Population

The Indian population is estimated at over one billion people and it is the second most populated country in the world after China. About 70% of people live in the countryside. Mumbai (previously Bombay) is the most populous city with around 12 million inhabitants, followed by Delhi (11 million), Bangalore (eight million) and Hyderabad (six million).

Official language

The Constitution of India recognises 22 official languages. The national language is Hindi (using the Devanagari alphabet), which is spoken by 45% of the population and used by the government. Hindi is most widely spoken in the north and is generally understood everywhere except in a handful of small southern states. English is spoken by educated members of the population, by traders, on tourist sites, hotels and universities. Regional accents in India are very diverse – just when you think you understand the locals well, you’ll hear a completely different linguistic take on the English language.

Religion

While India is a secular state, religion plays a central part in the culture of the country. The most practiced religions are Hinduism (79.8%), Islam (14.2%) and Christianity (2.3%). Buddhism, which is native to northern India, is mostly concentrated in the Himalayan region or near the Myanmar border and the branch practiced is generally Tibetan Buddhism. India is also home to many other minority faiths, such as Jainism, an ancient religion that teaches the achievement of bliss through nonviolence to all living creatures.

National Holiday

India is often branded as the ‘land of festivals’. Most bank holidays fall within the Indian lunar calendar or Buddhist, Muslim and Christian calendars, therefore dates change from year to year. However, some celebrations are fixed, for example: 25 December: Christmas. January 1: New Year’s Day. January 26: Republic Day. May 11: Buddha Purnima. August 15: Independence Day. October 2: Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. November 4: Birthday Guru Nanak.

Most holidays are religious, they outnumber calendar days and change dates every year. A few of the bigger, main events of India include:

• The Tamil New Year: January.
• New Year in Kerala: April.
• Holi, festival of colour: March.
• Dusserah, feast of gods: from September to October.
• Diwali, festival of lights: October-November.

Significant Muslim holidays include Ramadan and its end, Eid al-Adha and the Prophet’s Birthday among many others.

Etiquette

India is a secular state but traditions and customs govern everyday life and there are a handful of things to be aware of to ensure a stress-free trip.

Tight or revealing clothing should be avoided, including short skirts, short and sleeveless tops. Make sure to remove shoes at the entrance to holy places. In many religious buildings, it is mandatory to cover arms and legs and occasionally heads will also need to be covered, especially in Sikh temples. Before visiting the Jain temples, you will be asked to remove any leather. Do not touch the representations of deities and ask permission before taking photos of any religious places, ceremonies or people.

Access to the Taj Mahal is strictly controlled – there are separate male and female entrances, searches and you’re not allowed to carry tobacco, food or electronic devices (except a camera and mobile phone). Lockers are available to visitors. Such small measures are only a short diversion to a visit to the ‘Crown Palace’ – an astounding feat of architecture.

Generally, the left hand is considered unclean and you should avoid using it when eating or giving money or objects to others. Most Indians remove their shoes upon arriving at their homes, so follow their lead if you have received the honour of a dinner invitation.

Do not touch the head of an Indian child or adult. Do not point the soles of your feet towards anything and be careful not to touch an Indian with your feet. In contrast, touching someone’s feet with your hands is considered a mark of great respect and many beggars will do this when asking for money.

Shopping

Indian craftsmanship offers such a richness of quality and variety that it can be very difficult to narrow down your purchases in order for you to be able to cram them into your suitcase. On the street or in markets, haggling is a must and is all part of the fun of the purchasing process. If you’re not one for bartering, cooperatives and official stores (emporiums) have fixed prices. Many also offer beautiful goods from different parts of the country, so you can acquire a full range of Indian mementos from all over. Indian carpets and textiles are among the finest in the world – the biggest region for carpet production is Kashmir, where there’s something for everyone, in every budget and made from a plethora of materials, including wool, silk, silk-wool blends and cotton. In textiles, the choice is as endless as there are techniques and styles of making them – gorgeous silk shawls with gold threads, warm wool wraps, silk and cotton blends decorated with intricate motifs and bright fabrics adorned with mirrors and embroidery. Saris, in all their stunning colour and variance, are impossible to miss – expertly draped without pins or seams, there are ordinary styles and more elaborate, ceremony designs.

Local tailors are also worth a visit – the quality and beauty of fabrics create tailored works of art that often defy their price tag. Jewellery is also magnificent in India, gold is queen here and the most famous pieces come from Rajasthan. Kerala and Tamil Nadu also hold a treasure trove of pieces. Precious stones and semi-precious stones are popular tourist purchases. Hyderabad is one of the world centres of glass beads. The Indians also excel in metal working, with copper and bronze used to create masterful figurines and votive statuettes. Woodworking is another Indian specialty – whether it’s walnut furniture from Kashmir or sandalwood statuettes from Karnataka, each region uses wood to develop its own craft. And if that’s not enough, there are also excellent leather goods (sandals, shoes, bags and the like), musical instruments and small items that your curiosity will uncover like sandalwood soaps, perfumes, incense, spices of all kinds, religious objects and charming papier-mâché keepsakes.

Food

With countless dishes that defy the imagination, Indian cuisine is some of the best in the world. Simply put, Southern Indian cooking, which uses rice as its base, tends to be vegetarian and spicier. This makes plenty of room for meats, including lamb, goat and chicken in the northern reaches. Wheat is also the grain of choice in the north, making various breads, including chapati, paratha, puti and the full range of naan, a mainstay. A common point of difference is the masala spice mixture where culinary creativity really comes into play. Exact recipes are often well-kept secrets and there are more than a dozen spices to develop the masala spice mix. Among these are: turmeric, saffron, cardamom, ginger, coriander, nutmeg, cumin, poppy seeds, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, anise and this list far from exhaustive. While many spicy Indian dishes are deadly for sensitive palates, there are just as many that are sweet and fragrant. The most common dish in India is probably the dhal. A delicious dish made with split lentils and served in support of other dishes or as the main course. Another speciality is the curry, and in India the word refers to any spicy stew. Curries come in all shapes and forms – meat curries, fish, seafood or vegetable. The flavour is always impactful and if a spicy curry is served, dishes served alongside are milder.

Another favourite is biryani rice mixed with saffron and meat cooked in a clay oven, the tandoor. This cooking method, brought to India by the Mughal Muslim, gave birth to Mughlai cuisine, popular in North India. When cooking tandoori-style, the main specialties are meats and spicy pickled fish, but Mughal also introduced skewered kebab dishes to India. Another meal with foreign origins is pork vindaloo marinated in vinegar – a Portuguese specialty of Goa. Dosas, pancakes made from a mixture of fermented rice and lentils, plain or stuffed vegetables, are one of the basics of vegetarian food in southern India. Dairy is used a lot in cooking, too – paneer is a fresh cheese used in a variety of ways. Dahi, a traditional yoghurt, and raita, a cool, minty chutney, are often served with vegetables, fruits or spices as an accompaniment. Various condiments are enjoyed, including pickles and chutneys, which can have flavours that really pack a punch. When it comes to the sweet stuff, India certainly knows how to deliver on that front too – delicious ice cream, kulfi, is a fruity joy, then there are springy dough balls and sweet rice pudding. Fans of fresh fruit will relish the Indian banquet on offer – mangoes, papayas, guavas, bananas, pineapples, apples, apricots, strawberries are available in abundance. At the end of a meal, many Indians chew a paan – a betel leaf rolled up with a mixture of spices and herbs. The paan is famous for its digestive properties, but can upset the western traveller. Enjoying Indian cuisine is a way to understand the beating heart of the country.

Drink

Tap water isn’t recommended, so it’s best to keep stocked up with bottled water and refrain from ice. To help aid plastic waste, we would encourage travellers to opt for reusable filter bottles. India’s national drink is tea (chai). Real Indian tea is always prepared with milk, tastes very sweet and is flavoured with spices (cardamom, ginger). Indians drink a lot of coffee too, also milky and very sweet. Soft drinks are available at every turn, with a multitude of fresh fruit juices available.

The lassi is another Indian favourite – its formulation is based on yoghurt and can be drunk naturally, sweetened or flavoured with fruit or spices. Alcohol is prohibited in some holy cities and tightly regulated in certain areas, or during religious festivals. Indian beer is good and local brands you’ll see are Kingfisher, Haywards and Godfather. Unregulated alcohol has been linked to deaths, so it’s strongly recommended that only drinks purchased from distilleries are consumed. India also produces a very sweet wine in Goa on the Karnataka plateau.