India Tourist Visa On Arrival: Fast and Easy

There are three things that surprisingly impressed me about modern India.  First is the tourist visa on arrival facility for passport holders from Asian countries which include the Philippines, Cambodia, Japan, Myanmar, Laos, Singapore and Vietnam. This visa facility is available at the airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.  I arrived in Delhi and as a Philippine passport holder I took advantage of this tourist visa on arrival system.

 It was fast and easy and took no more than 30 minutes and was granted a 30 day single entry tourist visa. I had to accomplish the application form, provide a passport size picture, a copy of first page of my passport and pay the fee of US$60.  Of course, I also had to show proof of my outbound ticket from India and booking for my accommodations in Delhi.  You can also apply for a tourist visa in Manila at a slightly cheaper rate of US$49 but that is a more tedious process with more documentation requirements, and requires you to file the visa application at the processing office in Makati.

Second thing that was impressive is the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.  This airport is  new and modern and is a striking contrast to the chaos and filth that are a common feature of many places in Delhi.

This airport has a fast train shuttle that will bring you to Central Delhi.  This is the third impressive thing in Delhi.  The airport train is new, clean, fast and efficient.  It is in fact surprisingly better than the airport shuttle of Bangkok.

These three things are bright spots for tourism in India.  If only, India was less chaotic, cleaner, and scam free, then a vacation there would truly be magical and great!

Passage to India

My worst experience in land travel was my train ride to travel around India. The train stations in the bigger cities like Delhi and Jodhpur were hard to navigate as there are no escalators or elevators to go from one ramp to the other to get to the ramp designated for your train.  This is especially difficult if you are carrying heavy luggage.

And the conditions at the train stations were also worst than I had expected. Since the train is the most popular and cheapest way to travel in India, there are always big crowds in the train station.  Aggravating the crowded condition are people who appear to have made the station their home. And at the parking area of the Agra station, I smelled the worst stench ever, probably a combination of feces, rotten food, and urine.

We were booked in airconditioned sleeper cars. The accommodations were fine, strong airconditioning and relatively clean beds by Indian standards.  Pillows and blankets are provided. I got the lower berth since most of our train bookings were day trips. However, the locals occupy your assigned berth sharing it  with you  without even asking your permission.  And they do not even tell you that the bed can actually be converted into a chair for a more comfortable train ride if you opt to sit instead of lie down on the bed.

All of our train rides were also delayed by at least 2 hours.  Even if I spent only around US$50 for 4 train tickets (Delhi to Jaipur to Jodhpur to Agra to Delhi), it is one train ride that I will never do again.

For people who want to experience  the train as your Passage to India, you can book online and pay using your credit card thru the website:  www.cleartrip.com/train

Truly Magnificent Taj Mahal

We were fortunate to be booked at a hotel that is just a short walk to the Taj Mahal.  This allowed us to be at the Taj at opening time of 6am.  There were not too many people and  it was a cool and nice morning minus the hot Indian sun which enabled us  to truly enjoy and appreciate the magnificent Taj Majal.

The Taj Mahal is actually a mausoleum of white marble built by an emperor in memory of his beloved wife. It is well preserved including the surrounding gardens.  The Taj stands proud as a masterpiece of Indian architecture and deserves to be one of the great world heritage sites.

We lingered in this awe inspiring monument to savor its beauty and its surroundings which includes  reflecting pools, other beautiful buildings, and extensive gardens.  The Taj Mahal was a fitting climax to my visit to India.

Agra Fort: The Other Red Fort

Just like the Red Fort in Delhi, Agra Fort was built mainly from red sandstone. Agra Fort is well preserved and and is good for a pleasant leisurely tour with its many gardens and palaces.  There are lovely views of Taj Mahal  in the area by the river.

Fatehpur Sikri: A Unesco World Heritage Site Worth Visiting

In addition to the Taj Mahal in Agra, worth a visit is  Fatehpur Sikri.  This is a Unesco World Heritage Site which has well preserved palaces, courtyards, and a mosque.  The Jama Masjid  mosque here is better than the one in Delhi.  There are less crowds also and allows for for a more quiet and relaxed viewing.

Fatehpur Sikri can be reached by hiring a cab and is is about an hour drive from Central Agra.

And the Land is Blue...

Jodhpur is billed as the Blue City. This is best appreciated if Jodhpur is viewed from the Mehrangarh Fort.  The incredible views from the Fort gives a panoramic vista of the Blue City.  Walls and roofs of houses and buildings have been painted in blue giving an impression that land has turned blue!

It is a sight that is spectacular and not to be missed!

The Beauty That Lies Within The Fort

Mehrangarh Fort is the only Fort I visited in India that has beautifully restored rooms and chambers.  The other forts only had empty rooms.  Chambers at Mehrangarh Fort with its colorful  art and glass works showcases the lavish lifestyle of Indian royalty.

To add local color to the Fort, there are people dressed as holy men and others in period costumes playing traditional instruments.   Mehrangarh Fort is truly the total package among the many Forts in India.

Impressive Exteriors of Mehrangarh Fort

In many Asian countries you get an overdose of temples.  In India, what you get to see as a prime tourist attraction in most places are forts.  Easily the best among the many forts that I saw in India is the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.  Its exteriors are impressive, interiors are beautiful, and the views of the city from the fort are incredible.

The staff of Mehrangarh Fort are also very courteous and helpful.  As part of the admission fee that I paid I was provided with an audio guide which was supposed to be returned at another exit area of the Fort.  But I ended up exiting at the same place where I entered the fort.  But the staff were so nice that they offered to return the audio guide to the designated area and retrieve my identification card instead of me walking a long away to the correct exit area.  First time that some kindness was showed to me by locals and this was very much appreciated!

Mehrangarh Fort: Night and Day

Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur is not only the largest fort in Rajasthan but the best as well.  Sitting on top of a 150m hill, it magnificently stands guard over the Blue City of Jodphur.  Its facade is an awesome sight, night and day!

We arrived around  8pm in Jodhpur after a seven hour train ride from Jaipur and I was dead tired. But when I was greeted by the incredible view of the Mehrangarh Fort from our hotel's rooftop restaurant, I knew that I was in the right place!   The sight of the Fort held a promise of a truly delightful stay in Jodhpur!

Jaswant Thada: Memorial in Marble

Located next door to Jodhpur's prime attraction the Mehrangarh Fort, is the marble memorial Jaswant Thada.  It is actually a royal cenotaph, a tomb of a dead person but the actual remains are buried elsewhere.

Since the memorial is entirely made of marble, it is cool inside.  This works well in a country which has a really hot climate. Visit Jaswant Thada and marvel at its beautifully hand carved marble walls and ceilings.

Umaid Bhawan: Jodhpur's Magnificent Palace

Umaid Bhawan is the last great palace built in India. It was completed in 1944 and  presently operates as a luxury hotel.  There is a museum and  a collection of vintage cars on display.

Not much to see here but the Palace is magnificent and is worth a visit.