Gautam Mehta asked:

I am writing this after going through all the facts about what has recently happened around us and particularly the role of media in it. I will start with the flood of allegations against Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu. If we look at the whole episode with a little common sense than the whole matter will be crystal clear in from of us. I am feeling sorry for our so called intelligent media as how can they miss on these flaws. Or on the other hand, are they intentionally not showing the other side of the coin? If yes, then who is the one holding there hands for not showing the truth?

Let us start incident by incident with the first one that was happened in Ahmedabad. Two innocent gurukul children were found dead near Sabarmati River on 16/07/2008. Now as this issue is under investigation, therefore, I will not say much about it. Though there are some common things which even a blind man can see. However, our innocent public, who can believe whatever is shown to them buy our media, could not see/understand the conspiracy done behind it.

Ahemdabad Incident

Everyone knows that 18/07/2008 was an auspicious Guru Poonam day and on this day millions of Bapu followers come to Ahmedabad Ashram every year to take the blessings from their Guru. The program for this year was the same. Now if you just go a little deep into the incident that was occurred then you will find that something is fishy in it.

Point No. 1. – The kids were found missing on 03/07/2008 and a search was made for them but no one could find them. As per some other gurukul kids they were promised by someone that in the evening they will come and take them to show “Rath Yatra” in a car.

Now the question arises is that who were they who promised them for a free ride? Why only to gurukul kids and that too in a hidden way? This shows that a plot was made and somebody came there to execute it on that day. Hence, there is a possibility that someone came on that day and took the kids away from a particular location.

Point No. 2 – Now kids were found missing on 03/07/2008, however, no clue was found and suddenly on 16/07/2008 somebody found them dead near Sabarmati River. Then on 17/07/2008 there was no reaction from people and on 18/07/2008, right on Guru Poonam when millions of followers were scheduled to come to ashram, Ahmedabad band was announced when Vaghela family (Parents of deceased children) was not even in favor of it.

This shows another chapter of the same story that was started on 03/07/2008. As per the plan, bodies of the departed souls were kept near Sabarmati River and an announcement was made. A plan was already ready, therefore, on 18/07/2008 they showed their anger and Ahmedabad band was called. The question arises is that why was nothing happened in between from 03/07/2008 till 16/07/2008? Was somebody waiting for some particular day? There is again a chance of high possibility that this was done to disrupt the Guru Poonam celebrations at Ashram.

Point No. 3 – On 18/07/2008, different groups of anti social elements were scattered all over Ahmedabad and destroyed public property and harassed people that were going towards Ashram. They were beaten up and were stopped on the way towards ashram. People who were waiting in the queue for Bapu’s darshan were also harassed and many incidents of chain snatching were happened over there. Few people who were part of this mob entered into the Ashram (wearing white kurta-pajamas, claiming to be Bapu’s follower) and destroyed the vehicles which were in the parking of Ashram. Now why would sadhaks (Bapu followers) who were present inside the Ashram destroy their own vehicles? Why would sadhaks attack on other sadhaks who are coming to ashram?

When some of these anti social elements were held by Ashram people then they admitted that they have been hired by giving Rs.200 to do these activities in the bandh. As per some other sources, none of these were from Ahmedabad. Everyone in Ahmedabad very well knows Bapu and could not do this heinous act against him. As per an unofficial statement, 2 trucks full of these people were brought from Vadodara to disrupt activities in Ahmedabad Ashram. Hence, there is a possibility that other such people were also hired and brought down to Ahmedabad in trucks from different regions just to do this act.

From all the above points what I can infer is that a well planned high level conspiracy was done against Bapu and media just showed one aspect of it and that too in a way that the image of Saint gets diminished, who is a source of inspiration for millions of people around the world. This also raises questions against the media. Are they also been funded by some agencies to show only one part of the story and that too in a negative way?

Chindwara Incident

After Ahmedabad, the next target was Chindwara. Here, on 29/07/2008 and 31/07/2008 again two innocent gurukul children were killed and found dead in the bathroom of gurukul. Thankfully, local police solved this case and found another gurukul student “Rituraj” accountable for this crime with proper evidence. Media just showed this much and raised questions against Chindwara Ashram authorities and accused them of not taking care of children. This was done when parents of both the deceased children gave a clean chit to the Ashram and even they stated that some conspiracy has been done against ashram.

Now come to the other part of the story. These respectful investigative media persons did not even try to do a background check of Rituraj. Nobody tried to enquire whether or not there is a criminal case pending against his father? Whether or not there is a criminal history of his uncle? What is their financial background? How come within a month this family managed to get a brand new Qualis when the financial condition of the family is not too good? How come their lifestyle improved? Where did they suddenly get so much money from? Why after the death of Ramkrishan on 29/07/2008 this guy told Ramkrishan’s uncle to also take his child out of the gurukul otherwise the same thing can happen to his child? Just to add up, this guy was admitted to gurukul, just few days back on 10/07/2008. As a result, just like Ahmedabad Chindwara bandh was also called and mob attacked ashram people and destroyed ashram property.

Again the question arises, was this also a well planned incident? Who are financially assisting these people to do these acts? Our media, again showed only one side of the coin and did not even try to find out the truth behind it. Are they also likely to be involved? Is there a big nexus that is working against Bapu and Hindu Saints?

Physical assault

In a row of incidents that were happening, all of a sudden from nowhere a lady came into picture and started accusing Bapu for physical assault. The interview of this lady was shown live on one of the News channel. Now would you call it an irresponsible behavior of media or an intentional attempt of them to show this without even researching about the facts? The lady claimed that the incident was happened with her at Rewari in 2001. Just to let you know that Bapu is a famous personality and wherever he does satsang the whole world knows about it. It gets published on Ashram’s monthly magazine “Rishi Prasad” and along with that the dates of satsang are shown on several satellite TV channels. Hence, every day of Bapu or every famous person for that matter, gets registered. If they would have researched the truth about the dates she has claimed then they could have easily found out that Bapu was not in Rewari in the year 2001. Secondly, why after so many years this lady suddenly came into picture and started accusing Bapu? If this thing was happened to her then where was she during these many years? Why didn’t she report this to police?

Now the question that arises over here is, was this thing made up? Was the lady hired by someone? Was the news channel intentionally showed the live interview without any research? Was it planned to highlight this kind of thing after the Ahmedabad and Chindwara incidents to diminish the image of Saint?

Other Issues

There are many other incidents that happened side by side like blaming Bapu’s son Narayan Sai, Ashram’s land issue, raid at godhra pharmacy, questions against neem tel when it has already got approval from the government stating that no poisonous substance has been detected in it.

Indian Saints or Indian Culture?

Now, the big question is why all these things are happening against Bapu? Here, I would like to mention that this has happened almost with every popular Saint in India. Remember the allegations against Sathya Sai Baba, then against Shankracharya Jayant Saraswati, and most recently Swami Ramdev? Hence, it is not a particular Saint that is on the target but it is our rich Indian Culture which on its own is growing rapidly and the whole world very well the potential of it. However, some people do not like if we are growing with that pace. They know that Dharma is the only thing that is uniting all Indians and the major reason behind our growth.

The answer of this is again an assumption, however, has a very high possibility of being true. Also, it is a very broad picture that comes into our mind and need a genuine consideration with a clear and focused mind. Everyone knows that Bapu is a well known saint in India and has millions of followers all over the world. One fact is that as they are followers of Bapu, therefore, they are united, practice religion and make sure that Indian culture never die. You would agree that every saint who has some followers are definitely united and practice religion. Many of these people are also responsible for the growth of India and because of them India is set to become a super power. Even Bapu’s dream is also to see India at a position of “Vishwa Guru” by 2011. The possibilities of involvement of these people in any criminal activities or bad deeds are close to zero. The reason behind is there inclination towards spirituality. Clearly, these things are not at all liked by the anti social elements.

We know that world is facing grave danger today. With sharp fall in social, cultural and human values, mutual distrust and jealousy are increasing in the society, taking human beings far away from good values. Instead of providing security, cases of women being ***** and murdered in the order of the day are becoming very common. In such a depressive scenario, spiritualism is the only way left to get rid of this situation. The teachings of saints and seers who have studied the human nature and intricacies of the life are useful and relevant. Our scriptures explain in detail such ideals, which are based on our culture, religion and philosophy. Hence, our Saints show people the right way of life and increase the capabilities of individuals. This is strengthening our culture, however, anti social elements want to destroy the roots of Indian culture completely.

Therefore, if one diminishes an image of a Saint then definitely it will have an impact on his followers and there belief in that Saint gets shattered. In turn, they will get divided and may follow a wrong direction. These people get vulnerable and can get easily molded. Hence, the anti social elements will become successful in destroying our culture. Because Bapu has millions of followers, therefore, if they succeed in their attempt then they can divide millions of people. Hence, by attacking popular saints one can easily divide the unity between there followers and in turn can break India and Indian culture. They want to take Dharma out of this country and want to weaken this country. Wise, sensible and intellectual people know that this country cannot survive without Dharma. Dharma is the only thing that is uniting us and guiding us in many ways and showing us different ways to become successful. Now the people/group/agency that wants to break the integrity of India and wants India not to flourish and follow the western way, has a soft target in front of them to do so and that is to attack Indian Saints. They know that because of them most Indians are united and are following religion and doing good things in life and being a part of India’s success. But they can’t see India and Indian culture growing and want us to lack behind in everything. They want us to consume coke, pepsi and these kinds of things so that it weakens our health and in turn we can’t grow physically and mentally. That is the reason when Swami Ramdev openly condemned the use of soft drinks then he was attacked as per the plan. Major reason was because after the popularity of Swami Ramdev, the sales of these companies were dropped very heavily. Just for your knowledge, the quantities of contents that are included in these soft drinks in India are much different from what it is in US.

Hence, it is a very broad issue and it needs to be investigated religiously and one should go into the depth of it. The attack is not only against our Saints but also against our culture which is the strongest in the world.

Role of media

The role of media is also very suspicious in these matters, which again raises many doubts in our mind. If you recollect, when the allegations against Shankracharya were made then it was the breaking news for almost all the channels and they focused on this issue for about a week. They completely tried to diminish the image of Shankracharya claiming that he has an affair with a women and charges of sexual assault. At that time people said that he cannot even get a bail and will get life sentence. However, when court case was filed against him and he came out of the court with a clean chit then no one showed anything about it. No one then put this news as breaking news. The only question is. Why?

Same happened when nothing was found in Swami Ramdev’s medicines. The issue was hyped as if he has done some murder and again it was breaking news. However, later when nothing was found then news channels also showed nothing on it. In the same way, media never showcased the good things that are being done by Bapu’s various ashrams in all over India. Free clothes, food, money that get distributed by Ashram on regular basis to poor people living in tribes all over India has never telecasted by media. The 100% result of the gurukuls has never been reported by media. They just know how to diminish the image of our Saints and that too without any evidences and without knowing the facts.

Media or Trial courts

Media has nowadays become so irresponsible that they are showing whatever they want to. As per the law, media has to show the version of the person against whom they are showing/writing in their respective channels/newspapers. However, they hardly do this. They even take the version of that person just to comply with the law, however, will show that in such a way that it does not impact their made up story. It seems that media is now our country’s new judicial arm. Without knowing the facts they start their trial on the person and make him/her an accused of a crime. Hence, create a wrong picture of that person in our mind.

Even our supreme court Chief Justice Mr. K.G. Balakrishnan has himself mentioned in one of his programs that “media trial” of pending cases is a wrong practice. The tendency of newspapers and news channels to carry unverified reports posed a danger to a free and fair constitutional judicial process. The manner in which “the modern media and telecommunications” intruded into a person’s life and caused embarrassing and damaging publicity, if left unchecked, would become “alarming.” The media trial, conveying public opinion in favour of one side or the other, particularly in criminal matters, had become increasingly frequent in recent times. Even before the court trial began, the accused was being shown as guilty.

This questioned the very premise on which the judicial system was based — the right of every party involved in a court proceeding to have his case adjudicated in a free, fair and unbiased manner.

Justice Balakrishnan said the media were a sentinel of democratic freedom. It was the responsibility of every person associated with the media to act responsibly with a sense of duty towards society and the nation. In fact, journalists were “vigilant watchdogs of civil liberties.” The right of the media to report court proceedings emanated from the right of the citizen to know. The media also had the duty to report fairly, objectively and accurately. He said the media should be wary of allowing itself to become a vehicle for exerting “mass pressure” as opposed to a “mere expression of mass opinion.”

Food for thought

What I strongly believe is that nothing will come out in all the made up cases against Bapu in the end. Media is hyping this issue to increase their channels TRP and may be for some other reason and once the issue gets resolved they will hardly show anything. Their only motive is to show what they want to show and diminish the image of Saints. Are they doing it under somebody else’s guidance? Is there a nexus of these people? These questions are for us to think about and let us pray that an unbiased investigation gets done in this case and the real picture comes out in front of us. I hope that this whole episode will turn in a blessing for all of us and results in a more powerful and strong Indian culture. At the end, we should also not forget Newton’s law that to every action there is always opposed an equal reaction.

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Prof.M.S.Rao asked:

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to a man in his own language, that goes to his heart”, Nelson Mandela.

INTRODUCTION:

When Hollywood actor Richard Gere publicly kissed Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, people made a hue and cry over the scene and on the issue across India. Neither Richard Gere was wrong in kissing and nor Shilpa Shetty was wrong in getting kissed but the culture and country in which such a scene happened drew the public and media attention. Although their intentions were right but their actions were misunderstood and were criticized by public. It is a case of cultural differences between two people from two different cultural backgrounds.

WHAT IS CULTURE?

According to Geert Hofstede, “Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group from another”.

Every community has its own values, norms, mores, customs, cultures and cherishes the same. And any member of others’ culture interferes or intervenes and insults then there will be cultural conflict. The rapid growing technology and media has made the globe smaller and people are learning to respect various cultures across the world. Culture is a broad term to define and it can be defined precisely as the love for one’s own values, norms, mores, values, customs, language in which one is born. To be born in a particular culture is not a choice but destiny. However, if there is an aptitude and attitude to learn others’ culture it is always possible to have cultural fluency, cultural competence and cultural tolerance and adjustment.

CASE STUDY OF RAMU:

Ramu was born in a hamlet where there was not even a primary school. As a child he played in paddy fields; he swam in a nearby pond along with his friends in his childhood. When his father moved to small town, he found it very difficult to get along with town people. It is basically because of the cultural conflict. There was difference in the dialect, new environment and new people. He decided to go back to hamlet where he played in green fields, open environment with his friends. He found it very difficult to start his primary education in the town. He failed to get along with semi urban background. The parents understood the problem of Ramu and gave him emotional and moral support. They encouraged Ramu to go to school so that he could make new friends there. Ramu had problem for some time to get adjusted because of the cultural differences. But slowly and steadily he began liking the semi urban culture and got encultured. This is the process of cultural adjustment of Ramu merely shifting from hamlet to a nearby small town. This is one leg of his life.

He completed his graduation in the same town and subsequently joined in defence as an officer. During the day one itself Ramu began feeling suffocation because he came from a small town and he had to adjust with the trainees of other states, and other cultural backgrounds. The food he ate at home and the habits he developed at home, the language he spoke at home, the style and accent he developed at home needed a drastic change in defence. People came from different cultural backgrounds, different food habits, different clothing attires and different intelligence levels and were brought on one national track. Initially there were too many bottlenecks, cultural conflicts and after some period of time and training the people came to one national culture. For Ramu, joining in defence was a rebirth.

From the above case study it is very obvious about the cultural differences one encounters in one’s life and career.

PROXEMICS:

It is the study of physical distance which is supposed to be maintained among the individuals during conversation. It deals basically about distance which is supposed to be maintained amongst the known people and unknown people. Intimate zone can be maintained if there is close relation between the people. That means people come physically close and communicate. There is no fixed formula of maintaining the physical distance as it depends again on the cultural background of the people. It differs from country to country and from culture to culture.

OCULESICS:

It is all about the eye contact with individuals while communication. Excessive staring at others during conversation will create discomfort and inconvenience. Gazing at individuals will tantamount to bullying and browbeating others. At the same time if adequate eye contact is not maintained, the listeners will not take any interest towards your conversation. How much is the degree and how long is the duration of eye contact to be maintained is yet another crucial factor and varies from culture to culture.

IMPORTANCE OF MULTI CULTURAL SKILLS:

It is essential to manage and minimize the cultural differences at all the levels. It helps people understand better and enhance peace and tranquility in the society. At the corporate level also it promotes healthy relations among the work force. It enhances productivity and performance. TCS trains its executives in foreign languages. All the companies are realizing the significance and importance attached to multicultural skills. Some companies recruit the talent from different cultural backgrounds so as to maintain cultural competency.

A few business schools and engineering institutions are encouraging the students across the globe to join and study together. It helps as a training ground to get encultured and enlightened with other cultures. It helps in people getting out of the mindset of ‘frog in the well’ and broadens their mental faculties.

VISITING/BUSINESS CARDS:

When a visiting card is given the receiver has to take with a smile, observe and read and then should be kept inside the visiting card case holder. In India, when visiting card is given it is accepted with a right hand and then it is kept inside after reading the details. Whereas the same is called business card or name card in China and it has to be accepted with both hands closely observed, read and then kept inside.

CHINESE FOOD HABITS:

In China, live birds and animals are displayed in the cages with in the restaurants itself. The people can order the same and the dressed meat is kept in the pan containing boiled water on the dining table which is free from spice. Other meat is also clubbed in the bowel which is being heated. Other vegetables are also put inside the pan and whatever is required will be served in the plate. There is no chronological order while eating. They can take boiled rice with milk, or beer or liquor or with meat or with vegetables. There is no specific order as such. When we compare the food habits in India it is totally different. Even with in India, there are various food habits like South Indian and North Indian and the classification and categorization goes on further.

COMMITMENT:

It is the word widely used across the business world. Once the business deal or business proposal is confirmed and committed it is final. But it again changes from country to country based on their cultural backgrounds. In USA, once the proposal is ‘yes’ it is final and agreed upon. Where as in Japan, if it is ‘yes’ that means the party is agreeing to your proposal but not finalizing. That makes the cultural gaps in commitment.

BUSINESS COMMUNICATION:

For any business communication to be effective and efficient it should start with ice breaking sessions of general and non-business talk thus gradually gliding in to the core business talks. At this stage the negotiation skills are to be put to the test. All efforts should be made to make the negotiation process win-win. And after achieving the desired results and objectives then gradually the communication must revolve around the general discussions so as to indicate the finishing stages of the business communication. According to Japanese culture, the business communication should be thorough professional without any humor where as in Indian business communication, usage of humor is allowed.

EXAMAPLES HAVING CULTURAL GAPS:

An Indian working in an American software company in New Jersey bought a new car which was very costly and modern and told his American female colleague that he bought a new car and requested her to have glimpse and experience driving. The Indian was so excited to show his car to all colleagues in the work place and persisted in his attempts in front his female colleague to see the car and experience the driving. He wanted to share his excitement of buying a new costly car and frequently persisted her to see and try. The female colleague mistook the same and complained of sexual harassment. Although the intention of the Indian software professional was positive his actions were treated in a negative manner and it is a clear case of cultural miscommunication.

Apart from the above example there are a few examples which have been misunderstood due to different cultural background. Such as

• The gesture of the ‘Thumps up’ is regarded as an offensive in few countries and on the other hand it is treated as an excellent sign of good luck in the West.

• In India, the age of male should be usually higher than that of female for getting married and the age gap should be minimum. Where as in the West, it is not the condition or criteria. Age is not the criteria but understanding mutually and loving each other is the criteria. A man in the older age can marry a girl of younger age and vice versa is the practice prevailing in the west.

• When Pepsi came out with an English version of its advertisement captioned ‘Come alive with Pepsi’ in its true Taiwanese language it sent wrong signals to the consumers as it meant ‘Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave’.

• When Michael Jackson dances the world applauds with ecstasy and joy. But few of his dancing postures look to be **** and offensive to Indian cultural ethos and values. The body language plays a crucial role in communication and it again differs from culture to culture.

• In an Arab country a popular advertisement related to washing detergents has been mentioned with unclean clothes on the one side and clean clothes on the other side with a slogan in Arabic language that ‘if you use our detergents your clothes would turn out be like this’. The end result is that the sales dipped drastically and later on the advertisers realized that the Arab language is read from right to left unlike other languages that are read from left to right. It is a case of a problem related to linguistic reading.

• In India people are flexible in timing and are not punctual where as in the Western countries they stick to timings and are punctual. Where as in a few countries like China, Korea and a few other countries timings are not the criteria but are very much particular about patience.

TOOLS FOR MINIMIZING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES:

• Learn to respect others’ cultures. ‘Love your mother but do not **** others’ mother’. Every individual has right to love his mother but he has no right to **** others’ mother as for somebody she is the mother. Similarly you can love your community and culture and it is absurd to **** others’ community and culture. There is a strong need to empathize with others’ culture.

• An optimist looks at the things from positive perspective where as a pessimist looks from a negative perspective. Learn to look at the commonalities among various cultures rather than at the differences. It will help promote cultural synthesis and synergy.

• Develop tolerance towards others’ cultures. And if possible, try to read books that promote cultural literacy, cultural competency and cultural fluency.

• When you enter into a new cultural zone, closely and keenly observe the situation and people, analyze and then adopt. Speaking less and observing more is essential.

• Project yourself as a low key person in a new cultural ambience.

• Don’t criticize and don’t compare others’ culture with that of yours as every culture is unique.

• Develop patience towards others and do not rush in your actions and activities.

• Lot of research and home work needs to be done when entering into a new cultural environment as it will help glide and guide the process of negotiations smoothly.

CONCLUSION:

Cultural literacy, cultural competency and cultural fluency are essential for personal and professional growth. Learning others’ cultures and languages activates grey cells. It helps in knowing and understanding others better and results in cultural adjustment and cultural adaptability, cultural tolerance and prosperity. It is high we cultivated right attitude and aptitude towards all cultures across the world.

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Sonal Arya asked:

 

“India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, grandmother of legend, and great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.”

 

- Mark Twain (American Author 1835-1910)

 

In sociological terms, culture is defined as the social and political force that influences the growth of human being as a whole. When it comes to India, o culture is a cluster of mannerisms and the way different social groups communicate with each other. Over the years, India has changed a lot in terms of living standard and lifestyle, but even then the value and traditions are still intact and remain unchanged.

 

“Atithi devo bhaava” is a prime example of the richness of India’s culture. It means that Indian culture treat the guests as Gods and serves them as they are from the same family. The deep respect and devotion towards the elders and the patriarch of the family cannot be found any where else. In India, everything revolves around the family and it is of extreme importance that all the members of the family have the same respect and love towards each other. In fact, culture is more like a legacy which is passed over from generation to generation.

 

Another aspect of India’s culture can be seen when some one is facing deep trouble. Irrespective of the class, tribe or religion, everyone will step forward to provide help and support.

 

Culture in India is a dimension which has been composed by its long history and its unique way of accepting customs and traditions, right since the Indus valley civilization took birth. If one takes a proper look at the various aspects of Indian culture, then it can be found that it has been influenced a lot over the ages by the Vedas, the Muslim rule and to a certain extent the British colonization. This blending up of various cultures made it unique on its own. The diversity found in the living practices, languages, customs and traditions has vastly shape the growth of this great civilization.

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Kirthy Shetty asked:

Handicrafts reflect the tradition of a particular place. It carries tales dated back to 1000 years of the kings and queens, and tells stories about a particular culture and its heritage. Wooden handicrafts such as wooden figures, gold painted figure, wooden chess set, wooden animal figure and other Indian Wooden Handicraft Items are designed beautifully by the craftsman. The vast range of handicrafts showcasing the rare artistry skills and innovations comprises of handicraft jewelry, handicraft home furnishing items, handicraft decorative items, handicraft table accessories, handicraft antique armory, handicraft paintings, handicraft garden accessories, toys, etc.

When one has a close look at these wooden items, they truly reflect spirit of Indian Craftsmanship along with the right shades of traditional beauty and style. They are popularly used as gift articles due to their beautiful appearance. Indian handicrafts are well known for its ethnic and traditional designs. Handicraft is quite flourishing in the Indian industry due to its vast diversity and rich cultural heritage. Sculptural handicrafts are displayed in an exquisite range of sculptural moulded figures made from varied bases like metals, stones, wood, etc. Macrame handicraft items obtainable as ladies bags, napkin holders, telephone mats and related paraphernalia designed artistically are specimens of excellent craftmanship. The handcrafted costume jewelry embellished in gold, silver, platinum, white metal, crystal, glass, etc. and studded with precious and semi-precious stones is another feature that add to the rich repertoire of Indian handicraft and gift items. 

A wide array of handicraft items ranges from stone, metal, wooden, glass, papier mache, bamboo, clay, cane, ceramics, textiles, terracotta etc brings home its uniqueness. A major portion of it gets exported to other countries, the most popular items among those Indian handicrafts are candle stand, pen holder, vases, brass ware, Christmas ornaments, ceramic pots, papier mache and other paper products. Different part of India is popular for its unique collection of handicrafts right from the north eastern Manipur, Tripura, Northern States of Rajasthan, Gujrath, Kashmir or the southern part, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala etc.

Each of these States has a wide collection of handicrafts to offer, with its own individuality. Such handicraft design, carvings and finishes represent excellent craftsmanship and experience of creative craftsman. Metal handicrafts make use of metals such as gold, silver, white metal, iron, semi precious stones and sand stones which have embossments and etchings in beautiful designs. All those handicraft lovers, do not miss the handicraft trades and exhibitions which offer you a plethora of handicraft items. Take a peek into the handicraft world!

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Anu Verma asked:

Culture may be defined as the forces whether they are social or political which influence the growth of us. To be brief it is known as the state of manners. In this regard Indian culture is rich in its own way.

From the medieval periods there are diverse cultural diversities in the form of languages, religions, festivals and many more. Every state of India has its own language and own distinct culture. In spite of too many differences in their languages and cultural diversities, Indians are closely attached to each other. Traditional Indian culture is very strict. The Indian caste system properly describes the social stratification and social restrictions in Indian culture. Even we have entered into a modern world, move side by side with western countries but our culture has not lost its uniqueness. This uniqueness directly signifies to the manners or our culture which is given by our ancestors to us.

Elders and the respect for elders is the best feature of Indian culture. The respect for elders is not driven from anybody but it come from within itself. Elders pass on this culture to next generation as we enter into it. India has also the birth place of many religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and many more are there.

The various traditions which are formed by these amalgamations have influenced the other parts of the world too.

When there is turn to be a hosting an event or some guest is there Indian culture is at its peak. Indian culture treats their guests as God and takes care of them as they are part of their own family itself. Another thing that is beautifully learned from Indian Culture is respect each other. Right from our early days we are taught to help

another in need or distress.

There is too much diversity in India’s geography, culture, and food. Indian cuisine varies from one state to another reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically diverse place. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the Persians, Mughals and European powers.

If You Want to Read online click Indian culture

 

 

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Jack Scotte asked:

 

Welcome to India buzzing, a website that provides you all you need to know about India, as well latest news on what is happening in India’s economy, sports, finance, culture, Bollywood and food. You can only find this kind of information here on Indiabuzzing. Be prepared to be dazzled by the latest news, gossip as well as information on your favorite stars when it comes to the Bollywood category. When it comes to the Culture category, learn more on how India has changed throughout the decades of its existence. Food category offers you information on Indian Cuisines as well as delicacy’s that you will not want to miss. The Sports category is all about our favorite games that are in India like cricket, football, badminton, hockey, golf and many more. Learn about our sports stars and how they cope being big stars in a land that has more than one billion people watching their every move. So welcome to Indiabuzzing and join us in experiencing India in its fullest.

 

India’s culture is ever changing, as many are used to the traditional lifestyle that apparently Indians are meant they are yet to experience the new and urban lifestyle change that India is getting into. With the birth of the television and many shows and channels like MTV and Channel V coming to India there was bound to be a change in the way that life in India would change especially in the big metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, and even Chandigarh. Fashion has become a big statement in India with the Sari going international and many designs getting recognized from India, there was no doubt that Indians would change with the tide as well. Gone are the days when only Sari’s or Punjabi Suits where the main attire in India now even labels like Tommy Hilfiger have come to India and have opened up stores all over India. But that is not the only change that India is experiencing, due to the fact that Indian’s are whizzes on the computer when it comes to engineering or programming you will find big companies like Microsoft have checked into India where infact where ever you are in the World and are looking to get advice on how to use your Microsoft product then you should know that they will probably connect you with their Indian counterpart for customer care. Everything is changing nowadays that you will find many clubs where you can hang out and have a good time.

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Tiya asked:

Dress & Attire

As in any society, how you dress affects your experiences. Your fashion choices make a statement about your intentions and these statements are subject to cultural in-terpretation. Though a small segment of urban India has been exposed to and often accepted new fashion directions, most Indians hold a more conservative view.

Dress for the culture

Many travelers dress for their fellow travellers. The logic seems to be if it is funky in New York, why not Chennai. The problem is that in Chennai, the majority of people you encounter will not have the New York perspective. Your funky outfit may come across as bizarre, comical, or overly suggestive. This is going to affect how people interact with you.

 Your best guideline is to look around you, see what the locals are wearing, decide in good conscience what you would be comfortable wearing, and go from there. And adjust your dress as the situation changes. An outfit that will attract little attention on the beach at Kovalam or Goa may draw negative reactions in Hyderabad. And an urbane center like Ben- galooru will accommodate more causal dress that the temple town of Madurai.

What men should consider

As a general rule, urban Indian men wear western dress – some variation of long pants and a shirt. Western men wearing traditional Indian dress are quickly slotted into the “hippie” category. Look for comfortable cotton shirts, and loose, cotton or cotton blend trousers.

What women should consider

Dressing to fit is more important for women who want to avoid unnecessary hassles. The standard advice is to cover your shoulders and your back, and avoid showing cleavage. Definitely avoid the solid colored drawstring skirts  sold everywhere.

Clean & Neat

Taking the trouble to dress appropriately will be wasted if you’re putting on wrinkled or grimy clothes. Indians are quite fastidious about their apparel. All but the very poorest wear freshly washed and ironed clothes.

Did you find this article useful?  For more useful tips and   hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to traveling, do please browse for more information at our websites.

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Manoj Gupta asked:

Culture of India:

Indian Marriages-Indian marriage is unmoving taken as an organization where not two people but two families get united. So, it always calls for active celebrations full of music and dance. With in India, every social group and the people has its own way of performing the rituals of matrimony. In Hindu marriages, while Punjabis perform the ‘Roka’ ceremony in weddings, Sindhis perform the ‘Berana’. But most common of all is the ritual of Hast Milap ceremony popularly called Paanigrahan Sanskar.Indian Dresses-Beauty of Indian women lies in the clothes she wears. Very traditional and cultural yet modern Indian Saris are famous in world. It is worn with a blouse that covers the upper part of the body. In rural parts a version of sari, called ghagara -choli is very popular. Choli is like a blouse that covers the upper part of the body and ghagara is like a long Skirt.

About India:

India is one of the countries in the world, today, in which the religious structures, which define the nation’s identity, are intact for over 4000 years. There is possibly no other country where religion is so inextricably intertwined with every aspect of life. India was the birth place of the two of the world’s great religion Hinduism and Buddhism and one of its smallest (Jainism). India’s first major societies flourish for 1000 years from around 2500 BC along the Indus River valley. The genesis of Hinduism can be traced all the way back to this early culture.

Travel Destination of India

The country’s incredible topographical variations is its cultural range, the result of the coexistence of a number of religion as well as local traditions. The towering temples of South  easily identified by their ornate sculptured surfaces, are associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.

Ayurveda Tours  in India

Ayurveda aims at uprooting the main reason of the disease and its life time cure through a proper disciplined and diet lifestyle. Ayurveda, an ancient discipline of medical sciences, evolved in India during Vedic time. The busy and mechanical lifestyles of the people nowadays have increased the popularity of Ayurveda India Tours as one of the theme travel India Tours. This in turn has Shooted up the graph of tourists coming for the Ayurveda Tours in India.

Hotels in India

Some five Star hotels in mumbai- Hotel Marine Plaza, Hotel Sahara Star, Sea Side Hotel Pvt. Ltd , Oberoi Hotel, Hotel Taj Lands End. Some five star hotel booking in Delhi- The Grand New Delhi, Radisson Hotel, Hyatt Regency, The Maurya, The Park. Online Hotel Reservations in Jaipur-rambagh palace hotel, hotel clarks amer, hotel jaipur palace, jai mahal palace,bissau palace.

Madhya Pradesh India Tour

MP (Madhya Pradesh) located in the center of India, has lot of tourist destinations in MP. The formation of state was not based on any language; rather it is a geographically identifiable state. Madhya Pradesh is full of naturally beautiful sites including Bhimbetka Caves, Sanchi Stupa, Khajuraho , Forts of Gwalior, bhoapl, Indore and Mandu and also Datia. Madhya Pradesh  offers the visitors a number of tourist Places. Ujjain, Gwalior ,Indore, Jabalpur, Guna  and capital city of Bhopal are some major cities of the state.Some popular air port in Madhya Pradesh are Raja Bhoj International Airport Bhopal, Gwalior Airport, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar International Airport Indore, Civil Airport Khajuraho.

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