Mysore

About:

140 Kms from Bangalore lies the abode of untold grandeur and glory. Mysore,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.

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 centre of oriental splendour.

Mysore is the second largest city 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.

The word Mysore is derived from Mahishuru or Mahishasurana Ooru, meaning the town of Mahishasura, the demon king who is believed to have lived here. The history of Mysore can be traced back to the time of Mahabharata. It was ruled by the Ganga Dynasty from the 2nd century to approximately 10th century. Later it was ruled by the Cholas for a century which was followed by the Chalukyas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagar Empire and finally the Mysore Yadu rules in the 13th century.

During the reign of Chamaraja Wadiyar the city is said to have gained prominence. For a brief period the Wadiyars got dethroned, but finally returned to power under the British command at the end of the 17th century.

Situated 770m above sea level, Mysore has a warm and cool climate throughout the year.

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Timings :
Monday-Friday : 6:30 PM - 7:25 PM and
Saturday-Sunday : 6:30 PM - 8:25 PM
Chamundi Hills

A well known 335 metres high landmark,Chamundi Hill can be reached by a 13 km road or by climbing up the 1,000 steps laid out by the Mysore Maharaja in the 17th century.

Half-way up along the stone steps is Nandi, Lord Shiva's Bull, a majestic 4.8 metre monolith.At the top is the 12th century temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the Wodeyars.Close to the temple is the gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura. The summit offers a panoramic view of Mysore's lakes, parks and palaces.

St. Philomena's Church
A beautiful Cathedral, reminiscent of medieval architectural style,is one of the largest churches in the country. Built in the gothic style,the Church is an imposing structure with stained glass windows and lofty towers

Mysore Zoo

The Mysore Zoo was set up under royal patronage in the nineteenth century. Its fauna includes rare and exotic species which are housed in lush, green surroundings. The Zoo is famous for breeding some very rare animals in captivity.

Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, which has emerged as one of finest zoos in the country to breed a wide range of animals in captivity, has embarked on a new venture to set up a state-of-the-art Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.
As of Jan 2006 the zoo has prepared a Rs 5.5-crore plan to establish the centre and forwarded the same to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for approval. The plan envisages procuring a, emergency mobile ambulance for the animals.

The zoo would become the first in the country to have an emergency mobile service to rescue animals fighting for life and cater to animals in and around Bandipur, Brahmagiri, Kanakapura, Madikeri and other wildlife sanctuaries.

The Art Gallery

The Jaganmohan Palace was converted into an art gallery in 1875 and exhibits paintings which date back to that period. The artists of that time used natural vegetable and mineral dyes. The famous traditional Mysore 'gold leaf ' paintings are also exhibited in the gallery, as are oil paintings of contemporary artist like Raja Ravi Varma and Svetoslav Roerich.
Around Mysore

Daria Daulat Bagh 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.

Mobile range info:

How to reach Mysore?

Nearest Visiting places in Mysore:

1.B R Hills
2.Brindavan Gardens
3.Bylakuppe
4.Chamundi Hills
5.Channapatna
6.Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta
7.Kabini
8.Kokarebellur
9.Melkote
10.Nagarhole National Park
11.Nanjangud
12.Nimishambha
13.Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary
14.Shivasamudram
15.Somnathpur
16.Srirangapatna
17.Talakad 18.Bandipur National Park

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Shopping
Mysore is famous for carved sandalwood, pure silk sarees and incense. The best place to shop is the Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium on Sayyaji Rao Road, which is the Main shopping area. There are also many other craft shops on Dhanavanthri Road.

The shopper's stop : Mysore is known the world over for its exotic sandalwood and rich silks. At the Government Sandalwood Oil Factory,you can buy Sandal Powder, Sandal Oil and scented incense sticks.At the Government Silk Factory you can see the master weavers at work. Buy shimmering silks straight off the looms. Shop at Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium or in the little back streets and by lanes that offer some exiting bargains.
Tourist Information
The Dasara executive commitee has setup a helpline number 125711 that gives information on accomodation, tour operators, train and bus services and emergency numbers. Those dialing the number from foreign countries should predial +91-80.
Regional Tourist Information,
Old Exhibition Building,
Irwin Road,Mysore.
Phone : +91-821-2422096 / +91-80-22352828

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Mysore Nearest Attraction