Mysore: An Iconic City of Culture & Heritage

The history of Indian evolution is paved with tales of bravery and innovation, which has led to the formation of cities of great significance. This is the story of the city of palaces, Mysore.

Tipu Sultan’s Mysore army in combat with the British (Source: Pinterest)

In Hindu mythology, there is a story of a deceitful demon called Mahishasura. A powerful half-human half-buffalo figure, who was capable of shapeshifting and ruled the Dravidian kingdom of Mahishuru.

His evil deeds were a matter of concern for everyone. To put an end to his evil atrocities, Goddess Shakti took the form of Chamundeswari and fought the demon. The fight went on for nine days, and at the end of it, the reincarnated goddess emerged victorious. The events that led to his death became the largest festival of the kingdom, celebrated as Navaratri, and his kingdom evolved and came to be known as Mysuru, the abode of Mahishasura.

Literature tells us that the kingdom of Mysore was founded in the late fourteenth century, when two brothers, Yaduraya and Krishnaraya, arrived from Dwarka, which was their supposed place of origin. Yaduraya seemingly married a local princess, attaining the title of a "Wodeyar," which was the ruling family of the region. Initially serving as a vassal state to the Vijayanagara empire, the Wodeyar family expanded its territory in the 17th century, annexing large regions of present-day Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Imprinting his authority on the Deccan plateau, Chikka Devaraja, one of the prominent early kings of Mysore, forged alliances with the Mughals and the Marathas. The lion’s share of the heartland of south India, the kingdom lay from the western ghats to the western borders of the Coromandel plain. However, they did not have direct coastal access which led to conflicting situations between Mysore and the kings of Ikkeri and Coorg. Landlocked from all directions, the borders of Mysore kept getting breached and there was a constant state of war.

In the second half of the 1800s, when the European powers were transforming their identities from traders to political rulers, Haider Ali, then captain of the Mysore army, rose to prominence. His exceptional battle skills, coupled with his administrative intuition made him a great leader and though the Wodeyars were the titular heads, the real power was at the command of ‘Nawab Haider Ali Khan Bahadur’, a title conferred on him by King Krishnaraja the second. Under his able leadership, Mysore fought wars against the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Kingdom of Travancore, and the British, tasting victory more times than their enemies.

Mysore was now a dominant political realm and proved to be the greatest challenge to British colonialism on the Indian subcontinent. Partnering with the Marathas and the Nizam of Golconda, it took the British over three decades and four Anglo-Mysore wars to dismantle the Sultanate faction. Haider Ali was succeeded by his son, Tipu Sultan, the legendary ‘Tiger of Mysore’.

He fought harder than his father and defended his kingdom till 1799, before he died battling in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. It was the dawn of a new British era, and parts of the vast kingdom were divided among the Nizam and the Madras presidency. The remaining territory became the princely state of Mysore with the Wodeyar family playing the titular role and the British taking the helm of Mysore’s foreign policies, ensuring the maintenance of a standing British army at Mysore.

During this time, Krishnaraja the Fourth ascended the throne at the age of eleven and went on to transform the fabric of Mysore into a progressive modern state. The Christian missionaries from England were working towards the elimination of casteism by focusing on educating the people, and the pioneering educational reforms undertaken by the king played a crucial role in the development of the state. He also focused on fine arts and skill development to uplift his citizens, which eventually led to Mahatma Gandhi referring to him as the Rajarishi, meaning a saintly king.

The era of the kingdom of Mysore was deemed to be a period of great literary and cultural development, as the kings were accomplished artists and generous patrons of the fine arts. Innovation running in the blood of Mysore, Tipu Sultan developed the first iron-cased and metal cylinder rocket artillery, which eventually influenced British rocket development.

Mysore also became a ground for architectural experimentation, blending European elements with native ones. The Mysore palace is one of the most visited tourist spots in India, shadowing even the iconic Taj Mahal. Schools of languages, music, and design all find their place in Mysore and have greatly informed the socio-cultural development of the city.

Mysore joined the Indian Union in 1947 and merged into the state of Karnataka in 1956, as part of a state reorganisation campaign. Though it does not enjoy its erstwhile prominence and glory, the city of Mysore is still an important driver of socio-cultural and technological innovations in the country. With its grand palaces and architectural marvels, Mysore is a global hub of history, art and cultural heritage.

Mysore Palace- A true display of craftsmanship (Source: Pinterest)