India is said to be a country that is simple to love and impossible to forget: its dances, food, and even their head bobbles are all enthralling. Those who have been there even once will undoubtedly wish to return. It’s all because their cultures, traditions, and daily lives are so full of odd things for travellers that it’s difficult to resist the want to learn more about them.
Why do Indian children wear eyeliner?
If you ever see a newborn in India, they’ll almost certainly be wearing kajal, a type of eyeliner (also Kohl or Surma). Kajal is a soot-based eye makeup that dates back to the Middle Ages.
This eyeliner is generally applied to a baby’s lower lid to protect him or her from evil. Some individuals believe that kajal is good for a baby’s eyesight, however there is no scientific evidence to back this up.
Dancing as a way of life
India is a dance-loving country. There are eight different styles of classical dances, in addition to the well-known Bollywood dances. The emotions displayed in Indian dances are unlike anything else in the world, and just looking at them makes you want to start dancing right away – even John Travolta couldn’t resist (see the video below).
As a means of communication, gesticulation
Apart from the emotive dances, Indian people’s gestures and face mimics are also arousing. They assist local residents in expressing their emotions in a more profound and vibrant manner. Perhaps the variability derives from the usage of mudras (hand gestures) in Indian classical dances and yoga. Anyway, this is yet another feature that distinguishes India. By the way, the gesture for apologies in India is shown here.
It has one of the world’s most thriving film industries.
When we think of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai are perhaps the first two names that come to mind. Bollywood is regarded as one of the world’s most important filmmaking centres. Its films are generally of the masala genre, which is a combination of numerous genres such as thrillers, action, love stories, and so on. Perhaps this is why you can feel a range of emotions while watching Bollywood films.
It is home to the world’s spiciest tea.
While we’re on the subject of masala, which literally means spices, masala tea (mixed-spice tea) is immensely popular in India, much like the masala genre. It can be purchased practically anywhere in the United States. Furthermore, this tea has grown in popularity all across the world.
Masala tea is made by steeping black tea in milk and adding a variety of spices. It is thought to improve immunity, reduce inflammation, and increase energy levels.
The biggest dish you’ve ever seen is a thali plate.
Thali (which means ‘plate’ in Hindi) is a round metal plate with six various flavours: salty, sweet, spicy, bitter, sour, and astringent. A great meal, according to the Indian concept of good eating, is a balance of these 6 flavours. Indian restaurants frequently serve up to 20 or more items on a single plate. Furthermore, all elements of the Thali dish are refillable, and you may always ask for more if you’re still hungry.
Porcelain pottery is hardly used by Indian families.
Steel tableware, rather than the clay or porcelain pottery used in other parts of the world, is utilised in most Indian homes. Several theories exist to explain this fascinating phenomena.
Some people think it’s useful to have because it doesn’t break like glassware, doesn’t chip, and keeps its cool appearance for a long time. Others believe that because glazed pottery is formed of dirt, it is unclean. Whatever the case may be, you won’t find much pottery in Indian households.
With Indian bread, you may forget about your diet.
In India, bread comes in a wide range of flavours. Each one, from chapati to puri, is distinct in its own way and can make anyone salivate. Indians are accustomed to preparing fresh flatbread for each meal. There are so many tasty varieties of Indian bread that anyone visiting India will easily forget about their diet and counting calories for a while. Some types of bread are cooked in clay ovens, others are deep-fried, and some contain garlic — there are so many tasty varieties of Indian bread that anyone visiting India will easily forget about their diet and counting calories for a while.
A massive lunchbox delivery system is in place.
The procedure of delivering those lunchboxes is wonderfully described in the Indian film The Lunchbox. The problem is that Indians are accustomed to eating everything fresh, extremely fresh, which is why they rarely bring lunchboxes to work in the morning. Instead, their wives or moms (and sometimes eateries) prepare a fresh lunch for them and send it to them via a Dabbawala, a special delivery man. The lunchboxes are picked up late in the morning and delivered to clients, after which the same people return the lunchboxes to their houses. Each dabbawala collects a large number of lunchboxes and is said to make less than one error out of every 6 million deliveries.
An MRP indicator can be found on every Indian goods.
If you ever visit India, don’t be concerned that merchants would try to take advantage of you as a tourist. Every item and commodity made in India bears the MRP logo, which stands for maximum retail price. As a result, stores are prohibited from charging clients more than the price listed on the package. Isn’t that clever?
You won’t find this bobble anywhere else.
Indians are known for their head bobbles. Depending on the context, it can have a variety of meanings. Some of the meanings, such as “Yes” and “Maybe,” are debatable, making it difficult to understand Indians. Nonetheless, we bet there isn’t a single tourist who hasn’t attempted to replicate that wonderful head bobble.
The most colourful and love-filled celebration on the planet
Holi is a popular Indian celebration that takes place at the start of spring. It’s also known as the “colour festival” or the “love festival.” The festival’s major attraction is the flinging of coloured powders at each other. There are many different colours, ranging from red and orange to black and brown. Outside of India, the holiday has become so famous that several countries have begun to celebrate it as well.
No use of the left hand is permitted!
In some parts of India, the right-hand rule still applies. All because the left hand is regarded as impure (we perform many unsavoury functions with it). As a result, many Indians prefer to eat with their right hand. Furthermore, the right-hand rule applies to handshakes and the passing of objects to others.
Marrying trees and animals
Tree marriage or animal marriage is another feature that distinguishes India. What’s the point of marrying a cow or a dog? You might believe that. Because Indians use their horoscopes to make critical life decisions, there are those who “calculate” their luck. If a person’s horoscope predicts a lifetime of ill luck, he or she is given the option of marrying a tree or an animal. These unions occur as a person’s first marriage in order to break the curse and prevent suffering in their second marriage with a real human partner.
Is it possible for you to execute the famed Indian head bobble? What additional Indian customs are you familiar with?
Preview photo credit depositphotos.com
