Modern Indian Culture

The culture of modern India has evolved many folds since the ancient ages. The history of India has played a significant role in shaping up the Indian culture. In the historical past, India has been invaded several times and this brought in a mix of cultures. The other factors that contributed towards shaping the culture of India are its unique geography and different religions. The modern Indian culture is a much evolved version of the ancient cultures in India. Also, the modern Indian culture has been profoundly influenced by the west.


Post independence, the culture of India began to evolve further to what we call the modern India culture. This can be seen clearly in its architecture, performing arts, food, clothing, and festivals.


Modern Indian Culture: Architecture


Post independence, two schools of architecture came in India. These were:

• Revivalist
• Modernist

The Revivalists continued the colonial legacy in their architecture and the Modernists were inspired by the European and American form of architecture. The contemporary Indian architecture could not blossom completely as several social problems beset it. Thus the foreign architects played a significant role and influenced the modern Indian architecture. The designing of Chandigarh city revolutionized the concept of architecture in the country, which formed the basis of the modern Indian architecture.


Modern Indian Culture: Music


The modern Indian music has been highly influenced by the western form of music. The modern Indian music comprises following types:


Remixes - where faster beats are blended into old tunes.
Fusion - where western music forms are combined with Indian classical music.
Film music -songs or instrumentals from films.
Indi pop- Indian version of the pop music from the west.


Modern Indian Culture: Theatre


Modern Indian theatres are not more limited to songs, dance, and dialogues but have much deeper connotation. Today the Indian theatres are portraying the picture of the practical society. The amalgamation of the multi-religious aspects and the multi-lingual aspects along with the incorporation of modern techniques and concepts has brought about newer developments in the theatrical culture of India.


Modern Indian Culture: Food


Today Indian cuisines are no more limited to the traditional Indian cuisines. The influence of westernization is prominent in the modern Indian platter as well. Food items like breads, pastas, noodles, cakes, pizzas and others such foods which were once unknown to this section of world, features prominently in the Indian kitchens today. The modern Indian cuisines pack in the traditional cuisines of India as well cuisines from other parts of the world. Over the years, newer and newer methods of cooking from different parts of the world have influenced the Indian cuisine. Vegetables like broccoli and bell pepper and fruits like cherries and strawberries which were unheard of in the ancient Indian kitchens are very much used today in Indian preparations.


Modern Indian Culture: Festivals


Some of the festivals of modern India are Diwali, Holi, Vijayadashami, Thai Pongal, Onam and Durga Puja. Besides, festivals like Bakr-Id, Eid ul-Fitr, Buddha Jayanti, Vaisakhi and Christmas also feature on the modern Indian festivals calendar.

Modern Indian Culture: Clothing


The modern Indian clothing reflects a blend of traditional and western culture. While shirts paired up with trousers or jeans are worn by majority of the Indian men, women in India are found to prefer salwar kameez, sarees and kurtis for clothes. Besides, Indian women also wear western outfits like shirts or tops paired with skirts, jeans, or trousers and other western dresses

Indian Culture is Great , rich and Diverse

Culture is a major factor in determining the diversities of a population. Starting from the Indus Valley Civilization to the present age Indian culture has undergone gradual changes. Indian culture is known all over the world for its rich heritage and huge tradition. Indian culture has a lot of diversities. It is a large country extending over large areas of land. It covers areas of mountains, plateaus, valleys, snow covered peaks, river plains and deserts and forests. India is the seventh largest country in the world geographically and has the second largest population after china. With a population over a 100 billion people a country is bound to have diversities. There are people of various religion, caste and tribes all over India. There are people from different areas following different lifestyles. 

The food habits and the clothing habits of the people of one region differ from that of another region. India is a secular and democratic country where people are allowed to follow any religion that they wish to. India is one of the largest democratic nations in the world today. The diversities of Indian culture make it unique in its own way. It is a male dominated society but women are also given preferences. Though the caste system is still prevailing in India the lower castes are given separate representation and separate preferences. 

Though there are such diversities all Indians are united under a common religion called “CRICKET”. Indian people are very sentimental and are very religious and emotional. Indians are great believers of god and thus they never leave home without offering prayers to the almighty. These factors make Indian culture great, rich and diverse. Though it has the highest diversities it is unique due to its rich heritage.

Indian culture and heritage

Indian culture and heritage

It’s not only difficult to define Indian culture and heritage within a few lines or paragraphs or even a page but it is quite impossible also. Even to some people it is nothing other than profanity. What makes people have exceptions in this regard? Well, the reason is one and simple. The cultural heritage of India is not the end result of any single influence or cultural or imperialistic onslaught but has also been influenced by its long lasting and tenacious history, exclusive natural features along with assorted demography. One may get amazed to know that this is not the end but the simple commencement. 

Indian culture and heritage is the only hope for vitiated humanity. Indian culture and inheritance has had lots of other commendable and extensive influences too and her ancient heritages, in this regard, deserve special mentions. This had its initiation at some stage in the Indus Valley Civilization and did develop to a greater extent during the Vedic era of ancient India, growth and fall of Buddhism, Golden age under the Gupta Empire, persistent intrusions from Central Asia, colonization of European powers in the later stages and certainly the glorious and colossal Indian freedom struggle. Another exclusivity of India is that her languages, chronicle of culture, religions, architecture, music and customs do differ from one place to another but above all, there does exist a commonality. 

Is this an accident or a uniqueness that is best preserved by the Indian mindset on the whole? You may love to know that this is something that astounds the West still. What can be deduced from the said assertions then? Indian culture and heritage, in a nutshell, is nothing save an amalgamation of an assortment of sub-cultures that spread across the Indian subcontinent and traditions, having primeval histories all at once.

India is regarded as the oldest surviving civilization on the Earth and its own heritage and culture is still functioning. And as per Western chroniclers, it is the last hope for vitiated humanity.