24-25 October 2012

After a somewhat arduous train journey and a three hour bus ride, I arrived in Mysore.

I met up again with Mairead who was travelling with me for a time in Kerala. The Dussehra festival is a ten day annual event which is possibly the biggest festival in the south apart from Diwali. It is a Hindu celebration of the Gods defeating demons. Good prevailing over evil. I arrived on the last day of the festival, in which there is the climax of a three hour parade through the streets of Mysore.

I watched the procession from a balcony which had been kindly arranged by Santosh, a couch surfing host who I was staying with. We had a great view and saw extravagantly painted elephants, various costumed dancers, drummers, costumed Gods and floats. The atmosphere was electric and there were too many sounds emanating from the streets to process. I was told that the elephants in the procession have stampeded in the past so the locals hoped no such thing happened this year. In particular, I was told that Arjuna, the biggest and the most extravagant pachyderm at the end of the procession was prone to being 'naughty.' I also asked about if the elephants mind being painted. A local explained, 'No. Don't mind at all. If you paint them well!' There were several other backpackers that were staying in Mysore with Santosh. There were Germans, French, as well as an Irishmen and a Mexican. Almost sounds like the start of a bad joke.

In the evening we all walked down to the palace in Mysore which was completely lit up with lights. It looked incredible and there were huge crowds trying to get a glance. We all then went for dinner at a restaurant near the house.

The next day, I visited Mysore Palace with Mairead and a Mexican traveller called Karla. An incredibly extravagant construction which is still resident to the Mysore royal family today. The rooms were immense. The beautiful wall paintings were rich with detail, depicting various royal processions in history. And the court rooms were vast with fantastic painted ceilings depicting Hindu gods and the signs of the zodiac. One local boasted that more people visit the palace than the Taj Mahal. Without seeing the Taj Mahal, it was easy to imagine. After, we visited the House of Dolls which was full of beautiful handcrafted dolls of nearly everything you can think of. Gods, animals, even Mysore Palace itself!

After a tasty Dosa for lunch we headed to the bazaar in the heart of the city. It was overwhelming experience for the senses. The market was full of colour with fruits, fabrics and dye powders. As you enter, you also feel an explosion of different aromas from all the spice merchants. This was my first experience of an Indian bazaar and sure is a far cry from all the supermarkets we are all used to back home.