Mysore

Overview

Mysore (officially Mysuru since 2014) is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Located at the foot of the Chamundi Hills, it is the headquarters of Mysuru district and Mysuru division. Long the seat of the Wadiyar dynasty and the former princely state of Mysore, the city is regarded as the cultural capital of Karnataka and is known for its palaces, the Dasara festival, sandalwood, silk, and yoga traditions.

Key facts

Etymology

The name Mysuru is derived from Mahishūru, meaning "the town of Mahisha", a reference to the demon Mahishasura of Hindu mythology who, according to local tradition, was slain by the goddess Chamundeshwari on the nearby Chamundi Hills. The Anglicised form "Mysore" was used through the colonial period; the Government of India approved the renaming to Mysuru, along with several other Karnataka cities, with effect from 1 November 2014.

Geography

Mysore lies on the Deccan Plateau in southern Karnataka, at an elevation of roughly 750 metres above sea level. The city is situated southwest of Bengaluru and is drained by the Kaveri river system, with the Kabini and Kaveri flowing nearby. Chamundi Hill, rising on the southeastern edge of the city, is a prominent geographical and religious landmark.

History

Early and medieval period

The region around Mysore was historically part of the dominions of successive south Indian dynasties, including the Gangas, Cholas, Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara Empire. After the decline of Vijayanagara, the local Wadiyar chieftains established themselves around 1399 as feudatories and gradually consolidated independent rule from Mysore.

Kingdom of Mysore

Under rulers such as Raja Wadiyar I and later Chikka Devaraja Wadiyar, Mysore expanded into a substantial kingdom. In the 18th century, effective power passed to Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, who shifted the capital to Srirangapatna and fought the Anglo-Mysore Wars against the British East India Company. After Tipu Sultan's death in 1799, the British restored the Wadiyars to the throne, and Mysore once again became the capital.

Princely state and modernisation

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Wadiyar maharajas, assisted by dewans such as Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Mirza Ismail, undertook major modernisation. Mysore became one of the more progressive princely states in British India, with early investments in hydroelectric power (Shivanasamudra), education, public health, and industry. The University of Mysore, founded in 1916, was one of the first universities established in India outside the British presidencies.

Post-independence

After Indian independence in 1947, the princely state acceded to the Indian Union and became Mysore State in 1950, with the city as its capital until Bangalore was designated capital. Following the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, Kannada-speaking regions were merged into the enlarged Mysore State, which was renamed Karnataka in 1973.

Administration

Civic administration is handled by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), which manages municipal services across the city's wards. Mysore is the administrative headquarters of Mysuru district and Mysuru division, and it returns members to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and to the Lok Sabha (Mysore parliamentary constituency).

Economy

Mysore's economy combines traditional industries with modern manufacturing and services. Historically, the city has been a centre for silk weaving (Mysore silk), sandalwood products, sandal oil, agarbathi (incense) manufacture, and ivory and rosewood inlay work. Industrial establishments include units associated with BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited), the J. K. Tyre plant, and several public-sector units. Information technology and business process outsourcing have grown significantly, with the Infosys campus at Mysuru being among the company's largest training facilities. Tourism, education, and food processing are other major contributors.

Culture

Dasara

The ten-day Mysuru Dasara, celebrated in honour of Chamundeshwari, is the official state festival of Karnataka. Patronised by the Wadiyars from the Vijayanagara tradition, it is marked by the illumination of the Mysore Palace, cultural programmes, and the Jamboo Savari procession on Vijayadashami featuring caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of the goddess.

Architecture and landmarks

• Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace): The principal residence of the Wadiyars, rebuilt in Indo-Saracenic style and completed in 1912 to a design by Henry Irwin.
• Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hills.
• St. Philomena's Cathedral, in Neo-Gothic style.
• Jaganmohan Palace, now an art gallery.
• Brindavan Gardens at the Krishna Raja Sagara dam, near the city.
• Mysore Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens), established in 1892.

Arts and music

Mysore has a rich tradition in Carnatic music, classical dance, and painting. The Mysore school of painting, characterised by gesso work and gold leaf, developed under royal patronage. The city is also closely associated with modern Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga through the lineage of K. Pattabhi Jois.

Education and research

Notable institutions in and around Mysore include:

• University of Mysore (1916)
• Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), a CSIR laboratory
• Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL)
• All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH)
• JSS Science and Technology University
• National Institute of Engineering (NIE)
• Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering (SJCE)
• Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)

Transport

Mysore is connected to Bengaluru and other cities by the National Highway network, including NH 275 and NH 766. The Mysuru Junction railway station is a major terminus on the South Western Railway. Mysore Airport at Mandakalli operates limited domestic flights. The KSRTC and city bus services provide regional and intracity connectivity, and a planned suburban rail link with Bengaluru is under development.

Significance

Mysore occupies a distinctive position in Indian urban history as a former royal capital that retained much of its planned character, heritage architecture, and cultural institutions into the modern era. It has been ranked among India's cleaner cities in successive Swachh Survekshan surveys and is frequently cited as a model heritage and tier-2 city.

Related topics

• Karnataka
• Kingdom of Mysore
• Wadiyar dynasty
• Tipu Sultan
• Mysore Palace
• Mysuru Dasara
• Chamundi Hills
• University of Mysore
• Bengaluru

References

• Wikidata: Q10086 – Mysore
• Government of Karnataka, official portal of Mysuru district
• Mysuru City Corporation, official communications