Whenever I think of Mysore, images of the brave warrior and king,
Tipu Sultan captures my mind. Every brick of the city speaks of a history
that has been so deeply rooted. Mysore is the second largest city of the
state of Karnataka and boasts of a rich cultural heritage. The city not only
inspires the art and history lovers but also draws immense nature admirers.
Located in the southern part of the Deccan plateau, Mysore was once the
capital of the Wodeyar dynasty. Mysore has a quaint charm that attracts
tourists to the land in bulk.
The city is spread in an area of 128 square kilometers and is famous for
its sandalwood and other craft items. The festivals of the place are also
very charming and full of fun and frolic.
Sightseeing
Mysore
Palace - The Mysore Palace is a must see for all those who love art and
grandeur. The palace is an ultimate delight. It ha been beautifully made.
The architecture follows an Indo- Saracenic style with domes, turrets,
arches, the palace looks stunning. The door of this palace is massive and
the walls are intricately carved. The golden throne embedded with precious
stones and jewellery is put on display every year during the Dussehra
festival.
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.
Chamundi Hills - The Chamundi Hills is 1,100 feet in
height. On the top of the hill lies the Chamundeshwari temple dedicated to
goddess Durga. The temple is very old belonging to the 11th century. One has
to climb around 100 steps to reach the temple. Near the temple there is a
huge statue of Mahisasura, the demon who was killed by goddess Durga. The
statue is about 300 years old and is very much recognised by the tourists
because of its huge size.
Rail Museum - All those who love having a sneak
-peak at history can follow the steps that lead one to the Rail Museum. Like
other Mysore attractions, this museum is not famous but houses locomotive
coaches, paintings and photographs narrating the 'Rail Story'. The major
crowd puller here is the Maharaja's saloon, which was designed for the
Wodeyar rulers.
Brindavan Gardens - About 19 kms from he city lies
the Brindavan Gardens. These world famous terrace gardens are a ultimate
delight for the tourists coming to Mysore. The garden is bounded by water
courses. The gardens turns paradisaical at the evening with the Musical
water fountain and the light show.
The Art Gallery - The famous Jaganmohan Palace was
transformed into an art gallery in 1875. The gallery houses paintings of the
ancient period. The artists of that era 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.
Lalitha Mahal Palace - Built in 1930's the Lalitha
Mahal is as white as snow. It was built for the guests of the Wodeyar
Dynasty. The major attraction of the palace is the staircase that is made of
Italian marble. With green lawns and stately trees, Lalitha Mahal looks very
beautiful and majestic. The Palace has however been transformed in to a
hotel under India Tourism Development Corporation.
Shopping
All shopping lovers are very much welcomed by the historical and colourful
city of Mysore. The city is very popular for the silk sarees and
handicrafts. The sarees have unique design and work. A large variety of
handicraft items are also available here. The artisans of Mysore work in
their homes or in the working centres to produce a number of quality
products. Mysore has a rich treasure of Sandalwood and rosewood trees,
therefore most of the handicrafts are wood based. Besides all these, Mysore
is also very well known for the incense sticks or Agarbattis.
The major shopping areas of Mysore are:
- Krishnaraja Circle
- Devaraj Urs Road
- Sayyagi Rao Road
- Nayanotsav
- Ashoka Road
- Dhanvantri Road
How To Reach
The nearest airport from Mysore is the Bangalore airport. It is 140 km from
Mysore. There are regular train services which one can avail in order to
reach Mysore. The Shatabdi Express connects Mysore to Chennai. State
Highways connect Mysore the national highways and to all parts of the
country. Regular Bus services are also available.
