Cuisines and Special Dishes of India-Customs of India- Costumes of India

Indian culture has stood the test of time by remaining diverse, colorful, sensual, spiritual and the
combination of rich traditions and family unity within religious faith makes India a country rich
in culture. Food, worship, arts and friendships are held in high esteem - even the customary
"namaste" greeting involves honoring the divine in one another with a bow.

Scientific and physical practices like medicine and exercise are also considered
spiritual. Ayurvedic medicine, which promotes balancing the life forces of a person with the
universe as a whole, is an official heath care practice that's used by 80 percent of the population,
yoga and meditation recognize the melding of the mind, body and spirit for wholeness.
Indian Customs and Traditions

Faith, family and castes shape just about every aspect of Indian culture - from birth to death - and
all the trials and parties in between. Indian society is structured around the families. Individuals
inherit their social position and stay within it throughout life.

A caste (each of the hereditary classes of Hindu society, distinguished by relative degrees of
ritual purity and of social status), is the level within the social system that determines who people
will marry and often even what line of work they can pursue, where they can live and what they
can eat. There are more than 2,000 caste and they fall within four recognized caste groups, or
varnas:

 Brahmans - Priests and the most educated

 Kshatriyas - Warriors and land owners
 Vaishyas - Merchants
 Sudras - Craftsmen and workers

A fifth, unofficial group, the Panchamas were historically called the "Untouchables" and in more
recent years the Dalit or "Oppressed."

In addition to being identified and included as part of a social caste, most Indians remain within
family units that cross generations, from youngest to oldest, all living within the same housing
quarters or complex. Men in a family line often stay with their birth families until their own
fathers die and they start extended families of their own, while women will leave their homes
once they marry and become part of another's extended family unit.

Most females in India leave their families at a young age and a family's caste and location have a
lot to do with when a girl will be married. In 1929, Indian law forbade marriages for girls under
12 years of age, allowing those 12 and over to become brides, but in 1978 the age limit by law
became 18. The most common practice is for the families to find mates for their children in an
arranged marriage based on caste, religious beliefs and astrology.

Once a bride and groom are promised to one another (and often after a bridal dowry or financial
exchange from the bride's family to the groom's takes place), a series of engagement parties,
beauty rituals, and family meals and parties begins, leading up to a marriage celebration that lasts
from three days to a week. Along with rich décor and sumptuous feasts, Indian weddings usually
feature a bride in red. Believed to symbolize prosperity, luck and fertility, red bridal wear is a
traditional favorite, much as white gowns dominate Western weddings.

Marriages tend to last for life and the divorce rate in India is very low, Men and women are
strongly encouraged to stay together as part of their tradition and to work through any issues,
even very serious ones, rather than separate or divorce.

Indian Religion and Spirituality

Religion in India is the foundation for most areas of life for individuals and families. India
known as the land of spirituality and philosophy, was the birthplace of some religions, Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. The most dominant religion in India today is Hinduism. About
80% of Indians are Hindus.

Hinduism, like some of its gods and goddesses, has many faces depending on caste and location.
Shrines and places of pilgrimage in one region may differ entirely from those in other areas, and
while many follow the Vedas as being sacred texts and dharma as moral code. Belief in a
supreme god is common, though the gods and goddesses that come from him vary.
Reincarnation, or coming back to life after death in a continuous circle of dying and rebirth is
common, as is a belief in karma (the sum of a person's actions in this and previous states of
existence, viewed as deciding their fate in future existences).
Followers of all religions, sects and folk legends do have one big thing in common: celebrations.
Festivals take place throughout the country all year with some of the major parties celebrating
and honoring Hindu gods and goddesses. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, takes place in October or
November and is the biggest holiday of all. Celebrants light lamps and host large family and
community celebrations to honor the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. Vasantpanchami, a religious
festival for the goddess of learning is another big party, and Holi a celebration of all people - no
matter their social level - includes street parties where people throw dyed water and fine particles
of colored dust into the air and on each other. Holi celebrates the coming of spring and the
ultimate victory of good over evil.

Traditional Indian Food

Of all the cuisines in the world, India has one of the most aromatic and colorful. Varieties of
Indian food are countless and identifiable by caste, region or tribe, and many Indians eat a diet
very similar to that of ancestors from many years past. With a blend of Arab, Turkish and even
European influences from a history of invasions and conquests, India boasts thousands of
variations in its collection of national foods.

Hefty volumes have been written on the treasure of Indian recipes and seasonings, and a tour of
India makes for vastly different food experiences from north to south. With all of this regional
variety, though, some staples or everyday foods make up the traditional diet for many across
India including these:

 Basmati rice - is typically steamed and seasoned with spices like cardamom, cumin,
cloves, or mustard, and often mixed with nuts and onions.
 Bread - naan and chapati (made from flour) , soft and crispy flatbreads
 Dal - innumerable combinations of legumes and vegetables, including lentil, chickpeas,
potatoes and onions often made with a browned butter called ghee
 Curries and spices - delectable combinations of ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric,
cinnamon, dried hot peppers, and dozens of others
  Paan - leaves of a betal plant that are chewed to cleanse the palate between courses or
after a meal; served washed and fresh and wrapped around fragrant spices, anise seeds,
katha, choona (lime paste) and different nuts
 Tea - a national beverage since at least the 4th century, tea and socializing while enjoying
tea are part of the Indian lifestyle. Darjeeling and Assam are just two of the countless
varieties. Coffee and yogurt drinks are also popular.
 Chutneys - thick condiments and spreads made from herbs like mint and cilantro and
from assorted fruits and vegetables like tamarind and tomatoes
 Coconut - used to simmer rice, seafood and other ingredients and to sweeten or mellow
sauces
 Meat and seafood – fish, chicken and others; many do not eat beef because cows are
considered sacred within the Hindu religion, as pork is forbidden within Muslim law

Women are the main cooks in Indian families, with the eldest female often delegating tasks to
other women in the household, and preparing a meal can be a day-long affair that consists of
pounding spices, preparing breads from scratch and making multiple sauces. Recipes can be
handed down within families or communities for generations. Men are food purveyors of carts
and restaurants in many cities and might help prepare festival feasts, and cooking for friends is
increasingly popular among young men in the larger cities, too.

Sitting down to a meal in India might leave a Westerner noticing that something's missing:
silverware or cutlery. Traditionally, fingers and bread are the "utensils" used to pick up portions
of meals from large serving platters. Dining is mostly what those in the United States would call
"family style" and large trays and small bowls might crowd the table as everyone pinches up
finger-fulls of rice and breads for scooping up dals and other dishes. Thorough hand washing
before and after the meal are often done right at the table with bowls and is an important part of
each meal.

Indian Traditional Clothing

Men and women in India are draped and wrapped according to tradition, history and location. A
dhoti or lungi, which is a loose skirt- or shorts-type wrap for men, is common in rural areas and
in high heat, and most often it is worn alone, without a shirt. In urban areas men often wear long,
buttoned shirts and loose pants called Sherwanis or kurta pajamas.

Women throughout India wear traditional saris made of cotton, silk or factory blends and the 5 to
7 yards of fabric that make up a sari are wrapped on the body in countless ways depending on
where the wearer lives. Salwar kameez, a pant and long-tailed or to-the-knees shirt outfit made
of lightweight fabrics is most common for women in more urban areas.

Western clothing continues to increase in popularity in city centers, though the traditional bold
colors and embroidery of classic Indian attire influence newer designs. With dhotis and saris
dating back to the second century or earlier, and serving as a comfortable, cool and colorful
feature of Indian clothing, they're likely to stick around for a while, too. One Indian style that
crossed cultures and is a classic in Eastern and Western countries is the Nehru jacket, a well-
tailored, high-collared, button-down style named after Jawaharlal Nehru, a former prime minister
of India. Both men and women wear Nehru jackets.

Hair, jewelry and skin adornment complement the flowing and often textured and embellished
clothing. Both men and women wear jewelry, including everything from toe rings to necklaces,
and they adorn their foreheads with decorative bindi or dots, in red or black. These markings
have significance in Hinduism and vary in shape and size depending on the occasion or social
position of the wearer.

Temporary henna tattoos, or mehndi body art, add body decoration to hands and feet for
ceremonies and festivals. Tonsuring, a rite-of-passage religious ceremony where boys and men
have their heads' shaved, creates another look, though it is less about outward appearance and
more of a show of devotion and faith. Girls and women also undergo tonsuring for religious
reasons, though tonsuring a woman against her consent is a form of punishment or public
humiliation.