India GOIndia guide
Traveller's Glossary
Religion & temples
- Darshan: the act of beholding a deity in the temple; a pilgrim's main goal.
- Aarti: an evening or morning ceremony of fire, with lamps waved before the deity.
- Puja: a ritual offering or act of worship.
- Prasad: blessed food handed out after a ritual.
- Murti: the sculpted image of a deity.
- Mandir: a Hindu temple.
- Gopuram: the towering gateway of a South Indian temple.
- Sanctum / garbhagriha: the innermost shrine (often open to Hindus only).
- Ghat: stone steps leading down to water.
- Sadhu: a wandering ascetic.
- Swami: a spiritual teacher or monk.
- Ashram: a spiritual community you can stay at.
- Satsang: a communal practice or spiritual talk.
- Kirtan: communal chanting of mantras.
- Samadhi: a saint's memorial shrine.
- Mela: a religious fair or festival gathering.
- Dharamshala: a pilgrims' guesthouse.
- Parikrama: walking clockwise around a shrine, keeping it on your right.
- Lingam: the aniconic form of Shiva: a smooth stone pillar set in a yoni base.
- Shikhara: the curved tower over the sanctum in north-Indian temples; the southern counterpart is the gopuram over the gate.
- Dhwaja stambha: the flagpole in front of the shrine; devotees bow to it before entering.
- Vahana: the animal mount of a deity (Nandi the bull for Shiva, the mouse for Ganesha, Garuda for Vishnu).
- Tilaka: the mark on the forehead: three horizontal lines of ash mean Shiva, a vertical U means Vishnu, a red dot of kumkum means the Goddess.
- Jyotirlinga: one of the twelve “lingams of light”, the most revered shrines of Shiva.
- Trimurti: the triad Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva: creation, preservation, dissolution.
- Avatar: a descent of Vishnu into the world; Rama and Krishna are the seventh and eighth.
- Mantra: a sacred formula repeated in prayer, such as “Om namah Shivaya”.
- Bhakti: devotion as a path: love for the deity rather than ritual or scholarship.
- Moksha: liberation from the cycle of rebirth, the final goal of the path.
- Shruti and Smriti: “what is heard” (the Vedas) and “what is remembered” (the epics, the Puranas, the Gita).
Food
- Thali: a "bit of everything" platter, usually with free refills.
- Dhaba: a roadside eatery.
- Chaat: savoury street snacks.
- Lassi: a yogurt drink (bhang lassi contains cannabis and is legal only at licensed shops).
- Paan: a betel-leaf chew that gets spat out (those red stains on the pavement are it).
- Pure veg: a place that serves no meat, fish or eggs.
Transport
- Auto / tuk-tuk: a three-wheeled motor-rickshaw.
- Tatkal: a ticket quota that opens a day before departure. Under the rules in force since July 2025, booking it online yourself requires Aadhaar authentication, so for an ordinary foreign tourist this option is effectively out of reach.
- WL / RAC / CNF: waiting list / reservation-against-cancellation (a seat, not a berth) / confirmed.
- PNR: your train booking's reference number.
- Hill station: a British-era mountain resort town.
- IDP: International Driving Permit (whether it's recognised depends on your nationality; in practice, carry it together with your home licence).
Bureaucracy & everyday
- FIR: a First Information Report, the police record of an incident.
- FRRO: the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (immigration for foreigners).
- Aadhaar: India's national ID for residents; some online services require it.
- Dry day: a day when alcohol sales are banned.
- UPI: India's QR-code payment system (tourists use special wrapper apps; see the "Money" guide).
- Encashment certificate: proof of a currency exchange (handy for converting your rupees back).