Mysore

Mysore, the second biggest city in Karnataka, is one of the most popular travel destinations in India. Your trip to South India will remain incomplete if you don't visit this historical city. The city is famous for the Mysore silk saree and Mysore style of painting.

About Mysore

Mysore is a top tourist destination in India. The city serves as the headquarters of the Mysore division and Mysore district. It is located around 91 miles (146 km) southwest of Bangalore, the capital of Karnataka. The city covers an area of 128.42 km2 or 50 square miles and is located at the bottom of the Chamundi Hills.

Mysore is home to many tourist attractions and hosts a number of festivals round the year, of which the Dasara festival is the most famous. At the time of this festival, the city draws a significant number of tourists. The city is known all over the world for the Mysore silk, Mysore mallige, Mysore style of painting, Mysore Pak (a sweet dish), and Mysore Peta (a conventional turban made of silk). In 2010, the city was ranked as the cleanest city in Karnataka and the second cleanest city in India.

Tourist attractions in Mysore

There are many tourist attractions in and around Mysore, which include the following:

Mysore Palace

Mysore is home to number of palaces and no wonder it is called the city of palaces. Mysore Palace is also known as the Ambavilas Palace or the Palace of Mysore. The palace particularly denotes the one inside the old fortress. The construction of the palace was finished in 1912. Currently, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. It was the home of the Wodeyars, the erstwhile kings of Mysore. The palace features two Durbar Halls.

Though you can explore the palace, you are not allowed to take photographs within the palace. Special events taking place in this palace include Dasara Festival, which is one of the most important festivals in the state.

Mysore Palace houses a number of temples as well and some of the major temples are as follows:

Lakshmiramana Temple, devoted to God Lord Vishnu
Someshvara Temple, devoted to God Lord Shiva
Shwetha Varahaswamy Temple, devoted to Lord Varahaswamy, one of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu

Jaganamohana Palace

Jaganamohaan Palace is a famous palace located in Mysore. It was built in 1861 and in the early stages, it was used as a residence by the Wodeyars, erstwhile kings of Mysore. The palace was subsequently transformed into an art gallery. Some of the paintings exhibited in this art gallery include the works of Raja Ravi Varma, Haldenkar, Svetoslav Roerich, Nikolai Roerich, and Rabindranath Tagore.

Rajendra Vilas

The Rajendra Vilas is a palace on top of Chamundi Hills. It has been converted into a hotel.

Lalitha Mahal

Located close to the Chamundi Hills, Lalitha Mahal is the second biggest palace in the Mysore city. It was constructed in 1921 by the erstwhile Maharaja.

Chamundi Hills

Chamundi Hills are closely located to Mysore and it is famous for the Chamundeshwari Temple, the Mahishasura statue, and Nandi the Bull.

St. Philomena�s Church

St. Philomena�s Church was built in 1936 and it is famous for its Neo Gothic architectural pattern.

Mysore Zoo

This is one of the oldest and most famous zoos in South India. It is home to a wide variety of creatures. Founded in 1892, the zoo is also known as Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens.

Museums

The city is home to a number of museums including the Folk Lore Museum, Regional Museum of Natural History, the Oriental Research Institute, and the Railway Museum.

Other tourist attractions in and around the city include the following:

• Brindavan Gardens (Famous for the musical fountain show)
• Krishnarajsagar Dam
• Somanathapura
• Srirangapatna
• Talakad
• Himapad Gopalaswamy Betta
• BR Hills
• Hill stations (Madikeri, Sultan Battery, and Ooty)
• Nagarhole National Park
• Bandipur National Park
• BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary
• Melkote Wildlife Sanctuary
• Kokrebellur
• Bird sanctuaries at Kokrebellur and Ranganathittu
• Bylakuppe
• Nanjanagud
• Shivanasamudra waterfalls

Transportation to Mysore

1) By Air
By air, Mysore is connected to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai by regular flights from Kingfisher Airlines.

2) By Rail
Mysore Railway Station is linked to Hassan, Bangalore, and Chamarajanagar.