South India & Kerala

Isabella Noble, Michael Benanav, Paul Harding, Kevin Raub, Iain Stewart

Keralap259

Tamil Nadu p333

Goap117

Maharashtrap82

Karnatakap170

Telangana &Andhra Pradesh

p228

AndamanIslands

p417

Mumbaip44

#̂

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Welcome to South India & Kerala . . . . . . . . . 4South India & Kerala Map . . . . . . . . . . . . 6South India & Kerala’s Top 12 . . . . . . . . . 8Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 14What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 16If You Like . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Month by Month . . . . . . . 20Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 26Booking Trains . . . . . . . . 29Yoga, Spas & Spiritual Pursuits . . . . . . 31Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . 35Travel with Children . . . . 37Regions at a Glance . . . . 40

MUMBAI (BOMBAY) . . . . . . . . . 44

MAHARASHTRA . . . . 82Northern Maharashtra . . 84Nashik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84Around Nashik . . . . . . . . . . 88Aurangabad . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88Ellora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Ajanta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95Jalgaon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Nagpur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Around Nagpur . . . . . . . . . 100Southern Maharashtra . .101Konkan Coast . . . . . . . . . . 101Matheran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105Lonavla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106Pune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108Around Pune . . . . . . . . . . . 113Kolhapur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114Mahabaleshwar . . . . . . . . 115

GOA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117Panaji & Central Goa . . 120Panaji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120Old Goa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126North Goa . . . . . . . . . . . 127Mapusa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127Candolim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128Calangute & Baga . . . . . . 131Anjuna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Assagao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139Vagator & Chapora . . . . . 140Morjim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144Asvem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145Mandrem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146Arambol (Harmal) . . . . . . 147South Goa . . . . . . . . . . . 150Margao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150Colva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Benaulim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152Agonda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

Palolem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155Patnem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

KARNATAKA . . . . . . 170Bengaluru (Bangalore) . .172Southern Karnataka . . .187Hesaraghatta . . . . . . . . . . 187Mysuru (Mysore) . . . . . . . 187Around Mysuru . . . . . . . . . 198Bandipur National Park . . 199Nagarhole National Park . . . . . . . . . .200Kodagu (Coorg) Region . . 201Hassan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203Belur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204Halebid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205Sravanabelagola . . . . . . . .205Karnataka Coast . . . . . . 206Mangaluru (Mangalore) . .206Dharmasthala . . . . . . . . . .208Udupi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .208Malpe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209Gokarna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209Central Karnataka . . . . 213Hampi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213Anegundi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .220Hosapete (Hospet) . . . . . 221Hubballi (Hubli) . . . . . . . . 221Northern Karnataka . . . 221Badami . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221Around Badami . . . . . . . . . 223Vijapura (Bijapur) . . . . . . . 224Bidar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

TELANGANA & ANDHRA PRADESH . . . . . . . . . 228Telangana . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Hyderabad . . . . . . . . . . . . .230Bhongir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Warangal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Palampet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248Andhra Pradesh . . . . . . 249Vijayawada . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249

PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD

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PALOLEM BEACH (P155), GOA

Contents

Amaravathi . . . . . . . . . . . . 251Nagarjunakonda . . . . . . . . 251Visakhapatnam . . . . . . . . . 252Around Visakhapatnam . . 255Tirumala & Tirupati . . . . . 256Around Tirumala & Tirupati . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258

KERALA . . . . . . . . . . 259Southern Kerala . . . . . . 261Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) . . . . . . . . . . . 261Kovalam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Varkala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271Kollam (Quilon) . . . . . . . . 276Around Kollam . . . . . . . . . 278Alappuzha (Alleppey) . . . 278Marari & Kattoor . . . . . . . 283Kottayam . . . . . . . . . . . . . .284Kumarakom . . . . . . . . . . . . 285Kerala’s Western Ghats . . . . . . . . 286Periyar Tiger Reserve . . . 287Munnar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Around Munnar . . . . . . . .296Central Kerala . . . . . . . . 297Kochi (Cochin) . . . . . . . . . 297Around Kochi . . . . . . . . . . 311Thrissur (Trichur) . . . . . . . 312Around Thrissur . . . . . . . . 314Northern Kerala . . . . . . 314Kozhikode (Calicut) . . . . . 314Wayanad Region . . . . . . . . 317Kannur & Around . . . . . . .320Bekal & Around . . . . . . . . . 322Lakshadweep . . . . . . . . 323

TAMIL NADU . . . . . . 333Chennai (Madras) . . . . . 335Northern Tamil Nadu . . 353East Coast Road . . . . . . . . 353Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) . . . . . . . 355

Kanchipuram . . . . . . . . . . . 359Tiruvannamalai . . . . . . . . . 362Puducherry (Pondicherry) . . . . . . . . . .364Auroville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373Central Tamil Nadu . . . 374Chidambaram . . . . . . . . . . 374Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) . . . . . . . . . . . 375Kumbakonam . . . . . . . . . . 376Thanjavur (Tanjore) . . . . . 378Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) . . 382Southern Tamil Nadu . . 386Chettinadu . . . . . . . . . . . . .386Madurai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389Rameswaram . . . . . . . . . . 393Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) . . . . . . . . 395The Western Ghats . . . . 398Kodaikanal (Kodai) . . . . .399Coimbatore . . . . . . . . . . . .404Coonoor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .406Kotagiri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407Ooty (Udhagamandalam) . . . . .409Mudumalai Tiger Reserve . . . . . . . . . . 414Anamalai Tiger Reserve (Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary & National Park) . . . . . . . . . . 415

ANDAMAN ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . . .417Port Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421Around Port Blair . . . . . . . 425Havelock Island (Swaraj Dweep) . . . . . . . .426Neil Island (Shaheed Dweep) . . . . . . . 431Middle & North Andaman . . . . . . . . . . . . . .434Little Andaman . . . . . . . . .436

South India Today . . . . .440History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443The Way Of Life . . . . . . . 458Spiritual India . . . . . . . . 465Delicious India . . . . . . . . 472The Great Indian Bazaar . . . . . . . . . 483The Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490Architectural Splendour . . . . . . . . . . . 494Wildlife & Landscape . . 497

Scams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504Women & Solo Travellers . . . . . . . . . . . . 506Directory A-Z . . . . . . . . . 508Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 521Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530Language . . . . . . . . . . . 535Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 558

UNDERSTAND

SURVIVAL GUIDE

SPECIAL FEATURES

Ancient & Historic Sites colour feature . . . 162

Mysuru Palace in 3D . . 190

Kerala colour feature . . 325

Delicious India . . . . . . . 472

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With its coconut-palm-fringed beaches and languid backwaters, Kerala can justly claim to be India’s most laid-back state. But there’s plenty of colour and fun to spice up your tropical idyll – lively festivals and snake-boat races, Kathakali dance-dramas, charming colonial-era quarters and a famously flavoursome cuisine.

Spend a day visiting the museums and dining well in capital Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), before making the half-hour hop southeast to beach resort Kovalam. Shift down another gear at nearby Varkala, a holy town with a dizzying clifftop guesthouse-and-restaurant enclave, where you’ll keep active with yoga, SUP or surf-ing. Continue north to Kollam (Quilon) and take the tourist cruise along the canals to Alappuzha (Alleppey) with an overnight stop at the Matha Amrithanandamayi Mission, the ashram of Kerala’s celebrated ‘Hugging Mother’. Reaching Alappuzha (Alleppey), you’re in backwaters central; aboard a houseboat, kayak or canoe, discover what the sublime backwaters are all about. Next, detour east into the tea-coated, very trekkable hills of Munnar. Travel back down to Kochi (Cochin) and take the ferry to the old colonial outpost of Fort Cochin, where seafood barbecues, warm homestays, arty cafes, colonial-era mansions, Kathakali shows and the intriguing Jewish quarter at Mattancherry fill a fascinating few days.

2 WEEKS

26

City lights, historic sites, beachy bliss, jungle adventure and a touch of colonial-era quaintness – this trip will give you a flavour of all that’s fantastic about the south.

Begin in cosmopolitan Mumbai, Bollywood’s beating heart and home to some of the nation’s finest spots to shop, eat and drink. Take a sunset stroll along Marine Drive, a curvaceous oceanside promenade dubbed the ‘Queen’s Necklace’ because of its sparkling night lights, finishing with bhelpuri (fried rounds of dough with rice, lentils and chutney) on Chowpatty Beach. Catch a ferry to Elephanta Island from Mumbai’s historic Gateway of India to explore its stunning rock-cut temples and the triple-faced sculpture of Lord Shiva.

Next, make your way to the dazzling vineyards of Indian wine country around Nashik, sipping award-winning creations at Grover Zampa or Sula Vineyards, an outside-the-box Indian experience. Continue northeast to explore the ancient cave art at Ajanta and Ellora, situated within 150km of each other near Aurangabad. The incred-ible frescoed Buddhist caves of Ajanta are clustered along a horseshoe-shaped gorge, while the rock-cut caves of Ellora – containing a mix of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist shrines – are set on a 2km escarpment. Next up: the tropical beach haven of Goa for some soul-reviving seaside therapy. Wander through lush spice plantations, visit Portuguese-era cathedrals in Old Goa, shop at Anjuna’s colourful flea market and take your pick from dozens of fabulous beach spots, before travelling east to the traveller hot spot of Hampi in neighbouring Karnataka. Ramble around Hampi’s enigmatic boulder-strewn land-scape and imagine what life here was like when it was a centre of the mighty Vijayana-gar empire. Make the long trip down to Mysuru (Mysore) to explore Mysuru Palace, one of India’s grandest royal buildings, learn about ashtanga yoga and shop for silk and sandalwood in its colourful markets. From Mysuru it’s an exciting bus or taxi ride across the Western Ghats into Kerala and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, a pristine forest and jungle reserve and one of the best places in the south to spot wild elephants. Finally, take the hair-raising road down to the coast and make your way south to Kochi, Kerala’s intriguing colonial-era city, where a blend of Portuguese, Dutch and British history com-bines with wonderful homestays, creative cafes and a buzzing traveller scene.

4 WEEKS

SRILANKAMALDIVES

INDIA

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An offbeat trip through the contrasting cities, wildlife reserves and hill stations of the Deccan and Western Ghats.

Start with Maharashtra’s little-visited but fantastic Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, offering some of the best pros-pects for sighting wild tigers, before heading south to the wonderful princely capital Hyderabad with its centuries-old Islamic monuments and labyrinthine ba-zaars. Continue south to the culinary and shopping delights of India’s 21st-century IT capital, Bengaluru (Bangalore). On to the royal city of Mysuru. Gawp at ubergrand Mysuru Palace and try ash-tanga yoga. Head south to Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve or Kerala’s Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can spot wild elephants and take jun-gle safaris, then on to the cool hill town of Ooty (Udhagamandalam), one of India’s most-loved holiday retreats. Take the toy train to Mettupalayam, near Coimbatore, then cross into Kerala and the tea-covered hills of Munnar, with fine hiking and secluded mountain accommodation. Fin-ish with trekking and more chances of a tiger or elephant sighting at Periyar Tiger Reserve.

A journey through Tamil Nadu is a trip into South India’s spiritual soul.

Delve into the rich history of Chennai with a wander around the Government Museum before visiting the ancient Ka-paleeshwarar and Parthasarathy temples. Travel south to beachside Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) and its rock-cut shrines. Move inland to Tiruvannamalai, where the Arunachaleshwar Temple is one of India’s largest sacred complexes. Trade in temples for flamboyant cathedrals over a few days in the delightful old French seaside colony of Puducherry (Pondi-cherry) before heading back inland to the stunning Unesco World Heritage–listed medieval temples around Kumbakonam and Thanjavur (Tanjore). Continue to Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), home to the spectacular Rock Fort Temple and the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, probably India’s biggest temple. Then head south to Madurai and the incredible Meenakshi Amman Temple, widely reckoned the pinnacle of South Indian temple architecture. If you like, wind down at Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India, with its temple to the virgin sea goddess Kumari, or continue west into Kerala.

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547

Index

Map Pages 000Photo Pages 000

Aaccessible travel 508accommodation 16, 39, 283,

508-11, see also individual locations

accommodation costsAndaman Islands 425Andhra Pradesh 250Goa 124Kerala 273Maharashtra 87Mumbai 57Tamil Nadu 358Telangana 250

activities, see individual activities

Adivasis 460, see also tribal peoples

Agonda 153-5Aihole 223-4air travel 521, 522

airports 16Ajanta Caves 10, 95-8, 169,

96, 10, 168, 169Alappuzha 278-83, 280alcohol 479-80Alleppey, see AlappuzhaAmaravathi 251Andaman Islands 13, 42,

417-38, 418accommodation 417accommodation costs

425beaches 417cell phones 421climate 417, 419environment 419geography 419highlights 418history 419internet access 421mobile phones 421

Restricted Area Permit 419-20

safe travel 419telephone services 421travel to/from 420travel within 420-1tribal peoples 437-8

Andaman Trunk Road 434Andamanese 437-8Andhra Pradesh 41, 249-58,

229accommodation 228accommodation costs

250climate 228festivals & events 230food 228highlights 229history 230

Anegundi 220-1, 218 animals 497-9, 500, see

also individual speciesAnjuna 135-9, 135antelope 498antiques 514apps 526arak 480Araku Valley 255-6Arambol 147-9architecture 11, 494-6, 11

art deco 165 Chettinadu mansions 388Chhatrapati Shivaji

Maharaj Terminus 49colonial-era 189Mumbai 165

area codes 15, 519art 484-6art galleries

David Hall 298Kalakriti Art Gallery 233-4Kashi Art Gallery 298Mario Gallery 121Museum of Goa 131Tara Books 337

arts 490-3

Ashoka, Emperor 445ashrams 31, 34

Matha Amrithanandamayi Mission 278

Osho International Meditation Resort 112

Osho International Meditation Resort 109

Sivagiri Mutt 271-2Sivananda Yoga Vedanta

Dhanwantari Ashram 266

Sri Aurobindo Ashram 364-5

Sri Ramana Ashram 362Surfing Ashram 209Vivekanandapuram 396

Assagao 139-40Asven 145-6ATMs 515Aurangabad 88-92, 89Auroville 373-4autorickshaws 525Avalanche Valley 413avian flu 532ayurveda 31-2, 291

Asven 145Kochi 299Kovalam 270Madikeri 201Mamallapuram 357Mandrem 146

Ayyappan 467

Bbackwaters 9, 286-7, 322,

328-9, 8-9, 328-9Badami 221-3Baga 131-5, 132Bandipur National Park

199-200Bangalore, see Bengalurubargaining 485basilicas, see churches &

cathedralsbathrooms 510, 519Bavikonda 255

bazaars 18beach huts 509 beaches 17, 2, 9, 13, 326-7

Alleppey Beach 279Beach 1 (Shaheed Dweep)

431Beach 2 (Shaheed Dweep)

432Beach 3 (Swaraj Dweep)

427Beach 3 (Shaheed Dweep)

432Beach 4 (Shaheed Dweep)

432Beach 5 (Swaraj Dweep)

427Beach 5 (Shaheed Dweep)

432Black Beach 271Butler Bay 436Cherai Beach 311Cola 152Elephant Beach 427Girgaum Chowpatty 51Havelock Island (Swaraj

Dweep) 427 Juhu Beach 51Kalapathar 427Kalipur Beach 435Kappil Beach 271, 323Kerala 326-7Kudle Beach 210Marina Beach 341Munda Pahar Beach 426Neil’s Cove 427Netaji Nagar 436Nileshwar Beach 323Odayam Beach 271Om Beach 210Papanasham Beach 271Paradise Beach 210-11Radhanagar Beach 427Ramakrishna Beach 252Tarkali Beach 104Thottada Beach 320-1Wandoor Beach 425

beer 16, 70, 479

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

548

IND

EX B-C

Bekal 322-3Belur 204-5Benaulim 152-3Bengaluru 41, 172-87, 174-5

accommodation 178-9activities 177drinking & nightlife

182-3entertainment 184-5festivals & events 178food 179-82history 173shopping 185sights 173-7tourist information 185-6tours 177travel to/from 186, 187travel within 186-7

betel nut 474Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh

109, 112bhang lassi 517Bheemunipatnam 254Bhongir 248bicycle travel, see cyclingBidar 167, 227, 167Bijapur, see Vijapurabirds 498-9, 500birdwatching

Dandeli 222Hampi 216Ranganathittu Bird

Sanctuary 199Thattekkad Bird

Sanctuary 296Vedanthangal Bird

Sanctuary 357Blue Mountains 402boat travel 522, 523, 525boat trips 19, 8-9, 328-9

Alappuzha 279Kerala backwaters 286-7, Kollam 276Periyar Tiger Reserve

288Bollywood 75, 492-3Bombay, see Mumbaibooking trains 29-30books 440, 459, 471,

486, 491architecture 444, 496food 472, 473, 476, 477,

478, 479history 443, 448, 455

religion 465, 467, 469, 470

wildlife 501border crossings 521-2bouldering 215-16Brahma 465bread 473bribes 514British East India Company

452-3bronzeware 483Buddhism 470Buddhist temples & sites

444, 168-9Ajanta Caves 10, 95-8,

169, 96, 10, 168, 169Amaravathi 251Aurangabad Caves 90Bavikonda 255Bhaja Caves 108Buddha Statue &

Hussain Sagar 235-6Ellora Caves 92-5, 169,

94, 168-9Global Vipassana

Pagoda 51Golden Temple 204-5Guntupalli 169, 252Karla Caves 108Nagarjunakonda 251Sankaram 255Thotlakonda 255Zangdogpalri Temple

204-5budget 15, 507buffalo racing 210bus travel 319, 523-4, 525Bylakuppe 204

CCalangute 131-5, 132Calicut, see Kozhikodecamping 509Candolim 128-31, 130canoeing 329Cape Comorin, see

Kanyakumaricar travel 522, 524-5carbon-monoxide

poisoning 518Carnival 20carpets 483-4car-sharing apps 526, see

also taxisGoa 119Mumbai 80

cash 515caste system 459-60

cathedrals, see churches & Cathedrals

caves 169Ajanta Caves 10, 95-8,

169, 96, 10, 168, 169Aurangabad Caves 90Badami 222-3Baratang caves 434Bhaja Caves 108Borra Caves 255Buddhist Caves, Ellora

94-5Edakkal Caves 318Ellora Caves 92-5, 169,

94, 168-9Guntupalli 169, 252Jain Caves, Ellora 95Kanheri Caves 77Karla Caves 108Lenyadri 114Undavalli Cave Temples

249cell phones 14, 421, 518cemeteries 298, 299chai 480Chapora 140-4, 142Chennai 42, 335-53, 338-

9, 344-5accommodation 342-5activities 341courses 341drinking & nightlife

348-9entertainment 349food 345-8history 336shopping 349-50sights 336-7, 340-1, 342tourist information 350-1tours 341-2travel to/from 351travel within 352-3

Chennamangalam 311-12Cherai Beach 311Chettinadu 386-9Chidambaram 374-5Chidiya Tapu 426children, travel with 37-9

Mumbai 74Chinnar Wildlife

Sanctuary 297Chola Temples 377Christian sites 337Christianity 470churches & cathedrals

495-6Basilica de Bom Jesus

126

Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours 312

Chennai 342Church of Our Lady

of the Immaculate Conception 120

Church of South India 314

Church of St Cajetan 127-8

Church of St Francis of Assisi 127

CSI Christ Church 292Lourdes Church 384Marth Mariam Church

312New Jerusalem Church

375Our Lady of Immaculate

Conception Cathedral 366

Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral 312

Puducherry 366Sacred Heart Basilica

366San Thome Cathedral

337Santa Cruz Basilica 298Sé Cathedral 126-7St Aloysius College

Chapel 207St Francis Church 297St John’s Church 384St Mary’s Cathedral 391St Mary’s Orthodox

Church 284St Mary’s Syrian

Knanaya Church 284St Stephen’s Church 409St Teresa’s Church 51St Thomas’ Cathedral 50St Thomas’ Church 409

cinema 492-3Cinque Island 426climate 14, 442, 502, 534Cochin, see Kochicoffee 16, 480Coimbatore 404-6, 405Colva 151-2consulates 511-12cooking classes 475

Assagao 139Kochi 299Munnar 293Palolem 155-6Periyar Tiger Reserve

288Vagator 141

Map Pages 000Photo Pages 000

549IN

DEX C

-H Coonoor 406-7Coorg region, see Kodagu

regioncosts 15, 513, see also

individual regionscourses

art 341, 485 cheesemaking 407 cooking 55, 141, 189,

366, 475 diving 133, 267, 427, 432 language 341 martial arts 264 massage 189meditation 18, 32,

34, 251surfing 366 yoga 17-18, 32, 107, 147,

266, 341, 366, 404, Covelong, see Kovalam

(Tamil Nadu)craft centres

Kalakshetra Craft Centre 341

Craggy Island 435credit cards 515

scams 504cricket 463-4culture 458-64currency 14customs regulations 511cycle-rickshaws 525cycling 300, 522-3

Dda Gama, Vasco 449dabba-wallahs 69dairy 474dance 331, 490dance classes

around Thrissur 314Karnataka 187Kerala 263-4, 299-300,

307-8Tamil Nadu 366

Dandeli 222dangers, see safe travel Daulatabad Fort 92Deccan Odyssey 529deer 498deforestation 502dehydration 534dengue fever 532dhal 473Dhanushkodi 16, 394Dharavi Slum 56Dharmasthala 208Diglipur 435-6

disabilities, travellers with 508

diving 19Baga 133Calangute 133Chidiya Tapu 426Kovalam 267Malvan 104safety 534 Shaheed Dweep 432Swaraj Dweep 427, 432

Diwali 20dolphin-watching 128dosas 478drinking water 533drinks 479-80

beer 16, 70, 479 scams 504whisky 188wine 86, 188

drugs 504, 513-14, 517Dussehra 193

Eeconomy 440electricity 511elephants 430, 497, 500Ellora Caves 92-5, 169, 94,

168-9embassies 511-12emergencies 15environmental issues 442,

498, 501-2boat trips 287volunteering 36

Eravikulam National Park 297

Ernakulam, see Kochietiquette 442

food 473religion 471temple photography 95

Excelsior Island 435exchange rates 15

Fferries 329festivals & events 19, 20-3,

491, 23Andhra Pradesh 230dance 491 Elephanta Festival 47Ganesh Chaturthi 20, 47Goa 120Hampi 216Jio Mami Mumbai Film

Festival 47

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 47

Karnataka 172Kerala 261, 312Kochi 300Maharashtra 84Mumbai Sanskruti 47music 491Mysuru 193Nariyal Poornima 47Nehru Trophy Boat

Race 279Tamil Nadu 336Telangana 230

film industry sites 492-3Bollywood 37, 75 Tollywood 237

films 75, 440folk art 485food 472-82, 512-13,

see also individual locations

books 472, 473, 476, 477, 478, 479

cooking courses 475dabba-wallahs 69etiquette 473glossary 481-2Hyderabadi cuisine 240Mumbai street food 66safety 477scams 504spirituality 479street food 348, 477-8

forts 17, 166-7, 496Bekal Fort 323Bidar Fort 167, 227, 167Chalukyan hill fort 248Chandragiri Fort 258Chapora Fort 140Citadel (Vijapura) 224-5Dansborg fort 375-6Daulatabad Fort 92, 166Fort Aguada 128Fort St Angelo 320Fort St George 341Gingee Fort 167, 363, 167Golconda Fort 166, 234-

5, 166-7Janjira 101-2, 167Kondapalli Fort 249Pratapgad Fort 116Raigad Fort 102-3Shaniwar Wada 109Shivneri Fort 114Sindhudurg Fort 104Sinhagad 113-14Warangal Fort 248

fruits 474-6

GGalgibag 160Gandhi, Mahatma 46,

455-6, 488Gandhi Memorial

Museum 390Gandhi National

Memorial 108Ganesh 466Ganesh Chaturthi 20,

47, 23Ganpatipule 103-4gay travellers 73, 514gems 505geography 500-1geology 500-1ghee 475Gingee Fort 167, 363, 167Goa 9, 41, 117-61, 118, 9

accommodation 117accommodation costs

124Central Goa 120-7climate 117festivals & events 120food 117highlights 118history 119North Goa 127-49safe travel 139South Goa 150-61tourist information 119travel to/from 119travel within 119-20

Goa Express 529gods 465-7Gokarna 209-13Golconda Fort 166, 234-5,

166-7Guntupalli 252

Hhaggling 485Halebid 205Hampi 10, 164, 216, 218, 2,

10, 33, 165accommodation 216-19activities 215-16festivals & events 216food 219history 213-14shopping 219-20tickets 214tourist information 220travel to/from 220

550

IND

EX H-J

Hanuman 466Harmal, see ArambolHassan 203-4health 506, 530-4henna 462hepatitis 532-3Hesaraghatta 187hijras 463hiking, see trekkinghill stations 11, 18-19, 332,

5, 11Coonoor 406-7Kotagiri 407-8Mahabaleshwar 115-16Udhagamandalam

409-14Himalaya, the 500Hindu temples & sites 12,

17, 365, 494, 495, 5101000-Pillared Temple

248 Achyutaraya Temple 215Ajanta Caves 10, 95-8,

169, 96, 10, 168, 169Arjuna’s Penance 355Arunachaleshwar Temple

362Ayyappan Temple 292,

442 Bhadrakali Temple 248Birla Mandir 233Brihadishwara Temple

379Channakeshava Temple

205Durga Temple 220, 223-4Ekambareshwara Temple

360Elephanta Island 54Ellora Caves 92-5, 169,

94, 168-9Five Rathas 355, 357Ganesh Ratha 359Hampi 164Hanuman Temple 220Hazarama Temple 215Hoysaleswara Temple

205Iskcon Temple 51Janardhana Temple 271Kailasa Temple 93-4,

168-9Kailasanatha Temple 361Kala Rama Temple 84Kamakshi Amman

Temple 360

Kanaka Durga Temple 249

Kapaleeshwarar Temple 337

Kashivishvanatha Temple 376

Keshava Temple 199Krishna Temple 208-9Kumari Amman Temple

396Kumbeshwara Temple

376Lakshimi Narasmiha 215Madurai 164, 12, 164-5Mahabaleshwara Temple

210 Mahaganapati temple

210 Mahalaxmi Mandir 114Mahishamardini

Mandapa 359Mamallapuram 165Manjunatha Temple 208Meenakshi Amman

Temple 164, 389-90, 12, 164-5

Nageshwara Temple 376Nataraja Temple 374-5Ramanathaswamy

Temple 394Ramappa Temple 248-9Ramaswami Temple 376Raya Gopura 359Rock-Cut Temple 266-7Rock Fort Temple 383Sarangapani Temple 376Shore Temple 355, 165Shri Krishna Temple 314Shri Murudeshwar

temple 211Siddeshwara Temple 248Simhachalam Temple

252 Sri Chamundeswari

Temple 189Sri Jambukeshwara

Temple 382-3Sri Kalahasteeswara

Temple 365Sri Manakula Vinayagar

Temple 366Sri Ranganathaswamy

Temple 382Svayambhu Temple 248Thanjavur 164-5 Thirunelly Temple 318Tiger Cave 354Trimurti Cave Temple

355

Undavalli Cave Temples 249

Vadakkunathan Kshe-tram Temple 312

Vaikunta Perumal Temple 360

Varadaraja Perumal Temple 360-1

Varaha Mandapa 359Venkateshwara Temple

256Venugopala Swamy

Temple 198Vijayalaya Cholisvaram

387Virupaksha temple 214,

223, 2, 165Vittala Temple 214

historical sites 162-9Bahmani Tombs 227Cellular Jail National

Memorial 421Colonel Bailey’s Dungeon

199Hemakuta Hill 215Madikeri Fort 201Malik-e-Maidan 225Paigah Tombs 235Qutb Shahi Tombs 235Sule Bazaar 215Upli Buruj 225

Hinduism 465-8history 443-57

British East India Company 452-3

Chola Empire 446-7 Christianity 448-50 contemporary 457 early civilisation 443-6 European arrival 449-50 Independence 454-6 Mughals 450-2 Muslim expansion 447-9 Partition 454-7 Portuguese 449 Vijayanagar empire

447-9 War of Independence

453-4hitching 525HIV 533holidays 517homestays 510Hosapete 221Hospet, see Hosapetehostels 510hotels 509houseboats 328, 8-9,

328-9

Hubballi 221Hubli, see HubballiHyderabad 12, 230-47, 231,

233, 234, 238, 242, 12, 163

accommodation 236-8activities 236drinking & nightlife 241-4entertainment 244-5festivals & events 236food 239-41sights 231-6tourist information

245-6tours 236travel to/from 246travel within 246-7

IIndian classical dance 187Indian clothing 461influenza 533insurance 513, 527, 530internet access 421, 513internet resources 15

accessible travel 508LGBT+ 514wildlife 497

Islam 469, 495 Islamic calendar 20Islamic sites 495, see also

mosquesBidar 227Hyderabad 230-6Vijapura (Bijapur) 225-5

itineraries 26-8, 26, 27, 28, see also individual regions

ivory 514

JJain temples & sites

Badami 221-2Bhandari Basti 205Chandragupta Basti 205Ellora Caves 92-5, 169,

94, 168-9Gomateshvara Statue

205Sittannavasal 387 Sultanbatheri 318

Jainism 470Jalgaon 98Japanese B encephalitis

533Jarawa 437-8jeep safaris 500Map Pages 000

Photo Pages 000

551IN

DEX J-M

Anamalai Tiger Reserve

416Bandipur National

Park 199Dandeli Wildlife

Sanctuary 222 Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

414-15Nagarhole National

Park 200Parambikulam Tiger

Reserve 295Periyar Tiger Reserve

288Tadoba-Andhari Tiger

Reserve 100Wayanad Wildlife

Sanctuary 317-18jewellery 484

KKailasa Temple 93-4,

168-9Kakkabe 203kalamkari 341, 485kalarippayat 264, 330, 331Kalipur 436kambla 210Kanchipuram 359-62, 360Kannada language 538-9Kannur 320-2Kanyakumari 395-8, 397Karnataka 41, 170-227, 171

accommodation 170accommodation costs

177Central Karnataka 213-21climate 170festivals & events 172food 170highlights 171history 172Karnataka Coast 206-13Northern Karnataka

221-7permits 204Southern Karnataka

187-206kathakali 330, 490, 330-1

Kochi 307-8Thiruvananthapuram

263-4Thrissur 314

Kattoor 283-4kayaking 19, 279, 329Kerala 41, 259-332, 260,

8-9, 33accommodation 259

accommodation costs 273

backwaters 286-7, 322bus travel 319Central Kerala 297-314climate 259drinking & nightlife 275festivals & events 261,

312floods 282, 311food 259highlights 260homestays 283Lakshadweep 323-4Northern Kerala 314-23Southern Kerala 261-86Western Ghats 286-97

khadi 488Khotachiwadi 51kitesurfing 146Kochi 297-310, 298, 302,

304, 307, 325, 330-1accommodation 300-3accommodation costs

273activities 299courses 299-300drinking 303, 305-7eating 303, 305-7entertainment 307-8festivals & events 300shopping 308sights 297-9tourist information

308-9tours 300travel to/from 309travel within 309-10

Kochi-Muziris Biennale 491Kodagu region 201-3Kodaikanal 399-404, 400Kolhapur 114-15Kollam 276-8, 277Konkan Coast 101Konkan Railway 529Konkani language 539Kootiattam classes 263-4Kotagiri 407-8Kottayam 284-5Kovalam (Kerala) 266-71,

268, 326-7Kovalam (Tamil Nadu) 354Kozhikode 314-17, 315Krishna 466Kumarakom 285-6Kumbakonam 376-8, 378

LLakshadweep 323-4, 327landmarks

Charminar 231 Chinese Fishing

Nets 297, 324Taj Mahal Palace,

Mumbai 47-8languages 14, 441, 533-42

classes 341food 481-2 Kannada 538-9 Konkari 539 Malayalam 539-40 Marathi 540-1 Tamil 535-8 Telugu 541

leatherwork 487leeches 534legal matters 513-14leopards 77, 498lesbian travellers 74, 514LGBTQ+ travellers 73, 514lighthouses

Alleppey Lighthouse 279Little Andaman

Lighthouse 436Madras Lighthouse 341Mamallapuram 359Thangassery 276Vizhinjam Lighthouse

266literature, see booksLittle Andaman 436-8Lonar 99Lonavla 106-7Long Island 434-5 Lunar calandar 20

MMadgaon, see MargaoMadikeri 201-2Madras, see ChennaiMadurai 164, 389-93, 390,

164-5magazines 515Mahabaleshwar 115-16Mahabalipuram,

see MamallapuramMahabharata 467Maharashtra 40, 82-116

accommodation 82accommodation costs 87climate 82festivals & events 84food 82

Northern Maharashtra 84-101

Southern Maharashtra 101-16

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park 425

Mahé 314mahua 480malaria 531-2Malayalam language

539-40Malpe 209Malvan 104-5Malvan Marine National

Park 105Mamallapuram 165, 355-9,

356, 165Mandrem 146-7Mangalore, see MangaluruMangaluru 206-8, 206maps 514Mapusa 127-8Marari 283-4Marathi language 540-1Margao 150-1markets & bazaars 18,

483-9 Anjuna Flea Market 138Charminar 244Crawford Market 46 Devaraja Market 189Krishnarajendra Market

174Lalbaug Market 76 Mackie’s 135MMC New Market 151Municipal Market

(Panaji) 125 Saturday Night Market

(Arpora) 135marriage 458-9Matha Amrithanandamayi

Mission 278Matheran 105-6Mayabunder 438meat 473-4medical services 531meditation 17-18, 32,

34, 33Chennai 341Hyderabad 236Kovalam 267 Pune 109, 112Tiruvannamalai 362

Meenakshi Amman Temple 389-90, 12, 164-5

mehndi 462Melukote 199Mercara, see Madikeri

Kevin RaubMumbai; Maharashtra Atlanta native Kevin started his career as a music jour-nalist in New York, until he ditched the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle for travel writing. He has since written more than 70 Lonely Planet guides, focused mainly on Brazil, Chile, Colombia, USA, India, the Caribbean and Portugal. Kevin also contributes to a variety of travel magazines in both the USA and UK. Along the way, the self-confessed hophead is in constant search of wildly high IBUs in local beers,

and continues pounding the world’s pavements with one goal in mind: membership in the Travelers’ Century Club before the age of 50. His country count currently stands at 93. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @RaubOnTheRoad.

Iain StewartKarnataka; Telangana & Andhra Pradesh Iain trained as journalist in the 1990s and then worked as a news reporter and a restaurant critic in London. He started writing travel guides in 1997 and has since penned more than 60 books for desti-nations as diverse as Ibiza and Cambodia. Iain’s contributed to Lonely Planet titles including Mexico, Indonesia, Central America, Croatia, Vietnam, Bali & Lombok and Southeast Asia. He also writes regularly for the Independent,

Observer and Daily Telegraph and tweets at @iaintravel. He’ll consider working anywhere there’s a palm tree or two and a beach of a generally sandy persuasion. Iain lives in Brighton (UK) within firing range of the city’s wonderful south-facing horizon.

Contributing WriterpDaniel McCrohan wrote the Booking Trains and Scams chapters.

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Dublin, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Published by Lonely Planet Global LimitedCRN 55415310th edition – October 2019ISBN 978 1 78701 373 5© Lonely Planet 2019 Photographs © as indicated 201910 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasona-ble care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maximum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

OUR WRITERSIsabella NobleKerala; Andaman Islands English-Australian on paper but Spanish at heart, Isabella has been wandering the globe since her first round-the-world trip as a one-year-old. Having grown up in a whitewashed Andalucian village, she is a Spain specialist travel journalist, but also writes extensively about India, Thai-land, the UK and beyond for Lonely Planet, the Daily Telegraph and others. Isabella has cowritten Lonely Planet guides to Spain and Andalucía, and is a

Daily Telegraph Spain expert. She has also contributed to Lonely Planet India, South India, Thailand, Thailand’s Islands & Beaches, Southeast Asia on a Shoestring and Great Britain, and written Pocket Phuket. Find Isabella on Twitter and Instagram @isabellamnoble. Isabella also wrote the Plan Your Trip, Understand and Survival Guide sections.

Michael BenanavTamil Nadu Michael is a veteran traveller, writer and photographer who loves ex-ploring places far from beaten tourist trails. He’s written three non-fiction books, including Men Of Salt: Crossing the Sahara on the Caravan of White Gold – the true story of a 1000-mile journey with one of the world’s last working camel car-avans – and Himalaya Bound: One Family’s Quest to Save Their Animals & an Ancient Way of Life, which follows a tribe of nomadic water buffalo herders into

the Indian Himalaya. He also founded Traditional Cultures Project, which documents endangered cultures around the world. When not off travelling, he can often be found hiking in the hills behind his home in northern New Mexico. To see some of his work, visit www.michaelbenanav.com.

Paul HardingGoa As a writer and photographer, Paul has been travelling the globe for the best part of two decades, with an interest in remote and off beat places, islands and cultures. He’s an author and contributor to more than 50 Lonely Planet guides to countries and regions as diverse as India, Belize, Vanuatu, Iran, Indonesia, New Zealand, Iceland, Finland, Philippines and – his home patch – Australia. He’s on twitter @phtravel and at paulharding.contently.com.

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