Mysore is derived from the name Mahishur after Mahishasura, the demon king killed by Goddess Chamundi or Durga. Once the capital of old Mysore province, even today it is called the cultural capital of Karnataka. The very mention of Mysore brings a different feeling to older generation of kannadigas. Although the prominence of Mysore is slowly going down; It has remained no 1 Tourist destination in Karnataka.
A Tourist to Mysore will have little bit of everything. Historical Srirangapatna forts and Dungeons, Ancient temples of Chamundi and Ranganatha, Palaces of Tipu Sultan and Mysore Maharajas, Birds Sanctuary for Nature Lovers, Waterpark, Zoo, Brindavan gardens and much more. All these within a radius of 15-20 Kms !
Within the Radius of 100-150 Kms from Mysore, You have Hill stations like Ooty and Mercara, Wild Jungles like Bandipur and Nagarahole, misty hills Like Gopalaswamy and BiligiriRanga, Waterfalls like Habbi and Irpu, The Sand filled temple Town of Talakadu, Rock carved Medieval temples in Somanathapur and Nanjanagud, Coffee and Orange estates in Coorg and what else does a traveler need?
The Cultural grandeur of Mysore comes to the fore during the dasara festival which is celebrated over a period of 10 days. There will be a galore of cultural programs. Prominent among them are the Classical dance and music program by India’s Top cultural ambassadors, Wrestling competition, Film Festival, Plays, Dasara Exhibition and Air Shows. The Festival culminates in the grand procession of Goddess Durga on a Golden Howdah.
Some Old families in Mysore have still kept the cultural traditions alive. Classical musical instruments, music and dance forms are still pursued by many younger people and appreciated by general public. Many Top musicians of ’’Veena’’ are from Mysore.
Along with Tourism, Mysore also has made a mark in Educational field. Mysore had the best Educational institutions in Karnataka about 20-25 years ago. Now it is probably in no 2 or no 3 position.
On the negative side, many monuments are not maintained properly. The Srirangapatna fort was built way back in 1454 in classic Moat style. Built by Vijayanagar commander Thimmanna Hebbar, it was then considered as the strongest fort in Asia. Today it is crumbling everywhere. Similar is the state of many other monuments. For Brindavan gardens, the less said the better. Administration should do more in terms of maintainence, infrastructure and cleanliness. On the cultural front, many people are opposing the cosmopolitization of the city with the slow influx of IT companies. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the identity of this grand old city.