Location : Karnataka
Tourist Attractions : Mysore Palace, St. Philomena's
Church, Chamundi Hills
Local Tongue : Kannada, English, Tamil, Hindi
STD Code : (91) - 821
Best time to Visit : October to March
About Mysore
Mysore, situated in the south Indian state of Karnataka, is a tiny place
with a rich history and cultural past. The second largest city in Karnataka,
Mysore is adorned with beautiful architectural structures and is also one of
the most well maintained cities of India boasting of well built roads, clean
surroundings and nice people which reflect the glory as the city would have
witnessed during the past times. Mysore is known worldwide for its fine
quality of silk and the Mysore pak (a dessert made of lots of liquid butter,
sugar and chick pea flour).
Mysore is the former capital of the Wodeyar rulers who held control of the
city for most of its rich past except for a few years when Tipu Sultan and
Hyder Ali took over control. According to legend, the city is named after
the demon Mahishasur who was killed by Goddess Chamundeshwari on top of the
Chamundi hills. The city is today a major tourist attraction and a
flourishing market for locally produced material such as silk sarees,
sandalwood and stone carved structures.
Climate & Best time to Visit
Unlike other south Indian cities which remain hot and humid, Mysore owing
to its altitude is blessed with a pleasant climate throughout the year with
temperature hovering between 23 to 35 degrees during summer (April to June)
and remaining around 20 degrees during winters. July to September are the
monsoon months. The best time to visit Mysore are the months between October
and March.
Tourist
Attractions in Mysore
Mysore Palace
The huge Mysore Palace was once the residence of the Wodeyars. An
accumulation of stained glass windows, neatly carved wooden doors, colorful
murals and miniature paintings, the structure was constructed in 1912 in a
typical Indo-saracenic style of architecture. The major attractions inside
its fortified walls are the golden elephant throne and the durbar hall.
During special days the palace is lit up by thousands of bulbs presenting a
truly spectacular sight.
St. Philomena's Church
One of the most magnificent churches in India, this ancient structure is
adorned with intricate carvings on its walls and stained glass windows.
Chamundi Hills
Named after Goddess Chamundeshwari, the deity of Mysore royal family, The
Chamundi Hills and the Chamundeshwari Temple perched on its top is a
prominent Hindu pilgrimage attracting hordes of pilgrims throughout the
year. The monolithic statue of Nandi, the bull is an architectural splendor
carved out of a single rock.
Other Attractions
Besides the above, Bangalore is also famous for other attractions such as
the Brindavan Gardens, Mysore Zoo, the Oriental Research Institute, Folk Art
Museum and the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery.
Things
to Do
Shopping
Mysore is a good place to shop with a lot of locally made quality products
available at cheap prices. The must buys on a shopper's list include
traditional Mysore silk sarees that come in a variety of colors and designs,
handicrafts items including those made of sandalwood, rosewood and teakwood,
incense sticks, stone carvings and paintings. The major shopping promenades
in Mysore are at Devraj Urs Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, Ashoka Road and
Dhanvantri Road.
Get Aways
Bandipur National Park
80 km from Mysore is a safe heaven for wild denizens. The Bandipur National
Park is one of the most exotic wildlife parks in India housing some rare
species of plants and animals. The site has been recently included in the
Project Tiger by the World Wildlife Fund. The Nagarhole National Park is
also situated near by.
Bangalore
The capital of Karnataka, Bangalore is one of the most modernised cities in
India. A mix of ultramodern structures and an old world charm, Bangalore
boasts of attractions such as historical monuments, lakes, museums, lush
gardens and hitech cities. It is also the hub of a number of information
technology companies in India, being sobriquet the Silicon Valley of India.
Stay At
The historic city of Mysore boasts of a number of quality hotels which
provide the best in luxury and comfort for its guests. Some of the best
hotels in Mysore include Kings Kourt Hotel (3 star, situated on Laxmi Bai
Road just 5 km from both railway station & bus stand), Maurya Palace (3
star, situated on Sri Harsha Road 2 km from railway station and bus stand),
Kaynes Hotel (3 star, situated on BEML Road just 8 km from railway station &
9 km from bus stand), The Viceroy (3 star, situated on Sri Harsha Road just
2 km from railway station & 0.5 km from bus stand), Indus Valley
Ayurvedic Centre (5 star, situated in Ittigegud just 7 km from railway
station & 5 km from bus stand), Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel (5 star,
situated in Siddhartha Nagar just 8 km from railway station & 4 km from
bus stand), Bush Betta Wildlife Resorts (3 star equivalent, situated in
Chamarajanagar Distt. near the railway station), Quality Inn Southern Star
(4 star, situated on Vinoba Road just 0.5 km from railway station and 1.5 km
from bus stand) and Best Western Ramanashree (3 star, situated in Hardinge
Circle just 3 km from railway station & 1 km from bus stand).
Getting There
By Air : The nearest airport is situated at Bangalore
from where you can board a state transport bus or hire a taxi to reach
Mysore. Bangalore is connected to all the major Indian cities through
regular flights.
By Rail : Mysore has its own railway station which
connects the city with other major Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai,
Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore. Daily trains between Bangalore and Mysore
are the Mysore Pass and Mysore Exp. The journey takes 4 hours to complete.
By Road : A good network of roads connect Mysore with
other neighbouring cities in and outside the state. State transport buses
and other private operators provide regular services between Bangalore and
Mysore.
Distance
from Major Cities
- Bangalore : 139 Km
- Chennai : 470 Km
- Coimbatore : 201 Km
- Kochi : 397 Km
- Panaji : 643 Km
- Pondicherry : 435 Km
- Tiruapti : 386 Km
