We visited Mysore in November 2015.
Mysore officially Mysuru, is a city in the state of Karnataka, India which is located in the foothills of the Chamundi Hills. It is known for its history of glittering royal heritage.
Places that we visited:
Mysore Zoo:
The major attraction in Mysore is the Zoo Itself. Shri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens or Mysore Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world (Started in 1892 with 10.9 acres that time). Now its spread over 150+ acres, housing more than 1400+ specimens belonging to 160+ species, representing more than 30 countries. Please note that the zoo is closed on Tuesdays. Rest of the days, its open from 08:30 AM -05:30 PM.
Mysore Palace:
Another major attraction is the Majestic Mysore Palace. The palace you see today was actually built in 1912 after a fire destruction that happened at the first palace. There are fine paintings, architecture marvel, carved wooden doors and rich colours inside the palace. Palace is especially vibrant during the time of Dussehra Festival, wherein it is completely illuminated with a lot of lights. Seems, this palace is also illuminated on Sunday Nights (for about half an hour).
BrindavanGardens (and KRS Dam):
Brindavan Gardens is situated slightly outside the city, the garden is a hotspot for locals and is famous for the musical fountain show.Initially, this was among one of the best terrace gardens of the country.
I was personally not happy with the way the gardens are maintained. Considering the number of tourists that flow in, its high time to do a proper maintenance of these gardens and can add some additional attractions as there is enough space inside.
Philomena’s Church:
The massive church of neo-Gothic style is one of the biggest churches in India. The amazing floor plan of the church resembles a cross. The 175 feet high twin spires of the church are visible from miles around. The glass stained windows of this church portray scenes of the events in the life of Jesus Christ like his birth, last supper, crucifixion and resurrection.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary:
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, also known as Pakshi Kashi of Karnataka,is a bird sanctuary in the Mandya District of the state of Karnataka in India. It is the largest bird sanctuary in the state, 40 acres in area and comprises six islets(small island) on the banks of the Kaveri river. This is a favourable nesting ground for birds of various species after which it was declared a safe sanctuary for birds in 1940. You can also do a boating here, but there might be higher waiting time because of the large inflow of crowd.
Another Nearby Places worth visiting:
Chamundi Hills: On the top of Chamundi Hill, you will find the Sri Chamundeswari Temple
Explore Devaraja Market: This is a market which is more than 100 years old.
Mysore Sandal and Silk Sarees are very famous. Don’t forget to grab one, before you leave Mysore.
Accommodation:
There are lot of accommodation options available within Mysore, suiting all budgets. I have personally booked ‘Kings Court’ and wouldn’t recommend this hotel to any of my fellow travellers here.
How to reach:
BY AIR – The closest airport to Mysore is Bangaluru Airport, around 170kms away. From there it is possible to take a Fly-bus directly to Mysore.
There is an airport in Mysore called ‘Mysore airport'(also known as Mandakalli airport) that has been functional since 2010, after being unused for few years. But as of now, there are no much passenger airlines flying out of this airport.
BY BUS – Mysore is accessible by bus from a number of destinations across India. To check routes, timetables and ticket prices (check Redbus.com)
BY TRAIN – Mysore is well connected via train from across the region. It is advised to book weeks in advance.
