MYSORE (IN THE STATE OF KARNATAKA)--

 MYSORE (IN  THE  STATE OF KARNATAKA)-

 Mysore is blessed with so many important religious places, historical monuments, beautiful gardens several lakes and home to tranquil surroundings.

The royal city of Mysore has several interesting places to visit both inside the city and nearby. The city is also known for the Yoga, Ayurveda  and as a major  trading center of Silk, Sandalwood & incense.
Dusshera in Mysore ,is one of the most widely  celebrated festival. It is also the official State festival of Karnataka. It was started off in the 15th century during the rule of Vijayanagram kings but even today the entire Mysore comes together to celebrate the festivities.
Mysore Desshera is a celebration in honour of Goddess Chamundeshwari devi, which symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The festival terminates on the tenth day with a grand procession that begins from the illuminated Mysore palace attracting thousands of devotees and tourists alike. The grand elephant procession during Desshera celebrations is an unparallelled sight. On this occasion the diamond studded royal throne is exclusively put on display.
Mysore Palace is located in the heart of city. Even the glimpse of the Palace before entrance is exciting. It used to be the residence of the royal Wodeyar family for about six hundred years and during this period several renovations and reconstruction were made in it. The architecture of the Palace is a unique blend of Hindu, Muslim and Gothic styles. The interior of the Palace is richly carved,beautifully decorated and intricate colourful.

The temple of Goddess Chamundeshwari Devi is located at  the top of  pictures Chamundeshwari hills which is about 13 km from Mysore. The place is enriched with natural beauty and green forest. Goddess Chamundeshwari  is also the presiding deity of Mysore. The other important temples in Mysore are Shweta Varahswamy temple and Mahsabaleshwar temple. 

Sprawling over a area of about 150 acres Brindavan Gardens, situated near Krishnaraja Sagar Reservoir is a unique sight in  the entire  south Indian region. The sunset is the best time to visit when you can enjoy the sight of beautiful fountains dancing to the tunes of music.
Next in the list was Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as Mysore Zoo,  spread across 157 acres. It is a  very well-managed zoo that houses a large collection of animals and  wildlife species. The zoo is the abode to various animals, one can get to see elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, tigers, rhinoceroses, zebras, hippopotamus,  baboons and lots more. Green area and broad pathways make the ambiance excellent. It is a great place to visit with kids. Children’s park and boating point are the major attraction of this place in Mysore.

Karanji lake, Kukkaranahalli Lake, Regional Museum of Natural History, Melody World Wax Museum and Railway Museum are some other prominent attractions of Mysore.
You may also like to visit Srirangapatna, which  is about 15 km from Mysore. The Rangnathaswamy temple in Srirangapatna, is one of Karnataka's most revered shrine. This ancient temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu was later modified and expanded by Vijayanagara kings and Wodeyars. This is a very old temple , now managed by the Archaeology department, Government of India

Shivanasamudra Falls, located about 65 km east of Mysore is also a favourite destination of tourists. The falls are their best during the monsoon season i.e. from June to September.
Some of the photographs of the historic sites in Mysore are as follows-

                        

      

AMRITSAR

AMRITSAR (INDIA) -

Amritsar is an ancient and holy city which is known for its various historical and religious sites. The city was founded by Guru Ram Das and later developed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Golden temple with its majestic golden dome is the nucleus of the city and also the most sacred pilgrimage site for Sikhs. The architecture of Golden temple reflects the basic tenets of Sikhism.
A devotee must cover his/her head before entering the temple complex. The Harmandir has four entrances which emphasises the fact that its doors are open to all devotees. A magnificent golden dome rises  over the two storied temple structure. It is one of the most revered places of worship in India and the most important seat of Sikh history and culture. Here you may also eager to visit the "Langar House" which is said to be the largest kitchen in all over the world. Volunteers working here cook and serve simple yet delicious meals comprising dal, roti, sabzi and kheer to all devotees
Within the premises of Golden temple complex, in the Central Sikh Museum you can also see the display of several paintings as well as the  traditional weapons depicting the glory of Sikh history.
Now visit the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum,which was once the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the first ruler of the Sikh Empire. The museum displays several historical articles like old paintings, manuscripts and coins, which are centuries old. 

Jallian Wala Bagh is a well known memorial where hundreds of innocent people participating a peaceful rally were killed or wounded  in an indiscriminate firing by the British troops commanded by Gen Micael O Dyer. This unfortunate incidence on the occasion of Baisakhi (April 13,1919) resulted in the death of 379 and injured more than 1200 persons and later it became an important mile stone in the  freedom struggle from British rule.

Durgiana temple is an other well known shrine in Amritsar. The temple complex houses the Lashmi Narayan temple, Sheetala Mata temple and a legendary Hanuman temple. It is believed that it is also a place where the great epic Ramayan was composed by Maharshi Balmiki. This was also the same place where, Lov and Kush spent their childhood along with their mother Mata Sita.
Sri Sri Gaur Radha Gokulananda Temple, founded by The International Society for Krishna Consciousness  is another tourist attraction in Amritsar.
You may also like see an interesting ceremony which takes place every evening before sunset at the Wagha border. This check post on the Indo-Pak border lies on the G.T.Road about 32 km from Amritsar and 24 km from Lahore.Large crowds gather at the stadium like galleries to watch the foot thumping by troops of the B.S.F. India and the Pakistani Rangers while marching towards the gate from their respective side.

You may like to visit the  Rambagh Garden which was formerly known as ‘Company Garden’. The garden got its present name from Maharaja Ranjiit Singh, the great king of Punjab who named this beautiful garden after the great sage Guru Ram Das. 
The people of this city are not only very hospitable, but jovial and reliable as well.

While staying in Amritsar, you should also enjoy true Punjabi flavors / delicacies like makki ki roti with saarson da saag,  kulchas stuffed with either potato or paneer with chhole, Lassi and  certain other such local preparations.

Some of the photographs of Golden Temple and Jallian Wala Bagh are as follows-