08 faqs about india

Friday, April 7, 2023 Dr. Nimit Chowdhary

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INDIA: FAQs

Dr. Nimit Chowdhary ProfessorIndian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management


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Guide training module

Myths!&

Fancies!!


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Let us revise!

Some of the most frequently asked questions!

Show ’em the way!


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Do all Indians know the "Rope Trick"?

Certainly not. The rope trick is stuff that folklore is made of. If any Indians do know the rope trick, congratulate them on their hypnotic abilities or sleight-of-hand. And, oh, by the way, the flying carpets do not exist either!


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Are elephants the primary mode of transport in India?

India is as advanced as any other nation in the world when it comes to transportation. We have the British to thank for beginning work on laying what is today the most kilometres of rail in any country. Naturally, we have roads and planes, and, in addition, we have a very long coastline.


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Do all Indian women wear sarees?

Most do. The sari is traditionally a Hindu woman's costume. However, many women of other faiths wear saris and many Hindu women wear other costumes too, for example, salwar-kameezes, skirts and chuniya cholis.


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Do all Indian women wear dots on their forehead?

The dot or bindi is a symbol for– a third eye of knowledge and awareness– caste identification, based on the designs– oneness with the cosmos


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Do all Indian women wear dots on their forehead?

Many women wear bindis as a cosmetic. It's either a plastic sticker or red powder or paint worn on the forehead. Married Hindu women additionally wear red or vermillion along the hairline (not forehead!) to denote matrimonial status.


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Is all Indian food spicy?

Fortunately, no. India is a land with much variety in cuisine. Most South Indian cuisine is not spicy, yet flavorful. North Indian cuisine can be spicy at times!


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Are all Indians Hindu?

82% of Indians are Hindus, 11% are Muslims (India is home to the second- largest Muslim population in the world). The rest are Christians, Parsees, Jews, Sufis, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs and a myriad other faiths.


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“You speak English so well!”

Thanks to 200 years of British rule. India was ruled by the British and one of their many legacies is English. Most of the educated in India speak English with varying degrees of fluency, in addition to speaking two or three other languages!


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Is India disease-ridden?India is not a bed of germs waiting to infect the unsuspecting. As long as you ensure that you drink clean water and consume food from clean establishments, there is no reason to feel unsafe for your health in India. India's vast population (950 million compared to the US's 250 million) lives in very close quarters (land area approximately one-third of the US's). Since people come into contact with one another quite often, there is a chance of disease spreading. If such a thing befalls you, there is ample medical aid available in the form of advanced hospitals and health care.


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Isn’t India full of snake-charmers and fakirs and Yogis?

… and highly-skilled rocket scientists, computer programmers, famous authors, talented artists, world leaders, hardworking farmers, brilliant cricketers, Fortune 500 companies, marketers, economists, analysts, politicians, doctors, lawyers… India is a kaleidoscope: there are many views; you see what you want to see.


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Do Rajahs exist?

Only nominally. After India gained independence in 1947, the 600-odd princely states within Indian boundaries were merged into India. The erstwhile rulers were allowed some of their property and were allowed to keep their titles. So, yes, princes and kings and queens exist, but they do not really rule anyone. India is a democracy, just like the US, with elected representatives. The executive head of the country is the Prime Minister (like in the UK), while the President is the nominal head of the country (like the Queen in the UK).


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Don’t Indians marry someone they have never seen before?

Arranged marriages are very common in India. Formerly, one did not meet one’s mate till after the wedding, but that practice has died the way child marriage has. Now, one gets a courtship period to decide whether a prospect can become a spouse. Marriages arranged by parents have many merits; love marriages are also popular.


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Is India communist?

No. The preamble to the Constitution of India states that India is a socialist, secular democracy. India's socialism is based on a Nehruvian model with democracy as the primary thrust. Even the communist parties in India are firmly committed to democracy. India has the distinction of hosting the first-ever elected communist government. Market forces have always been respected in India, and beneath the socialist fabric, capitalism is hale and hearty. In fact, Bombay's stock exchange is the biggest in the world after Wall Street.


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“Do you speak Indian/ Hindu?”

There is no language such as “Indian”. And “Hindu” is a religion (a philosophy, if you will). Most Indians (not all!) speak Hindi, recognised as the national language. Most Indians also speak their “mother-tongue” - their ethnic language. Many Indians are also fluent in the language of the state they reside in. Plus, English is widely spoken.


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Are all Indians vegetarian?

Many are. Once upon a time, one’s cuisine was determined by one’s caste, but this is hardly true these days. Since Hindus consider the cow sacred, beef consumption is miniscule in India. Fish and chicken (and pork?) are popular provided people can afford them. Almost all Indians consume dairy products. Vegetables are very popular in India, and even non-vegetarians eat vegetables for most meals.


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Do you really have 300 million gods?

The entire pantheon of Hindu gods is said to number 330 million. Nobody is quite sure who all these gods are. Gods exist for– Objects in nature: wind (Vayu), fire (Agni),

lightning (Indra), rain (Varuna)– Qualities: knowledge (Saraswati), wealth

(Lakshmi)– Emotions: love (Kama)– Concepts: creation (Brahma), preservation

(Vishnu), destruction (Shiva)– Re-incarnation: Rama, Krishna


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Does the caste system still exist?

The Indian constitution disallows discrimination based on caste. We have schemes that provide special benefits to castes that have been traditionally discriminated against. And, in a path-breaking event, the current President of India, K. R. Narayanan, belongs to a scheduled caste.


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Do you sleep on a bed of nails?

Only when I want to be comfortable. Just kidding! No, of course not! The bed of nails and walking on hot coals is for professionals. Ordinary people prefer ordinary beds.


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India must be a hot country…?

India is close to the tropical regions, so yes, a lot of India is hot. However, the Nilgiris and the Himalayas are huge mountain ranges that lie within India. These mountains have snow, ski resorts and genuine cold weather.


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Does traffic stop when a cow crosses the street?

In the big cities, traffic halts for a lot more reasons than a passing cow. Cows are sacred to Hindus, and people do not maltreat them. Traffic in India has a unique ability to work around obstacles and stoppages, and should a stray cow chance upon the street it is usually escorted away quickly.


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Isn’t India a young country?

Depends on how you look at it. It has been merely 60 years since we gained independence, but we have about 5000 years of recorded history prior to independence.


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Do Indians use toilet paper?

No. Indian-style toilets are different from Western-style toilets. There is no provision for toilet paper, but there’s a lot of water involved. If you think that’s disgusting, 1billion Indians would retort that using toilet paper instead of water is disgusting!


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Is there much poverty in India?

Yes. At least 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.


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Any more!!!

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08 faqs about india

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