(7) \ S ur planet has different kinds of people— O each has specific languages and unique traditions. They follow different religions and cultures. These differences enrich our lives. India is a large country. Different parts of the country have different customs, languages, dress and food habits. The main religions in India are Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Christianity and Zoroastrianism. The Indian Constitution recognizes the right for everyone to practise any religion and develop their own language and culture, We all are one, despite the differences, OUR CULTURE TODAY Culture consists of ideas, beliefs, customs, art, religions, music and dance. The food habits of the people, the festivals they celebrate, their art and handicrafts are all part of their culture Festivals Some festivals are religious and some are linked. to the seasons. National festivals such as Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti are celebrated throughout the country. Festivals such as Diwali, Dussehra, Holi, Id and Christmas are also celebrated throughout the country. Other festivals such as Baisakhi, Basant Panchami, Pongal, Onam, Guruparv, and Bihu are celebrated in some parts, We also celebrate the birthdays of gods @ and great men as festivals, For example, Lord tes Krishna’s birthday is celebrated as Janmashtami, 1 Ld Unity in Diversity the birthday of Gautam Buddha is celebrated as Buddha Purnima, Lord Mahavir’s birthday is celebrated as Mahavir Jayanti and Gury Nanak’s birthday as Gurupary. Dance and music Indiahastwomajor kinds ofdances—classical and folk. The classical dance such as Bharatanatyam is popular in Tamil Nadu, Kathakali in Kerala, Kathak in North India, Kuchipudi in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Manipuri in Manipur and Odissi in Odisha. Most of these dances tell stories from our two epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Ancient Indian knowledge has been Passed on by word of mouth. Stories with moral lessons were told through song, dance and drama. This is called the art of folk theatre, Folk dances are mostly based on seasons. For example, Bhangra from Punjab, Garba from Gujarat, Chhau from Jharkhand and Odisha, Ghoomar from Rajasthan, Lavani from Maharashtra and Bihu from folk dances. Indian music, like the dance forms, also goes back to the Vedas, There are two main schools of classical music— the North Indian school is called Hindustani and the South Indian school 's called the Camatic. In Indian music we have the Gharana tradition, Students | from Assam are popular learn music @ guru by living in his house. Devotional Music such as couplets by Kabir and bhajans by Surdas, Tulsidas and Mirabai are sung all over the country, Indian folk music consists eeog araitional OMB SUNG dFiNg Festival gng wees artand sculpture Are eaiest form oF art based on the teachings MMipe Buddha are the cave paintings at Ajanta “ie Btlora in Maharashtra, Miniature arti seen a pahari, Rajput and Mughal paintings, Eaten, 2 gamen built beautiful Monuments and places sf worship. The stupas of Sanchi were built by Emperor Ashoka and the Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan. The latter is now recognized as one of the anders ofthe world, Many famous monuments ‘and buildings are a part of our heritage. Food ‘The food grains, vegetables and fruits grown in our country vary from place to place depending. upon the landform, climate and season. spices such as chillies, turmeric, pepper, cardamom and cloves are grown. Sweets such as rasogullas, shrikhand, payasam and ladoos are popular in India Clothes and and climate also determine the dress orn by the people of an area. Some parts re covered with thick forests and some areas re near the sea. In some parts summers are ery hot and winters are very cold while in ther parts the climate is almost the same oughout the year. The popular dresses in our country are lwar-kameez with a dupatta in Punjab, haghara-kurta with an odhni in ana, ghaghara-katchli in Rajasthan, \ga-choli in Gujarat and a mundu- jouse in Kerala, Men generally wear jusers and shirts. Other dresses for jen are pyjama-kurta, dhoti-kurta, ingi-kurta or lungi-shirt. Men in jjasthan wear churidar-kurta with an kan or angarakha and a churidar With a jacket is worn ini Gujarat. In Tarnil Nacht Men's lunigis are called veshti and in Kerala they are called mundus, Men in West Bengal and Assam mostly wear dhoti-kurtas. Ever the style of tying the turban differs from state to state: fn the hilly regions, due to the cold, the Kashmiris Wear a long woollen kurta called phirary Unity The history of the freedom movement proves that although we had and still have diverse cultures and backgrounds, people from different regions came together to fight against the foreign rulers. The Indian flag, the National Anthem and the patriotic songs are all symbols of our unity: Globalization Progress in communication, transport and technology during the 20th century has enabled us to overcome geographical boundaries and has revolutionized our way of living. The world is linked as never before. Economies, societies and cultures have been connected through a global network, not only in India but throughout the world, Globalization has resulted in spreading information and ideas. Economically speaking, it has increased money flow, investment and international trade. This has brought all the countries into a single giant world market. We will learn, with the help of two case studies, how historical and geographical factors influence regional diversity. 6 People in India wear colourful dresses. vssKERALA: A CASE STUDY , tern Gh Kerala is a narrow strip of land between the Arabian Sea a i yarn ro the south-west corner of India. It is full of coconut trees and ter eet beni Kerala has the highest rate of literacy, Women in Kerala hold a high P! Y People of many religions live together in Ta have deep valleys, and are covered Hills and valleys—Kerala has high mountains with forests, Cash crops like tea, coffee and cardamom are grown on the mountain slopes on lange farms called plantations. i s “ 2 Midland plains—In this region, the hills are not very steep. The valleys are wide and are dotted with paddy fields. The higher lands and hill slopes have plantations of rubber, fruit trees, tapioca and ‘other cash crops like pepper. Coastal belt—This belt is comparatively plain. Large rice or paddy fields and groves of coconut trees are found. Backwaters—The backwaters are a peculiar feature of the state. They are a network of canals and lakes and are fed by as many as 38 rivers. The chief mode of transport is by boat. Axathakalidancer ——_Rivers—There are 44 rivers in the state, which begin from the Western Ghats. They are now being harnessed for power generation and irrigation. The backwaters and the inland waterways have helped in the growth of the coir industry, which is the oldest traditional cottage industry in the state. Coir is made out of coconut husk and is transported through waterways. Fishing is a flourishing industry in several parts of the state. Kerala is famous for rosewood and sandalwood carvings, brass and bell metal lamps and gold jewellery Kathakali is a form of dance-drama and Mohiniattam is a classical dance form of Kerala. Kalaripayattu is a famous martial art form of this state. Onam is the main festival of the state. The snakeboat races during the festival are a popular tourist attraction. Magnificently decorated snakeboats take part in the boat race The Sabarimala Ayyappa temple and the Bhagavati temple at Attukal are famous pilgrim. centres in Kerala. The variety of life in Kerala can be seen in the religious and secular festivals which form an integral part of its cultural heritage. LADAKH: A CASE STUDY Ladakh is a Union Territory in North India, It consists of two districts, Leh and Kargil. It is surrounded by two mountain ranges, the Karakoram in the north and the Great Himalaya in the south and by two parallel chains, the Ladakh Range and the Zaskar Range. Ladakh is a land of high passes, a resting point for travellers on the ancient trade routes to Central Asia and beyond, Stories based on the life of the Buddha are the main them itional theat of Ladakh, It is an essential part of the Ladakhi sect he (rad aaa Ee heritage. Many villages have a Gompa orstery, a complex of temples and mn important part oF the lives of ape ae Gompas as serve as places of worship, medinne These Performed on these occasions by monks dressed in ide robes and masks. Long horns are bl lo Peliraahoice eee wn accompanied by cymbals, People come from pres an encent Sport of Ladakh, In Leh and its surrounding villages, archery ea uring summer. Polo, a game played here, differs in many respects from ternational game of Polo. Traditionally, almost every major village had a polo-ground. jakh has very limited sources of water. Ttems of dail ] i ly use such as cooking pots and bowls, ll as agricultural implements are supplied by local blacksmiths Products made from fresh milk are important and necessary, each owns some goats, cows and dzos (yak-cow). Sheep are important To Sum Up @ Every society has its own culture. The culture of a society means its ideas, customs and art. @ Dance and music are important aspects of our culture. In India there are two major kinds of dances and music—classical and folk. 4 The foodgrains, vegetables and fruits grown in our country vary from place to place depending upon the geographical features of the area. @ land and climate also determine the kind of clothes worn by the people of an area. : © Progress in communication and transport technology has revolutionized our way of living Time to Learn A. Tick (7) the correct answers. 1 All indians are one, despite their ® a. beliefs, b. festivals. country. 4. differences. ao188 2. India has two major kinds of dances— a. Kathak and Manipuri, ». classical and folk. « Odissi and Kuchipudi. d, Bhangra and Lavani, 3. Agriculture in India depends on its ae a, climate, . geography. music, 4, food habit 4, Historical and geographical factors influence regional dance. b. art. «. diversity. d. unity. S. Large paddy fields and coconut groves are found on the a. coastal belt. b. backwaters. hills. 4. rivers. B. Write True or False. Write the correct statements in your notebooks. 1. The differences in our culture spoil our lives. 2. India gives no importance to dance and music in its culture. ——— 3. Our heritage has few famous monuments and buildings. ——_ ‘4. Most of the people in Kerala know how to read and write, C. Give short answers for the following questions. 1. How is India a diverse country? 2. What is the art of folk theatre? Give two examples. 3, What is religious music and folk music? »4- Name three National festivals and three religious festivals. D. 1 2 . Give long answers for the following questions. . What is culture? . Which are the two main schools of Indian Classical music ? What is the ‘Gharana’ tradition? 3, Write short notes on the backwaters and the gompas. 4, How has globalization affected our world today? 5Why are the fishing and coir industries flourishing in Kerala? Time to Do Enrichment Activities” E, It took Magellan three years to travel around the earth, to prove that the earth was round. It took many more years for the news to spread around the world, that the earth is not flat. In present times what would Magellan's experience be? Imagine that you are a news reporter. Interview Magellan and write a news report about it. F. Surfing Activity + To know more about the diverse cultures of India, visit rsgrin/scO041 * For more enrichment activities go to page 204