Mysore (now called Mysuru), population 800k, is the cultural capital & the 2nd largest city in the state of Karnataka (karna-TA-ka). Located about 140 kms southwest of Bangalore, the state capital, Mysore is situated at the base of the Chamundi Hills between two rivers. Today, Mysore is a modern city that has managed to retain its quaint old world charm. Although the city lacks an airport, it is well connected via rail & roadways
Tourism is Mysore’s major industry, with the most tourists arriving during their famous 10-day Dasara festival in the fall. The 2nd most important industry sector is now related to the IT industry. [Infosys has established one of the largest technical training centers in the world here, & Wipro Technologies has established its Global Service Management Center (GSMC) in Mysore.] In fact, your call center may well be located here?? The city is also famous in the world for its sandalwood & rosewood artifacts, stone sculptures, incense sticks, inlay work with ivory, & its exquisite silk saris.
Some interesting demographics: Among the population, 76.76% are Hindus, 19% are Muslims, 2.84% are Christians. The literacy rate of the city is 82.8% which is much higher than the state's average of 67%. One-fifth of the population in Mysore lives below the poverty line & 9% live in slums.
A little history - The Kingdom of Mysore was ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty from 1399 until the independence of India in 1947 and the subsequent dissolution of the monarchy by the Indian constitution. Prior rulers were the Gangas, the Cholas, the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas (who built beautiful temples in the region), the Vijayanagars, & the Yadus.
It was Raja Wodeyar I who rebuilt the fort, made Mysore his headquarters, & moved the capital from Mysore to Srirangapatna. After the death of Tippu Sultan in 1799 (he was a Moslem ruler of Mysore), Mysore became the capital of the Wodeyars once again. During the reign of Wodeyar III the town of Mysore expanded & moved beyond the walls of the fort. Wodeyar IV developed Mysore into a beautiful city with excellent planning & under his reign Mysore became famous for its wide roads, magnificent buildings and elegant parks. The Maharajas of Mysore built a number of ornate buildings during their reign, most of them were palaces for their personal use. Almost all of these buildings are intact to this day & now house a number of modern institutions. Wodeyar dynasty info can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wodeyar
If visiting Mysore, there are several other palaces you may want to catch. Most of them were built by the Wodeyar rulers for their daughters:
Rajendra Vilas ( also known as the summer palace, on Chamundi Hill),
Jayalakshmi Vilas (now a museum on the University of Mysore campus),
Karanji Vilas mansion (overlooks Karanji Lake, now houses the Postal Training Institute of the Department of Posts),
Cheluvamba Mansion (located near the railway station, now houses the Central Food Technological Research Institute),
Lokaranjan Mahal (the maharaja's summer palace, initially served as the Royal School),
Chittaranjan Mahal (was constructed as a guest house for the royal family, this palace is now the Green Hotel), & last but not least -
Falaknuma Palace (one of the 35 palaces which were owned by King Nizam of Hyderabad, once the richest man in the world, 132 rooms with a private wing that is used as a hotel).
Good source of info on all the palaces: http://www.ourkarnataka.com/Articles/starofmysore/palaces.htm
Other temples you may want to catch are the Chamundeshwari Temple atop Chamundi Hill, plus some fort temples - Lakshmiramana Swamy Temple (oldest one), the enormous Trinesvara Swamy Temple, & Shweta Varaha Swamy Temple. There are many more in the city & vicinity.
More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Mysore
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