Brindavan Gardens Mysore

Mysore is known as the ‘City of Sandalwood’ and it is famous as a major tourist hot spot in India. Myriads of tourists throng towards Mysore from different parts of the world in order to enjoy the charm and the wonder of this beautiful city. Brindavan Gardens is one of the chief tourist attractions in Mysore and this spot is able to lure thousands of tourists from all over the world. The garden is spread in an area of sixty acres and serves as a home for some of the rarest species of trees and flowers. The entire garden is found to be speckled with flower beds, colorful fountains and beautiful pools. There are many hotels located in and around the Brindavan Gardens Mysore and these hotels are very good at catering to the requirements of the middle and the high income groups of people who visit the garden.

The Cauvery Irrigation Department known as the Cauvery Niravari Nigama, an enterprise of the Government of Karnataka, looks after the management and the maintenance of the Brindavan Gardens Mysore. The garden is spread is an area of about sixty acres and also consists of a fruit orchard that is spread around 75 acres. Apart from the fruit orchard, there are two horticulture farms located in the garden namely Chandravana and Nagavana. These farms cover an area of about 35 aces. The Nagavana is spread in area of 30 cares while the Chandravana possesses only 5 acres of land. There are three terraces that the Brindavan Gardens is laid in. the terraces contain ficus trees, water fountains, flowering plants such as Marigold, bougainvillea and celosia and even foliage plants like euphorbia and duranta plumaria. An entry fee is charged for the garden which is open to the general public. The Brindavan Gardens also consist of topiary works meaning clipping shrubs for the creation of animal sculptures. Pergolas and gazebos are shaded passageways that use creepers as covering and they are commonly found in the garden. Major attraction of the Brindavan Gardens Mysore is the musical fountain where the music of song is synchronized with the bursts of water. The garden also comprises a lake where boating facilities are available for the visitors.

The renovation of the garden was carried out in the year 2005 and the Government of Karnataka spent around Rs.5 crore for this purpose. The renovation work included repairing the dysfunctional fountains and modifying the musical fountain by the use of a digitized system. In 2007, the Brindavan Gardens were closed for a very short span of time. This was a safety measure taken to avoid the trouble that related directly to the Kaveri water disagreement.

Brindavan Gardens Mysore is the most visited place by tourists in Mysore which is located at a distance of about 19 kilometers from the city of Mysore in Karnataka. The gardens are famous because of the dancing fountains that are illuminated and are a beauty to watch after sunset.

The Krishnarajasagara dam which is called Kannambadi by the locals serves as one of the major tourists attractions near Brindavan Gardens. This dam is a unique example of engineering at its best. India’s fine engineer, Sir M. Vishveswariah, built this dam in the year 1924.

The engineer used ‘surkhi’ which is a mixture of brick powder and limestone for the construction of the dam instead of using cement. Previously the dam serves as one and only example of a dam possessing sluice gates that were automatic. The dam is properly named after Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysore and the financer of the dam. The location of the dam is the confluence of rivers Lakshmanathritha, Hemavati and Cauvery. The length of the dam is 3 kilometers and the lake formed by the dam is one of the largest lakes in India. The dam came into being as a multipurpose project that aimed at supplying water to the Mysore and the Mandya districts of Karnataka. The dam was a project initiated by Sir M. Vishveswariah which also ensured proper power supply to the project named Shivanasamudra. It is only due to the design and the architecture of the Krishnarajasagara dam that Sir M. Vishveswariah is also called “the father of planning in India” and the architect of Mysore.

Sir Mirza Ismail designed the Brindavan Gardens Mysore. Sir Mirza Ismail was a progressive and important diwan of Mysore. It is not only the meticulous lay out of the gardens but it is also the beautiful shrubs, lawns and thousands of fountains is different sizes and shapes that make the garden an exclusive piece of design and structure in India. The entire design of the Brindavan Gardens is a perfect display of the orientations followed in Mughal patterns consisting of a shimmering necklace made out of fountains and garden paths. On the southern end of the bank, there is a unique pavilion that can be used by the visitors to get a view of the gardens. There are different other highlights found within the garden such as the fisheries station, hydraulic research station and the children’s park. Goddess Cauvery’s sculpture located at the base of the dam also plays a great role in adding a unique touch of holiness to the gardens.   

The fountains have been lit up with lamps that are very colorful and set with music that is pleasant for the ears. The gardens should be visited after sunset so that one can enjoy the colorful fountains dancing with joy to the accompanying music. The sight is worth beholding because the entire garden gets transformed into a fairyland after sunset when the fountains are lighted up. The sight of the gardens is breathtaking and wonderful because of the symmetric gardens that have been laid out beautifully, the scenic location and most of all the dancing fountains that are fantastic and awe-inspiring. The lights that have been used in the fountains also consist of lasers that transform the music and dance show into a dramatic piece of entertainment for the visitors.

The garden is worth visiting because of its exclusive beauty and also because of the fine landscape and the location that it possesses. People who plan to visit the gardens should have it very clear in mind that the gardens do not provide any accommodation facilities. There are no hotels and inns found within the garden because it would hamper the natural beauty of the garden. This is an initiative taken up by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation. However, people can always look for the best hotels, inns and guest houses close to the gardens. The hotels available around the garden serve a very good purpose and they are always at their best in providing the services that are required by their customers. The hotels are also quite affordable and they can be hired for a day or two. There are other important tourist attractions in Mysore that should also be taken into consideration in order to make the visit a memorable one. People paying their visit to the garden should look into the beauty of the garden but they should also make it a point not to destroy its beauty by trying out habits and manners that are considered to be unhygienic.

Initially the finances of the Brindavan Gardens Mysore were looked after and taken care of by the King of Mysore Maharaja Krishnarajasagara Wodeyar. Later on, after the establishment of the Indian Government, the finances of the garden are looked after by the Government of Karnataka. In 2003-2004, the gate collection of the garden was Rs. 2.07 crores which increased to Rs. 2.69 crores in 2004-2005. In 2006, the gate collection of the Brindavan Gardens Mysore was Rs. 4.3 crores. This revenue that is collected through the entry fees of the garden is shared between the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and the Cauvery Niravari Nigam in a ratio of 3:1.

The Location: The Brindavan Gardens is located in the Mysore city of Karnataka in India. The Brindavan Gardens lies adjacent the Krishnarajasagara dam built across River Kaveri.

Timings: The Brindavan Gardens continue remaining illuminated from 7 pm to 7.55 pm in the evening from Monday to Wednesday and from 7 pm to 8.55 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.


The lay out work of the garden began in 1927 and the laying out of the garden was completed in the year 1932. It is estimated that approximately 2 million tourists visit the garden every year and the garden serves to be a major tourist attraction of Mysore.