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BANKING SERVICES :
WHO CAN EXCHANGE MONEY All money in India is expected to be changed through the official banks or authorized moneychangers. Authorization to exchange money is given by the Reserve Bank of India. Major banks such as SBI, Indian Overseas Bank, and Central Bank of India have their branches in almost all the cities and towns of India. Many of these branches accept travelers' cheques and exchange money. In larger cities and at tourist destinations, apart from banks private dealers also exchange money. Big companies like Thomas Cook, Western Union (through its agent in India, SITA Travels), and American Express exchange money at all their branches. Thomas Cook and Western Union also provide money transfer facilities to their customers. Many of travel agencies also provide money exchange facilities to their clients and they can be of great help. One can find small moneychangers even in the remote tourist destinations and changing money is not a problem for tourists in India. CLOTHES The
Indian Norm :Uncovered limbs are
generally considered unsightly and to avoid stares, it is more sensible to
wear long-sleeved tops and preferably, in the rural context, full-length
trousers or pajamas. The advantage of respecting local feelings is that
more people will be friendly towards you. Villagers are particularly
sensitive to the cleanliness of one’s feet and it is most disrespectful to
let one’s feet dangle in public view (as foreign tourists do on the
Quilon-Alleppey canal trip, seated on the boat roof). Hats at the other
extreme are symbols of self-respect and one should never regard them
playfully. It is natural in a
hot climate to strip off. However, anyone in an advanced state of undress
in India means either he is too poor to clothe properly or she is too
shameless. Such inadvertent signals can lead to a lot of avoidable
harassment. Khadi – The
Best Bet
JEWELRY :Traditionally, rich Indian families do not display their wealth outwardly. Those who do announce themselves as the nouveau rich. Only at certain ceremonies like marriage is wealth openly flaunted and the obsessive lure for gold ornaments openly acknowledged. Anyone who travels with too much gold or jewelry on her person is asking for trouble and even a flashy gold watch will attract the undue attention of one’s fellow travelers. COMMUNICATION Mind Your
Language:In communicating
verbal instructions, it is vital that you not only insist on the recipient
repeating them but also see from his face that he actually understands the
meaning of the words. Indian ears are more attuned to the slurred vowels
of English than to the nasal's drawl of an American. Pronounce each word
slowly and phonetically to anyone unfamiliar with spoken English.
Otherwise, you will get into situations where a man sent to meet "Miss
Tibbits" at the station stood at the entrance calling out "Stupid Miss"
while the bearer asked to serve "toast and marmalade" brought instead
"toast and omelet." If you are visiting
any government office, and if spoken to in broken English by a junior
clerk, it is imperative for his dignity that you pretend he is fluent.
This courtesy will also speed your application. It is futile to lose your
temper in bureaucratic situations. Prepare for the worst of delays and
take a book of Irish jokes to see you through the ordeal.
Permission
for Photography
:To avoid causing
neurosis when you photograph railway property it is advisable to take
permission (if you have not done so at home) from Indian Railways
headquarters in New Delhi. Rail Bhawan looks very formidable but the entry
procedure is remarkably simple. You sign the visitor's book at the
reception and ask to see the Public Relations Officer.
A pass will be
given which enables you to meet him in his room. He will specify according
to your nationality what can be photographed, and there are few
restrictions on steam engines. The friendly reception will set right any
misconception that India is neurotic over rail photography. According to
the rules you do require a permit. Instead of blaming railway men for
doing their duty (in asking to see your permit) you should take the
precaution of arming yourself with one. Make sure the working covers all
your interests and get it renewed after six months. Standing in
a Queue :It is common to
find queue jumping by the well-dressed in Indian cities, which is
passively witnessed by the rest of the line. The foreign visitor seethes
doubly at the injustice and apathy-instead of reading the feudal equation.
Most of the queue will be taken up by servants in uniform who are quite
happy to stand around doing nothing the whole morning. (If they showed too
much initiative, their master would only give them another job to do).
Those in a hurry declare their intentions and it is understood that the
line is not being broken from nastiness but from necessity. If you are
genuinely frantic and barge to the front explaining to all and sundry that
you have a flight to catch, there will be more kindness and consideration
shown than in Western culture. Beware :Two unpleasant
brutalities need to be summoned up to make it clear that you are not a
soft touch. Never respond to the genial 'hello' of a conman and never
catch the eye of professional beggar. The latter has his cultural
justification while the former is a parasite that thrives solely on the
superior sentimentality of foreign do-gooders. By totally ignoring all
their blandishments, both beggar and conman will get the message that you
know the score. Your simulated brutal indifference saves you energy and
them time. No one pesters a hard touch when there are other tourists
around. Bargaining :Haggling is an exhausting exercise for the greenhorn to India, a delectable sport for the shopkeeper who stands to make a huge killing. Remember that the first sale of the day is considered religiously auspicious, so the chances of being ripped off are somewhat less. The rule for buyers is to start at less than half of the announced price and then work towards a settlement at a price neither party considers unreasonable. Short-term visitors who lack the sporting instinct will find it much easier to stick to government emporia where the prices are fixed.
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