Mysore is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka. The city is situated at the base of Chamundi Hills and is famous for the Dussehra celebrations during which a large number of tourists visit the city.
Hindu mythology says that Mysore was ruled by Mahishasura a demon who was later on killed by Goddess Chamundeshwari. Till the 15th century, the area where Mysore stands today, was known as Puragere. The fort was constructed in the year 1524 by Chamaraja Wodeyar III.
Mysore city is the cultural capital of Karnataka. Dussehra is the most important festival of the city and this festival is celebrated for a period of 10 days. Started by King Raja Wodeyar I in the year 1610, the ninth day of the celebration is known as Mahanavami and the imperial sword is worshiped on this day. Processions constituting ornamented elephants, camels and horses are taken out.
The style of painting prevalent is an outgrowth of the Vijayanagar school of painting. The typical characteristic of these paintings is the plaster of Paris work in which gold hydrofoils are pasted.
Mysore is also known as City of Palaces. There are a large number of palaces around the city to be visited. The most famous attraction of Mysore is the Mysore Palace, which is best visited during the evening, when the whole palace is lit up with sparkling lights. The famous Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is now being converted into a museum and is dedicated to folk culture.
All attractions
On a visit to the Chamundi hills, beware not to eat in front of the prying eyes of monkeys as they will jump on any food they see in your hand.
A visit to the old part of the town you can see artisans at their daily work from rolling incense sticks, to wood carving and cigarette making.
Packages
1 night Mysore
Rs 8,483
Rs 7,722
per couple
with Volvo, Sightseeing, Pickup & Drop
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1 night Mysore
1 night Bandipur
Rs 16,773
Rs 16,707
per couple
with Private cab, Sightseeing
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1 night Mysore
2 night Coorg
Rs 19,196
Rs 18,868
per couple
with Private cab, Sightseeing
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1 night Mysore
2 night Ooty
Rs 20,504
Rs 20,328
per couple
with Private cab, Sightseeing
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1 night Mysore
2 night Wayanad
Rs 18,308
Rs 17,770
per couple
with Private cab, Sightseeing
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1 night Mysore
1 night Bandipur National Park
2 night Coorg
Rs 25,208
Rs 24,880
per couple
with Private cab, Sightseeing
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Articles
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by Madhav Srinivasan on Oct 03, 2011
Dussehra, one of the most colourful festival in India, and each part of the country has a unique and magnificent way of celebrating this event. Read on to see what this festival has in store for you...
by Madhav Srinivasan on Sep 27, 2011
Celebrations during the festival of Navaratri are extensive and colorful, and the festive atmosphere will be infectious to say the least. Here’s all you need to know about the festival…
by Afia Ahmad on Feb 01, 2011
Come to Mysore during the festival of Dussehra and enjoy a grand view of the rich culture and historical legacy that is still devoured by the people of this heritage land.
Travel News
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Feb 21, 2012 11:45 AM
Talks are being held for the Mysore-Bangalore metro line. This might be a great step as the ride would just take 30 minutes. Read on to know more...
History
Mysore, the second largest city in Karnataka, has a rich and cultural history associated with it. Mysore, believed to have come from the earlier name ‘Mahishuru’ has been associated with the Puranic stories of the Devi Bhagat. This erstwhile capital of the Mysore kings was ruled by the demon king Mahishasura since its inception.
Till the advent of 15th century, the region of the Mysore city was known as Puragera and it was this time that the magnificent Mahishuru fort was constructed by King Chamraja Woodeyar III. During the rule of the Vijayanagr Kings, The city served as a feudatory of the Mysore kings and later was taken over by the Raja Woodeyar, who made Mysore his capital. The Wodeyar dynasty was patrons of art and culture. They served as a vassal to the Vijayanagara Empire. Till 1947, the Mysore city was the capital of the Wodeyars.
It was during the time of King Narasraja Woodeyar, in the year 1565, that Mysore became an independent state. The rule of Mysore was in the hand of the woodeyar kings till the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799. The city was then distributed among the allies of the British. The British too are known to have contributed much architectural splendour to Mysore.
During the reign of the British Empire, Mysore had lost the status of the administrative center. But in the year 1881, when the British moved their capital to Bangalore, Mysore regained its lost impetus.
Mysore was ruled by the Woodeyar kings until the independence of India. Inspite of the fact that all the kingship titles were absolved after independence, the then ruling Jayachamrajendra Woodeyar was allowed to retain his title and worked as the Rajpramukh of the state till his death in 1974.
Travel within city
Mysore is a city of historic interest and there many travel option that a person can choose from, to reach the places of interest. Some of the most popular options are Tongas or horse drawn carriages, buses and auto rickshaws. Mysore does not have an international airport and the nearest airport is at Bangalore. Mysore has a new airport which is used by chartered flights. The railway station is also well connected to the city by auto rickshaws and taxis. Auto rickshaws are available from outside the airport and they connect most partsof the city. There are white taxis also available outside the railway station. These are private taxis and they are charge Rs 200 to the city.
Tonga
Tongas are the most popular method of travel for locals around the city. They are available extensively and can be hailed off the road. However they are useful only for short distances and are not very comfortable. They are an extremely cheap mode of transports and prices are negotiable.
Auto Rickshaw
Auto rickshaws are another popular mode of transport as they are affordable and can get around the traffic quickly. Travelers are required to bargain as most of the meters do not work. They charge special night rates and travelers should be aware of this.
The best way to get around the city is by auto rickshaws and in the heart of the city you can hire a tanga(horse driven) as well.
Hotels
You can find 92 hotels in Mysore under following categories:
Blogs
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