India Travel Information, Tips

Indian identity: does it harm Indians abroad?

2012-01-05T03:28:00.001-08:00

Indians whogo for merry-making or go in hordes to do menial jobs sometimes leave suchimpressions on the nationals of western/ native origin that they are oftendisliked. When foreigners visit India, they too see a lot of things happeninghere that would not be acceptable in their own societies. Indians may not bethe only such creatures, but let’s restrict the present discussion to Indians.

Somestereotypes of Indians that hurt Indians’ image and make their life difficultabroad are given below. Some of these are related to the way Indians grow up orcarry their cultural baggage. Some are appreciable too, but do not matchwith foreigners’ sensitivities on those matters.

They are very argumentative.
They are verynoisy, especially when in their own groups.
They do notuse western toilets properly.
They bargaineven when fixed price mentioned, and bargain too much.
They carrybig luggage. [They don’t travel light.]
Even whenabroad on short pleasure trips, they are too nostalgic about family.
They have poortraffic sense [both, when driving a vehicle and when on foot].
They areunduly particular about taking bath, taking vegetarian meals, their traditionsand culture, Bollywood films and songs.
They do notadopt western dress too easily and wear non-western things such as [women] bindi,mangalsutra, saree, sindur, glass bangles, jhumke; [south-Indian men] lungi, sandalmarks on forehead, [Sikhs] turban… and so are snooty and/or do not mix well withthe local population.
Given a chance,they would take meals with hand [without using cutlery], urinate behind a wall[males], walk barefoot [especially South Indians].
They don’tmind doing part-time menial jobs even if in big post.
They havehighly accented English pronunciation.
[in westerncountries] They eat up ‘our’ jobs in IT and BPO; [in Africa] have overtaken ourbusiness by cheating us.
[In Arabcountries] They are good to be treated like labour only.
They createghettoes when a large number of them live together in a foreign land.
They arefond of hot curries, pickles and spicy food that smells typical of Indians.
They carrytheir cast identities, joint family links and old-world notions with them.
[Foriegnerswho have seen from trains people defecate in the open]Most of Indians in Indiansmall towns and villages shit in the open and don’t clean themselves after that.

What anIndian identity!!

This blog showcased in Indian Top Blogs!

2011-10-23T06:05:00.000-07:00

I didn't know whether friends at Indian Top Blogs would accept my request to give this blog a new identity. I have not been getting time to regularly update the blog these days due to many preoccupations and was not sure. But now blog is in their Blog Showcase as well as Directory of Best Indian Blogs too!!

It is available at:
1. http://www.indiantopblogs.com/2011/10/indiaadvice.html
2. http://www.indiantopblogs.com/search/label/blog%20showcase
3. On ITB site, clicking on the blog showcase button on the navigation bar below the blog title
4. On ITB site, clicking on ... blogs showcased under the Let's showcase your blog section in the blog footer
5. On Facebook at http://facebook.com/indiantopblogs

New advisories from US, etc on India travel

2011-10-20T03:21:00.001-07:00

The United States has warned its citizens of possible terror attacks throughout India during the holiday season between October and January. In the travel advisory issued now, the US State Department says: "Recent Indian government advisories and local media report increased indications that terrorists are planning attacks in India." It urges citizens “to pay particular attention to their personal security during the Indian holiday season, which includes Hindu, Islamic, and other religious and secular holidays between October and January."
Australia and Canada have also warned that terror groups could plan attacks in India's capital.

Some observers feel that this is more of show of a sense of duty towards their citizens by governments. Routine messages and generic alerts display paranoia more than sincerity on the part of these governments, they feel.

If we go by the general perception of terrorist threat throughout the globe, many places within the ‘secure’ nations like the US and UK would be more prone than New Delhi etc.

India, Pak to ease visa norms.. to spur travel.

2011-10-17T02:44:00.000-07:00

India and Pakistan have decided on a new visa agreement. It will spurtravel between the two countries.

This decision was taken in the Joint Working Group held in Islamabad, on enhancinggreater business and people-to-people contacts between the two countries.

The draft agreement envisagesmultiple-entry visa for businessmen and allows people from India and Pakistanto visit to more than three places in one visit.

Some NRIs and PIOs giving India a bad name

2011-10-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

Papers in India are carrying this news:
At least 13 persons of Indian origin are among 111 people are part of a $13 million global crime ring involved in forged credit cards and identity theft.
Several suspects have engaged in nationwide shopping sprees, staying at five-star hotels, renting luxury automobiles and private jets, and purchasing tens of thousands of dollars worth of high-end electronics and expensive handbags and jewellery with forged credit cards.
Imran Khan, Ali Khweiss, Anthony Martin, Amar Singh and Sanjay Deowsarran are supposed to be the bosses and Vishnu Harilal, Ravindra Singh, Neha Punjabi Singh, Ravi Ramroop and Kamal Sanasi among some of the people of Indian origin.
This type of fraudsters and criminals give a bad name to the otherwise very hard working and socially integrating Indian community abroad. Associations of people of Indian origin should take note.

Should I avoid India travel at present?

2011-08-17T01:46:00.000-07:00

If you want to visit India purely as a tourist, this is the time to be avoided.

The present political climate is not very good, as people have comet to streets in favour of Anna Hazare, the social activist leading anit-corruption campaign. However, this will be there only for a small time.

August - September are not the best months to visit India for more reasons than one: rains during this time [monsoon season] lead to water-logging, floods, land-slides etc; rains also bring vector-borne diseases such as malaria and humidity induced infectious diseases such as flu; the weather in most parts of India is unpleasant as it is hot and humid.

If you are planning an India visit this very year, do plan it in and after November. In November, you can witness immense gaity and color as it will be festival season. The festival of light (diwali / deepawali) is on 3rd November. The winter months (November - March) are cool, dry and pleasant in most parts of India. Disease prevalence is also low.

Congrats winners of Express TravelWorld Awards!

2011-07-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

The following are Express TravelWorld Awards for 2010-2011. Hearty congratulations!

HOTELS

Innovation in Customer Experience: Neemrana Hotels

Innovation in Operations: Ibis Gurgaon

CAR/BUS RENTALS

Innovation in Customer Experience: Priyadharshini Taxi Services

Innovation in Operations: Carzonrent

TRAVEL/TOUR OPERATORS

Innovation in Customer Experience: Varun Worldwide Holidays

Innovation in Operations: Kuoni Travel (India) & IRCTC

TOURISM BOARDS

Innovation in Customer Experience: Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai

Innovation in Operations: Madhya Pradesh Tourism & Malaysia Tourism

AIRLINES

Innovation in Customer Experience: Kingfisher Airlines

Innovation in Operations - Low Cost Carrier: Air Arabia

Innovation in Operations - Full Service Carrier: Kingfisher Airlines

OTHER AWARDS

Innovation in Web and Mobile Initiative: Andhra Pradesh

Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility: The Lalit Temple View, Khajuraho

Excellence in Environment Protection: Our Native Village

Excellence in Personnel Welfare: Taj Gateway

Editor's Choice Award: Deep Kalra

Lifetime Achievement Award: Late Lalit Suri

Germany advises its citizens, they can visit Kashmir

2011-07-26T23:23:00.001-07:00

Germany has changed its travel advisory for Kashmir for its nationals, saying that the situation in the state has calmed down considerably.

Jammu & Kashmir, the northernmost state of India has been bearing the brunt of insurgency, stated to be fomented by Pakistan. The state is known for its scenic spots amongst Himalayan mountains.

Germany is the first European nation in a decade to amend its travel advisory in this fashion. Travel advisories of many foreign countries still urge their citizens not to travel to Kashmir in light of the insurgency.

The advisory also refers Ladakh and Jammu regions. Regarding Jammu, the advisory says the region is basically stable, though the situation might change and travellers are advised to obtain information regarding the security situation prior to their visit. In the case of Ladakh, the advisory recommends trekkers to travel with trained local guides and avoid border areas due to security considerations.

My blogs got a good listing from India Top Blog

2011-06-30T05:47:00.000-07:00

I am seldom interested in getting awards for the blog, because awards are mostly given on 'I scratch your back, you scratch mine' basis. They are also given for being popular and for contributing stories etc. But I find that this particular blog gives award based on its own independent criteria.
They have awarded me consecutively the second time. This time, they have awarded both my blogs. Thought, I whould share this with you.
By the way, my blogs are:
http://Indiaadvice.blogspot.com
http://Indianewstoday.blogspot.com

Best delhi restaurants

2011-06-17T03:38:00.000-07:00

India Today has given a list of Delhi’s ‘10 finest food destinations’ as follows, in their June 20, 2011 edition. We have reproduced the main features, with slight variation for clarity and brevity. Prices are indicative and without alcohol.

Diva, M Block, Greater Kailash II [rating: 8/10] USP: authentic Italian; good wines; Meal for two: Rs. 2500

San Gimignano, The Imperial Hotel, Janpath [rating: 8.5/10] USP: authentic Italian; Italian wines; Meal for two: Rs. 5000

Dakshin, WelcomeHotel, Sheraton, Saket [rating: 8.5/10] USP: coastal specialties; good wines; Meal for two: Rs. 3500

Ai, MGF Metropolitan, Saket [rating: 9/10] USP: authentic Japanese; Meal for two: Rs. 2500

Bukhara, ITC Maurya, Chanakyapuri [rating: 8/10] USP: same menu for 33 years; Meal for two: Rs. 7000

Indian Accent, The Manor, Friends Colony (West) [rating: 8/10] USP: fusion food; Meal for two: Rs. 2000

China Kitchen, Hyatt Regency, Bhikaji Cama Place [rating: 9/10] USP: authentic Chinese; Meal for two: Rs. 2400

Set’z, DLF Emporio Mall, Vasant Kunj [rating: 9/10] USP: different food counters; mall ambience; nice cocktails; Meal for two: Rs. 2500

Baci, 23, Sundar Nagar Market [rating: 7/10] USP: authentic Italian; Italian wines; Meal for two: Rs. 2000

Magique, Garden of 5 Senses, Mehrauli Badarpur Road [rating: 9/10] USP: great ambience; variety of food and wines and spirits; Meal for two: Rs. 2000-4000

32 percent more India travelers use websites for travel information

2011-06-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

comScore has released a study of the online travel industry in India based on data from its 'Media Metrix'.

The study finds that the number of visitors to travel sites increased 32 percent in the past year to 18.5 million visitors.

The results will be part of 'State of the Internet India' webinar to be held by the company on Tuesday next.

As per the study, the Indian Railways were the most-visited travel destination with 8.4 million visitors. Online Travel Agent sites came the next with MakeMyTrip (3.9 million), Yatra Online (3.5 million), ClearTrip.com (2.1 million) and Expedia Inc. (1.8 million). Other leading online travel sites are: TravelAdNetwork, Mustseeindia.com, Indiarailinfo.com, Redbus.in and HolidayIQ.com.

Travelocity said, Cleartrip stole its data: what happened?

2011-06-03T00:13:00.000-07:00

The 2009 complaint of Travelocity against Cleartrip for data stealing and causing financial loss is to come up for hearing in July. Last month, Gurgaon police has filed a chargesheet in this case. As per the chargesheet, Clewartrip faces charges of collusion, abetment, misappropriation, money laundering, criminal breach of trust and conspiracy.

Travel companies in India are facing cut-throat competition and running their own publicity [and smear] campaigns. Travelocity is currently running a rather confusing campaign inwhich it is playing with the suffix '-ocity ' at the end of many words, to build a recallable brand.

These and other companies are offering many discounts, special offers for bulk / group / family bookings etc. They also have arrangements with hotels, railway and flight services, local sight seeing companies etc. As per the latest data available, tourism has started picking up again [it had faced a big slump after global recession and 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.] Hotel occupancy has increased in the last quarter of 2010-11 [Jan to March 2011]. Yet, the problems of poor infrastructure, presence of many fly-by-night operators, unfavourable reports in the media etc are plaguing the tourism industry. The charge of data theft, if it sticks, will harm the reputation of Cleartrip a lot, and there may be more such cases in quick succession.

Delhi to have mandatory registration of travel agents

2011-05-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

Delhi to soon have mandatory registration of travel agents. This is good news for domestic and international tourists planning to visit Delhi or make bookings for other parts of the country through Delhi-based travel agents. All travel agents based in Delhi will have to register with a nodal authority in Delhi government. A complaint number will be announced by the government at which a tourist can lodge complaint against faulty service or service below the promised standard. It is expected that registration itself will deter operators from fleecing or short-changing tourists. Registration would also mean that tourists will have a way to check whether a travel agent is genuine or a fly-by-night operator.

There are over 3500 travel agents operating from Delhi. Many have their websites and many others operate through references and on-the-spot contact with tourists.

Registration of travel agents is likely to start within this calendar year.

At present, Government of India runs a voluntary scheme of registration of travel agents and another one for tour operators. However, these schemes being voluntary, many travel agents and tour operators do not register themselves.

The other side of Delhi

2011-04-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

When you visit Delhi / New Delhi from abroad or a distant place within India, you are likely to visit at least one of the ‘must see’ tourist spots including many world-class monuments, shopping complexes, gardens, etc.

I am listing here the unusual visiting places for a different type of experience. The local tour operators and city tours are not going to take you to these places and, even if they take you there, to give you enough time to savor the special experience.

[For those not familiar with the names, Delhi is loosely synonymous with New Delhi, the capital of India. Technically, Delhi is the province and New Delhi is a part of it. For more details, please see Delhi vs New Delhi, here.]

1. Visit Old Delhi for experiencing busy, traditional-style markets. The most popular Old Delhi entry is Chandni Chowk, the sprawling market opposite the Red Fort. It is a mix of old and the new, but when you enter its lanes, you will find busy whole-sale markets doing roaring business. Sprinked along with the main shops are eateries selling traditional snacks. The Paranthe Wali Gali is famous for numerous types of paranthas [stuffed home-made bread] that are served by the many restaurants lining the lane.

2. Visit Dilli Haat, a small exhibition complex, for a peep into culture of and artefacts from different parts of the country.

3. Have lunch at Andhra Bhawan. There are many eateries of all types in Delhi but this one is worth enjoying. Always busy, this place sells very spicy South Indian food – both veg and non-veg. The food is hygienic.

4. For non-vegetarians, kebabs and biryani sold at Jama Masjid are a treat.

5. If you have time in the evening, do not miss performances at Mandi House. There are a number of theatres in this area and one or the other play / dance / music programme takes place here throughout the year.

6. Mehrauli Archeological Park is not to be missed by those interested in monumental history. This archeological heritage is preserved at Mahrauli, a sprawling habitat during many rulers, behind Qutub Minar.

7. Near Qutub Minar, a new park, called the Garden of Five Senses, has been created. It tries to give a soothing experience to sight, smell, sound, taste and touch with its garden, rocks, sculptures, fragrant plants, musical chimes and so on. It holds many cultural activities regularly.

8. There are very rich museums in Delhi, including the National Museum and Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art [IGNCA]. One or the other exhibition is also routine there. In addition, Delhi has International Doll Museum and International Toilet Museum. The India Habitat Centre also holds many cultural-social events regularly and has a number of eateries within the building complex.

9. If you want to see a beautiful exhibition on the Indian way of life in ancient times, and India’s rich spiritual heritage, do visit the Akshardham Temple complex, with half a day free for seeing the exhibits at leisure.

10. For quality mementoes, visit the government showrooms at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place. They sell all types of mementoes from different parts of the country. The items range from inexpensive to very expensive, and are genuine.

11. INTACH regularly organizes heritage walks around monuments across the city. These walks weave history, sculpture, architecture and folklore into one enjoyable experience about the place.

I have marked these places in the map below. You can enlarge the map to see all the spots.

View delhi3 in a larger map

India is among the least friendly: let's face it

2011-04-09T20:10:00.000-07:00

Forbes has come out with the list of nations ranked on the basis of friendliness to foreigners as perceived by expatriates. The survey was done by HSBC bank.

India is ranked among the lowest in terms of whether people would like to work and get settled here. Foreigners think, it is difficult to adjust to Indian ways of life,and Indians are not too welcoming and helpful.

To rank countries, the survey chose these four criteria: ability to befriend locals, success in learning the local language, capacity for integrating themselves into the community, and ease in which they fit into the new culture. While Bahrain, Bermuda and Singapore were found to be the friendliest countries for the expatriates, India ranked the last in the list of 25. [Though they had surveyed a hundred countries, insufficient data forced them to rank only 25 of them, the surveyors say.]

1. Bahrain 2. Bermuda 3. Singapore 4. Thailand 5. United Arab Emirates
6. Russia 7. Saudi Arabia 8. Qatar 9. Malaysia 10. Philippines
11. Hong Kong 12. South Africa 13. Canada 14. Switzerland 15. Australia
16. United States 17. China 18. Mexico 19. Spain 20. France
21. Belgium 22. Germany 23. United Kingdom 24. Netherlands 25. India

Traveling to India this summer?

2011-03-24T03:23:00.000-07:00

If you happen to travel to India during this summer [from now till August], consider these:

Areas around Delhi have been affected by an agitation. What it means is that your road and rail travel to Jaipur, Udaipur and other cities in Rajasthan might get upset. So, either fly to these destinations by air or avoid these destinations. The agitation is likely to remain there for another week or more.

There are elections in five states: Assam, West Bengal, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. So, there will be a lot of electioneering in these states. Moreover, the Election Commission takes charge of many private vehicles for mandatory election duty; this results in local operators' trips getting upset. While elections in other places will be over in April, they will continue through May. You will be wiser if you avoid south [Chennai, temple towns around it, Pondicherry, backwaters and beaches of Kerala].

Monsoon rains are likely to be normal this year, as per very preliminary indications. Rains will be all over Kerala and Andaman & Nicobar Islands starting late April and till May-June. Central and north India will be hot, day temperatures rising even to 45 degrees C [except hills]. It will start raining all over India except Rajasthan in June-August months. It will be sultry and you will have to take precautions against heat, water-logging and disruption in road / rail traffic and tropical infectious diseases. Expect electricity outages if you stay in budget hotels / guest houses, especially in non-metro locations.

Also, do read our earlier take on what precautions you must take whlie planning a trip to India.

Happy journey to India. Take care!

Best summer honeymoon destinations in India

2011-03-17T22:45:00.001-07:00

Our 11 cool honeymoon picks for the summer

We list below the most popular honeymoon destinations for domestic as well as foreign travelers. In picking the destinations, we have looked for:

Secure environment for young couples
Hassle-free local travel
Good tourist places in and around the main station
At least some additional facilities for recreation
Picturescque setting, cool climate, good weather
Good connectivity by air and surface transport
Hotels and guest-houses in middle-level and higher budgets
Other facilities and utilities needed by a tourist

Therefore, we have not listed here places that are stand-alone ‘hideouts’ for honeymooners. Also excluded are exclusive resorts developed by private developers.Our pick is:

Coorg
Coonoor
Darjeeling. Include kalimpong.
Gangtok
Gulmarg
Kodaikanal
Ooty
Mahabaleshwar
Manali. Include Kullu, Rohtang Pass
Nainital. Include Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal
Srinagar

Many well-known tour operators [big list here] offer honeymoon packages.

You can locate these places in the map given below. You can expand and pan the map with sliders.

View Honeymoon in a larger map

ITB world travel trade show and India

2011-03-11T07:07:00.000-08:00

India a good and attractive destination for lifestyle and niche tourism

In Berlin, where ITB Berlin - the 3-day massive trade show - ended today, India participated with a strong team including government agencies and officials, tour operators and hoteliers. The focus of India this time was to attract tourists in niche segments in which India is very strong, such as rural and eco-tourism, medical tourism, wellness and adventure.

By the way, the ITB World Travel Trends Report 2010/ 2011 was released yesterday.

The report says, the travel industry is expected to make good growth this year, on top of a smart comeback in 2010 from the downturn of 2009.

India and other emerging economies are likely to provide a huge market to travel industry, the report says.Besides marked increase in domestic and outbound tourist flow, the inbound tourist flow too has increased this year and is likely to show a healthy trend.

India is in a good position to attract LOHAS [acronym for Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability] customers, who are the new tribe of premium tourists. They are the ones interested in spirituality, are open-minded, are very mobile and use new technology with elan.

Fewer Pakistani artistes will be able to visit India

2011-03-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

Singer Rahat Ali's arrest in India for carrying foreign currency is the trigger

It is going to be difficult for Pakistani artists visiting India. The tense relationship between the two neighbouring nations makes sure that only a few visas are granted, that too after a lot of paperwork, answering and delay.

Now, as a fallout of Rahat Ali case, actors and artistes from across the border will also have to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from Pakistan's Interior Ministry. The Ministry of Culture will certify the actors and artistes before the NOC application is examined by the Interior Ministry.

Pakistani singers are quite popular in India. Of late, a few Pakistani artistes arealso taking part in India's reality shows and other TV serials.

Best time to visit India

2011-02-21T19:12:00.000-08:00

India is an all-season destination

India is a sub-continent in which there will be some places in all times of the year where the weather will of your liking. In most parts of India, there are distinct summer, rainy and winter seasons: summers from May to July, rains from June to September, winter from November to February.

In general, the transitional months of March-April [transiting from winter to summer] and September-October-November [from rainy season to winter] are cool and dry and are preferred by travelers and tourists. However, during October, there are a number of festivals and there is heavy domestic traffic.

The Himalayan hills are cool during summers and very cold during winters. Rains bring surreal experience of moving fog, rain-time streams and waterfalls, colourful clouds, greenery... but many places become inaccessible by road due to landslides.

Northern plains are dry and hot during summers, very cold in winters and have scanty to fair amount of rains during the rainy season. Generally rains are not an issue but when it rains, life goes out of sync. Deserts in north-west India get too hot and too cold for comfort.

As you go south of centre, rains become more and more copious. Weather is pleasant in winters and it remains sultry and hot in the rest part of the year. Coastal areas on the western coast are very wet. Eastern coast is wet during September-October also.

That was about climate. Irrespective of that, India offers natural beauty in various hues: higher reaches of the Himalayas are always astounding in their majesty; many beaches are anybody's delight, especially in the remote Andaman & Nicobar Islands and in Kerala and Karnataka coasts; there are numerous wild life sanctuaries, some with rare animals, and they are usually at their best during winters.

India is always buzzing with festivals. Festivals and fairs generally occur during harvest season: March-April and October-November. Besides, there are huge congregations, a la carnivals, during kumbh, Jagannath yatra and dashera. These happen on auspicious days by lunar calendar.

Change of season that brings so much gaiety, however, also brings chance of infectious diseases. September to early November days see outbreak of dengue and other types of viral fevers. Rainy season is likely to get you fever and tummy upset if you are not careful.

So, if you plan in advance and according to your taste [and once in India, you take care not to get ailments], you can enjoy any time of the year.

Travel restrictions in some parts of India

2011-02-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

Make sure, you don't stray into protected border / tribal area

There are a few restrictions on travel to some parts of the country for the reasons of security or protecting tribal culture. You need not bother about them if you are not a highly adventurous traveler curious to go to remote places, or must go to such places for research purposes, meeting somebody staying there and so on. If you must, you must know the restrictions and formalities so as to avoid problem.The restricted areas are mostly border areas and tribal areas in these states: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh/ Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar, Sikkim.

Domestic tourists going to such areas have to obtain an Inner Line Permit. This has to be obtained from the State government. NRIs and PIOs need permission like foreign tourists as of 2011.

Foreign Tourists would require a permit to visit restricted / protected areas, called Protected Area Permit (PAP) or Restricted Area Permit (RAP). For obtaining such a permit, you can contact Indian Mission in your country. If you decide to visit such areas after landing in India, you can contact Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs) at the metro cities or check with immigration office in the airport or seek guidance from tourism offices of Indian government. For specific locations to which visits are restricted, please refer to the concerned State tourism site. [list given in the right column].

There is no fee for PAP, RAP or Inner Line Permit. PAP/ RAP is given generally for 10 days, with permission to extend the visit for another 7 days. For citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Myanmar, approval of Ministry of Home Affairs is needed, so the processing time may get longer. Do apply, or ask your travel agent to apply, in advance for the necessary permit.

India Travel Card from Axis Bank

2011-02-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

Axis Bank has launched the India Travel Card, a prepaid debit card with maximum balance [load] of Rs. 50,000. You can load it through your home currency and use the card to make rupee payments while in India. This is first of this type, issued by a top class Indian bank.

The card can be purchased over the counter, from a large network of licensed money changers and 192 Axis Bank branches. You can check usage of the card online and can change security PIN at any Axis Bank branch. You can get refund of the unspent balance on departure from India.

In India, the card can be accessed at about 470 thousand merchant terminals and more than 44000 ATMs spread all over the country.

Uf the government facilities for NRIs !

2011-01-27T00:23:00.000-08:00

Chief Ministers of many State Governments of India are in the habit of announcing one or the other scheme for citizens of their States working abroad as NRIs, but their governments seldom care to follow them up with action. Even bare details about the schemes are not available in their websites and hardly any officer / office is there to guide you. The other day, Punjab CM said, they are creating a cell to help brides duped by NRIs and facilitation centres would come about in the State for helping NRIs in setting up industries, investing, etc. The Goan CM talked of creating a fund to help NRIs in distress. Nothing has been heard of these schemes after the announcements. Gujarat's sole aim seems to get investment and industries - no human activity exists beyond that?

The Central Government's Ministries for Overseas Indian Affairs and External Affairs, however, seem to be more serious. Their sites give detailed info on various matters including admissions of NRI children and scholarships for them, taxation, investment, etc. Not in all countries, but some Indian consulates do courteously deal with Indians and lend ears to their queries and problems. Our NRI and foreign visiting friends share instances of unconcern and rudeness shown to them by clerks in embassies. We feel, that happens only as much as it happens within India.

How dependable are travel agents, sites and web ads?

2011-01-24T23:42:00.000-08:00

A bit of caution helps avoid problems later

Travel agents have mushroomed all over the world, ranging from international to very local. In India, they have grown exponentially in number and range of services in the last few years.

We keep getting reports about travel agents and tour operators sometimes not behaving ethically. There are associations of hoteliers, booking agents, airlines and other groups to streamline the system but deviations do occur.

There are reports that fraudsters often indulge in brandjacking [= to hijack brands] and phishing [= to create fake replicas of genuine sites] to dupe travelers. Instances of skimming of credit cards [= stealthily taking down vital details] of travelers are also very common. During Beijing Olympics, a number of visitors from the US, Australia and other places were duped by a ticket booking agency that disappeared after taking as much as $ 57,000 per person. A recent survey reported that internet-based travel frauds are on the rise in India but they have not yet become as common as in many developed countries.

Speaking of web-based service providing sites, these are often virtual avatars of well-organised, real business entities. It is natural to expect that the big ones with good brand-image and international network will provide better service and more options to an international traveler. But they will, for the same reasons, be more expensive. At the same time, none of them can guarantee full satisfaction to you.

The smaller ones, which are more important because they tend to provide more customized products and tend to be less expensive, have more chances of dissatisfactory service too. Even if they are honest in trying to give you the best deal, they might not be able to provide really good services if only because they are less organized and do not have resources beyond a point. Yet, it is also true that more and more travelers are now taking the services of small operators.

One [perhaps] smart way to make the best use of web services is to (i) get information about the intended destination from dependable information sites, (ii) look for good deals [long air travel, local travel, sight-seeing, hotel, etc] on travel portals or ‘aggregators’, (iii) take independent advice from sites, blogs or forums not connected with those portals, and (iv) go for a combination of best available bargains for different activities. Before settling a deal, see the fine details of free and paid services being offered and take the terms and conditions in writing.

Be cautioned when booking online [or otherwise] against the following:

(i) hidden costs and lack of transparency about costs, local facilities, etc;

(ii) seemingly exaggerated promises about facilities and services;

(iii) operator’s local agent at the destination not fulfilling the promises of different services, generally by citing various reasons such as sudden rush of traffic, broken communication links, breaking down of vehicle;

(iv) money being charged for advance booking of local exhibition tickets or such other peripheral facilitation;

(v) money being charged later for rise in fuel costs, and such other excuses;

(vi) outright duping by disappearing agencies, disappearing discounts, heavy ‘limited time’ offers ;

(vii) free or heavily discounted offers for air travel, packages, etc which are not being matched by other operators; unsolicited ‘complimentary’ offers;

(viii) online frauds associated with financial transactions such as using credit cards on unknown sites.

Advertisements, as by Google ad sense, are a great way to find current best deals offered by various operators. However, the caveat given above applies to them also.

We have given a list of sites, blogs and forums giving information / advice / booking and other services on India travel and tour at this India travel links blog, and also tried to give a rough indication of their dependability. We visit sites, forums, lenses, blogs and other interactive places on the web and use others’ experience to grade sites on this blog. In case, you know about a bad practice, do let us know.

Why and how to undertake medical/ health tour to India?

2011-01-21T20:26:00.000-08:00

Treatment in India is world-class, cost-effective and quick

India is becoming preferred destination for medical [=health] tourism. What it means for an American or a European national is no lengthy wait, less expenditure and possibly some fun too. For an African or Asian national, it might sometimes mean a life saved.

Let me explain. If you are in the US or Europe and have been diagnosed with some ailment that needs a surgical or non-surgical procedure, chances are that you would have to spend a lot of money besides waiting in the long queue. The treatment is available and yet it is inaccessible. On the other hand, the same treatment, and of the same standard, is available at a fraction of the cost in many Indian hospitals. The icing on the cake is that many hospitals have now arrangement with travel organisers in a way that you and your family can also visit tourist places while in India. It also helps in healing as you get a nice post-treatment experience. In most cases, an entire family can have a nice tour along with treatment in India within the cost of the same medical procedure in the home country.

If you are in a country where medical facilities are not advanced, you gain by coming to India too. India will give you the same treatment in a fraction of cost of that in an advanced nation.

A comparison in the Companion Global Healthcare website shows that in many cases the medical costs in top class Indian hospitals are less than one-tenth of those in the US. For example, heart valve replacement costs $179,605 in the south-eastern US while it costs $10,000 - $14,000 in Wockhardt Hospitals, Mumbai and Bangalore. Similarly, hip replacement costs $91,787 in the US while it costs $7,000 - $9,000 in these hospitals.

Besides, India offers alternative therapies, which are better than the mainline allopathic system for many chronic diseases, and their value as preventive therapy and body-mind-healing is immense.

Most common treatments availed of by foreigners in India are cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, joint replacements, transplants, cosmetic treatments, dental care and orthopaedic surgery. Among the most popular diagnostic services are: full body pathology, comprehensive physical and gynecological examinations, audiometry, spirometry, chest X-ray, 12 lead ECG, 2D echo colour doppler, gold standard DXA bone densitometry, body fat analysis, coronary risk markers, cancer risk markers, high strength MRI. The medical infrastructure and technology available in hospitals treating foreigners are in par with those in the US and Europe. In addition, India has a wide range of tourist destinations that suit all types of tastes, and English language is spoken and understood in most parts of the country. Tele-consultancy is available for expert opinion and transmission facilities, and post-treatment facilities are also available in many centres.

There are dozens of hospitals offering medical facilities to foreigners and a number of tourism agencies have started providing tourism-cum-medical packages in association with such hospitals. Some hospitals have online query and booking service for international patients, some even have a cell to look after all visa, currency, travel, interpretation and other needs of foreigners. Some hospitals also have arrangements with hospitals abroad, especially in the neighboring countries.

Some of the well-known hospitals providing world-class treatment are: Tata Memorial Hospital [for cancer] at Mumbai; Fortis healthcare at many locations [includes Escorts Hospital and Research Centre at Delhi]; Max hospitals at Delhi; Wockhardt hospitals at Mumbai and Bangaluru; B.M.Birla Heart Research Centre at Kolkata; Apollo group of hospitals at Delhi, Chennai and many other places; Amrita Institute at Cochin; Metro hospital at NOIDA, near Delhi.

Foreigners coming to India for treatment and their attendants need a medical visa. The terms and conditions for obtaining such a visa are given below [the following is the text of relevant visa rules as of 2010]. This visa can be obtained from all Indian High Commissions / Embassies. After arriving in India, they are required to register themselves with the concerned Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) / Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) within 14 days; hospitals mostly help in getting this formality done.

Chapter 3A Medical Visa
42A Conditions
A medical category visa may be issued with the following conditions:
a. The Indian Missions/Posts abroad may scrutinize the medical documents very carefully and satisfy themselves about the bonafide purpose for which medical treatment visa is being requested.
b. Mission may satisfy that the applicant has sought preliminary medical advice from his country of origin/country of residence and he has been advised to go for specialized medical treatment.
In case the foreign national desires to go for treatment under the Indian system of Medicines, his case may also be considered.
c. This type of visa should be granted for seeking medical attendance only in reputed / recognized specialized hospitals/ treatment centers in the country.
Although non exhaustive, following illustrative list of ailments would be of primary consideration; serious ailments like neuro-surgery; ophthalmic disorders; heart related problems; reneal disorders; organ transplantations; plastic surgery;joint replacement etc.. The basic idea would be that the mission may satisfy about the need of the foreign national to come to India for medical treatment/ health enhancements.
42B Validity of visa and extension of visa
The initial period for such a visa may be upto a period of one year or the period of treatment whichever less, which can be extended for a further period upto one year be the State Government/ FRROs on the production of medical certificate/ advice from the reputed/ recognized/ specialized hospitals in the country. Any further extension will be granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs only on the recommendations of the State Government/ FRROs supported by appropriate Medical documents. Such visa will be valid for maximum three entries during one year.
State Government/ FRROs may permit one additional entry in emergent situation if required.
42C Registration
Foreigners coming on ‘M visa’ will be required to get themselves registered mandatorily well within the period of 14 days of arrival with the concerned FRROs/ FROs
42D Visa to attendant/ family members
Attendant/family members of the patient coming to India for medical treatment shall be granted miscellaneous visa co-terminus with the ‘M Visa’ of the patient. Such visa may be granted the spouse/ children or those who have blood relations with the patient. However, not more than two attendants may be allowed at a time for grant of miscellaneous visa. Such visa will be called ‘MX visa’. Such foreigners are also required to get themselves registered with the local FRROs/ FROs well within 14 days from the date of arrival.
42E Registration for Pak and Bangladeshi National
It may be clarified that ‘ Medical Visa’ will be available to all the foreign nationals including China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka. However Registration formalities for Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals will be as per the provisions contained in para 106 in respect of Bangladeshi national and para 118 of the visa manual in respect of Pakistani nationals. Similarly entry and departure of these foreign nationals will also be governed as per the existing policy in respect o these nationals.

Khajuraho: the erotic temple complex

2011-01-18T22:13:00.000-08:00

Love and beauty immortalised in stone

magnificent temple architecture

If you have not visited the Khajuraho temple complex, you have missed the ultimate mix of eroticism with devotion. Starting from the extreme sexual perversion, the highly ornate walls of the temples depict the most sublime of sexual feelings. Inside, the deities bless you with calm beyond sensual pleasure.

a richly carved temple wall

The temple complex was built by Chandela kings between 950 AD and 1050 AD. There are many explanations how and why such exceptionally erotic sculpture was created in a conservative land and patronized by the rulers. The most plausible one is that Chandela rulers believed in tantrism and so, for them worship of erotic human form and gratification of earthly desires was the path to salvation.

such details of love making!

Initially 85 temples were built by successive rulers [perhaps more, as recent excavations in nearby areas have shown], but only 22 of them survive. Most of them have superb but simple architecture and are functional temples. The outer walls of most temples have highly ornate sculptures showing deities and their courtesans and others in poses that range from highly amorous and direct to very sublime and graceful. There seems to be a hidden message and logic in the way such poses have been depicted along with meditating saints and gods.

How to reach; do’s and don’ts

Reaching Khajuraho can be a pain if you do not plan properly and well in advance. Hotels are no problem but transportation is. The airport is not well connected and major trains too do not stop here. However, all good tour operators provide package tour deals for Khajuraho. If you are a young couple, so spend 2-3 days in Khajuraho. If you are interested in ancient sculpture, you may like to study the fine details of some of the temples. Casual visitors should make it part of a larger itinerary covering other north / central Indian tourist places.
When in Khajuraho, avoid being influenced by beggars and those offering to show the village side or something special; there is likelihood that you are shortchanged. Even tour operators, taxi drivers and hotel staff might be taking commission to woo customers on behalf of crooks.

female figures in different poses: loving, applying make up, removing thorn from sole

Photograph credit goes to Archeological Survey of India.

Coming to India to learn yoga?

2011-01-18T03:53:00.000-08:00

If you are in India, learn yoga from real gurus

If you are planning to come to India anyway, and can plan a yoga session with genuine yoga teachers in India, the birthplace of yoga, the experience can by very satisfying and fulfilling. However, mind my word 'genuine'.

But to come to India just to learn yoga is the last thing we'd advise. There are many yoga courses available in the US, UK and many other countries. In fact, in some countries, yoga teaching has been better standardised [as of 2010] than in India.

We'd rather propose that you go this way if you want to learn yoga:

Research well about a 'genuine' and expert yoga teacher. This is a good link for some do's and dont's.

Have the initial sessions on yoga under supervision.

Keep researching, through knowledgeable websites, about the best yoga suited to your physique, etc.

Be happy where you are. Do visit India to see an amalgam of very ancient to very modern; of very varied and very beautiful of nature; of very bad and very very good of human existence!

Major tourist destinations

2011-01-15T21:55:00.000-08:00

Places you must not miss on a visit to India

India is big and you cannot visit all places in India even if you are here for a fortnight and keep a hectic schedule. However, if you are in India, it will be worthwhile to visit the important places around your main destination. There are numrous sites guiding you about these places and many of them provide services such as package tours, taxi servides, pick up and drop services, hotel and flight bookings and so on.

The following list is just a reminder that you should visit at least one of them however short your visit to India is.

In general, if you land in Delhi, you must plan a visit to Agra [the city of the Taj] and Jaipur [the city of forts and palaces and a glimpse into colourful ethnic culture of western India] and of course the numerous monuments scattered within Delhi.

If you land in Kolkata, you can think of a visit to Sunderbans besides exploring the British legacy in Kolkata itself .

If you happen to come to Mumbai and have limited time in hand, do visit Ajanta and Ellora caves.

If you come to Chennai, a visit to temple towns in the vicinity will be quite rewarding.

With civilization spanning five millania and enormous diversity of climates and topography, biodiversity, cultures and faiths, every part of India is fascinating. The list is too small to accommodate even world heritage sites.

We'll come with an exhaustive list sometime later.

A. The Taj @ Agra [200 km from New Delhi; connected by road, rail, air]

B. Ajanta and Ellora caves @ Aurangabad [Ajanta 100 km from Aurangabad airport; 60 km from Jalgaon railway station; Ellora 30 km from Aurangabad]

C. Havelock island beaches, Jarawahs, the most recluse tribes in the world +corals [+ some of the most unspoilt beaches] @ Andaman & Nicobar Islands [by air from Chennai or Kolkata; over 1000 km]

D. Forts and palaces everywhere [+ camel ride+ colourful desert culture] @ Rajasthan, the desert province [Jaipur: 260 km from Delhi; other important tourist cities: Jaisalmer, Udaipur]

E. The holiest town of India, a cauldron of civilizations warped in time @ Varanasi [800 km from Delhi; connected by road, rail, air]

F. Cool and beautiful hill resorts @ Kashmir [Srinagar: 880 km from Delhi; best nearby places: Gulmarg, Sonamarg; connected by air, bus, train – nearest railhead Jammu Tawi is 300 km]

G. Himalayan ranges, trekking [+pristine local culture ] @ central Indian hill towns [Starting from Delhi, one can visit hill stations in the following groups: Nainital-Kausani-Bhimtal-Jageshwar, Shimla, Mussorie-Lansdowne- valley of flowers; all are within 250 km range.]

H. Erotic ancient temples @ Khajuraho [600 km from Delhi; connected by road, rail, air]

I. Sunny beaches [+ ancient cathedrals] @ Goa [Panaji is approx 500 km from Mumbai; connected by road, rail, air]

J. Backwaters [+ ayurvedic treatment] @ Kerala [one of the southernmost provinces of India][Thiruananthapuram or Trivandrum is 1250 km from Mumbai; connected by road, rail, air]

K. Magnificent ancient temples at every nook and corner [+hot south Indian food] @ Tamil Nadu, the southernmost part of India [Chennai, the state capital, is an important international destination.]

L. Ruins of Vijaynagar empire @ Hampi [46o km by road from Bangaluru; nearest railway station is Hospet; not very well connected]

M. Mangrove ecosystem @ Sunderbans [world’s largest estuarine sanctuary; can be reached from Kolkata by road; Kanning is 64 km from Kolkata and also has a railhead but other towns are slightly away and connected only by road.]

Things to keep in mind while visiting India

2011-01-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Formalities and restrictions

Always keep your passport with valid visa with you. Visas are of many types and have to be obtained on the passport before entering India. Do visit the Indian embassy or consulate in your country on how and where to obtain visa. There is plan to allow ‘visa on arrival’ but it might take some time to be operational.

If you are coming from a yellow fever infection area, you must get an International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever before visiting India.

You will be asked to fill in a disembarkation card during the course of the flight.

You can exit customs at the airport through green or red channel. The green channel is for passengers not in possession of any dutiable articles or unaccompanied baggage, and the red channel for passengers with dutiable items, unaccompanied baggage or high-value articles to be re-exported when you go back. [Such articles need to be entered on the tourist baggage re-export form (TBRE). But if you fail to re-export an item that you entered on the TBRE, you have to pay duty on that.] at the time of departure.

A good number of items can be carried into India duty-free. These include clothes and jewellery; cameras and up to five rolls of film; binoculars; a portable musical instrument; a radio or portable tape recorder; a tent and camping equipment; fishing rod; a pair of skis; two tennis rackets; some cigarettes or cigars; some liquor; and small gifts.

What you can carry into India is determined by the ‘baggage rules’.

There are no restrictions on the amount of foreign currency or travelers' cheques a tourist can bring in, provided he makes a declaration on the Currency Declaration Form [to be given to him by Customs, on arrival at the airport]. Do keep exchange vouchers with you till you leave the county.

Do not exchange foreign currency except in banks or authorized moneychangers. You can pay in foreign currency for your purchases and expenses and those excepting foreign currency legally will notify this in their premises.

Travel to India; visit RAJASTHAN

2011-01-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

How Rajasthan offers more than desert destinations abroad?

Rajasthan is a north-western state of India, adjoining Pakistan. Numerous tourism offers are available from government and private tour operators and hotels for visiting Rajasthan. Rajasthan is unique in what it offers to international as well as domestic tourists, and in some ways its offers are incomparable to anything offered by international hotspots. Desert safari, camel ride, desert wildlife and such other standard desert stuff is just the base layer; the real cake and topping are what make Rajasthan a memorable experience. Read on...

Rajasthan has a very rich cultural content. The ethnic dances, dresses of vibrant colours, peculiar hand-made accessories, handicraft in myriad shades, age-old traditions...
Rajasthan has some of the world's most beautiful palaces and fortes. These are magnificent in their architecture and layout and have a rich, royal exquisiteness about them.
Almost every ancient building of Rajasthan has an engrossing tale to tell. Folklore is part of Rajasthan's life.Love, intrigue, battles for honour, chivalry, ...
If you care to live amidst the villagers (and genuine stays are arranged by well-known tour operators), their simplicity and quirky lifestyles will make you forget your sophisticated, modern, world for those cherishable moments.

Hawa Mahal the face of a Jaipur palace

The most important destinations in Rajasthan are:

Jaipur: the state capital and often part of Delhi-Jaipur-Agra triange
Udaipur: the lake city
Jodhpur and Jaissalmer: cities in extreme desert
Bharatpur: city with a world-class bird sanctuary
Pushkar: temple city known for its unique fair, a place for the true vagabond soul

We recommend that you visit Incredible India and Rajasthan Tourism websites before deciding on a travel operator. These are government organisations.

Hi the people of Indian Origin. There is a special event for you!

2011-01-08T19:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to NRIs / PIOs: the 9th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the 9th Pravashi Bhartiya Divas yesterday. The PBD is a three-day convention of people of Indian origin, organised by the Indian government for the last eight years in the first week of January.

The PM said that the India had signed Social Security Agreements with twelve countries and finalised Labour Mobility Partnerships with two others to improve the conditions of overseas Indian workers. A similar generic arrangement was also being negotiated with the European Union, he declared. He added that the facility of the Indian Community Welfare Fund had now been extended to all the Indian Missions. The fund provides on-site assistance to Indian citizens in distress.

Dr. Manmohan Singh said that the Government had decided to merge the Overseas Citizen of India Card and the People of Indian Origin Card into a single facility.

The Government has also decided to establish new Indian cultural centres in the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, France and Australia.

more on NRI/PIO page

India during winters: Goa is the place to go

2011-01-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

GOA: HOT DESTINATION IN COLD MONTHS

Flight cancellations from Europe and America have affected travel all over the world, but some places are either not affected by it or have gained. Goa, the beach capital of India, is one destination that has not seen fall in tourist arrivals this winter.

Goa has a mild weather during most months except summers when it tends to be a bit stuffy. In comparison, northern parts of India reel under chill during December-February period. So, though flight cancellations have impacted some traffic from Europe and North America, that seems to have been compensated by additional domestic traffic.

Goa attracts about 2.5 million tourists in a year, out of them about 350 thousand are foreigners. So, the majority of visitors are Indians. In recent years, the domestic traffic has turned quite well-paying. In addition, flight cancellations from the colder parts of the globe have not resulted in outright cancellation of hotel bookings but their readjustment.

What is likely to impact tourism in Goa is the visa restrictions that don’t allow foreigners of most countries a continuous stay beyond three months. So, if a foreign tourist wants to be in Goa continuously for more than three months, he/she needs to go back, cool heels for two months and then come back for up to three months at a time.

India travel: caution to foreign travelers

2010-09-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

DON'T VISIT DELHI TILL OCTOBER

I have not been writing for some time due to other preoccupations. However, I felt it my duty towards visitors to this blog to caution them about this. Please do not visit Delhi till October because of the Common Wealth Games.
The Delhi government and others involved in the arrangement for the games have made a mess of city infrastructure. Exceptional rains have only added to their and Delhiites' woes. Things will be worse during the games slated for October 3-14. After that too, it will take at least a fortnight to clear the mess to manageable limits.
Dengue is spreading wing over the city, and malaria, seasonal flu and eye flu will follow. So, dear domestic and international visitors, postpone your visit to Delhi till October end if you can.

Free, genuine help to travelers

2010-08-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

HOW CAN I HELP YOU ?

This blog is for all travelers, but since our foreigner friends need more detailed information, and from their perspective, many segments are tailor made specially for them.

It is not a travel agency blog, nor a forum. But I assure you very correct information and a most genuine opinion on issues bothering you about travel to / in India.

I have tried to give links to other useful sites and have in some cases very broadly ranked them too.

Best wishes.

2008-12-13T00:16:00.000-08:00

Seen these sites?

I am giving links to some webpages giving information of direct use or that analysing travel and tour matters relating to India. These are in the form of personal impressions. Please do not forget to click on the link provided in the right column which takes you to many current news items and features.
India is incredible!
India is not for a whimsical trip
[will add as I find nice [favorable or not, doesn't matter] comments.]

2008-11-18T23:38:00.000-08:00

Travel in times of global fin crisis

These are god-sent times for travelers, provided they themselves are not badly affected by the global financial crisis. [I am not talking about good discounts and other monetary benefits; these are generic and apply to all parts of the world. I am talking of India-specific advantages of undertaking a visit now.]

Let me repeat this fact about travel to India: India is one of the cheapest tourist destinations.

What makes India more tempting now [in money terms] is that because of global financial problems, there are fewer travellers to/within India and tourism operators are giving good discounts. In that much money, only in India can you have nature/eco-tourism [a large number of wildlife sanctuaries and forests], beach tourism [India offers a lot of natural beauty but less of what beaches in Italy et al offer in terms of comfort, glamour, etc], culture tourism [lots of hues of human existence, lots of history and heritage, large number of fairs and festivals], and so on.

Besides, the rush is less. As the tourist destinations in India are generally crowded and poorly managed, this is the right time to visit them. There is no need to hurry though. The financial problems are not going to be over any time soon [but the weather beyong April may not be very salubrious, and you may like to hurry on that count]. So, with international economic sentiment down and in turn fewer peopleare visiting India, you can get more quality out of your buck.

Get a breath-taking Himalayan view

2008-06-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

Kausani: so enchanting a place!

This article is a shorter version of an article written by Palas for an Indian newspaper one year back. Many thanks indeed, Palas.

Kausani: enchanting mountains!

When we visited Kausani this summer, we didn’t know how profound an impact this small hill station will have on us. So, without waiting to tell what all you can see there, let me give an advice to you, if you love nature and hills, is to visit Kausani as early as you can.

Frankly, our journey from Kolkata to Delhi and up to Kathgodam (the last railway station this side) was not much to write about. In fact, we had quite a few irritants including an unfriendly encounter with fellow passengers before alighting the first train at Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi. We took another train from Delhi to Kathgodam, which was a further mistake and it added long hours to our journey. (Mind it, we are frequent travelers and not rich, so we can’t afford air journey.)

If you don’t know anything about Kausani, read this: It is a hill station about 1900 metre above sea level in Uttarakhand. It is about 140 km from Kathgodam, the nearest railway terminal. From there, you can book a taxi or take a bus to Kausani (Better is to get off at Haldwani, 7 km before Kathgodam, and book taxi or bus from there because more options are available, Haldwani being the bigger of the twin towns.) If you are coming from Lucknow, you have to get down at Lal Kuan, 10 km further away from Haldwani and take a taxi to Haldwani. Road journey in the hills can be tiring and nauseating, so be cautioned: take proper food, take a vomit preventing medicine beforehand, break journey often.

You can see a range of snow covered peaks, about 300 km in length. You can watch these peaks and the low ranges in between change hues through the day. Nanda Devi, Trishul and Panchchuli are among the tall Himalayan peaks you can see from high points at Kausani.

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, spent 12 days in 1929 at Kausani and wrote commentary on Gita. Renowned Hindi poet, Sumitra Nandan Pant belonged to Kausaini.
Kausani is pleasantly cool to very cold, and summer months [April-June] are the best; however you need to book hotel in advance. There are a good number of hotels in Kausani, and they cater to all pockets.

Let me now tell a bit about my impression of the place.

This place is a small hill resort, unlike unmanageable hill towns. Its air is always fresh, cool, filling the lungs with divine freshness and peace. If it rains, you can watch play of clouds around you and in far-off hills. We stayed there for four days and came back greatly satisfied with the natural beauty that we soaked in our mind and body. It rained on the day of departure, and so we were able to enjoy that too, but it suddenly became very cold. One of our friends suggested that we start our journey in rain so that we do not get late for Binsar, an enchanting hill-site and sanctuary. We stopped some three miles from Kausani towards Someshwar, next to a tea shop.

The hill people, I have noticed everywhere, are very simple folks. Probably the small businessmen among them, such as the tea shop owner, try to act smart at times and that makes them funny. We asked the tea shop guy to get us five cups of tea and five biscuits [we had taken breakfast early but had been delayed due to rains]. He charged us thrice the going rate just because we had asked for freshly made tea! No arguments, he said, I know my job better than you. We laughed behind him, not to annoy him, and walked on the slope. Small herbs were still smarting from rain drops falling from pine trees above, though the rain had stopped. Springs were oozing water every few feet. We went further away from the tea shop and drank water flowing out from under a tree, hesitatingly, but found that we had never tasted such sweet water.

We came back after seeing many other places in Kumaon region, where Kausani is located and some places were as beautiful, but no place gave as much peace and oneness with nature as Kausani. It is superb!

2008-06-14T21:20:00.000-07:00

Nice one on why Americans are visiting India
This is a nice newsitem on why Americans are lovin to visit India [coutesy: Ohio.com].

2008-06-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Seen this on Uttarakhand?
Look at this link for two write-ups on travel to Uttarakhand - one is a personal experience and the other an advice for visiting Himalayan tourist destinations.

2008-06-12T00:06:00.000-07:00

Why must one travel to India at all?
Here, I am giving some reasons that I have collected from other sources why you should visit India. [I intend to keep adding to this list as I get them.]

India has improved and is further improving its accommodation capacity by allowing people to rent out their space capacity for 'bed and breakfast'.
A new type of visa, medical visa, has been introduced for foreign tourists coming to India for medical treatment.
India has a unique system of medicine, called ayurveda, that heals the entire system; guidelines have recently been formulated to register ayurveda and panchkarma [a segment of natural healing system] centres.

India is promoting rural tourism in a big way in association with UNDP. International tourists havereported that the liked their experience very much.

Conde Nast Traveller, a leading global travel and tourism journal has ranked India as number one travel destination in the world.

India was adjudged Asia's leading destination at the regional World Travel Awards.

Taj Mahal is one of the seven new wonders of the world.

India heads the UN World Tourism Orgnisation, the highest policy making world tourism body representing 150 nations, showing the importance of India as a tourist destination.

2008-06-11T00:07:00.007-07:00

The enchanting andamans
Our friend Koyal sent her personal experience of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, as comments. We thought, it deserves an independent posting. Before that, lel us remind you that we have given links to governement websites [because they are highly dependable on information, and without a vested interest] in the left column of this blog. The Andaman Island website is full of information and nice photos.

Here goes Koyal's post:

We visited Andaman & Nicobar Islands last winters – the best months to visit the islands. [You need more time and a special permit to visit the Nicobar part.]

It is a heaven for those seeking to spend holidays amidst un-spoilt nature.

In a ten day tour, you can station for four days at Port Blair: one day for local sight seeing and three days for day long visits to different islands. Keep 2-3 days for Havelock Islands. They are the best in the archipelago. The sprawling beaches of Havelock are not crowded and are lined with thick equatorial forests. The Radhanagar beach is the best of them all. Its sands are unusually white and there are tourist huts right on the best face of the beach [but they are to be booked in advance]. Other resorts are on other beaches. Keep the rest of your time for longish trips to far off islands.

The best attraction of Port Blair is the Cellular Jail, which was used by the British to put hardened criminals and freedom fighters. In the evenings, they have [a rather mediocre] light and sound show depicting those cruel times.[Book tickets in advance so that you do not have to stand in very long queue.]

Besides beaches, the Cellular Jail and marine museums, you have plenty to experience on different islands: snorkel and watch corals in shallow waters of Coral Island; trek to a limestone cave; see a live mud-volcano throwing mud and water out of its small hole; watch very primitive Jarawah tribals in thick forests; cross a tunnel made of mangrove tree roots.

The choice of how you want to enjoy Andamans is yours. If you want to mingle with the Indians [generally a cross section of Indians from different parts of the mainland], go for ordinary tours run by the tourism department or private tour operators. But if you want exclusive trips [comfortable, enjoyable in your own group but without local touch], it is better to book them in advance through you hotel / tour operator.

Markets are rather dull compared to the crowded markets of India’s mainland. If you are buying souvenirs, be careful about their weight; the coral and shell artefacts tend to weigh a ton.
We stayed in a tourist department guest house, on local trips we always carried a lot of stuff from a good bakery in Port Blair, drank gallons of coconut water from freshly cut coconuts, avoided eating local food except in the guest house, and didn’t get sick at all. We mingled with the locals in ships, ferries, buses and SUVs. We also had exclusive motorboat visits to nearby islands. At Havelock Islands, we stayed in a rather expensive resort for two days as others were booked long back for Christmas season.

We are of Indian origin but settled for two generations in Britain. Our children had an exciting experience of this part of the world they thought existed only in geography books. It all didn’t cost us [a family of two adults and two kids] more than Rs. 55,000 [GBP 700]. [It, of course, does not include air fare from/to Chennai.]

Andaman & Nicobar Islands send you back rejuvenated and marveling at nature’s bounty.

Photo courtesy: Pulkit

2008-06-11T00:07:00.003-07:00

Seen this on Mumbai?
NY Times has a nice article, 36 hours in Mumbai. Though the hours have been packed a bit too tightly, it gives a glimpse of variety that Indian citiy life presents.

2008-06-11T00:07:00.001-07:00

Bhimbetka: human autobiography on stone
Bhimbetka: mammoth rock-skyscrapers on hill-tops, standing the weather for ages. Where man took shelter under rocks and – as if in return – gave the rocks the bold existence they deserve.

Bhimbetka is a village forty-five kilometers from Bhopal. As the
road leaves the plains and starts meandering in the hills, the huge rocks start inviting the eager visitor.

Located in the thick forests on the northern fringe of the Vindhya range, Bhimbetka must have appeared to the stone age man a choice location for settlement. If the caves and rock shelters gave him protection against wild animals and enemies, they gave him relief from bad weather and chilly winters too. In his leisure time, he tried to make sketches on the enormous inners walls of the rock shelters. He used paints made out of the available colouring material like ground read-stone. In red and green, he [more likely, she] drew wild animals like tiger and bison, the most awe-inspiring subjects for him.

As time passed, the prehistoric cave artist showed interest in many more subjects like barbed spears, bows, arrows and pointed sticks (the weapons used by him); musical instruments and dances and other social activities of his pristine civilization. Later on, this site was inhabited by the historic man who used the same rocks – sometimes the same canvas – for depicting his life-style and surrounding. He added while and yellow to the hitherto used range of colours. Swords and shields, pets, horse-riders in procession, hunting scenes and religious symbols are among the more conspicuous recent themes.

These paintings together weave a vivid story of the ancient man. An autobiography in pictures, indeed. For an inquisitive mind they are a gold mine of information and for a casual tourist, a glimpse of the remote human past: for both a treat for the eyes.

[This article has been adopted from IFR, an India-centred magazine, with author's permission. Photographs have been added later.]

Details about the place:

* How to reach Bhimbetka?

By air: The nearest airport is Bhopal (connected with Delhi, Jabalpur, Indore, Gwalior and Mumbai).
By rail: The nearest railhead is Bhopal on Delhi-Chennai and Delhi Mumbai routes.
By road: Regular bus trips from Bhopal.

* Open: sunrise to sunset

* Paintings in Bhimbetka caves have been divided into 7 periods: PERIOD 1 – Upper Paleolithic: linear representations in dark and red color. The major drawings are of animals such as bison, tigers and rhinoceroses. PERIOD 2 – Mesolithic: smaller drawings. Animals as well as human figures, hunting scenes with weapons like barbed spears, pointed sticks, bow and arrows. The scenes of communal dances, birds, musical instruments, mother and child, pregnant women, men carrying dead animals, drinking and burials appear in rhythmic movement. PERIOD 3 – Chaleolithic: these paintings reveal the close connections of the cave dwellers with the agricultural communities of the nearby plains. PERIOD 4 and 5 – Earlier History: mainly in red, white and yellow, the figures have a decorative style and have religious symbols, dresses, and scripts of various periods. PERIOD 6 and 7 – Medieval: crude in their artistic style, but schematic. In all there are 700 rock shelters, 400 of which have paintings. Auditorium Rock Shelter, Zoo Rock and Boar Rock are of special attraction.

[Bhopal is almost in the middle of India and is the capital of Madhya Pradesh state of India.]