Hindu temple in Mysore
Shri Shvethavaraha Swami Gudi
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The story of Shri Shvethavaraha Swami Gudi
Shri Shvethavaraha Swami Gudi stands within Mysore Palace, and what sets it apart is the rare white idol of Lord Varaha inside the shrine. The temple is also known as the Sri Shweta Varahaswamy Temple, and templeinkarnataka.com places it at the southern entrance of Mysore Fort.
The same publication says the stone idol of Shweta Varahaswamy was originally consecrated in Srirangapatna by Chikka Devaraja Wodeyar between 1672 and 1704, then moved here in 1809. It also notes that the temple houses images of Srivaishnava Acharyas, Desikar, and Jiyar, gifted by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in 1829.
For the wider setting, Britannica describes Varaha as the boar incarnation of Vishnu in Hindu tradition, and that helps explain why this shrine matters to devotees here. Templeinkarnataka.com also says numerous inscriptions can be found within the temple, including one on the southern wall of the shrine that dates back to the early 13th century.
If you’re visiting, the practical hours given for this gudi are Monday to Sunday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. When you look around, check the sanctum area and the named images alongside the inscriptions on the walls.
In brief
Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is a historic palace and royal residence located in Mysore, Karnataka, India. It served as the official residence of the Wadiyar dynasty and the seat of the Kingdom of Mysore, and was commissioned by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in August 1897 following the destruction of the previous structure in a fire. The design of the palace is attributed to Henry Irwin, a British architect who had earlier designed the Madras High Court, and Edwin Wolleston Fritchley, who would later design the Lalitha Mahal. Construction of the current structure began in 1897 and was completed in 1912. It is the largest of the seven palaces in the city of Mysore and is a prominent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture, combining Indo-Islamic, Rajput, Hoysala and Gothic architectural styles.
The land on which the palace now stands was recorded as the site of a small fort in the late 14th century. The first palace to occupy the location was built in the 17th century during the reign of Kanthirava Narasaraja I, and was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. Since the early 19th century, the Mysore Dasara festival has been annually held on the palace grounds, culminating in an elephant procession on Vijayadashami. In 1998, the Karnataka state government enacted the Mysore Palace Acquisition Act, acquiring ownership of the palace from the Wadiyar family; the act was subsequently challenged in court, and is the subject of an ongoing legal dispute.
The main palace houses a public museum alongside the living quarters of Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the current ceremonial head of the Wadiyar dynasty. In addition to the palace, the overall complex encompasses multiple gardens, several Hindu temples (some of which predate the current palace itself), and the old walls of the original fort. As of 2024, Mysore Palace is one of the most famous tourist attractions in India, with more than four million annual visitors.
Before you go
- Open today
- 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
- Time to allow
- 30-60 min
- Best months
- May to September, November to February
- Address
- 8M34+G87, Agrahara, Chamrajpura, Mysuru, Karnataka 570001, India