It was a semi-planned trip on the Republic Day, 2023.
The plan was: start at 6 am, eat breakfast
on the way, visit Philomena Church, Mysore Palace and Hilltop Chamundeshwari Temple, Lunch, visit Talakad at the banks of river Kaveri, and return in the
evening. A total of 350 km trip. Though the Express way was not fully functional and toll collection had not started the Express way would reduce the travel time considerably, that is what I thought before the trip. Friends were suggesting that the new Highway
between Bangalore-Mysore would reduce the travel time to 90 minutes. The advertised
Ariel Photos looked fantastic; we planned this trip on January 26, 2023.
We were two, started the travel in the
Honda Jazz Car at 630am on the Republic Day.
We took the Nice Road to reach Mysore Road. It was a 25 km ride on the
Nice Road. However, it was not at all Nice due to the maintenance
work (some places the road was closed). I wonder, if one can't drive in a road, why do they charge people?? I
paid more than 100 bucks to drive in a road that had many repair/maintenances,
and at some places, it was one lane etc... Whom to complain?
Kengeri Nice Road to Mysore Outer Ring Road has a distance of 120 kms. After entering the Bangalore-Mysore Road near
Kengeri, the newly laid roads were good to drive. However, it was not completed
and ready in January 2023. There were pending works; at some places, the work
was going on. After travelling around 50 km in the highway, there was a
traffic buildup and all the vehicles moved inch by inch.
The time was 830 am,
we covered just 57 km in the Highway. So, took a break for breakfast in a nearby
hotel. The hotel was crowded like anything, as if people have not seen food for months... pathetic ...Stand and fight with the crowd to get some idlis was a new
experience. I got a feeling, as if I am standing in a temple crowd to receive free
prasatham. We took breakfast and coffee and continued our journey towards
Mysore.
Around 1030am we reached the famous Philomena's
Church. Philomena was the daughter of a Greek Monarch. It is in Neo Gothic style, in German
architecture, designed by a French architect. It is astonishing to know that
the Church received funding from the Mysore Maharaja and the foundation stone
was laid by Maharaja. Comparatively a recent Church; construction work started
in the 1930s. I wondered the beautiful structure of the church, beautiful stain glass windows and the people around. During our visit, some marriage function was going on in the Church,
so we did not enter the church to see the inner beauty.
After Philomena Church, we went to Mysore Palace. It is also known as Amba Vilas Palace. It is said that the first palace was built in the 14th Century. There was a fire in the 19th Century and thus the present palace had many renovations. It was designed by a British architect. The palace carries in itself many architectural styles; some places there was Rajput style, resemblance of Islamic architecture and Gothic style also seen here and there. It was another beautiful architecture showing the beauty and the lavish lifestyle of Kings. The palace arrangements were very good, to make life comfortable for the many tourists who visit the place; parking was comfortable and the ticket counter and many other things. There is an entry fee and parking fee. There is also a light and sound program on certain days in the evenings. The rose garden at the front was exciting to see. The various parts of the palace were a treat to the eyes.
After the Palace visit, thinking about the nightmarish drive in the unfinished Mysore-Bangalore highway, we cancelled the trip to Chamundeshwari temple and Talakad.
Talakad is known for the buried temples under the sands on the Cauvery River. There are some beautiful temples buried under the sand and excavated (Vaidyeshvara temple is famous). The Cholas ruled there, the Hoysala kings fought against the Cholas, and they showed their supremacy too. Later, it came under Vijayanagar control too. There are lots of myths and fables about the fall of the town and how the sand from Cauvery River covered the temples. I never visited the place, though I travelled in the route many times. We had to cancel our visit due to the morning nightmare traffic in the Bangalore-Mysore Road.
So, we left Mysore with a sad note. We were looking for a good place to eat, that could remain in the memory about our Mysore trip. Just after the Mysore town, we saw Kasturi Nivas in the Mysore - Bangalore highway. At around 1 pm we were too early there. The roadside parking was empty as it was not crowded. I don't know whether the hotel has any extra parking. The hotel was practically empty, and the waiters were looking for clients. We were lucky to enjoy a good meal for a reasonable price. The taste was not extraordinary, but it is not bad. In the veg meal, some items were really tasty. The place has some attachment to Punnith Rajkumar. I saw his picture and the songs played were from his movies.
We reached our home around 430 pm, before the crowd comes back to Bangalore However, many unanswered existential thoughts and political hype the Bangalore - Mysore Highway is getting, is not understandable by me.
Recent Update:
PM Modi inaugurated the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway on 12 March. Toll collection started for the road as usual. Just calculate, how much you are going to pay to visit Mysore. Toll charge, petrol price and many other costs? National Highways Authority of India is gleefully collecting the toll.
PM is coming to inaugurate as if it is a free way??? How much money each individual is going to pay from now on for using this road, calculate and be ashamed of the political powers that suck the people of their hard-earned money.
Probably politicians will announce that by 2030 the whole India would be a tollgate Highway. Fools will support them saying "India is progressing"??? Is it not the duty of the government to provide a motorable highway, when they collect road tax for every registered vehicle?
Pay for the road, vote for them to ruin your peace of mind.
