An abode of happiness and an envy of heaven. Aaaah. Or so says a stone pillar inside this palace, constructed in 1791 by the infamous violent ruler. Tipu Sultan (1750-1799), a Muslim in a kingdom of Hindus, was known as the Tiger of Mysore. He ruled Mysore after his father, Hyder Ali, died. Tipu had […]
Tag Archives | Mysore
St. Philomena Cathedral, Mysore
I didn’t notice the dearth of cathedrals in India until I saw this. Oddly, seeing this colorful church was like encountering an old friend. I’m not religious at all, but cathedrals are ubiquitous in Europe and often serve as the showy centerpiece of towns. St. Philomena was constructed between 1933-41 in a neo-Gothic style. This […]
Mysore
When I heard Mysore was the most flamboyant place in South India, I naturally thought of, oh, Halloween in West Hollywood or Christmas in Palm Springs and couldn’t wait to go. Well, it’s not that kind of flamboyant. It is, however, colorful and full of sandalwood, silk and incense. And as much yoga and ayurveda […]
Maharaja’s Palace, Mysore
The Wodeyar maharajas (kings) didn’t spare any expense when they constructed this grand palace – twice. The original structure was gutted in an 1897 fire, and the current one was completed in 1912. This is the main attraction in Mysore, and for good reason. The interior is striking – bright colors, stained glass, lots of […]
