Mysore Palace
Introduction and history: The palace of Mysore is one of the significant and attractive tourist destinations in Karnataka. Once the residence of the Wodeyars, this is one of the largest of its kind in India. Built in 1912, this place stands as a unique example for India’s ancient architecture marvel. The main palace consists of important portions like golden royal elephant throne, the durbar hall, the kalyana mantap and the gallery. A priceless national treasure and the pride of a kingdom, the Mysore Palace is the seat of the famed Wodeyars.
What to see and when to go: The palace is very famous for its grand Dasara festival, which is the ideal time to visit this place. Leading artists perform on a stage set up in the palace grounds which is followed by a parade with elephants on the vijaya dasami day. As Dasara is the most extravagant festival here, its good to visit the place between September and October of each year. To celebrate this festival the Palace of Mysore is illuminated with more than 10,000 lights during that two month period. The palace is open between 10 AM to 5:30 PM all the days.
Things to do: Apart from enjoying the beauty of the palace once can visit Jaganmohan Art Gallery (near to the palace), Chamundi Hills, Mysore Zoo, Brindavan Gardens & KRS Dam, St. Philomena’s Church, Government Silk Factory, Lalitha Mahal Palace and Railway Museum.
Accommodation: There is lot of hotels available depending on the budget. The accommodation price per day will vary from 600 to 7500 rupees per day.
Mode of transport: The nearest airport to the city is the Bengaluru International Airport at Bangalore, which is situated about 130 kilometers from the city. Mysore city has a railway station and three railway lines connect it to the cities of Bangalore, Hassan and Chamarajanagar. The city is also well connected by National Highway to the state border. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and other private agencies operate buses from Mysore. Within the city, buses offer a cheap and popular means of transport. Auto-rickshaws are also available for intra-city commute.
Related links:
• Official website: http://mysore.nic.in/
• Mysore tourist information: http://www.mysoretourism.org/
See also: Srirangapatna, Ranganthittu, Shivanasamudra falls, Talakad, Bylakuppe and Bangalore city are some of the nearby tourist destinations.
Interesting points:
• Mysore is an excellent shopping destination where one can buy many ethnic collections which include Mysore agarbathi, silk, betel leaf, nanjanagud Banana, sandalwood oil, sandal soap, rosewood inlay and traditional paintings
