Mysore/Mysuru: With the State Government announcing the suspension of weekend curfew yesterday, all the major tourist destinations in the city and district, including Chamundi Hill Temple, Mysore Palace, Zoo and Karanji Lake, are thrown open to visitors with strict adherence to COVID protocol. Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Chamundi Hill Temple Executive Officer N.S. Yathiraj Sampathkumaran said that visitors will be allowed only to have darshan of the presiding deity and no other sevas are allowed.

Temple will be open from 7.30 am to 2 pm, 3.30 pm to 6 pm and 7.30 pm to 9 pm, he said and added that at once, only 50 members will be allowed inside the temple and two doses of COVID vaccination is a must for devotees. Also, all Palace Temples, Uttanalli Temple and Nanjangud Srikanteshwaraswamy Temple are open even during the weekends now.

The View Point at the Chamundi Hill too can be visited by the public. However, there is no service of binocular available at the moment.

Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace will also be kept open for visitors between 10 am and 5.30 pm everyday including weekends. Sound and Light Show will be on between 7 pm and 8 pm with Kannada songs on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and English songs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Palace illumination will be on between 7 pm and 8 pm on Sundays and all Government holidays and for 10 minutes everyday after Sound and Light Show.

“Only those who have taken two doses of COVID vaccine are allowed entry. Foreign visitors have to give details of their 14 days prior to their visit and 11 days of future schedule. Other State visitors will have to compulsorily undergo RT-PCR test at the entrance of the Palace,” briefed Mysore Palace Board Deputy Director T.S. Subramanya.

Railway Museum

Railway Museum, located opposite the CFTRI Main Gate on KRS Road, will also be open to public between 10 am and 6 pm everyday except on Tuesdays with adherence to COVID guidelines.

Mysuru Zoo, Karanji Lake

Mysuru Zoo and Karanji Lake, which were also closed during Saturdays and Sundays for the previous two weeks, due to weekend curfew, will now be open for public. However, like before Tuesday there will be no entry for visitors.

Apart from the above said tourist destinations in the city, KRS, Yedamuri, Balamuri, Ranganathittu, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Daria Daulat, Nimishamba Temple, Talakad, Kere Thonnur and all temples and tourist destinations will be kept open for public with COVID guidelines in place.

M.M. Hills

Following the lifting of weekend curfew, Sri Male Mahadeswara Swamy Area Development Authority has, in a press release, announced that henceforth, the temple will be open for public to have darshan between 5 am and 10 pm everyday including weekends.

There will be no other Utsava or Sevas. However, Dasoha and Prasada Viniyoga will be in place with maintaining of social distance and other COVID protocol. At once, only 50 members will be allowed inside the temple and ladoo prasadam will be distributed, Authority Secretary Jayavibhava Swamy has stated in the release.