Karnataka is a large state in southwest India, stretching from the Arabian Sea coast across the forested Western Ghats to the Deccan plateau. It combines the UNESCO-listed ruins of Hampi, the Hoysala temples of Belur and Halebidu, the royal city of Mysuru, coffee-covered Coorg hills, and the beaches of Gokarna and Udupi, with Bengaluru as India's technology capital.
Cultural orientation
Essential context for travellers.
Remove shoes before entering temples, mosques, and many homes; leave them at the designated rack outside.
Use the right hand for eating, passing money, and giving or receiving items; the left hand is considered unclean.
Dress modestly at religious sites: cover shoulders and knees. Some temples (for example Sri Manjunatha Temple, Dharmasthala, and Udupi Krishna Matha) require men to remove shirts or wear a dhoti or lungi in the inner sanctum.
Ask permission before photographing people, and note that photography inside many temple sanctums is banned.
Karnataka is the home of Kannada; even a few words such as 'Namaskara' and 'Dhanyavadagalu' earn warm responses, especially outside Bengaluru.
Vegetarian food is the norm at temples and many Udupi-style restaurants; meat is not carried into temple grounds.
Public displays of affection are frowned on outside cosmopolitan Bengaluru; keep them discreet.
Do not touch or step over food, books, or sacred objects, and avoid pointing your feet at people or shrines.
Do's and don'ts
Quick guide to local norms.
Do
- Greet with 'Namaskara' and a slight nod with palms together
- Carry small notes (INR 10, 20, 50, 100) for tips, temple donations, and auto-rickshaws
- Use the Namma Yatri or Uber/Ola apps, or insist on the meter, for auto-rickshaws in Bengaluru and Mysuru
- Accept prasada (temple offering) with the right hand
- Carry socks in hot months: temple stone floors can be scorching at midday
- Book Mysuru Dasara viewing seats and Hampi guide services in advance during peak periods
- Carry a photo ID when buying alcohol or entering pubs (legal drinking age is 21)
- Drink only sealed bottled or filtered water
Don't
- Don't wear shoes, hats, or revealing clothes inside temples
- Don't photograph military areas, airports, or bridges, and don't fly drones without permission
- Don't feed or approach monkeys at Hampi and Chamundi Hill; they snatch bags and food
- Don't drink alcohol on dry days (election days and certain festivals) or in public places
- Don't litter or bathe with soap at sacred tanks and rivers
- Don't enter Bandipur, Nagarhole, or Kabini forest zones outside permitted safari routes and hours
- Don't discuss the Cauvery water dispute or Kannada-language politics casually with strangers
- Don't touch a person's head or point your foot at anyone
Etiquette by setting
How to navigate everyday situations.
- Greetings
- 'Namaskara' with palms joined is the standard greeting. Handshakes are common in business in Bengaluru, but men generally wait for a woman to offer her hand first. Elders are addressed with 'Sir' or 'Madam'.
- Dining
- Meals on a banana leaf are eaten with the right hand. Do not waste food; ask for small servings and seconds. Udupi-style and Darshini restaurants often operate on a pay-first coupon or counter system; take your token to the counter. Wash hands at the basin before and after eating.
- Dress
- Lightweight cotton, modest cuts. Beachwear is acceptable only at beaches such as Om Beach (Gokarna), Malpe, and Murudeshwar; cover up in towns. Temples need covered shoulders and knees.
- Gifts
- Sweets (Mysore Pak), dry fruit, or fruit are welcome gifts. Avoid leather items for Hindu hosts and alcohol unless certain. Present and receive gifts with the right hand or both hands; gifts are usually opened later.
- Business
- Punctuality is expected in Bengaluru's tech and corporate sector, though meetings elsewhere may start late. Business cards are exchanged with the right hand. English is the working language of business.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 5-10% if no service charge is added (typically INR 50-100, ~$0.5-1, for small meals). Auto-rickshaws: round up. Hotel porters INR 50-100 (~$0.5-1). Safari guides and drivers: INR 300-500 per day (~$3-5).
Useful phrases
A few words go a long way.
Namaskara
Hello / Greetings
nuh-muh-SKAH-ruh
Dhanyavadagalu
Thank you
dhun-yuh-vah-DUH-guh-loo
Dayavittu
Please / Kindly
DUH-yuh-vit-too
Howdu
Yes
HOW-doo
Illa
No
IL-luh
Idu eshtu?
How much is this?
EE-doo esh-TOO
Bus stand ellide?
Where is the bus stand?
bus stand EL-lee-day
Nanage artha aagalla
I don't understand
nuh-NUH-gay ar-THUH ah-GUL-luh
Neeru
Water
NEE-roo
Chennagide
Delicious
chen-NUH-gee-day
Sahaya maadi
Help!
suh-HAI-yuh MAH-dee
Barteeni
Goodbye / See you
BAR-tee-nee
Religion & spirituality
Understanding faith in Karnataka.
Main: Hinduism is the majority faith (roughly 84%), with Islam (about 13%), Christianity (about 2%), Jainism, and Buddhism forming significant minorities. Karnataka is a centre of Lingayat (Veerashaiva), Madhva (Dvaita, founded in Udupi), and Jain traditions.
Sites: Chamundeshwari Temple (Mysuru), Virupaksha Temple (Hampi), Sri Krishna Matha (Udupi), Sri Manjunatha Temple (Dharmasthala), Mahabaleshwara Temple (Gokarna), Murudeshwar Temple, Gomateshwara Statue (Sravanabelagola, Jain), Channakeshava Temple (Belur), Hoysaleswara Temple (Halebidu), Gol Gumbaz and Ibrahim Rauza (Vijayapura), and St. Philomena's Cathedral (Mysuru).
Holy Days: Ugadi (Kannada New Year, March-April), Ganesha Chaturthi (Aug-Sept), Navaratri/Dasara (Sept-Oct), Deepavali (Oct-Nov), Eid, Christmas, and Mahamastakabhisheka at Sravanabelagola (once every 12 years; next expected 2030). Banks and many shops close on major holidays.
Conversations: Religion is visible and personal. Avoid criticising customs or comparing faiths; ask respectful questions instead. Cow protection and food choices are sensitive topics.