WEAVER'S WORLD / MYSORE / HISTORY

WEAVER'S WORLD / MYSORE / HISTORY

Mysore was officially renamed as Mysuru, and is the third largest city in terms of population in the state of Karnataka, India. It had served as the capital city of the Mysore Kingdom for nearly six centuries, from 1399 until 1947. Located at the base of the Chamundi Hills about 146 km southwest of the state capital Bangalore, it is spread across an area of 128.42 km2. The 2011 national census of India, puts the population of Mysore close to 9 lakhs.

The Kingdom of Mysore was throughout ruled by the Wodeyar dynasty, except for a brief period in the late 18th century when Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan were in power. Being patrons of art and culture, the Wodeyars contributed significantly to the cultural growth of the city. The cultural ambience and achievements of Mysore earned it the sobriquet ‘Cultural capital of South Karnataka’. Mysore is noted for its palaces, including the Mysore Palace, and for the festivities that take place during the Dasara festival when the city receives a large number of tourists.

It lends its name to the Mysore style of painting, the sweet dish Mysore Pak, the Mysore Peta (a traditional silk turban) and the garment known as the Mysore silk saree. Tourism is the major industry, while information technology has emerged as a major employer alongside traditional industries.