Indian Culture: Customs and Traditions of India

Did you know that India’s culture is among the world’s oldest? Civilisation in India started about 4000 years ago. According to an organisation, “Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara” is the first and the supreme culture in the world. Western peoples did not always see the culture of India very positively, as per Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist.

Early anthropologists once deemed culture as an evolutionary process. “Every aspect of human development was seen as driven by evolution,” said Christina De Rossi. “In this view, societies outside of Europe or North America, or societies that did not follow the European or Western way of life, were considered primitive and culturally inferior. Essentially this included all the colonised countries and people, such as African countries, India, and the Far East,” she followed.

Nevertheless, Indians made important advances in medicine (Ayurveda), mathematics (the invention of zero) and architecture (Taj Mahal). Nowadays, India is considered a very diverse country, with more than 1.2 billion inhabitants. It is actually the second most populous nation after China. Different areas have their distinct religion, language, cultures, food and the arts are just some of the several parts of Indian culture.

Religion

India is home to many religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. There is approximately 84% of the population which identifies as Hindu. Hinduism consists of many variations and four predominant sects — Shakteya, Shaiva, Vaishnava and Smarta. About 13% of Indians are Muslim, making India amongst the biggest Islamic nations on the planet.

Indian cultures never cease to impress people. In India, many people believe that you can only fall in love when you are about to get married. It is also believed that the couple should practise the same religion. The traditional love story where parents disagree yet the lovers make it together at the end is included in millions of Indian stories, poems and movies. Bollywood Story Slot at Regal Wins Casino follows this trend and it is one of the most entertaining Indian-themed games!

Food

During the sixteenth century, when the Moghul Empire invaded, they left an important mark on Indian cuisine. It is also influenced by several nations in the world. Popular for its large array of dishes and its liberal use of spices and herbs, the cooking styles vary from place to place. Each region has its way of cooking an Indian dish.

Basmati rice, wheat and pulses with Chana are important staples of the Indian diet. Food is generally rich with curries and spices, including cinnamon, dried hot peppers, turmeric, cardamom, coriander and ginger among others. There are many Hindus who are vegetarian as well. But chicken and lamb are common in main dishes for non-vegetarians. Between 20% and 40% of India’s people are vegetarian.

Architecture and Art

Taj Mahal is the most well-known example of Indian architecture. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to honour his wife. This great structure combines elements from Ottoman Turkish, Persian, Islamic and Indian architectural styles. India is also famous for its ancient temples. You will find at least one around each corner of the country.

India is also known for its film production, which is often mentioned as Bollywood. Nowadays, the movies are known for their elaborate singing and dancing. Music, Indian dance and theatre traditions span back more than 2,000 years. The major classical dance traditions — Kathakali, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Odissi, Kathak and Bharata Natyam – draw on themes from mythology and literature and have strict presentation rules.