“Bhaya!!! Paani de do. “” Brother !!! Bring water. » You are in a restaurant and your table neighbor has just ordered the waiter in an unfriendly tone. Exchanges in India are sometimes surprisingly familiar. But be careful. A few signs of savoir-vivre, by contrast, are strictly enforced. We help you see things more clearly.
How to behave on the street and in transport in India?
India offers a relaxed environment where no one will blame you for veering off the road or talking on the phone in transport. Even the tickets are negotiable! Conversely, some habits must be lost upon arrival. Indians are modest. Avoid hugging or kissing your partner on the street.
Opt for trousers and loose shirts or t-shirts that are more practical to beat the heat and catch the eye on women. In some cases, it is preferable to wear a dupatta, a long cotton or silk scarf that covers the chest so as not to worry.
Indians love whiskey and beer which they drink at home or in some restaurants. But alcohol retains a taboo side that stayed with it until the 80s. Mahatma Gandhi campaigned for prohibition before independence and it is still in force in the state of Gujarat. Drinking is frowned upon in traditional families. Refrain from drinking beer in a park or on a bench.
How to behave in places of worship?
Religion spreads in public space. Temples abound in Hindu-majority areas. There are few mosques. Remember to remove your shoes before entering each time. Feet are considered dirty or even impure, and if you visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a holy site for Sikhs, you will be told to leave your shoes at the entrance. The last time we went there, the guards also didn’t appreciate seeing us in an anti-pollution mask, reasoning that the holy place can’t be polluted.
How to behave in a restaurant?
You will have a little more freedom there than in France. If the heat bothers you, you can take off your shoes under the table. You can get a waiter’s attention by calling him “bhaiya” with an aspirated “h”, which is Hindi for “brother” and is used in informal exchanges with restaurants and drivers. Other than these two cases, don’t use it with someone you hardly know or with a police officer you call “sir”. If your interlocutor is Muslim, prefer the Urdu term “djainaab” which means sir.
When ordering, if you look in vain for beef on the menu, don’t insist. Beef has never been popular in North India, where religious minorities and non-vegetarian Hindus prefer chicken or mutton. There is no doubt a legacy from the pre-independence period when Muslims who wanted to coexist with Hindus tried not to sacrifice a cow for the Eid festival. Remember that the animal is sacred to many Hindus.
The issue took a violent turn after a right-wing Hindu fundamentalist came to power in the federal government in 2014. Several states have tightened laws against cow slaughter, and Indians of the Muslim faith have already been lynched by fundamentalist militants who accused them. about transportation or consumption of beef.
How to deal with the resident?
You have come as a tourist, but an Indian has invited you to have lunch or dinner at his place. You have the right to arrive a little later. Punctuality is a concept that has no currency in India, where arriving fifteen to thirty minutes past the hour does not upset anyone.
Greet by joining both hands at chest height and do not attempt to kiss. Modesty requires keeping a distance. You can also add the preposition “ji” to the first name of your interlocutor. If his name is Rahul and the exchange is official, you can call him “Rahul ji”. It is a sign of respect. Eat with your right hand, which will also be used to pass the dishes. Left is considered impure.
Don’t you love what’s on your plate? Don’t be picky, it will be rude to your host who will spend hours cooking with his servant. Get a second or third helping, especially if it’s offered to you.
Last tip. if your hosts are vegetarians, don’t say the word “meat” when referring to the menu. You can wrinkle them.
Source: Le Figaro
