Aptly called the city of palaces , Mysore is the erstwhile capital of Karnataka. The majestic Mysore Palace may be regarded as a jewel in the crown of Mysore. The most striking feature of Mysore's landscape, the Mysore Palace is one of the largest palaces in the country. Also known as Amba Vilas, the palace was the residence of Wodeyar Maharaja's of Mysore state.

Mysore being one of the few fortunate cities of South India to enjoy good weather throughout the year, the palace attracts large number of visitors all the year round.

Accommodation and Connectivity



The Bangalore airport at a distance of 130 kms from Mysore is the nearest landing place from the city. Many express trains run frequently between Mysore and Bangalore. Bangalore is connected with all major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai through a network of express trains. There are regular bus services between Bangalore and Mysore. Direct bus services from Mysore to different places of Karnataka and Kerala are also available. The Palace is located in Mysore's main Mirza road.

From economy to high-end, good accommodation facilities are available in Mysore. Most tourists also make the trip to the city of palaces from nearby Bangalore.

The Mysore Palace

History

The Mysore Palace was home to the Wodeyar rulers of the princely state of Mysore.The palace was originally built of wood. It was destroyed in a fire in 1897 and was rebuilt for the 24th Wodeyar Maharaja in 1912. The palace was designed by renowned British architect Henry Irwin in Indo-Saracenic style. After independence, the palace was converted into a museum. At present, the Department of Archeology of the Govt .of Karnataka looks after the palace.

Architecture

The Mysore Palace is a three storeyed building with a length of 245 feet and breadth of 156 feet. There is a gold -plated dome about 145 feet in the open courtyard. The palace's front side is a wide open space. 'Gombe Thotti' or the Doll's Pavilion is from where the visitor enters the palace. But the main entrance to the palace is the elephant gate which lies halfway across after entering from 'Gombe Thotti' . The Mysore royal symbol of a double headed eagle is imprinted on the main gate. On the different sides of the gate, many collections of the erstwhile Wodeyar rulers have been kept.

On the northern side are many dolls of 19th and 20th centuries. An elephant howdah decorated with 84 kilograms of pure gold has also been kept on the northern side. On the southern side, there is the royal marriage pavilion richly decorated with gold, stained glass, peacock motifs and beautiful chandeliers. The floor is decorated with tiles imported from England and laid in geometric patterns very artistically. Wall paintings depicting Dusshera celebrations in the palace have been hung on the walls leading to the mandapa.

Equally enthralling is the second floor of the palace where 'Diwan-I-am' Durbar Hall is located. The hall has an ornate ceiling and a shining floor. The pillars there have been painted in gold. Some valuable paintings depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and those of renowned painter Raja Ravi Verma have been kept.

In the second floor itself is the Diwan-e-khas, the hall for private audience. The doors of the hall have been very meticulously carved out. The ceilings at both the floors have also been very richly decorated. The 200 kg royal throne of the Wodeyars made of pure gold and further enhanced with magnificent artwork is displayed before public during the Dusshera festival. There is also a small private Museum at the back of the palace.

Timings for Tourists

The palace is open for tourists from 6 A.M to 9 A.M in the morning and from 3.30 P.M to 6.30 P.M in the evening. The palace is illuminated in the evening on Sundays, national holidays and special festivals. It is worth mentionable that the best time to visit the palace are the months of September and October when special festivities are held for Dusshera.

The Surroundings

There are 12 temples surrounding the palace. Most of the temples have been built in the typical Dravidian style. The temples throw light on the fact that the Wodeyar rulers were religious in nature. Even in present times, religious ceremonies are held in the temple on special occasions. According to the Tourism department of the government, the Mysore palace is one of the highly visited tourist attractions of India.