Module - 1

Culture Meaning and Components

I. Essay Questions (5 Marks)

1. What is the meaning culture and Describe it.

A.1. Culture is a continuous process which we inherit from past generations to create a new set of
organisation and is transmitted to the future generations.
2. It is a precious possession and unique asset.
3. This is a continuous and never-ending process.
4. Culture in a way of life and every family, every region and every country has its own culture.
All achievements of human beings can be called as culture.

2. Define culture and describe its different components.

A.1. The meaning of culture is a wide and comprehensive.

2. It has been defined as a sum total of learned behaviour.

3. Culture constitues knowledge, belief, arts, morals, law customs and any other capabilities and
habits acquired by humans as members of society.

4. Culture is a way of life of the people living in a society.

5. Essential core of culture lies in the traditional ideas trasmitted with in a group.

6. Cuture denotes historically transmitted patterns of meanings embodies in symbols, a system

of inherited conceptions expressed by means of which people communicate, perpetuate and
develop their knowledge about their attitudes towards life.

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3. Describe culture.

O All achievements of human beings and groups can be called culture.

O The meaning of culture is very wide and comprehensive.

O It consists a way of life of the people living in a society.

O Culture refers to a group's total human - made environment which includes all the material and
non - material products of groups life that are transmitted from one generation to the next.

O Culture in ethical and Idealistic.

O The culture we in herit from our previous generations is called cultural heritage.

4. Describe the distinctive features of culture.

O Unity in diversity is one major feature of Indian culture which makes its unique.

O Indian culture is composite and dynamic.

O Indian culture has had an enduring character. Despite of major changes and upheavals signifi-
cant thread of continuity can be traced throughout the course of Indian history right up to the
present day.

O Indian culture has survived through ages at about 4,500 years.

O Indian culture has its cultural uniqueness.

O Indian culture is variety in nature.

O A synthesis of various cultures came about through the ages to give up shape to what is
recognised as Indian culture.

5. Write a short notes on the following .

a. Cultural synthesis in India

b. Sprituality

c. Adaptability as a characterstic of Indian Culture.

a O Despite of major changes and upheavals significant threads of continuity can be traced through-
out the course of Indian History it has had enduring character.

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 O The composite and dynamic character of Indian culture is a result of the rich contributions of
Indian culture is a result of the rich contributions of all these diverse cultural groups.

O Even today the people of India are following the worshipping of Mother Goddess and
pasupethis.

O Indians have spiritual unity though the vedas and sastres may be the sources of inspiration for
Hindus, koran and Hadees for Muslims and the Bible for chiristians.

O Even though revalutionary changes were brought about in Indian thought and practices due to
uniquiness of our culture a kind of enduring character is relfected in Indian culture. Because of
a synthesis of various cultures reflects varity and deversity in Indian culture. But with in all
these diversities there is an underlying of unity is the distinct feature of Indian culture.

6. Explain in detail unity in diversity in the context of Indian culture.

A.1. The major characterstic feature of Indian culture is unity in diversity.

2. Causes for its diversity.

a. Vastness of the country.

b. Variations in phisical and climatic features .

c. Inter mingling among various ethinic groups is another cause for the variety in our culture.

3. The cultural habits of local population and cultural habits of other cultures, thoughts, ideas
which got amalgamated into the existing culture.

4. A synthesis of various cultures has contributed variety and diversity in our culture but with all
these diversities there in an underlying unity makes it unique.

5. Along with cultures from outside, cultural exchange between different regions contributed
richness of our culture.

6. In spite of physical barriers Indians used to travel from one part of the country to another for
trade or pilgrimage, some regions were joined togather conquest or by alliance.

7. Another unifying factor is climate.

8. Unity in diversity is reflected in our political forms as well.

9. Unity in diversity is one major characteristics of Indian culture which makes it unique.

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II. Short Questions (3 Marks)

1. Write about the factors influence Indian Culture a westernisation.

(a) Westernisation.

(b) Emergent national culture

(c) Popular culture

a) Before independence some western modes were adopted by the aristocracy, has spread to
the middle class and to the villages.

b) During the struggle for freedom a new style has emerged. E.g. Gandhi Cap and Khadhi
became as a national style.

c) Popular culture which is the product of the mass media is another unifying factor.

2. What are the various parts in culture ?

A. a) The way we think and do things we in hesited as members of society.

b) Art, music, literature, architecture, sculpture philosophy.

c) Our customs, traditions, festivals, ways of living and one's out look on various issues in life.

3. Discuss about the emergence of political organisation.

a) People started practising agriculture, they settled down then a political organisation emerged.

b) Sabha and samities are important political bodies.

c) People ran the government with the help of these bodies.

d) In course of time the concept of 'rastra' emerged.

4. Cultural identity - Religion and Region - explain.

a) Our cultural identities based on various factors such as religion and region.

b) These identities asserts itself at a certain point of time and prevails over others.

c) This depends on political, social or economic context in which the person finds himself/ her-
self.

d) Thus each person may have something common with one another, but may be vastly different
in some other aspects.

e) In the forms of worship and rituals there are sectarian and region differences.

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 5. Explain culture according to social scientists.
A) According to social scientists.
a) Culture refers to a group's total human made environment. In includes all the material and
nonmaterial products of groups.
b) Culture consist of explict and implict patterns of behaviour.
c) These may be transmitted through symbols, constituting the distinctive achivements of human
groups from one generation to the next.

6. Explain the meaning of material and Non-material culture.

Material culture : It is related to the materials like our dress, food and house hold goods.
Non material culture : It refers to ideas, ideals, thoughts and beliefs.

7. Mention some special skilled artistic works related to different cultures and traditions
in India.
A. According to traditional cultural variations :

O The chiken work of Lucknow

O Phulkari embroideries of Punjab.

O Kanta embrodideries of Bengal.

O Patola of Orissa. etc shows distinct regional flavour.

III. Very short Question 1Mark.

1. What is the main occupation due to Monsoons ?
2. What is distinctive feature of Indian culture ?
3. Name the state where Bhangra is popular dance from
4. What is traditional dance of Assam known as ?
5. Who brought salwars, kurtas, topies etc to India around second century B.C.
6. Which region is famous for patola ?
7. Which region is famous for kanta embroideries ?
8. Which factor brings cultural identity of a region ?
9. What in the important component of the Indian climate ?
10. What in the main occupation during early vedic period.

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 11. What do we call 6th century B.C. in Indian History ?
12. When did our country become apart of the British empire ?
13. Give two examples. Who came to India from out side and settled here?
14. Which component of climate gives unity to India ?
15. Name the civilization with which the Harappans were know to have had trade relations across
the seas.
16. Give examples for the revolutionary changes in 18, 19 centuries in India.

IV. Fill in the blanks (1 mark)

1. The achievements of human beings are called as ..........
2. The culture we inherit from our previous generations is called .............
3. Culture has two distinctive components namely material and ..........
4. The core of Indian culture is spirituality and ..........
5. The features of Indian culture are adaptability and..........
6. Cultural development is .......... process.
7. A culture which is inherited by nation is ..........
8. Indian culture is a.......... of various cultures.
9. .......... has variety in physical features and social environment.
10. .......... civilization which flourished in the Indian sub continent over 4500 years ago.
11. A process of continuity and change has always been a feature of Indian culture. This is called
..........
12. The latest introduction of pants, shirts, trousers skirts etc was brought by ..........
13. The way of a Nation is called ..........

V. Match the following.

1. Hindus ( c ) a. Chattis garh
2. Chirstians ( d ) b. Tribal groups
3. Muslims ( e ) c. Vedas and sastras
4. Ethinic culture ( b ) d. Bible
5. Bastar tribal region ( a ) e. Koran

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 6. The culture we inherit from ( g ) f. Historical process
previous generation

7. A Nation's inherits culture ( j ) g. Heritage

8. Cultural development ( f ) h. Punjab

9. Bhangra dance ( h ) i. Assam

10. Bihu dance ( i ) j. National culture

Answers

III. 1. Agriculture 2. Unity in diversity

3. Punjab 4. Bihu

5. Kushans 6. Orissa

7. Bengal 8. Tipical features of different regions.

9. Monsoons 10. Pastoral

11. The age of Maha Janapadas 12. 1858

13. Kushans, Mughals 14. Monsoons and climatic conditions

15. Sumarians 16. awakening.

IV. 1. Culture 2. Cultural heritage

3. Non - material 4. value based life style

5. comprehensiveness 6. Historical

7. National culture 8. Synthesis (of various cultures)

9. India 10. Harappan civilization

11. Cultural uniquiness 12. Europeons

13. Culture.

V. 1. c 2. d 3. e 4. b 5. a 6. g 7. j 8. f 9. h 10. i