Doing Business in India For Dummies®

Etiquette Tips

✓	Familiarize yourself with religious holidays and customs. Wish your colleagues Happy Diwali, Happy Pongal, or Id Mubarak at the appropriate times.
✓	Use only the right hand to pick up, offer, or receive things. Indians consider the left hand not as “pure” as the right.
✓	Don’t worry about the caste system. The caste system doesn’t impact how Westerners interact with locals. Ignoring it and treating people as equals, just as you always do, is fine.
✓	Greet traditional Indians with a joined palms namaste. Namaste means “I bow to the Divine in you.” See Chapter 15 for an illustration.
✓	Accept hospitality graciously. Athithi devo bhava means “the guest is god,” and it’s an important tenet of Indian culture, so be prepared to be treated well and reciprocate hospitality.