Nepedia
Back to Discover
Fluent Reader
🗺️

Mysore

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Mysore is a famous city in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)
Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

It sits at the base of the Chamundi Hills. The city is located near the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Mysore race course
Mysore race course

Two important rivers flow near this area. The Kaveri River flows through the north of the city. The Kabini River flows to the south. This city is known as the "Heritage City" or the "City of Palaces."

Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)
Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka)

It is one of the cleanest cities in India.

The city has a very interesting way it grew over time. Many years ago, the Wadiyar dynasty ruled here as kings. They were patrons of art and culture. They helped the city become a beautiful place. Later, leaders named Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan also helped the economy grow. They planted mulberry trees to make silk.

Mysore Silk Saree
Mysore Silk Saree

This helped create a famous local industry. Today, the Mysore City Corporation manages the city's daily needs. The city also uses buses, trains, and planes to move people.

Mysore Rly Station Panorama Karnataka Apr22 A7C 01908-10
Mysore Rly Station Panorama Karnataka Apr22 A7C 01908-10
Mysore Airport
Mysore Airport

The history of the name Mysore is quite old. It comes from the word Mahiṣūru. This means "the abode of Mahiṣa."

Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore
Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore

In ancient stories, Mahiṣa was a mythical being. This being was killed by the goddess Chamundeshwari. Her temple sits on top of the Chamundi Hill.

Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore
Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore

In the 1500s, a village called Puragere stood where the palace is now. Chamaraja Wodeyar III built the Mahishūru Fort in 1524. The city has changed many times through different rulers. In 2014, the government officially changed the English spelling to Mysuru.

There are many important facts about the people and land. The city and its nearby towns have about 1,288,000 people.

Mysore Taluk (2011 Census) (cropped)
Mysore Taluk (2011 Census) (cropped)

Most people in the city speak the Kannada language. The weather can be quite warm. There are three main seasons: summer, monsoon, and winter.

Mysore (Baedeker, 1914)
Mysore (Baedeker, 1914)

The city also has many lovely lakes. One is Karanji Lake, which has a huge walk-through aviary for birds.

Zoo entrance gate
Zoo entrance gate

This makes it a great place for nature lovers to visit.

Mysore is famous for many wonderful things you can see or taste. You can find beautiful Mysore silk saris and traditional silk turbans.

Mysore Silk Saree
Mysore Silk Saree

Artists also make special Mysore paintings.

Mysore Painting
Mysore Painting

If you are hungry, you can try Mysore pak, which is a sweet treat. You might also enjoy a breakfast called Mysore Dosa. The city is also known for its jasmine flowers.

Mysore university building
Mysore university building

During the Dasara festivals, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the city. This makes tourism a very important job for the people living there.

414 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore.jpg
Chamundeshwari Temple Mysore.jpg
File:Mysore (Baedeker, 1914).jpg
Mysore (Baedeker, 1914).jpg
File:Mysore race course.jpeg
Mysore race course.jpeg
File:Mysore Taluk (2011 Census) (cropped).jpg
Mysore Taluk (2011 Census) (cropped).jpg
File:Mysore India Infosys.JPG
Mysore India Infosys.JPG
File:Mysore Painting.jpg
Mysore Painting.jpg
File:Mysore Silk Saree.jpg
Mysore Silk Saree.jpg
File:Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka).jpg
Mysore Palace, India (photo - Jim Ankan Deka).jpg
File:Zoo entrance gate.JPG
Zoo entrance gate.JPG
File:Warli Paintings, Mysore.jpg
Warli Paintings, Mysore.jpg
File:Mysore Rly Station Panorama Karnataka Apr22 A7C 01908-10.jpg
Mysore Rly Station Panorama Karnataka...
File:Mysore Airport.jpg
Mysore Airport.jpg

+ 2 more

More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.