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Whether you’re here to soak up India’s spirituality, chill out onthe beaches, rejuvenate at an Ayurvedic spa, or live like a king in the land ofprinces, this chapter will help you experi

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India

by Pippa de Bruyn & Dr Keith Bain

1st Edition

About the Authors

Pippa de Bruyn is an award-winning journalist, travel writer (author of Frommer’s

South Africa), and freelance editor She spent almost 2 years researching, writing,

and editing this first edition, and says she wouldn’t dream of returning to India

without it Dr Keith Bain has a doctoral degree in cinema When he’s not

travel-ing the world in search of fantastic experiences, he spends his time writtravel-ing and turing about film, media, theater, and contemporary culture Having written and performed in several plays, he is currently turning his attention to writing for the big screen.

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1 Experiencing Spiritual India 1

2 The Best Temples, Monuments & Lost Cities 2

3 Unique Places to Stay 5

4 Most Memorable Moments 7

5 Exploring Natural India 8

6 The Best Ayurvedic Pampering 10 7 The Best Eating & Drinking Experiences 11

8 The Best Savvy Traveler Tips 12

Planning Your Trip to India 14 2 1 The Regions in Brief 14

2 Visitor Information 18

Visa Savvy 19

3 Entry Requirements & Customs 19

4 Money 21

What Things Cost in India 22

5 When to Go 24

Events, Happenings & Festivals 26

6 Travel Insurance 27

7 Health & Safety 28

Surviving Scams & Con Artists 32

8 Etiquette & Customs 34

9 Specialized Travel Resources 36

10 Planning Your Trip Online 38

Frommers.com: The Complete Travel Resource 38

11 The 21st-Century Traveler 39

12 Getting There 40

13 Customized Tours for the Independent Traveler 41

Discovering Spiritual India 42

14 Escorted Tours 42

15 Getting Around India 44

The Romance of Rail: India’s Special Train Journeys 47

16 Tips on Accommodations 47

17 Suggested Itineraries 50

Central/North India 50

South India 51

Fast Facts: India 52

Contents List of Maps vi The Best of India 1 1 Mumbai: City of Dreamers 57 3 1 Arrival & Orientation 58

Neighborhoods in Brief 62

Fast Facts: Mumbai 65

2 Getting Around 66

3 What to See & Do 68

4 Where to Stay 77

Five-Star Dining: The Foodies’ Choice 80

5 Where to Dine 86

by Niloufer Venkatraman 6 Shopping 93

7 Mumbai After Dark 96

8 Aurangabad & the Ellora and Ajanta Caves 98

1 Arrival & Orientation 106

Fast Facts: Goa 109

2 Panjim (Panaji) & Old Goa 110

3 North of Panjim 114

4 South of Panjim 120

God’s Own Country: Kerala & Lakshadweep 124 5 Ayurveda: Kerala’s Healing Balm 125

1 Cochin (Kochi) 126

Fast Facts: Cochin 130

2 The Backwaters 141

3 Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) & Varkala 149

Fast Facts: Trivandrum 151

A Cultural Rendezvous 154

4 From Kovalam to the Tip of India 156

Watching the Sun Rise from the Subcontinent’s Southernmost Tip 157

5 Lakshadweep 163

6 The Cardamom Hills & Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary 165

7 Malabar: Northern Kerala 172

Tamil Nadu: The Temple Tour 177 6 Goa: Party in Paradise 105 4 Rule of the Screen Gods 178

1 Chennai 178

Fast Facts: Chennai 181

Jumping the Queue 188

2 Mamallapuram (Mahabalipurum) 188

3 Pondicherry 192

4Thanjavur (Tanjore) & Tiruchirappalli 197

5 Madurai 201

Karnataka & Hyderabad: Kingdoms of the South 204 7 Planning Your Tour 206

1 Bangalore 206

Fast Facts: Bangalore 207

Swinging in the Hip City of Bangalore 213

2 Mysore 214

3 Exploring the Hoysala Heartland: Belur, Halebid & Sravanabelagola 218

Traveling Via Mangalore 220

4 Hampi & the Ruined City of Vijayanagar 221

5 Hyderabad 224

Asthmatics Say “A-aah!” 227

C O N T E N T S iv 1 Delhi 231

A Tale of Seven Cities 236

Fast Facts: Delhi 239

Five-Star Hotels That Didn’t Make the Grade 248

2 Agra 261

The Heart of India: Delhi, the Taj, Uttar Pradesh &

8

Rajasthan: Land of Princes 305

9

Land of Thirst: Rajasthan

Today 306

1 Planning Your Trip to Rajasthan 306

Once Were Warriors: The History of the Rajput 308

2 Jaipur 311

Fast Facts: Jaipur 314

Understanding the Commission System 325

3 The National Parks 326

4 Bundi 333

5 Shekhawati 335

Cantering through the Indian Outback 336

6 Pushkar 339

The Dargah Sharif & Other Ajmer Gems 340

Passport to Pushkar: Saying Your Prayers 342

The Ultimate Pit Stop on the Road to Udaipur or Jodhpur 345

7 Udaipur 346

Indian Solutions to a Global Problem 351

Battling for a Glimpse of Beauty 355

Eighteenth-Century Tree Huggers 364

8 Jodhpur 365

9 Jaisalmer 371

10 Gujarat 377

Himachal Pradesh: On Top of the World 382 10 1 Staying Active 384

2 The Golden Temple in Amritsar 386

Visiting Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh 390

3 Shimla 390

Fast Facts: Shimla 393

4 Exploring Kinnaur & Spiti 397

5 The Valley of the Gods: Central Himachal 401

6 Exploring Dharamsala & the Kangra Valley 406

7 Leh & Environs 412

Negotiating the Manali– Leh Highway 414

v C O N T E N T S The Life & Sordid Times of the Mughals 264

3 Varanasi (Benares) 273

4 Lucknow 282

5 Khajuraho 286

6 Orchha 293

The Gems of Gwalior 296

7 Bandhavgarh National Park 297

8 Bhopal & Sanchi 300

9 The Fortress City of Mandu 303

1 Garhwal 420

Trekking through the Land of the Gods 422

2 Kumaon 425

3 Corbett National Park 430

The Hunter-Turned-Conservationist 430

Uttaranchal: Sacred Source of the Ganges 420

11

List of Maps

12

1 Kolkata 434

Fast Facts: Kolkata 440

The Miracle of Mother Teresa

& the “Pure Hearts” 444

2 Orissa’s Golden Temple

on the Big Screen 488

The Heart of India: Delhi, Uttar

Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh 233

Delhi 234Agra 263Varanasi 275Rajasthan 307Udaipur 347Himachal Pradesh 383Uttaranchal 421East India 435Kolkata (Calcutta) 436

An Invitation to the Reader

In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful places—hotels, restaurants, shops, and more We’re sure you’ll find others Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions If you were disappointed with a recommendation, we’d love to know that, too Please write to:

Frommer’s India, 1st Edition

Wiley Publishing, Inc • 111 River St • Hoboken, NJ 07030-5744

An Additional Note

Please be advised that travel information is subject to change at any time—and this is especially true of prices We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirma- tion when making your travel plans The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held responsible for the experiences of readers while traveling Your safety is important to us, however, so we encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

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Frommer’s Star Ratings, Icons & Abbreviations

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality,

value, service, amenities, and special features using a star-rating system In country, state,

and regional guides, we also rate towns and regions to help you narrow down your choices and budget your time accordingly Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of zero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional) Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions are rated according to the following scale: zero stars (recommended), one star (highly recommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

In addition to the star-rating system, we also use seven feature icons that point you

to the great deals, in-the-know advice, and unique experiences that separate travelers from tourists Throughout the book, look for:

Special finds—those places only insiders know about

Fun facts—details that make travelers more informed and their trips more fun

Best bets for kids, and advice for the whole family

Special moments—those experiences that memories are made of

Places or experiences not worth your time or money

Insider tips—great ways to save time and money

Great values—where to get the best deals

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Now that you have the guidebook to a great trip, visit our website at www.frommers.com

for travel information on more than 3,000 destinations With features updated regularly,

we give you instant access to the most current trip-planning information available At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the best prices on airfares, accommodations, and car rentals—and you can even book travel online through our travel booking partners At Frommers.com, you’ll also find the following:

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The Best of India

India will humble, awe, frustrate, amaze, and intimidate—all in the same day.Home to the world’s most spectacular medieval architecture and largest slums;sacred rivers and filth-strewn streets; religious rituals and endless traffic jams;aristocratic tigers and casteless untouchables; jewel-encrusted tombs and pavement-bound beggars; ancient traditions and modern-day scams—there is somuch to take in Whether you’re here to soak up India’s spirituality, chill out onthe beaches, rejuvenate at an Ayurvedic spa, or live like a king in the land ofprinces, this chapter will help you experience the very best India has to offer

1

1 Experiencing Spiritual India

Visiting temples that pulsate with

devotion will evoke a sense of the

sacred, but even in India, where

reli-gion is such an intricate part of daily

life, spiritual experiences come when

you least expect them

• Hop on a Motorbike and Head

for the Drumbeat (Goa): Once

capital of the global beach party,

Goa may be past its prime, but

when rumors start that an event is

in the making at a

to-be-announced venue, keep your ear

to the ground Why? Because only

in some deserted clearing near a

golden Goan beach can you trance

out with the nations of the world,

then find solace in the serenity of

a rural villager’s smile as she hands

over cups of comforting chai for

the duration of the party See

chapter 4

• Worship the Sunrise as It

Touches the Southernmost Tip

(Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu):

You can’t help but be moved by a

sense of the miraculous when a

simple daily occurrence is

vener-ated by thousands of pilgrims who

plunge themselves in the turbulent

swell, believing that the tri-oceanic

waters at India’s southernmost tipare holy, while others delight in theglorious spectacle as though itwere a major Bollywood (the nick-name for India’s booming filmindustry) premiere See chapter 5

• Lose All Sense of Reality in the City of Light (Varanasi, Uttar

Pradesh): Drifting at dawn on a

boat along Varanasi’s bathing ghats

(steps leading down to the river),against a backdrop of 18th- and19th-century temples and palaces,you will witness some surrealsights—hundreds of pilgrimswaist-deep in the Ganges cleans-ing their souls in its holy waters,while others pound laundry, med-itate by staring into the sun, orlimber up to wrestle All the while,bodies burn on the sacred banks,

thereby achieving

moksha—libera-tion from the eternal cycle ofrebirth See chapter 8

• Purchase a Pushkar Passport

(Pushkar, Rajasthan): As you der around the ghats of Pushkar,the beautifully serene temple town

wan-on the edge of the Thar Desert,you will almost certainly beapproached by a Brahmin priest to

offer puja (prayers) at the sacred

lake; in exchange for a “donation”

he will then tie a red thread

around your wrist—the “passport”

you can brandish at the next priest

who approaches This is the

com-mercial side of India’s spirituality,

and one you need to be aware of

See chapter 9

• Count Time at the Tomb of a

Sufi Saint (Ajmer, Rajasthan):

The great Sufi saint Khwaja

Muin-ud-Dir Chisti was known as

the “protector of the poor,” and

his tomb is said to possess the

power to grant the wishes of all

those who visit His Dargah Sharif

is the most sacred Islamic shrine

in India, second in importance

only to Mecca The atmosphere of

pure devotion is both ancient and

surreal, as is the sight of a long line

of men who sit silently counting

huge mounds of beads heaped

before them—apparently keeping

track of time See chapter 9

• Carry the Holy Granth Sahib to

its Evening Resting Place

(Amritsar, Punjab): In Sikh

tem-ples, the Granth Sahib—holy

book of the Sikhs—is an object of

devotion in its own right, and

nowhere is this more evocative

than at the Golden Temple, the

most tangibly spiritual destination

in the country In the evenings

men line up to carry the precious

Granth Sahib from its gold

sanctu-ary at the center of the Amrit

Sarovar (“Pool of Nectar”),

cross-ing the Guru’s Bridge, which

symbolizes the journey of the soul

after death, to the Akal Takht,

where the Holy Book rests for thenight You can take part in thisceremony by joining the line thatforms behind and ahead of theheavy palanquin Being part ofthis ancient tradition is a deeplymoving experience and indicative

of the embracing atmosphereyou’ll find in Sikh templesthroughout India See chapter 10

• Look into the Eyes of the Dalai Lama (Dharamsala, Himachal

Pradesh): There’s a good chanceyou’ll meet the Dalai Lama in per-son if you visit Dharamsala, home

to the exiled Tibetan government,which fled its homeland in 1959.Arranging a private audience isn’teasy (unless you’re Richard Gere),but if you attend one of his publicappearances, you will—like every-one else in the audience—receive

a personal blessing And whateveryour convictions, when you lookinto the eyes of His Holiness, youknow you are in the presence ofpure energy See chapter 10

• Witness a Thousand Prayers Take Flight on the Wind (Leh,

Ladakh): Take the overland ney from Manali to Leh and enterthe stark world of the trans-Himalayas—a breathtakinglybeautiful yet desolate lunar-likelandscape, with arid peaks andancient Buddhist monasteriesperched on rocky crags Hereprayer flags flutter against animpossibly blue sky, sending theirsilent prayers to the heavens Seechapter 10

jour-C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

2

2 The Best Temples, Monuments & Lost Cities

• Cave Temples at Ajanta & Ellora

(Aurangabad, Maharashtra):

Fash-ioned out of rock by little more

than simple hand-held tools, the

cave temples at Ajanta (created by

Buddhist monks between the 2nd

and 7th c.) and Ellora (a marriage

of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain ples, created between the 4th and9th c.) are the finest examples ofrock-cut architecture in India, anddeserving of their World Heritage

tem-status The zenith is Kailashanath

Temple, effectively a mountain

whittled down to a free-standing

temple See “Aurangabad & the

Ellora and Ajanta Caves” in

chap-ter 3

• Lord Gomateswara Monolith

(Sravanabelagola, Karnataka): One

of the oldest (ca A.D 918) and

most important Jain pilgrimage

sites, this 18m (60-ft.) statue of

the naked Lord Gomateswara—

a representation of Bahubali, son

of the first Jain tirthankara, said to

have sought enlightenment by

standing naked and motionless for

an entire year—is the tallest

monolithic statue on earth (Don’t

miss the 2005 ceremony, when

pil-grims will bathe the giant

mono-lith with bucketfuls of milk and

honey.) See “Exploring the

Hoysala Heartland: Belur, Halebid

& Sravanabelagola” in chapter 7

• Hampi (Karnataka): Scattered

among the Henri Moore–like

boulders in the heart of

Kar-nataka’s rural interior, Hampi was

once the royal seat of the powerful

Vijayanagar kingdom, its size and

wealth drawing comparisons with

imperial Rome Today, the city has

crumbled away to just a few

starkly beautiful leftovers, but the

remote setting couldn’t be more

romantic See “Hampi & the

Ruined City of Vijayanagar” in

chapter 7

• The Temples of Mamallapuram

(Tamil Nadu): A visit to this

once-thriving port city of the Pallavas

dynasty, who ruled much of South

India between the 4th and 9th

centuries A.D., is an essential stop

on Tamil’s temple tour The

earli-est examples of monumental

architecture in southern India (the

celebrated Arjuna’s Penance is the

largest relief-carving on earth),

these rock-cut shrines are best

explored in the morning, leaving

you time to unwind on the ant beach and dine on succulentseafood at village cafes for a song.See “Mamallapuram (Maha-balipurum)” in chapter 6

pleas-• Shri warar Temple (Madurai, Tamil

Meenakshi-Sundaresh-Nadu): Alive with prayers, sions, garland-makers, and joyousdevotees who celebrate themythological romance betweenthe beautiful three-breasted god-dess and her mighty Lord Shiva,this colorful and lively complex ofshrines, halls, and market stalls isalmost Disneyesque, marked as it

proces-is by numerous entrance towerstangled with colorful stucco gods,demons, beasts, and mythologicalheroes It truly embodies the spirit

of Tamil Nadu’s deeply embeddedtemple culture See “Madurai” inchapter 6

• Taj Mahal (Agra, Uttar Pradesh):

Nothing can prepare you for thebeauty of the Taj The perfectsymmetry, the ethereal lumines-cence, the wonderful proportions,the sheer scale—virtually impossi-ble to imagine from staring at itsoft-reproduced image—and theexquisite detailing make thisbejeweled monument to love ajustifiable wonder of the world.See “Agra” in chapter 8

• Fatehpur Sikri (near Agra, Uttar

Pradesh): From the intricacy ofthe glittering white marble screens

that surround the dargah (tomb)

of Salim Chisti to Pachisi Court,where the emperor played a ludo-like game using the ladies of hisharem as live pieces, this magnifi-cent ghost city—built almostentirely from red sandstone in

1571 and deserted only 14 yearslater—is a testament to the secularvision of Akbar, one of the greatplayers in India’s most dynamicdynasty See “Agra” in chapter 8

T H E B E S T T E M P L E S , M O N U M E N T S & L O S T C I T I E S 3

• The Temples of Khajuraho

(Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh):

Built between the 10th and 12th

centuries by the Chandela

Rajputs, these World Heritage

monuments are most famous for

the erotic sculptures that writhe

across the interiors and exteriors

But even the temple designs—

their soaring shikharas (spires)

serving as metaphoric “stairways

to heaven”—are striking, and are

considered the apotheosis of

medieval Hindu architecture See

“Khajuraho” in chapter 8

• Meherangarh Fort (Jodhpur,

Rajasthan): The impenetrable

walls of this 15th-century edifice

to Rajput valor rise seamlessly

from the rocky outcrop on which

they were built, literally dwarfing

the labyrinthine city at its base;

from its crenelated ramparts you

enjoy postcard views of the “Blue

City” below In the distance is the

grand silhouette of the Umaid

Bhawan Palace, heritage hotel and

residence of the current maharaja

Within the fort is one of the best

palace museums in India See

“Jodhpur” in chapter 9

• Jain Temples of Rajasthan &

Gujarat (Ranakpur & Mount

Abu, near Udaipur, Rajasthan,

and Palitana, Gujarat): The Jain

put all their devotional passion

(and not inconsiderable wealth)

into the creation of the most

ornate marble temples; with

exquisitely detailed relief carvings

covering every inch, they are all

simply jaw-droppingly beautiful

Make sure you visit at least one

while you’re in India, preferably

either the Ranakpur or Dilwara

temples in Rajasthan Or head for

Palitana, in Gujarat, where 850

Jain temples and 1,000 shrines top

sacred Mount Satrunjaya, “the hill

that conquers enemies.” See

chap-ter 9

• Golden Temple (Amritsar,

Pun-jab): Arguably the greatest tual monument in India Thename derives from the centralgold-plated Hari Mandir—theinner sanctuary featuring gold-plated copper cupolas and whitemarble walls inlaid with preciousstones—which sits at the center ofthe “Pool of Nectar.” Every daythousands of disciplined devoteespay their respects, touching theirheads to the glistening marblefloor while singing devotionalsongs continuously—a wonderful,welcoming, and humbling experi-ence See “The Golden Temple inAmritsar” in chapter 10

spiri-• The Sun Temple at Konark (near

Bhubaneswar, Orissa): An mous war chariot carved from amassive chunk of rock during the13th century, this masterpiece ofIndian temple art is covered withdetailed sculpted scenes, from theerotic to the mythological.Guarded by stone elephants andlions, the immense structure isseen as the gigantic chariot of thesun god emerging from the ocean,not far from Orissa’s 500km (300-mile) beach See “Orissa’s GoldenTemple Triangle” in chapter 12

enor-• Tabo (Spiti Valley, Himachal

Pradesh): This 1,005-year-oldBuddhist complex houses magnif-icent frescoes and brilliant stuccoand relief figures that recountancient myths and celebrate thedeities and demons that make upthe Buddhist pantheon You’llneed a torch to adequately explorethe dark, smoldering halls andshrines lit only by thin shafts ofnatural light, and brought to life

by the resonant chants and ing of bells by the monks andnuns who populate this sacredcenter of Tibetan Buddhism See

ring-“Exploring Kinnaur & Spiti” inchapter 10

C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

4

U N I Q U E P L A C E S T O S T A Y 5

3 Unique Places to Stay

Not surprisingly, most of these are in

Rajasthan, which has almost 80

her-itage properties—castles, palaces,

forts, and ornate havelis (traditional

mansions), now hotels with varying

degrees of comfort

• Taj Mahal Hotel (Mumbai):

George Bernard Shaw famously

claimed that after staying here, he

no longer had any need to visit the

real Taj Mahal in Agra Built just

over a century ago by an Indian

industrialist to avenge the

whites-only policy of Watson’s, then the

city’s poshest hotel, the Taj

remains the most celebrated

address in Mumbai, with a

seem-ingly endless stream of Bombabes

and playboy millionaires vamping

their way through the lobby

toward the popular restaurants,

shops, and watering holes See

p 79

• Nilaya Hermitage (Goa): Parisian

fashion stylist Claudia Derain and

her husband, Hari Ajwani, came

to Goa on vacation and—like so

many—never left Together with

Goan architect Dean D’Cruz,

they’ve created an Arabian Nights

fantasy, with only 12

“cosmic-themed” guest suites and

gor-geously informal public spaces

overlooking paddy fields and

coconut-palm groves Despite

being 6km (4 miles) from the

nearest beach, Nilaya is one of

Goa’s most perfect getaways See

p 115

• Surya Samudra Beach Garden

(near Kovalam, Kerala): A small

collection of traditional cottages

on a terraced hillside overlooking

the sea, with direct access to two

picture-perfect beaches, Surya

Samudra is quite simply the most

paradisiacal destination on the

Malabar coast Gazing over the

Arabian Sea from your private

deck (ask for a cottage near thebeach), you will no doubt wishyou’d spent your entire vacationhere See p 162

• Green Magic Nature Resort

(Calicut, Northern Kerala): Ifyou’ve always dreamed of sleeping

in a treehouse in the heart of adense forest, this is the place to do

it Getting to your room is a stopping experience (one treehouserequires climbing into a pulley-rigged bamboo cage and beinghoisted 26m/85 ft up in the air),but once inside the canopy, youluxuriate in plenty of living space,private wraparound balconies, andattached bathrooms, watched only

heart-by your neighbors: giant Malabarsquirrels See p 175

• Amarvilas (Agra, Uttar Pradesh):

If you’ve always dreamed of seeingthe Taj Mahal, this is the place tocelebrate your achievement Builtwithin the green belt that sur-rounds the monument, you canliterally see the Taj from your bed,but you’ll probably spend just asmuch time gazing at your imme-diate surroundings With its hugereflecting pools, colonnadedcourts, terraced lawns, inlaidmurals, and pillowed pavilions,this palatial hotel is worth everycent See p 271

• Rajvilas (near Jaipur, Rajasthan):

This is arguably the best of theOberoi’s flagship Vilas properties.Built like a traditional fortifiedRajasthani palace, Rajvilas maynot have the history of an authen-tic heritage hotel, but it offers alevel of comfort, luxury, and serv-ice these properties simply cannotmatch, enabling even the mostworld-weary guest (Bill Clintonloved it) to “live in the princelystyle of Rajasthan.” See p 321

• Deogarh Mahal (Deogarh,

Rajasthan): An ornate

17th-cen-tury fort-palace with domed

tur-rets and balconies, personally

managed by the charming Thakur

of Deogarh, this is one of the most

authentic and best-value heritage

hotels in Rajasthan Book the

aptly named “Royal” suite, and it’s

not hard to feel that all you survey

from your private balcony is

yours See p 347

• Lake Palace Hotel (Udaipur,

Rajasthan): Built on an island by

the maharana in 1740 as a cool

summer retreat (swimming

dis-tance from his palace), this is

per-haps the most romantic—certainly

the most photographed—hotel in

India Whizzing across the waters

to your private palace, you’ll feel

you’ve finally arrived—and if

you’ve booked one of the heritage

suites, you have Floating like a

beautiful white ship on the waters

of Lake Pichola, the hotel offers

good service, comfortable lodging,

and picture-perfect 360-degree

views—from Udaipur’s statuesque

City Palace and the surrounding

whitewashed havelis, lit by the first

rays of dawn, to the Aravalli Hills,

behind which the sun sets See

p 361

• Kankarwa (Udaipur, Rajasthan):

A short stroll from the City

Palace, this ancient haveli right on

the shores of Lake Pichola is the

best budget heritage option in

Rajasthan Run by a family who

have resided here for 200 years,

rooms cost a mere Rs 650 to Rs

1,200 ($14–$26) Book room no

204—a cool whitewashed room

with white bedding, perfectly

off-set by two touches of color: the

blue waters of the lake reflected

outside the jarokha (window seat),

and a red lamp See p 363

Rajasthan): If you’re a design enthusiast, this hotel willsimply blow you away An 18th-century Rajput palace-fort, its for-midable exterior, towering over thetiny village at its base, remainsunchanged But step inside andyou find a totally reinvented mini-malist interior, with 14 floorstransformed into 23 chic suitesthat have clearly utilized the talents

modern-of the best young Indian ers—all of whom laid to rest theperception that design here reachedits apotheosis with the Mughals.It’s an unparalleled modern Indianmasterpiece, and a destination inits own right See p 365

design-• Umaid Bhawan Palace (Jodhpur,

Rajasthan): Commissioned in the1930s by Maharaja Umaid Singh(father of the current maharaja,who still resides in the palace) as apoverty-relief exercise to aid hisdrought-stricken subjects, thiscathedral-like palace took some3,000 laborers 13 years to com-plete At the time the largest pri-vate residence in the world, thepalace remains one of the bestexamples of the Indo-SaracenicArt Deco style, one of Jodhpur’stop attractions, and a wonderfulheritage hotel (soon to be takenover by Aman resorts) See p 373

Rajasthan): Built entirely from

yellow sandstone, Sonar Qila

(“Golden Fort”) rises like a giantsandcastle from its desert sur-rounds—this is the world’s onlyliving medieval fort, inhabited byfamilies who have been here formore than 8 centuries Within theramparts, Killa Bhawan is acharming five-room guesthousewith rather basic facilities (onlytwo rooms are en-suite) but lovelyfurnishings and stunning views,

C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

6

best enjoyed from the rooftop,

which is comfortably furnished

with mattresses and bolsters See

p 379

• Gangeshwari Suite at the

Glasshouse on the Ganges

(Garhwal, Uttaranchal): Just steps

away from the raging Ganges

River, this thoroughly inventive

suite oozes style The

immacu-lately laid-out sleeping area has a

four-poster canopy bed andantique furniture, while thealfresco bathroom features a tubcarved into the rock, with green-ery spilling down the walls Youcan relax on your private balconyand watch India’s holiest rivergushing by, or head for a ham-mock strung between the mango,lychee, and citrus trees See

p 430

M O S T M E M O R A B L E M O M E N T S 7

4 Most Memorable Moments

• Sharing a Cup of Chai with a

Perfect Stranger: You will

typi-cally be asked to sit and share a

cup of chai (tea) a dozen times a

day, usually by merchants keen to

keep you browsing Although you

may at first be nervous of what

this may entail, don’t hesitate to

accept when you’re feeling more

comfortable, for while sipping the

milky sweet brew (flavored with

ginger and cardamom),

conversa-tion will flow, and you might find

yourself discussing anything from

women’s rights in India to the

individualism that marks Western

society

•Helping Lord Venkateshwara

Repay His Debt to the God of

Wealth (Tirupati, Andhra

Pradesh): Tirupati, the richest

temple in India, is the most active

religious pilgrimage destination

on earth, drawing more than 10

million devoted pilgrims every

year (more than either Jerusalem

or Rome!) who line up for hours,

even days, to see the

diamond-decorated black stone idol Lord

Venkateshwara (aka Vishnu) for

just a few seconds Afterward, you

stare in disbelief as vast piles of

cash and other contributions are

counted by scores of clerks behind

a wall of glass See chapter 6

• Watching the Mela Moon Rise

from Pushkar Palace (Pushkar,

Rajasthan): The sunset is a tacular sight on any given evening,

spec-but on the evening of the full mela

moon, hundreds of Hindu grims, accompanied by templebells and drums, wade into thelake—believed to miraculouslycleanse the soul—before lightingclay lamps and setting them afloat

pil-on its holy waters, the twinklinglights a surreal reflection of thedesert night sky If you’re luckyenough to have bagged a room atPushkar Palace, you can watchthis ancient ritual from a deckchair on the terrace on the banks

of the lake See chapter 9

• Gawking and Being Gawked At

(Dungarpur, near Udaipur,Rajasthan): As a woman, you mayattract uncomfortably long stares(particularly on public transport),but there are a few moments thatyou will recall with a wry smile,like the gimlet eye of the toothlessold royal retainer as he shows youthe explicit Kama Sutra paintings

in the hidden cupboard of the13th-century Juna Mahal—one ofRajasthan’s undiscovered gems.See chapter 9

• Playing Chicken with a Tata Truck: The rules of the road

(which is almost always laned, potholed, and unmarked)are hard to understand, but itwould seem that (after the cow,

single-which is of course sacred) the

tin-sel-covered Tata trucks rule the

road, an assumption your hired

driver is likely to test—and you

will, more than once, find yourself

involuntarily closing your eyes as

destiny appears to race toward

you, blaring its horn

• Meeting a Maharajah (Rajasthan):

India must be the only place in

the world where you can, armed

with a credit card, find yourself

sleeping in a king’s bed, having

dined with the aristocrat whose

forebears built, and quite often

died for, the castle or palace walls

that surround it While most

her-itage properties are still owned

by India’s oldest monarchies, and

many still live there, only some

(like Mandawa Castle and

Deog-arh Mahal in Rajasthan, and

Nilambagh Palace in Gujarat) are

personally managed by these

urbane aristocrats See chapter 9

• Unraveling the Intricacies of

Hinduism (Master Paying Guest

House, Delhi): Staying here is not

only the best-value deal in town,

but the sophisticated, charming,

and extremely knowledgeable

Avnish Puri will take you on a

“Hidden Delhi” tour, showing

you a world not seen by many

outsiders, during which he will

unravel Hinduism’s spiritual

tenets in a profoundly logical

way—no mean feat! See chapter 8

• Dancing Down the Aisle to a Bollywood Blockbuster: When

the buxom, bee-stung-lippedheroine gyrates to a high-pitchedHindi melody as her strappingstud thrusts his groin across thescreen, the movie audience aroundyou is likely to break out in cheersand whistles, even dancing downthe aisles, singing along to thebanal-and-breezy lyrics Thesewonderful, predictable melodra-mas, in which the hero is alwaysvaliant and virile, and the girlalways voluptuous and virtuous,are best enjoyed in the high-energy atmosphere of a local cin-ema (though single females should

be wary of going alone)

• Setting a Candle Adrift on the Sacred Ganges (Rishikesh,

Uttaranchal): By day, Rishikesh islike a spiritual Disneyland, wherethe commercial excesses of pack-aged meditation and two-for-onetantric yoga hang heavily aboutthe concrete ashrams, bedeckedwith gaudy statues of Vishnu andShiva But at night, to the accom-paniment of hypnotic prayers andharmonious singing, the townundergoes a magical transforma-tion, when thousands of goldenmarigolds and devotional candlesmounted on banana leaves are setadrift on the river, a gloriouslysimple spectacle that reminds allthat this really is a spiritual retreat.See chapter 11

C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

8

5 Exploring Natural India

• Watch Cows Sunbathing with

Tourists on the Beach (Goa):

While there’s plenty of marijuana

doing the rounds in Goa, you

don’t need to smoke a thing to be

amused by the mellow cows that

wander onto the beach and chill

out among the tourists and

hawk-ers Chewing their cud while

seemingly gazing out to sea, thesecows really take the Goan motto,

“Sossegarde” (“Take it easy”), to

heart See chapter 4

• Ply the Backwaters on a tuvallam (Alleppey & Kumara-

Ket-kom, Kerala): Aboard your privatehouseboat you aimlessly drift pastvillages, temples, and churches,

watching as village children,

unperturbed by your drifting

pres-ence, play at the water’s edge while

elephants and water buffalo wade

at will Though the facilities

might strike the well-heeled as

basic, you’re looked after by a

pri-vate team (guide, cook, and pilot)

who manage to be both discreetly

invisible and at your beck and call

See chapter 5

• Quench Your Thirst with Fresh

Coconut Juice on an

Uninhab-ited Island (Lakshadweep): One

of India’s best-kept secrets, the 36

atolls and coral reefs that make up

the remote union territory of

Lak-shadweep (an extension of the

bet-ter-known Maldives) are rated

among the best diving

destina-tions in Asia Only 10 of the

islands are populated, almost

exclusively by

Malayalam-speak-ing Muslims who make their

liv-ing from fishliv-ing and harvestliv-ing

coconut coir These relaxed

islanders seldom see outsiders but

are supremely welcoming, happily

climbing a towering coconut tree

to help you quench your thirst

See chapter 5

• Wake to Hear a Herd of

Ele-phants Approaching (Periyar

Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala): The

best way to experience this

park—famous for its herds of

wild elephants—is with the

pri-vately run Periyar Tiger Trail

Accompanied by a naturalist and

a game ranger armed with a rifle,

you are taken farther into the

tourist zone than any other

oper-ator is allowed to penetrate

What’s more, you are looked after

by a team of reformed poachers,

who skillfully track and spot

animals, carry all the gear,

strike camp, cook, clean and—

most important—stand sentinel

throughout the night when the

danger of being trampled by phants becomes a serious risk Seechapter 5

ele-• Immortalize a Wild Tiger from the Back of an Elephant (Band-

havgarh National Park, MadhyaPradesh): With the densest popu-lation of tigers of any park inIndia, you are practically guaran-teed a sighting at this relativelylow-key, remote part of MadhyaPradesh But it’s the approachthat’s so exciting—elephant

mahouts set off at dawn to track

the royal cats As soon as they’vespotted one, you rendezvous withyour pachyderm, who then takesyou within striking distance ofthis most royal of cats Thetiger—unperturbed by the pres-ence of an elephant—will thenstrike a pose of utter indifferencefor your camera See chapter 8

• Pick a Picture-Perfect Beach

(Goa, Kerala): India has some ofthe world’s best beaches, most ofthem on the Malabar Coast Eas-

ily accessed, Asvem (northern

Goa) is an idyllic haven that’sdrawn Olive Ridley turtles forcenturies, yet remains off the well-

beaten tourist track Palolem

(southern Goa), a gorgeous cent of sand backed by coconutpalms and a handful of laid-backshacks where you can feast onfresh fish and bottles of cold beer,

cres-is deservedly India’s most tographed beach From here, timeallowing, you should head overthe border to beautiful and remote

pho-Ohm beach (Gokam, Karnataka).

In Kerala, the competition isequally stiff, but we award the pic-ture-perfect prize to the resort

beaches at Marari and Surya Samudra See chapters 4 and 5.

• Find Divinity in Devbhumi,

“Land of the Gods” (Spiti to

Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh): The

E X P L O R I N G N A T U R A L I N D I A 9

stark rust-colored snowcapped

slopes in the Indo-Tibetan regions

of Kinnaur, Spiti, and Lahaul are

the stuff adventurers’ dreams are

made of, offering sublime

moun-tainscapes, flower-filled valleys,

ter-rifying roads, atmospheric Tibetan

Buddhist gompas (monasteries),

and high-altitude villages that seem

to cling to the mountainsides.Only recently opened to visitors,the region is one of the most pro-foundly beautiful in the world, butthe drive is not for the fainthearted.See chapter 10

C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

10

6 The Best Ayurvedic Pampering

• Pousada Touma (Goa): Loved by

top Indian director Mira Nair as

well as jet-setting French designer

Michéle Klein, this intimate

12-suite resort, fashioned entirely

from distinctively Goan laterite

stone, offers a small, exclusive

Ayurvedic center—the ideal place

to finish off a day spent on the

beach, with a professional doctor,

two excellent treatment rooms,

and an exhaustive range of

Ayurvedic packages An excellent

in-house restaurant offers

tailor-made Ayurvedic meals See p 116

• The Marari Beach (Mararikulam,

Kerala): Ayurveda is taken very

seriously at this attractive beach

resort in South India, not far from

Kerala’s tantalizing backwaters

The well-stocked Ayurvedic

cen-ter is run by two physicians, who

dispense sound medical advice as

well as treatments, and your

pro-gram is backed up with special

Ayurvedic meals at the resort’s

restaurant Or forgo the rules and

just head for the beach, cocktail in

hand See p 148

• Kumarakom Lake Resort

(Kumarakom, Kerala): The

swankiest of Kumarakom’s

retreats, this has an extensive

Ayurvedic spa—one of Kerala’s

most sophisticated, catering

pri-marily to the well-heeled

globe-trotter—but there’s more besides,

like the exquisite traditionally

styled teak-and-rosewood houses

with open-air garden bathrooms,

a fabulous restaurant, and slick service See p 145

super-• Somatheeram (Southern Kerala):

This shabby-chic center, carvedout of red sandy soil and perched

on a terraced cliff overlooking abeach, is more hospital than hotel,but it has been inundated withawards for “Best Ayurvedic Cen-tre” (mostly from Kerala’s TourismDepartment) Ayurvedic therapy

is the primary reason to bookhere, joining the many European

“patients” who shuffle around inpastel dressing gowns, sereneexpressions on their tanned faces.See p 161

• Poovar Island Resort (Southern

Kerala): It’s the location as much

as anything that sets this stylishresort apart Set amid densecoconut groves and banana trees,this island resort is only accessible

by boat, and you can elect to stay

on a floating cottage built ofMalaysian teak and coconut tim-ber There’s not much to do butidle away your time watchingfishermen from your privateveranda or pool, and entrust your-self to the excellent bamboo-walled Ayurvedic center, staffed

by two doctors and a handful oftop-notch no-nonsense masseurs.See p 161

• Shalimar Spice Garden Resort

(Kerala): Not far from PeriyarTiger Reserve, this lovely inlandresort occupies a 2.4-hectare (6-acre) plantation scented by exotic

spices Over and above the

enchanting Euro-chic

accommo-dations designed by Italian

owner-architect Maria Angela Fernhof is

an intimate Ayurvedic center

drawing a regular European

clien-tele Built according to traditional

specifications, with a stone floor,

handmade brick walls, and an

open fire for heating the

med-icated oils, the small space is

always filled with the aroma of

coconut oil See p 170

• Wildflower Hall, Mashobra

(near Shimla, Himachal Pradesh):

The pièce de résistance at what once

was the mountain retreat of Lord

Kitchener and is today the most

beautiful resort in the Himalayas is

the spa—not only because the

highly trained therapists offer the

ultimate rub-down (Balinese,

Thai, Swedish, Ayurvedic—and

that’s just for starters), but it takesplace while you stare out blissfully

at snowcapped peaks and a nificent deodar valley, swirlingwith mists See p 399

mag-• Ananda-in-the-Himalayas (near

Rishikesh, Uttaranchal): The1,951-sq.-m (21,000-sq.-ft.) Well-ness Center at this destination sparesort, located high above theGanges, is rated one of the best inthe world This reputation is well-earned—thanks not only to itsultra-efficient team of therapists,masseuses, and yoga instructors,but also because you are totallypampered from the moment youwake (to a steaming cup of honey,lemon, and ginger) until you retire

to a bath (where a pre-lit candleheats fragrant essential oils) and abed (warmed by a hot-water bot-tle) See p 429

T H E B E S T E A T I N G & D R I N K I N G E X P E R I E N C E S 11

7 The Best Eating & Drinking Experiences

• Bumping into a Bollywood Idol

(Mumbai): Nowhere in India is

dining more rewarding than in

Mumbai, where there are literally

thousands of restaurants

repre-senting every kind of Indian

cui-sine But if it’s star-gazing you’re

after, head for places like the

Olive Bar and Kitchen or

Sha-tranj Napoli Alternatively, hang

out at Leopold Café; casting

agents looking for foreigners to

work as extras frequently scan the

clientele at this favored travelers’

hangout See chapter 3

• Eating a Piping-Hot Sev Puri on

Chowpatty Beach (Mumbai):

Mumbai is famous for its delicious

street food, but every city has

street-side vendors that tempt you

with tantalizing smells It’s not

always easy to figure out which

street foods are safe, however

(out-lets with huge lines are a good

bet)—if you don’t feel secure

about it, it’s better to forgo this

particular experience or opt forrestaurants that offer a safer ver-sion of “street” food See chapter 3

• Dining with Ancient Delhi at Your Feet (Delhi, Uttar Pradesh): Head for Thai Wok, the designer-

chic rooftop restaurant with greatviews of the ancient QutbMinar—the sandstone VictoryTower built by Qutbuddin Aiback

in 1193 Reached via an ancientelevator and a short set of stairs,the artful alfresco setting includes

a walled area with cushioned ing under wind-blown canopies;reserve well ahead to sit here.Seafood dishes are exceptional; tryred snapper in chili-sour sauce, orprawns stir-fried with fresh greenchilies and sweet basil See p 258

seat-• Eating with Your Hands:

Though it may initially go againstthe grain, there’s somethingimmensely rewarding about dig-ging into a delicious meal withyour hands Indians generally do,

and—at least once—you should

follow suit Note that ideally you

only use your right hand, and in

the North, where the food is

“drier,” you are traditionally not

supposed to dirty more than the

first two digits; in the South you

may use the whole hand See the

appendix

• Sipping a Lassi Thick with

Chunks of Banana: A delicious

drink of liquefied sweetened

yogurt, this is almost a meal in a

glass and should definitely be

sam-pled (some of the best we’ve tried

were in Goa and Jaipur) Do,

however, make sure that no water

has been added (including ice),

and beware the bhang lassi—

spiced with marijuana, it can

make the usually surreal scenes of

India a little too out of this world

• Sitting Around a Bonfire under

a Desert Sky (Rajasthan): There’s

nothing quite like eating a superb

meal around a raging campfire in

the peace of the desert night.Camel and horseback safaris arerun out of the Shekawati, Bikaner,Pushkar, and Jaisalmer If you opt

for the latter, the Royal Desert camp, a permanent tented camp

with en-suite tents near Sam’sDunes, is run by Fort Rajwada,with food supplied by the team ofchefs that cooks up a storm atTrio, Jaisalmer’s best restaurant.See chapter 9

• Sampling Tibetan Butter Tea with a Buddhist Lama (Leh,

Ladakh): Many people gag at thetaste of butter tea, made with saltand—you guessed it—a good dol-lop of the clarified butter known

as ghee It’s an acquired taste, but

if you get the hang of it, sippingthe buttery concoction with afriendly Buddhist monk when youvisit one of the many monasteriestucked in the lunar landscapesaround Leh is a truly memorableexperience See chapter 10

C H A P T E R 1 T H E B E S T O F I N D I A

12

8 The Best Savvy Traveler Tips

• “You pay what you like”: This

rather annoying response from

guides, drivers, and

rickshaw-wal-lahs to the question “How much

will it cost?” will no doubt end

with at least one of you feeling

very disappointed Try to find out

how much something should cost

before you enter into this dialogue

(we’ve tried to advise this wherever

possible), and always negotiate the

fare or rate upfront (Note that “I

come later” is another irritating

response, this time to your

declin-ing a service, and you will need to

remain firm or prepare to go

through the entire experience

again.)

• “Just look, no buy”: You will be

urged to enter shops from all

cor-ners in both explicit and less

obvi-ous ways—your driver, guide,

even the seemingly innocentbystander offering assistance, arealmost all operating on the ubiq-uitous commission system, andwhatever they make on the deal isadded to the quoted price Notethat to avoid this kind of hassle,look for the fixed-rate shops orthose that mark their wares withprices But beware of governmentemporiums with fixed rates—these are sadly often outrageouslyexpensive

• “We look; we look”: This

response from a rickshaw-wallah

or driver usually means that theperson either doesn’t know whereyou’ve asked him to take you, oryou’ll end up somewhere with asimilar name but nothing else to

recommend it (Hotel Chandra,

for example, rather than Hotel

Chand ) Prebook your

accommo-dations whenever you can so that

you don’t have to deal with touts

and hawkers when you arrive

And be aware that a hotel or

guesthouse that is successful will

often have a rival opening within

the year with a confusingly similar

name

• “So where are you from, good

gentleman?” (or more commonly,

“Coming from?”): You will be

asked this often, so prepare

your-self One of the possible reasons

Indians kick-start conversations

this way is that it may in the past

have indicated caste or social

posi-tion; whatever the reason, engage

in the opener—it’s far preferable

to living in a five-star hotel

cocoon

• “Hashish, taxi, guide, young

girls?”: In the well-traveled parts

of India, you will be inundated

with offers of assistance; again, the

best response is to doggedly desist

in what is essentially a game of

endurance, and certainly ignore

those unsolicited offers that are

illicit—these can carry a hefty

penalty, including a lengthy jail

sentence

• “Cof-fay, chai; fay, chai; fay, chai?”: This incessant call

cof-given by the chai-wallah wandering

the corridors of your train will put

to rest any romantic notions aboutthe relaxation of train travel Notethat you will be most comfortable

aboard the overnight Rajdhani Express, which connects all the

major cities, while the best

day-time train is the Shatabdi Express

(book Chair Class) Time ing, you should definitely book a

allow-“toy train” to the hill stations ofShimla and Darjeeling—the latterapproach is so spectacular it hasbeen named a World HeritageSite

• “You wait, no problem”: Finally,

we can’t emphasize enough howimportant it is to simply relax andaccept whatever’s going on aroundyou Many Indians subscribe tothe philosophy that life is destiny,and getting uptight or flying into

a rage usually won’t solve much.You’ll have a far better vacation ifyou simply give in to the momentand enjoy the experience; after all,the only aspect you have controlover is your response

T H E B E S T S A V V Y T R A V E L E R T I P S 13

Planning Your Trip to India

Once the playing fields of only die-hard budget New Age travelers, India has

in the past decade come into its own for top-end travelers who need to be pered and rejuvenated as well as spiritually and culturally challenged Given itsvast size, it is remarkably easy to get to the majority of its top attractions, using

pam-a clever combinpam-ation of internpam-al flights or long-hpam-aul trpam-ain journeys pam-and chpam-auf-feur-driven cars (no sane traveler would self-drive) Hotels, particularly in theheritage category, offer excellent value-for-money in Western terms, and despite

chauf-a number of potentichauf-al hechauf-alth concerns, sensible trchauf-avelers will enjoy their sojournwith little more than a brief tummy upset It is, however, very important to plotout your itinerary and make reservations well in advance Finally, though Indiahas definite Third World elements—infrastructure and service levels leave much

to be desired—you’ll find almost everything you need here, particularly if you’re

armed with a credit card and Frommer’s India, 1st Edition, of course.

2

1 The Regions in Brief

India is a vast country, roughly

divided—for the purposes of this

book—into North, East, and South

The South (again, for the purposes

of this book), accessed most

conve-niently via Mumbai (state capital of

Maharashtra) refers to Goa,

Kar-nataka (with an excursion to

Hyder-abad, capital of Andhra Pradesh),

Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

The North refers to Rajasthan (and

its southern neighbor Gujarat) in the

west; Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and

Madhya Pradesh in the center (only

Bodhgaya in Bihar is covered in

brief ) Northeast of Delhi lie the

largely unvisited states of Haryana

and Punjab (with the exception of the

Golden Temple at Amritsar, one of

India’s most wonderful attractions),

and—moving even farther north—

Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh

(with references to Jammu and

Kash-mir) in the Himalayas.

The East refers to Jarkhand (not

a tourist destination), West Bengal

(centered around Kolkata, or cutta), Orissa (with top attraction

Cal-Konark) and, moving north into the

Himalayas again, Sikkim Seven more

states lie farther east (north and east ofBangladesh); the infrastructure here isvirtually nonexistent, and with travelconsidered less than safe, these areasare not covered here

The largest differences lie betweenthe northern and southern regions Theformer offers predominantly a plethora

of medieval Mughal and Rajput tecture, ancient cities, deserts andcamel safaris, heritage accommoda-tions, tiger parks, Buddhism, and thesnowcapped peaks of the Himalayas.The latter is rich in beautiful beaches,Ayurvedic spas, ancient Dravidian/Hindu temples, cosmopolitan colonialcoastal towns, and a generally morelaid-back atmosphere We suggest thatrather than try to cover both, concen-trate your energies on either the North

archi-or the South If you do decide to bine the two, stick to two states, or

com-you’ll find yourself exhausted at the end

of your vacation

MUMBAI (BOMBAY) &

MAHA-RASHTRA Teetering on the edge of

the Arabian Sea, its heaving

popula-tion barely contained by palm-fringed

beaches, India’s sexiest city is a vibrant,

confident metropolis that’s tangibly

high in energy The state capital of

Maharashtra, this is home to many of

the subcontinent’s best restaurants and

great (but pricey) hotels It’s also the

ideal starting point for a tour

north-west to Gujarat, or south along the

Konkan railway to Goa and beyond.

Whichever you choose, consider a

jaunt to the ancient rock-cut caves of

Ajanta and Ellora, Maharashtra’s

star-tling World Heritage sites

GOA Nirvana for flower children

since the late 1960s, Goa still attracts

a cosmopolitan mix of youngsters who

cruise from beach to beach, looking

for action But Goa is more than a

party in paradise A Portuguese

colo-nial heritage has left an indelible mark

on this tiny enclave (India’s smallest

state), from cuisine to architecture,

with plenty to see And if the crowded

beaches and vibrant markets leave you

gasping for solitude, you can still find

the original Goan paradise on

far-flung beaches, reviewed in detail here

KARNATAKA & KERALA

Travel-ing south along India’s west coast, you

will pass through untouched

Kar-nataka, possibly overnighting in the

hip city of Bangalore From there you

can head to Hyderabad, the

400-year-old capital of Andhra Pradesh, as

famous for its minarets as for its

bur-geoning software industry, or south to

Mysore, “City of Incense.” Whatever

you do, set aside time to explore the

lost city of Hampi, arguably

Kar-nataka’s most evocative attraction, or

to join the Jain pilgrimage to anoint

the giant feet of Lord Gomateswara,

said to be the largest monolith in the

world There’s more besides, but who

can tarry long when Kerala, “God’sown country,” awaits? South India’stop destination, particularly for thewell-heeled traveler in search of pam-pering and relaxation, Kerala offersancient backwaters plied by house-boats, herds of wild elephant,coconut-lined beaches and, of course,the ancient healing art of Ayurveda

TAMIL NADU Occupying a long

stretch of the eastern Indian Oceancoastline, India’s southernmost stateseems little touched by the cocktail offoreign influences that contributed tothe cultural developments in theNorth This is where you’ll find India’smost superb Dravidian temples, from

Mamallapuram (7th c A.D.) to the

Madurai temple complex (16th c.

A.D.) When you’re all templed out,

there’s always Pondicherry, the

for-mer French coastal town where tional Indian snack joints feature signs

con-verse in flawless French

DELHI, MADHYA & UTTAR PRADESH Entered through Delhi,

capital of the largest democracy in theworld, the central states of Madhyaand Uttar Pradesh are the real heart ofIndia, where great rulers battled forpower over vast swaths of India, andwhere you’ll find arguably the densestconcentration of top attractions onthe subcontinent From the “sevencities” of Delhi, it’s a short train or

road journey to Agra, home to the Taj

Mahal and other superb examples ofmedieval Mughal architecture Fromthere you can either head west toRajasthan, or east—via the erotic tem-

ples of Kajuraho, considered the

pinnacle of Hindu medieval

architec-ture—to the ancient city of Varanasi,

India’s holiest pilgrimage, where thefaithful come to die on the banks ofthe sacred Ganges to achieve

moksha—liberation from earthly life.

To escape the well-beaten tourist

T H E R E G I O N S I N B R I E F 15

International Boundary State Boundary National Capital State Capital

track, head south to the vast plains of

Madhya Pradesh, to Bandhavgarh

National Park, one of the best places

to see tigers in Asia

RAJASTHAN & GUJARAT With

crenelated forts and impregnable

palaces that rise like giant fairy-tale

sets above dusty sun-scorched plains

and shimmering lakes,

Rajasthan—lit-erally “land of princes”—epitomizes

the romance of India Whether you

choose to linger in the untainted

medieval atmosphere of little towns

like Bundi, browse the

bumper-to-bumper shops in Jaipur, track tigers

in Ranthambhore, overnight on the

lake at the beautiful city of Udaipur,

or explore the world’s only living fort

in Jaisalmer, you will want to see it

all South lies the less-traveled state of

Gujarat, filled with hidden gems and

lacking the touts and hawkers of more

heavily traveled sites

HIMACHAL PRADESH &

LADAKH Bordered by Tibet to the

east, Himachal Pradesh incorporates

great topographic diversity, from vast,

bleak tracts of the rust-colored

high-altitude trans-Himalayan desert to

dense green deodar forests, apple

orchards, and cultivated terraces

Together with Ladakh (known as

“Little Tibet”), this is also where you’ll

find India’s largest concentration of

Buddhists, their atmospheric gompas

(temples, including Tabo, the World

Heritage Site in Spiti) a total contrast

to the pageantry of Hindu temples

An easy—and highly recommended—detour to the region is via Amritsar to

view the Golden Temple, arguably

the most spiritual destination in India

UTTARANCHAL Comprising the

pre-Vedic territories of Garhwal andKumaon, the mountains of the centralHimalayan state of Uttaranchal areriven with ancient Hindu pilgrimageroutes, and offer wonderful trekkingroutes Non-hikers come here to prac-

tice yoga at Rishikesh on the banks of

the holy river Ganges, or to take a

road trip through the Kumaon,

possi-bly ending their sojourn looking for

tigers in Corbett National Park,

which vies with Ranthambhore forease of accessibility from Delhi

KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) & THE EAST Kolkata, the much-maligned

capital of West Bengal, never fails tosurprise the visitor with its beautifulalbeit crumbling colonial architecture,sophisticated Bengali culture, andwonderful restaurants and hotels.From here you can either head north

to the cooling breezes of West Bengal’s

hill station, Darjeeling, famous for its

tea, and on to the Buddhist state of

Sikkim (in many ways even more

remote than Himachal Pradesh); oryou can head south to Orissa to visit

the monolithic Sun Temple at

Konark, yet another of India’s some array of World Heritage sites

awe-C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

18

2 Visitor Information

India’s Tourism Information

Depart-ment is going all out to seduce

inter-national visitors, and has fairly

extensive representation around the

globe Access one of its websites

(www.tourisminindia.com or www

tourindia.com) for general

informa-tion, but be aware that some pages

may be out of date or permanently

under construction The websites do

offer links to all of India’s regional

tourism departments, some of whichprovide fantastic coverage of what’s onoffer

Indian tourism offices may befound worldwide as follows In the

U.S.: 3550 Wilshire Blvd., Room

204, Los Angeles, CA 90010;

& 0213/380-8855; and 30

Rocke-feller Plaza, Suite 15, N Mezzanine,New York, NY 10112; &0212/586-

4903 In the U.K.: 7 Cork St.,

Websites You can access

up-to-the-minute news and stories through the

websites of some of the country’s

largest English dailies, including www.

timesofindia.com, www.hindustan

times.com, and www.thehindu online.com For up-to-date news,

gossip, and tourism-related

informa-tion, visit www.indiawww.com,

which covers everything from wood happenings to currency conver-sion and current weather conditions

Bolly-Travel Spirit International (www.tsi india.com) has a wide range of links

as well as easy access to sites where youcan book reduced-price accommoda-tions and travel

E N T R Y R E Q U I R E M E N T S & C U S T O M S 19

Visa Savvy

Travelers to India can apply for a tourist visa from their nearest Indian Consulate or High Commission This is valid for multiple entries for 6 months from the date of issue Given the nature of India’s bureaucracy, rules and fees for application change regularly, so it’s best to check with your travel agent or with the relevant authority for the latest visa information Accurately completed visa application forms must be accompanied by three passport-size photographs and the appropriate processing fee; apply well in advance to avoid unforeseeable delays You won’t be admitted to India unless your passport is valid for at least

6 months after your entry, and it should typically also be valid for at least 3 months beyond the period of your intended stay

In the U.S., the Indian Embassy is at 2107 Massachusetts Ave.,

Wash-ington, DC 20008 (& 0202/939-7000), and there are consulates in

Houston, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and Chicago In the

U.K., India House is in Aldwych, London WC2B 4NA (& 8484) If you’re applying for a visa in a country where India does not

020/7836-have a representative, make inquiries at the nearest British authority.

A special permit is required for foreigners wishing to visit the

Lak-shadweep Islands, as well as remote areas such as Sikkim and Ladakh For Lakshadweep, your permit will be arranged when your accommo- dations are reserved Permits for the other restricted regions can be obtained in India; specific details are given in the appropriate chap- ters Carry a number of passport-size photographs and copies of the personal particulars and Indian visa pages of your passport in order to apply for these permits

Tips

3 Entry Requirements & Customs

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For information on how to get a

pass-port, go to the “Fast Facts” section

of this chapter The websites listed

there provide downloadable passport

applications as well as the current feesfor processing passport applications.For an up-to-date country-by-countrylisting of passport requirementsaround the world, go the “Foreign

Entry Requirement” Web page of the

U.S State Department at http://

You can bring as much foreign

cur-rency into India as you like; if you

have over $10,000 in cash or traveler’s

checks, however, you should complete

a declaration form You may not

import Indian currency into India In

addition to your personal effects, you

are allowed 95 liters of alcohol, and

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars (Know

that foreign liquors and imported

cig-arettes are very heavily taxed and in

some areas difficult to come by.) You

may carry a camera and pair of

binoc-ulars, but officially you may have only

five rolls of film You must complete a

special Tourist Baggage Re-Export

Form if you are carrying valuables

such as a laptop computer, video

equipment, special camera gear, or

jewelry Although there is a strong

possibility that you may encounter

difficulties upon leaving if these forms

are not completed, you’ll discover a

general malaise among Customs

offi-cials, who seldom hassle foreign

visi-tors on international flights Also,

much of the bureaucratic

heavy-hand-edness has eased off in recent years,

and there is less suspicion of foreign

travelers

W H AT YO U C A N TA K E

H O M E F R O M I N D I A

You may not export Indian currency

Exchange all notes at the airport

before you depart Note that airport

money-changers frequently run out of

certain currencies, so you might want

to complete any exchange before you

go to the airport There is a restriction

on the exportation of anything over

100 years old, particularly works of art

and items of cultural significance It is

illegal to export animal or snake skins,

ivory, toosh wool, or anything that has

been produced using these items.Generally, jewelry valued under Rs10,000 ($218) may be exported, whilegold jewelry valued only up to Rs2,000 ($44) is allowed

Returning U.S citizens who have

been away for at least 48 hours areallowed to bring back, once every 30days, $400 worth of merchandiseduty-free You’ll be charged a flat rate

of 4% duty on the next $1,000 worth

of purchases Be sure to have yourreceipts handy On mailed gifts, theduty-free limit is $100 With someexceptions, you cannot bring freshfruits and vegetables into the UnitedStates For specifics on what you canbring back, download the invaluable

free pamphlet Know Before You Go

online at www.customs.gov (Click

on “Travel,” then “Know Before You

Go Online Brochure.”) Or contact the

U.S Customs Service, 1300

Pennsyl-vania Ave NW, Washington, DC

request the pamphlet

For a clear summary of Canadian

rules, write for the booklet I Declare,

issued by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (& 800/461-9999

in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca) Canada allows its cit-izens a C$750 exemption, and you’reallowed to bring back, duty-free, onecarton of cigarettes, one can oftobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor,and 50 cigars In addition, you’reallowed to mail gifts to Canada valued

at less than C$60 a day, providedthey’re unsolicited and don’t containalcohol or tobacco (write on the pack-age “Unsolicited gift, under $60value”) You should declare all valu-ables on the Y-38 form before yourdeparture from Canada, includingserial numbers of valuables youalready own, such as foreign cameras

Note: The $750 exemption can only

be used once a year and only after anabsence of 7 days

C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

20

Citizens of the U.K returning

from a non-EU country have a

Cus-toms allowance of: 200 cigarettes; 50

cigars; 250 grams of smoking tobacco;

2 liters of still table wine; 1 liter of

spirits or strong liqueurs (over 22%

volume); 2 liters of fortified wine,

sparkling wine or other liqueurs; 60cc

(ml) of perfume; 250cc (ml) of toilet

water; and £145 worth of all other

goods, including gifts and souvenirs

People under 17 cannot have the

tobacco or alcohol allowance For

more information, contact HM

Cus-toms & Excise at &0845/010-9000

(from outside the U.K.,

020/8929-0152), or consult their website at

www.hmce.gov.uk

The duty-free allowance in

Aus-tralia is A$400 or, for those under 18,

A$200 Citizens can bring in 250

cig-arettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco,

and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol If

you’re returning with valuables you

already own, such as foreign-made

cameras, you should file Form B263

A helpful brochure available from

Australian consulates or Customs

offices is Know Before You Go For

more information, call the Australian Customs Service at & 1300/363-

263, or log on to www.customs.

gov.au

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700 Citizens over 17

can bring in 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars,

or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture

of all three if their combined weightdoesn’t exceed 250g); plus 4.5 liters ofwine and beer, or 1.125 liters ofliquor New Zealand currency doesnot carry import or export restric-tions Fill out a certificate of export,listing the valuables you are taking out

of the country; that way, you canbring them back without paying duty.Most questions are answered in a freepamphlet available at New Zealand

consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no 4 For more information,

contact New Zealand Customs, The

Customhouse, 1721 Whitmore St.,Box 2218, Wellington (& 04/473-

Rs 2 notes You will occasionally come

across an Rs 1 note—treat this as a

souvenir Minted coins come in

denominations of Rs 5, Rs 2, and Rs

1, as well as 50, 25, 20, 10, and 5

paise There are 100 paise in a rupee

Note: Badly damaged or torn rupee

notes (of which there are many) may

be refused, particularly in some small

towns Check the change you are

given and try to avoid accepting these

EXCHANGE RATES

Exchange rates fluctuate dramatically

At press time, US$1 bought you

around Rs 45, while £1 was worth

around Rs 72 Bear in mind that a few

dollars, pounds, or euros go a verylong way in India You will enjoy yourvacation a whole lot more if you don’tsweat the small stuff: A difference of acouple of rupees will hardly show up

on your bank statement For

up-to-the-minute currency conversions, log

on to www.oanda.com/convert/classic You cannot obtain Indian currencyanywhere outside India, and you maynot carry rupees beyond India’s bor-ders You may have to exchange atleast some money at the airport uponyour arrival; change just enough tocover airport incidentals and trans-portation to your hotel, since the ratewill be quite unfavorable

Tip: India is one destination in

which it is really worthwhile to arrange

an airport transfer with your hotel so

that you can avoid waiting in long lines

at the airport money-changer, dealing

with prepaid booths, or negotiating

fees with drivers and touts After a good

night’s rest, head to the nearest bank or

ATM for a cash infusion

Banks offer the best exchange rates,

but they tend to be inefficient and the

staff lethargic about tending to

for-eigners’ needs You run the risk of

being ripped off by using

unautho-rized money-changers; the most

con-venient option is to avail yourself of

ATMs while you’re in the big cities

Always ask for an encashment receipt

when you change cash—you will need

this when you use local currency to

pay for major expenses (such as

accommodations and transport,

though you should use a credit card

wherever possible) You will also be

asked to produce this receipt when

you re-exchange your rupees before

you leave India

ATMS (AUTOMATED TELLER

MACHINES)

Getting cash from your checking

account (or cash advances on your

credit card) at an ATM is by far

the easiest way to get money These

24-hour machines are readily available

in most Indian cities and larger townsand at large commercial banks such asCitibank, Standard Chartered BNP,Bank of America, and Hong Kong

Bank Cirrus (& 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com) and PLUS

(& 800/843-7587; www.visa.com)

networks span the globe; call or checkonline for ATM locations at your des-tination Be sure to find out your dailywithdrawal limit before you depart.Also keep in mind that many banksimpose a fee every time a card is used

at a different bank’s ATM, and that feecan be higher for international trans-actions (up to $5 or more) On top ofthis, the bank from which you with-draw cash likely charges its own fee

To find out what these internationalwithdrawal fees are, ask your bank.Keep in mind that credit card com-panies try to protect themselves fromtheft by limiting the funds you canwithdraw outside your home country,

so call your credit card companybefore you leave home You shouldhave no problem withdrawing Rs10,000 (almost $200) at a time from

an ATM (which goes a long way in

C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

22

What Things Cost in India

This is a sampling of average prices you’re likely to pay in India Bear in

mind that big cities generally have much higher prices than smaller towns,and that any place that attracts tourists inevitably attracts rip-off artists

Rupees U.S Dollar British Pound

Luxury hotel room Rs 3,500–Rs 21,000 $77–$450 £48.54–£714 Budget–moderate hotel room Rs 100–Rs 2,000 $2.20–$43.90 £1.39–£27.76

Cup of tea at a hotel Rs 30–Rs 50 66¢–$3.30 £.42–£2.08

Taxi for the day Rs 600–Rs 1,400 $13.10-$30.56 £8.34–£19.46

A meal at a local diner (dhaba) Rs 30–Rs 100 66¢–$2.20 £.42–£1.39

Main course in a luxury restaurant Rs 150–Rs 800 $3.30–$7.47 £2.08–£11.12

India), although some may have

slightly lower limits

TRAVELER’S CHECKS

Traveler’s checks are useful in that,

unlike cash, they can be replaced if

lost or stolen, but they are far less

pop-ular now that most cities have 24-hour

ATMs that allow you to withdraw

small amounts of cash as needed If

you want to avoid the high withdrawal

fees most ATMS impose, you might

be better off using traveler’s checks—

but know that you may not get the

best exchange rate in the process Keep

a record of their serial numbers

sepa-rate from your checks in the event that

they are stolen or lost

You can get traveler’s checks at

almost any bank American Express

offers denominations of $20, $50,

$100, $500, and (for cardholders

only) $1,000 You’ll pay a service

charge ranging from 1% to 4% You

can also get American Express eler’s checks over the phone by calling

trav-& 800/221-7282; Amex gold and

platinum cardholders who use thisnumber are exempt from the 1% fee.AAA members can obtain checkswithout a fee at most AAA offices

Visa offers traveler’s checks at

Citibank locations nationwide, as well

as at several other banks The servicecharge ranges between 1.5% and 2%;checks come in denominations of

$20, $50, $100, $500, and $1,000.Call & 800/732-1322 for informa- tion MasterCard also offers traveler’s

checks; call & 800/223-9920 for a

location near you

CREDIT CARDS

Credit cards are a safe way to carrymoney, they provide a convenientrecord of all your expenses, and theygenerally offer good exchange rates.You can also withdraw cash advances

M O N E Y 23

The Battle of the Haggle

Sure, things are cheap to begin with and you may feel silly haggling over

a few rupees, but keep in mind that if you’re given a verbal quote for an unmarked item, it’s probably twice the realistic asking price To haggle effectively, make a counter-offer under half price, and don’t get emo- tional Protests and adamant assertions (“This is less than it cost me to buy!”) will follow Stick to your guns until you’ve reached a price you can live with Remember that once the haggle is on, a challenge has been ini- tiated, and it’s fun to regard your opponent’s act of salesmanship as an artistic endeavor Let your guard slip, and he will empty your wallet Take into account the disposition and situation of the merchant; you don’t want to haggle a genuinely poor man into deeper poverty! And if you’ve been taken (and we all have), see it as a small contribution to a family that lives on a great deal less than you do.

Tips

Small Change

When you change money, ask for some small bills (a wad of Rs 10 and Rs

20s) for tipping or baksheesh (see “Tipping” under “Fast Facts,” later in

this chapter) At smaller outlets and vendors, you’ll frequently be told that there is no change for your Rs 500 note! Keep your smaller bills separate from the larger ones, so that they’re readily accessible and you’ll be less

of a target for theft.

Tips

from your credit card at banks or

ATMs, provided you know your PIN

(personal identification number) If

you’ve forgotten your PIN or didn’t

even know you have one, call the

phone number on the back of your

credit card and ask the bank to send it

to you It usually takes 5 to 7 business

days, though some banks will provide

the number over the phone if you

pro-vide personal information Your credit

card company will likely charge acommission (1% or 2%) on every for-eign purchase, but you’ll still get thebest deal with credit cards when youfactor in things like ATM fees andtraveler’s check exchange rates Mas-terCard and Visa are commonlyaccepted throughout India AmericanExpress is accepted by most majorhotels and restaurants; Diners Clubhas a much smaller following

C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

24

5 When to Go

Your choice of where and when to go

will be determined primarily by the

weather India’s vastness means that the

climate varies greatly from region to

region, and sometimes even just from

day to night, as in the desert regions

The Indian year features six seasons:

spring, summer, the rainy season, early

and late autumn, and winter, but from

the visitor’s perspective, there are but

three—summer, winter, and monsoon

You’ll be better off visiting during

the high-season winter months

(Nov–Mar), when most of the country

experiences pleasant, moderate

temper-atures (still hot enough to luxuriate in

the pool), though cities in the North

get chillier days as snow falls in the

Himalayas As a rule, always be

pre-pared for warm to hot days, with the

possibility of cooler weather at night

(If this has you worrying about how to

pack, remember that you can pick up

the most wonderful throwaway cotton

garments for next to nothing and a real

Pashmina scarf in every color to ward

off an unexpected chill.) As with all

sea-son-driven destinations, there is a

downside to traveling during peak

months: From December to January,

for example, Goa swells to bursting

point with foreigners and city folk who

arrive for the sensational beaches and

parties Lodging rates often soar during

these periods, so you may want to wait

until the shoulder season (Apr, Sept,

Oct, Mar, Apr) when there are fewer

people and rates are very negotiable

Summer (generally Apr–June) sees

little traffic, and for good reason—thedaytime heat, particularly in India’snorth-central regions, is debilitating,even for the locals This is the time toplan your trip to the Himalayasinstead, particularly to the HimachalPradesh region Ladakh, a magicalregion in the far north of the country,can only be visited July through Sep-tember—the rest of the year it remainscut off by cold and snow

The monsoon drenches much of the

country between June (sometimes asearly as Apr) and September, usuallystarting its season in Kerala and Kar-nataka In Tamil Nadu and parts ofAndhra Pradesh, a second monsoonhits around mid-October and runsthrough December In Rajasthan, cen-tral India, and the northern plains, therains typically arrive by July and falluntil early September Some of theregions are at their most beautiful dur-ing the monsoon, but it can be difficult

to move around, and there is a higherrisk of exposure to diseases like malaria.Flooding, power failures, and naturaldestruction are also not uncommon

INDIA’S WEATHER MONTH

BY MONTH

The following charts indicate the age maximum and minimum temper-atures for each month of the year, aswell as the average rainfall, in majortourist destination cities and towns

aver-W H E N T O G O 25 THE HIMALAYA

EVENTS, HAPPENINGS

& FESTIVALS

Indians love to celebrate, and there

is no end to the list of festivals that

are held in honor of the gods,

gurus, and historical figures that

make this such a colorful

destina-tion Festivals usually coincide with

the Indian lunar calendar, with

dates only published a year in

advance, so check with the local

tourism office about exact dates

(some may move into another

month) India has relatively few

national holidays when attractions,

government offices, and banks are

closed: Republic Day, January 26;

Independence Day, August 15;

Gandhi’s Birthday, October 2; and

Christmas

February

Vasant Festival, countrywide The

onset of spring (vasant) is marked

by various celebrations

Citrus-col-ored clothes are worn, and there is a

profusion of dancing and singing

coupled with great dinner spreads

and feasts to mark the season of

agricultural plenty

Holi, northern India Celebrated

predominantly in the North, this

joyous Hindu festival is held during

the full moon—expect to be

bom-barded with colored water and

powder

Desert Festival, Rajasthan This

festival takes place in Jaisalmer

March

Carnival, Goa It may not be on

quite the same level as celebrations

in Rio, but the riot of colorful

cos-tumes and processions, as well as

the exuberant dancing and music,make this an especially fun time tovisit the tiny state and its beautifulbeaches

Ellora Festival of Classical Dance and Music, Maharashtran interior.

This festival draws some of thecountry’s top artists to the ancientcaves at this World Heritage Site

International Yoga Festival,

Rishikesh Spiritually inclined tors head here to take classes with

visi-Yogacharyas from all over the world

teaching a variety of yogic plines

disci-Khajuraho Dance Festival,

Mad-hya Pradesh Get a glimpse of all ofIndia’s great classical dance forms

April/May Muharram Best experienced in the

city of Lucknow, the 10-day Shi’itefestival commemorates the martyr-dom of the grandson of theProphet, Mohammed; during aparade of religious fervor, penitentsscourge themselves with whips—often with nails or blades attached

June/July Rath Yatra, Puri In the Orissan

seaside temple town of Puri, this isone of the largest annual gatherings

of humanity; thousands of devoteescome together to help pull the Lord

of the Universe and his two siblingsthrough the streets on massive cars

Hemis Tsechu, Ladakh The town’s

most impressive monastic tion happens from July 24 to July

celebra-27, 2004, when the birthday of thefounder of Tibetan Buddhism iscelebrated with lamastic masked

dances (chaams), chanting, and

music at Hemis Monastery The

2004 celebration is destined to be

especially magnificent—the

unfurl-ing of the monastery’s massive

sacred thangka (tantric wall

hang-ing) occurs only every 12 years

August/September

Nehru Cup Snake Boat Races,

Alleppey Kerala’s backwaters come

alive with these renowned snake

boat races Second Saturday of

August

Independence Day, countrywide.

Indians unite to celebrate

inde-pendence August 15

Ganesh Chhaturthi, countrywide.

This 5-day celebration of Ganesha,

the elephant-headed god, is popular

across India, but Mumbai is

arguably the best place to

experi-ence this vibrant event, celebrated

with fireworks and the construction

of special shrines At the end of the

festival, clay images of the god are

immersed in the sea

September/October

Kullu Dussehra Head for the

Kullu Valley in Himachal Pradesh,

where you can join the crowds

when idols of Hindu deities from

around the region are brought

together in a colorful Festival of the

Gods Similarly ecstatic revelry

occurs in Mysore (Karnataka) and

Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

October/November

Diwali (Festival of Light; also

Deepavali), countrywide This

huge celebration among HinduIndians is best experienced on thelawns of the Umaid Bhawan Palace

in Jodhpur, at a wonderful partyhosted by the maharajah (whichhotel guests are invited to attend).Note, however, that just as Christ-mas has been exploited commer-cially in the West, Diwali hasbecome a time of excessive noise,increased alcohol consumption,and all-night fireworks

Mela (Cattle Fair), Pushkar,

Rajasthan The annual cattle fair inPushkar, Rajasthan, is the biggest ofits kind in Asia Traders, pilgrims,and tourists from all over the worldturn this tiny temple town into ahuge tented city, with camel races,cattle auctions, huge bonfires, tradi-tional dances, and the like

December/January Christmas, New Year, country-

wide Prepare for increased hotelprices as wealthy Indians celebrateboth Christmas and New Year,often by taking the entire family on

an extravagant vacation New Year,

in particular, may be marked bycompulsory hidden extras such asspecial entertainment and celebra-tory meals Christmas is celebratedwith as much fervor, if not more, as

it is in the West City hotels takegreat advantage of the situation,while in certain areas, such as Goa,midnight Mass and other traditionsare observed

T R A V E L I N S U R A N C E 27

6 Travel Insurance

Check your existing insurance policies

and credit card coverage before you

buy travel insurance You may already

be covered for lost luggage, canceled

tickets, or medical expenses The cost

of travel insurance varies widely,

depending on the cost and length of

your trip, your age, your health, and

the type of trip you’re taking

TRIP-CANCELLATION ANCE Trip-cancellation insurance

INSUR-helps you get your money back if youhave to back out of a trip, if you have

to go home early, or if your travel plier goes bankrupt Allowed reasonsfor cancellation can range from sickness

sup-to natural disaster sup-to the State ment declaring your destination unsafe

Depart-for travel (Insurers usually won’t cover

vague fears, though, as many travelers

discovered when they tried to cancel

their trips in Oct 2001 because they

were wary of flying.) In this unstable

world, trip-cancellation insurance is a

good buy if you’re getting tickets well

in advance Insurance policy details

vary, so read the fine print and make

sure that your airline or cruise line is on

the list of carriers covered in case of

bankruptcy (note that purchasing with

a credit card is often a good insurance

against the carrier going bankrupt, if

you request the refund within 60 days

of the bankruptcy) For information,

contact one of the following insurers:

Access America (& 866/807-3982;

health insurance policies cover you if

you get sick away from home

How-ever, do check, particularly if you’re

insured by an HMO With the

excep-tion of certain HMOs and Medicare/

Medicaid, your medical insurance

should cover medical treatment and

even hospital care overseas However,

most out-of-country hospitals make

you pay your bills upfront, and send

you a refund after you’ve returned

home and filed the necessary

paperwork And in a worst-case nario, there’s the high cost of emer-gency evacuation If you requireadditional medical insurance, try

sce-MEDEX International (& 800/ 527-0218 or 410/453-6300; www medexassist.com) or Travel Assis- tance International (& 800/821- 2828; www.travelassistance.com) For

general information on services, call

the latter company’s Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc., at &800/ 777-8710

LOST-LUGGAGE INSURANCE

On international flights (includingU.S portions of international trips),baggage is limited to approximately

$9.07 per pound, up to approximately

$635 per checked bag If you plan tocheck items more valuable than thestandard liability, see if your valuablesare covered by your homeowner’s pol-icy, get baggage insurance as part ofyour comprehensive travel-insurancepackage, or buy Travel Guard’s “Bag-Trak” product Don’t buy insurance atthe airport—it’s usually overpriced.Put any valuables or irreplaceableitems in your carry-on luggage—many items (including books, money,and electronics) aren’t covered by air-line policies

Tip: It’s a good idea to arrive in

India with as little luggage as ble—you can buy cheap clothes whenyou arrive and you don’t have to worryabout losing them or about laundrymishaps (which can happen even infive-star hotels in India)

possi-C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

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7 Health & Safety

STAYING HEALTHY

Consult your doctor or local travel

clinic concerning precautions against

diseases that are prevalent in India

The following cautionary list may

have you wondering whether travel is

advisable at all; don’t be alarmed,

how-ever: Millions of travelers leave India

having suffered nothing more than an

upset stomach—even this smallinconvenience should settle within afew days, your system all the strongerfor it

VACCINATIONS You will almost

certainly be advised to be vaccinated

against hepatitis A, cholera, tetanus, and typhoid; also make sure your

polio immunization is up to date

Longer-stay visitors should consider

getting the hepatitis B and meningitis

vaccinations as well Note that

travel-ers arriving from yellow fever–infected

areas must have a yellow fever

vaccina-tion certificate

MALARIA Most doctors will advise

you to take a course of malarial

tablets, but as is the case elsewhere, the

best prevention is not to get bitten

Malaria is a parasitic infection borne

by mosquitoes, and risks are greater

in warm, wet areas (particularly

dur-ing monsoon) and at night, when

mosquitoes are at their most active

Cover all exposed skin with

anti-mosquito creams or sprays as evening

approaches, and use repellent coils as a

preventive measure at night,

particu-larly in hotel rooms without

air-condi-tioning It may even be worthwhile to

pack a mosquito net, though how to

hang it can cause more headaches than

necessary Wear loose, floppy clothes

that cover as much skin as possible

TROPICAL ILLNESSES India’s

mosquitoes are also responsible for

spreading untreatable dengue fever

and virulent Japanese encephalitis

Again, the best advice it to avoid

get-ting bitten in the first place (see

above)

PACKING A FIRST-AID KIT

Besides anti-diarrheal medication, of

which the most important are

rehy-dration salts, it may be worthwhile to

carry a course of antibiotics for

stom-ach-related illnesses It’s also

worth-while to take an antiseptic cream, and

possibly an antibacterial soap (though

the type of soap used matters less than

vigilance: Wash your hands regularly,

particularly before eating) Pack

pre-scription medications in your

carry-on luggage in their original ccarry-ontainers

with pharmacy labels, so they’ll make

it through airport security Also bring

along copies of your prescriptions in

case you lose your pills or run out

(include the generic name, in the

event that a local pharmacist is miliar with the brand name) Don’tforget an extra pair of contact lenses orprescription glasses or an extra inhaler

unfa-SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED EASES & BLOOD INFECTIONS

DIS-Keep in mind that HIV and hepatitis

B are transmitted not only throughsexual contact, but by infected blood.This means that any procedure involv-ing a used needle or a blade can behazardous Avoid getting tattoos orpiercings, and steer clear of roadsidebarbers offering shaves For haircutsand procedures such as manicures andpedicures, stick to salons in upmarkethotels Take the usual precautions ifyou are about to engage in any sexualactivities—AIDS numbers are notwell publicized, but this is a huge andgrowing problem

DIETARY RED FLAGS & TUMMY TROUBLES Many visitors to India

fall victim to the ubiquitous “Delhibelly,” an unfortunate reaction tounfamiliar rich and spicy foodstuffsthat can overwhelm the system andcause symptoms ranging from slightdiscomfort and “the runs” to extremecases of nausea, fever, and delirium Toavoid this, simply be sensible Adjustslowly; move on to spicy foods insmall doses You should also be on

your guard about where you eat; if you

have any fears at all, stick to theupmarket restaurants, usually those infive-star hotels—but do venture out tothose recommended in this guide.Remember that uncooked vegetables

or fruit can be hazardous if washed inwater that has not been boiled, so peelall your own fresh fruit and avoid sal-ads Unless you’re in an upmarkethotel, don’t eat fruit that has alreadybeen cut—any water on the knife or

on the skin of the fruit is likely to seepinto the flesh Be wary of undercookedmeats—they may harbor intestinalworms—and stay away from porkunless you’re in a five-star hotel (For

H E A LT H & S A F E T Y 29

more tips and guidelines, see the

appendix: “India in Depth.”)

The first thing to bear in mind

when diarrhea or nausea strike is that

your body is trying to cleanse itself, so

only use an anti-diarrhea medication

(like Imodium) if you are desperate—

about to embark on a long train

jour-ney, for example Ideally, you should

plan a few days of rest and cut back on

all food except plain basics (a diet of

boiled rice and bananas is ideal), and

drink plenty of boiled water (or black

tea) or bottled water with rehydration

salts If your tummy trouble doesn’t

clear up after 3 to 4 days, consult a

physician—you may be suffering from

something more serious: a protozoa

(amoeba or giardia) or a viral or

bacte-rial infection

WATER CONCERNS More than

anything else in India, it is the water

that is likely to make you ill For this

reason, you should not only avoid

untreated drinking water, but be on

your guard against any food product

that is washed with water or has had

water added to it When buying tea

(or chai) on the streets, for example,

check that the cup is washed with hot

water and even ask to dry it yourself—

carry a small cloth or napkins so that

you can remove any and all water from

anything that is going to go into your

mouth Use bottled water when you

brush your teeth, and do not open

your mouth in the shower Do not

have ice added to your drink unless

you’ve been assured that it’s purified

If purchasing bottled water from

road-side stalls, dodgy-looking shops, or

small towns, check the seal on the cap

and investigate the bottle for any signs

of tampering Also try to determine

the age of the packaged water; if it

looks like it’s been sitting on the shelf

for too long, give it a miss The only

exception to the bottled water rule

may be in very upmarket hotels and

restaurants that purify their water

in-house; always ask the manager or

maitre d’ if the water has been fied Remember not to clean wounds,cuts, or sores with tap water Instead,douse and cleanse any open woundwith antiseptic solution, cover it with

puri-an adhesive bpuri-andage, puri-and consult adoctor if it doesn’t heal soon

BUGS, BITES & OTHER WILDLIFE CONCERNS Remote

areas are alive with insects and crawlies, but the greatest risk ismalaria (see above) Wear shoes whentrekking or in wet areas; you can becontaminated from worm-infested soil

creepy-or mud, which can also be a source ofmicrobial, bacterial, or hookworminfection Leeches are a commonproblem in the rainforest regions Donot try to pull them off your skin; saltusually does the trick It’s possible toprevent this nasty experience by wear-ing special anti-leech “socks” anddousing your shoes with lime powder.You’re more likely to be bitten by arabid dog or monkey than by a snake,spider, centipede, or sea creature, but

it does occur: Wear thick trousers andboots when hiking, tread carefully,keep your eyes peeled, and in theunlikely event that you are bitten, try

to get a good look at the animal sothat medical staff know whatantivenin to use And yes, get to a doc-tor or hospital as soon as possible.Animals are seldom treated as pets inIndia—as a general rule, steer clear ofthem, and should you be bitten, useantiseptic and consult a physicianimmediately

S U N / E L E M E N T S / E X T R E M E

high-SPF sunscreen and use it ally It’s also advisable to wear a hat orcap during the day, and try to avoidmidday sun wherever possible In thecities, pollution often cloaks the high-level exposure, so keep that hat on.Remember that in the high-altitudeHimalayan regions, you can experi-ence cold weather and chilly windswhile being burnt to a cinder During

liber-C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G Y O U R T R I P T O I N D I A

30

the monsoons, certain regions can

become impossible to traverse because

of flooding Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and

Andhra Pradesh are prone to cyclones

in November and December Keep

abreast of conditions by following

weather reports

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET

SICK IN INDIA

Don’t panic Medicines are widely and

easily available in India You can even

describe your problem to your hotel

concierge or receptionist and he or she

will arrange for the necessary

medica-tion to be dropped off, doing away

with possible translation problems

Pharmacies and chemists hand out

pills and antibacterial medication

upon request—even those that would

require a prescription back home

(This is not always a good thing; if

possible, consult a physician before

resorting to over-the-counter drugs

Also beware of being given incomplete

courses of antibiotics.) There are

hos-pital listings for major cities in each

chapter, but it’s best to consult your

hotel concierge regarding the best

medical attention in town,

particu-larly if you’re in a more remote area In

fact, do not solicit the assistance of

any-one who is unknown to your hotel

Well-documented scams operating in

certain tourist destinations involve

prolonging your illness in order to

attract large payouts from your

insur-ance company If you or someone you

are traveling with needs

hospitaliza-tion, shell out for a private one, and if

you’re able to travel, head for the

near-est big city Advise your consulate and

your medical insurance company as

soon as possible

In most cases, your existing health

plan will provide the coverage you

need Double-check—you may want

to buy travel medical insurance (see

“Travel Insurance,” above.) Bring your

insurance ID card with you when you

travel

The United States Centers for ease Control and Prevention (&800/ 311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides

Dis-up-to-date information on necessaryvaccines and health hazards by region

or country

STAYING SAFE

Considering its poverty and tion size, India enjoys an amazinglylow incidence of violent crime, andthe vast majority of visits to India tend

popula-to be trouble-free That said, the usualrules apply—no wandering aroundback alleys at night, for example, noflashing of valuables or wads of cash.Foreign visitors may be targeted bycorrupt cops looking to get a hand-some bribe or payoff, so you’d beststeer clear of any suspicious behaviorsuch as purchasing illegal drugs Ifyou’re caught, even with marijuana,there is a good chance that you could

be thrown in prison If you’re involved

in a car accident, have your hotelmanager report the incident immedi-ately Avoid provocative debates andarguments where alcohol may beinvolved Exercise caution during fes-tivals and religious processions, wherecrowds are usually overwhelming andcan become unruly

TERRORISM & CIVIL UNREST

Avoid political demonstrations—theseoccasionally erupt into violence Elec-tion rallies frequently turn bitter, andyou don’t want to be caught in themiddle of an angry mob In recentyears, there have been incidents of ter-rorist bombings, kidnapping, andmurder in various parts of India, par-ticularly in the northernmost state ofJammu and Kashmir With the excep-tion of the eastern district of Ladakh,avoid travel in this volatile and unsafewar-torn region, no matter what touroperators and tourist offices have tosay; more than 1,000 civilians werekilled by terrorists in the region in

2002 alone In 1999, the terroristorganization Harakat Ul Mujahideen

H E A LT H & S A F E T Y 31