INDIA INDIA:Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth for much of its long history.[13] Four religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism—originated here, whereas Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture. Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the British East India Company from the early 18th century and administered directly by the United Kingdom after Indian Rebellion of 1857, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance led by Mahatma Gandhi. The Indian economy is the world's tenth-largest by nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP).[14] Following market-based economic reforms in 1991, India became one of the fastest-growing major economies; it is considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition, inadequate public healthcare, and terrorism. A nuclear weapons state and a regional power, it has the third-largest standing army in the world and ranks ninth in military expenditure among nations. India is a federal constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system consisting of 29 states and 7 union territories. India is a pluralistic, multilingual, and a multi-ethnic society. It is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats .
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1. INDIA:Home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and a
region of historic trade routes and vast empires, the Indian
subcontinent was identified with its commercial and cultural wealth
for much of its long history.[13] Four religionsHinduism, Buddhism,
Jainism, and Sikhismoriginated here, whereas Judaism,
Zoroastrianism, Christianity, and Islam arrived in the 1st
millennium CE and also helped shape the region's diverse culture.
Gradually annexed by and brought under the administration of the
British East India Company from the early 18th century and
administered directly by the United Kingdom after Indian Rebellion
of 1857, India became an independent nation in 1947 after a
struggle for independence that was marked by non-violent resistance
led by Mahatma Gandhi. The Indian economy is the world's
tenth-largest by nominal GDP and third-largest by purchasing power
parity (PPP).[14] Following market-based economic reforms in 1991,
India became one of the fastest-growing major economies; it is
considered a newly industrialised country. However, it continues to
face the challenges of poverty, corruption, malnutrition,
inadequate public healthcare, and terrorism. A nuclear weapons
state and a regional power, it has the third-largest standing army
in the world and ranks ninth in military expenditure among nations.
India is a federal constitutional republic governed under a
parliamentary system consisting of 29 states and 7 union
territories. India is a pluralistic, multilingual, and a
multi-ethnic society. It is also home to a diversity of wildlife in
a variety of protected habitats.
2. TRADITIONAL FOOD
3. Indian cuisine encompasses a wide variety of regional
cuisines native to India. Given the range of diversity in soil
type, climate and occupations, these cuisines vary significantly
from each other and use locally available spices, herbs, vegetables
and fruits. Indian food is also heavily influenced by religious and
cultural choices and traditions. The development of these cuisines
have been shaped by Dharmic beliefs, and in particular by
vegetarianism, which is a growing dietary trend in Indian society.
There has also been Central Asian influence on North Indian cuisine
from the years of Mughal rule. Indian cuisine has been and is still
evolving, as a result of the nation's cultural interactions with
other societies. Historical incidents such as foreign invasions,
trade relations and colonialism have also played a role in
introducing certain foods to the country. For instance, the potato,
a staple of the Indian diet was brought to India by the Portuguese,
who also introduced chillies and breadfruit. Indian cuisine has
also shaped the history of international relations; the spice trade
between India and Europe is often cited by historians as the
primary catalyst for Europe's Age of Discovery.Spices were bought
from India and traded around Europe and Asia. It has also
influenced other cuisines across the world, especially those from
Southeast Asia, the British Isles, and the Caribbean.
INFORMATION
4. TRADITIONAL HOUSE
5. Housing in India varies greatly and reflects the
socio-economic mix of its vast population. Housing varies from
palaces of erstwhile maharajas in Rajasthan to modern apartment
buildings in big cities to tiny huts in far-flung villages. There
has been tremendous growth in India's housing sector as incomes
have risen. There are certain unique characteristics of Indian
culture which often influence how Indian homes are organised. A
common traditional structure is for the extended family to live in
the same house, forming what is known in India as a joint family
For instance grandparents, their sons, daughters-in-law and
grandchildren live in the same household sharing the same kitchen.
Brothers, sisters and cousins grow up together. Each husband-wife
combination has their own bedroom. The eldest woman in the house is
generally in charge of cooking. In joint families, women live with
their in-laws after marriage. With modernisation there is a growing
number of nuclear families, in which each couple occupies its own
house after marriage, in urban areas. It is still rare, albeit not
impossible, amongst traditional communities for senior citizens to
live alone. It is extremely rare even in urban areas for couples to
live together before marriage. Some single young adults live in
same-sex dormitories or in shared accommodation during college and
the early working years. The life-style in villages takes advantage
of the warm weather. Many families bathe outdoors in rivers and
ponds. Most of the day is spent outdoors around or near the house.
Cooking is conducted outdoors in earthen stoves powered by organic
fuels or in modern kerosene stoves. Water is obtained from
hand-drawn wells. Men perform their ablutions in designated spots
throughout the day; Visitors to villages may find residents
squatting down for an afternoon card game under trees or while
sitting on charpois (traditional hand-made beds) brought outside
during the day. Consequently they use their indoor space primarily
to sleep, change and, in electrified homes, to watch TV.
INFORMATION
6. TRADITIONAL CLOTHES
7. Clothing in India varies from region to region depending on
the ethnicity, geography, climate and cultural traditions of the
people of that region. Historically, men and women clothing has
evolved from simple Langotas, and loincloths to cover the body to
elaborate costumes not only used in daily wear but also on festive
occasions as well as rituals and dance performances. In urban
areas, western clothing is common and uniformly worn by people of
all strata. India also has a great diversity in terms of weaves,
fibers, colours and material of clothing. Colour codes are followed
in clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned. For
instance, Hindu ladies wear white clothes to indicate mourning,
while Parsis and Christians wear white to weddings.
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