Characteristics of Hindu Culture and its customs ▷➡️ Postposmo

India is a country abundant in culture, and there are many elements that characterize it, such as: its religious pluralism, its natural beauty, its gastronomy with wonderful smells, colorful ceremonies and magnificent architecture; All this and more surrounds the Hindu culture, and through this article we invite you to know it.

Hindu culture

The Hindu Culture is a compendium of fundamentals that form the whole of this Indian civilization, in it we can visualize its practices, religions, culinary aspects, music, ceremonial rites, artistic manifestations, values and ways of life of more than 100 native groups of this country.

That is why, due to the plurality of factors, we can observe differences in terms of the manifestation of their culture, in different regions of this country; This is how the Hindu culture can be considered as an amalgamation of several cultures scattered throughout the Indian territory, habits and practices that have been going on for a long time.

The Indian custom dates back to the middle of the 4nd millennium BC More or less the time when the Rigveda, which is the oldest book in Vedic history, was created in Sanskrit. The content of this is a compendium of songs written in ancient Vedic Sanskrit, as a dedication and tribute to the gods; There are XNUMX ancient texts of this culture called Vedas, and this is part of them being the most archaic of all.

Another of the significances of Hindu culture in the world has been its gastronomy and its different dharmic religions; In relation to religion, this country has given life to Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism religions that have been adopted not only within India, but also by different people worldwide, Buddhism being the most practiced and popular of all. .

However, after a series of belligerent events in Indian territory, by foreign troops such as the Islamic one around the XNUMXth century, this country adopted certain attributes of the Arab, Persian and Turkish cultures, adding these characteristics to its beliefs, language and dress outfits. Also, this country has somehow been influenced by Asian countries, specifically from South and East Asia.

History of Hindu Culture

The times that make up the history of the Hindu culture, develops in two Vedic and Brahmanical stages; Below we will detail each of them:

Vedic

This stage of time is the oldest or most distant of the Hindu culture, which according to research covers the years from 3000 to 2000 BC The original population of this stage were the Dravidians, who were people characterized by their short stature and dark skin , these managed to remain for many years compared to other ethnic groups.

This civilization usually resided in communities, and these had evolved to the point that they were compared to great civilizations and cultures such as Egypt and Mesopotamia. There is the conception that the Dravidians founded metropolises such as: Mahenjo-Daro and Harapa, in the Indian valley; and Barigaza and Supara in Nevada. Likewise, these excelled in agricultural activity, trade and bronze working. His religion was polytheistic; this is how they worshiped the mother goddess, a fertile god, and the animals of the jungle.

Brahmanic

During this stage of time India existed under the supremacy of the Brahmins or the priestly caste, this stage can distinguish the two most transcendental stages, these were:

Pre-Buddha

During this period, the entire Hindu civilization was under the power of the Brahmans, who formed a priestly caste successor to the Aryans who came from the Caspian Sea region, who during the second millennium BC, invaded the Indian Valley and the Ganges, introducing in this territory the horse, the iron weapons and the battle chariot in India. In this period, many native kingdoms were established and hence the Mahabarata and Ramayana poems emerged as a result of civil wars between them.

buddha

This period corresponds to the period of reaction of the Hindu people against the abuses of Brahmanism, which resulted in the triumph of the Buddhist school, which with its wisdom made the desire for remorse felt among civilization, producing a period of time full of peace. . At this point, the military leader Chandragupta Mauria, after subduing and unifying northern India, founded the Mauria Empire, whose capital is in the city of Pataliputra (now Patna), on the banks of the Ganges.

As time passed, this country fell into the hands of the British, as a result of the conquests generated by them in the Indian territory, turning all its territory into a British colony more or less in the mid-nineteenth century. The effect of colonization was felt in this territory, since over time the mixture of one culture with another left significant traces in the Hindu culture, and for this reason said culture has reduced its ability to evolve to sustain itself. in other powerful civilizations and territories.

By the date of August 15, 1947, India was able to obtain its freedom as a country, thanks to the independence movement led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi or better known as Mahatma Gandhi, a Hindu politician, pacifist, philosopher and lawyer, who achieved Through nonviolent civil rebellion, he managed to achieve the freedom of an entire people.

In that same period of time, it was never possible to unify the Hindu culture with the Muslim culture as an integral society, which is why India was born as a nation, and the creation of two new states, Bangladesh and Pakistan, took place.

Languages and Literature

In India there are about 216 languages, which are practiced and used by about 10 thousand individuals, and these exist due to regional multipolarity; however, there are actually 22 lengas recognized as official in this country.

Almost entirely, these languages have their origin in two essential linguistic families: the Dravidian, which is centralized in the southern region, and the Indo-Aryan, which becomes more concurrent in the northern region of the country. In addition to these, there are dialects of different unrelated linguistic families, such as the Munda and Tibeto-Burman languages, which are limited to small areas within the Indian territory. However, the Indian constitution establishes Hindi and English as the official languages of the state.

As well as these last two, there are 22 languages, which also have official recognition, and the use of these is associated with them at the regional level. Likewise, it is worth noting that Sanskrit is the traditional language of India and Southeast Asia, giving it a character or similarity to the role that Latin or Greek play for Western society and culture.

This language in turn is the subject of research, including in Japan and in the Western world, motivated by its cultural and religious significance. You also have Old Tamil, which is a traditional language belonging to the Dravidian family. There are so many languages in this country (official or unofficial), that despite the time millions of people in each region continue to share their tradition and daily use.

History of the languages of India

According to the linguist and scholar of ancient India for his discovery of the lineage of Indo-European languages, the Englishman William Jones expressed the following in 1786:

“The Sanskrit language, whatever its antiquity, has a distinguished and magnificent structure; this being even more sublime and complete than the Greek, more nourished than the Latin, even outstanding than both.

However, it has a great resemblance to the two languages, which can be visualized both in the roots of the verbs and in the representations of their grammar, that what could be feasible is due to a simple error; so marked is their similarity that any scholar who examines the three languages could conclude that they all have their origin from a common source, which perhaps no longer exists.

There is a similar, but perhaps not so marked, reason for presuming that Gothic and Celtic, though combined with a very different language, have the same origin as Sanskrit."

Rig-Vedic Sanskrit being one of the earliest impressions of the Indo-Aryan language, it is also cataloged as one of the oldest archives of the Indo-European language family.

The discovery of Sanskrit by early European researchers led to the development of comparative philosophy. That is why, during the eighteenth century, scholars were surprised by the similarity of this language, both in grammatical terms and in vocabulary, with traditional European languages.

This is how, through subsequent scientific studies and research, they determined that the origin of Sanskrit, as well as other languages of India, belong to a lineage that contains: English, French, Italian, German, Greek, Spanish, Celtic, Baltic , Persian, Armenian, Tocharian, among other dialects.

The transformation and development of the language in India can be analyzed through three spaces in time:

Old
Medium
Modern Indo-Aryan

The traditional model of ancient Indo-Aryan was Sanskrit, described as a very formal, educated, cultured and correct language (as similar as Spanish is), compared to Pracrite (aggregation of different dialects that were spoken in the archaic India), which is the language of the migrant population that evolved independently of correct pronunciation and grammar.

That is why the composition of the language was transformed as these migratory populations mixed with each other, where as they settled in new places, they adopted words from the peoples who had their own mother tongue.

This is how the Pracrite managed to become the Middle Indo-Aryan, which gave rise to Pali (the original language of the first Buddhists and the Ashoka Vardhana stage around 200 to 300 BC), the Pracrite language of the Jain philosophers and Apabhramsa the language which is mixed in the final stages of the Middle Indo-Aryan. Several researchers establish that the Apabhramsa later becomes: Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi, among others; which is currently used in the northern, eastern and western regions of India.

All these languages have their origins and composition very similar to Sanskrit, among them, as well as with other Indo-European languages. Therefore, finally, there is a historical and continuous archive of some 3000 years of linguistic history that has been preserved in ancient texts.

This allows researchers to study the transformation and development of languages over time, as well as visualize barely noticeable variations between generations, where an original language can usually be modified, giving way to descending languages that are difficult to recognize as branches of the same tree. . This is how Sanskrit has left a very significant mark both in the languages and in the literature of this Indian country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIxhB4A3aDE

The most widely used language in India is Hindi, which is a Sanskrit recording of the Kauravi or Khariboli dialect. Similarly, the other contemporary Indo-Iranian languages, the Munda and Dravidian, have acquired much of the words directly from Sanskrit or indirectly through the transitional or middle Indo-Iranian languages.

In contemporary Indo-Iranian languages they are composed of about 50% Sanskrit words, and of the Dravidian Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada literary makeup. In the case of Bengali, which is one of the Indo-Iranian languages of the Middle East and its origins can be dated to the XNUMXth century BC, specifically in the Ardha Magadhi language.

Tamil, being one of the most traditional dialects of India, comes from the proto-Dravidian languages, which were used as a dialect around the 2nd millennium BC. C. in the peninsular region of India. In addition, Tamil literature has been around for more than XNUMX years and the oldest epigraphic records date back to the XNUMXrd century BC. c.

Another of the most significant languages of this region is Kannada, which also has its origin in the traditional Dravidian language family. It is recorded by epigraphs from the XNUMXst millennium BC and emerged in terms of literary production from ancient Kannada throughout of the Rashtrakuta dynasty around the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. Some claim that this language as a dialect could be older than Tamil, due to the existence of words that have more archaic structures than Tamil.

As for the pre-ancient Kannada, it was the Barabasi dialect at the beginning of the common era, in the Satavahana and Kadamba stages, therefore it has an existence of around 2 thousand years old. It has been pointed out that the decree of Ashoka found in the archaeological complex of Brahma-guiri dated around 230 BC has words in Kannada.

Another point to note is that the Austro-Asian and Tibeto-Burman languages are also used in India, apart from the Indo-European and Dravidian ones. There are genomic investigations of tribes in India, which indicate that the first settlers of these lands possibly came from South Asia.

India's language and cultural mix is not due solely to the huge exodus of Indo-Aryans from Central Asia and Western Eurasia through the Northeast, but genome research indicates that a huge human congregation entered India long ago. throughout the northeast, with tribal communities of Tibeto-Burmese origin.

However, Fst remote genome investigations indicate that the northwestern Himalayas have served as a rampart for both the exodus and the human hodgepodge for the past 5 years. The dialects used in this area of India include Austro-Asian (such as Khasi) and Tibeto-Burmese (such as Nishi).

Literature

The initial works of Indian literature were initially disclosed orally, however, later these were compiled into texts. The compendium of these works contains Sanskrit literary texts such as the early Vedas, historical accounts such as Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa, the drama of Abhijñānaśakuntalā, poems such as the Mahākāvya, and writings from the Old Tamil sangam literature.

epics

The most popular ancient poems throughout the Indian territory are the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata. These writings have been transcribed in various Asian nations such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

In the case of the Rāmāyaṇa, this text is made up of about 24 thousand verses, and the tradition of Rama recounts a representation of the god Vishnu, whose beloved wife Sita was kidnapped by Rávana, the demon king of Lanka. This poem was very important in establishing the Dharma as the driving force behind the Hindu way of life.

As for the ancient and extensive writing of the Mahabharata, it is believed that it may have been produced around 400 BC and it is presumed that this text assumed its present structure around the beginning of the Gupta temple in the XNUMXth century BC. From this have been derived some reformed texts, as well as unrelated poems such as: the Rama Mataram in the Tamil language, the Pampa-bharata in Kannada, the Rama-charita-manasa in Hindi, and the 'Adhyatma-Rāmāyaṇam in Malayalam.

Also apart from these two great poems, there are 4 significant poems written in Tamil, these are: Silappatikaram, Manimekalai, Civaka Cintamani and Valayapathi.

Later evolution

In medieval times, Kannada and Telugu literature were present, specifically during the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries. Some time later, literature began to be presented in other languages such as Bengali, Marathi, various Hindi slangs, Persian and Urdu.

For the year 1923, the Nobel Prize in the category of Literature, is awarded to the Bengali poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore, becoming the first person from India to receive such a universal recognition as this award. Additionally, in the Indian nation, there are two important awards for modern Indian literature, these are the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship and the Jnanpith Award. As for these prizes, Jnanpith recognition has been given to literatures in the following languages:

8 to elaborations in Hindi language.
8 in literatures made in Kannada.
5 in Bengali productions.
4 in writings in Malayalam.
3 in texts in the Gujarati, Marathi and Urdu languages.
2 in each of these languages: Assamese, Tamil and Telegu.

Philosophy and Religion

In this section, we will analyze the beliefs, symbols, ideas and thoughts in relation to the Hindu culture, which have influenced this culture and the world.

Doctrines Fphilosophical

There have been several doctrines that have influenced and caused an impact in the world of thought, among theistic doctrines, as well as Buddhists and Hindus. However, it must be emphasized that India has also made its historical contribution in the investigation and development of areas such as:

Maths
Logic and Reasoning
Science
Materialism
Atheism
Agnosticism

However, his contributions in these areas are not entirely popularly known, since most of the writings that supported him were destroyed by religious fanaticism. It is feasible that complex mathematical conceptions, such as the idea of zero, introduced in Europe by the Arabs, originally come from India.

Likewise, the Chárvaka school, very famous for imparting its idea in relation to atheism, considered by many to be the most archaic current of materialist thought in the world, was established almost at the same time as the Hindu Upanishads, as well as the Buddhist and Jain ones.

Some Greek philosophical schools came to have similarities with Indian doctrines, so much so that during the crusade of Alexander the Great and vice versa, Indian religious symbols and concepts were introduced into Greek culture.

Likewise, highlighting the esteem and appreciation that society has for the Hindu doctrine, it is also worth emphasizing that India has been the school of the most prestigious and outstanding philosophers in the world, who have transcribed their thoughts and ideas in numerous languages like the natives. as well as in English and Spanish.

Thus, in the period of British colonization in this Hindu territory, numerous thinkers, secular and religious, reached a level of superiority in terms of recognition, where their texts were translated into English, German and other languages.

As was the case of Swami Vivekananda, one of the original and most popular of the Hindu spiritual guides during the 1983th century, who visited the United States to participate in the World Convention of Religions in XNUMX, where he stood out and was praised for his great Precursor speech, which for the first time allowed Western scholars to link and become familiar with Hindu doctrines.

religion in india

India is the origin of the so-called dharmic religious practices, such as: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. We will describe each of them below:

Brahmanism and the Manu Code: this is a monotheistic religion of the early Hindus, based on the worship of the creator god Brahma; furthermore, it is established in eternity and reincarnation of the spirit according to the good deeds of the individual.
Budismo: is the doctrine created by Siddharta Gautama, who gave up his wealth to take the name of Buddha. This religion holds that the goal of man is to achieve nirvana through the practice of good, ignores the caste society.
Hinduism: It is one of the most popular religions in the world and Hindu culture. In a polytheistic way, based on the sacred writings of the Vedas, it respects the class system, the resurrection and the presence of the main god Brahma.

Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are specifically the fourth and second most executed religions in the world, with a combined following of 2400 billion people. Also, this country is recognized for its religious plurality, which in turn has one of the most devoted societies and cultures to their faith and religious beliefs; It is for this reason that religion in the Hindu culture is so fundamental for this nation and its citizens.

As for Hinduism, it is the religion where about 80% of the Indian population is rooted in it, this religion is considered one of the oldest in the world. Likewise, Islam is present within this territory, which is carried out by around 13% of Indian citizens.

There is also Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism, which are very influential doctrines worldwide. Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Baha'ism also enjoy their degree of predominance but with a smaller number of followers.

Despite the great significance and transcendence of religion in Indian daily life, atheism and agnosticism also have a visible influence.

Political and Social Organization of Hindu Culture

Formerly, the Hindu territory was divided into several independent kingdoms which were governed by the representation of a king, Brahmins and a feudal elite.

The king, considered of divine origin, had total control of the dominant monarchy, while the Brahmans were appointed to exercise the functions of imparting justice in these kingdoms; As for the feudal elite, it was made up of minor officials who had large extensions of territory under their control. The social structure was based primarily on the law, customs and religion, divided into:

Brahmins: They were represented as priests who possessed great wisdom, therefore, they had power and privileges. There was a belief that their origin was from the mouth of the god Brahma, so they taught worship and the Vedas.
chatrias: noble warriors born from the arms of the god Brahma.
vaishias: composed of merchants, experts and agronomists, coming from the extremes of the Superior Brahma.
Sudras: descendants of the native Dravidians, derived from the feet of the god Brahma, and their role was to serve the caste descended from the conquering Aryans.

The social structure of the Hindu culture was followed according to the Manu Code, which in 18 chapters dictated the standards of conduct of the Hindu society.

Social aspects

In the next section, we will detail social aspects in Hindu culture related primarily to the issue of arranged marriages that were once very common and that are still in practice in some regions today. As well as, the most used greetings in this country and that have also become known in other cultures.

arranged marriages

For centuries, the Indian civilization has had a custom of establishing arranged marriages. Even in the XNUMXst century, for the vast majority of this society their marriages are planned and arranged by their parents and other relevant relatives, although the future spouses are almost always the ones who give their final approval.

In ancient times, marriage took place when the spouses were still very young, mainly in Rajasthan, but with modernism the age has increased, and laws have also been enacted that regularize the minimum age for a conjugal union.

In almost all marriages, the bride's family pays a dowry to the groom or the groom's family. As is customary, dowry was regarded as the bride's share of the family fortune, since a daughter had no legal holdings in her native family estates. Also, the dowry contained transportable goods such as jewelry and household items that the bride could dispose of during her lifetime.

In the past, most families transferred family property only through the male line. Since 1956, Indian laws have been established that treat men and women equally, in terms of inheritance in the absence of a legal will for the deceased.

regards

As for greetings, there are many ways to express these depending on the region of the country where you are, these are:

Telugu and Malayalam: namaste, namaskar, namaskara or namaskaram.
tamil:vanakkam
Bengali: nomoshkaar
Assamese: nomoscar

In relation to the word nomoskar, it is a common term for the verbalized greeting or welcome, which, however, is considered by some to be somewhat old-fashioned. As for the term namaskar, this is considered a somewhat more formal version of namaste, but both express deep respect.

The greeting is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, with many still using it outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepalese culture, the word is written at the beginning of written or oral communications.

However, the same gesture with folded hands is performed in silence while saying goodbye or leaving. Which gives a literal meaning, from: "I prostrate to you." Expression derived from Sanskrit (namah): to bow, submit, bow and respect, and (te): "to you". As one Indian scholar explains, in literal terms, namaste means "The deity that dwells in me bows to the deity that dwells in you" or "The deity that dwells in me salutes the deity that dwells in you."

In all families in this country, young people learn to ask for the blessing of older adults by making a small bow through a bow gesture, this tradition is called pranāma. Other greetings or welcomes include:

Jai Shri Krishna
ram ram
Sat Shri Akaal, run in Punjabi and employed by the faithful of Sikhism.
Jai Jinendra, a greeting commonly used by Jain society.
nama shivaya

Arts Escenic

The artistic manifestations in relation to the staging are varied, this Hindu culture has its participation from its own cinema through its film industry called Bollywood, theater, dance and music, which we will analyze each of them in detail. , next:

Movies

The Indian film industry is one of the most popular and largest in the world, nothing more than its amount in terms of the countless feature films and short films produced over the years; this industry has dominated spaces in Asia and the Pacific, this fact has allowed to obtain around 73% of profits for each cinematographic presentation.

In addition, in the Hindu culture it is very common to see Hindus frequently attending cinemas, this is part of the entertainment activities that they enjoy the most, due to its variety and plurality in the films that this industry produces. Also, this industry has gained recognition and success outside of Indian territory, the demand for these productions is more marked in regions where there are a considerable number of Hindu immigrants.

The first notable Indian film production was promoted in 1913 under the name Harishandra, directed by Dadasaheb Phalke, its history and edition was based on a mythological theme of Hindu culture, which marked from that moment the central theme of this cinema.

With the advent of sound films in 1931 with Alam Ara being the first in India, film industries were located in different parts, on parity with languages: Bombay (using Hindi recognized as Bollywood), Tollygunge (for film in Bengali), Kerala (in Malayalam they identify as Mollywood), Kodambakkam (in Tamil they identify as Bollywood), Madras and Calcutta.

As for Bollywood, a nickname used for Hindi film production, located in Bombay, the most inhabited town in India. The word is wrongly used to refer to the entirety of the Hindu cinematographic production; however, this is only a part, which contains many other epicenters in other dialects. This term, coined in the 1970s, comes from a play on words between Bombay and Hollywood, the center of American film production.

The most distinctive feature of the film productions of this Bollywood region are its musical scenes; where, in general, each film consists of songs and dances typical of the country, combined with interesting pop choreography from the West.

Dance

The Hindu culture for thousands of years has been stamped by the art of dance, since this manifestation is linked to their religious beliefs, and this is established in ancient texts in Sanskrit, which date from around the year 200 to 300 BC these are:

The Nattia-sastra, which represents the art of dance.
Abhinaia-darpana, which is the reflection of the gesture.

The dances in this culture and how they are represented in these ancient texts, according to the Hindu dance dancer Ragini Devi, stated:

“These dances are a manifestation of the inner beauty and divinity of man. It is a voluntary art, where nothing is left to chance, each gesture seeks to communicate ideas and each facial expression emotions.»

In India there are 8 main and traditional dances, recognized by the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama of this country. These 8 forms of manifestation through dance, is a narrative of mythological compendiums, fused with some melodrama, lyrics, music and one of gestures and articulations of emotions expressed through these dances; Although these dances have some similarities, however, they differ according to their region and the movements on which they are based, these are:

Bharatanatyam

It derives from the word manifestation of melody and dance, born in South India. After the British incursion, India seized its own impetus to manifest its culture through dance. That is why Hindu dances are associated with fire and compendiums of eternity and the universe. This dance can be performed by one person and is based on male and female movements.

Katak

This is one of the most popular Hindu dances, established long ago in India and its transcendental tradition enunciated through movement. This dance is a sacred bodily manifestation of India and involves smooth movements that increase in time with the music.

Odissi

It's from East India, it's based on survival and origins. This dance is very special as it divides the body into 3 areas of the body: the head, the chest and the hip, creating positions that can be seen in the sculptures found in India.

Mohiniyattam

It corresponds to the Kerala region. Where a woman charms the public through attractive and delicate movements. The dance implies the mobility of the hips and a correct position to enjoy each movement, in this the movement of the hands is also used, which she walks subtly from side to side.

Kuchipudi

It comes from the territory of Andhra Pradesh in South India, which is founded on movement through sacred stories. The movement of this Hindustani dance is through manifestation and diction to tell an event or a story from the past.

Manipuria

It is the dance that comes from the northeast region. Represented by very soft and feminine movements. This dance in particular has a very significant religious origin, as well as the tradition, the melody and its dancers. This dance is manifested through the «Pung» instrument in which displacements are given to seal each step of the dance.

sattriya

It hails from the Assam region in northern India, and it has a significant religious spirituality. It is a dance based on the Vaishnava faith, which was previously performed by monks and special celebrations of women as part of their usual daily rites; what is specific to this dance are the costumes, the postures and the story.

Kathakali

The latter belongs to the Kerala region and is the only dance that is performed through a staging, therefore it is exhibited in the theater with characters that manifest themselves through their body expression. One of its main characteristics is the costumes and personification of each character with a very elaborate makeup and hairstyle; this is one of the most entertaining and beloved dances in India.

Theater

Theater in this culture is closely linked to music and dance. The works that have been produced are varied, among them are: Shakuntala and Meghaduta works by the Hindu playwright and poet Kalidasa, these two works along with those of the playwright Bhasa, are part of the compendium of oldest works of this culture.

Likewise, one of the customs of the Kerala region is mentioned, the Kutiyattam, which is a form of theater in the usual Sanskrit that has been present for more or less 2 thousand years. In this same way, with qualities similar to the previous one, is the practice of the Natya Shastra.

Importantly, Hindu artist Mani Madhava Chakiar is credited with revitalizing the ancient theatrical tradition from extinction. This artist was known for his mastery of the Rasa Abhinaya; likewise, for performing in Kalidasa's stagings, as well as in Bhasa's Pancharātra, and Harsha's Nagananda.

Music

In Hindu culture music is a very important element. There is a very old reference to this, which has been reflected for about 2 thousand years in the Sanskrit writing Natyasastra, in which 5 taxonomic systems are detailed to classify musical instruments. One of these systems classifies into 4 groups, according to their 4 main sources of vibration, which are:

Strings
Cymbals
membranes
Air

In archaeological investigations, researchers and archaeologists found in the highlands of Orissa, a 20-key lithophone made of basalt and carefully polished, this instrument is around more than 3 thousand years old.

The earliest surviving examples of Indian music are the Sama-veda melodies from the time 1000 BC This is still used in chants at some Vedic srauta sacrifices; these make up the oldest compendium of Indian musical hymns. These express a tonal distribution made up of seven notes, named in descending order:

Krusht
pratham
dwitiya
Tritiya
chaturth
mandra
Atiswar

Which specify the notes of the flute, which was the remarkable instrument of stationary assiduity; Additionally, there are Hindu writings that have marked and influenced the music of Hindu culture, such as the Sama-veda and others; which today has 2 distinctive genres of music: Carnatic and Hindustani. These two types of music are based primarily on raga, which is a melodic base, sung in tala, which is a rhythmic cycle; elements that were perfected in the writings of Natia-sastra and the Dattilam, between 200 and 300 BC

The current music of the Hindu culture involves diversities of melodies and categories ranging from: religious, classical, folk, popular and pop. The dominant categories of Indian music today are filmi and indipop. In the case of filmi, these types of compositions are used in Bollywood films, and which in turn is the type of music that represents more than 70% of sales within the territory of India.

Additionally, there is a type of music which is a mixture of Indian folklore, classical music or Sufi music with Western musical traditions.

visual arts

Among the visual artistic expressions in Hindu culture, its architectural works stand out, most of which have religious significance for this culture, where they are still admired today and are part of the wonders of the world. Likewise, this culture also made its foray into the area of painting and sculpture. Next, we will detail each of them:

Painting

As well as in different parts of the world, India also has archaic paintings, that is, prehistoric petroglyphs that can be seen at the entrances of the caves that these ancient individuals used as their dwelling. One of these artistic exhibitions can be located in Bhimbetka, where one of these finds dating from more or less 9 thousand years old is found.

One of the characteristics most reflected in the expression through painting in distant times in these territories, is their favoritism for nature, we can observe this in the paintings found in the caves of Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora and Sittanavasal and the paintings of the temples. Usually, religious representations can be displayed on them; It is important to note that the most representative religions in ancient times in India were Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

For the creation of these works that have a natural design, they used colored flour or, as the rangoli is known in this territory, this type of material is very characteristic in the south of India, since it is customary for the Hindu citizens decorate the entrances of their homes with this type of material.

One of the most renowned classical artists in this art was Raja Ravi who made many works specifically in the early medieval time. Among the most representative painting modalities of these arts in India are:

madhubani

It is a form of Hindu painting worked in Mithila of Nepal and in the Indian zone of Bihar, these are made with the fingers, blade, brushes, feathers and matches, with natural dyes and nuances; It is identified by interesting geometric patterns.

Mysore

An important form of classical South Indian painting originating in and around the city of Mysore in Karnatak. These are identified by their finesse, soft nuances and attention to detail, where the plots to represent were the deities and events of the mythology of this culture.

The colors were of natural origin and of vegetable, mineral or even organic origin, such as: leaves, stones and flowers; Brushes were made from squirrel hair for delicate workmanship, but drawing superfine lines required a brush made from sharp blades. Due to the enduring quality of the earthy and vegetal colors used, Mysore paints still retain their freshness and brilliance even today.

rajput

Also known as Rajasthani, she grew up and progressed in the royal spaces of Rajputana in India. The Rajputana kingdoms displayed a different style, but with certain features in common. These symbolize a chain of plots, narrative events like the Ramayana.

Small representations in writings or free sheets for filing in books were the preferred medium of this type of Rajput, but many paintings were made on the walls of palaces, fort chambers, mansions such as the especially Shekhawati havelis, forts and mansions. built by Shekhawat Rajputs.

Colors have been extracted from certain minerals, plant sources, snail shells, and have even been obtained by processing precious stones. Gold and silver have been used. The preparation of the desired colors was a long process, sometimes taking 2 weeks. The brushes used were very fine.

Tanjore

It is a traditional mode of painting from South India, which began in the Thanjavur metropolis (in Anglo as Tanjore) and spread throughout the adjacent and bordering Tamil region. The mode of this exposes its elements e motion around 1600 AD a stage when the Nayakas of Thanjavur in the administration of the Vijayanagara Rays fostered the art.

This art is characterized by bright, flat, vivid colors, a simple iconic composition, layered shimmering gold leaf over delicate but extensive plasterwork and inlays of pearls and glass pieces or very rarely of precious and semi-precious stones; to represent devotional icons, as the subjects of most paintings are Hindu gods and goddesses.

Mughal

It is an exclusive way of South Asia, usually conditioned to forms in miniatures, as in illustrations of texts or as own works to collect in booklets, which came out of Persian art in miniature. Mainly characterized by its realism.

As for the most outstanding contemporary Indian artists, in terms of this type of artistic manifestation, we have the following:

Nandalal bose
Maqbool Fida Husayn
Sayed Haider Race
Geeta Vadhera
Jamini roy
B.Venkatappa

Among the painters of the early XNUMXst century, who represent a new era of Hindu art in which world art merges with Indian classical styles, we have:

atul dodiya
Bose Krishnamacnahri
Devajyoti Ray
shibu natesan

Sculpture

In the Indus Valley you will find the oldest sculptures in India, created mainly in stone and bronze. As the different religions of this nation evolved, some time later they carried out works worked with meticulous detail that can be seen in their representations of gods and/or temples; one of the most transcendental works is the Ellora sanctuary, which was carved into the rock of the mountain.

Likewise, in the northwest of India, some sculptures can be seen that contain details typical of this region, as well as with a certain Greco-Roman influence; these were formed through materials such as stucco, clay and schist. Around the same time, the pink sandstone sculptures of Mathura were made.

When the Gupta Empire was established around the XNUMXth to XNUMXth centuries, this type of art obtained a high level of elaboration and fineness in modeling. This model of work, as well as others in different regions of India, evolved into the settlement of classical Indian art, from which emerged Buddhist and Hindu sculptures from Southeast and East Asia.

Architecture

In India, architecture reaches a wide range of expressions that traverse time, constantly absorbing new conceptions. The product of this is the image of the architectural construction, which now preserves an undoubted continuation in time and history. Several of these buildings are located in the valley of the Indus River dating from around 2600 to 1900 BC where perfectly planned metropolises and houses can be observed.

It is important to note that religion and the nobility were not involved or representative in the planning and foundation of these cities.

At the time when the Maurya and Gupta Empires and their later heirs were established, various Buddhist temples were built such as the caves of Ajanta, Ellora and the Sanchi Stupa. Some time later, in the southern region of this country, various Hindu sanctuaries were founded, such as:

Chennakesava in Belur.
Hoysaleswara in Halebidu.
Kesava in Somanathapura.
Brihadeeswara in Thanjavur.
Suria in Konark.
Sri Ranganathaswami in Srirangam.
Buddha – Chinna Lanja Dibba and Vikramarka Kota Dibba in Bhattiprolu.

It is important to point out that a marked Indian influence has been seen in the architecture of Southeast Asia, these constructions have very similar characteristics that can be affirmed as almost similar to the traditional sanctuaries of India; We can see this in the Hindu and Buddhist sanctuaries and temples such as: Angkor Wat, Borobudur and others.

For the execution of constructions in India, a series of elements must be taken into account that seeks to give balance and harmony through spaces and/or environments. This is how Vaastu Shastra is present, this is a traditional system that affects the planning, architecture and harmony of spaces, very similar to what Feng Shui is in Asian culture. It is not known for sure which of the two systems is the oldest, however, it is worth noting that the principles have some very similar characteristics.

The use of Feng Shui is more widespread in the world, and even though Vastu has the same conception of Feng Shui in that it also seeks to balance the flow of energy (called life force or Prana in Sanskrit and Chi / Ki in Chinese / Japanese) , per house differs in terms of elements, such as the exact instructions on how various objects, rooms and materials among others, should be placed.

With the arrival of the Islamic influence in the West, the constructions in India were molded to adapt to the new traditions that were installed in this nation. Thus, as the following works became a symbol of India, these are:

Fatehpur Sikri
Taj Mahal
Gumbaz Goal
Qutub Minar
Red Fort in Delhi

During the colonial rule of the British Empire, the Indo-Saracenic style was deployed and the composition of many other styles, such as European Gothic, which can be seen in structures such as:

The Victory Memorial
The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Dress

In India, each garment varies according to the region of the nation where it is located, and its fashion sense is usually dictated by its culture, climate, geography and urban or rural contexts. In this culture, at a general level there is an attire which is the favorite throughout the nation and outside of it, this is the sari for use by women, and the dhoti or lungi for men.

Additionally, Hindus also regularly wear ready-made clothes which have differences associated with gender, below we will detail these pieces:

Women usually wear churidar pants which tend to be somewhat tight in cut, and/or the salwar-kameez which is usually worn in a loose fit, a dupatta which is a loose scarf that covers the shoulders and extends over the chest.
Men wear pajama-type pants with kurtas, which are loose shirts that fall on the thighs or below the knees, as well as pants and shirts with European cuts.

In addition, the use of jeans, flannels, dress suits, shirts and other types of designs in clothing cuts can be seen in the cities.

It is important to note that in public and religious places, skin exposure and the use of transparent or tight clothing should be avoided.

Due to the warm climate, the most frequented fabric for making clothes in this country is cotton; As for the type of shoes, they generally have a particular and preferable taste for sandals.

As a complement to their outfits, Hindu women tend to apply makeup and in turn wear clothes such as the following:

Bindi: it is the famous point located on the forehead specifically between the eyebrows, this point has different meanings in terms of its color: red is used by married women, black by single women, yellow for wealth, among others. However, at present all colors can be used, without any limitation.
Mehndi: which is a form of body art in which decorative designs are created on a person's body, using red and black colored henna
Many bracelets and earrings.

During special events such as ceremonies, weddings, festivals, among others; women usually dress in very colorful, flashy and vibrantly colored outfits with decorations of precious metals such as gold and silver, as well as regional stones and gems.

Additionally, women often apply sindoor, this is a red or orange cosmetic powder that is placed as a straight line on the hairline, some apply it from the middle of the forehead towards the hairline, in some places it they call mang.

It is important to note that this accessory is usually worn only by married women, single women do not wear sindoor; neither do the more than 100 million Indian women who practice religions other than Hindu and agnostics/atheists who may be married.

Clothing in India has had a constant evolution throughout the history of this nation; Thus, during ancient times, according to Vedic texts, they mention clothing made with bark and leaves called phataka. Similarly, the Rigveda dating from the fifteenth century BC makes reference to dyed and embroidered garments called paridhan, thus alluding to the development of sophisticated sewing techniques in the Vedic period. During the XNUMXth century BC, the Greek historian Herodotus mentions the rich quality of the cotton clothing of this nation.

In the second century BC, through the commercialization of this territory with the Roman Empire, it imported muslin fabrics made in southern India; fine silk fabrics and spices were the main products that India traded with other cultures.

Already in later times of the XNUMXth century, the haute couture clothing market had evolved, becoming popular as early as the XNUMXth century during the Muslim incursion into this Hindu territory; until the Muslims chose to wear prefabricated pieces while draped clothing became popular among the Hindu population.

During the rule of British settlers, India's textile, garment and craft industry closed its doors to make way for the British market.

It was at this time that Mahatma Gandhi, political and social leader, promoted the type of attire he called khadi, which were dresses made by hand by natives of this culture, in light shades; the purpose of using and popularizing this garment was to reduce the demand for British industrial products.

By the year 1980, the Hindu culture was marked by a generalized change in the ways of dressing of this society, for which an increase in participation in fashion schools in India could be visualized, as well as a considerable insertion of women in the textile and clothing industry; In addition, a change in attitudes could be observed regarding the acceptance and adoption of characteristics of other cultures, being reflected in their ways of dressing from these times to today.

Gastronomy

Gastronomy in the Hindu culture is as varied as its own nation. For the preparation of their dishes, they tend to use many ingredients, they also have different ways of preparing food, cooking methods and the presentation of their dishes. Its gastronomic variety includes:

Salads, sauces, vegetarian dishes with meat, different types of spices and flavors, breads, desserts, among others; In short, something can be verified and it is that the gastronomy of India is very complex.

The gastronomy of the Hindu culture is so unique that the expert food writer Harold Mcgee expressed and affirmed the following:

"Since its inventiveness in using milk as the main ingredient, no country can compete with India." Aromatic spices and silky sauces are particular elements of Indian cuisine.

Certain products made in its kitchen, such as breads of all kinds, sauces, condiments and pickles complement the main dishes of India. The typical Indian food, impacts in almost all the senses with a variety of colors, aromas, flavors and textures.»

Spices

The most fundamental element, which is in all the dishes of India without exception, are the spices, these make up in part the essence of the gastronomy of the Hindu culture. That is why, for many years, they have been the delight of foreign visitors and cuisines of the world through imports due to their aromas and flavors. The most common species used in this gastronomy are the following:

Cinnamon
Ginger
Turmeric
Pepper
cloves
Cumin
Garlic
Cardamom
Cilantro
Bay leaves
Peppers

Additionally, they also frequently add a special touch to their meals with the following ingredients:

Black, brown and white mustard
celery seeds
Peppers
Saffron
Tamarind

It is important to note that each dish varies according to the Indian territory, which is why you will be able to see dishes in which ingredients such as coconut, some types of nuts and onions can be removed or added. As part of the Hindu culture, there is a mixture of species which traditionally bears the name of masala, this preparation is regularly used to give a unique touch to main dishes and sauces.

Something that characterizes this type of cuisine is how integral and complementary it is, it is so much so that when many species are used, none of them extinguishes the flavor of others, but they merge making an explosion of aromas and flavors, which culminate in extremely exceptional dishes.

Main courses

Among the main preparations of the gastronomy of the Hindu culture, we have the sauces. These are very important, since they are used to accompany or complement other dishes. They are usually served on a rice base and are usually consumed using a very thin bread that does not contain yeast to soak it in the sauce.

A very famous dish from the Punjab region is makhani, this is a sauce of lentils and butter, placed on a base of rice; Another popular dish is sambhar made with lentils and tamarind.

Additionally, there are other very famous dishes in this culture such as chicken curry, a dish made with a sauce made of tomato. There is also the tandoori chicken dish, this is a dry dish without sauce, this chicken is marinated in yogurt and masala; Also, in western India there is the traditional and famous chicken tikka dish.

The most outstanding companion in all the dishes of the Hindu culture is rice, of which there is a great variety such as basmati, which is a fine and long grain.

Influences

The Hindu culture has been of great influence for Western and European cultures, an example of this was visualized in the times of ancient Greece where both cultures took aspects and elements from them. However, this was the subject of a true revolution that coincided in time or was the kickoff of the Renaissance.

At the same time as various foreign civilizations came to India, many Indian merchants stayed to live in other countries, meaning that while India was influenced by other cultures, it also passed on its own culture to another.

It is worth noting that this is still the case today and this is proven by seeing how citizens of other cultures have been interested in adopting fundamental elements of Hindu culture, such as its various religions and cuisines.

Festivals

Because India is made up of a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, many festivals and events of different faiths are held. In India, 4 days are decreed which are considered national and holidays in the year, these are:

Independence Day – August 15
Republic Day – January 26
Gandhi Jayanti – October 2
Workers' Day, a celebration that is celebrated with great joy throughout India – May 1
New Year – January 1

Additionally, each of the regions of India celebrate festivals based on the dominant religions in those areas and linguistic particularities. Of the most famous religious festivals, the following are mentioned:

Navratri – September 17 to October 17
Diwali – November 14
Ganesh Chaturthi – August 22
Durga puja – October 22 to October 26
Holi – March 9
Ugadi – April 13
Rakshabandhan – August 3
Dussehra – October 25

And in relation to the celebrations of agriculture and popular harvests in this country, we can mention the following:

Sankranthi – January 15
Pongal – January 15
Raja sankranti – June 15 to 18
Onam – August 22
Nouakhai – August 23
Vasant Panchami – January 29

Likewise, there are ceremonies and festivals that are shared and celebrated by different religions, these are the following:

Diwali – November 14, ceremonies celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains
Buddha Purnima – May 7, by Buddhists.
Guru Nanak Jayanti – November 25 and Vaisakhi – April 14, celebrated with great pomp by Sikhs and Hindus.

Likewise, there is the Dree festival that adds color to the culture of the Hindu culture, this is one of the tribal festivals of India that is celebrated by the Apatanis of the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the easternmost region of the India.

There are also celebrations linked to Islam, this for reasons that it is the second foreign religion adopted by this civilization. Among the Islamic days established and, celebrated and declared equally by India, we have:

Eid ul Fitar – May 24
Eid ul Adha (Bakr Eid) – July 3 to August 3
Milad un Nabi – October 29
Muharram – August 20
Shab-e-Barat – 14th and 15th of the month of Sha'ban, the eighth month of the Islamic calendar.

Similarly, there are days associated with this religion that have been decreed as holidays at the regional level, among them are:

Arba'een – October 8
Jumu'ah-tul-Wida
Shab-e-Qadar

As Christianity is the third foreign religion adopted by its citizens, which is segmented between Christians and Catholics, they also have their holidays such as:

Christmas – December 25
Good Friday – 2nd day of the Easter Triduum

It is worth noting that regional fairs are considered as festivals, this tradition is very common in India; Therefore, it is not surprising that you can see celebrated fairs such as the Pushkar, which is the largest camel market in the world, or the Sonepur Mela, the largest livestock fair in Asia.

Fun facts

Next, we will show you some curious and interesting facts that will make you want to know much more about the Hindu culture, these may be information that you did not know, these are:

1 – India is the country with the largest democracy in the entire globe and the second most populous nation with just over 1.200 billion citizens. It is estimated that by 2021 it will surpass China, today the most populous country.

2 – The cow is a sacred animal in India. They live in full freedom throughout the territory, including in the metropolises, and it is common to find them anywhere and it is illegal to slaughter them or consume them as food.

3 – One of their strangest habits for Westerners or any foreigner is when they shake their heads to the side, which we understand as a no but in reality in this culture they want to indicate a yes. And this is a very frequent sign, it is ideal to remember it because it can create a lot of confusion and fun contexts.

4 – The Ganges is the holy river and the city of Varanasi is also holy, and this is one of the main places where Hindus go to burn their dead on the banks of the river. Where they later throw the ashes, or what remains of the body, into the river, which at low tide can turn the Ganges into a Dantesque and somewhat terrifying spectacle.

5 – There are more than 300.000 mosques in India, more than in any other region on planet earth. Only 13% of Indians are Muslim, making India the third most Muslim country in the world (after Indonesia and Pakistan).

6 – The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, has lived in exile since the 1950s with a large community of Tibetans in northern India, specifically in Dharamsala.

7 – It is common to run into Sadhus, these are pilgrim monks who constantly carry their scarce resources and travel the country to seek enlightenment; these characters enjoy unique freedoms such as smoking psychotropic substances or traveling for free on the train.

8 – The roots of India are lost in antiquity, millennia of history have seen how a unique culture of the Indus Valley was developed, as well as 4 religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism), as well as yoga, which is a physical and mental discipline that has existed for 5.000 years.

9 – In India, the game of skill, chess, and the branches of mathematics such as algebra and trigonometry were born.

10 – According to ancient Hindu texts, there are more than 330 million deities. The most significant are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

11 – It is estimated that there are between 5 or 6 million Hijras or individuals identified with the third sex, apparently men who dress as women but who do not consider themselves either. Projects are being carried out so that this genre is registered at an official and legal level.

12 – The king of sport in this nation and almost the only one is cricket, inherited from the English colonization. A sport in which matches can last from a few hours to a few days and where children play in any city square, patio or street.

13 – India is a country of bustling and disorganized northern contrasts with overcrowded cities that combine skyscrapers with low-rise neighborhoods and shantytowns to the more deserted and quiet rural areas of the Himalayan areas or the coast to the south where rice paddies and fields of cereal, palm groves and herds of buffalo guarded by the elders. As well as deserts, jungles where wild animal life resists and ancient palaces of Marahajas surrounded by the most humble towns.

14 – The Andaman Islands, is made up of some 204 paradisiacal islands of the Indian Ocean belonging to India despite being more than 950 km from the Indian Peninsula, but only 193 km from Burma.

If you found this article on the Hindu Culture interesting, we invite you to enjoy these other articles: