The Palace of Mysore, often referred to as the Amba Vilas Palace, is a historic building in the Karnataka city of Mysore. The Mysore Palace, created by English architect Henry Irwin, dominates Mysore’s skyline. The palace is a three-story Indo-Saracenic building with square towers at the cardinal points that are covered in domes. It was constructed
between 1897 and 1912 The Kalyanamantapa (marriage pavilion) with its glazed tiled flooring and stained glass, domed ceiling is noteworthy, as are the Durbar Hall with its beautiful ceiling and sculpted pillars. Among the palace’s other treasures are exquisitely carved doors, the golden howdah (elephant seat), paintings, and the magnificent, jewel-encrusted golden throne (displayed during Dasara). The residential museum, which incorporates some of the palace’s living quarters, as well as other temples and shrines, notably the Shwetha Varahaswamy temple, are all located within the walled royal complex. On Sundays, federal holidays, and during the Dasara celebrations, 97,000 electric bulbs are utilised to illuminate the palace.
The primary complex is 156 feet broad and 245 feet long. In order to put out any fires, there are fire extinguishers placed throughout the palace. [6] There are three entrances to the palace: the east gate (the front gate, only open for nobles and during Dasara), the south entrance, and the west entrance (usually opened only during the Dasara).
The three-story stone structure is made of fine grey granite with deep pink marble domes. Its façade has several large arches, two smaller ones flanking the main arch, and tall pillars supporting the entire structure. Gajalakshmi, the goddess of riches, prosperity, fortune, and abundance, is depicted with her elephants in a sculpture that hangs over the main arch. The principal palace building contains roughly 18 people, and there are three significant special temple buildings inside the Old Fort. The palace was constructed next to the Parakala Mutt’s historic headquarters, whose leaders have remained the Mysore kings’ rajagurus (royal teacher and advisor). The palace faces the Chamundi
Hills since the Mysore kings were Chamundi worshipers.
Four entrances lead into the Palace. To the east, the main entrance is known as “Jaya Maarthaanda,” to the north, “Jayarama,” to the south, “Balarama,” and to the west, “Varaha.” The residential museum, which incorporates some of the palace’s living quarters, as well as other temples and shrines, notably the Shwetha Varahaswamy temple, are all located within the walled royal complex. On Sundays, federal holidays, and during the Dasara celebrations, 97,000 electric bulbs are utilised to illuminate the palace.
Indo-Saracenic is a typical term used to describe the architectural style of the palace’s domes, which incorporates elements of the Gothic, Rajput, Hindu, and Mughal traditions. An Executive Engineer from the appropriate division oversees and inspects the whole architecture and construction. It has a 145-foot, five-story tower and is a three-story stone building with marble domes. A sizable garden surrounds the palace. The Sanskrit motto of the Mysore kingdom is written around its symbol and coat of arms, which are shown on the entrance gate and arch: “न बिभॆति कदाचन” (never terrified). The palace is renowned for its exquisite roof art, tiles and mosaics, portraits of the royal family, and festive items in addition to its exceptional architecture. Additionally, there are exhibit spaces with vintage cannons and weapons from the imperial army, mounted ivory, sandalwood, and pearl boxes, as well as animal-themed granite carvings.

The original palace, which was made of wood, burned down in 1897 during the wedding of Chamaraja Wodeyar’s eldest daughter, Jayalakshammanni. It was rebuilt in 1912 for a price of Rs. 42 lakhs. The current Palace was constructed in an Indo-Saracenic style that combines Rajput, Gothic, Hindu, and Muslim architectural elements. It is a three-story stone building with marble domes and a five-story tower that rises 145 feet. An spectacular sculpture of Gajalakshmi, the goddess of riches, prosperity, good fortune, and abundance, and her elephants is located above the main arch. A sizable garden surrounds the palace. The palace, which Henry Irwin, a well-known British architect, designed, is a treasure trove of fine carvings and artwork from all over the world.
The renowned Wodeyar Maharajas of Mysore are seated in the Mysore Maharaja Palace, a priceless national heritage and the pride of a kingdom. The Wodeyars once owned souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes, and other objects, which are now displayed in the palace’s museum. It is a kaleidoscope of mirrors and stained glass. Doors that are attractively ornamented and intricately carved lead to rooms that are lavishly decorated. Costumes, musical instruments, toys for kids, and a lot of photographs are on show on the ground floor, which also has a closed-off courtyard. There is a modest number of weaponry on the upper floor. White marble floors, solid silver doors, exquisite columned Durbar Hall, and the exquisitely carved mahogany ceilings are a visual feast. The palace is a global treasure trove of magnificent carvings and artistic creations. Doors with exquisite carvings open to opulent spaces. An open balcony at the front of the Amba Vilas Palace is supported by enormous round columns.
Visitors are treated to a visual treat at the ancient Royal Portrait Gallery. Beautifully constructed square towers with domes are located at various cardinal points of this three-story building. They were made by local labourers as well as artisans from Jaipur and Agra. To the south of the structure is the Kalyana Mantapa, a marriage pavilion with a
central octagonal gabled roof covered in stained glass. The sparkling glazed tiles imported from England were used to create the exquisite geometric patterns on the flooring of this spectacular Kalyana Mantapa. Beautiful chandeliers made in Czechoslovakia adorn the structure.
During the Dasara festival, the Chinnada Simhasana or Ratna Simhasana, the regal seat of the, is on display. It has beautiful artwork on its gold plates. The Palace Durbar Hall was where the Maharajas of Mysore held durbars while seated on the golden throne. Along with an original artwork by renowned painter Raja Ravi Verma, there are paintings of eight representations of the goddess Shakthi (strength) on show.
There are twelve Hindu temples in the Mysore Palace complex. The earliest of these was constructed in the fourteenth century, and the most recent in 1953. Some of the more well-known temples include Lakshmiramana Temple, which is devoted to God Lord Vishnu, and the Someshvara Temple, which is devoted to God Lord Shiva. Former Royal family members still reside in a section of the Palace. The Wadiyar dynasty’s leader and the twenty-seventh head of the former reigning family of the Kingdom of Mysore is Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar. He is referred to be the Maharaja of Mysore even though he holds no official title or position.
One of the most iconic pictures of the city is the Mysore Palace silhouetted against a pitch-black night and sparkling from 98,260 lamps. Visitors are welcome to see specific palace areas that have been transformed into the Mysore Palace Museum. Since 2019, visitors are permitted to snap photos inside the Mysore palace, which was previously prohibited. 3.5 million people visit this royal attraction each year.
Mysore Palace is still known as the Royal Seat of the Maharajas of Mysore and is currently run by the Government of Karnataka. The magnificent structure protects numerous priceless relics of the Wodeyars, including trinkets, jewellery, regal attire, and paintings. Even though the palace is accessible to the general public, the former royal family still resides in a portion of it. A portion of these residences are included in the Residential Museum, a museum that is housed within the walled complex. It is not surprising that the palace is one of Mysore’s most important historical sites.
Here, the traditional Mysore Dasara Festival is honoured in all its splendour. Every year, more than 6 million people come here to learn about the rich history of this spectacular monument. The light and sound performance and the evening illumination, in addition to the structure’s majesty, draw large crowds.
It is held in the Mysore Palace, where top performers take the stage on the palace grounds. The palace grounds are the starting point for a procession that features caparisoned elephants and other floats on the tenth day of the festival Vijaya Dashami. Visitors to the Amba Vilas Royal during Mysore Dasara enjoy additional entertainment by
observing the activities of the elephants housed within the Mysore palace grounds during Mysore Dasara 2022. The Mysore Palace entrance is now home to battery-operated vehicles that may be rented for Rs. 40 for adults and Rs. 20 for children to take a “tour” of the palace grounds between the hours of 10 am and 6 pm.