The Culture Of India
This paper will review some of the recent literature on the culture of India. This is an important culture to study, because India's population of more than 900 million makes it one of the most heavily populated countries of the world. India is also important to study because it possesses one of the world's oldest surviving cultures. In addition, there have long been ties between India and the nations of the West. Beyond these considerations, Indian culture is fascinating to study because it is extremely diverse and complex. Regarding this, Pandian (1995) notes "the existence of an underlying Indus or Hindu cultural unity (melting pot) which enables us to understand the nature of Hinduism and the caste system" (p. 9). Despite this apparent unity, however, Pandian also points out that "India is indeed a salad bowl with groups who do not blend or mix, and this fact of non-blending renders the label 'Indian' meaningless to signify the cultural, linguistic, or religious unity of India" (Pandian, 1995, p. 9). Therefore, the situation of India poses an interesting challenge for anthropological study. Yet another reason why it is important to study Indian culture is because, although many of the nation's traditions remain stron
(1999) argues that respect is also given to women in India, especially when they undertake the role of motherhood. This sense of honor is enhanced by the religious beliefs of Hinduism, in which female deities are seen as being the source of power for the male deities. Because of the high status of motherhood and the belief in powerful goddesses, Seymour (1999) says "female power and authority is real in both secular and sacred contexts" (p. 281). Seymour further claims that there have been signs of change in recent years in terms of gender relationships in India. She reports, for example, that recent studies have shown an increasing number of Indian women taking "post marital residence in nuclear households where they can be independent of in-laws and have a more intimate relationship with their husbands" (p. 289). Seymour also emphasizes that the restrictions of Indian culture do not only affect women, but the nation's men as well. Because of caste and religious obligations, "men also have a series of roles and life stages through which they must move, and they are also expected to control their personal desires for the sake of the collective whole" (Seymour, 1999, p. 280). Lewis, R. D. (1996). India's hard bargain. Management Today (April), pp. 79-80. There are also controversial views regarding gender roles in India. According to Azad (1996), working women in India are subject to oppression, poverty and poor health, and they basically live in an "environment of powerlessness" (p. 220). Indeed, Indian women must contend with such things as arranged marriages, female infanticide and wife abuse, among many other things. On the other hand, Seymour Seymour, S. C. (1999). Women, family, and child care in India: A world in transition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1992
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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