India Travel
Tirupati General Information
The best way of getting to Tirupati is by train from Chennai; the trip can be done in a day if you get the earliest of the three daily services (3hr 30 min). From Hyderabad it takes sixteen hours. An APTDC counter at the railway station (daily 7.30am-7pm) is accessible from the entrance hall and platform 1, where there’s a 24hr left-luggage office and a self-service veg refreshment room. Stands sell English copies of TKT Viraraghava Charya’s History of Tirupati, and there’s a Vivekananda religious bookshop next door. Tirupati’s APSRTC Central bus station - also with 24hr left-luggage - is about l km east of the railway station. Frequent express services run from Chennai (4hr). but the train is far more comfortable. However, if you’re traveling south and want to avoid Chennai, there are hourly buses, three of which continue to Mahabalipuram (7hr). In addition, a useful daily train stops at the Tamil Nadu temple towns of Tiruvannamalai. Chidambaram. Thanjavur and Triehy. Local transport is provided by beautifully decorated cycle rickshaws, with silver backs, colorfully painted, and some covered by appliqued cloth, as well as auto-rickshaws.
A special section at the back of the bus stand has services every few minutes to Tirumala and the Venkateshvara temple. You shouldn’t have to queue too long unless it’s a weekend or festival. An easier option is to take a taxi, best organized through the APTDC tourist counter at the railway station; avoid the unlicensed taxis outside the station as they could be stopped by the Tirumala police. The tourist office also run a tour (10am-5.30pm; Rsl25 not including entrance tickets) which takes in Chandragiri Fort (except Fn) and a number of temples, but does not include the Venkateshvara temple owing to the long queues.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Information about Calcutta
The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the
Information on Calcutta
The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, 4 Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1 pm;) is your best bet for information on Calcutta, 'West Bengal and destinations further a field, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours. The Government of West Bengal Tourist Bureau, 3/2 BBD Bagh East (©033/248 8271), arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same
Tirupati
Set in a stunning position, surrounded by wooded hills capped by a ring of vertical red rocks, the Shri Venkateshvara temple at Tirumala, an enervating drive 700m up in the Venkata hills, 11 km from TIRUPATI and 170km northwest of Chennai, is said to be the richest and most popular place of pilgrimage in the world, drawing more devotees than either Rome or Mecca. With its many shrines and dharamshalas the whole area around Tirumala Hili provides a fascinating insight into contemporary Hinduism practiced on a large scale. If you are not particularly keen on waiting in line for hours
Southern Andhra Pradesh
The further south you travel from the fertile lands watered by the great Krishna and Godavari rivers, the less hospitable the terrain becomes, especially in the rocky southwest of the state. For Hindus, the main attraction in southern Andhra Pradesh is the tenth-century Venkateshvara temple, outside Tirupati, the most popular Vishnu shrine in India, where several thousand pilgrims come each day to receive darshan. Puttaparthy, the home town of the spiritual leader Sai Baba, is the only other place in the region to attract significant numbers of visitors. Both Tirupati and Puttaparthy are closer to Bangalore in Karnataka and Chennai
Thiruvananthapuram Information and tours in Kerala
All the tourist offices at the airport are open during flight times. The Government of India's counter (0471/501498) offers general information regarding Kerala and the adjacent states, while the Government of Kerala has two counters, one at the domestic terminal (0471/501085) and the other at the internacion.il terminal (0471/502298), offering Kerala-specific information including, for example, on backwater cruises. The Government of Kerala also has an office in the main block at the Thampanoor bus stand (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0471/327224) which is good for general information and maps and sells tickets for backwater cruises between Kollam and Alappuzha. They have another counter
Buses to and from Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad to; Amaravati (2 daily; 7hr]; Bangalore (hourly; 13hr); Bidar (19 daily; 4hr); Chennai (1 daily; 16hr); Mumbai (8 daily; 17hr); Puttaparthy (3 daily; l0hr); Tirupati (7 daily; 12hr); Vijayapuri (10 daily; 4hr]; Vijayawada (every 15min; 6hr); Warangal (every 15-30min; 3hr). Tirupati to: Chennai (every 30min; 3hr30min-4hn: Kanchipuram (hourly; 3hr30min); Hyderabad (7 daily; 12hr); Mahabalipuram (3 daily; 5hr 30min; Puttaparthy (1 daily; 10hr). Vijayawada to: Amaravati (hourly; 2hr); Guntur (every 15min; 1hr-1hr30min): Hyderabad (every 15min; 6hri).
Trains to and from Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad/Secunderabad to: Aurangabad (1 daily; 12hr 22min); Bangalore (3-1 daily; 11 hr 45min-15hr50min); Bhubaneswar (3 daily; I9hr 50min-22hr 55min): Calcutta (2 daily; 27ht 40min-33hr 15min|; Chennai (2 daily, 14hr 5min-14hr 15min); Delhi (2-3 daily; 22hr 10min-32hr 50min); Mumbai (3 daily; 15hr 35min-i7hr 40min); Timpati (3-4 daily; 14hr-15hr 30min); Varanasi (2 weekly; 30hr 15min); Vijayawada (12-13 daily: 5hr 10min-7hr 45min); Vishakapatnam (5-6 daily; 11 hr 30min-19hr 10min); Warangal (9-10 daily; 2hr 8min-3hr 18min). Tirupati to: Chennai (3 daily; 3hr 15min); Hyderabad/Secunderabad (3-4 daily; 13hr 20min-17hr 10mm); Tinjchirapalli (1 daily; 14hr 15min|; Vatanasi (1 daily: 36hr); Vijayawada (3-6daily; 6hr 25min-8hr 45min>; Vishakapatnam (2-3
Australia and New Zealand
Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Grafton 09/797440. General traveller health advice. Travel-Bug Medical and Vaccination Centre, 161 Ward St, North Adelaide 08/8267 3544.Consultations, inoculations, first-aid/medical kits, post-travel examinations. Travellers' Immunization Service, 303 Pacific Hwy, Lind field, Sydney 02/9416 1348. Offers inoculations and general advice.
Information, websites and maps
The Indian government maintains a number of tourist offices abroad, where you can pick up a range of pamphlets. Their main purpose is to advertise rather than inform, but they can be extremely helpful and knowledgeable. Other sources of information include travel agents (who are in business for themselves, so their advice may not always be totally unbiased), and the Indian Railways representatives listed. Inside India, both national and local governments run tourist information offices, providing general travel advice and handing out an array of printed material, from city maps to glossy leaflets on specific destinations. The Indian government's tourist department,
Information of the Agra in the Uttar Pradesh
Agra has two tourist offices, one run by the Government of India, at 191 The Mall (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm, Sat 9am-1pm), and one run by UF Tourism, close to the darks Shimz, at 64 Taj Rd (same hours); there is also an information booth at Cantonment station. The Government of India office is better organized and provides information about other destinations, though both supply information on hotels and local sights, and details of tours that start and end at Agra Cantonment railway station.
Moving on from Hyderabad
Daily train services from Hyderabad railway station {Nampally) include: the Charminar Express #2760 to Chennai (7pm; 14hr); the Hyderabad-Cochin Express #7030 (noon; 27hr); Andhra Pradesh Express #2723 to Delhi (6.40am; 26hr); Hyderabad-Mumbai Express #7032 (8.40pm; 17hr); East Coast Express #7046 to Calcutta (7am; 33hr) via Vijayawada (6hr), Vishakapatnam (13hr 30min) and Bhubaneswar (23hr); Rayasaleema Express #7429 to Tirupati (5.30pm; 15hr 30min). All northeast-bound services call at Warangal and most at Vijayawada. From Secunderabad, there are some originating services and many through trains in all directions. Useful services include the Konarak Express #1020 to Mumbai (10.50am; 17hr 30min), Secunderabad-Bangalore Express #7085
Travellers’ Medical and Vaccination Centre
Australia; Level 7,428 George St, Sydney 02/9221 7133; Level 2,393 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 03/9603 5788; Level 6,29 Gilbert Place, Adelaide 08/8212 7522; Level 6,247 Adelaide St, Brisbane 07/3221 9066; 5 Mill St, Perth 08/9321 1977. New Zealand: 1/170 Oueen St 09/373 3531; 6 Washington Way, Christchurch 03/379 4000. General info/health line: it 1902/261 560 (Australia). Inoculations/medications, area-specific advice, list of English-speaking doctors in India, first-aid/medical kits and post-travel examinations. A full rundown of their branches, along with general travellers' health advice.
Travel details in Central Tamil Nadu
Trains Trains from Egmore; all others from Central. Chennai to: Bangalore (7 daily; 4hr 45min-8hr 10min); Bhubaneswar (7 daily; 20hr 10min-24hr): Calcutta (2-3 daily; 28hr 15min-32hr 50min). Coimbatore (2 daily; 6hr 50min-8hr 55mm); Chengalpattu (5 daily*; Itir); Delhi (3 daily; 29-43hr); Dindigul (5 daily"; 5hr 45min-9hr): Hyderabad (2 daily; 14-15hr); Kanniyakumari (1-2 daily; 15hr45min-17hr 15min): Kochi (5 weekly: 10-13hr); Kodaikanal Road (4 daily*; 9hr); Kumbakonam (3 daily; 7hr 20min); Madurai (5-6 daily*; 8hr-11 hr 20min); Mumbai (3 daily; 24hr 15min-31hr30min); Mysore (2 daily; 4hr 45min-iihr 20min); Pune (3 daily: 2Ohr-25hr 30min); Rameshwaram (2-3 daily*: 14hr 30min-24hr); Salem (10 daily; 4-6hr); Thanjavur
Practicalities to Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu
Tiruvannamalai is served by regular buses from Vellore, and by eleven daily services from Pondicherry. Coming from the coast, it's easiest to make your way there on one of the numerous buses from Tindivandum. The town bus stand is 2km north of the temple on the main road to Gingee. Haifa kilometre north of there, the railway station is on the line between Tirupati and Madurai, with a daily service in each direction. Amazingly, you can access the internet from Tiruvannamalai, at the Image Computer Centre, 52 Car St (daily 10am-10pm).
Tiruchanur Padmavati temple
Between Tirupati and Tirumala Hill, the Tiruchanur Padmavati temple is another popular pilgrimage halt. A gold vimana tower with lions at each corner surmounts the sanctuary, which contains a black stone image of goddess Lakshmi with one silver eye. At the front step, water sprays to wash the feet of the devotees. A Rs 20 ticket allows you to jump the queue to enter the sanctuary. If you'd like to donate a sari to the goddess, you may do so, upon payment of Rs. 1200 . Cameras are prohibited.
Information of Lucknow in Central UP
The national government's regional tourist bureau, close to the railway station at 10 Station Rd (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, closed 2nd Sat of each month), provides information only; they also operate a stand at the railway station. The UP Tourism office, at 3 Newal Kishore Rd, has an information counter. Lucknow's GPO is onVidhan Sabha Marg. Among banks for foreign exchange are Punjab National Bank, Ashok Marg, Hazratganj, and State Bank of India, also on Ashok Marg and at Mod Mahal Marg. Top-range hotels such as the Taj Mahal also have foreign exchange facilities.
Airline offices in Hyderabad
Airlines Air France : Gupta Estate 1st floor, Basheerbagh S 040/323 0947 Air India : 5-9-193 HACA Bhavan. opposite Public Garden Saifabad -r 040/323 2747 British Airways : Nijhawan Travel Services, 5-9-88/4 Ainulaman Fateh Maidan Rd . 040/324 1661 Delta / Sabena / Swissair / Singapore Airlines, GSA: Aviation Travels, Navbharat Chambers, 6-3-1109/1 Raj Bhavan Rd Guif Air / TWA / Bangladesh Biman / Air Canada / Royal Jordanian : Jet Air, Flat 202,5-9-58 Gupta Estate. Basheerbagh Indian Airlines : opposite Assembly Saifabad For general flight information: Call 140 Pre-recorded flight info : 142; Jet Airways, 6-3-1109/1 GF Nav Bharat Chambers, Raj
Practicalities of Allahabad in the Uttar Pradesh
Allahabad has four railway stations (including Prayag, City and Daraganj), but major trains on the broad-gauge Delhi-Kanpur-Calcutta line arrive at the main Allahabad Junction. Most of the city's hotels are nearby; be sure to use the exit appropriate to the area where you plan to stay. Leader Road bus stand, used by buses from western destinations such as Agra. Lucknow, Kanpur, Kausambi and Delhi, is just outside the station's south gates on the ciry side, while the smaller Zero Road bus stand, serving Mahoba and Satna and Chitrakut to the south - the railheads for Khajuraho - is 1km southeast. Buses
Govindarajaswamy temple
Just a five-minute walk from the railway station, the one temple in Tirupati itself definitely worth a visit is Govindarajaswamy, whose modern is clearly visible from many points in town. Begun by the Nayaks in the sixteenth century, it is an interesting complex with large open courtyards decorated with lion sculptures and some ornate wooden roofs. It also houses the Venkateshvara Museum of Temple Arts. The inner sanctum is open to non-Hindus and contains a splendid large black reclining Vishnu, coated in bronze armour and bedecked in flowers. The sanadarsanan (daily 9.30am-12.30pm: Rs5) will let you in to glimpse the
Pune (Poona) and beyond Arrival and information in Southern Maharashtra
Pune's Lohagaon airport, 10km northeast of the centre, is served by nights from Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore. Prepaid taxis (Rs200), auto-rickshaws (Rs100) and regular "Ex-Servicemen" buses (Rs20-25) are on hand for the fifteen-minute trip to the city centre. Pune is an important staging point on southern express-train routes from Mumbai (3hr 30min-4hr 30min); the main railway station is in the centre of town, south of the river. Auto-rickshaws and tourist taxis wait outside the station - locals often use the shared long-distance taxis to get to Mumbai. Of the three main bus stands, the City Bus Stand next to