India is generally associated with oil lamps, chicken curry, and most likely the Taj Mahal. These are but the crumbs of an incredibly rich and ancient past in India. We are going to share some amazing cultural facts about Indian culture with you today that will captivate your heart, head, and stomach!
Indian culture and customs from antiquity
Let us begin with one of the most fascinating cultural facts about Indians. The Vedic era, which began in what are now the states of Haryana and Punjab circa 1500 BCE, is when the origins of Indian civilization were first documented. The Vedas, the oldest body of Hindu literature, is where the term “Vedic” originates. The oldest accounts of Indian civilization can be found in this quartet of principal texts: the Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharavaveda, and the Rigveda. The oral traditions of spells, charms, hymns, and rituals were finally documented for future generations.
In the seventh and early sixth centuries BCE, the Buddhist era succeeded the Vedic civilization. The founder of Buddhism, Siddharta Gautama, was born in the Himalayas in BC 560 and passed away in BC 480. Buddhism spread far throughout India and other countries, influencing both religion and culture.
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Subsequently, Alexander the Great appeared, as he did over most of Eurasia. In 326 BCE, he crossed the Indus River. He established a reputation for himself as a learned philosopher in his own right by exchanging ideas with Indian philosophers known as Brahmins when he was there. Alexander, however, turned back to Macedonia after suffering injuries during his attempt to enter Punjab.
The Mauryan Empire emerged from the ashes. The years 322–185 BC, which are regarded as a time of prosperity and unification, combined most of present-day India with portions of Nepal, Kashmir, and Afghanistan.
Indian culture and customs were ingrained during these three interculturally rich times. This diverse past made room for an ongoing, rich cultural history, as we will see below.
Indian Style of Dress
Here’s another interesting tidbit about Indian culture. Do you recall the Vedas? Early accounts describe clothing constructed from bark and leaves. Clothes that have been colored and embroidered are mentioned in later volumes. The history of tailored clothing dates back to the 10th century AD. Even the Roman emperors purchased clothing from the area as the manufacturing processes were so well-received during their development.
As per the Indian Brand Equity Foundation, India ranks as the world’s second-largest exporter of textiles nowadays. Naturally, this relates to the millennium tradition of fashion culture that we were just talking about. The following are a few examples of traditional embroidery methods that are associated with Indian heritage and culture:
Weeping. Wool surface embroidery.
Chikan. a flexible embroidery technique that may be used with a variety of threads on materials like cotton, silk, organza, and muslin. First, the fabric is stamped with block prints. Next, the lines are utilized as stencils for embroidery. Lastly, the cloth is cleaned to get rid of any remaining line traces.
Zardosi. Metal embroidery with gold or silver thread on silk, satin, or velvet. You can also utilize stones, pearls, and beads.
India is also well-known for its cotton and silk blends, which are frequently worn as saris. Long strips of fabric called saris are draped over the shoulder after being wound around the waist. Worn for major occasions like weddings, the Kangivaram sari is arguably the most popular variety. Having its origins in the Kanchipuram region, it represents India.
During the British Empire, Khadi became the most popular fabric. The purpose of this cotton fabric made by hand weaving was to reduce the requirement for UK imports. The cholis, which first appeared in response to Charleston gowns in the 1920s, marked the next major change in fashion. Wearing a choli with a sari is similar to wearing a long-sleeve crop top in the twenty-first century.
All across India, fashion schools started to open in the 1980s and 1990s. Women began to enter the workforce in considerable numbers during this period, which resulted in their active participation in the fashion industry. In addition to being a clear reflection of India’s multiculturalism, which we will discuss in more detail below, fashion has evolved into an essential component of Indian culture and tradition.
India’s various cultures
With 1.33 billion people, India is the second most populated country in the world. There are around 20 officially recognized languages spoken inside its borders, with Bengali, Hindi, and English being the most common.
Despite the majority of people (79.8%) being Hindu, there are also a sizable Muslim, Christian, and Sikh community. This is still one of the most significant things to know about Indian culture since it illustrates the diversity of religious and cultural traditions that coexist there.
The most well-known Indian holiday, Diwali, is evidence of this blending of cultures. Every region honors several gods and remembers various occasions in a unique way during celebrations.
Indian cuisine customs
In relation to Diwali, did you aware that traditional Indian desserts come in over a hundred varieties? These desserts, also known as mithai, are mostly milk-based and fried, while regional variations exist in the flavors, ingredients, and textures. Sweets are a year-round favorite, but especially during Diwali celebrations.
Because life is too short to start with dessert, let us talk about the main dish first. Basmati rice, chickpeas (particularly Bengal gram), curries, spices, and chutneys are the mainstays of Indian cuisine. Herbs and spices including cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, and dried chilies are frequently used to improve curries. Thick spreads called chutneys are created from a variety of fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, tamarind, and herbs like cilantro and mint.
Bread of some kind, such bhatoora, a fluffy deep-fried bread, or naan, a form of flatbread, is typically served with meals.
Though many Indians (between 31% and 42%) are vegetarians, lentils, vegetables, and cheese make up the majority of their traditional diet. Despite this, lamb and chicken are staples in Indian cuisine. Even in the case of non-vegetarians, meat consumption is declining. India takes its vegetarianism very seriously; food in restaurants and on packaging must be labeled as either non-vegetarian or lacto-vegetarian.
Indian cultural icons
India’s 38 World Heritage Sites are just one example of the many cultural icons that can be found there. The Taj Mahal, which the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan ordered built in 1623, is arguably the most famous of them all. The building is a mausoleum that houses the tombs of Jahan and his preferred spouse.
Bollywood is just another pearl in the crown of Indian cultural emblems. Bollywood is the term used to refer to the Mumbai-based Indian Hindi-language film industry, which was once known as Bombay Cinema. More than any other film business worldwide, the Indian film industry produces about 1,000 films annually as a whole. In addition, the movies are well-known for their incredible battle scenes and choreography and are frequently produced in all of India’s major languages.
There you have it, then! We hope this is a nice place to start, but there are a ton of other facets of Indian culture that are also worthy of discussion and further investigation.
