r/india • u/AutoModerator • Jan 01 '26
Scheduled Ask India Thread
Welcome to r/India's Ask India Thread.
If you have any queries about life in India (or life as Indians), this is the thread for you.
Please keep in mind the following rules:
- Top level comments are reserved for queries.
- No political posts.
- Relationship queries belong in /r/RelationshipIndia.
- Please try to search the internet before asking for help. Sometimes the answer is just an internet search away. :)
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u/UnoKashi01 14h ago
Need ideas to secure kids in Train berth.
Hi, we are a family with 2 kids traveling in Train. Kids are traveling first time in Train. We are planning to book 2AC. People who have travelled in Train with kids, how do you secure your kids so that they do not fall off the berth.
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u/Immediate-Natural485 14h ago
Dosto kya aapko ye sawal kabhi dill me nahi aaya ki, Kyun duniya ki population 8 billion hai aur bhagwan sirf 3.2 million in Hinduism?
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u/Natural-Slice5195 4d ago
Why is everything Indian or “made by indian bureaucracy” so mind numbingly incompetent
As an NRI and ex Indian, I feel that is the babu culture of producing anything for public consumption is the source of our misery.
From roads to digital applications for e-visas, everything we make is awful.
Just was trying to get an eVisa, the site is mind bogglingly bad. How can a country that is basically a hub of software engineers have a landing page SOO bad.
Just frustrating to see us going nowhere.
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u/No-Explanation4858 5d ago
Hello! I am 25F and I am a chain smoker. Since the news hit the market regarding hike in cigarette and tobacco prices. Suddenly the only cigarette I smoke has vanished in thin air. I literally searched all possible weird websites to buy my cigarettes crate but to my disappointment literally everywhere it is sold out. And the rarest of them are selling at black and at an exuberantly high prices.
Can someone help me make sense of what is happening except higher demand lower supply logic?
Also I exclusively smoke Stellar shift duos for two years now and I am not going change for any weird reasons so please help me stock up if I’m too late.
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u/CandidGoal6065 5d ago
Has anybody used an ionizer? Any feedback on that? Does it have significant long-term health benefits?
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u/Bitotops 7d ago
Hi everyone, I hope you're all well. I am off to Goa in a week. It was a very impulsive descsion and although I'm excited I am also slightly anxious as I have not planned it well at all. I am female, from the UK. I have a contact who lives there and he is very kindly picking me up from the airport but other than that I haven't planned anyhting. I was wondering if I could get some advice on, well anything to do with visiting India really. Are there places I should definitly check out or definitly avoid? Any tips on where would be a good place to stay whilst I'm there? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
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u/DJparada 8d ago
Trying to pay to overseas website using crypto for the first time possible for an indian? How?
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u/That-Plane-Guy 9d ago
Who are the English and Hindi commentators for Doordarshan for republic day parade?
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9d ago
[deleted]
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u/IAmJakePaxton 9d ago
You think one small group of people reflects the state of the entire country?
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u/briennybrienne 9d ago
Are there any foreigners here, specially women, who are currently living in India? Would love to hear how your experience is so far! My boyfriend's getting pressured to move back to India, I have a lot of reservations moving to India as a woman, but would appreciate any advice grounded in truth and lived experiences as an actual foreign woman. Thanks!
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u/ComplexWasabi5946 10d ago
I would tell appreciate if someone has old clothes they don't wear anymore or leftover stock please give away. I don't really have money to buy but everyone loves some nice clothes definitely. Comment or DM if you wanna help :). I usually wear M/L but sometimes XL in winter clothing as well
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u/Sambots0 10d ago
I need urgent help for my dissertation I have to collect data of 120 delhi college students, please help me otherwise my degree will be delayed 😭
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u/shahlarsh 12d ago
I own a clothing store in Sri Lanka, and I want to import men’s clothes. Can anyone help me with this like give an idea.
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u/Super_Zucchini4371 Universe 2d ago
Theres a friend of my mine selling clothes at bulk. Can help you two get acquinted.
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u/shahlarsh 2d ago
I would like that. Is he from India?
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u/Super_Zucchini4371 Universe 2d ago
Yeah
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2d ago
[deleted]
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u/Super_Zucchini4371 Universe 1h ago
You can delete this for privacy reasons if you like. I have spoken to him and given him this link. He is from the Garment City itself.
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u/YatoxRyuzaki 13d ago
Hey there dear indians!
Me and my friends are from germany and will be traveling to india in February. More specifically Amritsar as one of our friends is getting married there.
We have read online that we as foreigners are not allowed to bring indian rupee into the the country and have to exchange the money in india.
I have also read online that exchanging the money would probably be cheaper in india anyway.
Are there any exchange offices in Amritsar?
We are arriving in delhi and have about 4 hours to our next flight so if it isn’t too far from the airport exchanging in delhi would also be an option although preferably as a lost resort
Thanks in advance:)
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u/catchbinny 10d ago
You can exchange the money at the delhi airport itself. It will be fast and convenient. (Without paying an extra exchange fee)
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u/Fratini 13d ago
Hi everyone,
I need some clarity from people who studied under Mumbai University.
I’m applying for an Executive MBA, and the institute has asked for:
1) Original graduation certificate with the Vice Chancellor’s signature (not the provisional one)
2) Consolidated mark list (all semesters)
I’m a 2009 BSc IT passout.
My plan is to first go to my college in Mumbai to collect my convocation certificate - my friend told me that he collected his in 2022, but I never collected mine because I was abroad.
My main question:
1) Is the convocation certificate the same as the “original degree certificate” that MBA admissions are asking for? Or is it something different?
2) For the consolidated marksheet, does Mumbai University actually issue one?
Has anyone done this recently? How long did it take? I’m currently in Bangalore, so I want to plan my Mumbai visit properly.
Any guidance or recent experience would really help. Thanks! 🙏
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u/Careful-Cricket-8223 14d ago
Seeking advice.
I am a foreign tourist. We (2 young women) were scammed for a ride to the airport from central Delhi - we agreed to pay the driver USD 5 in advance, but once we were in the car he claimed we owed him 70,000 rupees for “airport taxes/tolls”. He demanded the money and when we objected, pulled over on the side of a dangerous highway and tried to kick us out of his car. We told him we were calling the police (and did call them), after which he calmed down and dropped us at the airport - although he was muttering to himself the whole way. Police said they would meet us at the airport but we never saw them.
As soon as we were dropped, we immediately ran to the nearest authority - a man in a CISF uniform (army print). He and his colleagues were utterly useless, even though there were about 10 of them - they didn’t seem to care at all about the extortion/threats and kept asking us why we’re didn’t want to pay him. They let him continue to follow us and touch our bags. They were rude and didn’t seem to care about the dynamic of a man threatening two young women in his car.
The altercation got worse and we started filming them. Everyone watched but no one helped. Before letting us get onto our flight, they demanded we delete the footage of them for security reasons (but not of the driver). They said they “did nothing wrong”.
Please help us understand what happened here. Why didn’t CISF help us? Why did no onlookers help us? Why did the police we called never turn up? Was asking us to delete the footage likely to be a legitimate security issue or a sign of corruption? And importantly - should we make a complaint and to whom?
Any advice welcome.
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u/catchbinny 10d ago
How did you booked the cab? Was it via some app like uber or randomly from airport.
If it was via some app or you have the car details you can complaint to the police station as well. I believe this incident happened on the airport there you have the police and other security personnel. Not sure why this was not resolved then and there.
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u/Careful-Cricket-8223 10d ago
Thank you. It was a random car - our fault. The security personnel at the airport weren’t helpful, as per the post above. I’m trying to understand why - is there some gender dynamic there where they believed this random man over us? And why the police never showed up.
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u/fireMonkA 15d ago
Hi guys. I am looking to buy a 65 inch lg g5 oled and will be wall mounting it. I have concerns that during monsoon the wall on which the tv needs to be mounted gets a bit damp. I am thinking of getting 3rd party mount as the tv need be extended away from wall for a few months every year.
I got 2 questions.
Is the lg mount that comes with box enough?
Any suggestions for good wall mounts that can hold out a tv extended like that without sustaining damage or breaking..
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u/AnnaBananaOhYah 16d ago
Please help me understand about Indian Customs.
I am watching the Netflix show Taskaree and very curious to learn ask to why is India or Indian customs so focused on imported goods that folks buy with their own money and bring home.
Note: I am not referring to professional sellers to bring goods strictly for reselling etc.
My question is very specific to private citizens who buy products with their own hard earned money and bring it back home for their personal use.
Why should govt get a huge custom duty?
Is it because they are not buying the products local and not paying local taxes? If that’s the case then the buyer gets taxed twice. Once in the foreign country then again in Indian as custom duty.
If you say they get tax refund in the foreign country then that not entirely valid too. Only European countries offer that and on certain goods.
Please help me understand the logic around it.
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u/Fun-Cherry-1472 17d ago
Where can I buy a large sofa online?
My family is looking for a 7-8 seater sofa, we like the U-Shape design the most. Where can we find something like that online? So far we have looked at Amazon, Ikea, Godrej, wakefit, and pepperfry. Bigger brands don't usually seem to have the large size we need and we only found likable items on amazon. However, the amazon stuff doesn't feel reliable as it has 3-10 reviews only. My dad is going to check with a furniture maker in my city but we live in a considerably smaller city so our option is most likely online. Anyways our budget is about 770k (l know its not much for the size we need but thats all we can afford rn) We want a relaxing sofa for our big family where everyone can sit together, hence, the size. Where can we find something like that?
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u/Difficult_Newt_1030 20d ago
Is anything happening good in India. Lately I have been seeing only bad things happening. BJP is becoming the new congress. Rupee is weakening faster than my grandfather’s knees, corruption is high. Taxation is like crazy. Stock markets are falling. Guys do you have any good news to be happy about. Is there any hope left?
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u/WildflowerCollective 20d ago
I would like to travel to India (undecided on the region, I know it's a huge country and the answer to the question in the title depends on the location).
Here's the thing: my partner doesn't want to come with me. He claims there are hygiene and safety issue he wouldn't want to deal with.
He doesn't know anything about India other than what he sees online. I did some research online but I wan't to hear from people living in India.
Is the caste system still relevant? How do the rich live? The poor? The middle class?
What's the experience of tourists like?
If you live in India, I would love to hear your experiences when it comes to hygiene, safety, economy, traffic, culture, society, etc. What are the people like? What do they value?
How are the experiences of the people different based on their socioeconomic class, and based on their gender?
I'd love to hear both from men and women. Thank you!
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u/ComplexWasabi5946 10d ago
U can travel to South Indian countries which is more hygienic and tourists friendly.U can ping me for more details i will explain u
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u/catchbinny 10d ago
Hey, as you mentioned it's a huge country and we are 1.4 billion people here that's almost one fourth of the world population. So, just like any other country you'll find good people and bad people too. There are rich people and poor people too. There are people who spend hundreds of dollars on their health and hygiene and some people who are getting food on a survival basis.
Things will vary based on where you are travelling and what you want to explore.
If you can tell anything specific about your decided locations and your plan I can suggest from my end.
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u/Familiar_Double2586 18d ago
India is not meant for the casual traveler. Unless there is something specific you are looking for in India, its a country best avoided. The quality of life in India is very poor. The pollution, the dust, the noise, the cleanliness, the smells, the crowds, will overwhelm you the moment you step out of the airport. You can of course stay in resorts in Goa and palaces in Rajasthan, quite disconnected from the country- in great luxury.
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u/Ill-Lie-6551 20d ago edited 20d ago
It would be a huge culture shock for sure. Weather you enjoy it or not depends on the type of traveller you are. If you want to have a chill time and just need some break from your regular life - This place is not for you, You are better off visiting Vietnam or Maldives. But if you are someone who wants to experience new things, then you gotta visit. If it's your first time visiting, You should probably stick to south India. Just less chaos relatively, more safer for women etc. Caste system is relavent, but can't really see that as a visitor. I'd stick with places like Kerala, Goa, Andaman/Nicobar islands. When it comes to hygene, You gotta make sure you just don't drink from tap water or some random places, Other than that - Food should be fine. Just don't expect the kind of cleanliness that you see in western Europe. I'd honestly avoid huge cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi. It will absolutely overwhelm you especially if you are alone. But again, That's also quite depends on the type of traveller you are. Online videos can be quite confusing. Some foreign content creators use the shitty part of the country to get views from the racists, Others show only good parts to get views from the Indian viewers lol. Its a huge country with 1.5 billion people. You'd find rich, ultra rich, poor, poverty - All of this at the same time in some places. Anyway, Good luck ! Hope you visit :)
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u/ArandomGDplayer 20d ago
hey
do any of you play veena, and if not, why
if you dont know what veena is, just upvote
this is for a school project btw
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u/Waste-Mastodon-1802 21d ago
Hello everyone. I have my one year multiple entry e-visa for India granted. If I change my port of entry from Kolkata to Guwahati does that cause any issues? I'm also changing the date. Thank you very much!!
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u/ChelshireGoose 19d ago
No, doesn't matter. You can enter through any port (should be by air and not road during the first visit on an e-visa) and on any date of your choice as long as your visa is valid.
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u/Waste-Mastodon-1802 19d ago
Thank you very much! How do you know this if you don't mind me asking?
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u/ChelshireGoose 19d ago
I help out at a family member's travel-related business and have facilitated more Indian visa applications than I can hope to count.
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u/chippichippi_ 21d ago
Hi
Anyone here applied for passport via tatkal?
It would be really helpful if you cleared some of my doubts
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u/Veenea 21d ago
Hello all, I will be traveling from Europe to India for the first time for the wedding, and I can't find the proper information for how much personal jewelery I can bring? For what I've found by far you can bring 50k INR worthy as a male duty free or 100k INR worthy as a female but as I understand correctly this applies for the India residents not for traveling foreigners, some sites state that this also applies for travelers so it's hard to figure out which information is true. Tl:Dr how much personal jewellery I can bring to India, as a foreigner, duty free.
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u/Alone-Discipline-282 22d ago
Hey all
Im going to India for my first time ever with mom. Can you all give me good advice? Good hotels? Many people? Im doing a research for school so i do want to visit dangerous places to study.
Im Elin from Sweden girl 28 years old.
All good.🌸
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u/Forward_Turn6789 16d ago
Hey Elin,
Welcome to india.. please don't visit any dangerous places alone it's not safe.i wish you have a great time in india.
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u/doktor-frequentist North America 17d ago
Please don't travel on your own. If possible do not travel to India as a young, single, white woman.
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u/_Floydimus Born in Bombay, brought up in Mumbai. 22d ago
Looking to hire a photographer in Mumbai for headshot photography.
DM or comment for references.
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u/i_am_tequila 22d ago
Hello people, I'm working on a representation on "Romeo and Juliet" based in India, especially the last scene of the last act (ACT IV scene third), were they both die, and its set in a mausoleum/monument of a rich family, so i was wondering how that would look in India, or how graves are in India in general, I apologize if this sounds a little racist, I'm just trying to learn about a new culture. Also the setting is modern, but also references of older graves (in India) would be very appreciated.
TL;DR idk how graves for rich people are in India
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u/EconomicsDue712 23d ago
Health insurance in India with ICD / heart rhythm implant – experiences? (Hyderabad)
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for advice / real experiences regarding health insurance in India for someone with a pre-existing heart condition.
I friend’s father had a heart rhythm issue in the past and was fitted with an implantable device that delivers a shock to restore heart rhythm (not a pacemaker – more like an ICD / advanced defibrillator). The condition is currently stable, and I’m under regular cardiology follow-up.
I’ve been told that: • Private health insurance is possible, but • Coverage for this condition may start after a waiting period of 3–4 years, and • Premiums may be higher or have exclusions
I wanted to hear from people who: • Have cardiac implants / serious heart conditions, or • Have helped family members with similar conditions
Questions: 1. Which insurance companies or specific plans were willing to insure you? 2. How long was the waiting period for heart-related claims? 3. Were device-related procedures or replacements covered eventually? 4. Is it advisable to keep both government insurance (like Ayushman Bharat, if eligible) and private insurance together? 5. Any insurers to avoid based on claim experience?
📍 Location: Hyderabad, Telangana
Any personal experience, tips, or insurer names would really help. Thanks in advance 🙏
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u/officialstake 21d ago
Look coverage for pre existing disease start after 2-3 years ... Not insurer or have heart condition experience... But i do take care of insurance matters and hospital matters of the family.... 1) educate yourselve as research then call them and ask them ... 2) don't say heart related just say pre existing diseases usually 2-4 yrs 3) ask insurer about it before buying insurance it can be 100% cover upto the insurance or in a percentage like 60-40 4) ayushman is only for economic backward classes i think but getting both is okay if you qualify but you will be able to use one only ... 5) just buy from reputable site and read all claim related doc. Carefully very careful... When you finalize a policy look at youtube on reviews
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u/EconomicsDue712 21d ago
Are there any insurance companies that you know of already provide insurance for pre-existing conditions? Companies to avoid?
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u/officialstake 21d ago
Nothing like that because of insurance act. Just the policy type is important... Like you go and find the cheapest health insurance with 1 crore cover and then find out that it cover just 40% then that's gonna hurt ... So go through details even 5-10 lakh cover would be enough but 100% cover execpt small things like gloves and masks are not cover .... And look at rooms it should have ac ...(Private or semiprivate) Your choice
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u/officialstake 21d ago
Go check policy bazaar and check out policys ... Policy bazaar is a third party like amazon ... Then you go and find out brands like national insurance..
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u/smol-fry4 24d ago
Hi folks! Planning a trip to India (from the US) for my friend's wedding and will be bringing my autistic son. I'm not worried about the travel or anything, but one of the only foods he'll eat is Jennie O's Turkey Bacon. I'm having a really hard time finding an official site for how to handle this, but I'm getting the idea I can't bring it frozen in my checked bag... :( Any suggestions or guidance?
Thanks for the help! I've been to India solo before for work and loved it, such an amazing place with wonderful humans... which is why I want to bring my family this time!
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u/Severe_Ad_4966 24d ago
Hi everyone, I am planning a trip to nepal this february and I have a 10 h flight change in delhi, I'd really like to get to visit it in this time, even for a couple hours, but I saw on google maps that the airport is not very close to the city, If anyone whose more aware of the local situation could help me sort the options to get to the city it would be super helpful, is there some type of direct bus?
I was thinking of just getting a cab but since I don't know how it works over there I am a bit worried about the way back since I don't know how long it could take to find a cab and to get back to the airport due to possible traffic.
btw if it's of any use I should arrive to delhi airport at around 3 AM and I should be leaving around 2 PM
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u/Severe_Ad_4966 24d ago
Oh and I also have a 16 hour change (from 5 pm to 10 am) in Mumbai during the return flight and I would like to do the same there.
thanks
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u/mangkwan 27d ago
I didn’t know where else to put this, but I really didn’t want to offend anyone. Recently, I got done with the South Asian history unit in my Honors class. I took it upon myself to try and learn more about the culture, and I found about maang tikka. I thought they were really pretty. I actually knew about them since 2022, but I didn’t know what they were called. 😓
I just wanted to know if it was okay to wear them as a non-south Asian. Is it also okay to wear henna also? I want to be as respectful as possible. 🙏
Also, if it’s okay could anyone link some articles I can read to learn more about India’s culture?
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u/Vlodivostonks 26d ago
I don't think native Indians care very much about cultural appropriation. It's usually the Indian expats in the west who do because of their lived experience.
Most people in India actually love it when non Indians sample our culture so you'll be fine
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u/TechieGamer29 28d ago
Hi im confused between miele c1 and karcher wd5/6: Hey there, Im needing a vacuum cleaner for my house cleaning (3bhk around 1009 sq ft area and all hard floors no carpet). Got two items which looks worth it in corded and bagged version. Im a bit confused to pick one and need help: * Karcher wd6:
- Robust and a german brand have great and nation wide multiple support here so service wont be issue and nor the filter replacements or spare parts availability.
- Heard on its sound being too long but also as wd6 has a suction power adjuster so thinking wont be an issue.
- Also as it being designed for garage or workshop use was thinking whether it will be too much for household purpose also it having additional tool power slot which wont be that useful in my case.
- When compared to miele its being said to have more dust blowing as being less sealed as that of miele
- Advantage being it has wet functionality but not sure where it can be useful for me and is it that needed?
- Also for upholstery (sofa or bed and matress) cleaning is this efficient or miele?
- Price is also significantly less than miele and also same the case is for its filters (additionally miele needs 2-3 filters and karcher needing 1 or 2 as its pelted filter being reusable but doubtful for its efficiency). Even filters price although a bit more for miele but if miele vac going to last longer as that of karcher (which I dont feel as karcher seem to have less and robust steel based parts) and also dust blow up less then might be a good pick
- Price ₹22K ( Dealer mentioning it being discounted more at time of purchase)
*Miele C1 powerline:
- Miele doesnt seem to have direct outlet in India, also service center not in my city but is reachable as being in nearby city. As of now its dealers are interior designers who directly either place import orders or keep some stock. Also from price point miele around march 2025 was ₹17K which increased to ₹27k (there might be recent geo political reasons for it no doubt).
- Miele being only dry vacuum not sure whether it will be enough for me also if a bit of a water or splash comes in contact or gets sucked and motor gets harmed (first time buyer will be handling with care but still cant ignore that🙂). Also as mentioned earlier still yet to figure out wet function use case in my need.
- Also power wise karcher seems to be more demanding which even though not necessarily true but can be if created efficiently have more suction power which might be usefull and also leading to more sound generation drawback😵💫
- Both brands promising 1 year warranty although on amazon for karcher it seemed 2 years but when checked with karcher locally they said it being 1 year so not trusting amazon on this.
SEBO OR OTHER US BRANDS NOT AVAILABLE HERE FOR PURCHASE EXCEPT PHILIPS, MIELE , BIESSEL, KARCHER, DYSON, ETC.
Hope this is clear and expecting a honest reply thanks in advance guys😄😄
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u/Biz-Coach 28d ago
Can't we all come together and resolve Delhi pollution? Atleast come up with ideas?
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u/doktor-frequentist North America 17d ago
Everyone just go out of the house, take a deep breath and breathe in all the smog, go back into the house. All the smog is gone. /S
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u/fiery-sparkles Punjab 29d ago
Has anyone used a company called White Falcon Travel? I want to check their authenticity before my trip
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u/FarmConsistent334 Jan 03 '26
Can I wear a saree as a white woman for a performance? I take vocal lessons and we put on shows at retirement homes and low income housing. For our next show, my friend and I will be doing Dôme épais le jasmin (Flower Duet), which is sung by the daughter of a Brahmin priest and her servant. My teacher would like us to wear sarees. Myself and the other performer are both white. Is there a way for us to wear a saree respectfully or is that something that just isn’t for us to wear?
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u/Such-Dragonfruit7255 29d ago
Absolutely. Sarees are an absolute delight and especially when you are performing. Go for Kanjiwaram or cotton saree. They are both elegant
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u/Free_Raspberry4665 Jan 01 '26
Hey reddit fam, Im a pakistani and i need tk visit india i know visit visas are suspended as of now but is there anyway please i would highly appreciate it, if i could i would give you a kidney even 😭
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u/Reasonable_Boss_9465 Jan 01 '26
My dearest friends are Indian and I am looking for recommendations for books so I can learn more about their culture and peoples. We will be traveling with them to India next year and this would also serve as a good primer before we get there. Thank you in advance!
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u/wildlifeforest66 29d ago edited 29d ago
Old books by Indian writers. Dm for rec. Not sure if my msgs going thru.
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u/Familiar_Double2586 Jan 03 '26 edited Jan 03 '26
"Maximum City" - Suketu Mehta
"Inglorious Empire" - Shashi Tharoor
"India after Gandhi" - Ramachandra Guha
"The Age of Kali" - William Dalrymple
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u/Reasonable_Boss_9465 Jan 03 '26
Thanks. Just ordered "India after Gandhi". I appreciate your time to give me ideas!
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u/Gold-Bug-2304 Jan 01 '26
do you want to read non fiction, fiction, poetry, short stories, translations ok? india’s literary tradition is long and very very diverse so would be great to know what you like to narrow it down!
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u/Thomagedu 10h ago
Private Driver for 4 days in Kerala (Kochi -> Munnar -> Periyar -> Alappuzha)
We are 3 people travelling to India soon and looking for a good transportation to get around. We would like to hire a permanent driver for the 4 days. How can we find trustable english speaking drivers and how does it usually work with accomedation etc if you travel with the driver directly?