Places to visit in the city Mysore
CHAMUNDI HILLS - Mysore
 Forming the backdrop
of the city is the 1,100-feet-high
Chamundi Hill. On the top of the hill
stands the temple dedicated to the
Goddess Chamundeshwari, the royal
family\’s patron deity. To reach the
temple one can either drive through
the 13-km stretch up to the summit
or climb the 1,000 stone steps. Nearby
the temple stands the huge statue
of Mahishasura, the demon slain by
the Goddess. Halfway up along the
stone steps stands the majestic 4.8-metre
monolith of Nandi the Bull, Lord Shiva\’s
chosen mount. The statue is believed
to be 300 years old and its chief
attraction, apart from its size, is
the meticulous craftsmanship of its
ornaments—from its delicate anklets
to the magnificent pendant bell around
its neck.
SRIRANGAPATNAM - Mysore
About 15 km from the royal city of
Mysore lies the town of Srirangapatnam.
There are many interesting places
here of which the summer palace of
Tipu Sultan is a must visit. Built
in 1784 in the Indo-Saracenic style,
the palace also has a small museum
where Tipu\’s trivia, including a
gold-embroidered tunic, old paintings
and a coin collection, are displayed.
A little away from the palace is the
Gumbaz, the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan
and his father, Hyder Ali. Another
famous place to visit is Jami Masjid.
The slender minarets of this mosque
are visible from several kilometres.
BRINDAVAN GARDENS - Mysore
 A half-hour\\’s
drive from the city takes you to the
Brindavan Gardens. The well-manicured
steps of these world famous terrace
gardens are bordered by watercourses.
Musical fountains with soft coloured
lights add to the visitor’s delight.
The view of the gardens during the
nights is a thing to be seen.
LALITHA MAHAL PALACE - Mysore
 The snow-white Lalitha Mahal was
built in the 1930s for the guests
of the Wodeyars. The main attraction
of the palace is a staircase of Italian
marble branching off from a landing
to reach the first floor hall. Surrounded
by velvety green lawns and stately
trees, the Lalitha Mahal is now a
prestigious hotel of the India Tourism
Development Corporation.
MYSORE PALACE - Mysore
 Built in around
AD 897 in Saracenic style, the Mysore
palace has both Hindu as well as Muslim
influences. The palace, designed by
an English architect and completed
in 1912, was built in place of an
earlier palace which was burnt down
in 1897. The main palace building
is made of massive grey granite with
a tower covered by a gilded dome.
Colours abound the palace architecture.
The huge rooms and the floor tiles
are covered with colours like turquoise
blue, magenta, golden yellow and leaf
green. The central hall, incredible
in its beauty, was used for marriages
and other major gatherings. A temple
is also situated within the royal
courtyard. The Dussehra procession,
an annual affair in the city in the
month of October, starts from here.
The palace also houses a museum which
has a collection of musical instruments,
children\’s toys, many paintings,
costumes, weapons, etc., belonging
to the Maharaja\’s family.
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