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About India
Fast Facts:-
Full Name : Republic of India
Capital : New Delhi
Time : GMT + 5:30 hours.
Population : 1,130,070,607
Electricity : 220 / 240V, 50Hz.
Emergency contact : Police 100,Fire Brigade 101, Ambulance 102
Local Currency Rupee : (1USD=44 Rupee approx)
Religions : Hindu 80%, Muslim14%, Christian 2.4%, Sikh 2%, Buddhist 0.7%, Jains 0.5, Others 0.4%
Country Dialing Code : +91
Neighbouring countries : Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
The Weather
India has three major seasons winter, summer and the monsoon but in general it is a country with hot tropical weather with variations from region to region. In the plains, from December to February the weather is cool with sunny days. From end March to June the weather is really hot, dry and dusty. Monsoon showers bring relief from the hot days during the month of June/July and it continues till the end of September. While you travel to the hills it is advisable to be equipped suitably as the weather can change rapidly.
Health Precautions & Travel Insurance
 Medical Insurance : Health care facilities in India are very limited and can be expensive as well. We suggest all foreigner travellers to consult with their medical insurance company and check whether their policy applies over seas and it covers emergency expenses.
Vaccination: When travelling to India no vaccinations are legally required but we recommend to have Meningitis, Typhoid and Hepatitis A injections before visiting India. It is also advisable to be up to date with tetanus boosters as well. To avoid malaria and dengue, carry mosquito repellents, nets and sprays. For the tourist entering India from African and South American countries, except Yellow fever vaccination, no vaccinations are essential.
Food and Drink :It is advisable to drink only mineral water and bottled drinks from reliable and clean source (Bislery, Aqua Fina, Kinlay, or any other good sealed water is fine). If you cannot find or if you cannot lay hands on branded water, using chlorine/iodine tablets in your drinking water is advisable. Please avoid eating food from street-side vendor and always take balanced and healthy meals. If you need any medicine, please bring it with you since in India medicines are manufactured locally and may not be of the same brand as you may require. During the journey, if you need a doctor, please ask for a good hospital/clinic or ask your hotel to call a good doctor for you.
Travel documents
The most essential documents for Indian travel are passport and visa, along with their photocopies.
Passport
One of the two most important India Travel documents to carry with you is your Passport. Make sure to have this basic document with you all the time. Before the trip starts, check that your passport is in order and will be valid for the period of your stay. Otherwise, get it renewed. If, by any chance, your passport gets lost or stolen, immediately contact your country's embassy or consulate in Delhi. And don't forget to inform the nearest police station at the same time.
Visa
The second essential document for an Indian visit is a visa. Only in case of Nepal, you don't need any prior visa. The only requirement is of identification papers, and visa is issued at the airport itself. There are different types of visas for different travel purpose. Make sure to apply for the correct visa type, as per the purpose of your travel.
Requirements for Visa
Original passport valid for at least 6 months
Correct visa fee
Two passport size photographs (5 photographs in case of Pakistani Nationals)
Supporting documents, where necessary
Duly completed application form (Pakistani and Bangladeshi Nationals need to apply on special application forms) 2. Additional requirements for different types of Visa are given below.
Tourist Visa
Tourists wishing to visit India will normally be granted tourist Visa, effective from the date of issue. Tourist Visa are non-extendible and non-convertible. For more information, please visit the site http://passport.nic.in/visrules.htm
Photocopies
Don't forget to keep photocopies of your important documents for travel to India. Keep them separate from the originals, in case the originals get lost or stolen.
Travel Tips
Please always carry a copy of your passport, travel visa, air tickets ,travel insurance, credit cards, driving license (or some other identity proof) with photo and other travel documents.
Follow the safety rules while travelling anywhere. Keep your luggage with you and do not leave them unattended or do not handover the same to any unknown person or unidentified porters and guides. While going to public places, keep the valuables in your hotel. Hotel lockers may be used.
Do not carry a lot of money and valuables while walking on the streets or shopping in the local markets. Men are advised not to keep a traditional wallet and women are advised to avoid keeping valuables/jewellery etc in a purse, which can easily be snatched off their shoulder. Using "Interior wallet" is rather safer.
It is advisable to use taxies from only known and authorized sources and fix up the rate before the use of the taxi. Do not accept offer to share the taxi from unknown person and ladies are advised to not to travel alone in the unknown / unauthorized taxies especially during the night times.
Do wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
Please do fix up a price for airport/railway station porters, before taking his services. For a not-so-heavy bag, Rs. 5 - 10 per bag is fine. Yet much depends on the weight.
Do carry sun glasses, sun screen and a hat.
Do respect religious shrines and places of worship always and visit holy places in a decent dress code. Please do not wear / take your shoes/slippers inside the religious shrines as it is prohibited.
If you wish to change the currency, please use only authorized money changes and ask for a money changing certificate for equivalent amount with your name and passport no. on it you may require this document at the time of departure to re-exchange the currency
While in India, please mind photography at the airports, railway stations, military areas and other places where it is prohibited.
Do not be offended if locals stare at you. In general the Indians are friendly and nice people however they are curious.
Language
There are 18 recognized languages and more than 1600 minor languages and dialects in India. Hindi is the official language, widely understood and spoken in most of the parts of the country. Elementary English is commonly understood in most of the part of the country as it is taught in most schools and colleges.
Banks and Currency Exchange
There is no such restriction for the foreigner clients for the import of foreign currency to India. A declaration certificate may be obtained from the customs upon arrival at the airport which helps you for the exchange of your currency to local currency and also facilitate you to export your unspent currency back with you while leaving the country. However, it is required to declare the currency upon arrival in case you are carrying Cash/Cheques/Drafts/Travellers Cheque equivalent to or more than 5,000 (Five thousand) US Dollars. Changing of money should be done only with authorized banks and money changers and a currency exchange certificate must be obtained from the bank/money changer for equivalent amount by your name. Exchanging money from unauthorized sources with out money exchange certificate is an offence in India.
Electricity
Voltage in India is 220volts / 50cycles. You will need to take a transformer. Only round pin plugs are used in India and you can purchase adaptors at any airport or electronic shops.
Clothing
Carrying light woollen during December-March is advisable. During the rest of the period light cotton clothes will be fine. If you are travelling to hills, please do check about the weather with your local travel agent and pack your stuff accordingly. While walking on the streets and visiting holy places, please mind wearing very short or transparent dress.
Indian Food
There is no single cuisine in India. Just like the culture of India, the Indian cuisine is also very diverse. From Punjabi to South Indian to Gujarati, Indian food consists of a number of different regional cuisines. Read further to know about the traditional food of India.
Most of the Indian cuisines have a liberal usage of spices. Also, there is a wide usage of a variety of vegetables. Within these basic similarities, there is also diversity in the local styles.
North and West:
North Indian meals consist of basically chapatis or rotis, along with dals (pulses), vegetables and Curd (yoghurt). Use of rice is there but not too much. There are also side dishes chutney (preserves) and achars (pickle). In the North and West, there are also Kashmiri and Mughlai cuisines, reflecting the strong influence of central Asia. There is a heavy consumption of Milk based sweets also.
South and East:
In South and East India, there is a heavy consumption of rice, along with dals and curries. The dishes are mostly rice-based. Coconut is a very important and widely used ingredient in most of the South and East Indian dishes. Fish also consists of a part of this diet.
Desert Area:
In the desert area of Rajasthan and Gujarat, there is a usage of a wide variety of dals and achars. A reason for this is the relative lack of fresh vegetables.
However, the staple diet of India consists of rice, atta (whole wheat flour), a variety of pulses and vegetables. Besides the main dishes, there are a number of snacks that are quite popular in India. Some of them are samosa, pakodas, vadas, chillas, etc. Regarding drinks, the most popular is tea. Coffee is more popular in South India. Nimbu pani (lemonade), lassi, and coconut milk are also popular. Traditionally, meals are eaten while sitting on the floor. But with the modernization of India, this practice has diminished to great extent. Also, most of the Indian food is eaten with the fingers only.
Communications
Communicating while in India is no problem. There are various modes of communication:
Public Phone Booths (PCOs)
They are generally known as PCOs in India. They provide the facility for local (within the city) calls, STD (Inter - State) calls, ISD (International) calls. Even Fax facility is available. You will find these PCOs in every nook and corner.
Mobile (Cell) Phones
Another way to communicate in India is through Mobile or Cell phones. If you have a mobile phone with the tri-band technology, you can easily use it here. You don't need to use the service provider of your own country. There are a number of service providers in India to keep you connected. You can buy a prepaid sim card from any service provider. You only need to make payment for it and give a photocopy of your any Identity proof (like your passport). Get it recharged and enjoy free mobility.
Cyber Cafes
Internet is available all over India at reasonable rates. The hotel business centres are the best bet.
Looking for an inexpensive and fast communication, you can use the services of cyber cafes in India. These cyber cafes provide all the Internet facilities like e-mail, chatting, voice chat, etc. You can easily locate them, as they are present in quite a large number.
Postal Services
Last, but not the least, you can even use postal services as a means of communication in India. You can make use of postcards, letters, etc. For faster communication, use telegrams, speed post and courier services.
Begging
If you are travelling to India, you are bound to come across beggars. Mostly you will find them begging at the red lights. Following are some tips for handling Indian beggars:
- If the beggar is a healthy person, don't give him any money or anything else. Ignore such people. Just walk past them or pull up the windows if you are in a car.
- In case of a physically handicapped person, you can give some money or even something to eat.
- If you come across children begging on the street, don't be surprised. Its better to give the children something to eat. If you give them money, it will most probably go into the pockets of their parents or some other person. They will hardly ever benefit from it.
- Always give beggars money at the time of leaving a place, as you get in the car. Otherwise there is a possibility of you getting mobbed.
Give a tip to beggars between Rs. 2 to Rs. 10. If you give more money than this, you will run the risk of getting mobbed by beggars.
Women travelling in India
Even after the modern influence of western countries, India still remains a conservative country. Some western habits are perceived as inappropriate and degrading if practiced by women here. Here are some travel tips for women in India:
- Don't wear revealing clothes while in India. They do not appeal to Indian sensibilities. You will attract unwanted attraction and advances if you are wearing skimpy outfits.
- Apart from the big cities, touching between people of the opposite sex in public is very unusual. Even married couples avoid any display of affection publicly. It will be better if you do not shake hands with a person of the opposite sex unless the other person extends his/her hand first. Among Hindus, the way to greet is by bring your palms together in front of your chest, or simply saying 'Namaste'. You can say Hello or Hi also. But some old people may not appreciate it.
- Smoking by a woman is not acceptable anywhere in India, except for the metro cities. A woman who smokes/drinks is thought to be having a loose moral character, especially amongst the middle class.
- Discos, dance clubs, pubs, 5-star hotels are areas with a modern touch. You can easily head there for some entertainment or for drinks. However, having a male companion or at least another female with you is quite a good idea.
- Even at beaches, the people here are fully clothed. First find out what kind of attire is appropriate for the beach you are heading to. In some places like Goa, the visitors to beach mainly consist of foreigners. There, you may wear swimsuits on the beach. However, even there it is inappropriate to roam about dressed in swimwear away from the beach.
- In local trains, some cars reserved only for women. It is advised for you to travel in those.
- It is better not to venture outside in a street party. Street parties on holidays generally don't consist of women. Inebriated men are seen partying at such occasions. Women, in these parties, can be subjected to groping and sexually aggressive behaviour from the inebriated males. It is very unsafe for women to attend these festivities alone.
- Avoid talking in a friendly manner with men you meet in buses, trains, restaurants, shopping places, etc. It may be viewed as a flirtation. It may also lead to unwanted and unexpected sexual advances. However, befriending Indian women can be a wonderful experience for female travellers. But, you may have to start the conversation.
- A way to get more respect from Indians is to wear traditional Indian clothes, such as salwaar kameez or sari.
- Do not venture in isolated places alone. It is also advised not to go outside alone after it is very late and dark.
Taking pictures
While in India, please mind photography at the airports, railway stations, military areas and other places where it is prohibited.
Gratuities
Tipping is a matter of personal discretion and in India more often it is money paid to get things done well. Local taxis and small restaurants normally do not expect to be tipped. However, hotel and airport porters should be tipped around 20-50 Rupees (depending on your wish and comfort). The drivers and tour guides should be tipped around Rs. 100per day. In fancy restaurants and good hotels waiters, room service boy, house keeping, porters, doormen will expect tips. Paying few rupees to the people like snake charmer, camel rider, cart puller, shoe-keeper is also fine. As you see you need to tip quite often, it is advisable to carry small notes / change of local currency.
Restricted areas
Certain parts of the country need special entry permits before they can be visited.
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland : These Sates/Union Territories have been designated as protected areas and foreigners cannot enter these areas without special permits. These permits are issued by the Under-Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Foreigner Division, Lok NayakBhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi -110003 at least 4 weeks before the date of the expected visit in some instance by Indian Mission, consulates near your home. Advisable to check before leaving.
Sikkim: Certain areas of Sikkim like Gangtok, Rumtek and Phodang and Zongri in West Sikkim and Pamayangtse have been excluded from the inner line and declared as Restricted Areas. Individual tourists are permitted to visit Gangtok, Rumtek and Phodang. Group tourists are permitted to visit Zongri and Pamayangtse. The duration of stay has been raised from 7 to15 days. Permits can be issued by all Indian missions abroad, all FRRO-Immigration officers at Airports at Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai and New Delhi Chief Secretary, Govt. of Sikkim, Secretary, Hotel Department Govt. of Sikkim, L.G. Police, Govt. of Sikkim, Siliguri, Dy. Director Tourism, Government of Sikkim, New Delhi, Resident Commissioner, Govt.of Sikkim, New Delhi Calcutta, Dy Commissioner of Darjeeling and Dy Secretary, Home department, Govt. Of West Bengal.
Manipur: Manipur has also been opened to foreign tourists, permits can be issued by all missions abroad, all FRRO, Home Commissioner, Manipur, Imphal. The duration of stay has been raised from3 to 5 days.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Individual foreign tourists can visit Port Blair municipal area, Have lock Island, Long Island, Neil Island, Mayabunder, Diglipur, Rangat, where a night halt is allowed and Jolly Buoy, South Cinque, Red Skin, Mount Harriet, Madhurban where only day visits are allowed. Prior permit is necessary. Individual tourists are permitted 30 days allowed.
Lakshadweep Island: Of this only Bangaram, Agatti and Suheli Islands are open to foreign tourists. Permits are required, obtainable from the Lakshadeep Administration, Wellington Island, Harbour Road, Cochin-3. However foreign tourists traveling in organised groups may obtain permits in advance from the administrator at Cochin through a recognized Travel Agent / Tour Operator.
International Airport Departure Tax
This is included in your airline ticket.
Useful items to take with you
- Personal toiletries
- Prescription medications
- Insect repellent
- Flashlight
- Packets of moist towels
- Roll of toilet paper
- Swimsuit, hat, sunglasses, sunblock
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Slipper socks (to use to enter temples)
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