You can go to India at any time of the year, but the most suitable time is considered to be from October to March, but the summer months are also suitable for high mountainous regions. As for vaccinations, you don’t have to do them if you strictly follow all the rules of hygiene:
- You cannot drink tap water;
- fruits and vegetables need to be washed;
- purchased products should be consumed only after heat treatment;
- In order to gradually get used to local food, you need to start eating in restaurants.
For a comfortable stay and communication in the country, it is not necessary to know Hindi; a few basic phrases in English are enough. English language. Indians will always ask you to take a photo with you, you shouldn’t be shy about it, you need to agree because Indians believe that a photo with a European person brings good luck.
Indian bazaars and beggars
Not visiting Indian bazaars means not visiting India. The famous Indian bazaars, filled with color and aromatic spices, are what you need. Chandi Chowk is considered the most colorful and original. You need to remember that in Indian bazaars, as well as in Turkish ones, you need to bargain, because here prices are 10 times higher.
You should not give in to the plaintive requests to help beggars, if you help one of them, a crowd of beggars will not allow passage. There are a lot of monkeys here, so you always need to stay on your guard, as these thieves are mainly trained by local hooligans to steal expensive equipment from tourists. Take more photos and get new experiences. We also advise you to watch a video that talks about this amazing country India.
India is a colorful country that attracts tourists with its mysteries. In addition to beautiful temples and cultural monuments, there are a huge number of natural structures; they were created over decades and serve as a source of admiration for all tourists. In the northeast of India, at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level, curious travelers can see unusually beautiful and mysterious “living” bridges. These natural structures were built by the local residents of the Indian state of Meghalaya - the Khasis. The climate there is warm, high humidity, all this contributes to the active growth and development of rubber ficus. From the roots of these plants those very living bridges are obtained. There are no such structures anywhere in the world.
How are living bridges grown?
The Khasis have long noticed that ficus roots have a secondary root system and are capable of growing outward. Thus, living bridges were created, which after many centuries attract the attention of tourists from all over the world. Over 500 years, a huge number of bridges were formed.
The technology of growing such a bridge itself is incredibly complex - one bridge takes 10-15 years of work. The roots of rubber plants grow along river banks and are then placed in hollowed out betel tree trunks. This is how the necessary direction of plant growth is created.
The time comes when flexible and massive roots grow to the opposite bank of the river, then they are rooted there with the help of huge boulders. This is how a strong natural crossing is created - safe and environmentally friendly.
Every year the living bridge becomes more reliable and stronger, this is explained by the fact that the roots continue to grow, they become wider and thicker. The result is a bridge that can support up to 50 adults at a time. Nowadays there are a lot of tourists there, all of them are amazed at the talented invention of the residents of the town of Cherrapunji.
As for the size, the length of the live crossing reaches 30 meters. And the most interesting thing is that you don’t have to spend any money on the design. The bridge does not require repairs, and it also looks great, because the structure is completely natural and merges with nature.
What do rubber bridges look like in India?
In India, rubber bridges are popular, even for local residents they are a source of pride. Although Khasis see bridges every day, they are something magical for them. The rainiest place on the planet is the city of Cherrapunji, and this is where the living bridges are located. One day they decided to replace them with iron ones, but, as a result, the natural crossings remained safe and sound.
Not far from the city there is a resort for tourists; its owner convinced the administration and all local residents that the bridges are real centuries-old relics. They are a reflection of the life of ancient ancestors, evidence of their hard work and skill. In addition, the city will lose its former appearance and will become uninteresting for tourists and travelers. Living bridges are something that needs to be preserved and increased.
Apart from all this, travelers and visitors to India are always eager to visit these unique living bridges. Literally works of art were created by human hands; there are no other bridges like this in the world. The local population makes money from the influx of tourists, so bridges are an important and vital detail for them. The population not only protects the bridges from destruction, but also creates the same new, modernized crossings - more durable and beautiful. Any tourist in India can enjoy the views of living bridges, walk across them and bring back cool photos from their vacation. Let's hope that nothing will happen to the unique crossings.
Many people involved in photography and videography travel to exotic countries in search of colorful material. And the point here is sometimes not even in the architecture and antiquities found underground, but in the very way of life of the local residents, in their faces, smiles and cultural characteristics. One of the most famous and popular places Asia is, of course, India. And in many ways, the popularity of this country is due precisely to its flavor, which is literally in everything, and if some aspects of the life of local residents cause delight, remember that there will be another side of the coin, which may cause disgust.
As a rule, everyone arrives at Delhi airport. The city is large, and there is a lot to enjoy here, but first you will need to settle down, and we hope that you have found accommodation for a couple of days before leaving your country. Local flavor will be waiting for you literally at every step. First of all, there are no traffic rules here. It sounds strange, because Delhi is the capital, but there is real chaos on the roadway. The rules themselves, of course, exist, but no one follows them and no one particularly monitors their observance, crazy auto-rickshaws overtake each other in oncoming traffic, and if a traffic jam forms, the concept of “oncoming traffic” simply disappears. By the way, you cannot honk near the station - otherwise, due to hundreds of continuous beeps, it would be impossible to talk. To photograph various crazy traffic situations, all you need to do is ride a motor rickshaw, especially around the station. On the road, by the way, it is quite possible to meet people selling all sorts of things, even compressed cow dung. This is fuel instead of firewood. This “wood” is sculpted right there, with bare hands, so if you see such “masters”, don’t miss it. The station itself is also an interesting sight - at night, 4 Indian women can sleep side by side on the floor here, covered with blankets, and next to it, on the same floor, two men can discuss political issues in a whisper with a very serious look. On the second floor, by the way, there is a ticket office for tourists, where some tickets are saved. That is, of the total number of tickets, some are immediately set aside and not sold to Indians at the box office on the ground floor; these tickets are intended specifically for foreigners.
There is a market right next to the station in Delhi - there are no such types as in Indian markets anywhere. Moreover, Indians invite buyers in such a way that it is impossible to look at it without smiling. There is no point in describing the Indian market, you will see everything for yourself, you can shoot here freely, everyone is welcome. In every city, the market is perhaps one of the most colorful and juicy places where you can go as if to a kind of exhibition of impossible food and impossible people. After filming in Delhi, you can go further, but take a ticket in advance, at least a day in advance.
The train is like a separate city. In seated carriages, the seats near the windows are more expensive, in the reserved seat there are three shelves. Indian trains are sometimes packed with so many people that it’s hard to understand how they don’t fall apart, let alone move. But this is in the cheapest carriages; you are unlikely to travel in one, although, from the point of view of valuable material, such a carriage is just right.
Traveling around the country by bus can also provide valuable personnel. Bus tickets in India are cheap, check the timetable for bus station, you don’t have to know the language, just name the city you need with a questioning intonation when approaching any driver. Sometimes such a bus can accommodate a huge number of people, among whom you can see representatives of all religious movements of India, traders with bales, villagers and sadhus migrating with the rainy season. If your task is to travel and shoot, so to speak, in photo hunting mode, a bus can be much more convenient than the same train, since there will always be a place, you can change direction as you like, it’s cheaper, and in every new place some kind of surprise.
While traveling around the country, you will be surprised by every Indian, every street, every city - everything here is so unusual to our eyes. If we talk about the most colorful places in India, then this is, of course, Varanasi, also known as Benares, as well as Vrindavan, Mathura, Bombay (and especially Bollywood), Amritsar and Calcutta - according to some opinions, the quintessence of Indian contrasts.
It is impossible to live in Kolkata. It is there that you can find incredible poverty and desolation, peeling, with broken windows, once luxurious colonial buildings in the city center, thousands of rickshaws (not motorcycles or bicycles - just rickshaws), and fantastic slums. And the market... The market in Kolkata is worth visiting for those who have already visited similar markets, for example, in Delhi, otherwise there is a danger of getting too much of a culture shock.
Bombay is huge, but not suitable for recreation. Officially, 17 million people live here, but in reality this figure has long exceeded 20. Not far from Bombay is Bollywood, the world-famous center of Indian cinema. Bollywood represents vast territory, where filming pavilions of various film companies are located. There are many travel agencies throughout India offering trips to Bollywood, but most of them are in Bombay, however, you can make a trip to Bollywood on your own, because since 2011, entry to this abode of cinema is free. However, you will need to find out in which pavilions and at what time the filming takes place, so as not to miss the most interesting things. By the way, on the set you can often see brahmans (priests, priests) who consecrate the site before filming begins, and sometimes the brahman can almost run from one set to another.
A separate category of incredibly colorful characters are Indian sadhus. Wandering monks, of which there are a huge number in India, mainly belonging to countless movements of Hinduism, live their own special life, far from worldly concerns. Sometimes they live near temples, sometimes near settlements, or, on the contrary, in the jungle or mountain caves. Just look at the Naga-Sadhu parade during the Kumbh Mela, when several thousand naked men, smeared with ashes, march along the main street of the festival, singing and shouting. The timing of the parade is usually on the same day as the Royal Wash. Kumbh Mela is held in Allahabad, Ujjain, Nashik and Haridwar. In 2015 (August 15 - September 15), and 2016 (April 22 to May 21), it will be held in Ujjain and Nashik respectively, the full schedule of events is usually announced about a month before the festival, however, the program may vary slightly change. In 2007, according to official data, 70,000,000 (!!!) people participated in the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.
This event is very big and it is definitely worth visiting, and even if you come and make a film as part of this festival, you will capture the Indian flavor almost fully. All aspects of semi-primitive Indian life are clearly visible here, however, all these people come from somewhere and go somewhere after the festival. Most Famous places, where you can find a large number of sadhus - Varanasi, Rishikesh, Kathmandu (Nepal), Vrindavan, Mathura, and almost any city with an ancient temple. By the way, Vrindavan is interesting not only for its Indian flavor, but also for the large number of European Vaishnavas (Hare Krishnas), who sometimes behave very funny and even wildly.
The number of thefts and robberies in India is very low, but caution should still be exercised. It is better for women not to travel alone as there are cases of sexual harassment, and if we talk about Kolkata, then a woman should definitely not roam alone here. If it so happens that you want to wander around, but have no one to go with, spend time in the center, in crowded places, where you can immediately turn to the police or passers-by for help if something happens. Usually, people react immediately, the thieves are caught and beaten right on the street, although not very hard. Then, inevitably, the police await them.
When communicating with a sadhu, show respect and remember - if he begs you for money, then he is most likely a beggar in disguise. When talking to ordinary people show courtesy and restraint, do not invite unknown people to your room and do not allow excessive familiarity.
A separate category of sadhu is aghori. They can be found in places with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva and a smashan (a place where corpses are burned), and it is believed that Varanasi and its environs have the largest number of them. Followers of this ancient teaching perform rituals at cremation sites, eat feces and urine, sometimes even the flesh of corpses, worship the wrathful forms of Shiva and Shakti, and unite their consciousness with the harsh, dark sides of existence. It is a great success to see, and even more so, to capture any of their rituals, since they are usually carried out at night. One more thing - you should not try to talk to an Aghori, since his worldview is very radically different from yours. He may even throw a stone or a piece of dog droppings at you, making it clear that communication with him will require an unformatted consciousness from you, free from stereotypes and prejudices. So it's better to shoot them from a distance. Many aghori sadhus live in the vicinity of Rishikesh and Kathmandu (Nepal), where, by the way, the Pashupatinath temple with smashan is located. By the way, one of the governors of GOA, after leaving his post, left his home and went to the Aghori sect, like his son. For Europeans, such extremes may seem like demonic barbarism, however, this is not so. The Indian civilization is one of the oldest, their religion and worldview are very deep, we just shouldn’t measure them with our formatted thinking. To understand the worldview of these people, their picture of the world, perhaps it is not worth condemning them. If you are ready to look at this culture through the eyes of a child, you will find more than just interesting adventure, but also many discoveries, including in myself.
Currency— Indian rupee
Timezone — +5:30
Telephone code — +91
Republic of India, whose name in Hindi sounds like “Bharat,” is a state in southern Asia located on the Hindustan Peninsula, which is washed by the waters of Indian Ocean. India is the seventh country in the world by area (3,287,590 sq. km.), includes 28 states and 6 union territories, which include the Nicorabian Islands, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Chandigarh, Pondicherry, Lakshadweep .
India - video
The state language is Hindi, the second state language is English, and each state has its own official language. In total, the people of India speak 17 languages and 844 dialects.
India has the second largest population in the world (second only to China). According to 2013 data, the population was 1.22 billion. This country is very multinational, its races and peoples differ significantly from each other, both externally and spiritually. Despite the fact that more than 80% of the population professes Hinduism, other religions, such as Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and others, are also quite developed.
Since India occupies a very large territory, the climate here is very diverse. Therefore, you should choose the right time to travel depending on which part of the country you are going to. IN India Monsoon climate, which is divided into 3 seasons - humid hot (July-September), dry cold (October-March) and dry hot (April-June).
Sights of India
The main attraction and symbol of India can be safely called . He was glorified by the love story in whose name he was erected. The Taj Mahal is called one of the most beautiful buildings in the world, but not everyone knows that it is a mausoleum. A wonderful creation made of dazzling white marble, it became the tomb of Queen Muntas Mahal of India, who died giving birth to Emperor Shah Jahan's fourteenth child. In memory of his beloved wife, the emperor ordered the construction of a mausoleum-mosque, which became famous throughout the world and delights the eyes of tourists from all over the world.
Another attraction of India is cave temples of Ellora. This amazing cave complex includes 34 temples, 17 of which are Hindu, 12 Buddhist, 5 Jain. Despite the significant differences between the temples (Buddhist ones fill them with a sense of peace, tranquility and harmony, while Hindu ones, on the contrary, impress with the dynamism of the plot, liveliness and energy), they are united by the beauty of carved stone. They were carved directly into the rock for more than 500 years. The highlight of the Buddhist complex is the Buddhist temple, in the large hall of which there is a majestic 5-meter statue of Buddha. The main Hindu temple Kailash represents sacred mountain Tibet, it amazes with the subtlety and elegance of fine carvings. Numerous Indian deities look out from the walls of all Hindu temples, and dynamic mythical scenes are presented to the eye.
Worthy of attention Harmandir Sahib, or as he is known in the world - Golden Temple. It bears this name for a reason, because in reality the temple is covered with real gold. There is a legend that the dome is covered with 750 kilograms of gold. The main shrine of the Sikhs is located in the middle of the sacred lake Amrit Sarovar ("lake of divine nectar"), whose name gave the name to the city -. You can only get to the temple by crossing a narrow marble bridge. The Golden Temple embodies the essence of Sikh beliefs - the equality of all religions, here all people are equal, regardless of religion and social status. The temple has a canteen that feeds 30,000 people every day, and the canteen workers are volunteers. There are also bedrooms where you can stay overnight. Pilgrims and tourists from all over the world sleep there simply on the floor, side by side.
Goddess Meenakshi Temple- a symbol of love between Meenakshi and Shiva. Around the main temple there are 14 towers, the height of which reaches 50 meters. All the towers and columns of the temple are dotted with brightly painted sculptures, none of which are repeated twice. The heart of the temple is considered to be the hall of a thousand columns, in the center of which there is a pool of holy water. Despite the fact that the Meenakshi temple is already more than a thousand years old, it does not lose its colorfulness, because... it is regularly and thoroughly updated.
The Jama Masjid Mosque is one of the main mosques of Muslims. It was built at the behest of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the mid-17th century. This is his last architectural creation and the pride of the Mughals. 5 thousand workers worked on the construction of the Jama Masjid mosque for 6 years. The mosque stands on a hill in Old Delhi - in Shahjahanabad (one of the oldest Mughal cities). Initially, the mosque was called Masjid-i-Jahan-Numa, which means “the mosque that rules the world.” It is the largest and most ornate mosque in India. It is built of red sandstone and decorated with white marble.
An important attraction of India are the numerous National parks and nature reserves. Due to the fact that the country occupies such a vast territory, there are a huge number of them. One of the most popular reserves is " Periyar". This reserve covers an area of almost 800 sq. km. It specializes in the conservation and protection of tigers (there are 16 such reserves in the country). In addition to tigers and other representatives of the cat family, the reserve is home to animals such as elephants, macaques, and antelopes , wild boars, a large number of species of tropical birds and reptiles (even crocodiles).
Another significant national park "Ranthambore". It is located in central India, covers an area of about 50 thousand hectares. Mango groves, complexes of tropical forests and swamps are protected here. In this park you can meet such animals as the Bengal tiger, sloth bear, sambar deer, langur monkey, Indian The fruit bat is a very large bat (wingspan up to 1.7 m), which is also called the flying fox. Among the birds, it is worth highlighting green carnivorous pigeons, paradise flycatchers and crested snake eaters ( rare view orlov).
Other national parks are also worthy of attention, such as Keoladeo, Kaziranga, Corbett Park, Dadwa, Flower Valley, Soriska, Shivpuri, Bandipur, Dagicham, bird sanctuary Govind Sagar and many others.
1. One of the most serious problems in India is the sanitary and epidemiological situation. Moreover, this concerns not only water and food, but also the situation on the street. Take care of your health - do not drink or brush your teeth with tap water (even though it is disinfected in hotels and restaurants).
2. Before traveling to India It's worth stocking up on sunscreen because sunburn here you can get it even in cloudy weather.
3. It is customary to leave a tip only in expensive establishments; in hotels and restaurants this fee is often included in the bill.
4. At the bazaar, where prices are not fixed, it is customary to bargain. When buying vegetables or fruits at the market, do not allow the seller to cut them with his knife.
5. Never give money to street beggars! Having shown generosity once, you will no longer be able to get rid of annoying and annoying groups of beggars.
6. It is worth knowing that the power supply voltage in India is 230-240V, and the sockets differ from standard European ones.
7. Don’t forget that India is a colorful and specific country. It is customary here to add all sorts of spices to each dish, and if you are concerned about your digestive tract, it is better to ask the waiter to reduce the amount of spices.
India on the map
India is a wise and colorful country where every traveler will find something of his own. Everyone comes here: wealthy and not so wealthy, party-goers and seekers of sacred truths, lovers of a relaxing holiday on snow-white beaches and tourists eager to ride elephants.
Beach holiday
A huge number of lovers come to India beach holiday, because some of the best and most picturesque beaches in the world are located here. The beaches located on the territory are famous all over the world. Goa State. South coast chosen by adherents of civilized recreation. This is where comfortable hotels and best centers water sports in India. The most exciting parties take place on the beaches of Mumbai. Not only representatives of the local elite flock here, but also famous personalities Europe.
Tourists who prefer “light” stay in the northern part of the state budget holiday. Lovers of solitude and wildlife choose the beaches of Lakshadweep islands. It is believed that this the best place in India for research underwater world. The state of Kerala offers not only beach activities, but also recreation on inland rivers and lakes, where you can get up close and personal with the exotic nature of India.
Excursions and attractions
A person who comes to India for the first time should visit the Golden Triangle excursion, which covers the most famous and largest attractions of the country. Delhi, Agra, Jaipur are cities that are the vertices of a triangle. The tourist will also be able to get acquainted with other points located along the route to each of the cities.
Jaipur– a city where you can fully enjoy ancient Indian culture and architecture. Here a tourist route runs through the Palace of the Winds - unique place, which was built in the form of a honeycomb by special order of the Sheikh. More than half the day is devoted to a tour of the museums of the City Palace Complex. There you can see small copies of Indian monuments, musical instruments of all times, Hindu national clothing and much more.
Delhi is one of the most modern cities in the country, where you can not only enjoy the original culture of old India, but also get acquainted with new streets and buildings. Jama Masjid Mosque, Chatta Chowk market, Fort Museum, modern Connaught Square - this is just a small list interesting places Delhi. At the end of January, a festival of folk songs and dances is held here, which attracts lovers of ethnic music from both India and other countries.
Agra, another point of the Golden Triangle, is famous for the famous Taj Mahal. Everyone dreams of looking at the empress's tomb, made of white marble, complemented by precious stones and patterns of black marble. The 22 domes located above the gate symbolize the time spent on the construction of this architectural masterpiece.
India– a multifaceted country that involves a lot different types recreation and excursion programs. In order not to get confused among such splendor and diversity, it is better to decide in advance what you expect from India and decide on the route.
