Removing Your Shoes

[violet]

A friend told me that when I visit a temple or someone's home I should remember to take my shoes off at the door. Is this a common thing to do in India?

 

[Laeticia]

It is a very common thing to do in India and in a lot of other countries to take off your shoes before going into someone's home. In fact, I have lived in Asia for so long that I adopted the same habit when I went back home.

 

[JoJo]

I wish that were the case here in the US. My kids are always tracking dirt and grime into the house. Thanks for clearing up this custom in India. It's good to know.

 

[Aurora]

This sounds like a good habit in India. Maybe more countries and cultures should start doing the same. It will save us so much cleaning time

 

[Neve]

Yes, absolutely. It is respectful to their home. Also, it keeps the house clean, so I think there is no harm in taking them off.

 

[Travis]

This is common practice in many cultures. I have visited a few countries around the world like this. They said if you don’t take off your shoes its bad manors. I think they don’t like the dirt in their homes. Plus it shows respect.

 

[JKewe]

I had no idea of this, so I'm glad you posted. I too wish it was the custom in the US. Every time I get the carpets cleaned, it takes less than one day for them to get dirty again from people walking on them with dirty shoes.

 

[amelia88]

I think it's a great idea to remove your shoes! I've done it ever since being in Japan for vacation a while ago, and it's very much part of the culture and tradition there to remove your shoes when you enter any building really! It keeps things so much cleaner and you're not tracking in a bunch of stuff from outside!

 

[gerbera]

They do have that custom in a few shops too I believe. I started having everyone take their shoes off at the door to our house because I was tired of cleaning the floors all the time. When it rains, my husband and the dog would track muddy feet everywhere, so now he takes his shoes off and wipes the dog's paws!

 

[swalia]

Removing shoes before entering a temple or any other religious place like gurudwara or mosque is mandatory. Some traditional households also have this custom of removing the shoes outside the front door. However, this is not common in all households.

 

[Ritika Sharma]

Yes it is one of the common things to do not only in India, but other parts of the world as well.

 

[Elaine]

I really like the idea of taking off your shoes before going into someone's home or into a temple. I think it keeps the place clean.

 

[JManara]

I'm guessing that means you need to wear a good pair of socks and not go barefoot. I usually go barefoot in my shoes for as long as I can, weather permitting. So I will have something to wear on my feet if I'm are walking into a temple?

 

[George]

We always removed our shoes at home since I was small. We use to track in a lot of mud and dirt into the house. My parents started making us take our shoes off and put on house shoes.