PROPOSAL

Socio – Cultural Hub

  Architecture

Indian Architecture, which has evolved over centuries, is rooted to history, culture, religion and
geographical conditions. Through the Indus Valley sites of Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and Lothal
provide substantial evidence of extensive ancient town planning, the beginnings of Indian
architecture are dated to the advent of Buddhism in India, in the reign of Asoka during when they
constructed various Buddhist monasteries and stupas. Buddhist architecture predominated till
late 7th century, when Hindu School Of architecture took over. The most notable achievements
were the rock-cut temples like Ajanta, Eldora, Temples of Mahabalipuram, Kankanchipuram
temple, Brihadeeswara Temple, Sun Temple (Konark), Angkor Wat, etc. The Hindu architecture,
in-itself had various different typologies based on the regional style.
The story of Somnath Temple in West India is famous as it was rebuilt many times after being
attacked by various enemies in central India, the Chandellas built a Magnificent complex of
temples at their capital,Khajuraho, between 9501030 AD. In the northwest, the Solanki kings
built the Surya or Sun temple in Modhera, which stills provides striking testimony to their
achievements. More stupendous is the Surya temple at konarak, one of many other masterpieces
of Orissanarchitecture The Mughal emperors were interested in heavily investing in monumental
architecture and spent lavishly on the construction of mosques, mausoleums, forts, palaces, and
other buildings Mughal architecture is predominant in Delhi,Lahore Agra, and
FatehpurSikriJama Masjid, Taj Mahal, Qutub Complex,Humayun's Tomb are few of the
marvelous creations Unlike the Mughals, the British contributed little to India’s architectural
history. Their rule is associated mainly with monumental civic buildings, such as the Victoria
Terminus in Bombay, or commemorative exercises typified by the Victoria Memorial in
Calcutta. There are some notable specimens of church architecture, such as St. James's Church in
Delhi, but the principal regal contribution of the British appears to be the construction of a new
capital in Delhi Indigenous styles of architecture did not entirely suffer a demise, and step-wells
continued to be built in Gujarat throughout the nineteenth century. In Rajasthan rich merchants
constructed large havelis or residences in which the window work defies description.

The most striking of these havelis are tobe found in Jaisalmer Contemporary architecture has
also developed over the years due to various renowned architects like Charles Correa,
BalkrishnaDoshi, Laurie Baker, Le Corbusier, Satish Gujratand many others to list like Mumbai
NarimanPoints famous for its Art Deco buildings Creations like Lotus Temple and various urban
developments of India like Bhubaneswar and Chandigarh, are notable.
  What is Socio – Cultural Hub

In a society of accelerating social economic and technological change .A complex and

sophisticated urban pattern is bound to evolve. These changes have maximized the
pressure acting upon land to meet the varied demands of the society. Since land is very
valuable its proper use is extremely important and provision should be made for a place
within the framework of the city, which was not only complex in planning but also
offered all services under one roof along with parking facilities.

NEED

 Need for public space where citizens can watch or do culture in there own neighborhood

 Need for people dedicated and/or trained for catering for the cultural needs of the
citizens.

 The role of culture lies not only in the context of promotion of economic growth but also
in relation to other objectives of creating an environment that encourages self expression
and exploration on the part of individuals and communities besides support to arts and
artists and encouraging active participation in cultural expression by people at large, and
developing creativity as a social force.

There has been complete cultural negligence in India in the past few decades, with the growth of
Modern Technology. With the influx of new modern equipment’s and the craze with the Western
Culture adoption, Indians are in the verge of losing their own culture. The idea of adopting to the
Western Culture is considered prestigious and trendy among this generation as is advertised and
promoted by global icons. The lack in promoting and encouraging may not only lead to cultural
extinction but also affect cultural tourism to a greater extent First and foremost, the prevailing
misconceptions about Indians and about other state cultures need to be broken Interest to learn,
follow & adopt our culture will boost our cultural value worldwide. Hence there is an immediate
need to educate about culture to us and our neighbors.

 Why I want to make Socio Cultural Hub

The design proposal aims to create holistic architectural experience showcasing culture in all
aspects. The arts and culture should be systematized into one coherent body of knowledge from
insides well as, outside the building, beginning from the core exhibit areas, to the exterior
environment, everything should reflect culture in its own way, to create vibrant and dynamic
experience for visitors The three important aspects looked upon for designing a holistic
experience for the visitors Culturally sound Interior Core exhibit areas, reflecting direct cultural
knowledge. Culturally sound Exterior manifests indirect cultural aspects Ease of Transition
space, which fuses both smoothly.

India is one of the world's oldest civilization Indian culture is often labeled as amalgamation of
various cultures, spanning across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced and shaped by
history which is several thousand years old Indian Culture is broadly divided as Seven
overlapping cultural zones by Ministry of Culture. They are South Culture Zone, South Central
Culture Zone North Culture Zone, North Central Culture Zone East Culture Zone, North East
Culture Zone, and West Culture Zone namely. They are classified so based on region,
Architectural style, religion, literature, art, painting styles, dance music drama performing arts,
crafts, fashion dress, language, custom food, etc. Detailed study of all these overlapping factors,
gives the clear overall picture of Indian Culture.

Limitation
India is a culturally rich country, It cannot be defined as following one single culture, as there are
more than 200 variations from region to region. Only those cultures, that prevail predominantly
in the In Indian subcontinent are taken into consideration for designing buildings. Other cultures
are showcased in temporary exhibits and shall not have dedicated space for them The spaces
designed will only adhere to Indian cultural aspects and not to any foreign cultures. The proposal
aspires to solve various programmatic and socialistic issues that arise, while designing the
Cultural Hub.

 Site – Dwarka

Dwarka is a well-planned growing city lying in the South-West region of Delhi. Though it is a
self-sustaining city with residential commercial, office, open spaces, it lacks behind culturally.
This thesis proposes to build a Cultural Hub a place for all INDIAN cultures. The best location to
propose this is in fact, in the capital, as this needs to be globally recognized and promoted.
Moreover, the availability of ample space, culturally neutral population and developing area
which can accommodate new facilities, brings down the options to dwarks. This Cultural Hub
will have multi-character but act as a joint single entity in encouraging Indian Culture. The
architectural language will vary for each cultural pavilion but unite them as a whole through
various methodologies. The built form should integrate with the existing city fabric as well as
stand out, acting as global recognition for India.

Culturally neutral people accepting various cultural aspects.

Proximity to core Delhi, Gurgaon &Airport. Connection to these areas strengthens development
Increasing need for new recreation areas with increased metro population.
Location in Capital Global Iconic recognition.
Developing Area-Available large chunk of land.
More number of wealthier people Luxurious lifestyle.

 The marked site in Sector is the governmental-proposed cultural hub development site,
having a small tributary of Najafgarh channel, running behind.
 Dwarka, a fast growing neighbourhood in South-West Delhi is well planned with proper
infrastructure Moreover policies aim more recreational and cultural attractions along with
a huge diplomatic enclave.
 New Delhi, due to its unique location, in the heart of the country and bordering two
states, has the most culturally neutral people having broader cultural exchanges from
other states and from abroad.
 India dates back to age-old rich culture. With various religious origins multitude of
customs different languages antennomeres culture aspects, it is best sought after for
cultural tourism.
 The site is located in Sector 11, Zone K2, Noida, West Delhi. This area is fast developing
with great potential for mixed use. Mixed-use neighbourhood creates a self-sustaining
society, where the daily show and outflow is not in high ratio. People working in the
closer proximities, may ensure steady local visitors to the hub. Locating a cultural hub in
such a place, will not only act as a recreation for all people but also encourage them to
connect with their culture on a daily-basis that would enhance the quality of life and
cultural promotion.
 The major issue in many tourist spots in Delhi is its location in the city core and the
heavy traffic to surpass to reach the destination. Which consumes about half the time or
more. These reasons hinder many foreign tourists to visit places that are far. Proximity,
less road travel duration may have an advantage in luring many tourists.
 Proximity to the international & Domestic Airport ensures easier access for the
International Inter-state Tourists. The site is approximately equidistant from Delhi and
Gurgaon, two major metro cities, from where maximum local crowd can be expected. As
 the site is not in core Delhi, traffic ongestions may not be a big issue to reach the
destination. Moreover, its proximity to gurgaon ensures wider local crowd target.

Site Character
The site is planned as center core of Development for Urban Design of the linear District Center,
In Sectors 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 in Dwarka ,as developed by the Delhi Urban Arts Commission.
The declared green belt zone fuses into the site, along the drain, from the northern side, which
has dense vegetation. Residential and Institutional buildings are located in Western and southern
side of the site, whereas Eastern side of the site is abutted by Huge Sports Complex.

There is a great potential in placing the Exhibition pavilions and buildings in the center, owing to
its equidistance from all sides and least affecting the green belt.

The site acts as a mediator fusing contemporary buildings in northern-southern part, and also be-
tween the green open spaces and recreation areas situated on eastern-western side of the site.
Hence the site acts as a junction, where northern-southern contemporary buildings unifies with
the eastern-western dense urban green fabric. These constraints pushes towards more stronger
contextual design.

The complication of the site, lies in green belt status ie: it should have more green spaces
encouraging and preserving dense trees. Least intervention from the northern part by zoning
buildings in the southern central parts, would ensure this. The Hub is envisioned to have an
international facility, which could attract millions of people from around the world to experience
Indian Culture. Hence the design have to tend to all kinds of local as well as international needs.
By doing so, the impact on the surrounding neighbourhood would be huge. Utmost care should
be taken to solve other issues like, sound, crowd and traffic in the area.

Having the core exhibit area along site center, placed in closer proximity would ensure visual
connection as well as better orientation. Zoning public parks, cultural schools and other spaces,
having public intervention, along the outer edge of site, will assure active lively complex,
throughout the year.

Neighbourhood Context
Site Analysis based on various factors is necessary, for ancient better design.

Land use Pattern - Land use Pattern analysis provides the typology of usage, which in turn gives
insight about activity typologies, kind of people usage, crowd movement pattern and its indirect
impact on the site.
Building Height Mapping-Building Height mapping- provides information about height extent of
buildings which instead determines various view angles, attraction feature height and complex
height.

Traffic conditions- Traffic Conditions - Information of the traffic pattern , throughout the day
and throughout the year, impart design strategies to control traffic inflow and outflow, movement
of vehicles and people, without hindering the neighbourhood. Transportation Nodes-
Transportation node mapping is necessary to estimate the vehicular and pedestrian crowd
movement pattern, which infect would impact the traffic pattern. Devising alternative solutions
for overlapping crowd accumulation zones, is necessary for peaceful crossover.
Urban Green Fabric needs to be understood well, such that the intervention is made through the
design. Infact, the design needs to encourage increase in green urban fabric, wherever possible.
More visual connection from the complex with the green fabric, may enhance and soothe the
experience.

Information about the Noise conditions in the neighbourhood will ensure that the buildings are
positioned, where noise interruptions are less. In the similar manner, noise from the complex,
should not disturb the exterior environment. Contextual design of the space, with coherent
functional living with the neighbourhood.

Building Height Mapping

From the map, it is observable that the maximum height of buildings in neighbourhood is 15m.
Immediate neighbouring zones have less dense, medium heighted apartments, which slightly
hinder long views. Northern, Eastern and South-Western neighbouring sites, are declared green
belt area and urban open area, which will not see any buildings in future as well. Creating vistas
along these sides, may be beneficial. For the iconic nature and identity, a attractive massive
structure taller than a neighbouring buildings i.e. more than|15m, should be built.

Land-use Pattern
Neighbouring sectors in Dwarka are predominated by residential apartments which will have
huge impact due to Cultural Hub, on being built. As these sectors are being planned for linear
central district, more denser residential zones can be predicted. Design, needs to adhere, to the
future expansions as well to sustain as an active successful hub. An ancient Baoli (step-well) is
situated inspector 10, along the northern side of the site. The Hub can develop such heritage
sites, which are in dilapidated conditions.

Traffic Conditions
Gives us an idea to channelize the vehicular and pedestrian traffic properly. The Mall Road has
heavy traffic, most of the time, as it acts as main vertical connecting road in Dwarka, which also
leads to core Delhi. Other roads like RoadNo:221, abutting the site in south side sees moderate
traffic flow. Hence the main entrance can be designed along tis road. Moreover the vertical
metro road, with moderate traffic can be used for multiple exit, when thousands of people throng
out simultaneously, thereby diluting the crowd flow. Service entries when provided from wither
Rd No:221or Metro road, will ease the service vehicle movement and not hinder the traffic.

NOISE LEVEL MAPPING

The site is surrounded majorly by residential apartments, which produce very less noise. Noise
levels are slightly more, from the sports complex, in eastern end of site on few occasions like
sports meet. Metro train movement every five minutes, causes very less accountable noise Hence
there is no major issue of noise penetration, from the surrounding areas, into the
neighbourhood’s there is no frequent traffic congestions observed in the abutting roads, vehicular
traffic noise does not pose an issue.

GREEN COVER
Green belt, is declared in the Western side of the site, which also melts into it along the drain.
Moreover, Green recreation open area park is envisioned to be built in the eastern side of the site.
There are various other small green spaces scattered in nearby sectors, that are not linked with
site. Green spaces are close to nil, along the southern side from the site. Hence designing a public
park, in the southern end of site, would act as recreation and green let out in the concrete jungle.

TRANSPORTATION NODES
Many users are predicted to use public transport, as analysed from various similar cultural hubs.
Hence, expecting more footfall from metro stations and pedestrian movement from nearby bus
depots and auto-stands, are understood to facility ate everybody. Direct special entry from the
metro station, is preferable, as is in Pragati Maidan. 2 Subways near the site beneath Road No
221 would facilitate pedestrian cross over from one side to another. As it is well planned area,
there are many bus depots which can handle, huge crowd flow.

 What I want to design

The building programme is primarily developed from various Cultural standards, Complex
design standards and Case analysis. Estimations are done wherever necessary, with consideration
of various factors as crowd flow throughout with varying graphs of occasional visitors, low flow
weekdays and peak weekends, important festivals and occasions. This programme developed,
defines requisite space for all activities without any space crunch or space wastage.
FASION
Clothing in India varies depending on the different ethnicity, geography, climate and cultural
traditions of the people of each region of India. Historically, male and female clothing has
evolved from simple Langotas, and loincloths to cover the body to elaborate costumes not only
used in daily wear but also on festive occasions as well as rituals and dance performances.

India's recorded history of clothing goes back to the 5th millennium BC in the Indus Valley
civilization where cotton was spun, woven and dyed. Indian cotton clothing was well adapted to
the dry, hot summers of the subcontinent.

A variety of weaving techniques were employed in ancient India, many of which survive to the
present day. Silk and cotton were woven into various designs and motifs, each region developing
its distinct style and technique. Famous among these

weaving styles were the Jamdani. Kasika vastra of Varanasi btitidar and the Ilkal spree Brocades
of silk were woven with gold and silver threads and were deeply influenced by Persian designs.
The Mughals played a vital role in the enhancement of the art, and the paisley and Latifa Buti.

Dyeing of clothes in ancient India was practised as an art form. Five primary colours (Suddha-
varnas) were identified and complex colours (Misra - varnas) were categorised by their many
hues. Sensitivity was shown to the most subtlest of shades; the ancient treatise,
Vishnudharmottara states five tones of white, namely Ivory, Jasmine, August moon, August
clouds after the rain and the conch shell. Indians ad mastered art of weaving, dyeing,
embroidery, art works, crafting in fabric as well.

Traditional Indian clothing for women in the north and east are saris worn with choli tops; a long
skirtcalled a lehenga or pavada worn with choli and a dupatta scarf to create an ensemble called a
gagra choli; or salwar kameez suits, while many south In-dian women traditionally wear sari and
children wear pavada.
Region to region, the draping style of scree, type of scree and its style varies widely.

For men, traditional clothes are the Achkan/Sherwani, Bandhgala, Lungi, Kurta, Angarkha, Jama
and Dhoti or Pajama. Various other accessories and add ones like headgear, dastar, pheta, gandhi
cap, mysore peta, rajasthani safa, jama are worn by men, during different occasions and
purposes.

Recently pants and shirts have been accepted as traditional Indian dress by the Government of
India. Women started wearing more comfortable clothing and exposure to international fashion
led to a fusion of western and Indian styles of clothing.
RELIGION
Indian is considered world-wide as a land of religion. Many people flood in for spiritual release
from the weariness of the material life. India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism
and Sikhism, collectively known as Indian religions Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the
world’s third and fourth-largest religions respectively. India is one of the most religiously diverse
nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures, Religion
plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people Hinduism. Islam, Christianity,
Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism are the major religions followed by the people of India. Jainism,
Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and the Baha'i Faith are also influential but their numbers are smaller
Hinduism has spread to all parts of the world today, taken there by Indian migrants. This religion
produced a vast corpus of texts preeminent among them have been the Rig Veda, the
Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, and theBhagavataPurana, which are popular
even now. Various temples, Dharma Salas were built to guide people to have a better valued
lifestyle Buddhism originated and flourished in India before 6th century, and it is in Bodh Gaya
that Buddha gained enlightenment Today, it is more prevalent in countries like Tibet, China,
Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, etc. Jainism, another religion followed by many Indians was found
by one of Buddha's contemporary, Mahavira, also uniquely Indian. Both of them questioned
Vedas and stressed importance ofahimsa or non-violence and abolition of caste systems. Today
Jains are among India's most distinguished trading and business communities, and the legacy of
Jain art and culture is just as profound. Sikhism, another Indian faith originated with Guru
Nanak,who preached simple monotheistic faith Amritsar, is considered as the holy city for Sikhs,
where sits the magnificent Golden Temple Sikh community have strengthened them through
various oppositions from other religions to subdue them and have risen up, with many followers
in the world Christianity came in during the British rule, during when many people were
preached and pulled into the religion Though the institutionalized religions are associated with
great architectural monuments, such as the Hindu temple cities of South India (Kanchipuramram,
Rameshwaram, Chidambaram, and many others), the Mughal splendors of Delhi, Agra,
andFatehpurSikri, or the Golden Temple at Amritsar, Churches (Velankanni Church, Basilica of
Jesus,Goa the roadside monuments and shrines are even more indicative of the manner in which
thesefaiths interweave with the lives of their adherents.

DANCE MUSIC DRAMA

Dance and music first emerged as part of festivalsand religious worship and of dramatic arts in
India. Both dance and music, collectively known assangit became connected with drama. The
earliest written work dealing with all aspects of music anddance was the Natyashastra Handbook
on Dramatic Arts)India has had a long romance with the art of danceNatyashastra and
AbhinayaDarpana Mirror ofGesture are two surviving Sanskrit documents, bothestimated to be
between 1700 and 2200 years oldIndian dance includes eight classical danceforms, many in
narrative forms with mythological elements The eight classical forms stated byNational
Academy of Music Dance and drama are Bharatanatyam of the state of Tamil Nadu,Kathak of
Uttar Pradesh kathakali andMohiniattam of Kerala Kuchipudi Of Andhra Pradesh. Yakshagana
of KarnatakaManipuri of Manipur OdessaOrissa of Odisha and theSattriya of Assam. Various
regional dances likeBhangra, Bihu Chhau, Mahi, Ghoomar, Dandiya.Garbs are so popular Music
has been an integral part of Indian Culture Ancient Indian systems classifies musical instruments
into four groups based on primary sources of vibration: strings, membranes, cymbals, and air
TheSamaveda, and other Hindu texts, heavily influenced India's classical music tradition, which
isknown today in two distinct styles: Carnatic and Hindustanimusic Indian drama and theatre has
a long history alongside its music and dance Kalidasa's plays likeShakuntala and Meghdoot are
some of the olderdramas, following those of Bhasa One of the oldest surviving theatre traditions
of the world is the 2.000-year-old Kutiyattam of Kerala, which strictlyfollows the Natya Shastra.
With the Islamic conquests that began in the 10th and 11th centuriestheatre was discouraged or
forbidden entirely. Dra-ma played a major role in reviving patriotism amongpeople, for
Independence against the British RuleNatyacharya Mani MadhavaChakyar is credited for
bringing the age old drama tradition from extincttion Modern Indian theatrical scenes, changed
in India after inonce over the years, Dance Music and Drama have evolved into a more modern
phase, seeing more Western fusion.

LITRATURE AND LANGUAGE

The Indian literature dates back to many thousand years The earliest works were orally
transmitted Sanskrit literature begins with the oral literature ofthe Rig Veda, a collection of
sacred hymns datingto the period 1500-1200 BCE Later came TamilSangam Literature, followed
by literature in Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Hindi, Pars etc. The Vedas are the earliest
known literature inIndia. The Vedas were written in SanskritThe word Veda literally means
knowledge In Hindu culture, Vedas are considered aseternal and divine revelations They treat
thewhole world as one human family VasudevKutumbakam. There are four Vedas, namely the
RigVeda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva VedaEach Veda consists of the Brahmana the
Upanishads and the Aranyakas The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are theoldest preserved and
well-known epics of India.These epics played an important role in their erasto instill certain
values Ramayana tries to emphasis the role of dharma as a principal ideal guiding force for
Hindu way of life with moral code of conducts Whereas in Mahabharata the strength of Dharma
is devised along with Karma Sustaining Dharma, with few diversions from the straight loyal path
considered correctIn addition to these two great Indian epics, thereepics such as
MeghdootMricchakatika, RatnavaliArthashastra and other in classical Tamil language-
SilapathikaramManimekalai. Civaka-cintamani and Valayapathi-kundalakesi are also famous
ThePuranas occupy a unique position in the sacred literature of the Hindus They are regarded
next in importance only to the Vedas and the Epics There are said to be eighteenPuranas and
about the same number of Upappuranas. Some of the well-knownPuranas areBrahma Bhagvat
Padma Vishnu. Vayu Agni Matsya and Garuda it is found that India has 122 first languages in
use out of which 22 are official 15 of which are Indo-EuropeanSanskrit is the mother of many
Indian languagesThe Vedas, Upanishads Puranas and Dharmasutrasare all written in Sanskrit
The language, whateverbe its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure more perfect than the Greek
more abundant than theLatin, and more exquisitely refined than either Hind, Gujarati, Bengali,
Marathi, Punjabi and manyother languages, emerged from Sanskrit All ofthese languages have
roots and structure similar toSanskrit to each other and to other Indo European languages.

ART AND CRAFTS

Indian crafts are highly acclaimed throughout the world for their aesthetic appeal and
magnificence The diverse cultural traditions of India have enabled the accomplishment of
producing various kinds of crafts The crafts are composed of different materials, themes and
proficiencies. Works on woodwork pottery, hand looms terracotta, paintings, beadwork Jeweler
and embroidery etc. have survived through centuries with fewer changes Clay Craft of India The
origin of clay crafts in the country dates back toast early as the Indus Valley Civilization The
Indian states of Himachal Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Gujarat, West Bengal and Rajasthan are
renowned for their diverse form of clay crafts Wood Craft of India Indian woodcrafts have
existed in the nation ever since ancient periods The craft of manufacturing products with the help
of wood was practicedeven prior to the stone sculptural age Manipuriregion of Uttar Pradesh,
Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala and Jammu and Kashmir are some of the Indian states which are
famous for their woodcraft Ivory Craft of India Crafts involving ivory crafting is popular in the
states like Kerala, Punjab, Delhi Gujarat Rajasthan and West Bengal. The Ivory carvers of Jaipur
Bengal and Delhi are known for their engraved models ofAmbar hath or processional elephant
bullock carts, sandals, caskets, book covers and plan-quins Craftsmen of Gujarat carve exquisite
human figures as also images of deities Stone Craft of India The art of sculpture is the poetic
expression of stone craft Sculptures of deities, decorative for house interiors modelled on
classical prototypes, continue To be made in every nook and corner of India Havellsof Jaipur are
very intricately carved by expert craftsmen, which still stands with great majestic aura Ancient
stone carving can be explicitly seen in Ajanta Ellora Caves. These shrines were all cut out of
rock by hand, and rank amongst some of the most outstanding specimens of ancient Indian
architectural heritage The finest specimens of cave-temple architecture, the house elaborate
facades and exquisitely adorned interiors These structures representing the three faiths of
Hinduism Buddhism and Jainism, were carved during the 350 AD to 700 AD

Glass Craft of India It is evident from the archaeological findings at Bats in Uttar Pradesh that
glassware in India is about2000 years old Glass processing, although have changed widely from
past
CUSTOMS AND FOOD
Kolaspangolins are auspicious patterns created using rice flour or white sandstone powder.
Rangolis (rang color) are further decorated using color powders, flowers and materials. It is an
art as well as a traditional symbolFestivalsIndia being a land of diverse cultures &religions,
countless festivals are celebrated throughout the year. People of the same religion follow
different customs, based on the region in which they live The celebrations include prayers to the
Gods, rituals, meeting with friends, sharing of sweets &gifts, It is a Hindu belief that dreams
followed with sincerity, as stipulated, will condition and discipline the body as well as the mind.
Another aspect of the Hindu religious festivals are the utsavams, which involve a gathering,
pomp and joyous activities The Namaste is one of the most popular Indian customs. The
Namaste, or 'namaskar, or 'namaskaara'is one of the five forms of traditional greetings mentioned
in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas Also, in India, there exists the concept of a joint
family, wherein the entire family parents, wife, children and in some cases relatives) all live
together. This is mostly because of the cohesive nature of the Indian society, and also reportedly
helps in handling pressure and stress Most temples are located along magnetic wave lines of the
earth, which help in maximizing the available positive energy. The copper plate
(calledGarbhagriha or Moolasthan) buried under themain idol absorbs and resonates this energy
to its surroundings. Going to the temple often, helps in having a positive mind and garnering
positive energies, which in turn lead to healthier functioning.Indian cuisine varies from region to
region and is also influence by many neighboringnations. 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 Spices and flavorings like whole or powdered chillily pepper (mirch), black
mustard seed (sarso), cardamom (elaichi), cumin (jeera), turmeric (haldi), asafetida (hing), ginger
(adrak), coriander (dhania),and garlic (lasoon) are frequently used. One popular spice mix is
garam masala a powder that typically includes five or more dried spices in different proportions.
Each culinary region has a distinctive garammasala blend based on their labour and cuisine With
dishes varying from region to region, Indian cuisine has an enormous rich range of food, that
people can gorge on