Currency
India's unit of currency is the rupee , usually abbreviated "Rs" and divided into a hundred paise . Almost all money is paper, with notes of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and, recently, 1000 rupees: a few notes of 1, 2 and 5 are still in circulation. Coins start at 5 paise then range up to 10, 20, 25 and 50 paise, and 1, 2 and 5 rupees.

Banknotes, especially lower denominations, can get into a terrible state, but don't accept torn banknotes ; no one else will be prepared to take them, so you will be left saddled with the things, though you can change them at the Reserve Bank of India and large branches of other big banks. Don't pass them on to beggars; they can't use them either, so it amounts to an insult.

Large denominations can also be a problem, as change is usually in short supply. Many Indian people cannot afford to keep much lying around, and you shouldn't necessarily expect shopkeepers or rickshaw-wallahs to have it (and they may - as may you - try to hold onto it if they do). Paying for your groceries with a Rs100 note will probably entail waiting for the grocer's errand boy to go off on a quest to try and change it. Larger notes - like the Rs500 note - are good for travelling with and can be changed for smaller denominations at hotels and other suitable establishments. A word of warning - the Rs500 note looks remarkably similar to the Rs100 note.

At the time of writing, the exchange rate was approximately Rs68 to £1, or Rs45 to $1.

Travellers' cheques, credit cards and ATMs
In addition to your cash, carry some travellers' cheques to cover all eventualities, with a few small denominations for the end of your trip, and for the odd foreign-currency purchase such as tourist-quota rail tickets which can be bought with...
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Banks
Changing money in regular banks , especially government-run banks such as the State Bank of India (SBI), can be a time-consuming business, involving lots of form-filling and queuing at different counters, so change substantial amounts at...
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The black market
A black market still exists, but only in the major tourist areas of the biggest cities, with little if any premium over the bank rate, though it is a lot faster. You shouldn't need to use it, as the change facilities, especially in the major cities, are far improved. If you do use the black market, small denominations are not popular, with the best rates given for notes of $100, £50 or DM1000; you will, of course, have to haggle.

Always do this kind of business with shopkeepers rather than shady "hello my friend" types on the street, and proceed with caution. Never hand over your pile until you yourself have counted and checked the rupees and have them in your hand; make sure they really are the denominations you think. Unusually high rates suggest a con, as does any attempt to rush you, or sudden claims that the police are coming. Remember that what you are doing is illegal; you can be arrested and you may be set up.

At one or two of India's land borders (notably Bangladesh), unofficial money-changers may be your only option; as their rates will not be good, however, only change as much as you need to get you to a bank

Baksheesh
As a presumed-rich sahib or memsahib, you will, like wealthy Indians, be expected to be liberal with the baksheesh , which takes three main forms.

The most common is tipping: a small reward for a small service, which can encompass anyone from a waiter or porter to someone who lifts your bags onto the roof of a bus or keeps an eye on your vehicle for you. Large amounts are not expected - ten rupees should satisfy all the aforementioned. Taxi drivers and staff at cheaper hotels and restaurants do not necessarily expect tips, but always appreciate them, of course, and they can keep people sweet for the next time you call. Some may take liberties in demanding baksheesh, but it's often better just to acquiesce rather than spoil your mood and cause offence over trifling sums.

More expensive than plain tipping is paying people to bend the rules , many of which seem to have been invented for precisely that purpose. Examples might include letting you into a historical site after hours, finding you a seat or a sleeper on a train that is "full", or speeding up some bureaucratic process. This should not be confused with bribery, a more serious business with its own risks and etiquette, which is best not entered into.

The last kind of baksheesh is alms giving . In a country without a welfare system, this is an important social custom. People with disabilities and mutilations are the traditional recipients, and it seems right to join local people in giving out small change to them. Kids demanding money, pens, sweets or the like are a different case, pressing their demands only on tourists. In return for a service it is fair enough, but to yield to any request encourages them to go and pester others.

Entrance fees
In 2000, the Archeological Survey of India announced a double-tiered entry system , with foreign visitors (including non-resident Indians) required to pay $5-20 or its rupee equivalent to enter major archeological sites. This means that foreigners can find themselves paying forty times the entrance fee levied to domestic visitors. Due to considerable outcry from tour agencies and tourists, the Indian government is currently reviewing this policy, and discount pass schemes may emerge; ask at a Government of India tourist office for the latest.

Foreign visitors may be charged in either dollars or rupees; where, as is the case at some sites, foreigners are charged in dollars at that day's exchange rate, we give the dollar rate current at the time of writing, so bear in mind that this may fluctuate. Throughout the guide, we list the price for Indian visitors in square brackets