C Courses Dhamma Vijaya MEDITATION (Vipassana Meditation Centre; %08812-225522; www.dhamma.org; Eluru-Chintalapudi Rd) Offers blackbirds sayville intensive 10-day vipassana meditation courses free of charge in lush palm- and cocoa-forested grounds. The centre is 15km from Eluru; call for details.
oTaj Mahal Hotel (Himayathnagar) HOTEL $$ (off Map p898; %27637836-9; tajcafe@gmail.com; Himayathnagar; s/d from 900/1200; aW) Despite its unfortunate location in front of an overpass on Himayathnagar Rd, the Taj is a peaceful, sunny, stylish place where the staff are warm and welcoming and the hallway floors look like Jaipuri marble. Rooms are surprisingly tasteful, with sleek lamps and chunky, contemporary wooden furniture. Comfy and classy for less than the going rate makes this a great choice.
The Vizag area s natural harbours have long been conducive to dropping anchor, which helped monks from Sri Lanka, China and Tibet come here to learn and practice meditation. Bavikonda (h9am-6pm) and Thotlakonda (h10am-3pm) were popular hilltop monasteries on the coast that hosted up to 150 monks at a time with the help of massive rainwater tanks and, at Thotlakonda, a natural spring.
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.
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