Free Essay

Indian Culture

In:

Submitted By sahithi
Words 584
Pages 3
India is known to be the chaotic canvas of art and spirituality and this nature of this diversified country delights each and every one with its gaiety. The buzzing nation’s mind-blowing mix of exotic landscapes and intricately woven heritage bristles with compelling art exhibitions, pompous festivals and novel forms of highly creative expression. Behaviour of people, the way they communicate, their dressing styles, food habits form an integral part of the country’s culture, but when it comes to describing the culture of India, it can be said that the country is a cocktail of cultures and that is exactly the beauty of India.
India has the proud parent of some of the greatest of religions namely Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, and the country also embraces Islam and Christianity. People belonging to all these religions live together with harmony and this diversity promises 365 days of joys, colours, rituals and appealing cultural exchange.
India is flavoured with the unity of rich culture whilst it takes a dip in diversity of the many religions that live under one sky, and it is true celebration when this sky is painted with joys of people beneath. This is exactly what happens during the international kite festival of Gujarat. Festivals in India form occasions for celebrations that bring everyone together and festivals like Holi, Diwali and Uttarayan which involve fun activities provide a brilliant stage for people from all religions to get together and be the reason for each other’s happiness. The International Kite Festival of Gujarat is a popular cultural event in India that brings out the inner child of people belonging to all age groups. It happens in the month of January each year. The sky looks every bit colourful with different shapes of kites with bright colours swaying their way in a charming rhythm. The kite festival coincides with Makar Sankranti and Gujarat’s Ahmedabad, which is the host city turns into a 3D canvas with thousands of kits clouding the high skies. This festival is organized by the Gujarat Tourism Development Corporation and each year this festival witnesses kite enthusiasts from all over the world thronging to the venue to flaunt their skills. Food, a kite market, cultural performances, music and special kite displays are all a part of this event.
It is believed that kites first arrived in India through Muslim traders from Persia and since Gujarat lies on the westernmost edge of the country, people of the state have been following a blend of customs of both the religions for thousands of years. The two cultures blended to a great degree in different aspects and the Kite Festival is a unique example of such unity in diversity.
The fascination and the celebrations attached to flying kites cuts across different age groups, communities and class. Even though Uttarayan is a Hindu festival that marks the awakening of gods from a deep slumber of the just commenced winter, people from different religions across the country enjoy it with high sprit and every inch of India becomes colorful with harmony. This festival is enjoyed by rich and poor alike, irrespective of their religion. This festival sees participation of people from different countries like USA, Japan, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Malaysia, and Europe.

Reference: http://www.discoveredindia.com/india-at-a-glance/culture.htm http://www.journeymart.com/holidays-ideas/festivals/international-kite-festival-gujarat.aspx http://www.gujarattourism.com/fairs-festivals/cultural-festivals/international-kite-festival-uttarayan http://hinduism.about.com/cs/festivals/a/aa011103a.htm

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Indian Culture

...time and do the homework to understand the culture of the countries they want to do business in. This paper discusses some detail Hofstede’s theory of cultural dimensions and how understanding the dimensions and as they relate to a specific culture can assist in determining a strategy for designing HRM policies to fit a particular countries culture. Although this paper will focus on India, you will be able to get a good idea of how the theory can be applied to any country with proper research of that countries culture. What is the definition of culture? It sounds like a very simple question, if you search the Internet, read books, talk to different people you will get different responses. However, if you pay close attention the answer is basically the same. To simplify things for the purpose of this paper I will use Merriam Webster Dictionary definition of culture: culture is the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc. a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business). From an HR/operations perspective understanding cultural differences is key to success in a global organization. This paper will focus on the Indian culture and the differences in US culture and the impacts on some HRM policies and approaches. Indian Culture and Business To fully understand the Indian culture would take some time. For the purpose of...

Words: 1310 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Asian Indian Culture

...Asian Indian Culture and Tradition NURS236: Transcultural Nursing March 29, 2016 According to the U.S. census, there are over 1.6 million people of Asian Indian origin in the United States. Asian Indians began immigrating to the U.S. as early as the turn of the 20th century. Most found work in agriculture working on farms. Between 1980 and 1990, the population of Asian Indians in the U.S. increased by 125%. Due to family reunification laws, the number of Asian Indian elders who followed their offspring to this country has also risen (India, 2015). There are now two major groups of Asian Indians, those who came to U.S. in the late 1960’s and early 70’s, and the group who came much later. According to the 1990 Census data, there were approximately 23,000 Asian Indian elders over the age of 65; 83% are foreign born and 51% do not speak English very well. Only 12%, however are classified as linguistically isolated (without an adult who speaks English in the household) – the smallest of any Asian ethnic group (India, 2015). Older Asian Indian immigrants are often financially dependent on their children. They face the challenges of a culturally different society, such as a language barrier, culture mismatch, new lifestyle factors, and role reversal. In traditional Indian society, extended family members usually live together as a single-family unit. Often, the husband's parents will join the family after they have retired or when help is needed. The grandparents' role in raising...

Words: 2202 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Amrican and Indian Culture

...No two cultures are the same. The American and Indian cultures have very vast differentiation between them..While the culture of America is a mixture of different cultures, the Indian culture is unique and has its own values. One of the major differences that can be seen between American and Indian culture is in family relations. While the Indians are very much family oriented, the Americans are individual oriented. In Indian culture, the family values are given more prominence than the individual values. Indians respect family values. On the other hand, in American culture the individual values gets prominence than the family values. Indians are more committed to their family where as the Americans are more committed to themselves only. In another sense, it can be said that the American culture is more goal oriented and the Indian culture is more people or family oriented. Indians may even forsake their individual wishes and also happiness for the sake of families. But in American culture, this trend cannot be seen. Unlike the Indians, the Americans plan things ahead. The Americans believe in dominating nature and controlling the enviorment around them. On the contrary, Indians believe in the harmony with nature. Another difference that can be seen between Indian culture and American culture is that the Indians love stability where as the Americans love mobility. In American culture, one can see that the individuals think of self-reliance and independent. On the...

Words: 433 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Navajo Indians and Their Culture

...Navajo Indians and Their Culture Kimberly Davis Intro. To Cultural Anthropology Instructor Jason Gonzalez 04/02/2013 Within the Navajo community, there are several dynamics that are used to keep the community together. Their culture, family bonds and work ethics are all factors that play major roles in the raising of their families and also with maintaining their land and properties. By nature, Navajo Indians are born Pastoralists, which means they are natural farmers of land. These ethics and techniques have been passed down from generation to generation from birth. This paper will explore how they communicate with one another and how they function together to maintain their culture and beliefs. I. Pastoralists a. Definition b. How Important Is It To Be A Pastoralists To The Navajo Indians 1. How did it become their primary mode of subsistence 2. Is this different from being just a farmer and in what ways II. What Are Three Aspects of Their Culture A. Beliefs and Values 1. What are they? 2. How are they determined? B. Kinship 1. Who is considered to be the head of the Tribe? 2. How is this determined? C. Sickness and Healing 1. Spiritual Aspect 2. Do they believe in modern medicine? References The Sense of Collectivism and Individualism among Husbands and Wives in Traditional and Bi-Cultural Navajo Families on the Navajo Reservation. Journal of Comparative Family Studies. Sept2011, Vol. 42...

Words: 292 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Indian Culture- Informative Speech

...Purpose: To inform Specific purpose: To inform my audience about the Indian culture's diversity Central Idea: India is a fascinating country with diverse traditions related to their language, their costumes, and their cuisine. Organization: Topical Order Visual Aids: Power Point Presentation Audience: University colleagues especially those interested in travelling or in improving their knowledge about cultural diversity. Introduction: I. “Namaste.” A. Does anyone understand what I said? B. I greeted you in Indian. The same word can also be used to say good-bye. C. Have you ever been watching T.V. and found documentary on the Indian culture on the discovery channel? Do you just skip it because you are not interested in other cultures? If you do so then you have missed a lot of interesting information about this fascinating culture. II. Similarly to the way Indians can use one word in a variety of meanings, the diversity of life is a hallmark of the Indian culture. III. As a university student interested in cultural diversity, and after conducting extensive research, IV. I would like to open your eyes on another part of the world and share with you a glimpse of India's diversity of life by looking at its languages, its costumes, and its cuisines. (Transition: Let’s start with Indian languages) Body: I. India is distinguished by a large linguistic...

Words: 959 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Cherokee Culture Influence On Indian Culture

...definition of the Blue Ridge province spreads westward to the Ridge and Valley area; The Blue Ridge encompasses also far north as Pennsylvania. The blue Ridge is also contained with the greater Smoky Mountains. They did have access to many unique foods that would go onto to change the basis of their cooking which in turn changes their culture. Food is a main aspect of culture that you cannot unentwined from each other. Any pre-contact culture that the Cherokee would have had would have been solely based on their access to different types of foods, and how that access lead to the establishment of culture through the easy access to said foods. This culture was put to the test when the Indian Removal act was passed after gold...

Words: 922 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Difference Between Indian and Spanish Culture

...between Indian and Spanish Culture According to Samovar and Porter (1994) “Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.” (Stanford.edu, n.d.). Our culture defines who you are as a person; it contours ones judgment to a certain approach. In other words, it is our identity. Every nation has its own set of morals and is defined by its own distinct cultures; which gives rise to cultural differences between each and every country in this world. In this vast world, no two cultures are exactly identical. Taking into account India and Spain, needless to mention, both the cultures have an enormous amount of differences between them. Spain being a part of Europe is largely influenced by the European culture furthermore the Rome culture; on the other hand India’s culture is more multifaceted and has been influenced by colonialism over the past century- both collaterally and vernacularly (Sen Amartya, 2005). India is a home to a variety of different cultures; it is known to be the most diverse country in the world in every aspect. Looking into a major aspect of any culture that has existed, religion plays a major role in the upbringing. It influences the framework of a particular culture and individual...

Words: 1461 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The East India Company and Perceptions of Indian Culture

...Company and Perceptions of Indian Culture Throughout the 16th century, the Indian Ocean was filled with lucrative trade. Incredible amounts of capital and resources were exchanged all throughout the Indian Ocean from the Middle East to the shores of Japan. At the heart of all this trade stood the Indian subcontinent, whose merchants and monarchs accumulated vast amounts of wealth by taking advantage of their geographic position relative to the international market. Although the larger dynasties of Europe had learned of the vast material wealth of Asia through the travels of Marco Polo and other European explorers as early as the 14th century, it wasn’t until the 1600s that the first legitimate European trading companies set up shop in the east to bring Asiatic commodities to the European continent at a large scale. The first of said companies, the British East India Company, created under Elizabeth I of England, would bring not only great wealth, but also eventual colonization to the people of the India. The British East India Company arrived in the Indian subcontinent with purely economic goals. The merchants in the company adapted to Indian culture extremely well, quickly making friends with the monarchs of different Indian states, adopting and practicing Indian religions, marrying Indian women, and learning the vernacular languages of the continent so that they could seamlessly blend into the already thriving market. As English influence in the Indian economy grew, so did their...

Words: 1682 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Dreadful Impact If Indian Yellow Culture on Bangladeshi Youths

...Dreadful Impact of Indian ‘Yellow Culture’ on Bangladeshi young generation Md. Abdun Noor Shaheen Lecturer in Sociology Generally, culture refers the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group. And, of course, we have a very rich culture which we can feel proud of. But the shocking fact is that that our culture is now under a great threat because of foreign cultural aggression. Indian cultural practices, have especially added a new flavour to this extent and satellite TV channels run by India have made the path of aggression easier. Our young generation is so much affected and influenced by those channels that they are trying to practise what they see on the television screen. So from my point of view, Indian cultural practices are now turning as a threat rather than mere source of amusement. Some Concrete Facts of Indian forms of Culture: Indian films, for instance, are now at the epicenter of the culture wars. They are corrupting our youth. There are about ten Indian channels, showing movies and movie songs round the clock. We are quite stunned at many of the shows in Indian TV channels that are apparently for children. The Indian channels are full of contests when ten year old girls are dressed up and made up like Bollywood actresses, rotating to some hit Hindi songs, making all those suggested moves in front of thrilled audiences and approving panel of judges. Then...

Words: 1096 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Literature From A Salo Indian Culture Summary

...One's identity is the makeup of their culture, by transforming them into the person that he or she will be. Culture goes far back in time, since the beginning of mankind. Which is what separates us from animals. Since culture is the shared beliefs that a community has. The customs, values and morals that are implemented through generations. Without even thinking it, one tends to place their culture on their offspring or whoever will listen. In Leslie Silko's article Language and Literature from a Pueblo Indian Perspective, she starts off by saying that a story is never ending. Every word within the story has its own story, as to why it came to have that connotation. Then there is Sandra Ciseneros's article Only Daughter, about a woman raised in a house with six of her brothers. Whom her father saw her as just a daughter and not someone that would achieve greatness. Lastly Mark Behrs article Boy discusses the generalization of being a man in a mans' world. The culture in Silko's, Cisneros's and Behr's article is unraveled through the setting, plot, and theme....

Words: 783 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Similarities Between Hurons And Native American Indian Culture

...Folktales, sometimes also known as myths, has strong ties with Native American tribes. Their sacred beliefs of divine things consists of places, animals, and people. Native American myths are slightly similar to each other. The Hurons ( an American Indian tribe) myths were related to the creation of the earth with the help of animals. Hurons believed in supreme deity and their myths were mainly concerned with how creations, living within the single water source, can be supportive in the beginning of this earth and how they can be helpful to the weak human beings. Huron myths show resemblance with each other, as they believed that animals were there to support humans. In “The Sky Tree”, the old chief’s wife, Aataentsic, was told to get the...

Words: 623 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Indian Culture

...Indian Culture Abstract India is located in continent Asia. It is Federal republic government. Its official language is Hindi and there are 14 other languages e.g. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu and Punjabi. The major religion that is follow by majority of people is Hinduism. In India people speaks different languages, dress differently, follow different religions, eat different food but they all have the same nature. Whether it is a happy occasion or a moment of sadness people participate in it with feeling of happiness or pain. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or home. They whole community or neighborhood is involved in bringing a joy to an occasion. In India people consider guests as a gift from god. They give much respect to guest and welcome them with open heart. Indian people look afterward for each other in every occasion. They live with love and peace. Religion There are three main religions in India; Buddhism, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Buddhism is follow by 307 million people. Buddhists believe in Buddha as a spiritual being. According to the teachings of Buddha, we learn that there is nothing in self and that we only suffer and gain agony by going towards something that is not permanent. A Buddha is free from greed, hatred and ignorance, and characterized by wisdom, compassion and freedom. Hinduism...

Words: 973 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Indian Culture

...Indian culture The culture of India is among the world's oldest, reaching back about 5,000 years. Many sources describe it as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the supreme culture in the world. India is a very diverse country, and different regions have their own distinct cultures. Language, religion, food and the arts are just some of the various aspects of Indian culture. Here is a brief overview of the culture of India. Language India has 28 states and seven territories, and each has at least one official language. While the national languages are Hindi and English, there are about 22 official languages and nearly 400 living languages spoken in various parts of the country. Most of the languages of India belong to two families, Aryan and Dravidian. Religion India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism. A huge majority — 84 percent — of the population identifies as Hindu. There are  many variations of Hinduism, and four predominant sects — Shaiva, Vaishnava, Shakteya and Smarta. About 13 percent of Indians are Muslim, making it one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Christians and Sikhs make up a small percentage of the population, and there are even fewer Buddhists and Jains. Food Indian cuisine boasts Arab, Turkish and European influences. It is known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices. Cooking styles vary from region to region. Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana...

Words: 4429 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Indian Culture

...CULTURE OF INDIA Independence Day = 15th Aug 1947 In India, Republic Day honors the date on which the Constitution of India came into force–on 26 January 1950–replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India. Incredible India is the name of an international marketing campaign by the Government of India to promote tourism in India in 2002 to a global audience. Tourism is a major industry in India and the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign to promote Incredible India as a tourist destination in 2002 Indian Flag – Facts • The saffron colour = denotes courage and sacrifice. • White colour = denotes truth, peace and purity. • Green colour = symbolizes prosperity, vibrance and life. • The Ashok Chakra (wheel) represents the righteousness, progress and perpetuity. The 24 spokes of the wheel represents the 24 hours of a day. • Indian flag was adopted on 22nd July 1947 • Nickname for Indian flag is Tiranga (Tricolor) Introduction • The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilization (3300–1300 Before Common Era; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. • The Indus Valley is one of the world's earliest urban civilizations, along with its contemporaries, Mesopotamia (site of several ancient civilizations; part of what is now known as Iraq) and Ancient Egypt • "Ek sur" (One Tune) (languages of India), or Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" as it is better known, is an Indian song and accompanying...

Words: 640 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Indian Culture

...ndian cultureIndian Culture focusing on Hinduism Marriages are religiously, economically, politically, and socially oriented and they are usually arranged by the elders and extended family members. Many of the youth in India prefer arranged marriages, as it gives them the time and the ability to enjoy their youth without the constant worry of relationships and finding a mate. Many Indians look at marrying a person they don’t know, “a lifetime to learn to love them”, as to the American idea of learning a person inside and out before marriage. It can be said that an arranged marriage in India is not based on feelings, but rather on commitment. In American everyone makes their own decision on who they would like to marry, they marry for who they love. Wedding ceremonies can be expensive, and costs are typically paid by the parents of the female. It is not uncommon for middle-or upper-class weddings to have a guest list of over 500 people. Often, a live instrumental band is played. Vedic rituals are performed and then the family and friends bless the couple. Food is served to the entire guest list. The wedding celebrations can take up to one week depending on the practice in that different part of India. The woman takes the man’s name as their own. In American weddings can be cheap and can just go to the courthouse if money is tight. Most of the time a woman takes the man’s last name, but can keep her own if she wants. The married Hindu women in different parts of India follow...

Words: 827 - Pages: 4