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Indian Culture

Revision as of 10:43, 28 January 2025 by Adarshatva (talk | contribs) (Adarshatva moved page South Asian culture to Indian Culture: It is not South Asian Culture, it is Indian culture.)

South Asian culture is a mixture of several cultures in and around the Indian subcontinent. Ancient South Asian culture was primarily based in Hinduism, which itself formed as a mixture of Vedic religion and indigenous traditions, and later Buddhist influences.[1] From the medieval era onwards, influences from the Muslim world (particularly Central Asia and the Middle East) and then Europe (primarily British) also became prevalent.[2][3]

A depiction of South Asia (mostly orange) and its influence on neighbouring parts of Asia (lighter-orange).

South Asian culture has influenced other parts of Asia, particularly Southeast Asia (see Greater India).[4]

History

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Religion

Main article: Religion in South Asia

Languages

This section is an excerpt from Languages of Indian subcontinent[edit]

Ancient India or Indian subcontinent is home to several hundred languages, spanning the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. It is home to the third most spoken language in the world, Hindi; and the sixth most spoken language, Bengali. The languages in the region mostly comprise Indo-Iranic and Dravidian languages, and further members of other language families like Austroasiatic, Turkic, and Tibeto-Burman languages.

Indian English is considered the international lingua franca of the Indian subcontinent.

The influence of these languages stretches beyond the Indian subcontinent into East and Southeast Asia, collectively referred to as the Indosphere. More specifically, the grouping of Indic languages along with other languages from nearby geopolitical regions is known as Indian subcontinental languages. This classification also includes Eastern-Iranic and Nuristani languages, as well as connections to Central and Western Tibeto-Burman languages.

The Iranian Plateau, situated to the west of the Indian subcontinent, is inhabited by Iranic languages. On the eastern side of the plateau, Pashto is spoken in Pashtunistan and Balochi in Balochistan. In the central region, Persian is the primary language, with different varieties such as Dari in Afghanistan, Farsi in Iran, and Tajik in Tajikistan. Additionally, Kafiri languages can be found in small groups at the northern junction of the plateau and the subcontinent.

In the regions surrounding the Himalayan and Indo-Burman Ranges, the Tibeto-Burman languages from the Trans-Himalayan family and Khasi–Palaungic languages from the Austroasiatic family are prevalent, especially on the Tibetan Plateau and in Burma. Meanwhile, the Andaman Islands are home to various Andamanese languages.

Cinema

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Cuisine

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Sports

This section is an excerpt from Sport in the Indian subcontinent[edit]
 
A commemorative stamp depicting kabaddi in its inaugural appearance at the Asian Games in 1990.
Many sports are played in the Indian subcontinent, with cricket being the most popular of them; 90% of the sport's worldwide fans live in the Indian subcontinent.[5] Football is followed passionately in some parts of India, such as Kerala and Bengal.[6][7][8] Field hockey was popular for several decades, with some of the India's greatest sporting accomplishments having taken place in this sport.[9] Some native Indian games are played professionally in the region, such as kabaddi and kho-kho, and also feature in regional competitions such as the South Asian Games and Asian Games.[10][11]

Traditional sports

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Martial arts

This section is an excerpt from Indian martial arts[edit]

Indian martial arts refers to the fighting systems of the Indian subcontinent. A variety of terms are used for the English phrases “Indian martial arts”, usually deriving from Dravidian sources. While they may seem to imply specific disciplines (e.g. archery, armed combat), by Classical times they were used generically for all fighting systems.

Among the most common terms today, śastra-vidyā, is a compound of the words śastra (weapon) and vidyā (knowledge).[12] Dhanurveda derives from the words for bow (dhanushya) and knowledge (veda), the “science of archery” in Puranic literature, later applied to martial arts in general.[13][self-published source?] The Vishnu Purana text describes dhanuveda as one of the traditional eighteen branches of “applied knowledge” or upaveda, along with shastrashastra or military science.[14] A later term, yuddha kalā, comes from the words yuddha meaning fight or combat and kalā meaning art or skill. The related term śastra kalā (lit. weapon art) usually refers specifically to armed disciplines. Another term, yuddha-vidyā or “combat knowledge”, refers to the skills used on the battlefield, encompassing not only actual fighting but also battle formations and strategy. Martial arts are usually learnt and practiced in the traditional akharas.[15][16]

Music

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Architecture

Afghan architecture

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Pakistani architecture

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Indian architecture

This section is an excerpt from Architecture of India[edit]

Indian architecture is rooted in its history, culture and religion. Among a number of architectural styles and traditions, the best-known include the many varieties of Hindu temple architecture, Indo-Islamic architecture, especially Mughal architecture, Rajput architecture and Indo-Saracenic architecture. Much early Indian architecture was in wood, which has not survived. Instead the earliest survivals are from the many sites with Indian rock-cut architecture, most Buddhist but some Hindu and Jain.

Hindu temple architecture is mainly divided into the Dravidian style of the south and the Nagara style of the north, with other regional styles. Housing styles also vary between regions, partly depending on the different climates. Haveli is a general term for a large townhouse.

The first major Islamic kingdom in India was the Delhi Sultanate, which led to the development of Indo-Islamic architecture, combining Indian and Islamic features. The rule of the Mughal Empire, when Mughal architecture evolved, is regarded as the zenith of Indo-Islamic architecture, with the Taj Mahal being the high point of their contribution. Indo-Islamic architecture influenced the Rajput and Sikh styles as well.

During the British colonial period, European styles including neoclassical, gothic revival, and baroque became prevalent across India. The amalgamation of Indo-Islamic and European styles led to a new style, known as the Indo-Saracenic style. After independence, modernist ideas spread among Indian architects as a way of progressing from the colonial culture. Le Corbusier, who designed the city of Chandigarh influenced a generation of architects towards modernism in the 20th century. The economic reforms of 1991 further bolstered the urban architecture of India as the country became more integrated with the world's economy. Traditional Vastu Shastra remains influential in India's architecture during the contemporary era.[17]

Dravidian architecture

This section is an excerpt from Dravidian architecture[edit]

Dravidian architecture, or the South Indian temple style, is an architectural idiom in Hindu temple architecture that emerged in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent or South India and in Sri Lanka, reaching its final form by the sixteenth century. It is seen in Hindu temples, and the most distinctive difference from north Indian styles is the use of a shorter and more pyramidal tower over the garbhagriha or sanctuary called a vimana, where the north has taller towers, usually bending inwards as they rise, called shikharas. However, for modern visitors to larger temples the dominating feature is the high gopura or gatehouse at the edge of the compound; large temples have several, dwarfing the vimana; these are a much more recent development. There are numerous other distinct features such as the dwarapalakas – twin guardians at the main entrance and the inner sanctum of the temple and goshtams – deities carved in niches on the outer side walls of the garbhagriha.

Mentioned as one of three styles of temple building in the ancient book Vastu shastra, the majority of the existing structures are located in the Southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, some parts of Maharashtra, Odisha and Sri Lanka.[18][19] Various kingdoms and empires such as the Satavahanas, the Cholas, the Chera, the Kakatiyas, the Reddis, the Pandyas, the Pallavas, the Gangas, the Kadambas, the Rashtrakutas, the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas, and Vijayanagara Empire among others have made substantial contribution to the evolution of the Dravida architecture.

Bengali architecture

This section is an excerpt from Architecture of Bengal[edit]

Template:Bengalis The architecture of Bengal, which comprises the modern country of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam's Barak Valley, has a long and rich history, blending indigenous elements from the Indian subcontinent, with influences from different parts of the world. Bengali architecture includes ancient urban architecture, religious architecture, rural vernacular architecture, colonial townhouses and country houses and modern urban styles. The bungalow style is a notable architectural export of Bengal. The corner towers of Bengali religious buildings were replicated in medieval Southeast Asia. Bengali curved roofs, suitable for the very heavy rains, were adopted into a distinct local style of Indo-Islamic architecture, and used decoratively elsewhere in north India in Mughal architecture.

Bengal is not rich in good stone for building, and traditional Bengali architecture mostly uses brick and wood, often reflecting the styles of the wood, bamboo and thatch styles of local vernacular architecture for houses. Decorative carved or moulded plaques of terracotta (the same material as the brick) are a special feature. The brick is extremely durable and disused ancient buildings were often used as a convenient source of materials by local people, often being stripped to their foundations over the centuries.

Clothing

This section is an excerpt from History of clothing in the Indian subcontinent[edit]
 
The Buddha wearing kāṣāya robes, Gandhara, 1st-2nd century CE. Height about 1 meter. Tokyo National Museum
History of clothing in the Indian subcontinent can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization or earlier. Indians have mainly worn clothing made up of locally grown cotton. India was one of the first places where cotton was cultivated and used even as early as 2500 BCE during the Harappan era. The remnants of the ancient Indian clothing can be found in the figurines discovered from the sites near the Indus Valley civilisation, the rock-cut sculptures, the cave paintings, and human art forms found in temples and monuments. These scriptures view the figures of human wearing clothes which can be wrapped around the body. Taking the instances of the sari to that of turban and the dhoti, the traditional Indian wears were mostly tied around the body in various ways.

Literature

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Philosophy

This section is an excerpt from Indian philosophy[edit]

Indian philosophy refers to philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent. A traditional Hindu classification divides āstika and nāstika schools of philosophy, depending on one of three alternate criteria: whether it believes the Vedas as a valid source of knowledge; whether the school believes in the premises of Brahman and Atman; and whether the school believes in afterlife and Devas.[20][21][22]

There are six major (āstika) schools of Vedic philosophy—Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mīmāṃsā and Vedanta—and five major heterodox (nāstika or sramanic) schools—Jain, Buddhist, Ajivika, Ajñana, and Charvaka. The āstika group embraces the Vedas as an essential source of its foundations, while the nāstika group does not. However, there are other methods of classification; Vidyaranya for instance identifies sixteen schools of Indian philosophy by including those that belong to the Śaiva and Raseśvara traditions.[23][24]

The main schools of Indian philosophy were formalised and recognised chiefly between 500 BCE and the late centuries of the Common Era.[citation needed] Competition and integration between the various schools was intense, despite later claims of Hindu unity. Some schools like Jainism, Buddhism, Yoga, Śaiva and Vedanta survived, but others, like Ajñana, Charvaka and Ājīvika did not.

Ancient and medieval era texts of Indian philosophies include extensive discussions on ontology (metaphysics, Brahman-Atman, Sunyata-Anatta), reliable means of knowledge (epistemology, Pramanas), value system (axiology) and other topics.[25][26][27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Micu, Alexandru. "How old is Hinduism and how it all started". ZME Science. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  2. ↑ "From the Achaemenids to the Mughals: A look at India's lost Persian history". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  3. ↑ "How the British influenced Indian culture". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  4. ↑ Pillalamarri, Akhilesh. "How India Influenced Southeast Asian Civilization". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
  5. ↑ "Explained snippets: Cricket has 1 billion fans, 90% of them in subcontinent". The Indian Express. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  6. ↑ Bastian, Ron (2022-11-13). "For football-crazy Kerala, FIFA World Cup is its biggest festival". thefederal.com. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  7. ↑ "Why Bengal is obsessed with football?". The Indian Express. 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  8. ↑ "50 years of Victory: What has Bangladesh achieved in the field of sports?". The Business Standard. 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  9. ↑ History of hockey in India: Taught by the British, India conquered the world https://olympics.com/ Rahul Venkat
  10. ↑ Taneja, Nidhima (2023-01-27). "Pro kabaddi, kho-kho leagues chase IPL viewership. India rediscovering regional sports". ThePrint. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  11. ↑ "OCA » Ancient tag game of kho kho catching on fast". ocasia.org. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  12. ↑ attested in Classical Sanskrit only, specifically in the Anargharāghava.
  13. ↑ attested from Epic Sanskrit; see Luijendijk, D.H. (2008). Kalarippayat: The Essence and Structure of an Indian Martial Art. Oprat (LuLu.com). ISBN 978-1-58160-480-1.[self-published source]
  14. ↑ "Actualizing Power and Crafting a Self in Kalarippayattu". Spa.ex.ac.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  15. ↑ James G. Lochtefeld (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 23–4. ISBN 978-0-8239-3179-8.
  16. ↑ Agrawal, Ashvini (1989). Rise and Fall of the Imperial Guptas. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788120805927.
  17. ↑ See Raj Jadhav, pp. 7–13 in Modern Traditions: Contemporary Architecture in India.
  18. ↑ Fergusson, James (1864). The Rock-cut Temples of India: Illustrated by Seventy-four Photographs Taken on the Spot by Major Gill. J. Murray.
  19. ↑ Hardy, Adam (2007). The Temple Architecture of India. Wiley. ISBN 978-0-470-02827-8.
  20. ↑ John Bowker, Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, p. 259
  21. ↑ Wendy Doniger (2014). On Hinduism. Oxford University Press. p. 46. ISBN 978-0-19-936008-6.
  22. ↑ Andrew J. Nicholson (2013), Unifying Hinduism: Philosophy and Identity in Indian Intellectual History, Columbia University Press, ISBN 978-0231149877, Chapter 9
  23. ↑ Cowell and Gough, p. xii.
  24. ↑ Nicholson, pp. 158-162.
  25. ↑ Roy W. Perrett (2001). Indian Philosophy: Metaphysics. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-8153-3608-2.
  26. ↑ Stephen H Phillips (2013). Epistemology in Classical India: The Knowledge Sources of the Nyaya School. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-51898-0.
  27. ↑ Arvind Sharma (1982). The Puruṣārthas: a study in Hindu axiology. Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University. ISBN 9789993624318.;
    Purusottama Bilimoria; Joseph Prabhu; Renuka M. Sharma (2007). Indian Ethics: Classical traditions and contemporary challenges. Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-3301-3.

Template:South Asian topics

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