Mysore Shopping: Of Sweets, Sandalwood and Silk

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Distance from Bengaluru: 143 kilometres

The name Mysore brings the image of its royal foundation in one’s mind. One of South India’s famous tourist destinations, Mysore is known for its royal heritage and magnificient  buildings and monuments. My rendezvous with Mysore grew into a dear tale of delightful shopping experiences. Nohing could match the exceptional collection of Mysore.  Ranging from its silk sarees to Mysore pak (which I have already raved about in my previous blog on Mysore) to wooden handicrafts, Mysore never disheartens its tourists especially shoppers!!  Armed with a water bottle, head scarf and glares, off we went on Mysore shopping spree!

These were our favourite purchases and some of the fondest possessions:

Sweets

Despite practically feasting on Mysore pak throughout my friend’s wedding celebrations, I was worried about leaving the city without buying some for home. At Guru Sweet Mart on Sayajji Rao Road and Mahalakshmi Sweets on Devaraj URS Road, we found the best Mysore pak in town. The amazing flavour, the astonishing fragrance and that amazing taste, you cannot find any sweet of the same league as Mysore Pak anywhere else in the world. Guru Sweet Mart prides itself in preserving the tradition and flavours of the original recipe as it is run by the descendants of the royal cook who invented this masterpiece. A range of variations of the dessert (in texture and flavour) also took me by surprise here.

Made of such simple ingredients like flour, sugar and ghee, this fattening, sinful and melting dessert leaves me craving for more with every bite!

 Silks

My love for sarees only comes next to my love for indulgent sweets. As we headed to the Government Silk Factory and KR Circle in Mysore to explore the world of Mysore’s silk sarees, my trip was becoming better and better. Mysore silk is known all over the world for its super fine fabric and a soft texture. Available in wide variety of colours and pattern and prints, Mysore never fails to surprise its tourist  when it comes to shopping, especially sarees. 

Lost in shades of blue, yellow and magenta, and comparing one border pattern with another, I felt like a princess as I threw the sarees over my shoulder and cherished the feel of the silk. Vibrant colours, soft texture and pleasant lustre, Mysore sarees are elegance materialized and after one hour of browsing through the multitude of pieces, I finally bought my saree and decided to wear it on the wedding, ditching the dress I had initially planned to wear!

Handicrafts

Mysore handicrafts range from sandalwood and rosewood art pieces like wall hangings, corner tables and other furniture, to stone sculptures, paintings and incense sticks. The Cauvery Handicrafts Emporium on Sayyaji Rao Road is a one stop destination for handicrafts. Also, on our way to the Chamundi Hills we found a number of vendors selling wooden handicrafts. Some of my favourite picks were wooden statutes and jasmine incense sticks!

Mysore has a lot more on offer. One of the most popular shopping destinations in the city is the Devaraja Market (Dating from Tipu Sultan’s reign, this lively bazaar has local traders selling traditional items such as flower garlands, spices and conical piles of kumkum (coloured powder used for bindi dots), all of which makes for some great photo-ops. Refresh your bargaining skills before shopping) where everything from matching attires and shoes to street food outlets can bring you closer to the culture of the city.

Mysore has retail outlets of the leading brands too, but in such a culturally vivid city, we just weren’t looking for foreign labels.

Referred as the cultural capital of South karnataka, Mysore is well known for its festivities apart from its palaces and sarees and hndicrafts. The 10 day Dasara festival is celebratted on a large scale in Mysore at the Chamunda Temple. 

The Nagarhole national park, the wildlife sanctuaries at Melkote and B R Hills and bird sanctuaries at Ranganathittu and Kokrebellur are another tourist attractions.

For all the art fanatics and foodies like me, Mysore is calling! And the best part is that it can be covered as a long weekend getaway from Kolkata! 

Where to Stay? Hotel Jade Garden (3 star), Regaalis (4 star), Country Inn & Suites by Carlson (5 star)

Budget: Rs 13,000 per person (inclusive of 3-star hotel stay for 2 nights in Ooty and 1 night in Mysore)

Distance from Bangalore: Mysore can be conveniently reached through a direct flight or via a flight to Bengaluru and further by taxi.

Traveller Type: Families, History Lovers, Couples

Things to see: Mysore palace, Sri Champundeswari temple, Mysore zoo, Rail museum, Jaganmohan Palace

Coming up next, some memorable day trips from Mysore. Keep reading…