Must-have Indian cuisine for first-time travelers

India’s native cuisine is something every tourist should experience, especially those who are traveling to the country for the first time. A melting pot of flavors heavily influenced by cultural, religious, and traditional diversity, Indian cuisine offers something for everyone from their sweet desserts to their spicy chicken and rice.

Here are some dishes you should try when visiting India:

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• Samosas. These are fried or baked triangular snacks stuffed with potatoes, onions and peas and served with mint or tomato chutney.

• Kati Rolls. These are kebabs (grilled skewers of meat, vegetables, or cheese), eggs, and spices wrapped in a type of flat bread called paratha.

• Tandoori Chicken. The chicken is immersed in a yogurt-spice marinade and then slow-cooked in a clay oven called a tandoor.

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• Biryani. This dish is probably one of the more famous Indian foods in the world. Aromatic rice is cooked with spices and saffron and combined with either marinated chicken or mutton.

• Rogan Josh. This Persian-inspired curry dish is popular in the Kashmir region and uses either lamb or goat (usually goat) as protein, cooked in a mixture of shallots, yogurt, and spices, particularly Kashmiri chili which gives it the red color.

• Gulab Jamun. Small, deep-fried balls of dried milk boiled in sugar syrup. A scoop of Indian vanilla ice cream is a recommended add-on.

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Remember to ask a local tour guide about the places where you can get a taste of these Indian delicacies.

Are you a first-time traveler to India? Visit the Cox and Kings Global Services website for more information about tourist visa application.

Taste of India: Two tea-growing regions to visit

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Tea has a long and storied history in India. Although commercial production didn't take off until the British East India Company started cultivating tea gardens in Assam, Indians have been drinking tea and using wild tea leaves in medicinal preparations since 750 B.C. Today, India is second only to China as the largest exporter of tea, and Indians consume cups of chai on a daily basis.


 Tea lovers who wish to know more about the history of tea as well as take delicious sips of some of the most famous tea brews in the world shouldn't miss an opportunity to visit one of the following Indian tea regions.

Assam 



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Assam, located in the remote northeast of India, is the largest tea-growing region in the world. Tea plants used to grow wild in the Brahmaputra valley but have been cultivated commercially for 150 years. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of rolling fields and more than 800 tea plantations, as well as take a sip of the strong, malty black tea the region is famous for. The area is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage parks, the Kaziranga National Park and the Manas National Park, as well as numerous monuments, temples and mosques dating back to the medieval era.


 Assam also produces a small quantity of the green and white varieties.

Darjeeling

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Darjeeling, a small town in West Bengal, is home to the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and is a popular summer vacation destination among domestic tourists due to its high altitude and cool climate.


Although marketed as black tea, Darjeeling tea actually comes in black, white, green, and oolong varieties. It has a sharp tang which fans liken to muscatel. There are approximately 144 tea gardens in Darjeeling, and each one produces tea with distinct tastes and aromas.



Apart from tea garden tours, there are numerous other attractions in Darjeeling. The view of the sun rising over the Himalayas, as seen from Tiger Hill, is a major tourist destination, as are Darjeeling's monasteries, parks, Japanese peace pagoda, and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute.


CKGS assists foreign travelers to India by providing visa services from one of its many application and processing centers worlwide. Discover more about India's top travel destinations by subscribing to this blog.

All about India's climate

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As the seventh largest country in the world, India has many regions with differing climate conditions. No doubt, climate plays a significant part in one’s decision to travel and the preparations that must be done for the trip.

The climate conditions in the north are distinctly different from those in the south. For example, the extreme south may be hit by a monsoon rain, while the north is blanketed in thick snow. In general, however, the climate in India can be defined in three seasons: the hot season, the monsoon season, and the cool season.

India’s summer season starts in March until May. Things start to heat up in the northern plains during February and the rest of the country follows suit. When April arrives, many areas experience daily temperatures that exceed 40 degrees Celsius. The southern areas experience daily temperature of 35 degrees Celsius although it can get a lot more humid. Summer tends to be a lean season for Indian tourism but for those who can survive the heat can expect many services offered at attractive prices.

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The monsoon season is from June to October. The southwest monsoon brings heavy rain by mid-July. This season can be a problematic time to travel around India as the weather can be unpleasant and the rain often disrupts many transport services.

Finally, the winter season starts from November until February. The temperature is pleasant during the daytime, and it gets quite chilly at night. As can be expected, tourism peaks during this time as many travelers prefer this type of weather. Those who wish to avoid the cold, however, can find respite in the beaches in Goa.

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As you plan your trip to India, be sure to check the CKGS website for information about tourist visa applications. For more articles on traveling to India, visit this Facebook page .

Ensuring safety on a trip to India

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Safety is always a primary concern to any traveler who’s about to go on a journey to a certain destination for the first time. As a total stranger to India, it can be hard to know what to expect and how to prepare for unforeseen events. Fortunately, many others have gone to the country before and they’ve shared their experiences for the benefit of first-time visitors.

Before the trip, you should definitely read up on as many articles as you can about other tourists’ experiences in traveling across India. This will help you fill in the gaps in your knowledge about the country, its customs, and its people. Apart from knowing which places to visit and which to probably avoid, you may also find recommendations for hotels, restaurants, and other services that would make your stay more enjoyable.

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With that out of the way, you can then start on drafting an itinerary. Using the information you’ve gathered, you can make a complete list of the places you’d like to visit and the experiences you’d like to have during your trip. At least for the first time, it might be best to stick to popular tourist spots and familiar places in order to avoid any unexpected events.

During your stay, seek help from your hotel or your guesthouse for booking taxis or other forms of transportation. Like with any other place, it is always a good idea to exercise more caution when it gets dark out. Instead of walking alone at nights to go to a restaurant, it might be best to take a taxi or a rickshaw instead.

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Cox and Kings Global Services is a specialist BPO company that provides administrative support to the Embassy of India and its consulates. For more information on the Indian Visa Application process, visit www.in.ckgs.us.

The advantages of digital asset management systems in diplomatic missions

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One of the functions of diplomatic missions, particularly consulates and embassies, is to issue visas, passports, and other travel documents. With most countries having hundreds of diplomatic outposts all over the world, the ability to store, index, and retrieve digital media in a timely, and secure, manner is imperative.

Digital asset management (DAM) is a proposed solution for the media asset storage needs of diplomatic missions. DAM systems are designed to facilitate storage, cataloging, indexing, retrieval, and distribution of digital assets. Some examples of digital assets are documents, photos, videos, and audio clips---any form of media that has been converted into electronic form. DAM systems are often utilized in diplomatic missions for administrative and management tasks because of the following advantages:

Security

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Diplomatic missions handle documents that require the utmost in protection in security. DAM systems have multiple protections in place to prevent file loss or misuse. One example is Cox & Kings Global Services, a specialist business outsourcing agency, which utilizes a DAM system that involves electronically scanning documents and adding identifiers for quick retrieval, while ensuring security in storage and data transfer through an administrative rights management model.

Easy access to files

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DAM systems hosted on the Cloud can be accessed from the Web anywhere and anytime. On the other hand, assets stored in on-premise DAM systems with local servers can only be accessed onsite, but these systems provide greater security and protection than those hosted solely on the Cloud. Hybrid DAM systems, or using Cloud systems for some asset management purposes and on-premise for others, wherein data are stored on-site but can be distributed through the Cloud, are a viable option for some diplomatic missions.

Reduced costs

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As opposed to hiring an in-house asset management team, purchasing multiple types of software, paying for licenses, and constructing and manning a data storage silo, outsourcing asset management to trusted third party providers help lower costs while ensuring that a diplomatic mission's needs are met.

In addition, DAM systems ensure speedy delivery of documents for a positive end user experience.

With more than 300 diplomatic outposts in 177 countries, the United States stands to benefit from a widespread implementation of DAM systems as a storage, retrieval, and distribution method for diplomatic missions.

Like this CKGS Facebook page for discussions on DAM systems and their benefits.

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Since the beginning of the year, you’ve done all your planning for your trip to India and have made all the necessary sacrifices just to ensure that your travel plans see fruition. You have also saved up for the vacation – putting in extra hours at work and avoiding the biggest sales events even though you really wanted that new Ludlow suit. You have everything you need for your travel. Right?

If you’re going to India for an official business trip, or for some well-deserved rest and recreation, then a trip to a nearby Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) Application Centers is a must to apply for an Indian Visa. It should be noted that the Embassy of India and its consulates in the U.S. do not recognize other agencies for visa applications.

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For some individuals, personally applying for a visa poses no trouble at all for they live a short distance away from the application center. Going to the center may also be worthwhile as you can ask for clarifications regarding the application process, use the photo booth for the required ID pictures, and print or photocopy the documents you need to submit with your application.

However, commuting to the center could also mean additional costs and a few hours off your time. Thus, if you don’t have a lot of time to spare or if you’re simply looking for a more efficient way to handle you visa application then you can rely on the courier service offered by CKGS through FedEx.

The $30 fee that you have to pay for the service is minimal compared to the costs you’ll incur when you travel the center, which includes gas, toll, and parking fees. The courier service comes with the assurance that you will get the visa and passport back in seven working days from the date that your application lands in the CKGS office in New York granted that the documents you’ve submitted are all in order as mandated on the website. The granting of the visa, however, remains as the prerogative of the Indian consulate.

Outsourcing non-core functions for improved service delivery

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In today’s economy, focusing on an organization’s core competencies remains as a solid strategy in allowing the business to grow and thrive. However, it can prove difficult when the firm’s leaders and key personnel are bogged down by non-critical assets and functions.

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To better focus on the organization’s core activities, managers should let go of the belief that they have to do everything in-house. Important yet minor tasks in the overall scheme of the company can be left in the hands of people or another company that specializes in those areas.

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Fortunately, business process outsourcing companies have begun offering a broader scope of services to convince more organizations to outsource their non-core functions. Technology and other innovations have also been advancing at a quick pace that it may be detrimental for organizations to invest for the sake of keeping up with the changes, especially in the parts of their operations that are not vital to maintaining competitive advantage.

Seeking external help for important but non-critical aspects of the business process allows companies to focus on their core competencies, bring new and better services and products to the market faster, and provide more value to key stakeholders.

Cox and Kings Global Services is a specialist BPO company that provides administrative support for non-judgmental tasks of diplomatic missions, thus allowing them to focus on key aspects of adjudication. For more information about business process outsourcing, visit this Google+ page.