Must-buy souvenirs to remember your trip to Mysuru
What's the story
Famed for its rich cultural heritage, Mysuru sits just 143 km away from Bengaluru. The city's tourist scene revolves around its incredible temples, beautiful palaces, and thriving gardens. But wait, there's more! Shopaholics will find Mysuru to be an absolute blessing. While you are there, don't forget to grab some one-of-a-kind souvenirs that you can only find in the royal city of Mysuru.
Sandalwood
Sandalwood products
The heavenly aroma of sandalwood in Mysuru is simply divine. In 1916, King Krishnaraja Wodeyar and Diwan Sir M. Visvesvaraya established the Government Sandalwood Oil Factory with a mission to produce the purest sandalwood oil. But that's not all! Today, you can also discover a variety of sandalwood-infused products like soap, perfumes, incense sticks, and powder, all radiating the goodness of this divine scent.
Sweets
Mysore pak
If there is one specialty that Mysore is synonymous with, it's the famous sweet Mysore pak. The origin of Mysore pak dates back almost 70 years when the king of Mysuru requested a cook to create a unique sweet dish that would bear the city's name. This skilled cook crafted a rich delicacy using flour, sugar, and butter, which was later named Mysore pak.
Rosewood
Rosewood artifacts
During Tipu Sultan's era, rosewood artifacts emerged as a popular form of craftsmanship. These intricately designed pieces were decorated with precious materials like sandalwood, mother of pearl, horn, and ivory. Today, you can find genuine inlay artifacts in Government shops and emporiums. The craftsmanship of these artifacts is so unique to the region that it has been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
Toys
Channapatna toys
Channapatna toys are not only bright, colorful, and utterly adorable, but they are also incredibly handy and inexpensive. The toys have a historical connection to Tipu Sultan, who invited Persian artisans to teach local craftsmen the art of wooden toy making. Made from various locally available wood, the toys are colored with vegetable dyes and polished to a nice sheen.
Agarbattis
Incense sticks
Mysuru is often regarded as the incense stick capital of Karnataka. The art of making incense sticks in this city traces back to the Vedic tradition and Ayurvedic texts. Also known as agarbattis, they come in scents like jasmine, sandalwood, rose, lily, champak, and more. Preserve the essence of Mysuru's alluring aroma and rich cultural heritage by taking these incense sticks as souvenirs.