World's 1000 beautiful tourist places

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Folklore museum : It is in Mysore University campus, west of the city. The exhibits include carved wooden figures from Karnatakan villages, pieces with panache, decorative masks and ceremonial headdresses and some spectacular 'thogalu bombeeata' (leather shadow puppets). The wooden puppets include a 10 headed demon Ravana.

Railway museum is near the railway station.

Mysore Zoo : One of the best zoos in India with pretty gardens (Admission Rs 20, Camera Rs 10, closed on Tuesday). The animals include four white tigers, nine Bengal tigers, a range of primates, elephants, bears, birds and Rhinos.

Karanji lake nature park : It is just past the Mysore zoo is a heaven for bird watchers (Admission Rs 10, Camera Rs 10).

Other attractions of the city are Government House on Irwin road, formerly the British Residency, statue of Raja Chamarajendar Wodeyar, silver jubilee clock tower, Rangacharlu memorial town hall, statue of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar at KR circle and the towering St. Philomina's church. It is one of the largest church in India built between 1933 and 1941 in the neo-Gothic style.

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Sandalwood factory : sandalwood oil is manufactured only in Mysore. The factory is on Mananthody road at Askokapuram (2 km from Mysore palace, closed on Sundays). One can purchase incense sticks (agarbathi) and sandalwood oil (5 ml at Rs 300).

Government silk factory : It is on Mananthody road at Askokapuram (closed on Sundays). One can see the weavers at work. On-site shop sells silk and another showroom is at KR circle. For shopping silk in the city, Devaraj Urs road is the best.

Cauvery Arts & crafts emporium : It is on Sayyaji road, which sells a variety of Mysore's expensive goods.

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Around Mysore

Somnathpur : The Keshava temple is 33 km from Mysore (Admission Rs 5). The astonishingly beautiful was built in 1268 by Hoysala kings. The walls of this star shaped temple are covered with superb stone sculptures depicting various scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita, and the life and times of the Hoysala kings. Take a bus to Bannur (Rs 12, 30 min) and change there for Somnathpur, a further 10 km travel.

Srirangapatnam : The island capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan is located 16 km from Mysore. IN 1799, British conquered Tipu Sultan with the help of disgruntled local leaders. The fort is in ruins with a dungeon where Tipu held British officers captive, a mosque and Sri Ranganatha swamy temple.

One kilometre east of the fort is Tipu's summer palace - Daria Daulat Baugh. The highly decorated interior houses a small museum (Rs 5). About 2 km further east is the impressive mausoleums - Gumbaz - of Tipu and his father, Hyder Ali. The Sangam of Cauvery river is 500 m away, where one can have coracle ride at Rs 25. Beware of crocodiles too.

Ranganathittu bird sanctuary : It is 3 km from Srirangapatnam and is on an island in the Cauvery river (Admission Rs 10, camera Rs 20). Early morning and late afternoon are the best time to watch birds. The best season is April to July. Boat rides (Rs 25 per person) will help to watch the birds closely. The birds found here are stork, ibis, egret, spoonbill and cormorant.

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Brindavan gardens : The ornamental gardens below the Krishnaraja Sagar dam is a popular picnic spot (Admission Rs 10, camera Rs 25). The garden will be illuminated daily from 7 to 8 pm. The illuminated dancing musical fountain is another attraction.

Bus No 301, 304, 305, 306 and 365 depart from Mysore's City bus stand (Rs 7, 45 minute, 19 km).

Tibettan settlements : Travel by Mysore-Madikeri (Mercara, Coorg) bus and get down at Kushalnagar. Shared autos will take you to Sera at Rs 10. The Namdroling monastery is 5 km from Kushalnagar is the home of Golden temple having a 18 m high gold plated Buddha. When the school is in session and it rings out with gongs, drums and chanting of hundreds of young novices. The spectacular Zangdogpalri temple is nearby.

About 2 km from Namdroling, Sera village is the site of Sera Jhe and Sera Mey monasteries, which houses around 5000 monks here.

Madikeri : Madikeri is the capital of cool town Kodagu (Coorg) region. The green mountainous region is a good base for treks to the nearby peaks - Tadiyendamol (1745 m) and Pushpagiri (1712 m). The trekking season is from Oct to March and a guide is essential for the forested route treks.

The forested hills, whose roads ramble through flowering vines, cardomom plantations, bamboo trees (nibbled by elephants) and coffee estates. In March and April, white blossoms illuminate the hills of deep green coffee plants.

The Kodava wedding ceremonies include complex dances, mock fighting with sticks and symbolic chopping of a banana leaf with a sword can be viewed at Madikeri's Kodava Samaja building.

Abbi falls (7 km) and the Raja's tombs on the route are nice places to visit. The Municipal headquarters (fort), nearby old church and the Omkareshwara temple are worth a visit.

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Belur : The Channekeshava temple was constructed in 1116 to commemorate the Hoysala's victory over the Cholas at Talakad. The religious ceremonies are at 9 am, 3 pm and 7.30 pm. The front of the temple has dancers and characters from Kamasutra, while the back has gods. The internal supporting pillars are also decorated with carvings. The 14 century seven storey gopuram has sensual sculptures portraying the activities of dancing girls of the temple.

The other Hoysala temples of Belur are the Chennigaraya and the Viranarayana temples. Direct buses operate from Mysore (Rs 60, 4.5 hour). Halebid is 16 km from Belur an has a bus in every 30 minutes.

Halebid : The Hoysaleswara temple is the most outstanding examples of Hoysala art with it's intricate carvings. The star shaped temple set on a platform is covered with riots of Hindu deities, sages, stylised animals and friezes depicting the life of the Hoysala rulers.

The temple is in a garden and have a small museum (Rs 2, Friday closed). The Kedareswara temple enclosure in Halebid has three Jain temples with fine carvings.

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Sravanabelagola : It is one of the most important Jain pilgrim centres in India, and the site of the 17.5 m high Gomateshvara statue (Bahubali). The statue was carved out of granite by the sculptor Aristenemi in 981 AD. Bahubali's father was the great emperor Vrishabhadeva, who became the first Jain tirthankar (revered Jain teacher), Adinath.

The statue is on Vindhyagiri hill and can be reached by 614 rock cut steps with naked foot (even no socks !). Sravanabelagola is 48 km from Hassan. Travel to Channarayapatana (Rs 15, 45 minutes) and change there.

The other temples of the town are Chandragupta Basti on the nearby Chandragiri hill, Bhandar Basti with the Sravanabelagola's largest temple, Chandranatha Basti temple with 650 year old paintings.

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Jog falls : The highest waterfall in India. The longest of the four falls Raja, which drops 293 m. There is little flow due to Linganamakki dam further up the Sharavati river. The bottom of the falls can be accessed via 1200 steps. Beware of leeches during monsoon season.

Three buses go to Karwar via Kumta (Rs 38, 3 hour). Karwar is a station on the Mangalore - Madgaon (Goa) Konkan rail line.

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Araku valley & Borra caves, AP : Andhra's best train ride through the magnificent Eastern ghats to the Araku valley, 120 km north of Visakhapatanam. The area is the home to isolated tribal communities and the tiny museum of Habitat. The million year old Borra caves filled with stalagmites an stalactites is 30 km from Araku. A train leaves Vizag at 7.45 am and reaches Araku (Rs 24, 5 hour). The train leaves Araku for Vizag at 3 pm. The rail route further leads to Jagdalpur (200 km, Chhatisgarh), which is famous for it's waterfalls.



Belum caves : Longest underground cave system in India, about 3.225 km long and 30 m deep. 2 km of the area has been made accessible for public viewing. Beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations, huge halls, waterfalls and a hall of lingas gives a breathtaking view. Underground water springs and streams developed. The caves are in Karnool district in Andhra Pradesh.

Entry Fee: Adult Rs.25/-; Child Rs.15/-

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Kerala : God's Own Country. Experience the floating life of Kerala's backwaters in a houseboat, enjoy the village life, paddy fields and coconut groves. Kerala has beautiful beaches and a number of wildlife sanctuaries sit side by side with coffee and spice plantations. Experience the most renowned dance 'Kathakali', the holy dance 'theyyam' near the villages of Kannur. The 16th century Jewish synagogue at Kochi, Chinese nets and colonial architecture of Fort Kochi are unforgettable. The delicious cuisine and the hospitality of the people will put your plans to see the rest of India in serious trouble.

Kerala is the right place to have an Ayurvedic massage. Main festival of the state is Onam (Aug/Sep). Other festivals are Trissur Pooram (April/May), Nehru Trophy boat race at Alapuzha (2 nd Sat in Aug). The main pilgrim centres are Guruvayur temple near Thrissur and Sabarimala.

Vasco da Gamma's arrival in 1498 at Kappad beach near Kozhikode heralded an era of European colonialism. The Kerala state was formed on 1 Nov 1956. Kerala had the first freely elected communist government in the world, elected in 1957. State has low infant mortality and 91% literacy (highest in India).

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Thiruvananthapuram : The main attractions are admanabhaswamy temple, Zoological gardens, Napier museum, Sri Chitra art gallery, Science museum, Secretariat buildings, Kovalam beach etc.

Padmanabhapuram palace : The palace constructed in teak and granite is the finest example of traditional Keralan architecture (Admission Rs 10, camera Rs 25, Monday closed). It has rosewood ceilings carved in floral patterns, windows laid with jewel-coloured mica and floors finished to a high special compound of crushed shells,coconuts, egg whites and local plant juices. The palace has intricately carved rosewood chairs, screens and ceilings, as well as large Chinese pickle jars. Guides are available at Rs 50 to 100.

From Thiruvananthapuram, travel by Kanyakumari bus and get off at Thuckalay. The palace is 15 min by walk or travel by auto.