Female travellers in India

India is a conservative country and some western habits are perceived as dishonorable for a woman in this culture.

1. Outside of the larger cities, it is unusual for people of the opposite sex to touch each other in public. Even couples (married or otherwise) refrain from public displays of affection. Therefore, it is advised that you do not shake hands with a person of the opposite sex unless the other person extends his/her hand first. The greeting among Hindus is to bring your palms together in front of your chest, or simply saying 'Namaste', or 'Namaskar' ('Vanakkam' in Tamil Nadu). Both forms are equally polite and correct, if a little formal. Almost all the people (even if they don't know English) do understand a "Hi" or a "Hello".
2. Except in major cities (and only in trendy places or in high society) women do not smoke. A woman who smokes/drinks is associated with loose moral character in much of the rest of the country's growing middle class.
3. Places such as Discos/Dance clubs are less-conservative areas. It is good to leave your things at a hotel and head down there for a drink and some light conversation.
   
4. People are fully-clothed even at the beach. So, be sure to find out what the appropriate attire is for the beach you are visiting. (In some rare places like Goa, where the visitors to beach are predominantly foreigners, it is permissible to wear bikinies on the beach but it is still offensive to go about dressed in western swim wear away from the beach).
   
5. In local trains, there are usually cars reserved only for women and designated as such on their front. Predominantly this reserved car is usually the last in the train.
6. In most buses (private and public) a few seats at the front of the bus are reserved for women, Usually these seats will be occupied by men and many a times, they vacate the place when a female stands near gesturing her intention to sit there. In many parts of the country, (except cities), women do not prefer sharing a seat with a man other than her spouse. If you by mistake sit near a man, he may stand up from the seat and give the place to you as a matter of respect, which is usually mistaken by many foreigners for a rude attitude.
   
7. Street parties for holidays are usually devoid of women but filled with crowds of inebriated men partying. During festivals such as Holi, New Year's Eve, and even Christmas Eve, women can be subjected to groping and sexually aggressive behaviour from these crowds. It is unsafe for women to attend these festivities alone.
8. Friendly conversation with men you meet on trains, etc. is often confused with flirtation/availability. In some scenarios, this can lead to unexpected sexual advances (this happens to Indian women as well, not just Westerners). Befriending Indian women, however, can be a wonderful experience for female travellers, though you might have to initiate conversation.
   
9. Dressing in traditional Indian clothes, such as salwaar kameez (comfortable and good in) or saree (more formal and difficult to wear) will generally garner Western women more respect in the eyes of locals. Show some enthusiasm for the traditional Indian way of life and you may find that men will treat you more like a 'lady' than an object.
10. "Eve Teasing"is a term used in Indian English to refer to anything from unwanted verbal advances to physical sexual assault.