India Travel
Special permits
In addition to a visa, special permits may be required for travel to certain areas of the country - notably Sikkim, parts of Ladakh,the Andaman Islands, Lakshadweep, the far west of the Thar desert beyond Jaisalmer, and some northeastern hill states.
There are two types of permits: those for restricted areas such as Sikkim, and the Inner Line Permit required by both foreigners and Indians intending to visit politically sensitive border areas of Ladakh, parts of the northeast, and north and east Sikkim. Inner Line Permits are usually issued by the District Magistrate (see chapters for more detail). Some areas (parts of Sikkim, and the Indo-Chinese-Pak border region in Jammu-Kashmir for example) remain completely out ol bounds to tourists. If you have some special reason for going to any of these latter areas, apply for a permit to the Ministry for Home Affairs Foreigners’ Section, Lok Nayak Bhavan, Khan Market, New Delhi 110 003, at least three months in advance.
Permits for those areas of Sikkim that are open to tourists are easily available at all foreigners’ registration offices, immigration offices at the main international airports, all Indian embassies, consulates and high commissions abroad and at offices in Darjeeling and Siliguri: a two-day permit is instantly available at the checkpoint on the Sikkim border. Sikkim is the only place where you need a special trekking permit, Should you get your hands on a visa for Bhutan, you’ll also need a transit permit for the border area from the Ministry of External Affairs.
For details of permit requirements to other areas, see the relevant chapters of this book.
Related Properties from Gurgaon
Restricted areas and permits in Ladakh
Much of Ladakh is still inaccessible to the casual tourist, but with the easing of tensions along the border between India and China, parts of this incredible land, once hidden behind the political veil of the "Inner Line", are being opened up. Three areas in particular were opened to visitors in the mid-1990s: the Nubra Valley bordering the Karakoram Range to the north of Leh; the area around Pangong Tso- the lake to the east of Leh; and the region of Rupshu with the lake of Tso Moriri: to the southeast of Leh. (Dha Hanu in west Ladakh was similarly
National Philatelic Museum in Central New Delhi
To locate the National Philatelic Museum, at Dak Bhavan, Post Office Sansad Marg (Mon-Fn 9.30am-l2.30pm & 2.30-4.30pm; free), go to the entrance by the car park at the back of the post office on Sansad Marg and report to reception, where you will be given a pass to go up to the first floor and view the extensive collection of rare stamps. These include first-day covers and special cancellations from the pre- and post-Independence eras. A booth in the main post office sells special commemorative stamps to liven up your letters.
Smith Island in North Andaman
Over recent years Smith Island has become one the most popular escapes for travellers wishing to live out their Robinson Crusoe fantasies. Although it has not yet been included on the list printed on foreign tourist permits, it has achieved semi-official status and RslO permits are issued at the port authority in Arial Bay because of its proximity to the protected wildlife reserve at Ross Island (not to be confused with the one near Port Blair).The typically densely forested island has a small settlement at the ferry jetty, about thirty minutes' journey from Arial Bay. There are no roads, but a
Books in Goa
The bookshops in the Hotel Fidalgo and the Hotel Mandovi stock a range of English-language fiction in paperback, and special-interest titles and coffee-table tomes on Goa.
Fort William at Calcutta
A road leads west through the Maidan from the top of Park Street to the gates of Fort William. As the fort functions as the military headquarters of the Eastern Command, entry is restricted and the public is only allowed into certain sections on special occasions. Built on the site of the old village of Govindapur, and commissioned by the British after their defeat in 1756, the fort was completed in 1781 and named after King William III. A rough octagon, about 500m in diameter, whose massive but low bunker-like battlements are punctuated by six main gates, the fort was
Fort William at Calcutta
A road leads west through the Maidan from the top of Park Street to the gates of Fort William. As the fort functions as the military headquarters of the Eastern Command, entry is restricted and the public is only allowed into certain sections on special occasions. Built on the site of the old village of Govindapur, and commissioned by the British after their defeat in 1756, the fort was completed in 1781 and named after King William III. A rough octagon, about 500m in diameter, whose massive but low bunker-like battlements are punctuated by six main gates, the fort was
Restricted areas and inner Line permits in Himachal Pradesh
Foreigners travelling between between Sumdo in Spiti and Morang in Kinnaur -where the road passes within a few kilometres of Western Tibet - require Inner Line Permits, Officially you are required to travel in a group of four or more organized by a travel agent, but it is possible for individual travellers to obtain a permit and proceed by local bus or Jeep. Inner Line Permits are valid for seven days and available free of charge from District Magistrates' or District Commissioners' offices in Shimla, Manaii, Kullu, Rampur, Kaza and Rekong Peo. if travelling independently, you're best off applying at Kaza
Getting to the Andaman Islands
Port Blair, on South Andaman, is served by Indian Airlines flights from Calcutta (daily except Wed & Fri) and Chennai (Mon, Wed, Fri & Sun); Jet I Airways now runs a daily flight from Chennai, which means that availability is a lot easier than it used to be on that sector. Tickets for the two-hour flights remain expensive though, at around 5200 one way, unless you qualify' for a discount. It's also possible to get to Port Blair by ship. Services to and from Chennai have stabilized and can now be reasonably relied upon to leave in each direction every Friday.
Details of North Sikkim
Most of spectacular north Sikkim is closed to visitors. Until 1993 no one was allowed to venture past Phodong, but now groups armed with special permits, arranged through travel and tour operators in Gangtok, are allowed as far as Yume Samdang and Thanggu, at the edge of the Tibetan plateau. Every year throughout the monsoon, landslides take out stretches of road, severely disrupting transport, and areas get cut off from Gangtok and the rest of the country. Teams of local villagers are drafted in to clear boulders, rebuild and shore up the cliffs. The road north of Gangtok follows the deep
Pachmarhi hikes in Madhya Pradesh
The web of toresc tracks and pilgrim trails that thread their way around Fachmarhi's widely dispersed archeological and religious sites make for excellent walking, but few, if any, routes are marked in English. By far the bet maps and trekking information are available at the Tola Trekking Club (07578/52256). run by Vinay Sahu from Hotel Saket. This very reliable outfit will organize both day (Rsl50 per persoa extra for Jeep hire to trailheads) and overnight treks (Rs250), where you camp in the adivasi villages hidden in the hills. The guides in the Tola Trekking Club are all young tribal men
Moving on from Mumbai
Most visitors feel like getting out of Mumbai as soon as they can. Fortunately, Mumbai is equipped with "super-fast" services to arrange or confirm onward travel. All the major international and domestic airlines have offices in the city, the railway networks operate special tourist counters in the main reservation halls, and dozens of travel agents and road transport companies are eager to help you on your way by bus.
The Jubi Tree in Haryana and Punjab
The gnarled old Jubi Tree in the northwest corner of the compound was planted 450 years ago by the Golden Temple's first high priest, or Babba Buddhaya, and is believed to have special powers. Barren women wanting a son hang strips of cloth from its branches, while marriage deals are traditionally struck in its shade for good luck - a practice frowned upon by the modern temple administration.
Yoksum in Western Sikkim
The sleepy, spread-out hamlet of YOKSUM, which occupies a large shelf at the entrance to the Rathong Chu gorge, 40km north of Pemayangtse at the end of the road, holds a special place in Sikkimese history. This was the spot where three lamas converged to enthrone the first religious king of Sikkim, Chogyal Phuntsog Namgyal, in 1642. Named the "Great Religious King" he established Tibetan Buddhism in Sikkim.This meeting of three lamas coming from different directions across the Himalayas was predicted by Guru Rinpoche nine centuries earlier. Lhatsun Chenpo is supposed to have buried offerings inYoksum's large white Norbugang Chorten
State tourist offices in Calcutta
The most useful of the many tourist offices representing other states in Calcutta are those that cover trie northeastern states, and issue whichever permits may be necessary (details of permit requirements can be found on p.1043), and that of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Andaman and Nicobar, 3A Auckland Place; Arunachal Pradesh, 41B Chowringhee Place; Assam, 8 Russell St; Manipur, 26 Rowland Rd; Meghalaya, 9 Russell St; Mizoram, 24 Old Ballygunge Rd; Nagaland, 11 Shakespeare Sarani; Orissa, 41 Lenin Sarani; Sikkim, 5/2 Russell St;
The old Hindustan-Tibet road from Kalpa to the Rupa Valley in Himachal Pradesh
Another route to consider is the relatively easy five-day trek starting at Kalpa and following the old Hindustan-Tibet road through the remote hamlets of upper Kinnaur (permits needed), past Shi Asu to the Rupa Valley. The views along the route are superb and the villagers are extremely hospitable, inviting you to their houses and offering you local produce. The old road, now crumbling in places, is ideal for mountain biking. Although there is a route from the Rupa Valley over the Manirang Pass into Spiti, few locals know it or are willing to guide you across, as they are now
Fateh Sagar of Udaipur in Rajasthan
Not far west of Sahelion-ki-Bari is Fateh Sagar, a lake fringed by sharp hills and connected to Lake Pichola by a canal built shortly after the turn of the twentieth century. At the jetty on the western shore, you can hop on the boat that ferries tourists across the water to Nehru Park in the centre of the Jake (daily: summer Sam—6.30pm; winter 8am-6pm; Rs3).The park, constructed in 1937 as a famine relief project, is nothing special, but pleasant enough if you want to get away from the bustle of the town.
Kendubilwa in Central Bengal
The town of KENDUBILWA, also known as Kenduli, on the bank of a wide shallow river 42km from Shantiniketan, is the birthplace of Jaidev, the author of Gita Govinda, and the spiritual home of the Bauls. Its small terracotta temple is engulfed each year in mid-January when the Jaidev Mela attracts streams of pilgrims, as well as an interesting collection of yogis and sadhus who gather amongst the folds of the tall banyan trees to hear the Bauls perform through the night. Over the years the meia has grown to include a wide range of stalls and even a funfair.
Around Jaisalmer in Rajasthan
The sandy, barren terrain around Jaisalmer harbours some unexpected monuments, dating from the Rajput era when this area lay on busy caravan routes. Infrequent buses negotiate the dusty roads, and you can rent a Jeep through RTDC, who also offer inexpensive day-trip tours to the main sights, but the best way Co visit these places, and see villages and abandoned towns inaccessible by road, is on a camel trek (see p.236). Being close to the Pakistani border, the area west of Highway NH-15 is a restricted area. Tourists are allowed to visit Amar Sagar, Sam, Bada Bagh, Lodurva, Akal Fossil
Tirupati
Set in a stunning position, surrounded by wooded hills capped by a ring of vertical red rocks, the Shri Venkateshvara temple at Tirumala, an enervating drive 700m up in the Venkata hills, 11 km from TIRUPATI and 170km northwest of Chennai, is said to be the richest and most popular place of pilgrimage in the world, drawing more devotees than either Rome or Mecca. With its many shrines and dharamshalas the whole area around Tirumala Hili provides a fascinating insight into contemporary Hinduism practiced on a large scale. If you are not particularly keen on waiting in line for hours
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