6 Months in a Circle

robotvoice

Hello all.

I am embarking on my second 6 month journey to India, starting in October and returning in April. My budget is "budget", my favorite mode of transport is sleeper train (it's hard to travel on a long bus ride with a sitar in your lap, and I dont trust it on the roof). I cannot really say what my main types of interests are, since I love just about all aspects of India, from nature to temples to city streets to rural towns to backpacker enclaves to beaches to museums to architecture to music, dance, arts, to food to... well, you get the picture.

My first journey centered mainly around Kolkata, Darjeeling, Bodhgaya, Varanasi, Rajasthan, Haridwar and Mussoorie. This time I plan to make a circle, beginning in Kolkata (with an initial Sikkim trip) and heading south down the eastern coast, then back up the west coast, where I am meeting a friend at the Golden Temple in March, and then back to Kolkata. I am not opposed to inland diversions along the coastal route.

So here is my request: Can you wonderfully helpful IMers suggest your top ten places of interest that would more or less follow this geographical path? If so I will send you all huge amounts of electronic hugs and kisses in exchange for your help.

thanks!
-RV

webtraveller

robotvoice
I am feeling Big J.

WT

wonderwomanusa

Maybe not ten places but...

Puri. Konark. Huderabad. Mysore. Tirchy. Ramaswaram. Mammalapuram. Ajanta/Ellora

Nick-H

You'd be very welcome to drop in at my house for a chai on your way to Mamallapuram if it or Chennai gets included in your itinerary!

Given your interest in music, I would strongly recommend that you spend as much of the December music season in Chennai as you can!

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capt_mahajan

This list will not be comprehensive, others will have great places I haven't thought of or been.

This is somewhat in line with your coastal trip, and as far as possible near railway lines (though I would suggest find a musician or somebody in a couple of places who will treat your sitar with respect, for a few days and once in a while, and part with it, if possible.. you can maybe do this planning before your trip)

(* = don't miss
note: have cheated a bit in the top ten list by combining places, but eg Bijapur becomes a must see the moment you are in Hampi, its close and en route.. same for Munnar

1. -Puri/Konarak
2. -Vizag.. Araku valley
3. -Pondicherry
4. -Rameshwaram
5. -Kerala backwaters+Cochin+Munnar*
6. -Goa (Murudeshwar before or after??)
7. -Hampi*+Bijapur
8. -Ajanta/Ellora
9. -Delhi*+Agra* (7 days minimum unless done before)
10. -Uttaranchal* (railhead Haldwani/Kathgodam, road upto Munisiyari)

In my opinion, as better places come up, Pondicherry and Vizag can be dropped first from this list.

Sitar: will be a problem throughout the road trip to Uttaranchal, unless you hire a car and keep the backseat for the Sitar-- but that isn't budget .

PS have edited this post, forgot agra! clubbed with Delhi.
And I realise you have left the coast after Goa, but I thought it was a better idea.

incitatus

Taking a circular route from Kolkata here are 10 places I would recommend.
1 Konark - Sun Temple
2 Hyderabad - Golconda
3 Rameshwaram- go out to Danushkodi- the end of India
4 Madurai -Temple city
5 Mysore - Garden city
6 Shravanabelagola -Jain monolith
7 Shatrunjaya - city of 863 temples
8 Jaisalmer - it really is something out of Arabian Nights
9 Karnaprayag - my summer retreat
10 Varanasi- where Heaven touches the Earth.

capt_mahajan

incitatus: shatrunjaya, excellent idea.
some photographs just found
http://www.pbase.com/spoonbender/shatrunjaya

though robotvoice has been to varanasi and rajasthan on his last trip.

Sama

robotvoice, take Nick up on his offer to visit Chennai! I will be there starting Dec. 27 for about 10 days with one of my yoga students, and then I am off to travel, ending up in Kerala....

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ananda2193

Madurai for sure. Hit some mountain places in the south also. Like Kodaikanal or Ooty or Munnar. Hampi for sure. Mysore is pleasant........the list can go on and on. You'll figure it out when there as I never make concrete plans because they never happen as you probably know. Just go with the flow once there. But the above reccommendations are worthwhile.

robotvoice

Nick- Thanks for the invite, and the advice about December. Both sound like a great idea.

WWU, Captain, incitatus, ananda- thanks for the suggestions, which should definitely keep me busy for a while.

ananda, i agree, i like to keep my itinerary plans open and flexible. That's whats nice about having a handy reference thread like for when I'm on the road. I have so many great suggestions already and I'm sure I wont make it to all of them since I am such a slow traveler. I was also kind of curious which places would be most commonly suggested, so far it looks like konark, hampi, and madurai.

Yogagal, lets stay in touch and see if our paths may cross in India.

everyone- electronic kisses coming soon!

robotvoice

As promised, some electronic kisses to thank you all...

Attached Thumbnails

 

capt_mahajan

robotvoice, if hyderabad at all, can leave sitar here, and pick up a beer.

Credentials: have about twelve musical instruments already, incluing a sitar
none stored.

Nick-H

You're a musician as well, Capt?

machadinha

RV, if it serves as any inspiration to you, find a 6-month more-or-less perimeter itinerary of mine here. My first trip and (hence?) many of the usual suspects, but see what you make of it.

That trip was cut short so I had to bring it back to 3.5; still somehow managed to mostly do what I'd had in mind I think, mostly dropping Sikkim and Assam I think. Next time!

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capt_mahajan

Nah, the kids are.

I am a mean bathroom singer, though