India

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Destination Facts

Full name: Republic of India
Population: 1.27 billion
Area: 3,287,590 sq km
Capital city: New Delhi
Languages: Hindi, English

For more information, check out Lonely Planet’s range of books on India.

Introduction

Whirl your mind, dazzle your eyes and fall in love with India’s extremes. The country’s glorious diversity means that there’s an astonishing array of sacred sites, from the immaculately kept Jain temples to weathered Buddhist stupas; there’s history around every corner, with countless monuments and battle-scarred forts, abandoned cities and ancient ruins all having tales to tell; and there are beaches to satiate the most avid sun worshipper.

Nothing in the country is ever predictable; the only thing to expect is the unexpected, which comes in many forms and will always want to sit next to you. India is a litmus test for many travellers − some are only too happy to leave, while others stay for a lifetime.

Delhi

The crowded, colourful, unruly heart of India. Don’t let your first impressions of Delhi stick like a sacred cow in a traffic jam: get behind the madcap façade and discover the inner peace of a city rich with culture, architecture and human diversity, deep with history and totally addictive to epicureans. Both Old and New Delhi exert a beguiling charm on their visitors.

Lose yourself unwinding the secrets of the city’s Mughal past in the labyrinthine streets of Old Delhi before emerging into the wide open spaces of imperial New Delhi, with its ordered governmental vistas and generous leafy avenues.

Mumbai

Mumbai (aka Bombay) is the glamour of Bollywood cinema, cricket on the weekends, bhelpuri on the beach at Chowpatty and red double-decker buses. It is also the infamous cages of the red-light district, Asia’s largest slums, divisive and occasionally violent politics, and powerful mafia dons.

This pungent drama is played out against a Victorian townscape more reminiscent of a prosperous 19th-century English industrial city than anything you’d expect to find on the edge of the Arabian Sea. Mumbai has vibrant streetlife, India’s best nightlife, and more bazaars than you could ever explore.

Saftey & Security

The Australian Government recom-mends that you do not travel to certain parts of India and that you reconsider your need to travel to other areas. Travellers should check smartraveller .gov.au for current travel advice. Petty theft is common in India, particularly in crowded places like markets, airports, on public transport and at bus and railway stations. Pay close attention to your luggage and possessions. Physical harassment of women and sexual assault do occur. Women travelling alone, including in rural areas, are at risk of unwanted attention.

There is an ongoing risk of terrorist activity by militant groups in India. Places such as national institutions, public transport, tourist destinations and religious sites and festivals may be targeted. You can find out more and register with the Australian High Commission in New Delhi at smartraveller.gov.au

Money

The Indian rupee (Rs) is divided into 100 paise (p), but paise coins are increasingly rare. Coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 paise, and Rs 1, 2 and 5; notes come in Rs 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 (this last bill can be hard to change outside banks). The Indian rupee is linked to a basket of currencies and its value is generally stable. Officially, you cannot take rupees out of India.

Changing money in India can be an ordeal. Try to change money in large amounts as infrequently as possible in big banks in big cities. Credit cards, which can also be used to get cash advances, are widely accepted in urban centres, and increasingly ATMs accept Cirrus, Maestro, MasterCard and Visa

Going offshore

know the medicine law. It’s illegal to take PBS medicine (subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme) out of Australia, unless it’s for your own use or the use of someone travelling from Australia with you. Penalties are steep; fines of up to $5000 and/or two years imprisonment.

If you do take PBS medicine overseas, follow these simple steps:

  • contact the embassy of the country you’re visiting to ensure the medicine is legal there
  • carry a letter from your doctor with the medicine, stating what the medicine is, how much you’ll be taking, and that it’s for your personal use
  • leave the medicine in its original packaging, so it’s clearly labelled with your name and dosage.

For more information about taking PBS medicine overseas, call the Travel-ling with PBS medicine enquiry line on 1800 500 147, or log onto Medicare Australia

Bargins and Basics

India is an Aladdin’s cave of delights for shoppers, with shops and markets dripping with precious metals, gemstones, silks, pearls, carpets and statues of Indian gods. The hard part is carting it all home! The shopping possibilities in Delhi are excellent; you can buy almost anything from anywhere in India there. Delhi’s specialities include attar, an essential oil of flowers and herbs, and zardozi, embroidery made with gold and silver thread. Mumbai is India’s great marketplace. It’s a major port and the country’s largest and wealthiest consumer market. The textiles, designer clothes, footwear, jewellery and artwork are highlights.

Best Buys

Shagadelic Beautiful hand-woven carpets are one of India’s must-buys. In Kashmir, where India’s finest carpets are produced, the carpet-making techniques and styles were brought from Persia even before the Mughal era. They’re either made of pure wool, wool with a small percentage of silk to give them a sheen (known as ‘silk touch’) or pure silk. Kashmiri carpets in wool and silk cost anywhere from US$200 to US$2000 for a good-quality carpet, depending on material and number of knots per square inch. Unless you’re an expert it’s wise to seek advice and only buy from a reputable dealer, especially if you intend spending a lot of money.

Bling-bling Virtually every town in India has at least one basic bangle shop. Get jangling with a set of 12 made from materials such as plastic, glass and brass, from only Rs 20 a pop. Heavy folk-art silver jewellery abounds, but is particularly good in Rajasthan, Jaipur, Udaipur and Pushkar. Jaipur is also renowned for its precious and semiprecious gems. Throughout India you can find finely crafted gold and silver rings, anklets, earrings, toe-rings, necklaces and bangles, but if you’re buying en masse it might be wise to invest in some ear plugs too.

It’s a wrap India is famous for its scrumptious shawls and its glamorous saris. The most expensive shawls are those with the finest embroidery, such as the traditional winter shawls from Kullu in Himachal Pradesh. Be aware though that many so-called pashmina shawls are actually made from a mixture of different yarns. You can easily pay at least Rs 6000 for the authentic ‘slides through a wedding ring’ article.

Saris are for sale everywhere but the ‘silk capital’ of India is Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, followed by Varanasi. Silk saris cost from Rs 3500 to 20,000. Recycled saris from India are often made into Western-style fashion garments.

Classy brassy You will find lovely copper and brass items throughout all of India with candleholders, trays, bowls, tankards and ashtrays being particularly popular buys. Some regions also offer their own special metalworking techniques; for instance, in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh the brass is inlaid with exquisite designs in red, green and blue enamel. Bidri (a form of damascening where silver is inlaid into gunmetal) comes from Bidar in Karnataka and items such as lamp bases and jewellery boxes are all made in this manner. Many Tibetan religious objects available in India such as prayer wheels, ceremonial horns and document cases are created using a similar technique, inlaying silver into copper.

Worst Buys

When you’re shopping, it’s important to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. Common items from India not allowed into Australia include:

  • Apples and items with apple including tea
  • Banana products and banana chips
  • Citrus – fresh, dried and pieces in tea
  • Seeds – vegetable seeds and unidentified seeds for sowing
  • Seed jewellery and ornaments
  • Dairy products including fresh and long-life milk, powdered milk and dairy-based sweets

Some of these items are allowed in if accompanied by an import permit and/or treated by Quarantine (which will cost you money). Talk to Quarantine prior to departure about obtaining an import permit.

For more information about what you can’t bring back into Australia visit the AQIS Travelbug website

WARNING! Endangered plants and animals. Buying products made from endangered species (for example traditional medicines, ivory, snake products, antelope wool or ‘shahtoosh’) could contribute to the extinction of the species in the wild. However, some species can be imported with the right permits – for more information see the Environment Travel website

Note: if you import wildlife products without the right permits, your products may be seized by Customs and you could face stiff penalties.

Top Shops

Don’t get so overwhelmed by all the great buys that you spend your money on stuff that won’t be allowed back into Australia. Snakes and sacred cows are a definite no-no, and anything made from animal products and plant material must be declared to Quarantine (and may need treatment) when you get home.

Dehli

Central Cottage Industries Emporium
Janpath
Ph: 23326790

A one-stop souvenir shop this multilevel emporium is filled with India-wide handicrafts – silverware, jewellery, pottery, papier-mâché, brassware, textiles and loads more.

Chandni Chowk
Old Delhi

Pure pandemonium, this is the old city’s famed shopping strip; stores keep various opening hours. Winding your way through the jumble of frenzied bazaars is a veritable assault on all senses.

Khan Market
Subramaniam Bharti Rd

Favoured by expats and Delhi’s elite, this enclave has shops devoted to fashion, books, sunglasses, homewares and accessories. For handmade paperware (cards, diaries, photo albums etc) check out Anand Stationers. There’s a small branch of Fabindia here too. Avoid Saturdays when the crowds can be exasperating.

People Tree
Regal Bldg, Sansad Marg

The easy-to-miss People Tree boutique sells fun and funky avant-garde T-shirts, many featuring alternative or cheeky socio-political slogans, as well as books and costume jewellery.

Santushti Shopping Complex
Chanakyapuri

A calm green haven sprinkled with swanky boutiques, Santushti is the antithesis of Delhi’s boisterous bazaars. Lotus Eaters sells sublime old gold and silver pieces including Ganesh pendants, while Anokhi specialises in quality block-printed textiles, from tablecloths to garments.

Mumbai

Courtyard
SP Centre, 41/44 Minoo Desai Marg

This collection of boutiques is Mumbai’s fashion nexus, with appealing, keenly priced couture clothes, shoes and interior goods
by top local designers such as Narendra Kumar and the Gaultier- goes-to-Bollywood look of Manish Arora.

Khadi & Village Industries Emporium
286 Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Rd, Fort

Time has stopped somewhere in the 1940s at this place, where you can pick up traditional Indian clothing in homespun cotton and silk as well as material, shoes and handicrafts.

LM Furtado & Co
540-544 Kalbadevi Rd, Kalbadevi
Ph:  2203163

Get the Sergeant Pepper sound here, at Mumbai’s best spot for musical instruments.You’ll find sitars, tablas, accordions and Indian-made and imported guitars. Don’t forget to check out their startling collection of plaster Christian icons.

Carrying funds in or out of Australia?

In 2006, the Australian Government introduced stronger laws to protect Australians from money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Under this new law, you have to report travellers cheques, personal cheques, money orders, postal orders, promissory notes and other bearer negotiable instruments of any amount if a Customs or police officer asks you to.
You still have to report AUD$10,000 cash (or the equivalent amount in foreign currency) using a form available in the Customs area of airports or seaports. Check out the Austrac website for more information.

Prior to travel, you should consult your doctor for advice on how to reduce your risk of illness while travelling, including required and recommended vaccinations and whether booster doses of childhood vaccinations are necessary. Monitoring your health whilst away and when you return is important for your own wellbeing. There is a chance that during your travels you could have been exposed to infectious diseases such as influenza, gastroenteritis or malaria. It is very important that you consult with your doctor if you feel unwell, even after you return to Australia, and consider your recent destinations as a possible source for your illness.

Shop Smart

Before you spend your shopping money, it’s good to know what you can and can’t bring back into Australia. That way, you get to keep your travel treasures and you save money on any necessary quarantine treatments (or fines).

All food, plant material and animal products from overseas – including many common souvenirs – must be declared for quarantine inspection (and may need treatment) when you get home.

For more information about what needs to be declared to Quarantine visit the AQIS Travelbug website

Common items from India that you must declare (and might need treatment and/or an import permit) include:

  • Wooden items including drums
  • Bark – including on souvenirs and ornaments
  • Nuts including almonds, walnuts and cashews
  • Herbs and spices including cinnamon sticks
  • Animal skins and hides – including on drums.

In many cases, declared goods are returned to you after inspection. However, any item that presents a disease risk or is found to contain insects or larvae will be withheld by Quarantine.

You’ll be given a range of options for the item depending on the quarantine risk. These options include: treatment (for example fumigation) to make the item safe; holding the item until an import permit is presented; re-exporting the item; and destroying the item. Most of these options will cost you money.

Before you return

  • Make sure you eat or throw away all fruit and vegetables before you land in Australia – they’re not allowed in
  • Leave ALL aircraft food on board, including nuts and snacks
  • Wash shoes that have been worn in rural areas including farms, markets and zoos, or near animals
  • Make sure you clean ALL soil from your hiking boots, sports shoes, golf clubs, camping gear, backpacks and mountain bikes –
    you still have to declare these to Quarantine
  • Pack items for inspection together, and keep them at the top of your bag so that they can be reached easily.

Important Tips

Before travelling overseas register your travel and contact details online at smartraveller.gov.au, or in person at the following addresses once you arrive so we can contact you in an emergency.

No 1, 50 G Shantipath, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi, Ph: (91 11) 4139 9900;

or 36 Maker Chambers VI, 220 Nariman Point in Mumbai, Ph: (91 22) 91 22 6669;

52 Alpha Wing, Raheja Towers, 177 Anna Salai, Chennai Ph: (91 44) 2860 1160


Check the latest travel advice for your destination at smartraveller.gov.au before you go. Subscribe to receive free email notification each time the advice is updated.

Take out travel insurance to cover hospital treatment, medical evacuation and any activities, like adventure sports, in which you plan to participate.

Obey the law of the country you’re visiting. Don’t expect to be treated differently to the locals just because you’re Australian, even if local laws appear harsh or unfair by Australian standards.

Make copies of your passport details, insurance policy, travellers’ cheques, visas and credit card numbers. Carry one copy in a separate place to the originals and leave a copy with someone at home. Ensure your passport has a minimum six months’ validity.

For more travel tips and advice, check out smartraveller.gov.au

Important Information

With increased quarantine activity at Australia’s airports, you’d be mad not to declare all items made from food, plant and animal material. The detector dog’s sense of smell (100 times greater than ours), won’t miss a beat – and neither will the X-ray machines or Quarantine officers. Don’t risk an on-the-spot fine or prosecution, or worse, threaten our flora, fauna and important agricultural industries with exotic pests and diseases. Some people don’t realise that a lot of things you can get overseas are illegal in Australia and will be seized by Customs if you bring them back. These include blowpipes; BB guns; flick knives; crossbows; nunchakus; knuckledusters; electric flyswats; and cigarette lighters designed to look like weapons; coral; orchids; and reptile skin or ivory goods.

Don’t forget to check the Customs website for A Guide for travellers – know before you go or call the Customs Information and Support Centre on Ph: 1300 363 263 for advice about your customs clearance and items that must be declared.

Shopping on holidays? If you are 18 or over you are entitled to bring A$900 worth of goods back into Australia. This includes goods purchased overseas, in Australia duty/tax free before you left, or goods for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS). You can also bring back 2.25 litres of alcohol and 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco products.

Please note: Customs must verify your TRS purchases at least 30 minutes prior to departure. For details contact Customs on Ph: 1300 363 263 or check the Customs website.

Remember when overseas, you are subject to local laws. Local laws and legal processes can be very different from those in Australia. A violation of local laws may result in a jail sentence, served in a local prison. Consular assistance cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust by Australian standards. Penalties for drug offences can be severe and include the death penalty.

Last reviewed:
01 Nov 2011
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