Mysore Palace, Mysore

"We are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven,

That which we are, we are;

One equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

– Alfred Lord Tennyson, "Ulysses"

It was with memories of Delhi's unparalleled historicity, inimitable visual settings and unsurpassed monumental and architectural heritage that I made my way towards Mysore, the city of majestic palaces and exceedingly affluent Maharajas, and realized that the beautiful city – with its exceptional palaces, splendid gardens, delectable food, unequaled crafts and sculptural streetscape – can never possibly disappoint me.

A hundred years ago, in the years 1897-1912, inspired by an urge for the facilitation of posterity, Wadiyars/Wodeyars, the prosperous and far-sighted Maharajas of Mysore/Karnataka, constructed in the heart of the city at the exact location where an earlier wood palace existed and burnt to ground a magnificent palace christened "Ambavilas", whose numerous domed towers dominated the skyline and the stories of whose unimaginably rich opulence traveled far and wide. The emblematic palace complex, commissioned by H.H. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (reign AD 1894-1940) at the insistence of his mother Maharani Vani Vilas Sannidhana and designed by the renowned British architect Henry Irwin in the unique Indo-Saracenic style (which involves an aesthetic infusion of traditional Indian architectural features to an otherwise largely Gothic/Victorian building plan) has since come to be considered as a remarkable exemplar of the building style and is, both as an exceedingly important heritage and visual feature, impossibly hard to miss as soon as one steps within the expansive city. The structure was further expanded by Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (reign 1940-50, following which he signed the instrument for the assimilation of the state of Mysore in the Republic of India) to its present majestic proportions.

Grace, granite and symmetry

Stepping through the ornate southern gateway, intensely decorated with elaborate plasterwork patterns culminating into numerous motifs, overhanging ornamental windows ("jharokhas") and sculptures of Hindu deities, one comes face to face with the mammoth palace diagonally visible. The feeling of excitement at witnessing the beautiful gateways and the intricately carved massive temple complexes that are scattered throughout the complex (including immediately opposite the gateway just a few steps within the complex periphery) spontaneously gives way to disbelief – the colossal three-storied palace looms indomitable in the distance, the subdued simplicity and graceful curves of the sunlight-yellow temples embedded along its sides and the flanking cream-yellow tinged with white ancillary buildings harmoniously contrasting and lending a masculine footing to the astounding magnificence of the splendid gray-red granite front facade – one realizes that none of the photos seen online or any of the stories about the structure's opulence can do justice to the marvel it really is. The inspiringly symmetrical facade with its nine giant arches (of which two slightly narrower ones flank the central) and the numerous smaller ones stretching along the ground floor are terminated by the soaring five-storied corner towers that are surmounted by onion domes whose vibrant pink-red tinge glimmers against the brilliant blue of Mysore's sky; the center, crowned by a complicated golden dome that sits on an enormously high and narrow base and supports upon itself a domed kiosk, is surrounded by clusters of smaller ornamental "chattris" (onion domes surmounted upon slender decorative pillars) and is further outlined against the breathtaking symmetry of the roof and the line of arches by a curved, gently upraised shrine housing in its bosom a beautiful sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the Hindu Goddess of wealth and prosperity being showered with milk and nectar by two impeccably carved elephants. To the credit and genius of the the architect and his team of builders, the visual depiction is unbelievably flawless, undeniably fascinating. In the distant background rise the sheer peaks of the renowned Chamundi Hills.

Delicate - The southern gateway, presently used for tourist entry

Heading closer to the palace building, one comes face to face, through an obstructive veil of ungainly net that keeps the birds away, with the alluringly detailed artwork adorning the numerous (slightly perceptibly) curved concave surfaces of the roof that stretch between each of the giant arches – the central one depicts, within an inconceivably excellent paintwork design consisting of peacocks strutting amidst numerous floral and vegetative motifs, a vivid blue expansive sky, interspersed with zodiac constellations and angels and cherubs. In the center of the unblemished blue blossoms a gigantic, resplendent, multi-petalled flower, whose center is divided into quarters, three of which illustrate the three supreme omnipresent, omnipotent Hindu deities – Brahma (the God of creation and learning and the progenitor of all soul and matter) seated with the two forms of his consort Saraswati (the Goddess of knowledge, learning and music) upon the celestial swan, Vishnu (the Lord of life and nourishment) seated with his consort Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth and auspiciousness) upon the primal seven-headed serpent deity Sheshnaga and Shiva (the Lord of death and destruction) and his consort Parvati (Goddess of love, feminine fertility and devotion) flanked by their sons Kartikeya (the young God of war and victory) and Ganesha (the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness). The fourth quarter depicts the eight-armed benevolent Goddess Durga astride her mighty lion – legend is that the nomenclature "Mysore/Mysuru" is derived from "Mahishasura", an incredible powerful demon lord endowed with immense physical and spiritual strength and sorcery who could exist either in human or buffalo form and was eventually slayed by the Goddess after he unquestionably defeated the divine armies and set them back with irreversible losses. Wadiyars consider the Goddess, or rather her alternate form Chamundeshwari (the fearsome primordial feminine spirit who revels in bloodbath and necromancy), as their patron mother deity. Though equally immersed in the intricacies of the artwork and impressed by its colorful grandeur, one doesn't as yet even begin to imagine a minute fraction of the palace's splendor nor conceive its overall awe-inspiring visual magnificence and aesthetic superiority. Nonetheless, Amir Khusro's famous quote comes to mind instantaneously –

“Agar firdaus bar roo-e zameen ast, Hameen ast-o, hameen ast-o, hameen ast”

("If there is a paradise on earth, It is this, it is this, it is this")

Paradise on earth?

The entrance to the palace is through a passageway on the other side, where, before proceeding any further, one has to take off one's footwear and deposit them at one of the numerous counters over which painted in capital, bold white against indig background are the words "Free Counters/Don't pay tips" (but then, it being India and rules being necessarily violable, the shoe keepers did ask for tips when I returned at the end of the day to collect my shoes – I did not pay, of course). On the ground floor exist two individualistic but interconnected stunning passages which together constitute a viewing gallery christened as "Gombe Thotti" ("Doll pavilion") and where housed within glass frames are numerous traditional Indian dolls dating from 19th-20th century along with several ceremonial objects, richly dressed, finely adorned sculptures of Hindu deities and royal regalia such as elephant "howdahs" (huge royal pavilions that used to be mounted on elephants for the King and his kin to sit in during processions and religious ceremonies) decorated with several score kilograms of gold.

Chiseled to perfection - One of the several jaguar sculptures that dot the palace complex

Wedged between the two passages is an enormously vast and immensely high double-storied octagonal chamber supported upon slender ornamental fluted pillars and sheltered from the elements by perplexingly beautiful stained glass windows whose numerous vibrantly colorful patterns mirror the mesmerizing beauty of peacock tails and are reflected in the outstanding multi-hued geometric-patterned kaleidoscopic mosaic that adorn the floor. The chamber, remarkably conceived, designed and crafted in its entirety in Scotland and referred to as "Kalyana Mantapa", functions as the religio-ceremonial hall of the royal family and is where all the marriages, christening ceremonies and birthday parties are organized. Impressive passageways running along the sides, demarcated from the central functional area by another line of pillars (this time considerably thicker, elaborately ornamented and supporting amongst themselves rows of arches that append additional grace and depth of character to the luxurious chamber) are lined with several elegant paintings of which some portray mythological scenes from the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and others the erstwhile splendor of the majestic palace and its numerous regal ceremonies, including the renowned Dussehra/Dasara processions.

Behold stone peacocks - The Kalyana Mantapa (Photo courtesy - Mysorepalace.gov.in)

Up a staircase past the second half of the viewing pavilion and through intricately, painstakingly crafted silver doors (outside which rests an extremely realistic life-size plaster sculpture of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV seated upon a chair) embedded with streams of floral artwork delineating numerous panels portraying divine images, one reaches the enormous "Diwan-i-Aam" (Public Durbar Hall) from whose massive balconies the King used to appear before his subjects on public occasions and ceremonies – it is a visual composition that the eye cannot fully contemplate and the mind cannot possibly forget – the warm profusion of gold, cream-orange and red soothes the eye and the extraordinary symmetry afforded by the seemingly limitless rows upon rows of highly embellished fluted pillars extending throughout the massive rectangular hall, supporting in their midst cusp arches adorned with an inexhaustible array of embossed stucco geometric patterns, floral bouquets and divine figurines and providing both structural support and visual composure to the numerous equally decorated concave surfaces along which are aligned rows of overhanging chandeliers sprouting from bases resembling golden floral outbursts in their entire magnificent glory, uplifts the weary spirits. The aforementioned minutely concave roofs stretching far beyond the confines of the hallway, decorated with representations of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and heavenly constellations, can now be visualized in their complete eminence since there is no net impeding the view – one realizes that it was the Diwan-i-Aam that one witnessed from the ground level and feels supremely wonderful as comprehension dawns that earlier one noticed the stupendous structure through the eyes of a common visitor, a view that hasn't witnessed any change in the hundred years or so since the palace's construction and would have been easily recognizable to those subjects, rich and poor, young and old, strong and frail, who would have clamored to set eyes on the Maharaja's regal abode soon after its construction was completed, and now one looks at the unprecedented monumental immensity through the eyes of the Maharajas themselves! The arched alcoves existing along the furthest wall of the exalted hall are embedded with vivacious paintings of Hindu deities most of which were conceived and executed by the renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma (lived 1848-1906).

Limitless - The Diwan-i-Aam (Public Audience Hall)

Connected to the Diwan-i-Aam via a long, dark, perennially crowded picture gallery fringed throughout with photographs and portraits of the erstwhile Maharajas and their families in distinguished attire and lavish settings, is the Mahraja's Private Durbar Hall or "Diwan-i-Khas", a beyond description resplendently ornate chamber bejeweled throughout its surface with copious quantities of gold, crystal glass and semi-precious stones. The luxurious chamber is supported upon and divided into portions by fluted pillars structurally not very different from those of the Diwan-i-Aam except in the exterior adornment which boasts of an abundantly luxurious finish of gold paint fringed with slightly off-blue highlights that only seem to magnify the overall visual impact of the gold to an extent where one cannot easily take one's eyes off the numerous embossed motifs and mosaic work. The scene is unblemished and spellbinding, to say the least; the chandeliers, their incandescent light reflected and refracted into infinite number of rays by crystalline glass that forms their core, further serve to maximize the optical composition and the perception of extravagant opulence and self-indulgence. This was the only room where the policemen didn't let me photograph the interiors (photography is prohibited in its entirety within the palace!), elsewhere they were kind to allow me to click 2-3 quick snapshots of the chambers upon hearing that I need them to write this particular article (permission is rarely, if ever, granted and it is highly advisable to ask for the same before clicking away berserk since numerous CCTV cameras are positioned along the walls and pillars of each of the rooms and passageways). Had the incredulous visitors who were incredibly crammed into the narrow picture gallery known that such a wonderful sight awaited them afterwards, they wouldn't have proceeded so unbelievably slowly through the passageway! (Yes, I'm very impatient and I hate standing in queues unnecessarily!)

The Maharaja's extravagant gold throne that is assembled annually in the Diwan-i-Khas Hall during Dussehra celebrations (Photo courtesy - Thehindu.com)

On the way out, after collecting one's footwear, one is directed to a narrow open courtyard flanked on one side by a museum depicting the Maharajas' affluent lifestyle and possessions and on the other by a small private temple, dedicated to the mythological Krishna (a flamboyant cowherd-king-statesman-warrior-philosopher who supposedly lived over 5,000 years ago and is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu), that is surmounted by a fairly moderately-sized, intricately sculpted pyramidal spire within an alcove of which is set an incredibly realistic sculpture of the God himself flanked by one of his beloved cows and playing his divine flute. The Wadiyars claim descent from Krishna and the temple was commissioned by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (reign AD 1734-66) who felt distressed at the absence of a temple dedicated to the former within the periphery of the palace that originally existed here. The courtyard opens to a wider green patch enclosed within a perimeter where patrons can avail for camel and elephant rides – it had been awhile since I saw an elephant and clicked happily for almost a quarter of the hour! For a little extra money besides that paid for the ride, one can even have one's photo clicked with the tip of the elephant's trunk resting on one's head in a manner characterizing divine elephantine blessings!

An entirely unexpected surprise!

One has left the huge sunlight-yellow temple complexes that dot the palace grounds for the last and now one comes face to face with the first of them – Sri Lakshmiramana Swamy temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and housing in its exalted sanctum a black-faced gold sculpture of the God along with several smaller brass representations. At the very outset, all three major temple complexes within the palace circumference – Sri Lakshmiramana Swamy temple, Sri Varaha Swamy temple and Chamundeshwari temple – possess the same external appearance with an exactly identical massive pyramidal towering gateway divided into seven individualistic levels, each of which, except the first and last, is set in the center with large twin portrayals of the Lord's gatekeepers flanked by geometric multi-tiered projections surmounted by mythological symbolism that run throughout the length of each level. This is where the similarities end. The Lakshmiramana temple, said to be the oldest temple in the city and constructed in AD 1499, is set within a considerably smaller circumference as compared to the other two, possibly owing to its immediate proximity to the palace complex's mammoth and highly symmetrical horizontal spatial projection. The central shrine, around which run the high-raised, simplistically whitewashed colonnades that facilitate circumbulation ("Parikrama") of the deity, proves to be even more gorgeous than the imposing gateway and (if your heart is into sculptural art and ancient architectural heritage like mine is) the grandiose palace – the rectangular structure's roof, again painted sunlight-yellow in uniformity with the peerless gateway and the boundary walls and supported upon simplistically carved granite pillars, is an epitome of stucco plasterwork culminating into arrays of small, highly embellished pyramidal spires, each inset with an alcove inside which stands a different incarnation of Lord Vishnu (my favorite remains that of the anthropomorphic Varaha – the boar-faced, four-armed God who rescued the Earth Goddess Bhudevi from a demon who had carried her to the bottom of the cosmic ocean) and decorated with numerous geometrical and floral motifs, peacocks, vines bursting into floral blossoms, mythological and mythical creatures and dwarf demonic figurines. The immediate perimeter of the relatively smaller sanctum located on the far-side of the shrine is surmounted by a substantially larger double-storied spire, again similarly designed and sculpted except with the singular exception of possessing large lions (which realistically do not resemble lions at all, a phenomena repeated in almost all the temple and palace complexes in south India, thereby prompting many architectural and cultural historians to conjecture that lions never existed here and the sculptors/artists never ever set eyes on them, therefore leading to such deformed representations) seated at each of its extremities.

Juxtaposed - Sri Lakshmiramana temple's spire and (background) gateway

Decorative sculptural panels crafted out of sheer stone compose the doorjambs and lintel in which is embedded the gateway leading to the sanctum – on the lintel is the depiction of Anantashayi Vishnu (Lord Vishnu reclining upon the endless seven-hooded serpent deity Anant Sheshanaga) being venerated by his two wives Lakshmi and Bhudevi. In a departure from the otherwise yellow color scheme, the exterior and interior walls of the sanctum are whitewashed and bear plasterwork embossments of a three-illustration cluster – a "V" sign with a vertical line dividing it into two halves (where the "V" and the line are emblematic of Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi respectively) flanked by depictions of Lord Vishnu's "Sudarshana Chakra" (serrated spinning disc weapon) and "Panchajanya" (divine conch shell) – symbolically portraying reverence to Lord Vishnu. Apart from the garlanded and silk-wrapped gold and brass idols within the sanctum, a smaller shrine embedded within the wall near the entrance gateway houses a silk-wrapped, black stone sculpture of Maharaja Shri Raja Wadiyar I (reign AD 1578-1617) himself – possibly he had something to do with the commissioning or expansion of the temple complex, which till date remains testimony to the unparalleled skill of the medieval architects and artisans, though the priests officiating here seemed to know next to nothing about the complex and could only enlighten me by divulging that the temple is supposedly ancient and was constructed by the very first Kings of the Wadiyar lineage. One legend states that a half-blind devotee was cured of his condition within the temple precincts at the intercession of Raja Wadiyar I! I find that hard to believe, but then that is the thing about lore, you can choose to believe or not to, but they continue to persist in the atmosphere and influence the way one looks at history and even architecture.

Details! - Gateway - Sri Varaha Swamy temple complex

The Varaha Swamy and Chamundeshwari temples, again exactly identical in their external appearance and located opposite each other along the front face extremities of the palace complex, were for some reason closed that particular time (possibly, it, being afternoon, was time for the presiding deities to rest), but the officiating priests in the Varaha Swamy temple (again dedicated to the veneration of Lord Vishnu) granted me the permission to wander around and photograph the temple complex and the shrine as long as I did not disturb the deep-red velvety curtain that now engulfed the sanctum. The temple complex, painted the usual brilliant yellow, is considerably larger than the Lakshmiramana Swamy temple and, besides the similar seven-tiered ornately chiseled gateway and whitewashed, simplistically-pillared colonnades circumbulating the central shrine, also possesses as a fringe around the extended roof those telltale rows of delicate pyramidal serrated spires with the alcove and the plasterwork figurine of the Lord's incarnations. The major difference from the other shrines being that the plasterwork sculptures inset within the alcoves are additionally intricately detailed and therefore rendered many times more captivating.

A tribute to the Lord - A stucco figurine, inset along one of the sides of Sri Varaha Swamy temple

Also the larger pyramidal spire surmounting the sanctum is a study in architecture involving immensely straight lines converging to a common pinnacle and in the process culminating into a fascinatingly detailed, highly elongated and extremely straight pyramid the monotony of whose vertical dimensions are punctuated by grooves and contours running horizontally against its surface and the smaller ridges and miniature shrines fashioned against its otherwise flawless surface. Standing in close proximity to the spire and eying its glistening yellow summit that seems to spontaneously and without premonition rise from the black-grey granite base as if of its own free volition without in any way disturbing the continuity of the pattern work lines and edges, one miraculously feels transported to the fictional space age where such numerous ridges and lines and incomprehensible motifs might have been commonplace. Interestingly, the frieze above the entrance gateway is decorated with a fairly colorful, well endowed and garlanded sculptural scene depicting Lord Rama, his three brothers, his wife Sita and his faithful friend Hanuman, the powerful monkey God. The interior walls too of the inadequately lit shrine display an amazing variety of vibrant, multi-hued mural artwork which, owing to their appreciable deterioration and flaking, appears to be quite vintage. Even more surprising is the presence of scenes from the epic Ramayana war where Lord Rama, the ideal son-husband-brother-friend-king-warrior-incarnation of Vishnu-and-who-knows-what-else, battled against the monstrous armies of the demon Lord Ravana who is often depicted as a ten-headed, twenty-armed, grotesquely mustached warlord wielding the bow and arrow with supreme efficiency and unsurpassed lethality – though both Varaha and Rama are considered incarnations of Lord Vishnu and supposedly (read mythically) existed in separate eons, one would have expected a temple dedicated to Lord Varaha Swamy to depict paintings related to his life and times instead of his successor separated by millions of years.

An escape from modernity - Sri Varaha Swamy temple's spire and (background) gateway

The complex, though belonging to the royal family, is managed by the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the Government of Karnataka which conserves and restores the interiors as deemed necessary, manages the tourists and the facilities made available to them therein and maintains the exteriors, the gigantic gardens and the numerous sculptures that exist throughout the estate. Recently, following allegations of corruption and the use of substandard materials in a conservation effort, the Government created a new post of Palace Board Director that will be handled by a state-level administrative officer. The Government also sponsors the annual 10-day long extravagant celebrations that are observed on the occasion of the Hindu festival of Dussehra/Dasara/Vijay Dashami (which have been a tradition since 1610) during which the entire complex is decorated, brilliantly lit up and converted into a host for a range of cultural and religious programs. An idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari is worshiped in the palace by the royal priests during this 10-day period following which, on the day of Dussehra, it is taken on a round of the entire city on the back of a massive, richly-adorned elephant. If one cannot make it to the palace grounds during Dussehra festivities, hope still abounds – it is advisable to visit the palace complex on a Sunday morning and top it off with a return visit in the evening when each of the structures within, including the gateways and the temples, are outlined with millions of incandescent bulbs that, much to the wide-eyed amazement and bewilderment of onlookers, glitter and glimmer against the background of sheer dark blue-black skies that further magnify the mesmerizing effect. The overall picture presented by the illuminated multi-storied structures is resplendently spellbinding, to be seen to be believed!

I wouldn't have missed it for anything!

Open: All days, 10 am – 5:30 pm
Entrance fees: Indians: Rs 40; Foreigners: Rs 200; Free entry for children below 7 years of age and Rs 25 entry charge for children between the age 7-12. Extra charges applicable for audio guides, elephant/camel rides and visit to the museum.
Palace illumination: Every Sunday and all Government holidays, 7 – 7:45 pm, Free entry during the illumination window.
Sound and Light show: All days expect Sundays and Government holidays, 7 – 7:45 pm, Same entrance charges applicable as day entry.
Photography/Video charges: Nil. Prohibited within the palace building.
Note: Footwear have to be removed prior to entering the palace building or any of the numerous temple complexes within the precincts.
Facilities available: Washrooms, drinking water, audio guides and souvenir counters within the palace building.
Other palaces in Karnataka –

1. Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Palace, Bangalore
2. Pixelated Memories - Nandi Hills (Nandidurga fortress and Tipu Sultan's palace), Chikkaballapur

Suggested reading –

1. Business-standard.com - Article "Government tightens grip over Mysore Palace" (dated July 6, 2014) 
2. Dailymail.co.uk - Article "Four hundred-year-old 'curse' returns to haunt Wadiyar royals" (dated Dec 11, 2013) by Vanu Dev 
3. Deccanherald.com - Article "Mysore palace private durbar on, but a change in tradition likely" (dated Sep 8, 2014) 
4. Deccanherald.com - Article "Mysore palace will complete 100 years next year" (dated May 8, 2015) by Ravindra Bhat 
5. Mysorepalace.gov.in (Official website of Mysore Palace)
6. Thehindu.com - Article "An empty throne this Dasara" (dated Sep 18, 2014) by R. Krishna Kumar 
7. Wikipedia.org - Chamunda 
8. Wikipedia.org - Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV
9. Wikipedia.org - Wadiyar Dynasty

Nandi Hills & Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore

Reminiscences – This post is dedicated to Mubashshir, Kulwinder, Harish, Snehal and Pravin – dearest friends, until recently posted at IBM Bangalore, who made the stay here interesting and enriching through their company, laughter-filled discussions, meaningless debates and everlasting memories. Thank you guys, simply for being your affable selves!

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Rare would be the Bangalorean who hasn't heard of Nandi Hills, that surprisingly famed, naturally landscaped, unbelievably crowded and yet magnificently spectacular mountain getaway located three score kilometers away from the city outskirts where we at present reside, but very few would have ever ventured to or even heard of the numerous exquisite medieval temples that exist on the summit and in the vicinity of the enchanting hill cluster. And it was these little known, nondescript gems of ancient ruined temples that made my day when we, i.e thirteen sleep-deprived, grumbling but cheerful friends from IBM and me, journeyed early morning few weeks back from our dreary existence to the laid back, fog-enshrouded, serene hill town. We had booked a Traveller to pick us at 4 am from outside the office campus and the ride to the hill base was an uneventful one, not because we were all sleepy (on the contrary, we travelled laughing, gossiping and listening to music on FM radio), but because the sheer blinding darkness outside the windows numbed us to the indescribably enjoyable pleasures of road trip that are experienced when the sun is up and about. A hour and a half later, refreshed by steaming cups of (poor quality) coffee and cigarettes at one of the several roadside eateries lining the base of the hill route, we still stood in complete darkness that was punctured only by the headlights of hundreds of cars moving in long slithering queues and waited for the gates leading further upward to the parking arena to be thrown open, while the unspoken tension to reach the summit before sunrise, for which it is so highly renowned, had begun to become palpable.

In the vicinity of Nandi village - A countryside framed

From the parking area, after purchasing the tickets, the pace at which we climbed the nearly 4-kilometer long slithering route, punctuated only by momentary breaks to click selfies and admire the unbelievably thick fog that nearly obscured everything beyond a couple of meters, would have been reminiscent of forced marches with which armies move during emergencies! The photos, of course, came amazingly well thanks to the unparalleled walls of fog that removed any and every background disturbance and left us with beautiful white backgrounds, though yes, our hair were left wet and clinging and the spectacles rendered fogged and wet because of the dew accumulating all over them. The rapid climb upwards combined with the solid walls of fog left little time or opportunity to appreciate the landscape, flora or the numerous viewing shelters and gently rising staircases built in the beautified hill sides; the granite walls and the cusped-arched gateway of the fortress "Nandidurg", raised atop the hill and enclosed within thick curtain walls interspersed by bastions and viewing towers, appeared beckoning, and so did the small ruined and ignored summer palace of Emperor Fath Ali Khan Tipu Sultan (ruled AD 1782-99) that is nestled in the bounty of thickly forested hilly area said to be the source of several streams – but we had to leave these for the return journey – anyway the fog would have rendered landscape/architecture photography nearly impossible! Signboards all along the slithering route also direct visitors to a small landscaped area near the hill's summit that is cultivated around a beautiful guest house now christened as "Nehru Nilaya" ("Nehru's abode") after Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru who once stayed in it but originally conceived and commissioned as a summer house by Mark Cubbon, the British army officer and administrator (in service of the British East India "trading" Company from 1801-61), while he was posted as the Commissioner of Mysore.

A palace spoiled - Tipu Sultan's summer residence

Eventually, drenched and slightly overcome by fatigue and cold, walking along the winding, spiraling pathway flanked on one side by the deep cliff face and on the other by bountiful, gently sloping, grass-shrouded hills, eventually we reached the summit only to realize that the journey wouldn't fruit as desired – the heavy fog ensured that the sun couldn't be spotted till it was nearly 10 am – but, as the saying goes, the journey is as essential as the end, and the trip proved uniquely refreshing and exhilarating. Running around, clicking group photos and sipping hot coffee at the small eateries at the summit, time for us flew quickly; the fog's impenetrability could only be gauged from the fact that I got separated from the group while we were having coffee and I ventured to clean some of it that had spilled on my shirt and then couldn't find them again for over two hours – there is no mobile phone signal, except of BSNL, anywhere beyond the base and hence I had no way to contact my colleagues nor did they – only after walking down four kilometers to the base and making a frantic phone call from there could I locate them and walk back to the summit to regroup! By then the sun was high in sky and the mist had very nearly disappeared – on the way back, I could observe the fortress' bastions built along the hill way which permitted strategic lookout over the entire valley for signs of approaching armies and were equipped with spaces for soldiers to mount guard and shoot. The fortress is said to have been commissioned by local chieftains, whose names have long disappeared from the biased pages of history, and was strengthened by Tipu Sultan.

Bird's eye view

With the sun shining bright, also came out numerous monkeys, many of them little suckling babies, others snapping for food and ice creams but almost all of them posing handsomely for the numerous cameras pointed at them by tourists – they were also intelligent enough to remove layers of chocolate from the ice creams and bite only at the vanilla core! Numerous bridal and model photo shoots were also in progress against the mesmerizing background of deep cliffs and remnants of flowing dew-laden mist clouds.

Soon after reuniting, we headed to the beautifully simplistic medieval Hindu shrine, referred to as Yoga Narasimha temple, built immediately next to the summit but ignored by almost all visitors except few devotees aware of its forgotten existence. The concept of twin temples is prevalent in south India where one temple dedicated to the enjoyment ("bhoga") phase of a deity exists at the base of a hill and another dedicated to the meditative ("yoga") phase exists in isolation atop the summit (more on the former later).

Unshakably solid - The granite entrance to Yoga Narasimha temple complex

Representing the renunciation form of Lord Shiva and entered via a simplistic gateway supported on mighty granite walls and pillars, the formidable structure of the Yoga Narasimha complex consists of a large central chamber constructed from granite blocks and surmounted by pyramidal spires plastered over and adorned with stucco figurines of mythological deities, Kirtimukha (refer the previous post for description – Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort) and Nandi, the bull steed of Lord Shiva, the Hindu God of death and destruction to whom these temples are dedicated. Colonnades composed of simplistically carved, rough granite pillars encircle the temple courtyard and function as circumambulation passages around the shrine – occasionally here too one can spot idols embedded within plain whitewashed walls. A small shrine has also been reverentially set aside for the worship of "Nagas", serpent deities usually depicted singularly or entwined around each other and worshiped, especially fervently in south India, for their ability to grant blessings of life and fertility.

Sunshine yellow! - A relatively simplistic spire surmounting one of the shrines within the temple

Heading towards the central shrine which is composed of two interconnected chambers and whose exterior granite walls and doorway flanks are also sparingly ornamented respectively with small sculptures of deities and vegetative flourishes, symbolic of prosperity and fertility, emerging from sacred pots. Stepping into the first of the two interconnected shrines, one is for an instance dazzled by the exquisiteness of the sanctum and the idols gracing the chamber – the sanctum, entered via a doorway ensconced within gold framework extremely intricately carved into numerous patterns and designs, houses a single "Shiva linga" (Lord Shiva's phallic representation) enshrined within a silver throne sculpted with more depictions of mythological deities and serpent Gods, while outside, facing the sanctum, sits a sculpture of the bull-demigod Nandi; two brass sculptures of armed deities stand guard on either side of the doorway; several smaller stone sculptures remain strewn around the chamber, especially in the corners, as if they were simply stacked there with the intention of adding further holiness to the already divine chamber by the royals who originally commissioned the temple.

Ancient elegance - Yoga Narasimha temple sanctum

The second chamber sends shivers of discovery down a visitor's spine – it literally feels as if one has suddenly stepped into a realm still ensconced in the time when primordial deities reigned the Earth and were worshiped in the form of nature, animals and unique mythical creatures. The dark chamber, lit only by the sunlight seeping through the exit doorway, is supported upon pillars sculpted with panels depicting different forms of prominent Hindu deities like Shiva and his consorts, Vishnu (Hindu God of life and nourishment), Ganesha (the elephant-headed, pot-bellied God of auspiciousness and learning), Nandi and other Goddesses being showered with milk and nectar by elephants – even the lintels surmounted on the pillars are carved with these simplistic, but nonetheless eye catching, sculptures. A stone platform, mounted upon which are more idols of the divine deities, sits flanked between two pillars on one side while facing it on the other side are unique, glossy and oily-looking sculptures, crafted not from stone but perhaps from polished wood, of human figurines, multi-limbed insects, strange creatures like elephant-headed humans, big lizards, crocodiles and what can only be considered dinosaurs (probably Spinosaurs!) – what are these creatures, what worship are they used for, are these village deities or primordial entities?! I still cannot fathom. Following the exit from the shrine and exploring and photographing the colonnades around, it is worthwhile to walk past the mammoth jagged rock face to the wall overlooking the cliff face – it is fun to run uninhibited like a juggernaut across the sloping rocks and then gaze down the deep valley – the area is referred to as "Tipu's Drop" and it is contended that the cruel and atrocious ruler used to have his condemned political and military prisoners thrown to their death from this point. Horrific!

Jurassic Park?!

Returning back, we finally did stop at the aforementioned summer residence of Tipu Sultan, a double-storied, rundown, decrepit structure most of whose chambers were locked for visitor entry and whatever remaining is accessible is in such poorly maintained condition that one feels appalled by the conservation authorities' indifference and apathy. A gateway through the palace leads to the other side from where a rock staircase built in the hill face leads to greener valleys and some more ancient temples, but by now we were so terribly exhausted that we decided not to proceed further and head back to the base for lunch. The site at which the palace has been built is said to be associated with Jain saints who performed austerities here – in fact, heavy stone monolith slabs carved with depictions of Jain saints and mythical scenes can still be seen placed on a lengthy platform besides the front face of the palace. Remnants of stucco artwork such as bird figurines and design patterns can also be spotted marking the arched passageway through the palace; on both levels, the balconies are adorned with balustrades composed of multiple ornamental patterns and wide "chajja" (eaves) run underneath them; a huge, deep square tank accessible by flights of stairs on all sides also exists close to the palace. The area was originally referred to as "Anandagiri" ("Pleasure Hill") when the Jains used to meditate here, but the name was modified to "Nandigiri" ("Nandi's Hill") when the Hindu Chola Empire (ruled 300 BC – 1279 AD) incorporated it in their territorial domain and commissioned the fortifications. Tipu Sultan's father Hyder Ali (ruled AD 1761-82), the Commander-in-Chief and Chief Minister of Mysore, captured the impregnable fortress from the Maratha chieftain Peshwa Madhavrao I and Tipu further strengthened the defenses and expanded the area militarily – it eventually fell to Lord Cornwallis of the British East India "Trading" Company who also played a prominent role in defeating Tipu's forces garrisoned at Bangalore Fort (refer Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort). Later the palace was converted to a hill resort by British administrative officers but the structure was allowed to fall in a state of decay and despair subsequently and at present exists in a heart wrenching poor condition. It is hard to imagine that a mighty historic personality like Tipu Sultan could have stayed in a palace this plain, but stay he used to here every time he visited the area for a hunting/travel expedition.

Miserable existence - Tipu's erstwhile regal residence

After a quick lunch composed of south Indian cuisine at Nandi village nearby, we headed past massive rock outcrops, majestically wide ravines and sparsely vegetated rocky valleys nestled in the shadows of bare brown hills and pockmarked by deep craters to finally explore two of the ancient temples that exist so close to the renowned tourist site that its popularity dwarfs their sorry existence into a state of uninhibited neglect and unabated ignorance. The rugged hills and the scarred valleys rolling outside the windows proved conducive to a gentle sleep but very soon we were standing outside the first of the two temples – referred to as Sree Kanive Basaveshwara Nandi Swamy temple, the shrine boasts of a massive stone idol of the bull Nandi that is said to have originated on its own ("Swayambhu") in such perfection over a thousand years ago. The temple priest informed us that the sculpture, presently at least 10 feet tall and 15 X 5 feet across, was only a couple of feet tall some 40-50 years back and will perennially continue to grow in its proportions till it comes alive in its enormous majesty on the Judgement Day as foretold by ancient Hindu scriptures! Consequentially, the shrine surrounding the sculpture has to be regularly expanded into an increasingly huge rectangular chamber to accommodate the former's ever-expanding physical existence. Apart from the sculpture along one of its shorter sides, the present shrine, having been recently rebuilt and being given a coat of plaster and paint when we visited, also encloses within itself along one of its longer sides a cluster of three interconnected shrines reverentially dedicated to Lord Shiva and his family .

In a state of perennial extension - The Nandi statue from Sree Kanive Basaveshwara temple

Through the gradually narrowing streets of the village, past dried up fields, grape vineyards and boulder clusters comprising entire hills, we traveled, stopping every few minutes for directions since it proved unimaginably difficult to accept that such a small village uniformly composed of box-like houses and rows of haberdasher shops could house a temple so magnificent that everyone, at least in the village, talked of its existence in such glorious terms. And a magnificent gem did the historic, rock-hewed Bhoga Nandeeshwara Uma Maheshwara temple, reverentially dedicated (as the aforementioned twin of the Yoga Narasimha temple) to Lord Shiva and housed within a massive complex enclosed by rows of colonnades and possessing towering ancient trees, prove to be! Locally referred to as "Ishwar mandir" and said to have been commissioned somewhere around early 9th century AD by Queen Ratnavali who belonged to the ancient and long forgotten Bana Dynasty that reigned over these areas and claimed ascent from mighty demon lords, the exemplar temple, presently a national heritage site and a splendid epitome of Dravidian religious architecture, was subsequently expanded and improved upon by four successive dynasties – Cholas (reign 300 BC – 1279 AD), Hoysalas (reign AD 1026-1355), Pallavas (reign 3rd-9th century AD) and Vijaynagara Empire (reign AD 1336-1646) – who remained devoted to its protection, maintenance and glorification.

Composite of three individual temples and yet architecturally and artistically uniform! - The central shrine within the Bhoga Nandeeshwara complex

The majestic temple complex, accessed via a small gate built into a rundown boundary wall, is such a striking architectural marvel that one is immediately overawed by the sheer magnitude of the artistic and sculptural prowess of the artists who painstakingly toiled through its construction and the ambitious desires of the emperors who expanded and multiplied several times its grandeur. As marvelous as the complex itself, a colossal wooden chariot, indescribably richly detailed with carvings of mythological figures, stands adjacent to a royal congregation hall near the entrance. Though the fine complex, said to be the oldest temple complex in entire Karnataka, is distinctly divided into four major structures, the centerpiece comprises a very prominent rectangular superstructure shrine that is actually a composite of three nearly identical temples dedicated to Arunachaleshwar, Uma Maheshwar and Bhoga Nandeeshwara – three forms of Lord Shiva, respectively representing his youth, marriage and renunciation. The huge temple is exceedingly exquisitely ornamented with monolithic stone pillars that are adorned with sculptures of divine deities and mythological entities and demarcate the grids of passages that comprise the temple and eventually culminate into the massive structure that the shrine is; in front of each of the two side shrines sits a majestic granite sculpture of Nandi surrounded by smaller similar sculptures and enclosed by cylindrical pillars that add just a touch of irregularity to the otherwise symmetrical and uniformly laid grid of rectangular pillars. The magnificently conceived, superbly executed and intricately sculpted pillars and design patterns force one to observe and photograph each and every artwork individually – it is impossibly hard to tear one away from these and head to the shrines.

Stone sentinels - Rows of colonnades encompassing the temple structure

The central shrine revering Uma Maheshwar form of the Lord has a black-faced, gold-plated composite idol depicting Lord Shiva (Maheshwar) and his consort Parvati (otherwise referred to as Uma) springing from the same lower body which is exceptionally unique since generally Parvati is depicted either sitting next to Lord Shiva or on his left lap, only in some cases is she represented as merging with Shiva and possessing a lateral half of one body ("Ardhanareshwar"), very rare is the representation of the two as Siamese twins. But prior to seeing this unique sculpture that is silhouetted by a five-headed, hooded serpent, one passes through a small square where an ancient canopied square pedestal ("Kalyana mandapa") exists – composed of black granite, the pavilion, erected by Vijaynagara Dynasty emperors (ruled AD 1336-1646), possesses four stunning pillars mindnumbingly intricately carved with patterns and human forms and representing a divine couple each (Brahma-Saraswati (the God of creation and the Goddess of ancient knowledge and learning), Vishnu-Lakshmi (the God of nourishment and the Goddess of prosperity), Shiva-Parvati and Agni-Swahini (the God and Goddess of fire)) – the entire structure thus culminates in a representative witness of Shiva-Parvati's wedding. The walls enclosing the shrine and the mandapa too are adorned with such a wide array of sacred sculptures and carved patterns that one miserably fails to even photograph these divine artworks in their ethereal grace and feels terribly ashamed upon comparison with the ancient sculptors and craftsmen who were such superior artists.

Singularly unique - The depiction of Uma Maheshwara in the central shrine

The sanctum within the Arunachaleshwar temple houses a rather thick "Shivalinga" (Shiva's phallic symbol) and outside it sits a two-feet tall strangely terrible sculpture of Ganesha referred to as "Simha Ganpati". The Bhoga Nandeeshwara temple, said to have been constructed during the last days of the reign of Chola Dynasty (ruled 300 BC – 1279 AD), on the other hand, boasts of relatively simplistic pillar designs but is endowed with several statues gracing its sanctum including one that is believed to be that of Emperor Parakesari Rajendra Chola I (ruled AD 1012-44). The pillars display rectangular panels embossed with mythological and historic scenes, graceful dancers and fierce sages depicted as existing within the flourishes originating from the diabolically bestial face of a divine Kirtimukha, but as a whole the chamber is exceedingly plain compared to the other two. It is fascinating to note that while the three individualized temples and their constituent shrines were built in different eons – commissioned by the Banas and expanded by the Cholas prior to further modification and ornamentation by the Vijaynagara kings and the Hoysalas – they culminate in a majestic structure externally exceedingly uniform and seamlessly composed.

Simplistic and yet architecturally opulent - Bhoga Nandeeshwara shrine

Stepping outside the shrine and walking around the courtyard, which is itself enclosed by strikingly symmetrical colonnades that allow circumambulation of the deities and also possesses a few sacred pillars ("stambha") erected immediately opposite the entrances of the shrines, one notices that while most of the exterior pillars of the Bhoga Nandeeshwara shrine are simplistic rectangular in nature with very minimal design pattern work, some of them, especially the ones next to the entrances, are elegantly sculpted to represent divine figures bareback riding mythological figures known as "Yali" which are part-lion, part-elephant beings possessing the body and head of a lion and the tusks and trunk of an elephant and are themselves mounted upon another mythological being known as "Makara" which possess the face and tusks of an elephant, the body and tail of a fish and the feet of a lion. The colonnaded passages, with their interplay of light and shadows, provide excellent visual compositions for photographic purposes.

More colonnades, this time surrounding the central shrine (right)

Along its back side, the rectangular shrine boasts of an inconceivably brilliantly detailed pyramidal tower ("Gopuram") adjacent both its corners that feature such an eye-opening display of mythological creatures, powerful deities and intricate pattern work that one is left spellbound and wordless – the unparalleled designs and exemplar figures are mesmerizing to such an extent that one is hard put to describe the majestic scene in words and that the same have survived over a millennium is unsung testimony to the exceptional skill of the accomplished artists who gave form to these. Slightly offset from the temple courtyard's entrance and built in continuation with the colonnaded passages is a smaller square shrine dedicated to the Goddess who is revered as a gold-ensconced idol. Very elegantly adorned with murals and sculptures depicting several other deities and mythological scenes, the hallowed shrine is the site for devout veneration by numerous visitors who visit it with their entire families and offer passionate prayers for fulfillment of deep-seated wishes and dreams. Possessing some of the most beautifully carved sculptures of Naga/snake deities endearingly drenched with brilliant red vermillion and hibiscus blossoms, another smaller shrine dedicated to the worship of the former exists close to the small square shrine and is flanked by the numerous "Stambha" pillars that are minimally ornamented with embossments of Nandi and geometrical patterns.

Sculpted divinity - Snake deities

Accessed via a towered gateway built within the colonnaded passageway that separates it from the central shrine, the third major structure within the entire complex happens to be an eye-openingly intricately adorned square pavilion "Kalyana Mandapa" that is itself surrounded by a wide courtyard and possesses two rows of sculptural-detailed pillars running along each of its sides supporting the unique slightly sloping roof. Serving the functional purpose of a sacred marriage hall, the pavilion, constructed by the Hoysala monarchs (reign AD 1026-1355), is so notably beautiful that it is to be seen to be believed! The fog of mythology engulfing the temple in its currents is most prominent around this pavilion and its numerous pillars comprising the exterior row depict the legendary Yali and Makara figures in their complete majestic glory. The charm of the entire structure is further magnified by the presence, around the courtyard, of colonnaded passageways the roofs of which are surmounted along one side by crumbling decaying pyramidal towers boasting of blackened, disfigured and nearly ruined, but nonetheless gloriously bewitching, statues of deities and mythical creatures.

Architecturally unparalleled - The mesmerizing "Kalyana Mandapa"

Commissioned by the Vijaynagara Emperors (reign AD 1336-1646), the last of the prominent structures within the complex is a massive in-house water tank ("Kalyani") that is accessible on each side by rock-cut steps descending to the water level – referred to as "Shringi Teertha", "Shringa" being "horns" and "Teertha" translating to "site of pilgrimage", it is said to have originated when the bull deity Nandi dug its horns in the ground. The tank is assumed to be the source of Dakshina Pinakini river – the river's nomenclature ("Pinakini" translates to "bow-shaped") too is said to have been inspired by Lord Shiva who is considered to be the almighty wielder of "Pinaki" ("the mighty bow"). Another legend is that the site served as the abode of a renowned mendicant sage named Shringi who used to meditate here. The colonnades around the tank are symmetrically surmounted by numerous stepped pyramidal towers of which the ones in the corners and the centers of each side are considerably larger than the rest. The alcoves within these towers still possess inimitable embossments of several deities but most of these sculptures have been rendered decapitated and mutilated – possibly as a consequence of the subsequent Islamic reign over the area following the decline of the architecturally and sculpturally glorious Hindu reign. Hundreds of thousands of earthen oil lamps are lit on the steps around the tank on all the major Hindu festivals like Shivaratri, Pongal and Diwali.

Grace and symmetry

Retracing one's steps back, one cannot help once again admiring the various structures within the complex and their numerous design pattern works and sculpted figurines. These ancient temples have stood here as sentinels watching the blue mist-laden hilltops and green barren fields since time immemorial. They now appear ruined and damaged beyond recognition, ignored and neglected by conservation authorities and heritage enthusiasts and relegated to a decrepit condition that defies comprehension and the spirit of monumental conservation and heritage pride. And yet, seated in the heart of hilly valleys and barren lands, they culminate into droplets of magnificent grandeur emanating from ancient architectural and artistic expertise combined with deep-seated devotion and religious patronage, prompting ever-continuously the fire in one's belly to travel throughout the countryside and visit as many monuments as one can!

The two "Gopurams" - Photo best viewed zoomed to observe the fine sculptures adorning the surfaces

Location: Nandi village, Chikkaballapur, 60 km from Bangalore
How to reach: One can book a Traveler/taxi from Bangalore to Nandi Hills. The charges for 14 and 8-seater Travelers are around Rs 4000 and 3000 respectively, plus the additional kilometer and hour plan charges.
Photography/video charges: Nil (for both the hill area and the twin temples)

Regarding Nandi Hills:
Entrance fees: Rs 20/person
Parking fees: Rs 370
Time required for sightseeing: 4 hrs
Facilities available: Snacks, coffee, cigarettes and drinking water are available at several small outlets near the summit of the hill and along the village roads leading to the hill base. Washrooms (very horribly maintained) can be accessed at the base on payment of Rs 5. Near the summit is a large restaurant managed by the Karnataka Horticulture Department – we found it to be too expensive for our simpler tastes and did not eat there, hence cannot comment on the quality

Regarding Bhoga Nandeeshwara Temple:
Location coordinates: 13°23'12.3"N 77°41'54.8"E
Timings: 6 am - 9 pm
Entrance/parking fees: Nil
Time required for sightseeing: 1-1.5 hrs
Other attractions in the vicinity: Devanahalli fortress, established in AD 1501 by Mallabaire Gowda, who belonged to the same family as Hiriya Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bangalore (refer Pixelated Memories - Bangalore Fort), is located close to Yelahanka air base on the road connecting Bangalore to Nandi Hills.
Suggested reading –

1. Bangaloretourism.org - Bhoganandishwara 
2. Myworldfoodandtravel.com - Birding in Nandi Hills 
3. Trippinonlife.wordpress.com - The Unsung Nandi