Comparison between India and Germany

Submitted by

Name Soumya Malhotra

Division B
PRN 17010224146
BATCH 2017-22

OF

Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA

Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune.

In February, 2019

Under the guidance of

Ms. Surbhi Bhatia

 CERTIFICATE

The project entitled “COMPARISON BETWEEN INDIA AND

GERMANY” submitted to the Symbiosis Law School, NOIDA for
BASIC GERMAN 2 as part of Internal Assessment is based on my
original work carried out under the guidance of Ms. Surbhi Bhatia
from December 2018 to February 2019.

The Research work has not been submitted elsewhere for award of
any degree. The material borrowed from other sources and
incorporated in the research paper has been duly acknowledged. I
understand that I myself would be held responsible and accountable
for plagiarism, if any, detected later on.

Signature of the Candidate

Date:
GERMANY-
Germany is one of the most influential European nations culturally, and one of the world's
main economic powers. Known around the world for its precision engineering and high-tech
products, it is equally admired by visitors for its old-world charm and "Gemütlichkeit"
(coziness). If you have perceptions of Germany as simply homogeneous, it will surprise you
with its many historical regions and local diversity.

INDIA-
The Republic of India is the seventh largest country in the world by area and, with over a
billion people, is second only to China in population, although its much higher birth-rate
makes it likely to reach pole position in less than ten years.
It is an extremely diverse country, with vast differences in geography, climate, culture,
language and ethnicity across its expanse, and prides itself on being the largest democracy on
Earth and a hub of trade in Southeast Asia.
Going by a short introduction of the two nations, the project would focus on how these two
nations are different from one another in terms of their culture, tradition, languages, cuisines,
history etc.

The below headings would be the subject or theme of differentiation between the two nations.

1. POLITICS-
GERMANY-
Germany is a federal republic, consisting of 16 states or German Federal Lands
(Bundesländer)
. The federal
parliament
(Bundestag) is
elected every
four years in a
fairly
complicated
system,
involving both
direct and
proportional
representation.

The two largest

parties are centre right CDU ('Christlich Demokratische Union', Christian Democratic Party)
and centre-left SPD ('Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands', Social Democratic Party).
Due to the proportional voting system, smaller parties are also represented in parliament.

INDIA-
India is a Parliamentary Democracy modeled on the British Westminster system. The
President, indirectly elected, is the Head of State, but his or her position, while not entirely
ceremonial, has limited powers. In practice, the Prime Minister is seen to wield the most
authority, and runs the government with her/his cabinet. The Parliament is bi-cameral. The
Lok Sabha, the
lower house, is
directly elected
by adult
franchise, while
the Rajya
Sabha, or the
upper house, is
indirectly
elected. The
Lok Sabha is the
more powerful
of the two,
primarily because a majority in the Lok Sabha is required to form a government and pass
budgets. India has a vast number of political parties,recently got a highly stable government
led by hugely popular Narendra Modi where a single party got absolute majority after a slew
of coalition led governments in which no single party has secured a majority in the Lok
Sabha, leading to unstable governments and raucous politics.
India has a strong and independent judiciary Supreme Court of India is apex court, and each
state has a high court and a free press.
India is also a Federal Republic, divided into states and union territories. Each of these have
their own legislatures, with government run by a chief minister and a cabinet.

2. EATING HABITS
GERMANY
1. BREAKFAST- With today’s busy lifestyles there is a growing trend towards eating a
more simple breakfast. You are more likely to see young people eating cereal rather than
tucking into a more hearty meal of bread, cheese and sausage. However, the traditional
breakfast of fresh breads accompanied by
cheese or meat is still alive and well.
Particularly, this is common on the weekend
when the family has more time. With
a bakery (Bäckerei) on every street corner,
it’s customary to buy freshly baked rolls on
Saturday and Sunday. This bread is for the
whole family to enjoy over a leisurely
breakfast together! On weekends, some
Germans also like to cook eggs. The most
standard types are hartgekochte sEi (hard-
boiled egg), Spiegelei (fried egg)
or Rührei (scrambled egg)!

2. LUNCH-
Traditionally, German families eat their main meal during the day, between 12 and 2 p.m.
However,
many
families
now eat
their hot
meal in
the
evening.
A typical
lunch
plate
might
consist
 of Kartoffelsalat mit
Würstchen or Frikadellen. This is potato
salad with sausage or meat balls for the first
part. Vegetables are also a standard part of
any Mittagessen despite common
misconceptions. Typical vegetables served
at lunchtime are grüne Bohnen (green
beans), and Möhren (carrots).

Potatoes are also a staple and come in the

form of Salzkartoffel (boiled), Knödel
(dumplings), Bratkartoffel (fried potatoes),
Krokette (croquettes), Kartoffelpüree
(mashed potatoes) and, of course, Pommes Frites (french fries)! Naturally, as popular as
potatoes are, rice and noodles are also often eaten as side dishes.

3. EVENING MEAL-
Abendbrot when literally translated means “evening
bread”. It is a light meal that is usually eaten
between 6 and 7 pm. This is because German
families tend to eat their main meal during the day.
A typical Abendessen consists of a selection of
whole grain bread, cheeses, deli meats and sausages,
and mustards and pickles (gherkins are very
popular). The evening meal is accompanied by a
salad and/or soup, depending on the season. A glass
of sparkling mineral water(Mineralwasser) or a glass
of juice (Saft) is usually the beverage of choice for
young people. For adults, a pint of beer or a glass of
wine with this meal is typical.

INDIA-
Indians consider a healthy breakfast important. They generally prefer to drink tea or coffee
with breakfast, though food preferences vary regionally. North Indian people
prefer roti, parathas, and a vegetable dish accompanied by achar (a pickle) and some
curd. Various types of packaged pickles are available in the market. One of the oldest pickle-
making companies in India is Harnarains, which had started in the 1860s in Old Delhi. People
of Gujarat prefer dhokla and milk, while south Indians prefer idli and dosa, generally
accompanied by sambhar or sagu and various chutneys.
 Traditional lunch in India
usually consists of a main
dish of rice in the south and
the east, and whole wheat
rotis in the north. It
typically includes two or
three kinds of vegetables,
and sometimes items such
as kulcha, naan,
or parathas. Paan (stuffed,
spiced and
folded betel
leaves) which
aids digestion
is often eaten
after lunch
and dinner in
many parts of
India. Apart
from that,
many
households,
specially those
in north and central India, prefer having sweets after the dinner (similar like the western
concept of dessert after meals).

Indian families often gather for "evening snack time", similar to tea time to talk and have tea
and snacks. Dinner is considered the main meal of the day.

3. WEDDINGS-
GERMANY-
A civil ceremony is usually held at the local Standesamt a couple of days or even months
before a large church wedding. A civil ceremony is all that is needed to make a marriage
legal in Germany and many couples opt only for this simple ceremony that is usually held
with a few close relatives and friends as witnesses.

In Germany the traditional engagement ring is usually a gold band worn on the left hand.
After the wedding the same ring is worn on the right hand. Men also wear their wedding ring
on the right hand.

May is normally a preferred month for weddings.

Brides normally wear white gowns and the grooms will be dressed in black.
On the eve of the
wedding friends and
family may gather for
a party called a
Polterabend. This
normally involves
food, drink and the
breaking of plates and
other tableware (with
the exception of
glasses and crystal).
The bride and groom
are expected to clean
up the shattered plates
together thus showing
that they can get along well. It’s also been said that this custom brings good luck to the soon-
to-be-married couple.

Rice is thrown as the bride and groom exit the church.

INDIA-
Indian weddings are traditionally multi-day affairs, and involve many intricate ceremonies,
such as the painting of the hands and feet of the bride called a mehndi. Garlands are presented
to guests of honor instead of corsages, and lots of flower or rose petals are thrown for good
luck.

The wedding is typically divided into three parts: pre-wedding, main, and post-wedding. The
pre-wedding includes all
the preparations and a party
the night before where each
side of the family can meet
each other and dance and
have fun. A Pandit, who has
selected the day of the
wedding based on the bride
and groom’s horoscopes,
conducts a prayer with
family members to provide
the couple with a happily
married life.
The wedding altar (mandapa) is built the day of and the groom is welcomed by his future
mother in law where his feet are then washed and he is offered milk and honey. An Indian
groom typically wears a turban with a veil of flowers to protect him from evil spirits.

The bride’s saree is tied to the groom’s scarf to symbolize the union of the souls. During a
similar ceremony, a cord is tied around the couple’s necks to protect them from evil and they
are typically tied
by elders of the
bride and
groom.

In Indian
weddings, the
Mangala Sutra is
tied around the
bride’s neck
instead of
exchanging rings. The mangala sutra is a cord with two gold pendants and is tied in three
knots by the groom to symbolize the bonding of the two souls for 100 years. This necklace
lets others know that the bride is married.

4. EDUCATION SYSTEM
GERMANY-
The German education system functions upon the rules and regulations of the Basic Law
“Grundgesetz”. The Federal Ministries of Education, Cultural Affair and Science is the main
authority for making education, science and arts policy guidelines, and for adopting related
laws and administrative regulations.

The ministry
closely
collaborates
with the
Federation and
Länders
(German states)
authorities, in
supervising the
entire activity of
the educational
institutions,
organizations
and foundations.
Responsibility on education issues in Germany is shared amongst Länders and the Federation
(which has a minor role). Though, there are areas of cooperation in the education field for
which such a distinction between both parts doesn’t exist, known as “joint tasks” or
“Gemeinschaftsaufgaben”.

Landers, on the other hand, have a wide legislative power around their territory about school,
academic, adult and continuing sector (except if the Basic law empowers the Federation with
such a power instead).

The German education system is divided into 5 levels:

 Early Childhood Education.

 Primary Education.
 Secondary Education.
 Tertiary Education.
 Continuing Education

.INDIA-

The good news for anyone considering an Indian university is that all courses are delivered in
English. English and Hindi are India’s official national languages, although many more
languages are spoken across the states.

Higher education in India has risen in international rankings over the past decade. It is the
third most represented country in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings and
is the second most represented country in the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies
University Ranking.

Degrees available broadly match those of the British system, starting with bachelor’s and
progressing to master’s and doctoral levels.

Indian universities are well-known for their particularly high standard in engineering, but
there are a
number of
specialist
institutes
covering
other areas
too, such
as
the Indian
Institute of
Science in
Bangalore,
the Indian
Institute of
Technology Bombay and the Aligarh Muslim University.

5. CLOTHING

GERMANY-

Today, the average German dress is typically

western. Both men and women wear dark simple
suits and shirts in business context. However, each
region of the country have their own traditional
costumes, which differ a bit from one another. For
example, in the state of Bavaria, the traditional
costume for men is leather trousers that end just
above the knee, while for women it is a dress that
incorporates a bodice, blouse, full skirt and an
apron. You can see people wearing these costumes,
especially during carnivals or festivals

INDIA-
Clothing in India changes 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
like kaupina, langota, dhoti, lungi, sari, ga
mucha, and loinclothsto cover the body to
elaborate costumes not only used in daily
wear, but also on festive occasions, as
well as rituals and dance performances. In
urban areas, western clothing is common
and uniformly worn by people of all social levels. India also has a great diversity in terms of
weaves, fibers, colours, and material of clothing. Sometimes, color codes are followed in
clothing based on the religion and ritual concerned.
CELEBRATIONS
GERMANY-

Though the Germans are

known as very
bureaucratic people, they
too know how to have fun
and enjoy life. The widely
attended carnivals and
festivals prove this
statement best. Both types
of events are a joyful
period of the year in which
whole cities engage in all-
out parties and colorful celebrations. The Carnivals have a long history in Catholicism, while
today they are celebrated by street parades of people wearing costumes and masks. There is a
variety of carnivals and festivals celebrating all spheres of life and joy.

INDIA- India
is famous for a lot of
things around the world
from yoga to its diversity
from its travel
destinations to its rich past
but one thing that this
country is better at doing
than most is celebrating
festivals, lots of festivals.
A country with diverse religious and cultural backgrounds India as a nation gets to celebrate
festivals of different types, tastes and colors and that is what makes festivities in this country
so special to experience.

CONCLUSION-
Although both the countries have their quality and art of living completely different from
each other, one cannot compare and decide which one is better than the other.

That is because every country has it’s own set of cultures, rituals and customs which makes it
unique and different from others. One can only embrace the diversity this world provides in
the form of people, their nations and respective cultures.