10 Indian Gestures You Must Know To Avoid Cultural Shocks while Volunteering

Gestures are the signs we humans use to communicate without speaking a word. While there are gestures that are common everywhere in the world, there are a few which differ from country to country. In India, using physical gestures to show or communicate is in abundance. From showing respect for elders or reverence towards God and thanking someone, to wishing good luck and applauding someone; there are a number of gestures for each action. While volunteering in India, it is always a good practice to get an understanding of the commonly used gestures, in order to avoid getting offended or offending someone, or may be getting a cultural shock of your life. Volunteering India gives you the list of some of the commonly used gestures in India:

1. Greetings -

NamasteyThis is probably the commonest of

the gestures in India that the

world knows. But then, there are

people who don’t know John

Lennon as well; thus, the mention.

Joining your palms together with a

bright smile on your face is the

way of greeting each other,

especially the guests, in India.

2.  Blessings It is a very common practice in

India where the younger touch

the feet of their parents, grand-

parents, or any elder for taking

their blessings. The elders then

put their palm on the head to

signify their blessings been

given.

3. Good luck Mixing sugar in a small bowl of

yoghurt and feeding that to

someone before they leave for a

very important task is considered to

bring good luck. Even today, people

in India practice this when they

leave for examinations, interviews,

first day at job, inaugurations, and

several other tasks.

4. Respect In India, mostly in small town and

villages, women can be seen

covering their face up till the

length of their chin with the sari

they wear; especially, when they

are in the vicinity of men or elders.

This is a sign of showing respect to

the elders and men in the

community.

5. Hospitality The way of showing hospitality in

India goes beyond imagination. In

India, guests are considered

equivalent to God and are treated the

same way. As a volunteer guest to a

host family in India, you would be

offered food even if you are stuffed,

will be welcomed with garlands and

flower petals showered over, and

sweets being offered.

6. Reverence for

God People in India are very

spiritual and pious. And

barring a few percentage of

atheist (which are almost

everywhere in the world),

everyone in India show

immense reverence for God.

7. Thanking Indians take favors and obligations

very seriously, and would always

return it with great enthusiasm.

Doesn’t matter the scale of favor

someone did to them, they will feel

really obliged for it and a small

thing as a Thank You would also be

from the bottom of their heart.

8.  Applauding There are claps and then there are

pats on the back; in India, expect

more of the latter. One must not

feel offended or surprised if they

get a pat from one of the locals. If

they find you are doing a great job

under your volunteering program,

this will be their way to applaud

you.

9.  Laughter

Not that people in India aren’t

serious about life, it is just that

they like to laugh it out loud as

and when the opportunity

arrives. If you find someone

with a high pitch of laughter, do

not be stunned.

10. Perfect/Good  Showing a thumbs up in India is

more for wishing good luck, unlike

in European and American

countries where it is used to define

‘Good’ or ‘Perfect’. For this, the

commonly used gesture is when

people make a round figure by

joining their first finger and the

thumb.

While, it is not a compulsion to be

aware of all the gestures and body sign languages used in India, knowing a few commonly

used can be of a great help; indeed! So, keep a note of these and have a wonderful and fun-filled volunteering experience in India.

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