The only best part of my work life offers is to visit cities and monuments across the country; otherwise, the job sucks. And, yea! Despite of my ON / OFF relation with Mysore (presumable the shortest halt station) I managed to walk into the Wodeyars royal chambers.
A high disappointment except of the shameless disposal of silver and golden artefacts at every nook or things you look around; Mysore Palace (unlike as its title ‘magnificent’) lacks the lustre. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, in the heydays of puppet Maharaja’s of British regime, the architecture is a fusion of many worldly style namely, Hindu temples, Moslem and neo-Gothic line of buildings; with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world on to luxuriously furnished rooms of royal India.
The lavish interiors were stunning with rich Victorian iron girders & columns, colourful stain glass, intricate ivory inlaid doors and gem-med flooring. [I can’t explain the pain of not being allowed to take photos.] O! The majestic Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many sculpted pillars, icarved rosewood doors and ceilings some with inlaid ivory work, marble figurines, collections of caskets, paintings of the members of the royal family and other objects of personal use exhibit such opulence, though age as worn them out a bit with slight discolouration.
From the kaleidoscope of colours in the stained glass windows (I stole that line from the lonely planet, it just fits so perfectly) it was absolutely amazing. Nevertheless, compared to other royal palaces (leave aside Rajasthan), this one lacks artistic sensibility and aesthetically decrypt.
If you ask me the seat of Asaf Jahi dynasty (near the landmark of Hyderabad) – Chowmahalla Palace is a one of my most visited palaces which mesmerized of its style and elegance. What attracts the most is the marble-floored Durbar Hall with 19 Belgian chandeliers adding splendour to the lost era and Yeah, the priceless line of cars including Rolls Royce of early 1900s. Extravagance unperturbed. (Worthy to mention, what add to Chowmahalla’s beauty is the priceless picture of Niloufer Khannum Sultana – O! She’s the woman and have you seen the man.)
Chowmahalla Palace was built in the 18th century and until today is the world’s most outstanding royal household and interestingly, the clock above the main gate to Chowmahalla Palace (or affectionately called as Khilawat Clock) has been ticking away for over a thousand years. Mysore Palace has none of these and yet always a recommended. Huh!
No comments:
Post a Comment