Mysore

The history of Mysore is closely linked to the history of the Kingdom of Mysore. References from the times of the Mahabharata and Asoka refer to Mahisha Nadu or Mahisha Mandala. References can also be found in Tamil literature about Ezimahi Nadu. The earliest documented evidence of the town is in the form of stone carvings in Old Kannada(Saasanas) found in villages around Mysore, inscribed around 1021 CE. From 1499 the name Mahisuru has been recorded in inscriptions. During the rule of the Vijayanagar Empire, the Mysore kingdom served as a feudatory, gaining sovereignty after the empire fell in 1565 CE. Till the year 1610, when Srirangapatna was acquired, the city was the center of Wodeyar administration. It became the capital of the Kingdom of Mysore after the death of Tippu Sultan at the end of the Anglo-Mysore Wars in 1799.

The administrative center was shifted to Bangalore in 1831, when the British moved their garrison from Srirangapatnam (on the outskirts of Mysore) to the Bangalore Cantonment. Mysore once again became the capital of the kingdom in 1881 with the rendition of power by the British to the Wodeyars. Most present day historical landmarks, and the organisation of the city of Mysore, were inspirations of the Wodeyar kings and their Dewans. Plans for organised development of the city exist from as far back as 1904. The period between 1910-1945 is considered the most important in the modernization of the kingdom. Several industries (including a steel mill) were begun and an efficient railway system was constructed, as was a network of irrigation canals. Art and culture flourished under the patronage of royalty, and the educational system was revamped.

Mysore is called the City of Palaces as a result of the number of palaces situated in the city, including Amba Vilas (Main Mysore Palace), Rajendra Vilas (the summer palace, situated on the Chamundi Hills) and Jayalakshmi Vilas (now on the University of Mysore premises). The main palace of Mysore was burnt down in 1897, and the present day structure was built on the same site. The palace exhibits a mixture of Dravidian, Indo-Saracenic, Roman and Oriental architectural styles. Even though the Government of Karnataka now maintains the Mysore palace, a small portion of the palace has been allocated for the erstwhile Royal family to live in. The Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion was constructed by Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar for his daughter Jayalakshammanni. It is now a museum dedicated to folk culture. A new gallery is being added for artefacts and collections of the Wodeyars of Mysore.

Mysore lies in the tropics, with summer temperatures ranging from 21 to 34 degrees Celsius, while winter temperatures range from 12 to 30 degrees Celsius. The city gets an average of 86 centimetres of rain annually, most of it during the monsoon, in the June–October period

Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has established four industrial areas in and around the city to encourage the industrial development of the city. These are located at Belagola, Belawadi, Hebbal (Electronic City) and Hootagalli.[4]. Some of the major industries located in Mysore are Vikrant Tyres Ltd., Automotive Axles Ltd., Bharat Earth Movers Ltd. (BEML), Karnataka Silk Industries Corporation and Bhoruka Aluminum Ltd.

The information technology related companies are also slowly creating bases in Mysore, prominent among which are Infosys, Wipro and Larsen and Toubro Infotech. Mysore contributed Rs. 760 crores to Karnataka's Rs. 48,700 crore IT exports in the year 2006-2007.[5] Infosys has established its global training center in Mysore with an investment of over $65 million, and with a training capacity of about 4,500 people. Wipro has its Global Service Management Center (GSMC) for serving the eastern markets here, which also serves as a backup to Wipro's Global Command Center in Bangalore.

Tourism is also a major industry in Mysore and tourists are a major consumer of products manufactured by small scale industries in Mysore related to sandalwood, silk and wood carving.

The economy experienced reverses during the last few decades, as some of the major industries like Ideal Jawa (automobiles) and K. R. Mills (textiles) closed down and many people became unemployed. However, some revival efforts, like those of K. R. Mills (Atlantic Mills), helped improve the situation. Infrastructural improvements in progress, such as the doubling of railway tracks and the building of a four-lane expressway between Mysore and Bangalore, are expected to bring significant growth to the economy of Mysore.