The Fragrant Sandalwood City
Located 770m above sea level and 140 Kms from Bangalore, Mysore, the
imperial city, was the erstwhile capital of the Wodeyars. Also known as the
city of Palaces, Mysore has never failed to mesmerise the tourists with its
quaint charm, rich heritage, magnificent palaces, beautifully laid-out
gardens, imposing buildings, broad shady avenues and sacred temples.
Mysore is certainly a charming, old-fashioned and undaunting town dominated
by the spectacular Maharaja's Palace, around which the boulevards of the
city radiate. Nearby is the city centre with the colourful and frenetic
Devaraja Market is inviting a stroll.
Mysore is the erstwhile capital of Wodeyars, the rulers of Mysore State.
The Wodeyar family ruled Mysore since 14th century except for a short period
of 40 years when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were the rulers. Today Mysore is
one of the major cities of Karnataka. Mysore has emerged as a thriving
market for exotic sandalwood & incense, the Mysore silk sarees and
stone-carved sculptures.
On the outskirts of Mysore, Srirangapatnam still harbours architectural
gems from the days of the great Indian hero, Tipu Sultan, and the
magnificent Hoysala temple of Somnathpur lies little more than an hour's
drive away.