Lets start with the culture
When you hear about the country India, you think of one of the oldest cultures and traditions in the world isn't it? And yes that's true. It is the oldest culture.And this is based on the religion present in India.
India was one of the richest countries in the world during the reign of kings and Queens.It had temples made out of Gold.The fields of different spices and vegetables were really vast. And many years later, now it still is the world's biggest source of rice and vegetation. Sanskrit originated in India.The corpus of Sanskrit literature encompasses a rich tradition of poetry and drama as well as scientific, technical, philosophical and dharma texts. Sanskrit continues to be widely used as a ceremonial language in Hindu religious rituals and Buddhist practice in the forms of hymns and mantras.
India has 28 states and each state is different.Each state has their own language, dressing,food and more.Different coloured people and different religion people live
in India too.India has 18 languages and 1600 minor languages and dialects.Though the majority in India is Hinduism ,Islam is practised by around 13% of all Indians.The
country had over 23 million Christians, over 19 million Sikhs, about 8 million Buddhists and about 4 million Jains.And therefore different festivals too are celebrated
in India. And the best part is even though theres a mixture of different people, Indians still live together peacefully and celebrate festivals together.They even don't
care about what colour or religion you are.Bharatnatyam is the official dance of India .This dance is very popular in India. The musical instruments in India are very classical like the harmonium ,flute ,tabla etc.
Lets talk about the weddings...
Indian weddings are very filled with ritual and celebration that continue for several days.Generally anywhere between 100 to 10,000 people attend. Often, many of the attendees are unknown to the bride and groom themselves. Though most Indian marriages are arranged,Some couples in urban areas consummate "love marriages", in which the partners decide to marry each other without family involvement or assistance. The traditional Indian wedding is about two families being brought together socially, with as much emphasis placed on the families coming closer as the married couple.
And now for their religion,
The religion of 80% of the people in India is Hinduism.The people in India wear their clothing depending on their caste and state.For example in Kerala the men wear Lungi and women wear Sari.A 'bindi' on a woman's forehead or a 'tilak' on a man's forehead,The women wear a red bindi on the forehead to signify 'marriage', The black bindi on the forehead of a widow signify s her loss.While young girls can wear any colored bindi to indicate their spiritual eye( The Third Eye).Some women in India, also think that their bindi is linked to their husbands' prosperity. They wear bigger and bigger bindis, which they believe will bring good luck to their husbands and thus to their entire family. Some women also link the bindi on their forehead to the life of their husbands. They believe the bindi will protect their husbands from all disasters and hence give them longer life.Hinduism teaches non -violence and respect to all living things.Therefore India is the largest country to practice vegetarianism.The cow is revered as the source of food and symbol of life and may never be killed.Because it is a symbol of wealth, strength and full Earthly life.Every part of a cow is very useful, from ploughing the field to its dung and so it is very much respected in India.However, many non-Hindus interpret these beliefs to mean that Hindus worship cows. This is not true. It is more accurate to say the cow is taboo in the Hindu religion, rather than sacred. This is just one example of the misunderstandings people have about the Hindu faith.It is also considered wrong to consume beef or kill a cow for food.Besides cow, A snake, mostly a Cobra is considered Holy because it eats all the rats in the fields and makes it better for the farmers.
What about the Seasons and Animals?
India experiences rain from October to November, winter from November to February and the rest is, you know -Indian summer.The north region has snow because it is located in the Himalayas.The Tiger is the national animal and the Peacock is the national bird.To see the Peacock dance in the rain is a beautiful sight.Other animals existing in India are Elephants,Monkeys, Deer, Bear , Cheetah , Rhinoceros and a lot more.
GOLDEN TEMPLE
Even Goa ,which is known for its beaches has more to it like Tambdi surla which means"red mud" that you see on the way to Mahadev Temple, Tambdi Surla is a 12th-century Shaivite temple of the Lord Mahadeva and an active place of Hindu worship. It is notable as the oldest temple in Goa, India. Tambdi surla means the "red mud" that you find on the way to it.On the way you have to walk through a lake to get to it.The best time to go there is the rainy season.The Lake To Cross To Go To Tambdi Surla
Tambdi Surla
How can one forget about one of the seven wonders of the world that is located in India? The Taj Mahal located in Agra, Delhi was built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.who was then buried in the Taj Mahal and even Shah Jahan himself asked to be buried next to his wife's coffin after his death.Taj Mahal is a pure symbol of love.
Even the famous Pink City in Jaipur,Rajasthan is known for its beauty.The floating mosque located in Udaipur is also a beautiful to see and a lot more sights to see in India.
The Floating Mosque Of Udaipur
..........Hungry?
I'm pretty sure you love the Indian food!The Indian food is known for being spicy yet delicious.North indian food is less spicy compared to the South.As i before, Indians differ from one another: religion, region,state ,caste and language.Each of these groups have their own unique cuisine.Therefore India has no national dish or cuisine till today.Rice is the staple food of India.It is different from Chinese and Japanese rice.The most popular rice is the Basmati rice.Gharam Masala and Spices are a must in Indian food.Chicken tikka masala ,Butter Chicken,Tandoori chicken,biryani,paneer palak,roti,masala dosa are verytasty and famous at the same time.The street food like batatwadas and samosas,bhel puri,pani puri and other snaks from the indian chat are worth the pay
The Traditional Indian Thali
Festival Fever
My favorite festival is the Holi festival.Because its all about color, music,dance,food,sweets and fun.The foods at the festivals are something to die for.and the sweets are the meaning of a dessert!Ganesh Chaturti is for the Lord Ganesh while Diwali is a festival of lights where people light up lanterns in their homes.And a festival Named Nag Panchami is especially for the snake where they feed it milk.
Holi, Festival Of Colors
Ganesh Chaturti
Diwali, A Festival Of Lights.
The Best Landmarks of India
Each state in India has a landmark and a spot to boast about.
Like the Golden Temple Amritsar India (Sri Harimandir Sahib Amritsar) is not only a central religious place of the Sikhs, but also a symbol of human brotherhood and equality. Everybody, irrespective of cast, creed or race can seek spiritual solace and religious fulfillment without any hindrance.
INDIAN PEACOCK
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