Understanding Indian Culture for Visitors

Indian culture is the mother of all cultures. Indian culture is 5,000 years older than any other culture. Even though India has accepted modern living styles, people still follow traditional lifestyles. Visitors to India should be aware of the traditions, beliefs, and the family orientations of people in the society.

The fabric of Indian culture is woven with many traditions. Traditional and customary practices are an important part of the culture. Indian traditions have been followed by people over many years and passed down from generation to generation. In India, it is traditional to respect parents, teachers, grandparents, and all elders. In my country, it is traditional to be truthful, honest, and helpful to each other in need. As a symbol of respect, young people touch the feet of elders every day after waking up and on special occasions. People greet each other by saying “Namaste,” while joining their hands. Namaste means hello. It is traditional to celebrate festivals in my country. All states have their own traditional festivals. The festivals are extremely traditional that all people celebrate them and religious activities with family members, friends, and neighbors. One of the biggest and most enjoyable festivals is Holi. It is the festival of colors. It is believed that on the day of Holi, people forget their past mistakes and start afresh. Each state has its own traditional language. The traditional and the national language in all of India is Hindi. All states have their own traditional and diverse dance forms. Even today, Indians follow the tradition of a joint family system in the society. People give a lot of importance to religious activities. The tradition of following religion results in people knowing about their heritage, religious backgrounds, and other spiritualities. There are a lot of rituals and religious activities under different religions, but as time passes these traditions are also modernizing, and many are vanishing. Almost every marriage in India is fixed by the elders in the family. Family members always respect the views and ideas of the bride and groom. The marriages are only fixed after the bride and groom are comfortable with each other. Numerous people around the world have a misconception that marriages in India are fixed even without asking the permission of the bride and groom. This idea is totally wrong as marriages are actually fixed after asking the opinions of the bride and groom. India is famous for its traditional architecture. The most well-known example of traditional architecture in the country is Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Each State has its own dressing style. The traditional costume of women is generally saree or salwar kameez. The traditional costume of men is dhoti-kurta or shirt-dhoti. As time has changed, many of the unwanted older traditions in the country have changed. The tradition of sati or killing of a widow was abolished by the government. Each state has its own food style. The staple food of India is wheat, which people consume as rotis/chapatis with sabzi or curry. People are addicted to spicy and tasty food like Sarson da Saag, Dal Makhani, Rajma, Choley, and many others. Indian music is called Hindustani classical music or Shastriya Sangeet, which originated in Vedic ritual chants. Indian classical music is comprised of seven notes- Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni and five half-notes mingled with the basic notes, result in 12-note scale. Many traditions in the country are proving great by time. As time changes, many traditions are also changing, and many still continuing. Although Indians are diverse in their languages, clothing style, food style, and many other styles, these traditions in the culture are believed to be the cause of uniqueness, equality, and oneness in Indians.

Indian Beliefs and Superstitions Are Passed Down From Generation to Generation

Astrology is an important part of Indian culture. Indians, especially Hindus, follow and believe in astrology. Even today, people like to fix a marriage date, enter a house, etc., by following the astrological dates and times. Though the societies are modernizing every day, people believe and follow many superstitions. Though many people do not believe in superstitions, deep inside their minds they believe and follow them. Many superstitions are believed to be good omens in the society. For example, putting kumkum in an Indian Hindu woman's forehead is believed to be a good omen. Everything has a pro and con. Even though many superstitions are believed to have good omens, many other superstitions are also believed to have bad omens. For example, when people are going outside and see a black cat going across their path, it is believed that their journey for that day will not be safe. It is so mysterious to find out that why the old, as well as the new, generations are following these superstitions. Indians believe that when people respect their elders they are showered with more blessings. Parents in India teach children from an early age to respect their elders. They teach kids that when you show respect you earn respect automatically. People maintain a tight relationship with the religion in which they believe. It is believed that Indians’ religious beliefs tie them into values. From a young age, people are taught to believe in God and walk with the religious instructions. There are plenty of religions in India. All people believe in these religions. Even though many people follow one religion, they believe, respect, and follow the concept of other religions too. Education is considered and believed to be an important part of Indian life. People believe that when they are educated, they can earn a better income and look after their family members. In many parts of the country, men once believed that girls/women were not part of their society and always wished to see them in the house at the side of the kitchen. It was believed that the birth of a girl child was not good for the family. Sex determination of a child before birth in India is believed to be punished under the law because many men in the family determine the sex of their child and abort the baby if it is a girl child. To stop an immense number of abortions in the country, the court decided to order that sex determination before birth is punishable. As India is modernizing every day, women today are holding the same positions and respect as men in the society. Women have shown that there is no difference between men and women. Cultural beliefs and religious beliefs are closely related. Another widely believed and followed phenomenon in India is the Doctrine of Karma. This doctrine preaches that every person should behave justly as every act or deed comes back in full circle in one of the birth of an individual. It is believed that the origin of Hinduism, the dominant religion, took place in India. Meditation and yoga are synonymous with India and Indian spirituality. As yoga originated in India, Indians practice yoga and meditation to rejuvenate their minds. The beliefs in Indian culture tie Indians together and bond them as one, even though they are diverse.

The family is an extremely important component of Indian culture. Families are valued highly and are a part of an individual’s life until death. Indians still follow the tradition of joint family system in the society as a part of the culture. A joint family, also known as an undivided family means that more than one generation lives together in one house. In these type of families, nearly three to four generations of people live together. People of many ages follow this tradition of joint family system. Society believes that they are responsible for looking after their family members when they are aged. The joint family system is like a ship, and the head of the family system is like the captain of the ship. In this family system, a son does not distance himself from his family after getting married. The eldest member of the family is usually the head of the joint family. The head of the family makes social and economic decisions on behalf of their family members. A joint family system has a lot of advantages. In this family system, everyone shares his/her responsibilities, so that no one is burdened. This system naturally runs on an understanding of mutual adjustment. Joint family teaches kids about values like sharing, caring, respecting, and many others. In the joint households, children play together, quarrel together, study together, and are even punished together. This system helps kids avoid the feeling of loneliness. This type of family system is a big reason for the lower number of depression rates in India. In this family system the family members support each other in their times of need. In short, the members of the joint household are each other's life support system. Discipline in a joint family is self-imposed on its members. The spirit of equality and oneness prevails in this family system. But nowadays, as a part of modern revolution and culture, people have started to stay alone and the nuclear family system has taken over in some places of the country. An important reason for the growth of the nuclear family system is the difference in professions. In search of better and better jobs, people come out of their families and end up in a place where they are getting good pay. Both types of family orientation are equally important. The feeling of togetherness and selflessness is the essence of family orientation in the society.

In the final analysis, visitors to India should be aware of the traditions, beliefs, and the family orientations of people in the society. Although Indians are different and diverse in their customs, clothing, etc. the traditions, beliefs, and family orientation in the culture and the society hold the country in unique. Even today, Indians follow immense number of traditions and beliefs, it is surprising that these traditions are followed and passed down through generations. As the times and the generations are modernizing, many traditions and beliefs are modernized, and many are abolished or stopped. The changes in the education and the difficulty to find jobs have become the main reason for the rise of nuclear families in India. It is so surprising to find out even today, Indians follow and preserve the culture of the joint family system. This system gives each generation equal importance and teaches the younger generation many values. Even though time passes, Indians will surely protect and preserve their traditions, beliefs, and family orientation. As an unknown Indian poet once wrote, “the beauty of Indian people lies in their spirit of tolerance, give and take and a composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colors and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the garden - India.”