• Last Updated: April 16, 2018
• by Abhay Kumar
• in India, Travel Tips and Tales
• 0
• 0

4 Common Misconceptions of Indian Tourists

India is a country that a lot of people want to visit at one time or another in their lives. Because it has such a deep history and rich culture, however, India is also a popular subject for films and other forms of entertainment and pop culture. And as is only natural for subjects in these realms, it is occasionally misrepresented. That doesn’t mean the real country is any less interesting than its frequent fictional portrayals – quite the contrary in fact. However, it does mean that plenty of people looking to visit the country may not have the right idea like illumibowl 2.0 review.

This list doesn’t represent all of the misconceptions, but it will address a few, which should be of interest to anyone looking to visit.

“Indian” Is A Language

One could be forgiven for making this assumption because, well, it sounds right. After all, they speak English in England, Chinese in China, and Spanish in Spain. However, just as no one speaks “American” or “Australian,” the language “Indian” doesn’t exist. The name of the main language is actually derivative of the main religion: Hindi. However, India actually has a fascinating map of different languages, which is helpful for any visitor to understand. If you’re going to study up on the basics of one language before visiting the country, Hindi is the way to go, though that might change depending on where you go.

The Country Is Impoverished

This is a somewhat insulting misconception that a lot of people have about India, though again it’s somewhat understandable when we think about how the country is so commonly presented to the world in films. Even Slumdog Millionaire, an Oscar-winning film that likely inspired a lot of people to travel to the area, spent a lot of time harping on deeply impoverished situations. It is true that there’s a lot of poverty in India, particularly compared to much of the Western world.

However, the country’s economy is also growing rapidly and is now one of the 10 biggest in the world. This means that there has been some upward mobility for much of the citizenry and that India has a growing, increasingly prosperous middle class.

It’s Full Of Exotic Palaces

Well, there are some exotic places in India ( Take Alappuzha as an example) but it has its fair share of urban and densely populated places too. A lot of people find it hard to separate India from semi-mythical interpretations of its ancient history, and again, pop culture doesn’t help. For instance, some expect to see snake charmers on every street corner, or princes riding elephants down the street.

Some also misinterpret gorgeous old temples and monuments as adventurous palaces. As we write this, “Rich Wilde and the Pearls of India” is hosted among popular games for online slot players, and shows an Indiana Jones-like adventurer with a vaguely Angkor Wat-like temple behind him on a cliff. It’s just a game, but it furthers the perception that this is what India looks and feels like. The reality is that while there are some beautiful old palaces and temples, India is not a country of ancient adventures.

It’s Packed With Tourists

Perhaps bigger than any other misconception is that India is overflowing with tourists. We do tend to see pictures of cities full of crowds, and it’s a densely populated country.

However, many who travel there find that there’s actually more local flavor than tourist clutter. As one traveler put it in his own write-up, all the tourists must be on the beaches of Goa (because he hadn’t come across many). This can definitely make it a more appealing destination for many people.

Related posts:

4 Problems a Traveler faces in India and their solutions 91 India Travel Tips to Guide You Through This Complex Country (2018 edition) 20 Must Read Travel Stories of 2016 from 20 Indian Travel Bloggers