Mysore (Mysuru), the land of royal majesty and beautiful landscapes is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. According to a story in the mythological Devi Purana, Mysore was ruled by the demon-king Mahishasura. He was called Mahishasura, because he was a buffalo-headed monster. Hearing to the prayers of Gods and Goddess to save them from the monster, Goddess Parvathi, wife of Lord Siva, took birth as Chamundi or Chamundeswari and killed the monster. Hence, this place came to be known as Mahishuru, the city of demon Mahisha. The earliest mention of Mysore or Mahishur historically is referred to the time of King Ashoka in 245 B.C. However, it is only from the 10th Century that a proper and consistent line of history of Mysore can be traced. The Ganga Dynasty appeared in the scene of the Mysore of History in the 2nd Century and ruled Mysore till 1004. The next dynasty who left their mark on the pages of the History of Mysore was the Cholas who ruled the region for about a Century. The Cholas were followed by the Chalukyas and the Hoysalas. A number of inscriptions from the 11th and 12th Centuries are found in Mysore, which provides clue about the happenings in the region. History of Mysore points out that it was in 1399 A.D that the Yadu dynasty came to power in Mysore. A feudatory of the Vijaynagar Empire, the Yadu dynasty contributed significantly to the development of Mysore. Bettada Chamaraja Wodeyar, the raja of Mysore rebuilt the fort of Mysore and made his headquarters and called the city 'Mahishuru Nagara' meaning the city of Mahishur. The year 1610 was a landmark in the history of Mysore as it was in this year that Raja Wadiyar shifted the capital from Mysore to Srirangapatna. From the year 1761 to 1799 Mysore was ruled by Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. Mysore remained the second most important city till the death of Tipu Sultan. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in the Anglo Mysore War the History of Mysore once again took a sharp turn. As the History of Mysore went under the control of the Britishers, they placed a minor Prince Krishnaraja Wodeyar on the throne of Mysore. It was practically from this time that the city started to grow. During the reign of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar (Krishna Raja Wodeyar III) the town of Mysore expanded and moved beyond the walls of the fort. H.H. Chamaraja Wodeyar adopted son of Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar , succeeded him and ruled Mysore Kingdom from 1881 to 1894. H.H. Nalvadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar (Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV) eldest son Mummadi Krishna Raja Wodeyar, ruled mysore from 1895-1940 and developed Mysore into a beautiful city with excellent planning. Under his reign Mysore became famous for its wide roads, magnificent building and elegant parks. During Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar's minority his mother H.H. Vani Vilas Sannidhana ruled as regent from 1895-1902. The people of Mysore mainly survive with professions which are related to tourism. There have lots of beautiful tourist spots which attracted thousands of tourists throughout the year. Now, the IT industries also take another major source of income by the city residents. Mysore is the second (next to Bangalore) in Karnataka to exporting the software. Beside of these, some medium range of industries is also noticed in Mysore. The city also called as the cultural capital of Karnataka due to its festivities that take place throughout the year.

Sights at a glance:

Mysore Palace, Chamundeshwari Temple - Chamundi Hills, Karanji Lake, Srikanteshwara Temple - Nanjangud, Chennakeshwara Temple - Somanathapura, St Philomena’s Cathedral, Mysore Sand Sculpture Museum, Devaraja Market, Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens (Mysore Zoo), Railway Museum, Namdroling Nyingmapa Monastery - Bylakuppe, Nagarhole National Park