Traveling to India, which is home to more than a billion people, is a challenging yet rewarding experience. Whether walking along the banks of the Ganges, exploring the streets of Mumbai or swimming in the ocean near Goa, visitors are guaranteed memorable experiences. Some gestures and actions are considered offensive in India though, so brush up on your cross-cultural etiquette before visiting.
Touching another person has special significance in India and is appropriate only in certain situations. When greeting people in India, holding out your hand to a member of the opposite sex may be taken as offensive. Indian culture is also deeply conservative in regards to male-female relations, so initiating physical contact with a stranger of the opposite sex will likely be considered inappropriate. While Indians familiar with Western culture may be accepting of a mixed-gender handshake, the universally acceptable greeting is the "namaste," done by placing your palms together in a prayer-like gesture and making a slight bow.
In India, feet are generally considered unclean and should be kept to oneself. To avoid causing offense, don't touch other people with your feet, and if you do so accidentally, apologize immediately. Similarly, using your foot or shoe to point toward a person is also viewed as offensive. Before entering a temple or private home, you’ll typically be expected to remove your shoes, so be prepared to walk barefoot or in your socks on a regular basis.
Do not point at people or objects with one or two fingers in India. Instead, eDiplomat recommends pointing with your thumb or entire hand. Alternately, gesture with your chin by angling it towards what you’re drawing attention to. Also likely to cause offense is using your left hand to gesture, touch, handle objects or eat. Always use your right hand to perform such tasks, as the left is associated with bathroom activities and considered unclean.
If done in public, a simple hug or kiss may considered offensive in India. Attitudes regarding romantic relationships are traditional and conservative, and Culture Crossing advises against engaging in public displays of affection with your significant other. Touching other people on the head is considered especially offensive, especially to Hindus, who believe it to be the dwelling place of the soul. Even a simple pat on the forehead could go against cultural rules regarding caste.
