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Contents

 

  1. History
  2. Getting Around
  3. Tourist Traps
  4. Local Customs
  5. Shopping
  6. Communications

The Nilgiri mountain range steps down to the Chamundi Hills, that holds under its shadow the cultural capital of Karnataka – Mysore. It is the state's second largest city. The city beautiful of palaces, museums and gardens fuses seamlessly with its fast developing status of a giant IT hub. The Hoysala-style architecture stand cheek by jowl with post-modern steel and glass structures in contemporary Mysore!

The grand Mysore Dasara festival is visited by thousands from across the globe. And this is where R.K. Narayan wrote his gripping tales of small town India. Once considered the cultural capital of the South at large, today Mysore sways as much to the classical beat as it rocks to the latest Pop numbers in its pubs. The regal city has its roots in the old-world yet seamlessly blends with the modern way of life.

History

Mysore has a mythical past. According to Hindu mythology, the area around today’s Mysore was known as Mahishuru. It was ruled by the demon Mahishasura. He is said to have met his end at the hands of Goddess Chamundeshwari. The much revered temple atop Chamundi Hills is dedicated to the deity.

In recorded history, the city gained prominence around 500 years ago under Chamaraja Wodeyar, a breakaway feudatory of the Vijayanagar Empire. Mysore’s history, ever since has been synonymous with the Wodeyars. Mysore, originally a part of the Vijayanagara Empire, in 1584 became the capital of a breakaway feudatory under Chamaraja Wodeyar. He later moved the capital to Srirangapatna. The kingdom of Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyars until 1947 except for a brief while when Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan came into power in the 18th century. Tipu Sultan fought the British and died in the battle in 1799 in the fourth Anglo-Mysore war. The Wodeyars were reinstated as puppet rulers by the British after Tipu’s death.

As great patrons of art and culture, the Wodeyars contributed significantly to the cultural growth of Mysore. And the dynasty is loved by the people of Mysore. During Mysore Dasara festival, the Wodeyar Royal Couple performs the rituals and the Mysore Palace is the site of spectacular celebrations.

Getting Around

Mysore is well-connected within the city. Though autos are the primary mode of transport, there are state transport buses and even air-conditioned Volvo buses to ferry you around the city or take you to Chamundi Hills, KRS-Brindavan Garden or the Infosys campus.

One can even hire cabs to do a city tour. At the railway station or city bus stand, there is a pre-paid and auto-rickshaw counter. They will assign an auto to you with the fare already printed on a slip of paper.

Don’t miss out on riding the famous Tongas (carts driven by horses) although run only on some select routes. The experience is nostalgic.

Tourist Traps in the City

Avoid walking/traveling alone at nights and hire a taxi from the hotel or a travel agent. In case you hire a auto rickshaw, decide on the fare calculation beforehand to avoid paying extra.

Buy artifacts from the government recognized shops for right priced and quality products.

Local Custom

Mysore is primarily a Hindu city and cows are considered auspicious. Most women don’t drink alcohol and you need to take off your shoes before entering houses and temples.

Shopping

Mysore is a shopping paradise if you have a fetish for cultural artifacts and silks. You can pick some genuine Mysore sandalwood incense sticks, carvings etc. from Karnataka Government run Cauvery Arts Emporium (0821-2521258) on the Sayyaji Rao Road that is the main shopping area. This also stocks some antiques and other craft items like the Mysore paintings, silk saris etc. Don’t shy away from some interesting street bargains as well.

For silk, visit the Government Silk Weaving Factory (0821- 2481803), you can also see silk sari weaving here and buy some silk saris from the factory showroom or the KR Circle retail outlet. The famous Mysore Sandalwood soaps and oil are made at the Government Sandal oil factory (0821- 2483651). You will need management permission to visit these factories.

Communications

Mysore has a good network of landline and mobile phones. Most service providers like Airtel, Vodafone, BSNL, Idea are present in Mysore. Contact your service provider to check on the roaming charges and other details.

Most hotels have internet access and the streets have many cyber cafes. It will cost you Rs.10-20 per hour to access internet at an average cyber cafe.

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