Lifestyle
In India, lifestyle is as diverse as its multitude of traditions and cultures. Indian lifestyle is like a palette of varied hues with umpteen regional variations in cuisine, costume, jewelry or jewellery and the way of life in general.
The ever-receptive Indian culture has influences of other cultures in world. If in the past it was through trade relations and invasions that other cultures influenced the Indian lifestyle, today it’s the ‘global culture’ that helps the urban lifestyle to reinvent itself. Here we present you chosen excerpts from the manifold ‘Indian lifestyle’.
Lifestyle - Regional variations
Indian lifestyle bears the unique distinction of being amazingly diverse among other cultures in the world. The way of life of people, especially food, clothing and jewelry differs according to the region, climate, geography, religion and culture. The food and clothing of people in the snow-capped Kashmir in the north would be entirely different from that of the southern states with a tropical climate. Even in the same region, the food and clothing may differ according to the religion. However, the urban lifestyle across the country shares a near-similar lifestyle in dress and fashion.
Urban lifestyle
Indian culture has always been receptive to other cultures and lifestyle is no exception. While the rural lifestyle still retains the ethnic charm, the pan-Indian urban lifestyle bears clear influences of Western culture in food, clothing and cuisine. Still, traditional lifestyle in food and clothing is essential for the urban communities too on occasions like marriage and religious functions.
Lifestyle – family and relations
Family and family values are considered important by the Indian society. The senior male member is given special respect in a family. Across the country, among almost all cultures and religions, the husband is regarded as the guardian of wife and children.
The role of the female partner in a family is regarded important by almost all societies which in effect increases her duties as a wife and mother and in housekeeping.
Indian lifestyle – an evolved tradition
India, which boasts of one of the ancient civilizations, has highly evolved traditions in lifestyle, be food, clothing or jewellery. Cotton weaving and mordant-dyeing were practiced in the city settlement of Mohenjo-Daro, some five-thousand years ago.
Indian cuisine, a hybrid world of tastes spread across the Indian sub-continent, too has the history of a scientific evolution. Recipes were in vogue in the Vedic times that date back to the mid-second to mid-first millennium BC.
Indian sub-continent has the longest surviving tradition of jewelry-making with a history of 5,000 years, again thanks to the Indus Valley civilization.