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Three Things to Understand About India

3 November 2016
By Pallavi Ridout

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Namaste (“hello” in Hindi)!

When I heard ICANN57 would be in India, the country of my birth, I was ecstatic. I’ve spent half my life in India and the other half in the U.S., so my perspective on the Indian way of life has morphed over time. Since moving to the States, I have traveled to India 24 times – about 500 hours in air travel, not counting layovers! I’ve spent many hours talking to my fellow travelers about their experiences with India. I’m always fascinated by their unique experiences. Three topics come up again and again – I’d like to share them with you.

#1 – Honking Traffic

At 1.3 billion people, India is the world’s second most populous country. And it’s densely populated – 446 people per square kilometer (1,156 per square mile). Imagine all these people going about their daily routines on bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, cars, jeeps, trucks, vans, auto rickshaws and buses – weaving in and out of traffic and more often than not, making their own rules of the road. It’s quite a ruckus!

On top of that, day and night, there’s the constant honking of horns. Visitors are amazed, but they quickly learn that honking is white noise to Indians – it’s just part of the daily grind.

#2 – Beautiful Saris

Even if you’ve never visited India, you’ve surely seen an Indian woman wearing a sari. To a non-Indian, a sari looks like a special garment – a long skirt, cropped fitted blouse and a scarf draping diagonally across one shoulder. In reality, a sari is a single piece of fabric – usually 4.5 to 8 meters long (15 to 27 feet) – that is painstakingly draped, folded and tucked in. And there are more than 80 ways to wear a sari!

The sari is a long-standing tradition and symbol of elegance in India. The earliest mention is in the 6th century BC. Today, you can buy saris that are pre-pleated and sewn so you can just slip them on. If you decide to buy a sari during your stay in India, I suggest one of these pre-pleated saris.

#3 – Varied Regional Cuisines

Ah! Indian food is rich in spices and flavor – thinking about it makes my mouth water!

Many countries have Indian restaurants. But most people are familiar with only a few dishes – tandoori chicken, daal, naan, curries, aloo gobi and palak paneer. If you think you know Indian cuisine, be ready for a pleasant surprise. Indian cuisine must have over 1000 dishes!

India has 29 states, and each state has its own regional cuisine featuring unique ingredients and taste. The city of Hyderabad was once ruled by Muslim Nizams, so many local dishes have an Arab, Persian or Mughul influence – and you’ll find many non-vegetarian dishes. 

For breakfast, be sure to try idli, dosa, vada and upma. For lunch or dinner, try biryani (fried rice with meat), the Hyderabadi dish that is popular all over India. And Hyderabad offers many other amazing local dishes.

I am excited to be attending ICANN57! If you have questions about India, I’m happy to help. Shukriya (“thank you” in Urdu)

Have a fantastic ICANN57!!

Authors

Pallavi Ridout