Legal & Transparency

Privacy Policy

Your trust is the foundation of our service. This policy explains how Ayodhya Varanasi Guides collects, uses and safeguards your personal information across all our Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj pilgrimage and tour booking services.

Effective Date: January 1, 2026 | Last Updated: April 22, 2026

1. Applicability

This Privacy Policy applies to all users who access our website (ayodhyavaranasiguide.com), inquire about or book any of our Ayodhya Varanasi tour packages, pilgrimage yatra services, temple darshan assistance, or interact with us through phone, WhatsApp, email, or in person.

2. Information We Collect

When you book a tour or contact us, we may collect:

Full name, email address and phone number
Travel dates and group details (adults, children, seniors)
Government-issued ID copies (Aadhaar, Passport, Voter ID) required for hotel check-ins, VIP / Sugam darshan registrations, and parikrama permits
Payment details processed through secure gateways (Razorpay, UPI, Bank Transfer)
Device and browser information via cookies for website analytics

3. Purpose of Data Collection

Processing and confirming Ayodhya Varanasi tour bookings and pilgrimage yatra packages
Hotel reservations and temple / VIP darshan registrations (Ram Mandir, Kashi Vishwanath, Triveni Sangam)
AC taxi, tempo traveller and vehicle coordination across Ayodhya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Chitrakoot and the wider sacred circuit
Sending booking confirmations, itinerary updates and reminders via WhatsApp / email
Legal and regulatory compliance with Indian tourism laws
Customer support and post-trip feedback

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Consent — you voluntarily provide information when booking with us
Contractual necessity — required to deliver the booked travel or pilgrimage service
Legal obligation — government or temple authorities may require ID submissions
Legitimate interest — improving our services based on usage patterns

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies to:

Analyse website traffic (Google Analytics)
Improve page performance and user experience
Remember your preferences during a session

Cookies do not collect sensitive personal data. You can disable them through your browser settings at any time.

6. Data Security & Protection

We follow industry-standard practices to protect your data:

Government ID documents stored securely with restricted access
All digital data stored on encrypted, access-controlled servers
Payments processed through PCI-DSS compliant gateways — card details are never stored
Data retention limited to the period required for service delivery or legal compliance

7. Data Sharing & Third-Party Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data to any third party for marketing. Data is shared only when strictly necessary with:

Hotels and guesthouses for check-in registration
Temple authorities for VIP darshan or seva bookings
Government agencies when legally mandated
Payment gateways (Razorpay / UPI / banking partners)
Transport vendors for vehicle and driver coordination

8. Data Retention

Personal data is retained only as long as necessary to fulfil the booked service or comply with applicable legal requirements (typically up to 2 years for financial records). Government ID copies are deleted after the travel is completed unless law requires otherwise.

9. Your Rights under DPDP Act, 2023

Under India's Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, you have the right to:

Access a summary of the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Request erasure of your data (subject to legal obligations)
Withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing
Raise a grievance with us or the Data Protection Board of India

To exercise any right, email us at info@ayodhyavaranasiguide.com.

10. International Visitors (GDPR)

Visitors from the EU or UK are protected under GDPR. We collect data solely for providing Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayagraj pilgrimage and tour services. No marketing communications are sent without explicit prior consent. You may request data deletion or portability by contacting us directly.

11. Children's Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13 years of age without verifiable parental consent. When minors are part of a group booking, data is collected from the adult group leader only.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. The 'Last Updated' date at the top of this page indicates when revisions were made. Continued use of our website after any update implies acceptance of the revised policy.

Privacy Grievance Officer — Contact Us

Ayodhya Varanasi Guides
📧 Email: info@ayodhyavaranasiguide.com
📞 Phone / WhatsApp: +91 90584 30503
📍 Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh – 221001, India
🕐 Response time: within 2 business days