Mysore's historic fountains

This is the story of fountains at key traffic intersections (or circles) in Mysore. They are defunct for a major part of the year, barring a few days during Dasara. During the reign of the Wodeyars, however, they were tourist spots.

They continued to draw attention a few years after the abolition of princely rule, but not any more. A circle near Lansdowne building, another heritage building that still stands, was the first circle to boast of a fountain.

The Elgin fountain was an exquisitely carved structure with sculptures of fish adorning the five corners at the bottom and birds in the middle portion of the fountain. A toy adorned the top of the fountain. Water spouting from the top of the toy was a sight to behold. However, it had to pave way for the statue of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar after the demise of the ruler in 1940. It’s the same circle that later went on to become popular as K R Circle.

Then, there was another fountain at Hardinge Circle, the entry point to Mysore. The fountain here was decorated with lights of different colours. This was a major point of attraction in the City. The main purpose behind these circles was to soothe the mind of whoever came to the City.

The location of the circles was also planned in such a way that they welcomed visitors at the City’s entry points. While Elgin was at the intersection of Sayyaji Rao road, another at Hardinge was at the centre of six gates connecting the City from different sides.

There was also another in front of the City railway station. No sooner did one came out of the station, did one catch a glimpse of the fountain. The fountain at Elgin was later shifted near Central Prisons Mysore, the road that connects Mysore to Bangalore.

For a brief period, the fountain was shifted to another place near Sujata Hotel, but was shifted back, closer to the jail. The fountain that comes alive only during Dasara along with others, still stands. Though the circle is named after the veteran Kannada actor Rajkumar, it’s known as Fountain Circle.

The fountain at Hardinge also stands, but the lights have now disappeared. It was the same fountain that served as the perfect model for a similar facility recreated at Brindavan Gardens at KRS. However, the only difference at KRS was the music, making it a musical fountain.

The fountain near City railway station was later shifted to Government Ayurvedic Hospital Circle. The Moulana Abdul Kalam Azad Circle at the end of Sayyaji Rao road that connects Nelson Mandela road to Bannimantap also has a fountain. 

The fountain at N Madhava Rao circle in Agrahara was the first circle that was built during the modern period of Mysore, during the 70s. The fountain here, built with box-like structures on either sides, has an idol of Lord Shiva on the top. However, like the rest of the fountains in Mysore, this one has lost its charm.