If not, consider the middle of the road hotels that middle-class Indian women stay in. They are clean, safe and healthy. After you have had the pleasure of travelling by bus in the cities, try the alternative of hiring a car and driver. You can do this through your hotel and, by North American standards, it is not very expensive. Find an Indian friend India's population just hit 1 billion, it shouldn't be too hard.
Indian women have a strong sense of sisterhood, and are usually friendly.
In the cities, many speak English, and will be happy to tell you where to go, and where not to. Check out South Asian websites and South Asian Women's websites before you plan your trip. Ask for boiled or sealed bottled water from your hotel Best way to stay healthy is to travel with your own safe bottle of water. Travel with somebody else Male or female. I do, and so do many Indian women.