Tag: Traditions

INDIAN HERITAGE

Indian culture is a multifaceted, colorful tapestry that has evolved over many centuries. It is a culture that has been shaped by philosophy, art, architecture, and religion. India’s culture is renowned for its dynamism, mysticism, and unwavering adherence to tradition. The art forms of Indian culture are among its most remarkable aspects. The variety of Indian art includes everything from beautiful paintings to passionate dances. Hindustani and Carnatic music are two classical styles of Indian music that are renowned for their philosophical and spiritual undertones. In India, people also enjoy doing crafts like pottery, weaving, embroidery, and metallurgy.

Indian literature is another aspect of Indian culture that is deeply ingrained in its history. The Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita are some of the famous works that have shaped the cultural heritage of India. These works are not just literary masterpieces, but they also hold great religious and philosophical significance.

The architecture of India is equally impressive. From the Taj Mahal to the Red Fort, the Lotus Temple to the Konark Sun Temple, Indian architecture is known for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and spiritual themes. These structures reflect the deep respect that Indian culture has for tradition, as well as the innovative spirit that drives the country forward.

ART FORMS

Indian art forms are as diverse as its people. They are inspired by religion, mythology, nature, and everyday life. Indian art forms are known for their vibrant colors, intricate details, and spirituality. Some of the popular art forms in India include:

Paintings: Indian paintings date back to the prehistoric era, and they are known for their intricate designs, bold colors, and detailed work. Some of the famous painting styles in India include Mughal paintings, Rajasthani paintings, Madhubani paintings, and Warli paintings.

Dance: Dance is an essential part of Indian culture, and it is performed on various occasions, such as weddings, festivals, and religious ceremonies. Some of the popular dance forms in India include Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Manipuri.

Music: Indian music is as diverse as its culture, and it is known for its spiritual and philosophical themes. Indian music has two main genres: Hindustani classical music and Carnatic classical music.

Handicrafts: Indian handicrafts are renowned for their intricate designs, colorful patterns, and traditional motifs. Some of the popular handicrafts in India include pottery, weaving, embroidery, and metalwork.

LITERATURE

Indian literature dates to ancient times, and it is characterized by its rich oral tradition. Indian literature is known for its philosophical, spiritual, and mythological themes. Some of the famous literary works in India include:

  1. The Vedas: The Vedas are a collection of hymns, prayers, and rituals that were composed in Sanskrit. They are considered to be the oldest written texts in the world.
  2. The Ramayana: The Ramayana is an epic poem that tells the story of Lord Rama, a Hindu deity. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Indian literature.
  3. The Mahabharata: The Mahabharata is another epic poem that tells the story of a great war between two families. It is considered to be the longest epic poem in the world.
  4. The Bhagavad Gita: The Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical text that is part of the Mahabharata. It is considered to be one of the most important texts in Hinduism.

ARCHITECTURE

Indian architecture is a reflection of its rich cultural heritage, and it is known for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and spiritual themes. Indian architecture can be divided into two main categories: religious architecture and secular architecture. Some of the famous architectural works in India include:

  1. The Taj Mahal: The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum that was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered to be one of the greatest works of Mughal architecture.
  2. The Red Fort: The Red Fort is a fortress that was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is known for its intricate designs, vibrant colors, and historical significance.
  3. The Lotus Temple: The Lotus Temple is a Bahá’í House of Worship that was built in the shape of a lotus flower. It is known for its unique architecture and spiritual significance.
  4. The Konark Sun Temple: The Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century temple that is dedicated to the Hindu deity Surya. It is known for its intricate designs and unique architecture.

Thus, it may be said that Indian culture is a vast and varied fabric that has been stitched over many centuries. It is a culture that values innovation and originality while being firmly steeped in tradition. Indian culture is a monument to the resilient spirit of its people and includes literary works, architectural styles, and festivals.

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Decoding Indian ways of Eating

Food is a very complex subject to understand. The world is experimenting new types of food, new recipes, new combination and new styles of consuming it to make it more aesthetically beautiful. But they are breaking the age-old science of healthy eating.

How we eat is equally important to what we eat. Our ancestors have passed on to us the right recipes, the right way to eat, and the right way to make it. We should start acknowledging the science and it’s significance. Food depends many variables:-

  • Season
  • Geography
  • Local availability
  • Attitude
  • Body type

Right Medium of Food Consumption

1. Eating with hands

People are getting used to eating with spoons and they consider eating with hands as unhygienic and unpleasant. According to Ayurveda, eating food should involve all senses. The touch of food to your fingers and feeling the texture can really trigger the nerve endings of your fingers which are connected to your digestion. These nerves stimulations are know to activate and stimulate your digestive juices. Also according to Ayurveda the five fingers represent the five elements:-

  • Thumb represents Fire (agni)
  • Index finger represents Air (wayu)
  • Middle finger represents Sky (Akash)
  • Ring finger represents Earth (Prithvi)
  • Little finger represents Water (jal)

Holding food with all five finger symbolises the union of all elements, which are essential for the normal functioning of our body.

2. Sitting on the floor

In India, sitting on the floor and eating is a family activity. It involves many muscles, the sitting position presses our lower spine and relaxes the whole body. The back and forth movement while eating gives a nice compression to your abdomen. Compression is maximum in sitting position and this also stimulates the digestive juices. It also has an effect on your mind. When the individual sits on the floor, the nervous systems performances better and transmission of signals happens very effectively. As a result sitting on the floor and eating has a huge weight reduction advantage.

Sitting on chair brings more pressure on your heart. When you’re sitting on chair your heart has to pump blood from toe to upwards against gravity and that is a strain. If you sit on a chair with folded legs that will reduce the gravity force that would help your heart and general health conditions so that more blood will be facilitated for digestion.

3. Food containing vessels

Vessels have an important effect on food, it can be positive as well as negative. In Indian tradition, every vessel has its own advantage in cooking or storing food.

For example, copper as has a strong intoxication property over water. That’s why copper vessels was used to store water in India. Another example, Ghee, if stored in a bronze vessel can become toxic. That is why ghee is stored in a metal vessel like steel.

In old times, food used to be kept in the leaves covered with leaves and it always remains healthy. Stones which were used for crushing, grinding is said to be more superior than done in mixers. So make sure to put right food in the right container.

Even the healthiest of food can become toxic if not consumed in right way. The ways of eating food is always been highlighted in all the cultures because it is the cultural identity of every community. Indian have always tried to introduce every healthy aspects into the food. So let’s follow these food habits and acknowledge deep science in the ancestral way of eating. We should not forget the valuable lessons which are passed down to us and understand that food once consumed can become medicine or junk. Your way of consuming it will decide what it will turn to – healthy or junk. So eat food in a right way, the Indian way.

Advantages of Speaking English – Reason Why?

There are more than 6,500 languages around the world spoken by billions of people. Why close yourself off from the rest of the world by only sticking with your native language? If you don’t know which language to start with, you can’t go wrong with English. Spoken in many countries across the globe, English allows you to communicate with a large number of people.

One of the most useful languages to learn is English. 1.5 billion people are speaking English today. Across the world, English is the default choice of countries and major industries. You might even be surprised some of the countries that become more accessible to you just for learning the language. The benefits of learning English are immense and vast.

Today, we’ll explore some of the fantastic benefits you could acquire from learning English. Some might even surprise you!

English makes travel easier

English is the most generally communicated in language from one side of the planet to the other. That’s a big advantage unless your goal in life is to remain within 40 kilometers of where you were born throughout your life.

English skills get more respect

It is weird but true. We in India give more respect to those who speak in English. I don’t know the reason and I don’t like this but that’s not important. Judge people on their inner worth, not the language they speak. But, till the time everyone begins doing it, learn English so that you are not judged unfairly.

Biggest movies and books are in English

Hollywood is the biggest movie industry. Almost all prominent books in the world are either written or translated into English. English language music is huge.

Why would you want to miss out on such a huge body of fun and mind expanding stuff?

English helps the world know our culture

This is important. The world today is not about forcing people, it’s about convincing them. It’s called soft power. With our 5,000 year old culture, why should we be defensive and behave like frogs in a well? Why not study the culture and present it in front of the world in the best possible way? Didn’t Vivekanand do that? Didn’t he do it in English? Isn’t he one of the brightest torch bearers of our glorious culture?

English skills are our national advantage

Yes, and that’s no exaggeration. One of the very few areas where India beats China is the number of English speaking people. Major advantage and we don’t want to surrender it to our friends from Shaolin.

English communication gives power & influence

Knowledge is in English, knowledge is power and you need power to fight for yourself. Most of the modern day knowledge and communication tools work in English:

  • Courts, law books, websites – most of them work in English.
  • Social media works in English.
  • Mainstream media has a majorly influential English segment.

If you don’t know the language, you are denying yourself more than half the weapons.

I was trying to learn English and I was very worried about my accent. I’m sure I’ll always have it but I remember Tom Hanks said to me, “Don’t lose the accent. If you do, you’re lost.”

Antonio Banderas

Being able to speak English as a second language is a very positive addition to a person’s skill set as many careers are opened up to people who know another language, in particular, English.