We all ask ignorant questions about different cultures, but sometimes we may feel a little nervous to ask certain questions as the fear of being laughed at or seen as uneducated. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you get a start! We asked 6 Indians what the most ignorant questions were that they’d been asked and we collected their responses. So, let’s dive into our Ignorant India Questions…

Do you speak Indian?

Erm, Indian isn’t a language! Let’s break it down…India is a country. Within the country, there are many states, each of which has its own language, so India does not have 1 language. Indian as a term is used to refer to the cultures of India, not the language. Whilst the official language of India is Hindi, there are many others such as Panjabi, Urdu, English, Tamil, Sanskrit and many more.

“Firstly Indian isn’t a language.... it’s like saying do you speak British... so no but I am Indian and speak various languages” - Anjaly
“Oh dear! This one is the most asked one. We have multiple languages in one country, therefore I speak my mother tongue Marathi (regional language), Hindi (The country's common language) English (Learnt in school) and a bit of Sanskrit, again learnt in school (the old Indian language)” - Aishwarya
“So there is no such thing as speaking Indian. India, being a multicultural country, has 28 states with 22 languages. I'm from Maharashtra and I speak Marathi.” - Kimaya

Does everyone in India always break into song and dance?

Who doesn’t like a good old song and dance hey?! Although most Indians don’t just randomly break out into one, Bollywood surely depicts this as a norm. Almost every single Bollywood movie has many moments of unrealistic singing and dancing where in a blink of an eye, the characters find themselves another city or even country just for the song. Despite being totally unrealistic, I guess it’s a key part of Bollywood cinema that you’ll soon fall in love with.

“I’m sure you don’t believe everything you see on tv and in movies otherwise I should be asking whether you live with dinosaurs or see captain America and Thor running around town. We don’t just break into dance and song unless you know we’re at a wedding obviously” - Anjaly
“Some do but most are too shy to dance” - Vivian
“Yes they do. Whatever occasion it might be, people are always filled with enthusiasm. They would want to dance anywhere. Speaking of which, Punjabis are known for their Bhangra Dance, Maharashtrians or anybody from the country know what Ganapati Profession dance looks like” - Kimaya

Why do Indians always shake their head when they talk?

Whilst nodding is often associated with registering what someone’s saying, many Indian cultures do a little shake of their head to acknowledge what is being said to them. It’s a way of saying ‘yes’ without actually saying a word. It has become such a habit amongst Indians that some don’t even realise that they’re doing it, it feels that natural.

“The head shaking usually means "understood or to understand". Indians do it out of habit while conveying ideas. It's a culture thing” - Vivian
“People from all over the world have different ways of speaking.... we’re just a very expressive passionate bunch which comes out like this” - Anjaly
“Do we?? Didn't realize this one” - Aishwarya

Do you pray to cows?

Nope Indians don’t pray to cows. Instead they respect them because they are regarded to be sacred animals. Cows in India have been known to have given more than they take; they provide milk, they’re used for fieldwork and their dung was used as fuel. Many Indians who aren’t vegetarian, refrain from eating beef due to the high level of respect that they have for cows. Even Mahatma Gandhi said that cow protection is a key part of the Hindu religion.

Just because we find an animal sacred doesn’t mean we pray to it.... it’s an ignorant question but I’m glad to be here to educate you a little about our culture - Anjaly
No..haha! According to our religious texts, cows are considered as mothers, therefore we treat them with utmost respect. - Aishwarya
Yes I do. Most of the Indians do. They say a cow's stomach consists of 33 crore gods. We call her, Go Mata (Mother Cow) and thus she is believed to be the Mother of God's and is believed sacred. We also, have a separate day during Diwali, called as Vasubaras, where we make delectables for the cow and her calf. - Kimaya (Pune,Maharashtra)

Will your family force you to do arranged marriage like everyone else in India?

Ah the age-old stereotype! Firstly, let’s make it clear that a tradition does not apply to EVERYONE in a country. Secondly, there’s a BIG difference between forced and arranged; arranged marriages are where a friend or family member knows of someone who may be a potential match for someone, so they act as a middle person who introduces the couple. It is then up to the two people to decide whether they would like to get married. Whereas forced marriage is where there is not an option for the bride/groom as their family pressure them into getting married to someone who they’ve chosen for them.

“Sadly yes! There are some parents who would want their children to get married after a certain age (a specific age they have been told by our ancestors) Many parents look forward for their children to introduce them to their other halves too” - Kimaya
“If I do find a bride independently then I won't have to go for an arranged marriage. If I’m unable to find a soulmate, my mom said she would aid me in my search. The arranged marriage was a thing back in the day because families on both sides had established a trust/agreement and generally most relationships are based off of trust” - Vivian
“It’s always a choice isn’t it.... I’d like to think of arranged marriage as tinder for your parents. There’s always a choice if you want to take that route or not. You can be sure that no one will be left out when it comes to finding love in India whether you decide to go for this option or fall in love yourself” - Anjaly

How can you speak English so well?

Let’s take a moment for a brief history lesson…the British ruled India during the British Raj, and consequently, the English language was introduced into India. The British were in India for hundreds of years. Despite the British rule over India ending in 1947, this did not mean that the English language magically disappeared too. Also, with technological advances and increased tourism many languages are spoken in India and the internet makes it even easier for people across the globe to learn new languages.

“I get this question a lot. I grew up learning English in a Convent based school. In fact, English is the only language I have a proper grasp of” - Vivian
“Schooling in India is varied. There are Full English Medium schools, Semi English Medium schools, and specific language medium schools. Out of which, I've done my schooling in a Full English Medium School. I've done my College and Under Graduation in English Medium too” - Kimaya
“Not a lot of people know this but English is one of the official languages in India and we are taught it from very early on so we’re fluent in multiple languages including English from a very young age . Therefore our English is as good as yours” - Anjaly

Why do you wear red dots?

The mysteries of the red dot…this little thing seems to intrigue many people. This ‘red dot’ Is called a ‘bindi’ and is a sticker like an accessory that is applied to a female’s forehead in between her eyebrows. Traditionally, it was known to have symbolised the third eye, which is associated with spirituality. However, in modern-day society, it is now used as a fashion accessory, comes in different colours and the shape has evolved from a simple plain dot to a pattern with a range of colours and gems.

“Every culture has their own culture and tradition and a Bindi (not red dot) is an important addition to ours. It comes in various colours and shapes worn daily or for events. The colours and shape may symbolise different aspects about women but it’s all part of our beauty and culture” - Anjaly
“Red Dots, known as Kumkum/Sindoor mainly is worn by women who are married. It is a symbol of Saubhagya, and a visible expression of their desire for their husband’s long life. A woman whose husband has deceased cannot wear it” - Kimaya
“I don't usually wear the red dot but my mom told me it symbolizes the third eye” - Vivian

Do you guys eat anything other than curry?

Wow, imagine if a whole country just had one food…I doubt that’s even happened in the history of humankind! Indian cuisine is so diverse, but curry seems to be a popular dish in the West, hence India is stereotyped as being the land of curry. Sure, there are many different types of curry, but there are also so many non-curry dishes such as sabji, samosa, pakoras, chaats, dosas and lots more.

“Yeah I eat most cuisines like every other human being. But Indian food made from an Indian's hands is comforting” - Vivian
“What’s better than a good curry? So why eat anything other than curry? But Indian cuisine is so vast and varies state to state. We do eat a lot of curry cause they’re all so delicious but there’s always room for other types of different delicious food” - Anjaly
“Yes, we have veggies, parathas, chaat, loads of things other than curry. Indian cuisine is multifold!” - Aishwarya

Why do you think that ‘cha’ (tea) is the cure for everything?

Cha was traditionally seen as the answer for absolutely anything and everything whether it’s a medical issue or social disaster, before you get to work on it the initial step is to drink a cup of cha. Not only has drinking cha become a tradition that is passed down to generations, but it is also known to have many immune-boosting ingredients. It’s like having juice – there’s apple, orange juice, pineapple juice etc – there are also many different types of cha.

“Personally I've never come across this concept. Usually Indians have their own locally made remedies known as ayurvedic medicines” - Vivian
Tea is like beer for us! We can have it anywhere, anytime, any temperature, any weather! - Aishwarya
“Another correction, it's either Chai or Chaha. Tea is most commonly known as a remedy to sore throat, fever or literally as you said, cure to anything. If you're a chai lover, you know how important chai is in your life. It's an emotion. I being a Chai Person, I love to make my tea that consists of fresh Ginger, Peppermint and Lemongrass. Adding Tulsi, Elaichi (Cardamom) and Clove makes it more strong and healthy” - Kimaya

Why do you call elders who are strangers or have no relation to you ‘auntie Ji’/’uncle Ji’ ?

Just like the West you refer to an elder as sir/madman, Indian elders are regarded as being wise and worthy of respect. Indians also treat everyone with open arms and friends often become like family, so it would be rude for a child to call their parent’s friend by their name. ‘Ji’ is a term used to denote respect. It can be added after any relation such as ‘mummy ji’, ‘daddy ji’, ‘auntie ji’, ‘uncle ji’, as a mark of respect for the person.

“I usually tend to do this out of respect for the individual. Growing up in an Indian society you learn to respect your elders because they hold far more experience in life than you” - Vivian
“It’s a sign of respect to our elders to speak to them without referring to their names and calling them with more respectful terms. It’s also better than just screaming ‘Hey you’ at a stranger and approaching them with a more respectful and inviting greeting” - Anjaly
“I really don't know why do we say that, but it is kind of incorporated into us ever since we're born. Or say we're born with it. Whoever looks elder than you, you ought to call them as uncle or aunty. That's how you pay your respects while talking to them” - Kimaya

So there we have it guys, Culture Scoop’s Ignorant India Q&A! Which answers surprised you the most? And be sure to let us know what ignorant questions you’ve asked…