Culture
It refers to the intellectual development evolved out of the physical and mental training acquired in the course of the ages in a country.
India is the birthplace of one of the richest cultures of the world. The Indian culture has always amazed all other countries and has held attention of the people across different beliefs and origins.
Though the nation is regarded largely as the one, which is dominated by the Hindu culture, it is one of the major stonghold for civilizations like Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. This has resulted in the existence of innumerable values and customs that have their roots in respective religion.
People celebrate every religious festival with great enthusiasm, in a grand way . This culture is rooted firmly in the mind and souls of the Indians and governs the way of life for most people living in the country.
The culture of India covers a vast spectrum of features ranging from the close family structure, religion, language, art, history and several other factors. India has the unique distinction of celebrating the maximum number of festivals in a calendar year.
The Indians are known for their hospitable nature all over the world. Every household in India regards a guest as a form of God and treats him with suitable respect and promptness.
“Respect one another” is another lesson that is taught from the books of Indian culture.
The culture of India (or) Indian culture can be best expressed as comprising the following
Humanity
The mildness of the Indians has continued till date, despite the aggressiveness of the Muslim conquerors and the reforming zeal of the British, the Portuguese and the Dutch. The Indians are noted for their humanness and calm nature without any harshness in their principles and ideals.
Tolerance
Gandhiji’s satyagraha principle or Ahimsa – freedom without taking a drop of blood, worked wonders and gave credit to India in the international arena. Swami Vivekananda in his famous Chicago Speech on the 11th of September, 1893 spoke of this.
Unity
India is a conglomeration of men and women of various castes and creed. It is a fusion of old traditional values and the modern principles, thus satisfying all the three generations in the present India. The Elite businessman and the common vendor on the road share the same news and worship the same deity .
Secularism
India is a secular coun country as stated in its Constitution. There is freedom of worship throughout the length and breadth of India without any breeches or violations of any other’s religious beliefs. The Hindus, The Muslims, The Christians, and The Sikhs in times of calamity and during festivities come openly together to share their thoughts despite their religious affinities. The catholicity of the Indian culture can be best understood by the fact that hundreds of Hindus visit the Velankanni shrine or the Nagore Dargah in Tamilnadu.
Closely knit Social system
Unlike the western culture, the Indian culture has family-bound traditions and customs. The families are closely knit with Grandfathers, fathers, sons and grandsons sharing the same spirit, tradition and property. Indians regard the family as an institution or a link, which continues for the rest of their lives. India has a patriarchal system, wherein the father is the head of the family and has the ultimate authority to take decisions for the family.
Cultural Charisma
The other features of culture of India that attract millions of tourists every year include Indian classical music and dance, art and architecture and even cuisines.India, a place of infinite variety, is fascinating with its ancient and complex culture, dazzling contrasts and breathtaking physical beauty. Among the most remarkable features of India, is the arts and culture in particular. The Indian culture has persisted through the ages precisely for the reasons of antiquity, unity, continuity and the universality of its nature. Thus within the ambience of Indian culture one can identify ‘Indian Music’, ‘Indian Dance’, ‘Indian Cinema’, ‘Indian Literature’, Indian Cuisine’ ‘Indian Fairs and Festivals’ and so on. Indian classical music and dance are mentioned even in the ancient religious texts and have been treasured by its people till now. India consists of innumerable religious and historical monuments that reflect the strong influence of the several rulers that ruled the country for ages. The country has monuments that replicate the Hindu style, Mughal pattern, Victorian influence due to the British rule and several other modes.
The culture of India encompasses all these and much more. Every cultural aspect of India has a history and saga of its own, which can capture the imagination of every individual.
Nowadays the Indian Culture has crossed the geographic boundaries and has extended globally. Whoever, May it be an Indian or a person from any other country, attracted from the exuberant Indian Culture and traditions.