Exploring Mysore (A Complete Data Map in A Special Style) Only 1 Copy Available- An Old and Rare Book

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Prologue

The capital of Karnataka state is Bangalore but the cultural capital is Mysore. Mysore is a well known city all over the world, for its rich culture and historical monuments and Dasara festival. Mysore is referred with adoration by phrases like the home of Sandalwood (Gandhada Nadu), the temple of Sandalwood (Gandhada beedu Mysore). Mysore is known for its rich sculptures, for its classical music, for its fine arts, pleasant climate all round the year, peaceful and calm atmosphere, and as a city of palaces and popular folklore.

Sri. V.C. Keshava inherited the love for culture since his childhood. His father was an artist with All India Radio, Mangalore and his mother hails from a family of famous temple sculptors. His father loved all forms of fine arts along with music which was his chosen field. He used to take the author along with him everywhere. He was taken to the music concerts at the palace since he was a young boy of four years, and the child dozed off sometimes through the concert. He was taken to the music concerts which were held at Narayana Shastry Road. This wide exposure he got to culture since a tender age inculcated a love for studying it more.

The author grew up appreciating the movies in Dravidian languages and also English. Any form of art is appreciated by him with an open mind. He loved to witness drama and Harikatha also, all these making him keen on the study of culture as he grew up to be a young man. He grew with culture around him and within him.

The author saw the steam engine at the railway station when he was 6 years old and the little boy who was fascinated by the engine went there to see the engine again, but lost his way to house to return. He was then taken by the Mandi Mohalla Police who offered the boy milk and biscuits and safely reached him home. The wandering and traveling instinct as enunciated in this incident has made him travel far and wide enriching him with knowledge and perceptions regarding culture.

He wanted to join the army like most young men dream of. He passed the written and other tests in 1992 but as he recalls a parallel with the story of Chandrahasa as narrated by the famous Harikatha Vidwan Arun Kumar, where the hero of the story had six fingers on his feet, V.C.Keshava had six fingers in his hand Though he went to the K.R.Hospital and after consulting the Orthopedists like Dr. Yoganarasimhachar and Dr.Manjunath got the extra finger amputated surgically the army recruitment eluded him.

He was a regular visitor to the programmes arranged by Kannada Sahitya Parishad, and in 1993 he met the Chairman who entrusted the office to him. All these backgrounds and his hard work of nearly ten years has equipped him with the ability to undertake writing this book EXPLORING MYSORE. I know him since 1995 and he has consistently been very courteous and respectful over the years since the first day we met. His years at the Kannada Sahitya Parishad gave him the opportunities to meet many leading authors and scholars of our state, and V.C.Keshava made use of this opportunity to discuss with them and be better informed about many subjects related to culture. He gave up the charge of the office of Kannada Sahitya Parishad, Mysore and handed over the keys, informing them that he wished to dedicate his time in book writing. He has established the publishing company Vachasupujyoraha. I hereby give my blessings to him.

The location of the Kannada Sahitya Parishad near Jayarama (the north) gate of Mysore palace gave him the proximity to the beautiful palace. Especially during Dasara when the palace was illuminated, thousands of people visited the palace and some of them visited his office also. He also spent his hours at Jnana Butthi and read a number of books there on all subjects to gain knowledge. During his days at Kannada Sahitya Parishad he was often asked about the availability of a book on Mysore with deep insights. Since no such book was available the people who asked were disappointed and one particular day when a foreign student asked for it, the author replied in the negative. The tourist got annoyed and told him if there is no such book, write one yourself . This incident was an inspiration to him to undertake this book.