Mysuru Palace, Karnataka

The Mysuru Palace is a symbol of the resilience of Mysuru's people and it's rulers. This monument, has faced numerous challenges throughout its history. The current structure, is the fourth palace on the site, built as recent as 1912, after a fire that razed it in 1897.

Its origins trace back to the 14th century. The Wodeyar family built it as a wooden fortress and later expanded it in1638.  Following political instability  in 1704, the palace fell into neglect and in 1793, Tipu Sultan demolished it.

After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the crowned young prince, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III,  commissioned a new palace in 1803. This was later destroyed by fire during the princess's wedding in 1897. Queen Regent Kempananjammanni Vanivilasa Sanndihana hired a British architect Henry Irwin to design a new palace, which was completed in 1912, at a cost of Rs. 41,47,913 which we see today 

Mysuru Palace, is an example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It honors the legacy of Mysuru and the Wodeyars, similar to the significant Mughal and colonial buildings of yesteryears. 

This three-storied palace features square towers with domes, an ornate Durbar Hall, and a Kalyana Mandapam with stained glass ceiling. 

Notable treasures include intricately carved doors, a golden howdah, and a jewel-encrusted throne which are displayed only during Dasara. The palace complex also houses a Residential Museum, temples, and shrines. During normal visiting days most of the exhibits are closed.

The main attraction of the palace is however the illumination with 97,000 electric bulbs. This stunning view can be glimpsed for few minutes after the light and sound show, public holidays, and for a longer duration, during Dasara celebrations. 

The entry to this palace is as - Adults - 120/, children -70/, foreign nationals -1000/

The palace is open all days from 10.00am to 5.30pm 

Shravanabelagola, Karnataka

 

Shravanabelagola, is located about 150 km from Bangalore, Karnataka and has  been a significant center for Jain art, architecture, religion, and culture for over two thousand years. The town became prominent when Bhagawan Bhadrabahu, a key Jain Acharya, arrived from Ujjain with his disciples. Influenced by him, emperor Chandragupta Maurya settled in this area and passed his kingdom to his son to rule.

A notable landmark in Shravanabelagola is the 18-meter tall monolithic statue of Lord Gomateshwara, a revered Jain saint. It is situated atop Vidyangiri hill and is recognized as one of the tallest and most graceful monolithic statues in the world.   The statue is carved out of a single piece of granite and stands at 57 feet. It is regarded as one of the largest free-standing statues in the world. It symbolizes the Jains ideolgy of peace, non-violence, and renunciation. 

History of Lord Gomateshwara (Bahubali) 

Bahubali, the son of the first Jain Teerthankara, Lord Adinatha, fought his brother Bharatha for the throne in a duel that tested various skills. Although he won, Bahubali was disillusioned by the pursuit of material wealth and chose to renounce his kingdom and worldly pleasures. He entered in a deep meditation, embodying spiritual tranquility.  Bahubali meditated motionlessly in a standing position for a year, during which plants grew along his legs. After this period, he attained Kevala Gyana and became a respected figure among the Jain community.

In 981 AD, Chavundaraya, the prime minister of the Ganga Kingdom, commissioned a statue of Bahubali in this meditative pose. 

Nearby on Chandragiri, houses memorials and basadis of various other Jaina sramanas or monks who meditated and lived here, including the last Rashtrakuta king, Manyakheta.

Mahamastakabhisheka is a significant event held every twelve years at Shravanabelagola, where the statue of Bahubali is anointed with various substances, including water, turmeric, and gold flowers. This event draws thousands of tourists and pilgrims, with the next celebration planned for 2030.

Flamingos at Pulicat Lake, Tamil Nadu

 

Pulicat Lake, located north of Chennai on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra border, is a brackish lagoon known for its rich marine life and habitat for numerous bird species. It spans about 60,000 hectares and supports numerous and rare birds all through the year. This water body  is classified as one of India's important Bird Areas for both photographers and bird lovers with a part of the lake designated as the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary that serves to conserve the aquatic life species found abundantly here. 

The Pulicat wetlands houses over 60 species of migratory birds, the most notably are the greater flamingo and ruddy turnstone, which arrive as far as from Europe and Siberia during winter migration. 

Our trip to Pulicat this March was primarily to sight the great flamingos, which are spotted from October to March/April. The vast salt pans are the only place these birds visit in Tamilnadu.  Apart from Pulicat these birds are seen at Kutch- Gujarat, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra and Chilka lake at Orissa in India. 

The Lake being a natural resource for fishery and shrimp cultivation is the main source of livelihood for the fisherfolk of the villages along this coast. The fisherfolks and birds co exist with each other which in turn benefit this massive water body.  

Due to security reasons near the lake that particular day, we could set off on one of the boats only by noon, to get a glimpse of these graceful flamingos. 

The boat ride was by itself breathtaking, with the boatman taking us close to the spotted pelicans, flocks of terns and seagulls along the coast that is lined up with patches of mangrove trees. 

As we neared the Andhra Pradesh coast, the closest the Tamilnadu boats could reach, a huge white band spanning across a few meters contrasting with the deep blue waters was seen. Hundreds of flamingos far from where any boat can reach created the most spectacular sight, a sight which can only be experienced. 

Never would I have even imagined that such a huge number of these large birds migrate as far as Pulicat. Awestruck I captured with a maximum zoom on my DSLR overwhelmed with what we saw. The boats too dock at a distance so not to disturb these fragile bird. 

Constant disturbances prevent these migratory birds from resting and finding food, negatively impacting their breeding success during spring. Moreover human disturbances impact their migratory pattern and urge them to move away to other places. 

The sight of these hundreds of pink toned white birds all in a row lingered on with us back to the boat dock, vibing with the experience of nature at its best.