Traditions and Cultures in India Research Paper

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India

Indian traditions and culture are widely known worldwide for their uniqueness and diversity. However, we rarely stop to think about why Indians do certain interesting things in certain ways. The majority of these customs can be traced back to ancient Indian texts and scriptures that governed the Indian lifestyle for several centuries (Holidify).

Interesting Areas

In my opinion, the four most intriguing Indian customs, beliefs, and values are:

1. The 'Namaste'

The Namaste/Namaskar represents one among the most widely- recognized Indian customs, currently not limited only to India. Translating to 'I bow to you,' it is one among five traditional greetings described in the Vedas, the ancient scriptural text of Hinduism. The folding of the palms before one's chest that accompanies the words implies 'May our minds meet.' Further, the term 'Namaha' may adopt the following meaning: 'na ma,' implying not mine, for signifying a lowering of one's ego when meeting and greeting another person.

2. Joint Families

The joint family system is very popular in India, with the whole family (older parents, wife, kids, and even some relatives, in certain instances) all living in the same house. This familial system is preferred owing to its efficacy in dealing with stress and pressure in everyday life. It reflects the cohesiveness of Indian Society.

3. Fasting

Fasting/Vrat/Upvas is a key Hindu Cultural element – a means of expressing one's dedication, sincerity, and gratitude to the many Gods and Goddesses. Indians nationwide fast on multiple religious occasions. Meanwhile, some even fast some days in a week (different for different people based on the God/Goddess linked to a particular day). The popular belief is, depriving oneself of food and punishing the body expiates one's sins committed up until the time of fasting.  Fasting- related regulations and rules vary depending on the specific occasion. The ritual of fasting, perhaps, has its origins in a Vedic ritual involving making a sacrifice through lighting a sacrificial fire. As the term 'upvas' is employed to indicate lighting of a sacrificial fire as well as fasting, there is reason to believe that individuals fasted at the time of lighting or relighting fires in their kitchens and for other household purposes for performing everyday sacrifices (Holidify).

4. The Science behind Temples

The majority of temples are situated along the earth's magnetic wave lines, maximizing positive energy. Moolasthan/Garbhagriha (copper plates below temples' main idols) absorb and reflect the energy to their surroundings.

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Frequent temple visits are, thus, thought to facilitate positive energy acquisition and positivity of mind, resulting in healthier functioning. Moreover, it is a practice to go barefoot into a temple or other place of worship in the country as footwear would take dirt into an otherwise sacred and purified setting (Holidify).

Importance of Education

Within the Indian context, education implies a process of human resource training/teaching and learning within schools and higher educational institutions to enhance knowledge and skills, thereby improving the…

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…injury or sickness. If the individual has chances of a full recovery from the disability, efforts are put into providing him/her with the requisite services. For example, the breadwinner of an especially affluent household lost both his legs in a train accident. The family ensured he received the right treatment (prosthetic limbs), besides adapting his car to ensure he could regain full functioning. In this very household, a severely disabled boy was born. While the family certainly cared for the child throughout his life, seeing to every basic requirement of his, they didn't seek to increase his independence by consulting a rehab specialist (Pinto & Sahur).

Causation of Disability

According to Hindu religious belief, disability is a sort of punishment inflicted by God on people for evil deeds committed by them in the past. Hence, disabilities are concealed from Society as much as possible. Further, environmental obstacles in urban Indian cities are so great (scant sidewalks, ramps, pedestrian traffic lights, or curb cuts) that the majority of disabled individuals simply cannot navigate in public (Paterson, Boyce & Jamieson).

While families do, naturally, undergo a process of grief and shock in the event of the birth of a disabled child, Indian culture simply accepts this as one's destiny or fate. At the root of this acceptance is a belief in payment for prior sins or karma. As most Indians are unable to access rehabilitation services easily, not much aid is sought in the case of children suffering from lifelong….....

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