Mysore is thought to have been named after the demon Mahishasura, who according to legend was slain here by the Goddess Durga. From 1400 A.D, Mysore was the main city of the Hindu kings, the Wodeyars. The Wodeyars were under the Vijayanagar Empire till it collapsed in 1565 A.D, upon which they declared themselves independent. They ruled from Mysore ever since, till in 1956 A.D the princely state joined the Republic of India. There was a brief interlude though in the 18th century with the power of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the ascendant, they could hardly resist this rich kingdom, only 15 kms from Srirangapatnam. However, on defeating Tipu, the British handed Mysore back to the Wodeyar kings.

Palace:

The Maharajah's Palace is a magnificent three-storied structure with a five-storey tower designed by the English architect Henry Irwin, built out of local material. The colourful Dasara procession starts from the precincts of the Palace. The famous Mysore Palace also known as the Amba Villas Palace is one of the largest palaces in the country. The palace was originally built of wood, which got burnt down in 1897 and was rebuilt in 1912. Henry Irwin, the architect of the Viceregal Lodge at Shimla, designed the Mysore Palace. It is a healthy combination of Dravidian, Indo-Sarcenic, Oriental and Roman styles. Presently it is managed by the Department of Archaeology and Museums of the Government of Karnataka.

Location:

Situated in the heart of the city and about 10 minutes walk from the city bus stand.  

Chamundi Hill:

A very well-known high landmark, Chamundi Hills can be viewed from all the corners of Mysore City. Atop the hill abode of Goddess Chamundeswari, an incarnation of Goddess Durga. Goddess Chamundeswari is the presiding deity of Mysore and the family Goddess of the Maharajas. Goddess Chamundeswari is the fierce form of Shakti who vanquished the demon Mahishasura.

Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar, is said to have built the steps for the convenience of the pilgrims. It's a pleasant trip to the top past a huge Nandi, Shiva's bull, takes about thirty minutes. The forty-metre gopura, at the entrance is an attraction to both the eyes and mind. He is also attributed to have constructed 63 houses at the foot of the hills and called it Devarajapura and donated it to Brahmins taking care of the temples. Besides using the steps, the Maharajas also rode on horseback to the temple. However, there was a separate flight of equestrian steps for the purpose. Very few know about the equestrian pathway today.

Rail Museum:

The country's only regional railway museum is found in Mysore city, located a few metres away from the City railway station and modelled on the National Railway Museum in Delhi. The Museum gives a glimpse into the era of steam driven engines and the luxury of the maharani's Saloon (built in the U.K. in 1899) and the maharaja's dining car.

St. Philomenas Church:

Built in 1933 and designed by Reverand Rene Feuge, St. Philomena's church is one among the grandest churches in India. Located about 3 kms from the city on Cathedral Road, it is the tallest Church in India built in the neo-Gothic style. A statue of 3rd century saint, Philomena is placed in an underground chamber. The twin spires are 175 feet in height and are visible from miles around. Some fine attractive glass paintings depicting scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ can also be seen here. This beautiful Cathedral was built in 1956 and is one of the largest churches in the country. It has been built in the Gothic style with beautiful stain glass windows and lofty towers. The illuminated church in the evening is a wonderful site not to be missed.

Karanji Lake:

Karanji Lake situated on the way to Chamundi Hills behind Mysore Zoo, houses the first & biggest aviary and also the first butterfly park. Karanji Lake is often visited for boating facilities available for one and all. This lake is open for public on all days except Tuesday between 10 am to 6 pm. It is advisable that visitors should insist on wearing lifesaving jackets while opting for boating facilities.

Museum:

Jaganmohana Palace is one of the oldest buildings in Mysore and is over a century and half old. Built in 1861, it housed the royal family when the old wooden palace was gutted in a fire in 1897.

The Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery popularly known as Jaganmohana Palace is a veritable treasure house of masterpieces created by some of the most outstanding artists and sculptors of the world. Paintings of Raja Ravi Verma of Travancore and the Russian Painter Svetoslav Roerich are on display. Paintings in the traditional Mysore Golden leaf style can also been seen here. The painting of 'Lady with the lamp' drawn by Haldenkar, titled the 'Glow of hope' is one of the best. Among the varied exhibits are musical instruments, antique furniture, sandalwood and ivory carvings. Housed in the historic Jaganmohana Palace, in the very heart of the city, the gallery is another throbbing tribute to the abundant love for fine arts, which was one of the hallmarks of the Mysore Royal family.

Shravanabelagola:

This is one of the most popular Jain pilgrimage center in South India, an is known for its collossal monolithic statue of Gomateswara, on top of a hill. Sravanbelagola is at a distance of 93km from Mysore. The temple to Gomateswara is built on top of a hill, in between two hills - at a height of 3000 feet above sea level. A flight of 500 steps provides access to this temple. Views of the neighborhood from the top of the hill are spectacular.

Brindavan Gardens K.R.S.

This is India's first irrigation dam, built in 1924. Sir. M. Vishweswariah, the engineer who designed and built this dam, has shown his acumen in converting a dam site into a beautiful garden with colourful fountains and ponds downstream. The dam is named after the then Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar, who financed this novel project. Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) represents a marvel of civil engineering achievement in pre-independence India and was among the first in the world to use automatic sluice gates. There is a boating pond to cross the dam from the south bank to the north bank and at the northern edge are the dancing fountains. The dam is over 3 kms long and is constructed at the junction of three rivers - Kaveri, Hemavati and Lakshmanathirtha.

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary:

Ranganathittu is an important tourist attraction from Mysore City & is barely 20 km away. The bird sanctuary, situated on the banks of the River Cauvery, includes of a group of six islets as well. The isolated islets and the abundance of aquatic insects during the monsoon make Ranganathittu a favorite abode for birds. Ranganathittu attained the status of a bird sanctuary in 1940, courtesy of the visions of India's noted ornithologist. Dr. Salim Ali. who, during his survey of the birds of Mysore, advocated for the establishment of such a sanctuary. The sanctuary is now a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers and bird watchers.

Srirangapatna:

14 kms. northeast of Mysore is Srirangapatnam, an island fortress and the capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Tipu’s summer palace, Daria Daulat, has now been turned into a museum. Made of teak, this Indo-Saracenic structure has ornate and beautiful frescoes. The fort holds within it, a mosque and the Ranganatha Swamy Temple. A kilometer east of the fort is the Daria Daulat Bagh, the summer palace of Tipu Sultan built in 1784. It's adorned with ornate and beautiful frescoes and now houses a museum with a collection of family memorabilia and paintings depicting Tipu Sultan's campaigns against the British. Nearby is the Gumbaz, the onion-domed mausoleum of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

Bluff:

Is located on the way to the Shivanasamudram waterfalls. Eastern Asia's first hydro electric power generating station set up by the Dewan of Mysore in 1902, meant to supply power to the Kolar Gold Fields, is the main attraction. The area is called 'bluff' after the 137 m bluff, which is used to lay pipes for feeding the turbines at the generating station. The powerhouse is located at the foot of a hill. The power house can be reached by an exciting trolley ride.

Coorg:

Coorg , is a picturesque highland in the summits and slopes of the western ghats. Coorg in general, extremely rugged and covered with forests, abounding in some parts in sandal and other valuable woods, but overgrown in others with a dense jungle, the resort of wild animals and beasts of prey. Some of the mountain cliffs are steep and terrifying to the very sight. The climate is temperate and healthy.

Nagarahole:

Located in Kodagu and Mysore districts, deriving it's name from Kannada, 'Naga' meaning snake and 'hole’ meaning streams,Nagarhole is truly a delightful spot, bubbling with the activity of some of the most magnificent animals and trees. Once the Maharaja's reserved forest, Nagarhole became a National Park in 1955. The park has been recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park after the late Prime Minister of India. A dam on the Kabini River and its scenic reservoir demarcates the two parks. Covering gentle hills bordering Kerala, the park includes swampland, stream, moist deciduous forest stands of bamboo, and valuable timber in teak and rosewood trees. The old capital city Mysore is the gateway to this park.

Halebidu:


Halebid's temple is one of the finest examples of the Hoysala style of architecture. It is made of soap stone, is a homogeneous structure that stands on a star shaped platform, and has beautiful carvings on the inside as well as the outside of the temple. This temple has four doors, and is unique because it has two Garbha Grahas or Sanctum Sanctorum. In both these sanctums are large Shiva lingas. For each of these Shiva Lingas, there is a Nandi idol in the front, facing the diety. These Nandi idols also have their temple, called Nandi Mandaps, smaller but equally beautiful.




Nanjangud:

Nanjangud, a holy place, described as Garalapuri, is famous because of the huge Nanjundeswara or Srikanteswara temple. It is believed that sage Gauthama stayed here for some times and installed a Linga, the idol form of Shiva. Nanjangud is also known as 'Dakshina Kashi' or Varanasi of the South.



Talkad:

For the enthusiastic, there is the trip by bus to Talkad, the ancient capital of the Ganga and Cholakings, 30 km south-east of Somnathpur, on the way to Sivasamudram. The legend surrounded Talkad located on the left bank of the Cauvery, houses 6 temples built in the Dravidian style. The Vaidyeswar Shiva temple built of granite in 1360 contains Siva in various postures. In front of the temple stand the gate keepers, the brothers Tala and Kadu, who were said to have been granted the boon of immortal­ity by the deity. The city has been named after the brothers twin who are credited with having cleared the forest and unearthed the image. Another spectacular sight is the phallic Lingeswar which keeps on changing its colour. It appears deep red in the morn­ing, pale yellow in the evening and white at night. There are several other temples buried under the sand which are dug out every 12 years in the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov) during the Panchalinga Darshana festivities.




Melukote:

Melukote situated north - east of Mysore city in the Karnataka State is to be found on a hilly tract comprising of the oldest rock formations on the earth's crust. Nestling in the heart of these hills lies the temple town of Melkote. The origin of the town is lost in antiquity, but it rose to cultural and religious importance in the 12th century AD when the great South Indian philosopher and teacher, Sri Ramanuja lived in the town for twelve years.