When in Delhi, no pecking please!-CWG website offers outrageous travel tips to would-be visitors

The organisers of the Commonwealth Games are expecting a large number of foreigners to visit India during the Games but the list of dos and don’ts they have prepared can actually end up scaring them off.

In a series of tips provided in the ‘India Travel Tips’ section of the official website, the visitors have been asked to refrain from hugging and kissing, and wearing short skirts in India.

“The Western practice of a peck on the cheek as a form of greeting a lady or a grown up girl is JUST NOT DONE when you are in India unless you happen to be in “Westernized Indian” circles ... If you find the lady is not extending a hand shake, go for the Namastey,” reads an advisory.

“Be aware that public displays of affection (hugging, kissing) are generally not appreciated. However, it is common to see men showing affection and camaraderie on the roads and in villages throughout the country,” it added.

The organising committee has also warned the visitors about the lack of toilet facilities in this country and has asked them to carry their own tissue papers.

“In India, public toilet facilities are few and far between and outside of the hotels and restaurants can be of dubious cleanliness. We recommend taking every opportunity you can to use a clean toilet in hotels and restaurants and that you carry tissues/ wet wipes with you,” the advisory said.

One of the travel tips has also painted Indian health system in extremely poor light recommending several vaccinations before landing in India. “Recommended vaccinations are polio, tetanus, diphtheria, typhoid and hepatitis,” the website reads. “As you may need to take anti-malarial tablets, please consult your doctor or a travel clinic for the latest medical advice at least one month prior to your departure,” it added.

The website also gives tips on a dress code and what one should do if one visits a house in India.

“Modesty in dress is an important aspect of Indian life and, away from beaches, one should respect the local customs. This is especially important when visiting temples and religious sites, where trousers or full-length skirts should be worn and shoulders should be covered and in Sikh temples, your head must also be covered.

“If somebody has invited you home for dinner, carry with you a bottle of wine accompanied by a bouquet of flowers or at least a box of sweets or chocolate bar for the children ... People usually take their shoes off before entering a house and putting feet on the furniture is considered bad manners,” it reads.

The travellers have also been asked to use their bargaining powers as much as possible before buying things from roadside stalls.

“If you are buying from roadside stalls or hawkers be prepared to bargain. Start by offering half the price and settle for 60 per cent. Don’t bargain in proper shops especially those that display “Fixed Price” signs: that will be seen as bad manners,” the website said.

The travellers’ tips also had a dig at Delhi’s taxi and auto-rickshaw drivers for their unwillingness to accept fares as per the metres.

Warning the foreign tourists, it said: “Taxi and auto-rickshaws fares keep changing; therefore, they do not always conform to readings on metres. To avoid confusion, insist on seeing the latest fare chart available with taxi/ auto-rickshaw drivers and pay accordingly.

“For your safety, we suggest that you do not hire transportation from unlicensed or unapproved operators. We can provide you all types of transportation at very reasonable prices. Self-driven cars though available are not recommended as it is not advisable for you to drive on the Indian roads with all the traffic,” it read.

“Indians are curious by nature, so if you are stared at, please don’t mind. It is just curiosity,” reads another tip.