235 Karnataka Karnataka KARNATAKA Glorious monuments that transport you back in time, hills that stand like sentinels, nestling within their folds romantic hill stations, pristine beaches, thundering waterfalls, and a throbbing IT pulse, Karnataka captivates, enchants and inspires every visitor. Besides being the 'Silicon Valley of India', Bangalooru also exudes the charm of being India's Garden City. Flowering trees and parks make the capital city a pleasure to walk in. It is also a city of striking contrasts: on one hand the gracious garrison town features colonial buildings in big compounds, and on the other, you have the shimmering granite and chrome complexes, side by side. The pace of life, like the intellectual and political BANGALOORU climate, is brisk. Regarded as one of India's most progressive and liberal cities as far as social attitudes go, it boasts of a congenial climate, bars and pubs, fast-food parlours as well as traditional tiffin meals. A cosmopolitan whiff pervades this modern city. Bangalooru was founded in 1537 AD by a Vijayanagar chieftan Kempe Gowda. Legend goes that the king of Vijayanagar Veera Ballala once lost his way while hunting in a forest. Hungry and tired, he came upon a lone hut where he met an old woman, who served him some baked beans ( in Kannada). This humble meal tasted so good to the king that he called the place (the place of baked beans). This in time transformed into Bangalooru. In the 18th century it was the stronghold of HaiderAli and Tipu Sultan. Today, it is the fifth largest city of India and the country's silicon city or computer heartland which also includes industries like aircraft, telephones, electronics, etc. A magnificent post- Independence structure is the , in Cubbon Park The imposing Benda Kalu Benda Kaluooru Vidhan Sabha . City Lights Vidhan Sabha Bidar Gulbarga Bijapur Raichur Bagalkot Belgaum Dharwad Koppal Gadag Bellary Uttara Kannada Haveri Davanagere Shimoga Chitradurga Udupi Chikmagalur Tumkur Kolar Hassan Dakshina Kannada Kodagu Mysore Chamarajanagar Bangalore Rural Bangalore Mandya Tumkur KARNATAKA ANDHRA PRADESH TAMIL NADU KERALA MAHARASHTRA Map not to Scale
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235
Karnataka
Karnataka
KAR
NATAKA
Glorious monuments that transportyou back in time, hills that stand likesentinels, nestling within their foldsromantic hill stations, pristinebeaches, thundering waterfalls, and athrobbing IT pulse, Karnatakacaptivates, enchants and inspiresevery visitor.
Besides being the 'Silicon Valley ofIndia', Bangalooru also exudes thecharm of being India's Garden City.Flowering trees and parks make thecapital city a pleasure to walk in. It isalso a city of striking contrasts: on onehand the gracious garrison townfeatures colonial buildings in bigcompounds, and on the other, you havethe shimmering granite and chromecomplexes, side by side. The pace oflife, like the intellectual and political
BANGALOORU
climate, is brisk. Regarded as one ofIndia's most progressive and liberalcities as far as social attitudes go, itboasts of a congenial climate, bars andpubs, fast-food parlours as well ast r a d i t i o n a l t i f f i n m e a l s . Acosmopolitan whiff pervades thismodern city.
Bangalooru was founded in 1537 ADby a Vijayanagar chieftan KempeGowda. Legend goes that the king ofVijayanagar Veera Ballala once losthis way while hunting in a forest.Hungry and tired, he came upon a lonehut where he met an old woman, whoserved him some baked beans (
in Kannada). This humble mealtasted so good to the king that he calledthe place (the placeof baked beans). This in timetransformed into Bangalooru. In the18th century it was the stronghold ofHaiderAli and Tipu Sultan. Today, it isthe fifth largest city of India and thecountry's silicon city or computerheartland which also includesindustries like aircraft, telephones,electronics, etc. A magnificent post-Independence structure is the
, in Cubbon Park The imposing
BendaKalu
Benda Kaluooru
VidhanSabha .
City Lights
Vidhan Sabha
Bidar
Gulbarga
Bijapur
RaichurBagalkotBelgaum
DharwadKoppal
Gadag
Bellary
UttaraKannada
Haveri
Davanagere
Shimoga Chitradurga
UdupiChikmagalur
Tumkur
Kolar
HassanDakshinaKannada
Kodagu Mysore
Chamarajanagar
Bangalore Rural
Bangalore
Mandya
Tumkur
KARNATAKA
ANDHRA PRADESH
TAMIL NADU
KERALA
MAHARASHTRA
Map not to Scale
grani te s t ruc ture houses thesecretariat, the state legislature andseveral government offices. Its hugecarved doors are made of puresandalwood. The 300 acre
houses many other Greco-colonial style buildings of the British
CubbonPark
Mary's Cathedral
Venkataramanswamy Temple,
Art Galleries:
Cinema:
Amusement Parks:
Mavalli Tiffin Rooms
Sunny's
South Indian:
Confectioners:
Cafes:
Chinese:
is a grand Basillicawith an impressive tower and typicallyg o t h i c p o i n t e d a r c h e s . T h e
nearTipu's palace, was built by ChikkaDeva Raja Wodeyar nearly 300 yearsago and is still in worship.
Venkatappa ArtGallery: 22864483, Gallery Zen:25581578, Lakshana Art Gallery:22207946, Crimson Art Gallery:25592251, Time & Space: 22996563,Max Muellar: 22275435, Bhavan'sArtGallery: 22265746.
Thrillarium:25323804, Freeway 19 Go KartingCentre: 23091661, Megabowl:25229746, Jaamba Jungle: 25092233,Alley 365: 22273826, Fun Station:5098327.
Whether it is typically south Indian
fare at the or
the great pastas at , Bangalore
has a wide variety of places to eat at.
For Daksh in
(22269898), Karavali: 25584545,
Konkan: 25521530, Nandhini:
22203842, Amravathi: 5913718,
MTR: 22220022.Koshy's: 22211516,
Cake Shop of the Taj: 25594349,
Sugar N Spice: 25584444, La
Boulangerie: 22262233.Potluck: 25584545, Kapalua:
25276770, 1498AD: 22205205.
Chungwa: 25582662,
Szechwan Court: 25585858, Mahjong
City Culture
Gourmet's Delights
236
Karnataka
era like the and the. Another major attraction
is , an eleganttwo storey wooden structure withornate pillars, balconies, arches and awell-maintained garden. It resemblest h e D a r i a D a u l a t P a l a c e a tSrirangapatnam. The
is a recent addition to the listof the city's attractions. Therebuilt by Haider Ali in 1761, has a
Public LibraryHigh Court
Tipu's Summer Palace
ISKCONTemple
Fort,
well-preserved Ganapati temple.Theis
dedicated to Lord Shiva. It also has arare idol of , God of fire. AtBasavanagudi is one of the oldesttemples, the typical ofthe Dravidian style of architecture.
Gangadhareswara Cave Temple
Bull Temple,St
Agni
Cubbon Park
ISKCON Temple
Room: 22269898, Opium: 5276770,
Mandarin Room: 22269462, Silver
Wok: 22242288.Lotus: 22250202,
Spiga: 22996781, The Gri l l :22262233, Bangalore Bis t ro :22201616 , Herbs & Spices :25290399, Italia (Italian): 25594666,San Pedro (Mexican): 25584444.
Royal Afghan:22269898, Dhanush: 25276770,Northern Café: 25584545,Tijori: 22205205, Treat: 25201470,Nizam's: 25251097.
Dublin: 22269898, The PubWorld: 25585206, NASA: 25586512,The New Night Watchman: 25588372,Mars 2211: 25093031, The Bunker:25913718, Urban Edge: 2211574,
I Bar: 25594666, Jockey Club:25584444, Geoffrey's: 25205566,Opium: 25276770, The Crazy HorseBar: 56605660, Insomnia: 22262233.
Bangalooru is not just a shopping hubfor silk and sandalwood it also offers arange that encompasses khadi coutureto the latest capris. The shoppingdistrict is undoubtedly, the areabetweenand .
The BombayStore:25320014,BigBazaar:25520889,The Wear House, West Side, Shopper'sStop, Kids Kemp, Kemp Fort.
Sabha:25360059, Dakshini: 25356572,Mrignayani: 25582495, Indian CottageIndustries: 25598918, Cottage ArtsEmporium: 22565805, Central CottageEmproium: 25584083, Ethnic Weaves:25581837, Roots Karigar India:25593484,TanjorePaintings:25578798.
Bangalooru hasinternational flights to and fromBangkok, Malaysia, US, France, WestAsia, Nepal etc. It is an important hubfor domestic airlines connecting itwith Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai,Coimbatore, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad,Mangalore, Mumbai, Pune andThiruvananthapuram.Superfast and express trains connectBangalooru with Delhi (Rajdhani, KKexpress), Mumbai (Udyan, Kurlaexpress) and Chennai (Shatabdi,Chennai Mail, Brindavan express) andto Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi,Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mangalore.
NH 47 and 48 connectBangalooru to all major cities through
Speciality Silks:
Boutiques:
Departmental Stores:
Handloom & Handicrafts:
Access: By Air:
By Rail:
By Road:
Facts at a Glance
Karnataka
237
MG Road
KAR
NATAKA
m e t a l l e d r o a d s .Puducherry (303 km), Hyderabad(565 km), Vijayawada (719 km),Mangalore (349 km), Chennai(340 km), Mysooru (140 km), Ooty(300 km), Hassan (105 km), Tirupati(240 km), Puttaparthi (164 km).
Metered autorickshaws andtaxis are available in the city. KSTDCmaintains a large fleet of taxis.
All major private, public andmultinational banks have theirbranches.
St Martha's Hospital:2275081, Manipal Hospital: 5266646,Mallaya Hospital: 2277970
D i s t a n c e s :
GettingAround:
CarRentals:
Temperatures:
Best time to visit:
City Code:Indian Airlines:Jet Airways:Air Sahara:Deccan Aviation:India Tourism:Director of Karnataka Tourism:
KSTDC:Roadways Inquiries:
Banks:
Hospital:
Cab Service(5587341),
Min 20 C,
Min 14 C,
ITC Hotel Windsor Sheraton &Towers: 22269898, The Oberoi:25585858, The Leela Palace:25211234, Taj Westend: 56605660,The Park: 25594666, Taj Residency:56604444, Le Meridien: 22262233,Park Plaza: 25216228, Grand Ashok:
Once the capital of the affluentWodeyars, Mysooru, former Mysorehas its own unique charm, aided bytree-lined boulevards, gardens, artgalleries, historical buildings andpalaces.
Mysooru's pride are the19 km north-west of the city,
next to the Krishnaraja Sagar dam-streching out in terraces along thelength of the dam. The musicalfountains are a popular draw. The topof the dam is reached by a 1.5 km walkfrom the gate, especially when thereservoir is full. The gardens areilluminated on weekdays between7 pm to 7.55 pm and on Sundays and
BrindavanGardens,
MYSOORU
City Lights
238
Karnataka
holidays between 7 pm and 8.55 pm.Perched at a height of 1,050 m,
is the abode ofGoddess Chamundeswari – the patrongoddess of the Wodeyar family. A
Chamundi Hills
Brindavan Gardens
charming quadrangular structure witha towering 40 m high is alandmark from several miles. A hugestucco figure of Mahisasura, 3.5 m tallwelcomes you at the entrance. Thetemple is open 6 am to 2 pm, 3.30 pmto 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 9 pm.
Built in 1921by Maharaja Krishna Raja WodeyarBahadur IV, this palace initiallyhoused royal guests; but today afive-star hotel. A visit opens your eyesto the mystique of royal Mysore.
is an architecturalwonder. The main building in greygranite is three storied and dominatedby a five storeyed tower, topped by agilded dome. The tower soars to aheight of 145 feet from the ground. Anattraction in the palace is the golden
gopuram
Lalitha Mahal Palace:
Mysore Palace
is
Masala Dosai,
thali
stuffed with braisedpotatoes and onions, served withassorted condiments. Recommendedrestaurants include
(multicuisine),(vegetarian)
, (SouthIndian ).
Besides the famed sandalwood, silksand handicrafts, Mysooru also hasexclusive assortments in rosewood,ivory carvings , s i lk fabr ics ,sandalwood oil, soaps and incensesticks.
35 km away, there are13th century star shaped Hoysalatemples. The walls of the temples areexquisitely frescoed. 48 kmaway, is a pilgrim centre, famous forits Vairamudi festival (March-April).
82 km away,
Karnataka
239
throne.
Typical Karnataka cuisine is spicywith liberal doses of coconut and insome ways is very similar toMaharashtrian food. The staple isshaped into cakes and steamed, thenserved with a a close cousin of thefiery Delectable offerings topamper the sweet tooth are the creamy
and the rich Mysore A'must-try' is the legendary
Gourmet's Delights
ragi,
hulisambar!
payasam pak.Mysore
Mysore Palace
Somnathpur
at Bhimeshwari, is a major attractionfor anglers, though the catch has to bereturned to the river!
95 km away, themakes the
excursion all the more worthwhile.You can take a coracle ride in the river,do some bird-watching in Korapur
NagarholeNational Park:Kabini River Lodge
KAR
NATAKA
forest and stay in the hunting lodgethat was once the abode of kings. Onecan also go to hill station fromOoty
ava i l ab l e a t p r e - f i xed ra t e s(approximately Rs 900 per day) fromKSTDC. Local buses are convenientand charge nominal rates for trips inand around the city.
Min 21°C,Min 18°C,
22
22
Min 20°C,
:Summer: Max 33°C;Winter: Max 28°C.
During Dussehra,otherwise December to March.
08212421846
25201032520853
24420962423652
Lalitha Mahal Palace: 2571265,Quality Inn Southern Star: 427427,Kings Court: 421142, Best WesternRamanashree: 522202, MayuraHoysala (KSTDC): 426160, WelcomHeritage Rajendra Vilas.
Located around 187 km from
Bangalore, Hassan is an ideal base to
explore the historical sites of ,
, and . Not
much is known of the history of
Hassan. It was under the control of the
Hoysala Empire during 11th to 13th
century AD. This was the period when
the great temples of Belur and Halebid
were constructed. The region of
Hassan was also greatly influenced by
Jainism. Summer:
Max 35°C.
700 mm.
October to March.
is situated around 38 km from
Temperatures
Besttime to visit:
City Code:Indian Airlines:Railway Enquiry:Central Bus Stand:Dept. of Tourism:KSTDC:
Home Away From Home
Belur
Halebid Shravanabelgola
Temperatures:
Annual
Rainfall: Best time to visit:
BELUR
Belur
HASSAN
240
Karnataka
Nagarhole National Park
Mysore.
M e t e r e dautorickshaws are the best bet. Taxisare easily available, though rates needto be negotiated. Private cars are
Facts at a Glance
Access: By Air:By Rail:
By Road:
Di s tances :
The nearest airport isBangalooru, 140 km away.The best route to Mysooru is viaBangalooru. Bangalooru has fourexpress trains daily to and fromMysooru. The Shatabdi Expressconnects Mysooru with Chennai. Therailway station is located on J L BRoad, northwest of the city centre, 1km from the main shopping area onSayaji Rao Road. There areregular Express buses to importantplaces in the neighbouring states likeKerala, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh,Goa and Tamil Nadu. Reservationscan be made at the central bus stand orat private travel agencies. There arebuses to Bangalooru every 15 minutes.Every 30 minutes, there are buses toHassan which is the gateway to placesl i k e B e l u r , H a l e b i d o rS ravanabe l ego l a .Madikeri 136 km, Hassan (130 km),Bandipur (90 km) and Ooty (150 km).G e t t i n g A r o u n d :
Hassan. Theat Belur is the only one of the threemajor Hoysala sites still in use. Theconstruction of this temple started inAD 1116 to commemorate the victoryof the Hoysalas over the Cholas atTalakad. It took around 100 years tocomplete the work. It is said that everyHindu deity has been represented atthis temple. The Belur temple is morefamous for its interiors: of the
Channekeshava Temple Tourist Bureau, Dept. of Tourism,Govt. of Karnataka: 8862
HAMPI
Founded in the middle of the 14thcentury by two local princes, Hukka &Bukka, the Vijayanagar Empire wascelebrated for its might and wealth andas a showpiece of imper ia lmagnificence. Hampi was once theirglorious capital (1336-1565),stretching from the Deccan plateau tothe tip of the Peninsula. The emperorsof this dynasty were great patrons ofart and architecture, which can still beseen in the vast ruins of Hampi. In aneffort to resurrect this abandonedcapital, the government has beeninvolved in the restoration, excavationand protection of the ruins, whichspread over an area of 26 sq. km. Theterrain is dominated by rocky hills and
Karnataka
241
Channekeshava Temple
64 pillars inside, no two are alike. Thesame can be said the 64 stone maidens.Each of them strikes a different poseand is frozen in time in a differentactivity! Other Hoysala temples atBelur are the and the
.
The nearest airport isMangalore (154 km). Thenearest railhead is Hassan (37 km),which is connected to Mangalore.
Belur is connected by road toBangalooru (222 km), Halebid (16km), Hassan (37 km), Mangalore (154k m ) , M y s o r e ( 1 5 5 k m ) ,S h r a v a n a b e l a g o l a ( 8 6 k m ) .Accommodation available at BelurHotel Mayura Velapari.
ChennigarayaViranarayana
Facts at a Glance
Access: ByAir:By Rail:
ByRoad:
City Code: 08394
the mighty Tungabhadra river flowsthrough this rugged landscape.
There are temples galore:Temple has a hole in a wall which actsas the old pin-hole camera reflectingan inverted image of the temple whenthe sun falls on it, MonolithicG a n e s h a s , Te m p l e ,Monolithic Narasimha,
Temple, Elephant Stables,Z e n a n a E n c l o s u r e s , R o y a l
City Lights
Virupaksha
K r i s h n aHazara
Rama
Hampi
KAR
NATAKA
Performance Zone, Royal Residences,Queen's Bath, Temple,
T e m p l e ,Temple.
There isan Archaeological Survey of IndiaMuseum in Kamalapur which has acollection of sculptures found in theregion. Timings: 10:30 am to 6:00 pm.Friday Closed.
Bellary (77 km) is thenearest airport, connected by AllianceAir flights to Bangalooru. Belgaum(259 km) is connected by IndianAi r l ines f l igh t s to Mumbai .Bangalooru (353 km) is linked to mostparts of India and many internationaldestinations. The nearestrailhead is Hospet (13 km) which isconnected to Bangalore, Hubli andGuntakal. Hampi isconnected by road to Aihole (156 km),Badami (189 km), Bangalore, Bellary(77 km), Bidar (379 km), Hyderabad(416 km) and Mysore (366 km).KSRTC buses ply regular services.
Tourist taxis may behired from Hospet and bicycles can beh i r e d f r o m K a m a l a p u r .
Summer:
Max 41 C; Winter: Max
27 C. October toMarch.
Lokare Lodge, Hotel MayuraVijayanagar (Hospet), Mayura Lodge,Naga Lodge, KSTDC Cottages.
Its tourist importance lies in itsproximity to Hampi, the site of the
VittalaA c h y u t a R a y aKodandaramaMuseums & Art Galleries:
Facts at a Glance
Access: By Air:
By Rail:
By Road:
Getting Around:
Temperatures:
Best time to visit:
HOSPET
Min 37 C,
Min 24 C,
o
oo
o
Home Away From Home
242
Karnataka
walls of this temple are covered by anendless variety of Hindu deities, sages,stylized animals, birds, and manyother art forms. The temple is enclosedby a garden and nearby, there is amuseum also.There are also smaller temples like
and three Jain templesat Halebid. Accommodation facility isavailable at Halebid Hotel MayuraShantala.
Located around 48 km off Hassan, it isfamous for the statue of
The place
Kedareswara
SHRAVANABELGOLA
LordBahubali (Gomateshwar).
Hoysaleswara Temple
medieval Vijayanagar Empire,situated about 13 km away. TheTungabhadra Dam here harnesses thesweet waters of the Tungabhadra river.At the base of the dam is a gardenstyled along Japanese lines.Accommodation is available here tosuit all budgets.
Situated around 33 km from Hassan isHalebid, famous for its
. Its construction started in1121 AD and continued for around 90years, but was never completed.Nevertheless, the temple is the mostoutstanding example of Hoysala artand architecture. Every part of the
HALEBID
HoysaleswaraTemple
is an important Jain pilgrimage centrewith an ancient history. The 17m highstatue is said to be the tallestmonolithic structure in the world. Ito v e r l o o k s t h e t o w n o fShravanabelgola from the top of therocky hill, reached afterclimbing 614 rock-cut steps.Every 12 years, thousands of Jaind e v o t e e s g a t h e r h e r e f o r
(the greathead anointing ceremony) whenpriests anoint the head of the deity withthousands of pots of coconut oil,yoghurt, ghee, bananas, jaggery, dates,almonds, poppy seeds, milk, saffrona n d s a n d a l w o o d . T h e n e x tMahamastakabhisheka will be held inthe year 2005.
The nearest airport isBangalooru (196 km).Hassan is connected to Bangalooru,Mysooru and Mangalore by regular
Indragiri –
Facts at a Glance
Access: By Air:By Rail:
Mahamastakabhisheka
trains. The railway station is around 2km east of town. There areregular buses plying between Hassan,Belur, Halebid, and Shravanabelgola.One can also avail buses forBangalooru and Mysooru fromHassan. Taxis are available for visitingBelur and Halebid from Hassan.
HassanAshok: 268731, Southern Star:251816, Hoysala Village Resort:256764, Southern Star, SuvarnaRegency, Hotel Pacific, Hotel SriKrishna.
Badami, the one-time capital of theChalukyas, is famous for severalstructural and rock-cut temples, builtduring the sixth and seventh centuryAD.
(half a km from thetown) and (2 km) are
By Road:
Home Away From Home
BADAMI
Badami CavesBadami Fort
City Code: 0817
Karnataka
243
Lord Bahubali (Gomateshwar)
worth seeing. , ismaintained by the ArchaeologicalSurvey of India on the BhutanathaTemple Road. Entrance is free.Timings: 9 am to 5 pm. Closed onFridays.
ASculpture Gallery
Facts at a Glance
Badami Temple
KAR
NATAKA
Access: By Air:By Rail:
By Road:
Local Transport:
Temperatures:
Rainfall:Best time to visit:
BIJAPUR
The nearest airport isBelgaum (192 km). Thenearest railhead is Badami (4 km fromBadami town), on the Hubli-Sholapurmetre-gauge line. Badami isconnected by road to important placesin the south. Some of these are Aihole(44 km), Bangalore (499 km), Bijapur(163 km), Hospet (108 km), Hubli(128 km), Panaji (359 km), Pattadakal(22 km). KSRTC buses are availablefor these cities. Afew private taxis and vans areavailable. Summer:
Max 38 C; Winter:
Max 29 C. 50 cms.October to March.
Strangely enough, this obscure littletown in northern Karnataka attractedcountless dynasties in its thousand-year existence. The Chalukyas,
Min 23 C, Min
15 C,
o
o
o
o
Karnataka
Facts at a Glance
Access: ByAir:By Rail:
By Road:
G e t t i n g A r o u n d :
Temperatures:
City Code:Banks:
Hospitals:
Home Away From Home
BIDAR
Nearest airports are atMumbai and Bangalooru.Well connected by rail with all majortowns. Can be approachedfrom Bangalooru, Mysooru and alsoM u m b a i .Unmetered autorickshaws andare the popular modes of movingaround the town. Bikes at cheap ratescan be rented on hourly basis from thebus stand. Summer:
followed by the Khiljis, the Bahmanisand the Adil Shahis, have left theirimprints in stone. Thesombre mausoleums, the lavishpalaces, they all beckon visitors tohave a quiet breakThe ancient town lies midwaybetween Mumbai (486 km) andBangalore (580 km).
Gol Gumbaz,
.
Gol Gumbaz
Bidar is a tiny district steeped inhistory. The fort, the cannons, palaces(now in ruins), the magnificent tombsand the massive monuments, allcombine to make a visit to the one-
Bidar Fort
244
Karnataka
245
time capital of the Bahamani and AdilShahi dynasties, truly memorable.Buy exquisite Bidriware, an exquisitecraft and sample here.(corn chapattis).One can stay at many places in thetown like Mayura Barid Shahi, Kaveri,Basavakalyan Tourist Hotel, BidarI n t e r n a t i o n a l , P r i n c e , N e wVenkateshwar.
Jola Rotis,
wildlife sanctuaries of Mudumalai inTamil Nadu and Wynad in Kerala. Thisis one of the 15 sanctuaries selectedacross India for Project Tiger, ascheme launched in 1973.Covering an area of 874.20 sq km,with a mix of deciduous and evergreenforests and scrub, and well-irrigatedby the Moyar river, Bandipur has afairly open forest area, making it easyfor visitors to spot wildlife. The Asianelephant is the major attraction though
, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild pig, black-naped hare and the Indian porcupineare also avidly spotted by visitors.
Bangalooru (190 km)and Coimbatore (160 km) are thenearest airports. Nearestrailway station is Mysooru (65 km).
Via Mysoooru or fromCoimbatore, on road to Ooty.
October to March
0821
Tusker's Trail Resort: contact FieldDirector (in Mysore): 2480901, ChiefWildlife Warden (in Bangalore): 080-23341993.
Coorg or Kodagu, as the people of thislittle district call their land, isunsullied, beautiful, green, andexciting with the lovely blueSahyadari mountains, dense forestedvalleys, gurgling mountain streamsand waterfalls. At 1,525 m above sealevel, it is the land of coffee bushesresplendent with red berries,cardamom fields covered with white
gaur, sambar, chital
Facts at a Glance
Access: By Air:
By Rail:
By Road:Best
time to visit:
City Code:
Home Away From Home
COORG
BANDIPUR NATIONAL PARK
Part of the lush-forested Deccanplateau, Bandipur boasts rich andvaried wildlife. It forms part of thenational park that stretches into the
Tiger at Bandipur National Park
Bandipur National Park
KAR
NATAKA
246
Karnataka
Mountains Around Madikeri
Abby Falls – Coorg
Omkareshwara Temple dedicated toLord Shiva and Vishnu, and somebeautiful viewpoints such as Raja'sSeat.Around Madikeri, there are manyrecreational and pilgrim spots such asAbby and Irupu Falls. Talcauvery isthe place where the river Cauveryoriginates. National Parkis one of the better-managed Indianwildlife sanctuaries. The main centreof research in the production of coffeeand oranges, the HorticultureResearch Centre is located in thisdistrict. , situated 36 km fromMadikeri, is a popular picnic spotfamous for its tree houses.
It is best to take a taxi fromBangalooru or Mysooru. The drive ispleasant and the roads are good.KSRTC buses also ply to Madikeri.
Summer: Max 30 C,
Min 16 C in winters.
Nagarhole
Harangi
Facts at a Glance
Access:
Temperatures:
Best time to
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and purple blossoms, old silver oaktrees laden with huge hives, and of asturdy handsome people called theCoorgis who charm by theirhospitali ty and cuisine, theirintriguing customs and the reverencewith which they worship their river,the Cauvery.Postcard pretty with red-tiled cottagesand purple flowering shrubs, theKodagu towns have an old-worldcharm about them. Madikeri is a littlehill station and the headquarters of thisbeautiful district. The city houses theh i s t o r i c M a d i k e r i F o r t , t h e
