India is a country of time honoured traditions and customs.Following are some dos and donts which can be helpful.
Religions:Over 80% of Indians are Hindu and has the largest number of adherents of any religion in Asia,but there are significant minorities one of the most persistent features of Indian religious and social life is the caste system.The Indus Valley Civilization seems to have developed a religion closely related to Hinduism,but it was the veda scriptures that gave hinduism its framework.This has undergone substantial changes since independence, especially in towns and cities, but most people in India are still clearly identified as a member of a particular caste group. The government has introduced measures to help the backward or the scheduled castes. Buddhism and Jainism arose comtemporaneously in the 6th century BC at a time of social and religious ferment.Both were reactions against the strictures of Brahminical Hinduism.Although more recent,Sikhism too has its root in a protest movement, the bhakti (devotional) tradition of southern India,Islam swept into India from north and was introduced to the south by Arab traders.Today it is the largest minority religion in the land.The people are very sentimental about the religion, deity and shrines.Hence,extra care should be taken to avoid hurting the sentiments.Don't wear shorts or single tops inside temples.Don't smoke or hold hands.Remove shoes and never touch a statue of any deity with the feet.In some temples in south India,men are allowed to enter only after removing their shirts/vests.Behave appropriately.Places like mosques reqre the devotees to cover their heads.In Buddhist temples always walk around them in clockwise directions.
Photography:Women are sensitive about strangers taking their photographs.Ask first.Taking photographs of people bathing,death ceremonies may cause offence.
Guest & Food:Don't touch food or the cooking untensils that local use for cooking the food.Use the right hand for social interaction example while passing the food,handing out money. If invited inside a house,remove the shoes.Never enter the kitchen unless invited.
What To Bring:Cotton dresses for men,ankle length skirts for women.T-Shirts, sweaters for cold nights.Shoes ans sandlas,flip-flops.A set of dress-up cloths. Sunhat, sunglasses and bedding if planning to go one treks.Locks for those travelling on budget.Insect repellent, water bottles and water purification tablets.
Food:Wash vegetables and fruits with purified water or peeled wherever possible. Beware of ice-cream sold on street.Trust a place that looks clean,wwell run and frequented by locals.When in doubt as to what to order,a Thali (lunch or dinner synonym in hindi) is a good sumptuous budget meal.
Water:Be careful of water,especially ice.Many reputable brands of mineral water are readily available.Boil water before drinking it.If that is not possible,use water purification tablets.Clorine tablets and Iodine tablets are available at chemists stores.Though too much iodine can be harmful.
