Mysore District

Mysore is the second largest city in the state of Karnataka , India . It is the headquarters of the Mysore district and the Mysore division and lies about 146 km (91 mi) southwest of Bangalore , the capital of Karnataka. The name Mysore is an anglicised version of Mahishuru, which means the abode of Mahisha. Mahisha stands for Mahishasura, a demon from the Hindu mythology. The city is spread across an area of 128.42 km2 (50 sq mi) and is situated at the base of the Chamundi Hills.

Until 1947, Mysore was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore which was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, except for a brief period in the late 18th century when Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan took power. The Wodeyars were patrons of art and culture and have contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the city, which has led to Mysore earning the sobriquet Cultural capital of Karnataka. Mysore is famous for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives a large number of tourists. Mysore also lends its name to the Mysore style of painting, the sweet dish Mysore Pak and the garment, Mysore silk saree.

While tourism is the major industry in Mysore , the growth of information technology related industry in the first decade of the 21st century, has resulted in the city emerging as the second largest software exporter in the state of Karnataka, next to Bangalore . Though lacking an airport, Mysore is connected to other parts of India by railways and road transport. Mysore is also the location of Mysore University , whose alumni include Kuvempu, Gopalakrishna Adiga, S. L. Bhyrappa, U. R. Ananthamurthy and N.R. Narayana Murthy. The All India Radio, the premier radio broadcasting arm of the Government of India had its beginnings here. More »

Tourist attractions


Mysore Palace : is a palace situated in the city. It was the official residence of the former royal family of Mysore , and also housed the durbar (royal offices).The term " Palace of Mysore " specifically refers to one of these palaces, Amba Vilas.

Brindavan Gardens is a show garden that has a beautiful botanical park, full of exciting fountains, as well as boat rides beneath the dam. Diwans of Mysore planned and built the gardens in connection with the construction of the dam. Display items include a musical fountain. Various biological research departments are housed here. There is a guest house for tourists.It is situated at Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam.

Jaganmohan Palace : was built in the year 1861 by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in a predominantly Hindu style to serve as an alternate palace for the royal family. This palace housed the royal family when the older Mysore Palace was burnt down by a fire. The palace has three floors and has stained glass shutters and ventilators. It has housed the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery since the year 1915. The collections exhibited here include paintings from the famed Travancore ruler, Raja Ravi Varma, the Russian painter Svetoslav Roerich and many paintings of the Mysore painting style.

Chamundi Hills is close to the palace city of Mysore . Its average elevation is 1,000 meters. A panoramic view of the city is seen from the top of the hills. Among other landmarks, you can see the race course, the Lalitha Mahal palace, Mysore Palace , Karanji and Kukkarahalli lakes. At dusk, the view of the city is especially beautiful, and on Sunday evenings and during the Dasara festival, the illuminated Mysore Palace glitters like gold.

St. Philomena's Church : is a church built in the honour of St. Philomena in the city of Mysore . It was constructed in 1956 using a Neo Gothic style and its architecture was inspired by the Cologne Cathedral in Germany . In 1926, Thamboo Chetty who was a secretary to the Maharaja of Mysore, Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar obtained a relic of the saint from Peter Pisani, Apostolic Delegate of the East Indies . This relic was handed over to Father Cochet who approached the king to assist him in constructing a church in honour of St. Philomena]. The Maharaja of Mysore laid the foundation stone of the church on 28 October 1933. In his speech on the day of the inauguration, the Maharaja is quoted to have said: The new church will be strongly and securely built upon a double foundation — Divine compassion and the eager gratitude of men.. The construction of the church was completed under Bishop Rene Fuga's supervision. The relic of Saint Philomena is preserved in a catacomb below the main altar.

Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion : This palace was built in the year 1905 by Chamaraja Wodeyar for his eldest daughter Jayalakshmi Devi. This mansion has three wings and contains a series of twin Corinthian and Ionic columns, regal pediments and oval ventilators. The mansion was originally built with a cost of Rs. 7 lakhs. This mansion was acquired by the Mysore University to house its post-graduate campus. It was renovated in the year 2002 from funding provided by Infosys foundation. The main hall in this mansion is the Kalyana Mantapa which has an eight-petal shaped dome with stained glass windows with a gold-plated Kalasha(tower) at the top. A new gallery called as Writer's Gallery has been created in the Kalyana Mantapa hall that will exhibit personal items, photographs, awards and writings of renowned writers of Kannada. A special illumination system has also been added to this heritage structure. This mansion is said to be the first university museum complex in the country.

Lalitha Mahal: is the second largest palace in Mysore . It is located near the Chamundi Hills, east of the city.The architect of this palace was Mr E W Fritchley. The palace was built by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in the year 1921 for the exclusive stay of the Viceroy of India. The palace is pure white in colour and is built in the style of Italian palazzo with twin Ionic columns and domes. It also has a sprawling terrace and landscaped gardens.

Regional Museum of Natural History: This museum is located on the banks of the Karanji lake in Mysore and has exhibits related to biological diversity, ecology and geology of Southern India .

Folk Lore Museum : This museum is located in the University of Mysore campus and exhibits over 6500 folk art and crafts from all over the state of Karnataka.

Rail Museum : This museum is located near the Mysore Railway station and is the second one of its kind established in India after the one at Delhi . This museum exhibits ancient locomotives and carriages some of which are still in working condition. Photographs and books related to railway are also present.

Oriental Research Institute , formerly known as the Oriental Library, established in 1891 contains over 33000 palm leaf manuscripts .

Mysore Zoo : one of the oldest and most popular zoos in India . Located on the outskirts of Mysore , the zoo is home to a wide range of wild species. The official name for the zoo is Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, though it is known commonly by its shortened name. Mysore Zoo is one of the city's most popular attractions. It was established under royal patronage in 1892, making it one of the oldest zoos in the world.

Karanji Lake

Picturesquely located at the foot of Chamundi hills and adjascent to the Mysore Zoo, the Karanji lake is a beautiful bird sanctuary in the heart of Mysore City which provides a wonderful habitat for more than 70 different species of avifauna. The recently re-developed lake, spanning across 90 acres has a butterfly park, boating, children's corner, a watch tower and India 's largest walkthrough aviary.

Timings : 08.30 am to 05.30 pm Except on Tuesdays. Entrance fee Rs. 10

Kukkarahalli Lake

The Kukkarahalli Lake is Located in Mysore University Campus. This lake has inspired many local poets and writers. The views from the north shore is particularly attractive with the lake and its surrounding trees, the spire of the deputy commissioner's offices rising above them and the low rise of the Chamundi Hill in the background. This lake is home to more than 180 species of birds, some of them aquatic. During the migratory season the lake plays host to a variety of winged visitors, some from as far as siberia. There is a 4.5 km walkway on the periphery of the lake with shaded stone benches for visitors to sit, relax and enjoy the scenic serenity of the lake.

Timinings : 06.00 am to 06.00 pm. Free Entry

Around Mysore

Srirangapatna : (also spelt Srirangapatna; anglicized to Seringapatam during the British Raj) is a town , situated a mere 13 km from Mysore city .The entire town is enclosed by the river Kaveri to form an island . The town takes its name from the celebrated Ranganathaswamy temple which dominates the town, making Srirangapattana one of the most important Vaishnavite centers of pilgrimage in south India . Srirangapattana became the de facto capital of Mysore under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Other attractions include the Jumma Masjid (a Mosque) and the Daria Daulat Gardens . The Karighatta (Black Hill) and its temple of Lord Srinivasa is situated a few kilometres from the town. The deity is that of Kari-giri-vasa (one who resides on the black hill). The famous Nimishambha temple is located in the near by district of Ganjam. The summer palace of Tipu Sultan is also a very interesting place.

Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary : is a small Bird Sanctuary ,being only 0.67 km². in area, and comprises six islets on the banks of the Kaveri River . Ranganthittu is located near the historic town of Srirangapatna . The islets came into being when a dam across the Kaveri river was built in the 1700s. The ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali observed that the isles formed an important nesting ground for birds, and persuaded the Wodeyar kings of Mysore to declare the area a wildlife sanctuary in 1940.The islands are host to numerous small mammals, including Bonnet Macaque, colonies of Flying Fox and common small mammals like Common Palm Civet and Indian Gray Mongoose and the monitor lizard.The Mugger Crocodile or Marsh Crocodile is a common inhabitant of the riverine reed beds. Breeding water birds include Painted Stork, Asian Openbill Stork, Common Spoonbill, Woolly-necked Stork, Black-headed Ibis, White Ibis, Lesser Whistling Duck, Indian Shag, Stork-billed Kingfisherand other common birds like egrets, cormorants, Oriental Darter, and herons. The Great Stone Plover, and River Tern also nest here. The park is home to a large flock of Streak-throated Swallows.

Shivanasamudra Falls : is the second biggest waterfall in India and the sixteenth largest in the world. It is situated on the banks of the river Kaveri and is the location of the first Hydro-electric Power station in Asia , which was set up in the year 1902 . This is a segmented waterfall. Segmented waterfalls occur where the water flow is broken into two or more channels before dropping over a cliff, resulting in multiple side by side waterfalls. It has an average width of 849 meters, a height of 90 m, and an average volume of 934 cubic meters / sec. Gaganachukki on the left is a large horsetail waterfall and Barachukki (also spelled Bharachukki) on the right is a jagged crashing cascading waterfall. During the monsoon season this waterfall grows enormous, perhaps a thousand feet in width. The right waterfall is the Bharachukki. . Asia 's first hydro-electric power stations, still functional, is located at the waterfall. This station was commissioned by the Diwan of Mysore, Sir K. Seshadri Iyer. The electricity produced here was initially used in the Kolar Gold Fields. Thus, Kolar Gold Fields became the first town in Asia to get hydro electricity.

Talakad : or Talakadu is a town on the left bank of the Kaveri river at a spot where the river makes a sharp bend. It is 45 km from Mysore .A historic site, Talakad once had over 30 temples that today are buried in sand. Now it is a scenic and spiritual pilgrimage center. Here the eastward flowing Kaveri river changes course and seems magnificiently vast as here the sand on its banks spreads over a wide area.

Temple Recovered from Sand Dunes at TalakaduAt Talakad sand covers the temples. Stone pillars, square at the base and made to fit into a wheel below the abacus, lie scattered about. Among the temples of Talakad, the Pathaleshwara, Maruleshwara, Arkeshwara, Vaidyanathee-shwara and Mallikarjuna temples, the five Lingams believed to represent the five faces of Shiva, form the Pancha pathi and have become famous. In honour of these five Shiva temples, a fair is held once every 12 years called Panchalinga Darshana, last held in 2006. The Panchalinga Darshana is held on a new moon day in the month of Karthika when two stars conjoin, the stars of Khuha Yoga and Vishaka. There is also a Vishnu temple, Keerthinarayana.

Somanathpur

Situated in the unobtrusive village of Somanathpur , 35km from Mysore , the exquisitely carved, star-shaped temple with triple towers is a perfect example of Hoysala architecture.  The friezes on its outer walls with their intricately cared rows of caparisoned elephants, charging horsemen, and mythological birds and beasts will leave you spellbound. Beautifully sculpted images of gods, godesses and scenes from the epics, as well as the remarkable ornate celings in the pillared hall take your breath away.

Bylakuppe : is the location of "Lugsum Samdupling" (established in 1961) and "Dickyi Larsoe" (established in 1969), two adjacent Tibetan refugee settlements, in the west of Mysore district . It consists of a number of small camps/agricultural settlements close to each other, and has a number of monasteries, nunneries and temples in all the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Most notable among them are the large educational monastic institution Sera, the smaller Tashilunpo monastery (both in the Gelukpa tradition) and Namdroling monastery (in the Nyingma tradition).Particularly well known among the temples is the spectacular Golden Temple which is also a major tourist spot in the area.

Bandipur

Tread the path of the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore with a visit to Bandipur, about 80 km south of Mysore on the Mysore-Ooty Road . The reserve is a playground for wildlife, with elephants taking the lead role. Be prepared for an unforegetable experience – you might see a tiger prowling admidst the mix of deciduous, evergreen forest and scrubland vegetation. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the enchanting Niligiri Mountains with its mist-covered peaks, Bandipur was once the Mysore Maharaja's private hunting ground. It was brought under Project Tiger in 1973. This is one of the best game sanctuaries in India to observe and photograph wildlife in close proximity. A temple perched atop Himvad Gopalaswamy Hill, the highest peak in the Bandipur range, is worth a visit.

Distance: Mysore -80kms, Gundlupet -20kms, Bangalore -220kms, Ooty -60kms.

Location and Area:Chamarajnagar District: 874.2 sq.km. Bandipur is flanked by Karnataka's Gandhi national Park (Nagarahole) to its northwest, Tamilnadu's Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary to its southwest. Together, these constitute the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Flora and Fauna:Deciduous, evergreen and scrubland vegetation.

Mammals:They include the tiger, leopard, elephant, gaur, sloth bear, Asiatic wild dog, striped hyena, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, mongoose, and the slender loris.

Reptiles:The common rat snake, Russell's viper, common krait, Indian python, flying snake and the cobra can be seen.

Birds:Over 230 species of birds have been identified. Some of the most notable ones are the heron, stork, egret, kite, eagle, falcon, peafowl, lapwing, sandpiper, woodpecker, drongo and the warbler.

Nanjangud

Nanjangud is a town in Mysore district in the Indian state of Karnataka . It is a temple town and is on the banks of the river Kapila (a.k.a Kabini ). It is at a distance of 23 km from the city of Mysore . Nanjangud is also called as "Dakshina Kashi" (southern Kashi ).

The main temple at Nanjangud is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva , whose another name is Nanjundeshwara. Nanjundeshwara means the God who drank poison. Hindu mythology quotes an interesting legend in which the Gods and demons churned the ocean in search of the nectar of immortality. During this churning, there were lots of artefacts that emanated out of the ocean, including poison. To prevent the poison from spreading across the universe and destroying it, Shiva came to the rescue and drank the poison. His wife Parvati then held his throat tightly to prevent the poison from spreading to the rest of his body. Nanjanagud literally means the place where Nanjundeshwara resides.

Nanjangud has been a major Shaiva centre since times immemorial. The original Nanjundeshwara temple is said to be of Ganga period (325 - 1000 CE). This temple has then been renovated by the Hoysala kings. Both Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan had close associations with this temple. Wodeyar kings have provided various grants to renovate the temple.

Nanjundeshwara temple

The town is famous because of the huge temple dedicated to Lord Nanjundeswara also referred to as Srikanteswara. It is believed that sage Gauthama stayed here for some time and installed a Lingam , the idol form of Shiva . Nanjangud is also known as 'Dakshina Kashi' or Varanasi of the South.

The temple was originally built by the Ganga rulers in the 9th century during their occupation of this region. The residing deity of the temple was later called Hakim Nanjundeswara ; a title given by the Great Tippu Sultan who had faith in the God. It is said and inscribed in the temple history that his favourite and beloved elephant was bestowed with eyesight by the Lord, after Tippu Sultan's vow with the local deity. The Sultan then had a Lingam made of jade along with an emerald necklace and donated it to the temple. The Vaidya Nanjundeswara , even today is said to be a healer for his believers, and one can see even today worshippers doing Urulu seve , a ritualistic practice after taking bath in the Kapila river.

Twice every year thousands of worshippers gather for the famous Chariot Festival locally known as the Dodda Jathre and the Chikka Jathre. Idols of Lord Srikanteshwara, Goddess Parvathi, Lord Ganapathi, Lord Subramanya and Lord Chandikeshwara are kept in five separate chariots and a traditional puja is performed to the idols early in the morning on the Jathre day. After the puja chariots are flagged off. Thousands of devotees pull the Chariots carved out of wood, across the streets of the old town. The town remains immersed in festivities on the Jathre days.

Sri Raghavendra swamy Mutt

Also there is a famous Sri Raghavendra Swamy Mutt which is called Preteeka Sanidhi (one can find a idol of Sri Raghavendra Swamy instead of the usual Brindavana). We can find the Moola Brindavanas (mortal remains) of 5 saints belonging to Raghavendra swamy mutt lineage known as Pancha Brindavana.

Parashurama Kshetra

Near Nanjangud is the sangam, where the Kapila and Kaundinya rivers meet. This place is termed as Parashurama Kshetra which is where the sage Parashurama is said to have cleansed himself from the sin of beheading his mother. A small rivulet called Suvarnavathy also joins the rivers here. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Parashurama here.

Nearby Tourist Locations

• Mysore is a well known tourist place, only 23 km from Nanjangud
• Bandipur is well known for its wildlife sanctuary and is 55 km from Nanjangud
• Mudumalai , also a wildlife sanctuary is 60 km from Nanjangud

Other attractions


Ayurveda

Nanjangud is famous for the Ayurveda medicines manufactured by the Late Sri. B.V.Pandit. The Sadvaidyashala established by him serves people very successfully. Ayurvedic medicenes produced here are marketed all over India . In earlier times (1950-70) a tooth powder brand made locally called 'Nanjangud Hallupudi' was also very famous all over Karnataka .

Bananas

A popular variety of banana locally known as Nanjangud Rasabaley has also made Nanjangud famous all over the region.

Tirumakudalu-Narasipura

Tirumakudalu-Narasipura, officially known as T.Narasipura ,is a panchayat town in Mysore district in the Indian state of Karnataka. The first letter “T” of the name (T.Narasipura) refers to Tirumakudalu,the peninsular town (Trimakuta in Sanskrit) at the confluence of the Kaveri, Kabini and Spatika Sarovar (a hidden mythical lake or spring, also named Gupta Gamini).This is the place in South Indiawhere Kumbhamela is held every three years. It finds a mention in the Skanda Purana as one of the Trimakuta Kshetras (holy places with the confluence of three rivers.. The word 'Narasipur' is the name of the town, which is derived from the famous Gunja Narasimhaswamy temple that is located on the right bank of the Kabini river. Considered as sacred as Prayag (confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the Saraswati at Prayag – Varanasi - Kashi in North India), it is also known as Dakshina Kashi The town finds mention in tourism guides, both as a tourist place and a pilgrimage centre.

Mythology

It is said that Tirumakudlu is where Rishi Agasthya had visualised it as 'Dakshina Kashi' long ago. When he travelled down South to Narsipur, the town was a thick forest. Enamoured by the confluence of the three rivers - Kaveri, Kapila and the undercurrent of Spatika Sarovara - he wanted to install a Shiva Linga there and asked Hanuman to get him a linga from Kashi. Since the auspicious period lasting three-and-a-three-fourth of a galige was fast approaching and Hanuman failed to get the linga on time, the sage created a sand linga himself and consecrated it. An insulted Hanuman, who returned soon, cut off the top portion of the sand linga consecrated by Agasthya. From the axed summit, the Spatika Sarovar (Spring )flows out even now and is offered as thirtha (holy water) to the pilgrims. The linga that Hanuman brought was consecrated a little distance away and is called the Hanuman Linga.

T.Narsipur – Lord Gunjanarasimha Swamy in the Sanctum SanctorumThe Someshwara and Markandeshwara Lingam in T Narsipur and the Gargeshwara Lingam at Gargeshwari village, along with the Agasthyeshwara and the Hanuman Lingam, form the panchalingas of T Narsipur, just like the five lingams at Talakad.

The legend associated with Gunja Narasimhaswamy Temple is that Lord Narasimhaswamy appeared in the dream of a washerman telling him that his idol lay beneath the stone on which he washed clothes everyday. The Lord told him to build a temple for him and asked him to look for gold coins beneath the stone which could be used for the construction of the temple. When the washerman expressed his wish to visit (Kashi) Varanasi on a pilgrimage, the Lord told him that the construction of a temple for Him had earned him (washerman) an additional punya (blessing) of about a gulaganji (seed of a twig tree) than that which accrues by visiting Kashi. Thus the name tak Gunja can me into usage with name of the God Narasimhaswamy

Archeological Significance

T. Narasipur and its surrounding areas are prehistoric sites where many Neolithic sites have been unearthed by the Department of Archeology and Museums of Karnataka. The rich and fertile areas of the taluk cultivated by the Kaveri and its tributaries, has been the source of continued uninhibited human habitation, over the centuries, as verified by the ancient archeological evidences discovered in the area. The ancient sites excavated in the late fifties and up to mid sixties (between 1959 and 1965) on the left bank of the Kaveri near the Bhiksheswara Temple, opposite to the Narasipur town, which form part of the Upper Kaveri basin, has established the Neolithic phase in the region claiming a date from the first half of second millennium B.C which saw the gradual evolution of the peasants into food producing and settled communities responsible for the growth of civilization. The systematic ground excavations comprising burial ground remnants, potteries, graffiti, stone implements, metal objects, beads and bangles, animal remains, human remains, wood remains, etc examined in depth and in great detail have revealed four cultural phases at the sites, but the most outstanding phase has been deduced as the Neolithic phase.

An authoritative report on the “Excavations at T.Narasipur” by Prof M.Seshadri, Director of Archeology of Mysore published in 1971 provides a detailed insight into the ancient pre-historic civilizational bearings of T.Narasipur town and its surroundings.

Distance:-	By plane The nearest domestic and international airport is Bangalore airport (140km from Mysore ) . Mysore Airport (MYQ) is currently non-operational. However, it was recently announced that it would be reopened and expanded to accommodate small 50-seater aircraft. By train Mysore Junction is the city's main station, and there are daily trains plying the route between Bangalore , Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi , Thanjavur as well as smaller and lesser known Indian cities. The fastest and possibly the most comfortable way to travel between Mysore and Bangalore and Mysore and Chennai is on the Mysore-Chennai (via Bangalore) Shatabdi Express, which covers the Mysore-Bangalore leg of the journey in 2 hours and the Mysore-Chennai section in 7 hours. Although slightly more expensive than other trains, all the Shatabdi's coaches are air-conditioned and meals, snacks and a bottle of mineral water are included in the cost of the fare. A one way ticket from Mysore to Bangalore on Shatabdi would cost about 305 Indian Rupees. A round trip sleeper class seat/bed from Chennai to Mysore costs about 430 Indian Rupees. A one way ticket from Mysore to Bangalore on other express train would cost about 45 Indian Rupees. There are many trains available from Mysore to Bangalore and vice versa. Tippu Express being the famous one which covers the distance of 140 km in about 2.5 hours. Tippu Express leaves Mysore at 11AM and reaches bangalore by 1:30PM and leaves Bangalore by 2.20PM and reaches Mysore within 4:55PM. By bus Buses run every 5 minutes on the Bangalore route, and there is a choice of both A/C and non-A/C vehicles. During the weekends, these buses are often full, so it is advisable to reserve a seat in advance. The KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) buses are very comfortable, especially the Volvo (Luxury) buses. A one-way ticket from Bangalore to Mysore costs 200 Indian Rupees. Mysore has two major bus stands. All KSRTC buses arrive and depart from the Central bus stand (aka sub-urb bus stand), while local buses use the City bus stand. By car Mysore is approximately 140 km from Bangalore , and there is a 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each direction) connecting the 2 cities. The traffic is very heavy and the ride not too comfortable with tens of speed bumps and 'security' barricades.
When to go:-
Tourist offices:-	KSTDC (bookings and info) Badami House, NR Square, Bangalore Tel: 080-2275869, Fax: 2352626 Email: kstdc@vsnl.in
Where to stay :-