My TripAdvisor Review No.206: Sri Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysuru.

“Prominent Temple atop Chamundi Hill.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

This huge temple is on top of the Chamundi Hill which is about 13 km from Mysore City.

We visited the temple on a Sunday and it was crowded with a lot of devotees not only from Mysore but from all over India. Chamundi or Durga is another form of the Goddess Shakti, and she is the slayer of many demons, one of which is ‘Mahishasura’ or the buffalo headed monster. You will pass the giant statue of this demon as you approach the temple. The city of Mysore has derived its name from this demon.

There is a good motorable road from Mysore city up to the temple and the views of the city are indeed enchanting as you reach the top. There are regular local buses going up to the top from the city.

There are some more temples like the Mahabaleshwara temple and the Nandi Bull temple nearby which can also be visited together on the Chamundi Hill.

• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d500202-r459909063-Sri_Chamundeshwari_Temple-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.205: Sri Nandi Temple, Mysuru.

“Huge Nandi Bull.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is a huge monolithic statue of the Nandi bull on top of the Chamundi Hill near Mysore. We visited this place after visiting the Chamundeshwari Temple.

Nandi is supposed to be the vehicle of Lord Shiva, the Lord of destruction in Hindu mythology. The statue is carved out of a single large boulder and is supposed to be about 350 years old.

Being on top of a hill there was a scenic view of the land around Mysore city and a nice breeze to cool us off. It is worth a visit.

• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d8865698-r459147145-Sri_Nandi_Temple-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.204: Brindavan Gardens, Mysuru.

“Beautiful Gardens but Overcrowded.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

The Brindavan Gardens are located around 15 km from Mysore City in Mandya District. The gardens are beautifully laid with flowering plants and shrubs. It is adjacent to the Krishnarajasagar dam on the River Kaveri.

There is a token entry fee of Rs.40 per head as well as a camera fee of Rs.50. The gardens become terribly overcrowded on weekend evenings when there is a sound and light show with the dancing fountains.

We visited the place after our trip to Srirangapatna on a Sunday evening, and found it extremely difficult to cross the bridge across to the dancing fountains. We enjoyed the near side where there were more fountains and a waterfall.

There are many food and drink stalls so we refreshed ourselves with some snacks and coconut water.

• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d1216820-r457774097-Brindavan_Garden-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.203: Railway Museum Mysore.

“Educational Entertainment for Young and Old Alike.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This museum is located just behind the Mysore Main Railway Station in an open enclosure. There is an entrance fee of Rs.20 per head and Rs.15 for children.

It is much smaller than the Rail Museum at Delhi, but still quite interesting and educational. There are many models of the ancient steam engines and coaches which used to run on the Indian Railways. Some of them have been sectioned to show the inner workings of the engines. There is a room depicting the history of the Indian Railways in framed photographs and models.

The most interesting exhibit was the coach used by the Maharani of Mysore when she used to travel in royal luxury. You can even enter inside the coach and walk through it.

There is a mini train which runs around the grounds to give the kids a joy ride in the evenings and on holidays.

• 
• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d3679692-r456685815-Railway_Museum_Mysore-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.202: Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) restaurant, Mysore.

“Brightly Lit, Clean Restaurant.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Adyar Ananda Bhavan, or A2B restaurant is located just outside the Mysore Railway Station. It is a good clean restaurant serving South Indian and ‘Chinese Indian’ dishes, as well as sweets and snacks.

They have a self service section where you can buy a coupon and go for a quick meal.

At night it is brightly lit and attracts and entices you to enter and sample the delicacies. We went in one night for dinner and ordered their ‘Mysore Masala Dosas’, which was quite tasty, and followed it up with a fruit salad.

After dinner we had some sweetmeats and parcelled a packet of karela (bitter gourd) chips to take home from their Sweet Shop.

• 

• Visited November 2016
  • 
    Value
  • 
    Service
  • 
    Food

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d8856169-r455183602-A2B_Restaurant-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.201: Srirangapatna, Mandya District, Karnataka.

“Steeped in History and Surrounded by Natural Beauty.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Srirangapatna is a small town about 15 km from Mysore city in the district of Mandya. The entire town is surrounded by the River Kaveri to form a river island, and encloses the ruins of Tipu Sultan’s Fort.

We had taken a private bus from Mysore for a day of sight-seeing, and Srirangapatna was included just as a drive through in about half an hour. We saw all the monuments but did not alight from the bus to visit them individually. But the sights of Srirangapatna are too good and one can spend the full day, if not more, to visit them.

Some of the monuments we saw in passing were the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Dariya Daulat Bagh (Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan), Tipu Sultan Gumbaz, Wellesley Bridge, Srirangapatna Fort, Bailey’s Dungeon and the memorial at the spot where Tipu Sultan was killed.

The Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is also located near Srirangapatna.

There are some hotels and lodges located in and around the town. It would definitely be worthwhile to stay longer in Srirangapatna and explore the monuments, ruins and the beautiful natural surroundings around the Kaveri River.

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d1021194-r454443486-Srirangapatna-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.200: Mysore Maharaja's Palace.

“Grand Palace of Mysore.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

For anyone visiting Mysore a visit to the Maharaja’s Palace, also known as Amba Vilas, is a must. It is one of the most iconic monuments of this city, and is located in the centre of Mysore. It is the residence of the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, the Wodiyars.

There is an entrance fee of Rs.40 per head, and cameras are not allowed inside. An audio guide is available on payment of an additional fee.

You have to take off your footwear and leave your camera in a free locker provided near the entrance to the Palace. The Palace grounds are huge and there are well laid out gardens and pathways.

Inside the palace are huge halls and rooms decorated with period furniture, paintings and precious artefacts well laid out and displayed. You are made to follow a certain sequence of rooms as you go from room to room and admire the items on display.

The palace is illuminated every Sunday and other public holidays from 7 pm to 7.30 pm, and looks indeed spectacular when it is all lit up.

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d319703-r454257191-Mysore_Maharajah_s_Palace_Amba_Vilas-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.199: Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysuru.

“One of the Better Zoos of India.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

The zoo is well spread out over a large area, with well laid out walkways. We had to pay Rs.60 per head as entrance fee, and Rs.20 for our camera.

They have some unique animals like tapir, Capuchin monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees and baboons in addition to the regular exhibits like lion, tiger, sloth bears, deer, giraffe, zebras and elephants.

One can easily spend about 2 hours or more walking around the place, especially with the kids. There is also a battery operated golf cart available for the senior citizens and the lazy tourist. Public toilets and drinking water fountains are also there in the campus. There are also some food stalls with refreshments available. There is also a souvenir cum toy shop with stuffed toys and animal models for sale.

It is one of the better zoological gardens in India, on par with the one Trivandrum, and definitely worth a visit.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d500203-r451137200-Sri_Chamarajendra_Zoological_Gardens-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.198: Hotel Mayura Hoysala, Mysore.

“Good Heritage Property near the Railway Station.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

We chose this hotel for our three day tour of Mysore as it was located quite near to the Mysore Railway Station. In fact it was so near that we did not even have to hire a rickshaw. We simply walked the distance with our wheeled bags within ten minutes.

It is an old heritage building exuding old world charm, with a porch and a garden in front, with an open air restaurant. There is a regular restaurant inside too. There is also ample parking space for private cars.

Our check-in was quite smooth as we had pre-booked the room online. The first floor non-ac deluxe rooms were better than the ones on the ground floor, and the corner room had a third bed in a separate room. The bathroom was very spacious and even had a bath tub. There was a boiler for hot water. Outside the room was a long corridor with chairs to sit out with your cup of tea.

The service was very courteous. Breakfast was included in the tariff, and it was quite substantial, consisting of idli, wada, upma, savoury rice, dosa and sweet kesari bhath. We would have our a-la-carte dinner in this restaurant too. There is a McDonald’s across the road if you prefer fast food.

The Karnataka State Tourism Department also has its office in the premises, so we could make arrangements for our sight-seeing tours quite conveniently.

We enjoyed our stay at Mayura Hoysala. The tariff for the room was also quite reasonable. The only downside was a leaky tap in the bathroom, and the intercom did not work.

Room Tip: Corner rooms are better. First floor rooms have more privacy.

See more room tips

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• Stayed November 2016, travelled with family
  • 
    Sleep Quality
  • 
    Cleanliness
  • 
    Service

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g304553-d1454364-r449873136-Hotel_Mayura_Hoysala_Mysore-Mysuru_Mysore_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.197: Vidhan Soudha and Attara Kacheri, Bengaluru.

“Iconic Buildings of Bengaluru.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

The Vidhan Soudha is the State Legislative Assembly building in Bengaluru, which is the capital of the state of Karnataka. The Attara Kacheri is the High Court building as it is called in the local language.

Both these buildings have beautiful Colonial architecture and are the iconic landmarks of the city. They are situated opposite each other, and very near to Cubbon Park.

We combined our visit to the Cubbon Park with a quick visit to the Vidhan Soudha and the Attara Kacheri.

• 
• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d2587646-r449141672-Vidhana_Soudha_and_Attara_Kacheri-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.196: Cubbon Park, Bengaluru.

“Best Garden in the Heart of the City.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Cubbon Park is one of the best Gardens in Bangalore City. It has huge shady trees and flowering plants. Some of the trees are really old, may be over a hundred years old.

One can go to Cubbon Park at any time of the day and get refreshed. Being in the heart of the city there are many restaurants and food stalls nearby. There is sufficient parking space for your vehicle around the Park. It is a good place for a Sunday picnic.

There is a separate area with a playground and a toy train for the kids.

The best time to visit the garden would be early morning or evenings. I went there once for a morning walk and mingled with the many locals who come here for their morning dose of fresh air and exercise. It was indeed invigorating.

• 
• 
• 
• 

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d2587630-r448864257-Cubbon_Park-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.195: Vasudev Adiga's Restaurant, Bengaluru.

“Quick Vegetarian Combo Meals.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

Located on the Main RT Nagar road near the MLA layout, this place is good for some quick vegetarian combo meals.

On the ground floor is a hall with tables but no chairs where you can grab a quick snack like wada, idli or dosas. If you want a more leisurely meal in air conditioned comfort or with family then head to the first floor.

We ordered a South Indian Combo and a Chinese Combo meal. The South Indian meal consisted of the regular chapattis, rice, two vegetables, dal and sambar. The Chinese combo had ‘gobi Manchurian’ and fried rice which was value for money.

The service was a bit slow and needs much improvement.

• Visited November 2016
  • 
    Value
  • 
    Service
  • 
    Food

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d6196848-r447984068-Vasudev_Adiga_s-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.194: Windmills Craftworks Restaurant, Bengaluru.

“Fine Dining and Freshly Brewed Beer.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is quite a popular place in Bangalore, so it is better to reserve a table in advance, especially if you are coming from afar. It is located in Whitefield and took us nearly an hour to reach from RT Nagar.

They have a unique system of ordering. You are given an i-pad which you can use to explore the menu options as well as select your choices, from the drinks, starters and mains. You can then buzz your waiter and hand over the tablet with your saved order. It is a good system, but at times the device would hang.

They have their own brewery from which they serve five different varieties of beer or ale. You are given a guided tour of their mini brewery if you so desire. They serve a variety of wines, cocktails and mocktails too.

The food is mostly Continental dishes, both vegetarian as well as non-veg. Among the starters we tried out their ‘honey chilli potato’ and ‘Greek salad’. From the mains we had ‘fried fish and chips’, ‘five spice chicken wings’ and ‘shepherd’s pie’.

The restaurant is lined with bookshelves so you can browse while waiting for your order. The seating is well spread out in a large hall and there is an option to sit out in the balcony and dine in the open air as well.

Though the prices were on the higher side, with service charges included in the bill, we quite enjoyed our dining experience at this unique restaurant.

• Visited November 2016
  • 
    Value
  • 
    Service
  • 
    Food

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d3667278-r447739479-Windmills_Craftworks-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#

My TripAdvisor Review No.193: New Shanti Sagar Restaurant, Bengaluru.

“Good Vegetarian Fare.”

Reviewed 4 days agoNEW

This is a good vegetarian restaurant located prominently at the centre of RT Nagar, 80 Feet Road (Main Road), serving South & North Indian, as well as some Chinese dishes. The service is quick and efficient and the waiters are courteous. The prices are very reasonable.

For a quick bite you can grab a snack at the ground floor level. They have an ac section on the first floor where you can dine with family. We visited the restaurant a couple of times when we were in Bangalore. Once I tried the mini South Indian thali, which was quite filling and economical at Rs.80. Another time we ordered North Indian dishes, ‘methi mutter malai’, ‘pudina parathas’ and ‘palak rice’ and quite liked the taste.

The restaurant opens early and serves breakfast dishes like idli, wadas and dosas too. These South Indian 'fast foods' are available throughout the day too.

• Visited November 2016
  • 
    Value
  • 
    Service
  • 
    Food

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowUserReviews-g297628-d5902769-r447075285-New_Shanti_Sagar-Bengaluru_Karnataka.html#