I'm left-handed and am about to set off to India. Will I get funny looks? Will the local people freak out? Do I need to train myself to be right-handed for the duration? Anyone have experience of this?

I am left-hander, gertie - with multiple trips to India under my belt. Yup, off the tourist track you'll get funny looks. Yup, training yourself to eat right handed is a smart move. I can now eat a complete meal by hand in the Indian manner - my right hand.

You'll probably not need these special skills at the Oberoi. I'm talking about eating with the locals.

Try and give money with your right hand. Try and take objects with your right hand. The imperceptible moments of politeness between people are some of the nicest bits of India.

Ultimately, you'll be a tourist and not expected to know anything at all, so don't fuss when you make mistakes. Nobody will take offence.

no problem at all

Well, you may eat with a utensil or you may eat with your hand using a piece of chappati to lift the food to your mouth. We did see Indians using the left hand occasionally, to tear the bread into pieces, for instance, but not to put food directly into their mouths. Try practicing before you leave by sitting on your left hand while eating --- harder than it seems even for someone who is right-handed. But no one will attack you if you do use your left hand.

I knew it Dogster.
What's the Oberoi? I don't think I'm staying there

Am a leftie, didn't do any special training before my month in India. If I got funny looks, I was oblivious to them, which is not unsual for me.

Go and enjoy the people, the country and the food.

I think it's important to be culturally sensitive in other countries.

Although I'm right handed, I tend to pass things with my left hand. I learned not to do this after I got some odd looks, and once a clerk pulled back his hand from taking my credit card until I switched it to my right hand.

As Dogster said, in a fancy hotel no one will bat an eye at eating with your left hand, but on the street, they will be grossed out to see you handle food with the left. ( they won't say anything, though. Too polite). The Oberoi is a chain of beautiful 5 star hotels.


Have you watched the movie "outsourced"?

No, the nearest I've got is Slumdog Millionaire.

I don't think Indians will view westerners who are left handed with the same scorn as they may view other Indians when you are in touristy hotels, restaurants. If you are in a private home for dinner, you should to try to use your right hand to eat, drink and serve food from the serving dish.

However, regardless of who you are, if you go to a Hindu temple, you MUST only use your right hand to accept any fruit or sweet from the priest, ring the bell, etc.

The right hand/left hand is you eat (do clean things) with your right hand and use your left hand for dirty things such as when you are in the bathroom.