Booking hostels/hotels/trains over December/January period - is it necessary?

Is it necessary to book hotels/hostels and trains etc over this period? I am quite happy to plan whole trip but I wonder if it is going to be fully booked if I do not.

We will be wanting twin rooms everywhere.

Is it necessary on trains?

THANKS EVERYONE!

I think it depends on where you're going, mj.

So I guess it is better to be safe than sorry then...In Vietnam it wasn't so important - there were so many hotels/hostels but I guess we always got the room we wanted because we did book.

I think I will go ahead and book!!! Thanks

I think there are that many hotels in India, too ... but some places (Goa, Kovalum, Kolkata) will be crowded and in other places, there will be fewer travellers.

Last time I was in India, I did no advance bookings for hotels, and seldom booked trains more than a day or two in advance.

But I was on a three-month time table, and always had an alternative if I couldn't get the train rezzies I wanted. I used a railpass (which I think got me on a few extra quotas) and there were only two reservations I couldn't get. One was at some festival time, and the other... I dunno. I was waitlisted for it, but decided to go elsewhere.

.....all things are possible and the uncertantity just adds to the fun.