Brindavan Garden

Brindavan garden, a popular picnic spot for Mysorians are laid out below the Krishnarajasagar Dam on the Kaveri River. It is situated in Mandya District of Karnataka state. One of the most visited places in Mysore, tourists feel that, visit to Mysore was incomplete without a visit to Brindavan Garden. 

Spreading over 150 acres of land, it's work was started in the year 1927 and completed in 1932. The garden built in connection with the construction of the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam. The Krishnaraja Sagar Dam known as Kannambadi to the locals itself is a superb example of excellent engineering and itself is a tourist attraction in Mysore. The project was designed by the farsighted engineer Sir M. Vishweswaraiah and constructed during the rule of Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. The dam is around 8600 feet long and 130 feet high with a reservoir spread over an area of 130 sq.kms.It represents a marvel of civil engineering achievement in pre-independence India and was among the first in the world to use automatic sluice gates. Constructed entirely in stone in surkhi mortar, this 3 km long dam is located at the confluence of the rivers -Cauvery, Hemavati and Lakshmanathritha.

As a part of beautification of the dam site, Sir Mirza Muhammad Ismail, the then Dewan (the chief financial officer )  of the princely State of Mysore create a plan of developing a garden and he designed the garden based on the Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir. The work of the Brindavan Garden was started in 1927 with its chief architect, G.H. Krumbigal, the superintendent of Parks and Garden of the Mysore Government.  Better known in the world as its symmetric design, it has well planned and well maintained lawns, innumerable pools, fountains. During 60's these gardens have been the location for several movies like Burning Train etc, but today, shooting is strictly ban for security reason.

One can enter the garden from steps down from the middle of the dam. Laid out in three terrace formation, the garden has decorated steps where water flows in-between these ornate steps. The major attraction of the park is the musical fountains that leaps in rhythm with music and light. It is located in the North Brindavan Garden. Timings: 7.00pm. to 7.55pm (on weekdays), 7.00pm. to 8.5 pm (on holidays). During winter: 6.30pm to 7.25pm (on weekdays), 6.30pm to 8.25pm on holidays. A boating pond is in the midst of the garden to cross the dam from the south bank to the north bank where visitors can enjoy a boat ride around the beautiful statue of the Goddess Cauvery at the foot of the dam. 

The garden has fruit orchards, two horticulture farms, Nagavana and Chandravana, illuminated flower beds, various species flower plants and ornamental plants, open spaces, lawns. The slopes are planted with colourful Bougainvilleas and ornamental plants like Allamanda, Bignonia magnifica etc. It also has well laid out roads and pathways. The whole garden when illuminated at night is an enchanting site to see.

Just beside the South of the Brindavan there is an area for children with small rides. Various dummy sized animals like seated Gorilla, Giraffe, Bison, Lioness, Grizzly Bear, Tortise, etc can be seen here. There is an Aquarium in this garden which has Malayasian breed of fish which is known as Arona. Fee: Rs 5.