From shoolagiri through Mysore…

After few days of arrival at Sanctity ferme ,shoolagiri Sidharth was googling something on his iPad.Keeping his eyes on the iPad he asked me ,where is Mysore Amma.I understood he was searching some tourist places close by and Mysore popped up.He also asked me about Bangalore city and pondicherry (I think his wish list).

Even I didn’t go to Mysore palace during my school days.So I too was interested in visiting a place on the way to Kerala from Bangalore.After a few more days of stay in the farm on October 13th early morning we started from shoolagiri in my brothers fortuner.They appointment a new driver Saravanan he was our driver.Vichu was with us.He is going back to Bahrain after a very long vacation with his uncle.Kempengowda airport was 107kms away from Shoolagiri.On the way Esha threw up a few times.But we reached on time and said good bye to Vichu.The happiest part of our trip to farm is the bond cousins made.A cherished childhood memory for kids.

We resumed our journey to Kerala.Bangalore city was waking.Traffic was heavy.Saravanan was explaining the route he is taking avoiding the heavy traffic.The Bangalore-Mysore express way is seen being constructed.we stopped to have breakfast and Esha threw up again and she was tired .Sidhu and Esha slept a lot before reaching Mysore.In between she asked many times “Are we there yet”,her usual question when ever she got into the car.A board named Ramanagara was seen and Saravanan told that’s the Famous Mysore silk saree cocoon market. The Ramanagara cocoon market, is one of the largest cocoon markets in Asia. It is situated 40 km from Bangalore towards Mysore. In this market an average of 40,000 to 50,000 kg of cocoons are sold each day.We could not stop there and see it but I saw one big packet of cocoon been carried.I was excited to see the silk saree shops there but our driver told they are not selling any sarees in the shop there but they have only cocoons.

I always have in my mind to visit coimbatore and kancheepuram . Travelled a lot through Coimbatore during our stay in Chennai but didn’t get a chance to walk through the great weavers of coimbatore.Kancheepuram was planned but that too didn’t Happen .

We passed Channapatana .It is a city and taluk headquarter in Ramanagara District, Karnataka, India. Channapatana also known as toy’s town. Famous for its wooden crafts world wide. Town is wel known as stopper for food lovers. Well known for variety of hotels and restaurants.These are the lines I copied from google search😀.Heard from one of my Friends about Channapatana and their beautiful toys and I have seen it.My friend used to buy toys from there and sell through his shop.But we could not stop there too.we had time restrictions and Mysore was our target.

We reached Mysore by 10.30 .As per Driver Saravanans advice first we stopped at a place where three rivers meet “Sangama” is the confluence of 3 holy rivers Kaveri River, Lokapavani River & Hemavati River. It is in Srirangapatna, Mandya.

We saw some poojaris doing rituals there.Melanie,our puppy was inside the car ,in the trunk and that was her first stop.She was in the leash and someone has to be with her.So I went alone to the water.I saw one man sitting in a coracle.He was talking to the man on the shore.I can see his face a bit scary and the other man on the shore was laughing.Suddenly he jumped from the coracle and pulled it to the shore.”he didn’t know swimming “

We got into the car with Melanie in the trunk.On left side of the road on the way to the Mysore palace we saw Tippu Sultans tomb,the tiger of Mysore (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipu_Sultan).During my school days in history I read about Tippu Sultan and his padayottam.Remebered my history classes .

There too we didn’t stop.But saravanan stopped in front of Tippu’s summer palace .We wanted to get down there and we stopped the vehicle.But achans destination was Mysore palace and we moved .

We parked our car in front of Mysore palace and went inside .On the way we were surrounded by hawkers they had sandalwoods ,hand fans some ornaments.I can see Eshas eyes on pink color cotton candies.we got into the palace by paying an entry fee.

The palace entrance was a temple .

Mysore palace is the official palace of the wadiyar dynasty.It faces the chamundi hills in the east.The palace was built in Indo Saracenic architectural style with blends of Hindu,Mughal,rajput and gothic style.The construction started in 1897 and ended in 1912.The palace is surrounded by garden.

The palace has 3 entrances.we entered through the south entrance.There were two Durbar halls .

Sidharth now a days doesn’t Like taking photographs of him but I wanted them to have a good memory of the palace and the joy they enjoyed with their grandparents during the visit.They were bit tired since we started our journey early morning.Amma and achan was happy taking grand kids to the palace.

The courtyard of the place was so beautiful.

Esha liked to stand and I took a photo of her looking through the window.The roof,doors ,ceilings ,path ,walls ,staircase everything was so beautiful with different designs and colors.I felt love with every part of the palace.

We wanted to spend more time in the palace but we have to cross the Bandipur forest before we reach our home at Purathur.

We went to the gift shop inside the place and bought Mysore silk sarees and sandalwood perfume and agarbhatis.That was a quick selection of sarees with achan😃.

We bought some agarbhatis from hawkers too as achan doesn’t want to hurt them.Esha didn’t forget her cotton candy, she bought one and we all tasted it.

Saravanan and Melanie were waiting for us .We spent almost one and half hours in the palace.I saw on the street some spice spread guavas and we bought some on our way.There are six more palaces in Mysore and lot many other things to visit and special dishes of Mysore,especially the sweet dish Mysore pak.Our trip was on 13th October .The next day was Dussera and it’s a great celebration that happens in Mysore ,Mysore Dussera is very famous

Mysore Dasara is a 10-day festival, starting with nine nights called Navaratri and the last day being Vijayadashami.Mysore palace is beautiful lightened during this time.mela (fairs), processions and parades are part of this celebration.But because of Covid the celebration was restricted this time .But we were happy to see the palace during the month of October.

Time passed noon and we were all hungry.Esha and Sidhu started sleeping.Melanie was crying and we got down from the car.She too feels tired. Gave her milk and biscuits that we bought for her.we were searching for a hotel and it was almost 3.And finally we saw a hotel and we were served chappathi and chilly chicken.The curry was tasty but spicy.Achan got calls from Baijuettan and Vishnu enquiring our travel .

Our next destination was Bandipur forest. Bandipur National Park, an 874-sq.-km forested reserve in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, is known for its small population of tigers. Once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Mysore, the park also harbors Indian elephants, spotted deer, gaurs (bison), antelopes and numerous other native species.It was drizzling during our travel but the previous night it was raining heavily in Kerala so we were a bit anxious about our travel.But everything went smooth.On the way we could see group of deers. and bisons.Saravanan stoped at some places for us to take photos.

Nilgiri mountains was seen behind us. Bandipur forest was shared by both Kerala and Karnataka .Because of the crossing of animals on the road ,the road will be closed by 8.30 pm.We crossed Gundalpet checkpoint and because of Covid travel restrictions we have to carry our vaccination cards and for Esha and saravanan they have a negative RT PCR report.We are stopped by authorities to check our reports and we got a heads up to continue our journey.

Melanie wants to come out and Esha was missing her a lot .But because of our less space inside the car we cannot take Melanie to her. From Bandipur to Wayanad we have to travel 37 kms and it goes through Muthanga and Sultanbathery.

(Muthanga agitation: Wayanad tribals continue to fight for promised land.

When Kerala government failed to give one-acre land to the Adivasis, around 617 families set up their tents in Muthanga forest as a sign of protest, marking the beginning of the agitation.

On February 19, 2003, sounds of gunshots echoed through the forest of Muthanga in the Wayanad district of Kerala as the area witnessed men in uniform setting fire to the tents and huts set up by the Adivasis, who were fighting for the land that was promised to them by the State Government. Today, 16 years later, life hasn’t changed much for many of these tribal families, who took part in the agitation in 2003.These are the thoughts that went through my mind when I saw Muthangaon the road signs.)courtesy thenewsminute.com

From Sulthanbethery it takes 96kms to reach Kozhikode There are nine hairpin bends.

It lies within the Western Ghats that run parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, located entirely in India. The highway has nine hairpin bends. Churam is about 14 kilometers in length, starting from Adivaram to Lakkidi View Point. We stopped in one hair pin seeing lot many other vehicles parked .

It was mist and the red light seen was coming from distant vehicles.That was a beautiful scene.Saravanan was an expert driver.He drove really good through the hairpins.He was working as a driver with the Powergrid and he said he used to travel a lot to Kerala.We had dinner after we reached Kozhikode.Melanie too had her dinner.We reached home by 12am. Reaching home at Chirakkalangaadi after long 7 years in the US.Saravanan wants to go back to sanctity ferme at that time itself but doesn’t want him to travel that late and after a long journey. We all slept after a one day whole trip from shoolagiri to Purathur .

Forgot to mention by 5.30 in the evening we got a call from Vichu that he reached Bahrain safely and going to enjoy his quarantine before he leaves to Gujarth,to Ahamedad university to continue his inperson classes there!!!

A photo taken during Amma’s birthday celebration at Sanctity ferme,tagging Vishnu Kozhikode and Baiju Chakkumkulangara….