Overview

India, the world’s largest democracy, is a highly populated country. Its population is to overtake China’s population in 2028. The country is home to some of the world’s most ancient, surviving civilizations. It has vastly different cultures, people, and languages (over 21 languages/dialects)! The environment ranges from the mountains of Afghan to jungles of Burma and the coral reefs of the Indian Ocean.

Daily Life

In India, family is the most important social unit. Extended families were common in the past where two or more married couples share finances, a house, and a kitchen. A little more than a quarter of India’s population is urban. The large cities are densely populated, polluted, and noisy. There are always people walking on the streets, and in the rural areas of India it is common to see cattle, stray dogs, and other animals on the streets. It is also normal to see several beggars on the streets. Schooling is extremely important in the country and most children attend school from 8:00 to 4:00 and have tuition classes after school. There are a variety of occupations Indians have including business, store management, medicine, and engineers.

Art

Each of the states in India have their own unique form of art, both classical and western. India is home to various dance forms including bharatanatyam, sattriya, manipuri, kathak, odissi, kuchipudi, kathakali, mohiniyattam. Bharatanatyam is the oldest dance form and originates in Tamilnadu. Dancers are dressed in vibrant, traditional attire from head to toe and perform complicated, sharp, and quick motions. Earliest forms of paintings in India were scratched in the walls of caves. In the Kailash temple at Ellora the finest examples of rock-cut architecture is evident. Mysore paintings are one of India’s classics. Mysore paintings are generally created from organic sources and finished with gold foil. They are also primarily depictions of religious figures. India is also home to Indian silk, weaves, prints, patterns, embroidery and stitch work. The cloth of India is desired all around the world.

Cuisine

Indian cuisine varies from region to region. However, commonly Indian food is known for its extensive uses of various spices, herbs, and vegetables. Fried food is a specialty in India from bonda, samosa, kachori, and more! Street food is also found in every corner, and some of the specials include pani puri, chaat, and vada pav. Some traditional dishes include idli, dosa, sambhar, and chutney from the southern part. In the north, roti, naan, puri are dipped with several sabzis that are filled with vegetables and a unique blend of spices. For desert, Indians love using sugar and jaggery. Specialty desserts include gulab jamun, jalebi, kulfi, and halwa. When traveling to India, the food will not disappoint!

Fashion

Although, in the bigger cities Indians have westernized their clothing, there are still several people that wear traditional Indian clothing. Sarees from India are considered the oldest form of garment in the world to still exist. The single unstitched piece of cloth is full of intricate patterns and colors, and then it is draped and folded in a special way to produce a beautiful outcome. Other clothing for women include lenghas, ghagras, and cholis. All are made in vibrant, gorgeous colors and various styles. Men, nowadays, wear jeans, pants, and t-shirts. However, some traditional clothing is worn to temples or places of worship including dhoti, kurta, and jodhpuri suit. India is home to unique and intricate fashion.

Music

The most popular forms of music from India are Hindustani classical from the northern and western parts and Carnatic classical music from the south. In both of these styles the raga of the songs are crucial. Artists use the raga to make the song their own and add to the emotions. Ravi Shankar is a well-known sitar player around the world. Other important instruments used in Indian music are violin, veena, tabla, tanpura, and mrudanga. Finally, bollywood music has grown in popularity because this music is used in Indian movies. Indian movies consist of at least 5 or 6 five minute songs. Among several bollywood singers, Arijit Singh, Sonu Nigam, and Asha Bhosle are some of the most famous.

Transportation

Train travel is extensively used in India. People love traveling on the train to get from city to city. The blue trains include sleeping beds, food service, and bathrooms. The auto is used in all Indian towns for travel. There are individual and share autos. Individual autos, in the color yellow, are called just for you while share autos pick up multiple people along the way. Buses are also still used for both cross-country travel and within city travel. It is cheap, but usually crowded and many people have to stand. Using planes within India is not universal because it is expensive, but it is available in most major cities.