India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (30 page)

In addition to the destination-specific resources listed below, please visit
Frommers.com
for additional specialized travel resources.

GAY & LESBIAN TRAVELERS

Homosexuality remains frowned upon in India despite the fact that in July 2009 a Supreme Court ruling finally overturned a discriminatory piece of legislation that had, since colonial times, prohibited so-called “unnatural” sexual relations, criminalizing consensual sex between men. In the aftermath of this acknowledgment of constitutional freedom, the media celebrated widely with endless discussions, debates and relatively newsworthy stories about everything and anything gay, proud, and out. On the other hand, there are religious and political leaders hell-bent on reversing the legislative decision and many who actively promote antigay thinking, qualifying their hatred with the bizarre sentiment that homosexuality is un-Indian. A range of high-profile cases have brought the issue of gay and lesbian rights into the social and political sphere, and there is increased awareness in this regard across all social spheres, not least as a result of gay storylines and subplots creeping into mainstream Bollywood movies, and the rags plump with gossip about which star is in or out of the closet this week. The times certainly are a-changing, but the change is slower for some than for others, so you’re likely to encounter a wide range of reactions to homosexuality (even when it’s simply a topic in conversation)—from those who clearly covet their gay friends as social accessories to those with overt hostility to those displaying utter indifference.

Finally, don’t confuse social norms with sexual behavior. Indian men, for example, are a great deal more affectionate with one another than they are with women in public, and you’ll frequently see men walking hand-in-hand, arm-in-arm, and embracing, though this is said to be an act of “brotherliness” without any sexual connotation. Nevertheless, discretion is probably best observed outside your hotel room (note that no one questions same-sex travelers sharing a room).

For more information and gay- and lesbian-friendly contacts nationwide, check out
Indian Dost
(
www.indiandost.com
); for a more personal perspective, filled with substance and insights read some of the posts on the
Queer India
blog (
http://queerindia.blogspot.com
). Gay support groups include the
Gay Info Centre
(P.O. Box 1662 Secunderabad HPO 500 003, Andhra Pradesh),
Humsafar Trust
(
www.humsafar.org
), and to a lesser extent,
Gay Bombay
(
www.gaybombay.org
), which mainly offers information on gay venues in Mumbai.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association
(
IGLTA;
800/448-8550
or 954/776-2626;
www.iglta.org
) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses and tour operators; at press time, however, there were just five Indian tour operators listed.

The Canadian website
GayTraveler
(
www.gaytraveler.ca
) offers ideas and advice for gay travel all over the world.

TRAVELERS WITH DISABILITIES

Most disabilities shouldn’t stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and resources out there than ever before. However, it must be noted that India—despite the fact that it has such a high population of people with disabilities—is not well geared for travelers with disabilities. Destinations are far from wheelchair friendly, and it is hard enough for an able-bodied person to negotiate the crowded, filth-strewn, and potholed streets, where cars, animals, and rickshaws drive at will. Access to historical monuments is also difficult (though you will have the small reward of free access). Certainly you would need to be accompanied by a traveler familiar with the destination, and you must carefully sift through the accommodations options, only a handful of which have facilities specifically geared to travelers with disabilities.

Organizations that offer a range of resources and assistance to disabled travelers include
MossRehab
(
800/CALL-MOSS
[2255-6677]
;
www.mossresourcenet.org
); the
American Foundation for the Blind
(
AFB;
800/232-5463;
www.afb.org
); and
SATH
(Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality;
212/447-7284;
www.sath.org
).

WOMEN TRAVELERS

Foreign women will almost certainly experience India as sexist, but if you are confident, relaxed, and assertive, you are unlikely to experience any serious hassles. However, traveling solo is only for the very brave and thick-skinned, unless of course you’re traveling in comfort (using the accommodations selected in this book) and have hired a car and driver for the duration (you are at your most vulnerable when using public transport). At best, you will experience being stared at intensely for an unbearable length of time; at worst you may be groped—some men are convinced that all Western women are loose and slutty. To a great extent, Western cinema and fashion trends have helped fuel the legend that women from abroad welcome this attention, and you’d do well to take precautions, like wearing appropriate (modest) attire. On trains, buses, and in other public places, you are best off ignoring advances or questions from suspicious-looking men. Another strategy that often helps single women travelers ward off unwanted male attention is to wear a ring and invent a husband; if you’re approached, say that you are meeting your “husband” at the next station/destination. You should have little difficulty determining when a line of questioning is likely to lead to problems. In particular, steer clear of men who have been drinking alcohol. “Eve-teasing” (the word denoting unwanted attention and public harassment by men) is an offense in certain parts of India, and you are within your rights to report inappropriate advances or remarks to the police—the easiest response, however, is to loudly tell the offender off, and even strike him—you will almost certainly be supported by those around you. You may want to ask whether or not your hotel offers a special room for solo women travelers; these are now offered in a few upmarket hotels in the larger cities, and include special privacy/security features.

Note that women are excluded from entering certain religious sites and attractions (which we have pointed out wherever relevant), but this is unlikely to impact too strongly on your plans. Menstruating women are, technically, not entitled to enter Jain temples or mosques.

A few Indian travel outfits specialize in women-only itineraries. Travel writer Sumitra Senapaty’s
Women on Wanderlust
(
www.wowsumitra.com
) is aimed primarily at Indian women, and includes tours to non-Indian destinations; however there are a few excursions, including treks and river-rafting expeditions, that you may wish to consider. Adventure specialists
18 Days
(
www.18days.in
; see “Adventure & Wellness Trips,” below) also offer several trips that are exclusively for women.

For general travel resources for women, go to
www.frommers.com/planning
.

MULTICULTURAL TRAVELERS

African Americans and other travelers of African descent will face as much curiosity as someone with blond hair and blue eyes, but also some degree of discrimination, though this is neither widespread nor specific to a particular region.
Mostly this takes the form of travelers being told a hotel or nightclub is full when it really isn’t. Senior Travel

India is not for the fainthearted, and this is definitely the one place senior travelers should use the services of a reliable agency and organization that targets the 50-plus market.

Members of
AARP,
601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (
888/687-2277;
www.aarp.org
), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including
AARP The Magazine
and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.