Tradition is about passing customs and/or beliefs from one generation to the next.

Culture is the social behavior and

norms that define a particular society.

CULTURAL ESTABLISHMENT
Game & Trivia
(divide the class into 2 or 3 )
Instructon : Choose what picture of sacred animals in india is being describe.
Prize :Food delicacies in india
http://www.walkthroughindia.com/wildlife/the-5-holy-animals-of-india/

Cow: The cow is holiest animal in India and their slaughter is banned throughout India. Cow is one of the most
worshiped animal in India, she treated as the gods in the shape of animal. Cow the “Sacred Animals of India ” is even
more than a mother in the sense that it fulfills all the needs of her children. The cow in India is believed as a
gift of the gods to the peoples.

Monkey: Monkey is believed as the form of God Hanuman or Bajrang Bali, the god of power and strength. Many Indian
temple’s like Durga Temple Varanasi and famous Monkey Temple Galta, Jaipur is the home for thousand’s of monkey ’s. The
biggest monkey is known as Langur or Hanuman Langur, is the most sacred in India. There is a famous Ubud Monkey
Forest and temple complex in Ubud, Bali which is one of the most tourist attraction in Bali and Swayambhunath in
Nepal.

Snake: The worship of serpent deities is present in several old cultures, In the Hindu religion ’s the  Lord Shiva wear
the Nag snake “Indian Cobra” as an ornament around his neck. Indian Cobra is the most sacred snake in India. Nag
Panchami, the festival of snakes, is a Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of snakes and serpent deities. It is
an important festival in India, peoples offer puja, Milk and worship the snake.

Elephant: The elephant is vehicle of Indra and “The elephant-headed God” Shri Ganesh, deity of success and education
is worship by the Indian peoples. The elephant in India is part of Hindu ethos and culture. It was used as an
instrument of war and also as a log carrier in the woods. The Great Indian elephant is decorated and worshiped
in Kerala, Many major temples own elephants others hire or are donated elephants during the festival seasons.

Tiger: The Royal Bengal Tiger “National Symbols of India” is one of the sacred animal in India. The National animal
of India Tigerand Great Lion are the vehicle of Hindu deity “Maa Durga“. The Bengal tiger is Worshiped by the tribes
and by the sundervanpeople as well.

GESTURE THAT IS DIFFRENT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES (WAYS OF COMMUNICATION)

Left Hand
You'll need to become ambidextrous—or just accept the fact that you'll probably spill food all over yourself while
eating with your right hand—while in the Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, and Africa. In these countries, the left
hand is traditionally seen as unclean, because it is associated with cleaning yourself after using the bathroom.
Avoid Using In: The Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, and Africa.

Spitting - Insult in India, blessing in Kenya

 Sticking your tongue out – Insult in India, respect in Tibet

Places
Different Historical Places in India
1.Taj Mahal, Agra – Enthralling Seven Wonder!
The 42- acre complex and surrounding gardens of the Taj Mahal. According to local legend, it was believed that Shah
Jahan cut off the hands of all the workers who built the Taj Mahal so that a similar monument could not be built.
Interesting fact: A shopping complex and hotel inspired by the Taj Mahal is being constructed in Dubai and is
estimated to be four times larger in size.

Qutub Minar, Delhi – Towering Glory

It is one of the finest examples of Indo-Muslim architecture with its intricate red sandstone storeys. These are
dotted with carvings and verses from the Quran and are mostly in Arabic and Nagari.
Qutub Minar is one of the famous historical places in India and is said to have got its name from Qutb-ud-din Aibak
who was the first Muslim ruler of North India. The first mosque in India Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid is also located at
the foot of the Qutub Minar.
Interesting fact: The Qutub Minar complex has an iron pillar that has not rusted even after 2000 years.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur – The Gem Of Pink City

This palace is known as the tallest building in the world that doesn’t have any foundation. The palace is curved but
still stands firm due to its pyramidal shape.

Indian Religions
India is a land of diversities. The major religions of India are:

Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. It is also known as "Sanatan Dharma" or the everlasting religion.
Islam
One of the prominent religions of India. Muslims form only 12 per cent of the total population of India but
the influence of Islam on Indian society is much stronger.
Sikhism
Sikhism is a younger religion. The word 'Sikh' means a disciple and thus Sikhism is essentially the path of
discipleship.
Christianity
Christianity is one of the prominent religions in India. At present there are about 25 million Christians in India.
Buddhism
At present Buddhism is one of the major world religions. The philosophy of Buddhism is based on the teachings of Lord
Buddha.
Jainism
Jains form less than one percent of the Indian population. For centuries, Jains are famous as community of traders
and merchants.

Zoroastrianism,
Though the total number of Zoroastrians in Indian population is very less yet they continue to be one of the
important religious communities of India.

Judaism
Judaism is the religion of the Hebrews. It is a religion older than Christianity. It does not believe in self imposed
suffering or asceticism.
Bahá'í Faith
is the youngest world religion, these efforts are part of a vast global undertaking whose overarching purpose is the
spiritual and the material unification of the human race.

Indian Caste System

https://sites.google.com/lcpsmail.org/indiancastesystem/facts#h.p_lJWTGxYjHV44

The four main groups are Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras, which many believe originated from the
Hindu God of Creation Brahma.
Brahmins- mainly teachers and intellectuals that are believed to have come from the head of Brahma and are at the top
of the hierarchy
Kshatriyas- the warriors and rulers, who are said to come from Brahma's arms
Vaishyas- the traders, who came from the thighs of Brahma
Shudras- did all the menial jobs and came from Brahma's feet
there are also around 3,000 other groups and 25,000 sub-groups
There is also the untouchables who did all the dirty work
This work included tasks such as cleaning up after funerals, dealing with sewage, and working with animal skin
this group has become more politically active and adopted the name Dalits, meaning "those who have been broken."
The groups are segregated
can only marry, eat, and work with people in your group
You are born into your group
ex. if your parents are Brahmins you are also a Brahmin

A major misunderstanding is that there are only four castes: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra. These are in
fact the Varnas, which are considered ‘supercastes’. However, castes are often regional, and divided on the basis of
not just profession. Profession is a minor part of the division that is mainly hereditary, based on different
traditions and social status, and on degrees of untouchability. And the “untouchable” castes: the main victims of this
system of oppression, are not even mentioned in the Vedas. The Dalits, or Scheduled Castes as the government
recognises them, form a fifth varna kept out of the system.
 
FOOD
The traditional food of India has been widely appreciated for its fabulous use of herbs and spices. Indian cuisine is
known for its large assortment of dishes. The cooking style varies from region to region and is largely divided into
South Indian & North Indian cuisine. India is quite famous for its diverse multi cuisine available in a large number
of restaurants and hotel resorts, which is reminiscent of unity in diversity.

Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana (Bengal gram) are important staples of the Indian diet. The food is rich
with curries and spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon, among
others. Chutneys — thick condiments and spreads made from assorted fruits and vegetables such as tamarind and
tomatoes and mint, cilantro and other herbs — are used generously in Indian cooking.

Many Hindus are vegetarian, but lamb and chicken are common in main dishes for non-vegetarians. The Guardian reports
that between 20 percent and 40 percent of India's population is vegetarian.

Much of Indian food is eaten with fingers or bread used as utensils. There is a wide array of breads served with
meals, including naan, a leavened, oven-baked flatbread; and bhatoora, a fried, fluffy flatbread common in North
India and eaten with chickpea curry.

Dance and Music

History

Dance and music first emerged as part of festivals and religious worship and of dramatic arts in India. The oldest
archaeological evidence of dance exists in the form of pictures and sculptures dating from about 2500 B.C. Because of
their close links with religion and ritual, dances are mentioned in the Vedas

Both dance and music, collectively known as sangit, became connected with drama. The earliest written work dealing
with all aspects of music and dance was the Natyashastra (Handbook on Dramatic Arts). A legend says that this text
was composed by a wise old man named Bharatamuni. Experts now believe that the Natyashastra was begun in the A.D.
200's. Many of India's classical dance styles are descended from styles described in this book. The Brihaddesi,
dating from the 700's, records the first references to ragas. In the Sangitaratnakara, which dates from the 1200's,
Indian music was brought into a comprehensive system.
music of India includes multiple varieties of classical music, folk music, filmi, Indian rock and Indian pop. India's
classical music tradition, the music in india including Hindustani music and Carnatic, has a history spanning
millennia and developed over several areas. Music in India began as an integral part of socio-religious life.
The dance in india comprises numerous styles of dances, generally classified as classical or folk.[1] As with other
aspects of Indian culture, different forms of dances originated in different parts of India, developed according to
the local traditions and also imbibed elements from other parts of the country.[2]

Sangeet Natya Academy, the national academy for performing arts in India, recognizes eight traditional dances as
Indian classical dances,[3] while other sources and scholars recognize more.[4][5] These have roots in the Sanskrit
text Natya Shastra,[1] and the religious performance arts of Hinduism.[6][7][8]

Folk dances are numerous in number and style and vary according to the local tradition of the respective state,
ethnic or geographic regions. Contemporary dances include refined and experimental fusions of classical, folk and
Western forms. Dancing traditions of India have influence not only over the dances in the whole of South Asia, but on
the dancing forms of South East Asia as well. Dances in Indian films like Bollywood Dance for Hindi films, are often
noted for freeform expression of dance and hold a significant presence in popular culture of the Indian subcontinent.

Music in India

Classical Indian Music is a studied art. Until about 1900, it was passed down from teacher to pupil and was not
usually heard much outside the temple or the royal court. But during the 1900's, it has reached a wide audience both
within and outside India. Northern India's music has been much influenced by the musical tradition of Iran and other
neighbouring countries.
Classical Indian music jubelongs to either of the two main, traditional styles. One is Hindustani music, which
developed in northern India and is much influenced by forms from Persia, Arabia, and central Asia. The other is
Karnatak music, which developed as part of the Dravidian culture of southern India
Both these styles make use of the raga or rag, which is one of many different musical scales that form the melodic
framework upon which a piece of music is based. They also use the tala or tal, which is the rhythmical cycle or
recurring pattern of musical beats that the piece uses. Each raga is appropriate to a particular mood or time of day.
Both Hindustani and Karnatak music also use performing groups. Some groups have a solo vocalist who is either a
singer or a reciter. In other groups, the soloist plays an instrument. The soloist is accompanied by a drummer, who
provides rhythmic support. Another member of the group plays a tamboura to provide a drone, a long-held, unchanging
chord, around which the music is woven. The vocalist or instrumentalist performs the melody. In most cases, the
melody is improvised (made up on the spot) within the restrictions of the raga. If the melody is performed by a
vocalist, there is usually an additional melody provided by the instrumentalist. Indian musicians provide
accompaniment for dances as well as performing alone.
as performing alone.
Hindustani music developed as a distinct tradition after the 1200's, following the first Muslim settlements in India.
It resulted from the influence of Iranian and Arab music upon India's traditional music. In Hindustani music, there
is a greater emphasis upon instrumental music than in Karnatak music. There is a larger range of musical instruments.
The musical form known as gat (a theme with improvised variations) is purely instrumental. Performances usually begin
with an alap, a slow introduction over a drone but having no rhythm. This introduction is followed by the composition
itself where the raga is set to a tala provided by drums. Hindustani music often has a romantic and relaxed quality.
Vocal music in such styles as dhrupad, khayal, or ghazal use religious texts or love poems.
Karnatak music is the music of southern India. It is rooted in ancient Hindu traditions and was relatively unaffected
by the Muslim influences that partly shaped the music of northern India after the 1100's. Vocal music is much more
prominent in Karnatak music than it is in Hindustani music. The melodies of instrumental compositions are vocal in
character and even use the type of musical decorations that singers would be expected to perform. Karnatak musical
compositions follow a more classical pattern than those of Hindustani music.
Musical Instruments: The chief, melody instrument in Hindustani music is the sitar, which was introduced in the
1200's. It is a fretted, stringed instrument that is plucked with the fingers. As the player plucks the instrument,
another set of strings fitted beneath the first set vibrate in sympathy with the strings being plucked.

Another well-known stringed instrument used for melodies is the sarangi. This instrument is played with a bow. In
modern Indian music, musicians also use the Western violin or the harmonium or organ to provide the melody. The
unfretted strings of a tamboura may provide a drone that lasts throughout the performance and around which the melody
is improvised. The rhythm is usually provided by drums, to which cymbals, and bells can be added. The best-known
rhythm instrument is the tabla, a pair of drums consisting of a dahina (right-hand drum) and a bahina (left-hand
drum). The dahina is a small, high-pitched drum made of skin stretched over wood and tuned to the basic note of the
raga being used. The behina is a larger drum made from skin stretched over a copper vessel. By using the heel of one
hand the player can change the pitch of the bahina while playing. The tabla is played with the fingers.

The chief wind instrument is the shahnai. This is a reed instrument similar to an oboe.

The most important instruments of Karnatak music are the flute, the violin, and the vina, which is a sitar-like
instrument played alone.

Dance in India
Classical Indian dances are among the most graceful and beautiful in the world. They all make use of a complicated,
visual language, consisting of hand gestures, body movements, and postures. Movements of the eyes and hands, arms and
legs, chest, waist, hip, knee, and foot, either alone or in combination with each other, all make up this complicated
language. Indian dance uses a set

of emotions or feelings known as rasas. The job of the artist is to take in emotions, such as amazement, anger,
hatred, humour, or love, and communicate them to the audience. The creation of a piece of art, including dance or
musical composition, comes out of a deep sense of feeling at one with the universe. This deep sense of inner harmony
combined with discipline of the mind and body makes dance similar to yoga. (Top)
Classical styles. There are five major styles of classical dance in India: (1) Bharata Natyam, (2) Kathak, (3)
Kathakali, (4) Manipuri, and (5) Orissi. Each of these styles developed in a specific region of India. They differ in
their languages of gesture. But they are all founded on the principles of rasa and they all draw upon stories and
poems that tell about the lives of the Hindu gods. These include gods such as Shiva, (the god of the dance), Krishna,
and many more.
All dances may be used in combination with mime. Some dances are set to music. Others are accompanied by spoken
poetry. The musical accompaniment may consist of a vocalist or singer, a drummer, and a person playing the cymbals.
In most cases, there is also a person playing a stringed instrument. The dancer uses movement to interpret the sense
of the poetry sung by the singer and communicates the feelings evoked by the music. Dancers are free to make up their
own movements.
Bharata Natyam is a style of solo dance (one person dancing) that comes from southern India. It is one of the most
important and probably one of the oldest of the classical styles. Although closely linked with local traditional
dance-drama, it was used mainly in Hindu religious ceremonies. The movements of this dance style are developed from a
basic pose, in which the thighs are turned outward, the knees are flexed, and the feet are close together and are
also turned outward. The feet beat out complex rhythms. Performances may last for about two hours and follow a set
list of procedures.
Kathak is the major dance style of northern India and combines local folk elements with dance forms that developed in
the courts of the Mughal emperors and later Indian princes.
The folk and temple traditions from which the Kathak style has developed consist mostly of Hindu dance-dramas. Kathak
owes much of its present form to developments made in the 1800's at the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the ruler of
Lucknow. Dancers perform Kathak keeping their bodies straight. Clever footwork, including highly rhythmical walks,
glides, and fast pirouettes (spinning on one foot), gives the style its vital, dazzling, skilful character. Delicate
movements of the eyes, eyebrows, neck, and shoulders are also used in some dances. Both men and women perform Kathak
dances. Many dances express love or devotion to Krishna.
Kathakali, from the state of Kerala in southwestern India, is a true dance-drama. The Kathakali dancers act out the
parts of different characters in a play. They dress up in outsize costumes to give themselves a larger-than-life
appearance. They also wear masklike face make-up, in colours that have a strong, symbolic meaning. Kathakali
performances are often held outdoors and sometimes go on all night. They are accompanied by a person who sings or
speaks the poetry, while the dancers convey the meaning of each line with movements and gestures, including finger
pointing, sweeping body movements, and wide, circling arm movements. In former times, male dancers took all the parts
in a Kathakali play. But women now also perform in them.
Manipuri developed in eastern India. The dancer's feet face forward and knees are slightly bent. The dancer moves his
or her chest and waist in opposite directions, making a figure-of-eight shape with the body. The dancer's arms make
graceful, curved movements. His or her fingers trace out delicate circles and curves in the air. The Manipuri style
includes several types of repertoire (range of dances). Five types, consisting of dancing by whole troupes, as well
as dance solos and duets, deal with a story about Krishna. Another body of dances, the Sankirtanas, involves male
dancers performing jumps to the sound of drums, cymbals, and clapping.
Orissi is a dance form from the state of Orissa, in eastern India. Sculptures found in Orissa, dating from the 100's
B.C., show dancers in distinctive poses characteristic of the Orissi style. The style developed from musical plays
and was common in temples and village entertainments. Orissi dances were first performed by women. Later, men dressed
as women performed them around temples. Now the Orissi style is a solo dance form, usually performed by a woman. It
has many of the same patterns and poses as Bharata Natyam. But it makes greater use of curves in its body movements
and postures. Jumps add vitality to the Orissi style.
Festivals in India
1. Diwali
Diwali is the most spectacular festival of India, which is celebrated through the varied cultures of the country with
vigor and enthusiasm, irrespective of different religions and societies. Autumn marks the arrival of this festival
and the preparation for the same begins much in advance with people decorating their houses and exchanging gifts.
Also known as the festival of lights, this festival is celebrated by decorating the houses with lights, clay lamps,
and candles.

2. Holi
The arrival of spring in India is marked with the revelers covered in bright colored powder as they celebrate Holi.
Usually falling in March, the festival of Holi brings with it the celebrations where the merrymakers wish each other
Happy Holi by applying ‘gulal’ or colored powder on each other’s cheeks. Savories, dance, music, and food are the
other highlights of this festival.

4. Ramadan/ Eid –Ul-Fitr

One of the major religious festivals of India, Ramadan is celebrated mainly by the Muslim sect of the Indian
demographic. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar and is used as the period for fasting, prayers,
introspection and religious contemplation. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three day festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr,
where Muslims break their fasts by gathering together for prayers and celebration.
Weddings in India
The marriage in India is a sacred ritual in Indian. In India, though many culture of them is now modernized, there
marriage still hold their traditions. There are so many types of weddings in India. We only took three types of their
wedding: (1) parsi wedding,(2) Buddhist wedding and (3) Jain wedding.

1. Parsi wedding
This wedding usually takes a span about a
temple of the Parsis.
In this wedding, the groom stand on stage
eggs, rice, coconut, dates and areca nuts
groom's sides. As this wedding takes span
week.it usually takes place in agiary or in a baug. A fire temple, a holy
qhere tje bride's mother perfoem achimichu. A ritual where the circles raw
and then throws it over the groom's head. Also, they throws water on
atleast a week, they have so many foods, people and etc.

2. Buddhist Weddings
It is the least extravagant type of weddings. It is simple yet elegant, and its very simplicity makes its so special
consisting of some prayers,simple rituals and vows are enough to the two lives together if that is their intent.
This weddings do not involve a lot of money, jewellery and extravagant and expenses, it also does not involved
elaborate rituals or fixed rules. The marriage done in monastery as the Buddhist temples are licensed to legalised
marriages.

3. Jain weddings
Jain weddings have the typical Indian wedding structure in its rituals. There is a lagan lekhan, a lagna patrika
vachan, and a sagai. For the wedding, there is baraati, phere, granthi bandhan, and there is kanya daan. The wedding
follows ashirvaad and swah graham agaman. All these terms are self-explanatory because other Indian weddings also
have them. This wedding is set apart from the others is the ritual of Jira Grahe Dhan Arpana.This is a custom where
the families of the bride and groom offer donations to the poor after a prayer at the temple. Many people offer food
and clothing to the needy on special occasions, but it is because they decide to. But a Jain wedding is incomplete
without it’s after wedding rituals and the generosity and philanthropy is a part of the Jain wedding ritual.

CLOTHES

In India, women's clothing varies widely and is closely associated with the local culture, religion and climate.

Traditional Indian clothing for women in the north and east are saris worn with choli tops, while many south Indian
women traditionally wear sari and children wear pattu langa. Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is one of India's
fashion capitals.[citation needed] In many rural parts of India, traditional clothing is worn.
Dhoti is the national dress of India. A Lungi, also known as sarong, is a traditional garment of India. A Jodhpuri or
a Bandhgala is a formal evening suit from India.