Etymology

Main article: Etymology of the names of India

The name India (IPA: /'ɪndiə/) is derived from Indus, which is derived from the Old Persian word Hindu, from
Sanskrit Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the Indus River.[14] The ancient Greeks referred to the ancient Indians
as Indoi, the people of the Indus.[15] The Constitution of India and common usage in various Indian languages also
recognise Bharat (pronunciation (help·info), /bʰɑːrət̪/) as an official name of equal status.[16] Hindustan (/hin̪d̪ust̪ɑːn/
(info)), which is the Persian word for “Land of the Hindus” and historically referred to northern India, is also
occasionally used as a synonym for all of India.[17]

History

Main articles: History of India and History of Republic of India

Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known
traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared over 9,000 years ago and gradually
developed into the Indus Valley Civilization,[18] dating back to 3300 BCE in western India. It was followed by the Vedic
Civilization, which laid the foundations of Hinduism and other cultural aspects of early Indian society. From around
550 BCE, many independent kingdoms and republics known as the Mahajanapadas were established across the
country.[19]

Paintings at the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad, Maharashtra. 2nd century BCE[20]

The empire built by the Maurya dynasty under Emperor Ashoka united most of South Asia in the third century BCE.[21]
From 180 BCE, a series of invasions from Central Asia followed, including those led by the Indo-Greeks, Indo-
Scythians, Indo-Parthians and Kushans in the north-western Indian Subcontinent. From the third century CE, the Gupta
dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient "India's Golden Age."[22][23] While the north had larger, fewer
kingdoms, south India had several dynasties such as the Rashtrakutas, Chalukyas, Pallavas and Cholas, which
overlapped in time and territory.[citation needed] Science, engineering, art, literature, astronomy, and philosophy flourished
under the patronage of these kings.

Following invasions from Central Asia between the tenth and twelfth centuries, much of north India came under the
rule of the Delhi Sultanate, and later the Mughal dynasty. Mughal emperors gradually expanded their kingdoms to
cover large parts of the subcontinent. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms, such as the Vijayanagara Empire,
flourished, especially in the south. In the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the Mughal supremacy declined and the
Maratha Empire became the dominant power. From the sixteenth century, several European countries, including
Portugal, Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom, started arriving as traders and later took advantage of the
fractious nature of relations between the kingdoms to establish colonies in the country. By 1856, most of India was
under the control of the British East India Company.[24] A year later, a nationwide insurrection of rebelling military units
and kingdoms, variously referred to as the First War of Indian Independence or Sepoy Mutiny, seriously challenged
British rule but eventually failed. As a consequence, India came under the direct control of the British Crown as a
colony of the British Empire.
Mahatma Gandhi (right) with Jawaharlal Nehru, 1937. Nehru would go on to become India's first prime minister in
1947.

During the first half of the twentieth century, a nationwide struggle for independence was launched by the Indian
National Congress and other political organisations. Led by Mahatma Gandhi, and displaying commitment to ahimsa,
or non-violence, millions of protesters engaged in mass campaigns of civil disobedience.[25] Finally, on 15 August 1947,
India gained independence from British rule, but was partitioned, in accordance to wishes of the Muslim League, along
the lines of religion to create the Islamic nation-state of Pakistan.[26] Three years later, on 26 January 1950, India
became a republic and a new constitution came into effect.[8]

Since independence, India has experienced sectarian violence and insurgencies in various parts of the country, but has
maintained its unity and democracy. It has unresolved territorial disputes with China, which in 1962 escalated into the
brief Sino-Indian War; and with Pakistan, which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, 1971, and 1999. India is a founding
member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations (as part of British India). In 1974, India conducted an
underground nuclear test.[27] This was followed by five more tests in 1998, making India a nuclear state.[27] Beginning in
1991, significant economic reforms[28] have transformed India into one of the fastest-growing economies in the world,
adding to its global and regional clout.[29]
National symbols of India[112]
Government Flag Tricolour
Emblem Sarnath Lion Capital
Main article: Government of India
Anthem Jana Gana Mana
India is the largest democracy in the world.[11] The Constitution Song Vandē Mātaram
defines India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic
republic.[30] India has a quasi-federal form of government[31] and a Animal Royal Bengal Tiger
bicameral parliament operating under a Westminster-style Bird Indian Peacock
parliamentary system. It has three branches of governance: the
Flower Lotus
Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary. The President of India is the
official head of state[32] elected indirectly by an electoral college[33] Tree Banyan
for a five-year term.[34][35] The Prime Minister is, however, the de
Fruit Mango
facto head of government and exercises most executive powers.[32]
The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and, by Sport Field hockey
convention, is the candidate supported by the party or political Calendar Saka
alliance holding the majority of seats in the lower house of
Parliament.[32]

The legislature of India is the bicameral Parliament, which consists of the upper house called the Rajya Sabha (Council
of States) and the lower house called the Lok Sabha (House of People).[36] The Rajya Sabha, a permanent body, has up
to 250 members serving staggered six year terms.[37] Most are elected indirectly by the state and territorial legislatures
in proportion to the state's population.[37] The Lok Sabha's 545 members are directly elected by popular vote to
represent individual constituencies for five year terms.[37]

The executive branch consists of the President, Vice-President, and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet being its
executive committee) headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either house
of parliament. In the Indian parliamentary system, the executive is subordinate to the legislature, with the Prime
Minister and his Council being directly responsible to the lower house of the parliament.[38]

India has a unitary three-tier judiciary, consisting of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India, twenty-
one High Courts, and a large number of trial courts.[39] The Supreme Court has original jurisdiction over cases involving
fundamental rights and over disputes between states and the Centre, and appellate jurisdiction over the High Courts.[40]
It is judicially independent,[39] and has the power to declare the law and to strike down union or state laws which
contravene the Constitution.[41]

Politics

Main article: Politics of India

The North Block, in New Delhi, houses key government offices

For most of its democratic history, the federal Government of India has been led by the Indian National Congress
(INC).[42] State politics have been dominated by several national parties including the INC, the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), the Communist Party of India (CPI), and various regional parties. From 1950 to 1990, the INC enjoyed a
parliamentary majority barring two brief periods. The INC was out of power between 1977 and 1980, when the Janata
Party won the election owing to public discontent with the "Emergency" declared by the then Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi. In 1989, a Janata Dal led National Front coalition in alliance with the Left Front coalition won the elections but
managed to stay in power for only two years.[43]

The years 1996–1998 were a period of turmoil in the federal government with several short-lived alliances holding
sway. The BJP formed a government briefly in 1996, followed by the United Front coalition. In 1998, the BJP formed
the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) with several regional parties and became the first non-Congress government
to complete a full five-year term.[44] In the 2004 Indian elections, the INC won the largest number of Lok Sabha seats
and formed a government with a coalition called the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), supported by various left-
leaning parties and members opposed to the BJP.[45]

Foreign relations and the military

Main articles: Foreign relations of India and Indian Armed Forces

The Nuclear capable Agni-II ballistic missile during a Republic Day parade.

Since independence in 1947, India has maintained cordial relationships with most nations. It took a leading role in the
1950s by advocating the independence of European colonies in Africa and Asia. India is one of the founding members
of the Non-Aligned Movement.[46] After the Sino-Indian War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, India's relationship
with the Soviet Union warmed at the expense of ties with the United States and continued to remain so until the end of
the Cold War. India has fought and won several wars with Pakistan, primarily over Kashmir. India also fought an
additional war with Pakistan for the the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

Despite criticism and military sanctions, India has consistently refused to sign the CTBT and the NPT, preferring
instead to maintain sovereignty over its nuclear program. Recent overtures by the Indian government have strengthened
relations with the United States, China, and Pakistan. In the economic sphere, India has close relationships with other
developing nations in South America, Asia, and Africa. In recent years, India has played an influential role in the
ASEAN, SAARC, and the WTO. India has been a long time supporter of the United Nations, with over 55,000 Indian
military and police personnel having served in thirty-five UN peace keeping operations deployed across four
continents.[47]

India maintains the third largest military force in the world, which consists of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.[8]
Auxiliary forces such as the Paramilitary Forces, the Coast Guard, and the Strategic Forces Command also come under
the military's purview. The President of India is the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces. India also became
a nuclear state in 1974 after conducting an initial nuclear test. Further underground testing in 1998 led to international
military sanctions against India, which were gradually withdrawn after September 2001. India maintains a "no-first-
use" nuclear policy[48] and has a clean record of non-proliferation.[49]

Subdivisions

Main article: Subdivisions of India

India is a union of twenty-eight states and seven federally governed union territories.[42] All states, the union territory of
Puducherry, and the National Capital Territory of Delhi have elected governments. The other five union territories have
centrally appointed administrators.

Administrative divisions of India, including 28 states and 7 union territories.

States:

1. Andhra Pradesh 15. Maharashtra

2. Arunachal Pradesh 16. Manipur
3. Assam 17. Meghalaya Union Territories:
4. Bihar 18. Mizoram
5. Chhattisgarh 19. Nagaland A. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
6. Goa 20. Orissa B. Chandigarh
7. Gujarat 21. Punjab C. Dadra and Nagar Haveli
8. Haryana 22. Rajasthan D. Daman and Diu
9. Himachal Pradesh 23. Sikkim E. Lakshadweep
10. Jammu and Kashmir 24. Tamil Nadu F. National Capital Territory of Delhi
11. Jharkhand 25. Tripura
12. Karnataka 26. Uttar Pradesh G. Puducherry
13. Kerala 27. Uttarakhand

14. Madhya Pradesh 28. West Bengal

All states and union territories are subdivided into districts. In larger states, districts may be grouped together to form a
division.[citation needed]

Geography

Main articles: Geography of India and Climate of India

Topographic map of India

India, the major portion of the Indian subcontinent, sits atop both the Indian tectonic plate and the northwestern Indo-
Australian Plate.[50] Its defining geological processes commenced seventy five million years ago, when the Indian
subcontinent, then part of the southern supercontinent Gondwana, began a northeastwards drift, lasting fifty million
years, across the then unformed Indian Ocean.[51] The subcontinent's subsequent collision with the Eurasian Plate and
subduction under it, gave rise to the Himalayas, the planet's highest mountains, which now abut India in the north and
the north-east.[51] Plate movement also created a vast trough in the former seabed immediately south of the Himalayas,
which was subsequently filled with river-borne sediment,[52] and now forms the Indo-Gangetic Plain.[53] To the west of
this plain lies the Thar Desert, cut off from it and from the moisture-laden monsoon-winds by the Aravalli Hills.[54] The
original Indian plate itself survives as pensinsular India, the oldest and geologically most stable part of India, and
extending as far north as the Satpura and Vindhya ranges in central India; these parallel ranges run west to east from the
Arabian Sea coast in Gujarat to the coal-rich Chota Nagpur Plateau in Jharkhand.[55] To their south, the remaining
peninsular landmass, the Deccan plateau, flanked on the left and right by the coastal ranges, Western Ghats and Eastern
Ghats respectively,[56] has the oldest rock formations in India, some over one billion years old. Constituted in such
fashion, India lies to the north of the equator between 6°44' and 35°30' north latitude[57] and 68°7' and 97°25' east
longitude.[58]

Major Himalayan-origin rivers that substantially flow through India include the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, both of
which drain into the Bay of Bengal.[59] Important tributaries of the Ganges include the Yamuna and "Bihar's Sorrow",
the Kosi, whose extremely low gradient causes disastrous floods every year. Major peninsular rivers–whose steeper
gradients prevent their waters from flooding–include the Godavari, the Mahanadi, the Kaveri, and the Krishna, which
also drain into the Bay of Bengal,[60] and the Narmada and the Tapti, which drain into the Arabian Sea.[61] Among
notable coastal features of India are the marshy Rann of Kutch in western India, and the south-western region of the
alluvial Sundarbans delta, which India shares with Bangladesh.[62] India has two archipelagos: the Lakshadweep, coral
atolls off India's south-western coast, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a volcanic chain in the Andaman Sea.[63]

India's climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar Desert, both of which drive the dynamics of the
monsoons.[64] The Himalayas prevent cold Central Asian katabatic winds from blowing in, keeping the bulk of the
Indian subcontinent warmer than most locations at similar latitudes.[65] Concurrently, the Thar Desert plays a role in
attracting moisture-laden southwest summer monsoon winds that, between June and October, provide the majority of
India's rainfall.[64] Four major climatic groupings predominate in India: Tropical wet, tropical dry, subtropical humid,
and montane.[66]

Flora and fauna

Main articles: Flora of India and Fauna of India

An artist's impression of the Himalayan mountain quail, one of three bird species of India that went extinct in the 20th
century.

India, lying within the Indomalaya ecozone, hosts significant biodiversity; it is home to 7.6% of all mammalian, 12.6%
of all avian, 6.2% of all reptilian, 4.4% of all amphibian, 11.7% of all fish, and 6.0% of flowering plant species.[67]
Many ecoregions, such as the shola forests, exhibit extremely high rates of endemism; for example, 33% of Indian
plant species are endemic.[68][69] India's forest cover ranges from the tropical rainforest of the Andaman Islands, Western
Ghats, and North-East India to the coniferous forest of the Himalaya. Between these extremes lie the sal-dominated
moist deciduous forest of eastern India; the teak-dominated dry deciduous forest of central and southern India; and the
babul-dominated thorn forest of the central Deccan and western Gangetic plain.[70] Important Indian trees include the
medicinal neem, widely used in rural Indian herbal remedies. The pipal fig tree, shown on the seals of Mohenjo-daro,
shaded Gautama Buddha as he sought enlightenment.

Many Indian species are descendants of taxa originating in Gondwana, to which India originally belonged. Peninsular
India's subsequent movement towards, and collision with, the Laurasian landmass set off a mass exchange of species.
However, volcanism and climatic changes 20 million years ago caused the extinction of many endemic Indian forms.[71]
Soon thereafter, mammals entered India from Asia through two zoogeographical passes on either side of the emerging
Himalaya.[70] As a result, among Indian species, only 12.6% of mammals and 4.5% of birds are endemic, contrasting
with 45.8% of reptiles and 55.8% of amphibians.[67] Notable endemics are the Nilgiri leaf monkey and the brown and
carmine Beddome's toad of the Western Ghats. India contains 172, or 2.9%, of IUCN-designated threatened species.[72]
These include the Asiatic lion, the Bengal tiger, and the Indian white-rumped vulture, which suffered a near-extinction
from ingesting the carrion of diclofenac-treated cattle.

In recent decades, human encroachment has posed a threat to India's wildlife; in response, the system of national parks
and protected areas, first established in 1935, was substantially expanded. In 1972, India enacted the Wildlife
Protection Act[73] and Project Tiger to safeguard crucial habitat; further federal protections were promulgated in the
1980s. Along with more than five hundred wildlife sanctuaries, India hosts thirteen biosphere reserves,[74] four of which
are part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves; twenty-five wetlands are registered under the Ramsar
Convention.[75]

Economy

Main article: Economy of India

The Bombay Stock Exchange is Asia's oldest and India's biggest stock exchange

For most of its post-independence history, India adhered to a quasi-socialist approach with strict government control
over private sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment. However, since 1991, India has gradually
opened up its markets through economic reforms and reduced government controls on foreign trade and investment.
Foreign exchange reserves have risen from US$5.8 billion in March 1991 to US$247 billion in September 2007,[76]
while federal and state budget deficits have decreased.[77] Privatization of publicly-owned companies and the opening of
certain sectors to private and foreign participation has continued amid political debate.[78] With a GDP growth rate of
9.4% in 2006-07, the Indian economy is among the fastest growing in the world.[79] India's GDP in terms of USD
exchange-rate is US$1.103 trillion, which makes it the twelfth largest economy in the world.[80] When measured in
terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), India has the world's fourth largest GDP at US$4.156 trillion.[8] India's per
capita income (nominal) is $820, ranked 128th in the world, while its per capita (PPP) of US$3,700 is ranked 118th.

The Indian economy has grown steadily over the last two decades; however, its growth has been uneven when
comparing different social groups, economic groups, geographic regions, and rural and urban areas.[81] Although income
inequality in India is relatively small (Gini coefficient: 32.5 in year 1999- 2000)[9] it has been increasing of late. Despite
significant economic progress, a quarter of the nation's population earns less than the government-specified poverty
threshold of $0.40/day. In addition, India has a higher rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three (46%
in year 2007) than any other country in the world.[81][82]

India has a labour force of 509.3 million, 60% of which is employed in agriculture and related industries; 28% in
services and related industries; and 12% in industry.[8] Major agricultural crops include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute,
tea, sugarcane, and potatoes. The agricultural sector accounts for 28% of GDP; the service and industrial sectors make
up 54% and 18% respectively. Major industries include automobiles, cement, chemicals, consumer electronics, food
processing, machinery, mining, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, steel, transportation equipment, and textiles.[8]

In 2006, estimated exports stood at US$112 billion and imports were around US$187.9 billion. Textiles, jewellery,
engineering goods and software are major export commodities. Crude oil, machineries, fertilizers, and chemicals are
major imports. India's most important trading partners are the United States, the European Union, China, and the
United Arab Emirates.[8] More recently, India has capitalised on its large pool of educated, English-speaking people,
and trained professionals to become an important outsourcing destination for multinational corporations and a popular
destination for medical tourism.[83] India has also become a major exporter of software as well as financial, research,
and technological services. Its natural resources include arable land, bauxite, chromite, coal, diamonds, iron ore,
limestone, manganese, mica, natural gas, petroleum, and titanium ore.[42]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of India

See also: Religion in India

Population density map of India

With an estimated population of 1.12 billion,[8] India is the world's second most populous country and is expected to be
the most populous by 2040.[84] Almost 70% of Indians reside in rural areas,[85] although in recent decades migration to
larger cities has led to a dramatic increase in the country's urban population. India's largest cities are Mumbai (formerly
Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), Chennai (formerly Madras), Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.[42]

India is the second most culturally, linguistically and genetically diverse geographical entity after the African
continent.[86] India is home to two major linguistic families: Indo-Aryan (spoken by about 74% of the population) and
Dravidian (spoken by about 24%). Other languages spoken in India come from the Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman
linguistic families. Hindi, with the largest number of speakers,[87] is the official language of India.[88] English, which is
extensively used in business and administration, has the status of a 'subsidiary official language'.[6] The constitution also
recognises in particular 21 other languages that are either abundantly spoken or have classical status. The number of
dialects in India is as high as 1,652.[89]

Over 800 million Indians, or about 80.5% of the country's population, are Hindu. The next-largest religious group are
Muslims, who make up 13.4% of the population. Other religious groups include Christians (2.3%), Sikhs (1.9%),
Buddhists (0.8%), Jains (0.4%), Jews, Zoroastrians, Bahá'ís and others.[90] Tribals constitute 8.1% of the population.[91]

At the time of India's independence in 1947, its literacy rate was 12.2%.[92] Since then, it has increased to 64.8% (53.7%
for females and 75.3% for males). The state of Kerala has the highest literacy rate (91%); Bihar has the lowest
(47%).[85] The national gender ratio is 944 females per 1,000 males.[85] India's median age is 24.9, and the population
growth rate of 1.38% per annum; there are 22.01 births per 1,000 people per year.[8]

Culture
 Main article: Culture of India

The Taj Mahal, Agra. Shah Jahan's 1648 memorial to wife Mumtaz Mahal, would, in 1983, be cited as "the jewel of
Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage."[93]

India's culture is marked by a high degree of syncretism[94] and cultural pluralism.[95] It has managed to preserve
established traditions while absorbing new customs, traditions, and ideas from invaders and immigrants. Multicultural
concerns have long informed India’s history and traditions, constitution and political arrangements.[96]

Notable monuments, such as the Taj Mahal and other examples of Mughal architecture and South Indian architecture
are the result of traditions that combined elements from several parts of the country and abroad. The vernacular
architecture displays notable regional variation, from the unique barrel-shaped huts of the Toda people to the sloping
thatched and clay-tiled roofs of rural West Bengal.[97]

Indian music covers a wide range of traditions and regional styles. Classical music is split mainly between the North
Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions. Famous representatives of Hindustani tradition are shehnai-
player Bismillah Khan and sitarist Ravi Shankar and of the Carnatic tradition, vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi and
mridangam-player Palghat Mani Iyer. Highly regionalised forms of popular music include filmi and folk music; the
syncretic tradition of the bauls of Bengal is one of the best known forms of the latter.

Indian dance too has diverse folk and classical forms. Among the well-known folk dances are the bhangra of the
Punjab, the bihu of Assam, the chhau of Bihar and Orissa and the ghoomar of Rajasthan. Eight dance forms, many with
narrative forms and and mythological elements, have been accorded classical dance status by India's National Academy
of Music, Dance, and Drama. These are: bharatanatyam of the state of Tamil Nadu, kathak of Uttar Pradesh, kathakali
and mohiniattam of Kerala, kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, manipuri of Manipur, odissi of the state of Orissa, and
sattriya of Assam.[98] The last named, traditionally performed by celibate monks of the Vaishnavite tradition, notably on
Majuli island in the Brahmaputra, is now performed by both women and laymen.[98]

India has many forms of traditional and folk theatre, which incorporate music, dance, and improvised or written
dialogue.[99] Often based in Hindu mythology, but also borrowing from medieval romances, and news of social and
political events, these forms include the bhavai of state of Gujarat, the jatra of West Bengal, the nautanki and ramlila
of North India, the tamasha of Maharashtra, the terukkuttu of Tamil Nadu, and the yakshagana of Karanataka.[100]
Yakshagana, in particular, has undergone innovation in dance and theatre, which includes performances of
Shakespeare.[101]

The earliest works of Indian literature were transmitted orally and only later written down.[102] These included works of
Sanskrit literature, such as the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana, and the drama The Recognition of Śakuntalā,[103] and
those of the Sangam literature in Tamil.[104] Among Indian writers of the modern era active in Indian languages or
English, Rabindranath Tagore is best known. Gitanjali, his anthology of devotional songs, earned him the Nobel Prize
in 1913.
A prayer flag above Tanze Monastery in the Kurgiakh Valley. The wind is believed to propagate the prayers printed on
tissue.

The Indian film industry, which debuted in 1913 with director Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra, is today the
world's largest; the Mumbai-based Bollywood's commercial Hindi film is its most recognisable face.[105] Established
traditions also exist in the regional-language cinema, including Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and
Telugu.[106] A product of the regional tradition, Pather Panchali (1955), auteur Satyajit Ray's debut film of childhood
and death in rural Bengal, is a landmark of world cinema.[107]

Indian cuisine is characterized by a wide variety of regional styles and sophisticated use of herbs and spices. The staple
foods in the region are rice (especially in the south and the east) and wheat (predominantly in the north).[108] Foods
originally native to the Indian subcontinent that are now consumed world wide include oranges, sugar, chicken, and
black pepper; in contrast, hot chilli peppers, popular across India, were introduced there by the Portuguese.[109]

Traditional Indian dress greatly varies across the regions in its colours and styles and depends on various factors,
including climate. Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as sari for women and dhoti or lungi for
men;[110] in addition, stitched clothes such as shalwar kameez for women and kurta-pyjama for men, introduced into
India with Muslim invasions, and European-style trousers and shirts for men, introduced with British rule, are also
popular.[110]

India's national sport is field hockey, even though cricket is the most popular sport. In some states, particularly those in
the northeast and the states of West Bengal, Goa, and Kerala, football is also a popular sport.[111] In recent times, tennis
has also gained popularity. Chess, commonly held to have originated in India, is also gaining popularity with the rise of
the number of recognized Indian grandmasters. Traditional sports include kabaddi, kho-kho, and gilli-danda, which are
played nationwide. India is home to the age-old discipline of yoga and to the ancient martial arts, Kalarippayattu and
Varma Kalai.

Many of the Indian festivals are religious in origin, although several are celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. The
most popular holidays are Diwali, Holi, Onam, Vijayadashami, Bihu, Durga puja, the two Eids, Christmas, Ugadi,
Buddha Jayanti and Vaisakhi. India has three national holidays. Other sets of holidays, varying between nine and
twelve, are officially observed in the individual states. Religious practices are an integral part of everyday life and are a
very public affair. Traditional Indian family values are highly respected, although urban families now prefer a nuclear
family system due to the socio-economic constraints imposed by the traditional joint family system.