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Chapter 1
FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF INDIAN CULTURE

Significance of Indian Culture :
An Invaluable asset to the human society not in India but in far off places too from
Siberia to sinhal (Srilanka) and from Madagascar, Iran, and Afghanistan to Borneo and
Bali islands in the pacific ocean.
Duty of the Indians to preserve past, glorify present and improve future.
Various Names of Indian Culture
1. Aryan culture as it was primarily developed by the Aryans.
2. Indian or Bhartiya Culture after the name of king Bharat of Kuru dynasty. He was
the first to develop his dynasty overhere.
3. Hindu Culture : Irani invaders addressed the people living near Indus (Sindhu) as
Hindus, hence their culture as the Hindu Culture.

I. Characteristics of Indian Culture
1. Long Term Continuity : The cultures of Egypt, Syria, Babylonia, Kreat and
Greek have become extinct, but the Indian culture is still in progressive state.
2. Tolerance : Examples : So far no war on the issue of religion, Ashokas words A
person who respects his religion an speaks ill of others religions harms his own
religion too, belief in the principle of Live and Let Live, principle of universal
brotherhood, principle of religious tolerance in the constitution.
3. Acquistiveness i.e.spirit of assimilating other cultures which came to India from
time to time, namely Natives of Iran, Greek, Arab and Central Asia and similarly Shakas,
Huns, Mongoles, Trucks etc.
4. Wholeness i.e. All Round Development of the Indian culture, physical, mental and
spiritual powers of an individual through four Purusharthas i.e. Dharma. Artha, Kama
and Moksha with emphasis on the spirit of sacrifice, devotion and service.
5. Changeability according to Times i.e. adjustability and adaptability with the
changing circumstances, which have immortalized the Indian culture. If Yajna was the
prominent part of religion in the Vedic age today Bhakti is its prominent part, Institutions
of family, caste, religion etc. Continue to exist but with change according to times.
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6. Unity in Diversity : Geographically and historically India is one but each part of the
country has its own identity and uniqueness.
II. Diversity
1. Geographical Diversity : Vast deserts of Rajasthan and fertile plains of sindu and
Ganga rivers, snow covered mountain ranges, long and mighty mountain peaks of the
Himalayas and different soils Loamy, Black, Yellow, red etc.
2. Diversity of Climate : Six seasons and diversity of Fauna and Flora, 400 rainfall in
Cheerapunji, 5 or less in desert areas, Cold, Temperate and Hot climates, Intense Cold
in Himalayas, Hot and wet climate on Konkan and Koromandal Coast, damp climate in
Bengal and Malva region, hot climate in Rajasthan and Dry climate in the southern
plateau.
3. Religious Diversity : In India different cults and sects Vaishnavas, Shaiva,
Shaivas, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Muslims, Sikh and Christians.
4. Linguistic Diversity : Priminent languages and dialects of India Sanskrit, Hindi,
Urdu, Sindhi, Kashmiri, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Nepali, Assamese, Bengali, Marathi,
Konkan, Manipuri, Oriya, Tamil, Kannad, Malyalam etc.
5. Social Diversity : Distinct social customs traditions and attitudes expressed
through their eating habits, dress patterns, marriage customs, paintings, dances, music,
architecture, sculpture etc.
III. Fundamental unity
Inspite of visible diversities there is a hidden unity as established by the description
given herein :
1. Geographical unity : Vishnu Puranas have defined Bharat : The country situated
towards the north of Hind Mahasagar and the south of the Himalayas in Bharat and its
sons like, residents are known as Bhartiya, though separated by Vast oceans from three
sides and the Himalayan peaks in the North from the rest of the world.
2. Political unity : India has been a land of Chakravarti samrats like Ajatshatru,
Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Samudragupta, Vikramaditya, Harshavardhna etc. who
established political unity in India. Administration was governed by the centre. There was
a uniform pattern of law and language, uniform moral codes of conduct. At present the
political unity comes through our constitution.
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3. Religious unity : Faith of all religions in monotheism, immortality of soul, Karma
philosophy, rebirth, salvation, Nirvana, Bhakti, Yoga etc. Pilgrimages, sacred rivers and
mountains off all religions in all the nooks and corners of India. All the Rishis, Munnis,
Saints, Mahatamas, Greatmen and Pir Faquires are respected by all.
4. Linguistic unity : Sanskrit the source of all languages in India. Vocabulary of
Hindi, Marathi, Bengali and Punjabi drawn from Sanskrit Impact of Sanskrit on the south
Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malyalam and Kannad.
Unity of thought in literature of all language as their inspiration from Vedas,
Upanishadas, Ramayana, Mahabharta and Purans. Urdu born and developed in India.
Oher language too get inspiration from each other.
5. Social unity : A few references to the spirit of social unity of India :
Social harmony fostered by the saints like Shankracharya, Ramanand, Tulsi, Kabir,
Raidas, Nank etc.
Co mingling of communities like Shakas, Hunas, Trucks, Pathans, Mongols etc, with
the Indian society. Similarity in marriage customs, eating habits, entertainments,
festivals, functions, fairs etc.
Festivals like Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Deepawali, Holi, Id-ul-Zuha, Good Friday,
Christmas, Onam, Pongal etc are celebrated all over India. There is unity in architecture,
fine arts as painting, music and dances etc.

Conclusion : Various factors as political, social, cultural, religions, linguistic etc.
present Fundamental unity in India but disparities are found due to Indias big size,
liberal attitude and circumstances. Vasudhaiv Kutumbkam is the basic of Indias unity.