Tribal CultureCulture includes in it common values, behaviors, attitudes,

and beliefs that bind a society together. India is a land of diverse

culture. It is a home for varied customs and various ways of life. Since
time immemorial, India was home and origin for various ethnicity. Very
few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as
India. Indian culture stretches back over 5000 years. The diverse nature
of the land is because of the successive waves of migration. The migrations
enriched the Indian tradition and the varied ways of life were absorbed
into the Indian way of life. It is this variety, which is the special
hallmark of India. Beneath the diversity lies the continuity of Indian
civilization and social structure, which remains the same. Modern India
presents a picture of unity in diversity.
Culture includes the non-material aspect of a civilization; it includes
beliefs, values, behavior, attitude, philosophy, literature, and art.
Elements of a culture are group behavior patterns such as folkways, mores,
customs, traditions, laws, stereotype legends, fashion, and myth. Each
contributes to the development of culture. There are certain basic
characteristic of culture. Firstly, learned quality of culture is one of
the basic characters of culture. It is not innate or biologically acquired,
in fact it is sociologically acquired. Traits learned through
socialization, habits and thoughts are culture. Secondly, culture is
transmitted from person to person and generation to generation. The
individual is molded according to his family and society, of which he is
a member. Culture is constantly accumulating. There is constant change
in culture. Indian society is an example of it, with time there is a
constant change happening. Thirdly, culture has a gratifying quality as
it satisfies the social and ethical needs of a man. Culture meets the
recurring demands of humankind. The demand of reproduction, of nursing
an infant to maturity and finally the disposal of the dead all are met
by culture from generation to generation.
Culture has a characteristic of adaptation. Indian culture represents
this trait of adaptation. It has adopted features from various different
cultures and it is due to the number of invasions it has had. Culture is
dynamic in nature and has the quality of being integrated; various parts
of culture are integrated with one another. Indian culture is one such
culture, which has many cultures under one roof and the attributions from
various cultures has led to the present new India, which is open and
dynamic in nature. Its literature, poetry, prose, drama, art, music, dance,
sculpture, paintings, photography, architecture, religion, worship,
rituals, ethics, educational values, library, schools, and museums
represent the culture of present India.
There are some special features, which marks Indian culture. Faith in
spiritualism is one such feature. Indian culture attaches a lot of faith
in spiritualism. India’s real heritage is spiritual wealth accumulated
during the last four thousand years. India is a land of religions and
spiritualism; most of the world religions were born and developed in India.
From ancient times until today, various seers and philosophers were born
in India and they kept the lamp of Indian spiritualism burning. Spiritual
perfection leads to better social life. Faith in ahimsa or non-violence
is another feature in Indian culture. Ahimsa or non- violence is the means
to attain the ultimate goal of truth. Ahimsa includes humility, charity,
love, compassion, patience, and purity of heart. It inspires to love all
creatures. It purifies the spirit. It abstains from doing harm to others
by word, by deed or even by thought. Toleration plays a major role in ahimsa
and toleration is one of the key features of Indian culture. Lastly, the
special feature, which marks Indian culture, is the theory of Karma.
Indian culture is guided by the theory of Karma. Most Indian philosophers
believe in the theory of Karma, according to which, results of actions
are always with us and marks the course of our life.
Our own culture is highly complex in pattern. We have accumulated our
culture for centuries and it has spread throughout the length and breadth
of India, even to its ancient colonies, like Burma and the whole of
Indonesia. Coming to us through different ages it regulates our
characteristic way of life. It is sustained by the messages of which
“Gita” is the greatest scripture, the “Veda’s”, the “Upanishads”,
the “Ramayana” and the “Mahabharata” elaborate expositions. The lives
and teachings of Dayanand, Ramakrishna, Gandhi, Tagore, Aurobindo and
many more guide the Indian way of life and that is why Indian culture has
undying vitality and is even now reintegrated to meet the demand of the
hour.