Detailed description. Delhi, Jaipur & Agra. Welcome. Day to Day schedule. Day to Day description. India's 'Golden Triangle'

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1 Delhi, Jaipur & Agra India's 'Golden Triangle' Trip code: Group size: Number of days: SRD Detailed description Welcome This Citytrip brings you to three beautiful cities in the north of India. First of all the capital New Delhi, with beautiful monuments as India gate, Humayun's Tomb, Red Fort, Qutab Minar, Gandhi Memorial and Jama Masjid. Further on to Agra: don t forget to explore the bazaars and gaze up at the iconic symbol of love, the Taj Mahal! Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan state has a wonderfully medieval atmosphere enhanced by the presence of palaces, sacred cows, fortresses and women dressed in bright saris. India, colourful and exotic! Day to Day schedule Below is a summary of the day-to-day description. Transport Route Overnight stay 1 Delhi Delhi 2 Delhi Delhi 3 Bus Delhi - Agra Agra 4 Bus Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Abhaneri - Kalakho Kalakho 5 Bus Kalakho - Jaipur Jaipur 6 Jaipur Jaipur 7 Bus Jaipur - Delhi End of tour - Delhi Day to Day description Day 1: Delhi Welcome to India! Your tour starts in Delhi, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later in the late evening of day 1 or early morning of day 2, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule.

2 Day 2: Delhi You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 8.00 hrs A.M. on day 2 in the lobby of your hotel in Delhi. Delhi! This 3000 year old city is the chaotic capital of India and forms a separate area in India, controlled by the federal government. The contrast between the old and new areas is enormous: The old area is a stifling, colourful, oriental ants nest characterised by narrow alleyways, temples and mosques, the Red Fort and the Jama Masijd, the biggest and most beautiful mosque in India, are found here. The new area is a grandiosely built metropolis with long, broad, straight streets, pavilions and parks. Between buildings are hundreds of monuments which each tell part of the story of the city s past. If you don t have time to see everything, don t worry as we return to Delhi at the end of the trip. Day 3: Delhi - Agra We leave early in the morning to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. The ride (about 204 km) will take approximately 5 hours; depending on traffic. No trip to India is complete without a visit to the world famous Taj Mahal. The stunning mausoleum is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world. Around dusk is a fantastic time to visit as you see the last rays of sun fall on the magnificent white marble monument. Day 4: Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Abhaneri - Kalakho You continue your trip through India to Kalakho but not without first visiting Fatehpur Sikri (entrance fees not included). Although now a ghost town, it used to be regarded as the ideal city to live in, due to the beloved Emperor Akbar who ruled between 1571 and The most beautiful building is surely the Jama Masjid (Grand Mosque). You journey takes you further to Abhaneri, where you can see the stepwell before continuing your tour to Kalakho where you will stay at the Umaid Lake Palace (subject to change). Kalakho is located in the countryside and is a wonderful place to experience village life! Often you can see how turbans and saris are made or you can attend an introductory lesson in 'Bollywood Dance'. Tired of all that? Take a refreshing dip in your swimming pool. Day 5: Kalakho - Jaipur In the morning you are free to discover Kalakho. Join in a game of cricket with the locals, learn how to fly a kite (if there is enough wind), or perhaps you're in for a henna tattoo. The friendly villagers are usually happy to play along. Check here for more information about the possible activities. After arrival in Jaipur climb up to the top of the hill where the imposing Nahargarh Fort stands. Enjoy the sunset, letting the superb view sink in. You will soon understand how Jaipur has earned its nickname (the "Pink City"). The major attractions of Jaipur are the Palace of Winds (Hawa Mahal) with its beautiful façade and the City Palace.

3 Day 6: Jaipur You are free to explore Jaipur. About 7 miles north-east of the city is the famous Amber Fort. Before Jaipur was built, Amber was the capital city of the region for 600 years. The actual fort stands at the top of a hill surrounded in all directions by hills, upon which smaller fortifications are also built. There are many marble statues and mosaics to admire here. It is a 10 minute walk/ 5 minute jeep ride up to the top. TIP: In Jaipur you can shop like a maharaja! Besides beautiful fabrics and Indian silver, gems are also on sale. If perhaps a cinema ticket is more within your budget, then the Raj Mandir-cinema plays the real Bollywood classics. Day 7: Jaipur - Delhi The last day of your tour. You will spend a little more time in Jaipur before travelling back to Delhi at around 11am (6 hours driving, depending on traffic jams; 240 km) You will have a room booked in Delhi and the group will normally depart later this evening. Your tour leader will say his farewells. We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of India. Your personal my.shoestring page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today. When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any posttour nights. It is possible that the group for a part of this trip is combined with the participants of our 15-Day North India in 2 Weeks, 17-Day India and Nepal with trekking and 14-Day India and Nepal in 2 weeks trips. Obviously, we ensure that the maximum of 24 participants is not exceeded. The local English-speaking tour guide(s) ensure(s) proper execution of the trip. Festival trips: On the trip with departure date March 16, 2019 visit the Holi Festival in Jaipur. On the trip with departure date July 30, 2019 you will visit the Teej Festival in Jaipur. The itineraries during festival tours may be adapted. If this is the case, information will be displayed under the 'News' section. More info What's included: accommodation in hotels; transportation in (mini)buses only for transfers from hotel to hotel; visit to Fatehpur Sikri and Abhaneri; English speaking tour leader

4 What's excluded: international flights; all meals; tips; visas; optional excursions; all entrance fees; airport transfers; booking fee; travel insurance Travel documents Travelling with the correct travel documentation is your own responsibility. Please ensure your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the finish date of your trip. For India, a visa is required for many nationalities in order to gain entry. Please check this information in good time before your trip commences as this information is always subject to change. You can check this information through a site such as this one. To arrange your visa, you should either contact your nearest Indian embassy or use an agency such as CIBT. It is now also possible for nationals of a number of countries to apply online for their India visa, in advance of travel using the E-Visa facility. Please check the following website for further information and online visa application: Accommodation and transport

5 Transport During this 'City trip' we have access to a private bus on transfer days. The transfers to and from the airport in Delhi are not included in the price. Travel distances Delhi to Agra: 204 km / 5 hours Agra via Fatehpur Sikri to Kalakho: 164 km / 4 hours Kalakho to Jaipur: 85 km / 2 hours Jaipur to Delhi: 240 km / 7 hours *Please note that times are approximate and will depend on conditions locally. Accommodation During this tour we stay in simple but comfortable mid-class hotels in rooms for 2-persons with private bathroom. Typically the rooms will have air conditioning available or sometimes a fan or a cooling system is used instead. In hotels where air conditioning in the rooms is available, a fee is sometimes charged for its use. Most hotels have a restaurant and usually a garden or terrace. The planned hotels in Agra and Kalakho have a pool, nice to cool down from the Indian heat! In exceptional cases it may happen the pool or usual hotel is unavailable. In this case, a suitable alternative (pool) will be organised. Participants who book individually share a room with another participant. We endeavour to pair travellers of the same sex. If you would like a room for yourself for the whole trip then it can be arranged. You will need to indicate this when making your booking and there will be a single room supplement charged. During your trip, it is possible to participate in 'single' excursions offered locally by the tour leader. These excursions are optional. To allow you to plan a budget for your trip we have provided you with an idea of the cost of these excursions. The price can change due to currency fluctuations. The amounts are therefore only meant to give you an indication of the cost. Entrance fees will often change and therefore are excluded from the prices displayed (unless explicitly stated). We display the prices in Euros/GB Pounds/US Dollars. When you are in your destination, it is possible to pay for the excursions in local currency. Single excursions

6 Excursion Details Price Agra - City Tour and Taj Mahal Book at location During the city tour of Agra, the following will be visited: Agra Fort, Taj Mahal and a stop for lunch Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): 10:00 Depart hotel to Agra Fort 10:15 Visit to Agra Fort (2 hours) 12:30 Lunch Stop at Riao Restaurant 2:00 p.m. Visit to Taj Mahal (3 hours) Return to hotel 5:00 p.m. Included: transport, English speaking guide Not included: entrance fees, lunch, camera fees and tip for driver 15 Delhi - City Tour Book at location During the city tour of Delhi we will visit the following: New Delhi: Humayun's Tomb, India Gate and Sikh Temple (Bangla Sahib) Old Delhi: Raj Ghat, Jama Mashid, Red Fort (photo stop) 14 Excursion Time (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): Excursion starting 11:00 am End of tour 17:00 pm Included: transportation and English speaking guide Not included: Entrance fees, Camera fees and tip for the guide Jaipur - Amber Fort Book at location During this excursion to the Amber fort photo stops are made at the Jal Mahal (Water Palace) and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). At the end of the tour participants are dropped off at the City Palace. Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): 08:00 Departure from the hotel to Amber Fort 8:30 Visit to the Amber Fort (2 hours) 10:30 Departure from Amber fort. Photo stops at the Water Palace and the Palace of Winds 11:30 Participants are dropped off at the City Palace Included: transport, English speaking guide Not included: Entrance fees, Camera fees and tip 12

7 Jaipur - Bollywood Dance class Book at location Bollywood is the dance-form made famous through Indian films produced in Mumbai (Bollywood). It is actually a mix of various styles such as belly dance, kathak, Indian folk dance, modern dance, jazz and even Western erotic dancing! Please bring light, comfortable clothing, ready for the dance floor! Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): Start of excursion: 16:00 End of excursion: 17:00 Included: transport and dance teacher Not included: tips 14 Jaipur - Night Tour by Ambassador Book at location Take a trip in the Ambassador, the iconic Indian automobile. The 'King of Indian Roads' takes you to Nahargarh Fort, where you have a beautiful sunset view over Jaipur. You will also make a photo stop at Jal Mahal (Water Palace) and Amber Fort. Excursion schedule (subject to change and in consultation with the tour leader): Start of excursion: 17:00 (winter) or 18:00 (summer) End of excursion: 21:00 (winter) or 22:00 (summer) Included: transport by Ambassador Not included: Entrance fees, Camera fees and tips 22 Festival info TEEJ FESTIVAL - JAIPUR Rajasthan is India's most colourful and exotic state. The fairy-tale palaces, the massive forts and ornate clothing of the population are a feast for the eyes. Rajasthan evokes the image of classical India. The land where time stands still, the country where Hinduism still survives strongly in its traditional form. During the Teej Festival married women pray for a happy and long marriage to Parvati and Shiva. The festival is celebrated all over Rajasthan but is the most colourful in Jaipur. Joohlas (swings) are hung in trees with leaves and flowers. In Jaipur, a statue of the goddess Parvati is shown in a kilometer-long procession accompanied by decorated elephants, horses, camels, floats and more. There is music and dancing. A truly unique festival to attend. News

8 COUNTRY INFORMATION INDIA BACKGROUND INFORMATION Culture The cultural differences between Europeans and Indians are so vast that one could write a book about them. Below is an overview of some points to take into account when mixing with the locals. "Yes and no": Maybe the most confusing cultural difference is the usage of yes and no. To begin with, yes is not indicated by nodding but by quickly moving the chin to and fro, causing the head to wobble (you should try it!). Secondly, whether spoken or wobbled, yes has a much broader meaning. Besides yes, it can indicate eh, or understood, or even something like that s probably right, or I have heard you, but I m not interested in what you are saying. Yes when uttered by an Indian hence doesn t give you a clue as to what they mean. No is a word Indians do not like to say too often, for example when asked if the bus to Colombo stops here. If offered a piece of liquorice, nine out of ten Indians will find the taste foul but the chances of them saying no when asked if they like it are very slim. Courtesy rules: Indians traditionally greet with a namasté, hand palms pressed together and held upright in front of the face. The higher you hold your hands, the more respect you express. In addition, with members of the same sex, you can often shake hands. Address everyone with sir or madam. Do not raise your voice, even if something does not go the way you like. It is better to ask for someone higher in rank, as delegation of decisions is not a strong point in Indian organisations. Presents are not unpacked immediately, but put aside. Showing eagerness is seen as a bad habit. Gifts: Do not be surprised or offended if you are not immediately thanked upon presenting a gift. The gift will usually be put to one side, unopened. This is not a sign of ingratitude. In India showing eagerness towards gifts is seen as a sign of greed, and not at all appreciated. Dress: Adult men wearing shorts are seen as ridiculous by Indians, and women wearing shorts as outrageous. The local population likes to dress formally for important events. Should you be invited to a wedding, ask about any dress code. Swimming naked or topless is prohibited. In a bikini, you will look foolish. Indian women bathe mostly in their sari. In practice, wearing a bikini results in persistent stares from Indian men. A bathing suit will make sunbathing a far more relaxed experience. Left and right: The right hand is used to eat, while the left hand is reserved for cleaning one s behind. Should you be eating a meal with Indians using your hands, remember to only use your right hand. Changing hands is considered foul by Indians. Do not touch anyone with your left hand. Appointments: We are from a hectic culture in which time equals money and appointments tend to be met punctually, or the day s schedule will be messed up. Indians do not have this problem. Not that they will always be late: it is possible that they didn t have anything else to do and that they decide to arrive an hour early. Privacy: Staring is not impolite and most Indians do not have the sense of space as we know it. They will come nearer to you than Europeans, like to join you when reading your book and they will study it meticulously as soon as you put it down. They may enter the room without knocking and they may stay around when they are done. It is up to you to indicate your boundaries. Men and women: In India, men and women treat each other differently than westerners. You will hardly ever see a man and a woman walking with their arms around each other. Physical contact in public between men and women is being limited as much as possible. To show your affection in public is likewise viewed as highly inappropriate. In stations and some cinemas, there are even separate cash tills for women and in trains there are separate compartments. However, the rules for the contacts between the sexes are rather liberal. As a man it is better not to sit next to a woman and not to talk to her. This rule applies in particular to women in their fertile age. Female tourists are free to make contact with Indian women. For western women, it is particularly important to take into account behavioural codes visà-vis Indian men. As a western woman, it is better not to look Indian men in the eye. Many men will think you are after something. Visiting holy places: Holy places must be entered barefoot, with the exception of churches. Hindu temples you must enter without head dress. In some temples, and always in the garbha griha, the holiest place of a temple, you are not welcome. To visit a mosque, wear clothes that cover you up. Sometimes

9 you are asked to cover your head. During a service, men are separated from the women. When walking around a Buddhist stupa, walk to the left, so clockwise. It is not appreciated when tourists make pictures in front of a Buddha statue. In Jain monuments it is not permitted to take leather objects inside (shoes, bags, belts etc). Sikh temples should be entered covered up and with something to cover your head. Begging: Begging is partly a socially accepted activity. Through giving alms, Hindus can improve their karma and well-to-do Muslims according to the Koran are required to give 4% of their income to the less well off. However, most inhabitants of India will loudly show that they disapprove of the same practice. Beggars are called bone-idle ; those people that want to get their daily handful of rice without working for it. Shoestring has the rule never to give money to children, if anything some fruit or something else to eat. (Preferably not sweets, there are hardly any dentists in these parts.) It is accepted to give to elderly people or invalids. The truth behind each beggar can be very different. One or two indeed have to beg for their food, but most are forced to pay for their place in a house with this activity. Besides, the number of drug and alcohol addicts is on the increase. It is wisest to give to a well-reputed charity. It is legitimate for beggars to sit near the exit door of temples and mosques and wait for baksheesh (alms). Both Hindus and Muslims have a system similar to our way of giving indulgences. Prices and haggling: Find out the real price of something. Paying too much leads to inflation and paying too little harms the seller. In practice, the price of an item will always be set higher than what you are expected to pay for it. It is better to see it as a game, which can be fun to play. In the eyes of the local population, westerners are always on holiday and earn loads of money. This can give them the feeling of being underdeveloped and poor. Try to give them a more balanced picture by describing daily life in the west. A cup of tea in a simple Indian street stall costs some 5 rupees, while we would easily pay 100 rupees at home. In general Be aware at all times that you are a guest in a country with different social customs than you are used to. Particularly during the festivals, it is important to adapt to the local standards, however strange you may find them. Religion The large majority of Indians (82%) are Hindu. The proportion of Muslims is 11.3%. There are also Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Jews, Parsis, Baha is and Animists. Hinduism It would seem as if Hindus have not much in common with western religion. In a sense, that is true. There is no central hierarchy, no common confession of creed and no founding father in whom all Hindus believe. Hindus express their religious feelings in various ways. For this reason, a concept such as ahimsa, non-violence, and ideas about vegetarianism co-exist with rituals in which animals are slaughtered or self-punishment is practised. A belief in reincarnation co-exists with a belief in a heaven for ancestors, and highly formalized rituals occur as well as highly emotional ceremonies. To get a better understanding of Hinduism, you should ask individual Hindus about their ideas on the matter. You will find that almost all Indians have very distinct ideas about their own religious experiences and are usually eager to tell you about them. You will probably notice that there are many different personal views amongst them. Hindus generally recognize the fact that life has four objectives. In the first place, the aim is to live up to one s religious and social obligations vis-à-vis the family and society. These obligations are summarized in the concept of dharma. Secondly, it is important to gain sufficient material possessions, so that alms can be given to beggars and itinerant holy men and the family can be sustained. This is known as artha. The third aim in life is experiencing sexuality or kaama, which should result in male offspring. The son is necessary to perform ancestral rituals. The last and highest goal is liberalization from reincarnation, or moksha (a comparable and much more well-known concept in the West is the Buddhist Nirvana). Apart from living up to these obligations, the individual Hindu is free to think whatever he or she wants. He can choose his own spiritual master or guru. There is a lot of respect for gurus and elderly people. An equal amount of respect is also paid to the numerous living holy men. Many of these holy men wander through India and are called saddhus. Most Hindus also believe in karma. This is the law that one deed prompts another, and everything you come across in life is actually a result of previous deeds. By doing good deeds you can build up credits from which you will reap the benefits, either in this life or in a following one. Hindus spend a lot of time worshipping gods that live in the temples. These can be enormous temples, or small home shrines in a corner of the room where the family god is worshipped. In the temple, their god lives like a king. Many Hindus believe that it is possible to actually meet their god in the temple.

10 The world of gods A visit to a Hindu temple is an introduction to an extensive pantheon of gods. Most Hindus will tell you they believe in one god, even if it seems thousands exist. When you question them about this oddity, you will often be told that the manifest forms should be seen as the planes of a diamond. If a ray of light falls on the diamond, a different plane will light up every time, but it will still be the same diamond. In the following we will pay attention to a few important Hindu gods: Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu and Ganesha. We shall also touch upon some goddesses. In the west, the Hindu trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Shiva is often known. Brahma is hardly worshipped, however, as he is too abstract, does not take on a definite personality and has created hardly any exciting myths. In the whole of India, there is only one temple that is dedicated to Brahma, in Pushkar (Rajasthan). Brahma is the creator of the universe and he is portrayed having four heads. Sarasvati originally was described as Brahma s daughter, but in later times was described as his wife. She is seen as the goddess of the arts and is mostly portrayed with a stringed instrument in her hands. Shiva is one of the most important gods in Hinduism. He is often portrayed as an ascetic. He is dressed in a tiger skin or an elephant skin, as a reference to two demons he has once slain. His body is greyish or white, because he rubs himself with the ashes from incinerated bodies. He wears his hair in long braided strands, the style many ascetics in India have their hair. He has three eyes the third embellishes his forehead. From this third eye he can evoke a destructive fire, to destruct the universe when creation nears its end. In his figure and the attributes he carries, Shiva unites many opposites. Hindus explain this is because he is a god encompassing the whole universe, from high to low, from clean to foul. Thus in his one ear he wears an earring customarily worn by village women from low castes, while in his other ear he has an earring with the shape of a mythical crocodile typically worn by Brahmins. In one of his hands he holds a drum, damaru, resembling an hourglass. With this drum he indicates the rhythm of creation. One of his other hands carries a blazing fire that he destroys the world with. On his head he wears flowers, including the highly toxic datura, a flower from which hallucinatory substances can be distilled. Around his neck he has venomous snakes, symbols of death. On his head he also has a moon s crescent, another symbol of death. His mount is the bull Nandi. Nandi almost always lies in front of Shiva temples. Shiva has always been the god of ascetics. Many of his followers are saddhus (holy men), wandering through India alone or in groups, their bodies rubbed with ashes, doing penance in bizarre ways. They can be recognized by the three horizontal lines they paint on their foreheads. Their attribute is the trident. Shiva s women are known by many names and figures. Parvati is Shiva s most well known partner she became the symbol of the submissive, subservient woman. She had to sit and watch how Shiva went off with beauties in and out of season, but he would always come back to her. Parvati is the peaceful form of the concept of shakti (female energy), although she can also manifest herself in different, more ferocious forms: Durga, Chamunda or Kali. Durga is often worshipped as an independent goddess who has nothing to do with Shiva. She was created especially to save the gods of a terrible disaster, with her own weapons. As Kali ( the black ) Parvati occurs in her most terrible shape. She is black, her tongue protrudes from her bloody mouth, and she is hung with chopped human heads and skulls, wandering over horrible final resting places. She is supposed to offer help where no other god still has any power. Remarkably, even the lowest castes are allowed to worship her, which makes her following very large. Uniquely, she is presented with blood sacrifices; during her festivals, numerous black male animals are sacrificed, varying from cats to buffaloes. Vishnu is a god appearing in numerous appearances. He usually has a character milder and friendlier than Shiva, although even he has ecstatic aspects. Vishnu is usually pictured with a blue body colour and four arms, in which he holds a shell, a club, a lotus flower and a discus. He often wears a crown and a yellow robe. Around his neck he has a wreath of forest flowers and various pieces of jewellery, including a jewel that fulfils wishes. Vishnu has two mounts, the snake Shesha and the bird Garuda. The snake serves him as a resting place, while the bird carries him through the universe. Vishnu guards the world and in case something threatens to go amiss, he will act. He will appear on the earth as an incarnation. The Hindus know ten classic incarnations: fish, tortoise, swine, the man-lion Narasimha, dwarf, Rama with the axe, Rama with an arch, Krishna, Buddha and finally, Kalki. The last incarnation of Vishnu, Kalki, still has to appear. He will appear as a horseman on a white horse with a sword that flares as a comet. With this sword he will destroy all demons that threaten the world. The most popular incarnations of Vishnu are Krishna and Rama with the arch, the hero of Ramayana. Krishna himself figures in many different stories and situations, and is especially popular in his appearance as a young cowherd. He has a number of affairs with the shepherdesses of the village where he lives. Later he becomes a great religious preacher and he lays down his message to humankind in the Bhagavad Gita, an important philosophical text that is a central text in the Mahabharata. A particularly popular god is Ganesha. He can be instantly recognized between the hundreds of god

11 figures of the Indian pantheon, as he has an elephant s head. Tens of different appearances exist of him. He is considered to be the spiritual son of Shiva, who would not be the one who begot him, however. He was born from the bath oil of his mother Parvati as a handsome boy. He developed his elephant head later. When Shiva came home after a long absence, Parvati was just taking a bath. She had put her son Ganesha in front of the door, on guard. Ganesha had not seen Shiva and refused to let him in. Shiva flew into a rage and beheaded the guardsman. Only when he heard he had murdered his own son, he had to quickly find the head of any other being to replace it, and this happened to be an elephant. When the elephant s head was hewn off and fell onto the ground, one of the tusks broke off. It was placed in the sky in the shape of a moon s crescent. Ganesha is a god that takes away hindrances, when worshipped. If not worshipped, however, he can create hindrances. Ganesha does everything for the people that worship him and for that reason criminals and black magicians often worship him. Ganesha is worshipped in almost all Hindu temples. He resembles a rat. Festivals Whatever time of year you visit, it is likely that some festival or other is taking place during your stay. There is often something going on in the temples every full moon. Some of the more noteworthy festivals are: February: Shivaratri is the festival in honour of Shiva. On phalgun, the night of the full moon, festivals are held in every Shiva temple. February/March: Holi is a popular festival, particularly amongst the lower castes. This festival is held to mark the coming of Spring. It is a time when all accepted norms are thrown out of the window and everything is permissible, comparable to western festivals such as Mardi Gras. During Holi, people drench each other with water and powder paint, so make sure you are wearing old clothes at the time, as tourists are a popular target and the paint doesn t come out easily! October/November: Diwali or Tihar is celebrated. This is the Festival of Light and is marked by the illumination of thousands of lights, fireworks, baking cakes and other sweets and making patterns in sand outside one s house. This is to accompany the return of the god Rama from his banishment in the jungle. The festival of the goddess Lakshimi is held at the same time. October/November: Pushkar Camel Fair. At full moon during the Hindu month Kartika Purnima and Pushkar transforms from a sleepy place into a madhouse. Tens of thousands of camels and horses and as many as a quarter of a million people descend on the area. This is the largest camel market in India, probably the world. The occasion is marked by camel races, music and dancing. It is a spectacular occasion, and people stay in large, colourful campsites where food is made readily available. Food and drinks The eating habits in India differ greatly from Europe and adjusting can prove tricky. People usually sit on the floor and eat with their right hand from a metal plate. Hands and face are washed before the meal. Eating breakfast or drinking tea or coffee before brushing your teeth is seen as dirty. Water is drunk during meals and should you order a coffee without further instructions, it will be brought to you after the meal. Talking comes before the meal; people rarely talk during it. If you are invited out to eat, chat amiably before the meal but leave after it. Women and children eat separately and only after the men have finished. Guests are often the only ones to eat, while the host concentrates on your service. This is a sign of politeness, but can make Europeans feel uncomfortable. Indians eat three warm meals per day. Many Indians are vegetarians for religious or moral reasons. Even eggs are often avoided. For a long time the Indian diet was restricted to fish. Vegetarians are well catered for. Meat was not part of the Indian diet until the Moghuls and Europeans stepped in. The amount of meat used in Indian curry is small compared to European tastes. Of the meat dishes, we recommend tandoori and tikka. Breakfast: Cornflakes, toast, jam, butter and eggs are the standard fare in hotels and restaurants. Indians eat idlis (rice cakes), dosas (pancakes), puri badji (fried bread with veg) or different types of bread with curd. Lunch and dinner: In India, warm meals are eaten in the afternoon and evening. There are regional differences, but in the large cities you can find places specialised in a wide range of foods although the variety is difficult for westerners to notice at first. Indian meals consist of rice and different breads, with curries and dal. Curry is the name given to all vegetable, fish and meat dishes which are prepared using the most complex spice combinations in the world (up to 25 per meal). Dal is the name of dishes made from lentils and is the most important protein source. Other than Indian cuisine, western and Chinese food is also available in the large cities, although some of the attempts to replicate western food have

12 rather poor results. One reason why the food often disagrees with tourists is that they often take too much curry in relation to the bread and rice. Curries are often spicy and fatty and should be eaten in relatively small amounts, as flavouring to the rice or bread. Snacks: Apart from the meals there are the snacks. Poor Indians often nibble puffed rice, dried chickpeas or peanuts. Belpuri is a snack favoured by people in and around Bombay. It is made of lentils, crunchy vermicelli, tomato, onion and fresh coriander. For a few rupees you can buy a small plate. Besides there are various fried snacks which are invariably vegetarian. Only in the more expensive restaurants such snacks are prepared with a meat filling. Some of the names of these snacks are pakoras, fried balls kept together by potato starch, samosas, small pastries with a potato and vegetable filling, and cutlets, snacks coated with breadcrumbs, filled with a varying vegetarian mixture and fried. Tap water: Tap water is not suitable for drinking. You will have to buy mineral water or use the drinking water produced in middle-class and expensive hotels and restaurants. This water is boiled or filtered with a bacteria filter. Mineral water is relatively expensive. For this reason, it sometimes happens that bottles are filled up with unreliable water. Always take care that bottles are properly sealed. Only in good restaurants are ice cubes made of clean water. Other drinks: At a temperature of 30ºC or over, our moisture requirement shoots up. If we exercise as well, the requirement can mount to over 5 litres a day. Part of this is contained in food; the rest of the intake must be drunk. When sweating, you also get rid of salts that have to be refilled. In case of heat, make it your habit to eat soup as a starter. Chai or tea is India s national drink. It is always served with a lot of milk and sugar. If you want it differently, visit a good hotel. The same applies to coffee. Soft drinks are now available throughout India. The local brands are sweeter than what we are used to. A fresh choice is the drink called fresh-lime soda: soda water with fresh lemon juice. You can order it sweet, salt or without any further addition. The same applies for another tasty drink, lassi, comparable to buttermilk. Lassi can be a source of harmful bacteria, so it is better to order it only in good restaurants. Ice-tea and ice coffee are also delicious drinks, the latter may be served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Also, there are fruit juices such as orange juice, mango juice, grape juice, papaya juice and pineapple juice. Mango juice and pineapple juice are sometimes hard on the stomach and it is best not to drink more than a little bit of them. You can also buy a coconut and have it opened for you to drink the milk. Alcohol: Beer is available almost everywhere, although many smaller hotels are not officially licensed. In this case it will only be available on room service. It is mostly sold in small bottles, although increasing numbers of large hotels have beer on tap. The best brands are Kingfisher, Black Label and Pelican. Beer is relatively expensive here, varying from 35 rupees in a shop to 100 rupees in the large hotels. Spirits are available in bars and wine shops, and are usually cheap imitations of whisky, gin and rum. Wine lovers would be better off bringing a couple of bottles from home, as it is rare in India. Restaurants and other eating places: In every Indian village you can find a small eating place with nice food. The ones frequented by Indians are very cheap. Sometimes you can eat there for as little as 35 pence. They will not appeal to everybody, as hygiene is not a strong priority. In practice, however, conditions are usually not too bad if many people are eating there. However, many westerners appetite is dampened by the décor in these places. In tourist hotels, Indian food may be served which is more adapted to foreign palates. The best food is prepared in the kitchens of local families. If you are lucky enough to be invited for a meal with locals, be sure to grasp this opportunity. Fruit: One of the greatest attractions of India is the nearly infinite offer of the most exotic fruits. They come in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes, but they outdo each other in taste. To explore this region is to surrender wholly to the strangely looking fruit piled up along the road or sold by women who make a living out of fruit selling on the beach or in the street. Some of the most delectable fruits are mango, rambutan, papaya, pineapple, royal coconut, sour sob, jackfruit, mangosteen, durian and the many types of banana.

13 Tipping Staffs in hotels expect a tip for bringing the luggage in and for rendering small services. The wages in Indian hotels and restaurants are extremely low, with the exception of expensive hotels, and tips are a necessary addition to the wage. If you stay a few days in one place, it can be a good idea to start to give a tip at the first service rendered. It can make the level of service provision much higher. A tip of between 5 and 10 rupees is sufficient. In the more expensive restaurants, a service charge applies. In cheap establishments tips are an unknown phenomenon. Taxi and motorised rickshaws drivers do not expect to get a tip. Neither do bicycle rickshaws, but the poor drivers can be made very happy with a few rupees extra. The Shoestring bus driver and his assistant also expect a tip for the time they work for our group. A measure for the amount to give to the bus driver and the assistant together is 50 cents per day per participant. If you are happy with their job, that is. For the local travel guide, 1 per day per participant is a fair sum. Naturally they would appreciate the tip to be paid in local currency. Weather and climate Northern India, which includes Rajasthan, has a warm and dry climate with cold nights during the winter and extremely high temperatures in May and June (temperatures during the day can rise above 40 degrees). Besides the monsoon season (July-September) there is little rain. In Rajasthan, it can go years without raining. South India encompasses a large area and hence has a variety of tropical climates. The most important monsoon is the wet south-west monsoon, which reaches the southernmost point of the subcontinent in the beginning of June, and the rest of South India a month later. The monsoon rains take the form of downpours in the afternoon and early evening. During and after the monsoon, the country is a lush green all over. Best time to travel: Spring (February and March) and Autumn (mid-september until mid-december) is a good time to visit Rajasthan. The desert nights in January can be extremely cold. February and March are very characteristic of spring months, while April onwards can see the temperatures rise to uncomfortable levels. In October and November, many festivals and celebrations take place. The summer months are hot and usually clammy. The nice thing about the summer months is that most people are awake in the evenings and nights, holding long siestas during the tropical daytime. If you can adjust to this body-clock, it becomes endurable. The best time to travel to South India is from October to March. From April to June, the interior of Tamil Nadu gets very hot. Monsoon time is actually not a bad period to visit South India. The landscape is beautiful with a fresh green colour and an abundance of water. The rain showers last a few hours a day at most and bring a welcome coolness. The weather is spectacular with enormous clouds and thunder and lightning. Streets can change into swirling rivers within minutes. However, the monsoon can make travelling slow as roads become flooded.

14 Population India s population is made up of different ethnic groups. In the Northwest, people generally have a lighter skin colour than in the South. In the Northeast, people have Mongol features. In 1961, India had a population of 440 million people, but is now estimated to have over a billion people, and the population growth poses an enormous problem for the government. India started with family planning as early as 1952, but it is doubtful if the programmes have had an effect. For the poor, children still are an investment in their future. Approximately 74% of the people live in the rural areas and the remainder in the cities. More and more people are drifting to the cities, hoping to find wealth and freedom (from the castes). The results are disastrous. Increasing numbers of slums are incorporated into the cities while the government lacks the means to improve the circumstances of the inhabitants. There are a great number of cities with over a million inhabitants, and the most populous are Mumbai and Collate (Calcutta). Despite the fact that there is a powerful feminist movement in India and that in the higher castes women have a reasonable position, women in India are seen, in general, as very inferior to men. Particularly in the rural communities, women are practically slaves with no say whatsoever. Couples hope for a child, but especially for a boy, as boys strengthen the family. His wife will come to live with him later and will bring in a dowry. To have a daughter means to have to pay a dowry and more often than not, financial worries.

15 Landscape Rajasthan: An exotic state, resembling something out of a storybook. The landscape is characterised by endless desert, interspersed with caravans, camels, fortress cities and large luxury palaces where the Rajput princes lived. Many of these palaces are architectural masterpieces, although they are expensive to maintain and for this reason many have been turned into museums to raise extra revenue. Rajastan has an area of 132,150 square miles (one and a half times the size of Great Britain) and is the secondlargest federal state in India after Madhya Pradesh. Two-thirds of the area of the state is taken up by the Thar Desert, which extends into Pakistan and is bordered on its east side by the Aravalli mountain range. This is the oldest mountain range in India and it splits Rajasthan diagonally from northeast to southwest. To the east of the Aravalli, the terrain is greener and more fertile, whereas the Thar Desert is barren and dry. Tamil Nadu: The Tamils view their land as holy, chosen by the gods. There are temples everywhere and the presence of Shiva, Vishnu, Murugan, Ganesha and numerous other goddesses bless the land. Here and there, in the course of history these temples have developed into enormous complexes. Where there isn t a temple, one should not live, according to a well-known Tamil saying. The Tamil language flows as sweet honey, in the opinion of the population it is about one of the oldest of the Dravidian languages. Old poets composed songs which resound still daily within the walls of these houses of the gods. Tamil Nadu is the most anti-aryan and anti-northern-india of the southerly states. Several times in the past, this has led to regionalism, sometimes even in militant form. Nowhere in India is the resistance against Hindi as a national language as fierce as in Tamil Nadu. Together with Orissa, Tamil Nadu is one of the most Hindu regions in India. Islam has reached the area quite late and hence Hinduism was able to develop relatively undisturbed. Most Hindus in Tamil Nadu profess a type of Hinduism which may be called bhakti, loving dedication to a deity or participation in a deity. Such dedication sometimes originates in fear but it is mostly characterized by affection and emotion. The deity grants his blessings as a way of supporting his earthly beings. Tamil Nadu has given the world some highly special art forms. In the first place this includes the Bharata Natyam dancing tradition. This tradition now has come out of the temples and courts of principals and now reaches a large audience even extending outside India s borders. A second example is the South-Indian art of bronze casting, which reached its high point in the dynamic posture of the dancing Shiva, a figure which made a deep impression on the French sculptor Rodin. Kerala: This small state lies on the west coast of the Nilgiri, South India s coastal mountain range. The combination of two wet monsoons and the rain clouds colliding with the mountains causes Kerala to be the greenest part of South India. The high precipitation and fertility of the soil enables intensive agriculture. Three rice harvests annually is not uncommon, with coconut, in a wide diversity of applications, makes up a quarter of the population s diet. The high agricultural output could well explain the high population density of the state. In the coastal areas, large cities have been built with small bungalows in large gardens, alternating with rice fields and coconut plantations. Each plot is cultivated. An oddity are the backwaters, a system of channels, rivers and islands right behind the coast, where the people live right next to and on the water. The hills and mountains offer a different perspective. Here some dense jungle alternates with rubber and spice plantations and, higher in the mountains, tea and coffee plantations. Large areas have been deforested through logging. The government works to counter the destructive erosion by encouraging eucalyptus and agave plantations. Kerala is the land of opposites. It is a well-developed area and the state can be proud of the fact that in Kerala illiteracy is the lowest in the country. Birth control is at a Western European level and there is not the distressing poverty one witnesses in other regions of India. This situation is largely the credit of a powerful communist movement which has made up the largest political party here since India s independence. However, at the same time, Kerala houses the most conservative institutes of Hindu society. Kerala is of importance for the traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Nowhere in India has this science been preserved as authentically as here and nowhere do people stick to tradition so strongly. Despite the communist sympathies of the people, it is here that we encounter the invisibles, a casteless group ranking lower than the untouchables, whose aspect is so defiling that the members of this caste may appear on the street only at night.

16 Background Info The castes Unlike in western societies, where the principle of equality of individuals is stressed, in India one man in principle is not equal to the other. Society is divided up in a hierarchy from high to low and this hierarchy determines a large part of daily life. The various groups are usually called castes. The subdivision in main castes includes the four varnas. The first varna is the class of priests, the Brahmins. The second varna is made up of nobility and fighters, the ksatriyas. This caste makes up the brunt of the present army, politicians and the police. The third caste is made up of craftsmen and tradesmen, the vaisyas, while the fourth caste consists of the sudras. The fourth varna s task is to serve the other three. It is mostly the great mass of farmers belonging to this class. Apart from these four groups there is also the group of avarnas, the so-called outcastes. These untouchables are considered to be highly unclean, the dregs of society. They have to do the foulest jobs, such as cleaning toilets and streets. All professions that have to do with blood (butchers, even midwives) and death (cremators, leather workers) may only be exercised by outcasts. The untouchables are a very important part of Indian society. In the course of history, forward-thinking philosophers have condemned the caste system time and time again and of course they found supporters among this very group. In our time, Mahatma Gandhi has been so valiant to fight for the abolition of the caste system and he called the untouchables harijanes, children of god. Officially, the castes have now been abolished under the constitution and discrimination as to caste is forbidden. However, in practice it turns out that a system which has ruled society for over 3000 years cannot be eradicated in one or two generations. Caste rules are most specific in three areas. In the first place, they rule the choice of a marriage partner. Castes are endogamous, meaning caste members marry only within their own caste. Secondly, professions are made up of the same caste. Thirdly, in theory it is not allowed to eat with non-caste members. The subdivision in castes has everything to do with the beliefs about the cleanliness of a caste. Many Indians believe that uncleanliness can be passed on by eating together. It is permitted to eat food prepared by someone from a higher caste; however, eating food that was prepared by someone from a lower caste leads to uncleanliness. Hence, Brahmins are very sought-after cooks, as food prepared by them is acceptable for anyone. There is also food which is never unclean, whoever prepared it. This applies to nuts, betel leaves and fruit. These can be accepted from anyone. Indians recognize each other s caste by physical features or by language. PRACTICAL INFORMATION Arrival information On your first day in India, take it easy. Take time to adapt. The change of climate, culture and food can be quite challenging. Particularly in the larger cities, traders can be pretty obtrusive. Stay calm, but indicate clearly when you are not interested in buying. Let the country sink in. Enjoy yourself! Time differences In India it is four and a half hours later than in western Europa (five and a half hours later than in Britain). In the summertime, the difference is one hour less. Money The pocket money we recommend is a minimum to pay for your meals, drinks, optional excursions, entry fees, local airport taxes and tips. Clearly, the amount that you spend depends on your personal purchasing behaviour, and for this reason expenditure on souvenirs is not included in the recommended pocket money. We suggest an amount of per week.