Interesting India Customs

One of my coworkers is being sent to India to train people in India since we are outsourcing like many other companies. She was given a handbook in India customs and a quick crash course in India traditions. One of the “customs” threw me for a loop since I myself come from a third world country, and I decided to discuss the matter here to see how much of this is true.
The custom in questions is that Indians don’t use toilet paper (as a custom) and that they prefer using their left hand to clean their behinds. The book continues to say that since this happens on the left hand, the left hand is considered dirty and Indians use their right hand to do other business (like passing food, greeting someone, or even handling money). I am very curious to see what you guys have to say about this.

they use thie left hand but they also use water to wash butts(simultaneously)...toilet paper and water don't usually combine. take your pick of what's ...uh...grosser...

Thank you Luckywoman for making me more acquainted with the past of this website. I however find it fascinating that somebody would have the audacity to put something like that in a manual or crash course for Indian culture. Being born and raised in a third world country and being highly European. We know the use of things as a bidet and the practicality of washing “our private parts” whenever available. I just thought that the use of whatever hand was a matter of preference and not something to be taken so seriously.

It's expected that you know this when you're in india.

a person eating with their left hand can gross people out at a table(as much as a person using their fingers to eat in the west).

I don't know if it is really true across the board. I am originally from India - and have never really heard of this custom...

It exists. not as a prevelent hard and fast rule, and maybe not among the younger city crowd, but it certainly exists.

I've grossed out many by the use of the left hand at the table.

I think the scale of soial "faux paus" is EXACTLY like eating with your fingers at a table in the US . most places they son't care,(certainly, in restaurants/bars they don't care, but there are people and places who do..

Left is unclean, right is clean; head is clean, feet is unclean --- it is all part of a philosophy (for want of a better word?) that goes way beyond what people do in the toilet.

I've often been told off for carring my shoes in my right hand, or touching a god with my left. I have never been told off for eating with my left hand though. That of course could be because most people who see me eating are used to my husband, who also eats with his lef hand (we're both leftys!). However I find it interesting that my husband can go to a important dinner, that he has been invited to as one of the x amount of Bhramins that have to eat, and eat using his left hand. After all I was after told so many time as a child that indian though the left hand dirty.