Trip to Mysore

Trip to Mysore.

Date: 15th and 16th July 2006

Team: Jordan, Goldie, Habib, Somu, Satya, Sunil, Krishna, Leela, Babbai and Sarma.

Route: Bangalore->Mysore

Day 1 - 15th July 2006

0700: People promised to be present at 5:30 appeared at last. Krishna accepted to come as Mr.Karthik (Kukka alias Anand) dropped citing some junk reasons of not feeling well (Actually a call came may be from... left to your imagination... after which he dropped). Packed the things and started for the drive.

0730: Outskirts of Bangalore. Starting Drivers – Satya, Goldie, Jordan, Somu and Habib. After Bangalore we noticed that Habib was driving a bicycle (Actually Splendor plus. But he drives like that). So got to take over from him and the other drivers shifted. 

0800: Got on to the highway, the road is good. But still people are moving slowly stopping and meeting so that no one misses out. 

0900: Reached Kamat 50 Kms from Bangalore, for the breakfast. Had a nice breakfast. Forgot to mention the climate was very nice that we didn't see the sun up to now.

0930: Started after breakfast. Shortly it started showering. And the ride was the best I of all I did. Listening to music on Ku's phone which was occasionally disturbed by his girl friends, and driving on a smooth road with very less traffic at high speed. The most enjoyed ride of the trip. 

1040: Stopped by a Bajaj service center for a minor repair and fixing the rear view mirror which was not present for Reddy's Bike.

1140: Missed Srirangapatnam and went a little ahead. Turned back and drove another 4 Kms. 

1150: Reached Srirangapatnam and visited a few historical places of Tippu the Great.

1310: At Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. It was the right time we visited. Its an amazing view with just born chicks and the sounds of the birds. Babbai spotted a Crocodile on the rock with the help of my Binoculars :)

1330: Took the boat and went for the bird watching. It's a nice experience. Came across the Corcs lying on the islands. We were told that these are vegetarian Corcs so everyone relaxed :). The brid count may be in thousands. We also saw Bats as big a crow. The boat trip was enjoyable.

1400: Came out of the waters. The ambiance is pretty nice with many trees around. Wanted a pic of the whole group there. Atlast found some one. Looked he is new for using the cam. Habib gave him training by taking a picture. So stood still but he didn't clicked. Again the training master went and gave him advanced training this time. After much time of posing he took one. Every one was laughing after the photo as the guy who took it looked like he achieved something great :-) and was out of some major trouble. Conveyed our sincere thanks to him. Just went on seeing the places around.

1415: Habib climbed a tree which he was used to; later couldn't get down as he knows only climbing. With lot of effort at last he came down and we continued.

1440: Near to Mysore. All the bikers stopped there to plan where to go in Mysore. Not sure of where to stay. Thought of going into the city and look out for a Lodge/Dorm.

1515: Started conversation with a guy who is coming along and he told that he will show us a place for our stay. We followed him. He took us into all the small streets in Mysore and after a 20 min travel he took us to the place and from there he left. Went in for the enquiry and found that it is reasonable. Decided to stay there with out wasting time on searching for a better one.

1540: Decided to have lunch as all are hungry and for Elka already Elkalu already started running in his stomach. Planned to search for an Andhra style hotel. Came to know about the RR. Went in search of it. Discovered that the place we put up is almost the heart of the city. Looks like to avoid traffic that guy has lead us in all the gullys. Found RR and had a heavy lunch. It was good. From there started to KRS directly.

1730: Very near to KRS. The Sunset, The waters.. The Dam... I felt we went there at a right time. Time for getting the pic of all of us including our bikes now and here is it.

1945: Roamed all along the Gardens, Dam. The receptionist Mr. Ku Reddy was as usual busy with his phone away from the people. Relaxed at the musical fountain and started back. Mr. Ku was graceful enough to join us back with out adding any further delay. On the way decide that we all we go together. Satya leading the way and me at the last so that people dont miss and also the road is bad and driving during nights on that can be dangerous.

2010: Me coming in the last listening to music, enjoying the cool air. Krishna and me stopped twice and then continued. Coz of getting late I rode a little faster to catch up with the guys ahead. On the way found that every one is waiting. I thot its for me, later realised that one bike is missing and Elka the great got lost. Came to know he is coming on the proper way. “Podduna nuchi turning daggara agandra ani cheptane unna (From morning I have been asking to stop at turnings)” on top of Elka's voice. Now all are over cautious and rode very near.

2030: Reached the Lodge. As time is there wanted to do window shopping on the Devaraj Urs Rd. All went to see it. Nothing very great about it. But was the biggest commercial road in Mysore.

2115: Had dinner at the Mobile hotels. Ate all the local food available. Then went to Lodge and called it a day.

2200: Lights off after reminding everyone to be ready to go out next morning by 630 am.

Day 2 - 16th July 2006

06:00: Woke up and found a few are already out of beds. Getting ready for going out.

0745: Got out of the lodge and started towards Chamundi Hills. Habib, Sunil and Goldie opted to stay back and rest. The remaining continued.

0830: The morning is very cloudy and cool. The ride to the hill on the ghat road is very good. The clouds are at a very less height that we could see the upper half of the micro wave tower on the hill.

0930: All went in to the temple. I'm outside waiting for my frens to complete the darsanam. After that visited the Nandi and started back to Mysore. Had breakfast at the road side. Was good. Satya was very much interested in visiting the Lalitha Mahal Palace though I said its a hotel and not a historical place to visit. He said many things to prove that it is not a Hotel. Only after getting confirmed from the security at the palace gate he turned back.

1030: Went to zoo. The biggest zoo I ever visited. Also the only zoo that hosts a Gorilla in India.:) Animals and Birds are Pretty nice there.

1200: Came out of the zoo with legs paining after a long walk in the zoo. But it was enjoyable. By this time the remaining 3 went to the palace. We joined them there.

13:00: All of us met and Shiek wanted to leave as his camel left along with his tent. So he left Bangalore along with Sunil

1400: Out of Mysore palace. Went to room for packing up the things. Few of us wanted to visit the Jagan Mohan Art Gallery which is opposite to our lodge. 

1445: At Jagan Mohan Art Gallery. It was wonderful. We went to the Ravi Varma's painitings on the first floor. They are awesome. The imagination level and the detail of the pictures are marvelous. Spent most of the time there. After coming out of the room didn't want to see any other paintings. Came back to the Room.

1530: Checked out of the lodge and started moving towards Bangalore finding some place for lunch. Stopped at the St. Philomena Church for some time and continued. Got some Dabha on the way and stopped there for lunch.

1715: Finished lunch and started from there. After coming some 3Kms saw every one stopped there. Came to know Panthulu the Great (Sarma) left his bag in the Dabha. I went back along with him to pick it up. While starting we all decided to meet at Kamat.

1825: Reached Kamat. I was the first to reach. Came non stop from Mysore. Around 96Kms in 75 mins clocking the top speed of 117Kmph. Then one by one started and by 1840 all reached had tea and continued.

2030: Reached the base camp at Srinivagilu Bakery. Had a nice trip with out any problems by God's Grace.

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The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

- Robert Frost

I know many of you have read this poem many times. Time for me now to tell you something about this.

Well today we missed few roads even after following proper signs. That’s the irony of Indian Roads. Only after you reach the end you will know that it closed or a wrong way and you still have directions pointing it :) and you end up in a road that is never taken. Trust me this is what happens on Bangalore – Mysore (Kanakapura Road) highway if you follow proper directions that you will come across. Spoiled my evening :( which I was expecting to be one of the best. That is when I thought of writing some comments about this poem which was on my mind for quite some time. I remember this from the books I have read in my childhood. Of course I don’t read any now. The Road Never Taken made this all :)

This poem didn’t make any sense when I first read it, as a kid. In fact I felt the author might be mad to write such a poem and of course the publisher too to publish it. It was like, what his problem; he can take the 2 different roads on 2 different days and still try both of them. For this he has to write a poem and people read it. And that was the understanding when I was a kid. Don’t laugh; I am sure yours will also be the same.

Now after passing considerable time in my life, I know what it means. You can never take two ways. Always a choice when you have to decide having multiple options. And life has too many choices for everything. Once you chose something, there is no coming back. That’s what ruined my evening too a wrong choice of road. The end of 3rd stanza and the 4th stanza says it all.

What is that one is going to do when it is realized that the way taken was wrong. There is no going back. Stick with it for the life time? Feel bad for opting a wrong choice which took where you are now? Feel good for what you have now? Regret for doing that? Accept that a mistake that cannot be corrected is done? Justify your choice, expecting the other road might have been worse? Ignore the choice taken, the past and focus on the remaining part?

After all this now you have two roads again. Which one to take? :).

So you end up with more confusion considering the past choices and their effects and trying to decide now on what we think the learning from the personal experience.

Ok now can you be sure it is the right choice and “I doubted if I should ever come back”.

The more you live the more you get experience the choices get more and more complicated.

This is what Life is all about. Making your choices right where you don’t have a second chance.

The paths are totally different and so are the things that come along, the people, the places, the joys, the sorrows.

“I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

Frost never expressed that the road he took is a better one or worse. All it says is a sigh :), which can be expressed both when one is happy and sad too and also he just says that it is a difference made not making it clear it is a positive or negative.

So there is something tricky about this poem which Frost left it for breaking your heads now :). Now find the sigh and the difference. I am still doing. Join me…? LOL

Need to catch up some sleep before I go to work tomorrow...

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Mysore Dasara

All of a sudden I found myself in planning to go to Mysore to watch Dasara procession. Ended up going there. Started in the morning reached Kamath for breakfast and ? got a juice with a dead spider. Reached Mysore by afternoon. Tried to get a glimpse of the palace, but the crowd that assembled to see it was huge. To get in it needs a ticket which were sold off a month ago. Buses were parked all along its side for the spectators. To watch it from the top of bus it is 100 bucks per head. There was huge competition for that too. Standing on a bus in the sun for doesn’t look like a good idea. Went out and had lunch at RR. Later decided to go the Bannimantap where the procession ends to watch it there. But the auto driver told that it will be too late by the time it reaches that place. So again went back to catch the procession in the middle of the road somewhere.

Walked along the side of the procession way to find a good place to stand and watch and came to a junction where the view is better. After a wait of some 20 mins we saw the procession coming. And the starting itself was good. Then one by one all the display vehicles, horses, elephants and the folk dancer, musicians and people who do different kind of feats came along. 

The music, the beats, the dances they made was awesome. Witnessing something like that live is an experience that cannot be told. 

Also the Tejas (war plane), Tanks, Rocket launchers came in the procession. It was quite long may be it took almost 2 hours to pass through that junction where we are standing. Every one involved completely in the procession. From the people organizing it to the people who are playing music, dance one can see a complete involvement and joy of performing that. 

We saw a bomb detecting squad with all their instruments scanning the place so expected the end of procession is near. And then comes a Jammer with lot of security behind, all of them carrying automatic machine guns and heavily armed. At last the we could see Balaram carrying the God in the procession followed by huge swarm of ambulances, fire engines, police vehicles and what not :)

Went and did some shopping. From there planned to go to Bannimantapa to see the torchlight ceremony. After waiting in traffic jam for long, reached the place to find that we need a ticket to get in and they got over a week back. So went back to place to see its lighting. It amazing to see it with so many bulbs. May be all those bulbs can light the entire Mysore homes.

Returning back was a bit difficult with too much of traffic. Almost like on the Bangalore Ring Road but at a high speed. Had a nice dinner at McDonalds out in the nature with cool breeze. Returned to Bangalore safely by God’s Grace.

Here are few pics from the trip.

Dasara Procession

Making of Handicrafts

Palace Lights

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