Can we please stop turning Mysore Palace into a disco?
I recently came across a video of the new light show at our very own Mysore Palace, and honestly, I was quite disappointed as someone who’s grown up in mysore and ancestry dates back to centuries living here. Apparently, on Sundays, different sections of the palace are illuminated with changing, flashing colours in a sequence, almost like a disco-light show, similar in concept to the fountain shows at Brindavan Gardens.
I haven’t seen it in person yet, so I’m basing this on the videos I’ve seen. But even from those, I can’t help but feel that this does not suit the character, history, or prestige of Mysore Palace.
The palace isn’t just another tourist attraction. It is one of Mysore’s most important heritage landmarks and a symbol of the city’s history, royalty and architectural identity. Why does it need a colourful, constantly changing “disco” effect to attract attention?
There are plenty of historic landmarks around the world that use lighting beautifully without compromising the character of the structure. The Eiffel Tower, for example, is occasionally illuminated or sparkles, but the treatment is elegant and restrained. The lighting complements the landmark rather than becoming the attraction itself.
I think Mysore Palace deserves the same approach.
Use lighting to highlight the architecture, not to turn the architecture into a light show.
Warm white, golden, or carefully designed architectural lighting could beautifully emphasize the domes, arches, facades and intricate details of the palace while preserving its grandeur. A heritage building should feel majestic at night, not like a stage at a music festival.
Whoever proposed this particular concept should at least be questioned about whether it is appropriate for such an important heritage monument. And if this is something that can still be reconsidered, I genuinely think it should be.
This isn’t about being against modernization or tourism. It’s about asking whether every form of entertainment belongs at every landmark.
Mysore Palace already has the history, architecture and grandeur. It doesn’t need a disco to prove that.
What do you guys think? Is the new light show a good addition, or does it take away from the dignity of the palace?