Mysore is one of the most attractive and laid back of South Indian cities. Compared to many Indian cities, Mysore is surprisingly green, and unlike many other cities that are on a mad modernization drive, it has not knocked down all its beautiful old buildings to make way for new shopping centres. Here are four things to see and do in Mysore:
A Fruit Seller at Mysore's Devaraja Market
Climb the Chamundi Hill
A thousand steps (although I haven’t counted) lead to the top of Chamundi Hill, on the outskirts of Mysore, and to the Chamundeswari Temple. The fierce and powerful Hindu goddess Chamundeswari, also known as Durga, defeated a demon called Mahishasura and saved the world. The temple is small but busy, and there are often as many salesmen, guides, pickpockets and beggars as there are temple visitors. There are two ways to get into the temple: queue up with everyone else and wait for a long time, or pay a couple of hundred rupees and get fast access through a side entrance. If you do not feel like climbing to the top, there are autorickshaws at the bottom of the hill.
Shop at the Devaraja Market
The Devaraja Market in the city centre is a colourful, busy and hectic market. Fruits and vegetables from coconuts to mangos and from fresh coriander to a dozen different types of okra are sold here next to handbags, pots and pans, souvenirs, perfumes and incense sticks. The perfumes sold as “genuine Sandalwood” or “genuine Jasmine” are not really so genuine, but they are very cheap. The incense sticks make good presents and every seller can produce a handy little book full of written comments from other visitors from your home country who all praise the excellent quality and the cheap prices. For authentic Mysore Sandalwood oil, head to the (more expensive) Cauvery Emporium on the nearby Sayyaji Rao Road.
Flower Sellers at Devaraja Market, Mysore
Visit the Mysore Palace
The Mysore Palace used to be the home and the headquarters of the maharajas who ruled Mysore until just a few decades ago. The palace is an impressive mixture of Indo-Saracenic architectural styles and has room after room of beautiful mosaic floors, carved wooden doors, high ceilings and balconies with views over the palace gardens. Every Sunday evening at 7 pm tens of thousands of light bulbs decorating the palace are lit simultaneously. The event can strangely remind one of the switching on of Christmas lights on Regent Street in London. It can be a good idea to get an official guide to walk you around the palace during the day. There are also several temples inside the palace grounds.
Take a Walking Tour
Royal Mysore Walks offers walking tours around Mysore. The walks take a couple of hours and along the route you’ll find out interesting facts about the history of Mysore. Routes, prices and more information are available on the website.
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