Traditions & Customs in India

Every country has its own customs and traditions. While it is considered good manners to leave a little bit of your drink in certain regions of the world, in others you could end up offending the host with such a gesture. India is no different. Interestingly, while certain traditions will work in one part of the country they could lead to an unpleasant incident in the other.

If backpacking through this geographically and culturally diverse country, it will help to know a little more than just the art of reading the map. Of course the more common customs that are prevalent round the world also find a place here. So going to holy places with alcohol on your breath is not highly recommended, neither is propositioning a lady.

Below are some customs that should help to prevent you from offending anyone while you travel around India


Religious sentiments

In India almost anything can be holy. So right from a cow to a river, anything could have religious value. Even a small stone on the side of a road could be a camouflaged God and a simple tree could be worshiped too. So watch carefully before you tread on any of these.

If you find a few flowers, some red or orange threads tied around or even a black or red anoint, do inquire if the place has religious significance. You do not want to hurt any religious feelings while on your holiday. And when it comes to India almost everyone is of a religious bent of mind, so caution is highly advised on this front.

Greetings

A ‘Namaste’ with folded hands does just fine all over the country, however if you decide to shake hands instead, maintain a little caution when doing so with the opposite sex. While the larger metropolitan cities are usually not a problem, you could raise an eyebrow if visiting the interiors of India. A man trying to shake a lady’s hand could be seen as overstepping of boundaries, while a lady doing the same to a man could end up sending out a sexual signal. Sticking to a ‘hello’ with a nod of the head is a safer option as compared to shaking hands, unless the other person puts the arm out first.



Religious Places

Unlike the West where churches are more common and shoes are allowed in religious places, India follows different norms.

You cannot enter a Hindu temple with shoes on.
Women are not allowed to enter a Muslim place of prayer.
All Sikh religious places will require you to keep your head covered
apart from taking your shoes off.
The holy flowers cannot be thrown anywhere apart from the designated places.
Non- vegetarian food is not permissible in most religious places, while you may find a few exceptions in temples of Rajasthan where the practice of animal sacrifice is still undertaken.
Keep these tips in mind; since there is no missing the religious spots when in India, almost every corner has one.

Clothes

India is a conservative country and while it is true that the larger cities do see a lot of flamboyant dressing, in the interiors this could call for unnecessary attention. So rather than a pair of shorts, it would be better to stick with cargos and avoid show of skin especially for woman. You will be able to find a lot of traditional clothes that are easy to wear and yet allow you to blend in with the locals.



Food

To enjoy what you eat you should make sure that your food is low on spice, since Indian food on an average is very spicy and can upset your stomach and holiday for several days. But apart from this there are certain other customs that you must know about.

In most of the southern region of India, serving food on a banana leaf is common courtesy.
Rarely will you be offered cutlery in the smaller hotels of the towns.
Leaving a 10% tip is enough right from the big hotels to the small shacks, but if you do not wish to do so, you will not be offending anyone.
Refusing holy food can be a problem, so watch for that. In case you don’t want to eat the ‘Prasad’, simply keep it with you instead of refusing to take it.
Marriages

There are various types of wedding in India and while in some places simply putting on bangles on a girl’s wrist is considered a proposal, in others an exchange of flower garlands between the couple is enough. So be careful before you undertake any such activity. Applying vermilion powder in a girl’s hair (parting) is also on the same lines and will declare you wedded to the woman.

The diversity that India has to offer makes it the ideal holiday destination for the adventure traveler. However, a holiday that is marred with unpleasant incidences is no ones idea of fun. So work with the tips listed above and you will be surprised how quickly the people here open their hearts and homes to guests. After all there is an age old Indian saying that goes ‘athithi devo bhava’ meaning the guest is equal to god.