Travel-
Tips |
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Do’s and
Dont’s |
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Make travel arrangements well in advance, especially
if you are traveling in the peak season (between October to March).
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Drink bottled or mineral water only as water related
diseases may be acquired through unhygienic intake of water or
food.
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Do not encourage beggars. Be careful of small time
pickpockets, chain / purse-snatchers who take advantage of the
crowds. |
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While shopping - it is better to check with a local
friend or your hotel staff for reliable places and approximate
prices - to avoid getting fleeced. |
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A special police force called
Tourist Police is posted at all important places frequented by
tourists for providing assistance to tourists to prevent them
from being cheated, harassed, etc. This force is headed by a
Superintendent of Police, designated as Deputy Director Tourism
(Enforcement) and is stationed in the Tourist Reception Centre.
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While credit cards might be accepted at the larger
stores in the city it is advisable to carry adequate Indian currency.
Indian coins come in denominations of 5, 10, 25 and 50 paisa
and 1, 2 and 5 rupees. Notes are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100,
500 and
1000. If you are handed a soiled note, insist on having it exchanged
for a newer one, because it will not be accepted the next time
you try to pay for something.
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Most government and private banks are open weekdays
between 10am and 2pm and on Saturday between 10am and 12noon. They
are closed on government holidays.
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Make sure to remove your footwear when visiting
a place of worship or mausoleum. Some temples in Jammu Kashmir
will not even allow you to carry leather articles inside. You can
deposit them in the temple cloakroom and collect it on your way
out.
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Although
photography is allowed in most public areas, certain cases may
require official
permission. Do check - especially
if you are at a religious place- before you shoot. Photo films
and developing facilities are widely available in the city. In
case you are a professional and particular about your wares -
carry them with you.
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Time Zone |
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India Time Standard Time is 5.5 hours (5 hours 30
minutes) ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+5.5). |
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Currency Exchange |
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You can exchange money at the airport upon arrival.
Credit cards are accepted at the finer hotels, restaurants and
retail stores |
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Climate |
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The temperature in June-August summer is 25 deg
to 35 deg C. It plummets to 7 deg C in spring (March-May) and autumn
(Oct - Nov). In winter (Dec-Feb) temperature drops to minus 10
deg C. Heavy woolens are required in winter and light ones at other
times, though one can move without woolens in summer in Srinagar.
Winter is peak season only for Gulmarg. In all the four resorts
there is snowfall in winter and rainfall in spring. |
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Clothes |
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Do carry some warm clothes as Jammu & Kashmir
is situated at very high altitude. The climate of the region is
chilling in winters (somewhere, below 0 degree) and the summers
are quite pleasant, though colder than other parts of India |
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Languages Spoken |
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The most dominant of all Kashmir languages is the
native Kashmiri language. Other common languages of Kashmir valley
are Urdu, Hindi and English. |
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Food |
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Kashmiri food is very rich
in flavor of the spices used –cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,
saffron, etc. Highly influenced by the traditional food of the
Kashmiri pundits, it has now taken
some of the features of the cooking style adopted in Central
Asia, Persia and Afghanistan. Kashmiri food makes an extensive
use of
turmeric and yoghurt. Popular dishes of Kashmir are Wazwan, Roghan
Josh, Tabak Maz, Kashmiri Naan, Dam-Aloo, Marchwangan, Korma
Sag, Yaknnee, Qahwa(Kashmiri Tea) |
