What remains today from India’s powerful father-son duo is an enjoyable half day sightseeing of well marked spots set among lush greenery and the peaceful passing waters of Cauvery River. A relative absence of touts allows visitors the proper chance to pay respect to a person many Indians consider a hero. A handful of resorts stretch along the river, hidden under the tropical jungle covering, for travelers looking for an extended stay. The island is as well laid out today as it was hundreds of years ago which makes for easy access to all points of interest. Give yourself six to eight hours to fully enjoy a very clean, very interesting Srirangapatna.

What to See

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

Built in 889, the Hindu temple is open to visitors of all religions. Photography is prohibited inside, an unfortunate fact given the beauty which can be seen beyond the open air mandapa. Prepare for a long wait to reach the inner shrine unless you arrive early morning. The queue here is one of the most aggressive I’ve encountered in all India. If the idea of a long, hot wait is not of interest, at least explore the grassy space between the temple and outer wall. This area provides peaceful contemplation as well as good people watching.
 

Tipu’s Death Place

Yes, just as it sounds it really is the place where the body of Tipu Sultan was found. It’s a far cry from Delhi’s Rajghat, yet still a tasteful, well groomed space nestled under the canopy of palm trees. Tipu Sultan fell victim to a British soldier on May 4, 1799 along with many of his soldiers.
 
 
 
 

Lal Mahal Palace

Only the ruins of a foundation from Tipu Sultan’s former palace, Lal Mahal, remain. The man responsible for defeating the once powerful ruler, Colonel Wellesley, was the same man charged with dismantling Lal Mahal. It took two years, from 1807 to 1809, to turn the grandiose building into nothing more than a decaying platform of rubble. Of great note was the library full of rare manuscripts and books, which were shifted to England after Tipu Sultan’s death.
 
 

Bathing Ghats

Immerse yourself in daily life along with families who come to the ghats to bathe, to wash laundry, to dip in the waters cooling currents, and to picnic. Foreign tourists would be advised to refrain from intrusive photography of female bathers, and enter with discretion. Small temples dot the river bank where elders congregate and young kids splash playfully splash. Downstream one can find colorful yards of sari fabric laid out to dry under natural forces. Bring a lunch, sit a spell, and enjoy an average day in the life of a resident of Srirangapatna.
 

Gumbaz

Situated in the middle of pristine gardens is one of the most unique buildings to be seen in all India. A two story tower capped by a flowering dome and four minars stands in the middle of an ornate, squat wrap-around breezeway supported on jet black rock pillars. The stark contrast between the black rock and yellow plaster is hauntingly eerie, while visually stunning. It’s size is modest, especially considering it is the mausoleum housing the remains of Tipu Sultan, his father Hyder Ali and his mother. A working mosque sits adjacent the gumbaz. Stroll through the gardens to find more unmarked tombs.

Dariya Daulat Bagh

Tipu Sultan’s summer palace. Restricted photography is unfortunate given this is the pinnacle of tourist’s visit to Srirangapatna. Suffice to say, beautifully painted interiors will leave visitors awe struck. The paintings depict victorious battles scenes of Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan against the British. The palace was built in the Indo-Sarcenic style in 1784. Today is houses a museum displaying war weapons, paintings and coins of Tipu’s period.

Timings: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Entry Fee: Rs 5 Indian, Rs 100 Foreigner

Where to Eat / Stay

Amblee Holiday Resort

Just minutes away from Srirangapatna attractions is this quaint resort nestled among the tropical foliage. An in-house restaurant is popular with tourists who enjoy seating along the Cavery River. Close distances to Mysore and Bangalore, plus affordable room tariffs make staying here a worthwhile weekend or two day getaway from the cities.
 
 
 

How to Reach

By Air

Mysore Domestic Airport: 14 km to Srirangapatnam. Taxi facilities are available in the airport and taxi fare is about Rs 300 from Mysore to Srinrangapatna.

Bangalore International Airport: 140 km to Srirangapatnam. Taxi services are available from Bangalore to Srirangapatna which costs about Rs 3000.

By Train

Mysore railway station (MYS) is the nearest railhead to Srirangapatna. Taxi services are available and taxi fare is about Rs 300 from Mysore to Srirangapatna.

By Bus

KSRTC buses offer Premium, Luxury, Deluxe and Express services from Mysore and surrounding cities.

Oneworld Alliance is home to several of the world’s largest airlines including American Airlines, British Airways, Japan Airlines and Australia-based Qantas. Membership into the alliance would help expand Kingfisher’s worldwide routes gaining it more exposure with foreign travelers. Domestically the airline is already well known, although with 1/3 of it’s fleet currently grounded, and it’s low-end service Kingfisher Red scrapped as of October 2011, Kingfisher’s market share has fallen from second to fifth in India.

Bruce Ashby, CEO, Oneworld, said, “We have been working closely with Kingfisher over the months and it has become increasingly clear recently that the airline needs more time to resolve the financial issues it is confronting before it can be welcomed into Oneworld.”

A statement issued by Kingfisher said, “Oneworld today agreed to put the airline’s entry into the alliance on hold to give it time to strengthen its financial position.”

Kingfisher Airlines has accumulated losses amounting more than Rs 4,283 crore ($857 million) since it began operations in 2005. There is no word on whether the frequent flier agreement with American Airlines started in November 2011, is in jeopardy.

Let me back up. I needed a shave desperately. My face was itching and my patience level for the greying beard poking through was nearing a low. As soon as I checked into the hotel in Haridwar I went out into the market to find a barber. My friend was going to meet me in 30 minutes so time was of the essence. Five days of stubble were an obvious giveaway that my eyes were scanning the shop signs as I slowed in front of the barber. There was a stall just 3 doors from the hotel. A young, twenty-something man waved me in.

That was my first mistake. I never like to patronize a business near my hotel. Shopkeepers size up foreign tourists based on where they are staying and if the service isn’t up to par, I dislike having to continue walking past the business for the remainder of my stay. In this case, I had decided to treat myself to a 4-star luxury hotel. I was an open target.

“Shave, and trim my neck, ” I said.

“No problem,” said the barber dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and dark blue leather biker jacket.

Great! I was in the chair and would be looking fresh in just 10 minutes, plenty of time to walk the market and still meet my friend with time to spare.

Shit! Oh Shit! I realized I had made the gravest mistake. I forgot to ask how much…I always ask how much before I agree on anything in India!

The young man finished my shave. “Face massage?” he asked.

“No,” I replied. Too late. He wasn’t going to let me get away without a full facial and massage.

What the heck, I figured. The worst it would cost was an extra Rs 50.

The massage went on for 20 minutes as the opportunistic man dabbed one cream after another onto my face before wiping it clean with a cotton ball.

“See,” he would say as he showed me the dirt and grime soiled wipe. I now knew this was going to end in an inflated price by the way he was trying to justify his work. Hell, I could have wiped my forehead with water and come up with a dark stained cloth after the many hours spent in the car earlier in the day.

“Finish,” he said. It was time to pay.

“How much?” I asked, knowing the most I had ever paid for a shave and massage from a barber was Rs 100.

“Rs 650,” he said. “What?!” I exclaimed. “No way, that is too high,” I said.

What could I do? I had to pay the man right? Wrong! India doesn’t abide by the usual prim and proper rules western societies have fallen victim to following. Instead, Indians will refuse to pay a quoted amount if they feel they are being asked an amount too high. From rickshaw drivers to laundry wallahs, tourists are unknowingly overcharged for services in which a domestic tourist would pay a fraction of the cost.

At home we would fear a business owner phoning the police, filing a report, and landing ourselves in a bit of a pickle. In India, tourists are perfectly in their right to argue over the price, even going so far as refusing to pay the bill entirely. If the business owner were to take the argument onto the street it’s only a matter of time before a crowd will gather in your defense. “Chor! Chor!” You can exclaim. Being called a thief in public is not good for business.

Rs 650 for a shave and massage elicited laughs from the crowd before the barber was shamed into a lower price. I looked the other way when leaving my hotel for the next two days. A little bit of western embarrassment stuck with me even though I knew he was wrong.

Set along the Cauvery River, this resort and restaurant getaway is a welcome stop after hours of sightseeing set under natural jungle shade. A sprawling maze of pathways cut through groomed landscape where you’ll find free roaming ducks, caged rabbits plus a plethora of wild birds. Eager waiters are quick to seat newly arrived guests, a good and bad thing for those that wish to linger a bit longer among the beautiful grounds. Eventually the gently passing river calls everyone toward it’s banks where various levels of seating compete for the best views.

From Indian food to Chinese food, the heartily stocked menu is surprisingly reasonable in price. Portion sizes are just right for couples to share a few dishes. This won’t be the best meal during a trip to India but it certainly will be the most memorable. Squawking ducks keep a close distance to shore in the slow moving river water as gentle breezes rustle the numerous overhanging trees. A small ghat allows bird lovers to get into the shallow river water for picture perfect camera shots.

Quick, friendly service, great prices, clean toilets and plenty of parking for those traveling by car, make Amblee Holiday Resort a preferred pick while visiting Srirangapatna. Foodies: You can find better food in the local haunts while sacrificing the idyllic atmosphere.

Various tombs of other relatives surround the gumbaz, some with small signs offering guidance on which specific individuals are buried here. The outer gumbaz columns are made of a amphibolite, a very dark rock that exudes a somber richness unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere in India. Handcrafted door frames covered in a deep lacquer finish lead into an inner tomb illuminated only by natural light. All visitors are welcome inside, and even encouraged to enter by the friendly doormen.

A working mosque named Masjid-e-aksa sits adjacent Srirangapatna gumbaz. Visitors are asks to respect the privacy of those individual prayer rooms as well as to refrain from photography. All other areas of the mosque and gumbaz are open for photography.

All visitors are required to take off their shoes before entering upon the gumbaz platform. There are no shoe watchers, thus no fee, and no need to worry about stolen shoes here.

Gumbaz Timings: 8:00 am – 6:30 pm Daily

Unfortunately photography is prohibited inside the more than 1000 year old Hindu temple. Thus the idol of Lord Ranganatha reclining on a bed laid out by the serpent Aadi Sesha (about 4.5 meters in length) can only be enjoyed in-person. The main entrance consists of pillars with carvings of the 24 forms of Vishnu. The good news is cameras can click away in the mandapa as you wait in the long queue to enter.

You’ll want to bring a bottle of water and a lot of patience when visiting this temple. Heat can quickly exhaust even the strongest persons (many left the queue clutching their heads and stomachs). A seemingly endless queue breeds line-cutters as well as pushy devotees who believe their presence deserves priority stature. Come early to avoid being manhandled.

An outer ring between the temple and its surrounding fort like walls provides a peaceful area for walking, but be mindful of the hot stone walkways. Rather, move along the well groomed grassy patches.

Outside Ranganatha Swamy Temple is a shopper’s paradise. Touts selling everything from ice cream to dolls, puja offerings to hats, can be found lining the street as you make your way to transportation.

Temple Timings: 7:30 am – 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Indian Railways believes it can curb unauthorized ridership as every ticket will be booked with a photo ID, and it hopes to crack down on passengers traveling on transferred tickets sold by touts. Domestic and foreign tourists must be be able to provide a government issued photo ID if asked by the ticket examiner. Non-AC travelers are currently unaffected by the new policy although the decision on photo IDs may be widened in future so that every passenger on board a train has a valid identity card.

Four airports currently participate in the Visa on Arrival Program: Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. For the full year, Delhi issued the most visas at 7,340, followed by Mumbai (2,816), Chennai (1,948) and Kolkata (657).

India’s Tourist Visa on Arrival program was first introduced Jan 1, 2010 for citizens of Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore. Following a good response, the government extended it to six more countries, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar, from January 2011.

The Prime Minister’s Office issued a request to the Home Ministry in January 2012 to extend the program of Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) to airports including Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi and Bengaluru within one year.

Khajuraho Dance Festival 2012 kicks off February 1, with a performance by Odissi dancer Sujata Mahopatra. More than 25 dancers and 7 dance groups from across India will participate during the 8-day festival. Attendees can see dance performances in Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Manipuri, and Kuchipuri.

Khajuraho Dance Festival will be held at Chitragupt and Vishwanath temples among the western group of the Khajuraho temple complex. A traditional art and craft works will also be displayed during the event.

The roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry service will connect the Kathiawar peninsula A.K.A. Saurashtra with south Gujarat via sea route. The circuitous road distance around the Gulf of Cambay between Ghogha and Dahej is 360 km. However, the distance by sea route will be reduced to just 31 km. Construction of terminals in Gogha and Dahej is expected to be completed in just 15 months with an estimated cost of Rs 296 crore ($59.6 million).

Ro-Ro ferries can carry more than 100 vehicles (including trucks, buses, cars, etc) on special decks plus accommodations for more than 1,000 passengers on each service run.

Gujarat state government is also planning to construct a 6.5 km four-lane road connecting Ghogha ferry terminal from State Highway 36.