India: chaotic, colorful and spiritual

 

If you have decided to travel to India, you must either apply for a visa at an Indian diplomatic mission or online for an e-visa before entering the country.

The tourist visa is generally valid for 365 days from the date of issue and entitles the holder to stay for up to 90 days. The residence permit should not be ignored under any circumstances - in such a case, there is a risk of imprisonment and an entry ban of several years.

A special feature in India is the so-called OCI card. This card allows a reduced form of citizenship under certain conditions. It is mainly issued to people who were born on Indian or former Indian territory or who have been Indian citizens at some point in the past.

The OCI card gives the holder some rights similar to those of a full Indian citizen, but does not, for example, allow participation in elections. If you have an Indian passport, entry and a long stay are possible without any problems.

Travel on the subcontinent can be extremely varied. It is therefore difficult to give general tips on travel times, for example.

A rule of thumb is to avoid traveling between May and October, as this is the rainy season in many regions of the country. In the north of India, winter can get very cold, while June should be avoided in Rajasthan, where temperatures can rise to 50° Celsius.

As you can see, it is not easy to make a general statement about anything concerning India. Only one thing is certain: a round trip is the best way to get to know the country. You can enjoy the deserts and forts of Rajasthan, the legendary spiritual Goa, the rugged peaks of the Himalayas, the forgotten cultures of Ladakh and many other treasures in a single trip.

Another thing you should not miss out on is the Indian healing art of Ayurveda. Nowadays, it is mainly practiced in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Translated, Ayurveda means the science of life or wisdom of life. Ayurveda includes traditional practices such as massages, cleansing, yoga, a special diet and herbal medicine.

If you are looking for an experience concentrated in a small area, then New Delhi and Mumbai could be the right choice for you. These metropolitan regions, with 28 million and 21 million inhabitants respectively, are melting pots of all the cultures of the Indian subcontinent.

New Delhi is the heart and capital of the country. And probably the definition of chaos. Sensory overload is inevitable here. However, if you are open to it and are resistant to noise and smells, then you can experience things that you certainly won't experience anywhere else. Speeding rickshaws, tuktuks and scooters, market stalls, flying traders, oriental spices, unknown fruits, a tangle of languages, traditional costumes and rituals, in short, a banquet of different impressions that you can only find here.

Mumbai, almost as chaotic and overwhelming, is one of the culinary centers. Thalis, masala dosa and samosas all make your mouth water.

To enter the country, you will need either a valid passport, a temporary passport or - for children - a children's passport. An identity card or temporary identity card is not sufficient.
Further information can be found on the page Entry requirements for India.

Vaccination requirements are currently not mandatory for entry from Germany. Nevertheless, you should voluntarily ensure that you are adequately vaccinated against Covid-19 and diseases such as typhoid, rabies and hepatitis B.

The local currency is the rupee (INR). You can pay by debit and credit card in almost all stores and restaurants. Cash can also be withdrawn from ATMs in every settlement worth mentioning. The exchange rate from euro to rupee has remained fairly constant at 1 euro to 80 rupees to 90 rupees since 2018.

There are also dozens of other languages that are not officially recognized as national languages. The official languages are Hindi and English. Hindi is spoken by over 600 million people, and around 20% of the population, mainly in rural areas, speak English. So a good knowledge of English will get you quite far.

India Standard Time applies in India. This is UTC + 5:30 during German summer time and UTC +4:30 during German winter time. In India, however, the clocks are not changed.

Tropical diseases that occur in this country include Zika virus, dengue fever, Chikunguya fever and malaria. All these diseases are mainly transmitted by mosquitoes, so it is very important to always carry a mosquito spray with you.