| Introduction India is a diverse country, a fact that is | | | | social and cultural identities. The religions that are |
| visibly prominent in its people, culture and climate. | | | | prevalent in the country are Hinduism, Christianity, |
| From the eternal snows of the Himalayas to the | | | | Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism, with the |
| cultivated peninsula of far South, from the deserts of | | | | freedom for citizens to practice any religion they |
| the West to the humid deltas of the East, from the | | | | want to. The Constitution of India has recognized 22 |
| dry heat and cold of the Central Plateau to the cool | | | | different languages, out of which, Hindi is the official |
| forest foothills, Indian lifestyles clearly glorify its | | | | language and is spoken in most of the urban cities of |
| geography. There was a time when India was known | | | | India. Other than these 22 languages, there are |
| as the land of snake charmers. Then people started | | | | hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual |
| identifying it as the land having the majestic Taj, the | | | | nature of the country. India is a land of festivals and |
| ferocious Tiger and the great desert of Thar. But | | | | fairs. Virtually celebrating each day of the year, there |
| with each turn that the wheel of time took, Indians | | | | are more festivals celebrated in India than anywhere |
| have proved to be a lot more. From time immemorial, | | | | else in the world. Each festival pertains to different |
| India has been seen as a mystery land. A land full of | | | | occasions, some welcome the seasons of the year, |
| paradoxes, it causes travelers to marvel and also to | | | | the harvest, the rains, or the full moon. Others |
| despair during their journey through India. Like an | | | | celebrate religious occasions, the birthdays of divine |
| enigmatic lady, India has always attracted the | | | | beings and saints, or the advent of the New Year. A |
| attention of the world for various reasons. The | | | | number of these festivals are common to most parts |
| famous traveler and writer, Mark Twain, wrote after | | | | of India. However, they may be called by different |
| his sojourn through India in 1896: "So far as I am able | | | | names in various parts of the country or may be |
| to judge nothing has been left undone, either by man | | | | celebrated in a different fashion. Some of the |
| or nature, to make India the most extraordinary | | | | festivals celebrated all over India are mentioned |
| country that the sun visits on his round. Nothing | | | | below. · Janmashtami · Holi · Dassehera |
| seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked. | | | | · Christmas · Rakshabandhan · |
| Always, when you think you have come to the end | | | | Deepawali · Id-ul-Zuha · Ramnavami · |
| of her tremendous specialties and have finished | | | | Guru Nanak Jayanti Science The global image of India |
| hanging tags upon her as the Land of Giant Illusions, | | | | is that of an upcoming and progressive nation. True, |
| the Land of Stupendous Mountains and so forth, | | | | India has leaped many boundaries in all sectors- |
| another specialty crops up or another tag is required." | | | | commerce, technology and development etc., in the |
| It was best, he decided, to discard the labels and call | | | | recent past, yet she has not neglected her creative |
| it simply the Land of Wonders. Heritage & Culture | | | | genius. Wondering what it is? Well, it the alternative |
| The Indian culture varies like its vast geography. | | | | science that has been continuously practiced in India |
| People speak in different languages, dress differently, | | | | since times immemorial. Ayurveda is a distinct form |
| follow different religions, eat different food but are | | | | of medicine made purely of herbs and natural weeds, |
| of the same temperament. So whether it is a joyous | | | | which can cure any ailment of the world. Ayurveda |
| occasion or a moment of grief, people participate | | | | has also been mentioned in the Ancient Indian epics |
| whole-heartedly, sharing the happiness or pain. A | | | | like the Ramayana. Even today, when the western |
| festival or a celebration is never constrained to a | | | | concept of medicine has reached its zenith, there are |
| family or a home. The whole community or | | | | people looking for alternative methods of treatment |
| neighborhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an | | | | for its multifarious qualities. With increasing |
| occasion. Likewise, an Indian wedding is a celebration | | | | complexities in one's life these days, people are |
| of union, not only of the bride and groom, but also of | | | | perpetually looking for a medium through which they |
| two families, maybe cultures or religion too! Similarly, | | | | get some peace of mind. This is where another |
| in times of sorrow, neighbors and friends play an | | | | science, that of meditation and spirituality comes into |
| important part in easing out the grief. Over the ages, | | | | the scene. Meditation and Yoga are synonymous with |
| India has experienced hundreds of years of foreign | | | | India and Indian spirituality. Meditation is one of the |
| invasions and influence, yet it still manages to absorb | | | | most important components of Yoga, which is a |
| and change everything the world cares to impose on | | | | mind-body therapy involving a series of exercises. |
| it, remaining at its core untouched. If anything, it has | | | | The word 'meditation' covers many disparate |
| developed into a multi-linguistic, home for masses of | | | | practices from visualizing situations, focusing on |
| many religions. Although India has modernized to a | | | | objects or images, thinking through a complex idea, |
| great extent, old traditions and ancient cultural | | | | or even getting lost in a provocative book, all |
| rhythms continue to have a strong hold over the | | | | qualifying as meditation in the broad sense. However |
| functioning of the nation. Since ancient times, the | | | | in Yoga, meditation generally refers to the more |
| spiritual land of India has displayed varied hues of | | | | formal practice of focusing the mind and observing |
| culture, religion, race, language, and so on. This | | | | oneself in the moment. Many people from India and |
| variety in race, culture, religion, etc., accounts for the | | | | abroad are resorting to yoga and meditation to |
| existence of different ethnic groups who, although, | | | | de-stress and rejuvenate their mind. Another widely |
| live within the sanctums of one single nation, and | | | | followed phenomena in India is the Doctrine of |
| profess different social habits and characteristics. | | | | Karma, that preaches that every person should |
| Regional territories in India play an important role in | | | | behave justly as every act or deed comes back in a |
| differentiating these ethnic groups, with their own | | | | full circle in one of the births of an individual. |