INDIAN CULTURE

India, Bharat, Hindustan,aryawart- a country with many names, many flavors, many colors, many beliefs, many languages & many traditions. India is a multicultural nation where the culture gets changed with every 50-100kms. Instead of trying to force a single identity onto the people like Europe & Middle east, India took a different approach to nationalism. That's why total 22 official languages are declared in the Indian constitution despite the fact that Indians are widely recognized in the world by Hindi language. Indian culture is very rich as well as so diverse whether it's our food, festivals, dialects & rituals. It varies from North to South & East to West & this is the beauty of Indian culture.

Mexico & India are quite similar in many ways like family is valued very much in both of the countries, Mexican & Indian cuisine is very much similar as both have excess use of Chilies. Both Mexican & Indian food play a vital role in the culture, social structure & popular traditions of these countries. India-Mexico relations have consistently been warm & friendly for last 70yrs. In 1947, Mexico was the 1st Latin American country to recognize India's independence. India & Mexico are both strong trading & investment partners. Mexico is currently India's largest trading partner in Latin America. Mexico imports products such as software, vehicles, electrical machinery, textiles and jewelry from India, while India imports oil, chemicals, fertilizers, iron and steel from Mexico. Several companies from both countries operate and invest in each other, with emphasis on more than 170 Indian companies on Mexican soil. 

The most valued things in Indian culture

• Family

•Rituals

Family is like a backbone of Indian society. It may be sound funny but in India being single is strictly prohibited & could be injurious to health. Yes, it’s true even in many small towns & cities single person can not take a house on rent. So unlike America, here in India you would hardly find an adult living alone separate from the parents. Although practice of nuclear family (couple with their children) is increasing day-by-day but still in India, mostly you will find big joint families where 2 or even more generations live together in a single house. Most of the old age Indians ask their last wish to the god to let them live till the birth of their grandson/grand daughter, after which they can enjoy their last breathe.

Following rituals is an another important aspect of Indian culture. We have rituals for everything right from one’s birth to the death & after death also which we follow strictly.  These rituals are generalized in 16categories which are called 16sanskaras. Sanskaras are the turning point of life & need to be celebrated. Celebrations are very important part of Sanskaras. They directly or indirectly involve our respected elders, scholars & dear ones. Everyone gets together to convey their best wishes & blessings to the concerned person. In upcoming slides I will present a brief introduction to these famous 16Sanskaras which cover the entire lifespan of a person & take him to the door steps to the truth. 

1.Garbhadhan(Conception):- This is the enthusiastic prayer for a child. This is done for fulfillment of parental duty to continue the race. To produce a good child, the mother & father should have pure thoughts.

2.Punsavana(Fetus protection):- This 2nd Sanskar ceremony is performed during the third or fourth month of pregnancy. Like the 1st Sanskar, this Sanskar is also restricted to the family members.

3. Simantonayana(Satisfying wishes of the pregnant mother):- This Sanskar is performed during the 7th month of pregnancy & prayers are offered for the healthy physical & mental growth of the child. This rite is primarily social & festival in nature, intended to keep the pregnant woman in good spirits. A future mother should have good thoughts at all times. She should place picture of the baby Lord Krishna in her home. She should read the Gita & other scriptures & should avoid thrilling books & movies. During Solar & Lunar eclipses, a woman should not use any kind of weapons. During normal times, she should avoid violent thoughts. Her husband should help keep her peaceful & cheerful.

4.Jatakarma(Birth rituals):- Jaat-karma performed on 6days after the birth of a child, is for the purification of the house. This is done in order to keep a child in a clean atmosphere where he may not incur any physical or mental problems.

5.Namkaran(Name-giving):- This sanskar is performed on the 10th,11th or 12th day with recitation of Mantras. The baby child gets name on completion of this Sanskar, according to the position of the moon & other planets at the time of child’s birth as per Indian astrology.

6.Nishkramana(Taking the child outdoors):- This ceremony is performed on or after 40days when the child is taken out of the home for the first time. The reason for this Sanskar is to show obedience to the earth,water,fire,wind & space- the Panchmahabhut(5 sacred elements).

7.  Annaprashana(Giving the child solid food):- This Sanskar is performed on 6th month, when the child is given solid food for the first time. Sweet porridge or rice pudding can be given to the child. One of them with curd, honey & ghee is  given it to the child while reciting Prasad Mantras.

8.Mundan(Hair cutting):- This Sanskar is the first time cutting of hair on the child’s head. The ceremony is to be performed on an auspicious day after the age of 1year. The hair must be disposed of at some holy place where no one can find it. This Sanskar is restricted to the family level.

9.Karnvedh(Ear piercing):- This Sanskar is performed in the 3rd or 5th year, Piercing of the ears. With the commencement of worship of the sun, the father should first address the right ear of the child with the mantra “Oh god may we hear bliss with our ears”, performed so that child may listen to good things & to have a good education.

10.Upanayana(Sacred thread):- This is the ceremony of wearing the sacred thread called Yajnopaveetam. This Sanskar is 2nd birth of the child- a spiritual birth. The child is thereafter authorized to perform all rituals.

11.Vedarambh(Study of Vedas & Scriptures):- This Sanskar is done along with Upanayana. Vedarambh is the learning of Vedas & other holy books. The child commences his journey on the road to spiritual life.  It’s a formal beginning of the child’s education. In ancient times, the child used to send to the Gurukul(kind of a boarding school) where sages used to provide a complete education.

12.Samavartana(Completing education):- This is the ceremony associated with the end of formal education of Vedas in ‘Gurukul’. After learning the rules of life he returns home from his teacher’s ashram. He is now eligible to enter into the householder stage & considered a qualified man to get married.

13. Vivaha(The Marriage):- Vedic Hindu marriage is viewed as sacramental, which is a lifelong commitment of one wife & one husband. It is the strongest bond between a man & a woman, which takes place in the presence of their parents, relatives & friends. The bride & groom walk around the fire hand in hand. 

7Circular rounds around the fire

Groom applies Sindoor(red-orange powder) in woman's hair

14.Vanprastha(Preparing for renouncing):- This ceremony is performed at the age of 50.  With the commencement of this ceremony, a man withdraws himself from all worldly activities, retires into the forest & prepares himself for taking sanyas. This was practiced in ancient India.

15.Sanyasa:- Before leaving the body a Hindu sheds all sense of responsibility & relationships to awake & revel in the timeless truth which is called the “Moksha” or “Nirvana”.

16.Antyeshti(Last rite):- These are the rituals associated with funeral. When death is imminent, sacred tulsi leaf & water drops of the holy river Ganga are put in the mouth of the person on the death bed. The body is laid on the ground with the head towards the north. The eldest son generally performs the last rites. The dead body is washed, perfumed & wrapped in a new white cloth & decked with flowers. For 10days following death,  food is not prepared at home & relatives & friends take the responsibility of getting food for the family. This is the most common ritual among all the Indians & strictly followed by all.

Protocols at Dinner

We Indians are very particular about the dining protocols & these protocols are built on traditions. Here I will try to explain such Indian food traditions or dining protocols with reason behind them:-

1.Men first:-  In any Indian traditional family, you will notice that all men of the family sit together & have the food first. The reason behind this lies in the old age when there were no electronic kitchen appliances & ladies of the normal Indian family used to cook the food by their own as there were no servants as well. The ladies wanted that their husband, son or brother should get fresh & hot food so they used to cook & serve the food at the same time to the men in the house. After all the men are done with the dinner, then only the ladies used to have their food. That’s why in India ladies are also called “Goddess Annapurna” who is the goddess of food & nourishment. Like everything in Hindu religion, the food we consume also has a goddess who ensures the nutrition we get & she is Goddess Annapurna. Anna means “food” in Sanskrit language & purna means “filled completely”. Annapurna is the goddess of kitchen & of Cooks. Her statues are often found in Hindu kitchens for her blessings.

2.Offering to the god:- The Scriptures recommend that one must eat food after offering the cooked food to the god first. So in Indian homes, whatever is cooked on daily basis a small quantity of that is first placed in front of the god. Here the question arise that would really the god himself eat this. Obviously the answer is No, therefore this food offered to the god is later on given to the cow because Hindus believe that all the deities live inside the cow that’s why Cow is considered a holy animal in India & even non-vegetarians never eat beef.

3.Prayers before the meal:- Food is also considered very sacred in India. That’s why before starting the dinner, we honor the food & bow down in front of it. Then we first sprinkle some water on the food. Then, we take some water in our right hand palm & circulate it over the food plate. Then touch the food with our right palm & drink a little bit of water from right palm.  Then we chant prayer for the food & give thanks to the Goddess Annapurna for giving us this delicious food.

4.Eating on the floor:- Still in modern times specially in Indian villages, most of the houses don’t have any dining table. We Indians sit on the ground while having our dinner & other family members (especially ladies/children) serve the food. Sitting on the ground is a kind of physical activity that improves the metabolism. This is one of the most common Indian dinner protocol.

5.Eating with hands:- According to Ayurveda(ancient Indian medical science), the practice stimulates the five elements that our five fingers represent & thus helps in bringing forth digestive juices that makes digestion of food easy.

6.Serving on banana leaves:- This culture is practiced through the entire Southern belt of India. Banana leaves contain a lot of polyphenols, an antioxidant that is helpful in reducing the progression of Diabetes, Cancer, Neuro degenerative & Cardiovascular diseases. Interestingly, many luxurious resorts & hotels have started practising it lately keeping the overall well-being of the guests.

In India, wasting the food by leaving the uneaten food in the plate is considered disrespectful. How many times have we heard our parents mutter-”Don’t waste food, you’re disrespecting the gods”. So the funda is “Take only that much food in your plate as much as you can eat”. Eating with left hand is also prohibited in Indian culture. In fact, use of left hand is restricted in all  kind of sacred rituals.

Gastronomy

Indian Thali:-  Thali is a round platter used to serve food in the Indian subcontinent. Considered as a wholesome meal, the authentic homemade Indian thali is full of protein, vitamin, healthy fat & carbohydrate keeping the climatic conditions in mind. It can be definitely called as ‘balanced diet of India’ which is our regular meal.  While travelling in most regions of India, you’ll find local restaurants serving thali. As for the food it contains, a thali is a complete meal consisting of 10 or more dishes, depending on which part of India you’re in. A thali consists of:-

• A Grain: Rice or flatbread made with wheat, millet etc.

• Lentils: Dal or Sambhar

• Vegetables: A seasonal preparation

• Chutney: A condiment made with fruits, herbs & spices

• Raita: Curd usually mixed with some kind of vegetable

• Pickles: Most commonly made from either raw mangos, lemons, chillies or a mixure of all,   though that varies by region

• Papad: A deep-fried, savory snack made with rice, flour or lentils

This is followed by buttermilk, a refreshing drink. Indian thali, in its most elaborate form, is a wholesome dish that’s also a feast for your eyes, with its array of colors & bright bowls for each food. 

Spices & Herbs:- If you have ever seen an Indian kitchen, you will feel like you are in a small world of spices. Spices are the essence of Indian food. Subtle use of herbs & spices not only characterizes the Indian cuisine but it also marks it as a distinction from rest of the famous cuisines of the world. Here is the list for some of the essential spices of Indian cuisine:

1.Tulsi (Indian holy Basil) 2. Bay leaf 3. Black pepper 4. Asafoetida 5. Black salt 6. Cardamom

7. Carom seeds 8. Cinnamon 9. Cloves 10. Coriander 11. Curry leaves 12. Cumin seeds 13. Dry mango powder 14. Fennel 15. Ginger powder 16. Garlic powder 17. Mace 18. Mustard seeds 19. Mint 20. Turmeric 21. Tamarind 22. Sesame seeds 23. Saffron 24. Dried red chilli

All these spices & herbs are very beneficial for our immune system & that was the reason behind comparatively low death rate in India during COVID19 pandemic despite being a densely populated country.

Indian traditional dishes:- 

Restriction:- Non-veg is restricted in traditional Indian food.  Though, non-vegetarian food came to India with several invasions by foreign rulers in Medieval period & later on due to Colonization, but it could not become the identity of Indian cuisine. In India, majority of the people follow complete vegetarian  diet, especially in some communities like Brahmins, Vaishya & Jain non-veg is strictly prohibited. In India, even non-vegetarian people also don’t consume meat on a regular basis, it’s very occasional or less frequent. Non-vegetarian people also don’t eat meat during some particular week days like Tuesday or during holy fasting days. Along with this, fast food is also not very prevalent in India.  

Religion:- As you all know that India is recognized as motherland of Hinduism. 80% of the population practices Hinduism & remaining have different beliefs like Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism & Jainism. The later 3religions are also originated from India only. Hinduism is considered as the oldest religion in the world. Religion pervades many aspects of a Hindu life & religious observance is not only limited to one location or use of a particular text. It assumes many forms: in the home, at the temple, on a pilgrimage, through yogic practices, dance or music, by the river, through the observation of one’s social duties & so on. We Indians are very religious by nature & as I’ve already explained in the beginning slides, we rigorously follow our rituals on a daily basis. Our day starts with prayers & ends with prayers. After waking up before stepping into the floor, we begin the day with the morning prayer called “Karadarshana”. “Kara” means the palm of the hand & it stands for the 5organs of action. While looking at the palm, we invoke the lord in the form of various deities, thus sanctifying all the actions that will be done during the day. By acknowledging the lord as the giver of the capacity to perform actions & as the giver of the fruits of those actions, we sanctify the actions. Then we take bath, daily bathing compulsory for the Hindus as only after having bathe we can enter the temple or worship the god. Even we provide daily bathe to our deities as well with milk, curd & water followed by changing their clothes. This is the primary act performed during worship of any deity. After having shower, we offer water to the sun & the Tulsi plant(Indian holy Basil). Some people also do Sun salutation in the morning to honor the sun because sun is one of the most powerful deities in Hinduism. He is the ultimate source of light & origin of the universe. In Hindu mythology, sun is portrayed as riding a chariot driven by seven horses. Offering water is considered very sacred in Hinduism not only to the deities but to the holy plants & trees as well.  Even after death of our elder ones, water is offered to the dead souls in front of the rising sun in the morning & prayers offered for the repose of their souls. 

 

All the Hindu homes have a shrine where we perform our daily worship rituals which is called “Pooja”. Offering of flowers, fruits & water to the deities, ringing bell, lighting lamps & fragrant incense sticks symbolize all the things that we need to be grateful for & with this gratitude we must also feel responsible for the whole planet, as everything that is being offered, is first & foremost product of the Earth. That’s the reason Earth & nature are also considered very sacred in Hinduism & these are worshipped as the goddess.

 

 

 

Then while leaving for the job, we generally touch the feets of our parents which is called “Charan sparsh” in India & get amazing blessings from our elders. This is a very common & sweet gesture followed by almost all the Indians that is performed not only within the family but outside the family too to give respect to our teachers/elders or any great personality & get the blessings from them in return. Then in the evening when lamps are lit, that time also a short form of worship is performed in all the Indian homes in which a lamp made of soil or brass is lighten up & offered to the god. It symbolizes the importance of light in our daily life. After this, musical prayers are sung honoring the deities. Then before sleeping at night most of the Indians chant a Sanskrit prayer “Sarve bhavantu sukhinah” for the prosperity & welfare of humanity.

Since in Hinduism, each god/goddess is associated with one animal/bird/reptile so unnecessarily giving trouble to any creature on this planet is considered disrespectful in Hinduism. That is also a major reason behind pure vegetarian diet of Hindus. Since books contain source of knowledge & Goddess Saraswati is considered the goddess of wisdom so giving honor to her, we Hindus never let touch the books with our feet because touching the books with the feet is considered very disrespectful in India. Along with this, wearing shoes in the kitchen as well as in the temple or in the place of worship is also strictly prohibited in India.

Formalities:-

The iconic way of Indians to greet or salute others is doing “Namaste” which is globally famous. The right way of doing Namaste is holding the palms together, bow down a little in front of anyone & then say “Namaste”. This is the Indian way to welcome a person & give respect to him. This Indian gesture has proved it’s significance across the globe during the Pandemic when people were unable to shake their hands freely.

Indian traditional dress code is ethnic i.e. Saree/Salwar-Soot for the women & Dhoti-Kurta/Kurta-Pajama for the Men.

In India, we don’t call our elders with their name/surname rather we prefer calling them Uncle/Aunty & Brother/Sister although they are not our family members, but this is the most common habit we are taught from our childhood to give honor & respect to everybody no matter they belong to which background, rich or poor, literate or illiterate. Calling anybody directly from his name/surname is considered disrespectful in India. Some people use “jee” as a suffix to the name to give respect to others.

Along with this, wearing revealing & transparent clothes is also considered disrespectful in India.

Culture:- As you would have been understood till now that Indian culture is very rich in each & every aspect.

Festivals:- We Indians are festival lovers by nature. Reason is simple as India itself is a colorful country with so many festivals occurring throughout the year. We love celebrations, that’s why in India each festival is celebrated in a unique manner. Let’s have a look on some amazing Indian festivals:-

1.Diwali/Deepawali: It’s a world famous Indian festival of lights which is considered the biggest festival of India. This festival lasts for 5days. Diwali is the celebration of returning of Lord Rama to back to her birth place Ayodhya after 14yrs of exile. We light candles & lamps made of clay, decorate our homes with Rangoli & burn fire-crackers. We worship Goddess Laxmi- the goddess of wealth & prosperity on this auspicious day. Many types of Indian sweets are pre-prepared at Indian homes which we distribute among our neighbors, friends & relatives on Diwali.

2.Raksha-Bandhan: It is the most lovely & one of it’s kind in the world. It is a very auspicious occasion for Indian siblings. It is celebrated between the brothers & their sisters, as a tribute & dedication for the ever-lasting bond that they share.  The Hindi word ‘Raksha’ means protection, ‘Bandhan’ means tying of a relationship. Thus on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie rakhis(sacred thread) on their brothers’ wrists, wishing for their excellent health & well-being; consequently, the brother pledges to love their sisters ever long & to protect her from all kind of dangers. At the very core of it, it is a ritual that is based on the pillars of protection, love & brotherhood.

3.Holi: This is the festival of colors. People play with bright colors like red, green, yellow, orange, magenta & purple etc. The celebration begins with the Holika dahan ritual that is celebrated to honour the burning of Holika, the evil demoness & protection of Prahlad by Lord Vishnu from that fire. People collect wood & burn a bonfire & celebrate by singing songs around it. 

 

 

4. Dushehra: This festival symbolizes Lord Rama’s victory over demon king Ravana which signifies the victory of the power of good over evil. To enjoy the festival, people enact the battle through skits & plays in a dramatic form which is called Ram-Leela. People burn huge life-size effigies of demon Ravana & his brothers. They fill those effigies with explosives & aim an arrow with fire that results in splendid fireworks & stunning visuals. 

 

5. Nav-Ratri: ‘Nav’ means Nine & ‘Ratri’ means Night;this festival is celebrated over a period of 9nights during which we worship 9incarnations of Goddess Durga. The festival is generally celebrated  two times in a year. People make grand statues of the goddess & processions are taken place. The temples & idols of Goddess are beautifully decorated.  Many people observe a fast or a special diet during these 9days, even non-vegetarians don’t have non-veg meal during this period. During these days, Kanya pujan(worshipping little girls)  is held because they symbolize Goddess Durga. This festival is celebrated in a very joyful manner. The girls & boys wear traditional colorful dresses. People of all ages gather together at a place where the Garba/Dandiya dance is organized in which people dance barefoot in a big circle. This festival is a great symbol of our culture & folk diversity as a single festival is celebrated in different ways all over India. 

 

 

6. Kumbh mela: This is a major pilgrimage of Hindus. It’s the largest religious gathering in the world held 4times over the course of 12yrs at 4different locations that are situated on the banks of sacred rivers. The location rotates b/w Haridwar on the river Ganges, Ujjain on the river Kshipra, Nashik on river Godavari, Prayagraj on the conference of the rivers Ganges,Yamuna & the mythical Saraswati.  Kumbh mela is the intangible cultural heritage of India declared by UNESCO which is attended by millions of pilgrims. Kumbh is believed to burge one from all of his/her sins & also liberate them from the cycle of re-birth. It is also a thrieving place for religious & philosophical debates. This mega event is worth a watch atleast once in a lifetime.

 

 

Indian culture is a perfect blend of traditional & modern values. Actually I can’t define it either conservative or liberal rather I must say it a ‘flexible’ culture which is varying as per need of the society & present time. India has accepted variety of people with different religions, casts, languages, diets & beliefs that created a beautiful diverse Indian culture. Indian culture & society is always ready to adopt the changes which are beneficial for the society. We have successfully abolished various kinds of malpractices  by making strict laws against those were prevalent in ancient India like Casteism, untouchability, child marriage, sati pratha(burning widows alive), polygamy & prohibition of widow remarriage etc. Many of the rituals & traditions instructed in our ancient scriptures have been changed with time as per current social scenario which is a very rare thing to be found in any other culture. India is the safest country for minorities as they have given full freedom to follow & practice their own religious belief. Unity in diversity is the biggest specialty of India. In India, each festival is celebrated in a different manner in several parts of the country. Each community has it’s own traditions, rituals & beliefs despite that they are united. So in short I can say that Indians are getting modernized while maintaining their culture & tradition simultaneously. 

Indian culture has always been the center of attraction for western countries. This is the reason why many foreign tourists turn to India in search of spiritual peace, many of them go to Benaras to understand the mystery of death, some stay in Haridwar-Rishikesh to learn yoga and meditation, some of them attend the Kumbh Mela(world's largest human gathering) to understand the concept of salvation. Indian culture is so rich that in every field of life like religion, spirituality, knowledge, science, health, medicine, literature, language, architecture, painting, sculpture, music, dance, astrology, economics, politics, cooking, we have so much to give to the world that is still untouched.