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Touts in India : This is another piece of info for those of you who are new to India in general. The native Indians per se would not require such a deliberation as their instinct is already seasoned than a novice visitor to India.
Without much of preface let us get to the subject. We are talking about the so called touts one has to deal with when visiting the popular attractions in India. So who is a tout anyway? Well, we are talking about someone who is irritatingly aggressive, not courteous , do not take a polite no as an answer, and of course with an ulterior profit motive. In short someone who is trying to exploit ignorance or situation of a novice visitor. More on Touts in India...... |
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India ! :
Months of research, anticipation and hard work have culminated in your now cute looking India plan. What you are holding now is the 26 th edition of your own India itinerary. You already have invested many hours reconfirming numerous facts, clarifying doubts, scrambling through various maps and perfected your plan.
In fact India arrives to you the moment you board the plane, a surprise. That may because it happened a bit earlier than you were expecting. Take this as a small tease by her to test your mantle. And at is the moment you start getting a feeling that India has some other plans for you in stores. You are right. Hold on, the worst is yet to arrive! More India ! |
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An uncontrollable mob of humanity, a gigantic chaos on the move, an enigmatic race, an infinite saga of paradoxes, a stormy ocean of cultural wildness, all of it suits to India. But none illustrates her fully. Unexplainable. She works like biology than physics. This is a place on earth where culture, religion, tradition, science, superstition all melt into one, and call it a way of life. It requires all the five senses to experience India. She is overwhelming. She engulf in the most unforeseen ways..... More Mysterious India |
The Rude Welcome : That is how she welcomes her guests. The first thing anyone notices in India is the people - lots of them - moving in all imaginable directions. ‘Oh my God !’ is a first question strikes anyone novice to India. The touts, the beggars, the pestering poor children, the pushy taxi drivers…..all of it together come down on you like a ton of bricks. Not bad, as the very first India experience!
The worst of India is really raw. The soft underbelly of India is stark. It occupies the prime real estate of the India show. . Her huge outer robe is magnificently decorated with poverty! Facing this anybody’s impression about India takes a nosedive or at least starts to feel that whatever they’ve heard about India appears to be true. More The Rude Welcome |
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There is no "India culture" : This is a fact about India. The word India makes you believe that this is a single entity. Not true. You would fail miserably if you are all out to find out the Indian culture. India is not a single cultural block. Rather it’s an anthology of a thousand countries within a large nation. Each tiny country had their own customs, their own dialects, and their own legends. And they all mixed perfectly well to form a cultural salad, still retaining the individual identity. And why didn’t it all melt into one? The simple answer is selfishness. Every one thinks theirs is a superior culture than the neighbors.
More than a dozen languages are spoken widely at various geographical locations. The diversity is visible in cuisine, costume and culture. .... More There is no "India culture" |
The Family Factor : Don't get surprised if your Indian friend introduces you to her dad's eldest brother's son-in-law's younger sister to you!
It is a highly networked family structure alien to the west. People are not independent to each other as in the west. Parents play highly influential role in everyone’s life.
A simple example is the marriage. Selection of ones life partner is rarely an individual’s decision. People prefer a wider acceptance in the family circle on matters related to marriage. It’s perceived as a creation of a new network of relations and not as a one to one agreement.....
More The Family Factor |
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Communication : Any layman on the road wants to talk something with you. They love talking. That is talking a lot even with a total stranger on the street. Such communications hardly starts with introducing each other by name. The starting topic is generally a subject of popular interest. They can talk for hours as if they are long time friends. At the end they may depart even without knowing each other’s name!
To a foreigner the first question is invariably about his country. Everyone is licensed to ask anyone on the street the latest cricket score! Probably this explains the high sound levels in public places. It’s a patient but emotionally sensitive race. Personal attachments and intimacies are valued. .... More Communication |
Your patience will be put to the ultimate test. If you are on the way to another country and want a quick 2-day India tour, you are in for serious trouble. If you are used to the clockwork life style, leave it at your departure terminal to be picked up on your return! More Patience |
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Etiquette : Well, this section is meant for those of you who are new to the Indian mannerism and culture. Please skip this portion if you are okay with this aspect.
A signboard at Hampi with some tips & suggestions for the tourists A signboard at Hampi with some tips & suggestions for the tourists Hampi is no stranger to a cosmopolitan makeup. Let it be the Arabian traders or the Portuguese horse merchants of the 16th century or the current day backpackers, Hampi dealt with all of them in a fair way. It’s no alien to different cultures, especially when they all melt in a single pot. But make no mistakes about it; Hampi is rural and conservative in its core. Respecting its values is an essential, if not mandatory, responsibility of the visitors. .... More Etiquette |
Where is India anyway!? |
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