FAQs
While we have most details on the website, it is just the tip of the iceberg. You can expect the final agenda to be launched by 5 May 2019. Get ready to be mind-blown 🙂
There is no separate process to apply for a grant. The life members don’t have to pay any fees. However, it’s solely on the discretion of the Secretariat, World Congress of Poets.
Ride on the KIIT cab from airport to KIIT instead of going through the hassle of planning your travel. Meet your fellow poets in the car from airport even before you get there with surprises on the way. Simple!
Interesting question! Though the Congress does not expect you to come pre-prepped with anything, we highly recommend you to come here with an open mind, lots of good vibes & magic. Just get your tickets done, fly down to India and from there to Bhubaneswar.
Once named the ‘Temple City’, chaotic Bhubaneswar is a worthwhile pit stop for artists. This will allow you to take in the old city’s holy centre, thousands of medieval stone temples once stood here; around 50 currently remain. Temples aside, there are a couple of worthwhile museums, an ancient cave complex and the most varied dining scene in Odisha, along with a smattering of decent hotels. With the rise in technology, Bhubaneswar has earned the title of “first smart city” of India. Kaling stadium still echoes the delight of the hockey world cup and the newly built malls prove that Bhubaneswar is a balance of tradition and technology.
Oops, we will not be able to do that for you.
Short answer, yes.
We would love for you to come experience Congress with your co-conspirators, co-founders & friends. The charge for the companion is $150.
Fly from New Delhi or Mumbai or Kolkata and take a flight from there to Bhubaneswar. You may even take a train and get a mighty experience to travel across India to reach the East Coast.
WCP19 is designed a with sustainability-first mindset. We are aware and conscious about the venue of the festival. The festival will be produced in the most eco-friendly way possible and will follow all the environmental guidelines in the area in partnership with the venues.
Yes, creators attending the Congress can also present/showcase their work at the open mics on one of the days or get a physical space to showcase their books besides poetry reading and book presentation. For the latter, write to us at [email protected]
Absolutely! WCP19 is all about creating a safe space where poems flow organically and conversations are effortless. Apart from designated areas for the attendees, the Congress will have security, a 24-hour dedicated team for any safety-related issues. You will always have someone you could speak to nearby.
Bhubaneswar is situated on the coastal plains of Odisha (Orissa), south-west of the River Mahanadi. It experiences typical tropical weather conditions. The summer months from March to May are hot and humid, and temperatures usually rises beyond 40° C in May.
The south-west monsoon lashes Odisha in June, causing relief to the parched environments of Bhubaneswar. July and August receive the maximum rainfall. While October remains the month of calm and welcoming spring.
Like the world knows us as the “temple city” the few famous temples that showcase a spectacular display of heritage and art in Bhubaneswar are: The Ligaraja Temple, Brahmeswar Temple, Mukhteswar temple and the like. Other places like the Odisha Modern Art Gallery, Museum of Tribal Arts & Artefacts, Udayagiri and Khandagiri caves, Dhauli Hills dedicated to Buddhism remain some of the other interesting places to visit.
Places to visit near Bhubaneswar, would be the world famous Konark sun temple & Jagannath Temple by the Bay of Bengal Sea. watching the sunset by the holy sea remains one of the most peaceful experiences of travel.
Located around 6 km away from the city centre, the Bhubaneswar Airport or Biju Patnaik International Airport connects the city with the rest of the country by air. There are daily flights for Bhubaneswar from cities like New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Visakhapatnam. Direct international flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are also available from Bhubaneswar’s Airport.
The airport is well connected to the main city by the means Taxis, Odisha State Road Transport Corporation, Bhubaneswar City Bus and Mo Bus services plying to all locations across the city.
Baramunda bus stand, located around 5 km away from the city centre connects Bhubaneswar to all other major India cities by road. Regular bus services are available for the cities like Konark, Puri, Hyderabad, Raipur, Ranchi and Kolkata.
Bhubaneswar Railway Station is the main railhead connecting the city with several Indian cities. There are regular superfast trains available from Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore etc. From the station, you can take private cabs or taxis to reach anywhere in the city
You’re supposed to declare Indian rupees in excess of ₹10,000, any amount of cash over US$5000, or a total amount of currency over US$10,000 on arrival.
You’re also prohibited from importing more than one laptop, more than 2L of alcohol, more than 100 cigarettes or equivalent, or gifts and souvenirs worth over ₹8000.
Note: Also the restrictions on exporting antiques.
FYI: To protect India’s cultural heritage, the export of certain antiques is prohibited – especially the export of those that are verifiably more than 100 years old. Reputable antique dealers know the laws and can make arrangements for an export-clearance certificate for old items that are OK to export. Detailed information on prohibited items can be found on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) website (http://asi.nic.in).
The Indian Wildlife Protection Act bans any form of wildlife trade. Don’t buy any product that endangers threatened species and habitats – doing so can result in heavy fines and even imprisonment. Banned items include ivory; shahtoosh shawls, which are made from the down of chirus (rare Tibetan antelopes); and anything made from the fur, skin, horns or shell of any endangered species. Products made from certain rare plants are also banned.
Required for most visitors; e-Visa (valid 60 days) available for more than 150 nationalities. Longer trips require a standard six-month tourist visa.
Further Information:
Apart from citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives, who don’t need visas for India unless they are arriving from mainland China, and citizens of Japan and South Korea, who can obtain a visa on arrival, everyone needs to apply for a visa before arriving in India. However, more than 150 nationalities can obtain the wonderfully hassle-free 60-day e-Visa. There’s also a six-month tourist visa, which is valid from the date of issue, not the date of arrival in India.
E-Visa: Citizens from more than 150 countries can apply for an e-Visa (www.indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa).
You must apply a minimum of four days and a maximum of 120 days before you are due to arrive in India. The visa will be valid from your date of arrival in India.
It’s a double-entry visa that lasts for 60 days from your first date of entry.
To apply, upload a photograph as well as a copy of your passport; have at least 180 days’ validity in your passport and at least two blank pages.
If your application is approved, you will receive an attachment to an email within 72 hours (though normally much sooner), which you’ll need to print out and take with you to the airport. You’ll then have the e-Visa stamped into your passport on arrival in India.
Note that the e-Visa is also sometimes referred to as a ‘visa on arrival’, though you need to apply for it before you arrive.
E-Visas are only valid for entry through 26 designated airports (Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bagdogra, Bengaluru, Calicut, Chennai, Chandigarh, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Trichy (Tiruchirappalli), Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Varanasi and Visakhapatnam).
They are also valid for arrival at five designated seaports (Cochin, Goa, Mangalore, Mumbai and Chennai).
E-Visa holders can, however, leave India from any authorised immigration checkpoint.
Entry Requirements
Visas are available at Indian missions worldwide, though in many countries applications are processed by a separate private company.
Student and business visas have strict conditions (consult your Indian embassy for details).
A standard 180-day tourist visa permits multiple entries for most nationalities.
The 60-day e-Visa is usually a double-entry visa.
Five- and 10-year tourist visas are available to US citizens only under a bilateral arrangement; however, you can still only stay in the country for up to 180 days continuously.
Currently, you are required to submit two digital photographs with your visa application (format jpeg 10-300kb), though only one for the e-Visa.
An onward-travel ticket is a requirement for some visas, but this isn’t always enforced (check in advance).
Visas are priced in the local currency and may have an added service fee.
Extended visas are possible for those of Indian origin (excluding those in Pakistan and Bangladesh) who hold a non-Indian passport and live abroad.
If you need to register your visa (for stays of more than 180 days), or need a visa extension (only granted in exceptional cases) or a replacement for a lost passport (required before you can leave the country), then you should apply online at https://indianfrro.gov.in/eservices/home.jsp.
If you need to see someone in person about your visa issue, then you should do so at the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office in Delhi. Check with the Indian embassy in your home country for any special conditions that may exist for your nationality.
To enter India you need a valid passport and an onward/return ticket, and a visa. Note that your passport needs to be valid for at least 180 days after your entry into India, and should have at least two blank pages. If your passport is lost or stolen, immediately contact your country’s representative. Keep digital photos or photocopies of your airline ticket and the identity and visa pages of your passport in case of emergency.
You’re supposed to declare Indian rupees in excess of ₹10,000, any amount of cash over US$5000, or a total amount of currency over US$10,000 on arrival.
You’re also prohibited from importing more than one laptop, more than 2L of alcohol, more than 100 cigarettes or equivalent, or gifts and souvenirs worth over ₹8000.
Note: Also the restrictions on exporting antiques.
FYI: To protect India’s cultural heritage, the export of certain antiques is prohibited – especially the export of those that are verifiably more than 100 years old. Reputable antique dealers know the laws and can make arrangements for an export-clearance certificate for old items that are OK to export. Detailed information on prohibited items can be found on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) website (http://asi.nic.in).
The Indian Wildlife Protection Act bans any form of wildlife trade. Don’t buy any product that endangers threatened species and habitats – doing so can result in heavy fines and even imprisonment. Banned items include ivory; shahtoosh shawls, which are made from the down of chirus (rare Tibetan antelopes); and anything made from the fur, skin, horns or shell of any endangered species. Products made from certain rare plants are also banned.
