With a long history of powerful royal dynasties, the city of Mysore is one of the finest and most ingeniously planned out cities of Southern India. Often called the city of palaces for its abundant architecture, the town is an amalgam of inherited grandeur and modernity. With its tree-lined boulevards, beautiful gardens, parks and stately palaces, the reputation of the city far surpasses its name. As a significant contributor to the sandalwood industry of the world, the city is known for its fragrances.
Formerly the residence of the Wodeyar family, your first stop on this tour, the Mysore Palace, is a splendid structure built in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. Some interesting facets of the palace include a magnificent gold throne which is displayed during the Dussehra festival celebrations and a carved silver door. Its Kalyana Mandapa or the Marriage Hall has paintings depicting the royal lives of pre-colonial Indian Maharajas. A short climb up a hill leads to a 2000-year-old temple dedicated to the goddess Chamundeshwari. The temple overlooks the entire city, making for a scenic and peaceful experience.
Next, your guide will take you to Somnathpur which is home to the Prasanna Chennakeshava Temple, a site that is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture. Built about 700 years ago on the banks of the Kaveri River, the temple stands on a raised platform like other Hoysala temples of its kind. You will also visit the Brindavan Gardens which are located along the Krishnarajasagar Dam, built on the Kaveri River. Modelled on the Shalimar Gardens of Kashmir, the garden has a number of terraces, fountains, cascading water-channels, lush green lawns, flower beds, shrubs, and trees.
Picturesquely located on the Cauvery River. you will end the tour with a visit to Srirangapatnam, an island fortress that was the summer capital of Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan. Here, you can see Tipu’s summer palace, his mausoleum and the temple dedicated to Sri Ranganathaswamy.