Indian Culture and Tradition Essay: India is a land of rich cultural diversity. Our culture is inclusive of the customs and traditions we follow, festivals we celebrate, art practices, handicrafts, folklore, food habits, music and dance etc. Our multi religious society caters to all religions and languages alike. Our countrymen follow various social beliefs, wear different dresses, and conduct various celebrations. National festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm towards the country.
Essay on Indian Culture and Tradition in 500 Words
Below we have provided Indian Culture and Tradition Essay in English, suitable for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10.
India – The treasure house of rich cultural heritage and traditions
When one pronounces the word “India,” one is draped in the smell in spices, sarees, the smell of pickles and rain, the loud music and dances, the happy faces of innocent people quite untouched by the evolving westernization. India encapsulates all of those emotions and more. India thrives on love, languages, religion, and culture due to the diverse race of people living in the country. It can be hands down referred to as one of the world’s most culturally enriched countries.
Religion
Being a country that is the home to such diverse cultures and traditions, religion plays a very significant role. Various religions founded and followed in the country include Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, etc. Apart from these, there are also huge majorities of people having Islamic faith, following Christianity or Buddhism and various other religions which do not have an Indian origin. Most of the religions founded in India are based on the concept of non-violence.
According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India practice Hinduism. Islam (14.2%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.7%), Buddhism (0.7%) and Jainism (0.4%) forms the major religions of the country. Apart from that, there are also several other religions practiced in the heart of the country.
Marital Rituals
According to the early marital rituals of India, back in the 1950’s, Indians primarily lived in large joint families where the parents, children and the next generation on offspring lived together under the same roof. However, in the more recent times due to modernization creeping into the society and western cultures being quickly inherited, joint-families are almost rare and non-existent. Nucleated families are more common as children decide on separating from their parent’s houses to afford to have more independence and privacy. The system of arranged marriages is also highly prevalent to this day in the country. The average age for marriage for girls has gone up to 21 years according to the 2011 census, as opposed to an earlier age of 16 to 18 years.
Indian Festivals
Suffice to say that festivals form an important part of Indian culture and heritage. Due to the varied religions practiced here, the festivals are also different for each section of people. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Navratri, Janmashtami, Diwali, Maha Shivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Holi, Rath Yatra, Ugadi, Onam, Vasant Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, and Dussehra.
Other than these, there are also several harvest festivals celebrated by farmers such as Makar Sankranti, Sohrai, Pusnâ, Chapchar Kut, Pongal, and Raja Sankranti. Islam forms a major part of the religion dynamics in India and festivals which are observed as a public holiday in India are Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha (Bakri Eid), Milad-un-Nabi, Muharram and Shab-e-Barat. Christianity is also practiced by people of India and important days for Roman Catholics such as Christmas, and Good Friday has been declared as national holidays in the Republic of India as well.
Cuisine
Just like its religion and festivals, the cuisine in India is also equally diverse. Foods are influenced by people belonging to different parts of the country, their way of living, the environment, and availability of goods. It is imperative that Indian food is primarily influenced by the diversity of people living in it. Hindu cuisine includes rice, chapatti, vegetable curry, fish, parathas, etc. Islamic cuisine includes Biriyani, Raita, Haleem, Kheema, etc. In the South Indian states, people generally cook food using coconut oil as opposed to the common mustard oil or sunflower oil. This is because coconuts are so easily available in large quantities in the South. South Indian food includes Idli, Sambar, Dosa, Vada, etc.
Clothing
Traditional clothing is the essence of Indian culture. Clothes depend on the place of origin, climate, and heritage of the particular place. In the state of West Bengal, and also in several southern states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka the authentic clothing for women is the Saree that is a single, long piece of fabric draped around the body. For men, the authentic Bengali clothing in Dhoti and Kurta. In the state of Punjab, salwar kameez and Kurti form the traditional clothing for women while men wear headgear or turban known as the Dastar. The Bindi, Mehendi, bangles, and earrings are a part of the attire for women.
Literature
The first ever literary work created in India was the Rigveda, in the 19th Century. Written in Sanskrit, the Rigveda laid the foundation of several religious scriptures and literary works in later years. Written by the Aryans, the Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda also soon followed. Other popular literary works created in ancient India are Ramayana by Rishi Valmiki and Mahabharata by Rishi Vyasa. Biographies of kings such as Babarnama (biography of Babur; founder of Mughal Empire) and Akbarnama (biography of Akbar, the greatest king of India) are also priceless literary pieces that give us information about the era. Apart from this certain scripture written by foreign travellers such as Fa Hein and Huein Tsung gives us information about the traditions and lifestyles of people in India.
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