Indian Culture - A kaleidoscope of heritage.

Once a wise man said, “Civilization is not by any means an easy thing to attain to. There are only two ways by which man can reach it. One is by being cultured, the other by being corrupt” and that wise man is profoundly known as ‘Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde or simply Oscar Wilde.’

With a population close to 1.37 Billion, The Republic of India is predominantly known for its plethora of cultures it nurtures, which is the backbone of this holy notion of ‘Unity in Diversity.’ From the awe inspiring pulchritudinous ‘Pheran’ costumes & iconic handicrafts of Budgam ( J&K and Ladakh ) to the ‘Kalli Mundu’ & ‘Ivory handicrafts’ of Kerala, which exhibits a humble vibe, there can be numerous such minute details can be found if one tries to explore the true treasure of Indian Culture.

Broadly bifurcating, following are some of the major pillars of Indian Culture, which has been inherited from our ancestors over a period of triple millennials :-

1. Religious Heritage - Teaching the world the sense of unity :-

Indian-origin religions Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism are all based on the concepts of ‘Dharma’ , ‘Karma’ and ‘Ahimsa’ , ie., righteousness, the concept of owing upto your own actions and the philosophy of nonviolence respectively, which are important aspects of native Indian faiths whose most well known proponent were Mahatma Gautam Buddha, the pioneer of Buddhism, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, who used civil disobedience to contribute in the Indian independence movement, which further inspired Martin Luther King Jr. during the American civil rights movement.

Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, are also present in India, while Zoroastrianism & Baháʼí Faith, both escaping persecution by Islam have also found shelter in India over the centuries under the aegis of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam meaning the world is a family.’

These religions have been credited with shaping much of Indian philosophy, literature, architecture, art, music, etc. Greater India or ‘The Akhand Bharat’ was the historical extent of Indian culture beyond the Indian subcontinent including current India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and autonomous region of Tibet.

2. Philosophy - Jotting down the treasure of wisdom :-

Indian philosophy comprises the philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent, containing 6 schools of orthodox Hindu philosophy ( viz, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta ) and 4 heterodox schools ( viz, Jain, Buddhist, Ajivika and Carvaka ), of which Ajivika & Carvaka are also schools of Hinduism.

Earliest Hindu philosophy were arranged & codified by Hindu Vedic sages, such as Yajnavalkya (8 BCE), considered one of the earliest philosophers in recorded history, after Aruni (8 BCE). Jain statues and philosophies were propagated by 24 ‘Tirthankaras’ , notably ‘Parshvanatha’ (872 - 772 BCE) & ‘Mahavira’ (549 - 477 BCE). Buddhist philosophy was founded by ‘Gautama Buddha’ (563 - 483 BCE).

Sikh philosophy was crystalised in the holy ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ enshrined by ‘Guru Gobind Singh’ (1666 - 1708 CE).

Some authors who gave contemporary meaning to traditional philosophies include Shrimad Rajchandra, Swami Vivekananda, Ram Mohan Roy, and Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

3. Family Structure - The core foundation of upbringing :-

For generations, India has a prevailing tradition of the ‘Joint Family System’ , where extended members of a family - parents, children, the children's spouses and their offspring, etc live together and the oldest male member is the head of the joint Indian family system. He makes all important decisions and rules, and other family members are likely to abide by them.

In a 1966 study, Orenstein & Micklin analysed India's population data and family structure, suggesting that Indian household sizes had remained similar over the 1911 to 1951 period. Thereafter, with urbanisation & economic development, India has witnessed a break up of traditional joint family into more nuclear-like families.

4. Festivals - Celebrations, Joy and Oneness :-

India, being a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. The 3 national holidays in India, ‘The Independence Day’ , ‘The Republic Day’ and ‘The Gandhi Jayanti’ , are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India.

Many Indian states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics, which include the Hindu festivals of Navratri, Janmashtami, Diwali, Maha Shivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Holi, Rath Yatra, Ugadi, Vasant Panchami, Rakshabandhan, and Dussehra, harvest festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Sohrai, Pusna, Hornbill, Chapchar Kut, Pongal, Onam and Raja sankaranti swinging festival are also fairly popular.

5. Greetings - Laying out the first impression :-

Indian greetings are based on ‘Anjali Mudra’ , including ‘Pranama’ & ‘Puja’ .

Greetings include Namaste / Namaskar (Hindi, Marathi & Sanskrit), Namaskaara /Juhaara [( Odia, Khulumkha (Tripuri), Kannada], Namaskaram (Telugu & Malayalam), Vanakkam (Tamil), Nomoshkaar (Bengali), Nomoskar (Assamese), Aadab (Urdu) and Sat Shri Akal (Punjabi).

All these are commonly spoken greetings or salutations when people meet and are forms of farewell when they depart. Namaskar is commonly used in India & Nepal by Hindus, Jains & Buddhists and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication.

However, the same hands folded gesture may be made wordlessly or said without the folded hand gesture. The word is derived from Sanskrit (namah) meaning to bow as reverential salutation & respect, and (te) "to you" , which literally means ‘I bow to you’ .

6. Animals - Every creature is a divine craft of almighty :-

In Hinduism, the cow is regarded as a symbol of ahimsa (non-violence), mother goddess and bringer of good fortune & wealth. Therefore, cows are revered in Hindu culture and feeding it is seen as an act of worship. This is why beef remains a taboo food in mainstream Hindu & Jain societies.

Along with that snakes are worshipped in various parts of India, associated with one of the holy trinities, ‘The Lord Shiva’ . Naag Panchami is celebrated across India in order to do the same. Similarly, ‘Garuda’ or eagles, lions, tigers, peacocks etc are also worshipped with association with their respective deities.

7. Cuisine - Leading to someone's way to its heart :-

Indian cuisine is diverse, ranging from very spicy to very mild, varying with seasons in each region. These reflect the local agriculture, regional climate, culinary innovations and cultural diversity. Food in India is sometimes served in thali – a plate with rice, bread and a selection of sides.

According to the famous Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, a member of Singapore Airlines’ International Culinary Panel, Indian food has long been an expression of world cuisine. He claims, ‘If you look back in India’s history and study the food that our ancestors ate, you will notice how much attention was paid to the planning and cooking of a meal. Great thought was given to the texture and taste of each dish.’ One such historical record is ‘Manasollasa’ (The Delight of Mind), written in the 12th century, describes the need to change cuisine and food with seasons, various methods of cooking, the best blend of flavours, the feel of various foods, planning and style of dining amongst other things.

India is known for its love of food and spices. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the local produce, cultural diversity and varied demographics of the country. Generally, Indian Cuisine can be divided into 5 categories - Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and North-Eastern. The diversity of Indian cuisine is characterised by the differing use of many spices & herbs, a wide assortment of recipes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is vegetarian, many Indian dishes also include meats like chicken, mutton, beef (both cow and buffalo), pork & fish, egg and other seafood. Fish-based cuisines are common in eastern states of India, particularly West Bengal and the southern states of Kerala & Tamil Nadu.

8. Clothing - You reflect what you wear :-

Traditional clothing in India greatly varies across different parts of the country and is influenced by local culture, geography, climate, and rural/urban settings. Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as ‘Saree’ & ‘Mekhela Sador’ for women & ‘Dhoti’ / ‘Lungi’ / ‘Panche’ (in Kannada) for men. Stitched clothes are also popular such as ‘Churidar’ / ‘Salwar - Kameez’ for women, with ‘Dupatta’ (long scarf) thrown over shoulder completing the outfit.

The salwar is often loose fitting, while churidar is a tighter cut. The ‘Dastar’ , a headgear worn by Sikhs is common in Punjab.

The make up & clothing styles differ regionally between the Hindu groups, and also by climate / religion, with Christians preferring ‘Western’ and Muslim preferring the ‘Arabic styles’ . For men, stitched versions include ‘Kurta - Pyjama’ & European-style trousers and shirts. In urban and semi-urban centres, men and women of all religious backgrounds, can often be seen in jeans, trousers, shirts, suits, kurtas and variety of other fashions.

9. Sports & Martial Arts - Acing the Co-curriculars :-

Chess is commonly believed to have originated in northwestern India during the Gupta empire, where its early form in the 6th century was known as ‘Caturanga’ . Other games which originated in India and continue to remain popular in wide parts of northern India include ‘Kabaddi’ , ‘Gilli-Danda’ and ‘Kho - Kho’ . Traditional southern Indian games include ‘Snake boat race’ , ‘Kuttiyum Kolum’ and ‘Kalaripayattu’ , a martial art designed for the ancient battlefield with weapons and combative techniques that are unique to India and considered to be the mother of all combat techniques spread by a Buddhist Monk ‘Bodhi Dharma’ in 5-6 AD.

Like most Indian martial arts, Kalaripayattu contains rituals and philosophies inspired by Hinduism. The modern game of polo is derived from Manipur, India, where the game was known as ‘Sagol Kangjei’, ‘Kanjai - Bazee’ or ‘Pulu’. It was the anglicised form of the last, referring to the wooden ball that was used, which was adopted by the sport in its slow spread to the west. The 1st polo club was established in the town of Silchar in Assam, India, in 1833.

Field hockey was considered to be the national game of India, but this has been denied by the Government of India, clarifying on a Right to Information Act (RTI) filed that India hasn’t declared any sport as the national game. At a time when it was especially popular, the India national field hockey team won the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup, and 8 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals at the Olympic Games. However, field hockey in India no longer has the following that it once did due to lack of commercialization.

Cricket is considered the most popular sport in India. The India national cricket team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and shared the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka.

Football is popular in Kerala, considered to be as the home of football in india.The city of Kolkata is the home to the largest stadium in India.

Perceptions of Indian Culture - Myths, Lies and proapganda :-

• According to Industry consultant Eugene M. Makar, traditional Indian culture is defined by ‘a relatively strict social hierarchy’ . He also mentions that from an early age, children are reminded of their roles and places in society. Several differences such as religion divide the culture. However, a far more powerful division is the traditional Hindu bifurcation into ‘non-polluting’ & ‘polluting’ occupations. Strict social taboos have governed these groups for thousands of years, claims Makar. In recent years, particularly in cities, some of these lines have blurred and sometimes even disappeared. He writes important family relations extend as far as 1 gotra, the mainly patrilinear lineage / clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In rural areas & sometimes in urban areas as well, it is common that 3 or 4 generations of the family live under the same roof. The patriarch often resolves family issues.

Others have a different perception of Indian culture. According to an interview with C.K. Prahalad by Des Dearlove, author of many best selling business books, modern India is a country of very diverse cultures with many languages, religions, and traditions. Children begin by coping & learning to accept and assimilate in this diversity. In another report, Nancy Lockwood of Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest human resources association with members in 140 countries, writes that in the past two decades or so, social change in India is in dramatic contrast to the expectations from traditional Indian culture. These changes have led to Indian families giving education opportunities to girls, accepting women working outside the home, pursuing a career, and opening the possibility for women to attain managerial roles in corporate India. Lockwood claims that change is slow, yet the scale of cultural change can be sensed from the fact that of India's 397 million workers, 124 million are now women. The issues in India with women empowerment are similar to those elsewhere in the world.

According to Amartya Sen, the India born Nobel Laureate in Economics, the culture of modern India is a complex blend of its historical traditions, influences from the effects of colonial rule over centuries and current Western culture — both collaterally & dialectically. He observes that external images of India in the West often tend to emphasise the difference – real or imagined – between India and the West. There is a considerable inclination in the Western countries to distance and highlight the differences in Indian culture from the mainstream of Western traditions, rather than discover and show similarities. Western writers and media usually misses, in important ways, crucial aspects of Indian culture and traditions. The deep-seated heterogeneity of Indian traditions, in different parts of India, is neglected in these homogenised descriptions of India. The perceptions of Indian culture, by those who weren't born and raised in India, tend to be one of at least three categories :-

A. Exoticist approach :- It concentrates on the wondrous aspects of the culture of India. The focus of this approach of understanding Indian culture is to present the different, the strange and ‘a country that has existed for millennia in the imaginations of the Europeans.’

B. Magisterial approach :- It assumes a sense of superiority & guardianship necessary to deal with India, a country that James Mill's historiography thought of as grotesquely primitive culture. While a great many British observers did not agree with such views of India, and some non-British ones did, it is an approach that contributes to some confusion about the culture of India.

C. Curatorial approach :- It attempts to observe, classify and record the diversity of Indian culture in different parts of India. The curators don’t look only for the strange, aren’t flayed by political priorities, and tend to be freer from stereotypes. The curatorial approach has an inclination to see Indian culture as more ‘special & extraordinarily interesting’ than it actually may be.

The curatorial approach, one inspired by a systematic curiosity for the cultural diversity of India within India, is mostly absent.

Apart from that, it has been a crystal clear fact that with the dawn of industrialization & inclination towards Science & Technology, the core values of Indian Culture has been deteriorating. Not only in terms of courteous gestures, but also in outfits where uncanny experiments have been done, altering it's entire outlook.

Current Impacts :-

• Indian youth has adopted western culture extensively over the past decades, which has led to decline in the prevailing legacy of our own indigenous one.

• Adoption of someone's culture depends upon its ‘Soft Power’ , which are followed mostly from USA, who has ranked 6th in Brand Finance’s Soft Power Index 2021.

• American actors & actresses, musicians, rappers, etc have a huge fan following among Indians particularly and therefore the adoption of outfit trends, behaviour, etc can be seen often.

• Since the beginning of the Cold War, USA has proved its mettle as a symbol of quality, stability and a trend setter. These qualities attributes to the psychological impact among Indians to follow their culture. (be it good or bad).

• This trend is more prevalent in urban & sub-urban cities with exceptions as well.

• Also, ideology plays a vital role in doing so, as a liberal person would tend to keep himself / herself updated to western (USA particularly) cultural trends than a conservative one.

Solutions :-

1. Similar to how American public figures are followed among Indians, Indian celebrities & brand faces needed to be approached to promote our own rich cultural to impact the youth.

2. Provision of cultural fests with Indian cultural themed events for the same in universities, schools and colleges should be encouraged financially.

Conclusion :- Not many countries are blessed to be having such a rich legacy, if we've got one, then we need to step up to preserve it and pass it onto the next generation.