Mysore - Karnataka
| Other Tourist Places of Karnataka |
| | | | | |
|
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.
History
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 splendor.
Mysore, situated 770m above sea level, has a warm and cool climate throughout the year. It is one of the major cities of Karnataka and 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.
Local Sights
Mysore Palace
The Maharaja's Palace is one of the important sights in Mysore. Built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades, the Palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Intricately carved doors open on to luxuriously furnished rooms. The majestic Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many sculpted pillars. The magnificent jewel studded golden throne of the Wodeyars is displayed here during the Dussehra festival. Illuminated on Sundays and public holidays, the palace presents a spectacle of breathtaking beauty.
Chamundi Hills
A well known 335 meters 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 meter 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.
Brindavan Gardens
Located at the KR Sagar Dam [Kannambadi], Brindavan Gardens is one of the best gardens in South India. Spread over 150 acres, Brindavan Gardens has since the 1960s provided the backdrop for many Indian films. Special attractions include the 'Dancing Fountains’. In Dec 2004 the entire garden was revamped with new fountains and lights.
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.
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.
Excursions from 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.
Himvad Gopalaswamy Hills
This is a popular hill resort and a trekker's delight as well. It is situated in the verdant western ghats of Mysore District. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Hoysala.
Melkote
Situated 50 Kms. north of Mysore, Melkote is a sacred pilgrim centre, known for its Vairamundi festival in March-April. More than one lakh devotees congregate here for the festival. Melkote is also famous for its handlooms. Ramanucharya, the Shrivaishnava saint-philosopher, took shelter here from his persecutors.
Talakad
48 Kms from Mysore, It is situated on the banks of the river Cauvery and is completely buried beneath sand dunes. Only the Dravidian style Vaidyeshwara temple is visible above the ground. Its temples are opened for ceremonial worship on special occasions -once in twelve years.
Shivsamudra
85 Kms east of Mysore, where the river Cauvery cascades down in two picturesque waterfalls, is Shivsamudra. Falling down from a height of 75 m into a deep gorge, these falls are best during the monsoons.1.5 kms. Away is Asia's first hydro-electric power project set up in 1905.
Nagarhole National Park
93 kms. from Mysore, in the forest of Nagarhole is a National Park. Abounding in a rich variety of wildlife, one can find elephants, antelopes and even leopards here.
Kabini River Lodge
Situated 80 kms. from Mysore in the Karapur forests is the old hunting lodge of the Maharajas and Viceroys. The lodge on the banks of the river Kabini arranges jeep rides into the jungle and coracle rides on the Kabini for bird watching. A naturalist guide helps you identify the many varieties of birds and wild beasts.
B.R. Hills
This picturesque hill range, at a height of 5091 ft., is 120 kms. from Mysore and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The temple on the hill, dedicated to Biligiri Rangaswamy attracts devotees round the year.
Mysoreans are staunch believers in protecting the greenery of their awesome city. On September 28, 2005 the forest department decided to set up a 'Tree Court' to look into the problems and permit felling of trees. The tree court would meet on the third Saturday of every month and look into applications to fell trees.
How to reach Mysore
By Air: The nearest airport from Mysore is Bangalore, which is also the capital of Karnataka. Bangalore at the same time is an industrial city. Several numbers of airlines operate regular flights to and from Bangalore and nearly all major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata.
By Rail: Mysore has a railway station with in the city. It is linked by rail to Bangalore and many other cities in south India. Prestigious luxury trains and many other mails and express trains service this station regularly.
By Road: A convenient network of roads connects Mysore to important cities in Karnataka. A state highway links the city with Bangalore (139kms).
