IntroductIon of Mysore

1. todays’s Mysuru (2022)

Mysore is noted for its Heritage Structures and palaces, including the Mysore Palace, and for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives hundreds of thousands of tourists from around the world. It lends its name to various art forms and culture, such as Mysore Dasara, Mysore painting.

The site where Mysore Palace now stands was occupied by a village named Puragere at the beginning of the 16th century.The Mahishashur Fort was constructed in 1524 by Chamaraja Wodeyar III (1513–1553), who passed on the dominion of Puragere to his son Chamaraja Wodeyar IV (1572–1576). Since the 16th century, the name of Mahishūru has commonly been used to denote the city.

Mysore city Population

1.2M Census 2023

Mysore city was the capital of the former princely State of Mysore and on independence it became part of Madras presidency. On the linguistic reorganisation of the States in 1956 a new state named Mysore State was formed with its headquarters at Bangalore in which Mysore was a district. Later, on the first of November 1973, the state was renamed as Karnataka.

The then Mysore district comprised of 3 sub-divisions viz. Mysore, Hunsur and Nanjangud which were sub divided into 11 taluks with a total area of 11954 sq.km. The district was bifurcated with the creation of a new district viz. Chamarajanagar, with its headquarters at Chamrajanagar by taking out the taluks, Chamarajanagar, Gundlupet, Kollegal, and Yellandur. Thus the district at present consists of 7 taluks with a total area of 6269 Sq.km.

Mysore has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) bordering on a hot semiarid 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.

Temperature Temperature influences considerably the socioeconomic activities in a region. The district in general enjoys cool and equable temperature. During the period from March to May, there is continuous rise in temperature. April is the hottest month with the mean daily maximum temperature at 34.5°C and the daily minimum at 21.1°C. On normal days, the day temperatures during summer may exceed 39°C.

Avg. Hourly Temp. 2022

There is welcome relief from the heat when thunder showers occur during April and May. With the advance of the southwest monsoon in the beginning of June, the day temperatures drop appreciably and throughout the southwest monsoon period, the weather is pleasant. After mid-November, both day and night temperatures decrease progressively. January is the coldest month with mean daily maximum at 11°C. 13Some days during the period from November to January, the minimum temperature may go below 11°C.

1.2 HILLS

CHAMUNDI HILLS - The most important hills in Mysore are Chamundi Hills. Chamundi Hills are situated 13 km away from the city of Mysore

1.3 WATER BODIES

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.

KABINI RIVER (240KM) - The Kabini River is one of the major tributaries of the river Cauvery in southern India. It originates near Kavilumpara in Kozhikode district of Kerala state by the confluence of the Panamaram River and the Mananthavady River.

KAVERI RIVER (805KM) - The Kaveri is one of the major Southern Indian river flowing through the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Hemavati River (245km)- The Hemavati is a river in southern India near Karnataka and an important tributary of the Kaveri.

NETRAVATI RIVER (103KM) - The Netravati River or Netravathi Nadi has its origins at Bangrabalige valley, Yelaneeru Ghat in Kudremukh in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka, India.

YAGACHI RIVER - The Yagachi River is a river in Karnataka, India. It arises in the Western Ghats near the city of Chickmagaluru, flows through Belur Taluka, Hassan District, where it becomes a tributary of the Hemavati River, which it enters near Gorur.

2.1 POLIGARS OF VIJAYANAGARA (1565-1635)

On 23 January 1565 the last Hindu empire in South India, the Vijayanagara Empire, was defeated by the combined forces of the Muslim states of Bijapur, Golconda, and Ahmadnagar in the Battle of Talikota.

The battle was fought on the doab (interfluve, or tongue of land) between the Kistna river and its major left bank tributary, the Bhima, 100 miles (160 km) to the north of the imperial capital, Vijayanagara (Map 4).The invaders from the north later destroyed the capital, and the ruler’s family escaped to Penukonda, 125 miles (201 km) to the southeast, where they established their new capital.

Later, they moved another 175 miles (282 km) east-southeast to Chandragiri, not far from the coast, and survived there until 1635, their dwindling empire concentrating its resources on its eastern Tamil and Telugu speaking realms. According to historian Sanjay Subrahmanyam: in the ten years following 1565, the imperial centre of Vijayanagara effectively ceased to be a power as far as the western reaches of the peninsula were concerned, leaving a vacuum that was eventually filled by Ikkeri and Mysore.

2.2 BIJAPUR, MARATHAS, MUGHALS (1636–1687)

In 1636, nearly 60 years after their defeat at Penukonda, the Sultans of Bijapur regrouped and invaded the kingdoms to their south. They did so with the blessing of the Mughal empire of northern India whose tributary states they had newly become. They had the help also of a chieftain of the Maratha uplands of western India, Shahaji Bhonsle, who was on the lookout for rewards of jagir land in the conquered territories the taxes on which he could collect as an annuity. Watercolour of the temple at Kolar, 1800. Kolar district was in the Carnatic-Bijapur-Payanghat province in the mid-17th century.

In the western-central poligar regions, the Nayakas of Keladi were easily defeated, but were able to buy back their lands from their Bijapur invaders. (Map 5.) Eastward, the Bijapur-Shahji forces took the gold-rich Kolar district in 1639, and Bangalore—a city founded a century earlier by Kempe Gowda I.

Advancing down the Eastern Ghats, the mountains rising behind the coastal plains of southeastern India, they captured the historic towns of Vellore and Gingee. Returning north through the east-central maidan plain (average elevation 600 m (2,000 ft)), they gained possession of the towns of Ballapur, Sira, and the hill fortress of Chitaldroog.

Although their own histories date the origins of the Wodeyars of Mysore (also “Odeyar”, “Udaiyar”, “Wodiyar”, “Wadiyar”, or “Wadiar”, and, literally, “chief”) to 1399, records of them go back no earlier than the early 16th century. These poligars are first mentioned in a Kannada language literary work from the early 16th century. A petty chieftain, Chamaraja (now Chamaraja III), who ruled from 1513 to 1553 over a few villages not far from the Kaveri river, is said to have constructed a small fort and named it, Mahisuranagara (“Buffalo Town”), from which Mysore gets its name. The Wodeyar clan issued its first inscription during the chieftaincy of Timmaraja (now Timmaraja II) who ruled from 1553 to 1572. Towards the end of his rule, he is recorded to have owned 33 villages and fielded an army of 300 men.

By the time of the short-lived incumbency of Timmaraja II’s son, Chama Raja IV—who, well into his 60s, ruled from 1572 to 1576—the Vijayanagara Empire had been dealt its fatal blow. Before long, Chama Raja IV withheld payment of the annual tribute to the empire’s viceroy at Seringapatam. The viceroy responded by attempting to arrest Chamaraja IV, failing, and letting the taxes remain unpaid.

An outright military challenge to the empire would have to await the incumbency of Raja I, Chama Raja IV’s eldest son, who became the Wodeyar in 1578. Raja I captured Seringapatam and, in a matter of days, moved his capital there on 8 February 1610. (Map 5.) During his rule, according to Burton Stein, his “chiefdom expanded into a major principality”.

In 1638, the reins of power fell into the hands of the 23-year-old Kanthirava Narasaraja I, who had been adopted a few months earlier by the widow of Raja I.

Kanthirava was the first wodeyar of Mysore to create the symbols of royalty such as a royal mint, and coins named Kanthiraya (corrupted to “Canteroy”) after himself. These remained a part of Mysore’s “current national money” well into the 18th century.

A 1794 aquatint of the mausoleum at Kolar, where Haidar Ali’s father, Fateh Muhammad, the military governor (faujdar) of Kolar district in the Province of Sira, is buried.

A Mughal province which comprised the Carnatic region south of the Tungabhadra river, and which was to exist for seventy years, was established in 1687 with its capital at Sira (in Tumkur District). ( Map 5.) The Province of Sira (also Carnatic-Balaghat) was composed of seven parganas (districts): Basavapatna, Budihal, Sira, Penukonda, Dod-Ballapur, Hoskote, and Kolar; in addition, Harpanahalli, Kondarpi, Anegundi, Bednur, Chitaldroog, and Mysore were considered by the Mughals to be tributary states of the province.

Qasim Khan (also, Khasim Khan or Kasim Khan) was appointed the first Subahdar (governor) and Faujdar (military governor) of the province in 1689. Having displayed “energy and success” both in controlling the province and in developing it, he died in 1694, killed either by Maratha raiders from the northwest, or killing himself in disgrace after these raiders seized a treasure under his care. Most Subhahdars who governed after him were replaced in a year or two by a successor.

The instability continued until Dilavar Khan was appointed governor in 1726, his term lasting until 1756. In 1757, Sira was overrun by the Marathas, but was restored to the Mughals in 1759. In 1761 future ruler Haidar Ali, whose father had been the Mughal military governor (or Faujdar) of Kolar district in the province, captured Sira, and soon conferred on himself the title of “Nawab of Sira”. However, the defection of his brother five years later caused the province to be lost again to the Marathas, who retained it until Haidar’s son, Tipu Sultan, recaptured it for his father in 1774.

The capital of the province, Sira town, prospered most under Dilavar Khan and expanded in size to accommodate 50,000 homes. (Map 7.) Palaces and public monuments of Sira became models for other future constructions; both Haidar Ali’s palace in Bangalore and Tipu Sultan’s in Seringapatam, built during the period 1761–1799 of their rule, were modelled after Dilavar Khan’s palace in Sira. Likewise, according to Rice, Bangalore’s Lal Bagh as well as Bangalore fort may have been designed after Sira’s Khan Bagh gardens and Sira fort.

Mysore was the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore until 1950, except in the 18th century when Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were the defacto rulers for a 40-year period. Mysore state continued to be ruled by Maharaja H.H. Jaya Chamaraja Wadiyar till Mysore became part of Indian Republic on 26-1-1950.

And now the Mysore city is the headquarters of Mysore District. Mysore city is also known as the ‘City of Palaces’ and the ‘Ivory City’. The famous Chamundi Hill, which is mythological associated with the name of the city, is to its southeast.

TOURISM - Mysuru as a modern city has managed to retain its quaint old world charm and is one of the tourism hot spots and receives maximum number of tourist during the period of Dasara festival from all over the world.

IT HUB - Mysuru emerged to be one of the major IT hubs in Karnataka. Mysuru is second in state for software exports. The robust growth of the IT sector in the city is attributed because of major contributions from Infosys, Larsen Toubro (L&T), Wipro Technologies, Software Paradigms India etc. There are around 50 IT Companies in Mysuru.

RAILWAYS - Mysuru Junction is the City’s main station and there are trains plying the route between Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi,

ROAD - The road networks of Mysuru city are in a gridiron fashion with numerous parallel roads “grids” the city. And then there are some 5 radial roads, all originating from Mysuru Palace, which is the focal point of the city. Mysuru has a very good road network, Bengaluru city is connected by SH-17 with 4 lane road.

AIRPORT - Mandakalli Airport is situated around 10 kms from Mysuru City. Nearest international airport is Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru around 170 kms from Mysuru.

EDUCATION - There are 2 Medical colleges, 14 Engineering colleges, 12 Polytechnic Colleges, 1 Nature Cure and Yoga college, 2 Ayurveda College and 36 Degree Colleges in Mysuru District. 1844 2022