Mysore



Mysore, officially Mysuru, is the second-most populous city of the state of Karnataka after Bangalore. It was the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty, and is considered to be the cultural capital of Karnataka. Mysore is among the cleanest and best planned cities in India.

Understand
Mysore's recorded history dates back over a thousand years. Its name has a mythological origin. According to Hindu mythology, the demon Mahishasura was slain by the Goddess Chamundi at the place where present-day Mysore is located. A statue of Mahishasura stands on Chamundi Hill on the outskirts of the city.

In later times, the city rose to prominence when it became the capital of a breakaway vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire, ruled by the Wodeyar family in 1584. In 1610, the king Chamaraja Wodeyar 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 British restored the Wodeyars as their puppet rulers and shifted the capital back to Mysore. The Wodeyars had substantial internal autonomy and the Kingdom of Mysore (which comprised a large portion of present-day Karnataka) was one of the best administered in India. After independence, the kingdom was merged into the Indian Union and the capital of Mysore state was moved to nearby Bangalore where the British maintained their army. The name of the state too was eventually changed to "Karnataka" in 1973.

The dynasty is still well loved and the people of Mysore are still nostalgic for the grandeur of the earlier times. The palaces built by the Wodeyars and the annual celebrations of Dusshera are holdovers of that period.

Mysore has evolved from being a sleepy and quiet city to one that has become the most important in the state after Bangalore. The malls, apartment complexes, new and improved roads, supermarkets the advent of IT and BPO firms and a growing young and dynamic workforce reflect the transformation of the city in the 21st century. The regal city is striking a balance between olden times and modernity, resulting in the city being both old and new.

By plane


The nearest international airport is in Bangalore, 185 km northeast.

By train
is the city's main station, and there are daily trains plying the route to Bangalore.

Mysore is well connected to Bangalore, with about 18 pairs of trains plying between them daily. Express Trains like 12007/08 Chennai Shatabdi, 16231/32 Mayiladuthurai Express (via Trichy), 16215/16 Chamundi Express, 16235/36 Tuticorin Express (via Madurai), 16021/22 Chennai Kaveri Express, 16591/92 Hampi Express, 16219/20 Tirupati Express, 16535/36 GolGumbaz Express (via Hubli, Bagalakot), 16557/58 Rajya Rani Express, 17307/08 Basava Express (via Kalaburagi, Solapur), 12613/14 Wodeyar Express, 16023/24 Malgudi Express, 17325/26 Vishwamanava Express (Hubli), 16227/28 Talaguppa Express  and 3 sets of passenger trains connect Bangalore to Mysore on a daily basis.

Apart from the above, 16209/10 Ajmer (via Kalyan Ahmedabad, Vadodara Biweekly express, 22817/18 Howrah (via Tirupati, Vijayawada, Bhubaneshwar Weekly Express, 12257/58 Bagmati Express (weekly)(via Chennai, Nagpur), 22681/82 Chennai Express (weekly), 16229/30 Varanasi (Via Guntakal, Daund, Itarsi)Express (bi-weekly), 16217/18 Shirdi Express (weekly), 12975/76 Jaipur Express (via Secunderabad, Nagpur, Bhopal) (bi-weekly), 16517/18/23/24 Karwar Express (tri-weekly) also connect via Bangalore to Mysore.

Mysore is connected to Mumbai through 11035/36 Sharavathi Express (weekly), Delhi through 12781/82 Swarna jayanthi Express (weekly), Shimoga by 16201/02 Intercity Express (daily) & Dharwad/Hubli by 17301/02  Express (daily) apart from few other passenger trains to Shimoga, 4 pairs of passengers to Chamrajnagara, and one passenger to Bangalore via Shravanabelagola.

Though 16021,16232,16236,16591 & 16535 are night-time trains, having Sleeper accommodation, day time AC chair car fare of ₹260 is levied on all these trains between Bangalore and Mysore, to attract more passengers to travel by train on this section in 3 tier AC class. Shatabdi fare between Bangalore and Mysore has also been fixed at a flat fare of ₹300 for the same reason

The fastest and possibly the most comfortable way to travel between Mysore and Chennai is by the Vande Bharat Express, which covers the Mysore–Bangalore leg of the journey in about 2 hours, and the Mysore–Chennai section in 6:30 hours. Although more expensive than other trains, all of the coaches are air-conditioned, and meals, snacks and a bottle of mineral water are included in the cost of the fare.

By bus
Buses run every 5 minutes from Bangalore. There is a choice of air-conditioned and ordinary vehicles constantly available, so finding a bus with seats is never a problem. The KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) buses are very comfortable, especially the Volvo (Luxury) buses, which mostly leave from Shantinagar bus stand or satellite bus terminus on Mysore road (₹350 or ₹300, respectively). Rajahamsa buses are non-AC and tickets cost about ₹200. KSRTC also runs Flybus (Volvo Air conditioned buses) between Bangalore International Airport and Mysore Bus stand. Buses run at an average frequency of 90 min from Airport round the clock and timings and reservation are available on https://ksrtc.in. These buses charge a fare of ₹800 between Bangalore Airport and Mysore.

By car
Mysore is approximately 140 km from Bengaluru. Newly inaugurated Mysuru-Bengaluru Expressway makes the journey possible in 90 minutes. It doesn't allow two wheelers, bullock carts for which service road runs parallel most of the distance.

You don't really need to hire a car and driver while staying in Mysore, as all the tourist sites are walking distance or a cheap ride by rickshaw. Alternatively, if you feel the need to have a car and driver during your trip, it is very easy to arrange it once you arrive.

By bicycle
Suitable for fitness freaks only. It is around a 140km bike ride from Bangalore.

Get around
Getting around in Mysore is cheaper than most Indian cities.

By hitch-hiking
Hitch-hiking: Taking a lift, most of the locals (mainly 2 wheelers) are very helpful and generally stop to give a lift. Might be difficult on the main arterial roads because of the Traffic Police as helmets are compulsory for pillion riders as well.

By bus
City buses originate from City Bus Stand (refer to Get in Section) 2 km from the Railway Station. Frequent bus services are available to all major tourist and residential areas of the city. Bus stops and departure times are visible in Google Maps. Volvo air-conditioned buses are available to Chamundi Hills, KRS-Brindavan Garden, Zoo, Infosys, and the European Quarter (Gokula).

By car
Tourist cabs are your best option if you plan to tour the city all day or go to neighbouring towns like Srirangapatna. Costs about ₹9 or ₹10 per km. A day-long hire to cover the most popular points, ending with Brindavan Garden may cost ₹1200 to ₹1600 for a non-AC Indica type vehicle. App based cab services like Ola cabs and Uber are also available.

There are many car rental companies available.

By auto-rickshaw
Auto-rickshaws have meters, but drivers politely refuse to turn down the meters especially at railway stations, bus stations, etc. The more the driver suspects that you are a tourist judging based by your attire, looks and luggage, the less the chance that they will agree to use the meter. Price is ₹11 per km, with a minimum fare of ₹25. Try to insist on using the meter; threatening to call the police sometimes works when the rickshaw driver pretends that the meter is broken and wants a flat fee.

At the railway station or city bus stand, go straight to the prepaid auto-rickshaw counter and tell them your destination (you have to pay a rupee (₹1) for this service). They will give you a slip with the fare printed, along with the destination and auto rickshaw registration number. When you arrive at the destination you just pay what is printed on the slip.

You can always get the help of a traffic police officer to negotiate with the auto driver. They are really helpful.

By horse-drawn carriage
Horse-drawn carriages (known as a tanga) are a common sight and way of getting around the tourist hotspots in Mysore, especially the landmarks surrounding the palace.

Orientation
The different areas of Mysore are usually understood by the locals in the following way:
 * Mysore North: Gokulam, Hebbal, Metgully and Bangalore Road.
 * Mysore South: Mananthavady Road, Ooty Road, J.P.Nagar and Kuvempu Nagar.
 * Mysore East: Bannur Road, Siddhartha Nagar, T.Narasipura Road, Teresian College area, Zoo Garden, Karinji Lake and ATI.
 * Mysore West: Hunsur Road, Yelwala, Jayalakshmipuram, Bogadi Road and University area.
 * Mysore Central (downtown area): Yadavagiri, Railway Station Area, K.R.Circle, Palace area, Devaraj Market, Urs Road, Bus Stand area and JSS Hospital area.

See






Parks and gardens
Mysore has about 180 parks and playgrounds. Most of the residential areas have their own small parks: e.g. Ambedkar Park in Jayanagar has a 500-metre perimeter footpath. The newly built Andolan Circle Park has a walking track that takes five minutes for one round. This park is near Kuvempu Nagar. But many Mysoreans prefer to walk around the many lakes which pepper the landscape such as the central Kukarahalli Kere by the University where the journey around is about 4.5 km. Another is the Lingabudhi Kere, which has a beautiful footpath with bamboo forests and again takes more than 20 minutes for one round. This park is a desirable neighbourhood to the southwest called Rama Krishna Nagar, 5km away from the city centre.



Do




Learn
Mysore is a significant educational hub, the foundations for which were laid by King Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV during his enlightened rule. Today, the city can boast of seven engineering and two medical colleges. The first engineering college established in Mysore was the National Institute of Engineering in 1946, the second oldest in Karnataka (after UVCE Bangalore). Formal medical education began in 1930 when the Mysore Medical College was transferred from Bangalore to Mysore.

Mysore is well known for its prowess in Sanskrit, the mother language of many Indian languages. The city is occasionally referred to as the Sanskrit capital of India. A Sanskrit daily newspaper called Sudharma is published from Mysore for a nominal price of ₹1.



Buy
Mysore is famous for silk sarees (Mysore Silk), sandalwood carvings and the many varieties of perfumed incense sticks. Mysore's marketplaces can be a good place to start, like Ashoka Road, Sayyaji Rao Road and from a mix of Western and Indian traditional shopping head to Devaraj Urs Road. To experience one of India's best markets head to Devaraja Market where tourists and locals alike shop for daily fruit and vegetables as well as the rows and rows of flowers and various spices. Devaraja market is on Dhanwanthri Road.

On the east row of the Devaraja Market, there is an oil shop with two brothers, Azam and Adil, who always pull in tourists for a nice conversation and maybe some chai. They have some good recommendations for food and things around the city so give them a visit. Their shop has a row of the watercolor powder, about 1/3rd from the north end.

Be warned, however. There are quite a lot of perfume sellers that sell inferior goods, don't be tempted by nice boxes and free gifts. As a rule, if it looks like a bargain, the perfume is poor quality. The real stuff is normally found further from the centre, but is mostly for export.


 * Agarbathis (Incense)
 * Cauvery Arts and Crafts Emporium, Sayaji Road - Sandalwood figurines and caskets
 * Chenapatna dolls and wooden toys
 * Traditional deck of playing cards

Eat
Mysore is known for the traditional sweet, the Mysore Pak. Mysore Pak is a sweet dish generally cut into rectangular pieces and is made out of gram (chickpea) flour, sugar (or jaggery) and lots of ghee. Sold all over the city although arguably the best Mysore Pak from Guru Sweets near the small clock tower.

South Indian breakfast favourites like idlis, sambars, masala dosas are widely available and quite good. It is not clear if the Mysore Masala Dosa (a fermented crepe made from rice batter, black lentils, potato, and onions) originated in Mysore, but you can try asking. You can find some of Karnataka's specialty dishes like:


 * Bisibele Baath - Made of rice and lentils with a lot of local spices. This is one of the most sought after dishes of Mysore. It is served hot and usually costs ₹25 in an average restaurant.
 * Idli Sambar - Different from Idli and Sambar. Since the idlis are put in a bowl with steaming sambar poured over them, the aroma and spicy effect is marvellous and costs less than ₹20.
 * Masala Poori - This is the most favourite food item of the Mysorean people. You can see young boys selling these 'chat' items on the sides of the pavement with all the ingredients beautifully arranged on wicker stools. For ₹15, you get crispy poories along with ten to twelve spices mixed in a hot 'pani' background. The whole thing is an experience to undergo. Some restaurants have separate 'chat' sections selling Pani Poori, Masala Poori, Bombay Chat and other varieties.
 * Raagi and Akki Rotis - They are similar to tortillas but made of raagi (English: coracan, finger Millet) or rice flour along with black cumin, asafoetida, fresh coriander, green chillies and finely chopped onions.
 * Raagi Mudde – A staple food in some of Kannadiga households in the Cauvery Basin. It is made by cooking raagi flour in water and later rolling it into thick consistency balls. Raagi Mudde is swallowed and not chewed after dipping into ghee and sambar.

Vegetarian restaurants



 * Kafe Mallige - Nageetha Complex, Vishwa Manava Double Road, Saraswathipurm
 * Little Woods- Opposite Jockey Quarters, Chamundhi Hill Road No 1. Little Woods is a vegetarian bistro a new restaurant that is set on the Chamundi Hill Road. Beautiful environs and a homely setting Has four seating options: rooftop, garden, road view and closed.
 * Kafe Mallige - Nageetha Complex, Vishwa Manava Double Road, Saraswathipurm
 * Little Woods- Opposite Jockey Quarters, Chamundhi Hill Road No 1. Little Woods is a vegetarian bistro a new restaurant that is set on the Chamundi Hill Road. Beautiful environs and a homely setting Has four seating options: rooftop, garden, road view and closed.
 * Kafe Mallige - Nageetha Complex, Vishwa Manava Double Road, Saraswathipurm
 * Little Woods- Opposite Jockey Quarters, Chamundhi Hill Road No 1. Little Woods is a vegetarian bistro a new restaurant that is set on the Chamundi Hill Road. Beautiful environs and a homely setting Has four seating options: rooftop, garden, road view and closed.
 * Kafe Mallige - Nageetha Complex, Vishwa Manava Double Road, Saraswathipurm
 * Little Woods- Opposite Jockey Quarters, Chamundhi Hill Road No 1. Little Woods is a vegetarian bistro a new restaurant that is set on the Chamundi Hill Road. Beautiful environs and a homely setting Has four seating options: rooftop, garden, road view and closed.
 * Little Woods- Opposite Jockey Quarters, Chamundhi Hill Road No 1. Little Woods is a vegetarian bistro a new restaurant that is set on the Chamundi Hill Road. Beautiful environs and a homely setting Has four seating options: rooftop, garden, road view and closed.

Non-vegetarian restaurants

 *  City deli this small restaurant is on Kalidas Road near empire hotel. Coffee & sandwiches are also good.
 * Corner House in Vontikoppal is a nice place for ice creams
 * Edelweiss The Austrian Cafe parallel to Kalidasa Road, has great food at very affordable prices and authentic, heavenly cakes baked by an Austrian. The kitchen is open so you can see your food being cooked.
 * Hanumanthu Mess - Mandi Mohalla. A small place that specialises in a macro-style cooked mutton pulav and mutton chaps, available for early breakfast and lunch. Natti (Chicken) Pulav on Sunday morning only. Non-vegetarian.
 * Sixth Main is a restaurant and Coffee Shop parallel to Kalidasa Road. Popular with non-Indians. The ambience is quite relaxing.
 * Spices & Sauces - B.N. Road, Hardinge Circle. The best place to have some spicy non-vegetarian food. Even Mysore cuisine is worth trying.

Drink
Mysore is in Karnataka state where the liquor laws are among the most liberal in the subcontinent. Most international brands are readily available. The city is lined with bars and other restaurants serving liquor; there are around ten pubs in the city. Some of the recommended places include:


 * Dynasty Restaurant --Sri Harsha Road
 * Keg Pub, opposite the Suburb Bus Stand.
 * Lobo's, Kuvempunagar Double Road, opposite Bake Point, Saraswathipuram.
 * Opium Pub, Pai Vista, opposite to the Suburb Bus Stand.
 * Road Pub, Hotel Sandesh The Prince, Nazarbad
 * Lobo's, Kuvempunagar Double Road, opposite Bake Point, Saraswathipuram.
 * Opium Pub, Pai Vista, opposite to the Suburb Bus Stand.
 * Road Pub, Hotel Sandesh The Prince, Nazarbad
 * Road Pub, Hotel Sandesh The Prince, Nazarbad
 * Road Pub, Hotel Sandesh The Prince, Nazarbad

Night life
There is no night life in Mysore and no one understands the phrase 'night life'. Shops and restaurants down their shutters before 10PM. Restaurants do not open early in the morning, shops take three-hour lunch breaks, and even buses are few between 1PM and 4PM because the drivers and conductors are having their lunch. This laid back lifestyle can irritate people, although some can accept it within a few days.

Sleep
Budget conscious visitors are advised to stay near Jagamohan palace because the hotels are cheaper here and the city bus station is only 300 metres away. Taking a daily bus pass of ₹50 can save you hundreds of rupee worth waste on autorickshaws. Around 25 hotels are available in this locality all in the range of ₹400 to ₹600.

Connect

 * The area code for Mysore is 0821. If calling from outside India, dial +91 821 XXX XXXX
 * The General Post Office is near the railway station in a heritage building. There is an old man on the right side of the post office who can wrap parcels beautifully in cloth.
 * B.S.N.L. (Cellone) cellular or mobile network signals are widely available.

Stay safe
Mysore is regarded as a safe and peaceful city. However, if you plan to wander around during the night, it is suggested that you be watchful, as a few incidents of purse and chain snatching are reported every once in awhile. It is good idea to be alert if you are using an autorickshaw during when it is late, especially if you are alone. Also be careful when paying money to the autorickshaw drivers since they may tout non-locals, and can overcharge and decline using the meter at certain places and times. Note that hire taxi services are another option in Mysore.

The police in Mysore are helpful and friendly. Do not hesitate to request for assistance. You can reach the police control room by dialling 108 from a mobile phone or alternatively, 100 from a landline.

The people of Mysore are by and large peace-loving and hospitable. Mysore is one of the places in India where travellers can get around comfortably without worrying and not get bombarded by touts, which can happen in other parts of the country.

Cope

 * Laundry: There's a tiny stall opposite Arun Sweets and Bakery at the junction of Sangam Talkies Road and Ganapathi Temple Road, ₹20/₹30 per piece without/with ironing.

Go next

 * Bandipur National Park - A tiger reserve around 90 km south.
 * Bangalore - Karnataka's state capital, a shopper's paradise and cosmopolitan metropolis.
 * Bylakupee - One of the biggest Tibetan settlements outside of Tibet.
 * Coorg: A pleasant hill station with many resorts on hills, Talacauvery.
 * Somanathapura, marvelous architecture and stone sculptures.
 * Ooty - Major hill station, a little bit expensive.
 * Shivanasamudram - Twin waterfalls formed by the Kaveri River
 * Srirangapatna - Tipu Sultan's summer palace, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary.
 * Mangalore - A coastal city with many fine beaches on the shores of Arabian sea.