Mysore Palace

Mysore, Karnataka

The current palace was designed by British architect Henry Irwin in the Indo-Saracenic style (a blend of Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and Gothic elements) and completed in 1912 for the Wodeyar Maharajas of Mysore. The exterior is built of fine grey granite with pink marble domes; the interior features stained glass ceilings, mosaic floors, gold-leaf throne, ivory howdahs, and painting galleries including Raja Ravi Varma's works. The Dasara festival (Navaratri to Vijayadashami) transforms Mysore into a City of Lights — the palace-lit procession on the final day is one of India's grandest royal pageants. The Chamundeshwari Temple on Chamundi Hill is nearby, 13 km away.