| Located 770m above sea level and 140 Kms from Bangalore, Mysore, the imperial city, was the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyars. Also known as the city of Palaces, Mysore has never failed to mesmerise the tourists with its quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples |
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| Known for its magnificent palaces and majestic buildings, sprawling gardens and tree- lined boulevards, shimmering silks and sandalwood, the 'City Royale' always figures in the tourist's itinerary. It conjures up visions and memories of the resplendent glory of the illustrious Wodeyar Kings. This former state capital is a seamless blend of old-world charm and modernity. It retains its tradition in music and dance, art and literature, and time-honoured crafts. Mysore today, is a pleasant and growing city in Karnataka with an old world charm, owing to its broad avenues, picturesque gardens, exceptional edifices and a salubrious climate |
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| Mysore Palace |
| Built in Indo-Saracenic style, with domes, turrets, arches, and colonnades, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Known as Amba Vilas Palace, it was designed by Henry Irwin, the British consultant architect of Madras state, and completed in 1912 on the site of the old wooden palace that was destroyed by fire in 1897. |
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| The majestic Durbar Hall with its ornate ceiling and sculpted pillars, and the Marriage Pavilion with its chandeliers , cast-iron pillars, and Belgian stained glass arranged in peacock designs in the domed ceilings are the main attractions. Make sure you see the magnificent jewel-studded golden throne, the pride of the Wodeyars and the symbol of their sovereignty, displayed here during the Dussehra festival in October |
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| A row of souvenir shops leads to the Residential Museum, which houses musical instruments, Tanjore and Mysore paintings, and an array of personal effects belonging to the Maharaja's family. The palace, illuminated on Sundays and public holidays, presents a spectacle of breathtaking beauty (Timings: 10 a.m. to 5.30 p.m) |
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| Mysore Zoo |
The Mysore Zoo was set up under royal patronage in the nineteenth century. Its fauna includes rare and exotic species which are housed in lush, green surroundings. The Zoo is famous for breeding some very rare animals in captivity. |
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| Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, which has emerged as one of finest zoos in the country to breed a wide range of animals in captivity, has embarked on a new venture to set up a state-of-the-art Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (Timings: 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Open daily, except on Tuesdays) |
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| St. Philomena's Church |
| This imposing Gothic structure with beautiful stained glass windows and lofty towers is a must-see. The church was designed by French architects with the blessings of Krishna Raja wodeyar IV. |
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| Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery |
| The art gallery in the Jaganmohan Palace houses an excellent collection of ceramics, sandalwood, ivory, stone, antique furniture, and ancient musical instruments. You can also gaze at paintings by reputed artists like Ravi Varma and Roerich, as well as traditional Mysore gold leaf paintings. |
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| Rail Museum |
| Located behind the railway station is the little-known but impressive Rail Museum with its priceless locomotives, coaches, and collection of paintings and photographs narrating the 'Rail Story.' The prize exhibit of the museum is the Maharani's Saloon built in the U.K. |
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| Folklore Museum |
| Located in the imposing Jayalakshmi Vilas mansion in the Mysore University campus at Manasagangotri, the Folklore Museum is an impressive repository of folk culture. With 6500 folklore articles on display, the museum is acclaimed to be one of the biggest of its kind in Asia |
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| Chamundi Hills |
| Perched atop a hill 13km outside Mysore city is the temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron deity of the Wodeyars. The 4.8m tall monolith of Nandi and the gigantic Mahishasura statue are added attractions. The hill lies at an altitude of 3,489 ft and offers spectacular view of the Mysore city |
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| Brindavan Gardens |
| Visit the famous gardens at the Krishna Raja Sagar Dam after sundown, when musical fountains and coloured lights transform this place into a magical fairyland |
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| Rangayana |
| Rangayana promotes various native art forms where they have an open air theatre. They usually organize theater, dance and other musical performances and considered to be one of the cultural hubs of the city |
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| Srirangapattanam |
| The island fortress of the legendary warrior king Tipu Sultan is just 16km from Mysore city. Inside the fortress is Tipu's mosque with its twin minarets, the celebrated Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Tipu's Summer Palace, the Wellesley Bridge, and the dungeons where British officers were once imprisoned. Equally impressive is the ornate white-domed Gumbaz, an imposing structure with doors of ebony inlaid with ivory and lacquered with Tipu's tiger-striped emblem. About 1km to the east of the fort is Tipu's Summer Palace (known as the Daria Daulat Bagh) set amidst a lovely garden. |
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| Shivansamudra falls |
| Discover nature's handiwork in the form of this tiny island-town 65km east of Mysore. Forested hills and lush green valleys cradle a small hamlet and two fine temples. Together, they provide a startlingly calm setting for the Cauvery river as it plummets from a height of 75m into a deep, rocky gorge with a deafening roar to form two picturesque falls, Barachukki and Gaganachukki. When the Cauvery is in spate, watching the river crash into a cloud of foaming spray can be an exhilarating experience. Downstream from the falls is Asia's first hydroelectric project, established at the behest of Sir M. Visvesvaraya in 1902 |
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| Melkote |
| Melkote is an important religious centre. The Cheluvarayaswami Temple, built in the 12th century, enjoyed the patronage of the Mysore Maharajas as well as Tipu Sultan. The temple gopuram is rose-coloured and has lions' heads facing north, south, east and west. The cloister-area pillars display ornate carvings. The Vairamudi festival is held here between March and April, when the temple deity is adorned with jewels belonging to the former Maharajas of Mysore |
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| Bylekuppe |
| One of the largest Tibetan settlements in South India, it is known for its monasteries, handicrafts, carpet factories, and an incense factory. The landscape is dotted with several monasteries; the main ones amongst these are the Great Gompa of Sera Je and Sera Mey. The Mahayana Buddhist University is located at Sera. It also has an enormous prayer hall. The other important monastery in the neighbouring settlement of Bylekuppe is Tashi Lhumpo monastery, renowned as the seat of Panchen Lama. |
