Explore the timeless beauty and the vibrant culture of India through this tour which is designed by Himalayan Social Journey. This 15 days India tour will expose you to the authentic beauty and local tradition of India. The beautiful culture and diverse land of colors and language has many awesome things to offer to the visitor who wished to explore the nation. India with various ethnic groups have their own unique charm which is very interesting to the visitor who are unknown to Asian and Hindu cultures.
Take a tour of an incredible India and make an unforgettable memory that will last for a lifetime.
At Airport meet and greet your driver and from there you will be transferred to your hotel. Evening we will visit the Light and Sound show in old Delhi followed by a short work around ChandniChowk Market. Stay overnight at the Hotel.
After breakfast visit Red fort, Jamia Mosque, Raj Ghat (crematory place of Mahatma Gandhi) pass through the city center Connaught Place, India Gate and parliment house. Time to stop for lunch if necessary, post lunch we will visit Humayun's tomb, Lodhi Garden, Lotus temple and QutubMinar.
stay overnight at the Hotel.
After breakfast drive to Jaipur, Jaipur is a beautiful city visit the colourful markets of Jaipur, Evening trip to the most ethnic village of Jaipur ChowkiDhani, enjoy the cultural program at Chowkidhani stay overnight at your hotel.
After breakfast explore Jaipur visit Amber fort, experience the taste of Maharaja’s by ascending the fort on Elephants back. Later visit Palace of Winds, Nahargarh Fort, JalMahal, and JantarMantar (Observatory). The highlight of the day will be the visit to Jaipur most famous monkey temple, stay overnight at Hotel in Jaipur.
After breakfast drive to Pushkar. On arrival, check in at the hotel. After fresh-up, rest of the day is free for leisure, Evening Camel ride in the nearby desert with the local camel traders. Stay overnight at Hotel in Pushkar
In the morning, we will visit the famous Pushkar Lake that is believed to be the one and only worship place of Lord Brahma in the whole universe. We will also visit the Lord Brahma temple and Cattle fair ground where the world famous Pushkar Cattle Fair held every year. After breakfast, the rest of the day is free for leisure or you can visit the local market or enjoy hotels recreational facilities. An overnight stay at the hotel.
After breakfast take your journey to Ranthambore, en route visit the deserted city of FatehpurSikri, Arrive Ranthambore, Check into you hotel, time to shower evening spend at your hotel.
Early morning drive to the Ranthambore Jungle with the naturalist in the Canter (Open roof) to spot tigers and wild life, the safari lasts for 2-3 hours return to the hotel for breakfast, day free to relax at the hotel, enjoy the lunch at your hotel post lunch drive to the ranthambore forest again with the naturalist return back to the hotel. Stay overnight at the hotel.
After breakfast drive to Agra en route visit the ghost town of Fatehpursikri arrive agra visit Agra Fort and MehtabBagh stay overnight at Hotel in Agra.
Early morning visit the TajMahal at Sunrise time, return Hotel for the breakfast day free for shopping in Agra (Evening Kalakriti Tour is optional). Later drive to the train station to board the overnight train to Varanasi.
Arrive Train station meet and greet driver later transfer to the Hotel. At evening, get ready to experience one of the most memorable moments of your life, as you will be taken to River Ganges. Enjoy Ganga Aarti. Get a glimpse of the spiritualism at the Ganga Ghats (river front). Stay overnight at Hotel in Varanasi.
Early morning, we will be taken for a boat ride on the Ganges. It is a mystical and spiritual experience as you watch people offering water to the Sun God and devotees taking holy dip in the Ganges. We will visit all the famous Ghats of Varanasi via boat. Latter visit the most religious KashiVishwanath temple, Annapurna Temple, the Bharat Mata temple, SankatMochan(Hanuman temple), ManasMandir, BHU. Come back to hotel for breakfast.
Later in the afternoon, we will take you for an excursion to Sarnath. Sarnath is the place where Buddha delivered his first sermon to his disciples. The attractions at Sarnath are the Buddha temples, the Dhamekhastupa, Chaukhandistupa and the archaeological museum.
Stay overnight at Hotel in Varanasi.
After breakfast drive to the airport to board the onward flight to Delhi. Arrive Delhi check inn at hotel stay overnight at hotel in New Delhi.
Day free for shopping, or leisure
Departure transfer to the airport for onward destination
VISA INFORMATION
OVERVIEW
All foreign nationals entering India are required to possess a valid international travel document in the form of a national passport with a valid visa obtained from an Indian Mission or Post abroad.
All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through Online application link , in order to make an application for getting the Indian visa.
The duly signed physical copy of the application form completed in all respect and submitted successfully, is to be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to Indian Mission/ Post, on the scheduled date of interview along with the requisite supporting documents. The instructions for filling the form and scheduling the appointment can be seen at Instructions for Online Visa Application. Important technical information for filling online Indian visa application can be referred at Technical Instructions.
The applicants are also requested to visit website of the Indian Mission concerned for detailed information about Indian visa.
ONLINE VISA APPLICATION
All Individual visa seekers are requested to apply for the Indian Visa through online application link. Or can apply by typing the URL: http://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/ in the address bar of web browser, in order to make an application for getting the Indian visa. In either case, no hand written application form will be accepted by any of the Indian Mission/ Post, where-ever online Visa facility has been implemented. The application form completed in all respect and submitted succesfully, is to be submitted at the concerned Indian Visa Application Center (IVAC) or directly to Indian Mission/ Post in absence of IVAC, on the scheduled date of interview along with the requisite supporting documents. The instructions for filling the form and scheduling the appointment can be refered at Instructions for Online Visa Application. Important technical information for filling online Indian visa application can be referred at Technical Instructions. If you have already applied online for Indian Visa online and want to know the status of your application,
VISA CATEGORIES
Government of India issues the following visas: Business Visa, Conference Visa, Diplomatic Visa, Employment Visa, Emergency Visa, Entry Visa, Journalist Visa, Medical Visa, Missionaries Visa, Permit to re-enter within 2 months, Research Visa, Student Visa, Tourist Visa, Transit Visa. Please follow the link for details on Visa Provision and supporting documents
VISA PROCESSING TIME
Upon receipt of the Visa Application through Indian Visa Application Center or directly, the Indian Mission/ Post requires a minimum of three working days to process the case and issue a visa depending upon the nationality and excluding special cases.
PHOTO REQUIREMENTS
Online India Visa Application allows the Applicant to upload a digital photograph of self to complete the online visa application.
Guidelines/procedure to upload a digital photograph
The digital photograph to be uploaded along with the Visa application should meet the following requirements:
Format – JPEG
Size
Minimum 10 KB
Maximum 300 KB
The height and width of the Photo must be equal.
Photo should present Full face, front view, eyes open.
Center head within frame and present full head from top of hair to bottom of chin.
Background should be plain light colored or white background.
No shadows on the face or on the background.
Without borders.
Make sure that photo presents full head from top of hair to bottom of chin. Head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25mm to 35mm). Make sure eye height is between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3.
FEE FOR INDIAN VISA
The visa fee depends upon the type of applied for and duration of visa. Visa fee is divided into various types depending upon the case viz; Basic fee, special fee, processing fee by out-sourcing agency. During the online registration process, at the end of the process the basic fee shall be displayed. However, this fee shall be indicative only and final fee shall be charged while submitting the application at the respective counters Fee once received are non-refundable even if the visa application is withdrawn, the visa is not granted, or if visa issued is of shorter duration of period than applied for or otherwise issued or returned at a time or on terms and conditions that may vary from those sought by the applicant. For further information on this, please check with local embassy office or Indian Visa Application center office or websites for information on applicable fee and payment methods.
VISA PROVISION
SL. NO.
TYPE OF VISA
PERIOD FOR WHICH GRANTED
ENTRY – SINGLE (S), MULTIPLE (M), DOUBLE
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION
EXTENDABLE IN INDIA
1
TOURIST
180 DAYS
M
-
NO
2
TRANSIT
15 DAYS
S/ DOUBLE
RETURN/ ONWARD JOURNEY TICKET
NO
3
BUSINESS
5 YEARS
M
DOCUMENTS TO PROVE BONAFIDE PURPOSE (COMPANY’S LETTER ETC.)
YES
4
EMPLOYMENT
1 YEAR/ PERIOD OF CONTRACT
M
PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT (APPOINTMENT DOCUMENT), TERMS AND CONDITIONS
YES
5
STUDENT
PERIOD OF COURSE/ 5 YEARS
M
PROOF OF ADMISSION IN INDIAN INSTITUTION
YES
6
FOREIGNERS OF INDIAN ORIGIN
5 YEARS
M
PROOF OF BEING OF INDIAN ORIGIN
YES
INSTRUCTIONS
A. Online application form:
This application form is meant for those foreigners who are applying for visa from outside India.
Each online application form is meant for one person only. Separate application has to be filed for each applicant.
Furnish information exactly in the manner asked for in the forms, especially the names, address and date of birth.
Applicants are required to verify the application details before submitting the online application. They have an option to save the online application form, in case it is not to be submitted.
Once the online application form is submitted by the applicant, then further modifications are not allowed. Hence applicants are requested to check and validate the details before submitting the online application form.
Applicants are requested to keep the Application Id (generated automatically after the submission of online form) for further communications.
B. Appointment Scheduling:
Applicant can schedule the appointment as per his/ her convenience with the concerned Indian Mission.
Each applicant to schedule a separate appointment with the Indian Mission
C. Process for filling up online application form:
Applicant shall access the Visa Application system online through the following link: http://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/.
Applicant visits the above mentioned web link and selects the Indian Mission from where he intends to apply for the Visa from the tab “Select Mission”.
Applicant fills the application on-line as per the forms standardized by the Ministry.
After filling the form and submitting it, the system shall automatically generate a Application Id. Applicants are requested to keep this Application Id for further communications with the concerned Indian Mission.
System will automatically ask the Applicant for the following confirmation: “Select ‘Yes’ if the applicant want to seek appointment and make payment online or ‘No’ if the applicant just want to print the submitted application form.”
If the applicant response is “No”, then it is requested by the applicant to take the print out of the submitted online application form and approach the concerned Indian Mission for submission of the online form along with supporting documents.
If the response from applicant is “yes” then the system automatically takes the link to perform the following:
Selection of Date and Time of appointment at the concerned Indian Mission
Calculation of Visa fee, service charge, VAT etc. as applicable according to the Visa type
D. Payment using service provider’s payment system
In case the facility of Appointment Scheduling and e-Payment is not available for the concerned Indian mission, then applicant has to take the printout of the online application form and visit the concerned Indian Mission to submit the same along with supporting documents and make the payment.
Indian Culture: Traditions and Customs of India
India’s culture is among the world,s oldest; civilization in India began about 4,500 years ago. Many sources describe it as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world, according to the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) organization.
Western societies did not always see the culture of India very favorably, according to Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. Early anthropologists once considered culture as an evolutionary process, and ”every aspect of human development was seen as driven by evolution,” she told Live Science. “In this view, societies outside of Europe or North America, or societies that did not follow the European or Western way of life, were considered primitive and culturally inferior. Essentially this included all the colonized countries and people, such as African countries, India, and the Far East.".
However, Indians made significant advances in architecture (Taj Mahal), mathematics (the invention of zero) and medicine (Ayurveda). Today, India is a very diverse country, with more than 1.2 billion people, according to the CIA World Factbook, making it the second most populous nation after China. Different regions have their own distinct cultures. Language, religion, food and the arts are just some of the various aspects of Indian culture. Here is a brief overview of the culture of India.
Language
India has 28 states and seven territories, according to the World Health Organization. There is no official language in India, according to a Gujarat High Court ruling in 2010. Many people living in India also write in Devanagari script. In fact, it is a misconception that the majority of people in India speak Hindi. Though many people speak Hindi in India, 59 percent of India residents speak something other than Hindi, according to The Times of India. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu are some other languages spoken in the country.
Religion
India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, the third and fourth largest religions. About 84 percent of the population identifies as Hindu, according to the “Handbook of Research on Development and Religion” Edited by Matthew Clarke (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2013). There are many variations of Hinduism, and four predominant sects — Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakteya and Smarta.
About 13 percent of Indians are Muslim, making it one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Christians and Sikhs make up a small percentage of the population, and there are even fewer Buddhists and Jains, according to the “Handbook.”
Food
When the Moghul Empire invaded during the sixteenth century, they left a significant mark on the Indian cuisine, according to Texas A&M University. Indian cuisine is also influenced by many other countries. It is known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices. Cooking styles vary from region to region.
Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana (Bengal gram) are important staples of the Indian diet. The food is rich with curries and spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon, among others. Chutneys — thick condiments and spreads made from assorted fruits and vegetables such as tamarind and tomatoes and mint, cilantro and other herbs — are used generously in Indian cooking.
Many Hindus are vegetarians, but lamb and chicken are common in main dishes for non-vegetarians. The Guardian reports that between 20 percent and 40 percent of India's population is vegetarian.
Much of Indian food is eaten with fingers or bread used as utensils. There is a wide array of breads served with meals, including naan, a leavened, oven-baked flatbread, and bhatoora, a fried, fluffy flatbread common in North India and eaten with chickpea curry.
Architecture and art
The most well-known example of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honor his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It combines elements from Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles. India also has many ancient temples.
India is well known for its film industry, which is often referred to as Bollywood. The country's movie history began in 1896 when the Lumière brothers demonstrated the art of cinema in Mumbai, according to the Golden Globes. Today, the films are known for their elaborate singing and dancing.
Indian dance, music and theater traditions span back more than 2,000 years, according to Nilima Bhadbhade, author of “Contract Law in India” (Kluwer Law International, 2010). The major classical dance traditions — Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam and Kathakali — draw on themes from mythology and literature and have rigid presentation rules.
Clothing
Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris worn by many of the country’s women. The traditional clothing for men is the dhoti, an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied around the waist and legs. Men also wear a kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. For special occasions, men wear a sherwani, which is a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. The Nehru jacket is a shorter version of a sherwani.
Customs and celebrations
The country celebrates Republic Day (Jan. 26), Independence Day (Aug. 15) and Mahatma Gandhi's Birthday (Oct. 2). Diwali is the largest and most important holiday to India, according to National Geographic. It is a five-day festival known as the festival of lights because of the lights lit during the celebration to symbolize the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness. Holi, the festival of colors, also called the festival of love, is popular in the spring.
Weather
India is situated in Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan.
The climate in India varies from a tropical monsoon climate in the south to a temperate climate in the north. If you are thinking of Visiting Delhi (the capital of India) then best to visit it in October, November, February and March. That's when the nights are cool and the days are filled with a little sunshine. May, June and July are very hot with temperatures over 45 degrees (113 Fahrenheit). It is a dry heat and is sometimes accompanied by dusty desert winds. Most of the rain falls between July and September but they are not the tropical rains you'll experience in India's coastal cities.
