Mysore is a Major City in Karnataka, a state in South India. It is about 130 KM (2 Hours drive) from Bengaluru, the state's capital. Mysore is called as Mysuru in Kannada language. Mysore was a princely state, ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty from 1399 till 1950, when India had become a Democratic Republic Nation after it got independence from British rule in 1947.
Mysore is well known for its Palaces, some of which have been converted to Luxury Hotels. The most famous palace to visit is Wodeyar Palace. It is also known as Amba Vilas Palace. It used to be official residence of Wodeyar dynasty and seat of the Kingdom of Mysore. It was built from 1897 to 1912. The Palace's design is based on Indo-Saracenic architecture, with elements from Islamic, Rajput and Gothic architecture styles. The Palace is made of 3 stories with Gray Granite structure, 75 metres (245 feet) long and 48 metres (156 feet) wide. There are square towers, 5 stories tall, at each of the cardinal points, topped with pink domes.
Mysore has many other attractions to visit. Two of them are Saint Philomena's Church and Mysore Zoo. Saint Philomena's Church is a Catholic church that was constructed in 1936 using Neo Gothic style. It is one of the tallest churches in Asia. This church was built in the honor of Philomena, a popular Latin Catholic saint that lived in the early 4th century.
Mysore Zoo is located in the heart of the City. It is officially known as Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens. It was established in 1892 by the Wodeyar dynasty. The Zoo is spread across 157 Acres and is less than a Kilometre from Wodeyar Palace. It is home to a wide range of over 168 species of animals.
Mysore has several stores that sell the famous Mysore Silk and Sandalwood products. One may visit any of these stores (locally called as Emporiums) to purchase Silk Sarees and Dresses or Sandalwood Oil, Powder, Soap or other related Products.
Located about 12 KM (25 Minutes drive) from Mysore is Chamundi Hills, the Abode of Shri Chamundeshwari Devi Temple. In Hinduism, Chamundeshwari is known as the fierce form of Shakti, which is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence in the Universe. It is believed that Goddess Durga slayed the demon king Mahishasura on the top of this hill, which was ruled by him. Hence, this City was called as "Mahishooru" (meaning abode of Mahisha). The British then changed the name to "Mysore". It was officially renamed to "Mysuru" in 2014 by State Government of Karnataka, to match its local name in Kannada, the state's language. Chamundeshwari is called by the local people there as Nada Devi, which means State Goddess. The Temple is situated at the elevation of about 3300 Feet above the sea level. It is said to be built in 12th century by the Hoysala Dynasty, while its tower was probably built by the Vijayanagara Empire in 17th century.
Mysore is well connected by Road and Rail. Many KSRTC (Karnataka's State Transport) and Private buses operate from Mysore to other cities in Karnataka and the neighboring states. Mysuru Junction Railway Station has Rail Connections to many Cities in neighboring states of South India. Mysore Airport is located 9.5 KM (15 Minutes drive) from the heart of the City. As of now, only Indigo airlines have flights from Mysore to Chennai and Hyderabad.
