Palace Run

Embracing the warmth of the city and its people SIMRRAN GILL trace history and culture in Mysuru

- SIMRRAN GILL

“BE VERY CAREFUL AND MAKE SURE TO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING AT ALL,” I hear a whisper in the pitch dark room. It’s not every day that I find myself in a situation like this one — with whisperers guiding my next move. But then again, it’s not every day that I find myself inside the hunting room of the Maharaja at the Mysuru Palace.

I flinch as the lights come on, only to open my eyes and see years of legacy preserved in a single room, unfold in front of me. Upon entering the palace I, like the others, was hoping to read the history of the Wodeyars and their continuing legacy. Little did I know that my ‘special’ guide and a certain left turn would take me to a room reserved only for a select few.

* The original palace was made entirely made of wood. and its current construction took 14 years to complete. the palace complex also houses 12 temples, with the oldest one dating back to the 14th century

Rebuilt over the years, the Palace’s first construction dates back to the 14th century. What now touches the city skyline was designed by the British architect Henry Irwin — in Indo-Saracenic style — constructed in 1912, and is the fourth structure to occupy this site. As I continued to marvel at the structure and its intricate designs and patterns, I was told that there awaits a surprise for me later that evening.