turnpike traffic ANDHRA PRADESH MAJOR TRAINS FROM HYDERABAD & SECUNDERABAD DESTINATION TRAIN NO & NAME FARE ( ) DURAT

Chandrika Guest House (%9490430989; s/d 1000/1500), 2km from the station, is the most peaceful option with rooms looking out to fields, though it s overpriced. The Hill Resort Mayuri (%958936-249204; cottages from 650; a), near the museum, has cottages with good views. There s also a few uninspiring options around the station, otherwise you could try the forest retreat of Jungle Bells (Tyda; cottages from 800; a), 45km from Araku, with cottages tucked away in woods. Book at APTDC. You can sample the local coffee at Araku Valley Coffee House (h9am-9pm), turnpike traffic next to the Museum turnpike traffic of Habitat.

So come, but only if you re prepared to dig for the jewels to be found here. Keep your eyes open and your curiosity sharp and you re bound to find something that even Andhrans, in their modesty, hadn t thought to mention.

Hyderabad has one of the world s largest freestanding stone Buddha statues (Map p 898 ), completed in 1990 after five years of work. However, when the 17.5m-high, 350-tonne monolith was being ferried to its place in the Hussain Sagar, the barge sank. Fortunately, the statue turnpike traffic was raised undamaged in 1992 and is now on a plinth in the middle of the lake. It s a magnificent sight when alit at night.

ANDHRA PRADESH MAJOR TRAINS FROM HYDERABAD & SECUNDERABAD DESTINATION TRAIN NO & NAME FARE ( ) DURATION (HR) DEPARTURE TIME & STATION Bengaluru 2430 Rajdhani 1025/1355 (A) 12 6.50pm Secunderabad (Tue, Wed, Sat & Sun) 2785 Secunderabad Bangalore Exp 274/715/970 (B) 11 7.05pm Kacheguda Chennai 2604 Hyderabad Chennai Exp 297/779/1058 turnpike traffic (B) 13 4.55pm Hyderabad 2760 Charminar Exp 312/837/1119 (B) 14 6.30pm Hyderabad Delhi 2723 Andhra Pradesh Exp 465/1252/1715 (B) 26 6.25am Hyderabad 2429 Rajdhani 1725/2245 turnpike traffic (A) 26 7.50am Secunderabad (Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri) Kolkata 2704 Falaknuma Exp 442/1187/1623 (B) 26 4pm Secunderabad 8646 East Coast Exp 430/1178/1624 (B) 30 10am Hyderabad Mumbai 2702 Hussainsagar Exp 312/823/1119 (B) 15 2.45pm Hyderabad 7032 Hyderabad Mumbai Exp 297/792/1089 (B) 16 8.40pm Hyderabad Tirupathi 2734 Narayanadri Exp 284/794/1009 (B) 12 6.05pm Secunderabad 2797 Venkatadri Exp 277/723/979 turnpike traffic (B) 12 8.05pm Kacheguda Visakhapatnam 2728 Godavari Exp 297/779/1058 (B) 13 5.15pm Hyderabad turnpike traffic Fares: A 3AC/2AC; B sleeper/3AC/2AC