Mysore district has a rich history with
many pre-historic sites, monuments, forts, temples, mosques and churches
depicting the archaeological, architectural and heritage value of the region.
The district possesses excellent fauna and flora, rivers, hillocks, lakes and a
moderate climate.
Mysore city is the headquarters of Mysore
district which forms one of the southern most district of Karnataka State.
Mysore is the name by which Karnataka State was known prior to 1973. The city
is in the south-western direction from Bangalore at a distance of 139 Km and is
well connected by rail and road. It covers an area of 128.42 Sq. Km, having
City Municipal Corporation since 1977. The population of the city is 8,87,446
consisting of 4,43,813 males and 4,43,633 of females as per provisional reports
of Census India – 2011.
The city with the majestic Mysore Palace,
the royal mansions, public buildings, gardens, water bodies and planned markets
exhibit an indelible impression of the vision of the Maharajas, their Dewans
and other talented luminaries of the City Municipality, as early as 1862. The
total harmony of buildings, sites, lakes, parks, open spaces of Mysore and the
back drop of Chamundi hill adds to city’s attraction.
The antiquity of Mysore dates back to the
days of the Mahabharata. Tradition identifies the place as the abode of
Mahishasura whom Chamundesvari killed and the name Mysore is associated with
it. Mahavamsa and Deepavamsa, the two Budhist texts, allude to the despatch of
Budhist missionary Mahadeva by the Mauryan emperor Asoka to Mahishamandala to
propogate Budhist Dharma. Inscriptions speak of Mahishapura, Mahisurapura and
Mahishasurapura. Erumainad of Tamil classics is also identified as Mysore and
an inscription dated 862 A.D. from Kadalur in Mandya taluk refers to the place
as Maysooru. In the 10th century, the city was called Mysore Nadu of 70
villages. After 1499, this town was clearly mentioned as Mysore.
The city is also known, throughout the
world, for the pomp and gaiety with which the traditional Dasara Festival is
held here annually during the Navaratri. The tourists would throng the city
from all over the country and abroad in great numbers to witness the Jamboo
Savari(Elephants’ procession), the chief attraction on the occasion in which
decorated elephants walk the procession route, majestically. The Maharaja used
to sit in the howdah earlier. The tradition was maintained in full vigour for
more than a decade even after the country acquired independence. Now, under the
changed political and administrative conditions, Dasara is being organized in
the city in a modified form as Naada Habba, festival of the land. On the tenth
day of the festival, the grand procession of Goddess Chamudenshwari accompanied
by umpteen tableaux is the chief attraction.
The Mysore city and its surroundings have
a large number of industrial units. The city is an educational centre and in
addition to many colleges and the Mysore University, it has Engineering,
Medical, Dental, Pharmacy Colleges, Speech and Hearing and the Central
Institute of Indian Languages. The city has the oldest Chamarajendra Zoological
Gardens and many parks and gardens. Mandakalli Airport is located at Mandakalli
village at about 8 Kms from Mysore. There are a few lakes in the city of which
Lingambudi, Kukkarahalli and Karanji are very popular.