Location:
Mysore Palace or the Maharajah's Palace located in the heart of the city at
Mirza Road, about one km from the bus Stand, about 3 kms from city railway
station. It is the most attractive monument in
Mysore.
History unfolded:
One of the largest palaces in the country, also known as Amba Vilas, was
the residence of the Wodeyar Mahararaja's of the Mysore state. The original
palace built of wood, got burnt down in 1897 and was rebuilt for the twenty
fourth Wodeyar Raja in 1912. Designed in Indo-Saracenic style by the
well-known British architect, Henry Irwin, the palace is a treasure house of
exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world.
Architecture:
The architecture of the palace boasts of the Indo-Saracenic style with
arches and colonnades. The royal structure is an aesthetic blend of
Hindu and Muslim architecture. The three storeyed building, 245 feet in
length and 156 in breadth has a series of square towers with arches
covered by domes. Spread across the palace are a series of galleries
which contain a vast and impressive array of memorabilia- from huge
paintings to imposing sculptures, weaponry to old costumes and
jewellery. On Sundays, government holidays and festivals, the entire
palace is illuminated with all of 50,000 light bulbs- a spectacle which
is truly magnificent. The entry to the palace is through the Gombe
Thotti or the Doll's Pavilion, a gallery of Indian and European
sculpture and ceremonial objects. The Kalyan Mandapa or the royal
wedding hall, are lined with elaborately detailed oil paintings,
illustrating the great Mysore Dussehra Festival of 1930.
Trip Time:
Mysore should preferably be visited at the time of Dussehra, a festival
which comes in the month of September or October. Mysore is beautifully
decorated during this time. Once can spend 3-4 days and discover the
other beautiful places in Mysore.
Weather:
Mysore enjoys a wonderful climate all year round. The highest
temperatures are from May to June. The summers are warm and winters are
cool. One can visit the city any time of the year but it is advisable to
avoid the rainy seasons.
Wheels to mysore:
» Air: The nearest Airport is the Bangalore airport.
Bangalore (130km) is connected to all the major cites of the country by
air.
» Train: Trains 6210 Express, 6222 Kaveri Express and the
Shatabdi Express run between Mysore and Bangalore regularly. Bangalore
is also connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi,
Hyderabad, Madras and Mangalore by Express trains.
» Bus: There are regular bus services from Bangalore to
Mysore. Bangalore is well connected to Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad,
Kanyakumari, Mangalore and Madras by bus. There are direct bus services
from Mysore to Kerala and other major cities in the state.
