Everyday
Mobile-First Country, Things they wish they'd known, Words That Open Doors, When India shuts down. 14 min read.
Mobile-First Country
17 Digital India & essential appsUPI · 10-minute delivery · Ride hailing · Health · Travel · Streaming
India is Mobile-First
A phone is your second passport here.
UPI payments. Ten-minute grocery delivery. Bike taxis. Home doctor visits. Movie tickets, train bookings, gas refills, electricity, broadband, school fees, parking, weddings, all in apps. Set these up in week one and India becomes dramatically easier to live in.
Things they wish they'd known
18 Practical tips for week oneMoney · safety · shopping · tipping · etiquette · small wins
From IKAN's Settled Families
Small things that save weeks.
A short list of practical knowledge collected from hundreds of IKAN-supported families, distilled into things you can act on immediately.
Carry small notes, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50 and ₹100 are essential for autos, parking, tips and small shops. ₹500 is the largest note in common use (the ₹2,000 note was withdrawn by RBI in 2023) and is not always easy to change.
UPI everywhere. Once your bank account is live, you'll rarely need cash, pay vegetable carts, paan shops, hotel valets and Diwali tips by QR.
ATMs are everywhere; international card fees vary, HDFC and SBI ATMs are usually the most reliable for foreign cards.
India's major cities are generally safe for expats and families. Gated communities have 24/7 security. Be street-smart: don't flash valuables, use reputable taxis, avoid empty trains/streets late at night.
Save the local police station, building security and your IKAN consultant on speed-dial. 112 is the universal emergency number (works like 911).
Women: app-based cabs (Ola/Uber) are generally safe, prefer them to street-hailing, and share your trip with a contact via the app.
Bargain in bazaars and street markets (Sarojini in Delhi, Colaba Causeway in Mumbai, Commercial Street in Bengaluru), start at 40% of quoted price. Don't bargain in malls, branded stores, supermarkets or restaurants, prices are fixed.
For Indian groceries, try Nature's Basket, Foodhall, and Spencer's Hyper. For international groceries: Modern Bazaar, Le Marche, Star Bazaar.
Drink only bottled, boiled or RO-filtered water for the first 3 to 6 months. Brush teeth with bottled water initially. Avoid ice from unknown sources. Eat cooked, hot, busy-restaurant food first; street food can wait until your gut acclimatises.
Keep ORS sachets and electrolyte powder on hand at all times. For antibiotics or anti-diarrhoeals, carry only what your doctor has prescribed, don't self-medicate from generic over-the-counter strips.
Restaurants: 5 to 10% if no service charge. Drivers: ₹50 to 200/day · ₹500 to 1,000 on long trips. Hotel housekeeping: ₹100 to 200/day. Bellhops: ₹50 to 100/bag. Salon: 10%.
Around Diwali, tip building staff (security, lift operator, cleaner, driver, helper) ₹500 to 3,000 each. This is non-negotiable cultural protocol.
India is 230V / 50Hz. Plug types C, D and M. Most US/Japanese appliances will need step-down transformers; European, UK and Australian appliances are voltage-compatible (carry adapters).
Power cuts still happen in some areas. Surge protectors are essential for laptops, TVs and refrigerators. Most modern buildings have generator back-up; check.
Insist on the meter in metros where it's mandated (Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai). If the driver refuses, walk away, the next auto will use it.
Where the meter is not mandated (Delhi often, smaller cities), agree fare before boarding. Ask a local what the route should cost first; offer 20% above that.
Pay via UPI or use change to within ₹10, "no change" is a common gambit. Apps like Uber Auto, Ola Auto and Rapido fix the price upfront and remove negotiation entirely.
Most expat households employ part-time or live-out house help for cooking and cleaning. Common roles: maid/bai (cleaning, ₹4,000 to 15,000/month), cook (₹8,000 to 25,000/month), driver (₹18,000 to 28,000/month), nanny (₹15,000 to 35,000/month). These ranges are indicative and vary widely by city, hours and experience.
Always verify documents, take a photo, share with police if required (police verification of domestic staff is mandated in many cities). Pay monthly; consider Diwali bonus (one extra month).
Words That Open Doors
19 Useful Hindi & other vernacular phrasesA working pocket-list in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu & Kannada
Speak A Little, Connect A Lot
Ten local words is the price of admission.
English will carry you through the entire assignment. But a handful of local words, said badly, with a smile, transforms your daily interactions. Drivers smile wider. Vendors quote fairer prices. Meetings warm faster. Pick the language for your city below.
Greetings & courtesies
Everyday essentials
Getting around & people
Greetings & courtesies
Everyday essentials
Getting around & people
Greetings & courtesies
Everyday essentials
Getting around & people
Greetings & courtesies
Everyday essentials
Getting around & people
When India shuts down
20 National & public holidaysNational holidays · Major festival closures · Regional days
Plan Around These
The dates that close offices, banks & the country.
India recognises three national holidays plus a long list of religious and regional days. Most companies offer 10 to 14 fixed holidays a year plus 2 to 3 "restricted" holidays employees can choose from.
The three national holidays
The day India's Constitution came into effect, 1950. Grand parade down Rajpath in Delhi. All government, banks, schools, post offices closed. Flag-hoistings at every office and society. A dry day nationally.
Independence from British rule, 1947. The Prime Minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort in Delhi. Flag-hoisting ceremonies at schools, offices and societies. Dry day nationally.
Mahatma Gandhi's birthday. Observed worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence. Schools, government and most offices closed. Dry day in most states.
Major religious & public holidays
| Holiday | Typical month | Type | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pongal · Makar Sankranti · Lohri | 13-14 January | Regional | Tamil Nadu, Punjab celebrate · kite-flying and bonfires. |
| Republic Day | 26 January | National · Dry day | Delhi parade. All offices closed. |
| Maha Shivratri | Feb/Mar | Hindu | Night-long prayer at Shiva temples. Holiday in many states. |
| Holi | March | Hindu · Major | 2 days. Protect electronics. Coloured powder everywhere. Plan WFH next day. |
| Good Friday · Easter | Mar/Apr | Christian | Major in Goa, Kerala, Mumbai. Holiday in many states. |
| Eid al-Fitr | Varies, about late-March in 2026 (shifts ~11 days earlier each year; confirm annually) | Islamic | End of Ramadan. Major celebration in Hyderabad, Old Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai. |
| Buddha Purnima | May | Buddhist | Sikkim, Ladakh, Maharashtra, Bihar. |
| Eid al-Adha (Bakrid) | Varies, about late-May in 2026 (shifts ~11 days earlier each year; confirm annually) | Islamic | Major Muslim holiday. Holiday across India. |
| Independence Day | 15 August | National · Dry day | Flag-hoisting nationwide. PM's address from Red Fort. |
| Raksha Bandhan · Janmashtami | August | Hindu | Sibling bond + Krishna's birth. Holiday in many states. |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | Aug-Sep | Hindu · Mumbai major | 10-day festival. Mumbai virtually shuts down on visarjan day. |
| Onam | Aug-Sep | Kerala | Kerala's biggest festival. Public holiday across the state. |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2 October | National · Dry day | Schools, government, many offices closed. |
| Dussehra · Vijayadashami | Sep-Oct | Hindu · Major | Climax of Navratri. Ravana effigies burned. Holiday nationwide. |
| Durga Puja | Sep-Oct | Bengal · Major | Kolkata effectively closes for 5 days. UNESCO heritage celebration. |
| Diwali | Oct-Nov | Hindu · Major | 2-5 days. Markets shut. Gift-giving peaks. The Indian Christmas. |
| Chhath Puja | Oct-Nov | Bihar · East | 4-day sun-worship. Major in Bihar, Jharkhand, eastern UP. |
| Guru Nanak Jayanti | November | Sikh | Sikh founder's birthday. Holiday across India. |
| Christmas | 25 December | National | Major in Goa, Kerala, the North-East. Holiday nationwide. |
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