CULTURAL FORMS AND

CULTURAL EXPRESSIONSOf INDIA

By:- UDIT AHUJA (b.com h)

Culture can be defined as “System of knowledge,

ideas, beliefs, values,religion and attitudes shared by a relatively large

group of people or a society”.

PLURALITY OF CULTURES VERSUS MULTI CULTURALISM

Plural societies are those where many cultures coexist but some are dominant.These societies emphasize plurality but not equality.

Multi cultural societies comprise different groups with varied beliefs, practices and historical memories.In an ideal multi cultural society, all cultures would be equal.

CULTURE AND IDENTITYCommon traditions are used to define identities, but restricting it to identities can be a limiting way of understanding culture.

Religion, region, caste, class, nation, gender and language are some of the ways in which our identities are shaped. And

as our identity is shaped culture too is influenced by these ways.

And these factors only contribute to the development of one’s identity.

• Culture Is dynamic and alive, visible and also intangible at times. It can be refashioned, reinvented or subverted for political gains.

• Thus there is a need to understand culture in a broad and assimilative manner while being conscious of distinct identities of different groups.

• Ideally societies should explore multiple expressions of culture and emphasize their social and historical context ensuring that all social groups have equal rights and opportunities.

THE ROLE OF STATE

TRADITIONAL DRESSESOF DIFFERENT STATES

AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE

Traditional clothing in India varies with

region, religion and community.

DRESSES IN EARLIEST VEDIC CIVILIZATION

As the Vedic people were in the initial stages of stitching clothes, the easiest piece of clothing:-

-For women was ‘THE SARI’ and later on ‘GHAGRA CHOLI’- For men was ‘DHOTIES’. And later on ‘KURTA PAJAMA’.

DRESSES OF NORTH INDIAN STATES

DRESSES OF NORTH EAST INDIAN STATES

DRESSES OF SOUTH INDIA

DRESSES OF WEST INDIA

DRESSES OF CENTRAL AND EAST INDIA

INFERENCEConcept of dressing is almost similar in many parts of the country. The way of expression is different.

This way differs due to:-REGION

RELIGIONCOMMUNITYINTEREST

FAIRSAND

FESTIVALSOF INDIA

An event ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates

some unique aspect of that community..

FESTIVALS

Indian festivals-India’s rich cultural and traditional background.

The festivals play an important part in promoting the traditional

handicrafts and tourism of IndiaFestivals celebrate humanity.

KUMBH MELAMass Hindu pilgrimage.

Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred river.  It is held every third year

at : Haridwar, Allahabad,Nashik and Ujjain. The rivers at these four places are:  

Ganges (Ganga) at Haridwar, the confluence (Sangam) of the

Ganges, Yamuna and Saraswati at Allahabad,  Godawari at Nashik, and  

Shipra at Ujjain.

BAISAKHI MELA Baisakhi Fairs is marked of Talwandi Sabo.

Here, Guru Gobind Singh stayed for nine months and completed the recompilation of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Celebration of harvest. Bhangra and gidda performances. Races, wrestling bouts, singing, acrobatics

and performance of folk instruments

BUDDHA POORNIMA Most sacred festivals of Buddhist. It falls on the full moon night in Vaisakha. Decoration of temple, the morning prayer,

colorful procession of the Monks, worship with large offerings, distribution of sweets and snacks takes place.

It was on Buddha Poornima that the three important events of Buddha's life took place i.e. his birth, his enlightenment and his death (nirvana).

PUSHKAR FAIR• Annual five-day camel and livestock

fair. • Held in Pushkar, Rajasthan.• World's largest camel fairs and

includes buying and selling of livestock.

• Camel race, music, songs and exhibitions.

• Competitions such as the "matka phod", "longest moustache", and "bridal competition" are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists.

Dance is the art form in which human movement becomes the medium for sensing, understanding, and communicating ideas, feelings and experiences.

DANCE AESTHETICSMovement of body in a rhythmic manner.Dance has its own content, vocabulary, skills and techniques.

Dance develops communication abilities, problem solving techniques, and creative and critical thinking skills.

Dance has been an important part of  ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment since before the birth of the earliest human civilizations.

Beauty of dance lies in the emotions behind them.

INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE-Originated from NATYA-SHASTRA (by Bharat Muni), the Pancham veda.- Based upon CLASSICAL ASPECTS(THE SHASTRAS), people from various regions along with their local mythologies and interests gave birth to new forms of dance. These forms of dance are today known as INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE.

bharatnatyam orissi

mohiniyattamKathaka li

kathak

manipuri

kuchipudi

SIGNIFICANCE OF GHUNGROO IN INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCE

-To maintain sync with the music-To create music from dance.

Ghungroos are worshiped like gods by the people who do classical dance.Dance forms of other countries mostly consider dance as the movement of body only. But in Indian classical dance, music(dhvani) also plays a very important role in dance. Hence ghungroos are necessary :-

Various gestures made by hands to depict emotions are known as

MUDRAS.

FOLK DANCESOF INDIA

Term broadly used to describe all forms of folk and tribal dances in regions across India.

While Indian classical dance is considered a higher form of art and was practiced in courts, temples and on special occasions, folk dance

forms are practiced in groups in rural areas as an expression of their daily work and rituals.

They are performed on religious or seasonal festivals.

Dhanyavaad