INDIAN CULTURE

The culture of India (Hindu Culture) is considered one of the oldest civilizations
on Earth. It refers to the religions, beliefs, customs, traditions, languages,
ceremonies, art, values and the way of life in India and its people.

Indian traditions date back to 8000 BC Various elements, such as Indian

religions, yoga, and Indian cuisine, have had a profound impact throughout the
world.

1. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
Sheltered by the enormous barriers of the Himalayas, the highest mountains on
the globe, embraced by the Indus and the Ganges, and penetrating the Indian
Ocean, lies the extensive peninsula that forms India. It has a triangular shape,
flanked by the Arabian peninsulas to the west and Indochina to the east.

LIMITS A1 :
o In the North with China and the Himalayan Mountains.
o To the South with the Indian Ocean.
o To the east with the Indochina Peninsula.
o To the west with the Indian Ocean.

2. HISTORY
Initially, India was made up of three ethnic groups: blacks, orientals and whites;
Later, other towns would arrive. This was due to the great religious tolerance
and languages.

PERIODS OF ITS HISTORY

The ancient history of India is divided into the Vedic period, the Brahmanic
period and the Buddhist period.

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 a) Vetic Period: Included from the years 3000 BC until 2000 BC Named
after the reign of King Vedas A2 . The first settlers were the Dravidas A3 ,
dark-skinned farmers, and around 2500 BC The A4 Aryans introduced
some cultural elements such as the wheel, the horse and a caste system
as a social organization.

b) Brahmanic Period . - In ancient India there were four castes, the

most privileged being the Brahmins, which motivated the reaction of the
other castes, which ended with the triumph of Buddhism in the 5th
century BC.

c) Buddhist Period : This period is characterized by the predominance

of the Buddhist religion, which had its origin in the 5th century BC Then it
was divided into several states.
The most current history speaks of invasions by various cultures, from the
Persians to the Arabs, Portuguese or English.

3. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
The culture of ancient India divided society into four categories by profession
and by age. This system is called Sanatana Dharma A5 , although it is officially
prohibited, it continues to be cruelly practiced.

a) BRAHMANES or priests, those who originated from the head of

Brahama, who were for a long time the true masters of India.

b) CHATRIAS , those who originated from the arms of Brahama and

were the government officials and warriors.

c) VAISIAS , they are the peasants and artisans who would be believed
to have come from the thighs of Brahama.

d) SUDRAS (hunters and fishermen), were those born from the feet of
Brahama - they are the servants, to whom the knowledge of the sacred
books is prohibited.

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At the lowest level of social organization were the outcasts, Dalits or
untouchables, who represent the most vile and miserable in India. Those who
did not belong to any of the previous castes.

4. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION
In India there was no national unity, but many independent kingdoms, under the
authority of the King, the Brahmins and a powerful feudal aristocracy.

- THE KING was considered of divine origin. He was the head of the
despotic and absolutist monarchy.

- THE BRAHMANS made up the upper caste, who collaborated with the
King in the administration of justice. They made up the priestly class.

- THE FEUDAL ARISTOCRACY , was made up of lower-ranking

officials, owners of large fiefs.

5. ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION
Economic power was related to property. They were dedicated to livestock and
agriculture. They developed intense commercial activity with the Egyptians,
Persians and Greeks. They sent a large amount of merchandise, in elephant
caravans, to be sold or bartered. In Industry, they were mainly dedicated to the
manufacture of yarns, shawls, tapestries, ceramics, porcelain, fabrics, ivory
objects, metal vessels, etc.

6. THE RELIGION

Hindus have developed various philosophical systems that are always

associated with religion, they are included in five main groups: Jainism,
Sankhya and Yoga, Brahmanism, Buddhism and Tantra. Almost everything in
India is spirituality.

Varanasi is the most sacred site on earth, the residence of God Shiva. Its
temples are spread throughout the streets, there is no traffic, except for
motorcycles and bicycles.

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The Ganges River attracts thousands of pilgrims every year to bathe in its
sacred waters, they are also the heart of the city. People bathe, wash clothes,
practice yoga and play.

One of the most curious beliefs for Westerners is that in Indian culture, the cow
is a sacred animal, representing the ideals of motherhood, life and good luck.

FUNDAMENTALS

A. Brahmanism and the Code of Manú: He had Brahma as his

supreme god, creator of the world, of the gods, of beings and of the
universal soul. The Brahmanists considered the soul to be immortal. That
upon the death of the person the soul was reincarnated into another
human being if it had led a dignified life, or into an animal if it had not
complied with this precept.
All the fundamental principles of this religion were considered in the
Code of Manú.

B. Buddhism and its current survival: Buddhism is a religious

doctrine founded by Sidarta Gautama, son of the rajah of the kingdom of
Sakias. This prince renounced riches and became a beggar, taking the
name Buddha A6 , which means the enlightened one.
Buddha, after six years of privations, fasting, suffering, began to preach
against Brahmanism.

7. PHILOSOPHY
The Indians developed abstract metaphysical systems. The oldest was the
Sanhhya (founded by Kapila, before Budha). The Mimansa philosophy defends
the doctrine of the Vedas and focuses on their moral prescriptions. The Nyaya
is a rationalist system. From Buddhist philosophy came the sect of the
Gymnosophists, or naked sages like the Cynics of Greece, who led a solitary
and penitent life.

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 8. LANGUAGE
India has at least 30 different languages and around 2000 dialects. The
Constitution of India has stipulated the use of Hindi and English as the two
official languages of communication for the national government. It classifies a
set of 22 listed languages, which are languages that can be officially adopted by
different states for administrative purposes.

9. SCIENCE
The Indians took all their scientific knowledge from the people with whom they
were in contact, but they did not know how to make it progress. They knew
Astronomy, learned from Babylonians and Phoenicians, and applied to
determine the days of festivals and sacrifices; After Alexander they learned
astronomy from the Greeks. Later Astronomy degenerated into Astrology, and
the Indians, instead of continuing to study Nature, tried to dominate it with spells
and sorceries; With these superstitions they also harmed Medicine. They are
credited with the invention of the violin and chess, which was an imitation of the
strategy they used in wars.

10. INDIAN OR HINDU LITERATURE

1. The Mahabarata A7 . - It is an epic of a mythological and religious nature,
composed around the 8th century BC It tells of the war of the Kuros and the
Pandavas. Basically it refers to the bitter civil struggles of the Hindus in the
Ganges River basin.

2. The Ramayana A8 . - It is another important Hindu epic poem, consisting of

seven books, written in Sanskrit. The author is possibly Valmiki (4th century
BC). It tells the adventures of Prince Rama, in search of his wife Sita,
kidnapped by the monster Ravana, who had ten heads and twenty arms.

3. The Vedas A9 . - They are a set of four religious-heroic books (The Rig-Veda,
the Yayur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atarva-Veda), which contain ritual
melodies, formulas, magical words, poems, hymns, etc.

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 11. THE ARTS
The first artistic manifestations within Indian culture, dating from the beginning
of the Harappan Culture, are in ceramics and engraved seals. Artistic
expression is something very original and special about India; that fantastic and
monumental art that fills its buildings with fabulous reliefs and multiplies the
details of its ornamentation to infinity. Apart from the very rich palaces of the
Indian princes, numerous temples have remained for the admiration of
Westerners: the Stupas were memorial monuments or tombs, the Viharas are a
type of temples and monasteries excavated in the rocks, the Pagodas are
temples with many rooms for housing for priests and hostel for pilgrims. The
Sculpture was developed by the cult of Buddha.

12. LEGISLATION
Manú was for the Indians, the first man, the first king, the first priest and the first
saint. Its Code establishes monarchy as a system of government with an
absolute character and divine right. Man is governed by punishment, since he
never spontaneously acts good, and the punishments he imposes are rigorous
and different, depending on the caste. The entire Code was aimed at exalting
the dominance of the Brahmins.

13. THE CALENDAR

The Indian calendar is made up of pure lunar months, which are therefore
counted from new moon to new moon. Ordinary years are 354 or 355 days
(Samvatsara Mana), and embolismic (leap) years are 383, 384 or 385 days
(Adhica Samvatsara).

The Indian week coincides with ours: it is 7 days. Its equivalents are: Domingo,
Ravi-vara; Monday, Soma-vara; Tuesday, Mangala-vara; Wednesday, Buddha-
vahra; Thursday, Guru-vara; Friday, Sukra-vara; Saturday, Sani-vara.

The Indian year is divided into 6 seasons, one every two months: Vesanta
(spring), Grichma (summer), Varea (rains), Sarad (autumn), Hemanta (winter)
Sisiva (cool).

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 14. MUSIC AND DANCE OF INDIA
Indian Music, not having graphic notation, consists of a system of ragas that are
memorized by the performers and that served as a basis for improvisations.

Ragas are a kind of melodic modes with 5, 6 or 7 notes. Each raga is

associated with a season of the year or a time of day.

The main string instrument is the tambura, the main wind instrument is the flute.
Among the drums, the most important is the mridanga. Among the most
important Indian musicians are Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shanka.

Indian dance includes descriptive elements, where the adventures of gods and
mythical heroes are narrated.

15. HINDU GASTRONOMY

Indian food is known for its delicious curries, always based on rice and corn.
However, this food could be a little dangerous for those with allergies, having
such a spicy food, more than one person could have a hard time.

16. THE CULTURE OF INDIA TODAY

There are 1,652 vernacular languages in India (without the addition of foreign
words) and 67 languages of school teaching at different levels. However, the
Hindi language encountered some resistance, especially in the southern states
and Bengal, which led to the maintenance of English as a second language in
the country.

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 ANNEXES
A1 LIMITS OF INDIAN CULTURE

A2 KING VEDAS

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A3 THE DRAVIDAS

A4 THE ARIANS A5 SANATANA DHARMA SYSTEM

A6 BUDDHA

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A7 THE MAHABARATA A8 THE RAMAYANA

A9 THE VEDAS

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 CONCLUSIONS
The Culture of India or Hindu (Indian Civilization) has been shaped by its long
ancient history, unique geography, diverse demographics, absorption of
customs, traditions and religious ideas from neighboring regions. Also, they
have preserved ancient heritages, formed during the Indus Valley civilization
and transmitted to the Vedic civilization, in the Muslim conquests.

India is a country whose traditions are strongly rooted in society and are the
result of Persian, Arab, Turkish and Mongolian influence, but also European
influence, above all, from England for having been a British colony for years.

Despite India having a modern society, with large urban centers, universities -
many millennia old - a very strong industrial park where it produces everything
from needles to engines, airplanes, etc., they have not lost their cultural
characteristics, despite being experimenting a culture shock.

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 LINCOGRAPHY
http://www.historiacultural.com/2012/05/cultura-hindu-india.html

http://www.taringa.net/posts/apuntes-y-monografias/10350396/India-cultura-
historia-idiosincracia.html

http://www.laindia.net/cultura-india/

http://www.universia.es/estudiar-extranjero/india/vivir/cultura-tradiciones/1037

https://www.actualidadviajes.com/la-cultura
hindu/#Un_poco_de_historia_de_lanbspIndia

http://laculturainca-cusi.blogspot.pe/2012/06/la-cultura-india.html

http://mihistoriauniversal.com/edad-antigua/cultura-india/

http://www.historialuniversal.com/2010/08/cultura-india-civilizacion-hindu.html

http://www.guiadeviaje.net/india/cultura.html

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 INDEX
1. GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION 05

2. HISTORY 05

3. SOCIAL ORGANIZATION 06

4. POLITICAL ORGANIZATION 07

5. ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION 07

6. THE RELIGION 07

7. PHILOSOPHY 08

8. LANGUAGE 09

9. SCIENCE 09

10. INDIAN OR HINDU LITERATURE 09

11. THE ARTS 10

12. LEGISLATION 10

13. THE CALENDAR 10

14. MUSIC AND DANCE OF INDIA 11

15. HINDU GASTRONOMY 11

16. THE CULTURE OF INDIA TODAY 11

Annexes 12

Conclusions 15

Lincography 16

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