“We were seven of us from different countries of different continents. There were many eager questions to be answered about the visit India”. Read on for a set of handy tips from a global Indian travel writer.
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Author: Sushama Arur
It looked as though I had impressed my international friends, when they all agreed to visit India in the near future. We were enjoying our huge breakfast in the sprawling lounge of the Palace Hotel in Sun City, South Africa. We were seven of us from different countries of different continents. One from U.S, an English lady, an Australian, a New Zealander, a South African and three from Asia-a Chinese, a Japanese and myself. There were too many eager questions to be answered and hence I decided to give them some hints on what it is to visit India.
- It is a clichéd statement when one says that India is a diverse country, but one can’t help begin without saying so once, reiterating it throughout and concluding the matter with the same statement. But, the fact is that India provides you with such a mind-boggling array of options that, for once, you wouldn’t be too happy with the concept of free will.
- The first step that you must take when you think about going to India is to know what sort of journey you want to undertake. Are you the adventurous type who wants to climb mountains and go white-water rafting at Gangotri or do you want to have a monument- hopping kind of a journey? Would you prefer a spiritual journey visiting temples, mosques, gurudwaras, synagogues, jain and buddhist monasteries? Do you want to go to the popular tourist spots or do you want to tread on unknown, virgin paths? Maybe you would like to go on nature trails as an eco-tourist or perhaps you want to forget everything and just relax. Depending on your goal, you can narrow down your options to a great extent.
- Being a subcontinent, India has snow capped mountains in the north, the colorful Thar desert in the west, rainforests in the north-east, the water-basin in the center, the Deccan plateau on the way to the south, coastal areas further down and a peninsula at her southernmost tip. That’s not all! If you want to get stranded on an island you have a lakh of them to choose from- that’s what the name suggests “Lakshadweep”, apart from the Andaman and Nicobar islands. And remember every place differs in culture and ethnicity. Every part of India can, therefore, provide you with an adventurous, historical, spiritual, cultural or a relaxing trip. So, its up to you to decide what kind of natural setting and weather is more to your liking. The questions that you need to answer at this stage are- ‘When are you planning to visit India and for how long?’ If you are here for long you could even venture into an all- India tour. But if you are not here for long you can get the essence of India by visiting a part of it. To help you decide, every province has an official website maintained by the government that provides you information about the different tourist spots in that area, the best time to visit these places and how to go about planning your visits.
- You have to book the hotels in advance depending upon the price and convenience. When it comes to planning your visit, you have choices of conducted tours in groups when you can interact with different people (the down-side being a hectic itinerary) or you may opt for a personalized trip by hiring a cab where you have an advantage of time and the places of your choice. It is always better to rely on the hotel personnel who will guide you rather than the innumerable touts and middlemen who will try to fleece you.
- It would be a good idea to carry enough cash when you go visiting places in the countryside, especially for food and other purchases. Though the systems of credit cards and ATMs have come into India, they are available only in the urban metropolitan centers. This would also mean that you must be careful of your belongings.
- When you land in India, one of the first few shocks you are going to get is the number of people per square meter. India is a country of more than a billion and still counting. So, get ready to rub shoulders in crowds and be mentally prepared for traffic jams and organizational difficulties in the cities. Queues are a way of life over here. Don’t be disheartened. India isn’t called a spiritual country for nothing. When you leave India- one lesson you will learn is patience and the other is resilience. If you have the opportunity to get lost in a crowd, don’t panic or lose your temper. Savor the experience of being a nameless face and enjoy the spirit. While you are doing that, keep an eye on your pockets, as well! If you are coming to India to get away from your hectic life, get yourself whisked away to your calm beachside resort in Goa or is it a mountain lodge in Sikkim? A massage on the houseboat in Kerala can be relaxing as well or maybe you prefer more royal treatment in the Rajasthani Palace on Wheels. If you want to be treated like a raja you don’t really have to meet the masses! And if you are here to see the majesty of nature, be it a safari or just trekking, you don’t have to meet any people either. Remember, there are different Indias all rolled into one!
- India is full of temples, mosques, churches and gurudwaras. Foreign visitors entering these holy places have to remove their footwear as a mark of purity and respect. In certain temples of south India men have to enter bare chested , while women should not be scantily clothed. In mosques and gurudwaras men have to cover their head with a cloth. These social and religious etiquettes are not mandatory but you can get a feel of the intangible spirit of the place. If you are here to taste the cultural and religious diversity you can time your visit with a popular festival or fair when people will be dancing or playing with colors during Holi or crackers during Diwali or visit a durgah during the ‘urs’ ceremony. You can also be a part of the carnival in Goa during and after Christmas. There are fairs that include boat races, camel races, kite-flying or processions with idols. Whatever the occasion, the inimitable spirit of the people can make you go high on life itself.
- Beggars abound in religious places. Giving alms to the poor is considered good karma. Do so if you feel like. But don’t let your heart rule you, as there are too many of them. Talking about precautions, women need to be extra careful and should be in groups or accompanied with a man. In general, irrespective of color and gender, you will get stared at for being different. But that isn’t anything to worry about! When it comes to being “>. These are a few tips and a few shock-absorbers for the uninitiated. India is an experience, full of contrasts and lots of surprises- pleasant and otherwise. For those who want to be treated like royalty or for those who like to rough it out, India is the way to go!
Byline: Writer, Sushama Arur says “A doctorate in History and a lecturer for more than two decades. I am now bound to the home and hearth. But my passion for history and literature keeps my spirit alive. I spend my spare time reading and writing in Kannada, Marathi and English.”
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