Bangaluru.org - Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace The Palace of Mysore is a palace situated in the city of Mysore , southern India . It was the official residence of the former royal family of Mysore, and also housed the durbar (royal offices).

Mysore has a number of historic palaces, and is commonly described as the City of Palaces. However, the term "Palace of Mysore" specifically refers to one of these palaces, Amba Vilas . The palace was commissioned in 1897 , and its construction was completed in 1912 . It is now one of the most famous tourist attractions in Mysore.

History

The Kingdom of Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty from 1399 until the independence of India in 1947 and the subsequent dissolution of monarchy by the Indian constitution. The Wodeyar kings built a palace in Mysore in the 14th century, but this palace was partially damaged by a lightning strike in 1638 . It was repaired and expanded, but fell into neglect by the late 18th century. It was demolished in 1793 , and a new palace was built in its place in 1803 . This palace was destroyed in a fire in 1897 during the wedding of Princess Jayalakshmanni.

The Queen-Regent of Mysore at the time, Kempananjammanni Vanivilasa Sanndihana , commissioned a British architect, Henry Irwin , to build yet another palace in its place. The architect was requested to combine different styles of architecture in the construction of the palace. The construction was completed in 1912 .

The palace apprently cost Rs. 42,00,000 to build at the time.

Architecture

The architectural style of the palace is commonly described as Indo-Saracenic , and blends together Hindu , Muslim , Rajput , and Gothic styles of architecture. It is a three-storied stone structure, with marble domes and a 145 ft five-storied tower. The palace is surrounded by a large garden.

The three storied stone building of fine gray granite with deep pink marble domes was designed by Henry Irwin.. The facade has seven expansive arches and two smaller ones flanking the central arch which is supported by tall pillars. Above the central arch is an impressive sculpture of Gajalakshmi , the goddess of wealth with elephants.

Every autumn, the Palace is the venue for the famous Mysore Dasara festival, during which the entire palace is lit up with thousands of bulbs, and leading artistes perform on a stage set up in the palace grounds. On the tenth day of the festival Vijaya Dashami , a parade with caparisoned elephants and other floats originate from the palace grounds.

Unique rooms

Ambavilasa or Diwan e Khas.

This was used by the king for private audience and is one of the most spectacular rooms. Entry to this opulent hall is through an elegantly carved rosewood doorway inlaid with ivory that opens into a shrine to Ganesha. The central knave of the hall has ornately gilded columns, stained glass ceilings, decorative steel grills, and chandeliers with fine floral motifs, mirrored in the pietra dura mosaic floor embellished with semi-precious stones.

Gombe Thotti (Doll's Pavilion)

Entry to the palace is through the Gombe Thotti or the Doll's Pavilion, a gallery of traditional dolls from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The pavilion also houses a fine collection of Indian and European sculpture and ceremonial objects like a wooden elephant howdah (frame to carry passengers) decorated with 84 kilograms of gold.

Kalyana Mantapa

The Kalyana Mantapa or marriage hall is a grand octagonal-shaped pavilion with a multihued stained glass ceiling with peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns. The entire structure was wrought in Glasgow, Scotland. The floor of the Mantapa continues the peacock theme with a peacock mosaic, designed with tiles from England.Oil paintings, illustrating the royal procession and Dasara celebrations of bygone years ,make the walls more splendid.

Temples

The palace complex includes twelve Hindu temples. The oldest of these was built in the 14th century, while the most recent was built in 1953 . Some of the more famous temples are:

Someshvara Temple, dedicated to god Shiva
Lakshmiramana Temple, dedicated to god Vishnu

Attractions

The palace houses several rooms of importance. These include:

Audience Chamber : This was Hall of Private Audience, where the king would confer with his ministers. It was also the chamber in which he gave audience to people deserving special attention.

Public Durbar : The Diwan-e-aam was a public hall where the general population could meet the king at prescribed times with petitions.

Royal wedding hall

Armoury: The palace houses an armoury, which contains a collection of different types of arms used by the members of the royal family. These include weapons that were used in the 14th century (lances, cutlasses, etc), as well as weapons that were used in the early twentieth century (pistols, etc).

Distance:-	139 km South West of Bangalore.
By Road:-	3 Hours.
By Rail:-	3 Hours.
By Air:-	Nearest Airport is Bangalore.
Location:-	The culture heart of Karnataka rules the green south, 12 km from Srirangapatna.
Route:-	SH17 to Mysore via Ramanagaram, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna.
When to go:-	Any time of the year .
Tourist offices:-	Regional Tourist Office Old Exhibition Building, Irwin Road, Mysore. Tel 0821-2422096. KSTDC Transport Wing, Yatri Nivas Building, JLB Road, Mysore , Tel: 0821-2423652, 2425349. KSTDC(bookings and info) Badami House, NR Square, Bangalore Tel: 080-2275869, Fax: 2352626 Email: kstdc@vsnl.in
Where to stay :-	Lalith Mahal Palace Siddartha Nagar, Mysore - 570 011 Tel: 0821-2470471, 2470475 Tariff Range: Rs. 5,500/- to Rs. 30,000/-+Tax Regaatis Hotel No. 13-14, Vinoba Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2428817, 2426426 Fax: 0821-421689 Email: sstar@sancharnet.in Web site: www.ushashriramhotels.com Tariff Range:Rs.4,500/- to Rs.9,000/-+Tax The Green Hotel No. 2270, Vinoba Road, Jayalakshmipuram, Mysore - 570 012 Tel: 0821-4255000/ 01/ 02, 2512536 Fax: 0821 - 5126139 Email: thegreenhotel@airtelbroadband.in Tariff Range: Rs.1,950/- to Rs.6,000/-+Tax King's Kourt JLB Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2421142 Fax: 0821-2422384 Email: kingskourt@gmail.com Web site: www.kingskourt.com Tariff Range: Rs.1,800/- to Rs.4,000/-+Tax Hotel Best Western Ramashree Hardinge Circle, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2522265/ 02/ 05 Fax: 0821-2565781 Email: mysore@ramanashree.com Web site: www.ramanashree.com Tariff Range: Rs.2,195/- to Rs.4,295/- +Tax The Viceroy Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2424001, 2428001 Fax: 0821-2433391 Email: viceroymys@data1.in Tariff Range: Rs.11,075/- to Rs. 22095/- Hotel Palace Plaza No. 2716, Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2417592, 2430034 Fax: 0821-2421070 Email: plazagroup@data1.in Tariff Range: Rs. 1,200/- to Rs. 15,000/-+12% Tax Hotel The Paradise No. 104, Vivekananda Road, Yadavagiri, Mysore - 570 020 Tel: 0821-2410366, 2515655 Fax: 0821-2514400 Email: hotelparadise@airtelbroadband.in Tariff Range: Rs. 975/- to Rs.2,700/-+12%Tax Hotel Siddharta No. 73/1,Guest House Road, Nazarbad, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2522999, 888 Fax: 0821-2520692 Email: siddhartahotel@hotmail.com Web site: www.siddhartahotel.com Tariff Range: Rs. 960/- to Rs.1,460/- +17% Tax Hotel Prakash Deluxe Opposite Medical College, 1474 - Sayyaji Rao Road, Mysore - 570 021 Tel: 0821-2521676, 2529434 Fax: 0821-2431136 Email: alevurhotels@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 390/- to Rs.750/- +Tax Hotel Bombay Tiffanys No. 313, Sayyaji Rao Road Cross, Opposite Main Bata Showroom, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2435255, 2435256 Fax: 0821-2433105 Email: bambaytiffanys@yahoo.co.in Tariff Range: Rs 390/- to Rs.950/- +Tax Hotel Luciya International Near Dasprakash, No. 1771, Old Bank Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2420261 Fax: 0821-2420404 Email: muneernmk@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 1200/- +8% Tax Hotel Darshan Palace Lokaranjan Mahal Road, Opposite to Regency Theatre, Nazarbad, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2520794, 24258777 Fax: 0821-2564083 Email: madhu_sudhanraj@yahoo.co.in Web site: www.hoteldarshanpalace.com Tariff Range: Rs. 600/- to Rs.1400/-+Tax Ganesh Palace Inn L-17, Chandraguptha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2428985, 2421909 Tariff Range: Rs. 250/- to Rs. 850/ +Tax KSTDC Mayura Hoysala No. 2, Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2425349, 2425597, Tariff Range: Rs 650/- to Rs.1,000/- Hotel SCVDS Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2421379, 2425161 Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 750/- Hotel Govardhan Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2434118, 2429422 Email: stayhotelgoverdhan.com Tariff Range: Rs.400/- to Rs.972/- Hotel Dasharath No. 1159, Ramsons House, Near Zoo Garden, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-2449121 Fax: 0821-2563602 Email: emailramsonsmysore@yahoo.com Tarriff Range: Rs. 240/- to Rs. 750/- KSTDC Mayura Yatri Nivas No. 2, Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road, Mysore - 570 005 Tel: 0821-2423492 Tariff Range: Rs. 200/- to Rs. 550/- Hotel Ritz No. 5, B N Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2422668, 2429082 Fax: 0821-2435777 Email: hotelritz@rediffmail.com Tariff Range: Rs.484/- +Tax Hotel Aashraya Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2427088, 2426570 Tariff Range: Rs. 350 above Hotel Chalukya International Rajkamal Talkies Road, Dhanvantri Road Cross, Devaraja Mohalla, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2427374, 2427197 Tariff Range: Rs. 225/- to Rs. 375/- +Tax Hotel Indra Bhavan Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-423933, 423755 Fax: 0821-422290 Email:hotel_indra_bhavan@rediffmail.com Tariff Range: Rs. 170/- to Rs. 450/-+Tax Shree Krishna Continental No. 73, Nazarbad Main Road, Mysore - 570 010 Tel: 0821-447042, 449044 Tariff Range: Rs. 450/- to Rs. 1100/- Hotel Kalinga K R Circle, Opposite City Bus Stand, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-431310, 070, 091 Fax: 0821-431310 Tariff Range: Rs. 260/- to Rs. 312/-+Tax Hotel Tara Kempananjamba, Agrahara Road, Mysore - 570 024 Tel: 0821-427938 Tariff Range: Rs. 300/- to Rs. 400/-+Tax Hotel Gayathri New Gayathri Building, Opposite Railway Station, Dhanvantri Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-425654 Tariff Range: Rs. 312/- to Rs. 500/-+Tax Hotel Sangeetha No. 1966, Narayana Shastry Road, Near Udupi Sri Krishna Mandir, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-2424693, 2422424 Tariff Range: Rs. 250/- to Rs. 550/-+Tax Mysore Dasaprakash Gandhi Square, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-442444, 444455 Fax: 0821-443456 Email: hoteldasaprakash@sancharnet.in.co Tariff Range: Rs. 400/- to Rs. 925/-+Tax Park Lane Hotel No. 2720, Sri Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-430400 Fax: 0821-428424 Email: parklanemysore@yahoo.com Tariff Range: Rs. 200/-Above +Tax Green's Boarding, Lodging& Restaurant Harsha Road, Mysore - 570 001 Tel: 0821-422415 Tariff: Rs. 120/- Above +Tax.