Today tourists — both domestic and foreign make it a point to visit Mysore in the state of Karnataka. Situated in the southern part of the Deccan Plateau, Mysore District is an undulating tableland, covered in parts by granite outcrops and fringed by verdant forests.

From ancient times, this district has played a significant role in the history of South India. Mysore District is a popular tourist destination, offering several attractions ranging from the royal splendour of Mysore City and its fabulous Dasara Festival to exquisite temples, pilgrimage centres and scenic spots.

Having said that anyone who visits Mysore and dose not opt for staying in a homestay really misses out on half the pleasure of visiting this beautiful location. Not only do homestays allows you to add flavour to you trip, a tourist or traveller who stays in a Mysore homestay goes home with a bagful of sweet memories and a pledge at heart to return again and again.

The festivals, the cuisine, the local tales told by a local host add to the pleasures of spending some time in the lap of nature and away from the maddening crowd.

Mysore city is at 770m above sea level and 140 kms from Bangalore. Also known as the City of Palaces, Mysore retains a quaint charm, that never fails to enchant.

Mysore was the capital of the Wodeyar dynasty, feudatories of the Vijayanagar Empire, who declared their independence in the 16th century and ruled in Mysore until independence, barring three decades when Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan wrested power from them. Mysore today, is a pleasant city with an old world charm, contributed by its broad shady avenues, well laid out gardens, fine buildings and a salubrious climate.

BEST TIME TO VISIT MYSORE:
The weather in Mysore is pleasant throughout the year. The summers are warm and winters cool. April is the hottest month with the daily temperatures varying between 21°C and 34°C while in December, the coldest month here, the temperatures ranges from 16°C to 27°C. The average annual rainfall in the district is 761.9 mm. One can visit the city any time of the year but it is advisable to avoid the rainy seasons.

PLACES OF INTEREST:
Mysore Palace: The Maharaja’s Palace is one of the important sights in Mysore. Built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades,the Palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Intricately carved doors open on to luxuriously furnished rooms. The majestic Durbar Hall has an ornate ceiling and many sculpted pillars. The magnificent jewel studded golden throne of the Wodeyars is displayed here during the Dasera festival. Illuminated on Sundays and public holidays ,the palace presents a spectacle of breathtaking beauty.

Chamundi Hills: A well known 335 metres high landmark,Chamundi Hill can be reached by a 13 km road or by climbing up the 1,000 steps laid out by the Mysore Maharaja in the 17th century.Half-way up along the stone steps is Nandi, Lord Shiva’s Bull, a majestic 4.8 metre monolith.At the top is the 12th century temple of Chamundeshwari, the patron goddess of the Wodeyars.Close to the temple is the gigantic statue of the demon Mahishasura. The summit offers a panoramic view of Mysore’s lakes, parks and palaces.

Brindavan Gardens: Located at the KR Sagar Dam [Kannambadi], Brindavan Gardens is one of the best gardens in South India. Spread over 150 acres, Brindavan Gardens has since the 1960s provided the backdrop for many Indian films. Special attractions include the ‘Dancing Fountains’. In Dec 2004 the entire garden was revamped with new fountains and lights. The timings are: Monday-Friday: 6:30 pm to 7:25 pm and Saturday-Sunday: 6:30 pm to 8:25 pm

St. Philomenias church: A beautiful Cathedral, reminiscent of medieval architectural style,is one of the largest churches in the country. Built in the gothic style,the Church is an imposing structure with stained glass windows and lofty towers.

Mysore Zoo: The Mysore Zoo was set up under royal patronage in the nineteenth century. Its fauna includes rare and exotic species which are housed in lush, green surroundings. The Zoo is famous for breeding some very rare animals in captivity.

Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, which has emerged as one of finest zoos in the country to breed a wide range of animals in captivity, has embarked on a new venture to set up a state-of-the-art Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre.

Art Gallery: The Jaganmohan Palace was converted into an art gallery in 1875 and exhibits paintings which date back to that period. The artists of that time used natural vegetable and mineral dyes. The famous traditional Mysore ‘gold leaf ‘ paintings are also exhibited in the gallery, as are oil paintings of contemporary artist like Raja Ravi Varma and Svetoslav Roerich.

OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST IN AND AROUND MYSORE:
Daria Daulat Bagh: Tipu’s Summer Palace, built in 1784, is located here. Made of teak, this Indo-Sarcenic structure has ornate and beautiful fresco.It is now a museum and tells eloquently of Tipu’s valor and his losing battle against the British.

Fort: It is here that Tipu charged at the British soldiers with his legendary sword. An obelisk in the fort marks the place where he fell after he was betrayed by his own men. The fort holds within it, a mosque and the Ranganathaswamy Temple. Outside the fort is the Gumbaz, Tipu’s tomb with splendid ebony doors inlaid with ivory.

Himvad Gopalaswamy Hills: This is a popular hill resort and a trekker’s delight as well.It is situated in the verdant western ghats of Mysore District. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Hoysala.

Melkote: Situated 50 Km north of Mysore, Melkote is a sacred pilgrim centre, known for its Vairamundi festival in March-April. More than one lakh devotees congregate here for the festival. Melkote is also famous for its handloom. Ramanucharya,the Shrivaishnava saint-philosopher, took shelter here from his persecutors.

Talakad: About 48 Km from Mysore, it is situated on the banks of the river Cauvery and is completely buried beneath sand dunes. Only the Dravidian style Vaidyeshwara temple is visible above the ground. Its temples are opened for ceremonial worship on special occasions -once in twelve years.

Shivsamudra: Around 85 Km east of Mysore, where the river Cauvery cascades down in two picturesque waterfalls, is Shivsamudra. Falling down from a height of 75 m into a deep gorge, these falls are best during the monsoons. About 1.5 km away is Asia’s first hydro-electric power project set up in 1905.

Nagarhole National Park: About 93 km from Mysore, in the forest of Nagarhole, is a National Park. Abounding in a rich variety of wildlife, one can find elephants, antelopes and even leopards here.

Kabini River Lodge: Situated 80 km from Mysore in the Karapur forests is the old hunting lodge of the Maharajas and Viceroys. The lodge on the banks of the river Kabini arranges jeep rides into the jungle and coracle rides on the Kabini for bird watching. A naturalist guide helps you identify the many varieties of birds and wild beasts.

BR Hills: This picturesque hill range, at a height of 5091 ft, is 120 km from Mysore and is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. The temple on the hill, dedicated to Biligiri Rangaswamy attracts devotees round the year.

Mysoreans are staunch believers in protecting the greenery of their awesome city. On September 28, 2005 the forest department decided to set up a ‘Tree Court’ to look into the problems and permit felling of trees. The tree court would meet on the third Saturday of every month and look into applications to fell trees.

So next time you visit Mysore, don’t fall for the artificial world of Hotels and try out the wide range of Homestays that the city hosts have to offer. It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for tourists and travellers to visit Mysore and stay in a Homestay in the lap of mother nature.