India 1 - Indian Culture: India is one of the world's...

Indian Culture:
India is one of the world's oldest civilisations. The Indian culture, often labeled as an
amalgamation of several various cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been
influenced and shaped by a history that is several thousand years old. Throughout the history
of India, Indian culture has been heavily influenced by Dharmic religions. They have been
credited with shaping much of Indian philosophy, literature, architecture, art and music.
Greater India was the historical extent of Indian culture beyond the Indian subcontinent. This
particularly concerns the spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, architecture, administration and
writing system from India to other parts of Asia through the Silk Road by the travellers and
maritime traders during the early centuries of the Common Era. To the west, Greater India
overlaps with Greater Persia in the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains. During the medieval
period, Islam played a significant role in shaping Indian cultural heritage Over the centuries,
there has been significant integration of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs with Muslims across India.
Kaleidoscope of Indian culture:
Indian culture is Kaleidoscopic.The concept of culture is very complicated, and the word has
many meanings. Culture is a word for people's 'way of life', meaning the way groups do
things. Different groups of people may have different cultures. Culture is seen in people's
writing, religion, music, clothes, cooking, and in what they do.
Indian culture is a rich, vibrant and multifaceted amalgamation of many cultures over several
centuries.
India has 29 states and 7 union-territories that are further sub-divided into districts and
smaller divisions.There are people of different types ,different language, different point view
of life, different religion. So they are differ from each other and make the culture
Kaleidoscope.
'Culture' varies from place to place. Take the state of Odisha for example. There are many
forms of Odia language and many dances, customs etc. depending on the geographical
locations of places. Even the Rasagola, a sweet or dessert that has its birthplace in Odisha, varies

from place to place! There are a mind-boggling varieties of Rasagolas, available in different sizes and
colours, in Odisha!
Indian culture means centuries-old traditions followed in many temples like the shrijagannath Temple
in Puri, Odisha. Lord Jagannath means- The Lord of the Universe. The skin-color of Lord Balabhadra,
His sister, Devi Subhadra and His brother, Lord Jagannath (from left to right in the above pic) are
white, yellow & black respectively, representing people from all parts of the world.
Our culture says worship the Earth, Air, River etc.
Indian culture upholds –
- Vasudhaiva Kutumbaakam- The world is a family.