INDIA – people & culture

by

Mrs. Sharda Jagdish

7th Grade Geography

What you will learn today. The population of India Influences of the past Religions practiced Art and Architecture Languages spoken Festivals celebrated Compare the life of a teenager in India with yours

Influences of the Past 1500 B.C. warriors known as Aryans

entered the subcontinent from Central Asia Brought Hinduism & the caste structure 700 A.D. Muslims from Southwest Asia

brought Islam In 1500 they founded the Mogul Empire &

ruled India for 200 years

Influences of the past (Cont) British came & ruled India from 1700’s to mid

1900’s. They built roads, railways & ports. Indian leader- Mohandas Gandhi led a non-

violent movement which resulted in India’s independence. Since then, India has been a democracy.

Which civil rights leader in the U.S. was inspired by Gandhi’s non-violent, non-cooperation movement?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Religions About 80% of Indians are Hindus. They

believe in reincarnation – that the soul is eternal & goes through a cycle of birth & death many times until it reaches perfection on a higher plane of existence.

There are 140 million Muslims in India – making it one of the largest in the world.

Religions (Cont) Other major religions include: Sikhism – combines elements of Hindu &

Muslim faith & founded by Guru Nanak. Jainism – practice of strict vegetarianism Buddhism – was developed by Siddharta, a

Hindu prince. It has a greater following outside of India.

The Arts Religion has influenced the arts of India. Ancient Hindu temples were built with

elaborate, carved towers and intricate stone sculptures of the Hindu gods & goddesses.

Hindu writers have written epics and poems like the Mahabharata & the Ramayana.

SHIVA TEMPLE IN SOUTH INDIA

The Arts (Cont) Muslims built some of the finest gardens and the

famous mausoleum – the Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was a monument built by a

Muslim ruler, Shah Jehan, in the mid 1600’s, in memory of his beloved wife.

Taj Mahal link Unfortunately, the British have ruined and looted

many of India’s treasures.

Life in IndiaVillage Life Rural population is about 74% Live in brick or mud houses with straw

roofs Mostly work in the farm Government has tried to provide basic

amenities but life is still rather difficult High rural-urban migration

Life in IndiaCity Life The cities are very crowded. Delhi, Mumbai and

Calcutta are densely populated cities. High-rise apartments & office buildings stand

side-by-side with slums. Bicycles, bullock carts, rickshaws & cars fill the

narrow streets lined by small family-owned businesses.

Locate Mumbai, New Delhi (the capital) & Calcutta.

Writing Exercise (Pair work) You are going to read about Rani and Amit

Singh who are teenagers like you living in Mumbai.

With your assigned partner, compare their lives with yours and make a list of the similarities and differences.

Languages spoken Did you know that a total of more than 1000

languages & dialects are spoken. Hindi is the official language. Note that an

official language is one chosen by a nation for government business.Half the country speak it.

English and 14 other major languages are also spoken.

Why do you think English is a major language here?

Life of Rani & Amit SinghRani & Amit live with their parents, grandparents anduncles in their high-rise apartment in Mumbai. They goto a nearby school by rickshaw. Wearing their starched gray & white uniform, they take a “tiffin” lunch to school prepared by their mother.After school they would change to some light clothing as it is hot. Amit usually wears an Indian loose shirt and pants & Rani wears a “salwar”(pants) and “kameez”(blouse).When they get a chance, Rani & Amit love going to themovies.Filled with action, romance and songs, movies

Life of Rani & Amit Singh (Cont)

are the most popular form of entertainment. India makes more movies than any other country in the world.Amit also enjoys playing cricket and soccer while Ranilikes street hockey.Their favorite holiday is Diwali – theFestival of Lights.It is a Hindu festival that celebratesvictory of good over evil.

Comparison between your life with Rani or Amit

Similarities Differences