CULTURAL STUDIES IN INDIA :

CULTURAL STUDIES IN INDIA

ANCIENT CULTURE IN INDIA :
ANCIENT CULTURE IN INDIA The ancient culture of India was rich and diverse. The rich
cultural heritage of India is evident from different civilizations which flourished in this land and left
a lasting impression on the minds of the people. The most important among this civilization is the
Indus Valley Civilization which is also known as Harappan Civilization. People of the Indus Valley
Civilization were specifically marked for their strong social and cultural roles which they played
with ease. During the Indus Valley civilization, women were treated weaker than their male
counterparts. According to the ancient texts, women lacked both physical and spiritual strength.
With their charm and SEDUCTION , they used to prevent men from indulging in spiritual affairs.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE Unlike modern India, there was social mobility among the people of ancient India. At
that time, it was possible for people to move from one verna or upper caste to another after some
difficulty. The asrama system of Hinduism was in full practice as part of the ancient culture of
India. According to the system, an individual begins his life as a student. Then, he becomes a
householder. In the later stage, he forsakes his home to become a solitary person. Ultimately, he
renounces all his worldly pleasures to be harsh.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE People in ancient India subsisted on food that was conveniently available from
Nature. The nomads preferred fruits, fist, wild berries and meat as their main food. With the
arrival of civilization, the Indians took up agriculture as their occupation, and used grains, pulses
and other agricultural products as their main food items. Most of the ancient people consume rice
as their staple food. Other ancient Indian food included meat, vegetables, fruits and cooked
lentils. Apart from rice and vegetables, the ancient Indians also preferred wheat products as their
staple food. They made breads or 'chapattis' from wheat. Ancient India was also influenced by
the food habits of the neighboring countries. Eating of Chicken was not common in India. Our
country adopted the concept of cooking chicken from Thailand. The concept of cooking chicken
came from Thailand while the art of mutton cooking came from West Asia.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE The women of ancient India mostly preferred sari. Both cotton and silk saris were in
use. Saris were usually 5 to 9 yards in length. The women wore sari as a skirt with its upper
portion around the shoulder. At times, sari was also tucked between the legs. This pattern of
wearing sari has remained the same till date. Wearing of blouses with sari were also common in
ancient India. The blouses were just fastened with a knot at the back. The Persian influences
introduced the fashion of wearing Salwar Kameez came into existence. The women of ancient
India also loved to wear a variety of accessories. Ancient India often associated GOLD with
luck. Thus, wearing of gold jewelry was very common in the ancient days. The ladies also used
to decorate their hair. Make-up in the ancient days were not complete without the following
cosmetics: Kajal Sindur Bindi Mehendi Bindi and sindur were worn by the married ladies as the
sign of marriage.

MODERN INDIAN CULTURE :
MODERN INDIAN CULTURE The culture of modern India has evolved many folds since the
ancient ages. The history of India has played a significant role in shaping up the Indian culture. In
the historical past, India has been invaded several times and this brought in a mix of cultures.
The other factors that contributed towards shaping the culture of India are its unique geography
and different religions. The modern Indian culture is a much evolved version of the ancient
cultures in India. Also, the modern Indian culture has been profoundly influenced by the west.
Post independence, the culture of India began to evolve further to what we call the modern India
culture. This can be seen clearly in its architecture, performing arts, food, clothing, and festivals.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE Today Indian cuisines are no more limited to the traditional Indian cuisines. The
influence of westernization is prominent in the modern Indian platter as well. Food items like
breads, pastas, noodles, cakes, pizzas and others such foods which were once unknown to this
section of world, features prominently in the Indian kitchens today. The modern Indian cuisines
pack in the traditional cuisines of India as well cuisines from other parts of the world. Over the
years, newer and newer methods of cooking from different parts of the world have influenced the
Indian cuisine. Vegetables like broccoli and bell pepper and fruits like cherries and strawberries
which were unheard of in the ancient Indian kitchens are very much used today in Indian
preparations.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE Some of the festivals of modern India are Diwali, Holi, Vijayadashami, Thai Pongal,
Onam and Durga Puja. Besides, festivals like Bakr-Id, Eid ul-Fitr, Buddha Jayanti, Vaisakhi and
Christmas also feature on the modern Indian festivals calendar.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE Modern Indian Clothes today are worn by the present generation and stands much
as a result of the influence of the western culture on to the Indian culture and thus the
emergence of the modern Indian culture. Today, men and women of the modern India have not
stick to the traditional wear and specific of a certain region or state. The population of India has
gone to the extent of experimenting with their wardrobe where much of a result of the western
and the eastern has been observed. The Modern clothing in India comprises of American and
European style of dressing mixed with the traditional trend.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE To start with, sari is the national dress for Indian women and women of todays India
wears it with a difference in the approach as in the use of the blouse or choli, as it is said. A
halter neck blouse or a shoulder off is quite frequently worn by the Indian women for parties and
glitzy get-together. Salwar-kameez is another very popular and majorly worn dress by women of
India. Today, women wear salwar-kameez with a difference which comes in with the material it is
made up of, the cuts and the neck line have set a line of experimentation among the women of
India. Needless to mention, the women of India even go for western formal trousers and shirts,
formal skirts.

CONTINUE :
CONTINUE For men, dhoti, as is the traditional wear has been replaced by western outfits like
trouser and shirts of various styles, shapes and cuts. Coat, Blazer, ties, trouser and a shirt is
often considered a perfect formal outfit, though none of these has its legacy in the traditional
eastern wear.

OVERVIEW: :
OVERVIEW: Thus its clear from these details that Modern Culture had evolved to a greater
extend according to taste of the generation. Their dressing style, food habits, festivals etc are
highly developed adjusting their life style and flavor.