2. India in 90 seconds…..
Let us begin by knowing Indians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3xaTlF_8lY
3. Dharamshala - a hill station in northern India
What is it famous for?
Mini Tibet in India centered around the Dalai Lama; Upper Dharamshala (or McLeod Ganj)
World’s highest and most picturesque cricket stadium; home for international matches (IPL)
Weather in Dharamshala
March is cooler in Dharamshala as compared to the planes (Delhi). So DO NOT FORGET to
pack in some warm clothing.
Famous destinations in and around Dharamshala
• Tsuglagkhang Complex - Houses 3m high, gilded bronze image of Buddha
• Kotwali Bazaar – Small town traditional marketplace
• Bhagsunag Temple – 2km from McLeod Ganj
• Dal Lake - 2 km walk from McLeod Ganj market; bound by deodars and juniper forests
• Naddi – 5km from McLeod Ganj; popular destination for nature lovers
http://himachaltourism.gov.in/post/dharamshala.aspx
4. New Delhi – The Capital of India
• The locals call it ‘Dilli’.
• Temperatures in March- an average high & low of 82 F and 59 F.
• Delhi is the home of the President and Prime Minister of India.
• Main language spoken in Delhi is Hindi – the national language.
• Key tourist destinations include:
o India Gate
o Qutub Minar
o Lotus Temple
o Gurdwara Bangla Sahib
o Red Fort
o Chandni Chowk (the traditional old Delhi shopping area)
o Connaught Place (the central Delhi shopping area)
• Delhi is a great place to shop and enjoy some special traditional
street food.
5. Agra…where the Taj symbolizes love
• Located 124 miles south from New Delhi on banks of River
Yamuna.
• Taj Mahal is the most famous attractions of Agra built by the
Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz
Mahal.
• Made from white marble, the top of its gate has 22 small domes,
signifying the number of years the monument took to build.
• This perfectly symmetrical monument was built by 20,000
workers, masons and jewelers.
• Other key tourist attractions include: Fatehpur Sikri & Agra Fort
• Agra is very famous for the famous dessert called ‘petha’.
• Gwalior is another famous town situated 76 miles south of Agra
and has a history attached to it. The Gwalior fort is worth a visit.
6. The Indian Rupee Useful conversions
$ 1 = 45.33 Indian Rupee
0.5 Indian Rupee = 50 Indian Paisa
Other available notes: 1000 Rupee, 5 Rupee, 2 Rupee, 1 Rupee
Other available coins: 25 Paisa, 50 Paisa, 10 Rupee
7. Religions in India
• India is secular and you will see that people from all religions co-exist.
• Every religion has its own God(s) and rituals that are very important to the follower.
• Indians are very welcoming towards helping others understand their religion and culture.
• But, every Indian is very sensitive about his/her religion. It is generally not appreciated if you
confuse someone’s religion.
Hindus Temple Muslims Mosque Sikhs Gurudwara Christians Church
8. Indian food - Breakfast
Paranthas Chole Poori Idli with Chutney
• Parantha is a kind of Indian • Poori is a kind of Indian • Idli is made from a well
bread made from wheat flour bread made from wheat and ground mixture of lentils
& cooked on a flat pan. deep fried in hot oil. and rice that is steam
• Tastes delicious with butter • Tastes delicious with a curry cooked in a closed
or Indian pickle. of chick peas called chole. vessel.
• Comes with various stuffing • This dish is often enjoyed • Tastes delicious with
– potato, onion, cauliflower, with finely chopped fresh coconut paste called
onions and lemon. chutney.
cottage cheese etc.
9. Indian food – Lunch / Dinner
Matar Paneer Rajma & Rice Dal & Roti
• Matar Paneer is an Indian • Rajma is black-eyed beans • Dal is Indian lentils cooked
gravy made of green peas cooked with Indian spices in spices and garnished
and cottage cheese cooked and a gravy of tomato and with fresh coriander.
in Indian spices. onions. • Usually served with a kind
• Usually served with either • Usually served with hot of hot Indian bread called
Indian bread or white rice. white rice and salad. roti.
• Cottage cheese also tastes • Also tasted delicious with
great when cooked with white rice and a bowl of
spinach. salad.
10. Indian food – Drinks & desserts
Lassi Jalebi Kulfi
• Lassi is prepared by • Jalebi is an Indian dessert • Kulfi is a milk based Indian
churning yoghurt and then made from flour mix deep dessert (similar to ice
liquefying it with water. fried in oil and then dipped in cream candy).
• It is served both salted and sugar syrup. • Available in several
sweet as preferred. • It tastes great when eaten traditional flavors –
• Very similar to butter milk along with another milk Almonds, Pistache etc.
served in Indian restaurants based Indian dessert called
in US. rabdi.
11. Festivals in India
• Festival of Colors – HOLI – 20th March 2011 • Durga Puja
• Festival of lights – DIWALI • Rakshbandhan
• Christmas • Ganesh Chaturthi
• Id • Onam
• Baisakhi • Pongal
• Dussehra
12. Modes of local transport
Cycle Rickshaw Auto Rickshaw Local bus Metro
• Travelling within any Indian city can be challenging because of the streets being very
crowded and noisy.
• However, it will be a great experience as a tourist to try out a cycle rickshaw or an auto
rickshaw.
• We would still recommend using a private vehicle (car) to move around within any Indian
city.
13. Bollywood
• Bollywood is formally referred to as Hindi cinema.
• ‘Bollywood’ is derived from The name "Bollywood" is derived from Bombay (the former
name for Mumbai) and Hollywood.
• The term "Bollywood“ originated in the 1970s, when India overtook America as the world's
largest film producer.
• The Filmfare Awards ceremony is one of the most prominent film events for Hindi films in
India and is an equivalent of the Oscars.
• Some recommended must watch from Bollywood:
o 3Idiots : Genre – Comedy
o Taare Zameen Par: Genre – Drama (based on dyslexia)
o Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge: Genre – Romance
o Lagaan: Genre – Drama (based on Britishers and cricket)
o Jodhaa Akbar: Genre – History (based on the Mughal rule in India)
o Munnabhai MBBS: Genre – Inspirational & comedy
14. Travel tips (1)
• Remember to bargain when you buy items from street sellers.
• Always carry a bottle of mineral bottled water with you.
• The heat in India can be very dry – so carry your skin accessories at all times.
• It is uncommon to get beef, pork, turkey in India when you step out to eat. Chicken is easy
to get but it will normally be served as a curry. Be sure to let the server know if you do not
prefer too much spice.
• Commuting from one place to another in India can be challenge. So, do plan in advance.
• India is a very populated country and hence streets can be very noisy and busy.
• Please be careful of your belongings at all times.
• If you happen to visit an Indian family, don’t be surprised to see that people remove their
shoes outside the house.
• Due to cultural norms, Hindus, Muslims & Sikhs do not put on footwear inside their
respective places of worship.
15. Travel tips (2)
• As a sign of respect, you will observe most Indians touching the feet of elders on special
occasions.
• It is usually not considered polite if you do not consume all the food served on your dish.
You will often also see traditional Indians sitting on the floor and having their food without
spoons and forks.
• The Hindu religion worships several animals & trees as epitomes of Gods like Cow.
• The time zone in India is called as IST (Indian Standard Time). New Delhi is 10.5 hours
ahead of Indianapolis. That means when it is 6:00 am in Indianapolis, it is 4:30 pm in New
Delhi
• Indian textiles are great both in terms of quality and price. It is a perfect idea to shop for
textiles from India. We would recommend Fab India (in Delhi) to buy the best cottons.
• Some other useful shopping stores: Westside, Shoppers Stop, Fab India.
16. Feel free to reach out to us….
• Khushboo Garg
kgarg@indiana.edu
• Sumit Behl
sbehl@indiana.edu
• Medha Hazari
mhazari@indiana.edu
• Nisarg Shah
shahnid@indiana.edu
17. Have a safe trip
and
enjoy India
We wish you all the best…..
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