Mysuru, long the seat of the Wadiyar dynasty, remains one of Karnataka's most graceful cities, its wide, tree-lined avenues and cluster of palaces reflecting a deliberate, well-planned royal capital rather than the more organic growth seen in many Indian cities. Beyond the famous Mysore Palace itself, the city is known for its silk weaving, sandalwood craft and the Devaraja Market's dense, fragrant flower and produce stalls.
The annual Mysuru Dasara festival transforms the city each October, with the palace illuminated by nearly 100,000 lights and a grand procession featuring caparisoned elephants — one of India's most spectacular royal-tradition festivals, still continuing a practice that predates the current palace by centuries.
Mysuru served as the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore under the Wadiyar dynasty for centuries, with a brief interruption during Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan's rule in the 18th century, before returning to Wadiyar control and eventually merging into independent India.
October, for Dasara; otherwise October to March generally.
Mysuru has its own airport with limited connections; Bengaluru is about 3 hours away by road or train.
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