The first image that comes to mind when I think of Mysore is its incredible palace, sparkling with thousands of lights. But this city of Maharajas has far more to offer: its famous flower market, its Indo-Saracenic architecture (legacy of the British Raj) and its open-air Nandi sanctuary on Chamundi Hill. Together these have made …
The Somnathpur temple located on the left bank of the Cauvery river is a place not to be missed on the road to Mysore. This gray stone sanctuary, built on a surprising star-shaped platform, is certainly the best ambassador of Hoysala architecture with Beluru and Halebidu.
Having earned a sound reputation in the aerospace and data processing industries, Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), capital of Karnataka, is known as India’s Silicon Valley. This resolutely modern city enjoys a temperate climate and its many parks have earned it fame as the Garden City of India.
The colossal Gomateshwara stands tall on its hilltop, like a lighthouse protecting the town of Shravanabelagola and benevolently guiding the traveller. This Jain holy place of rocks and palm trees breathes tranquillity.
India has an unrivalled heritage influenced by a history that is several millennia old; the palaces are part of this cultural wealth. The palaces of Rajasthan (North West India), with their idyllic romantic setting, are the most famous; there are, however, several other ‘palatial treasures’ scattered here and there throughout the Indian continent … Here is my personal selection …
Dussehra marks the end of one of the biggest Hindu festivals called ‘Navaratri’. This festival lasts for nine nights and ten days. Its purpose is to celebrate the Universal Mother, or Shakti: the primordial force. The tenth day is commonly called Vijayadashami, the day of victory of light over darkness. Vijayadashami is also called Dusserha or Dasara in …
Karnataka, historically the state of Mysuru (Mysore), lies in the southwest. It includes the lush coastal strip of Karavali, the mountainous region of Malnad, which is part of the long Western Ghats range, and an upland plateau region. Karnataka’s capital is the very modern Bengaluru (Bangalore), India’s tech hub, on the plateau. Karnataka saw a …
