6 Misconceptions The World Still Has About India

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India is a country that has evolved a lot over the years, however, those who have never visited the country, still think of India as a land trapped in time. Its roots indeed remain firm as are its philosophy of life, festivals, and religious beliefs, but in the big cities, the changes are very noticeable.

Many foreigners still believe that India is just a land of snake charmers, elephants, and spicy curries. While they do form a part of its traditions, India is much more than that.

#1. “India Is a Hot Country”

India is quite a large country and offers everything from deserts and jungles to snow-capped mountains and tropical beaches. It happens that one tends to see India on the map and see the equator and the first thing you think is that India is a 100% tropical country, and that is a big mistake.

This beautiful country is hot, in some regions more than others, but it also offers snowy winters. Let me tell you that here in Kolkata, where I have lived for 6 years, it is very hot most of the year (and I suffer a lot!) but in other parts such as Jaisalmer and Delhi, the temperature drops surprisingly, especially in December and January. I have had the opportunity to be in those regions in January and I can attest that the cold is felt. On the other hand, the climate in India in the south is pleasant, the temperature is perfect and it is the best time to travel.

In other words, India is known for having 6 seasons, which are: spring, summer, monsoon (rainy season), autumn, pre-winter, and winter.

#2. “Indians Move Around Places On Elephants”

There are still people who think that when they come to India, they will see Indians riding elephants everywhere as if they were cars and that is another misconception. It is true that elephants were used in the ancient Indian army, regardless of region or dynasty.

Formerly, the kings used elephants as a transport means so I am sorry to disappoint you but no when you arrive in India, you will not see elephants in the streets unless you go to the national parks where elephants roam freely. Also, you will see that elephants are used to ‘walk’ foreigners (a business that I do not like, by the way).

#3. “All Indians Speak Hindi”

It is believed that Hindi is the national language and that it is widely spoken from north to south and from east to west of the Indian subcontinent and that is another mistake. India has 122 main languages and more than 1600 different dialects.

Many foreigners think that Hindi is the national language but it is a mistake to think that. According to Article 343 of the Indian Constitution, the country does not have a national language; however, it does recognize Hindi as the official language. And what is the difference? Well, Hindi is the language spoken by the government and allows each Indian State to have its own official language, for example, the official language of Kolkata (Calcutta), State of West Bengal, is Bengali. In this way, you will meet many Indians who do not speak Hindi and many others who can’t speak Bengali.

So we must not confuse the national language with the official one, as I said before, India does not have a national language. On the other hand, another official language is English; however, people in rural areas do not usually speak English.

#4. “Indians Always Greet With ‘Namaste’”

To think that everywhere in India, you will only be greeted with 'Namaste' is another misconception. While Namaste is a traditional greeting in India, it is just one of the many forms that exist as it also depends a lot on the region. For example, in West Bengal people use Namaskar or Nomoskar, also towards the south of the country you will hear Namaskaram.

In the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, they usually say Pranam; in the Punjab area, they usually use Sat Sri Akaal; in some parts of Rajasthan you will hear Khamma Ghan; in Tamilnadu, many locals say Vanakkam instead of Namaste. On the other hand, today, many young people will just say 'Hello' to you (yes, in English).

You don't need to learn the greeting of each Indian State, just saying ‘Hello’ will be fine, as I said before, English is also an official language and is widely used in tourist places.

#5. “Indian Food is Too Spicy”

To say that Indian food is always spicy, curry style and that all Indians tolerate spicy food is a myth. Throughout the country, you will find a wide variety of dishes that are not spicy such as idly, Dhokla, Parathas, Dal-Chawal, and many others.

Typical Indian dishes stand out for their flavor and color. This is thanks to the spices and these spices are not hot, they only enhance the flavor, what gives the food "spiciness" are the red and green chili peppers or black pepper, in addition, not all Indians eat chili. I have spoken with some Indians from different parts of the country and they told me that they did not eat too spicy, however, for example, my husband can eat chili easily with the food and I also tolerate it quite well (although it has taken me a long time to get used to it).

On the other hand, Indian food is not only about "curry", but it is also very varied and you can find it grilled, lightly sautéed, fried, boiled, and with or without sauces. It is important to note that the typical "curry powder" is a British invention; it is not typical of India so it is not used here. What is used in powder is a mixture of indigenous spices called Garam Masala that is used for curries but which in turn, can vary from region to region.

#6. "All Indians Are Vegetarian"

This is another popular misconception. By "vegetarian" it is understood that they do not consume beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc., in itself, or any type of animal meat, but they usually consume eggs and milk of animal origin (known as lacto-ovo-vegetarians). On the other hand, there are the "vegans" who are those who do not consume any food of animal origin including cow's milk, eggs, honey, etc. Their diet is based purely on vegetables of all kinds, cereals, legumes, and fruits.

As for the Indians or rather, Hindus, we will find everything throughout the country with the difference that beef is excluded. Although India is a major exporter of water buffalo meat, beef cannot be exported as cattle slaughter is prohibited in most Indian states due to religious sensitivities.

Thus, most state legislation prohibits cattle slaughter for all ages, including both female and male calves. For example, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Delhi, prohibit the slaughter of livestock, including bulls and oxen of all ages. This means that those who kill a cow in these places will be punished and must pay a fine of between 100,000 to 500,000 Rupees, which would be about 13.5753 or 67.8767 US dollars and you will be arrested by the police.

However, this penalty does not apply throughout the country as the states of Assam and West Bengal allow the slaughter of cattle if the animal is at least 14 years old and receives a certificate of "fit for slaughter" from the local state authorities. It should be noted that many other Indian states still do not have this penalty.

Well, this topic can be a bit long, I just wanted to draw the situation of beef in terms of Hindus, they do not consume it but there are Hindus who consume everything else, from eggs to chicken and from honey to goats. What happens is that they know how to balance their diet, i.e., they make conscious consumption. For example, they only consume fish once or twice a week, others consume only once a week something that is not vegetarian like egg or chicken, and the rest of the days only rice, legumes, and vegetables.

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Namaskar

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