Do's and Dont's For Participants and Officials

Introduction

Every nation has a distinct nature of its culture and tradition. And when it comes to a vast country like India so a lot of care needs to be taken. As it is a country of diverse cultures so visiting India itself requires you to fulfill certain things and also to refrain from certain things so that you do not land yourself into trouble. By following these do's and don't your travel will become really smooth and also safe. It is always better that we be on the safer side. India Do's and Don't are very important for the visitors who come from outside. India being the only place where you can expect the unexpected is a land of vast diversities in each and every field and feature. The India Do's and Don't are important for the Indian tourists also.

The Do's

When it comes to visit India then it is the list of the do's that one should first keep in mind. There are certain social conventions that you should follow so as not to hurt the Indian sentiments. One of the most important is the greeting. In India people greet each other by saying "Namaste" while folding hands together. Before entering any temple you are required to remove your footwear. Women are expected to dress modestly as matter of decency. Short skirts and tight or revealing clothes are not acceptable in the Indian society. Before making a tour you should necessarily have a local guide who is from India. There are even English speaking guides available. So visitors who are from outside India would find it comfortable to converse.

The Don't

There are a lot of things that you need to take care while touring in India. The first and the foremost thing are not to do any sort of obscene acts on the roads. Regarding the tour the visitors are strongly advised not to travel to the terrorist affected places in the Jammu and Kashmir. While importing any sort of animals, livestock and pig meat products are strictly prohibited. Also refrain from traveling into the rural areas in the monsoon season, as there are many chances of hazards like landslides etc being caused.
The following is a list of the do's and don'ts for tourists visiting India.

Do:

Please always carry a copy of your passport, travel visa, air tickets, travel insurance, credit cards, driving license (or some other identity proof) with photo and other travel documents.
All foreign nationals must pay hotel bills in foreign currency (cash or travellers cheques). This can be paid in rupees if the visitor has a bank receipt as proof of currency exchange.
Exchange money only through authorised banks or moneychangers.
Insist on a receipt when exchanging money.
Retain all receipts to facilitate re-conversion of unspent money on departure from India.
Follow the safety rules while traveling anywhere. Keep your luggage with you and do not leave them unattended or do not handover the same to any unknown person or unidentified porters and guides. While going to public places, keep the valuables in your hotel. Hotel lockers may be used.
Do remember to check your travel documents before starting the journey and update all important telephone numbers in your diary, apart from storing emergency numbers (Police assistance, Ambulance service, local contact person etc.) in your cell-phone, if you choose to carry one.
While driving, follow the traffic rules, keep left.
In case of taxis and auto-rickshaws, try to hire them from the pre-paid booths, if possible. Otherwise, insist on going by the meter and check the readings regularly to ensure that the fare is correct. In case there are no meters or the meters are dysfunctional, set a fare in advance to avoid being fleeced later on.
In addition, the above fares change from time to time and so will not always conform to readings on the meter. To avoid confusion, insist on seeing the latest fare chart and pay accordingly.
In case of any difficulty contact the nearest tourist office or police station.
Concessionary tickets such as Indrail Pass on Railways, Youth Fare, Discover India Fare and Air Fare (Indian Airlines) are to be purchased in foreign exchange only.
English is spoken at almost tourist destination in India these days. However, if you want, you may hire Government-trained and approved guides who also speak German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian or Russian.
If you wish to visit any prohibited or restricted areas, check with the nearest Government of India Tourist Office to ascertain details of the formalities required.
Check with the nearest Government of India Tourist Office the rules regarding photography at archaeological monuments.
Try to avoid the touts and brokers of shopkeepers.
Do carry sun glasses, sun screen and a hat.
While in India, please mind photography at the airports, railway stations, military areas and other places where it is prohibited.
Treat the National Parks as they are sanctum sanctorum of our precious natural heritage.
Obtain permits from the Chief Wildlife Warden for those having interest in photography/ videography/ investigation inside a sanctuary or a Marine National Park.
Export of most wildlife and their products is either banned or strictly regulated. Export of the few permissible items - even as passengers' personal luggage - is allowed only under an appropriate export permit.
Insist on getting a certificate for the legitimate sale of a particular animal product and permission for its export to avoid inconvenience on departure.
Consult life guards before entering the sea.
Swim in safe areas only.
Learn more about reefs, other marine life and tropical forest. This will make your visit more enjoyable.
Shopping is recommended from Government Emporia and suggested shops on the list of the Department of Tourism. Information on these can be obtained from tourist offices in India.
Make sure to remove your footwear when visiting a place of worship or mausoleum. Some temples in India will not even allow you to carry leather articles inside. You can deposit them in the temple cloakroom and collect it on your way out.
It is obligatory to cover your head before entering Sikh shrines.
Indian people are quite hospitable and friendly. Do not feel offended if they stare at you. It is just curiosity on their part. Most of the people will also go out of the way to help tourists and properly guide them.
It is advisable for you to carry your own medicines. Almost all medicines in India are locally manufactured and you may not find the same brand names. However, you may easily set substitute products here. But take the advice of reputed druggists or doctors for the purpose.
If you are on prescription medication, please ensure you have adequate supply of both prescription/s and pills for the entire duration of your India tour and perhaps a little extra to cover unforeseen delay periods during travel etc. Do remember to carry a doctor's certificate along with you to avoid possible problems with any customs checking procedures in India.
It is not entirely unsafe to travel in India. You just have to take some precautions like avoiding isolated places, not going out after its too late, etc.
The electric current in India is 220/ 250 volts and 50 cycles. It is AC practically everywhere. Carry converters if you have some electric equipment with you.
Dont feel offended if Indians ask you some personal questions like how much do you earn, are you married, do you have kids, etc. They are just a little curious and mean no offence. It is just their way of getting friendly.
First-time travelers to India may well be fascinated by the exotic array of spices, cuisines and affordability of street and hotel food, but it is inadvisable to eat spicy Indian food without sampling a bit first or affirming the extent of spice-blends used with the chef/service attendant.
Mineral water is your best companion while in India's tropical climate and is your safest bet for keeping various contaminated-water related ailments.
Please remember that banks in India function from Monday to Friday from 1000 hours to 1230 hours (some also function post-lunch, but you may need to consult your tour operator for specific bank details) while Government and administrative offices in India function from 0930 to 1700 hours on weekdays. So, please make arrangements for bank transactions and business dealings with either group keeping these timings in mind.

Don't:

Don't get lured by shopping bargains on the street.
Don't exchange money except with an authorised moneychanger.
Never ever purchase air/ rail/ bus tickets through strangers or unauthorized travel agents/ tour operators, also known as touts. They are not at all reliable. Buy tickets from the authorized centers only.
Don't encourage beggars by giving them money or other articles.
Don't buy silver/ivory articles or peacock feathers in bulk.
Don't wear any footwear inside Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Jain places of worship. Some temples do not permit leather articles to be taken in.
Men should never touch women in public, even to help a woman out of a car, unless the lady is very elderly or infirm.
Married couples in Asia do not hug, hold hands or kiss in public. Even embracing at airports and train stations is considered out of the question
Drinking alcohol or smoking in public, no matter how innocent, are interpreted as a sign of moral laxity.
Foreign nationals may not enter the islands without permit.
Do not enter the National Parks without permission.
Do not take pictures of the airport, government dockyard, defence establishments, naval wharf etc
Do not collect, destroy or remove any living or dead animal/plant.
Do not take video or film without permit, wherever such permits are required.
Do not take video, film or photographs inside Tribal Reserve areas or of the indigenous tribes.
Person who commits breach of any of the conditions of the Wildlife protections shall be punishable by law.