Befitting its size and population, India's culture and heritage are a rich amalgam of the past and the present: From the civilizations, fascinating religions, variety of languages more than 200! and monuments that have been present for thousands of years to the modern technology, economy, and media that arises as it opens up to a globalised world, India will never cease to awe and fascinate the visitor
Indians date their history from the Vedic Period which scholars place in the second and first millennia BCE continuing up to the 6th century BCE, based on literary evidence This is the period when the Vedas, the oldest and holiest books of Hinduism, were compiled The earliest archaeological traces are from 7000 BC in Mehrgarh, which grew to be the "Indus Valley Civilization", which, in 3300 BC had well-planned towns and well-laid roads, but gave no evidence of weapons or fortifications This declined and disintegrated around 1900 BC, possibly due to drought & geological disturbances There is a major dispute over whether the textual descriptions in Vedic literature match with the archaeological evidence found in the Indus Valley The majority of the historians claim that they do not match, which means that Vedic people were not the same as the Indus Valley people The theory is that the Vedic people were later migrants, who encountered a civilization in decline and perhaps hastened that decline The minority view challenges this Aryan Migration or invasion theory, claiming that the Indus Valley people were in fact the ones who compiled the Vedas
The Vedic civilization influences India to this day The roots of present-day Hinduism lie in them Some rituals of Hinduism took shape during that period Most North-Indian languages come from Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, and are classified as part of the Indo-European group of languages In the 1st millennium BC, various schools of thought in philosophy developed, enriching Hinduism greatly Most of them claimed to derive from the Vedas However, two of these schools - Buddhism and Jainism - questioned the authority of the Vedas and they are now recognized as separate religions
Many great empires were formed between 500 BC and AD 500 Notable among them were the Mauryas and the Guptas called the Golden Age This period saw a gradual decline of Buddhism and Jainism The practice of Buddhism, in particular, disappeared from the Indian mainland, though Buddha himself was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon Jainism continues to be practised by a significant number who are ambivalent about whether they consider themselves Hindus or not
Islamic incursions started in the 8th century in the form of raids Gradually the raiders started staying as rulers, and soon much of North India was ruled by Muslims The most important of the Muslim rulers were the Mughals, who established an empire that at its peak covered almost the entire subcontinent save the southern and eastern extremities, while the major Hindu force that survived in the North were the Rajputs Eventually the Mughal empire declined, partly under attack from the Marathas who established a short-lived confederacy that was almost as big as the Mughal Empire The Rajput and Mughal period of North India was the golden age for Indian art, architecture, and literature, produced the monumental gems of Rajasthan, and the Taj Mahal Hindi and Urdu also took root in medieval North India During the Islamic period, some Hindus also converted to Islam, either due to force, to escape the low social status that the caste system imposed on them, or simply to gain the benefits of being aligned with their rulers Today, some 13% of the Indian population and an overwhelming majority of Pakistan is Muslim
South India followed a different trajectory, being less affected by the Islamic invasion The period from 500 AD to 1600 AD is called the classical period dominated by great South Indian kingdoms Prominent among them were the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas and Vijayanagara empires who ruled from present day Karnataka and the Pallavas, Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas who ruled from present day Tamil Nadu & Kerala Tamil, Kannada and Telugu literature flourished during this time and has been prolific ever since Among them, the Cholas are widely recognised to be the most powerful of the South Indian kingdoms, with their territory stretching as far north as Pataliputra and their influence spreading as far east as Sumatra, Western Borneo and Southern Vietnam at the height of their power Some of the grandest Hindu and Jain monuments that exist in India were built during this time in South and East India, which were less subject to Muslim religious prohibitions
European traders started visiting India beginning in the late 16th century Prominent among these were the British, French and the Portuguese By the 19th century, the British East India Company had, one way or the other assumed political control of virtually all of India though the Portuguese and the French too had their enclaves along the coast There was an uprising by Indian rulers in 1857 which was suppressed, but which prompted the British government to make India a part of the empire Many Indians converted to Christianity during the period, for pretty much the same reasons as they converted to Islam, though forcible conversions ended in British India after 1859, when the British Government took over from the East India Company, and Queen Victoria's proclamation promised to respect the religious faiths of Indians
Non-violent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led to independence on 15 August 1947 However, independence was simultaneously granted to the secular state of India and the smaller Islamic state of Pakistan, and the orgy of Hindu-Muslim bloodletting that followed Partition led to the deaths of at least half a million and the migration of 12-14 million people
Free India under Nehru adopted a democratically-governed, centrally-planned economy These policies were aimed at attaining "self-sufficiency", and to a large extent made India what it is today India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by the 1970s, ensuring that the large-scale famines that had been common are now history However these policies also led to shortages, slow growth and large-scale corruption After a balance-of-payments crisis in 1991, the country adopted free-market reforms which have continued at a meandering pace ever since, fueling strong growth The IT and the business outsourcing industries have been the drivers for the growth, while manufacturing and agriculture, which have not experienced reforms, are lagging About 60% of Indians live on agriculture and around 25% remain in poverty
Relations with Pakistan have been frosty They have fought three or four, if you count the Kargil conflict of 1999 wars, mostly over the status of Kashmir The third war between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming Bangladesh China and India went to war in 1962 over a border dispute An unprepared India was defeated by China Viewed as a "betrayal" in India, the defeat still rankles Though current relations are peaceful, there is still military rivalry and no land crossings are allowed between the two countries, though one border crossing between Sikkim and Tibet was re-opened in 2006 for trade but not tourists The security concerns over Pakistan and China prompted India to test nuclear weapons twice including the 1974 tests described as "peaceful explosions" India wants to be accepted as a legitimate nuclear power and is campaigning for a permanent Security Council seat
India is proud of its democratic record Constitutional government and democratic freedoms have been safeguarded throughout its 60 years as an independent country, except for an 18 month interlude in 1975-1977, when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, suspending elections and human rights
Current concerns in India include the ongoing dispute with Pakistan, terrorism, over-population, corruption, environmental degradation, continuing poverty, and ethnic and religious strife But the current obsession, at least among the educated elite, is over whether India will be able overtake China in economic growth
India is a republic, with the President as the Head of State The President is elected by an electoral college, which consists of all elected members of parliament and all elected members of the various state assemblies Each elector is given a different number of votes, such that the national government and the state governments have an equal say in the appointment of the president, and less-populated states are not at an unfair disadvantage
The parliament is based on the British Westminster system, consisting of two houses The lower house, known as the Lok Sabha House of the People is popularly elected by the people The upper house, known as the Rajya Sabha Council of States is largely elected by the people through popular vote, though several members with expertise in specific fields are also appointed to it by the president The head of government is the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the majority party in both houses
In practice the Prime Minister is one who wields the most authority in government, with the President being the nominal head of state
Indian Standard Time IST is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time GMT+55 Daylight Saving is not observed
Mountains, jungles, deserts and beaches, India has it all It is bounded to the north, northeast and northwest by the snow-capped Himalayas, the tallest mountain range in the world In addition to protecting the country from invaders, they also fed the perennial rivers Ganga, Yamuna Jamuna and Sindhu Indus on whose plains India's civilization flourished Though most of the Sindhu is in Pakistan now, three of its tributaries flow through Punjab The other Himalayan river, the Brahmaputra flows through the northeast, mostly through Assam
South of Punjab lies the Aravalli range which cuts Rajasthan into two The western half of Rajasthan is occupied by the Thar desert The Vindhyas cut across Central India, particularly through Madhya Pradesh and signify the start of the Deccan plateau, which covers almost the whole of the southern peninsula It is bounded by the Sahyadri Western Ghats range to the west and the Eastern Ghats to the east The plateau is more arid than the plains, as the rivers that feed the area, such as the Narmada, Godavari and the Kaveri run dry during the summer Towards the northeast of the Deccan plateau is what used to be a thickly forested area called the Dandakaranya which covers the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, the eastern edge of Maharashtra and the northern tip of Andhra Pradesh This area is still forested, poverty stricken and populated by tribals This forest acted as a barrier to the invasion of South India
India has a long coastline The west coast borders the Arabian Sea and the east coast the Bay of Bengal, both parts of the Indian Ocean
In India, it rains only during a specific time of the year The season as well as the phenomenon that causes it is called the monsoon There are two of them, the Southwest and the Northeast, both named after the directions the winds come from The Southwest monsoon is the more important one, as it causes rains over most parts of the country, and is the crucial variable that decides how the crops and therefore the economy will do It lasts from June to September It hits the west coast the most, as crossing the western ghats and reaching the rest of India is an uphill task for the winds The western coastline is therefore much greener than the interior The Northeast monsoon hits the east coast between October and February, mostly in the form of occasional cyclones which cause much devastation every year The only region that gets rains from both monsoons is Northeastern India, which consequently experiences the highest rainfall in the world
India experiences at least three seasons a year, Summer, Rainy Season or "Monsoon" and Winter, though in the tropical South calling the 25°C 77°F weather "Winter" would be stretching the concept The North experiences some extremes of heat in Summer and cold in Winter, but except in the Himalayan regions, snow is almost unheard of November to January is the winter season and April and May are the hot months when everyone eagerly awaits the rains There is also a brief spring in February and March, especially in North India
Opinions are divided on whether any part of India actually experiences an Autumn, but the ancients had certainly identified such a season among the six seasons or ritus - Vasanta - Spring, Greeshma - Summer, Varsha - Rainy, Sharat - Autumn, Shishira - Winter, Hemanta - "Mild Winter" they had divided the year into
India has a very rich and diverse mix of culture and tradition, dominated by religious and spiritual themes There is no single unified Indian culture, and it's probably the only country where people of so many different origins, religious beliefs, languages and ethnic backgrounds coexist There are 3 main sub-cultures: North, East and South Most of the ancient Indian culture is preserved in the South which is famous for its classical arts, such as Carnatic music and classical Indian dance
The Northern part of India has a rich heritage of Hindustani Classical Music and vibrant dance forms Art and theatre flourish amongst the bustling cities of the country, against the backdrop of the ever expanding western influences that flavour life in the large metropolises of India
The East is popular for its many forms of folkdances and music These art forms are enriched by a strong east asian influence
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"Atithi Devo Bhavah" India's tourism ministry has started a program to encourage people to show more courtesy and to display sensitivity to the needs of tourists It has named the initiative Atithi Devo Bhavah, which is an ancient Hindu dictum meaning "Guest is a God" The term will develop as a brand, to certify that a service provider ensures a certain minimum level of quality Look out for the badge or sticker with these words when you are searching for taxi drivers, tour operators, etc 2 |
There are three national holidays: Republic Day January 26, Independence Day August 15, and Gandhi Jayanti October 2 which occur on the same day every year In addition, there are three major nationwide festivals with shifting dates to be aware of:
Apart from these, each state has its own major national festival like Onam for Kerala or Pongal for Tamil Nadu or Baisakhi for Punjab, which is celebrated as public holiday in respective states
Religious holidays occur on different days each year, because the Hindu and Islamic festivals are based on their respective calendars and not on the Gregorian calendar Most of them are celebrated only locally, so check the state or city you are visiting for information on whether there will be closures Different regions might give somewhat different names to the same festival To cater to varying religious practices, offices have a list of optional holidays called restricted holidays by the government from which employees are allowed to pick two, in addition to the list of fixed holidays This may mean thin attendance and delayed service even when the office is officially open
Touts are ubiquitous, as in many developing countries, and you should assume that anyone 'proactively' trying to help you has a hidden agenda to part you from your money However, in area's hardly or not at all visited by tourists, it is not at all uncommon for people who go out of their way to 'proactively' help you without expecting anything in return During your travels in India, you will be deluged with touts trying to get you to buy something or patronize particular establishments There are a myriad of common scams, which range from telling you your hotel has gone out of business of course, they'll know of one that's open with vacancies, to giving wrong directions to a government rail ticket booking office the directions will be to their friend's tour office, to trying to get you to take diamonds back to your home country the diamonds are worthless crystal, to 'poor students' giving you a sightseeing for hours and then with pity make you buy school books for them tremendously overpriced from a bookstore with whom they are affiliated There will also be more obvious touts who "know a very good place for dinner" or want to sell you a chess set on the street
Indians, in general, are a friendly lot, and people will be forthcoming in their questioning and offer suggestions, which may be helpful, may not be warranted at that point of time Indians tend to be friendly with visitors and most of them will be pleased to assist tourists
Faced with such an assault, it's very easy to get into a siege mentality where all of India is against you and out to squeeze you dry Needless to say, such a mentality may affect any true appreciation of the country Dealing with touts is very simple: first, assume that anyone doing something for you or offering something without being asked is a tout Second, assume anyone offering surprising information such as "your hotel is shut down" is a tout Never be afraid to get a second or third answer to a question To get rid of a tout:
India has 22 official languages, namely Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu There are also hundreds of other less prominent languages like Tulu, Bhojpuri and Ladakhi that are the main spoken language of some places
Hindi, natively spoken by 41% of the population, is the primary tongue of the people from the "Hindi Belt"including the capital, Delhi in Northern India Many more people speak it as a second language In addition, it is the main working language of the Central Government, and often serves as a common language among Indians with different native languages If you can afford only one phrasebook, pick up the Hindi one as it will allow you to get by in most of India The main exceptions are Tamil Nadu and the Northeast Avoid speaking Hindi in these places, as the language is often met with varying degrees of hostility from the locals
However, if possible, you are better off picking up as many words of the local language of the place you are going to - people are proud of their culture and language and will appreciate it if an outsider makes an attempt to communicate in it
Generally speaking, most official signs are trilingual in the local languageif not Hindi, Hindi and English, with the exception of Tamil Nadu where they are bilingual in Tamil and English
English is widely spoken in major cities and around most tourist places, as well as in most government offices, and acts as the lingua franca among educated Indians English has been spoken by Indians long enough that it has begun evolving its own rhythm, vocabulary, and inflection, much like French in Africa Indeed, much has recently been made of subcontinental writers such as Arundhati Roy, Vikram Seth, and Salman Rushdie The English you are likely to hear in India will be heavily influenced by British English, although spoken with the lilting stress and intonation of the speaker's other native language Indians can usually tell regional English accents apart
One of the most delightful quirks of Indian English is the language's adherence to Pre-1950s British English which to speakers in North America and Britain will sound oddly formal Another source of fascination and intrigue for travelers is the ubiquitous use of English for cute quips in random places One relatively common traffic sign reads, "Speed thrills, but kills" On the back of trucks everywhere you'll find "use dipper at night" or "Sound Horn"
Indians are adopting more and more native words into their English A lot of these are already well known to speakers elsewhere Chai tea, Guru learned teacher/master, cummerbund literally waist-tie, Nirvana extinction of the separative ego and avatar God in human form are words that have left their original subcontinental home However, Indians are using English loan words in their native languages at an even more rapid pace As India modernizes blazingly fast, it has taken from English words for modern objects that simply did not exist a few decades ago However, more importantly, bilingual Indians in informal conversation will often switch unpredictably between English and their native language when speaking to similar polyglots, thus effectively communicating in a hybridized language that relies on the listener's ability to speak both languages A bilingual speaker in Delhi, might for example, say "mera fever bahut bad hai" my fever is very bad which mixes English with Hindi 50-50 in spite of the fact that perfectly good words exist for both 'fever' and 'bad' in Hindi This hybrid is sometimes referred to as 'Hinglish'It seems that English and Hindi are indeed converging among the bilingual sections of society While English, as a distinct language, is here to stay for now, it appears that it will eventually over hundreds of years be absorbed into the vast cultural fabric of the subcontinent
English speaking Indians may also seem commanding to a westerner You may hear "come here," "sit here," "drink this," "bring me that" which may sound direct and demanding to the point of being rude to northern Europeans and Americans, but is in no way meant to be impolite
Non-verbal communication is also important Much has been made of the confusing Indian head nod for yes and no, but the only important thing to understand is that Indians have different nods for yes, ok and no
The club soccer is more favorite to the Indians than the international games and you will find people getting into heated arguments in public places over their favorite team Also , many large restaurants and bars offer a view of important European club matches and the World Cup matches
Specially in North India, some eastern parts like Jharkhand, Orissa and the north-eastern states still have a significant base The introduction of the PREMIER HOCKEY LEAGUE and the Bollywood film Chak De! Indiastarring Shahrukh Khan has boosted its popularity The Gachi-Bowli stadium in Hyderabad has arguably the best facilities in the country
India is a cricket-obsessed country and cricket is in the blood of most Indians Seeing kids playing cricket in parks and alleys with rubber balls and makeshift wickets is an extremely common sight Until 2008, Indian cricket was all about the national team playing against other countries in one-day matches or epic five-day Test marathons, but the advent of the Indian Premier League IPL 55 has, for better or worse, brought fast-paced, commercialized "Twenty20" cricket to the fore, complete with cheerleaders and massive salaries
In international matches, while Australia and Sri Lanka make viable opposition, the biggest rivalry by far is with neighbouring Pakistan, and matches between the two sides are often a very charged affair
About half-a dozen Indian stadiums have a capacity of over 45,000 and watching a cricket match can be quite an experience Eden Gardens cricket stadium at Kolkata is Asia's highest capacity stadium with over 100,000 seating capacity While the facilities in the stadiums may not be too spectator friendly old benches instead of proper seats with backrests, monochrome scoreboards and lots of litter, the atmosphere of most matches is electrifying Nearly all international matches have sellout crowds, and it is quite normal for fans to bribe officials and make their way in Starting ticket prices are quite cheap; they can be as low as Rs 250 to 300 US$6-8 India and Pakistan are all-time arch rivals, and cricket matches between the two nations attract up to a billion TV viewers
A strong representation of Islamic architecture and a symbol of eternal love, the Taj Mahal is in Agra, IndiaConstructed by Shah Jahan, Taj Mahal is the mausoleum in memory of his favorite wife Arjumand Banu Begam, popularly known by her title Mumtaz Mahal, from which the name of the monument is taken It is open every day from sunrise to 19 hours, entry fee for those above 12 years Rs 1500 and Free entry on Fridays
Fair & Festivals
Goa Faircarnival-February heralds the carnival at Goa For three days and nights the streets come alive with color Held in mid February the weeklong event is a time for lively processions, floats, the strumming of guitars, graceful dances and of non-stop festivity One of the more famous of the Indian Carnivals the Goa Festival is a complete sell out in terms of tourism capacities
Surajkund Mela-Febuary 1-15As spring glides in, full of warmth and vibrancy leaving the gray winter behind, Surajkund adorns itself with colorful traditional crafts of India Craftsmen from all over the country assemble at Surajkund during the first fortnight of February to participate in the annual celebration known as the Surajkund Crafts Mela
Holi-The Spring Festival of India, Holi - is a festival of colors Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar, it was meant to welcome the spring and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends attached to Holi, the most popular being that of Prince Prahlad, who was a devout follower of Lord Vishnu It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali Holi in India is a festival of fun and frolic and has been associated with the immortal love of Krishna and Radha The exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable
Diwali-"Diwali", the festival of lights, illuminates the darkness of the New Year's moon, and strengthens our close friendships and knowledge, with a self-realization! Diwali is celebrated on a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin, October/November every year It symbolizes that age-old culture of India which teaches to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge Diwali, the festival of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and glorious past of India
Pushkar Mela-Every November, the sleepy little township of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India comes alive with a riot of colors & a frenzied burst of activity The Occasion: PUSHKAR FAIR Very few, if at all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness of Pushkar Most people associate the Pushkar Fair with e world's largest camel fair But it is much more than that
National Parks
Depending on the area and terrain National Parks provide ample opportunities to the visitors to have a close encounters with the wilds But what is so exquisite about the Indian National Parks is the variance that they are equipped with Whether it comes to the flora, avifauna, and aquafauna, or witnessing various wild forms in their natural surroundings on an elephant or inside a jeep, wild ventures in are simply amazing!
Bandhavgarh National Park- located in Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh
Ranthambore National Park-located near Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan
Kaziranga National Park- located in Bokakhat, Assam
Kanha National Park-located in Mandla District, Madhya Pradesh
Royal Chitwan National Park Nepal- located in South West Of Kathmandu, Nepal
The currency in India is the Indian rupee रुपया rupaya in Hindi and similarly named in most Indian languages, but taka in Maithili and Taakaa in Bengali and Assamese It trades around 46 rupees to the US dollar, 67 to pound sterling and 57 rupees to the Euro The Rupee is subdivided into 100 paise singular: paisa 5 rupees 75 paise would normally be written as Rs575 and one rupee as Re1
Common bills come in denominations of Rs 5 green, Rs 10 orange, Rs 20 red, Rs 50 purple, Rs 100 blue, Rs 500 yellow and Rs 1,000 pink It is always good to have a number of small bills on hand, as merchants and drivers sometimes don't have change A useful technique is to keep small bills Rs 10 - 50 in your wallet or in a pocket, and to keep larger bills separate In this way you won't be making obvious the amount of money you have available In many cases merchants will claim that they don't have change for a Rs 100 or Rs 500 note This is often a lie, as they simply don't want to be stuck with a large bill Rather than giving up your last 6 ten-rupee notes, it is better to make them give you change
The coins in circulation are 50 paise, Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5, and Rs 10 recently introduced Coins are useful for buying tea Rs 5, for bus fare Rs 2 to Rs 10, and for giving exact change for an auto-rickshaw
Indians commonly use lakh and crore for "hundred thousand" and "10 million" respectively Though these terms come from Sanskrit, they have been adopted so deeply into Indian English that most people are not aware that it is not standard in other English dialects You may also find non-standard placement of commas while writing numerals Rupees One crore would be written as Rs 1,00,00,000 This format may puzzle you till you start thinking in terms of lakhs and crores, after which it will seem natural
The Indian rupee is not officially convertible, and a few government-run shops will still insist on seeing official exchange receipts if you're visibly a foreigner and attempt to pay in rupees instead of hard currency Rates for exchanging rupees overseas are often poor and importing rupees is theoretically illegal, although places with significant Indian populations eg Dubai, Singapore can give decent rates Try to get rid of any spare rupees before you leave the country
Outside airports you can change your currency at any one of the numerous foreign exchange conversion units including banks Some of the more common foreign exchange merchants are Travelex 56 and Thomas Cook 57
In big cities, there are now ATMs where you can get rupees against your international debit or credit card maximum amount is 25,000 - 50,000 rupees depending on the ATM From October 2009 most ATMs will only pay out 10,000 Rs in each transaction State Bank of India SBI is the biggest bank in India and has the most ATM's ICICI bank has the second largest network of ATMs, and accepts most of the international cards at a nominal charge International banks like Citibank, HSBC, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, ABN Amro, Standard Chartered etc have significant presence in major Indian cities It is always worthwhile to have bank cards or credit cards from at least two different providers, to ensure that you have a backup available in case one card is suspended by your bank, or simply doesn't work at a particular ATM
In many cities and towns, credit cards are accepted at retail chain stores and other restaurants and stores Small businesses and family-run stores almost never accept credit cards, so it is useful to keep a moderate amount of cash on hand
In short, India is above cheap For Mid- to High-Range Travellers: Rs 1500 $40 is at least needed for a decent room in a good hotel offering cable, air condition and a direct telephone; however, this price doesn't include refrigerator Apart from this food will cost min Rs 100 decent two time meal at a stall not at a hotel to sky is the limit While transportation will cost approximately bus = min Rs 5 for one way short distance of say 1 km, Taxi / Rickshaw = Rs 22 for one way short distance of say 1-2 km that too without air con So total for one day would be approximate as below:
For Budget Travellers: Budget travel around India is surprisingly easy, with the savvy backpacker able to get by relatively comfortably on as little as $15 to $20 a day It is generally cheaper than South East Asia with a night in a hotel costing as little as 150 to 250 Rs though don't expect air-con or room service for this price! Beach huts in the cheaper places of Goa can cost around 300 Rs a night A meal can be bought from a street trader for as little as 30 Rs, though in a restaurant expect to pay around 200 - 300 Rs if you fancy a beer or two Overnight buses and trains can cost anywhere from 600 to 1000 Rs dependent on distance and locations, though if you don't mind roughing it on a government bus benches only you can get around for less
In India you are expected to negotiate the price with street hawkers, but not in department stores and the like If not, you risk overpaying many times - which can be okay if you think "well, it's cheaper than home" In most of the big cities and even smaller towns retail chain stores are popping up where the shopping experience is essentially identical to similar stores in the West There are also some government-run stores like the Cottage Emporium in New Delhi, where you can sample wares from all across the country in air-conditioned comfort Although you will pay a little more at these stores, you can be sure that what you are getting is not a cheap knockoff The harder you bargain the more you save money A few tries later you will realise that it is fun
Often, the more time you spend in a store, the better deals you will get It is worth spending time getting to know the owner, asking questions, and getting him to show you other products if you have an interest Once the owner feels that he is making a sufficient profit from you, he will often give you additional goods at a rate close to his cost, rather than the common "foreigner rate" You will get better prices and service by buying many items in one store than by bargaining in multiple stores individually If you see local people buying in a store, probably you can get the real Indian prices Ask someone around you — preferably so that that the shopkeeper can't hear you! — how much they would pay for an item
Also, very often you will meet a "friend" in the street inviting you to visit their family's shop In about 9 of 10 cases this will simply mean that you pay twice as much as when you had been in the shop without your newly found friend
Baksheesh -- the giving of small bribes -- is a very common phenomenon While it is a big problem in India, indulging in it can ease certain problems and clear some hurdles Baksheesh is also the term used by beggars if they want money from you, and also can refer to tips given those who provide you a service Baksheesh is as ancient a part of Middle Eastern and Asian culture as anything else It derives from the Arabic meaning a small gift It refers as much to charity as to bribes
Packaged goods show the Maximum Retail Price MRP right on the package This includes taxes Retailers are not supposed to charge more than this Though this rule is adhered to at most places, at tourist destinations or remote places, you may be charged more This is especially true for cold drinks like coke or pepsi, where a bottle 300ml is priced around 11 to 12 Rs when the actual price is 10 Also, keep in mind that a surprising number of things do not come in packaged form Do check for the authenticity of the MRP, sometime so it happens that the Shopkeeper may put up a sticker of his own to charge more price from you
Indian cuisine is superb and takes its place among the great cuisines of the world There is a good chance that you'd have tasted "Indian food" in your country, especially if you are a traveller from the West, but what India has exported abroad is just one part of its extraordinary range of culinary diversity
Indian food has well-deserved reputation for being hot, owing to the Indian penchant for potent green chilis that will bring tears to the eyes of the uninitiated, and found in unexpected places like sweet cornflakes a snack, not breakfast or even candies The degree of spiciness varies widely throughout the country: Andhra food is famously fiery, while Bengal cuisine is generally not
To enjoy the local food, start slowly Don't try everything at once After a few weeks, you can get accustomed to spicy food If you would like to order your dish not spicy, simply say so Most visitors are tempted to try at least some of the spicy concoctions, and most discover that the sting is worth the trouble
Cuisine in India varies greatly from region to region The "Indian food" served by restaurants around the world is North Indian, also known as Mughlai the courts of the Mughal emperors or Punjabi the people who popularized it Mughlai cuisine makes heavy use of meat and spices It has been heavily influenced by Central Asian cooking, hence you will find pulao rice cooked in broth, kebab grilled meat, kofta balls of mincemeat etc Tandoori chicken, prepared in a clay oven called a tandoor, is probably the best-known North Indian dish, but for an authentic Punjabi dining experience, try sarson da saag, a yummy gravy dish made with mustard greens, with makke di roti, a roti made from maize
North India is wheat growing land, so you have Indian breads known as roti, including chapatti unleavened bread, paratha stuffed chapatti, naan cooked in a clay tandoori oven, puri deep-fried and puffed up, and many more A typical meal consists of one or more gravy dishes along with rotis, to be eaten by breaking off a piece of roti, dipping it in the gravy and eating them together Most of the Hindi heartland of India survives on roti, rice, and lentils dal, which are prepared in several different ways and made spicy to taste Served on the side, you will usually find spiced yogurt raita and either fresh chutney or a tiny piece of exceedingly pungent pickle achar, a very acquired taste for most visitors — try mixing it with curry, not eating it plain
A variety of cuisines can be found throughout north India, like the savory Rajasthani dishes, more akin to the Gujarati cuisine, the meat heavy Kashmiri Wazwan dishes from the valley of Kashmir or the mild yet gratiating Himalayan pahari cuisine found in the higher reaches North India also has of a variety of snacks like samosa vegetables encased in thin pastry of a triangular shape and kachori either vegetable or pulses encased in thin pastry There is also a vast constellation of sweet desserts like jalebi deep-fried pretzel with sugar syrup- shaped like a spiral, rasmalai balls of curds soaked in condensed milk, halwa, etc Dry fruits like almonds, cashews and pistachio are used a lot, often in the desserts, but sometimes also in the main meal
In South India, the food is mostly rice-based They also make greater use of pulses The typical meal is sambhar a watery curry with rice, or avial mixed vegetables with rice, traditionally served on a banana leaf as a plate There are regional variations too — the coastal regions make greater use of coconut and fish In the coast, particularly in the province of Kerala, it is common to use grated coconut in everything and use coconut oil for cooking, while someone from the interior could be surprised to learn that coconut oil, can in fact, be used for cooking The South also has some great breakfast dishes like idli a steamed cake of lentils and rice, dosa, a thin, crispy pancake often stuffed with spiced potatoes to make masala dosa, vada, a savoury Indian donut, and uttapam, fried idli with onions and other vegetables mixed in All of these can be eaten with dahi, plain yogurt, and chutney, a condiment that can be made from practically anything Try the ever popular Masala Dosa rice crepein one of the old restaurants of Bangalore like CTR and Janatha in Malleswaram or Vidyarthi Bhavan in Basavangudi South Indian cuisine is predominantly vegetarian, though Chettinad and Andhra cuisines use meat heavily and are a lot more spicier Coffee tends to replace tea in the south
One of the top rated restaurants in the province of Kerala is Harbour Restaurant Harbour Restaurant is on Beach Road in Alleppey, Kerala and looks out over the Arabian Sea Tourists have ranked it at decently priced
To the West, you will find some great cuisine groups Gujarati cuisine is mostly vegetarian, sweet, and makes heavy use of milk products Gujaratis make some of the best snack items such as the Dhokla and the Muthia Rajasthani cuisine is similar to Gujarati, but somewhat spicier Maharashtra and Goa are famous for their seafood A notable feature of Goan cooking is that pork is used, a rare sight in the rest of India Vindaloo originated in Goa, and is in fact traditionally cooked with pork, and in spite of its apparent popularity in Indian restaurants abroad, it is not common in India itself
A great restaurant for amazing seafood in Goa is Viva Panjim It is located Panaji, Goa Dinner for two will run about Rs 300 An amazing restaurant to experience Rajasthani cuisine in the state of Maharashtra is Chokhi Dhani Pune It is located at Nagar Highway, Wagholi and is moderately priced
To the East, Bengali food, like South Indian, makes heavy use of rice and fish, though Bengalis prefer freshwater fish The iconic Bengali dish is Maccher jhol, a watery fish curry spiced with mustard, which literally means "fish in sauce" Bengal is also famous for its sweets, and sondesh is excellent
A lot of food has also filtered in from other countries Indian Chinese or Chindian is far and away the most common adaptation: most Chinese would barely recognize the stuff, but dishes like veg manchurian deep-fried vegetable balls in a chilli-soy-ginger sauce and chilli chicken are very much a part of the Indian cultural landscape and worth a try The British left fish and chips and some fusion dishes like mulligatawny soup, while Tibetan food, especially momo dumplings, are not uncommon in north India Pizza has entered India in a big way, but chains like Pizza hut and Domino's have been forced to Indianize the pizza and introduce adaptations like paneer-tikka pizza Remarkably, there is an Indian chain called Smokin Joe's, based out of Mumbai, which has gone and mixed Thai curry with Pizzas
It is, of course, impossible to do full justice to the range and diversity of Indian food in this brief section Not only does every region of India have a distinctive cuisine, but you will also find that even within a region, castes and ethnic communities have different styles of cooking and often have their signature recipes which you will probably not find in restaurants The adventurous traveller is advised to wangle invitations to homes, try various bylanes of the city and look for food in unlikely places like temples in search of culinary nirvana
While there are a wide variety of fruits native to India such as the chikoo and the jackfruit, nothing is closer to an Indians' heart than a juicy ripe mango Hundreds of varieties are found across most of its regions — in fact, India is the largest producer, growing more than half the world's output Mangoes are in season at the hottest part of the year, usually between May and July, and range from small as big as a fist to some as big as a small cantaloupe It can be consumed in its ripe, unripe as well a baby form the last 2 predominently in pickles Other fruits widely available depending on the season are bananas, oranges, guavas, lychees, apples, pineapple, pomegranate, apricot, melons, coconut, grapes, plums, peaches and berries
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Know your vegetarians
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Visiting vegetarians will discover a culinary treasure that is found nowhere else in the world Owing to a large number of strictly vegetarian Hindus and Jains, Indian cuisine has evolved an astonishingly rich menu that uses no meat or eggs At least half the menus of most restaurants are devoted to vegetarian dishes, and by law all packaged food products in India are tagged with a green dot vegetarian or red dot non-veg Vegans, however, will face a tougher time: milk products like cheese paneer, yogurt dahi and clarified butter ghee are used extensively, and honey is also commonly used as a sweetener Milk in India is generally not pasteurized, and must be boiled before consumption
Even non-vegetarians will soon note that due to the Hindu taboo, beef is generally not served except in the south and the north-east, and pork is also uncommon due to the Muslim population Chicken and mutton are thus by far the most common meats used, although beeflike "buff" waterbuffalo is occasionally served in backpacker establishments
In India eating with your hand instead of utensils like forks and spoons is very common There's one basic rule of etiquette to observe, particularly in non-urban India: Use only your right hand Don't stick either hand into communal serving dishes: instead, use the left hand to serve yourself with utensils and then dig in Needless to say, it's wise to wash your hands well before and after eating
For breads for all types, the basic technique is to hold down the item with your forefinger and use your middle-finger and thumb to tear off pieces The pieces can then be dipped in sauce or used to pick up bits before you stuff them in your mouth Rice is more challenging, but the basic idea is to use four fingers to mix the rice in curry and pack a little ball, before you pop it in your mouth by pushing it with your thumb
Most of the restaurants do provide cutlery and its pretty safe to use them instead of your hand
Eating by hand is frowned on in some "classier" places If you are provided with cutlery and nobody else around you seems to be doing it, then take the hint
Indian restaurants run the gamut from roadside shacks dhabas to classy five-star places where the experience is comparable to places anywhere in the world Away from the big cities and tourist haunts, mid-level restaurants are scarce, and food choices will be limited to the local cuisine, Punjabi/Mughlai, "Chinese" and occasionally South Indian
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Menus in English well, almost Menus in Indian restaurants are usually written in English — but using Hindi names! Here's a quick decoder key that goes a long way for understanding common dishes like aloo gobi and muttar paneer
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The credit for popularizing Punjabi cuisine all over the country goes to the dhabas that line India's highways Their patrons are usually the truckers, who happen to be overwhelmingly Punjabi The authentic dhaba serves up simple yet tasty seasonal dishes like roti and dhal with onions, and diners sit on cots instead of chairs Hygiene can be an issue in many dhabas, so if one's not up to your standards try another In rural areas, dhabas are usually the only option
In Southern India, "Hotel" means a local restaurant serving south Indian food, usually a thali -- a full plate of food that usually includes a kind of bread and an assortment of meat or vegetarian dishes -- and prepared meals
Although you may be handed an extensive menu, most dishes are served only during specific hours, if at all
Tipping is unusual outside of fancier restaurants where 10% is appropriate
One of the sweetest and safest beverages you can get is tender coconut water You can almost always find it in any beach or other tourist destinations in the south In summer March to July, you can get fresh sugarcane juice in many places and even a lot of fresh fruit juice varieties Be careful as fresh juice may contain many germs besides unhygienic ice! The juice vendors do not always clean their equipment properly and do not wash the fruits either
India is famous for its Alphonso variety of mangoes, generally regarded as the King of Mangoes among connoisseurs So do try the Alphonso mango-flavoured beverage Maaza bottled by Coca-Cola or Slice bottled by PepsiCo, both of which contain about 15% Alphonso mango pulp Both of these brands will sure provide some needed refreshment during India's scorching hot summer Both cost about 30 to 50 rupees for a 600 ml bottle
As for bottled water, make sure that the cap's seal has not been broken, otherwise, it is a tell tale sign of tampering or that unscrupulous vendors reuse old bottles and fill them with tap water, which is generally unsafe for foreign tourists to drink without prior boiling Bottled water brands like Aquafina by PepsiCo and Kinley by Coca-Cola are widely available Local brands like Bisleri are also acceptable and perfectly safe Tastes may vary due to the individual brands' mineral contents
Everywhere you can get tea chai in most North Indian languages of one variety or another Most common is the "railway tea" type: cheap 2-5 Rs, sweet and uniquely refreshing once you get the taste for it It's made by brewing up tea leaves, milk, and sugar altogether in a pot and keeping it hot until it's all sold Masala chai will also have spices added to the mix, such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper For some people, that takes some getting used to
While Masala chai is popular in Northern and Central India, it must be noted that people in Eastern India West Bengal and Assam generally consume tea without spices, the English way This is also the part of India where most tea is grown
In South India, coffee especially sweet "filter coffee" replaces tea as a standard beverage
Drinking alcohol can either be frowned upon or openly accepted, depending on the region and religion of the area within which you are drinking For example, Goa and Pondicherry tend to be more free-wheeling and have low taxes on alcohol, while few southern areas like Chennai are less kind to alcohol, and may even charge excessive taxes on it Some states such as Gujarat are legally "dry" and alcohol cannot be bought openly there, although there is a substantial bootlegging industry
Favorite Indian tipples include beer, notably the ubiquitous Kingfisher a decent lager, and rum, particularly Old Monk Prices vary by state, especially for hard liquor, but you can expect to pay Rs 50-100 for a large bottle of beer and anywhere between Rs 170-250 for a 750mL bottle of Old Monk
Indian wines, long a bit of a joke, have improved remarkably in recent years and there's a booming wine industry in the hills of Maharashtra The good stuff is not particularly cheap expect to pay around Rs 500 a bottle and selections are mostly limited to white wines, but look out for labels by Chateau Indage 58 or 'Sula 59
Illegal moonshine, called tharra when made from sugar cane and toddy when made from coconuts, is widely available in some states It's cheap and strong, but very dangerous as quality control is nonexistent, and best avoided entirely In the former Portugese colony of Goa you can obtain an extremely pungent liquor called fenny or feni, typically made from cashew fruits or coconuts
Cannabis in its many forms — especially ganja weed and charas hash — is widely available throughout India, but they are all illegal in the vast majority of the country, and the letter of the law states that simple possession may mean years in jail
However, in some states notably Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh,Uttarakhand and Orissa the one legal and socially accepted way to consume cannabis is as bhang, a low-grade preparation sold at government-licensed shops that is not only smoked, but also made into cookies, chocolate and the infamous bhang lassi, a herb-laced version of the normally innocuous yogurt drink Bhang lassi is usually available at varying strengths, so use caution if opting for the stronger versions It's also occasionally sold as "special lassi", but is usually easily spotted by the Rs30-50 price tag several times higher than the non-special kinds An important point to bear in mind is that the effects of "Bhang" are slow and heighten when consumed with something sweet Also, first time users may want to wait a while before consuming too much in an effort to judge their tolerance
Choices vary widely depending on your budget and location Cheap travellers' hotels are numerous in big cities where you can get a room for less than Rs 450 $10 Rooms at guest-houses with a double bed and often a bathroom can be found in many touristic venues for Rs 150-200 Good budget hotels in India are not hard to find You can find accommodation in clean dormitories for as little as Rs 50 $1 in many Indian districts
Most Indian train stations have rooms or dormitories, which are cheap, relatively well maintained the beds, sheets etc not the showers and secure There are also the added bonuses of not being accosted by the rickshaw mafia, getting your bag off quickly and, for the adventurous, you are highly likely to be able to jump on a cheap public bus back to the train station, just ask Keep in mind you must have an arrival or departure train ticket from the station where you intend to sleep and there could be a limit on how many nights you may stay
Midrange options are plentiful in the larger cities and expanding fast into second-tier cities as well Dependable local chains include Country Inns 60, Ginger 61 and Neemrana 62, and prices vary from Rs 1000-4000 per night Local, unbranded hotels can be found in any city, but quality varies widely
If your wallet allows it, you can try staying in a maharaja's palace in Udaipur or modern five-star hotels which are now found pretty much all over the country The top-end of Indian luxury rests with the Oberoi 63, Taj 64, and ITC Welcomgroup 65 hotel chains, who operate hotels in all the major cities and throughout Rajasthan The usual international chains also run major 5-star hotels in most Indian metropolises, but due to India's economic boom availability is tight and prices can be crazy: it's not uncommon to be quoted over US$300/night for what would elsewhere be a distinctly ordinary business hotel going for a third of the price Also beware that some jurisdictions including Delhi and Bangalore charge stiff luxury taxes on the rack rate of the room, which can lead to nasty surprises at check-out time
Two important factors to keep in mind when choosing a place to stay are 1 safety and 2 cleanliness Malaria is alive and well in certain areas of India - one of the best ways to combat malaria is to choose lodgings with air conditioning and sealed windows An insect-repellent spray containing DEET will also help
Dak bungalows exist in many areas These were built by the British to accommodate travelling officials and are now used by the Indian and state governments for the same purpose If they have room, most will take tourists at a moderate fee They are plain — ceiling fans rather than air conditioning, shower but no tub, etc — but clean, comfortable and usually in good locations Typically the staff includes a pensioned-off soldier as night watchman and perhaps another as gardener; often the gardens are lovely Sometimes there is a cook You meet interesting Indian travellers this way: engineers building a bridge in the area, a team of doctors vaccinating the villagers, whatever
Don't count on having a reliable electricity supply if you aren't staying in an upmarket hotel Brownouts are frequent, and many buildings have unsafe wiring
Make sure to bring your passport wherever you go, as most hotels will not rent out rooms without you producing a valid passport This is especially true in Delhi
Foreigners need a work permit to be employed in India A work permit is granted if an application is made to the local Indian embassy along with proof of potential employment and supporting documents There are many expatriates working in India, mostly for multinational Fortune 1000 firms India has always had an expatriate community of reasonable size, and there are many avenues for finding employment, including popular job hunting websites like monstercom
There are many volunteer opportunities around the country including teaching India has a reasonable presence of foreign Christian missionaries, who for the most part form the non-local religious workers, since the other major religions of the world either grew out of India or have had a long term presence
A living can be made in the traveler scenes by providing some kind of service such as baking Western cakes, tattooing or massage
Previously, an AIDS test result was required as part of the work visa application process It is highly recommended that applicants obtain test results in their home country beforehand if at all possible
| Meal in inexpensive restaurant | 100 INR |
| 3-course meal in restaurant (for 2) | 465 INR |
| McDonalds meal | 182 INR |
| Local beer (0.5 draft) | 81 INR |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 154.28 INR |
| Cappuccino | 66.76 INR |
| Pepsi/Coke (0.33 bottle) | 20.76 INR |
| Water (0.33 bottle) | 14.96 INR |
| Milk (1l) | 44.28 INR |
| Fresh bread (500g) | 23.09 INR |
| White Rice (1kg) | 42.16 INR |
| Eggs (12) | 48.09 INR |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 245.87 INR |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 196.45 INR |
| Apples (1kg) | 140.86 INR |
| Oranges (1kg) | 75.82 INR |
| Tomato (1kg) | 28.49 INR |
| Potato (1kg) | 22.48 INR |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 32.92 INR |
| Water (1.5l) | 28.04 INR |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 470 INR |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 bottle) | 82.82 INR |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 122.4 INR |
| Cigarettes | 137.2 INR |
| One way local bus ticket | 13.8 INR |
| Monthly pass for bus | 608.85 INR |
| Taxi start | 33.3 INR |
| Taxi 1km | 15.36 INR |
| Taxi 1hour waiting | 98 INR |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 72.26 INR |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 319.85 INR |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 25.39 INR |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 13.44 INR |
