MYSORE, Karnataka

Main Attraction: MAHARAJA'S PALACE

The Palace of Mysore (also known as the Amba Vilas Palace) is a historical palace in the city of Mysore in Karnataka. Designed by the English Architect, Henry Irwin, the Mysore Palace dominates the skyline of Mysore. A three storied structure in the Indo-Saracenic style built between 1897-1912, the palace has beautifully designed square towers at cardinal points, covered with domes. The Durbar Hall with its ornate ceiling and sculpted pillars and the Kalyanamantapa (marriage pavilion) with its glazed tiled flooring and stained glass, domed ceiling are worth noting. Intricately carved doors, the golden howdah (elephant seat), paintings as well as the fabulous, jewel encrusted golden throne (displayed during Dasara) are amongst the palace's other treasures. The walled palace complex houses the Residential Museum (incorporating some of the Palace's living quarters), temples and shrines including the Shwetha Varahaswamy temple. The palace is illuminated on Sundays, Public Holidays as well as during the Dasara Celebrations where 97,000 electric bulbs are used to illuminate it.

Brief History

Earlier to first November, 1975, Karnataka State was known as Mysore. Mysore city is now the headquarters of the district and the Revenue Division. The city is famous for the Dasara festival which is celebrated with pomp and gaiety annually during the Navaratri (September-October). The festival attracts tourists from all over the country and abroad in large numbers to witness Jambo Savari - the chief attraction. Besides, the city is also famous for its nearby Brindavan Gardens that are laid out at Krishnarajasagar Reservoir.

According to a legend, the name ‘Mysore’ is said to be derived from ‘MAHISHASURA’. In Sanskrit ‘Mahisha’ means a buffalo. There is a popular story to substantiate the assoication of a buffalo with the city’s name. In the ancient days, Mahishashura, a Rakshasa who could at his will assume any form including that of a buffalo, ruled the town. He was very cruel and took pleasure in torturing the devas and the Rishis living in the hermitages. To seek relief, the devas and the rishis went to Kailas, the abode of Lord Shiva and pleaded him to destroy the cruel Rakshasa and establish peace on earth.

When Lord Shiva expressed his inability to kill their tormenter, they approached Parvathi, his consort. Thereupon, Parvathi assumed the responsibility by waging a war and finally killed the Asura when he took on the form of a buffalo and attacked her. She came to be known as Mahishasura Mardini. Later, the ruling family of the Wodeyars of Mysore adopted Mahishasura Mardini, also called Chamundeshwari, as their family goddess. Another theory behind naming it as ‘MYSORE’ is the mention of ‘MYSOORU’ in the copper plate inscription dated 862 A.D. and later in 11th and 12th Centuries it was called as ‘MAISURNAD’ and later it took the Anglicised form of Mysore.

Mysore district is not only rich in antiquarian remains but also enjoys the distinction of yielding the largest number of inscriptions among the districts of the state. Activity of the pre-historic man is noticeable, particularly in the alluvial plains of the river valleys like those of the Cauvery and its tributaries. Artifacts of the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Megalithic phases have been unearthed at several sites located in the taluks of Mysore, Tirumakudal-Narsipur and Nanjangud. Recent excavations at a Megalithic site in Koppa village of Mysore taluk yielded iron implements such as huge axes, arrowheads and knives, paddy husk and a three legged jar.

The earliest mention of Mysore in recorded history may be traced to 245 B.C., i.e., to the period of Asoka when on the conclusion of the third Buddhist convocation, a team was despatched to ‘Mahisha-mandala’ for propogating Buddhism. An old Jaina work of 10th Century mentions that when Bhadrabahu came to the south with Chandragupta in the 3rd Century B.C., he was on his way to the Punnata country. This ‘Punnata’ corresponds to ‘Puonnata’ mentioned by Ptolemy and the ‘Punnadu Ten Thousand’ which the Gangas were ruling during the 5th Century A.D.

Ganga dynasty which appears to have been established in the second century A.D., ruled over the greater part of Mysore district till 1004 A.D., and the tract under their region was known as ‘Gangavadi Ninety Six Thousand’. During the third century, the Gangas established their capital at Talakad on the banks of the river Cauvery in Tirumakudalu-Narisipur taluk. During this period, the South of the Mysore District formed part of the ‘Punnadu Ten Thousand’ kingdom with its capital at Kittipura - identified with Kittur on the banks of the river Kabini in Heggadadevanakote taluk. In the 5th Century, Ganga king Avinita married the daughter of Skandavarma the Punnada king and later, his son Durvinita absorbed Punnadu Ten Thousand into the Ganga dominions. During the earlier 9th century, the Rashtrakutas whose capital was at Manyakheta seiged and imprisoned the reigning Ganga king and appointed their own Viceroy to administer the erstwhile Ganga territory. However, later the Ganga king was again restored to power. In the 10th Century, there were matrimonial alliances between the Gangas and the Rashtrakutas resulting in the two powers becoming allies.

In about 1004 A.D., Rajendra Chola invaded the Ganga kingdom, captured Talakad and renamed the place as Rajarajapura. The Cholas captured all the tracts south of the Cauvery along with the areas east to Srirangapatana, Bangalore and Kolar districts. They held these territories for about a century and imposed their own names on the conquered provinces. Accoridngly, the south of Mysore district was renamed as ‘Mudikonda Chola Mandala’ and the Talakad came to be known as ‘Rajendra Chola Valanad’. Towards the west, the Cholas subdued Changalva king of Nanjarajapatna and Piriyapatna, who in consequence received the name ‘Kulottunga Chola Changalva’.

In 1104 A.D., the Hoyasala king Bittideva, who later assumed the name ‘Vishnuvardhana’, captured Talakad, conquered the former Ganga strongholds and drove the Cholas out of Mysore. He earned the title ‘Viraganga’. The Hoysalas continued their control over the Ganga territory till 14th Century whereafter the Vijayanagara Kings established their supremacy throughout the South. In 1495 A.D., Srirangapatana was captured by Narasanayaka and later on Srirangaraya was appointed as the Viceroy and he ruled over these territories with Srirangapatana as his capital.

The subsequent history of Mysore is closely associated with the rise of Wodeyars of Mysore. The origin of this family is traced to two brothers, Yaduraya and Krishnaraya of Yadava dynasty, who induced by circumstances had moved south from Gujarat to carve out their careers and happened to encamp at Hadinadu on the outskirts of Mysore in about 1399 A.D. Their help was sought for by the ruling family at Hadinadu to vanquish a tormenter. Later the heiress of Hadinadu was offered in marriage to Yeduraya and thenceforth he became the chief of Hadinadu and the founder of the Wodayar family. These Rajas established themselves as feudatory chiefs under the renovated suzerainty of the Vijayanagara empire. During the reign of Chamaraja Wodeyar III (1513-1533 A.D.) who divided his estate among his three sons, Puragere or Mysore was assigned to Chamaraja Wodeyar, the ‘bald’.

In about 1524 A.D., a fort was either built or rennovated at Mysore. With the decline of Vijayanagar, the Wodeyars of Mysore gradually rose to a position of independence. In 1610 A.D., Raja Wodeyar (1578-1617 A.D.) gained possession of Srirangapatana. The quite retirement of Tirumalaraya, the Viceroy of Vijayanagara, to Talakad, enabled peaceful occupation of the capital. Raja Wodeyar soon shifted the seat of his government from Mysore to Srirangapatana from where he and his decendents continued to rule the country without any interruption till 1761A.D. Kantirava Narasaraja (1638-1662 A.D.) and Chikkadevaraya (1672-1704 A.D.) are amongst the most illustrious rulers of this dynasty. The kingdom extended from the mountain ranges of Chikmagalur to Tumkur districts in the north to Annamalai and Palani hills in the south; from Selam in the east to Belur and Kodagu in the west by 1704 A.D. After the demise of Chikkadevaraya, the royal power began to decline and the administration of the State fell into the hands of the Dalavayis.

In 1761 A.D., Hyder Ali usurped power and became the de facto ruler of the kingdom for the next twenty years during which the territories of the kingdom were greatly extended. In 1780 A.D. Hyder Ali joined the confederacy formed against the British by the Marathas and the Nizam. In the Second Anglo-Mysore War, Hyder Ali died of sickness in December 1782 A.D. He was succeeded by his son Tipu Sultan who continued the war and defeated the British at Wandiwash in 1783 A.D. However, at the Third Anglo-Mysore War, Tipu Sultan suffered defeat and humiliation. Ultimately, during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, when Srirangapatana was besieged in 1799 A.D., Tipu Sultan fought heroically and was slain in the battle field.

With the fall of Tipu Sultan in 1799 A.D., the kingdom was restored to the Wodeyars of Mysore by the British. In 1800 A.D., the seat of the Government was shifted to Mysore which paved the way for a flourished Mysore. Under the suzerainty of the British empire, the Wodeyars of Mysore ruled over Mysore kingdom till the independence of the nation in 1947. However, for 50 years starting from 1831 A.D. to 1881A.D., the British ruled the State directly through their Commissioners and reinstated the Wodeyar dynasty on the throne in March 1881 A.D. After Rendition when Chamaraja Wodeyar I was crowned as the king, many administrative changes were introduced. The post of the Commissioner was abolished. A British Resident was appointed at the Mysore Court to head the administration of the state. A post of Deewan along with that of two advisors was also created. 

A Representative Assembly constituting of 144 members was formed and this institution was the first of its kind in the country under the British rule. Subsequent rulers of the State like Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV and Jayachamaraja Wodeyar endeared themselves with the masses by their exemplary actions. The administration of the State was manned by many able and illustrious Deewans including Sir M.Visweswaraya who is hailed as the “Maker of Modern Mysore” and Mysore state greatly developed into a model state in the country. The state of Mysore and its surroundings enjoyed an aura of royal splendor and had their share of development.

In September 1947 Mysore became a part of the Union of India and erstwhile Maharaja was appointed as the Rajapramukh of the State. As a result of the reorganisation of the states in 1956, the taluk of Kollegal belonging to the erstwhile Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu was included in the Mysore district.

In 1997 a new district namely Chamarajnagar was carved out of the Mysore district. Presently Mysore district consists of seven taluks namely Heggadadevanakote, Hunsur, Krishnarajanagar, Mysore, Nanjangud, Tirumakkudal Narsipur and Piriyapatna and the remaining four taluks namely, Kollegal, Yelandur, Chamarajnagar and Gundlupet formed Chamarajnagar district.