alaska weather in may If you re pressed for time, APTDC runs three-day tours ( 1950) to Tirumala from Hyderabad. KSTDC (p

Around 36km east of Tirupathi, Sri Kalahasti is known for its important Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple and for being, along with Machilipatnam near Vijayawada, a centre alaska weather in may for the ancient art of kalamkari. These paintings are made with natural ingredients: the cotton is primed with myrabalam (resin) and cow s milk; figures are drawn with a pointed bamboo stick dipped in fermented jaggery and water; and the dyes are made from cow dung, ground seeds, plants and flowers. You can see the artists at work in the Agraharam neighbourhood, 2.5km from the bus stand. Sri Vijayalakshmi Fine Kalamkari Arts (%9441138380; door No 15890) is an old family business with 40 artists.

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, 20 hours). Speedy alaska weather in may Rajdhani (Thursday and Saturday) and Jan Shatabdi (daily alaska weather in may except Tuesday) trains also ply the Vijayawada Chennai alaska weather in may route. Trains galore alaska weather in may run to Hyderabad (sleeper/3AC/2AC alaska weather in may 190/478/639, 6 hours) and Tirupathi alaska weather in may (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.

The Kirandol passenger train ( 20, five hours) leaves Vizag at 6.50am and Araku at 3pm. It s a slow, spectacular ride; sit on the right-hand side coming out of Vizag for best views. For Jungle Bells, get off at Tyda station, 500m from the resort. Frequent buses ( 58, 4 hours) leave from Araku to Vizag every hour until 7pm.

If you re pressed for time, APTDC runs three-day tours ( 1950) to Tirumala from Hyderabad. KSTDC (p 849 ) and TTDC (p 998 ) offer the same from Bengaluru and Chennai, respectively. APTDC also has a full-day tour ( 340) of temples in the Tirupathi area.