As I plan my trip,I find myself wondering how the culture of India views women. I ask this because when I visit a country I try to be respectful of their customs within their culture. I have worked in Qatar and quickly figured out due to religion that women are to be covered. I received many side eyes while walking through the mall there so it's made me very aware of differing cultures. As I do not want this to happen again, are there any customs I should be aware of before I visit?
Hello Faye, I see you are from America. I was born in England to an English Father and Indian mother. Throughout my many childhood trips to India I learned that India is a very conservative nation. There is a great emphasis on respectful and decent behaviour and what is acceptable in the UK and US is sometimes quite unacceptable in India. Qatar is a muslim country and there are many differences in the way that women are treated in such places, as you no doubt found out. In India the standards expected of you are not that different from those in your own country, but I would suggest that if you want to avoid too much 'attention' you should dress conservatively and always keep yourself safe. In particular I would advise you take a look at the travel section, there are several threads there that will help you choose safe transportation options during your visit. I hope you have a great time.
India has come a long way, and the cities of this country won’t mind to any skimpy outfit. However, if you are traveling to smaller towns, it may pose a problem in some places. India is not that much conservative as it has been projected to be, but one should always use his or her common sense to an apparently new environment. It is not that, you will be stared at being a foreigner. Any person with a dismal dress sense may meet the same fate, be it an Indian or outsider. The moral of the story is, you should not make yourself an odd man out.
While modern India seem to be more open, I would still suggest to not wear outfits that are too revealing. The reason is because while the teenagers are generally more accepting toward these, some of the older citizens could mind and take offense. India is a fairly conservative country after all. So whatever is the case, I would still suggest playing it safe and not to wear any clothes that are too revealing. You could also try to blend in and wear a shalwar qameez (is that how you spell it? I apologize if it's wrong). They're gorgeous, but do note that it can get really hot during the day - especially for foreigners who's used to live in colder climates.
This is something I have been concerned with as well. From conversations I have had with someone I know from India, while a woman will need to be mindful if you keep yourself respectfully covered you shouldn't have much trouble. She said that many natives would be grateful for you trying to be respectful, because at least you are trying. No, everyone will not be, but in general you should be ok.
Recently, India has become quite a bit more western than was expected. The nation as a whole is more or less embracing the traditions that westerns are familiar with. This is true especially for women and the rights which they are granted. Although the clothing is not as showy as the west, it has progressed to the point where average clothing bought at the store should be more than fine.
India has progressed a lot in this matter. You can choose any dress that is not very revealing and that suits you. Moreover, there are a large number of varieties to choose from and most of the textile showrooms here focus mainly on women outfits. I doubt here males suffer a setback in availability of dressing options. But in most of the metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai dressing habits are more westernized. In most of the places you can see girls in comfortable jeans and shirts and that is becoming a dress code for modern girls.
I found India so welcoming and didn't have any real issues as a woman. I did try to dress modestly (covering shoulders and knees especially) as then everyone feels more comfortable. Having worked in Qatar I'm sure you'll be able to judge what to wear appropriately. Even if you arrive with slightly inadequate clothing you'll find plenty of places to buy things.
I think they're probably the key words there, dress appropriately. While it's true that India as become a lot more open and modern in recent years, it still as its old traditions and values also, these traditions and values are part of the reason people want to go in the first place so I'm sure people are aware what clothes will be accepted and which won't.
When I travelled in India I wore loose cotton trousers that I bought there and either long sleeve, high necked t shirts or khameez tops. Like people have mentioned already, you will atttract attention purely for being Western but dressing conservatively is a good idea. It's also advisable to bring a scarf with you to cover your head if visiting religious places. Despite dressing very conservatively, I was groped once in a busy railway station which was quite upsetting but the majority of Indian men that I met were friendly and kind. Some Indians may view Westerners as having "loose morals" but hopefully you won't have any problems. I love India regardless.
