India is an expansive, dizzying and chaotic country and every nook and cranny of it is crammed with exotic locales, even more exotic and interesting traditions, spice-laden foods that can make the blandest of taste-buds sit up and take notice and some very peculiar habits that make Indians what they are. A warm and welcoming lot that still haven’t learnt to handle the attention they get from foreign tourists. Here are a few interesting insights that will throw the shock quotient out the window, so that you can enjoy the spice that India offers you, but in a toned down version!
Your Share of Stare
In most western countries, passersby will hardly glance at anyone else. And so, it will definitely be a culture shock to land in a country where the general feeling will be that EVERYONE is staring at you. On the roads, restaurants, hotel lobby, buses and trains, no matter where you go, a hundred pairs of eyes will be trained on you. And to top it all, you might even hear a snigger or two and you won’t know what to make of it.
Ward-off Everything Chilly with Chilly and Lime
Chillies and lime are the Indian version of the Turkish blue nazar boncugu. Be ready to see them swinging triumphantly on mile-long limousines and tut-tutting Autorickshaw rearview mirrors. They will be hung in the frame of every shop doorway and many a home. It’s a quirk that is totally unexpected and once you notice them, you will start seeing them absolutely everywhere.
The Indian Standard Time
Those with the punctual streak- please don’t freak! The world can run on any time it pleases, but India will operate on Indian Standard Time (IST has some distinctly jocular and insulting shades all at once), but Indians take it in their stride. They will very casually blame any delay on the traffic, the weather, their upset stomach or their mother ... which can definitely make the average super-punctual westerner’s mind go into a tizzy.
Bobble Trouble
The world-renowned Indian bobble head also called the Indian head wobbleor the Indian head wiggle will elicit morethan a giggle from a foreigner. The four plus centuries of being ruled by the British has left an indelible bobble on Indians. That and the monarchy that existed in the country before its colonization left the average Indian afraid to say “no”. And so, this is one cloak that the modern-day Indian has not been able to shed even more than six decades post the country’s independence. You will never get a strong ‘no’ as an answer to any question. The unique nod that the Indian will give you definitely suffers from an identity crisis- it’s not too sure whether it’s a ‘no’, a ‘yes’ or just a ‘leave it there’. It’s like a nationwide brand that is amusing, intriguing and glorious all at once.
The Love: Hate Relationship
And these are not the only interesting insights to the vibrant country that is India. A traveler will find that toilet paper is either a novelty or just went extinct here. Traffic follows its own rules and ‘traffic’ can range from range-rovers to cows and elephants (even in the metropolitan cities). Seat-belts are rare and queues exist, but are meant to be broken.
You can spend weeks in this country and still will not be able to claim that you understand, know, love it or hate it. No matter how much you read up about India before you actually travel there, the dichotomies will leave you surprised, a little bewildered and much more fascinated that you ever believed possible!
Read our 10 travel tips required before any international trip, that you should bear in mind, before travelling abroad, for these could save your life.
Vietnam is full of hiking getaways that will bring you peace of mind. Majestic highland valleys, terraced rice paddies, dramatic mountain paths and remarkable underneath towering limestone mountain ranges are the...
Longing for that girls-trip you always planned to do but could never really decide on the destination? Fret not, girl, we are going to tell you about the best trip you will ever take with your girlfriends...
The theme of World Environment Day (organized by the United Nations on 5th of June every year) hosted by India in 2018 was #BeatPlasticPollution. The message to protect our Environment was communicated as, “if you can’t reuse it, refuse...
A story of a man who wants to have a baby but the circumstances in his life leads to a situation where he decides to go against everything to satisfy his means.
Two young couple were in love each other.They both were students and had true feelings. But the girl didn't know about the past of the boy. They made up their mind to meet.At that time, Kate was shot by the boss whom Sam worked secretly and flew away
Elizabeth, a 70-year-old lady, lives alone with her loyal dog- Cameron. Her children abandoned her and left for other states. His only pensions interest them, let alone gifts and surprises. Her loyal dog is her true friend. Nobody knew their death
Do you know that the life expectancy of the world today is 70 years? The number for India being 68. The largest driving factor in life expectancy isn't the longevity of a country's oldest citizens but...
The theme of World Environment Day (organized by the United Nations on 5th of June every year) hosted by India in 2018 was #BeatPlasticPollution. The message to protect our Environment was communicated as, “if you can’t reuse it, refuse...
Follows the journey of a family desperate to bring a young man into this world. They are so full of desperation that it drives them to commit unspeakable acts. What price will they have to pay for the son they've always wanted?