India Travel
Listings of Ramnagar in Eastern UP
Airlines Air India are in Hotel Clarks. Indian Airlines are behind the Hotel de Paris, Cantonment (Mon-Fri 10am-1 pm & 2-5pm), and they also have an airport office, Sahara Airlines are at Mint House: opposite the Taj Hotel.
Banks and exchange Most foreign-currency branches of the major banks are located in the Cantonment area. The State Bank of India behind Best Western Hotel, the Mall (Mon-fy 10am -2pm; Sat 10am-noon) will change travellers’ cheques but doesn’t advance cash on Visa cards. The Allahabad Bank is near Takshal Cinema. Most of the top hotels also have foreign exchange facilities. Down at Dashaswamedh. there is a branch of the State Bank of India past the Garden Restaurant on Madanpura road, but it will not change American Express travellers’ cheques; the Bank of Baroda in the Hotel Ganges building accepts credit cards but not travellers’ cheques; Radiant Services near the main Godaulia junction (near St Thomas’ church) changes travellers’ cheques and cash-they charge a higher commission than banks but stay open long hours (daily 9am-8pm; 6 percent commission on Visa}.
Bookshops Amit (University) Book House: University Road. Lanka, with another branch atAsi Ghat, have a good range of novels and coffee-table books on India; Indica Books. D40/18 Godaulia, have a good selection of religion and philosophy and also provide a useful parcel mailing service; Nandi. Varanasi Ashok, has a good selection including secondhand books which you can also sell here. A secondhand bookshop on Vishwanath Lane, outside the golden temple, will do exchanges.
Cat rental at around Rs700 per day is available from ITDC in the Hotel Varanasi Ashok, the Mall; Travel Corporation of India, Hotel Clarks, the Mall; and the Government of India tourist office.
Hospitals Sir Sunderlal Hospital, Benares Hindu University; Shiv Prasad Gupta Hospital (government-run), Kabir Chaura; Marwari Hospital, Godaulia; Ram Krishna Mission Hospital, Luxa.
Internet access Internet cafes aimed at travellers and costing around Rs60/hr cluster around Kachauri Lane.
Motorcycles Jagatganj, near the Sanskrit University. Mechanics and workshops specializing in Enfields are clustered in this area; ask around for a secondhand bike.
Music The International Music Ashram, D33/81 Kalishpura, old city, is an excellent place to get a few lessons in tabla, sitar and theory.
Opticians Gupta Optical, Godaulia (10am-7pm).
Pharmacies The 24hr Singh Medical pharmacy is near the Prakash Cinema, Lahurabir, a couple of kilometres north of Godaulia.
Photography Bright Studio, Godaulia; Passi Studio, Lahurabir; Veer Studio, Jagatganj, in front of Queen’s College.
Post The main post office is in the Cantonment area. Other branches are located in Hotel Clarks; down by the river on the Dashaswamedh road 100m beyond Vishwanatha Lane and the Madhur Milan dhatis, and near Kotwali police station at the top end of Chowk.
Travel agencies General travel agencies, selling train, plane and bus tickets, include the ITDC, at the Ashok, the Mall; the friendly Nova International on Shubhash Nagar, near Parade Kothi; Sita Travels and Travel Corporation India, both at Hotel Clarks, and VarunaTravels. Pandey Haveli,
Visa extensions The Foreigners Registration Office is on Srinagar Colony, Sigra.
Yoga There is a yoga institute at the Benares Hindu University, but the Yoga Ashram Academy (D 5/4 Ganesha Guest House, Saraswati Phatak) in Godaulia is more central. Vag Yoga Consciousness Institute (8 3/13A, Shivala), is based near Shivala Ghat. Many traveller-oriented hotels and cafes have leaflets advertising classes and venues.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
The rest of the city of Varanasi in the Eastern
Varanasi holds a few other sites of interest, especially in the area south of Godaulia, just beyond Asi Ghat. The Durga Temple here, and the Bharat Kala Bhavan museum of Benares Hindu University (BHU) are easily accessible, while just across the river, Ramnagar and its impressive fort continue to play an important role in the life of the city.
Ramnagar in Eastern UP
The residence of the Maharaja of Varanasi, Ramnagar Fort looks down upon the Ganges not far south of the Asi Ghat. The best views of the fortifications -especially impressive in late afternoon - are to be had from the other side of the river, which is reached by a road heading south from the BHU area and over a rickety pontoon bridge. During the monsoon the bridge is dismantled and replaced by a ferry, still preferable to the long main road that crosses the main Malaviya bridge in the north before heading down the eastern bank of the river. It
Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
The residence of the Maharaja of Varanasi, Ramnagar Fort looks down upon the Ganges not far south of the Asi Ghat. The best views of the fortifications -especially impressive in late afternoon - are to be had from the other side of the river, which is reached by a road heading south from the BHU area and over a rickety pontoon bridge. During the monsoon the bridge is dismantled and replaced by a ferry, still preferable to the long main road that crosses the main Malaviya bridge in the north before heading down the eastern bank of the river. It
Getting to and from Corbett National Park at Uttaranchal
Ramnagar is served by frequent buses to and from Nainital and Ranikhet, 112km north. Buses arrive every halt-hour or so after the eight-hour trip from Delhi; Delhi Transport Corporation run a semi-deluxe service (Rs90), and most of the alternatives are pretty basic. The only direct train to Delhi leaves it 8pm and arrives at 6.30am, with interminable stops along the way. For faster trams and connections to other parts change at Moradabad. The nearest airport, at Pantnagar, 80km southeast, is rarely used. The closest of the various gates into the park, lkm from central Kamnagar, is Amdanda on the road to
Eastern Andhra Pradesh
Perhaps India's least visited area, eastern Andhra Pradesh is sandwiched between the Bay of Bengal in the east and the red soil and high peaks of the Eastern Ghats in the north. Its one architectural attraction is the ancient Buddhist site of Amaravati, near the city of Vijayawada, whose sprinkling of historic temples is far overshadowed by impersonal, modern buildings. Some 350 km north, the major port of Vishakhapatnam is not as grim as it first seems, but it's not a place to linger long. For anyone with a strong desire to explore, however, pockets of natural beauty along the
Shopping for Ramnagar in Eastern UP
With hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare — but it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk-weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are the Thatheri Bazaar (for brass), or Jnana Vapi and the Vishwanatha Gah with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery). State-run emporia in Godaulia, Lahurabir and the Chowk - the three UP Handlooms outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag, and Mahatex in Godaulia - offer fixed prices and assured quality. Housed in a former palace opposite the Taj Hotel in
Shopping at Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
With hustlers and rickshaw drivers keen to drag tourists into shops offering commission, shopping in Varanasi can be a nightmare — but it's worth seeking out the city's rich silk-weaving and brasswork. The best areas to browse are the Thither Bazaar (for brass), or Jnana Vapi and the Vishwanatha Gah with its Temple Bazaar (for silk brocade and jewellery). State-run emporia in Godaulia, Lahurabir and the Chowk - the three UP Handlooms outlets at Lahurabir, Nadesar and Neechi Bag, and Mahatex in Godaulia - offer fixed prices and assured quality. Housed in a former palace opposite the Taj Hotel in
Corbett National Park at Ramnagar northeast in Delhi and southwest of Nainital in Uttaranchal
Corbett National Park, based at Ramnagar. 250km northeast of Delhi and 63km southwest of Nainital, is one of India's premier wildlife reserves. Established in 1936 by Jim Corbett among others, as the Hailey National Park, India's first, and later renamed in his honour, it is one of Himalayan India's hist expanses of wilderness. Almost the entire 521-square-kilometre park, spread over the foothills of Kumaon, is sheltered by a buffer zone of mixed deciduous and giant sal forests, which provide impenetrable cover for wildlife. Most of the Core Area of 330 square kilometres at its heart remains out of hounds, and
Listings Domestic Indian Airlines in Ahmedabad
Airlines, Domestic Indian Airlines, on the road from Sidi Sayyid's Mosque to Nehru Bridge 079/550 3061; Jet Airways. Ashram Road opposite Gujarat Vidyapith 079/754 3304.
Details of Eastern UP
Flowing beyond Allahabad across the plains of EASTERN UP, the Ganges turns sharply north at Chunar and traces a great arc through ancient Varanasi. Even before the Hindus declared this to be the most sacred spot on earth, it stood at the centre of die Buddhist universe, linked by trading routes from Rajgir in Bihar to Mathura near Delhi. It was on the outskirts of Varanasi, at the deer park at Sarnath, that the Buddha delivered his first sermon. North ofVaranasi, the much-travelled road to Nepal passes through the large administrative town of Gorakhpur, not far from Kushinagar, where the
Information in Delhi
There are reasonably helpful tourist offices at the inCernational and domestic air por Cs, railway stations and bus tetminals, and the Government of India tourist office at 88 Janpath, just south of Connaught Place (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-4.30pm), is a good place to pick up information on Delhi's sites, city tours, shopping, cultural events and accommodation. They also provide free maps of che city; you'll find the same ones sold in the streets at negotiable prices.The information counter at the less busy DTTDC (Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation) office, Bombay Life Building, Middle Circle (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm; )
Listings form Ramnagar in Varanasi at the Eastern UP
Airlines Air India are in Hotel darks. Indian Airlines are behind the Hotel de Pans, Cantonment (Mon-Fri 10am-1pm & 2-5pm), and they also have an airport office. Sahara Airlines are at Mint House, opposite the Taj Hotel. Banks and exchange Most foreign-currency branches of the major banks are located in the Cantonment area. The State Bank of India behind Best Western Hotel, the Mall (Mon-Fri 1 Dam -2pm; Sat 10am-noon] will change travellers' cheques but doesn't advance cash on Visa cards. The Allahabad Bank is near Takshal Cinema. Most of the top hotels also have foreign exchange facilities. Down at Dashaswamedh,
Travel details for Uttaranchal
Trains Haridwar to: Calcutta (1 daily; 33hr); Dehra Dun (8 daily; 2hr); Delhi (4 daily: 4hr 30min-8hr); Mumbai (1 daily; 40hr); Katfigodam (3 daily: 4lir 30min-8hr); Rishikesh (2 daily; 30min). Kathgodam (railhead 3hr from Naimtal) to: Calcutta (1 daily; 4Dhr); Delhi (2 daily: 8hrl. Buses Almora to: Nainital (4 daily; 3hr); Delhi (2 daily;11hr). Dehra Dun to: Delhi (6 daily; 8hr); Kullu/Manali (1daily; 14hr): Mussoorie (every 30min; 1hr): Nainital(1 daily; 11hr); Rishikesh (every 30min; Ihr 30mm) Haridwar to: Dehra Dun (hourly: 1hr 15min); Delhi (4-6 daily; 5-6hr); Rishikesh (20 daily; 30min). Mussoorie to: Dehra Dun (every 30min; 1hr); Delhi (2 daily; 9hr); Haridwar (every 30min;
Culture and entertainment in Calcutta
Calcutta's lively arts scene is well known for its music and Bengali theatre, though the latter is of limited access to most tourists as performances are in Bengali. A handful of galleries hold exhibitions of fine art, and the cultural centres of the various consulates also play an important role in the life of the city. Of the many nonreligious festivals each year, the Ganga Utsav. held over a few weeks around the end bf January at Diamond Harbour, involves music, dance and theatrical events. Rabindra Sadan is Calcutta's theatre and concert hall district, with numerous venues including Nandan next
Information of Mumbai
The best source of information in Mumbai is the excellent Government of India tourist office (Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm. Sat 8.30am-2pm; 022/203 3144) at 123 M Karve Rd, opposite Churchgate station's east exit. The staff here are exceptionally helpful and hand out a wide range of leaflets, maps and brochures both on Mumbai and the rest of the country. There are also 24hr tourist information counters at Sahar International (022/832 5331) and Santa Cruz (022/615 9320) airports. Maharashtra State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (MTDC) main office, on Madam Cama Road (Mon-Sat 8.30am-7pm; 022/202 6731), opposite the LIC Building in Nariman Point, sells tickets
Listings of McLeod Ganj in Himachal Pradesh
Banks and exchange The State Bank of India in McLeod Ganj has ceased foreign exchange transactions. There's another branch in lower Dharamsala (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, Sat 10am-noon). The Bank of Baroda. in the lower town, issues money to Visa card holders, with one or two days' delay. There are several authorized private foreign exchange agencies in McLeod Ganj. Bookshops The Tibetan Bookshop and Information Office is a good place to browse for books on Tibetan Buddhism, as is the friendly and informative Charitable Trust Shop, both on Jogibara Road in the main bazaar. Bookworm, opposite the Tourist Office, South End, is small
Some history in Northern Gujarat
Remains from the third millennium BC in eastern Kutch suggest that migrating Indus Valley communities crossed the Ranns from Mohenjo Daro in modern Pakistan to Lothal in eastern Gujarat. Traditional history recounts that Kutch belonged to the Yadavas, when it was known for the rich grasses that flourished on the ash manure that tell from heaven at the request of a wandering sage. Despite being so cut off, Kutch felt the effect of the Buddhist Mauryan empire, and later came under the control of Greek Bactrians, the Western Satraps and the powerful Guptas.The Arab invasion of Sind in 720 AD
Jharkhand
On the eastern extremities of the Vindhya hills, at the northern fringes of the Deccan, lie the forested hills and escarpments of the rugged Chotanagpur plateau.The area became a new state,JHARKHAND, in 2000, after years of agitation by its largely tribal population, though it seems unlikely that its extreme poverty and lawlessness can be dealt with by creating a slew of new government positions and changing some names. The state capital is Ranchi, although Jamshedpur in the southeast corner is one of eastern India's most important industrial towns, the headquarters of the steel conglomerate TISCO. The forests that surround Jamshedpur, at
Information about Calcutta
The efficient and friendly Government of India Tourist Office, Shakespeare Sarani (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-lpm, is your best bet for information on Calcutta,'West Bengal and destinations further afield, and can assist with itineraries and booking tours.The Government ofWest Bengal Tourist Bureau. 3/2 BBD Bagh East, arranges tours of Calcutta and package trips around West Bengal. They also issue permits and book tours and accommodation at the Sunderbans and Jaldapara wildlife parks. Tourist information counters at the airport and Howrah Station offer the same services. English-language newspapers such as the
Dance and drama in Delhi
Dances ot India, Parsi Anjuman Hall, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg. Excellent classical, folk and tribal dance. Daily 7-8pm. Habitat World. India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road. Popular venue for dance, music and theatre as well as talks and exhibitions; look up the local press for listings or enquire by phone. clubs, especially with the expats and especially on Saturday nights, with hip-hop, dnjm'n'bass and reggae. Occasional theme nights such as belly dancing. Closed Mon & Tues. Someplace Else, Park. 15 Sansad Marg. Popular place for those who want cheaper beer; and a DJ who is willing to play requests, especially more alternative