FAQs

Question

How much will the hotel cost?

Answer

If you are staying from the 19th to the 24th, you'll likely spend 2 nights in the Taj Vivanta Begumpet (~£150 per night), the 2 nights in Aalankrita Resort (£65 per night), and then back to the Taj for the last night (~£105 per night), which comes out to £535. We unfortunately could not block rooms or get hotel discounts at the Taj Vivanta so please book your rooms ASAP because prices will go up. Please also feel free to find other accommodation near Gunrock Enclave if you can for 19th-21st and 23-24th August.

Question

What should I wear?

Answer

There are many events over a few days which obviously means a few different outfits! The traditional Indian outfits are called: saree, kurti, lehenga, or gagra choli for women, and kurta/sherwani for men. Kids can wear dresses or pants/shirts. The Indian dress code appropriate for each event is detailed on the India Schedule tab. Please know that there is no requirement to wear an Indian outfit. Western formal/semi-formal attire is acceptable at all events, however we'd encourage dresses/accessories (e.g. shawls, leggings) that cover shoulders, chest, and legs. The event at which we will be wearing our fanciest outfits is the Mehendi and Sangeet the evening of August 21st. The event at which we will be wearing our most traditional Indian outfits is the Indian Reception and Marriage Ceremony the evening of August 22nd. Less fancy sarees, kurtas, and generally semi-formal attire of both Indian and Western styles are appropriate for all the other events. Examples: A woman might bring one formal saree for the Indian reception and ensuing marriage ceremony, one lehenga for the Mehendi/Sangeet, and one kurti that can be worn for both Pellikoduku and Satyanarayana Vratam. A man might bring a sherwani for the Indian reception and marriage ceremony, a western suit for the Mehendi/Sangeet, and a kurta that can be worn for both Pellikoduku and Satyanarayana Vratam.

Question

How do I source an Indian outfit?

Answer

If you would like to wear an Indian outfit, there are a couple options: If you don't mind what color/style the outfit is, please message Divya at +19732231133 and she will try to arrange a sari, kurti, or kurta for you to wear. If you prefer to pick an outfit for yourself, here are some streets with Indian stores where you can buy your own: Park Ave near Southall station, Southall, London Paul Krugerlaan in Den Haag, Netherlands Oak Tree Rd in Edison, New Jersey Fremont Blvd in Fremont, California Princes Hwy, Adelaide, Australia

Question

Vacation recommendations around India?

Answer

Here are some recommendations based off places I've been to / wanted to go to! It’s worth keeping in mind that India is huge, and a lot of the cool places only have airports that are in the closest big city so I would recommend planning a couple days for each of the things below and focusing on one area rather than hopping around a lot. Also, driving in India is very stressful so if you want to take a car somewhere I would recommend hiring a driver for the day Low effort, high reward: Pondicherry (beach, small town) ⁠Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Thanjavur (history, architecture) ⁠Safaris, lion/tiger reserves in various parts of India (there’s a good one near Delhi) ⁠Goa (party island) Ajanta and Ellora caves (really cool and beautiful) ⁠Rameswaram (temples and beaches) ⁠Amritsar (lots of history, golden temple) ⁠Nainatal, Shimla, Manali are in the foothills of the Himalayas and safer/easier to get to than Srinagar Delhi, Taj Mahal, Jaipur ⁠Kerala (beaches, house-boats, lush green foothills and national parks) ⁠Calcutta High effort, high reward: ⁠Rann of Kutch, Gujarat Srinagar, Kashmir ⁠Leh/ladakh (Himalayas, need Chinese permission to go there) ⁠Sri Lanka Thailand