| Introduction India is a diverse country, a | | | | ethnic groups, with their own social and |
| fact that is visibly prominent in its people, | | | | cultural identities. The religions that are |
| culture and climate. From the eternal snows | | | | prevalent in the country are Hinduism, |
| of the Himalayas to the cultivated peninsula | | | | Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and |
| of far South, from the deserts of the West to | | | | Jainism, with the freedom for citizens to |
| the humid deltas of the East, from the dry | | | | practice any religion they want to. The |
| heat and cold of the Central Plateau to the | | | | Constitution of India has recognized 22 |
| cool forest foothills, Indian lifestyles | | | | different languages, out of which, Hindi is |
| clearly glorify its geography. There was a | | | | the official language and is spoken in most |
| time when India was known as the land of | | | | of the urban cities of India. Other than |
| snake charmers. Then people started | | | | these 22 languages, there are hundreds of |
| identifying it as the land having the | | | | dialects that add to the multilingual nature |
| majestic Taj, the ferocious Tiger and the | | | | of the country. India is a land of festivals |
| great desert of Thar. But with each turn that | | | | and fairs. Virtually celebrating each day of |
| the wheel of time took, Indians have proved | | | | the year, there are more festivals celebrated |
| to be a lot more. From time immemorial, India | | | | in India than anywhere else in the world. |
| has been seen as a mystery land. A land full | | | | Each festival pertains to different |
| of paradoxes, it causes travelers to marvel | | | | occasions, some welcome the seasons of the |
| and also to despair during their journey | | | | year, the harvest, the rains, or the full |
| through India. Like an enigmatic lady, India | | | | moon. Others celebrate religious occasions, |
| has always attracted the attention of the | | | | the birthdays of divine beings and saints, or |
| world for various reasons. The famous | | | | the advent of the New Year. A number of these |
| traveler and writer, Mark Twain, wrote after | | | | festivals are common to most parts of India. |
| his sojourn through India in 1896: "So far as | | | | However, they may be called by different |
| I am able to judge nothing has been left | | | | names in various parts of the country or may |
| undone, either by man or nature, to make | | | | be celebrated in a different fashion. Some of |
| India the most extraordinary country that the | | | | the festivals celebrated all over India are |
| sun visits on his round. Nothing seems to | | | | mentioned below. · Janmashtami · Holi |
| have been forgotten, nothing overlooked. | | | | · Dassehera · Christmas · |
| Always, when you think you have come to the | | | | Rakshabandhan · Deepawali · Id-ul-Zuha |
| end of her tremendous specialties and have | | | | · Ramnavami · Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| finished hanging tags upon her as the Land of | | | | Science The global image of India is that of |
| Giant Illusions, the Land of Stupendous | | | | an upcoming and progressive nation. True, |
| Mountains and so forth, another specialty | | | | India has leaped many boundaries in all |
| crops up or another tag is required." It was | | | | sectors- commerce, technology and development |
| best, he decided, to discard the labels and | | | | etc., in the recent past, yet she has not |
| call it simply the Land of Wonders. | | | | neglected her creative genius. Wondering what |
| Heritage & Culture The Indian culture varies | | | | it is? Well, it the alternative science that |
| like its vast geography. People speak in | | | | has been continuously practiced in India |
| different languages, dress differently, | | | | since times immemorial. Ayurveda is a |
| follow different religions, eat different | | | | distinct form of medicine made purely of |
| food but are of the same temperament. So | | | | herbs and natural weeds, which can cure any |
| whether it is a joyous occasion or a moment | | | | ailment of the world. Ayurveda has also been |
| of grief, people participate whole-heartedly, | | | | mentioned in the Ancient Indian epics like |
| sharing the happiness or pain. A festival or | | | | the Ramayana. Even today, when the western |
| a celebration is never constrained to a | | | | concept of medicine has reached its zenith, |
| family or a home. The whole community or | | | | there are people looking for alternative |
| neighborhood is involved in bringing | | | | methods of treatment for its multifarious |
| liveliness to an occasion. Likewise, an | | | | qualities. With increasing complexities in |
| Indian wedding is a celebration of union, not | | | | one's life these days, people are perpetually |
| only of the bride and groom, but also of two | | | | looking for a medium through which they get |
| families, maybe cultures or religion too! | | | | some peace of mind. This is where another |
| Similarly, in times of sorrow, neighbors and | | | | science, that of meditation and spirituality |
| friends play an important part in easing out | | | | comes into the scene. Meditation and Yoga are |
| the grief. Over the ages, India has | | | | synonymous with India and Indian |
| experienced hundreds of years of foreign | | | | spirituality. Meditation is one of the most |
| invasions and influence, yet it still manages | | | | important components of Yoga, which is a |
| to absorb and change everything the world | | | | mind-body therapy involving a series of |
| cares to impose on it, remaining at its core | | | | exercises. The word 'meditation' covers many |
| untouched. If anything, it has developed into | | | | disparate practices from visualizing |
| a multi-linguistic, home for masses of many | | | | situations, focusing on objects or images, |
| religions. Although India has modernized to a | | | | thinking through a complex idea, or even |
| great extent, old traditions and ancient | | | | getting lost in a provocative book, all |
| cultural rhythms continue to have a strong | | | | qualifying as meditation in the broad sense. |
| hold over the functioning of the nation. | | | | However in Yoga, meditation generally refers |
| Since ancient times, the spiritual land of | | | | to the more formal practice of focusing the |
| India has displayed varied hues of culture, | | | | mind and observing oneself in the moment. |
| religion, race, language, and so on. This | | | | Many people from India and abroad are |
| variety in race, culture, religion, etc., | | | | resorting to yoga and meditation to de-stress |
| accounts for the existence of different | | | | and rejuvenate their mind. Another widely |
| ethnic groups who, although, live within the | | | | followed phenomena in India is the Doctrine |
| sanctums of one single nation, and profess | | | | of Karma, that preaches that every person |
| different social habits and characteristics. | | | | should behave justly as every act or deed |
| Regional territories in India play an | | | | comes back in a full circle in one of the |
| important role in differentiating these | | | | births of an individual. |