India can be a wee bit unnerving for the first-time visitor. The lifestyle and culture is totally different from the West. We've made a list of some important dos and don'ts for hassle-free and enjoyable travel in India.

# A proper VISA to enter and stay in India is a must. There are reported cases when travelers are advised non-requirement of Indian VISA by their travel agents. Practically every foreign national requires VISA to enter India.

# Travelers should get properly inoculated against Yellow Fever if coming through infected regions.

# It is advisable to cover yourself with travel insurance for thefts, loss and medi-claim.

# Carry proper maps of the places proposed to visit in India, as signboards are often absent. Try to reach a station during daytime if traveling on your own. In any case avoid persistent touts and taxi-wallahs at airport/stations/bus stand to help you find your hotel. Always use tourist assistance desk for proper advice.

# Women traveling alone in certain deserted places should avoid walking at odd hours.

# Don't ever enter a temple, tomb, dargah or Gurudwara with shoes on and/or scantily dressed. One should cover his/her head with a cloth while in a Gurudwara or Dargah. Parikrama or walking around the sanctum sanctorum should always be in clockwise direction.

# Do not wear black clothes while visiting a Jain temple. Leather articles are forbidden to be carried in Hindu and Jain temples. Taking photograph of the deity in a temple is normally not permitted.

# Participating in a social occasion or visiting a home requires conservative dress codes. Do not shake hands with ladies. Always pick up a thing and eat with your right hand. Take only as much as you can eat, do not leave anything uneaten over the dish.

# Do not point your finger at any person. It is taken as a sign of annoyance.

# While changing money, insist on getting encashment certificate.

# Do not encourage beggars.

# Do not checkout of the hotel in hurry. While checking out it has been noticed in some hotels, the extras are unreasonably charged which the guest hurriedly pays without cross-checking.

# Do not leave your cash and valuables in your hotel rooms. Keep your cash divided in different pockets.

# Take care of proper disposal of your rubbish always whether you are exploring desert, or Himalayas or beaches or anywhere else.

# Be careful of cultural and social sensitivities of the regions. There is no single rule for that, the best way is to observe and follow.

# Take care of contamination of water and food problem. Always drink safe mineral water and take well-cooked food.

# Don't buy antiques more than 100 years old. Selling and buying "shahtoosh" shawls is a crime. The same goes for ivory and wildlife.

# Buy at genuine shops only. Bargaining is a popular practice in India and necessary too. Don't ever believe in lucrative offers of antique dealers in which they offer you to carry a parcel of some other buyer back home with your own margin described. Entire transaction should be legal and transparent so that you may claim later if dissatisfied.

# Don't eat anything offered by fellow travelers on train or road travels. It might have sleeping pills. Always travel reserved class in trains.

# Always chain and lock your luggage under your berth in a train. Don't keep anything valuable near the window. Always carry plenty of water, fluids in trains. A lone woman traveler may request to be accommodated near other women travelers.

# Do not visit places which encourage orthodoxy, social injustice and inhuman practices (like visiting a sati temple).

# Don't photograph women without permission.

# Don't accept offers of visiting anyone's home unless you are confident of the person.

# Use licensed guides for sightseeing.

# Always use strong suitcases/baggage, as mishandling is common at airports/stations.

# Don't tip unreasonably and unnecessarily in a hotel. The NEWS soon spreads in the hotel and by the time you checkout there will be a group of them saluting you to expect something.

# While traveling, don't act confused. Keep a posture of a person known to the region.

# Avoid eating buffet meals, even in expensive hotels. The food may become contaminated due to over-exposure.