Culture Shapes People - Essay Example

Introduction Culture refers to the distinctive way of life instigated by basic values in which a certain group of people live. It is the values’ sum total conveyed through religion, art, literature, social institutions as well as behaviour, mass action and individuals’ ever acts stirred by collective urges (Kumar 1). Culture shapes people, both knowingly and unknowingly. This paper looks into some of the various aspects of Indian Culture. In spite of political cataclysms and military hurricanes, India has endured the ravages of time, and conserved and spread her ancient and diverse cultural heritage (Venkateswara 1). Thinkquest.org explains that stretching back in an uninterrupted sweep above five thousand years; successive migration waves that Indians absorbed into their way of life have enriched Indian culture. This variety is India’s unique hallmark. India’s racial, physical and religious variety is as vast as her linguistic diversity. Beneath this diversity lies Indian social structure and civilization’s continuity beginning the very earliest times to date (1). One of the main ingredients of contemporary Indian culture is her people. India’s demographic profile is complex – there are four major racial groups including the Europoids, the Dasyu, the Aryans, and the Mongoloids. The variety of languages and dialects reflects the India’s ethnic diversity – there are seventeen main languages and nine-hundred closely connected subsidiary languages/dialects (Kumar 3). Always, the Indian mind specially preferred categorizing and treating all objects in a pedantic scientific manner. Consequently, India has a rich and partially ancient literature on arithmetic, astrology, geometry, astronomy and medicine, as well as on mantic and magic, singing, music, and art of acting and dancing. Indian literature comprises a significant supplement to the classical literature of Rome and Ancient Greece. It in content constitutes of everything that is present in the world literature, which generally include lyric and epic, mundane and religious, scientific prose and narrative in addition to didactic and dramatic poetry. Religious literature is in the forefront: not only the Buddhists in their Tipitaka and Brahmins in their Veda but also several other religious sects that have emerged in India and have recorded numerous works. These works include hymns; magic as well as sacrificial songs; sermons; myths and legends; religious order textbooks as well as those of rituals; and polemic writings and theological treatises (Winternitz, Winternitz & Sarma 1, 4&5). Music is an ingredient of contemporary Indian culture. India’s classical music is broadly divided into Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) and both in rendering as well as in content; each style is very different from the other. The Hindustani music comes in various forms such as ghazal, tappa, thumri, dhrupad, in addition to khayal, which is the most extensively performed form of classical music. North Indian music is identified by the specific school to which it belongs, and the word gharana, factually meaning ‘family’ denotes it. Examples of renowned gharanas include Gwalior, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi (Kumar 5). Carnatic music on the other hand is more structured and rigid. A concert goes together with a set style and rendering order of the pieces of music. Examples of some Carnatic music forms include tillana, Varnam and kriti. In view of the fact that Carnatic music has a devotional bias and is intensely spiritual, its compositions mirror these aspects. A significant content of this form of music is literally content. Generally, musicians deliver the compositions of Shyama Shastri, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar’s musical trinity (Kumar 6). Fairy fables and tales also adorn Indian culture. Of paramount importance is the fact that Indian collection of tales, fables and fairy tales in prose has had major contributions in the history of world literature. Indian mind has never drawn a clear demarcation line between scientific activity and purely artistic creation. Indians consider as a textbook of moral and politics what appears to other people as a collection of fables and fairy tales. Conversely, Indians have never treated history and biography, apart from the poets who treat them as degenerate epic poetry. Additionally, distinction between poetry forms and prose is also unknown in India – Indians can treat every object equally well in prose form as well as in verses. They have novels that differ with the artistic epics only in this: that they lack a metrical form. From ancient times, Indians specially prefer mixing verses and prose. Moreover, they have used the verse form for what is scientific literature to us largely, with the use of prose form being only in a small measure. This is especially so for the works of law and philosophy, in addition to those of architecture, medicine and astronomy among others (Winternitz, Winternitz and Sarma 2). Religion is another integral element of the entire Indian tradition – it is a way of life that permeates every life aspect for most of Indians, from everyday chores to politics and education. Secular India is home to Sikhism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Hinduism and other incalculable religious traditions, with Hinduism dominating and Islam following closely. Most Indian religious faiths have embraced various common practices and all communities share several of the festivals that mark every year with feasting, dance and music. In fact, each possesses its own heroes, legends, pilgrimage sites as well as culinary specialties, mixing in a distinctive diversity, which is the very pulse of society (Thinkquest.org 1). Another important aspect of Indian culture is clothing. The diversified and colourful clothing of Indians, including the lehangas, silk saris, traditional salwar-kameez and cholis, is very attractive. The sari, for a single length of material, is the most versatile clothing in existence. Although the sari is just one of the various traditional garments that Indian women wear, in some way, it has become their national dress. This extremely graceful attire has an unchanging glamour because it is not tailored for a specific size. Women can wear it in many ways and its colour, texture and manner of wearing are suggestive of a woman’s religion, age, status, occupation and region (Gupte 11). Worn under a sari is a short, tightly fitted blouse called a choli. Rajasthan women also wear a lehanga or ghagra, form of pleated skirt that they secure at the waist leaving the midriff and the back exposed. They cover the heads with a dupatta or orhni, a piece of fine cotton. The salwar-kameez is also common Indian women attire. Salwars are pyjama-like trousers that women draw tightly in at the ankles and the waist and over them; they put on a kameez, a loose and long tunic. Occasionally, in place of the salwar, a woman may wear a churidar, clothing that is tighter fitting at the ankles, thighs and hips. Over it, a woman might wear a kurta, a mandarin collar or collarless tunic (Thinkquest.org 5). Indian men on the other hand, unlike most women who put on traditional garments, can wear western clothes that are more conventional. Men from all over India wear trousers and shirts although village men feel more comfortable in traditional clothing such as a lungis, a pyjama/pyjama-like trousers called lenga, a dhoti and kurtas. The dressing styles of Indians are characteristic of regional, religious, among other variations and their garments come with a plethora of styles, colours and textures (Thinkquest.org 6-8). The food obtainable in India is also as diverse as its climate, geography, racial structure and culture. Indian meals comprise milk products such as ghee and curd or dahi –their regional preferences and availability determine the actual use in various areas across the country. Naturally, vegetables vary with seasons and across regions and the cereal or main dish with which they are served determine the style of cooking them. Hindu and Muslim traditions influence Indian cooking and food habits. Although every new wave of settlers came with their own culinary practices, they adopted many cooking methods and specialties from the Indian cuisine over time and blended the two to perfection. For instance, British introduced tea or chai, most Indians’ favourite drink, to India. Although many Hindus eat meat now, the Hindu vegetarian tradition is prevalent in India with the Muslim tradition being most apparent in meats cooking. Indeed, the Muslim settlers in India have made significant contributions to Indian foods and eating habits (Thinkquest.org 1&3). Additionally, while a typical North-Indian meal would comprise rotis, chapatis, or parathas, rice and a variety of frills like fried vegetables, curd, dals, chutney, curries, and pickles, a South Indian food is largely roasted, steamed and non-greasy. In all South Indian foods, coconut is a significant component, with rice being the staple diet and usually served with dry and curried vegetables, rasam, sambhar and a curd preparation known as pachadi. It is important to note that the skill of appropriate use of aromatic spices in Indian cooking lies in the intelligent blending of assorted spices to enhance a particular dish’s basic flavour rather than overwhelming it. Indians also use these spices as digestives and appetizers. They round off a meal with the after-dinner paan (betel leaf), which holds a variety of digestive spices such as arecanut, cloves, aniseed and cardamom (Thinkquest.org 4&5). Conclusion Apparently, India is full of diverse cultures, which contain elements of greatness and enduring value. As discussed earlier, the culture of the different regions of India has been greatly influenced by the degree of contact with other cultures, in addition to the variations in climatic and physical conditions. As Venkateswara points out, Indians use a sound education system to transmit their culture to posterity. Elders also have the responsibility of drilling and passing on the Indian culture to the children as they grow. Their culture binds them together making them uphold respect for one another, have a sense of belonging, become mindful of each other, among others. Concisely, through their culture, Indians are able to develop co-operation along with better living amongst them, thus making the world a better place to live in. Works Cited Gupte, Kamakshi. Culture of India. 2009. Web. 13 December 2010. . Jayapalan, N. Indian Society and Social Institutions. Darya Ganj, New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distri. n.d. Print. Kumar, Raj. Essays on Indian culture. New Delhi: Discovery Publishing House, 2003. Print. Thinkquest.org. Indian Clothing. 2010. Web. 13 December 2010. . Thinkquest.org. Indian Cuisine. 2010. Web. 13 December 2010. . Thinkquest.org. Indian Culture. 2010. Web. 13 December 2010. . Thinkquest.org. Religions of India. 2010. Web. 13 December 2010. . Venkateswara, S. V. Indian Culture through the Ages -: Education and the Propagation of Culture. Vancouver, Canada: Read Books, 2007. Print. Winternitz, Maurice, Moriz Winternitz, V. & Srinivasa Sarma. A History of Indian Literature. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publ. 1996. Print. 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India’s classical music is broadly divided into Carnatic (South Indian) and Hindustani (North Indian) and both in rendering as well as in content; each style is very different from the other. The Hindustani music comes in various forms such as ghazal, tappa, thumri, dhrupad, in addition to khayal, which is the most extensively performed form of classical music. North Indian music is identified by the specific school to which it belongs, and the word gharana, factually meaning ‘family’ denotes it.

Examples of renowned gharanas include Gwalior, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi (Kumar 5). Carnatic music on the other hand is more structured and rigid. A concert goes together with a set style and rendering order of the pieces of music. Examples of some Carnatic music forms include tillana, Varnam and kriti. In view of the fact that Carnatic music has a devotional bias and is intensely spiritual, its compositions mirror these aspects. A significant content of this form of music is literally content.

Generally, musicians deliver the compositions of Shyama Shastri, Tyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar’s musical trinity (Kumar 6). Fairy fables and tales also adorn Indian culture. Of paramount importance is the fact that Indian collection of tales, fables and fairy tales in prose has had major contributions in the history of world literature. Indian mind has never drawn a clear demarcation line between scientific activity and purely artistic creation. Indians consider as a textbook of moral and politics what appears to other people as a collection of fables and fairy tales.

Conversely, Indians have never treated history and biography, apart from the poets who treat them as degenerate epic poetry. Additionally, distinction between poetry forms and prose is also unknown in India – Indians can treat every object equally well in prose form as well as in verses. They have novels that differ with the artistic epics only in this: that they lack a metrical form. From ancient times, Indians specially prefer mixing verses and prose. Moreover, they have used the verse form for what is scientific literature to us largely, with the use of prose form being only in a small measure.

This is especially so for the works of law and philosophy, in addition to those of architecture, medicine and astronomy among others (Winternitz, Winternitz and Sarma 2). Religion is another integral element of the entire Indian tradition – it is a way of life that permeates every life aspect for most of Indians, from everyday chores to politics and education. Secular India is home to Sikhism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity, Hinduism and other incalculable religious traditions, with Hinduism dominating and Islam following closely.

Most Indian religious faiths have embraced various common practices and all communities share several of the festivals that mark every year with feasting, dance and music. In fact, each possesses its own heroes, legends, pilgrimage sites as well as culinary specialties, mixing in a distinctive diversity, which is the very pulse of society (Thinkquest.org 1). Another important aspect of Indian culture is clothing. The diversified and colourful clothing of Indians, including the lehangas, silk saris, traditional salwar-kameez and cholis, is very attractive.

The sari, for a single length of material, is the most versatile clothing in existence. Although the sari is just one of the various traditional garments that Indian women wear, in some way, it has become their national dress. This extremely graceful attire has an unchanging glamour because it is not tailored for a specific size. Women can wear it in many ways and its colour, texture and manner of wearing are suggestive of a woman’s religion, age, status, occupation and region (Gupte 11). Worn under a sari is a short, tightly fitted blouse called a choli.

Rajasthan women also wear a lehanga or ghagra, form of pleated skirt that they secure at the waist leaving the midriff and the back exposed.

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