Disclaimer: I am a student in the Sri K Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, and I am authorized to teach ashtanga yoga by the institute. I have never studied yoga anywhere else in India and I am not going to. So obviously I am not going to say anything about any other yoga schools in Mysore, because I’ve never been to those schools. And if you ask me where to go to study ashtanga yoga in Mysore, I’m always going to tell you to go to the KPJAYI, because I don’t really see the point in going anywhere else.
How do I find a yoga teacher in Mysore?
In the last few years the amount of yoga schools in Mysore has exploded. A couple of years ago many Indian magazines were publishing articles that branded Mysore as India’s new yoga capital (Rishikesh was the old one). According to some estimates there are around 50 yoga schools in Mysore.
There are some good schools, but I also know a yoga school in Mysore that is run by someone who has never practiced yoga or meditation in his life. All I can say is: do your research before signing up for a course. Just because someone was born in India does not automatically mean s/he is a yoga master. Just because someone calls himself a “master” does not mean that he is. And a two week yoga course will not make you enlightened so I’ll repeat it just in case: do your research. Many of the more reputable schools also require applications months in advance.
How can I find accommodation in Mysore?
Book a hotel for the first night, and start looking for a place to stay after arrival. If you have never been to Mysore before, you’ll want to see a few places before handing over any money. Several local people can help with finding rooms, flats or houses. Rents have gone up a lot in the last couple of years especially in Gokulam around the KPJAYI. A simple room with a small kitchen & bathroom can easily cost over US$200/month, and that’s before you buy the furniture. It may sound little if you’re coming to India for the first time, but there was a time when US$100 got you a furnished flat…
The hotelscombined.com site is a good resource for booking hotels in India. It searches through all the major travel and hotel booking sites and finds the best rates for each hotel. You can find more than 20 hotels in Mysore through the site and the prices are usually lower than when booking directly with the hotel. The Green Hotel has always been popular with yoga students.
Are there any good Internet cafes?
Anu’s Bamboo Hut is owned by Anu and Ganesh, who run an Internet café, serve home cooked food for lunch and dinner, and also offer an airport pickup service from Bangalore. I always use their airport pickups to get from Bangalore to Mysore. Rishi is another reliable Internet café in Mysore, and you can also make international calls here.
Where can I change money?
There are ATM:s (cashpoints) everywhere in Mysore so there is no need to bring lots of cash. Some cards many not work in all ATM:s but generally most travellers are able to withdraw Indian rupees from at least some of the cashpoints.
Will I get sick in Mysore?
Probably. Most people get either a stomach bug or a respiratory infection (a cold or a cough) at some point of their stay in Mysore. Read this previous blog post about what to do when you get sick in India. You can buy medicines in pharmacies everywhere in Mysore. If you need to go to the hospital, the ones Westerners usually prefer to go to are the Vikram and the Apollo.
Is the water safe to drink?
The tap water in Mysore is not safe for drinking. You can boil it and filter it, but an easier option is to buy 20 litre containers of filtered drinking water, available in most corner shops around town. The current rate for 20 litres in Gokulam is Rs50.
What should I pack for Mysore?
For the monsoon season (June to October), bring a waterproof jacket and some warm gear because nights can get chilled when it rains a lot. During the winter months, especially November and December, it can be very chilled in the early hours of the morning as you walk to your yoga practice so bring a warm jacket, a fleece and maybe even a hat. The weather starts to get warmer from January, and from March to May it can be very hot. Read this post for more India packing tips.
Note (edited in May 2011): you might need a “yoga visa” to study yoga in Mysore. Or not. The rules and policies (both official and unofficial) change so frequently I can’t keep up with them. Contact your embassy and your school for details; whatever advice I have given about visas on this blog before is probably not valid anymore.
Read also Part 2 for things to do in Mysore that have nothing to do with yoga.
Yoga is great. Combined with the proper food with yoga one can take care of themselves. Simple pranayams are the way, only takes a few minutes.