A city’s heritage structures are intrinsic to our understanding of the very essence of what makes its present tick. Because, is it not the past that shapes so much of the present, be in the many aspects of its preservation of a culture in all its richness or in the day to day pursuits of its inhabitants? This walk is the perfect excuse to delve into the lives of the locals of Mysore and soak up the rich nuances. In Mysore our 125-year-old Devaraja market is truly special. With its vibrant colours, arrays of scents and multitude of people, this place never disappoints.
Our wander around the 125-year-old Devaraja Market opens up a window to the city’s past linkages with its diverse pursuits in the 21st century. Yet, we find, that in this great heritage structure and the business conducted in its precincts, time is no bar when those ties are intrinsic to the city’s daily life. There are hundreds of vendors who depend on the markets for their livelihood. From piles of spices to sandalwood, from flowers to essential oils to silks, the market is a treasure trove of colours and scents, vibrant and compelling in every way for the over 8,000 to 10,000 visitors it attracts each day. Named in 1925 after Raja Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar the market is a crowd puller for the many tourists visiting the city, simply for its rich atmospherics if anything.
Our interactions with the locals are reflective of age-old lines of communication between citizens and stranger and the timelessness of human bonding in new landscapes. And why should we not sweeten that bond further by partaking of another slice of history as we stop at a popular sweet stall for a taste Mysore Pak, the famous sweet of Mysore from the great-grandson of the royal chef who invented it. And while we are wandering about should we not head for the fruit vendor and pick up some bananas, in particular the Nanjangud banana rasa bale variety, which has snagged a GI tag.