The very mention of Mysore brings to imagination the spectacular palaces and the glorious eminence of the famous Wodeyar kings. With its old world charm, the city of Mysore is very famous for its sandalwood and silk sarees. The place was a favorite amongst the Maharajas and many preferred to build their palaces here because the city is much cooler than the other coastal cities and its weather extremely pleasant. During the rule of the Wodeyar dynasty, art and craft was encouraged and the city soon became the cultural capital. The second largest city in the state of Karnataka, it is only 130 kms away from the cosmopolitan city of Bengaluru. To know more interesting facts about the city of Mysore, visit
Mysore Visit.
A good time to visit Mysore is during the Dasera festival in October November when the city is beautifully decorated to witness a ten day extravaganza. Legend has it that Dasera denotes the victory of truth over evil and was the day when the Hindu Goddess Chamundeshwari killed the demon Mahishasura. The city of Mysore is said to have gotten its name from Mahishasura, which was earlier called Mahishur and then in the later times became Mysore. The city has a long ritual of celebrating this festival and the festivities here are a big affair which invites tourists from not only the different parts of the country but also from around the world.
Mysore is not only rich in culture but also in archeological structures and heritage buildings. The Mysore Palace was built over one thousand years ago, in 897 AD. The palace has both Hindu and Muslim influences and is influenced by the Saracenic, Roman, Dravidian and Oriental style. There was a fire in 1897 which destroyed the old wooden structure and then the ruling king Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV rebuilt the palace as we see it today. Henry Irwin was the architect who was given responsibility to rebuild it and is the largest palace in the country. Today, the palace has been converted into a museum which houses treasures and collectibles like paintings, murals, royal finery, jewelry, costumes etc. There is a 750 Kg golden throne in the palace which is displayed only during the Dasara festival. The palace looks stunning on Sundays when it is illuminated by 96,000 odd bulbs.
Then there is the Karanji Lake which is popular for boating and also houses one of the best aviary and butterfly parks! Located on Cathedral Road, the Philomenas Church is another place not to be missed. The church houses excellent glass paintings showing scenes of Christs birth, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ. Another interesting place to check out is the Jaganmohana Palace which was built in 1861. This place housed the royal family when the old wooden palace was gutted in the fire. Today the palace houses genuine masterpieces created by some of the most outstanding artists and sculptors of the world like Raja Ravi Verma of Travancore and the Russian Painter Svetoslav Roerich. Paintings in the traditional Mysore Golden leaf style can also been seen here.
