If I were a Hindu pilgrim, I would have gladly trudged up the 1,200 steps to Mysore’s famous 12th century temple with a solid gold idol inside, but as a tourist, my Chamundi Hill trip was completely different.
For instance, I took the local bus to the top of one of India’s eight most sacred mountains. As usual, a local struck up a conversation during the 15 minute bus ride and we covered the topics of what I thought of Mysore, my travel plans, my nationality, my job, and my marital status. Of course, the question of “May I ask what is your good name” came up as well. Upon arrival, he scurried off to get in the entry line for the temple.
Since only Hindus can enter the temple, I took pictures of people waiting for the 7:30 am darshan (prayers) and walked around the relatively uncrowded hill top which is clearly setup for large crowds.
As a tourist, I was frankly more interested in looking at the panoramic view of Mysore and the surrounding countryside, getting some exercise and, basically, having a “seen that, done that” experience of one of the two major Mysore attractions. Watching the hill’s resident monkeys at play ended up being a side benefit. I somehow missed the sign mentioned in the Rough Guide that said “5000 years ago at this time you had visited this place in the same way you are visiting now. Because world drama repeats itself identically every 5000 years.” I thought it would make a good picture but you will have to settle for these esoteric words like I do.
My bus companion had pointed out the entrance to the stairs down but once found, I didn’t have to worry about losing my way as seen by the picture of the red and white stripes along the way. In a land with an average literacy rate of 65%, colors or symbols are always present in directional signs. Interestingly, I got passed by several overweight, middle age men clearly doing their early morning exercise routine of walking or running down the stairs – only one was running up. On the 25 minute or so walk down around 8 am, I perhaps passed about 40 pilgrims heading up the stairs. No one was doing puja to the Nandi or bull statue carved out of single piece of black granite in the 1600s. My picture captures its resident priest getting the bull “ready” for the day. Only two pilgrims were stopping at each step to make yellow and orange marks at the edge and leaving one flower as a mark of devotion. This entry has a picture of them and their handiwork since I am a tourist and not a pilgrim. I also just have to include a picture of this spider I saw along the steps. Its body was as long as the palm of my hand! The red and black caterpillar caught my eye too.
Perhaps most pilgrims didn’t see the monkeys, spider, and the caterpillar and have far more holy memories of their visit to the same place. But, wouldn’t the world be boring if we all saw the same place in the same way?
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- Chamundi Hill temple & line
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- 13 monkeys on chamundi
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- Monkeys at play
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- Hmmh – where do I go?
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- The layers of flowers pilgrims
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- The flower layer’s path up the hill
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- Bull with its priest
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- Big spider, yeah?
