Mysore
Mysore
Maisūru (Kannada) | |
---|---|
Mysuru | |
![]() | |
State | ![]() |
District | Mysore |
Government | |
• Type | Municipal Corporation |
• Body | Mysore City Corporation |
• Mayor | Shivakumar[2] (BJP) |
• Deputy Mayor | G. Roopa[2] |
Area | |
286 km2 (110.5 sq mi) | |
• Rural | 703 km2 (271 sq mi) |
• Metro | 156 km2 (60 sq mi) |
Elevation | 770 m (2,503 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
920,550 | |
• Density | 3,200/km2 (8,300/sq mi) |
• Rural | 388,706[3] |
• Metro | 1,060,120 |
Demonym | Mysorean |
Time zone | UTC+05:30 (IST) |
Postal Index Number | 570 0xx |
Vehicle registration | KA-09, KA-55 |
Official language | Kannada[4] |
Telephone | 91-(0)821-XXX-XXXX |
UN/LOCODE | IN MYQ MYS |
Website | www |
Mysore (/maɪˈsɔːr/ ⓘ), is a city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.[5] It is the headquarters of Mysore district and Mysore division. As the traditional seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, the city functioned as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore for almost six centuries (1399 to 1947). Known for its heritage structures, palaces (such as the famous Mysore Palace), and its culture, Mysore has been called the "City of Palaces", the "Heritage City",[6] and the "Cultural capital of Karnataka".[7] It is the second-most populous in the state and one of the cleanest cities in India according to the Swachh Survekshan.
Mysore is situated at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills. At an altitude of 770 m (2,530 ft) above mean sea level, the city of Mysore is geographically located at 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is about 140 km (87.0 mi) southwest of the state's capital, Bangalore, and spreads across an area of 156 km2 (60 sq mi) (city and neighbouring census towns).[8] The population of the city combined with its neighbouring towns in its metropolitan area is about 1,288,000 in 2023.[9]
Most of the city's development during modern times could be attributed to the maharajas of Mysore and the Wadiyar dynasty, who were patrons of art and culture. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, when they were briefly in power in succession, also contributed significantly to the economic growth of the city and the kingdom by planting mulberry trees and silk in the region, and fighting four wars against the British. In present days, the Mysore City Corporation is responsible for the civic administration of the city.
During the Dasara festivals, Mysore receives hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world. The city is also the namesake to various art forms and culture, such as Mysore Dasara and Mysore painting; foods such as the sweet delicacy Mysore pak; breakfasts like Mysore Dosa and Mysore Masala Dosa; brands such as Mysore Sandal Soap and Mysore Paints; and styles and cosmetics such as Mysore peta, a traditional silk turban, and the Mysore silk saris. Mysore is also known for betel leaves and its own special variety of jasmine flower fondly referred to as "Mysore mallige". Tourism is a lifeline industry for the city alongside the traditional industries. Mysore's intracity public transportation includes bus and intercity public transportation includes rail, bus, and air.[10]
Etymology
[edit]The name Mysore is an anglicised form of Mahiṣūru,[11] which means "the abode of Mahiṣa" in the vernacular Kannada. The common noun Mahiṣa, in Sanskrit, means buffalo; in this context, however, Mahiṣa refers to Mahishasura, a mythical demon who could assume the form of either a human or a buffalo, and who, according to Hindu mythology, ruled the ancient parts of Mysore Kingdom, known in Sanskrit as Mahiṣaka, centred at Mahiṣapura.[11] He was killed by the goddess Chamundeshwari, whose temple is situated atop the Chamundi Hills, after whom it is named. 'Mahishapura'[12] later became Mahisūru (a name which, even now, the royal family uses), and finally came to be rendered as Mysore by the British and Maisūru (Mysuru) in the vernacular Kannada language.[13]
In December 2005, the Government of Karnataka announced its intention to change the English name of the city to Mysuru.[14] This was approved by the Government of India in October 2014, and Mysore was officially renamed, along with twelve other cities, on 1 November 2014.[15][16][17][18]
History
[edit]

The site where Mysore Palace now stands was occupied by a village named Puragere at the beginning of the 16th century.[19]: 281 The Mahishūru Fort was constructed in 1524 by Chamaraja Wodeyar III (1513–1553),[19]: 257 who passed on the dominion of Puragere to his son Chamaraja Wodeyar IV (1572–1576). Since the 16th century, the name of Mayashūru has commonly been used to denote the city.[20]: 31 The Kingdom of Mysore, governed by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire. With the decline of that empire after the Battle of Talikota in 1565, the Mysore Kingdom gradually achieved independence, and by the time of King Narasaraja Wodeyar (1637), it had become a sovereign state.[21]: 228 Seringapatam, near Mysore, the present-day Srirangapatna, was the capital of the kingdom beginning in 1610.[19]: 257 The 17th century saw a steady expansion of its territory and, under Narasaraja Wodeyar I and Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar, the kingdom annexed large areas of what is now southern Karnataka and parts of Tamil Nadu, to become a powerful state in the southern Deccan.
The kingdom reached the height of its military power and dominion in the latter half of the 18th century, under the de facto rulers Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan. The latter demolished parts of Mysore to remove legacies of the Wodeyar dynasty.[19]: 257 During this time, the kingdom of Mysore came into conflict with the Marathas, the British, and the Nizam of Hyderabad, leading to the four Anglo-Mysore wars, success in the first two of which was followed by defeat in the third and fourth. After Tipu Sultan's death in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, the capital of the kingdom was moved back to Mysore from Seringapatam,[21]: 249 and the kingdom was distributed by the British to their allies of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. Part of the kingdom was annexed into the Madras Presidency, another to the Nizam of Hyderabad. The landlocked interior of the defeated kingdom of Mysore was turned into a princely state under the suzerainty of the British Crown,[21]: 249 with the five-year-old Wodeyar Krishnaraja III as titular ruler and with Purnaiah, who had served under Tipu, as chief minister or diwan and Lt. Col. Barry Close as Resident. The British took control of Mysore's foreign policy and insisted on an annual tribute for maintaining a standing British army at Mysore.[22][23][24] Purnaiah is credited with improving Mysore's public works.[21] In 1831, claiming there was maladministration, the British took direct control of the princely state.[25][26] For the next fifty years, the kingdom of Mysore was under the direct rule of British Commissioners,[27] and in 1831 the city of Mysore lost its status as the administrative centre, when the British Commissioner moved the capital to Bangalore.[21]: 251
In 1876–77, towards the end of the period of direct British rule, Mysore suffered from the Great Famine of 1876–1878, in which nearly a fifth of the population died.[28] In 1881, Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar X was given control of Mysore, in a process called rendition, but with a resident British officer and a diwan to handle the Maharaja's administration,[29] and the city of Mysore regained its status as the capital.[21]: 254 The Mysore municipality was established in 1888 and the city was divided into eight wards.[20]: 283 In 1897 an outbreak of bubonic plague killed nearly half of the population of the city.[30] With the establishment of the City Improvement Trust Board (CITB) in 1903, Mysore became one of the first cities in Asia to undertake planned urban development.[31] Public demonstrations and meetings were held there during the Quit India movement and other phases of the Indian independence movement.[32]
Until the independence of British India (which did not include Mysore) in 1947, Mysore remained a Princely State within the British Indian Empire, with the Wodeyars continuing their rule.[29] After Indian Independence, Mysore city remained as part of the Mysore State, now known as Karnataka. Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, then king of Mysore, was allowed to retain his titles and was nominated as the Rajapramukh (appointed governor) of the state with a £20,000 payment.[33] He died in September 1974 and was cremated in Mysore.[34]
Over the years, Mysore became well known as a centre for tourism; the city remained largely peaceful, except for occasional riots related to the Kaveri River Water Dispute.[35] Among the events that took place in Mysore and made national headlines were a fire at a television studio that claimed 62 lives in 1989,[36] and the sudden deaths of many animals at the Mysore Zoo.[37]
Geography
[edit]Area and extent
[edit]

Mysore is located at 12°18′N 74°39′E / 12.30°N 74.65°E and has an average altitude of 770 metres (2,526 ft).[38] It is spread across an area of 286.05 km2 (110 sq mi)[39]: 4 at the base of the Chamundi Hills in the southern region of Karnataka. Mysore is the southernmost city of Karnataka and is a neighbouring city of the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south, flanked by the state cities Madikeri, Chamarajanagara, and Mandya. People in and around Mysore extensively use Kannada as a medium of language. Mysore has several lakes, such as the Kukkarahalli, the Karanji, and the Lingambudhi lakes. Mysore has The Biggest 'Walk-Through Aviary' called Karanji Lake in India. In 2001, total land area usage in Mysore city was 39.9% residential, 16.1% roads, 13.74% parks and open spaces, 13.48% industrial, 8.96% public property, 3.02% commercial, 2.27% agriculture and 2.02 water.[40]: 35 The city is located between two rivers: the Kaveri River that flows through the north of the city and the Kabini River, a tributary of the Kaveri, that lies to the south.
Climate
[edit]Mysore has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) under the Köppen climate classification. The main seasons are Summer from March to May, the monsoon season from June to October and winter from November to February.[38] The highest temperature recorded in Mysore was 39.9 °C (104 °F) on 25 April 2016, and the lowest was 7.7 °C (46 °F) on 16 January 2012.[41][42][43] The city's average annual rainfall is 798.6 mm (31.4 in).
Climate data for Mysore (1991–2020, extremes 1901–2020) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 33.9 (93.0) |
36.1 (97.0) |
38.5 (101.3) |
39.9 (103.8) |
39.0 (102.2) |
37.4 (99.3) |
35.8 (96.4) |
33.9 (93.0) |
34.2 (93.6) |
35.0 (95.0) |
32.8 (91.0) |
32.1 (89.8) |
39.9 (103.8) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.3 (84.7) |
31.4 (88.5) |
33.6 (92.5) |
34.3 (93.7) |
33.4 (92.1) |
30.0 (86.0) |
28.7 (83.7) |
28.6 (83.5) |
29.5 (85.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
28.7 (83.7) |
28.3 (82.9) |
30.4 (86.7) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.3 (61.3) |
17.3 (63.1) |
19.4 (66.9) |
21.0 (69.8) |
21.2 (70.2) |
20.4 (68.7) |
19.9 (67.8) |
19.8 (67.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
19.7 (67.5) |
18.7 (65.7) |
16.9 (62.4) |
19.2 (66.6) |
Record low °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) |
8.6 (47.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
14.9 (58.8) |
15.6 (60.1) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.8 (60.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
13.4 (56.1) |
11.2 (52.2) |
9.6 (49.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
7.7 (45.9) |
Average rainfall mm (inches) | 1.1 (0.04) |
2.5 (0.10) |
12.6 (0.50) |
84.5 (3.33) |
127.8 (5.03) |
76.6 (3.02) |
84.2 (3.31) |
96.9 (3.81) |
102.3 (4.03) |
162.7 (6.41) |
67.5 (2.66) |
12.9 (0.51) |
831.5 (32.74) |
Average rainy days | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 4.9 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 8.1 | 7.9 | 6.9 | 8.5 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 56.2 |
Average relative humidity (%) (at 17:30 IST) | 50 | 49 | 45 | 50 | 62 | 73 | 76 | 75 | 72 | 70 | 61 | 63 | |
Average ultraviolet index | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | |||||||||
Source 1: India Meteorological Department[44][45][46] | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather Atlas[47] |
Rainfall
[edit]As per Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre, Mysore taluk has been divided into 4 hoblis. In 2022, the rainfall received by these hoblis are as follows:
- Mysore - 1,358 millimetres (53.5 in)
- Elivala - 1,257 millimetres (49.5 in)
- Jayapura - 1,405 millimetres (55.3 in)
- Varuna - 1,383 millimetres (54.4 in) [48]
Overall, Mysore taluk received 67% of excess rainfall in the year 2022.
Demographics
[edit]Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1891 | 74,648 | — |
1901 | 68,111 | −8.8% |
1911 | 71,306 | +4.7% |
1921 | 83,951 | +17.7% |
1931 | 107,142 | +27.6% |
1941 | 150,540 | +40.5% |
1951 | 244,323 | +62.3% |
1961 | 253,865 | +3.9% |
1971 | 355,685 | +40.1% |
1981 | 479,081 | +34.7% |
1991 | 653,345 | +36.4% |
2001 | 799,228 | +22.3% |
2011 | 990,900 | +24.0% |
2021 | 1,261,000 | +27.3% |
Source: Census of India[49][50] |
As of 2011[update], Mysore city had an estimated population of 920,550 consisting of 461,042 males and 459,508 females, making it the third most populous city in Karnataka[53][54] Mysore urban agglomeration is the second largest urban agglomeration in the state[55] and is home to 1,060,120 people, consisting of 497,132 males and 493,762 females.[53] According to 2011 census, Mysore was the largest non-metropolitan city in India and had the highest basic infrastructure index of 2.846.[56] Mysore was estimated to have crossed 1 million in 2017 making it a metropolitan city.[57] For the year 2022, the projected population of Mysuru Metropolitan Area, which includes Mysore City Corporation, Hootagalli City Municipal Council, and Bogadi, Srirampura, Rammanahalli and Kadakola Town Panchayats is 1,261,000,[58] as per the United Nation's World Urbanization Prospects - 2018.[59]
The gender ratio of Mysore is 1,000 females to every 1,000 males and the population density is 6,910.5 per square kilometre (17,898/sq mi). According to the census of 2001, 73.65% of the city population are Hindus, 21.92% are Muslims, 2.71% are Christians, 1.13% are Jains and the remainder belong to other religions.[60] The population exceeded 100,000 in the census of 1931 and grew by 20.5 per cent in the decade 1991–2001. As of 2011[update], the literacy rate of the city is 86.84 per cent, which is higher than the state's average of 75.6 per cent.[53][61] Kannada is the most widely spoken language in the city. Approximately 19% of the population live below the poverty line, and 9% live in slums.[62] According to the 2001 census, 35.75% of the population in the urban areas of Karnataka are workers, but only 33.3% of the population of Mysore are.[63] Members of Scheduled castes and scheduled tribes constitute 15.1% of the population.[63] According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, the number of cognisable crime incidents reported in Mysore during 2010 was 3,407 (second in the state, after Bangalore's 32,188), increasing from 3,183 incidents reported in 2009.[64][65]
The residents of the city are known as Mysoreans in English and Mysoorinavaru in Kannada. The dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of Kaveri river water often leads to minor altercations and demonstrations in the city.[66] Growth in the information technology industry in Mysore has led to a change in the city's demographic profile; likely strains on the infrastructure and haphazard growth of the city resulting from the demographic change have been a cause of concern for some of its citizens.[67]
Administration and utilities
[edit]

The civic administration of the city is managed by the Mysore City Corporation, which was established as a municipality in 1888 and converted into a corporation in 1977. Overseeing engineering works, health, sanitation, water supply, administration and taxation, the corporation is headed by a Mayor, who is assisted by commissioners and council members.[40]: 43 The city is divided into 65 wards and the council members (also known as corporators) are elected by the citizens of Mysore every five years.[68] The council members, in turn, elect the mayor. The annual budget of the corporation for the year 2011–2012 was ₹4.27 billion (equivalent to ₹8.8 billion or US$100 million in 2023).[69] Among 63 cities covered under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, Mysore City Corporation was adjudged the second-best city municipal corporation and was given the "Nagara Ratna" award in 2011.[70]
Urban growth and expansion is managed by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which is headed by a commissioner. Its activities include developing new layouts and roads, town planning and land acquisition. One of the major projects undertaken by MUDA is the creation of an Outer Ring Road to ease traffic congestion.[71] Citizens of Mysore have criticised MUDA for its inability to prevent land mafias and ensure lawful distribution of housing lands among city residents.[72] The Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation is responsible for electric supply to the city.[73]
Drinking water for Mysore is sourced from the Kaveri and Kabini rivers.[40]: 53 The city got its first piped water supply when the Belagola project was commissioned in 1896.[74] As of 2011[update], Mysore gets 193,000 cubic metres (42.5 million imperial gallons) of water per day. Mysore sometimes faces water crises, mainly during the summer months (March–June) and in years of low rainfall.[75] The city has had an underground drainage system since 1904. The entire sewage from the city drains into four valleys: Kesare, Malalavadi, Dalavai and Belavatha.[40]: 56 In an exercise carried out by the Urban Development Ministry under the national urban sanitation policy, Mysore was rated the second cleanest city in India in 2010 and the cleanest in Karnataka.[76]
The citizens of Mysore elect five representatives to the Legislative assembly of Karnataka through the constituencies of Chamaraja, Krishnaraja, Narasimharaja, Hunsur and Chamundeshwari.[77] Mysore city, being part of the larger Mysore Lok Sabha constituency, also elects one member to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. The politics in the city is dominated by three political parties: the Indian National Congress (INC), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS).[77]
Economy
[edit]Tourism and IT are the major industries in Mysore. The city attracted about 3.15 million tourists in 2010.[78] Mysore has traditionally been home to industries such as weaving, sandalwood carving, bronze work and the production of lime and salt.[79] It has many big IT companies like Infosys and Wipro. The planned industrial growth of the city and the state was first envisaged at the Mysore economic conference in 1911.[79][80] This led to the establishment of industries such as the Mysore Sandalwood Oil Factory in 1917 and the Sri Krishnarajendra Mills in 1920.[81]: 270, 278 Mysore has emerged as an industrial hub in Karnataka next to Bangalore. Mysore is part of the Bidar-Mysore Industrial Corridor. Major drivers of the economy are tourism, finance, manufacturing and industry which includes chemicals, petrochemicals, machinery, automobile, engineering, textiles and food processing sectors. A new industrial corridor plan is underway between Mysore and Bangalore.[82]
For the industrial development of the city, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has established four industrial areas in and around Mysore, in the Belagola, Belawadi, Hebbal and Hootagalli areas.[83] One of the major industrial areas near Mysore is Nanjangud which will be a satellite town to Mysore. Nanjangud industrial area hosts a number of industries like AT&S India Pvt Ltd, Nestle India ltd, Reid and Taylor, Jubiliant, TVS, and Asian Paints. Nanjangud Industrial area also boasts being 2nd highest VAT / Sales Taxpayer which is more than ₹4 billion (US$46 million) after Peenya which is in state capital Bangalore. JK Tyre has its manufacturing facility in Mysore.[84] The city has emerged as a hub of automobile industries in Karnataka.
The major software companies in Mysore are Infosys, ArisGlobal, Larsen & Toubro Infotech, Excelsoft Technologies and Triveni Engineering.[85][86][87] The growth of the information technology industry in the first decade of the 21st century has resulted in the city emerging as the second largest software exporter in Karnataka (as of[update]), next to Bangalore.[88][89] Mysore also has many shopping malls, including the Mall of Mysore which is one of the largest malls in India and Karnataka. Retail is also a major part of the economy in Mysore.
Mysore also hosts many central government organisations like CFTRI, DFRL, CIPET, BEML,[90] RMP (Rare Material Project), RBI Note printing Press and RBI Paper Printing Press.
Culture
[edit]
Referred to as the cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore is well known for the festivities that take place during the period of Dasara; the state festival of Karnataka. The Dasara festivities, which are celebrated over a ten-day period, were first introduced by King Raja Wodeyar I in 1610.[91] On the ninth day of Dasara, called Mahanavami, the royal sword is worshipped and is taken on a procession of decorated elephants, camels and horses.[91] On the tenth day, called Vijayadashami, the traditional Dasara procession (locally known as Jumboo Savari) is held on the streets of Mysore which usually falls in the month of September or October. The idol of the goddess Chamundeshwari is placed on a golden mantapa on the back of a decorated elephant and taken on a procession, accompanied by tabla, dance groups, music bands, decorated elephants, horses and camels.[91] The procession starts from the Mysore Palace and culminates at a place called Bannimantapa, where the banni tree (Prosopis spicigera) is worshipped.[91] The Dasara festivities culminate on the night of Vijayadashami with a torchlight parade, known locally as Panjina Kavayatthu.[91]
Mysore is called the City of Palaces because of several ornate examples in the city. Among the most notable are Amba Vilas, popularly known as Mysore Palace; Jaganmohana Palace, which also serves as an art gallery; Rajendra Vilas, also known as the summer palace; Lalitha Mahal, which has been converted into a hotel; and Jayalakshmi Vilas.[92]: 87–88 The palace of Mysore burned down in 1897, and the present structure was built on the same site. Amba Vilas palace exhibits an Indo-Saracenic style of architecture on the outside, but a distinctly Hoysala style in the interior.[92]: 82 Even though the Government of Karnataka maintains the Mysore palace, a small portion has been allocated for the erstwhile royal family to live in. The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion was constructed by Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar for his daughter Jayalakshammanni. It is now a museum dedicated to folk culture and artefacts of the royal family.[93]

The Mysore painting style is an offshoot of the Vijayanagar school of painting, and King Raja Wodeyar (1578–1617 CE) is credited with having been its patron.[94]: 1 The distinctive feature of these paintings is the gesso work, to which gold foil is applied.[94]: 3 Mysore is known for rosewood inlay work; around 4,000 craftsmen were involved in this art in 2002.[95] The city lends its name to the Mysore silk sari, a women's garment made with pure silk and gold zari (thread).[96] Mysore Peta, the traditional indigenous turban worn by the erstwhile rulers of Mysore, is worn by men in some traditional ceremonies. A notable local dessert that traces its history to the kitchen in the Mysore palace is Mysore pak.
Mysore is the location of the International Ganjifa Research Centre, which researches the ancient card game Ganjifa and the art associated with it.[97] The Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) offers education in visual art forms such as painting, graphics, sculpture, applied art, photography, photojournalism and art history. The Rangayana repertory company performs plays and offers certificate courses in subjects related to theatre.[98][99] Kannada writers Kuvempu, Gopalakrishna Adiga and U. R. Ananthamurthy were educated in Mysore and served as professors at the Mysore University.[100] R. K. Narayan, a popular English-language novelist and creator of the fictional town of Malgudi, and his cartoonist brother R. K. Laxman spent much of their life in Mysore.[101]