Mysore is sophisticated enough to receive 2.5 million visitors (more than 3 times its population) every year. And it is trying harder to attract even more. The climate is as pleasing as its population. Mysore is easily to access from the of India by road, rail and air connections.
Mysore does not have an extreme type of climate and the weather throughout the year is pleasant. The summers are warm and winters are cool. One can visit the city any time of the year but it is advisable to avoid the rainy seasons.
The nearest Airport is the Bangalore airport from where one has to take a train or a bus to reach Mysore. There are regular train services from Bangalore to Mysore. The state transport as well as the private operators have buses plying between the state capital and the former state capital. From Bangalore one can go on conducted sightseeing tours.
During the month of October and November, for ten days the Dussehra festival is celebrated. This is the most famous festival of Mysore. During the festival the city is at its colour best with music & dance, Sports, Literary competitions, fairs and exhibitions all over Mysore. All This culminates in the Dussehra Procession and torch light parade.
Though Mysore is famous for sandalwood and its products, there are many fakes available in the shops so if you are purchasing any sandalwood item make sure that they are original. Same goes with the silk sarees. To avoid any confusion buy the items from any Government Emporium or any authorised shop.
Mysore is a shopper's paradise. It is surrounded by sandalwood and rosewood forests. Thus, most of the tourists coming to Mysore look for items made from sandalwood or rosewood. Though a bit expensive these, pieces make excellent gift as well as decorative items. The sandalwood oil might be a bit expensive but is an essential commodity to be bought in Mysore. Mysore silk sarees are very popular and coveted by the ladies. Here you can purchase some of the finest silk. The government silk factory offers silks straight off the loom. Apart from the sandalwood items and silk, Mysore is also famous for the stone carved statues. The government run "Kaveri Emporium" located on Sayyaji rao road provides genuine sandalwood, rosewood and wooden carvings for the tourists.
While you are in Mysore, do not forget to visit the colorful Mysore City Market. Here, you can see the city market standing with it's original grandour. The market is several decades old, however the structure, layout and other features still remain the same. Here you can get to see the vegitable market, flower market, fruit market, perfume market in a organized manner. During festival times, the market is very crowded and colorful with many types of vegitables, flowers which are up for sale.
The Mysore palace is the major attraciton for the visitors. This is built in indo-ceracenic style. Mysore was capital and administrative center of Wodeyars. Durbar Hall "Diwan-e-Khas" and personal durbar hall are of major attractions in the palace. There are paintings of Raja Ravivarma, Siddalinga Swamy and K. Venkatappa on both sides of the walls. One of the attractions during dasara festival is the Throne" which is kept for public viewing only for 9 days in a year!. "Golden Also the Howdah or used in the elephant parade in dasara festival is "AMBAARI" which is attractive and eyecatching. This Howdah weighs approximately 715 KGs.
Palace is open from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Entry fee is Rs. 15/-. Apart from the main palace, kings' personal museum is also present and can be entered with Rs.15/- entry fee. Guides are available at the entrance. No cameras are allowed inside. Every Sunday, government holidays and on dasara festival, palace is lit up in lights. Timing of lighting is 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
This important and not to be missed place is located about 15 KMs towards North-West from mysore city. This place is in "Mandya District". A dam has been constructed across river Kaveri that originates from "Bhagamandala" in Kodagu district and is used for irrigation purposes. This project was dreamt by "Krishnaraja Wodeyar the fourth" and brought "Sir M. Vishweshvariah" from Bombay government and took him as Chief Engineer for Mysore State. This dam was completed in 1932 and brought joy and helped the farmers from Mysore and Mandya district.
A garden has been made below the dam using the water resources of the dam. The lighting is fantastic in the night, the main attraction is the "Dancing Fountain" where the fountain has been made to sprinkle water according to the music being played. People stay to see this beautiful event.
Brindavan garden is open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM daily and during weekends the lighting are done from 7:00 PM to 8:45 PM. There will be lighting on all days during Navarathri or dasara festival.
ABOUT SRIRANGAPATTANAM MYSORE
This place is located about 15 KMs towards Nort-East of Mysore city and on the Mysore-Bangalore State Highway. This place is on the banks of river Kaveri. One specialty is that this place is an Island! Where River Kaveri splits into two parts as North Kaveri and South Kaveri and again combines near a village called " Ganjam" and the place in between the two parts of the river is the town of srirangapattanam.
Long back this place was the capital city of Mysore kings. This is the place where the legendary king "Tippu Sultan" who lived here. He fought and died while fighting against the British army. There are many places of interest here, of them the "Sri Ranganatha" temple is one of them and this temple is very huge and very artistic in construction. Here the idol of Lord Ranganatha is seen sleeping on "Kalinga" the seven-headed serpant. Tippu had a summer palace, which was known as "Dariya Daulat" , where the paintings, gardens are eye-catching and fantastic.
Tipu Palace
On the city outskirts near the small village of "Ganjam", there is the "Gumbaz" which is the burial place of King Tippu sultan, his father Hyder Ali and his mother.
This famous place is in TamilNadu state and about 160 KMs south of Mysore. Previously this was part of Karnataka State and was known as "Udakamandala" . This place is in the Nilagiri hill range and has cool and pleasant climate. This place is heaven for the newly wedded couples. The 22 Acre botanical gardens is one of the beautiful places in Ooty. Climbing the hills is also a new experience for the tourists. There is facility of buses from Mysore and can be visited in one day. There are lot of lodging facility here but they are bit costly. There are rooms, which are available from one thousand to ten thousand rupees. It is better to enquire and see rooms before taking them.
