India Travel Guide
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 India Visa & Embassy Info »
Full country name: Republic of India
Population: 1 billion
Capital City: New Delhi
Language: Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, Telugu, Marathi, Malayalam, Kashmiri, Bengali, Tamil, English
Religion: 80% Hindu, 14% Muslim, 2.4% Christian, 2% Sikh, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% Jains
Government: Federal Republic
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +5.5 (Indian Standard Time)
Dialling Code: 91
Electricity: 240V, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric
Money & Costs:
Currency: Indian Rupee |
Meals
Budget: Rs45
Mid-range: Rs45-120
High: Rs120-230
Top: Rs230+ |
Accommodation:
Budget: Rs140-460
Mid-range: Rs460-4600
High: Rs4600-9000
Top: Rs9000+ |
If you stay in cheap hotels, travel 2nd class on trains and can survive on a diet of dhal and rice, you could see India on just $10 a day. A private room with a bathroom, a varied diet, and occasional 1st class rail travel on long journeys, will cost $20-25 a day. Staying in mid-range hotels, eating in more expensive restaurants, and occasionally hiring a car and driver will cost around $30-40/day.
Indian currency notes circulate far longer than in the West and the small notes in particular become very worn. You may occasionally find that when you try to pay for something with a ripped or tatty note that your money is refused. You can change old notes for new ones at most banks or save them and use them creatively as tips.
Tipping is virtually unknown in India, except in higher class establishments in the major cities. Baksheesh on the other hand, is widespread, and is a term which encompasses tipping and a lot more besides. You 'tip' in India not so much for good service but in order to get things done. Judicious baksheesh will open closed doors, find missing letters and perform other small miracles. In tourist restaurants or hotels a 10% service charge is often added to bills. In smaller places, where tipping is optional, you need only tip a few rupees, not a percentage of your bill.
Geography: India is located in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan and also borders Bangladesh, Bhutan, China & Nepal. India has the second largest population on earth, just behind China. It represents just over 15% of the world's population. Major cities and their populations include: New Delhi (12 million), Delhi (7 million), Mumbai (Bombay-13 million), Calcutta (11 million), Madras (6 million), Bangalore and Kanpur.
India is basically a peninsula, with the Arabian
Sea on the west, the Bay of Bengal on the east,
and the Indian Ocean to the south. The Himalayan
Mountains separate India from much of the rest
of Asia and China. The Himalayas have many of
the tallest mountains in the world. On the north-western end of India is the Thar desert. Most of southern India is the Deccan Plateau, which is mostly rolling hills with many rivers. The plateau is separated from the northern plain by the Vindhya mountains. The Eastern and Western Ghats are coastal mountains on either side of the plateau.
Note: Several Indian regions are prone to flashes of conflict. Spats over Jammu and Kashmir in particular periodically push India and Pakistan to the brink of war. Travel to these two troubled regions should not be undertaken without consular advice, and also for any area bordering Pakistan.
Public Holidays: Jan 21 2005 Idu’z Zuha/Bakrid (Feast of the Sacrifice). Jan 26 Republic Day. Feb 10 Muharram (Islamic New Year). Mar 20 Sri Rama Navami (Birthday of Sri Rama). Mar 24 Mahavir Jayanthi. Mar 25 Holi; Good Friday. Apr 24 Buddha Purnima.May 23 Milad-Un-Nabi (Birth of the Prophet). Aug 15 Independence Day. Oct 2 Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday. Oct 12 Vijaya Dasami/Dussera. Nov 2 Diwali. Nov 3-5 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Nov 26 Guru Nanak’s Birthday. Dec 25 Christmas Day.
Notes: (a) Public holidays in India tend to be observed on a strictly regional basis. Only the secular holidays of Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday are universally observed. The above dates are Government of India holidays, when government offices will be closed nationwide. In addition, there are numerous festivals and fairs which are also observed in some States as holidays, the dates of which change from year to year.
Study in India: Below are the latest
English language schools, art & design schools,
business
schools, colleges & universities to join our directory.
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