Quintessentially Indian: 5 New Kurti Styles for Modern Women

Kurtis make a quiet departure from the usual knee-length hem, three-fourth sleeve pattern. They have transformed into versatile trendy clothing options while retaining their ethnic beauty.

For years now, kurtis have been unceremoniously dumped into the category of ‘traditional’ Indian clothing. Often cut as a piece of upper clothing so sedate that it bordered on boring, the kurti has only now managed to reinvent itself as a versatile Indian style that looks great even when fused with Western wear.

4 Culture-Shocks To Expect When You Move To India

I had visited India over a dozen times before I moved there in 2013 but that didn’t stop me from experiencing several culture-shocks. The first thing I learned is that it is one thing to visit a place and a complete different thing to actually live there, even if it is just for a few months.

Stainless Steel and Food Go So Well Together In India

The kitchen in our house in India.

If you’ve been to India, you probably ate in India, and your food was probably served in stainless steel plates at least once.

When I lived in India and went shopping for household goods, I encountered all kinds of kitchen items: plates, glasses, pots, serving plates, food containers, cooking utensils… and most of them were silvery grey. Metal was definitely predominant over plastic, ceramic and glass.

A kitchenware shop. See all the shiny stainless steel and brass?

Different Types of Indian Women Clothing

One of the first things you will notice when traveling to India is the spectacular patterns and colors of women clothing. Women’s types of clothing in this country vary widely depending on climate, local culture, and religion, as well as urban or rural settings.

The Indian Headshake and Its Meaning

I have been familiar with the Indian headshake or “wobble”  for many years and so much that whenever I go to India, I actually start doing it. It is contagious and useful. I even keep doing it for a bit back in the Western world after returning from my travels in India. 

For those not familiar with it, it might even be a bit hard to do the headshake naturally. I have a friend who was trying and he just looked awkward and silly.

I think that the headshake is a big characteristic of the Indian culture and communication, though some say that it is more common in the South of India than in the North.

“The film presents an array of headshakes and shows how subtle variations in velocity, vigour and amplitude of wobble denote different meanings, including: “yes”, “no”, “maybe”, “what’s up?” and “carry on”. Mathew admits that his headshakes have been somewhat exaggerated for comic effect, but maintains that it’s a true picture of a national trait. ” (BBC)

 

Monthly Best Of: January 2014

New series!

Every 30th or 31st (or 28th) of the month, I will share with you a best of [posts] of that month. The posts are chosen based on most views, most commented, most likes and one or two favorites of mine.

So if you missed any good ones, every month you’ll get a chance to check them out. You are welcome.

Home Security In Rural India

If you are like me, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “home security” is a system that involves technology to keep your home safe with security alarms, motion sensitive lighting, hidden cameras, etc.

In India, at least in the part of India where our house is, home security means hiring a guard to come walk around your home banging his wooden stick on the wall as he sings or prays (couldn’t tell which) until late night hours. 

Don’t be disturbed by the Swastika in India

Om and Swastika symbolism on a truck in India. Photo by Thessilian

Mostly people relate the swastika symbol to the Nazis. But if you see this symbol in India, it doesn’t mean they are Nazis or anything like it. In fact the swastika in India is a symbol of auspiciousness and it was used even before the Nazis.

aus·pi·cious, adjective:

• conducive to success; favorable.
• characterized by success; prosperous.

A Culinary Day in India

 

This short film by The Perennial Plate compiles three weeks of filming, traveling and eating in India into “one day”.

You can almost taste the food, smell the smells and feel the warmth of the sun as it sets. Full of energy, joy, and culture, this is what India is about.

This video will make you hungry for India.

Enjoy!

Explaining the Lack of Privacy and the Lack of Verbal Manners in India

I have posted about lack of privacy culture-shock and about the lack of manners in India in point number 5 of this post.

And now I have explanations to both those things.

Amit from India taught me this: