Tonnur/Thonnur Lake

Mysore is noted for its palaces, including the Mysore Palace, and for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives a large number of tourists. It lends its name to the Mysore style of painting, the sweet dish Mysore Pak, the Mysore Peta (a traditional silk turban) and the garment known as the Mysore silk saree.

Tourists visit usually palaces, temples, Krishnaraja Sagar and Brindavan Gardens.
But there is also an unspoilt and unexploited lake near Mysore. It is less known lake which is in between Pandavapura and Melkote in  very picturesque village called Thonnur.

Ramanujar is said to have conceived the design of the lake and created the lake. He is said to have called it 'Thirimala Sagara' (ocean of the sacred hill)
Tipu Sultan named it as 'Moti Talab', as he was able to see the pebbles at the base of the lake clearly from the top.
Driving 30 kilometers from Mysore, a traveler beholds the lake-- a sheet of water, surrounded by hills, rocks, fields and birds flying in the horizon. The ‘lake’ is actually a tank that collects rainwater for irrigation. But the fact is that even when the rains do not fall, the tank still has water. Modern-day geologists are amazed. 
The lake spread across more than 2,000 acres.  A dam between two rocky hills impounds water that flows from the hills. The dam is 230 meters high and 145 meters wide. The rocky hills surrounding the lake are themselves a beautiful sight. They appear to be protecting the lake.  


Driving Directions (Available online) : 

1. From Mysore just 2 kms after Srirangapatna, need to turn left (a direction board is very clear) going towards Bellary / Shravanbelagola / Beluru / Halebeedu / Melukote / Pandavapura.

2. Pandavapura road is good and need to drive straight to reach Pandavapura railway station.

3. In front of the station, take the road going right (road on left leads to Halebeedu/Beluru).

4. Thats the SH 19 and after 4 kms, you will reach Pandavapura bus station, drive past and take a right and followed by a left.

5. Drive straight and after 3-4kms, you can see a white board that says "Venugopalaswamy temple" and few others(Check with the locals, they will definitely show the way)

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6. Take the left here and keep driving straight.

7. After  around 8kms you will arrive at the thonnur village.

8. Drive straight past a few temples and a small lake to your left and you would see a huge hillock also to the left.

9. Continue driving and drive up the hillock and you would be parking next to the reservoir bund.

Even after getting down, you wont notice anything except a petty shop there....walk up the ridge and you will be amazed by what you see....A huge body of water spread as far as you can see amidst the hillocks!