MYSORE
Free lunch (annadana) served 12:30-2:30pm daily for anyone in line — locals use this, tourists rarely know
The original shrine atop Chamundi Hill is believed to date to the 12th century under the Hoysala dynasty, with its tower likely added by the Vijayanagara rulers in the 17th century. Dedicated to Chamundeshwari (a form of Durga who slew the demon Mahishasura, giving Mysuru its name), the temple was patronized for centuries by the Wodeyars and substantially renovated under Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in 1827. Its seven-tiered gopuram and gold-plated vimana make it one of the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas revered across India.
