The Chamundi hill is said to have been named after the Goddess Chamundi, who is an incarnation of Parvati or Durga. Large number of devotees visits the temple all throughout the year, drawn by its glory and beauty. The Chamundi hills are the abode of Maa Chamundeshwari. She dwells in the hills and blesses the city. The temple structure is one of the finest specimens of Dravidian style of architecture, a marvelous piece of art and beauty. The exquisitely carved structure of Nandi was a gift from the Maharaja Dodda Devaraja Wodeyar. The Goddess is highly revered among the devotees.

Chamundeshwari devi is another form of Shakti, a fearful and violent form, destroying evil forces of the world. Her story and deeds are narrated in the Markandya Purana. Two Asuras or demon brothers Shumbha and Nishumbha began to harass the gods as well as the mortals on earth as they became all powerful due to boons received out of severe penance. People were helpless. The gods resorted to prayers to Goddess Parvati to save them from the hands of the demons. The Goddess came down to earth as a beautiful maiden. The demons sent two asura generals called Chanda and Munda to defeat her. Parvati then took a fire form and killed Chanda and Munda. The form is thus called Chamundeshwari, the vanquisher of Chanda and Munda. The temple is also considered as a Shakti peetha. It is said that when Sati jumped into the sacrificial fire lit by her father Daksha because she could not bear the insult of her husband Shiva. Vishnu cut Sati's corpse with his chakra and pieces of her corpse fell at various places on the earth. These places are Shakti peethas and considered very sacred. Mother's hair fell here, it is said.

The festival of Dussehra is celebrated with pomp. The goddess is taken out on a grand procession on the streets of Mysore placed on a decorated elephant called Balarama. Many devotees become a part of the celebration.