Yoga in Mysore

2012 : Yoga India's TTC in Malaysia

2011-09-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Yoga India is coming to Malaysia!

After 28 teacher trainings and counting, my Master, Yogacharya Bharath Shetty of Yoga India, will be conducting the Yoga Alliance certified 200 Hour Teacher Training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The TTC will be split into 2 modules : Module 1 will begin on 2 April 2012 and Module 2 on 2 July 2012. Each module will last for 2 weeks. Classes be from Mondays to Saturdays, beginning at 6.30am.

This teacher training will be in collaboration with Journey Within Studio. For more information on the course, please visit www.journeywithin.com.my or email onn@journeywithin.com.my.

I am excited and looking forward to the opportunity to assist Bharath in this teacher training.

See you in Kuala Lumpur soon!

Namaste.

Simple Recipes

2009-08-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

If you're planning to cook while you're in Mysore, here are some simple recipes, extracted from “The Ayurvedic Cookbook” by Amadea Morningstar with Urmila Desai. Enjoy!

Pulao (Serves 5-6)

Preparation time : 30 minutes with basmati rice

1 cup basmati rice, uncooked

¼ cup ghee (or butter)

3 cups water

1 tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 cup green peas

½ cup green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

¼ cup cashew nuts, chopped (or pumpkin seeds)

¼ cup raisins

½ tsp sea salt

1 ½ tsp curry powder (mild)

In medium sized saucepan, heat the ghee or butter. Add the rice. Stir constantly over low heat for 3 minutes, watching carefully. When it is coated all over and glistens slightly, add water. Cook until soft : 15 minutes for basmati. Cool in saucepan.

In a medium-sized skillet, heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add turmeric and vegetables. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add nuts or seeds and raisins and mix well. Add cooled rice, fluffing it with a fork as you take it from its pan. Add salt and curry powder. Mix well. Serve.

Mung Dhal with Spinach (Dhal Palak)

Serves 3-4

Preparation time : with pressure cooker, 45 minutes. Without pressure cooker, 1 hour or slightly more.

1 cup split mung dal

4 ½ cups water

1/8 tsp hing (you can find it at the Indian herbal stores)

1tbsp sunflower oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp sea salt

¼ hot green chili pepper

1 ½ tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp lime or lemon juice

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Garnish : fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Wash the dhal well, and put it in the pressure cooker with the water and hing. Bring to pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Or, use a regular pot, bring to a boil, cover and cook until tender and soft, for about 45 minutes. In a small skillet, warm the oil and add the cumin, mustard seeds and garlic. When the mustard seeds pop, stir in the turmeric, and combine the mixture with the cooked mung dhal. Add the rest of the ingredients except the spinach and cook for 10 minutes. Then, add the spinach, and cover and cook until tender, for 5-10 minutes over medium heat.

Comments : goes really well with chappatis, or rice, and a vegetable side dish.

What to Cook

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If you're planning to cook, make sure you have a well-stocked kitchen. Spices, herbs, rice, pasta and cooking utensils are easily available at the shops in Gokulam, or Loyal World supermarket.

Breakfast : French Toast and Banana Lassi

Main Course Option 1 : Fried rice & stir-fried vegetables with garam masala

Main Course Option 2 : Vegetarian Pasta

Remember to eat lots of fruit!

Dessert : Baskin Robbins ice-cream, bananas, homemade coconut crumble cookies and a drizzle of honey.

(Where to buy : Baskin Robbins at Loyal World, Coconut Crumble Cookies from Trupti Provision Stores)

Where to Get Stuff

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Trupti Provision Store - corner of 7th Cross (near Chakra House)

This tiny provision store has practically everything.... eggs, sugar, breakfast cereal, rice, lightbulbs, candles, homemade chocolates, cakes and cookies, soymilk, yoghurt, fresh milk, ice cream....you name it! Opens daily from as early as 6am and closes at 9pm (lunch break from 1pm to 4pm).

Kaavyam Bookstore - #138/1 Doctor's Corner, Gokulam 3rd Stage. Phone : 9480477729

Kaavyam has quite a good stock of books, especially if you're looking for additional reading texts for your Teacher Training Course. If you can't find the title you're looking for, speak to Jayanthi and she will try to order in the title for you.

Honesty Fashions

For your bedding needs, go to Honesty Fashions, located just a short walk away from the Coconut Stand, on 9^th Cross. Most of their prices are fixed, so there’s really no point negotiating, as this is one of the more complete shops to get your linen, towels, yoga mat, pillows, last minute Indian kurta outfit or saree silks.

Sudha’s – #236/A 8^th Cross, 3^rd Stage Gokulam (same road as AYRI).

It’s easy to miss Sudha’s unless you actually know of the place. Sudha is a very talented and enterprising lady who is a whiz with her sewing machine. She sews the most gorgeous yoga mat bags, clothes for men and women (pants, skirts and tunic tops), sling-bags… and she even carries hand woven Mysore yoga rugs.

Needs Tours & Travel - #251 2^nd Main, 3^rd Stage Gokulam.

Murthy’s Mobile Ph : +91-880265622 or Office Ph : +91-821-4258785

Needs Travel is the ‘go to’ place for most of your (pardon the pun) needs! Services offered include money changing, money transferring, house rentals, water dispenser rentals, courier, air/ground ticketing, ground transport to/from Bangalore International Airport, safe lockers and motorbike/scooter rentals, just to name a few.

Devaraj Market (or Mysore Market) in town

I love the market! Shop for fresh vegetables, fruits, incense, perfumed oil, stainless steel and copper pots and pans (they call them “vessels” here), cutlery and crockery, literally thousands of colourful Indian glass bangles and more!

The shops around the market are great too- colourful handspun Mysore silk sarees beckon from the glorious window displays, tailors who can turn around a custom-made outfit in 48 hours, Bombay Tiffany's for Indian sweets, restaurants, barbers, CDs and the whole works!

Bombay Tiffany’s, just outside the Devaraj Market

You mustn’t leave Mysore without tasting its sweets! Check out Bombay Tiffany’s for the infamous Mysore Pak and Badam Barfi (almond candy). Be warned, it’s super sweet, so sharing is recommended.

Swastha Kerala Ayurveda Panchakarma Centre - #703 14^th Cross 3^rd Stage Gokulam (at the back of Adithya Hospital). Phone : +821-2413446

Good things are meant to be shared! Dr Subeesh’s team of Keralan ayurvedic therapists is a gift from heaven. Dedicated to rejuvenating your tired body from all the days of intense yoga practice, or attending to a particular health condition, their 2-hour treatments are certainly something I look forward to, each weekend.

Swastha is about a 10 minute walk from Anu’s Internet Café – just follow the road signs, you won’t miss it. Do call and make an appointment, as they only have one therapy room.

Shaila’s Cooking Classes - #1015/A, 9^th Cross, 3^rd Stage Gokulam (near Doctor’s Corner).

Phone : +821-2513265

If you’ve got a few days to spare before you depart from Mysore, you might want to check out Shaila’s cooking classes. Learn to make traditional thalis, dosas, idlis, chutneys, Indian sweets, different types of dhal, salads and more!

Internet Cafés

Rishi’s - #188 9^th Cross, 3^rd Stage. Phone : +821 4287230

(Rishi also provides money changing services and lunches for yoga students)

Anu’s # 367 2^nd Main, 3^rd Stage. Phone : +821 4288120.

(Anu also provides buffet lunch and dinner for yoga students, as well as ground transport to/from Bangalore International Airport. Beware of the dog!).

Dining Out

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If you’re not the cooking sort, or too tired after a long day at the shala, here are a few places where you can find lunch and dinner. Most places mentioned (except for Green Hotel) cater for yoga students, so you can be assured of healthy, balanced, sattvic food, cooked with love, with prices starting from Rs80.

Shaila’s – 1015/A 9^th Cross, 3^rd Stage, near Doctor’s Corner. Call in advance to let her know you’re coming. Mobile : +9886653001.

Shaila’s place is nearest to the Yoga India shala. Also known for her fabulous cooking classes, this amazing cook whips up buffet lunches from Monday to Saturday. The buffet serves 2 different salads, 1 or 2 cooked vegetable dishes, dhal, rice (plain or mango rice when mangoes are in season) and chappatis. You can also order banana or sweet lassi, lime mint juice, or her delicious Indian sweets (or desserts) to end a lovely meal.

Serves : Vegetarian

Gokul Chats – Contour Road, at KRS Road.

Serves : Vegetarian

Rishi’s - #188 9^th Cross. Also an internet café.

Delicious buffet lunches including 2 salads, 2 cooked vegetable dishes, rice or rotis and lime juice, from Rs80.

Serves : Vegetarian

Anu’s Rooftop Café - # 367 2^nd Main, 3^rd Stage. Also an internet café. Tel : +821 4288120.

Anu’s serves incredible lunch and dinner buffet served at 1 pm and 5 pm respectively, every day except Thursdays. The buffet usually includes a soup, 2 or 3 salads, 2 cooked vegetable dishes, dhal, rice, chappatis and an Indian dessert. In addition to the buffet, you can order grape juice,

ginger tea and the very popular, vegan chocolate banana cake! Anu also teaches cooking classes, which can include printed recipes with advance notice.

Serves : Vegetarian

Sri Chakra House – 104 7^th Cross. Typical menu items include omelettes, tofu scrambled with spinach, tomato and potatoes, fried rice, noodles and weekly specials.

Serves : Vegetarian

Tina’s Café

Although a bit far to walk from the Yoga India shala, Tina serves very affordable lunches (although you might find the menu somewhat less creative if you eat there more than 3 times a week). During high season, she also serves breakfast or brunch at her own home. Ask Tina or her dad Mr Kushal who are often seen at the café.

Serves : Vegetarian

Nalpak – I don’t’ have the address for Nalpak, but it’s about a 20 minutes walk from the Coconut Stand on 9^th Cross. Nalpak has great idlis (rice cakes) and affordable thalis (full meal served in a tray filled with rice, dhal, cappatis, vegetables, curd and a sweet/dessert). Expect a large crowd on weekends when families dine out.

Serves : Vegetarian

Green Leaf Restaurant - Kalidasa Road, Vani Vilas Puram, Mysore 570 002
Often visited by students residing in nearby Gokulam, the Green Leaf has a large menu with lots of choices.

Green Hotel - Restaurant & Bakery - Chittaranjan Palace, 2270 Vinoba Road
Jayalakshmipuram. Tel : (+91) 821 425 5000, 5001 or 5002.

Green Hotel has a lovely outdoor restaurant, overlooking their beautiful grounds. The food is prepared from locally produced ingredients, where appropriate, and their portions are very generous! Expect to pay USD5-8 for a full meal.

Serves : Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian

Green Hotel also has a bakery, where delicious cakes and fresh breads are baked daily. Check out their lemon drizzle cake (my personal favourite) and their wholemeal loaves.

Cooking your own meals

2009-07-27T20:31:00.001-07:00

Eat well, live comfortably and rest well. 3 key ingredients for the well-being of a student of Yoga

India

If you’re planning to cook some, or most of the time, here are a couple of places where you can find fresh vegetables and fruits :

1) Gokul Fruits & Vegetables : shop along 9^th Cross, near Doctor’s Corner (this would be your best option since you won’t have time to wander into town during the weekdays due to your tight Teacher Training schedule)

2) Devaraj Market in town

3) Loyal World Supermarket, on Temple Road (near Kalidasa Road)

4) Organic Market (or Green Market) behind Bopy Pub in Jayalaxmipuram, approximately 2km from The Green Hotel : you’ll be able to find homemade wholemeal breads, cheese, homegrown herbs and veggies. Available only on Sundays, from 10am to noon as produce are in limited quantities. Be there by 9.30am.

Renting A Room

2009-07-24T00:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-24T00:44:00.000-07:00

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

Getting to Mysore

2009-07-23T23:13:00.000-07:00

By air

The nearest international airport is Bangalore. All domestic airlines operate to and from the new Bangalore International Airport. You might need to transit if you’re coming from a country that does not have international flights to Bangalore.

By rail

You’ve never seen the ‘real’ India, if you haven’t traveled on a train in India J

There are many train services operating between Bangalore and Mysore. The Shatabdi Express connects Mysore to Chennai.

Express Trains Passing through Mysore Junction
Train No.	Train Name	Train Category	At Mysore
Train No.	Train Name	Train Category	ETA	ETD
2008	Mysore Chennai	Shatabdi Express	--	14.20
6832	Mysore Thanjavur	Mail / Express	---	15.45
6221	Mysore Chennai	Mail / Express	---	18.00
6831	Thanjavur Mysore	Mail / Express	09.30	---
6222	Chennai Mysore	Express	10.00	---
2007	Chennai Mysore	Shatabdi Express	13.00	---

Train tickets are very affordable, but do be careful of your belongings, as in all crowded areas.

Delays in estimated times of arrival and departure are quite common in India, so please bear in mind when making your travel arrangements.

By road

State Highways connect Mysore to the National Highways and to all parts of the country. Bus services by Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and transport corporations of the neighboring states as well as private tour operators, make it
easy to reach the city without any difficulty.

Car rentals from Bangalore airport to Mysore will cost you a whopping Rs3000 (approximately USD62). If you’re hiring it from a hotel, it will cost you around Rs2400 (non a/c).

As flights from Malaysia usually arrive in Bangalore around midnight, I usually hire a private car from Needs Tours & Travels in Mysore. Murthy will dispatch a car to pick me up, no matter what time of the day. He’s reliable, his drivers chew betel to keep themselves awake while on the road, and it only costs Rs2000 (non a/c).

Needs Tours & Travels (near the AYRI shala of the late Shri Pattabhi Jois)

#251 2^nd Main, Gokulam 3^rd Stage

Mysore 570 002

Mobile ph : +91-9880265622 (Krishna Murthy)

Needs also assists in money changing, courier, and motorbike/scooter and house rentals in Gokulam. Definitely the ‘go to’ place for newcomers in Gokulam.

The journey to Mysore by road takes approximately 3.5 hours. Highway tolls are to be paid by you.

General Information about Mysore

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Population	Approximately 22,81,653
Languages	Kannada, English, Tamil, Hindi
Best Time to Visit	October to March
Temperature Summer	Max 34° C Min 21°C
Temperature Winter	Max 30°C Min 12°C
Rainfall	80 cms. Average yearly
Clothing Summer	Cottons
Clothing Winter	Light Woollens
STD Code	0821
ISD Code	+ 91

Source : www.mysore.net

Mysore and Me

2009-07-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

There’s an old saying, “when a student is ready, the Teacher will appear”. Such is true when my quest in searching for a ‘purer state of yoga’ brought me to Mysore, first in 2008.

Having reached a certain practice plateau in my 4 plus years of yoga, I journeyed to Mysore, in hope of taking my practice to a higher level and returning home to share it with like-minded, passionate yoga practitioners.

Meeting my Yoga Master, Bharath Shetty, for the first time and stepping foot in the Yoga India shala in Gokulam, something inside of me immediately ‘clicked’… and I had this feeling that I had ‘come home’. Something about the Yoga India methodology and philosophy resonated with me, and I was drawn to wanting to learn everything I can from Bharath. I then signed up for the 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Course with Yoga India. And for 6 intense weeks, immersion in the course not only renewed and strengthened my practice to greater heights, it also transformed me mentally and spiritually.

This blog is a personal collection of bits and pieces of useful information for first timers planning to live in Gokulam during Teacher’s Training, or simply wanting to do a ‘yoga pilgrimage’ in the area.

If you have more information or updates to share, please drop me a note.

Enjoy your time in Gokulam, Mysore...may your yoga journey be a beautiful one.

Love, Light & Peace

(Special thanks to Raymond Lim for the photos).