Few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as India's. Stretching back in an unbroken sweep over 5000 years, India's culture has been enriched by successive waves of migration which were absorbed into the Indian way of life. It is this variety which is a special hallmark of India. Its physical, religious and racial variety is as immense as its linguistic diversity. Underneath this diversity lies the continuity of Indian civilization and social structure from the very earliest times until the present day. Modern India presents a picture of unity in diversity to which history provides no parallel. Here is a catalogue of everything Indian. Indian religions, festivals, rituals, artifacts, monuments, costumes, music and dance, language and literature. Come and discover a little more of India's culture by selecting any of these topics. 

Culture of Goa - Colture of Delhi

Traditions
Indians join their hands (palms together) and bow slightly in front of the other person, and say Namaste (Sanskrit for "I bow unto you") or Namaskar (derived from Sanskrit for "salutations") or variants in other Indian languages. This custom comes from a Hindu understanding that each person is inherently divine, and for this reason many Indians will gently touch their hands to their forehead and then to their heart, indicating the third eye and heart.

Festivals in India are characterized by colour, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals. The majority are from the Hindu tradition, one of the most popular festivals being Diwali/Deepavali; the legends associated with it are drawn from the Hindu epic Ramayana and the Devi Mahatmya, depending on the region. Other popular Hindu festivals include Navaratri/Dasara (which is held in celebration of the Hindu goddess Durga, the final and ninth day of which culminates in a massive Durga Puja; it is most popular in West Bengal), Pongal/Sankranti, Ganesh Chaturthi (a fourteen-day festival dedicated to the Hindu God Ganesh and is most popular in Maharashtra and Ugadi/Gudi Padva.

CHITECTURE :
One of the most enduring achievements of Indian civilization is undoubtedly its architecture, which extends to a great deal more than the Taj Mahal or the temple complexes of Khajuraho and Vijayanagara. Though the Indus Valley sites of Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Lothal provide substantial evidence of extensive town planning, the beginnings of Indian architecture are more properly to be dated to the advent of Buddhism in India, in the reign of Ashoka (c. 270-232), and the construction of Buddhist monasteries and stupas. Buddhist architecture was predominant for several centuries, and there are few remains of Hindu temples from even late antiquity. Among the many highlights of Buddhist art and architecture are the Great Stupa at Sanchi and the rock-cut caves at Ajanta.

Dances
The Indian dance is one of the oldest art that has been through a steady development for nearly two thousand years. The Indian classical dance has its origin in the temples where it was used to illustrate the Hindu mythologies.This art was performed in the temples by the Devadasis, ladies who dedicated themselves to God. With the passage of time, this form of art was used both as a means to worship God and a way to express one's emotion or state of mind. This form of art is based on the Natya Shastra, written by Sage Bharata. The supreme manifestation of the Indian dance is Lord Shiva, also referred as Lord Nataraja.

All dance forms follow the same gestures or hasta mudras for each of these rasas. The major schools of classical dance in India are Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi, Bharatha Natyam, Kuchipudi , Kathakali and Mohiniattam, apart from the Folk and Tribal dances.

Religion
India is a land of many religions. The majority of Indians are Hindus, with a large minority of Muslims. Besides, there is Sikhism, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and many other religions. It is not true that different religions have often fought amongst themselves. The contrary is true. The majority of people in India have always been peasants, living side by side. In the early stages of the national movement, both Muslims and Hindus worked for the independence of the country. Different religious communities living together, celebrating their festivals make our culture richer and our people more interesting.

cuisine
The food available in India is as diverse as its culture, its racial structure, its geography and its climate. The essence of good Indian cooking revolves around the appropriate use of aromatic spices. The skill lies in the subtle blending of a variety of spices to enhance rather than overwhelm the basic flavor of a particular dish. These spices are also used as appetisers and digestives.

Festivals
The Indian calendar is one long procession of festivals. These are as varied in origin as they are large in number. There are innumerable national, regional, local, religious, seasonal and social festivities. This is not surprising considering the fact that India is the land of gods, goddesses, saints, gurus and prophets.

Festivals here are characterised by colour, gaiety, enthusiasm, feasts and a variety of prayers and rituals. Travellers are struck by the scale and multiplicity of the festivities that populate the cultural scene of this land.

Ganesha Chaturthi
Ganesha Chaturthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesha, is celebrated in August-September. Ganesha is the elephant headed son of Goddess Parvathi, consort of Lord Shiva. In Maharashtra, it assumes the status of the most important festival and is celebrated with pomp and glory. The festivites last for ten days. In Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, images of Ganesha made of unbaked clay are worshipped on this day in every house. A special sweet called Modhak is prepared on this occassion. To mark the end of the festivities, the clay idols are immersed in water. In Uttar Pradesh, Lord Ganesha is worshipped in the month of January-February. Ganesh Chaturthi is not celebrated in West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Punjab, Kashmir and Kerala.

Baisakhi
Baisakhi, celebrated with joyous music and dancing, is New Year's Day in Punjab. It falls on April 13, though once in 36 years it occurs on 14th April. It was on this day that the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa (the Sikh brotherhood) in 1699. The Sikhs, therefore, celebrate this festival as a collective birthday.

Deepawali
Diwali or Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most colorful occasions in India. Celebrated in October-November, this festival spans three days. Diwali is celebrated with merriment and lights of various kinds. It marks the advent of winter. Prayers are said to invoke the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth.

Dussehra
Dusshera or Navrathri is one of the most popular festivals of India. This 10-day long festival is celebrated in September-October. During these 10-days, Goddess Durga is worshiped for Navaratri (nine nights), and on the 10th day - Vijayadasami Goddess Saraswati is worshiped.Dusshera is the anniversary of the victory of Durga over the buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura, giving the goddess her name Mahishasura-mardini (the slayer of Mahishasura). Dusshera also commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana of Lanka. However, either way the theme of the festival is the victory of good over evil.

Janmashtami
The birthday of Lord Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, is celebrated on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Sravana (July-August) in India. Men and women fast and pray on the occasion<