Culture of India

The Indian culture is comprises of Humanity, Tolerance and Secularism . The Indians are noted for their humanness and calm nature without any harshness in their principles and ideals. The mildness of the Indians has continued till date, despite the aggressiveness of the Muslim conquerors and the reforming zeal of the British, the Portuguese and the Dutch. Gandhiji’s satyagraha principle or Ahimsa - freedom without taking a drop of blood, worked wonders and gave a remarkable name to India in the international arena.

 India is a secular country. There is freedom of worship throughout the length and breadth of India without any breeches or violations of any other’s religious beliefs. The Hindus, The Muslims, The Christians, and The Sikhs in times of calamity and during festivities come openly together to share their thoughts despite their religious affinities. Indian mass is a combination of men and women of various castes and creed. It is a fusion of old traditional values and the modern principles, thus satisfying all the three generations in the present time of India. The Elite businessman and the common vendor on the road share the same news and worship the same Gods.

India’s one billion people have descended from a variety of races. The oldest ones are the Negroid aboriginals called the Adivasis or First settlers. Then there are the Dravidians, The Aryans, the Mongols, The Semites and innumerable inter-mixtures of one with the other. The great Epic, The Mahabharata and the sacred text, the Bhagavad-Gita teaches the Indians that survival can only be in terms of quality of life. It provides a framework of values to make the Indian culture well- groomed.. For the past 1000 years various foreign invasions like that of the Huns, the Kushanas, The Arabs, The Muslims, The Dutch, The French and the British took place. So the Indians were exposed to cultures that were totally alien to them. Several attempts were made by the Indian rulers like the Pallavas, the Chalukyas, the Palas, the Rashtrakutas, the Cholas, and the Vijayanagar Emperors to give the Indians an administration, which was harmonial with the cultural heritage of the country.

Later, religions became an important part in the culture and places of worship became community centers. The innovations in religious thinking brought two popular beliefs in India, namely Buddhism by the Buddha and Jainism by the Saint Mahavir. Later in the century Westernization of Indian culture began , but it was slowed down by the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayananda Saraswathi, Swami Vivekananda, Maharisi, Aurobindo, etc. Then there took place a Renaissance, that emphasized the need to recognize the country’s own culture while ushering in an age of modernity.

 If India’s culture tended to become tolerant, accommodating, open-minded, deeply but not ostensibly spiritual and concerned with the common human welfare, then it is due to the great and relentless efforts of our great ancestors and leaders. Thanks to them our country has achieved a common culture, despite a staggering pluralistic society.due

Types of Indian music
India is a country known for its unity in diversity. India is made up of innumerable and varied cultures that inhabit various regions of the country. Though this country is made up of over twenty States, each one having its own mother tongue, culture, traditions and art forms, these states have varied regional cultures. Every region has its own unique art forms, Hindi Shayri, poetry, prose, handicrafts, paintings, etc.

 While there are varied musical forms, Indian classical music has been broadly divided into the north Indian tradition also known as Hindustani music and the Carnatic music belonging to south India. What differentiates the two is their arrangement and performance.

Apart from the abovementioned broad based categories, there are varied types of Indian music. The fact is that many associate all Indian music compositions of the eras gone by to be classical, however there are other entertaining and purposeful ones that have come down the ages. These include:

• Folk
• Tribal
• Bhajans or devotional
• Ghazals and Qawwalis
• Bhangra
• Indi-pop
• Film songs
• Remix songs
• Fusion

Other Indian Vocal Forms are:

• Dadra
• Dhammar
• Dhrupad
• Geet
• Kheyal
• Kirtan / Dhun
• Lakshan Geet
• Shabad
• Tappa
• Tarana

Thumri With passing time the role of music has been changing. With Vedic beginnings and spiritual compositions, Indian music has seen numerous genres step in. Apart from the original classical forms, every foreign invasion brought with its musical influences, thus giving musicians more scope for creative and tuneful compositions. Today, the country has innumerable types of music that is enjoyed by people in every nook and corner. It could be in the form of live performances or what is heard and seen through the electrical medium.



India has a very rich tradition of folk music. The extreme cultural diversity creates endless varieties of folk styles. Each region has its own particular style.

There is a tendency to lump folk music along with tribal music. There is actually a difference. Where folk music is a mere rustic reflection of the larger Indian society, tribal music often represents cultures that are very different. Some of these tribal cultures are throwbacks to cultural conditions as they were thousands of years ago.

Tribal and folk music is not taught in the same way that Indian classical music is taught. There is no formal period of apprenticeship where the student is able to devote their entire life to learning the music, the economics of rural life does not permit this sort of thing. The musical practitioners must still attend to their normal duties of hunting, agriculture or whatever their chosen profession is.

 Music in the villages is learned almost by osmosis. From childhood the music is heard and imbibed along with ones mother's milk. There are numerous public activities that allow the villagers to practice and hone their skills. These are the normal functions which syncronize village life with the universe.

 The music is an indispensable component of functions such as weddings, engagements, and births. There is a plethora of songs for such occasions. There are also many songs associated with planting and harvesting. In these activities the villagers routinely sing of their hopes, fears and aspirations.

Folk music is also used for educational purposes. For instance sex education has traditionally been taught in Andhra Pradesh by song. There is a function when a girl has her first menses. In this function the elderly women in the community gather at the house (men are definitely excluded), the girl is given her first woni and langa (half sari which is worn by unmarried girls), rich food and other gifts. During this function the women sing songs that are extremely bawdy. To an outsider this would seem uncharacteristic of obviously respectable community members. However the function of such songs is to provide the girl's first instructions on her emerging womanhood and what her future marital duties will be.

 Musical instruments are often different from those found in classical music. Although instruments like the tabla may sometimes be found it is more likely that cruder drums such as daf, dholak, or nal will be used. The sitar and sarod which are so common in the classical genre are absent in the folk music. One often finds instruments such as the ektar, dotar, saringda, rabab, and santur. Quite often they will not even be called these names, but may be named according to their local dialect. There are also instruments which are used only in particular folk styles in particular regions. These instruments are to many to be counted.

The instruments that folk musicians use are generally not as refined as the classical musicians use. The instruments of classical music are crafted by artisans whose only job is the fabrication of musical instruments. In contrast the folk instruments are commonly crafted by the musicians themselves.

 It is very common to find folk instruments that have been fabricated of commonly available materials. Skin, peritoneum, bamboo, coconut shells, and pots are but a few commonly available materials used to make musical instruments




There is really no such genre as folk dancing. Rather, there is a large body of unrelated non-classical dance forms. The only thing common among these dance forms is their rural origins.

Many folk dances are performed by ordinary people rather than professional dancers. It is very usual that on special occasions, the villagers will gather and sing and dance, accompanying themselves on a variety of folk instruments. Such special occasions include harvesting, planting, marriages and religious holidays.

Sometimes the folk dances are performed by professionals. There is the institution of the folk theatre. Professional musicians, actors and dancers travel from village to village performing their dance dramas. This seems to be a rural extension of the ancient theatrical tradition found in the Natya Shastra. However, it appears to have degenerated into a rural tradition. One example of the folk theatre is the Yaksha Gana of Karnatika.

 It would be more correct to divide these folk dances into two categories: folk and tribal. The difference between the two is cultural. Folk dances are the rural extensions of the larger Indian population. Examples are the Bhangra and the Garba. However, the tribal dances are performed by India's aboriginal populations. These people, known as adivasi, have a culture which is very distinct from the larger Indian population. Attempting to relate Indian tribal dances with Indian folk dances is very much like trying to relate the dances of the Cherokee Indians to the "Cotton Eyed Joe". A common example of a tribal dance is the Santhali

It may be academically desirable to separate tribal from simple folk dances, however this is generally not done. Artists do not concern themselves with these academic matters. Therefore the following list does not make any distinctions.

The following is a very short and incomplete list of folk and tribal dances.

Bathakamma
A folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.
Bihu
Bihu is a folk dance from Assam. It is a very brisk and aggressive dance performed by both boys and girls.
Bagurumba
This is a folk dance from Assam. It is performed by the Bodos and is known for its colourful attire.
Bhangra
This is a folk dance from the Northwest Indian state of Punjab. It is a lively, powerful dance. (see Bhangra: Music and Dance from the Punjab
Chah Baganar Jumur Nach
This is a Dance from Assam. It is a dance of the tea gardens.
 Changu
The changu dance is a folk dance found in Odissa and Andhra Pradesh. It derives its name from the changu, which is a simple tambourine (daf) that is used to accompany this dance.
Daankara
 The daankara is a stick dance, similar in some ways to the dandiaya raas of gujarat. However, the daankar is performed in Punjab.
Dandaria
A folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.
Dasakathia
 This is a folk theatre of Odissa. It is performed by a pair of performers who entertain the audience with dance, songs, and stories.
Dhamal
1) A folk dance of Punjab.
2) A folk dance of Andhra Pradesh
Gair
This is a dance of Rajasthan. It is performed by groups of dancers moving in and out with an almost military precision.
 Garba
This is a folk dance from Gujarat. It is traditionally danced at marriages and during the time of Navaratri.
Gatka
 A folk dance utilising swords, daggers, or sticks performed in the Punjab
Geendad
This is a folk dance of Rajasthan. It is very similar to the Gair.
Ghoomar
 This is a folk dance of Rajasthan. It derives its name from its characteristic pirouettes.
Ghanta Patua
 This is a folk dance of Odissa. Its name is derived from the large brass gongs known as ghanta. It is performed in the Hindu month of Chaitra. This dance is most notable because it is performed on stilts.
Giddha
 This is a folk dance of Punjab, generally performed by women.
Gobbi
A folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.
Jhoomar
 This is a dance of the Mundas and Mahantas of Odissa.
Jhumar
 A slow version of bhangra performed at weddings and other festive events.
Julli
A Folk dance performed in the Punjab that is done sitting down.
Kacchhi Ghodhi
This is a folk dance of Rajasthan that is performed with a dummy horse.
Kavadi
This is a folk dance of Tamil Nadu. It is played with a wooden pole upon which are tied two pots. The stick is then balanced upon the shoulder. Karagam
This is a folk dance of Tamil Nadu. It is played with a pot balanced on the head.
Kela Keluni
This is a dance performed by the Kelas of Odissa.
Kikli
A women's folk dance of the Punjab
Kushan
This is a folk theatre of Bangladesh and West Bengal (see "Kushan Theatre Revival In Bangladesh") Laathi Nauch This is a folk dance of NE India and Bangladesh. This was originally based upon a system of martial arts that uses large sticks (laathi). However in some case it has evolved into a game (Lathi Khelna) or a dance (Laathi Nauch).
Luddi
A very characteristic form of Bhangra.
Mathuri
A folk dance of Andhra Pradesh.
Raas
This is a folk dance from Gujarat. It is traditionally danced at marriages and during the time of Navaratri.
Saami
A Wemen's folk dance of the Punjab
Sakhi Nata
This is the puppet dance of Odissa.
Terahtali
This is a folk dance of Rajasthan. It is performed by women while they are seated.
Therukoothu
 This is a folk theatre from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Yaksha Gana
This is a folk theatre from the south Indian state of Karnatika.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS USED WITH FOLK DANCES

• Andelu
• Banam
• Bansuri
• Bombashi
• Charchari
• Chenda
• Chikara
• Chimpta
• Daf (Duf, Daphu, Daffali)
• Damaru
• Dramyen
• Dhad
• Dhak (Daklu)
• Dhol
• Dholak
• Dholki (Nal)
• Diggi
• Dotar #1
• Dotar #2
• (Dotora)
• Ektar
• Getchu Vadyam (Gettuvadyam)
• Ghatam
• Ghungharu
• Goga Dhol
• Gol Kathi (Dancing Stick)
• Gopichand (ektar)
• Gummeta (Dakki, Budike)
• Harmonium
• Idakka and Udaku (Udakai)
• Jaspuria
• Jhorka & Korka
• Kamancha
• Kanjira
• Kartal
• Kasht Tarang
• Katho (Khomok)
• Kenda
• Khol (Mridang)
• Madar
• Maddal
• Manjira
• Mukhavina
• Murchang
• Nagada
• Nissan, Mawaloti, or Lohati
• Nout
• Ottu
• Pena(a.k.a. Bana)
• Phara
• Pung
• Pungi
• Rabab (Kabuli Rabab)
• Ravanhasta
• Sambal
• Santur
• Sarangi
• Saringda
• Shankh
• Shehnai
• Shuddha Madalam
• Tamak
• Tasha
• Thanthi Panai
• Timki
• Tumbak
• Tuntuna (Chohokhode)
• Urumili