assignment on indian culture

Essay on Indian Culture for Students and Children

500+ words essay on indian culture.

India is a country that boasts of a rich culture. The culture of India refers to a collection of minor unique cultures. The culture of India comprises of clothing, festivals, languages, religions, music, dance, architecture, food, and art in India. Most noteworthy, Indian culture has been influenced by several foreign cultures throughout its history. Also, the history of India’s culture is several millennia old.

Components of Indian Culture

First of all, Indian origin religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism . All of these religions are based on karma and dharma. Furthermore, these four are called as Indian religions. Indian religions are a major category of world religions along with Abrahamic religions.

Also, many foreign religions are present in India as well. These foreign religions include Abrahamic religions. The Abrahamic religions in India certainly are Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Besides Abrahamic religions, Zoroastrianism and Bahá’í Faith are the other foreign religions which exist in India. Consequently, the presence of so many diverse religions has given rise to tolerance and secularism in Indian culture.

The Joint family system is the prevailing system of Indian culture . Most noteworthy, the family members consist of parents, children, children’s spouses, and offspring. All of these family members live together. Furthermore, the eldest male member is the head of the family.

Arranged marriages are the norm in Indian culture. Probably most Indians have their marriages planned by their parents. In almost all Indian marriages, the bride’s family gives dowry to bridegroom. Weddings are certainly festive occasions in Indian culture. There is involvement of striking decorations, clothing, music, dance, rituals in Indian weddings. Most noteworthy, the divorce rates in India are very low.

India celebrates a huge number of festivals. These festivals are very diverse due to multi-religious and multi-cultural Indian society. Indians greatly value festive occasions. Above all, the whole country joins in the celebrations irrespective of the differences.

Traditional Indian food, arts, music, sports, clothing, and architecture vary significantly across different regions. These components are influenced by various factors. Above all, these factors are geography, climate, culture, and rural/urban setting.

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Perceptions of Indian Culture

Indian culture has been an inspiration to many writers. India is certainly a symbol of unity around the world. Indian culture is certainly very complex. Furthermore, the conception of Indian identity poses certain difficulties. However, despite this, a typical Indian culture does exist. The creation of this typical Indian culture results from some internal forces. Above all, these forces are a robust Constitution, universal adult franchise, secular policy , flexible federal structure, etc.

Indian culture is characterized by a strict social hierarchy. Furthermore, Indian children are taught their roles and place in society from an early age. Probably, many Indians believe that gods and spirits have a role in determining their life. Earlier, traditional Hindus were divided into polluting and non-polluting occupations. Now, this difference is declining.

Indian culture is certainly very diverse. Also, Indian children learn and assimilate in the differences. In recent decades, huge changes have taken place in Indian culture. Above all, these changes are female empowerment , westernization, a decline of superstition, higher literacy , improved education, etc.

To sum it up, the culture of India is one of the oldest cultures in the World. Above all, many Indians till stick to the traditional Indian culture in spite of rapid westernization. Indians have demonstrated strong unity irrespective of the diversity among them. Unity in Diversity is the ultimate mantra of Indian culture.

FAQs on Indian Culture

Q1 What are the Indian religions?

A1 Indian religions refer to a major category of religion. Most noteworthy, these religions have their origin in India. Furthermore, the major Indian religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Q2 What are changes that have taken place in Indian culture in recent decades?

A2 Certainly, many changes have taken place in Indian culture in recent decades. Above all, these changes are female empowerment, westernization, a decline of superstition, higher literacy, improved education, etc.

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80 Indian Culture Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best indian culture topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 interesting topics to write about indian culture, 🥇 simple & easy indian culture essay titles, 💡 good research topics about indian culture.

The Influence of Ramayana on the Indian Culture If one considers the image provided in the work with the work itself, one notices the detailed depiction of the life and activities of the protagonist.
Indian Custom and Culture Community For example, there were various activities used to illustrate this marking, and these would include invitation and welcoming of the bridegroom, exchange of flower garlands, presentation of the would-be wife, the ceremony of the sacred […]
Servant Leadership in Indian Culture and Hindu Religion The basis of this approach is the reorientation of the values of the leader, who considers the empowerment of followers as a means and goal of his activity.
American Culture and Indian Culture Comparison Children in India are raised mostly in patriarchal joint family systems, and the head of the family is usually the senior most male, in most cases the grand parents of the child.
Indian Culture and Its Distinctive Qualities Indian culture is one of the oldest in the world and truly one of the most influential due to the number of Indians that inhabit the Earth.
The Blackfoot Indians Culture and Historical Heritage The Reservation of the Blackfoot Indians is the place of residence to over 17 thousand members of the given nation and spans 1,5 million acres.
Indian and Greek Cultures Comparison Although modern India is a mixture of cults and beliefs, the ancient religion of Hinduism is still strong among the people.
Cheyenne Indians History and Culture Furthermore, it was to emphasize the unique powers and the superiority of the chief priests and the prophets in the community.
British Colonialism and Its Impact on Indian Culture Though the Indians resisted Britain’s rule they were unable to overcome the British soldiers’ tactics and weapons hence the British East India Company took the region as its colony for trading and governance purposes. Britain […]
The Practice of Counseling in the US and Indian Culture Owing the varied nature of the constituents of this culture, there is a large and continually expanding evolution of the Indian culture especially as regards religion, beliefs and societal values that is quite influential to […]
Hinduism’s Cultural and Religious Opinions As a result, it is not easy to trace the history of Hinduism and the Hindus are not concerned about the specific dates when the religion might have started.
Culturally-Relevant Interventions for Indian Children The culture of American Indian children have customs and traditions related to the care of children with chronic illness, abuse, substance abuse, and mental illness.
Indian Cultures the “White Man” Tried to Remove The hair in the Indian culture is therefore connected to the character trait of basing a culture on symbols. The fourth Indian culture, the “white man,” also tried to steal from the Indians their attire.
Indian Culture, Food, Temples, and Clothing Key Terms: Traditional dresses, Indian fashion, saree, headgear Claim: Despite the inevitable impact of globalization and westernization, India is a country that could preserve its culture by wearing traditional clothes. It is normal to see […]
The Cultural Misappropriation of the Cleveland Indians The cultural misappropriation of the Cleveland Indians, an American ball club, has been a practice that has continued for a long time because of the unresolved contention encompassing its logo and Name. The essay discusses […]
Mdewakanton Dakota, Sioux Indian Tribe of Red Wing: Cultural Orientations Ethnocentrism is one of the signs characterizing the attitude of people to the Native Americans and in particular to the Mdewakanton tribe.
Communicating Cross-Culturally: Indian and Japanese Workers The purpose of this presentation is to propose ways in which a virtual team consisting of Indian and Japanese employees can be motivated.
Culturally Competent Care in Indian Health Service Such a situation requires the physicians and nurses to fully understand the needs of the patients. The paper argues that the IHS is an embodiment of the application of cultural competence in healthcare.
Gulf’s Indian Ocean Connections and Cultural Exchanges The persistence of Indian Ocean-Gulf trade due to demand of the goods resulted in a mixture of heritage and culture from the sailors, fishers, and traders from the western Indian Ocean system.
Ancient Indians Historical and Cultural Way of Life Visiting of the historical and cultural museums is the integral part of the enrichment of your knowledge about the way of life of certain cultural groups.
Myths: Daphne and Ahalya. Greek and Indian Culture Mythology The book describes the Creation of the World and continues to the time of Julius Caesar and is considered as a mythic-historical document.
The Possibility of Modernizing Indian Culture The Indian culture is based mainly upon the traditions prevailing in the times of Emperor Asoka and the secular rule of Akbar. In the Indian culture, the youth is supposed to show this respect by […]
Iroquois Indians Culture and History Review Much of what we know of ancient culture is brought to us in the form of stories; either the stories of the descendants of the stories of outsiders.
Taensa Indians Culture Analysis So it is due to this fact that most of the Taensas are getting discrimination in most of the activities like in business, sharing of the economic resources and the land rights of these people.
Indian Culture and Its Building Blocks The purpose of this paper is to discuss the building blocks of a culture that is different from that of the author of this writing.
Cultural Diversity: Chippewa Indians There were overt attempts to racially segregate the Indians in a successively smaller area, and the Indians were ultimately left to the mercy of the US government.”The said Chippewa Indians surrender to the United States […]
Indian vs. American Cultural Heritage and Traditions Usually, the representatives of different races and nationalities enter countries that are not their native, adding diversity to the homogeneous people of that state.
American Indians and Cultural Assimilation Laws At the end of the eighteenth century, the government of the United States was concerned about the problem of cultural heterogeneity.
Cultural Diversity: Indians and White Americans As it is said in the lectures by Harvey and Allard, the issue of discrimination is not only based on the factors of race or ethnicity.
Indian Spiritualism in Cross-Cultural Perception In this case, the interviewee can be referred to as a medium as she claims to have the ability to communicate with the dead.
Canadian Indians, Métis, and Inuit Material Culture The relevance of this book is identified by problems of modern history and anthropology and, mainly, by the need to examine the representation of artifacts of the First Nations as well as by the need […]
Udayan Care: Indian Culture Care Community The analysis started with a narrative of the background of Udayan Care, especially as compared to the institutionalized care given by the government and private homes in India and the West.
Relations Between Homosexuality and Indian Culture Lesbianism is a relatively silent practice in India as opposed to gay practice and even the organizations for women do not really advocate for or promote it.
Traditional Food Culture in the Indian Religion As demonstrated by this particular author, the traditional food culture is important in the Hindu religion because of the fact that food “speaks” a language that conjoins the gross and the subtle, body and spirit, […]
Views of Benjamin Franklin on Indian Culture The tenacity with which the Indians held to their traditions came out clearly in the treaty of Lancaster in Pennsylvania. A juxtaposition of civilization in the eyes of the Indians to the western countries is […]
Indian Culture: Dances of Rajasthan Diwali is one of the major festivals in the country. Ghoomar dance is also common in the region.
Native American Culture and American Indians However, the history of the USA has come through the colonization and many people who now inhabit the continent are not the Native Americans.
Understanding the Significance of Diwali as a Representation of the Indian Culture People refer the festival to as the festival of Sweets. In the South East Asia, and Indian populations elsewhere in the world, people celebrate the Diwali somewhat differently.
Understanding the Significance of Diwali as a Representation of Indian Culture The aim of this thesis is to understand the close relationship between the popular Hindu festival, Diwali and efforts being made by the global Indian diaspora to perpetuate their old country’s traditions and culture in […]
Historical Analysis of 19th Century Indian Culture
American and Indian Culture: Comparative Analysis
Overview of American Indian Culture Before 1763
American Indian Culture and Its Effects on Nursing
Historical Analysis of Ancient Indian Culture
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Cherokee Indian Culture and Its Impact on United States Culture
Comparison of Chinese and Indian Culture
Analysis of Contemporary Indian Culture
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Difference Between Western and Indian Culture
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Cultural Experience: Overview of Indian Culture
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Examining the Assorted Heritage of Indian Culture
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Indian Culture and Its Architectural Heritage
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Indian Culture and Food After Meeting an Indian Lady
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Indian Culture and Tradition Essay

Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition

As students grow older, it is important for them to improve their understanding and hold over the language. This can be done only through consistent reading and writing. Writing an essay is a task that involves cooperation and coordination of both the mind and body. Students must be able to think as well reproduce their thoughts effectively without any confusion. This is important when it comes to writing answers and other important documents as ones go to higher classes. The art of writing effectively and efficiently can be improved by students through writing essays. To help students in this domain, Vedantu provides students with numerous essays. Students can go through the same and learn the correct manner of writing the essay.

Indian Culture and Tradition

India enjoys a wide variety of cultural and traditional presence amongst the 28 states. Indian origin religions Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism are all based on dharma and karma. Even, India is a blessed holy place which is also a native place for most of the religions. Recently, Muslim and Christianity also practised working amongst the whole India population. The pledge also added the line, ‘India is my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.’

Indians are great with cooking; their spices are special for medicinal purposes, so visitors are difficult to adjust to with such heavy spices. The cricketers touring Indian pitches are out due to such food. Frequently, it's been observed that the sportsperson arrived in India either with cooking skills or with a cook. Spices such as cumin, turmeric and cardamom have been used for a long period, to make the dishes more delicious and nutritional. Wheat, rice and pulses help to complete the meal. The majority of the population is a vegetarian one due to their religious aspects.

Talking about the language, India is blessed with a wide range of languages used. Each state has its own language. A major part of the state is unable to speak other languages than the native one. Gujrathi, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi, Telugu and many more are the representative languages of the respective state. It's easy to recognize the person with the language he spoke. There are 15 regional languages but almost all of them Hindi is the national language of the country. Sanskrit is considered an ancient and respected language. And most of the legendary holy texts are found in Sanskrit only. Along with these, most of the people are aware of plenty of foreign languages.

Indian clothing is adorable to most of the foreigners. Woman wearing a sari is the pride of a nation. These create a pleasant effect and she looks so beautiful that a majority of foreign country’s female want to be like her. The origin of the sari is from the temple dancers in ancient times. Sari allows them to maintain modesty and freedom of movement. On the other hand, men traditionally wear a dhoti and kurta. Actually, Dhoti is a type of cloth without any further attached work done on it. The great Mahatma Gandhi was very fond of it and in their dignity, most of the people used to wear the same.

Apart from all the above facts, Indians are legends with arts and studious material. Shah-rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhirubhai Ambani, Amitabh Bachchan Rajnikant, Sundar Pichai are many more faces of India who are shining and representing India on a global scale. There are 20-30 grand festivals celebrated every year in which every festival pops up with history and respect to the respective religion. Even in terms of business, India is not behind. Agriculture is the best occupation of 70% of people in India. It’s our duty to protect the wonderful culture that we have.

Indian culture is one of the oldest and most unique cultures known across the globe. It has various kinds of traditional values, religion, dance, festivals, music, and cloth, which varies from each state or town even. Indian art, cuisine, religion, Literature, Education, Heritage, Clothes etc has a huge impact on the whole world where everyone admires and follows it. It is known as the land of cultural diversity. India thrives on a variety of languages, religions, and cultures due to the diverse race of people living in the country. It can be referred to as one of the world’s most culturally enriched countries. When one thinks of India, they picture colors, smiling faces of children running in the streets, bangle vendors, street food, music, religious festivals etc.

Religion

India is a land where different religious beliefs are followed. It is the land of many religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Four Indian religions namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Buddhism were born in India while others are not of Indian origin but have people following those faiths. The people of India keep a solid belief in religion as they believe that following a faith adds meaning and purpose to their lives as it is the way of life. The religions here are not only confined to beliefs but also include ethics, rituals, ceremonies, life philosophies and many more.

Families

Family plays a vital role in every Indian household. Indians are known to live together as a joint family with their grandparents, uncles and aunts, and the next generation of offspring as well. The house gets passed down from family to family throughout the generations. But with the new modern age, nuclear families are starting to become more common as children go out of town into cities for work or studies and get settled there, also everyone now prefers to have their own private life without any interference. But still, the concept of family get together and family gatherings are not lost as everyone does come together frequently.

Indian Festivals

India is well known for its traditional festivals all over the world. As it is a secular country with diversity in religions, every month some festival celebration happens. These festivals can be religious, seasonal or are of national importance. Every festival is celebrated uniquely in different ways according to their ritual as each of them has its unique importance. National festivals such as Gandhi Jayanti, Independence Day and Republic Day are celebrated by the people of India across the entire nation. Religious festivals include Diwali, Dussehra, Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Zuha, Christmas, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. All the seasonal festivals such as Baisakhi, Onam, Pongal, Bihu etc are celebrated to mark the season of harvest during two harvesting seasons, Rabi and Kharif.

Festivals bring love, bond, cross-cultural exchange and moments of happiness among people.

Indian cuisine is known for a variety of spicy dishes, curry, rice items, sweets etc. Each cuisine includes a wide range of dishes and cooking techniques as it varies from region to region. Each region of India cooks different types of dishes using different ingredients, also food varies from every festival and culture as well. Hindus eat mostly vegetarian food items such as pulao, vegetables, daal, rajma etc whereas people from Islamic cultural backgrounds eat meat, kebabs, haleem etc. In the southernmost part of India, you will find people use a lot of coconut oil for cooking purposes, they eat a lot of rice items such as Dosa, Idli, Appam etc with Coconut chutney, sambhar.

Indian Clothing is considered to be the epitome of modesty and every style is very different in each region and state. But the two pieces of clothing that represent Indian culture are dhoti for men and saree for women. Women adorn themselves with a lot of bangles and Payal that goes around their ankles. Even clothing styles varied from different religions to regions to cultures. Muslim women preferred to wear salwar kameez whereas Christian women preferred gowns. Men mostly stuck to dhoti, lungi, shalwar and kurta.In modern days, people have changed their sense of style, men and women now wear more modern western clothes. Indian clothes are still valued but are now in more trendy and fashionable styles.

There is no single language that is spoken all over India; however , Hindi is one common language most Indians know and can speak or understand. Every region has a different language or dialect. As per the official language act, Hindi and English are the official languages in India. Other regions or state wise languages include- Gujarati, Marathi, Bangla, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Kashmiri, Punjabi etc.

FAQs on Indian Culture and Tradition Essay

1. What are the Popular Spices in India?

Popular spices in India include - Haldi(Turmeric), Chakri Phool(Star Anise), Til (Sesame seeds/ Gingili seeds), Saunf(Fennel Seeds), Kesar(Saffron), Laal Mirch(Red chilli), Khas(Poppy seeds), Jayphal(Nutmeg), Kalonji(Nigella Seeds), Rai/Sarson(Mustard Seeds), Pudina(Mint), Javitri(Mace), Patthar ke Phool(Kalpasi), Kala Namak/ Sanchal/ Sanchar powder(Black salt/ Himalayan rock salt/ Pink salt), Sonth(Dry ginger powder), Methi dana(Fenugreek seeds), Suva Bhaji/ Sua Saag(Dill)

Kadi Patta(Curry Leaves), Sukha dhania(Coriander seeds), Laung(Cloves), Dalchini(Cinnamon), Sabza(Chia seeds), Chironji(Charoli), Ajwain(Carom seeds, thymol or celery seeds), Elaichi(Cardamom), Kali Mirch(Black Pepper (or White Pepper), Tej Patta(Bay Leaf), Hing(Asafoetida), Anardana(Pomegranate seeds), Amchoor(Dry mango powder)

2. What is the Language Diversity Available in India?

The Indian constitution has 22 officially recognized languages. Apart from it, there are around 60 languages that are recognized as smother tongue with more than one million speakers. India also has around 28 minor languages spoken by over one hundred thousand and one million people. Apart from these, there are numerous dialects spoken by a various sect of people based on their region of origin.

3. Who are Some of the Most Famous Indian Celebrities Popular Across the Globe?

India has people excelling in all aspects of art and activities. Few prominent celebrities to garner global fame include - Sudha Murthy, Amitabh Bacchan, Virat Kohli, Saina Nehwal, Sania Mirza, Priyanka Chopra, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohanlal, A R Rehman, Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Narayana Murthy, Kiran Majumdar Shah, Narendra Modi, Amith Shah. all these people have received great accolades in their respective area of expertise globally and getting recognition to India on a global level.

4. How to Improve Writing and Reading Skills for Producing Good Essays?

Writing an essay becomes a tedious task when the mind and hand do not coordinate. It is important for you to be able to harness your mental ability to think clearly and reproduce the same on paper for a good essay. Always remember the first few thoughts that you get as soon as you see an essay topic is your best and purest thoughts. Ensure to note them down. Later you can develop your essay around these points. Make sure your essay has an introduction, body and the final conclusion. This will make the reader understand the topic clearly along with your ability to convey the any information without any hesitation or mistake.

5. How many religions are there in India?

As of now, there are a total of 9 major religions in India with Hinduism being the majority. The remaining religion includes- Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Baha'i Faith.

6. Which is the oldest language in India?

Indian classical oldest language is Sanskrit, it belongs to the Indo- Aryan branch of Indo- European languages.

7. What are the few famous folk dances of India?

Folk dances are the representation of a particular culture from where they are known to originate. Eight famous classical dances are- Bharatnatyam from Tamil Nadu, Kathakali from Kerala, Kathak from North, West and Central India, Mohiniyattam from Kerala, Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh, Odissi from Odisha, Manipuri from Manipur, Sattriya from Assam.

8. How many languages are spoken in India?

Other than Hindi and English there are 22 languages recognised by the constitution of India. However, more than 400 languages and dialects in India are still not known as they change after every town. Over the years, about 190 languages have become endangered due to very few surviving speakers.

9. Describe the Indian Culture.

Indian culture is very diverse and the people of India are very warm and welcoming. They have a strong sense of family and firmly believe in unity in diversity. In India, there's a saying saying 'Atithi Devo Bhava' means 'the guest is equivalent to god'. So if one visits India, they will never feel unwanted.

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Indian Culture Essay

India is renowned throughout the world for its tradition and culture. It is a country with many different cultures and traditions. The world's ancient civilisations can be found in this country. Good manners, etiquette, civilised dialogue, customs, beliefs, values, etc., are essential elements of Indian culture . India is a special country because of the ability of its citizens from many cultures and traditions to live together in harmony. Here are a few sample essays on ‘Indian culture’.

100 Words Essay on Indian Culture

India's culture is the oldest in the world and dates back over 5,000 years. The first and greatest cultures in the world are regarded as being those of India. The phrase "Unity in Diversity" refers to India as a diverse nation where people of many religions coexist while maintaining their distinct customs. People of different religions have different languages, culinary customs, ceremonies, etc and yet they all live in harmony.

Hindi is India's official language. However, there are 400 other languages regularly spoken in India's many states and territories, in addition to the country's nearly 22 recognised languages. History has established India as the country where religions like Buddhism and Hinduism first emerged.

200 Words Essay on Indian Culture

India is a land of diverse cultures, religions, languages, and traditions. The rich cultural heritage of India is a result of its long history and the various invasions and settlements that have occurred in the country. Indian culture is a melting pot of various customs and traditions, which have been passed down from generation to generation.

Religion | Religion plays a significant role in Indian culture. The major religions practiced in India are Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Each religion has its own set of beliefs, customs, and practices. Hinduism, the oldest religion in India, is the dominant religion and has a vast array of gods and goddesses. Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism are also widely practiced and have a significant number of followers in the country.

Food | Indian cuisine is known for its diverse range of flavors and spices. Each region in India has its own unique style of cooking and distinct dishes. Indian cuisine is known for its use of spices, herbs, and a variety of cooking techniques. Some of the most famous Indian dishes include biryani, curry, tandoori chicken, and dal makhani. Indian cuisine is also famous for its street food, which is a popular and affordable way to experience the diverse range of flavors that Indian food has to offer.

500 Words Essay on Indian Culture

Indian culture is known for its rich art and architecture. The ancient Indus Valley Civilization, which existed around 2500 BCE, had a sophisticated system of town planning and impressive architectural structures. Indian art is diverse and includes painting, sculpture, and architecture. The most famous form of Indian art is the cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, which date back to the 2nd century BCE. Indian architecture is also famous for its temples, palaces, and forts, which are a reflection of the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Music and dance are an integral part of Indian culture . Indian music is diverse and ranges from classical to folk to modern. The classical music of India is known for its use of ragas, which are a set of musical notes that are used to create a melody. The traditional Indian dance forms include Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali. These dance forms are known for their elaborate costumes, expressive gestures, and intricate footwork.

My Experience

I had always been fascinated by the rich culture and history of India. So, when I finally got the opportunity to visit the country, I was beyond excited. I had heard so much about the diverse customs and traditions of India, and I couldn't wait to experience them firsthand. The moment I stepped off the plane and hit the streets, I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of spices and the hustle and bustle of the streets. I knew right away that I was in for an unforgettable journey.

My first stop was the ancient city of Varanasi, also known as Banaras. As I walked through the streets, I was struck by the vibrant colors and the sound of temple bells and chants. I visited the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple and was amazed by the intricate architecture and the devotion of the devotees.

From Varanasi, I traveled to Jaipur, also known as the Pink City . Here, I visited the famous Amber Fort, which was built in the 16th century. The fort was a perfect example of the rich architecture of India and the level of craftsmanship that existed in ancient India.

As I continued my journey, I also had the opportunity to experience the food of India. From the spicy curries of the south to the tandoori dishes of the north, I was blown away by the range of flavors and the use of spices.

I also had the chance to experience the music and dance of India. I attended a Kathak dance performance and was mesmerized by the intricate footwork and the expressiveness of the dancers. I also had the opportunity to attend a classical music concert and was struck by the beauty of the ragas and the skill of the musicians.

My journey through India was truly an unforgettable experience. I had the chance to experience the diverse customs and traditions of India and was struck by the richness of the culture. From the ancient temples to the vibrant street markets, India is a treasure trove of history and culture. I knew that this would not be my last trip to India, as there is so much more to explore and experience.

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A passage to india: introduction to modern indian culture and society, course description.

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World history

Course: world history > unit 2.

The rise of empires in India
Gupta Dynasty
The Maurya and Gupta Empires
Empires in India

The history of Hinduism

The history of Buddhism
Key concepts: Hinduism and Buddhism
Indian cultures: focus on Hinduism and Buddhism

During the Maurya and Gupta empires, the Indian culture and way of life were deeply influenced by Hinduism.
Hinduism reinforced a strict social hierarchy called a caste system that made it nearly impossible for people to move outside of their social station.
Emperors during the Gupta empire used Hinduism as a unifying religion and focused on Hinduism as a means for personal salvation.

Background on social systems in India

Popularization of hinduism, what do you think.

"Aryan." Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu/Aryan/
Bentley, Jerry H. et. al. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2015, 174-192.
"Hinduism." Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2013. http://www.ancient.eu/hinduism/
Strayer, Robert W. and Eric W. Nelson. Ways of the World: A Global History. United States: Bedford/St. Martin's Press, 2016, 157-202.

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Exploring indian culture through food.

Food and Identity

Food (Sanskrit— bhojana,“that which is to be enjoyed,” Hindi— khana, Tamil— shapad) presents a way to understand everyday Indian culture as well as the complexities of identity and interaction with other parts of the world that are both veiled and visible. In India today,with a growing economy due to liberalization and more consumption than ever in middle class life, food as something to be enjoyed and as part of Indian culture is a popular topic. From a 1960s food economy verging on famine, India is now a society where food appears plentiful, and the aesthetic possibilities are staggering. Cooking shows that demonstrate culinary skills on television, often with celebrity chefs or unknown local housewives who may have won a competition, dominate daytime ratings. Local indigenous specialties and ways of cooking are the subjects of domestic and international tourism brochures. Metropolitan restaurants featuring international cuisines are filled with customers. Packaged Indian and foreign foods sell briskly in supermarkets, and indigenous street food and hole-in-the wall cafés have never been as popular. Yet lifestyle magazines tout healthy food, nutritious diets, locally sourced ingredients, and sustainable and green alternatives. India’s understanding of its own cultures and its complex historical and contemporary relations with foreign cultures are deeply evident in public conceptualizations of food as well as in culinary and gastronomic choices and lifestyles.

As Harvard anthropologist Theodore Bestor reminds us, the culinary imagination is a way a culture conceptualizes and imagines food. Generally, there is no “Indian” food but rather an enormous number of local, regional, caste-based ingredients and methods of preparation. These varieties of foods and their preparation have only been classified as “regional” and “local” cuisines since Indian independence in 1947 yet have enjoyed domestic and foreign patronage throughout most of India’s history. Because of this diversity and its celebration, most Indians appreciate a wide array of flavors and textures and are traditionally discerning consumers who eat seasonally, locally, and, to a large extent, sustainably. However, despite some resistance in recent years, the entry of multinational food corporations and their mimicking by Indian food giants, the industrialization of agriculture, the ubiquity of standardized food crops, and the standardization of food and tastes in urban areas have stimulated a flattening of the food terrain.

Food in India is an identity marker of caste, class, family, kinship, tribe affiliation, lineage, religiosity, ethnicity, and increasingly, of secular group identification.

In the recurring identity crises that globalization seems to encourage, one would expect that food would play a significant part in dialogues about nationalism and Indian identities. But food in India has been virtually absent from the academic discourse because of the diversity and spread of the gastronomic landscape. Things are different on the Internet. In response to the forces of globalization and Indian food blogs both teaching cookery and commenting on food, are mushrooming in cyberspace.

India has several thousand castes and tribes, sixteen official languages and several hundred dialects, six major world religions, and many ethnic and linguistic groups. Food in India is an identity marker of caste, class, family, kin- ship, tribe affiliation, lineage, religiosity, ethnicity, and increasingly, of secular group identification. How one eats, what one eats, with whom, when, and why, is key to understanding the Indian social landscape as well as the relationships, emotions, statuses, and transactions of people within it.

The aesthetic ways of knowing food—of being a gourmand and deriving pleasure from it—as well as ascetic responses to it—are lauded in ancient scriptural texts such as the Kamasutra and the Dharmaśāstras . But historically in India, food consumption has also paradoxically been governed by under- standings that lean toward asceticism and self-control as well. Traditional Ayurvedic (Hindu) and Unani (Muslim) medical systems have a tripartite categorization of the body on its reaction to foods. In Ayurveda, the body is classified as kapha (cold and phlegmy), vaata (mobile and flatulent), or pitta (hot and liverish), and food consumption is thus linked not only to overall feelings of well being and balance but to personality disorders and traits as well. Eating prescribed foods ( sattvic foods that cool the senses versus rajasic foods that inflame the passions) and doing yoga and breathing exercises to balance the body, spirit, and mind are seen as very basic self-care and self-fashioning.

This appreciation and negation of gastronomic pleasure is made more complex by caste- and religion-based purity as well as pollution taboos. With some exceptions, since the early twelfth century, upper-caste Hindus, Jains, and some regional groups are largely vegetarian and espouse ahimsa (nonviolence). Often upper castes will not eat onions, garlic, or processed food, believing them to violate principles of purity. Some lower-caste Hindus are meat eaters, but beef is forbidden as the cow is deemed sacred, and this purity barrier encompasses the entire caste and religious system.

As the eminent pioneering anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss noted, there is a sharp distinction between cooked and uncooked foods, with cooked or processed food capable of being contaminated with pollution easier than uncooked food. For upper-caste Hindus, raw rice is deemed pure even if served by a lower-caste person, but cooked rice can carry pollution when coming in contact with anything polluting, including low-caste servers. Religion also plays a part in dietetic rules; Muslims in India may eat beef, mutton, and poultry but not pork or shellfish; Christians may eat all meats and poultry; and Parsis eat more poultry and lamb than other meats. However, as many scholars have noted, because of the dominance of Hinduism in India and the striving of many lower-caste people for social mobility through imitation of higher-caste propensities, vegetarianism has evolved as the default diet in the subcontinent. Most meals would be considered complete without meat protein.

History and the Culinary Imagination

India sought to define itself gastronomically in the face of colonization beginning in the twelfth century. First, Central Asian invaders formed several dynasties known as the Sultanates from the twelfth to the sixteenth centuries. Then, the great Mughal dynasty ruled from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The British came to trade as the East India Company, stayed as the Crown from the eighteenth century until 1847, and then had their heyday as the British Raj from 1857 to 1947. The Mughals brought new foods to the subcontinent from Central Asia, including dried fruits, pilafs, leavened wheat breads, stuffed meat, poultry, and fruits. The Mughals also brought new cooking processes such as baking bread and cooking meat on skewers in the tandoor (a clay oven), braising meats and poultry, tenderizing meats and game using yogurt protein, and making native cheese. They borrowed indigenous ingredients such as spices (cardamom, pepper, and clove) and vegetables (eggplant from India and carrots from Afghanistan) to cook their foods, creating a unique Mughlai haute courtly cuisine.

From princely kitchens, the cuisine has made its way over the centuries to restaurants in major cities. In Delhi, the capital of Mughal India, as food writer Chitrita Banerji informs us, the Moti Mahal Restaurant claims to have invented tandoori chicken. In neighborhood Punjabi and Mughlai restaurants in metropolitan centers, the menu usually consists of dishes of meat and poultry that are heavily marinated with spices, then grilled and braised in thick tomato or cream-based sauces and served with indigenous leavened breads such as naan and rice dishes with vegetables and meats such as pilafs and biryani . These foods, in popular, mass-customized versions, are the staples of the dhabhas (highway eateries) all over India.

The British and other Western powers—including most importantly Portugal—came to India in search of spices to preserve meats, but the age of empire dictated culinary exchanges. India received potatoes, tomatoes, and chilies from the New World, and all became an integral part of the cuisine. The British traded spices and provided the technology and plant material and even transported labor to produce sugar in the West Indies.1 Indian food historian Madhur Jaffrey states that as the British Raj set roots in the subcontinent, the English-trained Indian cooks (Hindi— khansama ) to make a fusion food of breads, mulligatawny soup (from the Tamil mulahathani —pepper water) mince pies and roasts, puddings, and trifles. These dishes were later adapted to the metropolitan Indian table for the officers of the Indian army and British-Indian club menus. “Military hotels”— restaurants where meat and poultry were served primarily to troop members and often run by Parsis or Muslims—became popular as the new concept of public dining gained popularity in urban India between 1860 and 1900. The oldest known cafe from this era is Leopold’s Cafe in south Bombay (now Mumbai), where military hotel culture first took root. Other “hotels” or eateries primarily served, as they still do, vegetarian domestic cuisine in a public setting. In Bangalore, neighborhood fast food eateries called Darshinis serve a quick menu of popular favorites such as idli (steamed rice dumplings), dosa (rice and lentil crepes), and puri (fried bread), while neighborhood restaurants called sagars —meaning “ocean” but denoting a type of restaurant that has many varieties drawn from a commercial restaurant chain called Sukh Sagar, or “ocean of pleasure”—serve a wide array of dishes from both north and south India, as well as Indian, Chinese, and “continental food.”

“Continental food” in contemporary India includes a combination of English breakfast dishes such as omelette and toast; bread, butter, jam; meat and potato “cutlets;” an eclectic combination of Western dishes such as pizza, pasta, and tomato soup with croutons; bastardized French cuisine of vegetable baked au gratin with cheese and cream sauces, liberally spiced to make them friendly to the Indian palate; caramel custard, trifle, fruit and jelly; and cream cakes for dessert. Western cuisine is no longer just British colonial cuisine with these additions but a mosaic of specific national cuisines where Italian, and more recently, Mexican foods dominate, as these cuisines easily absorb the spices needed to stimulate Indian palates. Indian-Chinese food, another ethnic variant, owes its popularity to a significant Chinese population in Calcutta, who Indianized Chinese food and, through a number of family-run restaurants, distributed it throughout India, so it is now considered “local.” Street vendors serve vernacular versions of spicy hakka noodles, spicy corn, and “gobi Manchurian,” a unique Indian-Chinese dish of fried spiced cauliflower.

Despite this diversity, there are regional differences. Some observers con- tend that the Punjab—the Western region of the Indo-Gangetic plain of north India—is the breadbasket of the country. The region grows vast quantities of wheat that is milled and made into leavened oven-baked breads such as naan; unleavened griddle-baked breads such a chapattis , phulkas , and rumali rotis ; and stuffed griddle-fried breads such as kulcha and paratha . These breads are often eaten with vegetable or meat dishes. In the south, by contrast, rice is the staple grain. It is dehusked, steamed, and often eaten with spice-based vegetables and sometimes meat-based gravy dishes. The one cooking process that seems to be common to the subcontinent is that of “tempering,” or flash-frying, spices to add flavor to cooked food.

Contemporary India celebrates cuisine from local areas and culinary processes. The history of India, combined with its size, population, and lack of adequate transportation, left it with a heritage of finely developed local delicacies and a connoisseur population trained in appreciation of difference, seasonality, methods of preparation, taste, regionality, climate, diversity, and history though largely in an unselfconscious manner until very recently. Though many regional delicacies are appreciated nationally, such as the methi masala (fenugreek chutney) of Gujarat or the fine, gauze-like, sweet suther pheni (a confection that resembles a bird’s nest) of Rajasthan, regional delicacies such as the Bengal River carp marinated in spicy ground mustard and cooked in strong- smelling mustard oil often seem exotic and sometimes strange to outsiders. Train travel in India is a culinary tasting journey with stations stocking local delicacies, making it incumbent on the traveler to “stock up” on legendary specialties. Domestic food tourism creates and sustains a vibrant culinary imagination and a gastronomic landscape, both within and outside India.

The Indian Meal

The Indian meal is a complex and little-understood phenomenon. “Typical” meals often include a main starch such as rice, sorghum, or wheat; vegetable or meat curries that are dry roasted or shallow wok fried; cured and dried vegetable dishes in sauces; and thick lentil soups, with different ingredients. Condiments might include masalas (a dry or wet powder of fine ground spices and herbs) plain yogurt, or a vegetable raita (yogurt dip, also called pachchadi in south India), salted pickles, fresh herbal and cooked chutneys, dried and fried wafers and salted papadums (fried lentil crisps), and occasionally dessert (called “sweetmeats”). Indian meals can have huge variations across the subcontinent, and any of these components in different orders and with different ingredients might constitute an Indian meal.

Rice is a powerful symbol of both hunger and want as well as fulfillment and fertility. Until the late nineteenth century, however, only the wealthy ate rice, and most Indians consumed millet and sorghum.

When a multi-dish meal is served on a large platter in north India, the serving utensil is usually made of silver for purity. A banana leaf might be the main platter for a south Indian festival. In either case, there are various small bowls for each dish. This kind of meal is called a thali and is named for the platter on which it is served. The meal is eaten first with a sweet, followed by all the dishes served simultaneously and mixed together with the rice, based on the eater’s discretion. The meal ends with yogurt, which is thought to cool the body, and then followed by sweets and/or fruit. Festival meals usually end with a digestive in the form of a paan (betel leaf and nut folded together), which again has regional variations of style and taste.

Rice is a powerful symbol of both hunger and want as well as fulfillment and fertility. Until the late nineteenth century, however, only the wealthy ate rice, and most Indians consumed millet and sorghum. Nevertheless, the powerful symbolism of rice as a sign of fertility for many castes makes it part of marriage rites. Welcoming a new bride to the family home includes having her kick over a measure of rice to indicate that she brings prosperity to the household. A traditional test of a worthy daughter-in-law is her ability to “wash” the rice properly and to gauge the right amount of water it draws while cooking. Rice is still a symbol of wealth, and those families who have access to “wetland” where rice paddies grow are still thought to be wealthy and well endowed. Long grain scented basmati rice is India’s most popular variety and is valued in foreign markets as well. Efforts of the Indian government to protect Indian basmati rice failed, and now two types of American basmati exist, a situation many Indians consider shameful.

Gastronomic Calendars, Rituals, and Seasonality

In India as elsewhere, food culture is shaped by climate, land, and access to natural resources. The food system emphasizes eating agricultural and natural produce “in season,” such as mangoes and local greens during the summer, pumpkins during the rainy monsoon months, and root vegetables during the winter months. This emphasis is based upon a belief that in-season foods are more potent, tastier, and of greater nutritional value, although the yearround availability of many foods due to technology are beginning to change eating habits.

Cooks who are native to India are aware of culinary cycles and of multiple-dish recipes using fruits and vegetables of the season, some deemed “favorites” within caste groups and families. For example, prior to the ripened mango harvest of May and June, tiny unripe mangoes are harvested and pick- led in brine. The ripe mango and the pickled mango are the same species but are clearly different culinary tropes with different characteristics that are some- times attributed with fortifying, healing, auspicious, and celebratory values, based on taste, color, and combination. Connoisseurs are aware of desirable foods in local areas and sometimes travel great distances to acquire the first or best product of the season. Seasonality and regionality are also part of wed- ding celebrations, funerary rites, and domestic feasts. The winter peasant menu of the Punjab sarson ka saag , a stew of spicy mustard greens believed to “heat” the body, and makki ki roti ( griddled corn flatbreads), are imported to haute tables in Delhi restaurants as “rustic” fare.

Religious festivals also align with culinary cycles, festivals, or sacred periods of the year that are often associated with offerings to the gods and feasting on certain foods. The south Indian Harvest festival of Pongal in February is accompanied by a feast of harvested rice cooked with lentils in three different dishes, shakkarai pongal (Tamil-sweet), ven pongal (Tamil-savory), and akkara vadashal (Tamil-milk), accompanied by a stew of nine different winter vegetables and beans, offered first to tutelary deities and then consumed as consecrated food. Temples, especially those dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu, have a long history of developed culinary traditions and food- offering aesthetics. The Krishna Temple in the south Indian temple town of Udupi is known throughout India for the distribution of free seasonal meals to thousands of devotees. Other temples are known for offerings of certain sweets or savories of that region or enormous and detailed menus of offerings from the land.

The Globalization of Indian Food

Although it has never had a standardized diet, India has traditionally “imagined” its cuisine with respect to the incorporation and domestication of “foreign” influences. In the past two decades, with India becoming an economic powerhouse, a variety of multinational fast food companies have entered the previously protected Indian culinary landscape. They include Pizza Hut, Mc- Donald’s, KFC, Pepsico, and, most recently, Taco Bell. These companies have had to “Indianize” and self-domesticate to conquer the notoriously difficult-to-please Indian palate.2 Today, urban fast food chains in India have become common and are transforming the middle class diet.

At the same time, local food purveyors have taken complex regional recipes and modified them for ease of industrial production, leading to a pack- aged food boom in India.3 The Indian food market of $182 billion is believed to be growing at a rapid clip of 13 percent.4 Indian precooked packaged foods empires such as MTR, SWAD, Haldirams, and Pataks have gone global, avail- able wherever Indians now live, leading a quiet yet unrecognized revolution in eating habits. Formerly, the focus was upon rural, natural, fresh, and prepared on-site food. Now, there is a shift in emphasis to industrialized, processed food. These developments are partially reengineering local and caste-based special- ties for mass production, distribution, and consumption, changing past notions of what is traditional or valued.

Some scholars have suggested that Indian food is filtered through Great Britain to the world, though diasporic Indian groups have also contributed. North American eateries serve curries and rice, tandoori chicken , naan , and chicken tikka masala (said to be invented in Glasgow), while the Japanese make karai and rice, demonstrating the attractiveness of “exotic” India’s cultural power and reach.

The cultures of contemporary Indian cuisine, including the politics, food processes, production, and consumption, are simultaneously changing and exhilarating. Further innovation and increased attention to Indian cuisine will almost certainly occur and promises to be an exciting area of innovation and critical research in the future.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Achaya, K.T. Indian Food: A Historical Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1994.

Appadurai, Arjun. “Gastro-Politics in Hindu South Asia.” American Ethnologist8 no. 3, Symbolism and Cognition(1981): 494–551.

——————. “How to Make a National Cuisine: Cookbooks in Contemporary India.” Comparative Studies in Society and History30 no. 1 (1988): 3–24.

Bagla, Pallava and Subhadra Menon. “The Story of Rice.” The India Magazine9 (February 1989): 60–70.

Banerji, Chitrita. Eating Indian: An Odyssey into the Food and Culture of the Land of Spices. London: Bloomsbury, 2007.

Bestor, Theodore. “Cuisine and Identity in Contemporary Japan.” Routledge Handbook of Japanese Culture and Society. London: Routledge Press, 2011.

Bhuyan, Aroonim. “India’s Food Industry on the Path of High Growth.” 2010. See http://www.corecentre.co.in/Database/Docs/DocFiles/food.pdf.

Collingham, Lizzie. Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

Goody, Jack. Cooking, Cuisine and Class: A Study in Comparative Sociology . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982.

Jaffrey, Madhur. A Taste of India. London: Pavilion, 1989.

Khare, Ravindra S., ed. The Eternal Food: Gastronomic Ideas and Experiences of Hindus and Buddhists. Binghamton: SUNY Press, 1982. See also Mount Goverdhan in same volume.

Mintz, Sidney. W. Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History. New York: Penguin Books, 1986.

Olivelle, Patrick. From Feast to Fast: Food and the Indian Ascetic in Collected Essays of Patrick Olivelle . Firenze: Firenze University Press, 1999.

Ray, Krishnenu and Tulasi Srinivas, eds. Curried Cultures: Globalization, Food, South Asia . Berkeley: University of California Press, 2012.

Sen, Amartya. Poverty and Famines: An Essay on Entitlements and Deprivation. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1982.

Sen, Colleen Taylor. Food Culture in India. London: Greenwood Press, 2004.

Srinivas, M.N. The Cohesive Role of Sankritization and Other Essays. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989, 1962.

Srinivas, Tulasi. “Everyday Exotic: Transnational Spaces and Contemporary Foodways in Bangalore.” Food, Culture and Society 10 no. 1 (2007).

Srinivas, Tulasi. “As Mother Made It: The Cosmopolitan Indian Family, ‘Authentic’ Food and the Construction of Cultural Utopia.” International Journal of Sociology of the Family 32 no. 2 (2006): 199–221.

Toomey, Paul. “Mountain of Food, Mountain of Love: Ritual Inversion in the Annakūta Feast at Mount Govardhan.” Ravindra S. Khare, ed. The Eternal Food: Gastronomic Ideas and Experiences of Hindus and Buddhists. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992.

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Cultural Uniqueness of India: A Glimpse

Culture is the way of life. It refers to the rational improvement evolved out of the material and intellectual guidance acquired in the course of the ages in a nation. The Indian way of life is defined by the thoughts, feelings and philosophies prevalent in the country and its inhabitants. The Indian culture is one of the oldest and matchless. In spite of the numerous diversities, a basic unity is found in it. This culture has maintained uninterrupted stability from Vedic times to the present day in spite of innumerable obstacles. This eternal harmony and constant stability of Indian culture are derived from its profound spiritual bases. Key Words: Culture,

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Jyoti Ranjan Sahu

Dr. Khalid Mohammed

India that is Bharat has been one of the great ancient civilizations. This civilisation originated about 7000 BC and lasted till the end of Ashoka's rule. Like any civilization it evolved certain unique features of its own which, in their entirety and inter-relatedness, became its dominant feature distinct from other civilizations. Indian civilization is distinguished from other civilizations in respect of its continuity and heterogeneity, its accommodating history and its composite character. Land of India has witnessed multiple waves of migrations over tens of millennia from Central Asia, western Asia, western Eurasia, Tibeto-Burman and others. The advent of the Aryans, the Mongoloid groups, the Kushans, the Sakas, the Greeks, the Huns, the Arabs, the Persians, and the Turks migrated to India at different points of time. Migrating people brought with them their cultures, religions, philosophy, wedding rituals, festivals, cuisine, clothings, music, paintings, sculptures and behaviour patterns etc. The groups that migrated to India were able to maintain their unique cultural identities within a larger society and their values and practices were accepted by the wider culture. India witnessed an extensive process of indigenization of these migrant groups. This process created a composite fabric of Indian culture woven with strands and shades of varying textures and colours making it a mosaic of races and cultures. This amalgamation created a Cultural Pluralism in India.

Manoj Kamila

Indian identity and cultural continuity is a prominent topic associated with day-today life of every Indian. India is known in the world for its culture. All were surprised to see this, although India is a populated country in the world and it is difficult to maintain culture in all parts of India. From Vedic period to contemporary period the concept of culture and Indian-ness is within us. Indian Identity can be termed as "Salad Bowl" where all cultures are 'Salad' and Identity is 'Bowl'. Cultural Continuity is defined as the desire for a people to maintain core elements of their culture by adopting to changes over the time. Indian Culture teaches us, not only establishing own Identity but also goes with culture and social groups.

✌️VICTORIA INSTITUTIONS, Aaradhana, DEVERKOVIL 673508 India

VED from VICTORIA INSTITUTIONS

The real inputs about 'Indian' 'culture'! This writing goes behind the hype and glorification and points directly at the realities which are not usually mentioned. It is not a only a book listing the cultural aspects, but more or less explaining the reasons for what is what. And why! Extract from: The SHROUDED SATANISM in FEUDAL LANGUAGES! Amazon Kindle version of this text can be seen on the second link

Abhijit Guha

The cultural process in India is one in which the different communities live side by side, interchanging ideas and goods but not blood. In certain areas the juxtaposed communities are more or less independent of one another, in others they are economically interdependent. The anthropological evidence shows that in each cultural region there are distinct racial strata which can be correlated to social strata and that racial intermixture, though found in all regions, is not very great in depth and extent. Neither is one racial element always the one to be socially supreme, the social position of different race groups changing from region to region.

Dr. Bhagwati Prasad

Sukh Mehak Kaur

Kerala Sociologist

Biswajit Ghosh

The journey of 'Sociology of India' that began with 'colonial Anthropology' or 'colonisation' of the non-Western mind, prepared the ground for our pioneers, some of whom were involved in the nationalist struggle against the British, to rely on a textual view for offering alternative explanations about its society and culture. The effort to revive and energize traditional culture and establish Indian sociology in its own footing quite different from that of Western or colonial categories led to the popularity of Indological approach. But Indological approach itself did not give rise to any uniform and common explanation about Indian society and culture. The religious texts of different ages that Indologists very often studied not only emanated the idea of a 'Hindu India'; they also proposed contrasting and conflicting visions of time, space and object. The whole discourse of Indology is eventually interrupted by theories on post-colonialism and Orientalism. As a corollary, the need for supplementing those with field view was also felt by some of our pioneers. Gradually, Indian sociologists have started critically responding to the challenges of studying Indian society using diverse perspectives, approaches, and paradigms. This paper tries to reflect on the criticality of these issues in the context of demand for contextualising Indian sociology by avoiding any 'methodological fundamentalism'.

Avinash Patra

I have described the framework of the Indian idea from the outlook of an intellectual criticism, because that is the standpoint of the critics who affect to disparage its value. I have shown that Indian culture must be adjudged even from this alien outlook to have been the creation of a wide and noble spirit. Inspired in the heart of its being by a lofty principle, illumined with a striking and uplifting idea of individual manhood and its powers and its possible perfection, aligned to a spacious plan of social architecture, it was enriched not only by a strong philosophic, intellectual and artistic creativeness but by a great and vivifying and fruitful life-power. But this by itself does not give an adequate account of its spirit or its greatness. One might describe Greek or Roman civilization from this outlook and miss little that was of importance; but Indian civilization was not only a great cultural system, but an immense religious effort of the human spirit.

Indian Culture

Communication.

Indirect Communication: The communication style of Indians tends to be polite and indirect. They may try to speak appeasingly to those they are not close to in order to avoid conflict or confrontation. People often exchange opinions or viewpoints through negotiation rather than arguing that their perspective is definitively correct. This communication style can come across as ambiguous. Direct communication is reserved for relationships with a high level of trust or crucial situations.
Refusals: Direct refusals, such as ‘no’, may be considered to be too harsh and open disagreement is likely to be interpreted as hostile or aggressive. Therefore, Indians tend to give evasive refusals and indirectly express disagreement. Indians may use phrases such as ‘maybe’ or ‘I'll do my best’ as a way to express ‘no'. Moreover, ‘yes' has various connotations that differ from the word's usage in English-speaking Western cultures. For example, an Indian may say ‘yes’ to indicate that they are listening to the speaker, whilst indicating disagreement or refusal through their body language.
Silence: Sometimes people will remain silent rather than provide a direct ‘no’. Thus, it is advisable to pay attention to what is not said, as the absence of agreement may be an expression of disagreement.
Questioning: The cultural preoccupation with politeness and modesty can sometimes mean that some Indians automatically answer ‘yes' to direct questions that require a yes or no answer. For an Indian, a flat ‘no' may indicate that you wish to end the relationship. One way of navigating around ambiguity is to check for clarification several times using open-ended questions. For example, rather than asking “Is the shop this way?”, it is better to ask “Which way is the shop?”.
Hierarchy: The social hierarchy of Indian society often influences communication patterns in many scenarios. Respect and deference to authority figures in and outside the home are prevalent in various ways, such as being sensitive about how one refuses requests and disagrees with a senior’s opinion.
Physical Contact: Indians prefer not to touch people when it can be avoided, but they may touch someone's arm or hand when speaking so long as they are the same gender. Body contact between the genders is kept minimal throughout most of India. For example, hugging, kissing and holding hands are not customary.
Personal Space: Indians generally respect each other's personal space and an arm's length of distance is common during interactions. This is usually a similar proximity to what Westerners are familiar with. They may stand further away from those who are of the opposite gender.
Eye Contact: In general, Indians prefer to keep eye contact minimal or avert their eyes from the opposite gender rather than sustaining eye contact. Some women may avoid eye contact altogether. Direct eye contact is generally appropriate so long as you divert your gaze every so often.
Whistling and Winking: Both these actions are considered sexually suggestive in India.
Head Tilt: People may tilt their head to the side or shake it to both sides to indicate agreement and understanding. This head movement is similar to the Western gesture indicating “I don’t know” with a shrug of the shoulders and tilting one’s head to the side.
Nodding: Indians will often nod to acknowledge what is said out of politeness. However, this does not always mean they understand or agree.
Gestures: Pointing the index finger towards someone is considered to be accusatory. A more polite way to beckon or refer to someone is to use your whole palm facing down. Standing with your hands on your hips suggests that you are angry or ready to argue. Holding or pulling on one's ears is a gesture that indicates sincerity or repentance.
Head: The head is considered to be the holiest part of one's body. Touching someone on the top of the head is deemed to be insensitive and offensive.
Feet: Feet are thought to be the dirtiest part of the body, and displaying the soles of one’s feet or touching people with one’s feet is considered rude.

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UPSC Preparation Strategy
Important Topics For Civil Services

Important Topics on Indian Heritage and Culture for Civil Services

‘Indian Heritage and Culture’ is an important part of UPSC Syllabus and it spans across the entire length and breadth of Indian History. Candidates need to study aesthetics, customs, social and economic aspects of art. This article gives the list of 14 most important topics that need to be covered under Indian Heritage and Culture.

Aspirants would find this article very helpful while preparing for the IAS Exam .

Indian Heritage and Culture – 14 Important Topics

Below are some important topics within ‘Indian Heritage and Culture’ that must be covered by Civil Services aspirants.

The Harappan Civilization
Mauryan Period
Post- Mauryan Phase: The period of Shungas, Kanvas and Satavahanas
Kushana Empire
Gupta Empire
Temple Architecture Styles
Literature and Philosophy
Medieval Period
15-16th Century Regional Kingdoms
Mughal Empire
The decline of Mughals and Rise of Provincial Kingdoms
Modern Period
Dance, Music, Paintings, Literature, Food, Fairs and Festivals

Different Types of Art

It is important to note that just like how there are important markers in Indian History, there are important markers in ‘Indian Heritage and Culture’ as well. For example,

Harappan art is often called ‘ Utilitarian Art ’. This was because, the art of this period largely had functional utility. Decorations were bare and not on an extravagant level.
The art that flourished during the Mauryan Period , was largely ‘ Court Art ’. It is called so because the art of this phase enjoyed royal patronage. For example, Emperor Ashoka popularized art in this period.
The art that flourished during the Post-Mauryan Period was largely ‘ Popular Art ’. This is so because, even common people started participating in several activities involving art. We find a large number of donors, who donated their personal wealth to certain Buddhist and Jain monasteries.
Then we find that during the Gupta Period , art becomes largely ‘ Religious Art ’. After the Gupta Period, we find that new forms of art developed during the Sultanate Period. During this period we find that several mosques, tombs and Mausoleums were constructed. After the Sultanate period, we find a period of interaction and mutual enrichment. The local art of India gets enriched due to its interaction with foreign art.
Later, with the coming of the Mughals, we find the Golden period of Indian architecture. Then, we find Colonial art and architecture, which was yet another phase of interaction and enrichment. Indian artists learnt new things from foreign influences. Finally, the art of post-independent India largely speaks of a self-sufficient country.

The nature and scope of this subject is very vast. Thus candidates find it difficult to prepare this subject. At BYJU’s we have addressed this key concern with comprehensive coverage of the entire syllabus under ‘Indian Heritage and Culture’, that proceeds in a clear, chronological manner, appreciating developments in art, architecture, culture, etc. in each phase.

Civil Service Exam aspirants can refer to the list of UPSC Books given in the link, to augment their preparation.

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Indian Culture vs Western Culture: The Beauty of Diversity

Indian Culture
Indian Heritage

The history, traditional attire, family values, food culture, the verdict.

The debate on Indian culture vs Western Culture has been going on for a long time. Everyone contributes their unique insights on the topic. Both these cultures are unique, significant, and beautiful in their distinguished ways. The world, as we know it today, would never have existed had either of these cultures been absent.

Western Culture derives most of its customs and traditions from the European culture. Indian culture, however, is more diverse. Each state in the country brings with it, its traditions and cultures that are quite different from those of its neighbor. Analyzing the differences between them, it comes as no surprise that the ever-living debate on Indian culture vs Western culture still finds an audience.

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-History

The term culture refers to the norms, rituals, beliefs, and practices followed by a set of people belonging to a particular region or community. Each nation and continent has its own culture. It is this knowledge of their indigenous culture that distinguishes a particular nation or community from others. The culture of land has a considerable role in influencing the lifestyle of its natives.

Indian History is quite ancient in comparison to the Western history. In fact, Indian history is said to have been begun with the advent of the Indus Valley civilization in 2600 BC. Through the ages, the country had undergone a number of changes, which are aptly reflected in the art, culture, literature and architecture of India .

Western civilization is also quite ancient and is said to have had its roots in the ancient civilization of Greece. Through the ages, the western culture and civilizations have provided a number of significant contributions to world literature and architecture. A glimpse through the western history would undoubtedly reveal several literary and artistic legends such as Michelangelo and William Shakespeare, who have been stalwarts in shaping the culture of the Western world today.

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-Religions

India is the land of many religion , though majority of the Indian population follow Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism are also practiced by a significant number of people. In most Western countries, Christianity is the most followed religion, with Islam and Judaism also being practiced by a considerable number of people.

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-Festival

Indian culture is one of the most ancient cultures, which is prevalent in the world today. India is home to many festivals that take place all year round. Each state has its own distinct festivals, which mark certain pivotal events. The festivals are all celebrated with much pomp and splendour. Indian festivals include Holi , Onam , Pongal among others.

In Western culture too, people celebrate festivals with much joy. Popular Western festivals include Mardi Gras, Thanksgiving, St. Patrick’s Day, and many more. However, certain festivals are global. Many people across the world celebrate festivals like Christmas ad Eid regardless of their nationality.

Music has always been an inherent part of every culture around the world; each country has its distinct musical style, which suits the land and its people. Western music is entirely different from Indian music in several ways. Indian music is composed mainly of Hindustani Classical Music, Carnatic Music , among others. Traditional musical instruments , such as the Tabla, Veena, and Shehnai, are still used to produce soothing and melodious music in India.

In contrast to this, the Western musical scenario is quite different; it includes mainly jazz, rock, heavy metal, and Hip Hop. The opera is another popular attraction. It is a theatrical art form and is prominent for its musical component.

India has a number of the art forms spread across the nation. From the mesmerizing Bharatanatyam and the splendid Mohiniyattam to the lively Garba and graceful Manipuri , the country has beautiful and majestic dance forms that are unique to each state.

In Western countries, one can find many different forms of dance as well! Ballet, Waltz, Salsa, Tango, etc. are some of the most popular dance, performed in various settings.

The themes of Indian art are different and varied in contrast to that of the Western art. Indian art mostly comprised elements of religious significance. The paintings also portrayed scenes inspired from the daily life of the artist. The legends of Indian art include, Abindranath Tagore, Raja Ravi Varma , M. F. Hussain, Jamini Roy , among others.

Western paintings are quite popular for its unique representation of the human figure and the mesmerizing landscapes. Apart from this, many paintings also portray scenes from the Bible. The legends of western art include, Vincent Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Picasso and more.

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-Literature

Western literature is an apt reflection of the society. Apart from the realistic portrayal of their life, Western literature is quite unique due to its liberal use of a variety of techniques to narrate the story. Chivalry, romance, loyalty, fantasy, and Individualism are some of the key elements of Western literature. The western literary legends include, William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and George Bernard Shaw.

Indian literature differs from that of the Western literature in both- themes and style of narration. Indian literature mostly focusses on the realistic portrayal of the issues that are prevalent in the society. Obedience, morality, bravery, and human values are some of the most recurring themes in Indian literature. Rabindranath Tagore , Sarojini Naidu, and Premchand are some of the most popular literary legends of India.

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-Attire

Every state in India has a distinct culture and hence, the dressing styles differ from one region to another. For instance, the attire worn in Rajasthan is widely different from the one worn in the southern state of Kerala . Most of the people in many states prefer the traditional attire that is saree for women and kurta, dothi for men.

People in the Western countries wear clothes which are perceived to be more modern than Indian clothes. But many indigenous communities in the West still take pride in their traditional clothing, which embodies their rich culture and history. But with the advent of globalization, people all over the world are adapting to a universal style of dressing which include jeans, skirts, t-shirts, etc. The younger generation of India is more attracted to the western style of clothing as opposed to traditional wear .

Suggested read – Diversity Among The Traditional Dress of India (Infographic)

Indian-Culture-vs-Western-Culture-Family-Values

Though most of the modern families in India are mostly nuclear in contemporary times, this was not the case some years ago. Earlier, Indian families were mostly joint families, with every member of the family living under the same roof. The concept of arranged marriages , which is very popular in India, would undoubtedly be unheard of in the western countries.

The Indian staple mostly comprises of rice, and the cuisine includes a wide variety of side dishes. In India, the North Indian Cuisine varies significantly from that of the South Indian Cuisine . The popular dishes of North Indian cuisine include, Parathas, Pani Puri, Chole Bature, among others. While South Indian cuisine includes dishes such as, Dosa, Sambhar, Payasam, and Sadhya.

In western countries, food habits are quite distinct. The western cuisine is a mixture of various food cultures such as the European cuisine, North American cuisine, Mexican Cuisine, and more, Each of these cuisines are quite different from the other. The most popular dishes of the European cuisine include, the Arancini, Pierogi, and Palatschinken, while the Mexican cuisine is popular for its Tacos and Burritos. The people of the Western countries mostly prefer wheat over rice. Hence it forms a major part of their diet.

In almost every aspect of life, these cultures have their specific perspectives and practices, which suit their land and lifestyle. From the music they listen to, their dressing style, and the food they consume, everything highlights the differences which are prevalent between both the cultures.

Each culture is unique and beautiful in its own way. The Indian Culture vs Western Culture debate may never see its end. But it is up to the individual to choose the right elements from each culture, and incorporate that in their life.

Image credits: The copyright for the images used in this article belong to their respective owners. Best known credits are given under the image. For changing the image credit or to get the image removed from Caleidoscope, please contact us.

17 COMMENTS

Really great article. was searching for such detailed article and found this one. Thank you

Thanks Vandana!

Great article! Im sure it will help me in debate…

Thanks Manoj, All the best for your debate 🙂

Well explained…!

Thanks Richita 🙂

Tx It’s definitely helpful

Thanks, All the best 🙂

Great article! i was reading it for my debate i hope it helps thanks!

You cant decide with food, dance and music, but culture must uplift and protect human values, including those animals, rivers, and nature which depend on us. If any society because of its culture uplifts its habitant would be the “best culture ” but the culture which kills women for working, girls for dating, man for eating than it wont be the BEST for the least to say.

Hey Amar, every culture has good and bad elements. Most of the time good cultural practices are manipulated for personal benefits of a person or community. So why take the negatives better be proud of all the good things we have in our culture and make ourself better human beings.

Thank you so much…..very helpful

Thanks Florence, glad you found the info useful 🙂

This is the best article about Indian Culture. Personally i visited various websites about some informative information but when i saw this article my problems solved. Hats off to ur effort for helping you and this is gonna rock in debate. Thank You

Thanks Jashwanth, All the best for your debate 🙂

Thanks you so much that s very knowledgeable topic….

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Indian Culture and Heritage 223 Solved Assignment 2021 - 22 | NIOS Secondary Solved Assignment (2021 - 22)

nios solved assignments ( 2021-22) science and technology 212 solved assignment 2021 - 22 tutor marked assignment max marks: 20.

Note: (i) All questions are compulsory. The Marks allotted for each question are given beside the questions.

(ii) Write your name, enrollment numbers, AI name and subject on the first page of the answer sheet.

1. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words. 2 (a) Examine any two similarities of culture and civilization. (See Lesson-1)

Culture and civilization are two concepts that we need to understand to fully understand the similarities between them. Culture is what we teach society, and it is what we believe in, while civilization is how we live as a society.

Similarities between culture and civilization:

a) Both cultures and civilizations require governance (such as laws)

b) Both cultures and civilizations have their own unique identities

c) Both cultures and civilizations have their own strengths and weaknesses

(b) Identify two features that show the importance of spirituality in India culture. (See Lesson-2)

Ans: Over the years, the importance of spirituality in India culture has been on the rise. It has become a significant part of daily life for both people and businesses. Some features that show the importance of spirituality in India culture are:

a) The prevalence of oral traditions which provide immense value to people.

b) Indian gods are not confined to one religion or denomination but are honored by all communities and individuals irrespective of their religious background.

c) Indians traditionally take time out for spiritual practices like meditation, chanting, yoga, and pranayama.

भारतीय संस्कृति और विरासत (223)| Indian Culture and Heritage 223 NIOS Free Solved Assignment 2021 – 22 (Hindi Medium)

2. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words. 2 (a) Differentiate between Nagara and Dravida style of temple. (See Lesson-3)

Ans: Dravida style of temple is characterized by its sturdy, squat, and angular construction. It is known for its ornamental sculptures and the profusion of pillars with classical capitals.

Nagara style of temple, on the other hand, is characterized by its broad base and low pillars that are decorated with ornamental sculptures along with figures that act as divinities or guardians.

Diffrence between Nagara and Dravida style of temple:

1. The Nagara style is found in Northern India, while the Dravida style is prominent in Southern India.

2. Nagara temples are structured with a long central building flanked by two shorter, parallel buildings. While Dravida temples are built along a rectangular plan with an enclosed courtyard open to the east.

(b) List four fundamental Principles of Islam. (See Lesson 4)

Ans: The four fundamental principles of Islam are:

1. Tawhid (Oneness of Allah)

2. Nubuwwat (Prophethood)

3. Risalat (Messengerhood) and

4. Qadar (Divine Destiny).

The first principle is the absolute Oneness of Allah, the last Prophet taught that Allah has created everything in this universe and everything has its own purpose and meaning.

The second principle is that prophethood is granted to chosen people by God, and they pass on their message to others so they can teach them to be good Muslims and live in accordance with the teachings of Islam.

The third principle of Islam is one that makes sense. It says that every messenger must be sent from God to teach man about religion so people can live in accordance with the teachings.

The fourth principle of Islam Qadar or divine destiny is a concept that says that Allah has a plan for every individual's life and that the future cannot be changed.

3. Answer any one of the following questions in about 40-60 words. 2 (a) Interpret the non-material aspects of culture. (See Lesson-2)

Ans: Indian culture has been a source of inspiration for a lot of writers. It is rich with art, literature, and poetry. Indian culture has also been a source of pride for many Indians because it is the amalgamation of various cultures from all around the world.

The non-material aspects of Indian culture bring about something unique and different to the world as well as to our society. In today’s world, there is a rise in technology that has brought materialism into our lives and given us more opportunities to embrace it. It is essential for people to have an understanding of the non-material aspects that exist in order to preserve what makes them unique and different from other societies.

It is important to understand the influence of globalization on Indian culture. This includes understanding how India differs from Western cultures, as well as how it has been influenced by globalization. For instance, the often-times difficult interactions between Indian and Western cultures have led to many different forms of global citizenry being developed in India, which has formed entirely new values and norms.

(b) Justify the statement that cultural is liable to change but heritage does not. (See Lesson-2)

Ans: Cultural, heritage and social norms change over time due to events that happen. However, understanding and preserving heritage is essential for a society.

Cultural change: Cultural changes happen when people start to adopt new beliefs and behaviors that are different from the traditional cultural values in society. Cultural changes are inevitable but they don't always have to be negative.

Heritage does not change: Heritage refers to the cultural objects that are handed down through generations of human beings. Heritage remains the same regardless of how society evolves or changes over time.

Cultural is liable to change but heritage does not. The statement that cultural is liable to change but heritage does not is true. There are many examples of cultural change in the world, including technology, art, fashion, language etc. Furthermore, the world has changed considerably since the Industrial Revolution and with this there have been many changes in lifestyles and values.

4. Answer any one of the following questions in about 100 to 150 words. 4 (a) 'Sufi and Shakti movement were the two faces of the same coin.' Justify the statement. (See Lesson-4)

Ans: The two movements were the two sides of the same coin. They both represented a form of mysticism and it was not until much later that they were split.

The Sufi movement began in the 8th century and was eventually regarded as a deviant movement by Sunni Islam, which led to the Shakti movement taking place in India. The two movements were united again in the 19th century after a period of separation.

While the Sufi movement preached peace, love and self-discipline, it kept a patriarchal society in place to win people over with their message of kindness.

The Shakti movement was a concept that originated from Hinduism, which saw women as an embodiment of the divine energy and power of creation rather than as inferior to men. The Shakti movement strove for liberation for women, while also advocating violence against those who oppressed them.

(b) Identify any four similar cultural ways of life which were enjoyed by your grandparents and also followed by you. (See Lesson 1)

Ans: Answer any one question

5. Answer any one of the following questions in about 100 to 150 words. 4 (a) The extensive use of iron brought great changes in the material life of the Aryans. Analyse. (See Lesson-3)

Ans: Iron was a significant tool that the Aryan society made use of over a vast period of time. The Aryans were responsible for using iron from around 1200 BC onwards and they used it extensively to make numerous changes in their material life.

The extensive use of iron brought great changes in the material life of the Aryans. Iron-making is one area where the Aryans made a significant contribution as they began to produce iron from approximately 1200 BC onwards. Iron-making became an important part of their cultural practices and cultural identity with cultural significance that led to its widespread use among many groups. It allowed them to create new tools, weapons, and architecture with a greater ease than ever before with a wide range of consequences on social, political, economical and religious aspects as well as on the environment itself.

(b) Ancient India saw the rise of two very important religions like Jainism and Buddhism which left a lasting influence on Indian life and culture. Analyse. (See Lesson-3)

Ans: The rise of these two religions in India has had an impact on the culture of the country. Jainism, for instance, is widely accepted and acknowledged by many Hindus who follow it and Buddhism which started off as a Hindu sect and became a separate religion nowadays.

Jainism: The followers of this religion believe that there is no eternal soul so they live their life without hurting any living creature. They also believe in reincarnation and do not kill animals.

Buddhism: Buddhism started out as a Hindu sect but gradually took its own form to become a separate religion with unique beliefs on what obstacles should be faced in life to be able to attain nirvana.

Jainism and Buddhism have been around for a long time in India. The two religions have left a deep footprint on Indian culture and society. This is because they use quite different methods of teaching, teaching that focus on the essential truth rather than the abstract one. They also help people to reach spiritual fulfillment through their teachings. However, there are some who believe that these religions are overly influenced by Indian culture and that they fail to draw the attention of outside world. The rise of Jainism and Buddhism was largely due to the powerful impact it had on people’s lives which was profoundly different from what other religious beliefs had offered before them.

6. Prepare any one project out of the given below: 6

(a) During the medieval period two new religious faiths flourished in India: i.e. Sikhism and Zoroastrianism. These religions have influenced our society. Keeping this in mind, make a report containing at least 4 teachings of those religions. List and write about their important religious place or places. (See Lesson-4)

(b) Prepare a list of three social organisations working in your area. Find out the main objectives and functions of each organisation and make a table as below. Which organization will you like to join and why?

Ans: The three social organisations that work in your area are

- The Women's Resource Centre

- The Women's Centre for Change

- The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Fairness.

Posted by Kumar Nirmal Prasad

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