An Insight :
The city of Mysore offers a visitor an insight into the lifestyles,
cultures and traditions of its erstwhile rulers. The palaces and temples
around the city speak volumes about heritage and architecture of the
medieval times and the kind of patronage the city received from its rulers.
Mysore is a dream city that never lets down the visitors with its clean,
light and easygoing environment. Even with the growth of the city in
response to modernization, Mysore has acquired only a mild change of pace.
Located in the Indian state of Karnataka, Mysore was the former capital of
this region. A city of palaces, people and smells, the princely city of
Mysore is worth a visit whatever the month or season.
Lets Explore Mysore :
Mysore is a very important city in terms of tourism for Karnataka. It has
many places one can visit while taking a South Indian holiday, such as the
Maharajah's Palace, the Chamundeshwari temple, the Zoological gardens and
the Brindavan Gardens.
» Srirangapatnam - 15 km from Mysore,
Srirangapatnam has many interesting places including the summer palace of
Tipu Sultan, which was built in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style. It also
houses a small museum exhibiting Tipu's trivia such as a gold-embroidered
tunic, old paintings and a coin collection. Then, there is Gumbaz, the
mausoleum of Tipu Sultan and his father, Hyder Ali. Another famous place to
visit is Jami Masjid. The slender minarets of this mosque are visible from
several kilometers.
» Mysore Palace - Built in around 897 AD in
Saracenic style, the Mysore palace is a fusion of Hindu and Muslim
architectural styles. Designed by an English architect, it was built in
place of an earlier palace burnt down in 1897 and was completed in 1912. The
main palace building is made of massive gray granite with a tower covered by
a gilded dome. The huge rooms and the floor tiles are covered with colors
like turquoise blue, magenta, golden yellow and leaf green. The tastefully
beautified central hall was once used for marriages and other major
gatherings. There is a temple within the royal courtyard, from where the
Dussehra procession starts in the month of October. The museum of the palace
houses a collection of musical instruments, children's toys, many paintings,
costumes and weapons belonging to the Maharajah's family.
» Chamundi Hills - Chamundi Hills, about 13 Kms
from Mysore. It can be approached by stairs and midway on the climb you
would notice a huge statue of Nandi (bull) carved out of a single stone. At
the top, is the temple to Goddess Chamundeswari, the same one who
annihilated the demon "mahishasura" It is one of the places that
tourists like to visit in Karnataka since it is unique and has a story of
its own.
» Brindavan Gardens - 30-minutes drive away from
the city, Brindavan Gardens has watercourses bordering the well-manicured
steps of these world famous terrace gardens. Musical fountains with soft
colored lights are a tourist attraction here and the view of the gardens
during the nights is not worth missing.
Shopping in Mysore :
Mysore is famous for its sandalwood products, oil, and fine silk fabrics,
especially the hand-woven silk sarees and garments, at competitive prices.
The main shopping area is on Sayaji Rao Road in the main city. During the
festival season, one can purchase wares from all over the country from
exhibitions. Other traditional handicrafts of Mysore available in Mysore are
rosewood, sandalwood, copper ware, stone and brass, wooden furniture,
sandalwood powder and perfumes and lacquer ware.
Where is Mysore?
» By Air - The nearest airport is in Bangalore, 140
km from Mysore, which has daily flights to most of the important cities in
India.
» By Train - Mysore is well connected with regular
trains to most of the metros like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. The railway
station is almost 2 km from the city center.
» By Road - Mysore has a good network of roads
connecting it to the other important cities of the region.
