Traveling safely and for cheap in India during monsoons
What tourists should know about traveling in India during monsoons
Unlike what many people think, traveling in India during rainy monsoon season can be fun. Sure, there are usual reasons against it like unreliable routes, humid weather etc. A random flood or land slide can spoil any well planned travel itinerary. But traveling in India during monsoon season can be advantageous for a number of reasons. Tourists get great discounts on air fares, hotels and also enjoy their sightseeing as peak season crowds are absent.
Let us explain a little about Indian monsoons before going any further.
India is a a very big country and is justly classified as a sub-continent not only due to it’s size but also the large diversity in terms of landscapes and weather. Evergreen tropical forests in east, cold snow covered Himalayan mountains in north, hot Thar deserts in west, temperate coasts in south and more, these all provide tourists with a wide variety of options and time periods in which to explore the country. There is actually no definite or set time to visit India. Different regions have different peak-season for tourists , but that will need another article by itself.
Raneh waterfalls during monsoon season, India
Monsoon is the rainy season in India which lasts from June to September in different parts. It hits Kerala in southern India first in early June and travels northwards. Northern parts of India receive first monsoon showers late June or early July. Not every region experiences equal rainfall or at same time. They all have different experiences with monsoon rains. These rains are very important in economy and lives of everyone in the sub-continent.
The arrival of monsoon rains marks the end of infamous hot and dusty Indian summers and makes the conditions cooler and surroundings much more green and beautiful. Indian people like rains and seeing them enjoying the rainfall by getting soaked in the rain showers is a common sight. One of the most common snacks during this season is a combination of Chai ( type of milky Indian tea) and hot Pakoda (a fried salty snack)
Here is how tourists can enjoy monsoon travel in India
Advantages of traveling during monsoons in India
1) Good discounts in hotels, airlines and other businesses
A lot of airlines and hotels offer very good discounts during monsoons due to lean season, which can really decrease your travel expenses. As the majority of people like to stay indoors during rains, tourist activity is much less and you can enjoy your travel in comparative peace and leisure.
3) Different weather, landscapes and customised plans
Due to different landscapes and weather in different regions, tourists in India can plan their trips all year round. A tourist in India is not bound to dates in a calendar or weather reports to plan and enjoy the journey.
3) Greenery and pleasant weather
Everything comes to life during monsoons in India. The weather is pleasant, cool breeze blow almost all day long and the surroundings are covered with lush new greenery which is a relaxing sight . Places like parts of eastern and central India, Kerala, Western Ghats are even more stunning during monsoons due to clouds and greenery. A lot of rivers are in full flow and this makes for spectacular waterfalls.
4) Cleansing season
Many people think that rains of monsoons are have a cleansing effect, Pollution due to smoke and dust particles is minimised and people are generally more comfortable in this cooler weather. Ayurvedic detoxification during monsoon is very popular these days. Some herbs used in certain ayurvedic practices grow only during monsoons and the rains seem to have a good effect on efficacy of certain plants.
Precautions for travelers in India during monsoon season
Here are some basic precautions that the tourists should observe while traveling in India during monsoons:
1) Carefully plan road trips
Mountainous regions almost everywhere are susceptible to road blockages due to landslides, flash floods etc during rainy season. Plans your road trips by taking these factors in to count.
2) Closed wild life parks
Most of national parks and wild-life areas are closed for tourists during monsoons. So if you are looking for clicking a rhinoceros, tiger or any other exotic animal, confirm the availability in advance.
3) Consume safe water
Although it’s a very general rule, we can’t stress this enough. Don’t drink tap water or even from natural sources like lakes and rivers during rainy season. Always stick to bottled or filtered water.
4) Be cautious of bugs
Bugs and other critters like mosquitoes, flies, snakes etc can be a nuisance during rainy season. Keep an insect repellant handy and be careful of where you step or sleep/
That’s everything that we have to say about traveling in India during rainy monsoons for now. We hope that this article may be of some use for travelers. Please feel free to contact us for feedback or more information.
Being a state which produces staple food in abundance, a great part of the foods of Chhattisgarh consists of the staple crops such as Rice, Bajra, Jawar. The food of Chattisgarh is mostly inspired from its neighboring states. Aamat is considered as the Sambhar of Bastar region . This delectable delicacy is prepared with mixed vegetables which is cooked along with the ginger garlic paste and various spices to enhance the flavor of the dish. Traditionally, the dish has been prepared in the bamboo shoots. Bara is a unique variant of the Vada. Bara is basically a light snack which is made from fermented Urad Dal . Various vegetables and spices are added along with the fermented lentils to add perfection to this famous dish of the state. The minimum oil usage makes Bara super light and super healthy to eat. Chilla is also known as Chhattisgarhi dosa.It is made up of rice flour and Urad dal. An official dish of morning or evening served with different types of chutney with no filling inside the chilla. Fara is a dish made up of rice flour, cooked in steam and then shallow fried. This dish has to be served with complimentary green chutney or even sauce can work. Fara are made in the form of dumpling . Sabudana ki Khichdi is one of the most healthy and delicious dishes of Chhattisgarh. Sabudana Ki Khichdi is prepared with the soaked Sabudana balls. To add the flavor to the dish, vegetables and spices are added that provides a delicious taste to the plate.
Traveling makes everybody a better person. We end our adventure happier than we started off. Travel makes one a better individual as well as a more interesting one as well. This makes one type of a person people float towards and want to associate with them. Following are some approaches to become a better person while having enjoyable travel experiences : 1. Happier Travels Travel tells you the best way to be cheery. You’ll end up being free, progressively sure and believe them to be an increasingly impressive spot. Being neighbourly, entertaining, social, cheery, certain are generally attributes that make people progressively productive in a standard day by day presence. Travel improves people. When you get acquainted with the world , push your cutoff points and try new things become an undeniably open, cheerful, and incredible person. 2. Say no to materialism All over the place, you adjust precisely how little stuff you truly need. You’ll comprehend that the stuff they sell at the mall is totally useless in life. Returning home, you’ll get yourself a moderate just in light of the fact that you comprehend what you need to live and what you don’t. 3. Easy going attitude Simply take the path of least resistance. Continuously be loose and accommodating while at the same time voyaging. Travel might most likely show new something new when you are calm and willing to realize what ‘s out there .4. Become sharp and smarter While voyaging you’ll get some answers concerning people, history and culture and arcane convictions about spots a couple of individuals could simply dream about. To put it doubtlessly, you’ll have a predominant understanding about how it capacities and how people continue. That is something that can’t be picked up from books; you can simply lift it up without and about experience. 5. Adapt to the Environment Various places have various foods and encompassing. Regular voyages make you increasingly versatile to new places like attempting fiery nourishment, encountering an entirely different world. Venture out of your customary range of familiarity to encounter. 6. Be confident while travelling In the wake of voyaging so much and achieving so much, you’re going to feel significantly increasingly positive about your capacity to accomplish anything you set your focus on. In this way, as you banter with an ever increasing number of outsiders your confidence normally develops. 7. Be good at ConversationsTravel does not simply fulfill you with chatting with outcasts, it improves you at it also. Unavoidably, you couldn’t think less about where people are from, where they are going, to what degree they’ve been voyaging. 8. Be more social You ought to be progressively open to individuals. You figure out how to make new companions and get progressively agreeable to outsiders. Make sense of how to make new buddies and get continuously content with bantering with new people.
Haryana is one of the wealthiest states in India with kindhearted people. The occupation of the majority of the people is agriculture and dairy. Predominantly, Haryanvi diet is a vegetarian one and they consume a lot of milk and ghee. Haryana is also referred to as ‘The Land of Rotis”. Alsi ki Pinni is prepared with alsi (flaxseed), whole wheat flour, sugar, ghee, nuts and cardamom powder. This sweet is not only delicious but also very healthy. Alsi is high in fiber, omega 3, iron and potassium among others. Bajra Aloo Roti is prepared with a mix of bajra flour, mashed potatoes, ginger garlic paste, coriander leaves, garam masala. It is served hot with white butter with raita as accompaniments. It tastes heavenly and just melts in the mouth. Hara Dhania Cholia is a mix of green chickpeas and variety of vegetables. It is prepared with onion, tomato, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and turmeric amongst others. It is a rare and unique combination that is popular in Haryana and is eaten with chapatis or paranthas. Meethe Chawal or sweet rice are prepared using basmati rice, ghee, and sugar along with some cardamom and saffron. Basmati rice grown in Haryana is the best. The dish is very famous and is served during Basant Panchami festival.Every individual must try it at least once.
The food from Karnataka includes a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes and comprises of various cuisines that include Udupi, Malnadu and Mangalorean cuisine. Ragi and rice are the staple food items for Karnataka especially in the southern region of the state whereas natives from coastal regions mainly consume fish curries. Bisi bele bath is a spicy, rice-based dish with origins in the state of Karnataka.Bisi bele bhath, which translates to ‘hot lentil rice dish’ in Kannada language, is a wholesome meal. The preparation of this dish involves the use of masalas, toor dal, rice, ghee and vegetables. Spices like nutmeg, curry leaves and tamarind pulp contribute to its unique flavour and taste. Chiroti is a delicacy predominantly served in Karnataka.It’s prepared by rolling out kneaded dough made of maida into layered circular shapes and then deep frying in gheel. The outcome resembles a semi golden brown fluffy poori, which is then sprinkled with powdered sugar and grated almonds and cashews. Mysore Bonda is a very popular South Indian snack recipe which requires only a few simple ingredients. This mouth-watering snack is prepared with rice flour, baking soda, onion, all purpose flour, yoghurt, cumin. These are served with coconut chutney. Mysore pak originally called Mysuru paaka, is an Indian sweet prepared in ghee that is popular in Southern India. It originated in Mysore in the state of Karnataka. It is made of generous amounts of ghee, sugar, gram flour. The texture of the sweet is similar to fudge. Pori urundai is a traditional Indian sweet generally made from puff rice balls and jaggery.The preparation consists of first preparing the hot jaggery syrup with a minimum of water and adding it to puffed rice.Then ,they are moulded into spherical shape balls. Rava Kesari or Kesari Bath consists semolina, sugar, ghee, water, and milk. The dish can also be prepared with pineapple, banana, mango, coconut or rice. It assumes the texture of a crumbled cake.
Arunachal Pradesh street food differs from tribe to tribe. As one move toward the eastern side of Arunachal people are dependent on bamboo and other leafy vegetables which are strictly boiled. Fried food is not as popular as people like to eat either boiled or smoked food. Apong is a type of rice beer, which is traditionally prepared by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh.India. Apong is prepared by fermenting rice. The two types are Nogi Apong and Poro Apong.The two apongs differ in their taste and colour. Chura Sabji is a kind of curry made of fermented cheese made by either yak milk or cow’s milk and not to forget the most important the flakes and a few pieces of the King chilly which makes it spicy but delicious. Lukhter is another delicacy of the Arunachal Pradesh.Lukter is a combination of cooked dry meat and chilli flakes from the King chilly or Bhut Jolokia. Like the norm goes with Aunachal, this is a side dish meant to be eaten with rice. Pehak is made by use of fermented Soybean and King chilly. In this dish, the king chilli is used as the main ingredient. It is also used as a side dish with rice. The pickle is hot and very spicy that gives the rice a very unique hot flavor. Pehak is very popular among Arunachalis. Pictures sourced from various sources on internet. Please contact for credits.
A lot of people suffer from upset stomach and other related illness by consuming unsafe water and food while traveling. A few people are blessed with iron stomach and immune system better than Terminator. But for rest of us, a lot of effort is spent on not getting sick whenever we step outside our homes for any period of time. This issue is of particular importance for people who are traveling to foreign countries. You will find different notions of hygiene, cleanliness and even different pests and germs in different places. For example, communicable diseases like malaria are almost completely eradicated in western world, but they still claims hundreds of thousands of lives in many other countries. Although, this topic can be written about in a very detailed manner, time and space constraints dictate that I limit this article to basic precautions related to water and food safety only. Although, this article is written with India in mind, these are some general instructions which hold true almost everywhere. So let’s begin with Food Safety Rules For Travelers Taking even basic precautions related to food safety and hygiene can save you a lot of trouble. High end restaurants and hotels are considered cleaner than most road-side street food vendors. But this is not true everywhere in very case. One such case in example is freshness of ingredients used. A lot of ofstreet food vendors prepare their dishes earlier in day or during the work hours and serve them as fresh as possible. Meanwhile, restaurants usually prepare large quantities of their most popular food items or ingredients and store them in refrigerators to be heated up just before serving.Here are some points for you to keep in mind when eating food in India or almost anywhere else in the world: a) Get food only from a recommended and trusted source Many street food businesses have good reputations among their customers for solid reasons. If you don’t know much, then take advice from your local friends, guides etc . But make sure that they have no commercial stake in recommending you something. Observing the customers is also a good way of making a choice. A good food vendor will have large number of customers compared to a non-trusted one. Food safety is always important to good vendors. b) Always make sure that the utensils used in serving are clean. Most street food vendors use disposable plate, spoons made of plastic, leaves, cane etc. But if metal utensils are being used, ensure that they are clean first. Use your own wipes, napkins etc to clean them if not sure. c) Do not eat at any place where the food is not covered and exposed to dust and flies. These are major source of germs and observing this basic food safety precaution alone can save you from lots of trouble d) Have fresh food In some places, the food you ask for is prepared right in front of you out of semi-prepared ingredients. Not every vendor brings 100 % read to eat food with him. So, if you see food cooking before being served, it’s very likely that it’ll be fresh. A good food vendor will usually pay heed to your requests and prepare the food exactly to your requirements. But if there are other people waiting, he may have to pay more attention to others. e) Precautions related to food are can be very confusing. People may follow all the hygiene and cleanliness related precautions, but may still suffer from an upset stomach due to some unknown food intolerance or allergy they did not knew about earlier. It can be really difficult to avoid such incidents. In case you know about your food intolerance and allergies, confirm with the vendor before consuming anything. If that’s not possible , try only small portions to check whether you are okay with it. If you have no side-effects and like the dish, go on to enjoy larger portion. Also, always keep a basic first aid kit consisting of a few medicines for an upset stomach, antacid, antihistamines etc. Water Safety Rules For Travelers Contaminated water causes biggest source of preventable infectious diseases worldwide. A number of potentially fatal infectious diseases can be prevented from spreading by just using clean water. Fortunately for travelers, it’s pretty easy almost everywhere. One of the most convenient solutions is to use branded bottled water. It’s easily available almost everywhere and comparatively easily. Some people consider it expensive. It is if you consider that it’s just ordinary water, but considering the alternative of spending so much money on medicines, it’s good enough. Even with bottled water, make sure that you buy only the original brands and properly sealed bottles. If in doubt, leave it and buy it from some place else. But what happens when you are in a place with no bottled water ? Unless you are near a river source with clear fast moving water, glacier etc. you have to boil and filter before drinking. You can use water purifying tablets or drops. Sometimes it causes slight change in taste of water but most people will accept it. Portable filters are another option. There are many types of big and small filters available in market. One portable filter as big as a pen and is used as one would use a straw. It’s very lightweight and small and can be carried in a pocket. Additionally, you can use bottles which come with water filter already fitted in. Most of other filters are are usually too big to lug around comfortably. If you are not carrying your own water filter, then best option to quench thirst are bottled water, juice or soft drinks, in that order. We hope this article may help you keep safe while traveling in India. Contact us for any feedback or information.
The food of Kerala is a blend of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. It includes a variety of items like fish, poultry and red meat. Rice, fish and coconut are the three most common ingredients of Keralite food. Banana chips and Kerala go hand in hand.Most of the tourists prefer banana chips as their snacks as they are easily available and can be tried at any time of the day. Banana chips are dried slices of bananas.They can be covered with sugar or honey to have a sweet taste, or they can be fried in oil and spices to have a salty or spicy taste. Cheera Parippu Thoran or spinach stir fry with coconut is for health conscious people who are looking for a dish that is healthy and is very less in calorie count.The dish is made using leafy vegetables. It makes the best side dish which one can either try with roti, rice. It is a rich source of minerals, vitamins, and iron. Ela Ada is one of those dishes which represent the best and authentic flavors of South India.The dish comprises of rice, coconut, jaggery, etc.One can try this dish for either breakfast or can even as an evening snack. Idiyappam is also known as Noolappam in Kerala cuisine. Idiyappam is made of rice flour, salt and water with a number of thin strands entwined together to make the lovely texture that this dish bears. It is this texture that makes it versatile. It tastes best with Egg Curry. Parippu vada or masala dal vada is a savoury fried snack in Kerala. It is made from legumes and is best consumed for breakfast. Sambar and coconut chutney are the standard accompaniments for Parippu vadas. Puttu and Kadala curry is a famous breakfast recipe out of the many Kerala. Puttu is a cylindrical steamed rice cake that is cooked in a mould with grated coconut. It is served with kadala curry(black chickpeas).It tastes best when served with poori or with roti. Semiya Payasam or popularly known as Vermicelli rice is one of the most famous and popular sweet dishes of Kerala.It is prepared only for some special festivals and occasions. It is served in mud pots which makes the dish even tastier and attractive for the tourists. It is served with lots of nuts and is made using milk, rice, etc. thus is one healthy dish to try.
When it comes to food, Maharashtra will never disappoint you. From the world famous pav bhaji to the delicious bhelpuri, Maharashtra has a lot to offer to food lovers. It is food heaven for both vegetarians and non vegetarians alike. Basundi is a sweet dish made in Maharashtra. It is condensed by boiling the sweetened milk on low heat which gives it a nice flavour. Sugar, cardamom or saffron is added to augment the flavour and texture. Different types of basundi are custard apple basundi and angoor basundi. Bhelpuri is a savoury snack common in Maharashtra.It is a mixture of puffed rice, chopped onions,chopped tomatoes,tamarind chutney. Bhelpuri can be served in a lot of ways, but usually it is served on a paper which is folded in the form of a cone and is consumed using a paper spoon. Misal pav has a spicy and tangy lentil curry which is made with moth beans and is served with Pav bread. At times, it is eaten with yoghurt to lessen the spice.It is decorated with a slice of Lemon and Onion Coriander sprinkled on it. This street food is readily available at any street food joint and served hot. Modak is extensively eaten during the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival all around the state. The sweet filling is made up of fresh-grated coconut and jaggery, while the soft shell is made from rice flour, or wheat flour mixed with maida flour. The dumpling can be fried or steamed. Pav Bhaji is one of the spiciest, vegetarian dish. It is a mixture of boiled vegetables along with a lot of Spices and Onion Coriander mixture for garnish.Fresh and thick slices of bread, smothered in butter served with a delicious mix of moderately spiced vegetables. Vada Pav is the most favorite snack in Maharashtra.It is Potato Bhaji ball dipped in Besan Flour and fried in hot oil. It is stuffed in Pav with Garlic Chutney and fried Chilli. VadaPav is super delicious when served hot- hot spicy and slight crunchiness. It is also known as ‘INDIAN BURGER’.
