Mysore, Bangalore 2.0 and Delhi 3.0

We returned back to Bangalore after our trip to Hampi. Saturday was relaxation time with a very good 90 mins full body oil massage including time in the steam room. Rest of day was reading and enjoying a long Upmann cigar paired with Canadian Club Whisky (from Taarika, Thanks!). The day was finished with a live concert of the Vasu Dixit Collective (VDC) in the studio room of the compound. VDC plays Folk-Rock Fusion both in Kannada and Hindi; covering some of the saint poets: Purandaradasa, Basavanna, and Kabir. It was Vasu's open-throated voice which was great to listen too and it was for sure a new experience.
Next day we headed towards Mysore. But before we arrived here, we stopped in Daria Daulat Bagh and Gumbaz-eh-Shahi. The later one is the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and his family. More interesting was Daria Daulat Bagh which was Tipu Sultans summer palace from 1784 with very colorful murals. Located at Srirangapatna near Mysore, it is mainly made by Teakwood. The paintings in the palace depict the war scenes, the British and the French officers, the Sultan, Kings and others. Who was Tipu Sultan?
Tipu Sultan or also called “Tiger of Mysore” was the Sultan of Mysore who won fame in the wars of the late 18th century. He lived from 1750 till 1799. Like his father Haidar Ali, Tipu had to compete with the rise of the British power in the south, resulting in the Mysore wars. The first Mysore war, fought in 1767, saw Haidar Ali practically dictating terms to the British. In the second battle of Polilur (near Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu), Haidar and Tipu gained an impressive victory which is commemorated in the wall paintings in the summer palace at Srirangapatna. In the third Mysore war in 1791 at Srirangapatna, Tipu's capital was besieged by Lord Cornwallis assisted by the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas wherein Tipu was forced to sign a treaty and surrender two of his sons as hostages to the British.
The final storming of Srirangapatna in 1799 under the command of colonel Arthur Wellesley, resulted not only in the defeat but also in the death of Tipu Sultan.
After that interesting Summer Palace we headed to Mysore. Quick stop in the great Bakery SAPA (I also bought some Sourdough Bread for the evening - yeah!) and then with full stomach we entered the famous Mysore Palace which is also called Amba Vilas. The site’s history is closely linked to that of the royal family of the former kingdom of Mysore, the Wadiyar dynasty. The family ruled the area from 1399, when they first lived in a palace at Mysore, and the city became the kingdom’s capital in 1799 after the fall of Srirangapatna. Originally a wooden structured palace, it was burnt down in 1897. Then a three-story, gray granite, Indo-Saracenic building capped by a five-story tower was built and finished in 1912. The palace is now in state ownership, the descendants of the former maharajas still live in one part of the building.
In the evening we had a quick look at the illumination of the palace with around 100.000 lights.
My impression about the city of Mysore: For me the cleanest city in India so far. Home of Yoga and Ayurveda. Wide roads. A lot of space.
Finally we head back to Delhi for 2 nights till we leave for a new country.Læs mere