Exploring India's Rich Cultural Traditions

1. INDIA

2. CULTURE Indias culture is pretty much different from other cultures. In India people celebrate holidays and festivals of various religions. The two national holidays in India are the independence day which is on 15 August nd the republic day. Certain festivals in India are celebrated by multiple religions for example Diwali which is celebrated by Hindus, Buddhist and Jains across the country. One of the festivals are Durga puja which is a multi-day festival in Eastern India that features elaborate temple and stage decorations, scripture recitation, performance arts and processions. Another festival is also Navaratri which is an occasion of classical and folk dance performances at Hindu temples. Indian new year festivals are celebrated in different parts of India with unique style. Greetings include: Namaste , Namaskar, Vanakkam ,Namaskara,Nomoskar. These are all common spoken greetings or salutations when people meet and the meaning of it is ‘ I bow to the divine in you’. ANIMALS: In Hinduism, the cow is regarded as a symbol of non-violence, mothergoddess and bringer of good fortune and wealth. For this reason cows are revered in Hindu culture and feeding a cow is seen as a act of worship.

3. CLOTHING • Traditional clothing in India varies across different parts of the country and it is influenced by local culture, rural and urban settings. On special occasions or festivals like Diwali or other festivals women wear cheerful, bright colours of sari or other traditional cloths with various jewellery/ ornaments made with gold, silver and other stones. For men, stiched versions include kurta-pyjama and European style trousers and shirts .In North India, petticoat is more often referred to as lehnga/ghagra, whereas in South India, it is known as pavada/pavadai and in Eastern parts of the country, it is popularly called shaya. Blouse is usually known by the name choli/ravika.

4. ECONOMY The Indian economy is positive due to its young population, corresponding low dependency ratio, healthy saving and investment rates and increasing integration into the global economy. India also topped the world banks growth outlook for the first time in 2015 during which the economy grew 7.6% . Up until 18 century the indian economy was large and prosperous under the Mughal empire. Starting in 2012 India entered a period of reduced growth, which slowed to 5.6% and then other economic problems also became apparent. India’s economic freedom score is 54.5, making its economy the 130th freest in the 2018 Index. Its overall score has increased by 1.9 points, led by improvements in judicial effectiveness, business freedom, government integrity, and fiscal health. India is ranked 30th among 43 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is below the regional and world averages. India is the third-largest start-up hub in the world with over 3,100 technology start-ups in 2014–15. The agricultural sector is the largest employer in India's economy but contributes to a declining share of its GDP 17% in 2013–14 .

5. ARCHITECTURE KAILASA TEMPLE : Itis one of the largest rock-cut ancient temples located in Ellora/India. The kandariyaMahdeva Temple at the Khajuraho Temple complex in the shikhara style architecture, a UNESCO world. The Taj Mahal in Agra is the most beautiful and amazing heritage and is one of the worlds seven wonders. It was commissioned in 1632 bb the Mughal emperor. The Taj Mahal was completed in 1653 and the estimated cost at that time was 32 million rupees, which in 2015 would be approximately 52.8 billion rupees.

6. CUISINE Indian food is a diverse as India. Indian cuisines use numerous ingredients. From salad to sauces, from vegetarian to meat, from spices to sensuous, Indian cuisine in invariably complex. Indian cuisine is also one of the most popular cuisines across the globe. The most important and frequently used spices and flavouring in Indian cuisine are whole or powdered chilli pepper. Some leaves in Indian dishes commonly used for flavouring include bay leaves, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Dessert or sweet Indian dishes are often seasoned with cardamon , saffaron and rose petal essences, also traditionally meals in India were eaten while seated on the floor or on very low stools or mattresses, food is most often eaten with hand in India.

7. DANCES KATHAK: Kathak is often a dance of love. It is performed by both men and women. The movements include intricate footwork accented by bells worn around the ankles and stylized gestures adapted from normal body language. MANIPURI: Manipuri has its roots in that states folk traditions and rituals. Female roles are especially fluid in arms and hands, while male roles tend to have more forceful movements. ODISSI: It is a dance with postures that replicate those found in temple sculptures. Odissi is believed to be the oldest of the surviving Indian classical dances. Odissi is a very complex and expressive dance. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

8. DONE BY : SUKAINA ABBAS GRADE: 9B