TOURISM

Brindavan Gardens Mysore, India

Who hasn’t heard of the Brindavan gardens of Mysore It is synonymous with the city. The garden has been a shooting spots for many songs of the yesteryears and even today is known for its musical fountains and lush greenery. But be prepared for tired feet, since it’s a sprawling space (Spread over 150 acres). Located about 19kms from the heart of Mysore these beautiful gardens are laid out below the Krishnaraja Sagar dam built across the river Cauvery. These gardens are famous for the illuminated dancing fountains that come to life after sunset. The Krishnaraja Sagar Dam (KRS) (known as Kannambadi to the locals) itself is a superb example of excellent engineering and itself is a tourist attraction in Mysore. Sir M.Vishveswariah, one of India's finest engineers, built it in 1924. Sir M. Vishweshvariah, who is fondly called “The architect of Modern Mysore and the father of palnning in India”, was responsible for the construction of the K.R. S. Dam. It is unique because, he used 'surkhi' a mixture of limestone and brick powder instead of cement. The dam was among the first in the world to have automatic sluice gates. It is named after the then Maharaja of Mysore Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar who financed the dam. The dam is 3 kms long and is located at the confluence of the rivers -Cauvery, Hemavati and Lakshmanathritha. The dam is a multipurpose project conceived by Sir M. Vishveswariah for supplying water to the agricultural lands of Mandya and Mysore districts and for ensuring power supply to the Shivanasamudra project. The best time to visit the gardens is after sunset when all the bright colourful fountains come alive and seem to dance with joy to the accompanying music. This is a sight worth beholding as the entire garden is transformed into a fairyland. The Brindavan gardens remain illuminated from 7.00 pm to 7.55 pm from Monday to Wednesday and from 7.00 pm to 8.55 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.