Shalu Sharma's Blog

India travel tools • Indian Railways • IRCTC Indian Train Ticket Status Explained: GNWL, RLWL, PQWL, RAC and WL Decoder You have booked a train in India. Instead of a confirmed seat number, your ticket says GNWL 18, RLWL 7, PQWL 12 or RAC 4. What does that actually mean? This guide explains Indian Railways ticket status codes in plain English, including what happens when a waitlisted ticket is not confirmed. Use the free interactive decoder below, read practical examples, and print a simple one-page railway ticket reference sheet. TRAIN TICKET PNR STATUS GNWL 18 Original illustration: understanding your train ticket before you reach the station. Important boarding rule If every passenger on an IRCTC e-ticket is still waitlisted after chart preparation, that fully waitlisted e-ticket is not valid for boarding the train. A confirmed or RAC booking is different. Mixed-status group bookings need individual checkin...

India travel health • Customs • Practical guide Can I Take Prescription Medication to India? Medicines, Customs Rules and a Travel Checklist Travelling to India with regular medication? Before you pack your tablets, inhalers, injections or prescription treatments, there are a few things worth checking. This guide explains how to prepare your medicines for travel, which prescriptions may need extra attention, what documentation to carry and what to do if you are unsure about Indian customs rules. You can also use the free medication preparation checker and print a one-page travel checklist. Check the medicine • Keep the documents • Pack carefully Original educational illustration created for this guide. Quick answer: Can you take prescription medicine into India? Many travellers carry medicines for their own medical treatment when vis...

Indian culture • Bathroom customs • Travel guide Why Do Indians Wash Their Bottoms with Water Instead of Toilet Paper? Imagine going to the toilet, wiping yourself with dry paper and walking away perfectly satisfied. Now imagine somebody telling you that you haven't really cleaned yourself. For many people in India, washing with water after a bowel movement is so normal that relying entirely on dry toilet paper can seem rather strange. But why? Is it about religion, cleanliness, tradition or simply the way Indian bathrooms are designed? And what exactly are you supposed to do when you enter an Indian toilet and find a little jug of water instead of a roll of paper? The short answer: Many Indians use water to clean the anal area after defecation because it is an established personal hygiene custom. Water can rinse away faecal residue, and Indian bathrooms often provide a small water jug, a tap or a handheld bidet sprayer for the purpose. Traditionally, the left...