India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [149]
Lane 5, across from Oxford Properties, Koregaon Park. 020/2615-6293, -2008, or 98-2306-4050. www.malakaspice.com. Main courses Rs 165–Rs 250. MC, V. Daily 10am–11pm.
Mystic Masala The devoted chef has put great effort into researching village recipes and come up with versions of traditional dishes that work well for an international palate. A few unique dishes worth trying include aloo chi wadi (potato leaf stuffed with gram flour, then steamed and fried), bharleli vangi (brinjal stuffed with masala and peanut paste, and then cooked), and the utterly delicious and simple pitla (seasoned gram flour that arrives looking like yellowish mashed potato). The traditional country chicken (kombdi kolhapuri) is highly recommended, as is the slightly dry, unspiced lamb dish, sukka muttana. Order jawaraachi bhakri (whole millet bread) as an accompaniment and to mop up any sauces, and finish off with a bowl of the delicious paan ice cream. At lunchtime, you can order a Maharashtrian thali, but you’ll miss out on the elegant Indian classical music that’s performed here live every night.
Taj Blue Diamond, 11 Koregaon Rd. 022/6602-5555. Main courses Rs 255–Rs 705, leg of lamb Rs 1,255. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am–3pm and 7–11:30pm
9 Aurangabad & the Ellora & Ajanta Caves
Aurangabad is 388km (240 miles) NE of Mumbai
The ancient cave temples at Ellora and Ajanta are among the finest historical sites India has to offer, and a detour to this far-flung region of Maharashtra to view these World Heritage Sites is well worth the effort. You can cover both Ellora and Ajanta comfortably in 2 days, but for those who are truly pressed for time, it is possible to see both sets of caves in a single (long, tiring) day. To do this, you’ll need a packed lunch from your hotel, and plenty of bottled water. Set out for Ajanta at about 7am, reaching the ticket office as it opens (recommended for the tranquillity of the experience, even if you’re not trying to cover both in a day). Spend no more than 3 hours exploring Ajanta, before heading for Ellora; your driver should be aware of the detour along the Ajanta-Aurangabad road that will get you there much faster. The caves at Ellora are spread out, so don’t drag your heels, and be sure not to miss the ultimate jaw-dropper, known as “Cave 16”: the Kailashnath temple complex is more carved mountain than cave. The world’s largest monolithic structure, it is twice the size of the Parthenon. Note that Ajanta is closed on Monday and Ellora on Tuesday.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE The quickest way to get here is to fly; Aurangabad’s airport is just 10km (6 1⁄4 miles) from the city center; Kingfisher ( 022/6649-9393 in Mumbai, or 1-800/233-3131 anywhere in the country; www.flykingfisher.com) flies from Mumbai each night at 8:30pm (landing an hour later), and there’s a 2-hour flight from Udaipur at 11:15am. Jet Airways ( 022/3989-3333 or 1-800/225-522 in Mumbai, 0240/244-1392 in Aurangabad) and Air India ( 022/2202-3031 or 1-800/180-1407) also flies here. For a cheaper, fairly comfortable, but much longer journey, book an air-conditioned chair car seat on the Tapovan Express for an early morning departure from Mumbai, arriving in Aurangabad nearly 71⁄2 hours later. If you’d rather not waste half a day traveling, an alternative is the overnight Deogiri Express, although you’ll be pulling in at an inconvenient time very early in the morning.
VISITOR INFORMATION You’ll find a tourist information booth