Sale Ends Monday - Up To Take an extra 25% off Learn More

Indian Art Culture and Entertainment Header

Around the world, people perceive India in dramatically different ways. Some view it as an exotic land, rife with unusual wildlife and untamed lands. Others see it as an impoverished, overpopulated country, while others know it to be an upcoming leader in technology. In fact, India is all this and much more. With an incredibly long and rich history, it has changed and developed tremendously since ancient times. Even so, a good deal of its culture and traditions have withstood the test of time.

History

The first recorded proof of human civilization in what is now known as India is dated to around 30,000 years back. The Indus Valley Civilization that existed there during the Bronze Age was one of the first civilizations in the world. They were remarkably advanced for their time, in terms of technology and culture. Much later, with the rise of Western civilization, India (or parts of it) was repeatedly invaded by foreigners, from Mongols to the Dutch, French, Portuguese, and British. The latter created a particularly strong influence in Indian lifestyles that is still evident today.

Religion

There is a large diversity of religions that are freely practiced in India. Of these, Hinduism is by far the most prevalent, ranking at around 80%. After this, Islam and Christianity are the next most practiced religions, mostly confined to specific areas and minority groups in the country. Other religions include Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, and Zoroastrianism. Although Indians have a right to practice any religion they wish, historically there have been violent conflicts between some religious groups, usually Muslims and Hindus.

Family Structure

Family is likely the most crucial component in Indian culture after religion. People go to great lengths to keep their families together, despite hardships. It is common (and even expected) for children to live with their parents until they are married, even if this occurs well into adulthood. Divorce and separation are highly frowned upon, for fear of bringing shame to the family, and accordingly India's divorce rates are very low. Married couples are encouraged to work out their differences with each other as much as possible. In the past, arranged marriages were the norm. Today this custom is still practiced among the more traditional families; however, many other parents follow modern Western practices and allow their children to marry for love. This is known as a love match.

Traditional Arts

Indian art differs tremendously based on the region that it originates from, such as Tanjore paintings from South Tamil Nadu, or Alpana designs from Bengal. In particular, art gains many differences from religious influence. For example, Hindu-inspired art and artistic script is blatantly different from Muslim-based artwork. There are several different styles of paintings, still practiced today, that originated in earlier periods, such as Mughal paintings (circa 15^th century), Rajput paintings (18^th century) and even Warli motifs from the 10^th century.

Architecture

Much of India's traditional architecture is based on principles of vastu shastra. This ancient concept involves building with directional alignment as a key feature. It takes into account the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space) as well as the main cardinal directions (north, south, east, west). While these principles are still practiced in some areas, larger urban areas in India tend to create modern Western-influenced buildings, such as standard apartment blocks or office towers.

Language and Literature

Indian Elephant Statue with Plant Growth Indians often joke about how difficult it is to understand their own countrymen in various parts of the country; however, there is a good deal of truth to this. A census taken in 1961 found that there were over a thousand different mother tongues spoken in India. Today, Hindi and English are the two official languages, with many others in common use. These include Punjabi, Marathi, Bengali, Konkani, Gujarati, and much more.

Performing Arts

Indian music and dance are very unique to the country. There are several different styles of dance, from the classical Bharatanatyam that features intricate hand and leg movements, to the exuberant bhangra, a loud and colorful folk dance. Indian theater often follows themes that center around well-known local mythology or history. Motion pictures and acting are currently a booming industry for India. Bollywood has spawned its own unique type of cinema that often features a plethora of songs and dances within each movie.

Cuisine

Each region of India boasts a vastly different palate and type of cuisine. Since the country itself is so big, the regional cuisines often vary based on locally available produce, climate, and historical influences. Across the country, the use of spices and herbs are crucial. More than simply adding flavor, they are also used for their medicinal properties, as well as for their ability to aid digestion, heat or cool the body, or increase an appetite.

Sports and Martial Arts

Several native Indian games, such as gilli-danda, tend to be played by youngsters. Popular competitive sports include badminton, field hockey, and boxing. Cricket, a game that was first introduced by the British, quickly caught on and is now considered to be the favorite sport of India. There are also many different types of regional martial arts practiced, such as thoda and kalari payattu.