Incredible India

By - Chavali Raja Sri Harsha

India in a time-capsule

India Encapsulated

• Though as a fervent patriot, I could wax eloquent for hours about the glorious and varied traditions of my country, to fit all of it within a time-capsule would be impossible.

• Let me therefore present those facets of India that are closest to my heart.

• Before I get to that, I’d like to bust a few myths about my country..Let’s get started!

What is commonly believed..

Indians do not respect Women

Indians are very poor and so is India

India is a land of diseases and unhygienic health practices.

Indian film industry is synonymous with Bollywood and people dancing in colorful clothes.

The ground reality..

Indian scriptures accord great respect to women. Ancient Indian history indicates that women had a high standing in society. It is true that women have been at a disadvantage in some aspects in the past few centuries, but the divide is rapidly reducing.

India is the third largest economy in the world, and s home to both the very rich and the very poor.

India has a rich tradition of medicine and healing. This is the country that produced the World’s first surgeon , and introduced Ayurveda to the world. Health practices vary widely between rural and urban areas, and the prevalence of diseases is much higher in poverty-stricken areas.

Indian Film Industry is the largest in the world in terms of movies produced, tickets sold. Besides the Bollywood industry, there are many regional language-specific cine-industries that constitute Indian Cinema.

Debunking Myths About India

The Sacredness of all Things

Authority is respected in India - Parents, Teachers, and other elders are accorded a great deal of respect.

Indians regard various animals, such as cows and snakes, as manifestations of God.

Indians revere plants such as Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) and trees such as Neem and Banyan and worship them as a form of God.

Indians treat Fire, Air, water – the basic elements of life, as forms of god.

The rivers in India are respected and are believed to be holy. The Kumbmela at Ganga, a holy event where millions throng to take a dip in the Holy Ganga, is the largest religious congregation in the world.

Indians follow a spiritual tradition

of seeing all things, animate

and inanimate, as holy

manifestations of God.

The Arts of India : Dance

Anger In Kuchipudi – A dance form in the Indian State of

Andhra Pradesh

Joy expressed in Bharatanatyam A dance form in the Indian State of -

Tamilnadu

Lord Siva(Nataraj) Dancing

Dance is at the heart of Indian culture. We have a dance for every mood and every occasion. Lord Siva(also called Lord Nataraja) – King of Cosmic Dance, according to Hindu Mythology dances according his mood viz. Anger- Siva Tandav, Joy – Ananda Tandav. The dance forms in India are as diverse as the nation.

Sorrow in Kathakali, a dance form in the

Indian state of Kerala.

Lullabies heard from mother and

grandmother when a Child

Alphabets & numbers taught in a rhythm

echoing all throughout the classroom

Every Indian Festival begins and ends with

Music

Music in marriage Ceremony

We find people in the agricultural fields

working comfortably in the scorching sun

singing

Singing devotional songs

The Bhagavad-Gita and holy chants during

death

BirthSchooling

Festivals

Marriage

Death

Later life

At Work

The Arts of India : Music Music in India is coupled tightly with daily life. We have music to mark every phase,celebration & sorrow of life – from birth to death. We have instruments which echo with nature – viz. Sitar, Murali, Shehnoy and Mrudanga.

Architecture: An Amalgamation of various cultures

7500 BCE

Indus Valley Civilization

322 BCE 1526-1857

Mauryan Empire

Satavahana Kingdom

Mughal Empire

230 BCE 1858-1947

British Raj Modern Indian

Post 1947

Indian Architecture has evolved with age. It has been influenced by the various empires that ruled in India and hence is a concoction of various cultures.

Health: Back to the roots

Total Wellness

MIND BODY SOUL

India has introduced Meditation and Vipasana to the world.

The same is being practiced since the times of Lord Gautama Buddha.

Yoga and Ayurveda havebeen few of the manygreat contributions by India.

Millions across the worldpractice them, to achieve holistic health.

India can be aptly Termed the spiritual capital of the world.

Thousands flock to Indiain pursuit of God and peace within.

Sports: Not Just Cricket !!

Hockey is the national sport of India. The Indian Men’s hockey team is the most successful field hockey team in

Olympic history with 8 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.

Both Indian Kabaddi men and women’s teams are amongst the most successful teams worldwide.

Neither team has ever lost a Kabaddi World championship.

Chess originated in India. Mr. Vishwanathan Anand is a former world champion and a legend in the

world of Chess. Mrs. Sania Mirza has recently attained World No.1 ranking in Women

Doubles Lawn Tennis . Mr.Prakash Padukone and Miss.Saina Nehwal were ranked No.1 in the World

in Men’s and Women’s Badminton Categories

India is indisputably a cricket-crazy country, but there’s more to Indian sports than cricket.

Linguistic driversity:2200

different languages and 22 Official languages

Caste diversity: more than 3000 castes exist in

India

Religious diversity: Four of the world’s

Major Religious (Hinduism,Budhism,Jai

nism,Sikhism)were born in India

Geo-political unity:29 States and 7 Union Territories

Ethnic Diversity: India has more than

200 ethnic groups

The Spirit of India : Unity in Diversity

• Any description of India would be incomplete without a mention of the mind-boggling breadth of diversity that exists across the country.

• A peaceful co-existence amongst such diversity, and a joyous partaking of each others’ cultures, is probably the single most important legacy India and Indians leave to the world!!