|
|
 |
SELECT
ONE |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
| + INDIAN CULTURE |
Due to obvious geographical reasons, fish is popular in coastal states. In addition, there’s a wide array of street food that’s known by different names in different regions. Indian Chinese cuisine, an Indianized version of the Chinese cuisine too has many takers. When we’re talking about snacks, how can we not mention the nation’s most favoured beverage. Yes, we are talking tea. Darjeeling is known for its aromatic variety of tea. Though in the South, filter coffee is the preffered beverage. In the North, its lassi that rules the roost. And of course in the West, Goa to be specific is high on Fenni made out of fermented cashews.
And for those with sweet tooth, India also has a number of sweet dishes. Mostly based on sugar, milk, and unbleached sugar called jaggery.
THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION
Television in India has been an instrument of change in perceptions and culture. Since startign off in
1959, it has come a long way. There was only one national channel Doordarshan, which is government owned. But by the late 1980s, television programming had reached saturation. The turning point in the information revoulution came with the Iraq war in 1993. The government liberated its markets, opening them up to cable television. Since then, there has been a spurt in the number of channels available. There are a slew of news and entertainent channels and TV soaps are extremely popular. Indian TV has evolved tremendously, with a ecclectic mix of viewing offered to the masses.
RELIGION
India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with one of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion plays a central and definitive role in the life of the country and most of its people. Virtually every major religion has a strong connection with India. Buddhism was born in India, so were Sikhism, Jainism and of course Hinduism. There’s a large Christian population as well as a sizeable Zoroastrian and Jewish presence. People of Bahai faith are also found in India in substantial numbers. There are also numerous cults in India, each practicing their own ideologies and interpretations of the major religions.
Indian philosophy throughout the ages has had a tremendous impact on world thought. Various schools of philosophy, such as the many schools of Buddhism and Hinduism have had tremendous influence throughout the world. India has produced some of the longest and most influential secular traditions of rationalism, science, mathematics and agnosticism, which are often overlooked due to popular conception that India is a mystical country.
Many of the complex scientific and mathematical concepts such as the concept of zero, found their way to Europe through Arab traders. The period between 600-400 BC marked a huge leap in both Indian philosophy and world philosophy. Some philosophical concepts from India were introduced to the Greeks, during the campaigns of Alexander the Great. Little wonder that some schools of classical Greek philosophy are almost identical to prior Indian schools.
In addition modern India has produced some of the world's most influential philosophers of modern times. During the British occupation of India, various thinkers, both secular and religious, achieved a new level of recognition across the world. Many ancient Indian texts and the work of contemporary Indian philosophers was translated into English during this period. Swami Vivekananda travelled to America and addressed the 1893 World Parliament of Religions. In his groundbreaking speech, he gave the Western world access to Indian philosophy for the very first time.
Today, economists such as Amartya Sen, who won Asia's first Nobel Prize in economics, continue to give India a reputation as an important contributor to world thought.
World religion is divided into Dharmic and Abrahamic. All the Dharmic religions originated in India. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Depite being free of evangelistic traditions, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third and fourth largest religions respectively. They have a collective following of 1.4 billion people worldwide.
Despite the strong role of religion in Indian life, aetheism and agnostics are also visible influences.
|
|
>> 1 2 3 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
