India. The country and its culture.

Art

India.

The official name is the Republic of India; a state in South Asia is the second most populous country in the world after China and the most multi-ethnic country (about 30 nations). The country occupies the 7th place in the world in terms of territory.

In India there are two official languages — Hindi and English, however, you will probably hear them in their pure form only in the capital of India — the New Delhi. This is because 447 different languages are spoken in India, and due to this linguistic diversity, tourists are advised not to visit the country alone, they have to take a guide. The currency in the country appeared in ancient times. However, the concept of a rupee, from the Sanskrit meaning “to rupakam” — “silver coin” appeared in India in the 16th century. Then the rupee was equal to 40 “pais” (pieces). The first paper rupee was made by the Bank of Hindustan only in 1770. After gaining independence in 1947, the Indian rupee replaced the currencies of the autonomous Territories. It is important for tourists not to forget that in India 10 million are called “crore”, 100 thousand — “lakh”.

The country’s motto was a mantra from the Mundaka Upanishad, the sacred text of India, which reads: “Only the truth wins.” The motto reflects the long path of India to its current independence, because India was not always an independent country.

The history of India dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. The” Golden Age ” of India is considered to be the rule of the Gupta dynasty. It was during this period that the canons of national architecture, art, and literature were developed. Since then, the country has come a long way from Islamic raids to the existence of an English colony. Only in 1947, India gained independence from Britain, but it was divided into two separate states: India and Pakistan. In India, to this day, there is a strict division of society into classes-castes. The entire population of India is divided into brahmanas — priests and scholars, kshatriya warriors, merchants and artisans — vaisyas and servants — sudras.

Places that you have to visit.

1. The Taj Mahal.

In 1983, the Taj Mahal was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site: “the pearl of Muslim art in India, one of the universally recognized masterpieces of heritage that is admired all over the world.”

2. Kerala.

It is an ancient port city called the “Venice of the East”. The incredible beauty of the city, is also known for the annual boat regatta. Nearby are also the Periyar National Nature Reserve, where a wide variety of animals live in natural conditions, and the village of Thekkadi, where you can visit the spice and coffee plantations.

3. Goa.

A well-known tropical resort, famous for the amazing beauty of its tropical beaches. This place is worth a visit to anyone who really wants to relax. Moreover, the beaches can be an ideal place to practice Yoga — the ancient Indian art of combining body and mind. Meditation will help you become healthy both mentally and physically. There are even special yoga tours, during which you will not only find peace, but also visit the capital of yoga — the city of Rishikesh.

4. Island “The Sentinel”.

There are also places in India that are not worth visiting. We are talking about the island “Sentinel”, which is home to traditional tribes living in the Stone Age. The Andaman Islands are home to several major ethnic groups, some more open to the world, others less so. Anyway, the Sentinels are the most closed. All attempts to interact with them ended tragically. The story of John Allen Chau, who tried to convert the inhabitants of the island to Christianity, is deadly known. John’s first visit ended unsuccessfully, the residents told him to leave, but then he decided to try again. For his persistence, the American paid with his life — the Sentinels brutally killed him and buried his body on the beach. That is why tourists are advised to stay away from the island of savages, so that the phrase “see and die” does not become prophetic.

India is an amazing country where everyone can find something they like. However, India can surprise not only with its beauty, cultural and historical diversity, but also with the peculiar habits and traditions of the local people.

Here are some fun facts about the country: 1. Indian cafes don‘t have a menu, and the Indians do not use cutlery, as they prefer eating with their hands. When they decide to eat at home, they prefer to eat on the floor, even if there is a table in the house.

2. At a wedding in India, the wife never calls her husband by name. Moreover, the locals believe that the husbands of good wives don‘t die, so it is not easy for Indian widows to live there. 3. There is still slavery in India. At the moment, there are about 14 million slaves in the country! 4. There is no handshake in the country. Although, this didn‘t help the country at all in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. However, when the pandemic is over, everyone should visit this wonderful country to know its culture and enjoy its sights.

Despite the fact that India is a country with an ancient history, a huge language and cultural diversity, the attitude towards women in it is still disgusting. The popular female ideal is the legend of Sati, in which a girl burns herself to become the wife of God, hence the tradition of self-immolation of widows, ani in spite of the fact that this custom is prohibited at the legislative level, in some regions this happens nowadays. In India, there is a Dauri system, which implies that women are a less valuable unit of society than men. This system entails female infanticide — this means that newborn girls prefer to kill immediately after birth, so as not to suffer with them in the future. Due to this attitude towards women, there are about 40 crimes against them per hour, so tourists should be very careful in this country