HEADING REQUIRED? It's not just sandalwood and jasmine , that premeates your senses, when you enter this ancient seat of the Wadiyar Maharajas. If you are a R.K.Narayan fan this is Malgudi heartland. Just 140km away from Bangalore, this quiet metropolis, has some fine palaces that you can explore. It's also an excellent base to visit Brindavan gardens, Seringapatanam, Somnathpur, Bandipur National Park and Nagarhole National Park and Ooty.

HOW TO REACH

By Air:
Mysore's nearest airport is at Bangalore.
Indian Airlines Office - Hotel Mayura Hoysala on Jhansi Laxmibai Road. Tel: 516943
Timings: 10am to 5.15pm daily except Sundays.

By Rail:
The railway station, 1500m northwest of the centre, is served by three or four daily trains to the Bangalore which practically connects to rest of country.

By Road:
Mysore has three bus stands: major long-distance KSRTC services pull in to Central, near the heart of the city, where there's a handy KSTDC information counter (good for bus times and tour tickets); the Private stand, just a dusty patch of road, lies a little way south, opposite the Ritz Hotel, and is used by buses to and from Somnathpur. Local buses, including services for Chamundi Hill and Srirangaptnam, stop at the City stand, next to the northwestern corner of the Maharaja's Palace.

GETTING AROUND
The local transport of Mysore includes buses and auto rickshaws. Commuting locally is quite convenient.
City tour (7.30am-8.30pm) covering Jaganmohan Palace Art Gallery, Maharaja's Palace, St Philomena's Cathedral, the Zoo, Chamundi Hill, Somnathpur, Srirangapatnam and Brindavan Gardens comes for Rs90.

WHERE TO SHACK-UP

If You Wanna' Blow Dough:
Green Chittaranjan Palace
2270 Vinoba Road, Jayalakshmipuram (Tel: 512536; Fax 516139)
Former royal palace refurbished as an elegant, eco-conscious 2-star, in large gardens on the western outkirts. Spacious rooms, lounges, verandahs, a croquet lawn and well-stocked library; they even keep mosquito-eating fish in the pond. All profits to charities and environmental projects. Rs500-1200.

ITDC Ashok Lalitha Mahal Palace
T Narasipur Road (Tel: 571265; Fax 571770)
On a slope overlooking the city, and visible for miles around, this white, Neoclassical palace was built in 1931 to accommodate the Maharaja's foreign guests. Now it's a Raj-style fantasy; popular with tour groups and film crews. Tariffs are astronomical by Indian standards, ranging from $160 to $600 per night for the "Viceroy Suite". The tea lounge, restaurant and pool are open to non-residents. Rs2200 and up.

If You Wanna' Live Sensibly:

Aashraya, Rajmal Talkies Road, Dhanavantri Road Cross (Tel: 27088 / 26570).
Run-of-the-mill hotel on the edge of the market area. Attached rooms are small, but comfortable and reasonable value. Rs225-350.

Dasaprakash, Gandhi Square (Tel: 24444 or 22821)
Modern multi-storey hotel; clean and efficient, though lacking character. Some a/c rooms, and a vegetarian restaurant. Rs150-350

KSTDC Mayura Hoysala, 2 Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road (Tel: 25349)
Reasonably priced, well-maintained rooms in restored colonial-era building. Terrace restaurant and beer garden. Good value Rs225-350.

Metropole, 5 Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road (Tel: 520681; Fax 520854)
Charming old-fashioned hotel in Maharaja's former guest house: large (some huge) rooms, wicker chairs, long verandahs and a relaxing garden add to the 1940s feel. Highly recommended. Rs500-1200.

Viceroy, Sri Harsha Road (24001; fax 25410)
Snazzy new business-oriented hotel, with most modern facilities and spectacular over the park. Rs500-1200.

If You're Really Smart:

KSTDC Yatri Niwas, 2 Jhansi Llaxmi Bai Road (Tel: 25349)
The government-run Mayura Hoysala's economy wing has simple rooms around a central garden, with beer garden and terrace restaurant next door; also has cheap dorm. Up to Rs100-225.

Mannars, Chandragupta Road (Tel: 35060)
Newish budget hotel, near the bus stand and Ghandi Square. No frills, except the TV and sofas in reception. Deservedly popular with backpackers. Rs100-150.

Park Lane, 2720 Curzon Road (Tel: 30400)
Six pleasant rooms over a popular beer-garden/restaurant. One of the best deals at this price, but with some drawbacks: clouds of mozzies, noise from the bar until 11.30pm and dodgy plumbing. Avoid room 8 (it's next to the generator). Rs150-225.

Rajabhadra, Gandhi Square (Tel: 23023)
Best value of several look-a-like lodges on the square. The front rooms are great if you don't mind being in the thick of things. Some singles. Rs100-150.

Ritz, Bangalore-Nilgiri Road (Tel: 22668)
Wonderful colonial-era hotel, a stone's throw from the private bus stand. At the top of this category, but worth the extra. Only four rooms, so book ahead. Rs150-225.

Sangeeth, 1966 Narayana Shastry Road, near the Udipi Krishna temple (Tel: 24693)
Mysore's best all-round budget deal: bland and a bit boxed in, but central, friendly and very good value. Up to Rs100-225.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:
Mysore has scores of places to eat, from numerous south Indian "meals" joints dotted around the market to the opulent Lalita Mahal, where you can work up an appetite for a gourmet meal with a few lengths of the pool. Avoid the Durbar, opposite the Shilpastri, which, notwithstanding its popular rooftop, dishes up poor food.

Akshaya, Hotel Dasaprakash.
Very good south Indian veg "meals" joint, serving various thalis (try the "special"), ice-creams and cold drinks. Low on atmosphere, but the food is delicious and cheap.

Gopika, Govardhan Lodge.
Inexpensive "meals" restaurant on the ground floor of a busy hotel; opens early for Indian breakfasts of idlys, wada, pakora and big glasses of hot-milk coffee.

KSTDC Bamboo Grove, Mayura Hoysala.
Simple terrace-garden restaurant, with split-cane blinds and the usual multi-cuisine menu. Serves alcohol.

Lalitha Mahal. Sample the charms of this palatial 5-star with an expensive hot drink in the turn-of-the-century tea lounge, or an à la carte lunch in the grand dining hall, accompanied by live sitar music. The old-style bar also boasts a full-size billiards table.

Metropole, 5 Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road.
Recommended more for the characterful colonial-style ambience than the food. Some tables outside in the garden, where there's often an evening barbecue (bring mosquito repellent). Moderate to expensive.

Park Lane, 2720 Curzon Park Road. Congenial courtyard restaurant-cum-beer garden, with tasty, moderately priced veg and non-veg food (meat sizzlers are a speciality), pot plants and loud filmi music. Popular with foreign travellers.

Ritz, Bangalore-Nilgiri Road.
Central and secluded, and a nice escape from the city streets for a drink, or veg and non-veg meals. The best tables are in courtyard at the back. Opens at 8.30am for "omlette-bread-butter-jam" breakfasts.

Shilpastri, Gandhi Square.
Quality north Indian-style food, with particularly tasty tandoori (great chicken tikka). Plenty of good veg options, too, including lots of dals and curd rice. Serves alcohol. Another popular roof-top meeting place, the Durbar, opposite, dishes up poor food.

THINGS TO DO

Dusshera Fest-Mysore is host to a dazzling Dassera Festival and if you're in the city during Dusshera time you are in for a real treat. The festivities celebrate goddess Chamundi over Mahishausura, the ruthless and tyrannical, demon king, from whom Mysore derives its name. The 10 day long festivities are a carnival of colour and action culminating in a splendid procession of caparisoned elephants, chariots of gold and silver, backed up by a liveried and spiffy cavalry, marching band, flower-bedecked jhankis and a crackling display of fireworks.

Palace Visit- Run by ITDC as a hotel now, the Lalitha Mahal Palace is fabulous. Make it a point to visit the hotel even if you can't afford to stay in it. Designed along the line s of London's St.Paul's cathedral, its elaborate dome gives you an idea about the grand proportions of this palace. The views from the garden pavilions of the city are spectacular from the Rajendra Vilas Palace, which is built along the lines of a European villa. Amber Vilas, the grand palace of the late Maharaja is a great draw. Though it's still the royal residence there are areas for public view and worth investigating.

Depending on your mood swings, you can take off for a wildlife jaunt at Bandipur (80km) or Nagarhole (94km) wildlife parks or Ooti in the Nilgiri Hills which is just 159km away. Seringapatnam which is just 16km away is famous for the ruined capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Check out the dungeon where old Tipu was left to languish after his incarceration by the Brits. His old summer palace-Daria Daulat Bagh, houses a museum.

WHERE TO SHOP

The legendary wealth of textile and spices, scents and furnishings of the south are beautifully represented in the bazaars of Mysore. South Indian silk sarees, even just plain old silk for a shirt; sandalwood agarbatis and itrs; carved figurines in rosewood, teak or sandalwood; cloves, cardamoms and pepper- just take out your wallet and see how fast your money disappears. If you can take in a side trip to a sandalwood oil extracting plant- or a silk weaving factory- its really worth it- Pretty enlightening too

GENERAL INFORMATION:

STD code 0821

Tourist Offices

Regional Tourist Office
Old Exhibition Road
Mysore
Tel: 0821-22096

Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation
Yatrinivas Buildings
J.L.B Road
Mysore
Tel: 0821-26352.

Money Matters
State Bank of Mysore - Sardar Patel road

Medical Matters:
Krishnarajendra Hospital - Irwin Road, Mysore Tel: 429800

B.M.Hospital - Hunsur Road Tel: 511711

J.S.S.Hospital - Ramanuja Road Tel: 563843

Mission Hospital - Mandi Mohalla Tel: 521650-405

MYSORE

It's not just sandalwood and jasmine , that premeates your senses, when you enter this ancient seat of the Wadiyar Maharajas. If you are a R.K.Narayan fan this is Malgudi heartland. Just 140km away from Bangalore, this quiet metropolis, has some fine palaces that you can explore. It's also an excellent base to visit Brindavan gardens, Seringapatanam, Somnathpur, Bandipur National Park and Nagarhole National Park and Ooti.

THINGS TO DO

Dusshera Fest-Mysore is host to a dazzling Dassera Festival and if you're in the city during Dusshera time you are in for a real treat. The festivities celebrate goddess Chamundi over Mahishausura, the ruthless and tyrannical, demon king, from whom Mysore derives its name. The 10 day long festivities are a carnival of colour and action culminating in a splendid procession of caparisoned elephants, chariots of gold and silver, backed up by a liveried and spiffy cavalry, marching band, flower-bedecked jhankis and a crackling display of fireworks.

Palace Visit- Run by ITDC as a hotel now, the Lalitha Mahal Palace is fabulous. Make it a point to visit the hotel even if you can't afford to stay in it. Designed along the line s of London's St.Paul's cathedral, its elaborate dome gives you an idea about the grand proportions of this palace. The views from the garden pavilions of the city are spectacular from the Rajendra Vilas Palace, which is built along the lines of a European villa. Amber Vilas, the grand palace of the late Maharaja is a great draw. Though it's still the royal residence there are areas for public view and worth investigating.

Depending on your mood swings, you can take off for a wildlife jaunt at Bandipur (80km) or Nagarhole (94km) wildlife parks or Ooti in the Nilgiri Hills which is just 159km away. Seringapatnam which is just 16km away is famous for the ruined capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. Check out the dungeon where old Tipu was left to languish after his incarceration by the Brits. His old summer palace-Daria Daulat Bagh, houses a museum.

Shopping

The legendary wealth of textile and spices, scents and furnishings of the south are beautifully represented in the bazaars of Mysore. South Indian silk sarees, even just plain old silk for a shirt; sandalwood agarbatis and itrs; carved figurines in rosewood, teak or sandalwood; cloves, cardamoms and pepper- just take out your wallet and see how fast your money disappears. If you can take in a side trip to a sandalwood oil extracting plant- or a silk weaving factory- its really worth it- Pretty enlightening too.