History of Mysore

Mysore city was the capital of the old royal Mysore province. The word Mysore expands to 'Mahishasurana Ooru', which means the town of Mahishasura. The story goes that the demon Mahishasura was killed by goddess Chamundeshwari atop the Chamundi hill near Mysore. Ever since, the Mysore royal family has worshipped Chamundeshwari as the palace deity. Hills dedicated to her stand at the eastern end of Mysore town today.

The Wodeyar family ruled Mysore since 14th century except for a short period of 40 years in later 18th century when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers. The kingdom again returned back to the Wodeyar family in 1799 when Tipu Sultan surrendered finally in a war against the English. Mysore has always fascinated with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples. Mysore still retains much of its carefully built character of a Maharaja's capital. The city's meticulous planning, testify to the benevolent rule of the Wodeyar kings. The Wodeyar dynasty moulded the city's identity as a 'native' princely state. Beyond Mysore's architectural heritage, the city's long-held tradition of music and dance, art and literature, scholarship and time-honoured crafts were nurtured under their patronage.

Tourist Places in Mysore

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. The Chamundi Hills that towers over the city like a colossus houses a temple dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal family's patron deity. About 15 km from the royal city of Mysore lies the town of Srirangapatnam where the the summer palace of Tipu Sultan is located. The Brindavan Gardens are world-famous terrace gardens bordered by watercourses. The Lalitha Mahal Palace, built in the 1930s, has now been converted into a prestigious hotel of the India Tourism Development Corporation. The Mysore Palace, built in Saracenic style, shows both Hindu as well as Muslim influences.

Chamundi Hills
Forming the backdrop of the city is the 1,100-feet-high Chamundi Hill. On the top of the hill stands the temple dedicated to the Goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal family's patron deity. To reach the temple one can either drive through the 13-km stretch up to the summit or climb the 1,000 stone steps. Nearby the temple stands the huge statue of Mahishasura, the demon slain by the Goddess. Halfway up along the stone steps stands the majestic 4.8-metre monolith of Nandi the Bull, Lord Shiva's chosen mount. The statue is believed to be 300 years old and its chief attraction, apart from its size, is the meticulous craftsmanship of its ornaments-from its delicate anklets to the magnificent pendant bell around its neck.

Srirangapatnam
About 15 km from the royal city of Mysore lies the town of Srirangapatnam. There are many interesting places here of which the summer palace of Tipu Sultan is a must visit. Built in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style, the palace also has a small museum where Tipu's trivia, including a gold-embroidered tunic, old paintings and a coin collection, are displayed. A little away from the palace is the 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 kilometres.

Brindavan Gardens
A half-hour's drive from the city takes you to the Brindavan Gardens. The well-manicured steps of these world famous terrace gardens are bordered by watercourses. Musical fountains with soft coloured lights add to the visitor's delight. The view of the gardens during the nights is a thing to be seen.

Lalitha Mahal Palace
The snow-white Lalitha Mahal was built in the 1930s for the guests of the Wodeyars. The main attraction of the palace is a staircase of Italian marble branching off from a landing to reach the first floor hall. Surrounded by velvety green lawns and stately trees, the Lalitha Mahal is now a prestigious hotel of the India Tourism Development Corporation.

Mysore Palace
Built in around AD 897 in Saracenic style, the Mysore palace has both Hindu as well as Muslim influences. The palace, designed by an English architect and completed in 1912, was built in place of an earlier palace which was burnt down in 1897.

The main palace building is made of massive grey granite with a tower covered by a gilded dome. Colours abound the palace architecture. The huge rooms and the floor tiles are covered with colours like turquoise blue, magenta, golden yellow and leaf green. The central hall, incredible in its beauty, was used for marriages and other major gatherings. A temple is also situated within the royal courtyard. The Dussehra procession, an annual affair in the city in the month of October, starts from here.

The palace also houses a museum which has a collection of musical instruments, children's toys, many paintings, costumes, weapons, etc., belonging to the Maharaja's family.

Somnathpur
Thirty-five kilometres east of Mysore lies Somnathpur, a town famous for the temple built by the Hoysala kings. The beautiful building of the Keshava temple built in 1268 is the major attraction here. The walls of this star-shaped temple are covered with sculptures in stone depicting various scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita and the life and times of the Hoysala Kings.

Belur
One of the three major Hoysala temples still in daily use today is the Channekeshava Temple of Belur. The construction of the temple, which took almost a century, was started in 1116 to commemorate the Hoysalas' victory over the Cholas. Enclosed in a paved compound, the temple complex includes a well and a bathing tank. It is believed that every major deity of the Hindu pantheon is represented in the temple.

Halebid
The Hoysaleswara temple at Halebid has a history dating back to around AD 1121. Though its construction spanned 80 years, it was never completed. The temple is set in a well-tendered garden. A small museum adjacent to it houses a collection of sculptures. The Kedareswara temple and three small Jain temples are also located at Halebid.

Bandipur
On the way to Ooty, about 80 km off Mysore, is situated the Bandipur National Park. The park, spread over an area of 875 km, is a famous tiger reserve. Besides tiger, the other animals you can see here are the barking deer, tuskers, and bison.

Ranganathittu
For bird lovers, Ranganathittu is worth a visit. This bird sanctuary is situated around 18 km from Mysore and offers a close view of the exotic and common birds.

Sravanabelagola
Sravanabelagola, meaning the Monk of the White Pond, is the oldest and the most important pilgrimage centre for the Jains in the country. The town is also the home to the world's tallest monolithic statue, the 17-metre-high naked statue of Bahubali. Besides the statue, the town also has several interesting Jain temples and monasteries.

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