India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (212 page)

Orange County Coorg
From the moment you arrive at this lovely 16th-century Tudor-style resort, surrounded by a 120-hectare (300-acre) coffee and pepper plantation, and are welcomed with a delicious glass of fresh sugar-cane juice, you know you’re in for a treat. Connected by cobbled pathways, the thatched and tiled cottages are divided into clusters and spread out over almost 20 hectares (50 acres). The Private Pool Villas are worth the money, with huge bedrooms and spacious dining and sitting areas that lead out to a decent-size private pool set in the middle of a garden with your very own pepper tree. There are plenty of dining options to choose from and caffeine addicts can get their fix in the lounge, where coffee is free of charge.
Tip:
If too much coffee produces an energy rush, head for
Bylekuppe,
30km (19 miles) away. The second largest Tibetan settlement outside Tibet, its Golden Monastery is spectacular, featuring three gigantic gold-plated statues and huge wall frescoes. There are plenty of smaller monasteries in town, along with slightly drab carpet-, incense-, and noodle-making units. (You may want to avoid the months of May–June and Dec, when this resort can become unbearably full and noisy.)

Karadigodu Post, Siddapur, Coorg 571253.
08274/258-481
or -482. Fax 08274/258-485.
www.orangecounty.in
. 59 units. $258 County Cottages; $306 Presidential Villa; $428 Pool Villa; $476 King’s Court (4-person suite); $53 extra bed. Rates include all meals and taxes. MC, V.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; bar; coffee lounge; badminton; boating; cycling; doctor-on-call; fishing; gymnasium; health spa; library; 2 outdoor pools; room service; spice tour; transfer (Rs 6,250 from Bengaluru, Rs 2,250 from Mysore). In room: A/C, TV.

Rainforest Retreat
When a microbiologist and botanist got together and decided to experiment with organic farming and biological pest-control, little did they realize how interested the rest of the world would be. Anurag and Sujata, soon compelled to make a guest room for a regular stream of friends, are today almost always running full, despite having expanded accommodation within their 9 hectares (22 acres). Tents and cottages are scattered amidst banana, orange bamboo and coffee plants (ask for the striking old brook-side deluxe cottage); no-nonsense accommodation is in keeping with the surroundings and ethos of the place. The rustic dining area with stone tables and benches is where simple home-cooked fare is devoured after long walks (guided walks are included in the price) and the evening bonfire, enjoyed with chilled beer (kept in the river on days when the fridge goes bust). With only solar-power for lights and water heated on coal and fire—this is the real green deal.

P.O. Box 101, Coorg 571201.
08272/265-638.
www.rainforestours.com
. 5 units. 2 Deluxe Cottages with 2 bedrooms each Rs 4,000 (double) Rs 2,000 (single); Plantation cottage with 2 independent rooms Rs 3,000 (double) Rs 1,750 (single); 2 Tents Rs 2,000 (double) Rs 1,500 (single). Rates include all meals, hikes and taxes. MC, V. Open Oct–May.
Amenities:
Solar heating in all rooms and tents; transfer (Rs 300 from Madikeri Bus stand/Rs 2,500 from Mysore/Rs 5,000 from Bengaluru); hot water. In room: Fireplace in Plantation Cottage.

3 Exploring the Hoysala Heartland

Halebid is 220km (136 miles) W of Bengaluru; Belur is 14km (9 miles) SW of Halebid; Sravanabelagola is 85km (53 miles) SE of Belur.

The Hoysalas were ferocious warriors who, despite regular military campaigns, found time to allow their love for the arts to flourish. What remains of this once-powerful dynasty are their beautiful temples, usually commissioned to commemorate their victories or successful covenants made with their gods. Situated at the edge of the Western Ghats, the temples of the once-powerful cities of
Belur
and
Halebid
are often referred to as the “Jewel Boxes” of Hoysala architecture, and are comparable with the religious monuments of Khajuraho (in Madhya Pradesh) and Konark (in Orissa). The artists who created these compact, assiduously sculpted temples demonstrated enormous regard for the rules of proportion, and went to extreme lengths to ensure absolute spatial precision. Exterior temple walls are invariably covered in detailed sculpted decoration, while inside you will discover hand-lathe-turned filigreed pillars and figures with moveable jewelry, also carved from stone. The gods paraded at these temples are over 8 centuries old, yet continue to impress with the vigor with which they carry out their superhuman duties, slaying demons and moving mountains, while celestial maidens admire their reflections in eternally reflecting mirrors.

In quite a different vein, the living pilgrimage center at
Sravanabelagola
is where you will find the world’s tallest monolithic sculpture. The statue of Gomateswara, a naked ascetic saint, is the object of one of the biggest Jain pilgrimages in the country—lacking any decoration whatsoever, yet awesome in its sheer grandeur.

To see these highlights of Karnataka’s religious heritage, you have to veer off the main drag a little. Fortunately, if you’re pressed for time, it is possible to cover all three destinations with ease in a single day. Most visitors base their exploration of this region out of the dull and dusty town of Hassan, but the coffee-growing town of Chikmagalur, 25km (16 miles) from Belur, offers far more glowing surroundings, and the pleasant accommodations of the
Taj Gateway Hotel.

ESSENTIALS

GETTING THERE & AROUND
The most convenient way to see the Hoysala sights is to hire a car and driver in Mysore or even Bengaluru. (It is incidentally possible to see all three main attractions in one long day and return to the better accommodations available in Bengaluru, but should you want to take it a little easier you can overnight in either Hassan or Chikmagalur; see below.) If you don’t want to drive from Mysore, a more affordable option is to catch a train from Mysore to Hassan (3 hr. away), from where you can pick up a taxi for a full day of sightseeing (approx. Rs 1,500). Hassan can also be reached overland from Mangalore (see “Traveling Via Mangalore,” below). If you need to hire a vehicle in Hassan, we recommend
Mr. Altaf
(
94-4825-6479;
or ask the manager at Hotel Southern Star to give him a call), who offers excellent rates.

VISITOR INFORMATION
Visit the friendly
Regional Tourist Office
(Vartha Bhavan, B.M. Rd.;
08172/26-8862;
10am–5:30pm, closed Sun and second Sat of the month)
if you need to stock up on brochures. You can also deepen your knowledge at Hotel Mayura Velapuri’s
Belur Tourist Information Centre
(Temple Rd.;
08177/22-2209;
daily 9:30am–6:30pm). In Halebid, there’s a
Tourist Help Desk
(Mon–Sat 10am–5:30pm) at Hoysalesvara Temple. You can pick up ASI-certified
guides
outside each of the two main temples in Belur and Halebid.