Exploring India’s Intriguing South

The Biryani Trail

Hyderabad

A biryani is a dish consisting of meat and rice cooked in spices and, according to the locals, if you haven’t had a biryani in Hyderabad, you have not had a biryani. Understand why on this insight into one of Hyderabad’s most famous dishes. On this tour you will be given an explanation of the region’s culinary history including its Persian influences and how the mix of north and southern cooking came together. You will be taken through the markets to see all the local spices and vegetables then for lunch at a family home to show you how biryani is cooked from scratch.

A biryani is a dish consisting of meat and rice cooked in spices, and according to the locals if you haven’t had a biryani in Hyderabad, you have not had a biryani. Understand why on this insight into one of Hyderabad’s most famous dishes.

The biryani is a testament to the cosmopolitan kitchens of the Nizams. The method of cooking a biryani is different in Hyderabad. On this tour you will be given an explanation of the region’s culinary history including its Persian influences and how the mix of north and southern cooking came together. You will be taken through the markets to see all the local spices and vegetables then for lunch at a family home to show you how biryani is cooked from scratch.

Most Hyderabadis would say that the best biryanis are cooked at home and each variation is unique because everyone has their own way of cooking it. You can eat, traditional style on the floor or at a table if you wish. You’ll also be able to interact with the family, see past photographs and hear stories about their lives. This tour is about the history and the culture of food not just the eating of it, with a story behind every bite.

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Full Day Excursion to Belur & Halebid Temples

Bangalore & Karnataka

Belur and Halebidu’s soapstone temples were built by the Hoysala dynasty who ruled the southern part of India from around 1006 to 1346. They built almost 1500 temples in 950 locations out of which only 80 temples survive today due to various invasions. These are beautiful pieces of architecture and unique in so many ways.

Belur and Halebidu’s soapstone temples were built by the Hoysala dynasty who ruled the southern part of India from around 1006 to 1346. They built almost 1500 temples in 950 locations out of which only 80 temples survive today due to various invasions. These are beautiful pieces of architecture and unique in so many ways.

Belur was the first capital of Hoysala before they shifted it to Dorasamudra now famously known as Halebidu. At Belur, the main attraction is the 1st-century Chennakeshava Temple – chena meaning ‘beautiful’ and keshava being one of the 24 forms of Vishnu. It took almost 103 years to complete over three generations.

Most of the Hoysala temples are cleverly designed with a star-shaped platform called jagati at the base. Some of the most intricate artwork of the era is displayed on the outside of the temple including 38 madanikas (female sculptures) fixed at the end of the pillars. Over the years the weather has hardened the soapstone which gives the exterior a smooth, shiny glean. Inside you’ll see the sculptors’ remarkable work down to the finest detail around the navaranga hall with 48 pillars, most of which are carved by lathe. No two pillars are the same and you won’t find any stone left unfinished. You may even see the sculptors’ signatures which was rare because the kings never really credited the artisans.

After a spot of lunch (own expense) travel to Halebidu temple around a 25-minute drive away. Otherwise known as Hoysaleswara, this twin temple dedicated to Shiva was built around five years after Belur. Here you’ll find two huge monolithic bulls as well as very striking and varied artwork of processions, deities and animated stories – all minute carvings. All of this history is embedded into the walls as there were no written scriptures.

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Cook & Dine with a Local Family

Mysore

You learn so much about people when you share a meal, and you learn even more if you’ve cooked it together first. On this fascinating tour you will meet your host and start with a trip to the market to buy the ingredients.You will return to your host’s house to prepare a typical three-course Indian meal. Once the food is ready, it is served on banana-leaf plates in the traditional way and you will sit down as a family to eat and talk together.

You learn so much about people when you share a meal, and you learn even more if you’ve cooked it together first. On this fascinating tour you will meet your host and start with a trip to the market to buy the ingredients, vegetables such as brinjal and beans or whatever is in season. You will visit the city’s most famous market, Devaraja, which is very old and full of stalls selling produce from local farms. People enjoy seeing all the goods and learning how to choose what to buy and bargain for it.

You will return to your host’s house to prepare a typical three-course Indian meal, which will probably include local favourites such as tamarind rice, ven pongal – a lentil dish – and some vegetable curries based on what’s in season and a Mysore dosa. It’s not a demonstration; the client is very much involved in the cooking and over four hours you will also get to learn more about city life. Once the food is ready, it is served on banana-leaf plates in the traditional way and you will sit down as a family to eat and talk together. It’s a relaxed, friendly experience leaving you with a true flavour of Mysore.

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Royal Mysore Walk

Mysore

There are 230 heritage buildings and structures that were created by the maharajas of Mysore, from vast palaces to the clock tower where the tour begins. During this two-hour walk, you will get to see some of the most prominent and decorated buildings.

There are 230 heritage buildings and structures that were created by the maharajas of Mysore, from vast palaces to the clock tower where the tour begins. During this two-hour walk, you will get to see some of the most prominent and decorated buildings.

You will spend time in Devaraja market which is full of life. You will get to see people haggling with the stall holders as cows walk through and the smell of jasmine wafts from the flower stalls. At the corner of the market, you’ll find the family shop of the royal cook who invented the city’s most famous sweet, Mysore pak, which is still run by his descendants. It’s made with gram flour, ghee, sugar and mouth-watering so it’s worth a taste. Another highlight is the Palace with Chamundi Hill in the background. Your guide will explain how it was created and how the different architectural styles including gothic, Georgian, Hindu and Saracenic have been combined.

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Musical Retreat

Mysore

On this tour, you get to meet a classical musician at their home and will experience a private music session with them. You will be introduced to the instruments – a violin and mridangam (double-sided drum) used for the Carnatic style of classical Indian music. Your host will explain the history of the music and how it’s comprised from elements such as swaras, the important single musical notes and the main soul of the composition. The songs are associated with Hindu mythology and thanking the gods.

On this tour, you get to meet a classical musician at their home and will experience a private music session with them. You will be introduced to the instruments – a violin and mridangam (double-sided drum) used for the Carnatic style of classical Indian music. Your host will explain the history of the music and how it’s comprised from elements such as swaras, the important single musical notes and the main soul of the composition. The songs are associated with Hindu mythology and thanking the gods.

There’s lot of improvising involved, the words are not written down and each time the musician sings them they’ll be different. Sometimes guests get quite emotional during the performance as music can permeate the barriers of language. There will be time to ask questions, try out the instruments and hum along if you wish.

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Mysore Silk Tour

Mysore

On this tour, you’ll see how Mysore silk is created. Mysore silk is something special, which makes you feel warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s instantly recognisable. If you go to any Indian wedding, many of the women will be wearing saris made with Mysore silk. It’s exceptionally soft and high quality, with a beautiful drape and sheen that makes every colour look amazingly rich.

On this tour, you’ll see how Mysore silk is created. Mysore silk is something special, which makes you feel warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s instantly recognisable. If you go to any Indian wedding, many of the women will be wearing saris made with Mysore silk. It’s exceptionally soft and high quality, with a beautiful drape and sheen that makes every colour look amazingly rich.

The story of how silk came to the city starts with Tipu Sultan in the 18th century, who was so delighted with a gift of silk cloth from China that he set up mulberry farms where silkworms could be raised. This particular factory was established in 1912 by the Maharaja of Mysore, who brought in power looms from Switzerland to revive an industry that was in decline. To show how silk is made from start to finish, you will begin in a village outside the city where the silkworms are raised and the cocoons are collected. It’s a fascinating experience of rural life, where you can see inside the houses, talk to the farmers over coffee, walk through the place where the mulberry trees are grown and learn about something that’s still done in a natural, traditional way.

From here the cocoons are taken to the factory, the next part of the tour. Here they are turned into thread and then cloth, it’s very colourful. The finished fabrics mostly come in plain colours, though patterns are becoming more popular, with a golden border in an intricate design made with zari thread.

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Yoga Tour

Mysore

The origins of yoga go back almost 5,000 years, and on this tour, you’ll learn about its history and how the different forms came about, particularly the ashtanga vinyasa style that started in Mysore. But there’s no better way to truly understand yoga than by doing it, which is why an important part of the experience is a one-hour private session with an experienced instructor.

The origins of yoga go back almost 5,000 years, and on this tour, you’ll learn about its history and how the different forms came about, particularly the ashtanga vinyasa style that started in Mysore. But there’s no better way to truly understand yoga than by doing it, which is why an important part of the experience is a one-hour private session with an experienced instructor.

During that time, you will be taught various yoga poses – asanas – and exercises with breathing, at a pace that suits you. You’ll twist and bend and balance in different postures and, even if you’ve never done yoga before, you’ll feel the benefit.  Modern life is so full of tension, but if you practice yoga every day for 45 minutes, it will keep you fit mentally as well as physically.

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SoBa Walk

Bangalore & Karnataka

You’ll see a side of Bangalore that many people don’t even know exists on the SoBa walk. South Bangalore still holds on to its old-school way of life and this guided walk will take you to the temple where you can soak up the sounds and sights as people pay their respects. Wander through the market to enjoy the fresh smell of the flowers and vegetables as you watch the locals busy buying. Along the way, your guide may introduce you to some of the residents.

You’ll see a side of Bangalore that many people don’t even know exists on the SoBa walk. When you look at the city, it has four cities within it that tell you its whole story. The oldest part is right in the centre, then there is the colonial part that the British built. Modern high-tech Bangalore is another part of the city, but this tour focusses on South Bangalore – or SoBa as it is known.

South Bangalore still holds on to its old-school way of life and this guided walk will take you to the temple where you can soak up the sounds and sights as people pay their respects. Wander through the market to enjoy the fresh smell of the flowers and vegetables as you watch the locals busy buying. Along the way, your guide may introduce you to some of the residents.

Admire the beautiful traditional houses built in the 1940s and 1950s, little grocery shops where the customers still bargain for what they want and men and women dressed in traditional attire. Beyond the sights, your guide will also explain about the local culture and the history of the local language, Kannada. This tour provides guests with an authentic sense of what it means to be a Bangalorean, of the relaxed rhythm of every day and of a way of life that’s fast vanishing. SoBa is not modern Bangalore it’s a little time capsule.

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In the Footsteps of Rajas & Sultans

Bangalore & Karnataka

When people think of Bangalore, they often think of the modern city it is now, however a walking tour will reveal its fascinating history. In the Footsteps of Rajas and Sultans covers the evolution of Bangalore from when it was founded in medieval times to its capture by the British, a fascinating period of time.  Explore the crowded bazaars, stopping at interesting sites including the market and an ancient temple. Along the way, your guide will share some intriguing stories about Bangalore.

When people think of Bangalore, they often think of the modern city it is now, however a walking tour will reveal its fascinating history. In the Footsteps of Rajas and Sultans covers the evolution of Bangalore from when it was founded in medieval times to its capture by the British, a fascinating period of time.

The original city started off in 1537 as a mud fort, with a moat around it and a fortified settlement, or pettah, to the north which had different areas for people of a particular location, so there’d be districts of goldsmiths, traders and rice millers. You will weave south along labyrinthine streets that were formed in the 1500s. Explore the crowded bazaars, stopping at interesting sites including the market and an ancient temple. Along the way, your guide will share some intriguing stories about Bangalore.  

The two-and-a-half-kilometre walk ends at what’s left of the stone fort built in the 18th century, which was damaged during the British siege of 1791 and later almost completely demolished. All that’s left is one massive gateway, which is a fitting spot to end because it marks the beginning of a new period in Bangalore’s history: the days of the Raj.

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