India Unbound: An Exploration of Culture Through Time and Customs
Culture is the backbone of a nation. It is a common background shared by a community, society, or region. It consists of their religion, history, values, traditions, beliefs, rituals, customs, language, food, clothing, festivals, and artifacts. It is necessary because it creates a sense of belonging. It allows us to take pleasure in ancestral traditions and engage with others who have similar interests.
Our Indian culture, similarly, is regarded as the most beautiful culture in human civilization. It is considered to be the oldest civilization in the world. India’s traditions and rituals are diverse, lively, and unique, which is why they are celebrated yearly in the same manner. Due to the diverse Indian culture, a lot of tourists are attracted to visiting India. In this blog, we are going to discuss some of the customs and traditions that are a part of our Indian culture.
Here are some interesting Indian customs and traditions:
The Namaste
Namaste, sometimes called namaskar or namaskaram, is a customary Hindu manner of respectfully greeting and honouring a person or a group. It is used by people from Nepal and India’s diaspora. A Namaste is performed with palms together in a prayer position and a slight bow. The phrase “namaha” translates to “na ma” (not mine), which denotes reducing one’s ego in the presence of another.
Atithi Devo Bhavah
Atithi Devo Bhavah is a phrase from Sanskrit that means Guest is God. In India, this philosophy is used to welcome your guests respectfully.
Family
India has a unique and prevalent system of the joint family, often regarded as the undivided family. The system is an extended family made up of multiple generations living in the same house and linked by a common bond. This system fosters a strong bond between its members, and elders are respected and their thoughts are highly valued.
Social Values
The foundation of Indian culture is hard work, integrity, family unity, and reverence for elders. In Indian culture, both formal and informal education are highly esteemed. India is a nation full of commitment, and its citizens are well known for having a strong sense of business.
Festivals and Celebrations
India holds numerous festivals due to the nation’s extensive variety of cultural and religious groups: Hindus celebrate Deepawali and Holi; Muslims celebrate Eid; Christians celebrate Christmas and Good Friday; Sikhs celebrate Baisakhi and the birthdays of their gurus; Jains have Mahavira Jayanti; Buddhists celebrate Buddha Purnima; and many more. Every festival and religion has its own set of values, which we frequently observe by marking them as holidays on our calendars.
Indian Cuisine
Indian food is immensely diverse. It is influenced by culture, religion, and geography. The main ingredients behind delicious Indian foods are herbs and spices like aromatic curries, mouth-watering dals and savory biryani. Indian spices and herbs are used not only to enhance the flavour of food but also for medicinal purposes. Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is used to cure acidity, toothaches, and menstrual imbalances and also helps in the healing of injuries.
Indian Ethnic Attire
Indian ethnic attire worn by its people throughout the country makes its culture more impressive. Mostly, Indian women are seen wearing sarees, and men wear kurta-payjama. Clothing in India varies from region to region. In South India, women wear kanjivaram sarees and men wear lungis, and in Rajasthan, women wear ghagra-choli and men wear dhoti-angarakha.
To conclude, I would like to say that India is a vast land of several languages and ethnic groups, multiple religions, and centuries-old customs. Its rituals and customs provide knowledge of the values and beliefs that have built this amazing culture, reflecting the variety of the nation.
