COUNTRY INDIA THE BASIC

The Basic
1. GREETINGS
  1. Man greeting Man
    1. Light handshakes
    2. "Namaste".
  2. Woman greeting Woman
    1. Light handshakes
  3. Greetings between Men & Women
    1. In formal and business
      1. usually best to let the women initiate contact,
      2. People usually nod or bow slightly as well.
2. Communication Style
  1. will tell you what you want to hear in order to be polite
    1. indirect style of communication over direct.
3. Personal Space & Touching
  1. In general Hindus tend to stand about 3 or 3 ½ feet apart.
  2. In India varies with different sub-cultures
  3. Indians are not too conscious of their personal space
  4. although it is common to see male friends holding hands or with their arms around each other when they walk
    1. This is usually a sign of friendship.
  5. Men and women hardly ever display any form of physical affection in public
  6. Touching of any kind between men and women especially when not related can be interpreted as flirting.
  7. Cupping the face of someone in your hands to show affection is common in families
4. Eye Contact
  1. especially a woman looking at a man.
    1. If doing business, it’s not uncommon to keep eye contact,
  2. Note that as a foreigner, one can expect to be stared at. Especially in rural areas.
  3. When communicating with elders it is common to use indirect eye contact.
  4. Direct eye contact is becoming a little more acceptable in the cities but in some parts of the country it can be inappropriate and rude to have direct eye contact.
    1. Especially for women to give eye contact to the husbands.
5. Views Of Time
  1. you can expect to have your party arrive or for the meeting to begin anywhere from 30 minutes to a day later
  2. It is not usually considered rude to be late in social situations.
  3. Trains and buses don't really run on time. People give their time freely for the most part
6. Gestures
  1. It is common to remove one's shoes at places of worship, when visiting people's homes, and even in certain shops and businesses
  2. people beckon one another by extending an arm and making a scratching motion with their fingers, palm facing down.
  3. The head wobble, which is very common throughout the country can mean "yes" and not "no".
  4. pointing with one finger is common.
  5. One usually always eats with the right hand as the left hand is considered unclean.
7. Taboos
  1. (public displays of affection) are highly frowned upon.
  2. Avoid touching people or moving/passing objects with your shoes.
  3. Winking and whistling should be avoided.
  4. Grasping the ears signifies sincerity or repentance, since ears are considered sacred, pulling or boxing ones ears is a grave insult.
8. Law & Order
  1. Alcohol consumption prohibited in some states and banned in some cities deemed "holy".
  2. The drinking age ranges from 18-25 depending on which area of the country you are in.
  3. The legal smoking age is 18.
  4. Drugs are illegal in India. Possession of small amounts can carry a mandatory 10 year sentence. Drug laws are heavily enforced. Drunk driving is also looked upon strictly.
Gender Issues
1. Depending on the area, women’s rights are either established, dawning, or basically non-existent.
2. Smaller, rural areas see women as caregivers, mothers, and not much more, although Women’s Rights groups are beginning to crop up.
3. More progressive areas like the state of Kerala have women’s roles comparable to men.
4. Foreign women are given more slack in terms of dress, but travelers should wear whatever clothing is accepted in that region.
5. Some areas do experience “eve teasing,” or sexual harassment. This is not as common in cities.
6. Accepted roles are generally a housewife, mother, homemaker etc. In villages women are usually involved in cottage industries, farming etc.
7. Traditional Indian women do not drink or smoke.
8. One usually always eats with the right hand as the left hand is considered unclean.

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COUNTRY INDIA THE BASIC

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	Created by Angela Prada Casas about 9 years ago