Culture of India

thumb|260px|An illustration in a manuscript of the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra from [[Nalanda, depicting the bodhisattva Maitreya, an important figure in Mahāyāna]]

thumb|The guru-smiti relationship. Watercolour, Punjab Hills, India, 1740. Guru ( ; IAST: guru) is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential figure to the disciple (or shisya in Sanskrit, literally seeker [of knowledge or truth]) or student, with the guru serving as a "counsellor, who helps mould values, shares experiential knowledge as much as literal knowledge, an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who helps in the spiritual evolution of a

Indian National calander format

pattern of human activity and symbolism associated with India and its people

filmmaking industry in India

thumb|The ancient Dharmachakra symbol used by Emperor Ashoka.

Hindi word for betel used for a stimulating and psychoactive preparation combined with areca nut and/or cured tobacco

upright|thumb|Hindu woman in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh wearing a stick-on bindi

flying lantern used during celebrations

syncretic religion propounded by Mughal emperor Akbar in 1582

costume for men and women consisting of trousers and a tunic, worn in South and Central Asia

Hindu mantra

thumb|Swami Saradananda Swami (; ; sometimes abbreviated sw.) in Hinduism is an honorific title given to an ascetic who has chosen the path of renunciation (sanyāsa). It is used either before or after the subject's name (usually an adopted religious name). An alternative form, swamini (), is sometimes used by female renunciates.

leaf of the banana plant

thumb|right|An Italian-made chillum thumb|Traditional earthen chillum displayed for sale at Chawk Bazaar Jorhat, [[Assam]]

thumb|right|Elephant with howdah

thumb|Depiction of Ghalib at a Mushaira Mushaira () is a traditional Urdu poetry gathering in which poets publicly recite their work, often engaging in forms of improvisation and competitive performance. Mushairas, also known as mehfil or mushairi, have been a defining institution of Urdu literary culture in North India, Pakistan, and the Deccan, particularly among Hyderabadi Muslims. It is often regarded as a forum for free self-expression.

Persian-derived term for a formal meeting where the ruler held discussions regarding the state

thumb|Indian Mangalsutra with black beads thumb|A mangala sutra before being tied around a bride's neck.|268x268px A mangala sutra (), or tali (ISO: tāḷi), is a necklace worn by married Hindu women. During a Hindu wedding, the mangalasutra is tied around the neck of the bride by the groom. The ceremony is known as the .

thumb|Traditional Indian charpai. At the near end, the lacing for re-tensioning the bias weave. thumb|One of many charpai patterns Charpai (also, kaithu kattil, rope cot, charpaya, charpoy, khat, khatla, manja, or manji) is a traditional woven bed used across South Asia. The name charpai is a compound of char "four" and pay "footed". Regional variations are found in Afghanistan and Pakistan, North and Central India, Bihar and Myanmar.

set of movements for women's rights in India

various names used for India

practice of appearing to hypnotise a snake

oath of allegiance to the Republic of India

thumb|upright=1.35|Tea served in a kulhar A kulhar (Hindi: कुल्हड़ and Urdu: کلہڑ) or kulhad, matir bhar () or simply bhar (), sometimes called a shikora, is a traditional handleless pottery cup from South Asia that is typically undecorated and unglazed, and is meant to be disposable. Kulhars are almost never reused.

Urdu poem

type of lamp that floats

overview of the legality and practice of prostitution in India

outfit worn by Women in Punjab, India

musical performance in Indian cinema

Feminism that questions caste and gender roles

thumb|Attar being sold at the top of Mount Arafat|Jabale Rahmah, [[Mecca.]]

ministry of India

songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore

Persian aspects integrated into or absorbed into the cultures of the Indian subcontinent

red dye to adorn hands and feet especially of women for weddings and festivals in the Indian subcontinent

traditional breed of horse originated from Manipur (Kangleipalk) State

thumb|Expression of Sringāra in BharatanatyamSringara (, ) is one of the nine rasas, usually translated as erotic love, romantic love, or as attraction or beauty. Rasa means "flavour", and the theory of rasa is the primary concept behind classical Indian arts including theatre, music, dance, poetry, and sculpture. Much of the content of traditional Indian arts revolves around the relationship between a man and a woman. The primary emotion thus generated is Sringara. The romantic relationship between lover and beloved is a metaphor for the relationship between the individual and the divine.

fighting systems of the Indian subcontinent

Indomania or Indophilia refer to the special interest that India, Indians and their cultures and traditions have generated across the world, more specifically among the cultures and civilisations of the Indian subcontinent, as well those of the Arab and Western world. The initial British interest in governing their newly absorbed territories awoke the interest in India, in particular its culture and ancient history. Later the people with interests in Indian aspects came to be known as Indologists and their subject as Indology. The opposite of Indomania is Indophobia.

thumb|350px|A Gamusa made from Assam silk|Pat silk with intricate designs.

color

cultural practices

mythology of brahmanism

thumb|right|Bangladesh|Bangladeshi Rickshaw Puller wearing traditional Gamcha thumb|Milk salesman wearing Gamchha in Nepal Gamcha (or Gamchhā, Gāmchhā, Gāmuchhā (Odia), Gamusā (Assamese) and Angochha) is a rectangular piece of traditional coarse cotton cloth, sometimes with a checked design, worn as traditional scarf by men in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in Eastern India (including Assam), Bangladesh, as well as in eastern Terai of Nepal. It also became bit popular in other cultures of India and now in what is known as Pakistan after the Indian partition, as well as various parts of South

women's savings club

the concept of honour

200px|thumb|right|A procession of Akharas marching .....over a temporary bridge over the [[Ganges river, Kumbh Mela at Allahabad, 2001]]

dramatic tradition of India

zones defined by the Ministry of Culture of the Government of India

widespread social issue in India

syncretic fusion of Hindu-Muslim cultures in Northern India

mythology of the Meitei people which is sometimes intertwined with historical facts

Kundan, meaning pure gold, is a traditional form of Indian gemstone jewellery involving a gem set with a gold foil between the stones and its mount, usually for elaborate necklaces and other jewellery.

overview of the culture in North India

a traditional wood block printing an Indian handicraft originating in Bagh, Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, India.

practice of addressing the public at the balcony at forts and palaces of medieval kings in India

type of transgender in India

culture in India

thumb|300px|The Jwala Ji Temple|Jwala Mukhi Mandir in [[Khrew, located in the Indian-administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, hosts the Jwalamukhi Mela annually that is celebrated by both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims. The joint celebration of religious festivals by both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims in the Kashmir Valley is said to be an emblem of the spirit of Kashmiriyat.]]