MYSORE MAGIC
Recently I spent 2 months in Mysore, India, studying at the K.Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. Everyone who comes here talks of “Mysore Magic”… Is there some real magic at work here? I don’t know if it’s real or not, but I wanted to share with you the ways that Mysore felt pretty magical to me in a few upcoming posts.
How would I describe India in just a few words? Warm, sunny, colorful, noisy, full of animals, scooters, rikshas - and people staring at you.
I arrived in India from a cold, cloudy, and rainy London. Coming out of Bangalore airport, the sun shone on my face, and I felt the heat, the colors, the smells – it’s a lot to take in all at once. In fact, it can feel pretty overwhelming. The 150 km ride in the taxi to Mysore was already a culture shock: all the speeding scooters with ladies sitting sideways in the back, not bothering to even hold on, the tuk-tuk drivers with no shoes on, the honking, the noise!
The first few days it’s hard to get used to the fact that you are actually halfway around the world! The sun and the heat are a literal shock to your body, but a really nice one. The traffic noise, the constant honking, the cows mooing, the goats baaahing, and the dogs barking make it difficult to sleep or focus. The vibrant colors, the different smells, and the taste of your first coconut – it’s an assault on all your senses! You are left with no doubt that you have indeed arrived in India!
Once you arrive at your accommodation in Gokulam, the little yoga bubble in Mysore, you are separated from the “real India” by an invisible wall. Everything is Gokulam is for yogis: yoga shops, cafes, and restaurants offering healthy, organic and vegan food. You will feel at home here for sure, but how to really get the feeling of India? I am listing a few of my favourite places to visit:
DEVARAJA MARKET – This is the place to go if you want to dive into deep water of India. The market is full of locals selling and buying everything you can think of: fruit & vegetables, flowers, incense, oils, saris, you name it. It is so vibrant with colors and smells, and so very loud! You can never get away from someone selling something or other to you whether you want it or not, and asking: “Yoga student?”, “Ashtanga Yoga?”, “Gokulam?”. It’s an amazing experience to just walk through the aisles and take it all in.
MYSORE PALACE – A beautiful historical Palace, which is one of the main tourist attractions in India, so plan your visit wisely! Coming to visit the inside of the palace on a Sunday (like I did) may not be the best of ideas, as there is the largest crowd of local tourists you can imagine. And at some point you notice that to them, you are the main attraction, and everyone wants a selfie with the funny-looking group of pale-skinned girls. The Palace is also lit up once a week, every Sunday evening, and it is an amazing show of lights.
KUKKURAHALLI LAKE – when you finally get a bit overwhelmed with too many people and too much noise, the lake is the best choice to step away and clear your mind. You can take a lovely walk around the lake, with local dogs keeping you company. It’s a great place for some healthy exercise, but also to get close to nature, watch the birds, and beautiful sunsets.
CHAMUNDI HILLS- It’s believed that if you climb the one thousand steps of Chamundi Hills once a week barefoot, that you will be fortunate in life. I only tried with my shoes on, but it’s a great walk and offers some breathtaking views. There’s lots of monkeys, who are quite persistent in following you if you’ve got any food with you, so better watch out!
At the end of the week, once you’ve seen it all and just want to take some well-deserved rest and read your favourite book, the swimming pool is always nice, sunny and welcoming.
Coming up in part 2 of Mysore Magic: “The Ashtanga Family”
Stay tuned!