Culture of North India
People
India is probably the only country with the largest and most diverse mixture
of races. All the five major racial types - Australoid, Mongoloid, Europoid,
Caucasian and Negroid - find representation among the people of India.
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History
The history of India is shrouded in antiquity. The country has been thought
of as a nation of philosophers with a well-developed and even idyllic society.
Excavations of sites belonging to the Harappan era show that the people lived
in brick houses in towns with excellent drainage. One of the oldest scriptures
in the world is the four-volume Vedas that many regard as the repository of
national thoughts that anticipated some of the modern scientific discoveries.
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National Anthem
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya hey, Bharata-bhagya-vidhata punjaba-sindhu-gujarata-maratha
dravida-utkala-banga vindhya-himachala-yamuna-ganga ucchhala-jaladhi taranga
tava subha name jage tava subha ashisha mage gahe tava jaya gatha. Jana-gana-mangala
dayaka, jaya hey, bharata-bhagya-vidhata, java he, jaya he, jaya he, java jaya
jaya, jaya he.
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Fairs
& Festivals
India is a rich land which has attracted invaders from Central Europe and Asia
who left their imprint on this land, its religions and its lifestyles over 40
centuries. The Greeks , under Al-exander the great, travelled as far down as
the lower Indus River which they mis pronounced as the "Hindu River"
Consequently, all the various in vaders, with their conflicting faiths, who
inhabited the land of the Indus River were called Hindus and their land, Hindustan.
It was shortened to "HIND", then "IND" and finally INDIA.
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Physical Features
India, with an area of 3.3 million sq. km, is a subcontinent. The peninsula
is separated from mainland Asia by the Himalayas. The country lies between 8°
4' and 37° 6' north of the Equator and is surrounded by the Bay of Bengal
in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean to the south.
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Religions
The Hindu religion had its origin in the concepts of the early Aryans who came
to India more than 4,000 years ago. It is not merely a religion but also philosophy
and a way of life. Hinduism does not originate in the teachings of any one prophet
or holy book. It respects other religions and does not attempt to seek converts.
It teaches the immortality of the human soul and three principal paths to ultimate
union of the individual soul with the all-pervasive spirit.
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