India Events & Money
Events Overview
India is blessed with a huge number of festivals, some so spectacular that you would be a fool to miss them. They start with the secular Republic Day Festival in Delhi each January, which includes elephants, a procession, and plenty of military might and Indian princely splendour. Holi, in February/March, is one of the most exuberant Hindu festivals in the north of India. It marks the beginning of spring and basically involves throwing coloured powder and water over as many people as you can in one day.
The 10-day Shi'ite Muharram festival, also in February/March, commemorates the martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson. It's marked by a grand parade and dedicated penitents scourge themselves with whips in religious fervour. It's best seen in Lucknow, the principal Indian Shi'ite city; its timing varies with the Islamic calendar. The massive Kumbh Mela festival commemorates an ancient battle between gods and demons for a pitcher (kumbh) containing the nectar of immortality. During the fight for possession, four drops of nectar fell from the pitcher and landed in Allahabad, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain. The mela is held every three years rotating through these four cities. The next Kumbh Mela is scheduled to take place in 2007 at Nasik.
Don't mistake the great Rath Yatra (Car Festival) for a rally race. This spectacle in Puri in June/July involves the gigantic temple car of Lord Jagannath making its annual journey, pulled by thousands of eager devotees. One of the big events of the year in Kerala is the Nehru Cup Snake Boat Race on the backwaters at Alappuzha (Alleppey), which take place on the second Saturday of August.
The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in August/September is dedicated to the popular elephant-headed god, Ganesh. It's celebrated widely, but with particular enthusiasm in Mumbai and Pune. Shrines are erected, firecrackers let off, clay idols are immersed in rivers or the sea, and everyone tries to avoid looking at the moon.
September/October is the time to witness the Dussehra (Durga Puja) Festival, which is perhaps at its most spectacular in Kullu, Mysore, West Bengal and Ahmedabad.
October/November is the time for the huge and colourful Camel Fair at Pushkar in Rajasthan. Diwali (or Deepavaali) is the happiest festival of the Hindu calendar and is celebrated over five days in October/November. Sweets, oil lamps and firecrackers all play a major part in this celebration in honour of a number of gods.
There are also usually holidays during major festivals. These vary from state to state.
Money
Preferred Form
Officially you're not supposed to take any Indian currency into or out of India, however carrying up to INR5000 doesn't seem to be a problem. The rupee is fully convertible so there's not much of a black market, even though you can still be haunted by offers to 'change money'. In cities you can change most major foreign currencies and brands of travellers cheques - but you'll widen your options and save yourself hassles if you stick to US dollars, Euros or pounds Sterling and either Thomas Cook or American Express travellers cheques. In fact, it's wise to bring a couple of different brands of cheques in different currencies since some branches of some banks have particular idiosyncrasies, such as refusing to handle X-brand of travellers' cheques in pounds Sterling denomination or Y-brand in US dollars.
Changing Your Money
It's relatively straightforward changing money, especially in the larger cities. You are supposed to be given an encashment certificate when you change money at a bank or an official moneychanger; you'll need these encashment certificates to change Indian currency back into foreign currency when leaving India (at the international airport), however for exchanges below INR10000 certificates aren't necessary.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Indian cities and larger towns, particularly American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa; MasterCard and Visa are the most widely accepted. Credit cards can also be used to get cash advances in rupees at some banks. Nowadays, almost all Indian cities have 24-hour ATMs that may accept Cirrus, Maestro, MasterCard, Plus and Visa. It's wise to check in advance with your home bank whether your card can access banking networks in India and if so, what the charge per transaction is and whether there are schemes to minimise these.
Tipping
Baksheesh, a term which encompasses tipping and a lot more besides, is widespread in India. More often than not, you 'tip' in India not so much for good service but in order to get things done. Judicious baksheesh will often open closed doors, find missing items and perform other small miracles. In mid-range and upper-end restaurants or hotels a service charge (usually 10%)is often added to bills, so tipping is very optional. In smaller places, where a service charge has not been added to the bill, a tip is warmly appreciated - the amount you give depends on how happy you are with the service. Anything upwards of IRS20.00 is the norm, but exceptional service should be rewarded with at least IRS50.00.
Money Tips
If you stay in cheap hotels, always travel on the cheaper train classes and learn to subsist on dhal and rice, you could see India for around INR500.00 (US$10.00) a day. If you prefer a few more creature comforts, like a simple private room with a bathroom, a varied diet, and occasional 1st class rail travel on long journeys, count on around INR850.00-INR1000.00 (US$20.00-US$25.00) a day. Staying in mid-range hotels, eating in decent restaurants, and occasionally hiring a car and driver will cost anywhere between INR1000.00-INR2000.00 (US$30.00-US$45.00) a day. If you don't want to set foot anywhere other than converted maharajahs' palaces and five-star international hotels, budget as if you were travelling luxuriously in the West.
Indian currency notes circulate stay in circulation for a very long time and the small notes in particular become very tatty - some should carry a government health warning. You may occasionally find that when you try to pay for something with a ripped or grubby note that your money is refused. You can change old notes for new ones at some banks or save them and use them creatively as tips. Don't let shopkeepers palm grubby notes off on you as change - simply hand them back and you'll usually be given a note slightly higher up the acceptability scale. Keep a supply of smaller denomination notes - there is a perpetual shortage of small change.
Currency Notes
Rupee notes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 (the INR1000.00 note is not as commonly found, especially outside of big cities).
Currency Coins
The rupee (Rs) is divided into 100 paise (p). The paise comes in coin denominations of five, 10, 20 (all no longer being issued) 25 and 50. There are also rare rupee coins in denominations of one, two and five.
