Etiquette and Customs in Pune

Pune being the cultural capital of Maharashtra and a developed city, Etiquette and Customs in Pune are of a varied nature. Pune has the luxuries and facilities of a big city though retaining the comfort of a small town. The people are exceedingly warm and friendly, more so if you speak a little bit of Marathi. If you are looking for any kind of help in the city or are lost, then Puneites are ever ready with directions and easy routes to guide you to your destination, more so if you address the person as 'mama' or 'kaka' otherwise asking the signal policeman or even auto rickshaw driver will be of convenience.

Etiquette and Customs in Pune: If you are invited to the house of a Puneite it is good to remember that they appreciate flowers or tapes or books. Most Puneites are avid readers. The city of Pune has flourishing bookshops which caters to the bibliophile of the city.

Lunch times are strictly adhered to. People in Pune break for lunch by 1.00 pm in the afternoon, and the lunch break includes the usual siesta. It is better not to disturb a Puneite in this hour. Dinner time is usually between 8.30 pm and 10.00 pm.

Among other Etiquette and Customs in Pune is tipping . A tip of 10% to 15% is generally considered customary. Students can do without it as students are not expected to pay tips. It is usual to pay tips to porters or coolies, postmen and the telephone workmen. Also, if someone is staying at someone's place, then it is customary to tip the servants of the house. Also during the festival seasons of Diwali or Ganapati tipping the servants and gardeners is usual.

Another Etiquette and Customs in Pune is the Dress Code. There is no dress code as such, but a salwar-kameez or a sari is the safest bet in business dealings or public places. At discotheques and pubs one's own choice rules the roost