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Buck Davidson
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1 Hoysala-Mysore

Tourism Enchanting lights and splendid art After Bangalore (Bengaluru), the cosmopolitan capital which has seen an unprecedented growth over the last two decades thanks to the magic of hi-tech,

2 Tourism Enchanting lights and splendid art After Bangalore (Bengaluru), the cosmopolitan capital which has seen an unprecedented growth over the last two decades thanks to the magic of hi-tech, Mysore is the second principal city of Karnataka, even though till independence it was Mysore that occupied the centre stage, being the capital of a very powerful dynasty that had ruled a large chunk of the Deccan Plateau. Mysore was as well known for its palace of thousand and one nights as for its famous Royal parties, its fabulous markets of fresh flowers and sandalwood, its extremely rich culture music, literature et al. It is hence at Mysore that I chose to spend a few days before hitting the road to the villages that had been the centre of the extremely rich and famous Hoysala art. Text and photos: Mireille- Josephine Guézennec-Himabindu

Offerings for Goddess Chamundi Towards the end of the morning and under heavy Monsoon showers, I left Wayanad in North Kerala, in a superfast bus headed towards Mysore and Bangalore.

There was, in fact, hardly a demarcation between Kerala and Karnataka.

villages along the 50 India & You l March-April 2009 highway.

Mysore, from Chamundi Hill My arrival at Mysore was rather soft and under a clouded sky. At the bus stand, as I had been informed, I took a pre-paid taxi to reach my hotel.

I was surprised due to my experience at Chennai, the capital of neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where the foreigners often end up paying twice or even thrice as much for any ride in a rickshaw.

3 Offerings for Goddess Chamundi Towards the end of the morning and under heavy Monsoon showers, I left Wayanad in North Kerala, in a superfast bus headed towards Mysore and Bangalore. On the roads, which were sometimes chaotic and semimountainous, surrounded by immense forests home to numerous tigers and wild elephants. There was, in fact, hardly a demarcation between Kerala and Karnataka. The only thing that changed and which indicated that we had crossed over into Karnataka was the change in the shape of the letters on the signboards of various small shops in the small villages along the 50 India & You l March-April 2009 highway. I could recognise the change only because among the Indo-Dravidian languages, only Kannada, the language of Karnataka, has well-defined and elegant curves above the letters. Mysore, from Chamundi Hill My arrival at Mysore was rather soft and under a clouded sky. At the bus stand, as I had been informed, I took a pre-paid taxi to reach my hotel. Also, during my stay there, everytime that I took an autorickshaw, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the rickshaw drivers spontaneously returned the change. I was surprised due to my experience at Chennai, the capital of neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where the foreigners often end up paying twice or even thrice as much for any ride in a rickshaw. I also found the drivers in Mysore much more courteous, a dramatic shift from the rude drivers in Chennai. Leaving behind me the mountainous and extremely green Western Ghats of Kerala, pounded by incessant monsoon rains, I had decided to stay a few days at the Mayura Hoysala hotel at Mysore. From the balcony of my room on the first floor of this beautiful colonial construction with a white facade, I drift into a voluptuous dream of this ancient capital of a rich Kingdom of the Orient, with a white marble palace, caressed by the golden rays of a setting sun.

Tourism Coming back to the present, I also thought of the multiple and incredible contrasts offered by the India of the past and today.

bright yellow overlooked the entry courtyard through which still filtered muffled noises of the city.

green spaces and its large white palaces with their numerous domes.

At the top of this sacred hill, a temple dedicated to the all-powerful goddess, Chamundeshwari or Chamundi, is a very popular religious

4 Tourism Coming back to the present, I also thought of the multiple and incredible contrasts offered by the India of the past and today. Sometimes inspired by the soft evening, I used to write my travel notes well into the night in the gallery where large arcades, painted in bright yellow overlooked the entry courtyard through which still filtered muffled noises of the city. I could see from top of Chamundi Hills, situated about 13 km away from the city, the famous landmarks of Mysore, its broad avenues, it vast green spaces and its large white palaces with their numerous domes. From this height, I discovered the design of the city as well as the story behind its name. At the top of this sacred hill, a temple dedicated to the all-powerful goddess, Chamundeshwari or Chamundi, is a very popular religious destination. It is here, the legend goes, that the Goddess Chamundi killed the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. Hence, Mysore derives its name from the name given to the goddess, Mahishasuramardini, an avatar of the Goddess Durga Chamundi Hill and the demon Mahishasura India & You l March-April

Tourism Devaraja market Mysore A very colourful market

And from time immemorial, the kings of Mysore have placed

residents of Mysore visit the temple on pilgrimage,

south India and hence I decided to spend an evening at

where one has to weave in the lanes where thousands of

are in profusion here and magnificent, colourful garlands

much like sand castles, that are juxtaposed with glass

5 Tourism Devaraja market Mysore A very colourful market who killed the supposedly-invincible demon. And from time immemorial, the kings of Mysore have placed themselves under the protection of Chamundi and the residents of Mysore visit the temple on pilgrimage, offering flowers, fruits and coconuts to seek the blessings of the Goddess. The flower market of Mysore enjoys a nice reputation in south India and hence I decided to spend an evening at the 52 India & You l March-April 2009 Devaraja Market where one has to weave in the lanes where thousands of extremely rushed clients go straight towards their destinations. Set in large pyramids, vegetables and fruits of all kinds are in profusion here and magnificent, colourful garlands of flowers, rolled on themselves, and are sold by the metre. Alongside are heaps of bright, shining colours, pretty much like sand castles, that are juxtaposed with glass flacons with precious essential oils used in making perfumes. A man brings sacks of jasmine, fragile and shining white, which the trader, in his loud voice, sells with a frenzy that is only matched by his customers. This effervescence and delicious fragrance of essence of rose or jasmine, mixed with those of sandal give me the feeling of being drunk.

Golden Palace of Mysore As it was August 15, the Independence Day, I learnt that the Mysore Palace would be illuminated exceptionally in the evening.

In less than 15 minutes I was at the gates of the palace, dressed in all its lights. It really struck me like a lightning, a revelation.

I enter the porch and there, in the middle of the numerous visitors, I stood hypnotized by the twinkling palace, contemplating the magic of this spectacular place.

Like tightrope walkers, the visitors were walking or getting photographed in front of this marvel. In this enchanting scene, each of us wanted to be an actor.

6 Golden Palace of Mysore As it was August 15, the Independence Day, I learnt that the Mysore Palace would be illuminated exceptionally in the evening. The visit of the palace, I must confess, was never really my priority but upon the insistence of the hotelier, I agreed to visit the palace. In less than 15 minutes I was at the gates of the palace, dressed in all its lights. It really struck me like a lightning, a revelation. My eyes remained glued to this magnificent sight, while several hawkers tried to distract me with their artisanal products or hand fans perfumed with false sandalwood. I enter the porch and there, in the middle of the numerous visitors, I stood hypnotized by the twinkling palace, contemplating the magic of this spectacular place. I must confess that I have never seen anything more beautiful, more spectacular, extravagant and sumptuous works. Like tightrope walkers, the visitors were walking or getting photographed in front of this marvel. In this enchanting scene, each of us wanted to be an actor. But later, at a fixed hour, as the lights were switched off everything became dark and like a dream that has ended, I retained only an impression of this exceptional sight. It was already around 8 pm, but my day was not over yet. Because just before leaving the Palace, I was intuitively guided towards the distant sounds of a bell. Following the The Mysore Palace sound, I reached a temple. Removing my shoes, I entered the temple where the aarti ceremony for Mahalakshmi was taking place. In other parts, there were other fires and other ceremonies, perhaps more private that were taking place in honor of the Goddess, who is also the Consort of Vishnu. These nocturnal prayers were taking place under an umbrella in the home of Sri Svesta Varahaswami, situated in the south east courtyard of the palace. As I was getting ready to leave the temple, someone invited me to join the assembly for the night prayers. Sitting on the floor, well-aligned and side by side in the middle of the court, after having distributed the holy water, the priests were offering now the Prasad or blessed food. Everyone, in turn, was stretching the right hand to receive some sweet rice cooked with dry fruits and spices. Outside was the illumination and inside the revelation. Once more, I felt satisfied with the great improvised way to celebration a national festival. India & You l March-April

Somnathpur and the Hoysala temple art Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur Jewels chiselled in stone Mysore is home to the most magnificent Maharaja s Palace of the Wodeyar or Odeyar dynasty, that was

But this was not the only piece of splendid art that this region of the Deccan (today s Karnataka) had seen.

these 12th century temples edified on top of a huge, star-shaped platform.

7 Somnathpur and the Hoysala temple art Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur Jewels chiselled in stone Mysore is home to the most magnificent Maharaja s Palace of the Wodeyar or Odeyar dynasty, that was reconstructed in 1912 in all its splendour, mixed with Indo-Gothic or Indo-Sarasin styles on the ruins of an ancient palace that had been completely destroyed in a major fire in But this was not the only piece of splendid art that this region of the Deccan (today s Karnataka) had seen. Indeed during the several centuries preceding the Wodeyars, Karnataka or Mysore was home to a series of extremely powerful dynasties that have left behind some of the best architectural works, symbols of their prosperous reigns. The temples of Belur, Halebid and Somnathpur are truly jewels of 54 India & You l March-April 2009 architecture that the refined dynasty of the Hoysala kings, patrons of art and culture, left for the posterity to admire. Situated on the left bank of the holy Kaveri (or Cauveri) river, the Somnathpur temple is the only one to have conserve dits three spires or shikharas, gives a complete idea of what was the origin of these 12th century temples edified on top of a huge, star-shaped platform. My preference, however, is for the temples of Halebid and Belur, located about 150 km north of Mysore, for the abundance and the diversity of their sculptures and for the refined works done on the statues there. Located in a large garden, with groups of hibiscus and majestic trees, the Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid is dedicated to Shiva. The rays of afternoon sun light up the western side of the most ornamentally-sculpted facade of the temple. All around the temple, a fresco of elephants, all differently sculpted, occupy the lower plinth, with lions above them and even higher are the horses and the cavalrymen. This is like the alliance of strength, courage and the speed of the spirit. It is a book of images, engraved in stone, that opens to us allowing us to penetrate the complexities of the Shaivaite mythology and of a cosmos where Vishnu and its incarnations are the main players. The avatars of Vishnu that occupy a big place in the statues of Hoysala sit alongside the representations of Shiva, of a dancing Ganesha or of Ravana trying to lift Mount Kailash. Here Shiva accomplished his feared dance of Tandava after having killed the ferocious demon-elephant Gajasura, and there Shiva is relaxing in tranquility along with

Belur temple built in 12th century Goddess Parvati, riding his Nandi bull. A bit further away we can see Shiva performing his fascinating cosmic dance Nataraj.

8 Belur temple built in 12th century Goddess Parvati, riding his Nandi bull. A bit further away we can see Shiva performing his fascinating cosmic dance Nataraj. The Hoysalas were initially followers of the Jain religion and they converted to Vaishnav Hinduism under the influence of their spiritual guru Ramanuja. The Hoysalas were very well read and cultured men, who had, like the great saints, the universal vision of religious thought where each divinity of the pantheon had its proper place, its symbols and its own role to play. At Belur, the first capital of the Hoysala empire, the statues of the Chennakeshvara temple, whose edifice was completed in 1117, are fascinating due to the delicacy of work on black chiselled schist which resembles the work of a goldsmith. The queen, Shantala Devi, married to the King Vishnuvarnadharma, was an eminent musician and a fabulous dancer of the kingdom certainly inspired the sculptors to carve the gracious and sensual figures of the divine Madanikas in most elegant poses, such as the tribhanga or the triple, lopsided posture. The most remarkable of these small figures that glorify feminity and are finely sculpted on top of the ledges and all around the temple are those of the lady with a mirror, Darpanasundari and the heroine conversing with her parrot, sitting on her palm. Inside, the hall or Navaranga, has immense, perfectly rounded and smoothened columns, made of black soapstone, opens towards the sanctum sanctorum or garbhagriha where resides the Master of the House, Vishnu-Chennakeshvara, whom the priests honour in the presence of the believers at some fixed hours everyday. And as I was taking time to observe the details and was photographing each of these figures very carefully, I also happened to hear the commentaries from the official guides, recognised by the government and the Archaeological Survey of India. They are really well instructed in the history of art and these guides had the gift of expressing themselves in various languages bit of which I was trying to catch and understand. Other guides, accompanying the groups of foreign tourists, were rather content with some banalities or even worse affirming their ignorance with a peremptory tone. In front of a magnificent statue of a dancing Shiva, I heard one of these guides exclaim in English to his Italian guests, Yes, Shiva is always drunk! followed by a loud laughter. The next day, I returned to the temple, right in the morning from the opening hour and I chose a guide who had unveiled the marvellous meanings of these infinitely complex representations and who still looked a bit hermetic to me. We shared excellent exchanges and we also agreed to meet the next day for me to visit some other lesser known and definitely more modest sites, located off the touristic circuits and in the midst of magnificently green rice fields. India & You l March-April

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