Your Guide to India

Cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore is a majestic, mysterious and mesmerizing city. It has inherited all Indian traditions with modernity. Mysore has a number of historical and heritage buildings.

The City of Mysore is famous for its palaces, a beautiful city ideal for people who wish to live a peaceful life. With plenty of greenery peaceful people this city can also be called as the Bangalore of the 80's. Mysore is a place well renowned for Dasara festival and is a favored tourism destination throughout India.

It is situated at a distance of 140 Kms from Bangalore it is a abode of untold grandeur and glory. Mysore was the capital city of the Wodeyars has always enchanted its admirers with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples. There's an old world charm about the city that reaches out and leaves no one untouched.

The word Mysore expands to "Mahishasurana Ooru" which means the town of Mahishasura. Mysore,or Mahishur as it was called then, traces its history back to the mythical past, when Goddess Chamundeshwari of Chamundi Hills killed the wicked buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura. Mysore Dasara is the celebration of this victory of good over evil. Mysore also has associations with the Mahabharata and King Ashoka of the 3rd century B.C. During the Wodeyar rule Mysore reached the Zenith of its glory as a fabled center of oriental splendor.

Mysore is one of the major cities of Karnataka. Today, Mysore is a vibrant city teeming with tourists and visitors. It is known the world over for its exotic sandalwood and rich silks. Its grand and imposing palaces, majestic temples, gardens leave an ever-lasting impression on the visitor.

Map of Mysore(Click on image to enlarge)

Places you can see in Mysore

The Mysore Palace
Once the residence of the Wodeyars, this structure is one of the largest of its kind in India. Built in 1912 in the Indo Saracenic style, this place excludes a grandeur that is unmatched. The Golden Royal Elephant Throne, the Durbar Hall, the Kalyana Mantap and the Gallery are the main attractions here. A silhouette of the Mysore Palace illuminated with ninety seven thousand bulbs shimmering against an inky black night is one of the most enduring images of the city.

The Mysore Palace is open all days of the week, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The palace is illuminated on Sundays, national holidays and state festivals from 7:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. The palace is illuminated between 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. only during the Dasare festival

The Jaganmohan Palace
This is a converted art gallery which houses paintings that date back to the late 19th century. Paintings of Raja Ravi Verma of Travancore and the Russian Painter Svetoslav Roerich are on display. Paintings in the traditional Mysore Golden leaf style can also been seen here.

Chamundi Hill
Perched atop a hill is a 12th century temple of Chamundershwari. About 13 Kms from Mysore by road these is also a 1000 step walking track for all those young at heart to try. The gigantic 4.8 meter tall monolith of Nandi the sacred vehicle of Lord Shiva is a marvel to watch. Also at the entrance to the temple stands a gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura.

St. Philomena's Church
This beautiful Cathedral was built in 1956 and is one of the largest churches in the country. It has been built in the Gothic style with beautiful stain glass windows and lofty towers. The illuminated church in the evening is a wonderful site not to be missed.

The Mysore Zoo
One of the county's best zoo, this is famous for rare animals bred in captivity and is housed in lush green surroundings.
Brindavan Gardens
19 Kms north west of Mysore is the famous KRS dam. Built by the famous engineer Sir. M. Vishvesvariah this was one of the first multi purpose dams built in India. Adjacent to the dam is the beautiful Brindavan Garden. With lighting and musical fountains this place transforms it self into a fairy land in the evenings.
Daria Daulat Bagh
This is Tipu's Summer Palace, built in 1784,is located here. Made of teak, this Indo-Sarcenic structure has ornate and beautiful frescos. It is now a museum and tells eloquently of Tipu's valor and his losing battle against the British.
Fort
It is here that Tipu charged at the British soldiers with his legendary sword.An obelisk in the fort marks the place where he fell -betrayed by his own men. The fort holds within it, a mosque and the Ranganathaswamy Temple. Outside the fort is the Gumbaz,Tipu's tomb with splendid ebony doors inlaid with ivory.
Himvad Gopalaswamy Hills
This is a popular hill resort and a trekker's delight as well. It is situated in the verdant western ghat of Mysore District.The temple here is dedicated to Lord Hoysala.
Melkote
Situated 50 Kms.north of Mysore,Melkote is a sacred pilgrim centre,known for its Vairamundi festival in March-April.More than one lakh devotees congregate here for the festival. Melkote is also famous for its handlooms. Ramanucharya,the Shrivaishnava saint-philosopher, took shelter here from his persecutors.
Talakad
48 Kms from Mysore, It is situated on the banks of the river Cauvery and is completely buried beneath sand dunes. Only the Dravidian style Vaidyeshwara temple is visible above the ground. Its temples are opened for ceremonial worship on special occasions -once in twelve years.
Shivsamudra
Situated at 85 Kms east of Mysore,where the river Cauvery cascades down in two picturesque waterfalls, is Shivsamudra.Falling down from a height of 75 m into a deep gorge, these falls are best during the monsoons.1.5 kms. away is Asia's first hydro-electric power project set up in 1905.
Nagarhole National Park
93 kms.from Mysore, in the forest of Nagarhole, is a National Park.Abounding in a rich variety of wildlife, one can find elephants, antelopes and even leopards here.
Kabini River Lodge
Situated 80 kms. from Mysore in the Karapur forests is the old hunting lodge of the Maharajas and Viceroys. The lodge on the banks of the river Kabini arranges jeep rides into the jungle and coracle rides on the Kabini for bird watching. A naturalist guide helps you identify the many varieties of birds and wild beasts.
B.R. Hills
This picturesque hill range,at a height of 5091 ft.,is 120 kms. from Mysore and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The temple on the hill, dedicated to Biligiri Rangaswamy attracts devotees round the year.
Events and Festivals
Dussehra
The pride of Mysore's festivals is Dussehra. It is a celebration that lasts for ten days. The rulers of Vijayanagara Empire used to celebrate Dussehra with remarkable brilliance. The rulers of Mysore continued the tradition. The Maharaja of Mysore used to hold a Durbar for 9 days and on the 10th day went in a procession on a caparisoned elephant. With the ending of the royal rule, a picture of chamundeswari, the patron goddess of Karnataka, is taken out in procession. Thanks to the Karnataka government Mysore’s dushara is a unique and significant cultural fest for India. This festival commemorates the victory of the Goddess Chamundi over the demon Mahishasura. Pageants, parades and music create a kaliedoscope of color and gaiety. Crowds jostle to catch a glimpse of the glittering palace. On the last day, a colorful procession of soldiers in ceremonial dress, cavalry, infantry, caparisoned elephants and colorful tableaux wend their way from the palace gates to Bani Mantap, where the torchlight parade and a magnificent display of horsemanship mark the grand finale. The palace is lit on all the nights during this festival.
Reaching Mysore
Air
The nearest Airport is the Bangalore airport from where one has to take a train or a bus to reach Mysore.
Train
There are regular train services from Bangalore to Mysore.
Road
Mysore has a good network of roads connecting it to the other important cities of the region. The Bangalore Mysore road is a nice drive where if you have the time you can see plenty of tourism places along the way.
Where to Stay
Best time to visit: Through out the year.
Climate :
Situated 770m above sea level, Mysore has a warm and cool climate throughout the year.
Languages: Kannada Urdu Hindi and English.
STD Code: 0821