The culture of India refers to the way of life of the people of India.

India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food, and customs differ from place to place within the country. Many elements of India's diverse cultures, such as Indian religions, yoga, and Indian cuisine, have had a profound impact across the world.

Language India has 28 states and seven territories, and each has at least one official language. While the national languages are Hindi and English, there are about 22 official languages. Religion India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism. A huge majority 84 percent of the population identifies as Hindu. About 13 percent of Indians are Muslim, making it one of the largest Islamic nations in the world. Food Indian cuisine boasts Arab, Turkish and European influences. It is known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices. Cooking styles vary from region to region. Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana (Bengal gram) are important staples of the Indian diet. The food is rich with curries and spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried hot peppers, and cinnamon, among others. Chutneys thick condiments and spreads made from assorted fruits and vegetables such as tamarind and tomatoes and mint, cilantro and other herbs are used generously in Indian cooking. Many Hindus are vegetarians, but lamb and chicken are common in main dishes for non-vegetarians. Arts India is well known for its film industry, which is based in Mumbai and is often referred to as Bollywood. The country began as a major producer of movies in the 1930s. Today the films are known for their elaborate singing and dancing and Bollywood produces more films per year than Hollywood.

Clothing Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris worn by many of the countrys women. The traditional clothing for men is the dhoti, an u nstitched piece of cloth about 5 yards long that is tied around the waist and legs. Men also wear a kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. For special occasions, men wear a sherwani, which is a long coat that is buttoned up to the collar and down to the knees. . Just Can't Say No

Indians do not like to express 'no,' be it verbally or non- verbally. Rather than disappoint you, for example, by saying something isn't available, Indians will offer you the response that they think you want to hear. An Indian would be considered terribly rude if he did not attempt to give a person what had been asked. Since they do not like to give negative answers, Indians may give an affirmative answer but be deliberately vague about any specific details.

Etiquette and Customs in India

Meeting Etiquette

Religion, education and social class all influence greetings in India. When leaving a group, each person must be bid farewell individually. Shaking hands is common, especially in the large cities among the more educated who are accustomed to dealing with westerners. Men may shake hands with other men and women may shake hands with other women; however there are seldom handshakes between men and women because of religious beliefs.

Family structure
For generations, India has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. It is a system under which extended members of a family parents, children, the childrens spouses and their offspring, etc. live together. Usually, the oldest male member is the head in the joint Indian family system. He makes all important decisions and rules, and other family members abide by them.

Arranged Marriage
For centuries, arranged marriages have been the tradition in Indian society. Even today, the majority of Indians have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members. In the past, the age of marriage was young, but this is rising with modernisation and there are now laws which govern the age of marriage.

In India, the divorce rate is low 1% compared with about 40% in the United States. . The divorce rates are rising in India. Urban divorce rates are much higher. Women initiate about 80 percent of divorces in India

Wedding rituals
Weddings are festive occasions in India with extensive decorations, colors, music, dance, costumes and rituals that depend on the religion of the bride and the groom, as well as their preferences. The nation celebrates about 10 million weddings per year, of which over 80% are Hindu weddings. While there are many festival-related rituals in Hinduism, wedding is the most extensive personal ritual. Typical Hindu families spend significant effort and financial resources to prepare and celebrate weddings.