Mysuru (Mysore)

Overview

Most Mysuru tour plans begin with one building, the Amba Vilas Palace, yet the city rewards a slower look. It sits at about 770 metres, at the foot of Chamundi Hills and roughly 140 km south-west of Bengaluru, and its sights lie close enough together that the state tourism board suggests about three days.

The palace was raised between 1897 and 1912 after fire destroyed the older building. Its exterior follows Indo-Saracenic lines, while the interior draws on Hoysala styles. It opens from 10 am to 5.30 pm, and on Sundays and public holidays it is lit up in the evening, a display viewed from outside. Hours and the lighting schedule can change, so confirm them before you plan around them.

Elsewhere in town, Jaganmohan Palace houses an art gallery, and St Philomena's Cathedral is another landmark. Karanji Lake has a walk-through aviary, and the zoo dates to 1892. Devaraja Market, open since 1886 on Sayaji Rao Road, is the place to see flowers, fruit, spices and heaps of bright kumkum powder sold side by side.

Chamundi Hill gives the city its high point. The Chamundeshwari Temple stands about 13 km out, reached by a road or a staircase of roughly a thousand steps. A granite Nandi, set in place in 1664, waits at the 700th step. Legend says the goddess defeated the demon Mahishasura here, and the old name Mahishooru is said to be the root of Mysuru.

Mysuru is also a place to shop with intent. Silk saris woven with gold thread, sandalwood goods, rosewood inlay and Mysore paintings finished in gold foil are local specialities, and Mysore Pak is the sweet to take home.

Pick your season with the rain in mind. The state tourism board calls October to February especially pleasant, although October is also the wettest month, and April and May bring the heat.

Known for

Lit up in the evening on Sundays and holidays