Indian hospitality

Indians are world renowned for their hospitality – and I can understand why.

The families we’re staying with are part of Vijay’s extended family. Although being part of the same family they are complete strangers to us. Vijay might have met them when he first visited India more than 15 years ago, but of course he can’t remember them. Maybe some of them have some distant memories or at least have been in touch with his parents. But still they’re strangers.

I always feel a bit uncomfortable at the beginning. Who are they? Do they speak English? Will it be nice to stay with them? But all these questions get wiped off my mind in only a few hours. Indian people know how to treat guests!

As soon as you enter someone’s house you get a glass of water offered. Soon after there will be Chai and Nasto (homemade snacks). No matter how wealthy or poor the host is, he will never fail to offer his guests something to eat and drink. Refusing these gestures of hospitality would be very impolite. So we eat and drink as much as we can – knowing that there will always be more: either our plates get filled up again or we get escorted to the next relative’s house where the procedure starts again… J We love homemade Indian food, but even our stomachs get full at some point. But our hosts know no mercy. We have to get quite inventive to finally be allowed to stop eating!

Of course being fed is not the only thing. Our clothes get washed, we get SIM cards for our mobile phones, internet access to check our emails… Our guests show us around, make sure we don’t pay too much when buying something or taking a rickshaw. There is always a lot to discuss and a lot to laugh about. I feel pampered and happy like I was as a child and when we finally leave I feel like leaving a new won family...

Long live Indian hospitality!