28-10-2011Mysore is a bit of a puzzle really! It is interesting without being radical, it is lively without being exhausting, it is traditional without being outdated, it is homely without being boring and above all it is truly welcoming and accepting, no matter which corner of the world you come from!
One of India’s most popular tourist destinations, Mysore has been ranked 4th by The New York Times’,in its list of “31 Places to go to in 2010”. The city features in the list by virtue of its being a premier centre for the learning and pursuit of yoga, but Mysore has a great deal more to offer!
Come September and Mysore steps out in all her pomp and splendour, to celebrate Dasara, a festival that marks a nine day battle between Goddess Parvathi - the consort of Lord Shiva and Mahishasura - the demon king after whom the city has been named.
The Mysore Dasara is a ten day extravaganza of Indian art, culture and cuisine. On the tenth day, the day of Dasara, the golden image of the Goddess is carried in a golden palanquin or howdah, on a richly decorated elephant. The erstwhile king of Mysore from the Wodeyar family, conducts the procession as his expression of gratitude to the Goddess and her munificence - truly a sight for the Gods! On a more temporal plane, the Mysore Dasara Festival is an explosion of music, dance and theatre.
National Parks, Tiger Reserves, serene, unspoilt and breathtakingly beautiful hill stations nestled deep in the Western Ghats of India, history, art, culture - you can find all this and more in and around Mysore.
Mysore’s existence dates back to the Vedic times, when it was called Mahishuru or Mahishapuram - the abode of a dreaded demon Mahishasura. Documentary and archaeological evidence traces the existence of Mysore from the 14th century onwards, as the kingdom of the Wodeyars, who ruled it continuously till India’s independence in 1947, with the exception of a 40 year period in the 18th century, when Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan ruled the land.
Legend has it that, two princes from Dwaraka , Vijaya and Krishna, came to rest here after a pilgrimage to Melkote, a town of great religious significance. After passing the night at a temple (that still stands outside the Mysore Amba Vilas Palace), they gleaned from the conversation of the village women, that the princess of the land had recently lost her father, the king. Taking advantage of the helplessness of the queen and the princess, the neighbouring king was threatening to conquer the land and marry the princess forcibly. The two princes decided to play knights in shining armour, fought the enemy and vanquished him. An elated and grateful princess married the elder prince Vijaya; he was crowned king and rechristened as Yaduraya. The Wodeyar dynasty began with King Yaduraya and his princess!
The Wodeyars were progressive rulers, who not only carried out various developmental projects but nurtured the cultural wealth in the region as well, so that Mysore became a repository of academics, art, culture, music and dance. Even today, Mysore is known as the “Cultural Capital of Karnataka” and even today, much of the activity in Mysore, tourist and otherwise, is centred around the Maharajah’s Palace.
The language spoken in Mysore is Kannada. However, since Mysore is essentially a tourist destination, English is spoken by quite a few and understood by many.
Remember a few essential terms anyway - this always goes down well with the hotel staff, railway porters and auto drivers!
Yes- Audoo
No-Illa
How do I get to - Illi inda alligay, hengay oga beku?
Where is (location or thing) - (location or thing) yelli iday?
Where is so-and-so person – So-and-so yelli idaare?
How far is - Eshtu Doora?
I want – Bekku.
I want to go to (location) – Nanu (location)-gey hoga bekku
Stop the auto – Auto Neelissoo!
How much – Eshtu?
Reduce the price – Tumba jaasti, swalpa Kammi maadkolli
Mysore maintains consistent weather through the year. Since it rarely throws up surprises of any kind, Mysore can safely be called a round-the-year destination. It can get a bit uncomfortable during the monsoons, due to the occasional thunderstorms and thundershowers. While they do not cause flash floods, they may hamper mobility. However, if the purpose of your visit is academic or spiritual, then the rains hardly matter. If you are there solely for the sights, even then, there are many interesting things to see and do. So you can head for Mysore anytime during the year!
Summer stretches from March to May, with April being the hottest month. Temperatures range between 19°C and 35°C
Suggestions: It can get quite hot and dry. Bring out your cottons, carry your sun tan lotions and moisturisers and keep drinking water.
Monsoon starts in June and goes on till September, with sporadic rain between October and December. The average rainfall stands anywhere between 660 mm and 1,100mm
Suggestions: Carry rain gear, plenty of Paracetamol and anti fungal cream.
Winter lasts from December to February. It is very mild and the weather is extremely pleasant. Winter temperatures hover between 16°C and 31°C
Suggestions: You will not need sweaters and heavy woollens but thick jackets are recommended.
Mysore is easily accessible by road, train and air. Most travellers come into Mysore from Bangalore. However, it is also possible to reach Mysore by train and road directly from the major Indian metropolises without touching Bangalore. Flights to Mysore are, as of now, operated only by Kingfisher Airlines. Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, the four Indian metropolises are connected to Mysore by Kingfisher Airlines, but all flights to Mysoe are routed via Bangalore.
Kingfisher Airlines is, currently, the only airline that operates commercial flights to Mysore. This service is as recent as October 2010. Presently, Kingfisher Airlines operates daily flights from Bombay, New Delhi, Calcutta (Kolkata), Madras and Goa to Mysore. All flights are routed via Bangalore. Mysore has yet to get its own non-stop flight!
The Mandakalli Airport at Mysore’s airport is 10 kilometres from the centre of the city and 12 kilometres from the railway station. The pre paid taxi service desk is not functional as yet, so there is a bit of freewheeling among the cab drivers. Bargain well and stick to this range as Mysore is not a city of long distances.
Information and bookings for flights to Mysore may be accessed at the Kingfisher Airlines website as well as on the following toll free numbers.
India Toll Free Numbers
1800 209 3030
1800 180 0101
1800 425 7008
1800 233 3131
International toll free numbers:
USA & Canada 1 866 435 9532
Rest of the World +91 20 2729 3030
+91 20 6624 3030
The Indian Railways, one of the most extensive railways in the world, connects the major Indian cities of Delhi, Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta (Kolkata) and Madras (Chennai) to Mysore. Most of these trains are broad gauge trains with sleeper, two tier and three tiered AC coaches. The three tier coaches have three berths in a row, viz. the lower berth, the middle berth and the upper berth. The middle berth is a bit of a squeeze, the lower berth can get a bit stuffy but the upper berth is very comfortable if you are an agile climber! The two tier coaches, which are more expensive than the three tier ones, have two berths the lower and the upper berths. The sleeper class is the budget class and you must be prepared for a lot of noise and activity. Vendors keep making regular sorties selling water, cool drinks, short eats and lunch and dinner packets. The sleeper class does, undoubtedly, bring out the local flavour in full strength! Carry a sheet to cover yourself, as bedding is provided only in the AC two tier and AC three tier coaches. The Shatabdi trains from Madras to Mysore are chair car trains with only seating arrangements.
Bangalore is just a hundred and thirty kilometres away from Mysore and there are as many as six daily trains between Bangalore and Mysore, with a running time of around three hours. Bangalore is accessible by air and you can fly into the Bangalore International Airport from Europe, the USA, London and the Middle East. If you are already in India, you can fly into Bangalore from New Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Goa, Trivandrum, Cochin and many other Indian cities.
The Tipu Express, the Chamundi Express, the Mysore Express, the Bangalore-Mysore Passenger and the Madras Mysore Shatabdi run between Bangalore and Mysore.
The Swarna Jayanthi Express runs from New Delhi to Mysore every Friday and the journey takes three days.
Calcutta (Kolkata) is connected by rail to Mysore by the Howrah Mysore Special, a weekly train which runs from Howrah (Calcutta) to Mysore every Friday and covers the distance in three days.
Bombay is connected to Mysore by the Mumbai- Mysore Sharavathi Express which runs every Tuesday and covers the distance in one day.
Madras is connected to Mysore by the Madras-Mysore Shatabdi and the Madras-Mysore Express that run daily between Madras and Mysore, via Bangalore.
Tickets to any of these trains may be booked at the respective railway stations or on line at the official website of the Indian Railways.
There are two categories of rail tickets. The general category which gets booked quite in advance and the ‘tatkal’ category, for which bookings open only 48 hours before the date of journey. Both these categories may be booked on line. Tatkal tickets are priced higher and are non refundable except for a nominal amount.
The most efficient way of getting to Mysore is to drive from Bangalore. Buses ply regularly between Mysore and Bangalore, Madras, Trivandrum and other towns and cities in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. There are ordinary non air- conditioned buses as well as air conditioned coaches that make your journey not only comfortable but enjoyable as well. A journey by the non air-conditioned bus costs around $3 while the journey by the air-conditioned bus costs around $5. The Government of Karnataka runs special buses during the holiday season and the Dassehra festival.
Car rental agencies lease out limousines, sedans and SUVs for anything from about $130 upwards for a Bangalore-Mysore-Bangalore trip. This does not include the driver’s allowance which is charged on a per diem basis.
The road between Bangalore and Mysore is good and busy at any time of the day or night. The journey takes around three hours. There are many restaurants on the highway including McDonald's, KFC, Cafe Coffee Day, Barista Coffee and Adiga’s Delicacy (one of the best fast food joints in Bangalore) where you can get a decent wholesome meal, a cup of hot tea and coffee and a clean washroom.
The Government of Karnataka runs special buses during the holiday season and the Dassehra festival.
You can use buses, auto rickshaws or hired taxis to get around in Mysore.
Mysore is not a very large city and the people and the administration like to retain the old worldliness of the place. People still follow a lifestyle that veers towards the unhurried and the transport system follows suit. However, it is precisely this leisurely pace that makes Mysore a charming experience.
The KSRTC operates buses within Mysore city and has a fairly extensive network that connects major areas of tourist interest. You can pick up the buses from the City Bus Stand near the Mysore Palace.
There are both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses. Non air-conditioned buses are less expensive and therefore, more crowded than the air-conditioned Volvo services. Air-conditioned Volvo Buses cover all areas of tourist interest from Brindavan Gardens and the KRS Dam to the Chamundi Hills and Mysore Zoo.
Auto rickshaws are comfortable and found all over the city. However, auto rickshaw drivers do not run the meter, especially when they know that you are not a local! Make it a point to get a rate card from the hotel or the bus stand and be ready to haggle. These days the minimum auto fare is around$0.35. Every additional kilometre is charged at $0.18 but these figures are merely indicative and subject to changes. If you are willing to pay waiting charges, it is advisable to use auto rickshaws as places are not really far away from each other and the weather is always pleasant and bearable.
Another unusual mode of transport is the jhutka or the horse carriage. These carriages, found around the palace, are driven by horsemen who are clad in traditional clothes and head gear. Jhutkas may be used to go to places in the vicinity. A jhutka ride gives you a taste of how the kings used to travel!