Renting A Room

Finding a room to rent during your yoga course in Gokulam is not difficult. Most, if not all households in Gokulam speak English.

There are a few ways to go about looking for a room in Gokulam :

1. Ask your yoga master Bharath Shetty (Yoga India) when you meet him for your course registration

2. Ask Tina (Tina’s café) when you go to the café for a meal
3. Ask Needs Travel (Murthy at +91-9880265622) for recommendations
4. Call Shaila at +91-9886653001 – she has a room for rent, but I think she prefers only female tenants

5. Call Mr Ventakesh at +91-9448492414 - he has 4 rooms at his place for rent.

6. Walk around Gokulam, and look for houses with extended premises (either a separate wing, or rooftop

rooms) : these homes usually rent out rooms to yoga students. All you have to do is simply knock and ask!

The key to living comfortably in Gokulam is simply by asking around. Many of the foreigners are repeat yoga practitioners to Gokulam and know all the ins and outs of the area: the best restaurants, home-stays and home-cooking, tailors, internet cafes, supermarkets, etc.

Renting a room in a house (“paying guest” is the Indian term) will cost about Rs3500 and up, depending on your requirements (usage of kitchen, internet, cleaning services etc).

Depending on where you stay, and your requirements, the rent can vary a lot. However, as the course at Yoga India starts at a really early hour of 5.30am, you’d want to live within a 5 minute walk from the shala.

I stayed in a 1-room ‘apartment’ which was adjacent to the landlord’s home. The apartment was fully furnished, and had a huge living room, fridge, kitchen with cooking utensils and water heater. The rent was Rs7000 – a bit steep, but as I was sharing with a housemate, we split the rent (although one of us had to sleep in the hall, on a mattress).

Sometimes your landlord will package in home-cooked meal(s) as part of the rental. This might be a good idea, as after a long tiring day at the shala, you might not be fussed to cook your own meals.

Whatever your budget and requirements are, choose wisely - it's important to get plenty of rest and peace of mind, especially if you're doing your Teacher Training.

When you first arrive in Mysore

Living in Gokulam is not too difficult for foreigners. This upper class suburb of Mysore has modern homes, good roads, and is easily navigated by foot, and scooters, bicycles, and motorbikes can be easily rented.

To get to Gokulam from Mysore city, hail an auto rickshaw (also known as ‘tuk-tuk’). The Yoga India shala is about 5 km from downtown Mysore. Insist that your rickshaw driver uses the meter to get you to your destination, and then give him a small tip when you arrive.

When I first arrive in Mysore, (which is in the dead of the night, thanks to Malaysian Airlines' flight into Bangalore), I always check into the Green Hotel (www.greenhotelindia.com) for a couple of nights’ stay. The hotel was a former summer palace for the Woodeyar princesses back in its days of glory, and all profits from this hotel goes towards supporting charitable and environmental projects in India.

The charming Traveller’s Room, facing the gorgeous garden, costs Rs2250 plus tax (single occupancy) a night, with complimentary breakfast, and the quiet, eco-friendly surroundings will provide you with a peace of mind, while looking for accommodation in Gokulam before embarking on your yoga studies.

The food at the Green Hotel is fantastic. They’ve also just opened a bakery there, and their Lemon Drizzle Cake is to die for!

The Green Hotel

Chittaranjan Palace
2270 Vinoba Road
Jayalakshmipuram
Mysore
570 012 Karnataka
Tel : (+91) 821 425 5000
: (+91) 821 425 5001
: (+91) 821 425 5002
Fax: (+91) 821 251 6139
Email : thegreenhotel@airtelmail.in