Hindustan

Real old-school budget guest housing in Varanasi

As independent travelling becomes more and more commercial, one longs for old-school guest houses: basic and simple accommodation without internet or air conditioning; flashing neon signs; European football booming on the lobby TV; and backpackers chasing those aforementioned "amenities".

In India you can still relive the good old days. You'll find a prime example of economical and wonderful old-school budget guest housing at the Eastern View Guesthouse, in Varanasi's Hanuman Ghat.

Madventures likes it a lot: the prices are cheap, the rooms are clean, the beds have mattresses and the fan propeller provides the AC. From the roof, there's a beautiful view towards the Ganges. The food is also worth a mention!

This family owned business is run by 30-something Deepak, whose authentic Indian expertise can help you purchase tickets for trains and buses, and other things you might need help with.

Contact: 093-07244837 / 092-36848106 and deepakjaiswal@rediffmail.com

Mela - a pilgramage worth experiencing

One of the most sacred Hindu locations is Allahabad, where the river Ganges joins with the streams of Yamuna and the mythical Sarasvati. The annual Mela festivities gather millions of pilgrims for a month. Every twelfth year a Maha Kumbh Mela is held. This is the largest gathering of human beings on the planet, and visible from space. Last time 30 million people attended.

Madventures took part in 2009 Magh Mela in Allahabad, bathing in the holy waters with a million other people. The atmosphere cannot be put in words. All these pilgrims live in huge tent villages in an area of just few square miles. To reach this area you have to walk 10 to 15 miles, because the car traffic in the area is restricted. For a donation, you can be accommodated in certain ashrams' tents. If you have a local friend who knows a bit of Hindi and can act as a translator, functioning in the area becomes remarkably easier.

The Mela dates vary according to Hindu calendar, but more information can be found at www.hindu-blog.com.

Take the train!

The one and only genuine (and also the most environmental and cheapest) way to see India is by train. The railway is the most inclusive in the world, and also the busiest, carrying 18 million passengers and 2 million tons of cargo a day. Despite all the chaos, the railroads built in the 1850s work well and the trains are almost always on time.

As a legacy of the old caste system, the trains have strict class divisions. Madventures recommends traveling in "Second Class Sleeper" cars, where you get in touch with the common folks but can also cheaply sleep in your very own "bed". (Privacy is provided with a curtain, sometimes not even that.)

Train rides are long and slow. From Delhi to southern India, the journey takes days. You meet all kinds of people on the way; often whole families on their way to meet relatives. And the joyful hustle and bustle plus the delicious aromas of the food and drinks make certain that the time flies.