15 Mysore Tips From Someone Who's Visited During Dasara and Every Other Month
I've been to Mysore six times — once during Dasara, once in monsoon, and four regular visits. Each trip taught me something the previous one didn't. Here's everything I know.
The Palace
Every Sunday 7-7:45 PM, Mysore Palace lights up with 97,000 bulbs. It's free to watch from the palace grounds. Arrive 30 minutes early for a spot near the front. During Dasara (September-October), the illumination happens every night for 10 days.
1. Sunday evening illumination is non-negotiable.
The palace without illumination is impressive. With illumination, it's transcendent.
2. No cameras, bags, or shoes inside the palace.
Deposit everything at the counter (free). The interior — carved rosewood doors, stained glass, the jewel-encrusted golden throne — can only be experienced with your eyes. Entry INR 200 for foreigners, INR 100 for Indians. Open 10 AM-5:30 PM.
3. The palace is India's second most-visited building.
Only the Taj Mahal gets more visitors. Weekends are packed. Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning for a semblance of personal space.
Food
4. Mylari dosa or don't bother with dosa at all.
Mylari Hotel has been serving one thing since the 1940s — paper-thin, buttery dosas with a chutney and sambar that have achieved cult status. INR 40-60. The catch: they close at 1 PM. Go before 11 AM or queue. It's near Nazarbad Main Road.
5. Mysore Pak from Guru Sweet Mart is the authentic version.
Mysore Pak was invented here — a ghee-rich gram flour sweet that dissolves on the tongue. Guru Sweet Mart on Sayyaji Rao Road makes the original. INR 300-600/kg. The texture should be crumbly and moist, not dry and chalky.
BuyTip: the "soft" version (nenapu) is superior to the "hard" version. Ask for it specifically.
6. RRR Restaurant for the masala dosa benchmark.
If Mylari is closed, RRR Restaurant serves what might be the second-best masala dosa in Karnataka. Also excellent for thali (rice plate) — INR 100-200. Near the Clock Tower.
Logistics
7. Mysore is compact and easy to navigate.
Auto-rickshaws INR 30-100 within city. Ola/Uber work. Rent a bicycle (INR 100-200/day) for the heritage zone. For Brindavan Gardens and Srirangapatna, hire a taxi — INR 1,500-2,000 for a half-day circuit.
8. Don't day-trip from Bengaluru.
People take the Shatabdi Express (2 hours, INR 400-700) and try to see Mysore in a day. This means you miss the palace illumination (Sunday evening), Chamundi Hills at sunset, and the leisurely market walks that make Mysore special. Stay at least 2 nights.
9. Brindavan Gardens is closed Tuesdays for fountain maintenance.
The musical fountain (7-8 PM winter, 7:30-8:30 PM summer) is the main reason to visit. Entry INR 75 for foreigners. Don't go on Tuesday.
Shopping
10. Buy silk from KSIC, not street vendors.
The Government Silk Factory (KSIC) on Mananthody Road sells authentic Mysore silk saris — INR 3,000-50,000. Tour the weaving floor Mon-Sat 10:30 AM. Fixed prices, guaranteed authenticity. Street vendors sell "Mysore silk" that's often synthetic.
11. Cauvery Arts & Crafts Emporium for sandalwood.
On Sayyaji Rao Road. Government-run, fixed prices, genuine sandalwood. Carvings INR 200-5,000. Sandalwood oil INR 400-2,000. Street vendors sell fake sandalwood (often sandalwood-scented chemical substitute). This is the safe option.
Sights Beyond the Palace
12. Chamundi Hills is better at sunset.
The 1,000-step climb (or drive) to the Chamundeshwari Temple at 1,065m gives panoramic city views. The 5-meter Nandi bull statue at step 700 is carved from a single rock. Free entry. Auto-rickshaw to the top: INR 200-300.
Most visitors go in the morning. Sunset from the hilltop, watching Mysore Palace light up far below, is the superior timing.
13. Srirangapatna is a better day trip than you expect.
Tipu Sultan's island fortress, 16 km from Mysore (30 min by auto, INR 400-600 return). The summer palace (Daria Daulat Bagh) has wall murals showing battle scenes that are remarkably vivid. Combine with Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary — boat rides with nesting cormorants and painted storks (INR 50 entry, INR 75 boat).
Mysore is the gateway to Coorg, just 120 km of winding roads into coffee country.
History lovers can extend from Mysore to Hampi, the Vijayanagara Empire's ruined capital.
14. If you can time one trip for Dasara, do it.
Ten days in September-October. The Vijayadashami procession features a gold-adorned elephant carrying the goddess's idol through illuminated streets. Thousands of performers, torchlit processions, the palace lit every night. Free to watch from the street. Book hotels 2+ months ahead.
15. Dasara isn't just the final procession.
The ten days include wrestling matches at the palace, cultural performances from across Karnataka, an exhibition ground with rides and food, and film festivals. The energy builds throughout the week. Even the smaller events on days 2-5 are worth attending.
