Mysore
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- This article is about Mysore City. For information about Mysore District and Division, see Mysore District.
Mysore is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. Mysore is the administrative seat of Mysore District and Mysore Division, and is the former capital of the Kingdom of Mysore. Mysore is known as the Cultural Capital of Karnataka.
Mysore is located at 770 m above sea level and 135 km from Bangalore at Template:Coor d. Mysore is known for its palaces and proximity to several attractions. One of the best (some would say worst) times to visit Mysore is during the annual nine-night, ten-day Dussera or Dasara or Navaratri festival, which usually occurs in early October.
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Etymology of 'Mysore'
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According to Hindu legend, the area around Mysore city was once the domain of the demon king Mahisha Asura (Mahisha meaning Buffalo), who grew almost invincible and wrecked havoc on the world. The Goddess Chamundeshwari, vanquished the demon Mahisha in a humungous struggle waged over a period of 10 days thus, Goddess Chamundeshwari is also known by the name Mahisha Mardhini (slayer of Mahisha).The battle became a festive event which the annual 10-day Navaratri festival commemorates to this day. The region retains the name of the slain demon; the name Mysore is the anglicized version of Mahisuru which is derived from the words "Mahisha" (the demon) + "Ooru" (town). Thus "Mahisha + Ooru = Mahishuru", the "Abode of Mahisha" which word became, with repeated usage, "Mysooru" in Indian languages, and was later anglicized to "Mysore".
This legend is among the one of the most important in Hindu mythology, and renders the temple of the Goddess Chamundeshwari, located atop Chamundi hills in Mysore, an important place of pilgrimage. The legend is commemorated by several monuments in Mysore, including the temple of Goddess Chamundeshwari on Chamundi Hills and an imposing statue of Mahishasura located nearby.
History
Mysore (Hadinadu at that time) is believed to have been established sometime in the eleventh century, becoming the capital of a small kingdom founded by Yaduraya (A chandravamshi kshatriya kinsman) from Dwaraka who rescued a local princess from the clutches of a local chieftan Maranayaka, after the unitimely death of her father around the year 1399. Most of such small kingdoms around Mysore were tributaries of the Vijayanagara empire and were under the control of the viceroy of the Vijayanagar Empire who was based at Srirangapattana (Seringapatam). After the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565, Raja Wodeyar taking advantage of resulting power vacuum, procalimed his independence and shifted the capital to Sriranagapattana in 1610. From 1610 to 1704 The Kingdom of Mysore flourished and expanded from strength to strength, growing to include most of the southern sections of modern-day Karnataka. After the death of Chikka Devaraja Woyedar, the Dynasty came under the influence of the traditional Army commanders known as Dalvoys and ultimately came to be usurped by their one time soldier Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan. After the death of Tippu Sultan after the Battle of Seringapatam in the famous Mysore War IV in 1799, Wodeyars regained power of a re-organised Mysore Kingdom and the capital was shifted back to Mysore. With the four year old (Mummudi) Krishna Raja wodeyar III on the throne, Mysore became a Princely State of British India. The British took over the administration of Mysore in 1831, with the administrative center at Bangalore. In 1881 "Rendition of Power" took place, with Wodeyars under Chamaraja Wodeyar IX regaining control of the kingdom. When India gained Independence in 1947 kingdom acceded to the newly formed Dominion of India. In 1950 Mysore became Mysore State on the eve of India becoming a Republic. Mysore State was later enlarged in 1956 with the merger of other Kannada speaking areas in neighboring States of Madras (present day Tamil Nadu), Bombay (present day Maharashtra), Hyderabad (present day Andhra Pradesh) and Coorg. Mysore state was renamed as Karnataka in 1973.
Attractions
Palaces
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Mysore is called the City of Palaces as a result of the number of palaces situated in the city, some of them are:
| Palaces in Mysore | |
|---|---|
| Prominent | Amba Vilas (Main Mysore Palace), Rajendra Vilas (also called the summer palace, situated on top of the Chamundi hills), Jaganmohana Palace, Jayalakshmi Vilas (now in the University of Mysore premises), Lalitha Mahal (now converted to a hotel). |
| Other | Chittaranjan Palace (now the Green Hotel, was also the Premier Studios), Cheluvamba Mansion (now in the CFTRI premises), Karanji Mansion (now the Postal Training Institute), Lokaranjan Mahal (next to the Mysore Zoo), Crawford Hall ( University Administrative Building). |
Even though the Government of Karnataka now maintains the Mysore palace, a small portion of the palace has been allocated for the erstwhile Royal family to live in.
Other Attractions
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| Other Attractions | |
|---|---|
| Commerce and Industry | Mysore Silk Factory. |
| Lakes and Gardens | Kukkarahalli Lake, Pushpakaashi (Flower garden), Karanji Lake, Lingambudhi Lake, Bogadi Lake. |
| Locations and Theaters | Manasagangotri (Mysore University Campus), Kalamandira, Rangayana (Adjoins Kalamandira). |
| Museums and Zoos | Railway Museum, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens known popularly as Mysore Zoo, Natural History Museum (adjoins Karanji Lake). |
| Religious | The Chamundeswari Temple, Nandi the Bull (on the Chamundi Hills), St. Philomena's Church. |
Festivals
Dasara festival celebrations are held in Mysore in great pomp and splendour, The festival is marked by religious and cultural events including a procession, music concerts (classical), lighting of the palace lights, lights on Chamundi hills and an exhibition (fair).
Governance
The city is governed by the Mysore City Corporation (forming the legislative branch), lead by a Mayor, and composed of 64 elected corporators. The city is divided into wards from which corporators are elected. Officials such as the District Commissioner, Health Officer, Officers in charge of the Water Works, Sewage form parts of the executive branch.
MUDA (Mysore Urban Development Authority) is responsible for creation of new sections (layouts) and expansion of the city.
Demographics
While the population of the city is diverse, Kannada is understood by by most people. Along with Kannada, people have rudimentary knowledge of English. Other than Kannada and English, Tamil, Urdu, Konkani and most Indian languages are also understood by some sections.
Economy
Industries including those manufacturing Tyres (Vikrant Tyres), Textiles (K. R. Mills, now Atlantic Mills), Electronic Systems (L & T), Earth moving and Mechanical Systems (BEML), Silk Factories (KSFC) and those producing software (Infosys, Wipro) along with Education, Tourism are significant contributors to the economy of Mysore.
Education and research at the University of Mysore, Defense Food Research Laboratories, Central Food Technology and Research Institute, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Sericulture Institute, various medical engineering and science colleges, Tourism centered around numerous attractions and the Dushera Festival, contribute to the economy and fame of Mysore.
Articles made of silk, Ivory and Sandalwood are some of the most famous products of Mysore, making significant contributions towards commerce in Mysore.
The economy experienced reverses during the last few decades, as some of the major industries like Ideal Jawa (Automobiles), K. R. Mills (Textiles) closed down and several people became unemployed. However some revival efforts, like those of K. R. Mills (Atlantic Mills) helped improve the situation. In recent years the software industry has grown and could expand further to become the most significant contributor.
As the divisional headquarters of Mysore Division and as the Railway Junction, administrative and railways are other major employers in Mysore.
Improvements in progress, like doubling of Railway tracks, and building of the a four lane expressway, between Mysore and Bangalore will bring significant growth to the economy of Mysore.
Mysore is also one of the only cities in the world after Jerusalem to be a WiFi hotspotTemplate:Ref.
Transport
Highways
An expressway is being constructed linking Mysore to the state capital Bangalore. State highway's 17, 33, 86, 88 pass through Mysore connecting it to nearby cities.
Inter-city
Mysore has inter city and sub-urban public bus transportation. The system run by KSRTC operates from the 'City Bus Stand' connecting to most major sections of the city. Traditional means of transport available in other Indian cities like Autorickshaws and Taxis are also available. Tonga's (horse drawn carriages) are also available, but are slowly going out of vogue.
Rail
Mysore is the railway junction for the district, and rail lines connect Mysore city to Bangalore to the northeast via Mandya, to Tamil Nadu to the east, and to the rail junction at Hassan to the northwest, to Chamarajanagar via Nanjangud to the south east.
Air
Now defunct, the Mandkalli Airport is situated at around 4 miles from the city. The nearest accessible airport is thus at Bangalore. However para gliding and sometimes, aeroplane rides are offered.
A memorandum of understanding will be signed by the Karnataka government and the Airports Authority of India, leading to a redesign and extension of the airport. The redesign will align the runway to run southeast to northwest. Some 165 acres of land will be acquired for extending the airport. This upgrade will allow 50 seater planes to land and take off from the airport.
Media
Radio
Mysore established its first radio station as Akashvani (voice from the skies) in 1936 largely due to the efforts of Dr. M.V. Gopalaswamy a professor of psychology at the University of Mysore. Thus the word Akashvani in referring to the radio and prevelant all over India was coined in Mysore. The station was taken over by the state in 1941. Kuvempu delivered the inaugural address, Incidentally, he also delivered the address commemorating the Golden Jubliee of the station in 1986. At the time of its inception the station was guided by one of the great Kannda essayist, A. N. Moorthy Rao (Professor, English Literature, University of Mysore) as director.
Newspapers
The earliest efforts to began newspapers in Mysore were crushed in 1894 under the British Raj. Sadhvi was a Kannada newspaper which used to be published in Mysore. Newspapers now being published in Mysore either in Kannada or English include the Star of Mysore its Kannada edition Mysore Mitra (first published in 1978), Samachar (first published in Kannada as Samachara and later as Samachar in english in 1950) and Andolana (both Kannda and English editions). While the Star of Mysore is published in the tabloid format, the others are published in a single sheet format.
Educational and research institutions
| List of Education and Research Institutions in and around Mysore | |
|---|---|
| Universities | University of Mysore, Karnataka Open University |
| Research Institutes | Central Food Technological Research Institute, Central Institute of Indian Languages, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Rare Materials Project |
| Engineering Colleges | National Institute of Engineering, Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering, Vidya Vikas Institute of Engineering and Technology, Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering |
| Medical Colleges | Mysore Medical College, JSS Medical College |
| Dental Colleges | JSS Dental College, Farooquia Dental College |
| Pharmacy Colleges | JSS College of Pharmacy, Farooquia College of Pharmacy |
| Law Colleges | JSS Law College, Vidyavardhaka Law College, Sharada Vilas Law College |
| Arts, Commerce and Science Colleges | Maharaja's College, Maharani's College, Yuvaraja's College, Mahajana College, Marimallappa's College, JSS College, Regional College of Education |
Noted People
Noted people who have worked in Mysore
- Mokshagundam Vishweshwaraiah (He was the chief architect of the Krishna Raja Sagar dam),
- Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan,
- R. K. Narayan,
- K. V. Puttappa (popularly known as Kuvempu),
- C. D. Narasimhaiah,
- Javagal Srinath,
- Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.
- John Malcolm (Began writing History of Persia in Mysore).
Noted people who were born in Mysore
- Kamala Markandaya, novelist.
- J. Jayalalithaa (born 1948), Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- R.K. Laxman, Cartoonist (The Common Man in the Times of India newspaper)
Nearby places
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| Nearby places | |
|---|---|
| Locations and Cities | Srirangapattana (Seringapatam), an island fortress-city that also served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore, Melukote Kabini River Resort, rated among the top five wildlife resorts in the world by Tatler's Travel Guide. |
| Hills | Biligirirangan Hills, Himavad Gopalaswamy, Karigatta, Kunthi hill, Nilgiri Hills. |
| National Parks, Forests, Sanctuaries | Bandipur National Park, Madumalai Forest, Nagarhole National Park, Rangantittu Bird Sanctuary. |
| Historical Monuments | Somnathpur an ancient temple town having a temple of historical & archeological importance. |
| Water Bodies and Dams | Balamuri and Edamuri (backwaters of the Kaveri River), Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam across the Kaveri river and the adjoining Brindavan Gardens. |
External links
- Mysore City Corporation (http://www.mysorecitycorporation.com)
- Mysore Dasara (http://www.mysoredasara.com)
- University of Mysore (http://www.uni-mysore.ac.in)
- Star of Mysore (http://www.starofmysore.com), an English evening newspaper.
- BSNL, Mysore (http://mysore.dotindia.com)
- Mysore Samachar (http://mysoresamachar.com/)
- The Wodeyar Dynasty (http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/mysore.htm)
- Mysore Palace (http://mysorepalace.org/)
- The Mysore page on Kamat (http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/mysore/index.htm)
References
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