Frommer's India by Pippa de Bruyn

Author:Pippa de Bruyn
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780470556108
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2010-03-10T10:00:00+00:00

2 Mysore

140km (87 miles) SW of Bengaluru; 473km (293 miles) N of Chennai; 1,177km (730 miles) SE of Mumbai

A city of palatial buildings and tree-lined boulevards, laid-back Mysore is possessed of a quaint charm, a dignified hangover from the days when it was the capital of a rich princely state, and remains a popular destination for travelers, particularly for its Maharajah’s Palace. Built over a period of 15 years at the turn of the 20th century, at a cost then of over Rs 4 million, this astonishing Indo-Saracenic palace is testament to the affluence of one of India’s greatest ruling dynasties. During the 10-day Dussehra Festival, held here during the first half of October, the entire city is dressed up in show-off style; each night Mysore Palace is lit up by 80,000 bulbs, and on the final evening of festivities, the maharajah, dressed in royal finery, leads one of the country’s most spectacular processions on elephants through the city streets. Mysore is also an ideal base from which to explore the temples known as the “Jewel Boxes” of Hoysala architecture, which lie some 3 hours north, as well as the nearby Jain pilgrimage site at Sravanabelgola.

ESSENTIALS

Getting There & Away Trains from Bengaluru (3 hr.) and Hassan (for Hoysala heartland; 2–3 hr.) pull in regularly at the railway station ( 131 or 0821/242-2103), situated at the intersection of Jhansi Laxmi Bai Road and Irwin Road. Frequent and comfortable AC Volvo buses ply the road between Mysore and Bengaluru (Rs 250) starting from the main bus-stand; journey takes approximately 3 hours. For Rajiv Gandhi National Park and Coorg, your best option is to hire a car. (Note: If traveling by own vehicle, set aside an hour to visit the 400-year-old Banyan tree en route to Mysore, spread over a hectare (4 acres)—plenty of tourists but worth the detour.)

Visitor Information For information, visit the Karnataka Tourist Office (Mayura Yatri Niwas, JLB Rd., near railway station; 0821/242-3652; daily 6:30am–8:30pm).

Getting Around Negotiate taxi prices in advance, or hire a vehicle for the day (recommended if you wish to visit the Keshava Temple; expect to pay Rs 835 for half day and Rs 1,100 for full day). Auto-rickshaws are cheap and plentiful; you can either insist that the driver use his meter (Rs 15 at the start) or fix a price upfront; the latter is likely to get you to your destination quicker (see chapter 3). Don’t pay for any taxi or vehicle without first checking its condition. You can organize a car through your hotel travel desk, but it’s likely to be more expensive (Rs 835–Rs 1,100).

Guided Tours & Travel Agents Operating since 1976, Seagull Travels (8 Best Western Ramanashree Hotel Complex, Bengaluru-Niligiri Rd.; 0821/252-9732, or 0821/426-0054 and -3653; fax 0821/252-0549; www.seagulltravels.net; daily 9:45am–8:45pm) handles a wide range of travel needs, including ticketing, taxi arrangements, and individually packaged tours (although prices can fluctuate arbitrarily). Seagull can also help arrange your trip to the popular government-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts across Karnataka. Another local travel agent is Skyway International Travels (3704/4, Jhansi Laxmibai Rd.

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