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India Tourism - IndiaWeek SIUE

Need to Know Facts

* Public Holidays
* Health & Safety
* Weights & Measures
* Electricity
* Customs & Duties
* Post & Communications
* Tipping
* English Language Media

Public Holidays

Date 2005


Occasion
January 1 New Year's Day*
Januray 21 Eid ul Zuha or Adha
January 26 Republic Day**
March 8 Maha Shivaratri*
March 25 Holi
March 25 Good Friday*
April 13 Baisakhi, Vishu/Bahag, Mesadi, Maghi*
April 18 Sri Rama Navami*
April 21 Milad un Nabi or Eid ul Milad (The Prophet's Birthday)
April 22 Mahavir Jayanti*
May 22 Buddha Purnima
August 15 Independence Day**
October 2 Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday**
October 12 Dussehra
November 1 Diwali (Deepavali)
November 3 - 5 Eid ul Fitr*
November 15 Guru Nanak's Birthday*
December 25 Christmas Day*

Festivals and holidays differ in different regions. Hindu and Muslim festivals are scheduled according to the lunar calendar and don’t fall on the same day every Gregorian year.

*Restricted holidays - Given at the discretion of the organization/employer.

**National Holidays

Weekend - Sunday

Health & Safety

Health
The entire Indian sub continent has the same health hazards so one line of defence should cover you on all territories. The major risks to your health from the armies of mosquitoes are malaria, encephalitis, kala azar and dengue. Cover your arms and legs; be liberal with the repellent and in problem areas sleep under a mosquito net. Traveller’s diarrhoea is another running problem and year after year traveller after traveller gets the ‘loosies’. Ensure it’s nothing nastier by avoiding green salads, uncooked food, and water that you haven’t sanitised by dropping an iodine pill into.

Slightly more serious is the risk of contacting AIDS, Hepatitis B and other sexually transmitted diseases. For your sake and the sake of the people you’re visiting always use a condom. Have safe responsible sex.

For climbers and mountaineers: look out for symptoms of altitude sickness/acute mountain sickness. If you ascend above 3500meters too fast you might feel nauseous, sleepless, and your head may ache. In this case your body is telling you that you’re having acclimatisation problems so let’s descend, buddy. Jokes aside, this is a very serious situation to be in and the only thing to do is to descend. Also carry sunscreen with minimum SPF 20 to escape sunburn.

The quality of health services is not consistent. Urban centres, particularly metros, have good hospitals, well stocked late night/all night chemists, highly competent doctors and top of the line medical services. Conversely, rural and semi-rural areas have very limited facilities. Stick to the larger cities if you are anticipating trouble. Medicines are fairly cheap in India. Though chemist shops in the cities are well stocked, it is always a good idea to take along prescription drugs.
Travellers from yellow fever areas are required to have an inoculation certificate. Prior inoculation for poliomyelitis is recommended.

Safety
India is a reasonably safe travel destination. Political disruption is usually localised and everyone’s aware of there being potential trouble days ahead. Areas that may be avoided are Jammu & Kashmir and parts of the Northeast, which in any case have restricted tourist activity. Cases of mugging, theft and worse aren’t completely unheard of but by and large serious crimes against travellers are few and far between.

Basic precautions:

1.

Keep your money and travel documents close to your body (perhaps in a pouch slung around your neck, tucked out of sight under your shirt),
2.

Keep several photocopies of your passport, insurance, travellers’ cheques etc. scattered through your luggage,
3.

Do not use a waist pouch, it may as well be a transparent plastic bag: it’s that fragile and that obvious!
4.

Do not put all your money in one place,
5.

Be extremely alert in the dark. One of the things that protect travellers to India is the vast crowds in any place. The multitudes however, disappear into their homes at night, and you go from having a huge thick safety quilt to a flimsy sheet! Try your best to be in a familiar area when it gets dark. If you are not, at least know how you can get to that area from wherever it is that you happen to be.
6.

Many women travellers wear the long tunic and loose pyjama dress of Indian women called the salwar-kameez and find that it substantially dissuades unwanted male attention.
7.

If you are travelling alone, do not advertise it.
8.

If you lose your passport lodge a First Information Report at the local police station and contact your embassy.

Weights & Measures

India uses the metric system where 100cm=1meter; 1000meters=1km, liquids are measured in litres and solids in kilograms.

Electricity

220volts/ 50 hertz is the frequency at which electricity is available WHEN it is! Power cuts and ‘load shedding’ is a regular feature all over except Mumbai. Another reason for visiting in the colder months would be that not only do power cuts become fewer but you’ll also feel the pain of them less! If your electric razor has flat-pin plug then carry a combination plug that will feed into a round-pin socket: across the sub continent plug point sockets are round rather than flat.

Customs & Duties

If you are above 17 years you may import the following in without attracting duty:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, a litre of alcoholic drink, 250 ml perfume, gifts up to a value of Rupees 4000 (foreign passport holders), gifts up to a value of Rupees 6000 (Indian passport holders) and articles of personal use. But its best to check with the authorities for the specific details.

It is illegal to bring in drugs, gold and silver bullion, plants and coins that have gone out of use.

Post & Communications

Postal services in India are quite efficient. Letters overseas must be marked "Air Mail" or "Par Avion". It takes a week to 10 days for letters to reach the UK and the US from Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and other major cities. Have letters for you (surname first) addressed to the GPO (General Post Office) of the city, ‘Poste Restante’. The post offices hold letters for 30 days, and you’ll have to show them your passport for identification.

Parcels are a bit tedious to send or receive and often when they do finally arrive, they’ve been tampered with. Courier services are widely available in the cities and small towns.

"Cyber cafes" are an increasingly common fixture in India’s urban landscape, in major cities and even in smaller towns. At a fixed rate that varies from city to city, locality-to-locality, you can check your mail and surf the net. Very often the Internet business is an extension of what used to be a just a "PCO".

In loopy lanes, beneath shady peepul trees, in busy markets....all over India, little yellow boards spill out of little kiosks with the cryptic letters "PCO-STD-ISD" (..... huh?) 15 years ago the telecommunications miracle swept India and today, proud bearers of that legacy, ‘Public Call Offices’ bring to the streets the services of ‘Subscribers’ Trunk Dialling’ and ‘International Standard Dialling’. Most offer fax services, and more and more now, Internet facilities too.

Country code for India: 0091. Codes for the metros: Delhi-011, Mumbai-022, Calcutta-033 and Chennai-044. When calling from overseas omit the zero in the city code.

Tipping

It is customary to tip 10% of the bill at restaurants, but you may tip less if service charges have been included in the bill. At hotels tip 10 bucks to the bellhop, the same to the doorman ‘durban’; if the service is particularly good, substantially more to the concierge and housekeeping.
Black and yellow cab drivers do not expect to be tipped. The opposite is true if you have a hired a cab for a long period. You’ll find some of the most friendly and colourful service at tiny nondescript roadside stalls called ‘dhabas’. A small tip, even if it is only loose change, will be appreciated tremendously.
Coolies (porters) at railway platforms have to be paid; negotiate the payment before you hire one.

English Language Media

No matter where you are in India it is never going to be difficult to find an English language newspaper. All the major dailies, and there are many in this country where the fourth estate is startlingly independent and strong, have multiple editions with at least one from every region and one on the net. There are two major weekly newsmagazines and both are easily available at kiosks all over. Even international fashion glossies have an edition coming out of India now though these are available only in the bigger cities.

Cable TV has reaped a rich harvest. Even small town India has a skyline that blooms with electronic blossoms of dish antennas and these are only going to proliferate further. BBC World Service and CNN beam the latest news; ESPN and Star Sports keep you up to date with how your club is (or is not) thrashing its rivals in UEFA; and Star (elsewhere known as Sky) beams an entire stable of entertainment channels.

The more widely accessible national channel too has some English programmes, and a daily English news segment.
FM in the metros means Music like in the rest of the world. BBC World Service and Voice of America are on the MHz bandwidth but the frequency is variable.

Recommended Reading

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
Swami and His Friends by R. K. Narayan
The Discovery of India by Jawaharlal Nehru
Ice Candy Man by Bapsi Sidhwa
India Unbound by Gurcharan Das
No Full Stops in India by Mark Tully
The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor
English, August by Upamanyu Chatterjee
The Age of Kali by William Dalrymple

Money & Business

* Currency & Costs
* Banks & Money Changers
* Business Guide

Currency & Costs

The Indian rupee is available in denominations of Re1, Rs2, Rs5, Rs10, Rs20, Rs50, Rs100, Rs500 and Rs 1000. One rupee is split into a hundred paise, available in denominations of 10p, 25p and 50p. There are coins for Re1, Rs2 and Rs5.

The most meagre that your budget can get is $20 per day of your stay. You’ll struggle with dormitory accommodation, looking for cheap grub, and trying to figure out bus routes and timings but you’ll just about survive. A healthy budget in India is about thrice that. $35 a day will see you sleep in decent clean beds and wake up to an attached bathroom for morning ablutions. It’ll fetch you three decent meals, a spot of shopping and some auto-rickshaw rides. This estimate has been made keeping in mind urban India. Rates and prices vary from region to region. In the south it is easy to find great mid-rung accommodation at low rung prices even in the cities. Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi are both quite expensive. Small temple towns will be easy on the pocket; beach bumming and wildlife moonlighting may work out dirt cheap or highly pricey. So it’s really about how you chose to do it.

The dollar goes a long way in India (the pound sterling, longer). The bare minimum is just under $15 a day while a top end holiday could blow through the roof. Make sure you bring enough for souvenirs though. Believe the hype: this is a treasure trove of a country!

Banks & Money Changers

Banking in India has become quite easy now. The sector has steadily opened up to privatised participation, which has bolstered the services and performance of state run entities too. Trans National banks have a sizeable presence in the larger cities, especially in the metros. There are more and more ATMs so now in India too Any Time Money is yours for the asking. In the smaller towns your banking options will be far less than in the cities. You’re likely to find only minor branches of government banks that do not offer facilities such as ATM and are unlikely to change currency other than dollars and pound sterling. Also the paperwork might run into reams if the bank is yet to computerise.

Banking hours usually are 10 AM to 2 PM Monday to Friday and 10 AM to 12-noon on Saturdays.
Bank holidays vary from region to region. Major festivals are holidays though it is unlikely that a bank will be closed for longer than 2 days in a row.
Major international credit cards are widely accepted in the cities.

Exchange your money
Changing money in India can be a tedious process so change substantial amounts at a time. Not all banks accept travellers’ cheques or currency other than dollars or pound sterling and if you find one that services your needs take advantage of it. Changing money anywhere but at accredited bureaux is illegal.

Moneychangers are open 24 hours at the airports (but these are invariably far from town) and in hotels. International foreign exchange providers have several branches in the larger cities. Smaller towns however, are likely to only have minor banks. Save up all exchange receipts (encashment certificates); these are required for visa extensions and other formalities, and when you want to convert rupees at the end of your trip.

Business Guide

Biz overview and hours
The major centres of business wheeling and dealing are Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Calcutta.
Some consider Mumbai the financial capital of India. Many corporate houses and India’s showbiz industry have their headquarters in this city where sophisticated executives work hard and play hard too. Bangalore, and increasingly Hyderabad, is where the technology giants are based. Balmy climate, green avenues and great infrastructure make Bangalore the ideal place to do business. A very important port and at the centre of the textile trade is the southern city of Chennai. Heavy industry and jute is the bastion of genteel old Calcutta. Once the capital of British India, the city that’s struggling under the weight of humanity refuses to let go of old world politeness. The port supports sea trade for eastern India and Nepal.

Capital city, headquarter of the Government of India, the world of busy bureaucrats; New Delhi is the place where decisions get made, deals are sealed and big contracts awarded. In the stately colonial buildings of Delhi power packs a solid punch and the biggest businesses of all are transacted.

Biz protocol
With increasing liberalisation at both the economic level and at the societal level, business protocol has begun to adhere to western standards. In the big cities expect thorough professionalism when dealing with private companies and high-ranking bureaucracy. Keep appointments, be punctual (though that’s a value that Indians are only now picking up), and shake hands if one is offered or greet with hands folded in ‘namaste’. You’ll most likely be asked questions about family and home not because anybody wants to pry but because many Indians believe that curiosity conveys concern.

There are many women executives, often top-level management. Most will not take shaking hands amiss. Some however, are still conservative. So to ensure you don’t misstep, be sensitive to how the lady greets you and respond accordingly.

Dress formally for business meetings. Women would probably be more comfortable in trousers than a skirt. Men should wear formal cotton shirts with a tie and trousers if the weather is warm. Otherwise a business suit is appropriate.

Travel Documents

All visitors are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months. Visa exemptions include:

1.

Bhutanese and Nepalese visitors who are staying for less than 3 months,
2.

Nationals from the Maldives, if they are staying for a maximum of 90 days (this includes any periods they may have spent in India up to 6 months prior to the visit in question),
3.

Transit passengers who have a follow-on ticket within 72 hours of arrival as long as they are not going to leave the airport.

Special restrictions apply to Pakistani and Afghan nationals.
Its always wise to check updated visa requirements prior to travel.

Around & About

* How do I get there?
* Getting Around
* Tourist Offices
* When to Go
* Where do I Stay?
* What to bring
* Things to do

How do I get there?

By Air
The major international airports in India, which serve traffic from all over the world, are in Delhi, Mumbai (Bombay), Calcutta and Chennai (Madras). Airports tend to be on the outskirts of cities. Pre-paid taxi services and auto-rickshaws are stationed outside the terminus to get you into the city.

By Rail
Railways do not cut across international borders in this part of the world except the Samjhauta (i.e. "understanding"!) Express that runs between Amritsar (India) and Lahore (Pakistan). However, in many cases it is possible to travel till the border by train.

By Road
Except the Lahore-Delhi bus (4 times a week), there are no cross border coach services. It is possible to drive into India with the requisite paperwork in order. Even driving in from Nepal now requires a permit. Permits may be arranged through the Indian embassy in your country.

By Sea
Several international cruise lines include stopovers at Indian ports. The popular destinations are Goa, Mumbai, Kochi, Kozhikode, Calcutta and Chennai. There are no regular passenger services; the service between Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) and Sri Lanka has been indefinitely suspended.

Getting Around

India is a vast country but luckily for the traveller, it is extensively linked by public transport. All major towns and cities have airports. Even very small towns are connected by rail with Indian Railways maintaining the biggest network in Asia. ‘Toy trains’ are quaint, neat and narrow gauge; pretty like the hillsides they chug up. The roads and highways may not be state-of-the art multi-lane expressways but if it’s basically about getting to places, they serve the purpose well! The bus network, privately run and state operated is extensive.

Traffic drives on the left hand side and it is possible to hire cars, but more easily chauffeur driven ones. Self drive cars are hard to come by as the government does not issue licenses for these. That’s fine, believe us, because you will appreciate your driver here! Roads are reasonably good in parts, specially the major highways. Near towns and villages they deteriorate and depending on the season, crumble into tracks in some areas. Valid documentation is an International Driver’s License. Taxis and three wheeler auto rickshaws are ubiquitous in the Indian urban and even semi rural landscape. Most small towns have motorcycle rentals.

Travel by water is not popular but there are ships to the Andamans from Calcutta, Chennai and Vishakhapatnam. Backwater cruises in converted rice boats called Kettuvalams are a delight in the lazy lagoons of Kerala.

Indrail passes are a good way of exploring the country for non-resident Indians and foreigners. They can be purchased at major railway stations in India and through travel agents. Advance reservations are necessary because this is a first come first serve service.

Tourist Offices

Government of India Tourist Office (GITO),
88 Janpath,
New Delhi 110001.
Tel: (11) 23320342, (11) 23320005, (11) 23320008, and (11) 23320266. Fax: (11) 23320109.
India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC),
SCOPE Complex, Core 8, 6th Floor,
7 Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003
Tel: (11) 2436 0303. Fax: (11) 2436 0233

States have their own individual tourism boards that promote and organise travel within the state.


When to Go

The best time to visit India is between October and March. The summer heat has abated by then in the northern plains and in Rajasthan’s arid landscape. The wet Northeast becomes somewhat drier, the south becomes a breathtaking scene of swaying coconut palms and rain showers spray Tamil Nadu.

Most of India’s colourful festivals are in this period. Dussehra, which is celebrated like Guy Fawkes Day but with dramatis personae from the epic drama of Ramayana, is followed 20 days later by the festival of light, firecrackers and joyous pyrotechnics, Diwali. Come March, come Holi: coloured powder, water fights and sweetmeats!

Besides these that are universal favourites across the country, there are regional festivals. Harvest festivals, car festivals, dance festivals and numerous temple celebrations pepper south India’s calendar in December-January. Pretty Pushkar in Rajasthan holds Asia’s largest camel fair in November; Mardi Gras in Goa and the muezzin’s call heralding Id. The winter is also ideal for wildlife enthusiasts.

The major deterrent to visiting during any other time is the heat. However, the months from March-May and September-November are prime trekking time in the Himalayas, and if you plan to concentrate on hilly areas then this is a better period in which to visit.

Where do I Stay?

There’s enough variety in tourist accommodation in India for the visitor to always find comfort; degrees of luxury though will be directly proportionate to the degree of the depth of your pocket.

Hotels are graded on the star system: 5-star being fully air conditioned, with a coffee shop, multiple speciality restaurants, pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, health centre, in-house shopping and all the razzmatazz. Down to hostels, ashrams, and Public Works’ guesthouses at the other end of the spectrum: dormitory style living with rationed hot water (just about enough for a decent shave!), no-smoking no-drinking restrictions and curfew!

There are numerous other options and you’ll never be stuck in a heap because there isn’t a choice.

Even the smallest tourist destination has mid-rung establishments. Some have common bathrooms but there usually will be the option of renting a room with an attached bathroom. Some mid-rung establishments are better than others. There are many that have cosy atmosphere and make up in character what they lack in frills.

In many wildlife sanctuaries, there is accommodation in the park’s buffer zone. Forest guesthouses are very basic accommodation, and some require you to bring your own provisions, but their privileged location more than compensates.

Heritage hotels and palace hotels are probably an Indian peculiarity. Some old rajahs, especially in Rajasthan, have converted part of their palaces into hotels. These give the visitor a great shot at savouring famed Indian hospitality at its quaint and genteel best. The government is promoting Home Stays where some pre-approved families provide paying guest accommodation and this has taken off in a big way in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

There are beach resorts that give you access to exclusive sand so you may sun and surf in style. Houseboats in Kashmir, hardy little huts along trekking trails and numerous camping sites only widen the range that the traveller can choose from.

What to bring

Carry a combination plug that will feed into a round-pin socket: across the subcontinent plug point sockets are round rather than flat. Winters in the north are cold but days in the plains are sometimes sunny. Carry a combination of heavy woollens and light jumpers. It’s coldest from mid-December to mid-January. Get yourself an umbrella or raincoat. It’s always raining some region or another. In the summer be armed with sun protection: sunglasses, cap/hat, cream with a minimum SPF of 20.
Bring water purification tablets, prescription medicines and an extra pair of spectacles/contact lenses (though opticians abound in cities). A sleeping bag and a bed sheet are a must for budget travellers.

Things to Do

* Dining & Entertainment
* Shopping
* Activities
* Special Events

Dining & Entertainment

The call of "Chai-garam" proclaims the availability of hot tea on obscure railway platforms, and if you are tempted you’ll singe your tongue to one of the truest Indian experiences with food and drink. From the steel ‘thali’ fodder that is railway dining to the gourmet meals on dull silver that is fine dining, it’s all available in India.

In the cities the most popular international cuisines are Chinese, Italian, ‘Continental’/European and Thai. Lasagna, pasta, chop suey and red curries abound on menus. The most widely available Indian foods are definitely Mughlai and south Indian. Harking back to the days of the Mughals, Mughlai cuisine relies on aromatic spices, and succulent meats either curried or roasted in a tandoor and it can be very heavy. South Indian food is predominantly vegetarian, light and tangy.

Frothy coffee that sizzles out of a bright machine, chicken burger served up in a jiffy and with a smile; fast food has come into its own in India. Many worldwide chains have set up shop in India’s cities and from Pune to Delhi, the American get-and-go eating experience is yours for the asking.

Originally the truckers’ meal deal, ‘dhabas’ have proliferated along the highways and cater to all wayfarers. These shack establishments serve some great food at hard to beat prices, but since plates are not cleaned in the clearest of waters this dining experience may not be too safe.

Theatre and the arts are feted in the urban centres of Delhi, Bombay, Madras, Calcutta, Pune and Bangalore. Hollywood fare also reaches the big screens here within a month of their American release. The Hindi movie, that quintessentially Indian phenomenon, is a must-see. Slake your thirst for nightlife and twinkle any tingling toes at the pubs, nightclubs and discos. There is little by way of entertainment in the smaller towns and cities except the cinema halls and maybe the odd locally produced cultural show.

Shopping

All over India makeshift markets line streets. Paan-sellers dot market corners, villages have busy market-days, deserted mountain trails boast lone tea-stalls that count as a whole settlement, and city roads all lead to snazzy malls! While shopping has always been big for Indians, as current trends go, ‘Indian’ is now big in shopping.

Ethnic chic, glitz and kitsch, whether it’s clothes, carpets or clutter, if it’s Indian, it’s in! To name a little that could fill your bags: Kashmiri carpets that rival Persian rugs or rugged durries of natural fibre in vibrant colours and rural motifs. Perfumes extracted from the sweetest of flowers, opulent silks and block-printed cotton. Beads and trinkets, silver and gold, mirror-work Rajasthani skirts, tie-and-dye, inexpensive leather ware, and statues in metal or stone.

Look out for the bright red, yellow, green and blue handloom from the ‘seven sisters’ in the Northeast; Karnataka Bidriware (silver inlay on blackened white metal); Kanjeevaram and Benaras saris with gold woven into multihued silks; beads, bangles and other ornaments everywhere; shell craft, pretty sandals, kurta and pyjamas at Delhi’s designer shops, brass from UP, bronze in the south; Darjeeling tea, and Coorg coffee.



Activities

For the thrill seeking traveller India is an all-in-one deal. The Indian Himalayas and the many hill formations present the trekker with innumerable hiking and trekking options. The wildlife sanctuaries, whether in the ‘sholas’ of southern India or the thick teak forests of the east, whether in the ‘sal’ and ‘shisham’ jungles of the north or the scrub of the west, are for the nature enthusiast. White water rafting in the rapids of the Himalayan rivers, ‘kettuvalam’ cruises in the Keralan backwaters, snorkelling, diving, water-skiing, beach bumming along India’s extensive coastline, there’s enough to make a water lover happy. There are many centres for adventure sports like parasailing and paragliding. Skiing in the Alps it is not, but for beginners the slopes in Auli and the more difficult ones in Spiti would provide some thrill. Some hotels and clubs allow non-guests/members pay-and-play use of swimming pools and golf links.

Cricket is special in India. It’s as much about twenty-two guys and a ball as about the beat of drums and blasts from trumpets, painted faces and flag-waving, and cheering (and jeering) enthusiasm. Try and catch the buzz at least once.

Special Events

India’s calendar is full of very special events: festivals of religion, harvests and culture are celebrated with aplomb. India has three national holidays when all establishments across the country are compulsorily closed: 15th August-Independence Day, 2nd October-Gandhi’s birthday and 26th January-Republic Day, which is an extravaganza of a parade.

Festivals and holidays differ in different regions and some are universally appreciated across the country. The winter festival of lights, Diwali, is celebrated in cities, towns and dusty villages with twinkling lamps and fireworks. Spring brings myriad hues to the world around and also the festival of Holi - a happily messy rite of water and colour. The harvest brings joy and festivities of another order and is celebrated as Pongal in the south, and Bihu in the east and Baisakhi in the north. Christmas in Goa is still the most special but the cheer spreads everywhere. The month of Ramadan and feasting is important to Muslims. Other important religious events include Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, the Prophet’s birthday, Good Friday, Dussehra, Buddha Purnima (Buddha’s birthday) and Guru Nanak’s birthday.

Besides these, dance festivals in southern temple towns in December and car festivals of Puri and Madurai when the temple chariots are wheeled around the city, and the Nehru Cup boat race in the Kerala's backwaters (second Saturday of August) bring more occasions to celebrate.

Sightseeing

Sights that enthral and appall. When Foster wrote his Passage to India in the 1920s he reached the stunning conclusion that there are "a hundred Indias". There are. And if you go out to discover each of these you can count on spending at least a year in this stupendous country with its phenomenal repertoire of surprises and delights. Blessed with probably the widest array of topographical and cultural diversity that was ever packed into one time zone, there’s an India for everyone.
Tiger India’s jungles, rivers and streams are simply bursting with wildlife; much of it protected in her 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries. Popular ones are Corbett, Rajaji and Dudhwa (Uttar Pradesh), Kanha, Pench (Madhya Pradesh) and Sasan Gir (Gujarat).
Sariska and Ranthambor (Rajasthan), Kaziranga, Manas (Assam), Mudumalai, Bandipore and Wyanad (Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve-Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala) are the other well known game sanctuaries. Keoladeo Ghana, Bharatpur (Rajasthan) is a famous bird sanctuary. Find yourself as you lose the cares of life in the city.
The temple trail in India just trails on and on and on.... winding past the monuments of man’s love for the divine. The gilded gurudwara in Amritsar, ancient weather-beaten cathedrals in Goa, ‘dargahs’ (mausoleums) of Muslim saints and grand temples to the innumerable Hindu deities; these houses of worship are as precious as works of art. Mammalapuram, Tamil Nadu
Catch the trail as it runs through Ajmer, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Varanasi, Madurai, Sarnath, Gaya, Orchha, Tanjore, Trichy, Tirupati, Mathura, Ayodhya, Jammu, Badrinath, Haridwara and Rishikesh. The legacy of spiritual succour lives on in the land of exotica. In Pune, Pondicherry, Puttaparthy and Dharamsala, Osho, Auroville, the Sai Baba and Buddhist monks explore a new life, of what is and what could be.
Goa Explore the same along turquoise blue and breezy beaches along the coast. Windswept or sunny, India’s beaches are peculiarly Indian. Crowded and cheery, sometimes dirty, always delightful, you’ll find them in Kerala’s Kovalam, in the Andamans and Lakshadweep, in Goa, quiet Gokarna, and ‘templescaped’ Puri, Kanyakumari and Mahabalipuram.

Ruins of forts, palaces, picturesque ‘havelis’ (large private houses) and mausoleums pepper the landscape. In and around Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan, all over the country actually, historical sites intrigue the history enthusiast. Purana Qila, the old fort in Delhi

Important sites are Hampi, Khajuraho, Mandu, Aurangabad, Bikaner, Goa, Gwalior, Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mahabalipuram, Tanjore and Mysore.

Museums, business centres, nightlife, large markets, embassies and consulates mark space in the bigger cities of India. Bustling with activity, bristling with high voltage energy, busy-busy-busy, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad make up India’s urban landscape.
Mt. Kanchenjunga The world’s highest mountains form a tall 2500 km long wall along India’s northeast frontier and are prime climbing territory for the outdoor types. The mountainous regions of Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh and Leh are high altitude trekking options.

The "blue mountains" of the Nilgiri Hills in the Deccan, and the lower reaches of the Himalayas in Garhwal, Kumaon and around Darjeeling are simpler and ideal for a leisurely hike.
From stark white mountains framed against sheer clear blue to forested hills that enclose rushing streams, there is endless variety for the hiker. In the hills, in tiny towns with winding ‘mall roads’ survive the British legacy of "hill stations". These cool getaways from the simmering plains continue to entertain weekend tourists in the summers. Shimla, Manali, Kasauli and Mussoorie in the north, Shillong, Darjeeling and Kalimpong in the east, Ooty and Munnar in the south are the most popular. Dhanaulti

So much to do, so much to see.....so little time! That holds completely true for the Indian experience. Don’t push yourself to do it all because that’s well nigh impossible but choose well and plan little, open your mind and be gathered up by the experience that the world calls "India".

People & Society

* Religion
* Language
* Food
* Culture & Crafts
* Education

The fabric of Indian society is woven with myriad threads. The result is multi-textured, many layered and though this diversity has fuelled some dissension, it continues to be India’s strength.

India is predominantly Hindu and it also has the world’s largest population of Muslims. Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Christians (Roman Catholic, Protestant and Syrian Christian), Jews and Zoroastrians people this great land. There is phenomenal ethnic diversity too. While the people of the north are mainly Indo-Aryan, in the south they are mostly Dravidian. The tribal population in the northeast is of Tibeto-Burmese extract, while the ‘adivasis’ of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are probably proto Australoid. Language varies almost every ten miles and India’s billion-strong population has a total of 1535 recognized dialects.

One of the most marked things about Indian society is the great diversity. This applies to religion, ethnicity and language as much as to the economic situation. The yawning gap between the rich and the poor is bridged by a large middle class of small businessmen, professionals, bureaucrats etc.

Most Indians actively practice their religion, and despite the creeping westernisation, most of India is socially orthodox. That means that caste distinctions have not been forgotten, man-woman interaction may be frowned upon, and the public display of affection is strictly no-no. The cow is sacred and ‘all ye who forget that-be doomed’. The left hand, which is an indispensable tool for Indian ablutions, is considered impure and isn’t used in passing things around.

On the whole the Indians are a warm welcoming people. The guest is next only to God and crooks and touts notwithstanding, and curious looks and probing questions notwithstanding, you’ll find that they are great hosts. Their idiosyncrasies just make it all the more interesting; be patient and you will learn to love the complete package.

Religion

India probably has the most religious diversity in any country. It’s the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. It’s among the few places to have a resident Zoroastrian population. The Syrian Christian Church is well established in Kerala; the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, old churches in Calcutta and Delhi, synagogues in Kerala, temples from the tiny to the tremendous, ‘stupas’, ‘gompas’ and the Bodhi tree, the Ajmer Sharif and Kaliya Sharif in Bombay, all reflect the amazing multiplicity of religious practice in India. Tribal people in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat practice forms of nature worship.

Secularism is enshrined in the Constitution.

Language

The national language of India is Hindi, which in one form or another is spoken all over the north. In the Deccan (south India), the languages are completely different. The states were formed on the basis of language so each has its own. On the whole though, dialects, accents, idioms and linguistic flourishes change every few miles. There are 18 official languages but over a thousand recognised dialects. English is widely spoken.

Food

From DC to Dakota, Warwick to what-have-you, Indian spices are letting off steam everywhere in the whole wide world. And you come to India and realise......hey, there’s nothing authentic about it! Every kitchen, every man, woman, cook, chef does it different.

A meal in the north would typically constitute chapattis or rice with dal (lentil curry) and a dish of vegetables or meat. Pappads (wafers fried or toasted to a crisp), yoghurt and pickle are usual accompaniments. The chapatti is a round flat unleavened bread of which you tear bits to scoop the curry. Variations of the chapatti are paratha, poorie, bhatoora, and Tandoori naans.

Idli, dosa, vada, sambar, uppama! In the south, too, a meal centres on a base of rice, or as in the South –Indian case, semolina preparation. The idli is a steamed rice cake and the crisp salty pancake often stuffed with potatoes is the dosa. Eaten alongside is the South-Indian dal - "sambhar", sour, hot, souped -up with vegetables. The Brahmins are vegetarian, but the rest consume sour-hot fish, mutton, and chicken with gusto. In Kerala seafood is simmered in coconut milk and delicately flavoured with curry leaves. Most Indians eat three meals, each one full-fledged.

Savoury snacks like pakoras pep the evening cuppa. Anything coated in batter (of chickpea, flour et al) and deep-fried will pass for pakora. Also, readily available on the roadside are snacks like bhel puri (spiced up puffed rice) and paapri chaat (wafers and boiled potato doused in curd and sauces). Vegetarians will feel like they’ve come home, specially in the south. But no matter where you are, in a plush restaurant or a roadside ‘dhaba’, in Kunnur or Kullu, you can be sure of sumptuous vegetarian meals.

All along the coast and extensively in the northeast fish is consumed almost as a staple. Both fresh water and sea fish are popular. Indians love their sweets. There is great regional variety and among the most popular types is the Bengali "mishti".

There’s also a huge variety in drinks. Besides ‘chai’ (tea) and coffee, sweetened/salty churned yoghurt called lassi, the ubiquitous ‘neemboo-pani’ or lemon-water, fruit juice in tetra packs and aerated drinks are readily available in India. IMFL expands into Indian made Foreign Liquor and spans the entire range from beer to whiskey. Some examples of local brews are ‘chaang’ in Arunachal, toddy in the South and Goa’s famous ‘feni’.

Culture & Crafts

Music. Much of India’s classical music is devotional and a lot of that, devoted to the flute playing god, Krishna. The North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic streams are distinct and both have a complex ‘raga’ framework. Ghazals in Urdu reflect on life and are light on the ear. Every region has a distinctive folk tradition too. Instruments that would typically accompany Indian music are the stringed veena, sitar, and the Indian drum: tabla or mridangam in the south.

Dance: The legacy of dance in India is tremendous. On temple walls, on an urban stage, in impromptu bursts by a mellow evening fire, men and women twinkle their toes in expression of joy.

The classical dances of India are numerous. Characterised by stylised movements and elaborate costumes, these dances communicate age-old tales of love, longing and rage. Kathakali of Kerala, Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, Manipuri and Odissi from Orissa are the prominent dance forms in this country that sways to an altogether novel beat. The robust bhangra of Punjabi men, the graceful whirling of Rajasthani women, the gentle sway of northeastern dancers, vigorous tribal dances, every corner has developed it’s own unique form.

Theatre: There is a robust theatrical tradition. The Yakshagana, nautanki and puppetry are ancient folk forms that live on till date. This tribe of wandering performers is on the decline but there still are occasional performances on the rudimentary stages of the rural areas. Rustic and coarse the flavour might be, but the techniques are surprisingly sophisticated. There is a growing body of contemporary work both in English and in the vernacular.

Art: The earliest specimens of Indian painting are the ones on the walls of the Ajanta Caves dating back to 2nd century BC. The typical ‘figures in profile’ art of India came to be when the Jain manuscripts were being illustrated. The Mughals had a huge impact on Indian art. The miniature, which had been only on palm leaves in the northeast, came into prominence. The influence of Persian art brought placid garden scenes, illustrations from myths, legends and history into Indian art. Later schools include the Bengal School of Tagore and the Company School of European influence. More recently the opulent paintings of Raja Ravi Varma, the paintings of M.F. Hussain, Jamini Roy and Ganesh Pyne among others rule the art scene.

Crafts: Word craft, handicrafts, architecture and sculpture all contribute to this rich and varied domain. Indian literature, both in English and in the vernacular, is ever more popular around the world. Handicrafts are as varied as the country itself. The Mughal and colonial structures and the temple architecture across the length and breadth of the country are testaments to the lands exciting past. Sculptures adorn temple walls, stupas, street junctions and ancient caves. The oldest schools are the Gandhara and the Mathura.

Movies: The Hindi movie industry is the most prolific in the world. Based in Bombay, hence Bollywood, this spool-spitting machine takes on the onerous responsibility of fuelling India’s prime passion. There is sheer joy in the easy stereotypes of muscle-flexing machismo, leering villainy and leading ladies of Hindi filmdom, but not all Hindi films are a simmering brew of action, romance, and song and dance. There is a parallel stream of "art" cinema though it’s not nearly half as popular as the "commercial" stream.

Giving competition to the Bollywood masala film is the equally spicy south Indian fare. Regional cinema is fairly popular in its local context and with serious cinemagoers.

Cricket! Oh for the love of a six-er! India grinds to a halt when the country’s eleven don their colours. In cricket-crazy Calcutta, old folk gather to trash the ‘new fangled’ limited-overs format; in front of a million TV sets, four million pray for victory (often knowing they’re praying for a miracle!) tirelessly. It’s a mad-mad-mad world and in India cricket stars adorn the doors of innumerable cupboards.

Hockey, football and now the ATP tour too have a decent following.

Education

59.5% of India is literate: 70.2% males and 48.3% females. Kerala is the model state as far as education levels are concerned boasting figures of almost 99% literacy. Higher education in India has a formidable reputation. Whether in engineering or medicine, business management or social science education, India universities are at par with the best in the world.

Climate

In a country where topography varies wildly, climatic conditions are only bound to vary wildly too.
Classified as a hot tropical country by many, that is a definition that holds true for most of but not all of India. Exceptions include the northern states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir in the north and Sikkim in the northeastern hills.

In most of India summer is hot. It begins in April and continues till the beginning of October. The heat peaks in June with temperatures in the northern plains and the west soaring above 46° C. The monsoons hit the country during this period too, beginning 1st of June when they are supposed to find the Kerala coast. Moisture laden trade winds sweep the country bringing relief to a parched northern India but devastation in the east where the rivers Brahmaputra and Ganga flood annually. Tamil Nadu in the south receives rainfall between October and December, beneficiary of the retreating monsoons.

India’s extensive coastline lies almost entirely below the Tropic of Cancer. The coast is usually warm and moist, prone to heavy rains in the monsoons and high summer temperatures. The eastern coast is vulnerable to cyclones. Winters here are mild and pleasantly sunny.

Hill Stations are the happy peculiarity that came up here when British wives and officers needed to flee the oppressive heat and malaria of the plains. Quaint towns that buzz along "mall roads", tucked away in hills all over India, they are now weekend getaways at the height of summer for families and couples from India’s cities.

The plains in the north and even the barren countryside of Rajasthan reel under a cold wave every year in December-January. Minimum temperatures could dip below 4° C but maximum temperatures usually do not fall lower than 12° C. In the northern high altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim, and parts of Uttar Pradesh, it snows through the winter and even summer months are only mildly warm.

The east receives rain from April to August. September to November is relatively dry and the region only has sporadic showers. There are winter rains in December and January. This abates for two months and then it’s time for the monsoon season yet again. The central plateau has similar climate to the north but the mercury does not dip as low in winter. It rains from mid-June to September.

Habitat

From the highest point of the Kanchenjunga peak at 8598 meters to the lowest point at 0 meters at the Indian Ocean, India is the land that spells variety.

The 7th largest country in the world, it covers a total area of 3,287,590 sq km in area. It lies in south Asia jutting into the Indian Ocean in its south, undulating over the frozen wasteland of the Himalayas in the north, braving drought in its desert-like west and surviving fierce floods in its east. A substantial portion of northern India is the fertile plain where the great Gangetic riverine system irrigates vast expanses of the land bringing agrarian well being. The Deccan Plateau in Central India is rich in minerals. The Western and Eastern Ghats fringe the southern peninsula and are the setting for coffee, tea, cashew plantations, the Nilgiri langur and gaur, and the silversmith Toda tribal.

In the north-west, Pakistan borders India, and to the east lie China, Nepal, Burma, Bhutan and Bangladesh. To the south lies the teardrop shaped island nation of Sri Lanka. Beyond the peninsula the waters of the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean at the very south wet the shores of India’s 7000 km long coastline. Great vanquishing rivers are worshipped. The Narmada, Godavari, Krishna, Cauveri, the Brahmaputra, Ganga and Yamuna criss-cross the terrain bringing prosperity and fertility and often wreaking havoc in flood. They inspire songs and they bring misery; increasingly they are bringing hydroelectric power to millions across the country.

The Tropic of Cancer splits India in half. Sub tropical jungles house the Royal Bengal tiger, multiple species of deer and antelope, the Asian elephant, the Common, Golden and Nilgiri langurs, the one horned rhino in the forests of Assam, prides of Asiatic lions in the dry wilds of Sasan Gir in the west. And there is much more: river dolphins in the Ganges and Brahmaputra, crocodiles, waters that are teeming with mahseer, trout, carp, fresh water prawns, woods with fishing cat, civets, leopard, the cobra, krait and python, the grey mongoose, the gaur, the sloth bear.

There are over 1200 bird species including the Great Indian Bustard, the Malabar hornbill, Paradise Flycatcher, cormorants, egrets, darters and migratory Siberian cranes in the winter. India’s jungles, rivers, streams are simply bursting with wildlife, much of it protected in her 80 National Parks and 441 Sanctuaries. Camels in the deserts of Rajasthan, stoic yaks, sure-footed Himalayan Tahr and mountain goats in the north extend the scope beyond just that which is typical to Asian sub tropical forests of sal, shisham and teak. There are mangrove forests in the east and evergreen conifers in the upper climes of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Common flowers include roses, bougainvilleas, sunny marigold, water lilies, lotus and fragrant jasmine. In the breathtaking Valley of Flowers a sea of lilies, poppy, daisies, holly, pansy, geranium, zinnia, petunia, fox, caryopsis dianthus, saxifrage and calendula stretches out in the shadow of towering snowbound Himalayan peaks.

Governance

India is a federal republic with a very strong centre. The world’s largest democracy, it has universal adult suffrage above 18 years. General elections are scheduled every 5 years when the entire country participates in electing members to the Lower House of Parliament called the Lok Sabha. Members to the upper house are elected indirectly.

The head of state is the President. The head of government is the Prime Minister. In 2004 elections, NDA, the coalition lead by the Bhartiya Janta Party was defeated by the Congress. The Congress is currently the governing party and the Prime Minister is Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Economy

Though the constitution proclaims India to be a socialist country, it is in truth a mixed economy with a strong and influential private sector. Public sector undertakings controlled by the state are involved in many industries though the need for disinvestment is being increasingly felt. India has a planned economy.

It is largely an agrarian economy. Rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, coffee, rubber, sugarcane and potatoes are the bulk of the produce. Livestock include cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats and poultry. Coastal communities and those who live on riverbanks are often dependent on fishing for livelihood.

The major foreign exchange earner for India is textile, followed by Information Technology. With Indian IT professionals making it big in the United States and Indian IT companies proving to be among the best in the crop, there is new international interest in Indian professionals. Precious and semi-precious stones, leather products, engineering goods and chemicals are also exported.

Major trading partners include US, UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and the UAE.
Major industries include steel, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation equipment, cement, mining, petroleum and machinery.
Around 25% of the population lives below the poverty line.
GDP: $2.664 trillion (purchasing power parity)
Per Capita income: $2600 (purchasing power parity)

History - The story so far

Indian history can be roughly divided into the 6 periods of Ancient India, Medieval India, the years of the Company, colonial times as part of The Raj, the struggle for Independence and finally, post-Independence. India, the geopolitical entity as she stands today is a post-Independence phenomenon. It was as recently as "the stroke of the midnight hour" on 15th August 1947 when Nehru pronounced her "tryst with destiny" that India woke "to life and freedom".

One of man’s oldest civilizations was the settlement at the Indus Valley. The degree of sophistication that archaeologists found in their settlements almost belies the fact that these people lived almost 4000 years ago. The civilization had meticulously planned cities; streets met at right angles, the sewage system puts present day India to shame, and the tools and large granaries show that they knew more than a thing or two about agriculture. Seals of the Indus Valley have on them the only ancient script that is yet to be deciphered. The most important Indus Valley cities of Harappa and Mohenjodaro are in present day Pakistan.

The civilization died out in the 1500 BC. The reasons are a still a matter of contention and they range from the coming of the central Asian Aryan tribes to the changing of the course of the Indus River. While both these are true, it’s difficult to ascertain that these are what brought the end of the Dravidian civilization in the Indus valley. By 300 BC the previously nomadic Aryans had settled down in the region of north India. They had brought with them Sanskrit, a member of the Indo-European family of languages akin to Latin and Greek. They also brought the spoken literature of the Hindu life-philosophy, horse-driven chariots and a social system of caste differentiation.

The following millennium saw the waxing and waning of empires. In the north the great dynasties were those of the Mauryas (300-200 BC) during which period Buddhism received royal patronage, and the Guptas during whose reign the subcontinent is said to have enjoyed a "golden period" (300-500 AD). The intervening period had new settlers like the Shakas and Kushanas forming lesser kingdoms in the area around the Ganges. The influence of these Aryan kingdoms rarely reached the south. Regional dynasties like the Andhras, Cheras, Pandyas and Cholas ruled kingdoms in the south of the Deccan Plateau and lower down the peninsula. When unable to withstand the pressures of central Asian invaders the Gupta Empire crumbled, the north got divided into strong regional kingdoms (except for a brief period from 606 to 647 under the poet king Harshavardhan). This was the time that the Rajputs grew to prominence in the west.

Within 300 years of being founded in the 7th century, Islam had reached the western parts. But it wasn’t until the coming of Turkish-Afghan raiders like Mahmud of Ghazni (997 to 1030 AD) and Muhammad Ghauri (in 1192) that Islam made significant inroads to the heart of north India. The first Muslim empire was set up by a general of Ghauri’s, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, which is when the Delhi Sultanate came into being. The temptation of privileges extended to the faithful, and Hinduism’s own severe caste system made many convert.

The Delhi Sultanate was ridden with internal strife and saw no less than 5 dynasties come to power between 1206 and 1526. In 1526 a young Central Asian warlord who had already captured Kabul, set his eyes on the vast land that lay to the south. Tales of riches had reached his ears and Babur, descendent of Genghis Khan and Timurlane made good his ancestral legacy by defeating the Sultanate’s armies in the Battle of Panipat.

In a land of oppressive heat, and such a variety of people that he could hardly make sense of it, Babur founded the Mughal dynasty. Babur began the work of bringing the delicate patterns of Islamic art, the detailed craft of miniature painting, the severe symmetry of formal garden craft to Delhi. Till Aurangzeb, the 6th king of the dynasty, the Mughals had a liberal policy of religious tolerance and that helped them weave together a largely stable and tight knit kingdom that spanned a larger territory than any previously had. It was a time of plenty and emperors like Jehangir (1605-1627) and Shah Jehan (1628-1657) could focus their attentions on art, architecture and culture. It was the time when the Taj Mahal was built, as was the Red Fort, and the coffers contained the Koh-i-Noor and the ruby and emerald studded Peacock Throne. Aurangzeb’s religious zeal won him widespread resentment. The Mughal Empire began unravelling, unable to withstand the Maratha chieftain Shivaji’s guerrilla warfare. The last really effective Mughal king was Bahadur Shah (1707-1712). After him Mughal power and prestige declined steadily.

The first British East India Company officials landed in India in 1602. Eventually their interests ceased to be purely mercantile as they assumed more political roles. After the Revolt of 1857, the Crown took over the reigns and India officially came to be a part of the vast British Empire. The Raj settled into ruling this vast dominion and did so till in 1947 when the country was handed back to the leaders of the freedom movement. Gandhi and Nehru led the largely non-violent movement from the front with the backing of Congress and the entire nation. However, partly because of the British ‘divide-and-rule’ policy and internal contradictions in the national movement itself, a communal divide came to be. When India finally achieved freedom, it was combined with the trauma of partition and the formation of Pakistan.

Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India on 15th August 1947 at the head of a Congress government. The Congress hegemony ended in the late 60s, but it came to power intermittently through the 70s and 80s. The Nehru legacy was strong enough to make both his daughter Indira (who declared the infamous internal Emergency), and grandson Rajiv, Prime Minister. In the 90s the era of coalition politics had begun and democracy had come of age.

I N D I A
India travel guide>> tourism India, travel guide and tourist information on India, sightseeing in India. India, its cities, economy, climate, people and festivals. India tour guide and city guide.
India – the land to travel to, a haven of tourism delights, a civilization to tour through. Tourists come to India for its wealth of sights, cultural exuberance, diversity of terrain and in search of that special something, an extra punch that only India promises and delivers. Teeming with over a billion people who voice over a million concerns in fifteen hundred different languages, India is where people live with variety, thrive on diversity and are too familiar with largeness to let it boggle them. Mud huts and mansions face off across city streets. Lurid luxury and limp living are inhabitants of the same lane.
Kathakali Dancer, India

From the smoky mangroves of the Sunderbans to the steaming Thar Desert, sizzling cities like Mumbai and Delhi to the scintillating villages of Khajuraho and Hampi, from the heights of the Himalayas to the deep blue waters around the Andamans, India is a travel haven – a tour package that frustrates and delights, as demanding as it is rewarding.

It demands that the traveller be prepared for its own strange forms of tourism offerings - the crowds at Pushkar, for pushy mendicants at Haridwar, for high commercialism at spiritual retreats. But equally, it means that he be prepared for an overwhelming warmth in the people, ease of conversation, and to be stunned into speechlessness by the beauty, sometimes the manmade and often the natural.
Taj Mahal, Agra, India
But what exactly is it that gets two and a half million people to pack their bags, book their tickets, buy industrial size cans of suntan lotion and enough toilet paper to supply the entire population of Liechtenstein for a month, and wing their way to India? Given that this is the land of the Taj, granted too that tea, tobacco, tempestuous democracy and terrific travel are a great combination but surely that's not reason enough.
There must be more because between truisms and half-truths, India has inspired more than any one place's fair share of travel lore. And, perhaps that's what it is - the legends of India - that's what inspires people from far and near to travel here, to sort out for themselves what's true and what's just a whole lot of tourism pamphlet hype.

If that's what you're going to be doing, here's a bit of India tourism mantra to help you on your way: expect nothing and everything will be yours.

Beaches

Beaches

India’s coast is decked with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. From endless stretches of golden sand to palm-fringed coves, India offers the visitor the ideal beach holiday. Both well known resorts, such as Goa, Kovalam, and several intriguing lesser-known beaches are listed below. Hotel facilities and accommodation are also indicated.

Beach resorts

Major Beaches

* Goa: Calangute, Baga Beach, Colva Beach. Five star hotels with private beaches: Fort Aguada Beach resort, Oberoi Bogmalo beach and Cidade de Goa.
Reasonably priced hotels, Tourist Cottages, Tourist Resort and Youth Hostels. Majorda Beach Resort.
* Mumbai (Bombay) Juhu Beach Resort. Five star hotel complex, including beach cottages, Halcyon Castle, Kovalam Palace Hotel. Hotel Samudra, Kerala Tourism Development Corp. (Reasonably priced).
* Kovalam Ashok Beach Resort. Five-Star-Hotel. Halcyon Castle, Kovalam Palace Hotel. Hotel Samudra (KTDC).
* Chennai Region Coyelong: Fisherman’s Cove
* Mamallapuram (Chennai): Shore cottages by the shore temples. Mamallapuram Beach Resort.
* Puri 3 & 4 star hotels Tourist Bungalows, Youth Hostels. Major Hindu pilgrim centre.


Lesser Known Beaches

Note: UT Union Territory.

* Gujarat: Tithal, Ubhrat, Hajira, Diu (UT), Daman (UT), Chorwad, Dahan, Dwarka. Cheap hotels, Holidays Home.
* Maharashtra: Off Bombay, Madh, Marve, Manori. Cheap hotels. Murud Janjira. Holiday Home. Erangal.. Goa: Karwar, Ankola, Gokama, Honnavar, Bhatkal.
* Karnataka: Ullal (smaller beach resort, Summer Sands, Cottages). Udupi (Hindu pilgrim centre), Mahe, (UT) Mangalore.
* Kerala: Cannanore, Quilon, Varkala.
* Tamil Nadu: Kanya Kumari, Tiruchendur, Rameswaram, Karikal (UT), Pondicherry (UT).
* Andhra Pradesh: Mypad,. Machilipatnam, Manginipundi, Bheemunipatnam.
* Orissa: Gopalpur on Sea, Oberoi Hotel, Tourist. Bungalows.
* West Bengal: Digha, Reasonably.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

Wildlife Sanctuaries
Wildlife - LeopardThe Indian peninsula is a continent in itself, whose geographical diversity has encouraged the flourishing of a whole range of wildlife with over 350 species of mammals and 1200 species of birds in the country. While there is an overlap in the habitats of many species, each region has something special to offer - the hangul is restricted to the valley of Kashmir in northern India, the rhino is found in North-East states of India and pockets along the Brahmaputra river area, the black langur in the western ghats, and western India is the home of the last remaining Asiatic Lions.

Wildlife - TigerTwo of India's most impressive animals, the Bengal/Indian Tiger and the Asiatic Elephant are found in most regions, The tiger originated in Central Asia and migrated over the great Himalayas to the dense tropical forests, adapting itself well to the plains.

Wildlife - ElephantsA herd of elephants in the wild is a breathtaking sight. These huge mammals are respected by all animals, including the Tiger. Widely distributed throughout India, the Indian Elephant is slightly smaller than its African counterpart. Generally, only the males have tusks. Today, most of India's wildlife finds refuge in over two hundred sanctuaries and parks around the country. The following section gives a brief description of some of the more important of these. The accommodation often needs to be booked in advance, either by direct application to the hotel, resthouse etc. concerned, or through the local State TDC or the controlling authority of the respective park. Brochures giving further information may be obtained from Government of India Tourist Offices.

NT Tourism Industry

NT Tourism Industry

Tourism is a major industry and employment sector for the Northern Territory.

In 2007-08, 1.394 million people visited the Northern Territory. They stayed for 9.418 million nights and spent over $1.6 billion.

Tourism is estimated to contribute $775.78 million directly in Gross Value Added, or 5.80% to the NT economy. Tourism provides 9,680 jobs directly for Territorians, or 9.45% of total employment, a much higher proportion than the national average (4.69%).

Tourism NT's purpose is to market and influence the development of the Northern Territory as a quality, experiential tourism destination for the continuing benefit of all Territorians.

Tourism NT works closely with the Territory’s two regional tourist associations (Tourism Top End and Tourism Central Australia) which are charged with promoting destinations and attractions once travellers have arrived in the Territory and helping facilitate increasing regional dispersal and length of stay.

Tourism

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Tourism

"Tourist" redirects here. For other uses, see Tourist (disambiguation). For the places of interest, see tourist attraction.

France is the most visited country in the world in recent years.[1][2]

Parthenon in Athens, Greece.

Pyramid of Kukulkan, Chichen Itza, Mexico.

Trafalgar Square in London, United Kingdom.

Tokyo Disneyland, Japan.

Times Square in New York City, United States.

Great Wall of China, China.

Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

Topkapı Palace in İstanbul, Turkey.

The Giza pyramid complex in Egypt.

Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha – royal chapel within the Grand Palace, Bangkok, Thailand.

Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four (24) hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited".[3] Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2008, there were over 922 million international tourist arrivals, with a growth of 1.9% as compared to 2007. International tourism receipts grew to US$944 billion (euro 642 billion) in 2008, corresponding to an increase in real terms of 1.8% on 2007.[1]

Despite the recent global recession, international tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2008 followed a similar growth trend than the same period in 2007.[4] However, as a result of the economic crisis of 2008, international travel demand suffered a strong slowdown beginning in June 2008, with growth in international tourism arrivals worldwide falling to 2% during the boreal summer months, while growth from January to April 2008 had reached an average 5.7% compared to its 2007 level. Growth from 2006 to 2007 was only 3.7%, as total international tourism arrivals from January to August were 641 million tourists, up from 618 million in the same period in 2007.[4]

Tourism is vital for many countries, such as the U.A.E, Egypt, Greece and Thailand, and many island nations, such as The Bahamas, Fiji, Maldives and the Seychelles, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services, such as airlines, cruise ships and taxis, hospitality services, such as accommodations, including hotels and resorts, and entertainment venues, such as amusement parks, casinos, shopping malls, various music venues and the theatre.

tage (depending upon implementation some of these can turn into disadvantages)

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employment (1 emp/1000 tourist) (labor intensive, few administrative positions, little upward mobility.)

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infrastructure development (roads, water, electricity, telecom and cybercom, but not necessarily local priorities.)

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cultural preservation (economic incentives to preserve food, fashion, festivals and physical history, but these tend to be superficial elements of a culture.)

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environmental protection (econ incentives to preserve nature, wildlife and urban cleanliness)

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foreign exchange (generates resources to import food, pharmaceuticals, technology, consumer goods.)

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development of health care services (those these aren't always available to local people.)

Disadvantages (depending upon implementation some of these can turn into advantages)

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cultural destruction, (modernization (world mono-culture), freezes culture as performers, loss: language, religion, rituals, material culture.)

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primary products (sun, sand, surf, safari, suds, ski, sex) (little value added, neo-colonialism)

*

environmental destruction (game drives, resorts: golf, ski, beach, desert, world as play ground, SUV.)

*

marginal employment (low skill, low wage, menial services, prostitution, drug trade, gambling, hustlers.)

*

low benefits (no job security, no health care, no organizing, no work safety rules or enviro standards.)

*

development of illegal and/or destructive economic activities (markets for drugs, endangered species, etc.)

*

outside hiring (skilled middle and senior management recruited out of the area and transferred in.)

*

concentration employment (walled resort enclaves.)

*

seasonal employment

*

outside decision making (decisions made outside of the area, corporate dollars corrupt government.)

*

unrealistic expectations (divert young people from school and brighter futures.)

*

anti-democratic collusion (industry support of repressive governments)

*

land controlled by the elite (people relocated, agriculture eliminated, prohibited from N.P.)

*

negative lifestyle's (STD's, substance abuse, begging, hustling)

*

diverted and concentrated development (airport, roads, water, electricity to tourist destinations, development not accessible to locals),

*

little forex stays in country (airplanes, vehicles, booze, hot air balloons, generally have foreign owners),

*

package programs

*

cruises (eat and sleep on board so the economic benefits to the ports-of-call is very thin and limited.)

*

unstable market (fickle, affected by local and world events, generally highly elastic)

*

health tourism (traveling to get medical procedure at lower cost) has it own set of unique challenges, which include: Determining the credential, skills and quality of the facility and personnel. Language communication challenges on topics requiring a lot of details, sometimes even when both parties seemingly speak the same language. Different cultural issues and expectations around health care and the body. Post-treatment complications, after the "tourist" has left the facility.

Tourism in India

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Every year, more than 3 million tourists visit the Taj Mahal in Agra.

India attracted about 4 million foreign tourists in 2006 who spent US$8.9 billion.[1] The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate.[2] The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of Tourism in India. It maintains the Incredible India campaign.

According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be the world's leading tourism hotspot,[3] having the highest 10-year growth potential.[4] The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007 ranked tourism in India 6th in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety and security.[5]

However, India's tourism sector currently lags behind less endowed countries[5] and faces serious challenges including shortage of hotel rooms. In 2007, there were only 25,000 tourist-class hotel rooms in the whole of India.[6] Among other factors hindering the growth of the tourism industry in India are stringent visa requirements and congested airports.[5] Despite short- and medium-term setbacks, tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.[7]

India has a growing medical tourism sector. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are expected to significantly boost tourism in India.

Archive for the ‘Goa Tourism’ Category

Dona Paula beach: Romance with the waves

Posted in Beaches & Resorts, Goa Tourism, Sports, Tourism, tagged adventure, beaches, cliff, cycle, Dabolim, Dona Paula Beach, Dona Paula de Menezes, fisherman, Goa, harpoon fishing, Karmali, kayaking, motorboat rides, package, Panaji, Panajim, Parasailing, romantic, sand, sea, skibob, snorkeling, sports fishing, toboggan ski-biscuit, viceroy, water-scooter, water-skiing, windsurfing, yachting on July 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Goa is blessed with one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. For people who like the sea and sand, Goa will be their first choice. Dona Paula Beach is seven km from Panajim/ Panaji the capital of Goa.

The legend says that, the beach was named after Dona Paula de Menezes the daughter of [...]

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Parasailing, a thrilling water sport

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged Aguada Beach, alangute, Anjuna beach, Arambol, Arossim, Baga Beach, Bambolim, Benaulim, Calangute, Candolim beach, Cansaulim, Goa, Majorda Beach, Miramar, Mobor, parachute, Parasailing, restaurants, Sinquerim, Speedboat, Tourism, Travel, water sport on May 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Parasailing is an adventure & a thrilling sport for which one would require lots of guts. Speedboat and a parachute are the minimum requirements for parasailing. A long rope is tied to the parasail tackle at one end and to the speed boat at the other. As soon as speedboat speeds off into the ocean, [...]

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Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary in Goa

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged Aguada Beach, Anjuna beach, Arambol, Arossim, Bambolim, Benaulim, Calangute, Candolim beach, Cansaulim, Chorao Island, crocodiles, Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, foxes, Goa, jackals, Migratory birds, Ornithologists, restaurants, Tourism, Travel on May 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

The sanctuary is walk able distance from the ferry port at Chorao Island.

The Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is the only bird sanctuary in Goa, which is named after one of India’s most prominent ornithologists, Dr. Salim Ali. Thus, it happens to a great tourist attraction for bird lovers. The sanctuary also takes care to [...]

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Mayem Lake

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged Aguada Beach, Anjuna beach, Arambol, Arossim, Bambolim, Benaulim, Bicholim, Calangute, Candolim beach, Cansaulim, Cottages, Goa, Mapusa, Mayem Lake, Panaji, restaurants, Tourism, Tourist resorts, Travel on May 21, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Mayem lake is situated at Mayem near Bicholim, just 14 km south-east of Mapusa and it is also 35 km from Panaji.

Mayem Lake is a paradise for bird watchers. Most of the common aquatic bird species are found on the banks of the lake. This beautiful lake is ideal for boating and is awesome spot [...]

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Fort Aguada

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged Agonda, Aguada Beach, Anjuna beach, Arambol, Arossim, Asia, baga, Bambolim, Bardez, Benaulim, bogmalo, Calangute, Candolim beach, Cansaulim, Colva, Film shooting, Fort Aguada, Gigantic bell, Goa, lighthouse, North Goa, Tourism, Travel on May 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Fort Aguada (Aguada = Water) largest fort in Goa, located at Bardez Taluka, North Goa district.

This fort was constructed in 1612 as a guard against potential enemy attacks. The walls of this fort are 5 meters high and 1.3 meters wide.

The fort area is covered with a large well and a number of springs that [...]

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Sree Mangueshi Temple

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged Agonda, Aguada Beach, Anjuna beach, Arambol, Arossim, baga, Bambolim, Benaulim, Bogmalo Calangute, Candolim beach, Cansaulim, Goa, Hindu temples, Lamp tower, Lord Shiva, Majorda Beach, Nandi Bull, Panjim, Ponda, Sree Mangueshi Temple, Travel on May 20, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

The Shri Mangueshi temple is located about 23-km from Panaji. This is one of the most prominent Hindu temples in Goa and is dedicated to Lord Mangueshi, an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva.

The temple is known for its magnificent pillars which are considered to be the most beautiful among the temples in Goa. There is [...]

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About Goa

Posted in Goa Tourism, tagged about goa, about travel, ancient temples in goa, anjuna, baga, Beach resorts in goa, beach side food, beaches, bogmalo, calva, candolim, churches, colva beach, destinations, food items, goa attractions, Goa churches, Goa hotels, Goa resorts, goa tour, goa tourism info., goa travel and tourism, goa weather, lakes, popular tourists, resorts, sea shore, Tourism, tourist info, vagator on March 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Goa is one of the most popular tourist destination in India. In Goa there are many churches, ancient temples, adventurous forts, wildlife preserves, scenic beaches and even get away lakes. Goa has around 40 beaches and amongst the more popular ones are Calangute, Baga, Anjuna, Condolim, Bogmalo, Colva and Vagator.

rala, a state situated on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Named as one of the ten paradises of the world by the National Geographic Traveler, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives.[1] Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, has made Kerala one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry is a major contributor to the state's economy.[2]

Until the early 1980s, Kerala was a hitherto unknown destination, with most tourism circuits concentrated around the north of the country. Aggressive marketing campaigns launched by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation—the government agency that oversees tourism prospects of the state—laid the foundation for the growth of the tourism industry. In the decades that followed, Kerala Tourism was able to transform itself into one of the niche holiday destinations in India. The tag line Kerala- God's Own Country was adopted in its tourism promotions and became synonymous with the state. Today, Kerala Tourism is a global superbrand and regarded as one of the destinations with the highest brand recall.[3] In 2006, Kerala attracted 8.5 million tourists–an increase of 23.68% in foreign tourist arrivals compared to the previous year, thus making it one of the fastest growing tourism destination in the world.[4]

Popular attractions in the state include the beaches at Kovalam, Cherai and Varkala; the hill stations of Munnar, Nelliampathi, Ponmudi and Wayanad; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Periyar and Eravikulam National Park. The "backwaters" region—an extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that centre on Alleppey, Kumarakom, and Punnamada—also see heavy tourist traffic. Heritage sites, such as the Padmanabhapuram Palace, Hill Palace, Mattancherry Palace are also visited. Cities such as Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are popular centres for shopping and traditional theatrical performances.

The state's tourism agenda promotes ecologically sustained tourism, which focuses on the local culture, wilderness adventures, volunteering and personal growth of the local population. Efforts are taken to minimise the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people.

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Historical context

* 2 Major attractions

o 2.1 Beaches

o 2.2 Backwaters

o 2.3 Hill stations

o 2.4 Wildlife

o 2.5 Ayurveda

o 2.6 Culture

* 3 Advertising campaigns

* 4 Threats to the tourism industry

* 5 Awards

* 6 See also

* 7 External links

* 8 Notes and references

[edit] Historical context

Today, resorts such as this dot the length and breadth of Kerala.

Since its incorporation as a state, Kerala's economy largely operated under welfare-based democratic socialist principles. This mode of development, though resulted in a high Human Development Index and standard of living among the people, lead to an economic stagnation in the 1980s (growth rate of 2.3% annually[5] ) This apparent paradox — high human development and low economic development — lead to a large number of educated unemployed seeking jobs overseas, especially in the Gulf countries. Due to the large number of expatriates, many travel operators and agencies set shop in the state to felicitate their travel needs. However, the trends soon reciprocated with the travel agencies noticing the undermined potential of the state as a tourist destination.

By 1986, tourism had gained an industry status. Kerala Tourism subsequently adopted the tagline God's Own Country in its advertisement campaigns. Aggressive promotion in print and electronic media were able to invite a sizable investment in the hospitality industry. By the early 2000s, tourism had grown into a fully fledged, multi-billion dollar industry in the state. The state was able to carve a niche place for itself in the world tourism industry, thus becoming one of the places with the 'highest brand recall'.[6] In 2003, Kerala, a hitherto unknown tourism destination, became the fastest growing tourism destination in the world.[7]

Today, growing at a rate of 13.31%, Kerala is one of the most visited tourism destinations in India.[2][8]

[edit] Major attractions

[edit] Beaches

Main article: Beaches in Kerala

Varkala beach

Flanked on the western coast by the Arabian Sea, Kerala has a long coastline of 580 km (360.39 miles); all of which is virtually dotted with sandy beaches.

Kovalam beach near Thiruvananthapuram was among the first beaches in Kerala to attract tourists. Rediscovered by back-packers and tan-seekers in the sixties and followed by hordes of hippies in the seventies, Kovalam is today the most visited tourist destination in the state.[9][10][11]

Other popularly visited beaches in the state include those at Alappuzha Beach,Nattika beach[Thrissur], Vadanappilly beach[Thrissur], Cherai Beach, Kappad, Kovalam, Marari beach, Fort Kochi and Varkala. The Muzhappilangad Beach beach at Kannur is the only drive-in beach in India.

[edit] Backwaters

A house boat on the backwaters near Alleppey in Kerala

Main article: Kerala Backwaters

The backwaters in Kerala are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast). Kettuvallam (Kerala houseboats) in the backwaters are one of the prominent tourist attractions in Kerala. Alleppey, known as the "Venice of the East" has a large network of canals that meander through the town. The Vallam Kali (the Snake Boat Race) held every year in August is a major sporting attraction.

The backwater network includes five large lakes (including Ashtamudi Kayal and Vembanad Kayal) linked by 1500 km of canals, both manmade and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually the entire length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range.

[edit] Hill stations

Munnar in Idukki district

Perunthenaruvi water falls near Pathanamthitta, Kerala

Eastern Kerala consists of land encroached upon by the Western Ghats; the region thus includes high mountains, gorges, and deep-cut valleys. The wildest lands are covered with dense forests, while other regions lie under tea and coffee plantations (established mainly in the 19th and 20th centuries) or other forms of cultivation. The Western Ghats rises on average to 1500 m elevation above sea level. Certain peaks may reach to 2500 m. Popular hill stations in the region include Devikulam, Munnar, Nelliyampathi, Peermade, Ponmudi, Vagamon,Wayanad and Kottanchery Hills.

[edit] Wildlife

Main article: Flora and fauna of Kerala

Monkey seen in Nelliampathy forest

Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad is home to the largest population of lion-tailed Macaque.They are among the World's rarest and most threatened primates

The Konni Elephant Training Centre near Pathanamthitta - Old Training Cage

The Konni Elephant Training Centre near Pathanamthitta - The Soman

The Konni Elephant Training Centre near Pathanamthitta - A view of The premises

Most of Kerala, whose native habitat consists of wet evergreen rainforests at lower elevations and highland deciduous and semi-evergreen forests in the east, is subject to a humid tropical climate. however, significant variations in terrain and elevation have resulted in a land whose biodiversity registers as among the world’s most significant. Most of Kerala's significantly biodiverse tracts of wilderness lie in the evergreen forests of its easternmost districts. Kerala also hosts two of the world’s Ramsar Convention-listed wetlands: Lake Sasthamkotta and the Vembanad-Kol wetlands are noted as being wetlands of international importance. There are also numerous protected conservation areas, including 1455.4 km² of the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. In turn, the forests play host to such major fauna as Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), Leopard (Panthera pardus), and Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius), and Grizzled Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura).[12] More remote preserves, including Silent Valley National Park in the Kundali Hills, harbor endangered species such as Lion-tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus), Indian Sloth Bear (Melursus (Ursus) ursinus ursinus), and Gaur (the so-called "Indian Bison" — Bos gaurus). More common species include Indian Porcupine (Hystrix indica), Chital (Axis axis), Sambar (Cervus unicolor), Gray Langur, Flying Squirrel, Swamp Lynx (Felis chaus kutas), Boar (Sus scrofa), a variety of catarrhine Old World monkey species, Gray Wolf (Canis lupus), Common Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus). Many reptiles, such as king cobra, viper, python, various turtles and crocodiles are to be found in Kerala — again, disproportionately in the east. Kerala's avifauna include endemics like the Sri Lanka Frogmouth (Batrachostomus moniliger), Oriental Bay Owl, large frugivores like the Great Hornbill (Buceros bicornis) and Indian Grey Hornbill, as well as the more widespread birds such as Peafowl, Indian Cormorant, Jungle and Hill Myna, Oriental Darter, Black-hooded Oriole, Greater Racket-tailed and Black Drongoes, bulbul (Pycnonotidae), species of Kingfisher and Woodpecker, Jungle Fowl, Alexandrine Parakeet, and assorted ducks and migratory birds. Additionally, freshwater fish such as kadu (stinging catfish — Heteropneustes fossilis) and brackishwater species such as Choottachi (orange chromide — Etroplus maculatus; valued as an aquarium specimen) also are native to Kerala's lakes and waterways.

[edit] Ayurveda

Medical tourism, promoted by traditional systems of medicine like Ayurveda and Siddha are widely popular in the state, and draws increasing numbers of tourists. A combination of many factors has led to the increase in popularity of medical tourism: high costs of healthcare in industrialised nations, ease and affordability of international travel, improving technology and standards of care.

However, rampant recent growth in this sector has made the government apprehensive. The government is now considering introduction of a grading system which would grade hospitals and clinics, thus helping tourists in selecting one for their treatments.[13]

[edit] Culture

Main articles: Arts of Kerala and Culture of Kerala

Face of a Kathakali artist (Kathi Vesham)

Vishnu Moorthy Theyyam in Naduvilathu Kottam near Payyannur, Kannur.

The Padayani - Annual Ritual Performance of Kadammanitta & Thazhoor Bhagavathy Temple at Vazhamuttom near Pathanamthitta

Kerala's culture is mainly Dravidian in origin, deriving from a greater Tamil-heritage region known as Tamilakam. Later, Kerala's culture was elaborated on through centuries of contact with overseas cultures.[14] Native performing arts include koodiyattom, kathakali – from katha ("story") and kali ("play") – and its offshoot Kerala natanam, koothu (akin to stand-up comedy), mohiniaattam ("dance of the enchantress"), thullal, padayani, and theyyam. Other arts are more religion- and tribal-themed. These include chavittu nadakom, oppana (originally from Malabar), which combines dance, rhythmic hand clapping, and ishal vocalisations. However, many of these artforms largely play to tourists or at youth festivals, and are not as popular among most ordinary Keralites. These people look to more contemporary art and performance styles, including those employing mimicry and parody. Additionally, a substantial Malayalam film industry effectively competes against both Bollywood and Hollywood.

Several ancient ritualised arts are Keralite in origin; these include kalaripayattu (kalari ("place", "threshing floor", or "battlefield") and payattu ("exercise" or "practice")). Among the world's oldest martial arts, oral tradition attributes kalaripayattu's emergence to Parasurama. Other ritual arts include theyyam and poorakkali.

In respect of Fine Arts, the State has an abounding tradition of both ancient and contemporary art and artists.The traditional Kerala murals are found in ancient temples, churches and palaces across the State. These paintings, mostly dating back between the 9th to 12th centuries AD, display a distinct style, and a colour code which is predominantly ochre and green.

A procession of gold-caparisoned Kerala elephants at the Thrissur Pooram

Like the rest of India, religious diversity is very prominent in Kerala. The principal religions are Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam; Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Buddhism have smaller followings. The states historic ties with the rest of the world has resulted in the state having many famous temples, churches, and mosques. The Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi is the oldest in the Commonwealth of Nations.

Recognising the potential of tourism in the diversity of religious faiths, related festivals and structures, the tourism department launched a Pilgrimage tourism project.[15][16]

Major pilgrim tourism attractions include Guruvayur, Sabarimala, Malayatoor, Paradesi Synagogue, St. Mary's Forane (Martha Mariam) Church Kuravilangad built in 105 A.D and Attukal Ponkala.

See also: Pooram

[edit] Advertising campaigns

Kerala Tourism is noted for its innovative and market-focused ad campaigns.[17] These campaigns have won the tourism department numerous awards, including the Das Golden Stadttor Award for Best Commercial, 2006,[18] Pacific Asia Travel Association- Gold Award for Marketing, 2003 and the Government of India's Best Promotion Literature, 2004, Best Publishing, 2004 and Best Tourism Film, 2001.

Catchy slogans and innovative designs are considered a trademark of brand Kerala Tourism. Celebrity promotions are also used to attract more tourists to the state.[19][20] The Kerala tourism website is widely visited, and has been the recipient of many awards. Recently, the tourism department has also engaged in advertising via mobiles, by setting up a WAP portal, and distributing wallpapers and ringtones related to Kerala through it.[21]

[edit] Threats to the tourism industry

Nelliampathi forest

Kathmandu Travel

The Capital City of Nepal

Kathmandu CityKathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is the largest city in the country. Nepal capital city is in shape of Khukuri knife and its glorious history dates back to two thousand years. Located in the bowl shaped Kathmandu Valley, the city is the cultural hub of the country and probably the most sought after tourist destination. The home town of Newaras is the meeting point of various ethnic groups.

Kathmandu city is the conjecture to the major routes within and outside the country. Most of the trekking expeditions and tours start from Kathmandu. The city itself is home to the historical monuments, cultural groups, architectural wonders and exotic tourist destinations. The famous durbar squares of Kathmandu are world famous and the Kathmandu valley is a Cultural World Heritage site listed by UNESCO in 1979.

Fast Facts

Official Name Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC)

Location Central Nepal

Importance Capital City of Nepal

Altitude 1,336 m

Area 16,241/km²

Population 25.3 million

Native Language Nepalese, Newari

Tourism Language English

Temperature Max: 44°C & Min: 7°C

Nearby Cities Pokhara, Lalitpur (Patan), Nagarkot, Bhaktpur, Chitwan, Dhulikhel

Entertainment - Kathmandu Casinos

The casinos of Kathmandu are famous worldwide. These action-packed, lively casinos of Kathmandu make the night life rocking. These casinos run 24X7 and offer ultimate fun games and entertainment. There are four licensed casinos in Kathmandu, all located in the premises of the city's top hotels, which offer your favorite games: poker, baccarat, roulette, pontoon, blackjack, as well as other card games and slot machines.

Tourist Attractions

Hanuman Dhoka (Durbar Square)

The square is the complex of palaces, courtyards and temples that are built between the 12th and the 18th centuries by the ancient Malla Kings of Nepal. It is the social, religious and urban focal point of the city. Taleju Temple, Kal Bhairab (God of Destruction), Nautalle Durbar, Coronation Nasal Chowk, the Gaddi Baithak, the statue of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell, Big Drum and the Jagnnath Temple are some of the interesting things to see in this Square.

Swayambhunath Stupa

Also known as the monkey temple, the Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath is situated on the top of a hill, west to Kathmandu. The temple is considered to be one of the most popular, holiest and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. Large tribes of monkeys can be seen inside and around the temple. The golden spire of Swayambhunath stupa crowns a wooded hillock and offers a commanding view of Kathmandu city. This is one of the world's most glorious Buddhist Chaityas.

Boudhanath Stupa

The biggest stupa in Nepal is situated 7 km east to Kathmandu. Boudhanath Stupa looms 36 meters high and presents one of the most fascinating specimens of stupa design. There are more than 45 Buddhist monasteries in the area. The Bouddhanath stupa is also known as Khasti Chitya and is considered as one of the oldest stupas in the country.

Balaju Water Garden

The beautiful Balaju Water Garden is a famous tourist destination. It is situated below the Nagarjun Hill, about 5 km narthwest of akthmandu. The garden has an exotic bank with 22 stone waterspouts, carved in the shape of sea-dragons. The water garden also consists of religious shrines, fishponds and a replica of the statue of Budhanilkantha. The swimming pool inside the park attract a lot of tourists.

Budhanilkantha

This is one of the masterpieces of stone sculptures of Lichchhavi period. This 5th century statue is in the middle of a small pond and seems to float in water. The Budhanilkantha temple consists of a pond in which lies a great stone figure of the Hindu god Vishnu reclining on the coils of a cosmic serpent. The huge statue of sleeping Vishnu is believed to be carved from the single block of black stone of a type not found in the valley. It is believed that ages before the two hardworking farmers (husband and wife) discovered the statue when they were ploughing their field.

With increasing threats posed by global warming and changing weather patterns, it is feared that much of Kerala's low lying areas might be susceptible to beach erosions and coastal flooding . The differing monsoon patterns also suggest possible tropical cyclones in the future

Karachi is the cosmopolitan city of Pakistan. The capital of the Sind Province, Karachi has come a long way from an obscure fishing village in the 18th century to a leading city bubbling with trade and commerce. Once the capital of Pakistan, Karachi today is one of the most populous cities in Pakistan. A classic mix of old and new, Karachi is wonderful tourist destination.

For a tourist traveling to Karachi, the port city is a bouquet of varying tourist sights and activities. If the city offers a wonderful opportunity for water sports, there are other places that are a delight to experience. Karachi is one of the finest cities when it comes to infrastructure. Karachi has a number of high-end hotels, wonderful restaurants and bustling markets to keep a tourist busy. The city has an international airport, which links the city with rest of the world. Karachi is often called the gateway to Pakistan.

Most tourists to the city start their tour to Karachi with a visit to Quaid-I-Azam Mausoleum-the monument dedicated to the founder of Pakistan, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. But it's entirely up to you, the way you like your tour to start. You can visit the exciting markets that line the streets of Karachi. Hi-tech electronic shops are something that is hard to miss when strolling through the bazaars of Karachi.

The white-marbled Defence Housing Society Mosque makes its presence felt, when it comes to architectural masterpieces in Karachi. The single dome of the mosque is probably the largest in the world. Wazir Mansion is another wonderful place that you can visit in Karachi.

Other places of tourist interest in Karachi include the St. Andrew's Church and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. A tour of the city zoo is another fun option in the port city. Those interested in beach activities can head to Clifton Beach and Manora Island.

Located on the east of the Arabian Sea, Karachi offers some exciting water sports options. You can enjoy water skiing, yachting and cruising on your tour to Karachi.

Tour to Pakistan brings you complete information on various tourist destinations in Pakistan. Tour to Pakistan promises to offer you all the help to make your tour to Pakistan an exciting and memorable affair. For tour packages or hotel bookings in Pakistan, all you have to do is just fill up the form given below. Tour to Pakistan will get back to you.

Islamabad is a young city. Still in its late 30s, the city is vibrant, modern and beautiful. The true face of the progressive Pakistan, Islamabad is a city to get lost. Its wide streets, beautiful houses and colourful bazaars present a picturesque face of Islamabad. The power center of Pakistan, Islamabad is the capital of the country.

For those who love turning through the pages of history; Islamabad was made the capital of Pakistan in 1959. In 1960, a Greek firm (Constantinos Doxiades) was handed over the charge to build the capital city. In the year 1966, Islamabad was ready to make its entry into the list of some of the well-planned city in South Asia. In its 39 years of existence, Islamabad has seen Pakistan going through difficult phases. But the city has not lost its character of being beautiful and peaceful.

For a traveler to Islamabad, the city has an excellent infrastructure and some of the wonderful places to visit. Islamabad is located at the base of the Margalla Hills, which offer wonderful opportunity for trekking and hiking. Islamabad is planned in such a way that there are a number of spots for walking, trekking and jogging.

Islamabad is a complete destination that offers tourists beautiful gardens, wonderful monuments, exquisite handicrafts, great dining options to enjoy Pakistani cuisine, colourful bazaars and most important of all is the Pakistani hospitality. Unmatched in scale and warmth, Pakistani hospitality is what touches you on your tour to Pakistan.

Lok Virsa, which is the National Cultural Center and Museum, is an exciting place to get a glimpse of the Pakistani handicraft items. For shopping enthusiasts, Islamabad has many bazaars. You can rummage through an assortment of items at Jinnah Super, Aabpara or Blue Area bazaar. The other places worth checking out are Shakar-Parian hilltop, the Rawal Lake and Pir Suhawah hilltop. A leisurely stroll through the Jasmine Garden is a soothing experience in Islamabad. Those interested in the wonders of the past can head to Faisal Mosque, an architectural masterpiece. For the sporty kind, Islamabad has bowling alleys, golf courses and football and cricket fields.

Tour to Pakistan brings you complete information on various tourist destinations in Pakistan. Tour to Pakistan promises to offer you all the help to make your tour to Pakistan an exciting and memorable affair. For a tour package or hotel booking in Pakistan, all you have to do is just fill up the form given below. Tour to Pakistan will get back to you.

Hill Districts

The Hill Tracts is divided into three districts, namely Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban.

From Chittagong a 77 km. road amidst green fields and winding hills will take you to Rangamati, the headquarters of the Rangamati Hill District which is a wonderful repository of scenic splendours with flora and fauna of varied descriptions. It is also connected by water way from Kaptai.

The Hills

The Hill Tract is divided into four valleys surrounded by the Feni, Karnaphuli, Sangu (Sankhu) and Matamuhuri rivers and their tributaries. The ranges or hills of the Hill Tracts rise steeply thus looking far more impressive than what their height would imply and extend in long narrow ridges. The highest peaks on the northern side are Thangnang, Langliang and Khantiang while those on the southern side are Ramu, Taung, Keekradang, Tahjindong (4632 ft, highest in Bangladesh), Mowdok Mual, Rang Tlang and Mowdok Tlang.

The Lakes

Famous Kaptai Lake, the largest "man-made" lake, spreading over 680 sq. km. of crystal-clean water flanked by hills and evergreen forests lies in the Rangamati Hill District. The lake was formed when the Karnaphuli river dam (153 feet high, 1800 feet long crest) was built for the purpose of hydroelectric power project at Kaptai. The old Rangamati town was submerged under lake water and a new town had to be built later. The lake is full of fish and provides facilities for cruising, swimming and skiing. There are also facilities for angling and short trip by Sampan, local name for country boats.

The forests

The valleys of the Hill Tracts are covered with thick planted forests. The vegetation in semi-evergreen to tropical evergreen dominated by tall teak trees. The natural vegetation can be seen best in the Rain-khyong valleys of the Bandarban district. This district provides the country with valuable wood used for various purposes, besides supplying wood and bamboo for the Karnaphuli Paper Mills and the Rayon Mills situated at Chandraghona. Here a tourist may be lucky to see how huge logs of wood are being carried to the plain by the tamed elephants.

Climate

There are there main seasons, the dry season (November to March), which is relatively cool, sunny and dry, the premonsoon season (April and May), which is very hot and sunny with occasional shower, and the rainy season (June to October), which is warm, cloudy and wet.

Tribal life

The inhabitants of the Hill Tracts are mostly tribal. Life of the tribal people is extremely fascinating. Majority of them are Buddhists and the rest are Hindus, Christians and Animists. Despite the bondage of religion, elements of primitiveness is strongly displayed in their rites, rituals and everyday life. The tribal families are matriarchal. The women-folk are more hardworking than the males and they are the main productive force.

The tribal people are extremely self-reliant, they grow their own food, their girls weave their own clothes and generally speaking, they live a simple life. Each tribe has its own dialect, distinctive dress and rites and rituals. The common feature is their way of life which still speak of their main occupation. Some of them take pride in hunting with bows and arrows. Tribal women are very skilful in making beautiful handicrafts. Tribal people are generally peace loving, honest and hospitable. They usually greet a tourist with a smile.

Places of Interest

For visit of foreign tourists to the Hill Districts prior permission from the Government is required which can be arranged through BPC.

Chandraghona

Forty-eight kilometer from Chittagong, on the Kaptai Road is Chandraghona where one of the biggest paper mills in Asia is located. Close to the paper mill there is a rayon factory which produces synthetic fibers from bamboo.

Khagrachari

Khagrachari is the district headquarters of Khagachari Hill District. A drive of 112 km. from Chittagong, by an allweather metalled road through the green forest brings you to Khagrachari, abode of fascinating clam. For the tourists seeking nature here in restful mood, Khagrachari is a ideal spot.

Bandarban

Ninetytwo kilometer from Chittagong by metalled road, Bandarban is the district headquarters of the Bandarban Hill District. Bandarban is the home town of the Bohmong Chief who is the head of the Mogh tribe. The Moghs are of Myanmar origin and Buddhists by religion. Jovial and carefree by nature, the Moghs are simple and hospitable people. Bandarban is also the home of the Murangs who are famous for their music and dance. Fat into the interior there are several other tribes of great interest for anyone who cares to make the journey.

Bangladesh Parjatan corporation, the National Tourism Organization has created a number of facilities for the tourists at Rangamati holiday resorts.

SAARC Nations » Bangladesh » Cities of Bangladesh » Chittagong

Chittagong

Chittagong, the second largest city of Bangladesh and a busy international seaport, is an ideal vacation spot. Its green hills and forests, its broad sandy beaches and its fine cool climate always attract the holiday-markers. Described by the Chinese traveler poet, Huen Tsang (7th century A.D) as "a sleeping beauty emerging from mists and water" and given the title of "Porto Grande" by the 16th century Portuguese seafarers. Chittagong remains true to b

SAARC Nations » Bangladesh » Cities of Bangladesh » Dhaka

Dhaka

The capital of Bangladesh is Dhaka with its exciting history and rich culture Known the world over as the city of mosques and muslin. It has attracted travellers from far and near through ages. It has history dating back to earliest time. But the exact date of its foundation is not known. However, according to recorded history it was founded in 1608 A.D. as the seat of the imperial Mughal Viceroy of Bengal.

Dhaka as the capital of Bangladesh has grown into a busy city of about seven million people with an area of about 815 sq. km Having a happy blending of old and new architectural trends, Dhaka has been developing fast as a modern city and is throbbing with activities in all spheres of life. It is the centre of industrial, commercial, cultural, educational and political activities for Bangladesh. At Tongi Teigaon, Demra, Pagla, Kanchpur the industrial establishments turn-out daily necessities. Motijheel is the main commercial area of the city. Dhaka's major waterfront Sadarghat is on the bank of the river Buriganga and is crowded with all kinds of rivercraft, yatchs, country boats, motor launches, paddle - steamers, fishermen's boats all bustling with activity. Colourful rickshaws (tricycle) on the city streets are common attractions for the visitors. Some of the outstanding tourist attractions

of Dhaka are:

GENERAL INFORMATION :

Area : 815.85 Sq. kilometres (approx.)

Population : Seven million (approx.)

Climate : Tropical, with heavy rainfall and bright sunshine in the monsoon and warm for the greater part of the year. The winter months, from November to March, are however, most likeable, cool and pleasant.

Temperature: Max. Min.

Summers 36.7°C 21.1°C

Winters 31.7°C 10.5°C

Rainfall : 2540 mm annually

Humidity : 80 percent (approx.)

Mosque : Seven domed Mosque (17th century), Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Star Mosque (18th century)

Hindu Temples : Dhakeshwari Temple (llth Century), Ramkrishna Mission.

Churches : Armenian Church (1781 A.D.) St.Mary's Cathedral at Ramna, Church of Bangladesh or former Holy Rosary Church (1677 A.D.) at Teigaon.

Lalbagh Fort : It was built in 1678 A.D. by Prince Mohammad Azam, son of Mughal emperor Aurangazeb. The fort was the scene of bloody battle during the first war of independence (1857) when 260 sepoys stationed here backed by the people revolted against British forces. Outstanding among the monuments of the Lelbagh are the tomb of Pari Bibi (Fairy lady), Lalbagh Mosque, Audience Hall and Hammam of Nawab Shaista Khan now housing a museum.

National Memorial : Located at Savar, 35, km. from Dhaka city. The memorial designed by architect Moinul Hossein, is dedicated to the sacred memory of the millions of unknown martyrs of the 1971 war of liberation.

1857 Memorial : (Bahadur Shah Park) Built to commemorate the martyrs of the first liberation war (1857-59) against British rule. It was here that the revolting sepoys and their civil compatriots mere publicly hanged.

Bangabandhu Memorial Museum : The residence of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi Residential Area has been turned into a musuem. it contains rare collection of personal effects and photographs of his lifetime.

Mukti Juddha Museum : Situatad at Segun Bagich a area of the city contains rare photographs of Liberation war and items used by the freedom fighters during the period.

National Museum : Centrally located, the museum contains a large number of interesting collections including sculptures and paintings of the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim periods.

Science Museum : Located at Agargaon, the museum is a modern learning Centre related to the latest scientific discoveries.

Ahsan Manzil Museum : On the bank of the river Buriganga in Dhaka the pink majestic Ahsan Manzil has been renovated and turned into a museum recently. It is an example of the nations r cultural heritage. It was the home of the Nawab of Dhaka and a Silent [spectator to many events. Today's renovated Ahsan Manzil is a monument of immense historical beauty. It has 31 rooms with a huge dome atop which can be seen from miles around. It now has 23 galleries displaying portraits, furniture and household articles and utensils used by the Nawab.

Mausoleum of National leaders : Located at the south western corner of Suhrawardy Uddyan it is the eternal resting piece of three great national leaders, Sher-e-Bangla A,K. Fazlull Haque, Hossain Shahid Suhrawardy and Khawja Nazimuddin.

Banga Bhaban : Tourists can have a look (outside view only) of Banga Bhaban, the official residence of the president.

Bara Katra: This building of grand scale, now almost in ruins, is one of the most important remains of the Mughal peirod in Dhaka. If is of the type of 'Katra' (enclosed quadrangle building) with a gigantic frontage towards the river Buriganga. It was built by Abul Qasim, Dewan of Shah Shuja in 1644 A.D. It served the purpose of a caravanserai.

Chota Katra: Situated about 200 yards east of Bara Katra, Chota Katra was built in 1663 A.D. by Nawab Shaista Khan. This is of similar plan and purpose as the Bara Katra but is smaller in size.

National Art Gallery : Situated in the Shilpakala Academy premises this has a representative collection of folk-art and painting by artists of Bangladesh.

National Assembly Complex : Sangsad Bhaban, the National Assembly Complex in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar designed by the famous architect Luis 1. Kahn has distinctive architectural features.

Suhrawardy Uddyan (Garden) : At a stone's thrown distance from Dhaka Sheraton Hotel is the Suhrawardy Uddyan, formerly known as the Race Course, the popular park of the city. It is here that the clarioncall for independence of Bangladesh was given by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the 7th March 1971 and curiously enough it is again here that the commander of the occupation forces surrendered on the 16th December 1971.oth the descriptions even today. It combines remains true to both the descriptions even today. It combines the busy hum of an active seaport with the shooting quiet of a charming hill town.

Chittagong is the country's chief port and is the main site for the establishment of heavy, medium and light industries. Bangladesh's only steel mill and oil refinery are also located in Chittagong.