Moderate response for Hop on Hop Off

One of the most aspirational project of Tourism department launched during dasara is the 'Hop on Hop off bus' service, which takes tourist to 16 city sightseeing's points, including major tourist attraction places like Palace, Zoo, Karanji Lake, Chamundi Hill, Jaganmohan Palace and famous landmarks of the city.


Though the initiative is good and promotes tourism, the truth is majority of them are not aware of the service provided. Even a day after the service launched, the officials have not yet introduced the Regular KSRTC buses for the service, which cost around Rs 60. Only four volvo buses (Rs 100) are flying in Mysore, which received a lukewarm response.


With lack of publicity, specially in city bus stand, where the tour point commence, the people were seen waiting for the regular buses to reach their tourist points. The Dasara Tourism Sub-committee has neither set-up an kiosks at the city bus stand, nor any postures, banners are displayed containing the details of the service.


When inquired with couple of foreigners they said they were not at all aware of the service in Mysore. When asked are localities they were seen winking eyes as though they are hearing the name for the first time.


A foreigner Philipis Soleman from German expressing surprise questioned: “Is really Hop on Hop off bus service is available in Mysore. It will be of great help for tourists if promoted. During my tour to London, I had enjoyed the service,” he added.


V Yashoda who had come from Hunsur with relatives for city to be part of dasara said, she is taking the relatives to Chamundi Hill and she had no idea about the 'HoHo' bus service. Dasara Sub-Committee Member and KSRTC Divisional Controller HM Ramesh said that kiosks will be set-up by Monday and measures will be taken to provide information about the service.

Tangible heritage of city introduced to youngsters

To introduce the rich tangible heritage of city, a Heritage Walk was organised by Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage in Royal City Mysore on Monday.


With the message “Help, Preserve, Conserve and Protect our Rich Heritage,” hundreds of citizens, including youngsters in large number took part at the heritage walk. The youngsters had assembled in front of Town Hall around 7 am, with keen interest to know the history of various heritage buildings in the city.


They walked around for two kilometers knowing about the huge structures of significant architectural and aesthetic importance of the buildings such as CAVA, KR Hospital, KR Circle, Clock Tower, Dufferin Clock Tower, Ambavilas Palace, Ayurveda Hospital.

The rally also stressed to create awareness among younger generation about conservation of heritage structures, and their role in preventing disfiguring historical monuments and heritage buildings.


62-year-old Vittal Raj who is taking part in heritage walk from last three years said that its responsible of everyone to protect our heritage structures, which has history of more than hundred years. “Policy makers should be educated about protection and conservation of heritage structures,” he added.


Youngsters should also be made aware of the local arts, crafts, traditional games, folklore and village fairs which are integral part of our cultural heritage. Our natural surroundings, hills, valleys, lakes, are all part of our natural heritage, added V Balasubramanyam who is in sixties.


Some of the walkers opined that the Heritage Department should take measures to distribute the booklets for populace, containing the information of heritage structures in and around city, and their responsibility in protection the heritage structures.


Speaking on the occasion, Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree said that appropriate measures will be taken by government to preserve the heritage structures of Mysore.

Tangible heritage of city introduced to youngsters

To introduce the rich tangible heritage of city, a Heritage Walk was organised by Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage in Royal City Mysore on Monday.


With the message “Help, Preserve, Conserve and Protect our Rich Heritage,” hundreds of citizens, including youngsters in large number took part at the heritage walk. The youngsters had assembled in front of Town Hall around 7 am, with keen interest to know the history of various heritage buildings in the city.


They walked around for two kilometers knowing about the huge structures of significant architectural and aesthetic importance of the buildings such as CAVA, KR Hospital, KR Circle, Clock Tower, Dufferin Clock Tower, Ambavilas Palace, Ayurveda Hospital.

The rally also stressed to create awareness among younger generation about conservation of heritage structures, and their role in preventing disfiguring historical monuments and heritage buildings.


62-year-old Vittal Raj who is taking part in heritage walk from last three years said that its responsible of everyone to protect our heritage structures, which has history of more than hundred years. “Policy makers should be educated about protection and conservation of heritage structures,” he added.


Youngsters should also be made aware of the local arts, crafts, traditional games, folklore and village fairs which are integral part of our cultural heritage. Our natural surroundings, hills, valleys, lakes, are all part of our natural heritage, added V Balasubramanyam who is in sixties.


Some of the walkers opined that the Heritage Department should take measures to distribute the booklets for populace, containing the information of heritage structures in and around city, and their responsibility in protection the heritage structures.


Speaking on the occasion, Kannada and Culture Minister Umashree said that appropriate measures will be taken by government to preserve the heritage structures of Mysore.

Study on socio-economic status of tribal communities

Karnataka Folk University is conducting a research on four tribal communities which are on the verge of extinction. The aim of the research is to preserve and carry forward the socio-economic uniqueness of these tribals to the next generation, before they are completely converted by the modern world.

The research will be conducted at Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajanagar and Ramnagar districts and the chosen tribal communities are Kampanabedas, Soligas, Jenukurubas and Kadukurubas.

Everything right from their living style, food habits, worship, customs, family values will be documented to the last detail which helps in the study. As majority of these surviving tribals who are still following their ancestral customs are illiterate, audio and visual documentation is being done.

They are renowned as ardent worshipers of Lord Mahadeshwara atop Malle Mahadeshwara Hills. A team of 13 Research Assistants, including the Project Director Banjegere Jayaprakash is involved in the research considered to be the first of its kind.

Folk University Vice-Chancellor Ambalike Hiriyanna speaking to Express, said that there were around 50 tribal communities in Karnataka, and plans have been made to conduct research on atleast 37 of these tribal communities in a phased manner.

“The tribals residing in forests are encountering several problems. So measures will be taken to sort out their problems by assisting them wherever possible,” he added, stating Anthropoligical Survey of India, has also conducted a survey on the communities, but not in detail as they are proposing to do now.

In addition to the the study of the tribals, a documentation of the 'Madappa cult' (known locally as Parishe) has also be taken up by the University. The three year research project has began two months ago and an exclusive center has been established atop Mahadeshwara Hills, named as 'Karnataka Folklore University Regional Center'.

Ambalike Hiriyanna said that more than 50 students have enrolled for the course and majority of them hail from Kollegal. They are presently undergoing a ten month certified course on folkarts like Kamsale, folk dance, dollu kunitha, veerghase kunitha, veera makkala kunitha, kasuthi (embroidery), Samara Kale (martial Arts) and others that introduces them to how the tribals are living, making it easier for them to do the study.

Miniature bird sanctuary inaugurated at Karanji Lake

The Karanji Lake Nature Park is emerged as one of the tourist centers with nature conservation concept as integral and core theme. Added to its glory, Karanji Lake Nature Park will now serve as a miniature bird sanctuary, where birds are taking shelter and breeding.

Some of indigenous pheasants and birds like Budgerigas, Peach-faced, Love Birds, Java Sparrow, Phim Headed parakeet, Red Jungle Fowl, Yellow Golden Pheasant, Silver Pheasant, Lady Amherst Pheasant have been housed in twelve enclosures with six partition measuring 8' x 16' provided with toughened glass for viewing by the visitors.

The total cost of the enclosures including the development of park is Rs 25 lakh. CAVA students have beautiful created art works in the enclosures using pleasant colours.

In the Children Park about 30 equipments like Four Seater Arc Swing, A to B Net Scrambler, Multi Seater See Saw, Spiral Slide and many more attractive items have been installed for children below 12 years to play and enjoy.
Speaking after inauguration, Karnataka Zoo Authority Chairman Nanjundaswamy said that by visiting lake visitors can enjoy perching sound of birds, boating, and various others enriched facilities.

Stating the inauguration of enclosures will increase the number of visitors, he said that already existence facilities such as walk through aviary, natural birds watch tower, Butterfly Park, lush green lawns, boating and walking path are attracting thousands of visitors per day. To further improve the habitat of migratory birds, strengthening of islands has been initiated, he added.

The sprawling area of 90 acres of Karanji Lake Nature Park has about 50 per cent of water spread area. The entry fee for the Lake holds Rs 10.

Energy park to popularise use of non-conventional energy

To popularise use of non-conventional energy among visitors to the park and localities, plans have been made to establish an 'energy park' inside Kuppanna Park at a cost of Rs 52.7 lakh, of which about Rs 50 lakh will be provided by the Ministry of New and Renewable energy.
The Energy Park houses, solar energy powered cars, water pumps, solar lantern and hybrid wind-solar power cycle.

The park will be developed as informative and educative center on solar energy. The public and tourists who visit Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens and Mysore Palace will be encouraged to visit the park.

Mysore City Corporation Solar Cell unit In-Charge Officer Altaf Ahmed, said that the project has been taken-up under five pilot projects to be commissioned as part of Mysore Solar City.

Solar power to lit city parks
Two famous parks in the city, Kuppanna Park and Cheluvamba Park will soon become 'solar powered'. Solar Photo Voltaic (SPV) panels which can generate upto 8KW peak power will be set-up separately at both the parks that will cut down the consumption of electricity by nearly 70 percent.

Kuppanna Park consumes around 1020 KW of power every month generating a bill of Rs 30,000 while Cheluvamba Park consumes 990 units of power with an approximate bill of Rs 20,000. With the setting up of Solar power plants, the officials estimate that the bill is expected to come down to roughly, Rs 8,000 and Rs 6,800 respectively.

While the effective solar power generated daily at Kuppana Park after working out the reduction due to cloudy weather is 6.87 KW, the same at Cheluvamba Park is about 6.6 kW. Rs 21.6 lakhs has been sanctioned for each park. Work on erecting the panels will begin from January, 2014 and is expected to be completed within four months. The excess power generated will be connected to grid.

Altaf Ahmed said that around 100 sq feet of the park space will be used to set up the solar power plant which also includes a power room to house the batteries and inverter.

Now access Research articles of Mysore varsity online

ePrints@UoM is a novel initiative undertaken by the University of Mysore, with the objective of collecting, digitizing and uploading online all Research articles hitherto published by the faculty, research scholars and students of the University, since its inception 97 years ago in 1916.

With this backdrop, “Digital Repository of Research, Innovation and Scholarship” has been set up at Mysore University Library. The library staff aim to collect an approximated 25,000 scholarly research articles published by University for the over last nine decades and update the publications in gradual phases. The oldest item added is a book “The philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore” by Dr S Radhakrishnan published in 1919.

The librarians who are working relentlessly since May, have collected more than 8,400 publications including journal articles, conference papers, books, book reviews, presentations, reports and patents, which can be freely accessed online through the Institutional Repository at the site http://eprints.uni-mysore.ac.in/

The open access digital library software ePrints has been used in setting up of this repository. One can browse publications by year, subjects, divisions of the varsity, author and document type. Both simple and advanced search features have been given for facilitating specific searches.

The main objectives of this repository is to facilitate long-term preservation of scholarly work done earlier and pursued in future and facilitate UoM members an easy and rapid way to publish and archive their research locally.

The repository which provides an integrated view, act as a single entry point to scholarly work of UoM and as a self-evaluation tool for the UoM management. By going through the publications, the upcoming researchers can get new idea, views and people from all walks of life make use of the publications.

The librarians said that with no comprehensive records available to clearly indicate the number of articles of University published since its inception in various national, international journals and conferences, they have decided to search various full text and bibliographic databases and also collect publications by approaching faculty members and research scholars.

“If one takes into account of records of an individual organisation added to its IR, the ePrints@UoM gets the first rank among the universities of its kind in the country, next only to IRs of IISc and IIT, Mumbai”, said Library Adviser cum Visiting Professor Dr IRN Goudar.

Download freely

Most of the publications are directly accessible and full-texts downloadable, if the publication is in open access or if their institution has the accessibility to the concerned journal/publisher. 'Request a Copy' forms can be used for documents to which direct full-text download is restricted due to publisher embargo.

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The University of Mysore stands first among eight universities in Karnataka for its 36 per cent of downloads of library materials.