bellingham to ketchikan ferry Sankranti (Jan, statewide) This important Telugu festival marks the end of harvest season. Kite-flyi

Sankranti (Jan, statewide) This important Telugu festival marks the end of harvest season. Kite-flying abounds, women decorate their doorsteps with colourful kolams (or rangolis rice-flour designs), and men decorate cattle with bells and fresh horn paint.

Vijayawada is on the main Chenna Kolkata and Chennai Delhi railway lines. The daily Coromandel Express (2841) runs to Chennai (sleeper/3AC/2AC 214/544/732, seven hours) and, the other way, to Kolkata (2842; sleeper/3AC/2AC 395/1054/1440, bellingham to ketchikan ferry 20 hours). Speedy Rajdhani bellingham to ketchikan ferry (Thursday and Saturday) and Jan Shatabdi bellingham to ketchikan ferry (daily except Tuesday) trains also ply the Vijayawada bellingham to ketchikan ferry Chennai route. Trains galore run to Hyderabad (sleeper/3AC/2AC 190/478/639, 6 hours) and Tirupathi (sleeper/3AC/2AC 198/502/674, seven hours). The computerised advance-booking offi ce (%enquiry 2577775, reservations 2578955; h8am-8pm Mon-Sat, till 2pm Sun) is in the basement.