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Do not
encourage beggars & street urchins by giving them money or other articles.
In most of the cases they beg, as they have become habitual of easy money.
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Don't
ever enter a temple, tomb, dargah or Gurudwara with shoes on. Leather
articles are forbidden to be carried in Hindu & Jain temples. Do not wear
black clothes while visiting a Jain temple.
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Dress
conservatively at a place of worship. In a Gurudwara or Dargah, one should
cover his/her head with a cloth. Parikrama or walking around the sanctum
sanctorum should always be in clockwise direction.
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Taking
photograph of the deity in a temple is normally not permitted.
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Public
show of personal affection is generally disapproved of, particularly in
smaller cities and villages. Avoid it.
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Try to
avoid shaking hands. Greet people with a 'Namaste' (hands pressed together
at chest level as if in prayer). You will be appreciated for using the
Indian style of greeting.
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Shorts,
minis, and tank tops are unadvisable unless you're on a beach. In small
towns and cities especially, people may tend to stare if you expose too
much skin. Safe clothing would be trousers, peddle pushers, skirts, tops
and shirts.
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Be
careful of cultural and social sensitivities of the regions. There is no
single rule for that, the best way is to observe and follow.
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It is
advisable to cover yourself with travel insurance for thefts, loss and
medi-claim.
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Carry
proper maps of the places proposed to visit in India, as signboards are
often absent. In any case avoid persistent touts and taxi-wallahs at
airport/stations/bus stands to help you find your hotel. Always use
tourist assistance desk for proper advice.
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Women
traveling alone in certain deserted places should avoid walking at odd
hours.
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Do not
checkout of the hotel in hurry. While checking out it has been noticed in
some hotels, the extras are unreasonably charged which the guest hurriedly
pays without crosschecking.
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Do not
leave your cash and valuables in your hotel rooms. Keep your cash divided
in different pockets.
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Take
care of proper disposal of your rubbish always whether you are exploring
desert, or Himalayas or beaches or anywhere else.
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Export
of most wildlife and their products, antiques more than 100 years old is
either banned or strictly regulated. Selling and buying "shahtoosh" shawls
and Ivory is a crime.
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Buy at
genuine shops only. Bargaining is a popular practice in India and
necessary too. While buying an article, make sure that the entire
transaction is legal and transparent so that you may claim later if
dissatisfied.
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Don't
eat anything offered by fellow travelers on train or road travels. It
might have sleeping pills. Always travel reserved class in trains.
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Always
chain and lock your luggage under your berth in a train. Don't keep
anything valuable near the window. Always carry plenty of water, fluids in
trains. A lone woman traveler may request to be accommodated near other
women travelers.
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Do not
visit places, which encourage orthodoxy, social injustice and inhuman
practices (like visiting a sati temple).
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Don't
photograph women without permission. Taking photos at a death ceremony, or
a religious ceremony or of people bathing (in baths or rivers) may cause
offence.
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Don't
accept offers of visiting anyone's home unless you are confident of the
person.
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Always
use strong suitcases/baggage, as mishandling is common at
airports/stations.
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Giving
tips is customary but not mandatory. Don't tip unreasonably and
unnecessarily in a hotel. The NEWS soon spreads in the hotel and by the
time you checkout there will be a group of them saluting you to expect
something.
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While
traveling, don't act confused. Keep a posture of a person known to the
region.
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Drink
only bottled water. Buy it only from respectable or known outlets. In
restaurants insist that they bring a sealed bottle to your table.
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Exchange money only through authorised banks or moneychangers. Insist on
Encashment certificate while exchanging money. These certificates will be
required to reconvert the unused money on departure from India.
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Keep
the serial numbers of ticket and cheques, and a photocopy of your passport
and birth certificate in a separate place. If you have a Web mail account
(Hotmail, Yahoo, Ekno, etc.), send all the important information to your
email box (as attachments in the case of photocopies), along with rescue
phone numbers. This will help you in case of any emergency.
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Plan
and obtain necessary immunizations and malaria prophylaxis. Travelers
should get properly inoculated against Yellow Fever if coming through
infected regions. If, planning for a long trip, consider having a complete
pre-departure health check-up. |
ndia
is a vast country and different customs are followed in different parts of the
country, which are entirely different from the western world. However, Indians
are hospitable people and usually people will accept your different ways as a
foreigner. Nevertheless, there may be certain situations where your not
following the accepted customs will be seen as sign of disrespect. Here, we
have listed such situations along with other dos & don'ts to make your
travel in India enjoyable and hassle-free-
