My TripAdvisor Review No.287: Hotel Mayura Chalukya Badami, Karnataka.

Decent Hotel With Some Old World Charm.

This Government run KSTDC hotel is located just before entering the main town of Badami, and hence it is a bit detached from the hustle, bustle, dust and grime of the town. The grounds are surrounded by old trees and beautifully manicured lawns. Monkeys and squirrels can be seen scampering around, and add to the rustic charm of the place. Parking is available outside the gates in an open plot under some large shady trees.

We had booked a semi-deluxe ac room online. It was a cosy room with a king size bed, side table, a comfy armchair, a luggage rack, a half cupboard with some hangers, a big CRT TV and an LG split ac. The bathroom was as big as our room, with a large boiler, wash basin with mirror, and a commode with a heath faucet. Service was good and the room was cleaned daily by the housekeeping staff. There were some nice paintings on the walls of each room and in the corridors.

The restaurant was good, though it was open to the general public as well, many of whom come to enjoy a beer in the afternoon. The food taste was average. Breakfast was limited to idlis, poha and upma. Restaurant service was not that great.

The hotel is located about 1.5 km from the Badami cave temples. After the temple visits it was nice to come back and relax in the ac room as it would become hot as the day wore on, even in February. Free wi-fi was available at the reception and restaurant. The hotel garden was a pleasant place for an evening stroll and watching the monkeys gamboling around. A huge colony of bats, from a big tree nearby, would start swirling around at dusk. All this added to the charm of this hotel in Badami, which is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in India.

• Stayed: February 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.231: Christ Church, Shimla.

“Showpiece of Shimla.”

Reviewed yesterday

NEW

Located on the Ridge, Christ Church is the most prominent landmark of Shimla. It overshadows all the other heritage buildings around it with its sheer majesty and beauty. We got a sense of peace and serenity just looking at it.

It was built in 1857 by the British in the neo-Gothic style of architecture, and is the second oldest church in North India. It has stained glass windows and a large clock which sadly does not work now. The building itself is very well maintained.

We visited the church in the late afternoon, but the best time to see it is late evening when it is all lit up.

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Visited June 2017

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My TripAdvisor Review No.201: Srirangapatna, Mandya District, Karnataka.

“Steeped in History and Surrounded by Natural Beauty.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Srirangapatna is a small town about 15 km from Mysore city in the district of Mandya. The entire town is surrounded by the River Kaveri to form a river island, and encloses the ruins of Tipu Sultan’s Fort.

We had taken a private bus from Mysore for a day of sight-seeing, and Srirangapatna was included just as a drive through in about half an hour. We saw all the monuments but did not alight from the bus to visit them individually. But the sights of Srirangapatna are too good and one can spend the full day, if not more, to visit them.

Some of the monuments we saw in passing were the Ranganathaswamy Temple, Dariya Daulat Bagh (Summer Palace of Tipu Sultan), Tipu Sultan Gumbaz, Wellesley Bridge, Srirangapatna Fort, Bailey’s Dungeon and the memorial at the spot where Tipu Sultan was killed.

The Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is also located near Srirangapatna.

There are some hotels and lodges located in and around the town. It would definitely be worthwhile to stay longer in Srirangapatna and explore the monuments, ruins and the beautiful natural surroundings around the Kaveri River.

Visited November 2016

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My TripAdvisor Review No.200: Mysore Maharaja's Palace.

“Grand Palace of Mysore.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

For anyone visiting Mysore a visit to the Maharaja’s Palace, also known as Amba Vilas, is a must. It is one of the most iconic monuments of this city, and is located in the centre of Mysore. It is the residence of the erstwhile royal family of Mysore, the Wodiyars.

There is an entrance fee of Rs.40 per head, and cameras are not allowed inside. An audio guide is available on payment of an additional fee.

You have to take off your footwear and leave your camera in a free locker provided near the entrance to the Palace. The Palace grounds are huge and there are well laid out gardens and pathways.

Inside the palace are huge halls and rooms decorated with period furniture, paintings and precious artefacts well laid out and displayed. You are made to follow a certain sequence of rooms as you go from room to room and admire the items on display.

The palace is illuminated every Sunday and other public holidays from 7 pm to 7.30 pm, and looks indeed spectacular when it is all lit up.

Visited November 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.178: Sasivekalu Ganesha, Hampi.

“Ganesha Idol Shaped Like a Mustard Seed.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

This is second largest monolithic stone statue of Ganesha in Hampi. It is about 8 feet tall and is called Sasivekalu because of its resemblance in shape to a mustard seed. The statue is seated in half lotus posture.

There is an interesting story regarding this Ganesha idol. Lord Ganesha is well known for being a greedy eater. One day he ate so much that his tummy almost burst. So he caught hold of a snake and tied it round his tummy to stop it bursting. You can see the stone snake coiled around his belly. He has four arms in one of which he his holding his broken tusk.

This idol is located at the southern foothill of the Hemakuta hill.

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Visited January 2016

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My TripAdvisor Review No.177: Kadalekai Ganesha, Hampi.

“Huge Ganesha Idol in Stone.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

This is one of the largest stone Ganesha Idols I have ever seen. It is about 18 feet tall and has four arms and a pot belly. It is placed in a big pillared inner sanctum. It gets its name from its shape in the form of a groundnut or Bengal gram, and is supposed to have been built from the donations of a groundnut trader.

It is a monolithic statue which has been carved from a single stone.

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Visited January 2016

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My TripAdvisor Review No.163: Group of Monuments at Hampi, Karnataka, India.

“An Ancient City from another World.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Hampi is an amazing city from another world...from a bygone era. It is fascinating and awe inspiring even in its ruined state.

There are more than 500 ancient monuments and buildings dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Some temples are even older than this. There are beautiful temples, ruined palaces, ancient market places, royal pavilions and treasury buildings. Each monument has intricate carvings and unique architecture. One can spend days and even months exploring the intricate details of these monuments, which are spread out among the giant boulders of granite.

The meandering Tungabhadra River in the midst of this makes the land very fertile. You will see green fields, amongst coconut and mango trees, being tended to by the local farmers who still occupy this rich land. The most ancient Virupaksha Temple is still a live temple where Lord Shiva is worshipped by the Hindus.

One should spend at least a couple of days at Hampi, if not more, to get a real ‘Out of this World’ experience. It is a paradise for art, history and nature lovers.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.162: Elephant Stables, Hampi.

“Best Preserved of the Hampi Monuments.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

This is one of the best preserved of the Hampi monuments. It is situated in a nice garden setting at the far end of the Zenana Enclosure.

It was meant for the royal elephants. There are 11 stables here, set in a symmetrical row around a larger central hall. They are all connected with small doors at the rear, probably meant for the mahouts. The ceilings are dome shaped in Islamic style.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.161: Vithala Temple Complex, Hampi, Karnataka.

“Fine Monuments with Exquisite Carvings.”

Reviewed 2 days agoNEW

The Vijaya Vithala Temple is one of the finest examples of the exquisite carvings that the Hampi temples are known for. One is greeted by the magnificent stone chariot in the temple courtyard. It is believed that chariot could be moved by just pushing it, but now it is prohibited. The temple itself has got 56 exquisitely carved musical pillars which emit musical notes when struck. There is also a ‘King’s Balance’ nearby, where the King used to be weighed in gold, coins or food-grains, and this was distributed among the poor on some religious occasions.

One has to either take a battery operated golf cart or bus, or walk the 1 km distance to the site from the parking area. There is a Re.10 fee for the state run vehicles, and another Re.10 fee to enter this site. The latter fee is also valid for the Lotus Mahal and the Hampi Museum, so preserve the ticket if you happen to visit them on the same day.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.160: Vijayanagar (Hampi), Karnataka, India.

“The City of Victory, now in Ruins.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

Vijayanagar literally means the City of Victory. But it was defeated in 1565 by the Deccan Sultanates of Central India. The beautiful temples, palaces and exquisitely carved monuments of the Vijayanagar Empire now lie in ruins amongst the giant boulderd landscape of Northern Karnataka in South India, near the industrial towns of Bellary and Hospet.

The capital city of Vijayanagar came to be known as Hampi. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The splendidly built temples, palaces and structures have beautiful carvings and uniquely breathtaking architecture. It has also been an important religious centre for the Hindus from ancient times.

Even though the city was plundered and destroyed for more than 6 months in 1565, many of the structures still stand tall and proud in this uniquely beautiful landscape of boulders, green fields and farmland. The Tungabhadra River meanders through this enchanting land.

Any visitor to Hampi will be truly captivated by the awe inspiring views of a once glorious empire.

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Visited January 2016

This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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My TripAdvisor Review No.158: Statue of Ugra Narasimha, Hampi.

“Iconic Idol of Hampi.”

Reviewed yesterdayNEW

The statue of Ugra Narasimha at Hampi is one of the most iconic idols of Hampi. It is also one of the biggest monolithic idols of Hampi and is 6.7 metres tall. It is one of the finest examples of sculptures of the Vijayanagara Kingdom.

The idol of Narasimha represents the fourth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and his body is half human and half lion. He is seated on the coils of the sacred guardian snake with its seven hoods acting as a protective canopy covering his head. The statue has been severely damaged and its four arms are broken. The seated figure of his consort Lakshmi is also missing.

The statue was carved by a priest during the reign of Krishnadevaraya in 1528 AD.

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Visited January 2016

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My TripAdvisor Review No.150: Gowri Resort, Hampi, Karnataka.

“For A Rustic Village Experience” 

We booked our stay at this resort online on their website well in advance since the month of January is the best time to visit the ruins of Hampi. It becomes very hot in Hampi from March onwards.

We were well received by Sriharsha and he helped us settle down in the deluxe room which had a nice view of the rice fields and boulder strewn hills outside. There was a jhoola (swing) with a mattress and cushion outside the room where one could relax and gaze at the scenery. The room itself had pretty basic furniture which consisted of a dressing table, a double bed, a chair and some shelves to keep your stuff. All rooms have a fan but no ac. Hot water is available only from 7 to 9 am in the morning. There was no mirror in the bathroom, but I was provided with a hand held mirror on request.

They have a nice shack type of restaurant for your meals. Most of the items on the menu consisted of Continental, Italian, Chinese, Spanish and Israeli dishes. There were very few Indian dishes apart from alu parotha, biryani and some sabzi and roti. We missed the traditional South Indian dishes of idli, dosa, wada and thalis. But we enjoyed the parothas and sandwiches at breakfast, as well as pizza and biryani at dinner.

The resort is across the Tungabhadra River from Hampi, and the boat crossing point is 5 km away. You need to have your own transport or hire a rickshaw to get to the boat point to get across for sight-seeing Hampi. On the other hand, the remoteness gives this resort an atmosphere of peace and serenity which we liked. It was wonderful to sit out on the swing and watch the sun rising behind the boulder strewn hills. In the evening one can go for a walk to the Sanapur Lake nearby and watch the setting sun. Many varieties of birds and a troupe of langur monkeys live in the surrounding trees and we enjoyed listening to them, as well as the pet dog squabbling with the pet pig.

Sriharsha was very helpful and arranged for a rickshaw cum guide to sight-see Hampi. The Anjanadri (Hanuman) Hill, and the Pampa Sarovar are on the same side of the river as Gowri Resort, about 4 km away. Both these places are worth a visit.

All in all we had a unique experience by staying at Gowri Resort. We saw the incredible views of the ruined temples and monuments at Hampi, as well as the experienced firsthand a rustic village life.

Room Tip: Bamboo huts have the best views. Deluxe rooms are better furnished and have a hammock outside.

See more room tips

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• Stayed January 2016, travelled as a couple
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC

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