The world is filled with different nations and their unique and beautiful cultures. Even though the countries are all globalized, culture needs to stay significant in people’s minds to survive. Indian culture is one of the oldest in the world and truly one of the most influential due to the number of Indians that inhabit the Earth. India became an independent state in 1947 due to secession from the British Empire. Over a billion people call this country their home, and for many years, India remains one of the biggest countries in the world in terms of population. India is known for its history, cuisine, landscapes, and population, but also for Bollywood, yoga, and cricket.
Food is one of the most recognized elements of culture because people eat it every day. Indian cuisine is known for its generous amount of herbs and spices in its dishes, like cardamom, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, dried peppers, and turmeric, which is the main component of curry powder. Another component of Indian cuisine is chutneys, which are spreads and dipping sauces made of different vegetables and fruits. The cooking styles vary in different regions of the country. As “The Guardian” states, twenty to forty percent of India’s population are vegetarian (Hughes). That is why many vegetables and fruits are used in their dishes, as long as basmati rice and wheat. Non-vegetarian Indians consume lamb and chicken in their diet. Indians often eat using their fingers or different breads, like naan or bhatoora. Many Indian dishes are popular all around the world, including different types of curry, kebab, and butter chicken.
Another quality that distinguishes India from other countries is the population. India is the second most populous country after China, but it is also fast-growing. The population of India already reached the mark of 1.4 billion people (Garrett). It is behind China by only sixteen million of population (Garett). Only the gap between China and India is almost worth the whole population of the Netherlands. That means the numbers are formidable but still attainable for India with its population growth. Studies show that in 2050 India will become the largest by a wide margin in population terms and it will reach 1.7 billion people (Garrett). The most populated city in India, which is also the capital of the country, is New Delhi, with a population of more than thirty-two million people (Factly). It is only smaller than Tokyo in terms of population, according to a Live Science investigation (Zimmermann & Gordon). India also has Mumbai with more than twenty million people and Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata with more than ten million residents.
Religion is a big part of any country in the world, and India is no different. India is the place where Buddhism and Hinduism were born, as long as Jainism. It is well-known that Gautama Buddha got an insight under a Bodhi tree at Bodh Gaya. However, Hinduism is the most accepted religion in India with around eighty percent of Indians being Hindu. About thirteen and a half percent of Indians are Muslim, which is why India is one of the most Islamic countries in the world (Zimmermann & Gordon). Christianity, Buddhism, and Jainism are not as prevalent in this country as Hinduism and Islam. There are around two percent of Christians in India and less than two percent of Indians are Sikh, around two percent are indefinite (Zimmermann & Gordon). However, in spite of religion, Indian people are used to the principle of karma. It means that every deed of a person influences their future. That concept also has an impact on their understanding of life after death. Most Indians believe in reincarnation and that is why every good or bad action makes one’s karma bad or good and affects the rebirth.
Indian society is divided by castes, as it is customary to think. In fact, the term caste was originally used in Spanish colonies in America. Social groups in India are called varnas and are divided into numerous jati. There are four varnas in India: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras (Zimmermann & Gordon). Brahmins are the members of the oldest varna, which consists of scientists, teachers, and priests. Kshatriyas are warriors and rulers were usually chosen from this varna. Vaishyas are artisans, farmers, and traders, while Shudras are workers and servants. There are perhaps more than three thousand jatis in India (Zimmermann & Gordon). Despite the fact that varnas originated thousands of years ago, they continue to exist in modern India. However, their impact and role in people’s lives and society are actively decreasing. Varnas are more important in villages than in the cities. There are still frequent cases of discrimination on this basis.
India is well-known for its architecture and art, including music, theater, and movie industries. The most prominent example of local architecture is the Taj Mahal. It was built by Shan Jahan, the Mughal emperor, for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal and it is one of the seven wonders of the world. It connects Indian, Persian, Islamic, and Turkish styles of architecture. Another interesting fact about it is that the Taj Mahal slowly changes color from white to yellow, because of contamination and pollution in the air. India has over two million Hindu temples across the country and over three hundred thousand Muslim mosques. Many animals are sacred in India, especially cows, but some of them even have their own temples. For example, there is a temple of rats in Rajasthan. However, every state has something to look at, because it is all unique and different. Every monument has its own architectural form because every colony used its local styles while building them.
The holidays in India are connected to religion and their beliefs as well. The world-famous festival of colors and also the festival of love, called Holi is not just about beauty. It symbolizes the victory of good versus evil and summarizes the winter season to meet the spring. Besides colorful powders, water is also used by people in fights with water balloons. Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated for five days. It is the most important and the largest holiday for Indians. During Diwali, the streets and houses are lit with oil lamps, and people have feasts with their families, while fireworks and sweets are important elements of this holiday as well.
The culture of India is deep, versatile, and has a long history. It has many different facets and deservedly is one of the most popular cultures in the world. It has many elements that it needs more space to cover at least part. Modern India is saturated by history and it affects every industry and area. However, it needs to be studied and appreciated even more.
Works Cited
Garrett, Geoffrey. “3 Reasons Why India isn’t the Next China.”Wharton Magazine, 2015.
Hughes, Jane. “The Best Countries in the World for Vegetarians.”The Guardian, 2013.
“India’s Population: A New Perspective.”Youtube, uploaded by Factly, 2022.
Zimmermann, Kim Ann, Jonathan Gordon. “Indian Culture: Customs and Traditions.”Live Science, 2022.