What to wear in India

There is no national dress code in India, and in the big cities people wear what they wear anywhere: jeans, T-shirts, dresses to the knee, and almost anything in a bar. The further you get from the metros, the more conservative the street becomes, and at any place of worship the expectations are clear. One habit covers most of it: shoulders and knees covered, nothing tight or see-through, for women and men alike.

Dressing the local way also changes how a place treats you. Stares fade, bargaining gets easier, and temple guards stop waving you aside. None of this shifts responsibility: harassment is always on the harasser, never on the outfit.

The rules shift with the state as much as with the place.

At the door of a Hindu temple, six things matter: shoes off at the entrance, shoulders and knees covered, the head covered if you are asked (a scarf is often handed to you), no photos of the altar without permission, leather left outside the sanctum (belt, wallet), and a small donation, even ten rupees.

The code gets stricter the further south you go. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu women are expected in a sari or churidar (tunic with fitted trousers), and some southern temples ask men to take off their shirt and enter in a dhoti (a cloth wrapped around the waist). Two official examples:

• Tirumala (Tirupati), Andhra Pradesh: the temple trust's dress code, which applies to sevas (paid rituals) and to special-entry and VIP darshan, is a dhoti or pyjamas with an upper cloth for men; for women a saree or half-saree with blouse, or a churidar with pyjama and upper cloth.
• Sree Padmanabhaswamy, Thiruvananthapuram: according to Kerala Tourism, men wear a mundu or dhoti reaching the heels and no shirt; women wear a sari, mundum neriyathum (the Kerala two-piece), skirt and blouse, or half-sari. Dhotis can be rented at the entrance and may be worn over trousers or a churidar. Note that this temple admits Hindus only; India GO lists the same rule at Jagannath in Puri, Lingaraj in Bhubaneswar and Guruvayur in Kerala.

You don't need to pack any of this: stalls outside every big temple sell the kit, in the India GO team's experience a kurta pyjama for ₹300–500 and a dupatta for ₹100–200.

Gurdwaras are among the most welcoming places in India. The Sikh code of conduct published by the SGPC, the body that manages the Golden Temple in Amritsar, says plainly that no person, of whatever country, religion or caste, is barred from entering a gurdwara. It also sets the etiquette: take off your shoes and clean up before going in (washing your feet if they are dirty), don't carry tobacco or other intoxicants, and don't sit bare-headed in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib (the holy scripture) or in the congregation. Visitors follow the same custom, so bring a scarf or bandana, or ask at the entrance if you have none.

Mosques expect modest dress: long sleeves, long trousers or skirt, nothing tight. Shoes come off at the door. Women may be asked to cover their head, so a dupatta in the bag solves it.

Modest does not have to mean hot. Loose, long cotton or linen keeps you cooler than shorts in the sun, and a light scarf doubles as head cover, sun shade and temple wrap.

• Hot season (April to June on the plains): loose, light-coloured cotton, a hat, and a scarf for the neck. In Jaipur, May maximums reach 40–47 °C.
• Winter in the north (December to February): days are pleasant, nights are not. In Jaipur, January lows are around 7–8 °C, so bring a fleece or shawl; Delhi mornings are often foggy and damp.
• Himalaya and Ladakh: layers, a warm jacket even in summer, and sun protection for the altitude.
• Monsoon (June to September): quick-drying fabrics, sandals rather than canvas shoes, and a light rain jacket; umbrellas are sold on every corner.

For which region suits which month, see [when to go](/en/guide/best-time-to-visit/).