India Favorite Tips by Rupanworld Top 5 Page for this destination

Roadside saloons

Favorite thing: Many of my VT friends have recommended this, so why not try. In India one will come across roadside saloons where you can try a haircut or a clean shave (both of which will cost you roughly 25 euro cents or a little more each- quite a bargain.) Why not give it a try!!!

Little lesson on Hindi

Favorite thing: Namaste!

Here's some Hindi words commonly used that might make your travel to India simpler:
Water (Paani), Food (Khana), Lane (Gali), Road (Rasta), House (Ghar), The Ganges (Ganga), Money (Rupiya), How much? (Kitna?), Where? (Kidhar?), How? (Kaise?), Why? (Kiu?), Who? (Kaun?), When? (Kab?), Price (Kimat), Cloth (Kapra), Tea (Chai), Yes (Ha), No (Nehi), Very good (Bohot Achcha), Bad (Kharab), My name is ... (Mera naam ... hai), What is your name? (Tumhara naam kya hai?) Medicine (Dawai), Bread (Roti), morning (subah), afternoon (dopaher), evening (sham), night (raat)

Thank you (Dhanyabad)

Festivals: Diwali

Favorite thing: India is a land of festivals. Starting from the Pushkar Mela (the camel fair in Rajasthan) to religious ceremonies, every day there is some festival. Diwali or Deepawali is one of my most favourite festivals. Its the festival of lights and is a major Hindu festival. During this day celebrations lights or lamps are lit and the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. Diwali is celebrated in October but the day varies from year to year (on the new moon day of the Indian month of Kartika). It is believed that this day Lord Rama of Ayodhya, had returned home after his 14-year exile in the forest during which he defeated the demon Ravan. The people of Ayodhya (his kingdom's capital) are said to have shown him the way back by lighting rows of lamps until his palace.

Apart from the well lit houses with candles/lamp (and these days much with artificial fancy lights), the rangoli or the doorstep design made by women (generally) with coloured powder or chalk in order to welcome goddess Lakshmi, is also a big attractions. the rangolis can sometimes be very creative. Look at pictures 1 and 2. Pictures 3 and 4 show lamps lit during the festival and picture 5 gives an idea of the incessant bursting of crackers and fireworks that continues during the entire day and especially the Diwali night and two nights preceeding and two nights after.
Its definitely a very good idea to come to India during this festive season of October

House lizards

Favorite thing: If you are coming to India, this is something you are sure to come across, the indian house lizards, that are there almost in every buildings/homes. They are harmless if left unbothered.

A country with wide diversity

Favorite thing: India is not only a very big country, all its regions are so diverse that no tourist can ever get the true and complete flavour of India in one trip. I have lived here since birth and I am yet to travel to most regions. Just talking about the diversity of the climate: The North of India covering the Ladakh area is as cold as -50 degrees, while in the south of India, it is said there there is no winter season at all, the months here are categorised into the three categories, Hot, Hotter and Hottest. While in the West of india, in Rajasthan, you can see one of the largest and most beautiful deserts where one finds no rain, in the east of India is Cherrapunji which receives the highest rainfall throughout the world. This was just an example of the wide diversity that you come across in India. If you travel throughout the country by train, you will notice that after every 100 kilometers, not only do languages of people change, but also their dress habits, food habits, designs of houses, and even the look of their faces in general. The common birds in different parts of the country are also different. So while in East, it is generally crows that visit your terrace, in the north it is pigeons and in the west, peacocks.

Visiting a dentist or an optician

Favorite thing: This tip comes from my experience with many people who visited India in the past and followed this on advice of earlier tourists. Going to a dentist and doing a cosmetic surgery on your teeth might be too expensive in most nations of the world. In India, even the best and most reliable dentist costs you less than 10% of what you would ideally pay in Europe or America. Indian medical facilities are good, just ensure that you are going to a good clinic, that's all. Same with getting your eye check up, damn cheap in India, and so are good pair of glasses. If you are visiting India, why not take the advantage.

How to wear a Saree?

Favorite thing: Women from all over the world have a fascination for sarees. It seems difficult to wear and carry but is not really so. This tip is for all those female tourists who have a fascination for sarees and out of such an emotion have purchased or want to purchase a saree during a trip to India. For guidelines on how to wear a saree, follow any of the following links.

http://shylaacreations.com/Saree_wearing.jpg
http://ziegfeldgirl.wordpress.com/2008/02/01/indian-sari-or-what/
http://www.nightsoil.co.uk/index3.htm
http://rcscwc.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!CCF565E9EB04C861!230.entry