Mysore

As the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty between the 15th and and 18th century, the rulers patronage of art and culture quickly made a mark on the city- something which has survived until now and is evident in the rich heritage of the city. This makes Mysore a great city simply to roam around in. The pre-Independence buildings lining market areas such as Ashok Road and Sayaji Rao Road are evocative and the Maharaja’s Palace will cast a spell on you.   The famous Devaraja Market offers an unparalleled experience and an atmosphere that is unique amongst South India’s produce markets. The giant complex of covered stalls is bursting with mangos, bananas, sticky jaggery and conical heaps of lurid kumkum powder.

With a mythical history dating back thousands of years, this was the place where the demon Mahishasura was slain by the Goddess Chamundi. You will find a statue of the demon on Chamundi hill which commemorates the event. The city rose to prominence when it became the capital of a breakaway feudatory of the Vijayanagara empire led by Chamaraja Wodeyar in 1584. In 1610, he shifted the capital to nearby Srirangapatna. Hyder Ali who was a commander in the army usurped power in the late 18th century. Hyder Ali was succeeded by his son Tipu Sultan, who fought and lost a war with the British, dying in battle in 1799.  The capital shifted back to Mysore after the British restored the Wodeyars, and a substantial level of internal autonomy was given to the rulers who ran the best administered state in India.

Mysore is approximately 150 km from Bangalore, and there is a 4 lane highway (2 lanes in each direction) connecting the 2 cities. The traffic is fairly heavy but the drive is extremely comfortable if you discount the unmarked speed bumps that show up at random intervals. The fastest and possibly the most comfortable way to travel between Mysore and Chennai or Bangalore is by the Shatabdi Express, which covers the Mysore-Bangalore leg of the journey in 2 hours and the Mysore-Chennai section in 7 hours. Although 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.

Mysore is one city that can actually be visited anytime! The summer is not scorching hot and neither is the winter too cold, making it pleasant enough to visit any time of the year. Though it does rain some from June to October, so if you do have choice, you could avoid these months.

October to March sees very equitable climate in Mysore with the daytime being cool and pleasant and temperatures being in the range of 20-30 degrees C, and is the ideal time for sightseeing forays. In September/October during Dussehra time, celebrations are on in full swing and the Mysore Palace is a pretty sight as it is lit up and festivities are in the air. There are cultural shows that are put up, and general bonhomie atmosphere in the city. A very good time to be in Mysore, indeed! February and March are when the flowers burst into bloom and the city is one lovely garden - the weather is still cool and this promises to be a good time to visit Mysore.