Lalith Mahal Palace:
Lalitha Mahal was built by the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore to host his most important guest, the Viceroy of India. The Lalitha Mahal is now one of India's most opulent hotels, a palace hotel that offers an experience of princely living in a real Maharaja's palace. On a little hillock of the Royal City of Mysore stands a shimmering White Palace. This Palace is located in the heart of the city at Mirza Road, is the most attractive monument in Mysore.One of the largest palaces in the country, also known as Amba Vilas, was the residence of the Wodeyar Mahararaja's of the Mysore state. The original palace built of wood, got burnt down in 1897 and was rebuilt for the twenty fourth Wodeyar Raja in 1912. With a spectacular view of the forest canopy and a landing exactly where the jungle begins. Step out in the evening after a hot cuppa and slip deep into the heart of the jungle. Leopards, hyenas, tigers and other magnificent birds and beasts wait to be discovered.
The entry to the palace is through the 'Gombe Thotti' or the Doll's Pavilion, a gallery of Indian and European sculpture and ceremonial objects. Halfway along is the elephant gate, which is the main entrance to the centre of the palace. The gate is decorated with floriated designs, and bears the Mysore royal symbol of a double headed eagle. Inside there is an enclosed courtyard. To the north of the gate are dolls, dating from the earlier nineteenth and twentieth centuries, a ceremonial wooden elephant howdah (carriage kept on top of the elephants to carry royalty) decorated with 84 kilogram of 24 carat gold and other souvenirs.
There are twelve temples surrounding the palace within the compound. Some of them are built in typical Dravidian style including the Varashaswamy Temple with a gopuram that set the pattern for the later Sri Chamundeswari Temple on Chamundi Hill. On special occasions, religious ceremonies are still conducted in these temples.
For the sports enthusiasts there are the Swimming Pool, Billiard Room, Tennis Court, Chess, Jogging Track and Health Club to choose from. LMPH has also tied up with the local Sheri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar Golf course for the benefit of Golf Addicts.
Illuminated palace (Sundays, National holidays and on festivals from
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.)
Best time to visit : September to October during Dusshera
How to Get There:
The nearest Airport is the Bangalore airport. Bangalore (130km) is connected to all the major cites of the country by air.There are many train services operating between Bangalore and Mysore. The Shatabdi Express connects Mysore to Chennai. The ideal route to reach Mysore is via Bangalore.
State Highways connect Mysore to the national Highways and to all parts of the country. Bus services by Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and transport corporations of the neighboring states as well as private tour operators make it easy to reach the city without any difficulty. It is only a 3 hour journey from Bangalore.
Places to visit:
The places to visit are Chamundi Hills, Folklore museum, Brindavan Garden, Museum etc.,For more details visit www.mysore.net