Traveling safely and for cheap in India during monsoons
What tourists should know about traveling in India during monsoons
Unlike what many people think, traveling in India during rainy monsoon season can be fun. Sure, there are usual reasons against it like unreliable routes, humid weather etc. A random flood or land slide can spoil any well planned travel itinerary. But traveling in India during monsoon season can be advantageous for a number of reasons. Tourists get great discounts on air fares, hotels and also enjoy their sightseeing as peak season crowds are absent.
Let us explain a little about Indian monsoons before going any further.
India is a a very big country and is justly classified as a sub-continent not only due to it’s size but also the large diversity in terms of landscapes and weather. Evergreen tropical forests in east, cold snow covered Himalayan mountains in north, hot Thar deserts in west, temperate coasts in south and more, these all provide tourists with a wide variety of options and time periods in which to explore the country. There is actually no definite or set time to visit India. Different regions have different peak-season for tourists , but that will need another article by itself.
Raneh waterfalls during monsoon season, India
Monsoon is the rainy season in India which lasts from June to September in different parts. It hits Kerala in southern India first in early June and travels northwards. Northern parts of India receive first monsoon showers late June or early July. Not every region experiences equal rainfall or at same time. They all have different experiences with monsoon rains. These rains are very important in economy and lives of everyone in the sub-continent.
The arrival of monsoon rains marks the end of infamous hot and dusty Indian summers and makes the conditions cooler and surroundings much more green and beautiful. Indian people like rains and seeing them enjoying the rainfall by getting soaked in the rain showers is a common sight. One of the most common snacks during this season is a combination of Chai ( type of milky Indian tea) and hot Pakoda (a fried salty snack)
Here is how tourists can enjoy monsoon travel in India
Advantages of traveling during monsoons in India
1) Good discounts in hotels, airlines and other businesses
A lot of airlines and hotels offer very good discounts during monsoons due to lean season, which can really decrease your travel expenses. As the majority of people like to stay indoors during rains, tourist activity is much less and you can enjoy your travel in comparative peace and leisure.
3) Different weather, landscapes and customised plans
Due to different landscapes and weather in different regions, tourists in India can plan their trips all year round. A tourist in India is not bound to dates in a calendar or weather reports to plan and enjoy the journey.
3) Greenery and pleasant weather
Everything comes to life during monsoons in India. The weather is pleasant, cool breeze blow almost all day long and the surroundings are covered with lush new greenery which is a relaxing sight . Places like parts of eastern and central India, Kerala, Western Ghats are even more stunning during monsoons due to clouds and greenery. A lot of rivers are in full flow and this makes for spectacular waterfalls.
4) Cleansing season
Many people think that rains of monsoons are have a cleansing effect, Pollution due to smoke and dust particles is minimised and people are generally more comfortable in this cooler weather. Ayurvedic detoxification during monsoon is very popular these days. Some herbs used in certain ayurvedic practices grow only during monsoons and the rains seem to have a good effect on efficacy of certain plants.
Precautions for travelers in India during monsoon season
Here are some basic precautions that the tourists should observe while traveling in India during monsoons:
1) Carefully plan road trips
Mountainous regions almost everywhere are susceptible to road blockages due to landslides, flash floods etc during rainy season. Plans your road trips by taking these factors in to count.
2) Closed wild life parks
Most of national parks and wild-life areas are closed for tourists during monsoons. So if you are looking for clicking a rhinoceros, tiger or any other exotic animal, confirm the availability in advance.
3) Consume safe water
Although it’s a very general rule, we can’t stress this enough. Don’t drink tap water or even from natural sources like lakes and rivers during rainy season. Always stick to bottled or filtered water.
4) Be cautious of bugs
Bugs and other critters like mosquitoes, flies, snakes etc can be a nuisance during rainy season. Keep an insect repellant handy and be careful of where you step or sleep/
That’s everything that we have to say about traveling in India during rainy monsoons for now. We hope that this article may be of some use for travelers. Please feel free to contact us for feedback or more information.
Gujarati food is more than just Dhokla. North Gujarat, Kacch, Kathiyawad and Surti Gujarat are the four major regions of Gujarat and each of these bring their own uniqueness to Gujarati cuisine. Dabeli, Kutch dabeli or double roti is a popular snack food originating in the Kutchof Gujarat. Dabeli literally means “pressed” in Gujarati.It is made with mixing boiled potatoes with a special masala and served with chutney, pomegranate and roasted peanuts. Fafda is a popular Gujarati snack. Fafda is usually yellowish in complexion. It is eaten with a chutney and salty fried-green chilis. Jalebi is sweet and crunchy making this sweet-savoury dish a favourite. Khaman is a food common in the Gujarat , made from soaked and freshly ground chana dal .The final touch to the soft and fluffy khaman is added with a garnishing of sesame seeds, mustard seeds, coriander leaves. It is a variant of Dhokla and has a lighter colour. Khichu is a dough for making papad made from rice flour, however, a few other flours are also used. The snack is prepared by cooking flour in water like porridge with cumin seeds and an alkaline salt known as Papad Khar.The name khichu is derived from the ductile nature of the dough. Khandvi consists of yellowish, tightly rolled bite-sized pieces and is primarily made of gram flour and yogurt. Khandvi is readily available across India and is commonly eaten as an appetizer or snack and is served with garlic chutney. Muthia is a staple of Gujaratis.The name is derived from the way it is made, from the ‘gripping’ action of the hand. Muthia assembles a shape of sausage. The inclusion of fenugreek makes Muthia good for bowel movement. Sev Tameta is made using juicy tomatoes served with heaps of besan sev. The gujrati version of the dish is a bit sweeter with the inclusion of jaggery.
For tourists all over the world, it’s hard job to avoid getting cheated by different kinds of tourist scams. Touts and middlemen are a bane of tourists everywhere. They are pesky, greedy, dishonest and always looking for a way to con unsuspecting tourists out of money by any means possible. This article is intended to help tourists avoid getting cheated by scams perpetrated by such touts and other scammers. But first, we’ll explain what we are talking about by the help of some real life incidents. Examples of travel scams 1) Tea tasting scams There are numerous versions of this tourist scam all over the world. In this, a very friendly local will ask you for a minor favour like taking a picture, then try to gain your trust by any means possible. Then they offer to take you to a very unique restaurant, festival etc for a special tea tasting session, best food in town or something similar. When it comes to the point of paying for it, they show their true colours by presenting an amount that could buy enough food to feed 100s of people for weeks. 2) Providing wrong information The most recent one we heard was from an American tourist who wanted to see Delh’s Red Fort (Lal Qila). He got out of his hotel from Paharganj, which is only 10-15 minutes drive from the fort and started looking for an auto-rickshaw to get there. A tout came up to him and offered him to take him there in his ‘private car’, which would have cost 5-6 times what auto-rickshaw would have charged. When the tourist refused, the tout told him that due to terrorist threat, only private cars were allowed inside the fort and auto-rickshaws and other vehicles are not. Fortunately, the tourist was smart and he ignored everything the tout said. He hired an auto-rickshaw and visited Red Fort without any issue. 3) Tour of workshops, showrooms One of the most infamous scams in many tourist hot-spots is touts, guides, taxi-drivers etc taking to you for a tour of a workshop, garments factory, rug factory etc and claim that it’s just part of the tour and they are under no pressure to buy anything. But the unsuspecting tourists are tricked in to buying some useless trinket at vastly inflated prices by the silver-tongued touts. 4) Recommending shady businesses Touts and middle-men like to recommend particular hotels, shops or relevant business establishment by promising good deals and discounts. Everyone from taxi drivers to guides to travel agents and hotel owners are guilty of this. In some cases, they can get you something you may or may not require, but it’s almost always at inflated prices due to commissions involved. The business owner is obligated to pay sums as high as 50% of the sale value to the referrer. How to avoid travel scams while traveling As evident, any tourist is very likely to be approached by unscrupulous touts in a wide variety of situations. Here is how you can avoid losing your money in any of common travel scams: 1) Read reviews Most of reputable businesses worth their salt have an online presence by the means of a website, reviews of forums and various travel related sites like Tripzar, Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor and many others. Look around for what other travelers are saying about them. Many businesses will have some bad reviews. In that case check how they responded or did anything to make up for the bad experience. There are many business with no online presence which can be good, but always ask fellow travelers before spending your money. People who are in business for long care about their reputation and are more trustworthy than small time touts who care only about money. 2) Contact in advance and keep things clear It’s important that a tourist knows every relevant detail before handing over the money. It’s easy to fall for common travel scams if you don’t know how your money will be spent by agents. If you are planning any trip, make sure to have information about every hotel, car, guide, driver, food, sightseeing etc. written down for quick reference. It’s helpful in more than one way. Not only you have a good idea of what you are paying for, but you can also weed out the things you don’t need or ask for upgrades and better facilities. 3) Avoid the shops random strangers and untrustworthy guides insist on As mentioned above, most business owners pay a very large percentage of their sales amount to whoever brings clients to them. . While a small commission is OK, most of the time, it’s so much that the tourists end up buying things at many times their reasonable cost. Taxi drivers may offer you reduced fare if you agree to visit some showrooms or shops on the way. Avoid them at all costs. If you absolutely have to go, then always check for reasonable price and bargain hard. 4) Keep low profile This may sound strange to some, but do not show off your expensive branded clothes, electronics, wads of cash etc as a status symbol. Keep a low profile, don’t let other people know of your economic status. People who look rich attract more unsavoury characters than simple and broke backpackers. 5) Ignore them, don’t engage A lot of places frequented by tourists will have numerous vendors, guides and beggars trying to sell you something or asking for money. Don’t pay any attention to them or make eye contact or do anything to make them think that you might be interested in buying something from them. Not everyone is a tout, but most such people are poor who just want to make some money qucik. 6) Call bluffs of fake officers Some travel scams involve scammers pose as officers of some government agency and try to fleece money.It’s rare but if you ever have the misfortune of meeting any such low-life, ask
Indian Food Blog: Himachal Pradesh The snow-clad mountains, lush green valleys, the freshness in the air, tranquillity in the environment, these are a few things that describe Himachal Pradesh at its best. From the road vendors to the authentic cafes and restaurants, Himachali people will pour their hearts out in their dishes. Akotri is made with buckwheat mixed with wheat that is usually prepared on occasions of festivities.The thought of a buckwheat cake might not sound so great but is both scrumptious and healthy. With the goodness of ghee, it provides you with enough nutrients and calories to survive a good hike. Sidu is a local bread made from wheat flour. The flour is kneaded and set aside for some hours for the yeast to settle and the dough to rise. The dough is put on the bonfire to be par-cooked and then later steamed to complete the cooking. This distinct bread is usually enjoyed with ghee . Ambal has mouth-watering taste due to the mixed sweet- sour flavours. Ambal is pumpkin dish usually served with rice and rajma. The dish is neither totally liquid nor totally dry. This dogri dish packs a lot of flavours and is a must try during the winters. Madra is a delicacy that belongs to Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh. This dish consists of the soaked chickpeas or vegetables. Madra is one of those dishes that represents the food culture of Himachal Pradesh and is available at every restaurant, and on festivals, offered to you with utmost love. Rajma Chawal is a delicious dish and contains good quality of carbohydrate and protein that can suit your taste. This popular dish is loved by people of all age groups. Rajma Chawal is perfect for a Sunday brunch or on a get-together with family and friends. It is cooked by using rajma(kidney beans) rice, onions, tomatoes and melange of spices. Kheru is a very tasty and authentic himachali dish. It is served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Kheru is prepared with sour curd, coriander seeds, onions. Kheru is usually served with piping hot rice but can also be eaten with rotis or parathas. Sepu Vadi is simply a mouth watering dish. Sepu Vadi is cooked mostly on wedding occasion in Himachal Pradesh .Normally this dish is made with spinach , curd gravy and split Urad Dal.
When it comes to food, Maharashtra will never disappoint you. From the world famous pav bhaji to the delicious bhelpuri, Maharashtra has a lot to offer to food lovers. It is food heaven for both vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. Basundi is a sweet dish made in Maharashtra. It is condensed by boiling the sweetened milk on low heat which gives it a nice flavour. Sugar, cardamom or saffron is added to augment the flavour and texture. Different types of basundi are custard apple basundi and angoor basundi. Bhelpuri is a savoury snack common in Maharashtra.It is a mixture of puffed rice, chopped onions,chopped tomatoes,tamarind chutney. Bhelpuri can be served in a lot of ways, but usually it is served on a paper which is folded in the form of a cone and is consumed using a paper spoon. Misal pav has a spicy and tangy lentil curry which is made with moth beans and is served with Pav bread. At times, it is eaten with yoghurt to lessen the spice.It is decorated with a slice of Lemon and Onion Coriander sprinkled on it. This street food is readily available at any street food joint and served hot. Modak is extensively eaten during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival all around the state. The sweet filling is made up of fresh-grated coconut and jaggery, while the soft shell is made from rice flour, or wheat flour mixed with maida flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. Pav Bhaji is one of the spiciest, vegetarian dish. It is a mixture of boiled vegetables along with a lot of Spices and Onion Coriander mixture for garnish.Fresh and thick slices of bread, smothered in butter served with a delicious mix of moderately spiced vegetables. Vada Pav is the most favorite snack in Maharashtra.It is Potato Bhaji ball dipped in Besan Flour and fried in hot oil. It is stuffed in Pav with Garlic Chutney and fried Chilli. VadaPav is super delicious when served hot- hot spicy and slight crunchiness. It is also known as ‘INDIAN BURGER’.
Assam offers just the right kind of flavours to tickle your taste buds. With a wide variety of indigenous food to offer, Assamese food is famous for its distinct flavoring and influences. Delicious pork, chicken and mutton dishes are a must try. Baanhgaj or Lagot Kukura is essentially chicken cooked with bamboo shoots and lentil.The dish goes well with rice and it can be garnished with chopped green chillies and onions. Khaar is truly a unique Assamese preparation. Khaar is a heartwarming dish made with vegetables and pulses and the main ingredient being meat, fish or even duck. Even dried banana leaves which imparts burst of unexpected yet refreshing flavors. Lucchi is prepared by deep frying a roti made up of white flour, without making it crisp. It is served with a delicious potato curry. Lucchi is also known as Poori in other parts of the country. Masor Tenga is slow cooked fish with a broth made from outenga, tomatoes, and lemon and offers an extremely tangy refreshing flavour once done. Every Assamese definitely loves Masor Tenga. Payash is made using Joha rice and is loaded with ghee, dry fruits, and milk. Cooked on a low flame, one can also add cardamom and saffron for garnishing the dish. Overall, it is a must try dish for all those with a sweet tooth.
This article is meant to be a brief India travel guide for tourists who need some information about means of transport in India . Anyone traveling to India for the first time is sure to be overwhelmed by the diversity of cultures, languages, people, food, climates and almost everything else. It isn’t possible to write a comprehensive India travel guide which can cover even a fraction of what a tourist may encounter in India. We aim to cover as much vital details as possible without drowning the reader with too much information. We have already posted some India travel guides on this website,: Traveling safely and for cheap in India during monsoons, How to keep safe from water and food related problems while traveling and How to avoid scams and touts while traveling This guide intends to cover some of the general issues related to transport and travel in India. So let’s begin with : Travel by trains in India India has the biggest system of railway lines on the planet and the service is very good, if not excellent. Traveling in India on via train gives you the chance to explore India in detail and in general is cheaper than domestic air travel. Train travel in India offers good connectivity all over India for people with all kind of budgets .For someone with an inquisitive and open mind, it’s a great way of meeting all kinds of Indian people belonging to different regions and classes. There are different types of trains with different levels of service catering to people with different budgets and needs. Trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi are air-conditioned, fastest in India and provide meals. There are other trains like Duronto, Garib Rath, various Express and other trains which offer varying levels of service at different prices. Apart from that, there are some luxury trains Palace on Wheels, Maharajas’ Express, The Golden Chariot and a few more. These trains are run jointly by Indian railways and tourism ministries of different states in which they operate. Journeying on these trains covers all aspects of transport, food, lodging and sightseeing. Service and level of comfort offered is among the best in world One major drawback of trains is that it can prove difficult to procure tickets. Another one are the delays which can happen frequently on long routes. If you are very tight schedule, relying on trains for your India journey can backfire. Inter-city or inter-state travel in India by Bus In India, travel by bus is 2nd most popular way of cheap travel and in some cases, the only way of public transport to reach places like Manali, Laddakh etc, not yet connected by train network. There are different types of buses available on budget of the traveler. Ordinary buses are usually very crowded and it’s not possible to reserve tickets. They don’t have any air-conditioning or comfortable seats either, But they are very cheap as even a 5 hour journey may cost only Rs 100. Then there are luxury buses with better seats which may or may not have air-conditioning available. They are generally more comfortable and price for a 7-10 hour journey may vary between Rs 300 to Rs 800 for different places and operators. Tickets in air-conditioned buses cost around 1.5 times to double for same kind of seats. Apart from these, there are luxury buses operated by private as well as government which offer maximum comfort at slightly higher prices. These buses are usually supplied by Volvo or Mercedes and have more comfortable seating arrangements than the rest. Travel by Car A car with driver is the most comfortable and safest way of travel in India.It is possible to get a car on rent and drive it yourselves, if you have necessary paperwork, but Indian roads are too chaotic for a foreigner. It’s better to hire a driver along with the car. Salary for driver is about Rs. 150-300 per day which is included in rent for the car and you don’t have to pay for his food or lodging. Different varieties of vehicles have different rent prices and they vary between Rs 8 per km to Rs 20 per km for most models which include Ambassador, Tata Indigo, Toyota Qualis and a few others. Renting a car is a good option for various reasons as you have much more flexibility and don’t have to worry about following a strict schedule or missing a train or worry about tickets. Having a good driver who can communicate well also means that he can help you with finding good hotels, restaurants and other amenities easily. But be wary of drivers who act as touts. A majority of them try to take tourists to businesses which offer them commissions. It isn’t exactly illegal, but tourists should evaluate their choices before making decisions. They should make sure that they are getting good value for their money for the services availed. Travel by motor-bikes Using a motorbike (motorcycle) can be a great adventure if you are up to driving on dangerous roads. Royal Enfield is the most popular brand for motorcycle enthusiasts in India. It’s less fuel efficient but is powerful enough for most Indian roads including those on mountains. Motorcycles with engines of 100 to 220 cc are more common and cheaper and cam offer a mileage of 40kmpl to 70 kmpl depending upon various factors. It is possible to rent or buy new or used motorcycles. Rental cost per day for bikes vary between Rs 600 to Rs 1500 in different places for different bikes. While buying, it’s advisable to go for 2nd hand bikes which may cost anything between Rs 12000 to Rs 40000. Travel in Indian cities by auto-rickshaws (tuk-tuk) Auto/ tuk-tuk/three-wheeler is a good albeit slightly uncomfortable choice for short-distance travel inside Indian cities. Due to their small size, they can dodge traffic rush easily but have slow speeds which is actually good due to less safety features. Before getting in to an
Arunachal Pradesh street food differs from tribe to tribe. As one move toward the eastern side of Arunachal people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Fried food is not as popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. Apong is a type of rice beer, which is traditionally prepared by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.India. Apong is prepared by fermenting rice. The two types are Nogi Apong and Poro Apong.The two apongs differ in their taste and colour. Chura Sabji is a kind of curry made of fermented cheese made by either yak milk or cow’s milk and not to forget the most important the flakes and a few pieces of the King chilly which makes it spicy but delicious. Lukhter is another delicacy of the Arunachal Pradesh.Lukter is a combination of cooked dry meat and chilli flakes from the King chilly or Bhut Jolokia. Like the norm goes with Aunachal, this is a side dish meant to be eaten with rice. Pehak is made by use of fermented Soybean and King chilly. In this dish, the king chilli is used as the main ingredient. It is also used as a side dish with rice. The pickle is hot and very spicy that gives the rice a very unique hot flavor. Pehak is very popular among Arunachalis. Pictures sourced from various sources on internet. Please contact for credits.
Manipur has been dubbed “The Jewelled Land” due to its natural beauty. The food of Manipur is considered to be very healthy as they use a fresh vegetables a lot. The preparations are simple yet, tasty. Manipuri food is spicy and contains less oil. Chakhao Kheer is a delicious kheer. It has a pleasing shade of purple and is prepared using milk, black sticky rice, and cardamom powder. It’s typically fancy with dried fruits like raisins,cashews or different nuts. It is usually prepared on special occasions like festivals and weddings. Eromba is prepared nearly always with a fish referred to as Ngari. Eromba is made by boiling a large number of vegetables together with some Ngari and king chili. It’s mixed till the mixture becomes sort of a paste. Kangsoi is a vegetable stew that consists of seasonal vegetables that are cooked and flavored with sliced cloves, garlic, onions, salt, maroi and a touch of ginger lidded with ngari, dried fish, or deep-fried fish items and water. The stew is mostly served with rice and consumed piping hot. Singju is a kind of dish that consists of chilies, tomatoes, onions ,finely cut banana stem, cabbage, banana flower, lotus stem, a reasonably scented herb, tree beans, coriander leaves, ginger mixed with ngari fish. Singju is seasoned with red chili powder, salt, roast chickpea powder and roast herb powder.
