MUMBAI: This is 2016 but women in India don’t generally shake hands. Dating is uncustomary. Females of this country are traditional and may refuse politely if asked out for a film.This and more make up the ninth edition of the handbook that gives international visitors and students a glimpse into India, its people and traditions. Updated this year—its previous version came out in 1999—the traveller’s guide and the scholar’s manual released by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations has notes on how to live and be in India as short-term visitors.“Educated women have cast aside many customary inhibitions and have come forward in many ways in the past few decades. They will talk to the student when he is introduced to them. The modern Indian woman is traditional in some ways. She may refuse politely if a man asks her out for a film or an outing. Dating is not common in India.”There are some handy tips for hostel life. International students are advised not to choose rooms next to bathrooms or under the roof. “Rooms are allotted on a first-come-first-served basis and there is a shortage of rooms in most Indian universities… It is better to avoid getting a room near bathrooms or right under the roof (as it can get very hot in the summers).” It adds that life in an Indian hostel could be tough.“Sometimes, in case of some hostels, limited hours of water supply and frequent power cuts make a stay in an Indian hostel quite a challenge.” A reference book that is supposed to bare India’s soul has details of the country’s rivers and seasons, it colleges and admission processes, apart from how the nation behaves.“Indians are generally friendly and informal. Many of them may not wait to be introduced in order to talk to the student. In buses and trains, he may find people eager to talk.” International guests have also been warned about train and bus travel.“Queuing for bus is advised. A student need not be surprised should he find that the “first-come-first-served” rule is not being strictly followed, as the habit of forming a queue is not yet fully developed in all places.” While travelling on the train, the manual suggests that it may a good idea to chain up and secure the luggage.The ICCR works towards establishing, reviving and strengthening cultural relations and mutual understanding between India and other countries. For international students, the council takes care of international scholars once they land in India.It also holds summer camps, study tours, introduction courses and home-hospitality programmes with Indian families. It celebrates national days and Indian festivals, hosts concerts, movie screenings, social get-togethers and sports tournaments.Clearing doubts on homes and private apartments, the handbook states, “The housing problem is not so acute in small towns, but in larger cities the problem is as acute for Indians as for foreigners. The student should not take it as a lack of hospitality or a sign of unfriendliness if he finds it difficult to get good accommodation.”