One of the largest
churches in India, St.
Philomena's Church, is built
in the Neo-Gothic style. This 18th century church has beautiful
stained-glass windows.
The Folk
Art Museum holds an
interesting collection of implements, dolls, costumes, furniture and
other articles.
Over 60,000
palm-leaf manuscripts in Sanskrit, Kannada and other major South
Indian languages are preserved at the Oriental
Research Institute. Some date
back to 3rd century B.C. with dissertations on philosophy,
statesmanship and the sciences.
In the commanding Statue
Square stand the former kings
- Krishnaraja and Chamaraja Wodeyar under a golden canopy.
The smaller palaces, Lalitha
Mahal Palace at the foot of
Chamundi Hills and Rajendra
Mahal Vilas at the top, are
now luxury hotels. A stay at either one, is a memorable experience.
The 1000 ft. high Chamundi
Hills can be seen from any
part of the city. As you climb the granite steps, or drive up the
hills, you will encounter a 4.8 m monolith of Nandi, Shiva's sacred
Bull. On these hills is also the statue of the buffalo-headed demon
Mahishasura with a cobra in one hand and a scimitar in the other.
Right on top of the hills, resides the Patron Goddess of the Royal
Family, in the 2000-year-old Chamundeshwari
Temple with a 400 m high
gopuram.
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