Mysuru - Where Royal Heritage Meets Timeless Grace

You must have heard about how beautifully diverse India is, a country where every few miles brings a new flavour, a new dialect, a new way of life. Be it food, people, religion, or culture, nothing remains the same, not even within a single city. This diversity is especially visible during festivals. The same celebration takes on different colours and traditions across states, each reflecting the soul of its region. Among them, one of the grandest festivals celebrated across India is Dussehra. Though the pronunciation and customs vary from place to place, the essence remains the same: celebration of the triumph of good over evil, symbolised by Devi Maa destroying the demon Mahishasura.

And today, I will be writing about the celebration that unfolds in Mysuru, Karnataka, which holds a special grandeur. It is believed to be the very physical manifestation where the Goddess herself defeated demon Mahishasura, and that transforms the entire city into a living embodiment of devotion, culture, and pride.

How To Reach

Since we live in Bengaluru, we decided to drive to Mysuru in our car. The city is very well connected by road, rail, and even air. Although Mysuru Airport doesn’t have direct flights to every Indian city, its rail network is excellent. Alternatively, one can easily fly into Bengaluru—which is well connected to all major cities—and then take a bus or cab to Mysuru. The distance is about 150 km from Bengaluru’s city centre.

We chose to visit during the eighth day of Dussehra, considered the most auspicious day of the festival for those observing puja and fasting. To avoid traffic and reach Sri Chamundeshwari Temple in time for the early morning darshan, we started our journey around 2 a.m. from Bengaluru.

Shri Chamundeswari Temple

We reached Mysuru around 4:30 a.m., and the city was already glowing — decked up in shimmering lights right from the entrance, reflecting the festive spirit of Dussehra. Our first stop was the majestic Mysore Palace, which stood tall as the very symbol of grandeur and royal heritage. Bathed in the early morning glow, it looked absolutely stunning.

After spending some peaceful time soaking in its beauty, we headed towards the Chamundeshwari Temple, located about 20 km uphill from the palace. By the time we reached, devotees had already formed long queues. The darshan was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., so we waited patiently for almost three hours, chanting the Goddess’s name amidst the crowd. Finally, as the doors opened and we stepped inside, we had the divine darshan of Maa Chamundeshwari, beautifully adorned and radiating pure grace.

Vinayaka Mylari Dosa

After the darshan, hunger finally struck us — we had started so early and gone straight to the temple without eating anything. My husband then smiled and said he had a surprise spot in mind. He always does his research on the best local food joints before any trip, so we trusted his pick without a second thought.

Soon, we found ourselves at one of Mysuru’s most popular breakfast joints, and it was so crowded that we had to wait a while to get a table. The wait was completely worth it though — we were served the famous butter-loaded Mylari Dosa, soft, aromatic, and absolutely divine. Every bite melted in our mouths, and by the end of it, we were happily full and content.

Underwater Zoo/Lokaranjan Aqua World Underwater Zone

After our hearty breakfast, we decided to explore a bit more of Mysuru. I had recently read online about a newly built aquarium in the city — one that features an overhead glass tunnel where visitors can walk beneath large tanks and watch whales and big fish swimming above. It sounded fascinating, so we headed there to experience it ourselves.

The aquarium was quite impressive — spacious, well-maintained, and home to a wide variety of fish species. We spent much time admiring the colourful underwater world and clicking a few pictures to capture the moment.

Before leaving, we heard from a few people there about a Fantasy Park nearby, so we decided to head there next to continue our little Mysuru adventure.

GRS Fantasy Park / GRS Up Down Museum

Since childhood, I’ve always been fascinated by fantasy-themed parks — the kind of places where you can see science and physics come alive right before your eyes. One of the highlights here was the Mirror Maze, and oh, it was truly terrifying!

At first, when the ride began, I actually thought we were about to fall — the reflections and angles were so real that it completely tricked my senses. Only after a few seconds did we realise it was all just an illusion. What a thrill that was!

We spent some more time exploring other illusion-based attractions, laughing and being amazed at how cleverly everything was designed. After that, hunger struck again, and we headed straight to the famous Hanumanthu Biryani, one of Mysuru’s most iconic food spots.

Hotel Hanumanthu Original 1930

There are quite a few places in Mysuru that go by the same name, all located around the same area. Thankfully, my husband came to our rescue — he had already done the research and knew exactly which one was the original Hanumanthu Biryani. It was around lunchtime, and as expected, a huge crowd had already gathered outside. We waited patiently for a while and finally got our seats.

And oh, the wait was so worth it! The legendary Hanumanthu Biryani lived up to every bit of its fame — flavorful, aromatic, and perfectly spiced. Along with a few other local delicacies, we ate to our heart’s content. It was pure bliss.

After lunch, my husband stopped by a tyre shop to check on some car accessories while I caught up on a bit of work on my laptop. An hour later, we decided it was time to head back to Bengaluru. The crowds were increasing, and since we had been up since the previous night, we were beginning to feel a bit tired.

Instead of taking the same route back, we opted for a more offbeat road that passed through small village areas. To our surprise, the road was excellent, surrounded by lush greenery and serene countryside views. We couldn’t have asked for a better way to end the day.

On the way, we took a 25 km detour to visit the magnificent Shivanasamudra Falls — and it was absolutely worth it! The sight of the gushing water, the cool breeze, and the ancient banyan trees made it a perfect stop to relax and soak in nature’s beauty. By evening, we resumed our journey and covered the remaining 100 km back home.

We finally reached Bengaluru around 10 p.m. — a bit late, but our hearts were full. The day had been long, spontaneous, and truly memorable. We had visited the Goddess, enjoyed amazing food, discovered new places, and made countless memories along the way.

Last year, we took the train and had an extravagant experience. This time, our road trip turned out to be just as special. Though we couldn’t witness the grand Dussehra celebration this year due to our last-minute plan, we’ve promised ourselves — next time, we’ll be there to see the majestic procession of Maa Chamundeshwari and the King in all their glory.