Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
INDIA
Contents
India-Introduction
Geography
People
Government
Economy
Religions
Politics
Culture
Great Leaders
Women
Conflict with Pakistan over J&K
Indians in America
Useful Links And Sights of India
INDIA
INTRODUCTION
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world, goes back at
least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded about 1500
B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants created classical Indian
culture. Arab incursions starting in the 8th century and Turkish in 12th
were followed by European traders beginning in the late 15th century.
By the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of
virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism
under
Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru led to independence in 1947.
The subcontinent was divided into the secular state of India and the
smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries
in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of
Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing dispute
with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation, environmental
degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic strife, all this despite
impressive gains in economic investment and output.
Geography
Location:
Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
between Burma and Pakistan
Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 77 00 E
Map references:
Asia
Area: Total: 3,287,590 sq km
Land: 2,973,190 sq km
Water: 314,400 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Land boundaries:Total: 14,103 km
Border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km
Coastline: 7,000 km
Maritime claims:contiguous zone: 24 NM
People
Population:1,029,991,145 (July 2001 EST.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33.12% (male 175,630,537; female 165,540,672)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 331,790,850; female 308,902,864)
65 years and over: 4.68% (male 24,439,022; female 23,687,200) (2001
EST.)
Population growth rate: 1.55% (2001 EST.)
Birth rate: 24.28 births/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Death rate:8.74 deaths/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Net migration rate:-0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 EST.)
Sex ratio:At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 EST.)
Languages:
English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for
national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national
language and primary tongue of 30% of the people,Bengali (official),
Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official),
Gujarati (official),Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya
(official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri
(official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani (a popular
variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India)
note: 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous
other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Literacy:Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 52%
Male: 65.5%
Female: 37.7% (1995 est.)
Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a
blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; similar to the
flag of Niger, which has a small orange disk centered in the white band
Economy
Economy :
Overview
India's economy encompasses traditional village farming, modern
agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a
multitude of support services. More than a third of the population is
too poor to be able to afford an adequate diet. India's international
payments position remained strong in 2000 with adequate foreign
exchange reserves, moderately depreciating nominal exchange rates,
and booming exports of software services. Growth in manufacturing
output slowed, and electricity shortages continue in many regions.
GDP:Purchasing power parity - $2.2 trillion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:6% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:Purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2000 est.)
Imports - partners:
US 9%, Benelux 8%, UK 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Japan 6%, Germany 5%
(1999)
Debt - external:$99.6 billion (2000)
Economic aid -recipient:$2.9 billion (FY98/99)
Currency:Indian rupee (INR)
Currency code:INR
Exchange rates:Indian rupees per US dollar - 46.540 (January 2001),
44.942 (2000), 43.055 (1999), 41.259 (1998),36.313 (1997), 35.433
(1996)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March
BJP:
Bharatiya Janata Party is today the most prominent member of the
family of organisations known as the "Sangh Parivar".And RSS has
always been dubbed "communal", "reactionaryand what not by its
detractors. Sanghs of swayamsevaks have of course always shaken off
that criticism like so much water off a duck's back. They have never had
any doubt that the organisation is wedded to national unity, national
integrity, national identity and national strength through individual
character and national character. And today this organisation is poised
for a gresat leap forward. Even its long- time detractors think and say
that now bjp is "unstoppable".What is the story of this national epic?
Congress:
The oldest Indian political party, the Indian National Congress was
formed in 1885 and was the most powerful force behind the
country's struggle for independence. It also held power for most
years after independence. The party has also been instrumental in
the making or fall of non-Congress governments at the center when
it was out of power. However, the party has undergone many splits
and its fetish for the Gandhi family has today put it in a tight spot.
CPI(M):
The CPI(M) was formed at the Seventh Congress of the Communist
Party of India held in Calcutta from October 31 to November 7, 1964.
The CPI(M) was born in the struggle against revisionism and
sectarianism in the communist movement at the international and
national level, in order to defend the scientific and revolutionary tenets
of Marxism-Leninism and its appropriate application in the concrete
Indian conditions. The CPI(M) combines the fine heritage of the antiimperialist struggle and the revolutionary legacy of the undivided
Communist Party which was founded in 1920. Over the years, the Party
has emerged as the foremost Left force in the country.
Culture
Music
Festivals
Art
Architecture
Dance
Music
Music has always occupied a central place in the imagination of
Indians. The range of musical phenomenon in India, and indeed
the rest of South Asia, extends from simple melodies,
commonly encountered among hill tribes, to what is one of the
most well- developed "systems" of classical music in the world.
Indian music can be described as having been inaugurated with
the chanting of Vedic hymns, though it is more than probable
that the Indus Valley Civilization was not without its musical
culture, of which almost nothing is known. There are references
to various string and wind instruments, as well as several kinds
of drums and cymbals, in the Vedas. Sometime between the 2nd
century BC and the 5th century AD, the Natyasastra, on
Treatise on the Dramatic Arts, was composed by Bharata. This
work has ever since exercised an incalculable
Dussera:
This festival lasts ten days, and most communities celebrate it with great
fanfare. During the festival, the Ramleela, or the story of Rama, is
enacted by professional dance companies and amateur troupes. On the
last day of the festival, young men and small boys, dressed as Rama, his
brother Lakshman, Ravana, and other players in the drama, proceed
through the streets of the community as part of a float that is sometimes
quite elaborate. Rama and Ravana engage in battle; Ravana is defeated.
Though known by different Rama over Ravana, or the orces "good" over
the forces of "evil". Large effigies of the ten-headed Ravana, the king of
Lanka who abducted Rama's wife, Sita, and was subsequently
vanquished in battle, are burnt as the sun goes down; on either side of
him are the slightly smaller effigies of Meghnada, the son of Ravana, and
Kumbhakarna, the full brother of Ravana whose name has become a
household word in India for lethargy and laziness. (It is said that
Kumbhakarna slept for six months and would then stay awake for a full
day, no doubt to replenish himself.)
RakshaBandhan:
Theannual"festival"ofRakshaBandhan,whichismeantto
commemoratetheabidingtiesbetweensiblingsofoppositesex,usually
takesplaceinlateAugust,andismarkedbyaverysimpleceremonyin
whichawomantiesarakhiwhichmaybeacolorfulthread,asimple
bracelet,oradecorativestringaroundthewaistofherbrother(s).The
word"raksha"signifiesprotection,and"bandhan"isanassociation
signifyinganenduringsortofbond;andso,whenawomantiesarakhi
aroundthewaistofherbrother,shesignifiesherlovingattachmentto
him.He,likewise,recognizesthespecialbondsbetweenthem,andby
extendinghiswristforward,heinfactextendsthehandofhisprotection
overher.Thethreadtyingceremonyissometimesprecededbythe
womanconductingaartibeforeherbrother,sothattheblessingsofGod
maybeshowereduponhim,andthisistotheaccompanimentofher
enunciationorchantingofamantra,whichmaybeinSanskritoroneof
theotherIndianlanguages.
appearance of the New Moon at the end of Ramzan and in the evening
anxious crowds are seen watching the fading light of the western sky for
a trace of the moon.
The Ramzan fast, observed during the whole month begins daily from
the time the first streak of daylight is observed on the horizon till
nightfall when the stars become clearly visible. During the day even
drinking water is prohibited but food is permitted to be eaten at night.
Muslims spent the day in reading the Koran.
The odd nights of the last ten days of Ramzan are known as Lailut-ulKadar or "the nights of power", as the Koran is believed to have
descended from heaven on one of these nights. The actual date and time
of the event is known only to Allah and the Prophet who did not reveal it
to his followers. On this night, the whole of creation is believed to low
down mysteriously in praise of Allah.
Community prayer, generally held in an open space is the most important
part in Ramzan Id celebrations. Every Muslim is commanded by Koran
to offer Id prayer with his breathern in full faith. As the congregation
travellers, for the recovery of the sick, for timely rain, preservation from
misfortune and freedom from indebtedness. He then comes down from
the pulpit, kneels on a prayer carpet to do "NAMAZ" supplication on
behalf of the people. The congregation at the end of each prayer , rises
up and ejaculates "Faith"- Din.
After the ritual prayers, the assembled people conduct the Kazi back to
his house and the people who had accompanied him to house take leave
of him.
People spend the rest of the day in feasting, visiting friends and relatives
and going to the fairs which are held in open spaces for the sale of toys
and trinkets. Children also enjoy themselves to their hearts content in
these fairs.
Muslims firmly believe that those who neither give alms freely nor take
part in the Community prayers nor observe Ramzan Id as prescribed by
religion, remain suspended after death between heaven and earth.
Ramzan Id is an occasion for a general expression of goodwill and
friendship.
Even those who are dead are not excluded from the benefit of this Id. So
it is a prevalent custom in certain parts of India for the living
wife of a Muslim to offer new clothes and finery to a former dead wife in
a small ceremony which is known by the name -"SAUKAN MAURA" which literally means first wife's crown. Greeting cards printed with "Id
Mubarak" which is also the greetings for this Id festival are sent to
friends and relatives also when friends meet they greet each other saying
"Id Mubarak".
Indian Art
Architecture
One of the most enduring achievements of Indian civilization is
undoubtedly its architecture, which extends to a great deal more than the
Taj Mahal or the temple complexes of Khajuraho and Vijayanagara.
Though the Indus Valley sites of Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, and Lothal
provide substantial evidence of extensive town planning, the beginnings
of Indian architecture are more properly to be dated to the advent of
Buddhism in India, in the reign of Ashoka (c. 270-232), and the
construction of Buddhist monasteries and stupas. Buddhist architecture
was predominant for several centuries, and there are few remains of
Hindu temples from even late antiquity. Among the many highlights of
Buddhist art and architecture are the Great Stupa at Sanchi and the rockcut caves at Ajanta.
Many other architectures of importance are:
Ajanta, Buddhist Architecture, Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram,
South Indian Architecture, Khajuraho, Orissan Architecture, Mughal
Architecture, Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Fort Architecture, Stepwells
Dance
There are many types of dance in India, from those which are deeply
religious in content to those which are danced on more trivial happy
occasions. Classical dances of India are usually always spiritual in
content, although this is often true also of Folk dances.
The classical dances are Kathakali and Mohini Attam from Kerala.
Bharata Natyam from Tamil Nadu.Kuchipudi from Andhra Pradesh
Odissi from Orissa ,Kathak from Uttar Pradesh, Manipuri from Manipur
Folk Dances:Dumhal of Kashmir ,Bihu of Assam ,Brita or Vrita of West
Bengal ,Dalkhai of Orissa,Hikat of Himachal Pradesh
Heroes of India
Gandhijis life was dedicated to the ideals of
Truth, Non-violence and Love. 'The Bhagavad Gita
is my mother,' he once said;and the name of Sri Rama
was his shield. He was the architect of India's freedom
and one of the greatest men of this century.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak (29th Couplet)
Described by British as "The Father of Indian Unrest "
Tilak was born on 23.07.1856. His slogan, "Swaraj (Self
Rule) is my birthright", inspired millions of Indians. His
book "Geetarahasya"a classic treatise on Geeta in
Marathi was written by him, in prison at Mandalay.Great
journalist- editor, an authority on Vedas, Sanskrit
Scholar, mathematician and a natural leader of India.
Died 01.08.1920 "Swaraj is our birthright,"
thundered Tilak, the Lion of India.He founded schools
and published newspapers, all for his motherland.
countrymen.
Women in India
India has always been a relentless champion of the cause of women at all
international and national fora. The policy makers realise that real
development cannot take roots if it bypasses women, who represent the
very kernel around which social change must take shape. The past few
years have seen unprecedented changes in the political, diplomatic,
economic and ideological spheres, but certain quiet but perhaps more far
reaching developments have also taken roots. From growth to growth
with equity, from routine delivery of services to people's participation,
from economic development to human development and from services
endowment to empowerment, the paradigms of development have
certainly come a long way.The development of women in India - who
according to the 1991 census represent 48.1 per cent of the country's
population - has occupied the centre-stage in our development planning
since independence. However, it was in 1980s that women were
recognised as a separate target group and given their rightful place in
developmental planning by including a separate chapter viz.,
The war was at the point of stalemate when the UN Security Council
unanimously passed a resolution on September 20 that called for a ceasefire. New Delhi accepted the cease-fire resolution on September 21 and
Islamabad on September 22, and the war ended on September 23. The
Indian side lost 3,000 while the Pakistani side suffered
3,800 battlefield deaths. The Soviet-brokered Tashkent Declaration was
signed on January 10, 1966. It required that both sides withdraw by
February 26, 1966, to positions held prior to August 5, 1965, and observe
the cease-fire line agreed to on June 30, 1965.
The origins of the third Indo-Pakistani conflict (1971) were different
from the previous conflicts. The Pakistani failure to accommodate
demands for autonomy in East Pakistan in 1970 led to secessionist
demands in 1971 (see The Rise of Indira Gandhi, ch. 1). In March 1971,
Pakistan's armed forces launched a fierce campaign to suppress the
resistance movement.
Action in the western sector was divided into four segments, from the
cease-fire line in Jammu and Kashmir to the marshes of the
Rann of Kutch in northwestern Gujarat. On the evening of December 3,
the Pakistani army launched ground operations in Kashmir and Punjab. It
also started an armored operation in Rajasthan. In Kashmir, the
operations were concentrated on two key points, Punch and Chhamb.
The Chhamb area witnessed a particularly intense battle where the
Pakistanis forced the Indians to withdraw from their positions. In other
parts of Kashmir, the Indians made some small gains along the cease-fire
line. The major Indian counteroffensive came in the Sialkot-Shakargarh
area south and west of Chhamb. There, two Pakistani tank regiments,
equipped with United States-made Patton tanks, confronted the Indian
First Armored Corps, which had British Centurion tanks. In what proved
to be the largest tank battle of the war, both sides suffered considerable
casualties.
Though the Indian conduct of the land war on the western front was
somewhat timid, the role of the Indian air force was both
extensive and daring. During the fourteen-day war, the air force's
Western Command conducted some 4,000 sorties. There was
little retaliation by Pakistan's air force, partly because of the paucity of
non-Bengali technical personnel. Additionally, this lack of
retaliation reflected the deliberate decision of the Pakistan Air Force
headquarters to conserve its forces because of heavy losses
incurred in the early days of the war.
Obfuscation Attempts
There has been a systematic and consistent effort by the
Pak Government to obfuscate the issue. As directed by
the Pak COAS, the Foreign Minister of Pak Sartaj Aziz
spoke in different languages without any substance. The
shifting stand of Pak since then has been on following
lines:(a) LOC is delineated but not demarcated. This is the
most brazen attempt towards obfuscation. The line while
not marked on the ground is clearly identified by both the
Armies and has remained so for last 27 years.
(b) Pak Army has been in occupation of these heights for
a long time.
(c) The intrusion of the LOC is not by Pak Army but by
militants over which Pak has on control.
(d) Pak Army is fighting in Dras and Kargil Sectors.
Indians in America
For more information on Indians in USA please go to the web site
www.indianembassy.org and click on the link for Indian Americans.
A few highlights of Indians in US:
There are now more than 1.5 million peoples of
Indian origin in America. They reflect the multi-ethnic,
multi-religious and multi-lingual society of India.
Indian Americans are represented in many fields
including academics and entrepreneurs, doctors and
lawyers, engineers and financiers.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Indian
American median family income is $60,093 as
against the national median family income of $38,
885. The high income clearly reflects the advanced
educational levels achieved by the community.
www.rediff.com
www.sify.com
www.aia.com
http://www.itihaas.com (History of India:)
http://www.indiaparenting.com/stories/greatindians/index.shtml (links to
great people of india.)
NGO:
AID - Association for India's Development:
www.aidindia.org
ASHA An action group for basic education in India.:www.ashanet.org
CRY - Child Relief and You
www.cry.org:
SAMUHA Working with people to improve the
www.samuha.org
quality of life.
India Network Foundation
www.indnet.org
South Asian Journalists Association
www.saja.org
Maharishi Programmes in India
www.maharishi-india.org
Army in Kashmir:
http://www.armyinkashmir.org/
Bibliographic Sources: http://memory.loc.gov/frd/cs/india/in_bibl.html
Dances of Kashmir
Classical Dances
The Himalayas
Art
Sculptures