Mysore. During his tours, he used to bring different species of ...

With breathtaking hills, an internationally acclaimed palace and zoological park, state-of-the-art temples, historical monuments, and heritage richness at every nook and corner - Mysuru - it's a true paradise on earth. There is one more feather on the cap of this historic city - the Chamundeshwari Celebrity Wax Museum.  Inaugurated in October 2018, it is the first celebrity museum in Karnataka. It is the result of two years of hard work and effort by the renowned sculptor Umesh Shetty and his team. All the wax statues look so realistic that it becomes difficult to believe they are not humans. Saints, Social reformers, Politicians, Indian and foreign cine stars, Sports stars, Emperors, and so on - the museum displays many statues of prominent people from different walks of life.  Happy travelling. Visit my site,  krishnakumartk.com , to know more about the travel guides and other books that I have written.

Sand sculptures are usually made for temporary purposes on beaches. Where else can we find the sand sculptures displayed permanently? I am not sure. At least in India, the one we have in Mysuru is the first of its kind. Located at the foothills of Chamundi Hills on the city outskirt, this sand sculpture museum is the result of the creativity and hard work of MN Gowri, a leading sculptor of India.  More than one hundred truckloads of sand were used to make 150 sculptures. Depicting various themes, all these giant size sculptures captivate the visitors with their unmatched beauty. With proper provisions to protect them from Sun, rain and insects, it is said that they last long for one year. Mysuru never ceases to surprise us with its variety of exciting sites. This unique museum is a brilliant addition to the list. Happy travelling. Visit my site,  krishnakumartk.com , to know more about the travel guides and other books that I have written.

Those who go to Mysuru never miss visiting Mysore Palace. But hardly anyone of them visits or even knows Jaganmohana Palace. It was destined to become the abode of the Mysore Royal family. But destiny had different plans, and now it serves as a treasure trove of dramatic paintings. The interesting heritage building has its own history, which is more intriguing.  The Mysore royal family was forced to leave Mysore in 1831 CE by the East India Company. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III filed a lawsuit. Years passed by; the British Government took over the administration of India from the East India Company. In 1861, the royal family was allowed to return to Mysore but not to the palace. Hence, there was a need for a new palace, and Jaganmohana Palace was thus born.  By 1881, the ruling in favor of the royal family allowed it to reoccupy Amba Vilas (Mysore Palace). Jaganmohana Palace was used for music and dance. However, the wooden palace was destroyed during a royal wedding cerem...

Mysore Palace is one of India's most spectacular and prominent sites. Besides the main palace, the complex has several other structures and twelve temples. Among them, Sri Lakshmi Ramana Temple is the oldest and a prominent one. It is located toward the west of the main palace.  During the Chola period, the deity of the temple was called Nambi Narayana. However, the current image can be attributed to the later Hoysala period.  The father of Krishnadevaraya, the great Vijayanagara Emperor, Narasa Nayaka patronized the temple by making grants to ensure regular maintenance. We learn this from an inscription dating 1499 CE. The stunning five-tiered tower at the entrance was originally constructed by Raja Wodeyar I in the early 1600s.  His statue is seen in a sub-shrine in the corridor around the sanctum. As per an inscription found on a beam on the temple tower, a chieftain named Dalavayi Nanjarajayya bribed the priest Srinivasaiah to poison the king. However, the king h...

Mysore Palace is one of India's most spectacular and prominent sites. Besides the main palace, the complex has several other structures and twelve temples. Among them, Sri Kille Venkataramana Temple is one. It is located toward the west of the main palace.  Unlike other temples of the complex, this is a small and simple temple having just one shrine. The four-armed Venkataramana is in the standing posture. His iconography is similar to that of typical Vishnu icons.  When Mysore was under the rule of Tipu Sultan, the Mysore royal family was in Srirangapatna. Queen Lakshmi Ammani Devi, the spouse of King Krishnaraja Wadiyar II, was deeply concerned about her family's future. It is believed that Lord Venkatararamana appeared in her dream and suggested she bring his icon from a place called Balamuri. The queen managed to secretly get the image to Mysore and consecrated the same. After the demise of Tipu, her family flourished again. Her adopted grandson Krishnaraja Wadiyar III bui...

Mysore Palace is one of India's most spectacular and prominent sites. Besides the main palace, the complex has several other structures and twelve temples. Among them, Sri Prasanna Krishnaswamy Temple is a prominent one. It is located near the current exit gate of the main palace. Hence, it is the first destination after one finishes visiting the palace, and hardly any visitor misses visiting this temple. The presiding deity is Krishna. It may not sound unique, as there are millions of Krishna temples across the country. But, this icon is rare - it is Bala Krishna, the infant Krishna, found in a crawling posture. He is called Ambegalu Krishna. The image is made of a special kind of rock called chlorite schist. And it is incredibly and incomparably beautiful.  There is an interesting legend about this deity. It states that the Mysore king Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was fascinated by the crawling Krishna icon in a temple in a place called Mallur. He wanted to shift the same to his palac...

People call Mysuru as the cultural capital of Karnataka state of India. And I would call Mysore Palace as the cultural capital of Mysuru. It is the pride of Mysuru - no! the pride of Karnataka - no, no! the pride of the entire India.  Mysuru, known to outsiders by its angelized name Mysore, was the adobe of royals in the past and the delight of heritage lovers in the present. It never ceases to excite travelers. With breathtaking hills, an internationally acclaimed zoological park, state-of-the-art temples, historical monuments, and heritage richness at every nook and corner - Mysuru - it's a true paradise on earth. Then, Mysore Palace? It's a paradise located on a paradise. Once you visit this palace, you will fall in love with this site, and your mind will refuse to accept any other palace on the earth as a palace.    Those who get a chance to view the silhouette of the palace illuminated with about one lakh bulbs against the background of the dark night would never wan...