Jaganmohan Palace

Just a short walk west of the famous Mysore Palace stands a quieter building that most first-time visitors walk straight past. That is a mistake. Jagan Mohan Palace is one of the oldest royal structures in the city, and for fifteen crucial years it was the home of the Wodeyar kings themselves. Today it holds one of the finest art collections in South India, including sixteen original Raja Ravi Varma paintings. If you love history, art or simply want to understand how Mysuru became the City of Palaces, this is a stop worth making.

This guide covers the palace's story, what to see inside the art gallery, current timings and entry details, and the best places to pair it with on a day out in Mysuru.

Jagan Mohan Palace at a glance

The history of Jagan Mohan Palace

A royal home before it was a gallery

Jagan Mohan Palace was begun in 1856 and completed in 1861 by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, making it one of the oldest surviving modern structures in Mysuru. It was built as an alternative residence for the royal family, a place for the maharaja to stay whenever the main palace was being renovated or rebuilt.

That role turned out to be more important than anyone expected.

The palace that carried the crown (1897 to 1912)

In 1897, during the wedding celebrations of Princess Jayalakshmi Devi, the old wooden Mysore Palace caught fire and was badly damaged. The family decided to demolish it and build the grand new palace we know today. Construction of the new Amba Vilas Palace ran from 1897 to 1912, and for those fifteen years the royal family lived at Jagan Mohan Palace.

This was no quiet interlude. The coronation of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV took place in the palace pavilion in 1902. The maharaja held his daily durbar here, and the special Dasara durbar too. The first session of the Mysore Representative Council met here in July 1907, and the early convocations of the University of Mysore were held in these halls. For a decade and a half, this building was the working heart of the kingdom.

From palace to public art gallery (1915 onward)

In 1915, Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV gave the palace a new purpose and converted it into an art gallery. In 1955 it was renamed the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery in honour of Maharaja Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, the last ruling monarch of Mysore, who added many precious works to the collection. It is now run by a public charitable trust and remains one of the most respected art institutions in South India. You can read a fuller archival account on the Government of Karnataka's Mysuru district portal.

Reading the facade: architecture worth pausing for

Before you step inside, spend a few minutes with the entrance itself, because this is the only part you are allowed to photograph. The palace is built in the traditional Hindu style across three storeys, and the facade is covered in detailed carving.

The main door is the highlight. Its carvings depict the Dashavatara, the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, flanked by miniature temples and religious motifs. The upper sections carry murals recording the lineage of the Mysore royal family and scenes from the Mysore Dasara. It rewards a slow look before the light and colour of the galleries take over.

Inside the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery

The gallery holds one of the largest art collections in South India, with more than 2,000 paintings spread across three floors. The works span the Mysore, Mughal, Shantiniketan and Western schools, alongside sculptures, coins, weapons and royal furniture. A few pieces deserve special attention.

• The Raja Ravi Varma collection: the gallery's pride is a set of sixteen original paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, the artist who shaped how modern India pictures its own mythology. Many draw on the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and titles here include Malabar Lady, Shairandhri, Victory of Meghanatha and Lady in Moonlight.
• The Glow of Hope: often called the Lady with the Lamp, this watercolour by S.L. Haldenkar is displayed alone in a darkened room. It shows a woman shielding a small lamp, and the room is kept dark so the painted flame seems to light up her face on its own.
• A rare record of war: a set of paintings by Colonel Scot, a British officer during the Anglo-Mysore Wars, is considered the only surviving visual record of those campaigns.
• Curiosities that stay with you: look for the paintings made on a single grain of rice, viewable only through a magnifier, and the French musical clock, where a parade of miniature soldiers appears every hour. The upper floors also hold the maharajas' personal collection of musical instruments, including ornately carved mayuri veenas, dilrubas and sitars.

One honest note: reviews vary on upkeep, and the building has been through restoration work in recent years. Go for the collection and the history rather than a polished museum experience, and you will not be disappointed.

Timings, entry fee and how to reach

• Timings: generally open from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on all days, with tickets usually issued until around 5:00 PM. Because the palace has seen phases of restoration, confirm that it is open on the day you plan to go.
• Entry fee: traditionally nominal, around ₹20 for Indian adults, with a lower rate for children and a higher rate for foreign visitors. Prices are revised from time to time, so treat this as a guide.
• Photography: not allowed inside the galleries. You can photograph the facade and grounds.
• Getting there: the palace sits in the heart of the city, roughly 200 metres west of Mysore Palace and close to the city bus stand and railway station. Autos, cabs and app-based rides reach it easily, and from Mysore Palace it is a comfortable walk.

Best things to do near Jagan Mohan Palace

• Mysore Palace: the Indo-Saracenic showpiece of the city and the natural pairing, a two-minute walk away. See it lit up on a Sunday evening if you can.
• Chamundi Hills: the Chamundeshwari Temple and a sweeping view over the whole city, best in the cool of the morning.
• Mysore Zoo: one of the oldest and best-kept zoos in India, and an easy favourite if you are travelling with family.

For the full picture, our Mysuru road trip maps out palaces, temples, museums and gardens so you can plan a route that flows.

End the day the royal way, with Mysore Pak

There is a neat symmetry to visiting these palaces and then tasting the sweet that was born in one of them. Mysore Pak was first made in the kitchens of the Mysore royal palace, and it has been the signature sweet of the city ever since. After a morning of Wodeyar history, it is the most fitting souvenir you can carry home.

At World of Mysore Pak, every batch is made fresh with pure ghee and the traditional Mysuru recipe. Try the classic traditional Mysore Pak for that crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth original, or the richer special ghee Mysore Pak if you like it soft and indulgent. Browse the full range, with gift boxes and pan-India delivery.

Frequently asked questions

What is Jagan Mohan Palace famous for?

It is famous as the home of the Sri Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery, which holds over 2,000 works including sixteen original Raja Ravi Varma paintings and the celebrated Glow of Hope. It also served as the residence of the Mysore royal family from 1897 to 1912.

Who built Jagan Mohan Palace and when?

It was commissioned by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar). Construction began in 1856 and was completed in 1861, which makes it one of the oldest surviving modern buildings in Mysuru.

What is the difference between Mysore Palace and Jagan Mohan Palace?

Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas) is the grand ceremonial residence known for its Indo-Saracenic architecture and Sunday illumination. Jagan Mohan Palace is older, built in traditional Hindu style, and today functions as an art gallery rather than a ceremonial palace.

What are the timings and entry fee?

The gallery is generally open from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM on all days, with a nominal entry fee of around ₹20 for Indian adults. Timings and fees can change, and the palace has seen restoration phases, so confirm before visiting.

Is photography allowed inside?

No. Photography is not permitted inside the art galleries. You are free to photograph the carved facade and the palace grounds.

How much time do I need?

Most visitors spend 45 to 90 minutes here, enough to walk all three floors of the gallery at an unhurried pace and take in the facade carvings on the way in.

Plan your Mysuru trip

Jagan Mohan Palace is a small stop with a large story. In one modest building you get the drama of the 1897 fire, a decade of kings ruling from its halls, and an art collection that few cities in India can match. Pair it with Mysore Palace and Chamundi Hills, keep a couple of hours free, and you will leave understanding Mysuru far better than the crowds who only see the big palace.

Continue the Mysuru road trip, and don't leave without a box of authentic Mysore Pak.