“An Eternal Life Free from Sins”

January 15 to March 4, 2019.

Presentation. A different kind of photographic journey.

Traveling to India during the Ardh Kumbh Mela Allahabad, one of the largest religious celebrations in the world, is a pleasure for the senses and an enriching experience for the soul. I was able to see it in 2015 when I attended the Kumbh Mela in Nasik for a few days, where I took some of the best photographs I have taken in India, while being captivated by the festive atmosphere that permeated everything.

An incomparable experience, undoubtedly a different photographic journey, one of those journeys that will leave a mark both on a photographic level and on a purely human level.

Most of you who share this photographic adventure with us already know India and have been delighted with its magic. But to visit the kumbh Mela is to climb a ladder in the knowledge of India and its traditions. It is to come face to face with the concentrated essence of Hinduism. There is no time for sensory rest, the explosion of stimuli is incessant.

It is also a different photographic journey in the organization and logistics, more than a year of preparation has taken us. The very layout of the place of the trip and its objective mark the peculiarities of the trip. We will stay inside the Kumbh Mela camp, in one of its sectors. Millions of pilgrims congregate there. Yes, millions!, which will make it very difficult to walk in a group. It is impossible to take photos and expect the rest of the group to wait for you. Therefore, the most practical thing to do is to divide ourselves into small groups of two or three people and concentrate at lunch and dinner time.

For this photographic trip, PhotoTravel will organize all the transport and administration issues, and will take you to the places where you can take the photographs, but there your work as a photographer will begin, you will have to take your own initiatives. However, at the Allahabad camp we have hired three local guides to guide us and solve possible unforeseen events.

To always be in communication with the rest of the group, as soon as we arrive in India we will each buy a phone SIM card with an Indian number. This will make it easier to have access to the Internet and phone calls at all times. Don’t forget to bring a passport-size photo to buy your card. It is also convenient that you download a GPS location application on your mobile phone, so you will always know where you are and you will know the way back to our accommodation.

A little History. The Kumbh Mela.

What is Kumbh Mela?
Recognized by UNESCO as “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, it is a religious manifestation that brings together millions of people in the hope of being freed from the vicious circle of earthly life, guided by the promise of “An eternal life free of sins”

Kumbh Mela is the largest religious congregation in the world and in India, attended by millions of people (estimates speak of up to 100 million people). The festival, which lasts more than a month, is marked by the construction of the largest and most ephemeral city in the world, built on the basis of tents, huts, huts, platforms, bridges, civic facilities, administrative and security measures… Thousands of hectares around the area of the Sangam (sacred place of bathing and confluence of sacred rivers) that hosts millions of pilgrims.

The Kumbh Mela is especially famous for the presence of an extraordinary variety of religious ascetics, sadhus and mahants, who usually inhabit remote places of forests, mountains and caves.

Legend has it that in mythological times, during a war between demigods and demons for possession of the elixir of eternal life, drops fell on four places that were endowed with mystical powers: Prayag (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik. Kumbh Mela has been celebrated in each of the four places for as long as anyone can remember, with the faith of being blessed with those powers.

This celebration takes place every three years in one of the four cities. Every six years the Ardh (middle) Kumbh Mela is celebrated, while the Purna (full) Kumbh mela is celebrated every twelve years. The largest version is Maha Kumbh Mela, every 12 years in Prayag (Allahabad). The succession of cities is determined by the positions of the sun and moon and by the different periods of the zodiac signs. Following these indications, the city of Allahabad (Prayag) is the venue for the celebration of the Ardh Kumbh Mela 2019.

The Kumbh Mela of Allahabad (Prayag) have a special significance, according to Hindu scriptures this is the confluence site of three of India’s holiest rivers: Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati in the Triveni Sangam (holy place of bathing), making it the holiest core of all Kumbh Mela celebrations.

The high points of the festival for a month and a half are marked by the sacred baths (Shahi Snan), among which the three main ones stand out:

• On January 15, the First Sacred Bath -Shahi Snan- (Makar Sankranti) is signed, ritual bath and total immersion in the Sangam.
• On January 21, Paush Purnima is celebrated.
• February 4, the Second Holy Bath -Shahi Snan- royal bath (Mauni Amavasya).
• February 10, Third Holy Bath -Shahi Snan-
• February 19 is the date of Maghi Poornima.
• March 4 is Maha Shrivratri.

The sacred bath is marked by a ritual hierarchy. The party begins with a sumptuous parade that marks its beginning, where the different groups compete in fervor and beauty. The first to reach the water are the legions of Naga Sadhus or Naga Babas, who cover their naked bodies with ash – Vibhuti – and adorn their hair with long dreadlocks. The sadhus, who see themselves as guardians of the faith, then bathe in all the pomp and energy of a charging army. Pilgrims must wait until the various leaders of each sect dive into the water in the established order. This immersion makes it possible, according to beliefs, to ensure that pilgrims and their descendants are forgiven of all their sins.

Some types of Sadhus can be found in these ceremonies are:

• Naga Sadhus; nudes who smear their bodies with sacred ash – Vibhuti – and have long, matted hair. Their eyes are red from constantly smoking charas (marijuana), which they believe helps with enlightenment.
• Urdhwavahurs; They sacrifice their bodies with rigid spiritual practices.
• Parivajakas; Those who do not speak. They have taken a vow of silence.
• Shirshasinse; They always stand, sleep with their heads resting on a vertical pole and meditate on their heads.
• Kalpvasis; They stay on the banks of the river and spend their time meditating, performing rituals and bathing numerous times a day.
• Dandis; Dressed in orange and carrying a large flag of the same color.
• Aghoris; Dressed in black. They seek the impure life.
• Sadhvi; Sadhus women.

Our journey. Makar Sankranti at the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Prayag (Allahabad)

Based on what we have related, technically we will travel to the Ardh Kumbh Mela in Prayag (Allahabad), to the celebration that takes place every six years in the holiest city to commemorate this event. The bath we have chosen to visit is Makar Sankranti, the first of the three sacred baths held there. Being the first, it has a special charisma, as well as a great photographic appeal, not to mention the greater ease of action, since the brutal overcrowding that is foreseen for the second bath will not have yet hatched.

Makkar Sankranti is the first major bathing day according to the Hindu religious calendar. This day is dedicated to Surya, the sun god in the Hindu pantheon. This day marks the end of the winter solstice, which is also known as the darkest night of the year. From now on the days will begin to be longer. Spring will soon begin in India.

One of the most special aspects of this celebration is that it is one of the few ancient festivals that Hindus celebrate according to the solar cycle, and not guided by the lunar calendar.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated all over India and goes by different names in different regions. For that matter, as is usual in India, everything that is at hand is decorated in a colorful way.

During this event pilgrims say a prayer that is dedicated to the god Surya and then bathe in the Sangam, thus achieving purification from their sins.

What can you do at the Kumbh Mela? In addition to thousands of photos, which is why you have come here, at the Kumbh Mela you will be able to:

• To see in its maximum splendor the spirituality that spreads every morning along the banks of the Ganges.
• Attend talks held by spiritual teachers and gurus.
• Participate in yoga and meditation workshops.
• Participate in the Yajnas or fire ceremonies.

The Days of Varanasi

Our starting point to go to the kumbh Mela will be the sacred city of Varanasi. We will stay in a hotel within the sacred area of Varanasi, next to the gath. There we will spend a day and a half on the way there and the same on the way back. We will take advantage of the stay to get to know the city and photograph its incomparable corners, unparalleled in the world.

During those days we will have the company of three local guides, two of whom are already veteran collaborators of PhotoTravel, Manu, who speaks English, and Udai, who speaks perfect Spanish. Between the three of them they will show us the purest essence of their city, showing us its nooks and crannies and discovering the locations where we can take the best photographs.

When traveling in winter we will find the best photographic version of Varanasi. A city blurred by fog, with an incomparable light, full of small bonfires among which the Indians swarm masked in their blankets. Pure magic for photography.

In Allahabad

The city of Allahabad is our destination. A city of 5 million inhabitants that will be transformed to welcome almost 100 million visitors in the days that the Kumbh Mela lasts. A challenge that involves a portentous infrastructure of housing, bridges, roads, transport… which will disappear again when the festival concludes.

Also in this city we will have three guides/assistants who will attend and advise us on the days we stay here.

On January 13, for those who wish, we offer you a free excursion to get to know the city of Allahabad. We will leave after breakfast to visit places such as Anand Bhawan, the Khusrugab museum, the Bada Hanuman temple, the Chandrashekhar park… We will return to the camp at dinner time.

Accommodation. Where to sleep

Both in Varanasi and in Allahabad we will stay in strategic areas, so that we can walk to any of the emblematic places that we choose as a frame to take our photographs.

In Varanasi we will stay in the old city, in the sacred area, a few meters from the gath, a small hotel in the streets of the old city, a classic in PhotoTravel trips to India. Breakfast is included.

In Allahabad we will stay in the city-camp, prefabricated modules with beds and showers, with occupancy for three people, includes full board. We have hired a cook who will make our food every day. We also have a security guard to watch over our housing modules when we are not there.

It is a sector enabled for foreigners, which will allow us to walk both to the Sangam, which is only 1.5km away, and to the sector where the sadhus are staying.

Displacement

The arrival and departure from Varanasi to Delhi is done by plane. The round-trip trips to the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad will be made by bus.

Although the distance between these two cities is 120 km, due to the large influx of traffic at this time, we estimate that the journey can take up to seven or eight hours.

Within the cities we will not need transport. We can do it by walking.

What photographic material do I carry?

The winter light on the banks of the Ganges is pure magic, the ideal frame for any photography lover.

Winter in India transforms the aesthetic configuration of cities. As it passes through Varanasi, the Ganges loses the enormous flow of water received in the monsoons and leaves the gath exposed, showing all the splendor of their palaces and the incessant tingling of pilgrims. On its shores, the mist shrouds the devotees in mystery in their purifying baths. Meanwhile, the Indians protect themselves from the cold by wrapping themselves in their brown blankets, with which they cover their heads and bodies, or they squat around the small bonfires that bloom everywhere. A spectacle to immortalize with the camera.

As for the photographic equipment to bring, that is a very personal decision, it depends on the type of photography you like to do and what you plan to achieve there.

As a guideline I will tell you that I will take two reflex camera bodies (FF) a 24-70mm f2.8, 16-35mm f2.8, a 70-200mm f2.8 and a 35mm f1.4. and a small flash, which you may not use.

Obviously I never go loaded with all this, I go with only one body, with the 24-70mm f2.8 and 35mm f1.4, the rest I leave in the camps in case I need it.

I would recommend that you do not carry large photo backpacks for the Kumbh Mela days, there will be too many people and it can become a nuisance. A small-sized crossbody bag may be a better option and…

DON’T FORGET THE SWIMSUIT THAT WE HAVE TO BATHE TOD@S!!

Photographic Trip to the Kumbh Mela of Allahabad 2019 with Gonzalo Sáenz from Santa María Poullet.

La entrada KUMBH MELA ALLAHABAD se publicó primero en PhotoTravel.

Whenever I travel to India, many people start telling stories of a friend of a friend, who by the way no one knows who has been told things about India that most are usually false.

The image they give us of India is always sadness, poverty and lately because of the rapist news, and I can assure you that it is very far from reality, so in this new blog post we are going to try to remove those terrible clichés!

I have heard that there are people who go crazy after visiting India.

And have you believed it? Could it not be that he was already touched enough there…? I understand that there are people who travel to India and stay there longer than expected, it is a magical place, but as much as it is like going crazy…..

Have you ever wondered why you travel? Surely it has to do with the desire to have new experiences and why do you want new experiences? To progress as a person, right? Well, that’s a trip to India, an accumulation of life experiences that will make you progress as a person, in your way of seeing life, an investment in your happiness, in your life formation. Wonderful madness!

I’ve been told that India smells bad.

That’s not true, it smells different, smells full of life, spices or incense. Smells that will captivate you, that will always remind you of that wonderful trip.

I’m going to see a lot of poverty

It is a delicate issue, it is true that there is poverty, but unfortunately as in all parts of the world, India must work so that all slums or slums disappear and have decent housing, but you will surely be much more struck by the joy, vitality and happiness of its inhabitants. You’ll see!.

The way of life in India is different from the West, The religions they profess make them not so materialistic, that they look more within themselves than outside, that they worry much less about accumulating things. In that they are different.

It is curious that in the eyes of an inexperienced Westerner a renouncer of Hinduism, a sadhu can seem poor or a vagabond, and they are very wrong, it is a very different way of life in which they renounce everything material.

Oh, and don’t worry about the image of hundreds of kids behind you asking for a few coins, it’s not real. Just be prepared for the image of a bunch of Indians behind you asking you to take a picture with them….

The Ganges River is full of floating dead

I have been visiting India and the holiest cities bathed by the Ganges for many years and I can assure you that it is flatly false.

The bodies are cremated until they disappear in the crematoria on the banks of the Ganges or the sacred rivers, only babies, pregnant women, sadhus, lepers or if you have been bitten by a cobra, are the only ones who are not cremated, with a few large stones they sink into the sacred water.

I leave you with an image of one of the crematoria, where they allowed me to take a shot since the bodies were already cremated, it is usually forbidden out of respect for the relatives and you should not take photos.

I can fall ill

Traveling to India is not synonymous with getting sick. Perhaps, with the change in diet and the heat, you may suffer a period of diarrhea. Nothing worrisome, one day dieting and taking saline and you will almost certainly solve it.

Don’t worry, we don’t visit places where you can get sick with malaria, that’s a disease present in rural areas. We visit cities, where with a minimum of caution, you will see that you do not have to worry.

I’m going to be eaten by rats and cockroaches.

To begin with, we must know that the rat in India is sacred , in fact there is a temple dedicated to them, the temple of Karni Mata. In the train areas we can see some but not as many as they count… People really like to exaggerate. As with the famous cockroaches, I have been going to India for many years and I have seen some of them but almost the same as in Spain.

I won’t be able to eat anything, I don’t think the food is safe.

Indian food is very rich and varied, in each area they have their specialties. A common characteristic is that it stings, although you can always specify that you don’t get spicy.

Most Indians are vegetarians, so their cuisine is also vegetarian. Rich and elaborate vegetarian dishes, pasta, rice and some chicken, that will be our diet.

We get to know the areas and restaurants we visit on the Photo Trips we organize. They are clean and safe, you can eat with peace of mind. Still take your precautions, take care of your hand hygiene, don’t drink unbottled water, no ice….. You’ll see that food is not a problem.

If you still see it wrong, you should know that there is also MacDonald, of course.. in the Indian style with the famous McMaharaja, you know that they don’t eat cow, it’s sacred.

I still have problems, they are not welcoming to tourism.

I have visited more than 50 countries, and I assure you that, along with Nepal, I have not seen such welcoming people in any country. They make you feel that you are also part of that country.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to withstand the heat. I’m worried about the monsoon.

In summer in India it is hot, I would avoid the months of May and June, or visit mountain area.

The humid environment increases the thermal sensation. Have you visited Andalusia, New York, Italy, Greece….? Well, you can get the idea. You sweat but you can hold it well. That shouldn’t be an impediment to missing the trip. And don’t worry about the monsoons, they are appreciated. Intense rains of approximately one hour duration that cool the atmosphere.

However, we also organize trips on other dates, a cool atmosphere and no monsoons.

I’m going to get dehydrated.

Don’t even think about it. In India they sell bottles of water everywhere for less than ten cents.

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to carry my backpack all day long.

Who said that to go to India you have to carry a backpack? From the airports or train stations we will take a taxi or tuks tuks that will take us directly to the hotels. You don’t need a backpack for luggage, I carry a small trolley. If you want, you can carry a small backpack so you don’t check in the photographic equipment on the plane and put your personal belongings. A small trolley of no more than 60 liters and a backpack to carry your photography equipment will be enough.

I will suffer discrimination for being a woman.

In India, more than in the category of woman, you will be pigeonholed in the category of foreigners. Their macho customs and attitudes do not go with you. They will respect you like any other foreigner, they know that you belong to another culture. Of course, to enter their temples they will ask you to cover your legs and shoulders (a sarong is fine).

Trains don’t seem safe to me.

To give you an idea of the immensity and importance of the Indian railway network, I will give you a couple of facts: it is the second largest railway network in the world and moves about 5,000 million passengers per year. Every day, an average of more than 8,350 passenger trains travel 80,000 kilometers with 12,500,000 users. What do you think? Impressive, right.

Sometimes we hear that there has been a train accident in India. Remember, 8350 trains running every day…. They are safe.

I am concerned about the safety of my photographic equipment.

Your photographic equipment is totally safe. The same precautions you take in Spain serve you there. India is a very safe country, it is not in the character of the Indians to appropriate what belongs to others. There are also a lot of police that will give you extra security.

Wear your camera around your neck and take all the photos you want, you will have no problems.

I don’t know their language, I’m not going to understand myself.

There are two official languages in India, Hindi and English. You can understand them. And if you don’t know English, resort to body language, gestures, it’s very effective. Oh, and don’t forget that with PhotoTravel you will always be accompanied by a guide who will be your interpreter, don’t worry.

In short, India is a huge, wonderful country, with a rich culture that has managed to maintain its identity. Every year I travel three or four times to India taking photographs in the Photo Trips that I organize with PhotoTravel and every day I feel more ignorant and more eager to return to continue learning.

PhotoTravel, Agency number ☝️in Photographic Travel
Leaders in the Sector

? ☎️ www.phototravel.es Reservations +34 616 22 42 82 ? info@phototravel.es

La entrada False myths about India se publicó primero en PhotoTravel.

We are going to complete it with new articles about luggage, health or photographic equipment, at PhotoTravel we want to make your experience in the most impressive country in the world easy.

CAPITAL

New Delhi. That chaotic city that will soon captivate you.

POPULATION

India is the second most populous country in the world after China, but for a short time, there are no less than 1,210,194,522 inhabitants. That’s nothing!

GOVERNMENT

Federal Republic

RELIGION

Its main religion is Hinduism, but Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism also stand out. It is the third country in the world with the largest number of Muslims.

VISA

For Spanish citizens a visa is required to enter India.

The best and cheapest thing to do is to do it online through its official website, although it is a bit cumbersome to fill out, and be careful! that there are many fake websites.

From PhotoTravel we can manage it for you. This way you won’t have to worry about bureaucratic aspects.

EMBASSIES

Embassy of India in Spain Avda. Pío XII, 30 y 32 – 28016 Madrid.

Tel.: 91 309 88 70. www.embassyindia.es

Embassy of Spain in India 12, Prithviraj Road – New Delhi 110011.

Telephone/s: (+91) 11 41 29 30 00. (+91) 98 10 17 41 60.

E-mail: emb.nuevadelhi@maec.es

TIME ZONE

In winter the time difference is 4:30 hours more than in Spain and in summer 3:30 hours more.

LANGUAGE

Hindi and English, though! with a lot of accent.

CURRENCY/ EXCHANGE RATES

Indian Rupee – INR

1 Euro is equivalent to approximately 75 INR.

MONEY

Euros can be easily exchanged anywhere, there are many “exchange offices” (you can exchange any banknote, but they prefer the big ones, from 50€, the most valued are the famous Bin Laden, 500€!). Also the hotels where we stay can exchange money, in some of them, because they are regular customers, they make a good change for us. At the airport you can also exchange currency, but with too high a commission. Remember that with PhotoTravel Photo Trips you have included the transfer service from the airport to the hotel, and that you will not need money until then.

MOBILE PHONES AND INTERNET

In all the hotels where we stay we have wifi, but keep in mind that it is too basic and slow a service, in India it is like that. In many restaurants where we eat there is also internet.

If you need to be connected, a recommended option is to buy a SIM card with internet from a local operator. They are not very expensive, and in addition to having a constant connection, you will be able to call Spain. If you want to purchase one of these cards, you must provide your passport and a passport-type photo.

HOW TO GET AROUND

AIRCRAFT

It is a good alternative for long distances. Its price is not very high, and in any case, taking into account the density and speed of traffic it is, without a doubt, the best option.

It is recommended to always carry the ticket printed on paper and have it at hand. To access the airports there is a control device made up of military personnel who will ask you if you want to access the terminal.

Once you purchase the ticket, it is not uncommon for you to receive communication informing you of any change in your flight schedule. Pay attention especially to travel in the months of December/January, due to the fog (especially in Varanasi) there are usually many delays and cancellations. It is important that you check your flight at the hotel before going to the airport.

We give you the option of buying the plane tickets yourself, or if you prefer, and that is what we recommend, we will manage it for you.

TRAIN

India is a country closely linked to the Train. If you want to know its true essence, it is undoubtedly the best means of transport.

In our Photographic Trips we occupy the 2nd Class Sleeper carriages, without AC, where the popular classes of the country travel. This way we can experience the real India, and take better photos.

But if you prefer more comfort, we give you the option of traveling in first class, with AC.

Don’t worry about the process to get train tickets, we will take care of it.

MINIBUS

Some routes, for speed, comfort or accessibility, are carried out on the mythical Tempo Traveller Minibuses.

TAXI

They are a good option to transfer to the hotel when you are carrying luggage.

When leaving the train stations or airports there is usually an Indian Government booth where we can hire official taxis to take us to the hotel. It is the best option, you avoid haggling and dealing.

In any case, when we are in a group your PhotoTravel guide will be in charge of making these arrangements. You take care of enjoying and photographing!.

RICKSHAW (TUK TUK)

One of my favorite means of transportation. The first time you ride will not leave you indifferent.

It is the best means of transport to move around the city, fast, fun and economical.

It’s a good idea to agree on the price with your driver before you leave, and don’t forget to bring a hotel address card to show the driver when you return.

When we move in a group the “negotiator” will be your PhotoTravel guide. You know, while taking photos, that’s why you came.

RICKSHAW CYCLE

It is a bicycle with a wheeled cart attached, with capacity for up to three people. A very good option to move around the old areas of the cities, where motor vehicles are prohibited.

It is a very cheap means of transport. Better not to haggle and accept the price they tell you.

WEATHER IN INDIA

The climate in India can be divided into three major seasons:

Cold Station

It begins in September and ends in March. November, December and January are the best times to visit India. You avoid the heat, and the fog and fires lit on all sides give it a magical air.

The problem is that its intense fog causes many trains and planes to be canceled or delayed.

Warm Season

April to June are the worst months to visit India because of its extreme heat, with hardly any rain. A good option for these months is to go to the Himalayan Mountains.

Wet Season

It is the time from June to September, the time of the monsoons.

July and August are the months when the monsoon rains are most intense. Don’t worry, the places we visit are safe. They are very intense rains that last a short time, an hour or so. You’re going to love watching it (I personally like it). These rains cleanse and refresh the atmosphere, intensify the colors and give a special touch to the cities. Many of Steve McCurry’s photos in India are taken around this time.

PLUGS

They are 220V and Spanish plugs are valid… So there’s no need to worry.

LAUNDRY

The best way to travel in India is to go light. We move through many cities and we have to carry our suitcase.

The best option is not to take too many clothes and wash them from time to time in hotel laundries. Washing clothes in India is very simple and cheap. In the hotels or near them there is always a laundry. You’ll be surprised how quickly your clothes are returned to you clean and ironed.

Also, keep in mind that clothes in India are cheap. You’ll want to buy some rags, you’ll see.

TOILET PAPER

Toilet paper is not used in India. In all bathrooms you will find a kind of small shower next to the toilet. It is used to clean with the force of the water jet. I assure you that it is the best option, when you return you will miss it…

In any case, don’t worry, in the hotels where we stay there are always a few small rolls of toilet paper.

Soon new posts about the preparations for the Photographic Trips India, undoubtedly the most impressive country in the world.

PhotoTravel, Agency number ☝️in Photographic Travel
Leaders in the Sector

? ☎️ www.phototravel.es Reservations +34 616 22 42 82 ? info@phototravel.es

La entrada India Practical Facts se publicó primero en PhotoTravel.

You can now apply for the India Visa online from Spain!

Electronic Visa, E-visa, online visa or E-visa is the same and is much better than doing it at the counter since over the counter it is twice as expensive! …

We must not forget that the online Visa will have a maximum duration of 60 days from the date of entry and only two entries through the main airports of:

Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum and Varanasi.

If you are going to stay more than 60 days or you are going to enter by road, you must do it by the normal procedure, we attach link.

EYE! The visa application must be made between 4 and 120 days before arrival.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

• The Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of arrival and have two blank pages.
• You must have an exit ticket from India.
• Prepare a jpg passport photo. Recent on a 350×350 pixel white background weighing less than 1Mb
• Scan or take a photo of your passport in pdf. Where your data and photo appear must not exceed 300kb.

WE START FILLING OUT OUR VISA STEP BY STEP!!

1º We must enter the official website of the Indian Government to make our visa online, by clicking on the following link.

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Attention! There are many fake websites, don’t bite,,,

2º We go to the bottom of the website and click on the area I have with the red frame.

Clicking on “Apply online” will take us to the next step….

3ºWe start filling out the India Online Visa!,,,

• Passport Type: Ordinary
• Nationality: SPAIN
• Airport: On our Photography tours is DELHI AIRPORT
• Date of birth
• Our email where we will receive the visa
• Arrival day
• Visa Service: eTourist Visa (RECREATION/SIGHT-SEEING)

CLICK ON “CONTINUE” and move on to the 4th step!!

PERSONAL VISA DETAILS

EYE! Very important you must write it as it is in your passport!!

Any mistake will NOT be accepted to board the flight.

• SURNAMES
• NAME
• GENRE: In India we have three, they’re great!
• DATE OF BIRTH
• CITY WHERE YOU WERE BORN
• COUNTRY
• ID
• RELIGION: If you don’t have you can put “OTHER” and then write “NONE”
• ANY VISIBLE MARK: Tattoos, scars, etc. If this is not the case, you can put NA
• STUDIES
• WHAT IS YOUR NATIONALITY LIKE: BY BIRTH or YOU ARE NATURALIZED.
• Have you lived at least two years in the country where you are applying for a visa? NO

PASSPORT DETAILS

• PASSPORT NUMBER
• PLACE OF ISSUE
• ISSUE DATE
• EXPIRES: DATE OF EXPIRY
• OTHER PASSPORT?: Normally it is NO

AND WE CLICK ON “SAVE AND CONTINUE” and go to the 5th step!!

We continue filling in our data and move on to the 6th step, I encourage you to get started!!

• OUR ADDRESS
• DATA OF OUR PARENTS
• PROFESSION: watch out for journalists who are going to ask you for a lot of paperwork!

We continue to fill in our India online visa details and move on to the 7th step,

Come on, don’t despair!!

• Places to visit on our India Photo Tour: Delhi, Agra, Varanasi, Amritsar
• Countries you’ve visited in the last 10 years!
• Have you visited the countries of the “South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation” (SAARC) (except your own country) during the last 3 years? NO

REFERENCE IN INDIA you can piner the hotel where you are going to stay. The next steps are:

Upload a jpg passport photo. Recent on a 350×350 pixel white background weighing less than 1MB.

And then prepare your passport because we are going to perform the same step but this time with the passport.

• Scan or take a photo of your passport in pdf. Where your data and photo appear must not exceed 300kb.

And we have finally reached the last page of our long process of making the Online India Visa.

LAST STEP!! PAYMENT OF THE VISA TO INDIA ONLINE

Do not forget to write down the IDENTIFICATION NUMBER that we find at the top and bottom, I underline it in red.

We ACCEPT with a “YES” the conditions of our ONLINE VISA will take us to the last page!,,,

We make the PAYMENT, we will be asked for a Credit card or Due Master Card or Visa, we can also do it by PayPal. The price of the online e-visa for India is $80 plus $2 fee, so for about €80 we have our Visa,,,much better than taking it to get it done that currently exceeds €120.

They confirm that everything is correct, we download the e-Visa Application Form and they will send us an email Status regarding e-VISA where they inform us that within 72 hours they will send us an email where they will confirm if everything is correct, you must look at Application Status :- Large which means that it is granted!..

NOTE,, anyway confirm it before going out in – (https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa/tvoa.html)

DO YOU WANT TO COME TO INDIA ACCOMPANIED BY A PROFESSIONAL?

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