Sweet perfume lingers from sandalwood carvings, and bright silks wave in the breeze in this sugar and spice-all things nice city. Travel guides will tell you about its rattling three-wheeler auto rickshaws, hurtling buses and rambling cows but we tell you that it's all that plus lingering memories of the yesteryears that refuse to fade with time.
Travel Documents
All visitors to India are required to carry a passport valid at least for the next 6 months. Visas are mandatory except in the following cases:
1) Bhutanese and Nepalese visitors who are staying for less than 3 months,
2) Nationals from the Maldives, if they are staying for a maximum of 90 days (this includes any periods they may have spent in India up to 6 months prior to the visit in question),
3) Transit passengers who have a follow-on ticket within 72 hours of arrival as long as they are not going to leave the airport.
Customs & Duties
If you are above 17 years you may import the following in into India without attracting duty: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, a litre of alcoholic drink, 250 ml perfume, gifts up to a value of Rupees 750 (foreign passport holders), gifts up to a value of Rupees 6000 (Indian passport holders) and articles of personal use.
It is illegal to bring in drugs, gold and silver bullion, plants and coins that have gone out of use.
Tipping
It is customary to tip 10% of the bill at restaurants, but you may tip less if service charges have been included in the bill. At hotels tip 10 bucks to the bellhop, the same to the doorman 'durban'; if the service is particularly good, substantially more to the concierge and housekeeping.
Black and yellow cab drivers do not expect to be tipped. The opposite is true if you have a hired a cab for a long period.
You'll find some of the most friendly and colourful service at tiny nondescript roadside stalls called 'dhabas'. A small tip, even if it is only loose change, will be appreciated tremendously.
