INDIA – a five-letter word that conjures up images of vibrant dresses, energetic dances, reverent religious rituals and unique cuisine. India is diverse in every possible way. From snowy mountains in Kashmir to the dry deserts of Rajasthan, India is like many countries in one! Astonishingly, even within one state, there are different languages, food, culture and dressing style. The colour, variety, stories, devotion and tolerance in India’s kaleidoscope of religions is intoxicating. We all live together with a great sense of diversity and brotherhood. India without its culture is a galaxy without stars.
Life in India can be joyous, tough, colourful, stressful, chaotic but never boring. As Mark Twain, the father of American Literature once rightly stated, “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.” I am certain that each one of us strongly agrees with this statement.
Religions are at the heart of India. The often complex rituals are carried out with dedication and devotion, the fires blazing both in the havan and our hearts. India isn’t called a country of diversity for no reason – each part has different religions, each practised in their own way. Whether it be Hindus, Muslims, Christians or people of other religions, India acts as a common temple. People endure the harshest of rituals, ranging from the days spent on empty stomachs in the name of God, or the lifetimes spent preserving the life of other living things to uphold their beliefs. Religion is the flame that warms India, and people bask in its warmth, all the while working to keep the fire raging fiercely.
Ever since the medieval ages, dance has been a crucial part of India’s culture, with each step and twirl taking us further into the vast cavern of culture. India is the proud mother of a variety of unique dances, ranging from Bharatnatyam to Kathakali. Each dance practice had been finely refined over centuries, with dancers spending hours religiously practising to showcase our culture. Each cut, bruise, or sprain they receive, they bear with pride and continue on their journey to be a symbol of the dances that flow through India.
India is every food lover's dream- any Indian household is incomplete without mouth-watering smells wafting from the kitchen. It is one place where the dishes exceed the stars. There is a new recipe evolving in every house. We still follow our ancient traditions which are hundreds of years old and this shows how strong our culture is. With India being the proud creator of various dishes such as samosas to jalebis, kachori to gulab jamun and pani puri to halwa, it’s natural for Indian cuisine to be so vibrant and flavourful. If that’s not the definition of incredible, I don’t know what is! The joy that we receive in eating homemade Indian delicacies is matched only by the joy the people making the delicacies would feel.
Walking through Indian streets, our ears are filled with the buzzing of different conversations in different languages. The air flows with phrases in Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, or Gujarati. Each language has its unique history, birthed from the earliest civilizations. People spend decades poring over ancient texts, dreaming of the translated versions that would enlighten us further. Literature plays a key role in our culture, and plays and epics are learnt and performed for knowledge and entertainment. Stories and fables are told to us from our earliest years, and these stories we carry in our hearts to tell future generations.
Traditional clothing gives a personal twist to our culture. Each state wears its clothing with pride, displaying its culture for the world to see. Made of intricate fibres and vibrant colours sewn into fabrics, these clothes are a trademark of India. They are a sight of awe. Then there’s the extraordinary jewellery, carved with a dedication to form heavenly pieces. Suffice it to say, Indian clothing is a blessing.
India is the cradle of the world's oldest civilisations. It has the heaven on earth, Kerala; the crown of India, Kashmir; and it also has one of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal showing the epitome of grace, wonder and love.
India teaches one how to worry less and let go of the need to control everything and go with the flow. India is imperfect, raw, real, and the beauty within the chaos is what also makes it the most loved place for so many people around the world.
Very nice article written by Anushree, really Incredible India explained with well examples of languages, dressing, culture, food. Really admirable!!