“Unity in diversity” – sounds familiar? I am sure it does. These are highly applicable when we happen to describe our country with all its diversity and richness. We stand distinctively tall in the global fraternity because of our culture-rich background, euphoria in celebrations and the warmth in relations. Fell proud of your country yet?
If not, here are twenty reasons that make India one of the most diverse countries in the world, a fact every Indian should be proud of.
- So many States.
To begin with, India is the largest democracy in the world. With the second largest population, our mainland is a vast extent. Stretching from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Kanyakumari in the south and Gujarat in the west to Arunanchal Pradesh in the east, there are 29 different states and 7 union territories including the islands of Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep in the Indian Ocean.
- Linguistic Diversity.
Such a huge population, from so many different regions does mean many languages. India has 22 official languages. This is not just it. There are other hundreds of dialects spoken in the remotest areas of the mainland as well. They say that language isolates, but in our case it binds us to our roots.
Hindi, English, Bengali, Urdu, Nepali, Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Magahi, Pahari, Garhwali, Kangri and the list just goes on.
- History.
We are a part of a country about whose historical achievements we can proudly boast of and not get judged in the least. Why should we? We have been a land of the greatest changes in the world. From the Harappan and Mesopotamian Civilizations to the invasion of Alexander The Great, the Mughals, the British, the partition of India and the fight for independence, everything has left an scar in the history of the world.
- India – Religiously Yours!
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This is the birthplace of various important religions like Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. Secularism is an Article in the Indian constitution not just for the sake of it. People here follow the above religions as well as Islam, Christianity, along with other Abrahamic ones as well. Atheism and agnostics also have visible influence in India, along with a self-ascribed tolerance to other faiths.
- Occupation
60% of our population depends on agriculture for a living. The remaining 40% are however engaged in a variety of stuff to do. From Pottery, glassmaking, teaching, weaving to opening up big industries – you are likely to find everyone engaged in something or the other.
Our entrepreneurs have made it to the world’s richest lists bringing India to the limelight in the industrial sphere.
- Cuisines (with an ‘s’)
Our stomachs are way too hard to please *winks*. How can there just be one or two type of food when there exist a huge population and so many different regions.
If north India serves chhole bhature, kadhi chawal, tandoori, then South India has the tangy taste of dosa, iddli, vada, rasam and uttapam. Not to forget the east and the west. The west offers more authentic dishes which belong to their roots like dhokla, mathhri, khandwa, and then you have the east offering you lip-smacking dishes including momos, Iilish Maach (fish), rosogullas and just more.
Hungry yet?
- Everyone celebrates here.
Even though there are many religions, the festival of each religion is celebrated and welcomed with open arms. If you are in India during Diwali or Christmas or Id, you will see every tiny lane in every possible locality filled with people decorating, laughing and wishing each other.
Such is the affect of festivals here, that people forget all their personal and religious differences and join in the happiness of one another.
- Go Trendy yet Authentic.
Yes, you read that right. One can go being trendy in one part of the country and that same may be the authentic wear of some other part of the country or for some regions. Be it the traditional Saari, Salwaar-suit, Ghaghra-Choli, or the casual jeans and dress or just the regional dresses, you are free to choose what you wear.
If you stop walking on the road and glance around, I am sure you will notice people wearing all these different clothing mentioned at least once.
- Family Structure.
We hear that the younger generation move out of their parents’ home and live on their on in many countries. But for India the case is slightly different. We have a prevailing tradition of the joint family system, where the extended family members live together. Studies show that the younger socio-economic groups are more inclined to spend time with their families than their peers.
- Values.
The values imparted in India are categorized as subtle, apt and immortal. They are not rigid and this is the main reason why it survives with pride in the modern era. Non-violence and tolerance – India has been a distinction for these two words. Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagragha movement is a testimony to this.
- Movies
Bollywood is the informal name given to the Mumbai based film industry in India. Bollywood and other major cinematic hubs (Bengali-Cinema, Oriya film industry, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi and Telugu) constitute the entire Indian-film industry, whose output is the largest in the world in terms of number of films produced every year.
- Wildlife
The varied rich wildlife in India has a profound impact on its culture. From the royal Bengal Tiger in the Sundarbans to the One-horned Rhinoceros in Assam to the hundreds of migratory birds, the wildlife of India is no less varied than the people themselves.
- Weather
In which country will you find all the four seasons at the same time of the year? Of course in India. When the north India is sweating and suffering the extensive summer heat, places in south India and north-east India receive heavy rainfall and places in the extreme north such as Leh and Ladakh are covered in thick layers of snow. It is like experiencing the weather of the entire world at one time with a tour of the country. Amazing isn’t it?
- Sanskrit and literature.
Sanskrit, being one of the oldest languages of mankind, has profound impact on the evolution of literature and language of India as well as the rest of the world. Many languages have come into existence with the help of Sanskrit as its base.
Apart from Sanskrit, we all know about Mahabharata and Ramayana. These are the oldest and well-preserved epics in India. Along with these we have the Upanishads and Vedas, teaching us values and the way of life regardless our faith in any religion or regardless the sphere of life we belong to.
- Sports
Hockey is the national game of India. Cricket comes under the most populous game in the country followed by Football. Not many know, but the mind-blogging game of chess originated in our very own land.
We have been keen players ever since the dawn of the civilization. Other games believed to be originated here are kabaddi, gilli-danda and Kho-Kho.
- Music
For us, music is to the soul what food is to the body. The Indian Classical music is broadly divided into two parts- Carnatic and Hindustani Music. The Indian Villages too have their very own type of music which carries a traditional folk wave in it.
Every Indian you find will definitely be a music lover- the favourites varying from classical to folk to Indi-pop and modern.
- Dance
The Indian Dance, as written in ancient books is said to be the expression of inner beauty and the divine in man. Each gesture tends to communicate emotions and ideas.
It includes eight classical dance forms namely: Bharatnatyam, Khathak, Khathakali, Mohiniattam, Kuchipudi, Yakshagana, Manipuri, Orrisi and Sattriya.
In addition to this, there are folk dances of different states, chhau, bhangra, bihu and dandiya to name a few of them.
- Architecture
Indian Architecture encompasses a multitude of expressions over time and space revealing new ideas every time. The well-planned cities of the Harappa and Mesopotamia, the Ajanta Ellora caves, the Sanchi Stupa, the Sun temple at Konark, and the Red fort, the Taj Mahal, fatehpur Sikri are all examples of the greatest architecture the world has ever seen.
- Transport
The bullock-carts in the villages to metros, airplanes and ships in the urban cities- India has seen it all. We are an example of how the modern and the medieval era can thrive together. If we look at Kolkata, we will see Trams, Buses, cars, old-rickshaws, the black-yellow taxis, local trains and metro all in one city.
- People
Last but not the least, what makes India diverse of all are the people who live it in. It is you, me and each and every one of us, with our distinctiveness, making India the country it is now.
superb sir...
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