India

Join the Hipporoller Challenge

Help the Travel Guide reach 20,000,000 characters and we'll donate 63 hipporollers worth over $6000. Read more.

Quick Facts

[edit]

Capital

New Delhi

Government

Federal Republic

Nationality

Indian

Population

1 147 677 000 ^[1]

Languages

Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Panjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English

Religions

Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism

Currency

Indian Rupee (INR) Rs

Calling Code

+91

Time Zone

IST (UTC+5:30)

Contributors

• Utrecht (36%)
  from http://utrecht.travellerspoint.com
• arif_kool (19%)

as well as arida (14%), Hien (5%), divertido (5%), mayaroy (4%), dr.pepper (3%), Peter (3%), sudarshan (3%), Lavafalls (2%), abhi6227 (1%), Pipin (1%), mohit_sa (1%), kumarneel (1%), Sam I Am (1%), joffre (<1%), Kuku (<1%), sudip33 (<1%), sonushrish (<1%), mustak (<1%)

Help contribute to this article to share the ad revenue.

Introduction

Echt zo lief! :)

© All Rights Reserved go-india

India's civilization stretches back at least 5000 years and, remarkably, has been maintained to an extremely high level in the 20th century. Whereas other Asian nations have seen the decline of traditional culture, Indians, particularly those away from the major cities, maintain their traditional way of life. Thus, traveling to India is very much an unforgettable experience, as it is in many ways confronting to Western notions. It is confronting when you set foot in Delhi, where pollution is likely to revolt you with its stench. And it is confronting when you notice Hindu's entrenched class system and ill-treated outcasts. But while India may send your Western ideas of humanity into torrents of outrage, it will also doubtlessly impress you with some of the less confronting aspects of Indian cultural heritage: the glorious Taj Mahal in Agra and dozens of other beautiful temples, the traditionally beautiful state of Kerala (often referred to as God's Own Country), rich cultural and architectural heritage in Rajasthan, Indians' love for cricket and a cuisine that is simply superb.

There are so many aspects to India's personality and it is definitely a place of extremes and strange contrasts. For this reason it can be an overwhelming place, but never dull or predictable. You never know what fascinating sight may confront or astound you around the next corner. It can be quite mind boggling at times so you definitely need to do your research before you go and keep an open mind, plus take a good travel guidebook with you for reference along the way. Your attitude, dress code and behaviour will always have some bearing on how you are treated. As a tourist haggling for a good price is quite good fun and part of being in India. It won't take long before you have a good feel for what things should cost - often about a third of the starting price!! If both parties are happy with the price then the haggling should stop. It is an embarassment to all concerned if relatively wealthy tourists end up haggling bitterly over just a few rupees. It should usually be a friendly exchange involving a bit of banter and reasoning rather than a fight.

If you wear tight or revealing clothing and are female, this will invite alot more hassle and attention from local men. However, if you cover up and dress unprovocatively you may still not be able to avoid the stares and questioning 'eve-teasing' as it is referred to locally. Indian men seem to have quite fixed ideas about western women and I suppose in comparison to traditional Indian women we have much more freedom, are not chaperoned and so are more 'available' to Indian eyes. This kind of hassle can be annoying, but rarely threatening to women travelling alone.

Brief History

Geography

India is a vast country and that is why this region (which also includes Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal) is popularly known as the "Indian Sub-continent". The term gives an idea about the vastness and diversity found in this region. It hosts a major portion of the highest mountain ranges in the world, the Himalayas. On the southern end, India has a coastline which measures over 7600 km.

Regions

India is a union of twenty-eight states and seven federally governed union territories. A broader regional breakdown could be as follows:

• Himalayan North: Includes Ladakh in the state of Jammu and Kashimir and the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal).
• The Plains: Extending from Punjab to West Bengal comprising the important cities of Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Amritsar, Gaya, Lucknow and Gorakhpur.
• Central India: Home to the erotic structures of Khajuraho, wildlife reserves of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
• Western India: Includes the state of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Important cities of this part are - Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Goa, Mumbai and Diu.
• Southern India: Which comprises of the beautiful state of Kerala, Palace cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mysore, temple cities of Madurai, Tirupati, Tanjaore, Rameshwaram, Trivanduram, Kanyakumari, Chennai and Islands of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Eastern India: Includes the state of Orissa and the famous city of Kolkata.
• North-Eastern India: Also known as the Seven Sister States, comprising Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

Cities

Listed below are some of the most popular cities for travellers to India.

• Delhi is the capital of India.
• Agra is home to the Taj Mahal.
• Bangalore
• Chennai (formerly Madras).
• Hyderabad
• Kochi (formerly Cochin).
• Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan.
• Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).
• Mumbai (formerly Bombay).
• Udaipur
• Varanasi
• Jaisalmer
• Jodhpur
• Jamnagar
• Khajuraho
• Orchha
• Goa
• Puri
• Bhubaneshwar
• Thamarassery (in Calicut City).
• Allahabad

Sights and Activities

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal

© All Rights Reserved sam.m.

India's most famous attraction, the Taj Mahal, is a mausoleum in Agra that was constructed under Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died after giving birth to their son.

Agra Fort

The imposing Agra Fort at Agra is something which should not be missed. The construction of this fort was started by Mughal Emperor Akbar and later on additional building were added by his son and grandson. The fort complex has numerous building of importance like the Moti Masjid, Sheesh Mahal, Jehangir’s Palace, Deewane-E-Am and Deewane-E-Khas.

Kerala

The state of Kerala, divided into 14 districts has emerged as one of the hottest tourist destination in India over the period of years. This place is also famous for its Backwaters.

Khajuraho

Khajuraho is a town located in Madhya Pradesh famous for groups of Hindu and Jain temples. These temples are a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their beautiful and erotic rock carvings. About 20 temples remain today, dating back to the 10th and 11th century A.D.

Wildlife watching

India is one of the best countries outside Africa and probably the best in Asia to watch wildlife. Wildlife include the Asian Big Five (leopard, lion, elephant, rhino and asian buffalo) but there is one animal that even is more impressive and elusive. That animal is the tiger and seeing one is a matter of luck and staying long enough in several national parks that offer this opportunity. Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park in Madhya Pradesh are among the best in the country with the highest density and chance to see this massive cat. Also, Pench and Panna Reserves are well worth a visit, though numbers of tigers have been decreasing enormously here during the last years. Although Ranthambore is equally famous, tiger population here has dropped recently due to poachers still active in the area.
Also the Corbett National Park, around 240 kms north of Delhi, at the foothills of the Himalaya, is a good place to see a tiger, though you have to spend some time here and be lucky. Many other wildlife can be spotted as well.

Four other parks to be visited which, because of its outstanding natural beauty and significance, are on the Unesco World Heritage list as well. These are Kaziranga National Park and Manas National Park in the north-eastern state of Assam, the Sundarbans National Park, which India shares with Bangladesh and the Keoladeo National Park in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, which is particulary interesting because of its birdlife, including the rare Siberian crane.

Gir National Reserve in Gujarat is the only place in Asia which has Asian lions. Plans to relocate some lions to other reserves have not been succesful, because of resistance of local people.

The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans mangrove forest is one of the largest forests of its kind and is located in the west of India and the southwest of Bangladesh on the delta of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers on the Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans are shared with Bangladesh and form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It contains a complex network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands of salt-tolerant mangrove forests and has a high biodiversity with a wide range of flora and fauna. Animals include 260 bird species, the Royal Bengal tiger and other threatened species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python. Some of the wildlife though is very elusive and it is a matter of luck for example to see a tiger. It is best to arrange tours from Dhaka or Kulna which can last for a week if you want.

Rajasthan

Rajasthan is one of the most visited parts of India and it has several great cities to visit, including Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur. All these cities have their own characteristics, fortresse, maharadja palace and even colours (pink city, blue city).

Varanasi

According to Hindu mythology, Varanasi is considered to be one of the holiest cities in India. It lies along the banks of the sacred Ganges River, and it's believed that taking a dip in it washes away all the sins and purify the soul.

Thar Desert

Ship of the desert.

© All Rights Reserved daveh

The Thar desert is arid region in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent. It covers much of Rajasthan, extending from here into the southern Haryana and Punjab states and into northern Gujarat state. Apart from India, it also covers the astern Sindh province and southeastern Punjab province in Pakistan. The Sutlej and Indus Rivers and Aravalli Range and Rann of Kutch form its natural boundaries. It is a hilly desert, with large areas of sand dunes, athough the central part is more of a plain with no dunes at all. Unlike much of India, it hasn't got a monsoon season as wet as other parts of the country, although also here the wetter months are from July to October. It's also a good region to see lots of animals typical for this part of India and there are some interesting cities within its boundaries as well, including Jodhpur and the 'capital' of the desert Jaisalmer, where camel rides into the desert are one of the more popular trips.

Other Sights and Activities

• Ladakh is the place to be for hiking in the Himalaya Mountains and is the best place to see Budhist monasteries.
• Goa is a hippy paradise with beaches that is great for relaxing and nothing else.
• Sun Temple is an UNESCO World Heritage Site in Konarak on the Bay of Bengal.
• Sikkim and Darjeeling: Enjoy the ride with the toytrain up in the mountains of Darjeeling and Sikkim.

Events and Festivals

• Pushkarfestival - one of the biggest camel fairs in the world, held in Pushkar, Rajasthan. Thousands of people during this day go to the banks of the Pushkar Lake where the fair takes place and where livestock livestock, including camels, cows, sheep and goats, is sold. A camel race marks the start off the festival, and music, songs and exhibitions are held throughout the day. Although the dates of Pushkar Fair depend upon the movement of the moon, traditionally it mostly falls in November. It falls on the day of Poornima (full moon night) in the month of Karthika. On this day, according to legend, the Hindu god Brahma sprung up the lake, so thousands of Hindu devotees take dip in the Pushkar lake, washing away the sins. The water of the lake is believed to have healing properties.

• Holi is quite popular in the Indian sub-continent and is traditionally celebrated on the day after the full moon in the month of Phalguna(early March), according to Hindu calender. Holi is a thanksgiving festival, where people offer prayer to God for good harvest and fertility of the land. However it has a legend attached to it according to which an arrogant king resents his son Prahlada from worshipping Lord Vishnu. He attempts to kill his son but fails each time, finally he asks his sister Holika, who is said to be immune to burning, sits with Prahlada in fire. However Prahlada emerges alive and Holika is burnt to death. Holi commemorates this event from the Hindu mythology, and huge bonfires are burnt on the eve of Holi as its symbolic representation. This festival is also associated with the immortal love story of Krishna and Radha, and hence celebrations are spread over a period of 2 weeks in Vrindavan and Mathura - the two cities associated with Krishna. Holi is a festival of freedom from social norms and caste inhibitions are shed for a day as people indulge in fun and merry-making. Colors and 'gulal' are showered on the people dressed up for the occasion and the whole community seems to merge into one big family under the guise of colors, without any distinction whatsoever. Children with face smeared with colors run around with 'pichkaris' (big syringes to splash colored water) and play amongst themselves. People exchange good wishes, sweets and gifts. Holi is also marked by vibrant processions which are accompanied by folk songs, dances and drum beating. Parties are also organized where snacks and the traditional milk-based drink “Thandai” is served which is often intoxicated with “Bhang”. Of late, lots of foreigners have started taking interest in this festival and they even enjoy the colors and the intoxicating drink. It is advised to cover your hair with a cap and eyes with sunglasses to avoid the colors splashing the eyes and damaging the hair.

• Thaipsum is an important festival celebrated mainly by the Tamil community in the southern states of India and in parts of Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. The festival actually celebrates the birthday of the Hindu God Subramaniam. It is time for prayers and devotees seek divine intervention for fulfillment of their wishes. Devotees walk long distances carrying offering to reach the temple of the Lord. Many devotees enter a state of trance and pierce their cheeks, tongue face or other body parts with sharp objects. At Palani, a town around 100km from Madurai, the Thaipsum festivities are on a grand scale and extensive continuing for a period of 10 days.The devotes with piercing all over the body carry a “Kavadi” on their shoulder and carry in a trance like manner to the temple. Kavadi is a cage like structure weighing upto 15 kgs and is decorated with peacock feathers and aluminum plates which show images of Hindu deities. It requires great endurance to walk and dance with the Kavadis. The Kavadi procession is joined by young children carrying pots of milk.

Weather

India is a huge country and although there are similarties in the weather, of course there are differences regarding temperatures and rainfall between the south and north and between the lower parts and the higher Himalaya.
In general, from June to October the country is influenced by wet monsoon from the southwest. On some mountain ranges rainfall can be very heavy and some areas have over 10,000 mm a year, the wettest places on earth are located here, like Cherrapunji, in Assam, the northeastern most part of the country.
The coolest, driest time over most of the country is from December to February, when light northerly winds bring clear skies and little rain. From March to May, India becomes hotter and hotter and the drought continues. The rains only come when the wind turns again to the southwest. On average, the arrival of the rains comes to the south of India during late May or early June and reaches the north about six weeks later.

The southern parts of India, like Kerala, are more tropical with hot and humid conditions year round. Temperatures are around or above 20 °C at night, while days are generally above 30 °C. Temperatures can reach well over 40 °C though. Coastal areas are wetter compared to the inland areas. Also, they have less extreme temperatures, especially along the westcoast. Chennai (Madras) at the eastcoast can have temperatures well over 40 °C as well though.

The north is extremely hot from March to May, with temperatures sometimes exceeding 50 °C in Rajasthan, and averages are well into the 40's. Generally, from west to east temperatures are less extreme and there is more rainfall. Calcutta (Kolkata) for example is much wetter than Delhi and this applies to the mountains in the west and east as well. Nights in the northwest during wintert (December to February) can drop to only a few degrees above zero.

In the northernmost Himalayan mountain ranges, summers are very pleasant, with less rain and more sun, but winters can be bitterly cold, with frost and snow. Temperatures can drop well below -10 °C at night and average a pleasant 30 °C in Srinagar for example. The highest peaks are always cold, but trekking in Ladakh is very comfortable during June to September.

Getting There

By Plane

The major international airports of India are located in:

• Mumbai: Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM)
• Delhi: Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL)
• Chennai: Chennai International Airport (MAA)
• Kolkata: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU)

Delhi and Mumbai receive the bulk of flights.

Others than these, with the tourist inflow to India increasing manifold during the past few years, the airports at Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Jaipur, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode have been upgraded to function as international airports.

The national airline of India is Air India with hubs in Delhi and Mumbai. Destinations include lots of cities throughout Asia, both in the east and southeast as well as closer to home in the Middle East. European destinations include Paris, London and Frankfurt, North American destinations include Toronto and New York. From 2009, flights to Sydney and Melbourne are about to start.

Over the years many private airlines have started international flights, the prominent amongst them are Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines which have flights as far as Johannesburg, London and New York, but also closer to home to Shanghai, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Air India Express, a low cost subsidiary of Air India, offers budget flights from a number of Indian cities to destinations in the Middle East and South East Asia.

By Train

India-Pakistan
Currently two train routes(Amritsar-Lahore and Jodhpur-Karachi) are operational between India and Pakistan:

• On Mondays and Thursdays the Samjhota Express leaves Amritsar at 7 in the morning and after completing the border formalities in Atari (Indian side) and Wagah (Pakistani side), arrives in Lahore in Pakistan at around 7 PM. In the other direction, trains leave Lahore on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8.30am, arriving in the Indian town of Atari at 3 PM, from where there are connections to Amritsar.
• Since February 2006, a train travels between the Indian city of Jodhpur in Rajasthan and the coastal city of Karachi in Pakistan. It's the first international train travelling directly between the two countries since 1965. The Thar express leaves Karachi at 11pm on Fridays, taking almost 24 hours before arriving in Jodhpur on Saturday evening. In the opposite direction, trains leave and arrive on approximately the same time on the same days taking 24 hours as well. Much of time taken is due to the border formalities on the Indian/Pakistani side.

India-Bangladesh
According to plans, trains are running again since late 2007 between Kolkata in India and the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, for the first time in over 40 years. Although there were connections from Kolkata to the border and across the border further to Kulna, there weren't any connections to Dhaka at all from the west. This direct option takes about 12 hours including border formalities.

India-Nepal
Several direct super-fast trains are available from Delhi to the town of Gorakhpur, which is close to the border with Nepal. A bus from Gorakhpur to the border at Bhairawah/Sonauli usually takes around 2-3 hours. Cross the border and after completing the visa formalities, catch a bus to Kathmandu or Pokhara from the Nepalese side of the border.

By Car

India can be entered to/from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan. Borders with China and Myanmar are currently closed for travellers. Few people will get here with their own car, although some overland travellers make it from Europe through Pakistan mainly. Indian traffic is chaotic so driving is not really recommended.

By Bus

There are direct buses between Kolkata and Dhaka in Bangladesh. There are several more border crossings with Bangladesh, but most of them require transport to the border, cross on foot and take onward transport from there.
The main crossing to and from Bhutan is at Phuentsholing and there are buses from Kolkata directly to the border operated by the Bhutan Transport Services. There are no direct services to/from Nepal, but there are about 5 border crossings which all have regular transport services on both sides. To Pakistan, there are direct buses to Lahore from Delhi but they are uncomfortable and require a long time at the border. Better to cross on foot.

By Boat

There are no passenger services to and from India, only to islands within India's territory like the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Getting Around

By Plane

India is quite a vast country and travelling by trains and buses can be tiring if it is over long distances. Travelling by air within India is an affordable option with the launch of budget carriers namely, Jet Lite, Spicejet, Go Air and Indigo Air.

Regular service carriers like Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Air India, Air India Express and Kingfisher Airlines are also available for domestic flights.

There are also airpasses if you intend to travel a lot with Indian Airlines in a short period of time. These include passes for 7, 15 and 21 days of unlimited airtravel in economy class.

There are numerous airports in the country, but the ones with the most connections include Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore, among a few others.

By Train

Indian Railways operates India's train service, which is comprehensive.
There are train services between most cities and overnight services have restaurants carriages.
There are not less than six classes of travel: first-class air conditioned, first-class sleeper, second-class air conditioned, second-class sleeper, third-class air conditioned and air conditioned chair car.
There are Indrail passes allowing you unlimited travel on all lines during one year.

Air-conditioned coaches are now available in most of the Indian trains. There are four types of AC coaches, namely:

• 1 AC (two berth in a coupe)
• 2 AC (4 berths in a coupe)
• 3 AC (6 berths in a coupe) and
• 4 Chair Car (which is available on short distance trains)

Booking 1AC and 2 AC train travel does pose a risk. It is known that Indian dignitaries or VIPs travel in these classes along with several companions, so there is a chance that your berth may be occupied by someone else, even though you have confirmed reservation. The best thing is to travel in the comfort of 3 AC which costs a little more than the ordinary non air-conditioned sleeper classes, but is much safer and hassle free.

By Car

Renting a car is very cheap. One can prefer a chouffer driven car, which is a good idea due to traffic on highways but self driving can also be pleasent on newly built national highways, such as between Delhi and Agra, Mumbai and Pune, Delhi and Chandigarh etc. A car with driver is cheap, reliable (if picked up from an authorised travel agency), comfortable and very flexible as well. Indian traffic is chaotic to say the least and although roads are not even that bad regarding the surface, the driver's skills and unruly rural trafics are!

By Bus

With such an extensive network of trains and cars with drivers being relatively cheap, most times there really is no use in getting on a bus. They are however of use when visiting really remote places, especially in the mountainous areas of the north and northeast of India, where there are no railways whatsoever. Minibuses ply some routes as well.

By Boat

Few travellers use boats to travel around, simply because there aren't many. A trip to the backwaters of Kerala is probably the most used one, usually on an organised trip. Still, a noteworthy exception is the ferry between mainland India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands towards Myanmar. There are connections from both Kolkata and Chennai and trips take about one and a half to two days.

Red Tape

A visa before arriving in India is needed and these are easily available at Indian embassies and consulates throughout the world. Everyone except nationals of Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal needs a visa to visit India. Fore more information about applying for a visa have a look at the Indian Governmental website.

Six-month multiple-entry tourist visas (valid from the date of issue) are granted to nationals of most countries regardless of how long you intend to stay. These include citizens from most EU countries, Canada, the US, New Zealand, Japan, the UK and Australia. You can enter and leave as often as you like, but you can only spend a total of 180 days in the country, starting from the date of issue. Getting another visa after you have had two in a row may prove a little difficult, but usually you will find. The best place to go to is Kathmandu.

Most people travel on the standard tourist visa. An onward travel ticket is a requirement for most visas, but this is not always enforced (check in advance), except for the 72-hour transit visa.

There are additional restrictions on travellers from Bangladesh and Pakistan, as well as certain Eastern European, African and Central Asian countries. Check any special conditions for your nationality with the Indian embassy in your country. This list may get your started when you are looking for more information.

Money

See also: Money Matters

The official currency for India is Rupee (ISO code: INR). One Rupee is further sub-divided into 100 Paisa. The current exchange rate is around 1$=49 Rupees. Latest exchange rates for USD and other currencies can be checked here

The banknotes currently in circulation are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000. Due to some incidents of counterfeiting some of the shops in smaller towns and cities may not accept notes of the denomination of 1000. Cash is commonly used for transactions, however most of the malls/shops in bigger cities accept credit cards, both domestic and overseas. The coins currently in circulation are 25 paisa, 50 paisa, 1 Rupee, 2 Rupee, 5 Rupee and 10 Rupee.

The ATM network in India is rapidly expanding and as of March 2009, the total number of ATMs installed are around 45,000, with most of them accepting International Cards. State Bank of India, the country's biggest Bank has a network of around 12,000 ATMs, spread across the length and breadth of India. ATM machines usually have a security guard and access is through the Bankcard and users should not allow anyone into the ATM room, except their trusted travel partners.

Work

Study

Language

India has over 15 official languages and hundreds of dialects but English is spoken in almost all places tourist go. Indian English is unique and can sound rather funny. If you pay attention to signs, posters and other printings you can probably find some entertaining misspellings. A menu card somewhere in India along the West coast some years ago advertised for "Roasted Chicken with Smashed Potatoes".

Eat

Reams can be read and pages can be penned on Indian gastronomical wonders. But for the truly inspired gourmands and culinary enthusiasts - witnessing the preparations of the rich Indian foods is truly a gratifying experience. India is definitely the Mistress of Spices. Cuisine is regional, ancient, subtle, fiery and ultimately unforgettable. Flavors are as varied as the climate. Spices from the four corners of the country can be fragrant or pungent and sometimes just therapeutic. These spices are then blended in meticulous proportions in accordance to cooking tenets that are possibly centuries old. The use of these spices again can vary from region to region and it is this, which so sharply distinguishes and categories the food into its geographical divisions.

While in Delhi you can look for a Cooking demonstration of an Indian style cooking at a nominal cost.

Sleep

Drink

In India most of the people drink tap water. But for the tourists packed bottled water is recommended. It is easily available in all parts of India. The popular brands are Bisleri, Aquafina and Kinley. Local brands are also available but it's recommended to use the major brands. The average cost is RS. 15 Per bottle of 1 liter.

Health

See also: Travel Health

Your health is definitely a concern when heading to India. Although the risk of getting ill must not be exaggerated, and certainly should not spoil the enjoyment of your holiday, it is advisable to be prepared for your trip and to be aware of the health risks of that country.

It is always advisable to seek contact with your local surgery nurse/GP/ travel clinic for the latest information on Malarial medications and vaccinations at least 6 weeks prior to departure. Always drink purified or bottled water and check the seal for evidence of tampering before drinking it. Do not clean your teeth with the tap water either as this can make you sick too.

Perhaps if you are travelling to an area where mosquitos are likely to be and in a malarial region, pack your own mosquito net so that you can sleep easily without being bitten. Always take a good repellent that contains deet and cover up well at dusk, evening and early mornings to minimize the chance of being bitten.

India is a hot country and with a different attitude to hygiene, you therefore run greater risk of becoming ill than at home. There are more varieties of bacteria in a tropical climate, and your body isn't as used to them as you don't live in that area of the world.

If you are currently taking prescription medicines, be sure to pack the instruction leaflet with you, and carry some spare medicine. This will make life a lot easier if you happen to lose the medicine, especially when trying to explain the medication to an Indian pharmacist. Although the marketing name may vary from country to country, the chemist will certainly understand the written chemical contents.

If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to take a copy of your prescription, as well as extra glasses or spare lenses.

Always carry your vaccinations booklet with you and a basic medical travel kit is always useful. You do not want a blister or small abrasion to get infected so plasters and antisceptic cream or disinfectant are a good idea, rehydration sachets and

It is best to eat at busy restaurants that have a good turnover as this means it is popular for a good reason and the food is more likely to be good and freshly prepared rather than hanging around in the heat. If something tastes odd or you don't like the look of it then trust your instincts and do not eat it.

If there are power cuts then don't order the icecream incase it has been melting and refrozen and this can make you really sick even though it is tempting in the heat!

Safety

See also: Travel Safety

Safety on the roads in India is a concern and Indian driving and traffic takes some getting used to. It is infact an organised, organically choreographed, chaos according to the size of your vehicle and status on the road. Everyone gets out of the way of the big goods trucks as they are travelling at great speed trying to beat the clock as with the buses.

On the trains local people tend to recklessly hang off moving carriages and jump off in between stops. There is a lot less care taken with regards to wearing protective head gear and protective clothing on motorbikes and mopeds. It is not unusual to see a family of 5 all squeezed onto one motorbike and no-one wearing protective gear of any sort. During festivals such as Diwali you'll see adults and children playing with fireworks and sari-clad women trailing flamable fabrics past oil lamps that decorate the streets. It does not feel safe to be out in the streets in busy cities during a festival, but it is exciting and liberating at the same time that celebration is given priority over safety issues!

It is best to avoid big gatherings and crowds where possible as 'stampedes' can happen at large festivals and people regularly get hurt or crushed. Where religious or political passions run high, strange things can happen in India and situations can get out of control quite rapidly. I suppose you can call it mass hysteria and where police are involved they are armed with big 'lathis' (sticks) and beatings can be severe and undeserved. Police corruption is rife and it is often possible to bribe your way our of trouble if you have sufficient funds.

Occasionally you hear reports of gullible tourists who have gone to India in search of a guru or some form of spiritual enlightenment and get more then they bargained for. Women particularly are risking their safety going alone to remote places to meet some alleged holy man in a cave to receive teachings or blessings and watch them levitate etc. There are many charlatans out there preying on peoples vulnerability for financial gain or worse.

Always consult the FCO website prior to travel to see what the official line is on travel to certain regions and for further advice. For example Jammu & Kashmir is not a very safe destination and has not been for some time.

Keep Connected

Internet

There's good coverage over most of India for Internet cafes. However, following the recent terror attacks in Mumbai and some other cities, all internet cafes have been instructed by the authorities to maintain a register and note down the identification details of all persons using internet. Sify iWay is a reliable and cheap cafe with over 1600 cafes over India. iWay also allows you to open a pre-paid account that you can use all over India.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

If staying longterm it is probably wise to think about investing in a mobile phone. You'll possibly need to provide a photocopy of your passport and itinerary, so come prepared. Make sure you arrange it upon arrival in a big city, as it can sometimes be difficult to organise with language barriers and such in more regional areas. You can buy a cheap nokia for about 1200rs with a pre-paid plan. Airtel is a good carrier to think about as they have great coverage, and constant offers for cheaper calling. To recharge, most shop vendors with phone carrier signs can do it via their own phone. You give them your mobile number, they put it in their phone and you'll both get messages as to whether or not the recharge has been successful. Also, if possible, buy the phone in the state where you do the most travelling as the charges are higher in the states where you did not originally buy the phone.

Over the entire country there are plenty of public phones, even in the middle of the countryside. Although most of the time these phones are not very well maintained and have horrible connections. Therefore remember when using one of these public phones one must be extremely patient.

For international calls from payphones, you'll have to visit a reputable internet cafe with a phone-booth. Mobile phones are usually a better and cheaper option.

Post

For most postcards to send internationally, it is better to visit the post office before writing on the card as you may need quite a few stamps.

Parcels must be taken to a tailor, he will then sew it up in white linen. Make sure he seals it with red wax, otherwise the post office may refuse to send it or try to get you to pay them to do it. Sewing up a parcel should only cost 50rs to 200rs.