Art And Culture Of India

India is a highly populated country and has a wide variety of religions that have their own traditions and cultures they follow. This diversity has given birth to various types of art in India. This diversity in art and culture has given India a new identity with which people from other countries see India, but they fail to understand that this diversity has only brought us together. It is important to understand the essence it holds over the long-existing traditions, beliefs, and culture built over mythological literature, which has given birth to various festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Dussehra.

What is Art and Culture?

Art and Culture refer to a belief or practice followed by a group of people for such a long period that it has gained dominance and represents itself as a culture or art for the whole community associated with it. For example, painting, literature, dance, etc.

The famous culture of India is talked about throughout the world because it represents all the communities as one India.

How Many Types of Art Are Present In India?

Mostly, every state in India is famous or known for a particular thing, whether it is a culture related to it or an art form; hence, it is a very long list.

 A few well-known types of art in India that come from different states are:

•  Madhubani art: It came into the limelight during the 1930s in the state of Bihar, which was earlier called Janak. It is also known as Mithila Art. Its speciality is that it is done by women who paint gods or flora and fauna in their paintings by using geometrical patterns and figures. This art is admired throughout the world.

• Warli Painting: It came into existence in 2500 BCE. It originated in the region of Thane and Nasik, where it was practised by a group of tribal people known as the Warli Tribe. From here, this art got its name “Warli Painting”. This art depicts daily activities like praying, dancing, and hunting using geometrical figures on a white, red, or yellow base or background. This art form was used to decorate the huts of the people of the Warli Tribe.

• Miniature Painting: It is a mixture of three kinds of art forms – Persian, Islamic, and Indian – and these types of art have been in India since the 16th century, wherein on a paper-based “Wasli” the painting is done. These paintings generally represented battle themes, wildlife, and legendary stories. Natural stone colours were used for making these paintings.              

• Kalamkari: It dates back more than 3000 years. It originated from the word “kalam”, meaning “pen”. A pen is an object which is used to draw. This art form was a type of hand and block printing that has survived even today. It involves the use of bright, earthy colours such as rust, indigo, and black and depicts legendary stories like Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The culture of India is very diverse; it has archaeology, dance, festivals, heritages, monuments, music, paintings, literature, theatres, and many more, and because of this, India rightly proves its ‘Unity in the Diversity’ policy of such vast cultures and traditions where people from every religion join together to celebrate festivals such as Holi, Diwali, and Christmas. 

Famous Dance Forms of India

1. Chhau, Eastern India
2. Sattriya Dance
3. Mohiniattam
4. Kathakali
5. Kuchipudi, Southern India
6. Odissi, Orissa
7. Kathak, Northern India
8. Manipuri Dance, Manipur
9. Bharatnatyam, Tamil Nadu

Famous Indian Food

India is famous for its spicy and taste-rich dishes; throughout the world, we are known for our flavour-rich cuisine and our unique dishes, some of which are:

1. Gol-Gappe, also known as Panipuri or Puchka
2. Chole Bhature
3. Dosa
4. Idli Sambhar
5. Dahi Jalebi
6. Mughlai food
7. Sarso ka Saag
8. Litti Chokha

Indian Literature

Indian literature is proof of the ancient civilization and its existence. The Indian literature has well-known mythological pieces such as Ramayana and, The Mahabharata, the Chanakya Niti; other than this, the ancient literature also includes the famous ancient Vedas. Indian literature is a very important part of Indian culture.

A few important ancient pieces of literature are:

Mahabharata

Atharva Veda

Rigveda

Upanishads

Ramayana

Puranas

Bhagavad Gita

Yajurveda

Arthashastra

Brahmana

Aranyakas

What Factors are Important to Indian Culture?

Value and perseverance are most Important to Indian culture and can be understood when we go deep into this topic. Indian Culture brings a sense of togetherness in us; we keep our religions and beliefs firm but still build a sense of respect and value for the other person’s beliefs, religion, and culture, and this is a quality that needs to be preserved to bring unity and harmony in the world.

Indian culture is one of a kind where you will find contrasting traditions that exist together at the same time through the famous culture of India. Indian culture not only values its history, but also maintains a sense of dignity and feels proud of it. We have so much historical evidence and monuments that are world-famous and one of a kind, like:

Taj Mahal

Red Fort

Qutub Minar

Jama Masjid

Char Minar

India Gate

Rashtrapati Bhawan

Safdarjung Tomb

Lotus Temple

The culture of India includes some world-famous monuments like the Taj Mahal, which is known for its structure and the use of stones, which give it a very royal Islamic monument; it is also a UNESCO world heritage site. India is famous for its spicy Indian cuisines, its wide variety of sweets, and diversity in dishes, along with festivals like Holi and Diwali that are celebrated at a grand level throughout India; these are the two festivals wherein people, despite their caste and religion come together to enjoy these festivals with each other. People from outside the world come here to experience the Holi festival and visit the very famous ghats of Banaras for the Ganga Aarti that happens in the evening.

The Indian art forms date back to the very beginning when cave paintings used to exist, which later gave birth to various art forms like Warli painting, Madhubani Painting, etc.

Conclusion 

The culture of India is adopted by people outside India as well; the spread of Hinduism across the sea, the spread of Indian cuisines, and the demand for Indian fashion are proof that the world is highly influenced by our beliefs, our culture, and our practices. Our spiritual beliefs have always been a centre of attraction for the world, and this is proved by the number of visitors India has every year, which is rapidly increasing.