Indian Cultures

Why Learn Indian Massage

2010-09-20T18:40:00.001-07:00

Massage is an important part of the Indian culture. It figures in almost every stage of life of an individual in India, especially because it has its roots in Ayurveda, India ’s ancient science of medicine. As one of the Ayurvedic methods, massage has been used for about four thousand years to improve the health and treat different kinds of illnesses. No wonder thousands of people around the world were encouraged to learn Indian massage.

Indian massage falls under the Panchakarma aspect of Ayurveda. Panchakarma consists of five therapeutic treatments, all of which are aimed at purifying and relieving the body of toxic elements. Massage does this by working on two levels—the mental and the physical aspects of an individual.

The rubbing and pressure exerted on one’s body result in heightened blood circulation and bodily warmth. These then improve the lymphatic system and clear the blood vessels of accumulating clogs, giving the body systems a more efficient functioning. It also increases the flow of certain hormones in the body that promotes growth. And as the body is massaged, the individual gets an overall feeling of tensions getting eased, of relaxation of the physique that extends to the mental aspect or psyche of the individual.

Though massage does not have a hundred percent guarantee on its healing powers, it complements other medical methods in treating illnesses and thus hastens healing. It also helps ease pain. But for you to be able to do massage properly, you should have knowledge on the different pressure or marma points in the human body. Massage may often start on the head or on the feet. That’s because different portions of the head and foot are sort of connected with the other parts of the body.

Pain at the back of the head and of the areas near the temples, for example, may indicate urinary infection and kidney problems. Soreness of the eyeball may indicate over acidity, while pain of the eye sockets may be a symptom of gastritis. With the parts of body being connected to each other, massage therapy can thus be used to treat or ease the pain due to arthritis, tension, back pain, high and low blood pressure, insomnia, rheumatism, and cramps.

Aside from healing and pain relief, massage is also used as an important ritual in Indian culture. Women that have just given birth are given massage daily for 40 days after giving birth. Couples that will be married are required to undergo massage therapy before the wedding ceremony. Couples are massaged with oils so they would be relaxed and look good as well as have the strength and stamina they need.

Oils are always used in Indian massage. Aside from the fact that they lessen friction and make massaging easier, they also contribute a calming effect and soothe dryness of the skin. Massage oils often used are made from sesame, mustard, jasmine, jojoba, wheat germ, and almond.

Knowing all these benefits of Indian massage, you need not ask why for thousands of years, Ayurvedic massage has been practiced by Indians and passed on from generation to generation. Now why don’t you start experiencing it for yourself and eventually learn Indian massage, so you can share it with your family and friends? That way, you won’t just be able to improve the health of the ones you love. You also get to bond and strengthen your relationships.

Love and Learn Indian Sexual Techniques

2010-09-20T18:39:00.007-07:00

To learn Indian sexual techniques from love manuals such as the Kama Sutra and Ananga-Ranga, is not merely for the pursuit of satisfying earthly desires. It was specifically written to provide a set of instructions for married couples that any separation may be prevented. The instructions include tips, suggestions and advices on how to handle a number of problems that a husband and wife may encounter.

At the conclusion of Ananga-Ranga or State of the Bodiless One, Kalyana Malla, who holds a very unsentimental perspective of the human relationship, says this:

“There is no doubt about it. Satiety is the result of monotony. This boredom is often what leads other couples to believe their sex life is not so great. Often, the result is less bonding, which is why some couples find themselves at a loss as to how to bring back the magic, the heat, into their lives.”

The Ananga-Ranga, one of the great examples of Indian erotic literature, urges couples to try out varying sex positions, to employ sexual techniques that basically bring the fervor and passion back into their sex life. There are a number of basic positions and variations that couples can pick from, from the very tame and virginal to the scandalous and challenging. The Ananga-Ranga is not the only book couples can consult.

The classical Kama Sutra, another one of the love manuals of the Middle Ages, along with the book Koka Shastra (and of course, the Ananga-Ranga) is still very well received today. There are numerous love texts and books of pleasure that urge the reader to learn a wealth of information focused not only on making love but also on how to prepare oneself for loving another person, physically and mentally.

The Ananga-Ranga has chapters on how to deal with body problems such as body odor or smelly armpits or awful breath so that such troubles don’t come between a husband and wife. Other chapters deal with charms, simple spells, are you compatible or not sexually and yes, ways on how to seduce the opposite sex. Sexual attraction is crucial. Most books on love mention that if the beloved fails to ignite the lover’s passion, if the lover is not aroused, if he does not burn with desire for the beloved, then the marriage is doomed.

Foreplay is also a vital section and given ample coverage in most books. Husband and wife must be prepared. Making love does not start when the pumping does. It starts when the first kiss is given, with first brush of the hand or kiss on the neck.

The reigning concept is that making love must not merely engage a couple’s “house of love” or “pleasure stem” but their hearts and minds as well. There must be more than the physical, must be more than the urge to consummate the act.

But the fire, the attraction, the heat must stay with them. It is this heat, this passion, this fervor, that allows them to react in the same breathless wonder to the beloved. Every time, each time, a glimpse of the beloved is all the lover needs and the pattern of his heartbeat alters, it skips, quickens with desire. Even after ten years of marriage, even after a lifetime, even when their steps grow slow and measured with age, it is the same reaction, the same wonder and surprise, the same need.

This is making love with all of one’s senses. This is what brings the sexual act alive. It’s what all the books of pleasure say, in the end. It’s what they all agree on.

After you learn Indian sexual techniques and reading tips, suggestions and rules, what you arrive at in the end is the most important instruction, the primary one, the instruction to which all other instruction is mere preparation. No matter how wonderful a love manual can be, all are secondary to but one instruction: love.

Learn The Ways Of Indian Sport

2010-09-20T18:39:00.005-07:00

Communication with one another is highly important for the success of the group, association, or any institution. There are different sets of languages that are used in order to chain links that may hinder development and growth. It does not have to be spoken or written because even signs can readily and reliably relay the message to a co-worker, colleague, or team mate. Sporting events are one of the many avenues in which solidarity and togetherness is exercised and emphasized. Let’s take a brief time and take off to start learning the Indian ways via sport.

The words mouthed away by your Indian counterpart may give you a hard time to comprehend but you can surely reach out by identifying to activities that you each of you have in common. It has proven time and again that sporting events particularly the Olympics have been a means for nations to bridge gaps brought about by the language barrier. Here are some of the commonly played sports in the Indian area, take a close look.

There are five sports that are constantly driving enthusiasts crazy within the vast land masses of India. These are cricket, field hockey, lawn tennis, golf, and football. Field hockey has been recognized as the country’s national sporting event but it is being outplayed by cricket in terms of popularity in game play.

Cricket has made a mark in the hearts of Indian players and fans. It has also been utilized by the nation in order to gain respect and recognition around the world. India catapulted into the top ranks of cricket by bagging the first and only Cricket World Championship in 1985 behind the heroics of Sunil Gavaskar.

It also captured the 1983 Cricket World Cup under the close watch of Kapil Dev then in the 2003 World Cup its team which was powered by Sourav Ganguly came up with the runner-up trophy. The country has fielded great players in the likes of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar, and national team mainstays such as Sourav Ganguly, Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev.

India used to be a force to reckon with before its sub par world ranking of eighth in the game of field hockey. This sport which is tagged as the country’s national game has given Indian constituent something to be proud of. They dominated the field hockey scene in the Olympics and ended up with eight gold medals. They also figured second in the 1973 World Cup and then went on to capture the championship two years after.

Golf is a rising sport in the Indian circles. It has been embraced by families who belong to the upper class of the society. At present, the globally recognized Indian golfer is Jeev Milkha Singh. He has won for himself numerous titles such as three from the European Tour, six from the Asian Tour, and four during his ventures in the Japan Golf Tour. He is currently ranked thirty six globally.

The city folks of India enjoy the adrenaline pumping and hard hitting sport of lawn tennis. Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have been a dynamic duo that has claimed a lot of Men’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles Grand Slam Titles. The young Yuki Bhambri is hailed as the present Australian Open champion in the juniors division; on the other hand the Indian ladies take pride with Sania Mirza’s feat of winning the WTA title.

Learning the ways of a foreign country such as that of the Indians is not only done through religion and politics. Sporting events can also be a key to arrive at a better understanding,

Learn The Seeds Of Indian Language

2010-09-20T18:39:00.003-07:00

Language is an important aspect of communication. It is used in order to give clear cut meanings to the thoughts and emotions of an individual, group, community, and more importantly a nation or country, the language spoken by a certain country is essential in giving it a unique and distinct identity among its peers. It is also the one thing that binds the people of the nation toward solidarity and unity in order to maintain peace, order, respect, and love. With this in mind let us venture into the Indian circles and learn how the seeds of its language came about.

The language formulated by India all these years is one true testament of the country’s diversity. The spoken communication of the Indians comes from various forms and families in linguistics. The two dominant linguistic families include, first the Indo-European languages or the Indo-Aryan which is utilized by around seventy percent of Indians across the world and, second the Dravidian languages which are used by about twenty two percent of the people from India. Other forms of Indian language are the Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic.

Now let’s talk about a little bit of history. The languages commonly employed in the northern regions of India which is associated with the Indo-European family are actually variants and are evolved forms of the ancient Indo-Aryan such as Sanskrit. This process can also be connected with two language families such as the Apabhramsa and Middle Indo-Aryan Prakrit which were prevalent during the middle ages.

There is a common understanding that around A.D. 1000 the modern languages that were commonly present in north India came into the picture. These were the Hindi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Oriya, Punjabi, Gujarati, and Marathi. A Persian background has been identified as an influence on the formulation of the Hindi or Urdu language.

The Indian census has a different method of distinguishing the terms dialect and language. Basically it employs the use of mother tongue in place of dialect. In its method, mother tongues are readily grouped into each language where they officially belong. Actually in terms of linguistic norms mother tongues can be tagged as languages. One proof is that there are almost millions of mother tongues which are considered to be under the main language which is Hindi.
A census done in 2001 which is said to the most recent in the country shows that there are twenty nine languages having one million native users, sixty of the country’s languages have about a hundred thousand, and one hundred twenty two having native speakers reaching to ten thousands. At present the national government has recognized twenty two languages as having the official accreditation of languages of the 8th schedule. Political processes are used in order to determine if a language can be given such status.

According to Article 343, the officially recognized language of the Indian Republic is Hindi and that English can be utilized to serve purposes of official nature. Nevertheless the country’s government has made it clear to push through with efforts of boosting Hindi’s scope and network for official relevance on a steady and gradual pace. States across the country are given the chance to legally put up their own official languages which is solely based on the demographics of their linguistics. Examples of these states are Jammu and Kashmir which uses Kashmiri and Karnataka which has Kannada for its official language.

The Indian language along with its culture is very diverse but if you put your mind and heart into it you can surely learn in a very easing and enjoying manner.

Learn The Indian Culture

2010-09-20T18:39:00.001-07:00

Communication has always been proven as an effective way of bonding people together. It doesn’t matter what sort of differences exist as long as effective communication is taking place smooth flow of life is assured. Through the years the different forms of communication have evolved giving birth to a wide array of national languages across the globe. The Indian languages have been considered as part of the ancient forms. Let’s take some time off for Indian learning through its rich culture and heritage.

Languages are the ones only utilized to communicate effectively with different races. One very important thing to keep in mind is that in order to thrive around proud people such as the Indians you must make it a point to know some bit and blitz about their culture. Syncretism and cultural pluralism dominantly shapes the identity of the Indian culture.

Through the years of its existence the nation has been steadily maintaining a tight grasp on well-preserved traditions and beliefs while showing remarkable flexibility on acceptance of the changing aspects of the world. And at present the Indian society is still founded on the strict bonds of the caste system.

Family values are highly treasures within the Indian community. Nowadays more and more of the nuclear families are seen within homes across the land whilst maintaining a standard of patriarchal dominance within the households. Arranged are still prevalent in the present generation. Parents and respected family members take charge but still giving the bride and groom knowledge about their soon-to-be spouse. Matrimonial beliefs are still highly regarded and the practice of child marriage is still ongoing wherein fifty percent of the female population marry before reaching the legalized age which is eighteen.

Herbs and spices give the Indian style of cooking its texture and aroma. There has been well documentation of the diverse forms of food preparation which is rooted from highly sophisticated regional techniques across the land. Rice and wheat are common mainstays during mealtime. The Indian cuisine is famous for that hot factor due to the fact that the country is well-known for its association with black and chilli pepper.

The constituents of India love festivities and make it a point to dress up in their best forms. Garments and clothing are highly influenced by the climate of the region. Styles that are commonly seen in the Indian fashion include the sari for women and the dhoti or lungi for the guys. The festivals within the country follow a religious pattern regardless of the creed and the caste. Some of the festivities are Ugadi, Holi, Onam, Durga Puja, and Vaisakhi.

Classical is the dominantly existing form of music in the nation. Two genres are widely followed which are the Hindustani in the northern ranks of India and Carnatic which is basically rooted in the traditionally inspired folk music within the regions of the South. Dances are also in their folk and classical figures which include the likes of bhangra of the Punjab and the bihu of Assam.

Architecture is the best mirror of the diversity in Indian culture. There are landmarks within its confines that are highly acknowledged in a world-class level. One vey notable form of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal. The Mughal Architecture and that of South India have showcased wide arrays of methods and techniques depicting local ways mixed with foreign principles.

Learning Indian through the books of its culture gives you a once in a lifetime opportunity of learning within the company of a people that has survived the vast ages of time.

Learn Indian Via The Silverscreen

2010-09-20T18:38:00.007-07:00

The entertainment industry is not just about bringing you towards the edge of your seat through the use of fantastic visual effects. It does not only aim to make you sob for a while after knowing that the two main couple cannot be together. Its boundaries of information are far beyond what makes you laugh and stumble. Movies are done to leave messages and lessons that can depict just every aspect of society. With this in mind let me give you an example of how you can learn Indian via the silver screen.

In 1996 the Tamil Cinema Industry called for the expertise of S. Shankar to lead the way for the making of the film entitled Indian. This film was bannered in by stars such as Kamal Haasan, Urmila Matondkar, Senthil, Manisha Koirala, and Goundami. The film found its way into the glimmering lights of Hollywood when it represented the Indian people in the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards during the same year. The creation of Indian paved the way for movies such as Mudhalvan, Sivaji, and Nayak: The Real Hero which the magnitude of the effect of corruption within the society.

The Indian is made to showcase to tracks. The first one involves a certain Chandra Bose who is commonly known in the movie as Chandru. He does business as a broker beyond the gates of the Road Transport Office or RTO by providing people with licenses in return for a pleasurable amount. On this track of the movie love and power is entangled together as Chandru struggles to have a good life with his love interest Aishwarya. Another notable character is Subbiah who serves as Chandru’s accomplice and has some sort of friction with another RTO officer named Paneerselvam.

The second track of the movie features Senapathy, nicknamed Indian who at an old age of seventy acts as a mercenary in order to eliminate top ranking officers within the government who have been proven to be associated with corruptive activities. Krishnaswamy is a determined intelligence agent out to take the Indian out of his killing spree. He finds a break in the case upon the knowledge that the Indian’s whereabouts can be traced by probing his son who happens to be Chandru.

The story goes on as Krishnaswamy makes his way into Senapathy’s home only to find out that the person he’s been tracking is a former freedom fighter. He is able to get hold of newspaper readings that indicates Senapathy as part of the Indian National Army and was then thought to be of as an extremist. Then follows events depicting happenings during the 1940s wherein revolts against British regime were prevalent. Senapathy is shown to having married a woman named Sukanya but was forced to go in hiding to Singapore because of his status with the authorities. After independence was obtained the Indian made his way back home and was able to evade efforts of authority to incarcerate him.

The major portions of the movie showed how one man’s will to fight off the cancer of society that is corruption. He murdered a doctor who asked for a bribe in order to attend to his ailing daughter who had third degree burn. He then had to make his own son pay for his dirty acts particularly after giving a bus with faulty brakes the permission to operate which led to the death of innocent school children. In the end the Indian continued to thrive after defeating his tracker, Krishnaswamy. The film ended with a promise that the Indian will rise from the ashes once the time comes that he is needed.

It is not at all easy to learn Indian but like movies there are available avenues which can be used in order to get a grasp of how the language works and how its people behave.

Learn Indian Sexual Techniques

2010-09-20T18:38:00.005-07:00

To learn Indian sexual practices from the Ananga-Ranga is one of the most pleasurable ways to pass the time. The Ananga-Ranga, an erotic instruction text written a thousand years after the Kama Sutra, provides a number of ways through which a married couple can renew and even keep the excitement and thrill in their marriage.

As with all things that are done repeatedly, satiety becomes a problem. Familiarity breeds contempt, repetition breeds boredom. This is the same with love-making. When done in the same way, the same pace, the excitement and passion burns out, pleasure escapes and the sexual need becomes little more than memory.

This is basically what the Ananga-Ranga problematizes and addresses. To keep a married couple together, both must work at introducing spice into their lives, most especially into their sex life. When the novelty wears off and the flames of passion die back to a steady glow, great love manuals of the East like the Ananga-Ranga encourage men and women to perfect a variety of sexual techniques. Learning different sexual techniques is one way to keep the boredom from reaching the bedroom. Bring back that element of surprise, that sense of breathless wonder. Every time is the first time. The passion must leave both man and woman smoldering.

Kalyana Malla, author of the book, sees monotony as the primary reason for a husband or a wife to give in to temptation or for the other to be driven by jealousy. He believes it is rarely that both individuals inside a marriage love each other equally. There must always be the other one that loves more than his or her partner does. Thus, the other is always open, willing to be seduced by passion—for someone else.

The Ananga-Ranga offers a very apt advice to our time. Knowing full well how fights and squabbles often happen, what causes them, and how some of them may be attended to, can be the first steps in curing the boredom, especially if these often spring from problems in the marital bed. By educating themselves, married couples can and will know how to give as well as receive sexual pleasure. With this, man and woman ensure that their relationship, their marriage is solid, that monotony is far from happening.

One technique is for the man to lift the girl by passing his elbows under her knees. He can enjoy her as she hangs trembling with her arms forming a garland around his neck. This coupling is called Janukurpura, the Knee Elbow.

Another technique is when the woman buries her face in the pillow and goes on all fours like an animal. The man can have sex with her from behind as though he were a wild beast. This position is Harina, the Deer.

When straightening her legs, the woman grips the man’s penis like a stallion, it is Vadavaka, the Mare. This coupling is not easily done and must be learned through practice. If lying with her face turned away, the woman offers the man her buttocks and he presses his penis into the vagina or what Malla calls the house of love. This variation is called Nagabandha, the coupling of the Cobra.

To learn Indian sexual techniques, even a few, from the Ananga-Ranga, may provide just the perfect bit of surprise, challenge and thrill missing when the couple find themselves in between the sheets.

Learn Indian Sexual Norms of the Past

2010-09-20T18:38:00.003-07:00

To learn Indian traditions concerning past sexual norms, it is best to consult the old Hindu love manuals. Such a study will prove interesting and rewarding in its way, especially for students who set out to read about, to re-imagine and or to re-discover the wealth of Indian erotic literature.

The Kama Sutra is still one of the most famous love manuals from the region. Well known among collector’s of erotica, the compiled illustrations of the Kama Sutra is still regarded as one of the most complete, adventurous and yes, creative collections to be in existence. With over a hundred illustrations, the book strongly encouraged lessons in pleasure between married couples and teaches over a hundred of sex positions, many of which were variations on a couple of basic positions.

However popular the Kama Sutra was, it was not the only Hindu love manual that garnered considerable attention. Although not as well-known, the Ananga-Ranga is another outstanding example of Indian erotic literature. The book is filled up with tips, advices and suggestions on how to solve a number of problems, many of which are marital problems. When the book comes to the section on sexual congress, a great deal of emphasis is put on variety and how it is the solution to most problems in the bedroom.

After all, monotony is the enemy that sets in after the possession has taken place. And if one has already taken possession, one or both parties may no longer be excited or thrilled to engage in carnal pursuits. Satisfaction is a great enemy. And variety is one of the most effective ways to keep satisfaction from completely settling in and turning an exciting marriage into a ho-hum one.

This is why the Ananga-Ranga teaches a number of variations on common sex positions. Though some are similar to Vatsyayana’s work in the Kama Sutra, the Ananga-Ranga differs from its predecessor in the sense that its sole purpose is to keep married couples together. Kalyana Malla, the author of Ananga-Ranga which appeared a thousand years after Kama Sutra, wrote down common beliefs at the time.

One of these beliefs discussed the ten states or conditions that indicated if an individual was already consumed by her desire and thus, must already engage in sexual contact. If one found herself in any of these states, she must already engage in coitus or risk harming her health. It was an accepted truth to people of the time.

And yes, under certain circumstances—when someone was deemed completely helpless and under control of her own desires that she must feel she is on the brink of death— that individual is free to engage in sexual relations with any man, even if she is married or if the man she fancies is married to someone else, with the full blessing of the family and sometimes, even of the entire community.

Based on the text, people of those times seemed to view sex without shame. There were few taboos. What was plenty was the instructions, suggestions on how to please one’s self and one’s partner in sexual congress, an indication of their openness to the subject. Sex was a shared experience, a public one, a way to purify one’s mortal body. And while the quality of their openness did not survive to today, it is still interesting to note the contrast, how that free-spirited perspective on sex transformed to the rigid, conservative sexual norms observed now in most of Asia.

One hopes that most new students bent on studying just to learn Indian sexual norms, upon re-reading these Hindu texts re-imagine that freedom and realize that sexual pleasure can never be complete or achieved without it.

Learn Indian Sexual Beliefs from the Ananga-Ranga

2010-09-20T18:38:00.001-07:00

Ananga-Ranga, one of the hindu love texts, provide meaningful help to learn Indian sexual norms and beliefs. A lesser work of erotic text, the book was written by Kalyana Malla a thousand years after Vatsyayana’s work, the Kama Sutra.

The book offers up a wealth of tips on solving problems that range from body odor, to seducing the opposite sex. One of the chapters provides an extensive coverage on the changes in the natural state of men and women that must be observed and taken into consideration. Any man, or woman, who fall into any of these states is considered under the power of her bodily desires and bound by her carnal needs.

The first state is the state of Dhyasa. This condition sees the individual at a loss to do anything. There is but one burning desire and that is to see the beloved, to see a particular man. The second state is when the mind of the individual begins to suffer as well. Meaning, one is unable to think of anything. She finds her mind always wandering, always going back to thoughts of the beloved. She feels that she is near to losing her mind.

The third stage describes the individual trying to woo and win a man in question. The fourth stage is when the individual loses sleep over thoughts of the beloved. The fifth is when the individual looks haggard, with her body emaciated. She cannot think, eat or sleep because thoughts of the beloved consume her. The sixth stage that indicates a person is already suffering from unsatisfied carnal or sexual needs is that she feels herself growing shameless, forgetting all sense of decorum and decency. The seventh stage is when the individual no longer cares for her riches and lets these things go. The eighth state is when the mental intoxication of the individual borders on madness. The ninth state is when tainting fits come on and the last state, when the body’s needs are at its utmost and greatest, the individual finds herself at death’s door.

Produced by sexual passion, examples of these states may also be found in Indian history, particularly in the case of King Puruva. He was such a devout man that Indra, the Lord of the Lower Heaven feared that Puruva may even succeed in dethroning him in the end. Thus, the god sent down from Svarga—his own heaven—Urvashi. Urvashi is the most lovely of all Indra’s nymphs and Puruva fell in love with her as soon as he laid eyes on her.

Day and night he thought of nothing but her, and when he possessed her, both passed the time in carnal enjoyment. When the god took Urvashi back, no sooner had she departed than Puruva fell into a deep depression. He started to lose his control. His mind began to wander, he was no longer capable of focusing on anything, on his wealth or worship until he found himself languishing, already at the door of death.

The states follow a logical order and many still find them true up to today. For most, the similarities are worth taking note of. It means that no matter how many how years pass, humans rarely change. To learn Indian sexual norms such as these from Hindu love manuals is one of the reasons why people still read old texts books on the erotic.

But another one could be, a more visceral reason could be, that these books mirror us, these books remind us, that —despite prevailing conservative sexual norms—they can stay true to the spirit of pleasure, and freedom and sex even when we no longer can.

Learn Indian Recipes

2010-09-20T18:37:00.007-07:00

There are literally hundreds of food choices that make up the Indian cuisine. India, a nation that has undergone a widespread diaspora of peoples and cultures, boasts of a high-quality cuisine that has evolved from many food influences. It is best known for the creative blend of spices and local vegetables brought in from different parts of the country. There is a wide array of viands or dishes in every region, therefore making Indian cuisine variable depending on the place. Interesting, huh? On this site, we will learn Indian recipes in no time!

Today, we are going to cook the famous Chicken Tikka Masala. Perhaps the most popular to outsiders, the Chicken Tikka Masala, is always a favorite restaurant dish. Contrary to popular belief, the dish originated in Kerala, Southern India, and not in Scotland, UK. It is a variant of the European chicken curry which makes use of roast chicken dipped in creamy, mix-spiced, original blend tomato paste.

There is no standard recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala, however, universal ingredients include the following:

3 chicken breasts
4 Tbsp olive or groundnut oil
5 cardamom pods
a 5cm cinnamon stick
1 ½ onions
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
½ to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 large tomato
1 tsp tomato purée
5 fl oz water
Salt to taste
Yoghurt or 1 tin coconut milk, if desired
Fresh coriander to garnish

After preparing the ingredients, chop the tomatoes and onions finely and set aside. Cube the chicken breast into bite size pieces ("tikka" means bite size, by the way!), and season with a little salt.

To make the masala paste, mix or blend ginger and garlic with cumin powder, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala and paprika. After these preparations, we are set to cook this sweet, succulent recipe!

To get started, put oil into a pan over medium heat. When it's boiling, add a cinamon stick and cardamon, and take them out after a few seconds. This flavors the oil, which gives the wonderful aroma of the dish. Next, add the onions and stew until brown. Add the masala paste and stir for a minute. Masala or "spices" is a vital word in all Indian cooking as it's used as the signature element for the Indian cuisine.

After adding the masala, add the tomatoes and tomato purée, and stir until thoroughly blended. Once done, pour in water and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisking constantly, taste the sauce and season with salt if necessary. Once you get the desired taste, add the chicken cubes and mix well into the masala paste. Simmer for ten twelve minutes, stirring after every few minutes, until the chicken is cooked and tender. To check if done, pierce the chicken with a sharp knife. It must go straight through and come out clean.

The sauce should be quite thick now, clinging to the chicken cubes. If you desire more than curry sauce, add either one small tin of coconut milk or one medium size cup of yogurt. Mix well and simmer for another five minutes, then place on a serving dish. Decorate with fresh coriander leaves.

There you have it – the sumptuous Chicken Tikka Masala! To learn Indian recipes is fun especially if you love spices, the Indian people and the culture they belong to.

Learn Indian Music And Understand The Indian Soul

2010-09-20T18:37:00.005-07:00

An ancient guru once declared that music tells us everything about the soul of the music-maker. Learning Indian music is akin to learning all about the Indian soul and his temperament.

One very pleasant surprise is knowing that Indian music is as old as its civilization and culture, spanning thousands of years into the past. It certainly is one of the oldest in the world.

Take the Vedas, one of the most ancient recorded literary masterpieces known. This unique masterpiece had been set to music way back in its early beginnings. Today, music enthusiasts believe that the ancient music of the Vedas has a distinctive melody that is absolutely soothing.

Classical and folk music

Music in India has been grouped by the ancient scripts into two main streams known as “margi” and “desi” which roughly translate as “classical” and “folk”. The basic tenets of folk and classical music had been laid down by numerous ancient texts and developed side by side.

The two main streams of classical music are Hindustani and Carnatic. Both have the same origins and sources according to ancient scripts, although they are distinct from each other.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, a new form of Hindustani classical music emerged and became known as “khayal” which means imagination. The new style brought an entirely new approach to Hindustani classical music.

Meantime, India gave its own contribution to the world of music with “Raga” which means melody.

“Raga” is the foundation of Indian classical music as it is to the world. It is made of different combinations of “sapta swara” or seven notes, just like the notes in western music (do-re-mi, etc.).

For comparison, the octave is composed of 12 notes in western classical music. In Indian classical music, the octave has 22 notes, or “shrutis”. Swara is considered a note, whereas the shruti is the microtonal intervals between two swaras.

Instruments

Because of its long history, Indian music gave rise to a great diversity of traditions that had, in turn, spawned a variety of musical instruments. Through the ages, these instruments evolved, and the evolution can be seen in ancient cave paintings and sculptures in historic temples.

Some of these can be played solo while the others are used to accompany singers and dancers. Some of the instruments are strictly for devotional and ritualistic purposes, like the conch and the khol drum.

The instruments are broadly grouped into four types: strings, wind, percussion and bells, and cymbals and gongs.

String instruments vary according to the complexity of how they are played. The simplest is the single-string “ektara”. The most popular are the sitar, veena, sarangi and sarod. All of them are made out of dried hollowed gourd acting as the round resonator at one end.

The sitar is the most well-known all over the world alongside its famous Indian player, Ravi Shankar. The sarod has 10 main strings and 15 sympathetic strings, while the sarangi is played with a bow.

The most popular of the wind instruments is the Shahnai, a double-reed flute.

The drums are important instruments in Indian music, and there are many types. The dholak and pakhawaj are double-faced types which are struck at both sides. The tabla is known and sometimes used in Western music. The chenda are large drums that accompany religious festivals in Kerala.

The little bells, clappers, cymbals and gongs (collectively called ‘ghana’) supply the rhythmic functions in Indian music and just as vital as the other instruments.

Just like learning the language, learning Indian music takes one to the depths of the Indian soul. The process alone is both a pleasure and a privilege for the student.

Learn Indian Languages

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For a country as big as India and with a population that is just as large (it is the second most populous country in the world), it is no surprise that the spoken languages are just as varied and as large. For one who wants to learn any Indian language, the undertaking is going to be daunting because of the added task of learning the particular script form of that language.

National and state languages

Trying to learn all of them will certainly take more than a lifetime or two. Consider this: to date, the country has 15 national languages recognized by the constitution. Within this mix, there are over 1,600 dialects on record, so far.

Added to the above statistics are 18 languages recognized by the Indian constitution as state languages. These state languages are used in schools and in official transactions within their respective states. These are Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada (Kanarese), Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Meithei (Manipuri), Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Citizens of former Indian states (and now independent countries) Pakistan and Bangladesh speak Urdu and Bengali, respectively.

Official and working languages

Today, Hindi is recognized as India’s official language. It is spoken by about 20% of the population, especially in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. However, considering the number of languages spoken all over the country, English is the official working language.

No one common language is spoken on the Indian subcontinent, except Hindi and English which are the co-official national languages of India. Both languages are used as lingua franca all over the various linguistic regions.

For many of the educated Indians, English is virtually their first language. Most Indians, however, are multi-lingual and it is only their second language.

Hindi and Urdu

Hindi and Urdu are actually slightly different dialects of the same language. Their main difference lies in their vocabulary roots, scripts and religious backgrounds.

Hindi vocabulary mainly comes from Sanskrit. It is written in Devanagari (a script form) and spoken mainly by Hindus. Hindi itself has two major varieties: western and eastern Hindi. Both are spoken by more than 400 million people.

Urdu has words with Persian and Arabic origins, and written in Persian-Arabic script. Urdu is spoken by Muslims in India and in Pakistan.

All the Indian languages belong themselves to two major linguistic families: the Indo-European and Dravidian groups. The others come from Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman groups and other small isolated languages. The Indo-Aryan group (part of the Indo-European family) is spoken by about 74% of the population. The Dravidian is spoken by around 24%.

Bengali

Another major language is the Bengali. It is spoken by almost the entire population of Bangladesh, and in West Bengal. Bengali is the language of the Indian poet, the Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore. Like Hindi, it is also descended from Sanskrit and has the most extensive literature of any modern Indian language.

It has around 200 million speakers and developed as a language in the 13th century.

Punjabi

Punjabi is spoken in the Punjab region which covers parts of northeastern India and western Pakistan. It is often referred to as the language of the gurus, the founders of the Sikh religion. The secret teachings of Sikhism are in Punjabi. Punjabi is close to the Hindi language.

All in all, these are the major languages in use in India. Each one has a number of speakers that run into millions, some of them, more than the population of an average-sized country. Learning an Indian language is one intimidating work but a real satisfying one, considering that each one has a culture that is as rich as any country’s.

Learn Indian Geographically

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Communications is a huge part of making every small detail of activity in life work. Through the ages and various historical periods and eras man has been wily enough to see the importance of having a common language that can be used for effective communication. At present a country’s language has stood as one of its identifying symbols. Even the oldest ones have tried hard to preserve the heritage of their spoken and written form of communication. With this in mind let’s take a close look at how learning of Indian languages can be done by travelling through the rich lands of its nation, India.

Before you can truly understand the languages that set a nation on stable mode it is just right to know a thing or two about the country itself. India which is globally known as the Republic of India is a country seated in the vast land and water area of South Asia. It boasts of being the seventh largest country geographically, the most populous nation enjoying democracy, and it also places second in terms of population. It is surrounded by known bodies of water such as the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and the ocean named after it, the Indian Ocean.

The Indian nation has been marked in history as part of the earliest civilization of man. It served as the nest for the Indus Valley Civilization and paved the way for a network of trading routes that served as the link to different ancient global powers and empires. Although Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity has shaped most of the country’s diverse culture other religions such as Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Hinduism also played a role in shaping the beliefs of its constituents.

As mentioned earlier India is now recognized as a republic which is composed of twenty eight states and seven vastly expanding union territories. The parliament system of democracy is the motor that keeps the country’s government machinery in good running condition. In this present times India is acknowledged for its metamorphosis into one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

It takes pride of having the twelfth largest economy across the globe in terms of exchange rates in the market and it also places fourth for its continuously rising purchasing power. Setbacks that are faced by this growing nation include issues on illiteracy, malnutrition, increasing levels of poverty. But apart from these India has been known for its diverse world wherein various languages and ethnic groups thrive.

Etymologically speaking, India’s name was derived from Indus which is the Old Persian term for Hindu and from the Sanskrit Sindhu which is referred historically as the Indus River. In ancient times the people living in the vast land masses of the nation was tagged as Indoi which means the people of the Indus. Bharat is another term that is associated with the country which comes from the Hindu Mythology about the legendary monarch in King Bharat.

After having a taste of independence, the Indian people is still facing present adversities due to issues surrounding casteism, naxalism, terrorism, and violence due to warring religious beliefs brought about mostly by separatist insurgencies. Even territorial disputes with People’s Republic of China and Pakistan have plagued the people of the nation. Still amidst all the challenges India still pursues her dream of having full stability and peace.

Learning Indian through spoken and written forms are not enough to truly recognize its existence instead digging deep into the story of its lands can really bring you closer to its people.

Learn Indian Driving Tricks

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Going on a trip in a foreign country is an adventure. However, tourists must never forget how important it is to learn Indian driving tricks when they find themselves driving along the provinces of the said country. For instance, the first thing you have to remember is this: don’t drive like an American when you’re in India or you will die, suddenly and completely.

To avoid such a tragic and unpromising end, here are a few driving tips for you. Remember them by heart.

First, keep your eyes on the road. Yes, the road includes not just the paved portion of the highway. The verge, the curb or sidewalk, that portion is also part of the road. Sometimes, when in the city and cars need to make a left or right, most drivers just line up their cars along the curb, hoping to squeeze into the direction they’re hoping to go. In India, queues are not popular. And though the roads may form a logical pattern, that pattern rarely reveals itself to mere tourists.

Second, you need to brush up on this concept: respect. While a number of cities in India already depict ideal urban landscapes, some places in the country still allow animals to roam free and cross the highways. And because cows, along with chickens, dogs, cats and yes, all the animals as well as other vertebrates must be treated as exceedingly-well developed, evolved creatures, they are presumed to know how to side step or get out of the way of a speeding Honda or a Mitsubishi going 82 miles per hour.

It is presumed that they know how to leap aside or run for their lives when they see a car barreling down the path. Of course, if one pays such respect to the animals, tourists must also not forget to accord the same kind and quality of respect to humans. This includes everyone you encounter as you drive by: the small children playing and running on the middle of the road, cripples crossing, men crossing the street while they carry thirty—or was it forty?—tons of hay on the crown of their heads.

Also, you may encounter oxcarts left unattended, and elderly men in mystic trances. Remember respect. To swerve in order to avoid hitting them would imply an insult to them, encouraging the idea that you believe they are not capable of taking care of, or saving, themselves. To swerve, thus, is to cause them great dishonor. If you do swerve, be prepared for the consequences.

Third thing you have to pay attention to is being passed. Indian traffic is vicious. Everyone is trying to cut someone else off so they can be on their way, whatever their way is. Be ready to pass and be passed. If you do not like the idea of overtaking any of your fellow drivers on the road, you will likely remain in your spot until kingdom come. So yes, you must learn how to overtake others. Or you will never find your way out of the traffic. In most Indian traffic, you only have three seconds to decide whether to overtake a vehicle or not. After that, you lose your chance.

And fourth, the horn. Never forget the horn. The power of the horn protects drivers and passengers alike. Honk on the horn, loudly and frequently. The sound lets your fellow drivers know you’re coming. The faster you’re going, the louder the horn, the better. If you must learn Indian driving tricks, then these are a few of them. Good luck on using them on your next trip.

Learn Indian Diversity

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Each nation has its own identity and mark within the confines of its regions and territories as well as that outside the gates of its lands and water areas. But this does not hinder countries from interacting and negotiating with neighboring people and cultures. In fact this mechanism of communication and agreement has been long used in order to ensure the survival and propagation of earlier civilizations and societies. One group of people that has seen its traces across the globes are the Indians. Get a bit of learning at how Indian diversity took the world by storm.

Let’s take off those old books from the Indian shelf and venture into the past to find out how Indian natives made their way into the different parts of the world. The Romani people were mainly responsible for the emigration acts of people from India. At the turn of the eleventh century, invaders from across the central part of Asia run havoc on the nation which at that time was considered as a subcontinent. This is the historical move that led to the gradual spread of Indian Natives worldwide.

The captured Indians were sent off to Afghanistan. From here on groups started to make their way to Middle Eastern part of the world particularly to Iran where they were recognized as nomadic court magicians. Then it was Europe’s turn to house these people who at that time were tagged as Gypsies because of the misconception that they were part of the Egyptian legend. In Europe these people started to embrace religions such Islam and Christianity which they incorporated with their Hindu faith and practice.

South East Asia was another particular area wherein the native form the Indian subcontinent took their chance. It was actually triggered by expeditions and ventures due to military purposes that were facilitated by Hindu and Buddhist kings from the Southern part of India.

The part of the expeditions then began to settle within the comforts of the local areas and communities. The Chola Dynasty which hailed from South India utilized competent naval technology in order to overpower the Sumatra and Malayan Peninsula. That is why at present Bali, Indonesia is still largely influenced by the Indian culture that is has embraced for a number of centuries.

Merchants started to pour over the regions of Central Asia particularly in Persia during the middle stages of the sixteenth century and whose traces of kin have been kept for a long period that has spanned for four centuries. A colony thrived in 1610 within the cold environment of Tsardom, Russia at Astrakhan on the mouth of the Volga. Documentations state that Hindu traders roamed the streets of Moscow and St. Petersburg at the onset of the eighteenth century.
The nineteenth century saw the end of the British occupancy of the subcontinent and the transport of poor workers started towards much of the British colonies all brought about by the indenture system. Workers were brought to different places such as Mauritius, Guyana, the Caribbean, to Fiji, and parts of East Africa. The flow of emigrants continued until the twentieth century.

The Middle East then gave skilled workers from India a chance to make better ways of living during the rise of the oil industry in the 1970s. A lot of natives were brought it on contractual status due to the fact that the members of the Gulf Region did not favor policies regarding naturalization of foreign individuals.

Learning Indian is far from just knowing how to communicate with the nation’s constituents. More so, it entails having an understanding on how these people have propagated throughout history.

Learn Indian Dining Etiquette and Manners

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Did you know that you can get literally frowned upon if you take the first bite ahead of older people in Indian dining? And that’s not the only unwritten rule when it comes to Indian dining. That’s why it’s important to learn Indian table etiquette and manners.

First rule: dress properly. Unlike in many western countries, you should NOT feel free to dress scantily when dining in India with the locals. Though almost any kind and style of clothing is allowed nowadays, it is still best to wear modest and non-revealing clothes so as not to offend anyone on the table.

Wash your hands thoroughly before eating. This is one thing that hand soap ads have been telling us since time immemorial. And you better obey it in India (along with trimming your fingernails as it is considered unhygienic). That’s because you would most probably hold your food during the meal. Breads and other finger foods are common fare in Indian cuisine. But those aren’t just the ones that you might need to eat with your hands—there’s also rice. Where people from spoon-and-fork societies find it very difficult to eat rice this way, Indians do so comfortably and efficiently.

Actually, North Indians have been using eating utensils since the 16th century because of the Roman influence. But majority of Indians would eat with their hands not only because they eat finger foods, but also because they believe that food is divine and eating is a sensual experience one should enjoy. One should not only see, smell, and taste what they eat, but also should hold and feel it. But of course, this rule gives an exception to soups and liquid dishes. Utensils should also be used to cook and distribute food.

Another important point to remember is that you should never handle food with your left hand. The left hand is considered dirty and should not touch anything that you’d be taking. This is why drinking vessels are placed to the left of the plate.

Now, if you come from a country where people share their food with anyone on the table by transferring food from their plate to another person’s, you better remember that it isn’t done in India. Indians believe in the concept of “jutha” (also known in different parts of India as “ushtha,” “engili,” “aitha” and “echal”). Jutha is what you have already touched, placed in your mouth, or placed in your plate. It is considered unclean and is therefore rude and unhygienic to be offered to another person. It any case, it may be eaten by an immediate family member or fed to animals.

Sitting around the table also has its rules. Don’t sit just anywhere you like, especially if you’re a guest. Wait to be told where your seat is, and then wait for the elders and those of higher status (socially and politically) to be seated before you do.

As with other countries’ etiquette and customs, Indian dining manners are traditional practices that may or may not have logical bases. So as time passes by, it’s inevitable that more and more people would find some of these practices quite too old to be followed if not unnecessary.

This, however, doesn’t mean it would do you no good to learn Indian customs and traditions as such. Why? Simply because it’s always better to know especially about customary practices that are part of the natives’ daily life. This way, you also get to avoid both offending Indians and getting offended yourself.

Learn Indian Dances And Capture Magic

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Since time immemorial, man’s religious devotion has been the mainspring for such art forms as music, singing, and dance. To learn Indian dances is to capture the magic of the Indian character as he venerates his gods all the way back in history.

One can even see its early origins in paintings in cave walls dating back to the 1st century.
And just like India’s huge number of languages, the Indian dance is as varied and many as the regions they came from.

Odissi

Once a temple dance, the Odissi dance from Orissa is regarded as one of the most important contributions to Indian culture. It is said that the dance is full of grace, poise and magic and that every step is like poetry in motion.

The main theme of the dance is primarily the enactment of love between Lord Krishna and Radha. Much of the magic is done by the “mudras” or the hand movements where one cannot take his eyes off from such grace and fluency of movement.

Chau

Aside from Odissi, there are many dance forms in Orissa, most of which are tribal and folk dances. The main folk dance is the Chau dance.

The dance is all about combat and fighting, with enacted scenes taken from the religio-literary epics Mahabharata and Ramayana. It has very quick foot and hand movements, although the overall grace is never compromised.

Ruf

Dances from Jammu and Kashmir are legendary for their beauty. They have special dances for all occasions like births, weddings, harvests, etc. Ruf is the most famous dance performed as a welcome for spring. The inspiration is the bee and the dance is the lovemaking of bees.

Bachha Nagma

This is danced by boys (or men dressed as boys) usually for marriage ceremonies. The dancers do not only dance but sing the music as well.

Dandaras

This is done mostly on Lori festival, and this dance needs highly skilled dancers. A model peacock made of bamboo and paper is used as props and is a part of the choreography with the hitting of sticks, among others.

Ladishah

Actually, this is a form of singing. Entertaining songs are sung reflecting the present social and political conditions in the village. The singers go from village to village during harvest season and compose on the spot the songs appropriate to the village.

Bhangra

This famous dance from Punjab to welcome spring is sometimes called the dance of beats. Today, the songs sung along with the dance are now fused with hip hop or reggae music.

Giddha

This all-women dance is preformed usually on festivals or marriages, depicting the different phases of life in a Punjabi woman.

Kikli

Kikli combines dance and game, and is very popular with young women. Essentially, this dance is combined with singing songs about family and life in general.

Karma Dance

This dance is performed by Gond and Oraon tribes during the start and end of the rainy seasons.

Muria

This is performed by boys and girls of the tribe with the accompaniment of drums. Usually they performed the dance during marriage ceremonies.

Kaksar

The dance is done to please the gods and get his blessings for a rich harvest. Boys and girls take part in this dance with a very soothing music. The kids sometimes choose their lifetime partners during the dances and their later marriage as adults is duly approved by everyone.

All in all, you can learn a nation’s soul through its arts. Learning Indian dances is capturing the magic of the Indian persona as expressed through the dances.

Learn Indian Customs and Traditions

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In caricatures and illustrations, we often identify Indians not only through their clothing and high-bridged noses, but also through the distinct dots on their foreheads. But do you know what such dots stand for? If you don’t, then it’s probably time you learn Indian customs and traditions, even just a bit. So why don’t we skim the surface of such traditions that have stood as symbols of India to the rest of the world. Here are some of the most common Indian practices.

HENNA TATTOOING

You’ve probably seen Indians, both men and women, sporting tattoos on their bodies, especially on their hand and feet. Most often, however, these tattoos are not permanent as they’re only made from henna. Henna is a kind of tree whose leaves are ground to produce a dark reddish brown sap, which is then used to tattoo the skin. This traditional way of using henna, however, is slowly getting out of mode as people can now easily buy ready to use henna powder in the local Indian markets.

Henna tattoos are applied for aesthetic purposes. Well, who wouldn’t find them beautiful with their exquisite and intricate designs? Indian tattoos are often elaborate and painstakingly done with skill and patience, which is why tattooing is considered an art. Aside from decorative purposes, however, tattoos are applied because they’re considered lucky. Thus, it’s done when celebrating happy occasions. It’s also compulsory for brides to have tattoos on their hands and feet.

NAMASTE

Namaste, meaning “I bow to you,” is the most common Indian greeting that’s both formal and informal. They use it to greet anybody, be it a child or an elder. Emphasis on respect, however, varies through the manner of the Namaste gesture. As one says Namaste, one puts hands in the praying position in front of his chest, accompanied by a slight bowing of the head. However, if one is greeting a person of higher status, one places his hands in front of his forehead and bows. And if one is to say Namaste as a gesture of reverence to a holy person or to God, one places his hands above his head.

KAJAL or KOHL

This is the eye makeup traditionally used by Indians to line their lower lashes or eyelids. It has been used ever since the ancient times and is believed to protect the eyes from the sun’s glare and different eye ailments. Even children are applied with kajal in their eyes, nape, and forehead to protect their vision and shield them from bad luck.

Kajal can be made at home by simply collecting the soot of a castor oil lamp and mixing the soot with ghee or clarified butter.

BINDI / TILAK / SINDOOR

Bindi, which means “holy dot” in Hindi, is the most famous circular dot found on the foreheads of both Indian men and women. It is placed on the area between the eyebrows and may be colored yellow, red, black or dark orange. It is applied to the woman’s forehead at the end of the wedding ceremony to indicate that she is already married. However, the color and presence of bindi may vary depending on the occasion and the sect the individual belongs to. So it’s just normal to see children wearing them or even Hindu priests.

These are just few of the things that commonly represent the culturally rich country that is India. But if people would just exert effort and learn Indian culture and traditions, they would be able to appreciate such practices and symbols more than as elaborate rituals and pretty decorations.

Learn Indian Culture In 5 Short Lessons

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Learning any culture takes a lifetime, not in any limited number of steps. Learning Indian culture in 5 lessons is actually a random list of things as seen by a foreigner, and some of the ways on dealing with them.

At the moment, India is the favorite destination among western companies. So far, the western businessmen who came over are slowly learning that to succeed in business in India means to understand the people first.

Outsiders must know how to see, hear, and feel like the Indians, rather than thinking along the lines of good earnings, favorable contracts, customer satisfaction, low-cost labor and expertise, better business values and all that.

Here are some tips on how to “walk, talk, think and feel” like an Indian, in random order.

Religion

For an Indian, religion comes first. It dominates his thinking, his eating, his attitudes, and his habits. It is a little complicated because in India, there are so many religions, although the major ones are Hindu, Christianity, and Islam with some Buddhists, Jews and others roaming around.

Of these, there are other religious denominations too many to list down. So, if your Indian partner does not eat vegetables (not eating meat is the fashion today) like the other Indians, you can be sure he belongs to another religious group. You could be wrong, of course.

Festivals and other rites

It is said that India has a cultural history that is more than ten thousand years, or older. The number of religions and their resultant festivals and rites would probably run close to that number, too. In every state and village and sometimes even in households, people have their own set of deities to be honored and revered, to give offerings to, etc.

Foreigners who want to do business in India would do well to acquaint themselves with religious festivals and other activities connected with deities, anniversaries, rites, etc.

Families and Elders

Most Indians – or most Asians, for that matter – usually have extended families in one household. From grandparents to parents, aunts, uncles, nephews and cousins – they usually all stay in the same household.

One advantage is the absence of need for babysitters. Everybody babies everybody, including the adults. (Westerners call it being nosy.) Visitors are asked, too, with probing questions about family, work, and even personal habits.

A family member who might be a company president outside his home is expected to follow the wishes of his uneducated father. His mother may also have a blanket authority for slapping him in front of other family members should he be disrespectful.

Namaste

For foreigners, the first order of the first day in India is learning to say and understand “namaste”. It’s the Indian way of greeting others with folded hands. Shaking hands is accepted in offices and with business associates, but not with the ladies you just met.

Time

Time for an Indian (or again for that matter, any Asian) is fluid. Fluid here means never resting on one place, moving either forward or backward without provocation. If a meeting is set at 9:00am, do not expect everybody to be there sharp.

Everything happens in the outside world that will cause your business partner to be late: traffic, queues, parking, road repairs, civil disturbances, rains, processions, etc. Your business partner should not be blamed for being late.

Actually, to learn Indian culture in 5 short lessons is just a short teaser. There are more valuable guidelines on how to do business and have good relations in India. It is comprehensive, up to date, and has many situational examples. The problem is, the compilation would fill a whole book and is too much for an article.

Learn Indian Cuisine

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When I hear curry, I always think of Indian curry. And to tell you honestly, there had been a time when I thought that it’s the national food of the seventh largest country on the planet. But thanks to my job as a researcher, I’ve begun to learn Indian culture more. With over 20 states, each of which has its own sort of staple food, India sure has contributed a lot in the culinary world. And I found it fascinating that Indian food not only have curious names, which aren’t exactly easy to spell, but they also have a distinctly (for lack of a better term) “Asian” taste.

I learned that Indian dishes and ways of cooking vary from place to place. But it can be said that generally Indian dishes are spicy. Almost every recipe, be it for a main course dish or a drink, requires at least a pinch of spices and herbs. The best example would be, of course, the Indian curry, which is often eaten with some kind of flat bread. But, hey, curry and flatbread are not all there is to Indian cuisine. So, for those like me who are familiar with Indian cuisine as much as they are with Greek, I’ve listed down some of the most common Indian food—their names as well as their descriptions.

Hyderabad biryani – This is a dish made from basmati rice and goat meat. Though beef and pork can be used, goat meat is more popular because most Indians are Muslims and Hindus, and thus do not eat meat from cattle (considered sacred by Hindus) and pig (considered dirty by Muslims). Basmati rice is a long grain variety that is known for its distinct fragrance and taste. It’s also not that sticky compared to other rice grain varieties when cooked.

Roti and chapatti – These are types of flat bread made from finely milled flour. They don’t have any yeast or baking powder, but they are made with a little oil or ghee (purified or clarified butter) to make them pliable just like the Mexican soft tortilla. They are usually eaten with curries and vegetables. But unlike with a tortilla, you don’t wrap it around the filling. You simply have to fold the roti or chapati such that it creates a “scoop” at one end with which you can spoon the curry.

Rogan josh – Taken from a Persian phrase meaning “cooked in oil”, this dish is just one of the many varieties of Indian curry. It includes lamb meat, oil or ghee, and different spices, such as paprika, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves, which give the dish a red color and an exquisite spicy aroma.

Samosa – A very popular snack in India , samosa is also eaten in many other parts of Asia and even in western countries. Samosa is what would otherwise be called fried dumpling in other parts of the world. Samosas in India , however, are usually triangular in shape. Its stuffing includes mashed potatoes, chili, onion, coriander, cumin seeds, and sometimes meat and paneer (Indian version of white cheese).

Masala dosa – To westerners, this is crepe. Just like crepes, the masala dosa is cooked on a griddle or flat pan. The only difference is that its batter is made from rice and urad dal (a type of lentil) pastes. It may be wrapped around a filling, forming a triangle like a quesadilla, or it may be eaten with any kind of chutney (Indian sauce or salsa made from spices, herbs, fruits, and vinegar).

These are just some of the most popular Indian dishes. While they say that Indian cuisine appreciation depends on one’s taste, but I guarantee, if you learn Indian style food preparation, you’ll definitely appreciate them even more.

Learn Indian By The Globe

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Learning how to communicate in different languages can give you an edge in every endeavor you want to pursue globally. There have been a lot of languages that have been continuously making their marks in worldwide education, business, negotiation, and other simple ways of communication. One particular language receiving a bit of interest is that of Indians due in part to the rising number of emigrants across the globe. Let’s flip some pages in order to know more facts about how Indians have made it globally.

There are two ways to categorize people that have been associated with the lands of the subcontinent. The first one is through the term non-resident Indian or simply NRI. This is used to identify individuals having Indian citizenship who were able to migrate to other countries. Also it can refer to persons having Indian roots who were born outside the country or to people residing overseas despite having Indian origins.

Other terms used to identify NRIs are overseas Indians and expatriate Indian. In the US, East Indian is utilized in order to create a distinction between individuals coming from the subcontinent of India to those who are considered as American Indians.

Next up, PIO or a person of Indian origin is commonly employed to categorize people who have Indian roots but are not actually citizens of the country. In order to be established as PIO, a person should have Indian ancestry of up to four generations. A privilege card is issued to individuals who are certified to be falling under PIO. This card is also given to spouses of Indian nationals whatever their ethnic background is. A PIO card renders its holder eligible of travel without requirements such as visa and work permit.

Statistics show that there are over 30 million in population of these NRIs and PIOs worldwide. That is why the Indian government began to show flexibility in coming with a scheme that will allow Indians, NRIs, and PIOs alike to have some sort of dual citizenship. In January of 2006, the OCI was brought into action. This stands for Overseas Citizenship of India which paves the way for the start of the limited dual citizenship since the country obtained its independence in 1947. The OCI is expected to bump the PIO Card out of the scene in the years to come.

At present, there is a long list of locations and places that are housing NRIs and PIOs, one of which is East Africa. The businesses that have been put up by the Indians in countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania have made a mark on the economies of the said countries. Grocery stalls and shops have been found in the rural area. Sugar mills established by Indians are also doing great. Indians have been also making a great deal of advancement in terms of professional career as doctors, engineers, and teachers. They have become a vital cog in keeping development and stability in these countries.

New Zealand is also another place wherein Indians have been comfortably making their way into better living standards. They have been proud owners of small retail shops having dominant vegetable and fruit products. Convenience stores have also been a trademark for the Indian emigrants. Some of the successful individuals with Indian origins include cricketer Dipak Patel, the current Governor General Anand Satyanand, and singer Aaradhna.

Learning the Indian way of thinking can be used to catapult your dreams towards advancement and success.

Learn Indian Basics Through Hindi

2010-09-20T18:35:00.002-07:00

A country’s official language is very important for its growth and development. First and foremost this is the medium a large percentage of its constituents as they engage in all sorts of activities throughout the nation. It is also the very thing that distinctly takes the said country apart from its neighbors across the globe. As such it is considered an important treasure that gives every member of that nation pride and glory. Let’s take a look and learn at how the Indian language of Hindi came on top of the list.

The Hindi belt which is comprised primarily by parts of northern and central India is dominated by the usage of the country’s official language. The term Hindi is identified with the Indo-Aryan language and also with some of the dialect continuum of the language. According to the 2001 census in India around 41 percent of the native speakers within the country utilize Hindi dialects.

The Constitution of India states that Hindi is part of the two official spoken communications, English being the other form. It is main cog of the mode of communication used by the Indian federal and central government and is also one of the 22 scheduled languages as mandated in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. According to the pages of Indian history, Hindi traces its roots from Prakrit. It is also stated in the books that at the end of the tenth century Hindi came into the picture via dialects such as Awadhi, Braj, and Khari Boli.

Hindi is the leading contender among India’s national languages as it is used to communicate in areas of states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh. It is also employed as an alternative language along with northern and central India languages such as Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, and Punjabi. It is also widely accepted past the borders of India into countries like Nepal, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

Moving on, Hindi is written using the method of the Devanagari script which was present during the ancient times when Sanskrit was around. Sounds that are readily found in the Sanskrit are represented by the addition of dots on letters of the Devanagari that depicts the same kind of sound. The rules of grammar construction in the Hindi form are quite unorthodox. Let’s identify with them and see why.

By now you have been accustomed to the English format of subject-verb-object. In Hindi grammar the format that is followed is subject-object-verb which simply means that the verbs are commonly found at the last part of the sentence instead of being placed before the object. Hindi also employs the method of split ergativity wherein the verbs coincide with the object in the sentence instead of having more connection with the subject.

The article the is not utilized in Hindi instead the numeral one is the one that implies an indefinite singular article which is commonly the job of a/an. Postpositions are the ones present in the Hindi grammar which are like prepositions but are placed after the nouns.

There are also notable differences on the use of different tenses, variations in cases, gender, and interrogatives. Conventional punctuations are utilized like question marks, commas, and exclamation points but a vertical line is traditionally used in place of periods to signify the end of a sentence.

The Indian language of Hindi may be hard to learn but if you put your best put forward it will surely be just like your first encounter with ABCs and 123s.

Learn Indian Attire And Discover Timeless Style

2010-09-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

One of the more amazing things to learn about India and the Indian people is finding out how unique the country and the people are. One of the places to look for this is in their clothing. To learn Indian attire is like discovering a timeless style.

Sari

The clothes all come in bold, vibrant colors that showcase India’s rich heritage and traditions. Surprisingly, Indian clothes used no stitching and most clothes are all ready to wear as soon as they were woven.

The ‘sari’ still reigns in traditional Indian clothing. It is a long piece of cloth whose charms reside in the fact that it is not cut or tailored for any particular size. The cloth could be anything – cotton, silk or any other fabric – and comes in different textures and patterns.

The manner of wearing it, as well as its color and texture, indicate the status, age, occupation, region and religion of the woman.

The dhoti or the sari, combined with a stanapatta is the basic clothing ensemble for Indian women. The ‘choli’ or the short blouse under the sari completes the get-up.

Men’s clothes

In contrast to traditionally-clothed majority of Indian women, the Indian men tend to lean on western clothes like shirts and trousers. Men from the villages, however, are comfortable in ‘kurtas’, ‘dhotis’ and ‘pyjamas’. Of course, all of these come in a merry mix of colors and textures.

Gold

The use of gold ornaments is popular because gold is believed to have the power to purify anything it touches. They are popular with both Indian men and women.

For women, these ornaments given at her wedding (dowry) is her inheritance from her father and constitutes as her financial security throughout her life.

Necklaces

Made from glass beads to gold and diamond, necklaces are all-time popular favorites for all girls and women of all ages. A special one, the “mangalasutra”, is worn only by married Indian women, the equivalent of the western wedding ring. A woman wears it during her wedding and takes it off only when her husband dies.

Bangles

They are believed to be protective bands and married women wear them as symbolic guards over their husbands. Made of gold, silver, wood or glass, bangles are now worn by women of all ages.

Rings for the ears, fingers and toes

All kinds of ear ornaments are popular all over. An Indian girl’s ears are usually pierced before her first birthday.

The other important ring ornaments are finger rings, toe rings, and anklets. The finger rings are made of various materials and designs and worn by all women. They have become common it is no longer considered a symbol for marriages.

Married women are the ones who still wear toe rings and anklets. Feet ornaments, however, are usually made of silver because gold is a pure metal and is not to be worn on the feet. (Only women of royal Indian families can wear gold on their feet.)

Nose pin

Nose pins are more common than nose rings, but both are symbols of purity and marriage. However, many single Indian girls wear them today.

Kajal (eyeliner)

A mother applies ‘kajal’ to the eyes of her child as early as six days old. They also paint a small black dot on the forehead to mar the child’s beauty. This so-called “imperfection” protects the child from evil.

Sindoor (dot on the forehead)

This dot on the forehead of a woman indicates her married status, as well as power and protection for her husband. This is applied by her husband during the marriage ceremony.

All things considered, there is more to Indian attire and discovering timeless style. One also discovers timeless beauty in them.

Learn From The Indian Leader

2010-09-20T18:34:00.003-07:00

You can give all the terms you can. It can be captain of the ship, the honorable president, or the field general. All of these stand for just one thing. We all look up for that one person that makes the group run like a well-oiled machine. The leader is with no doubt the glue that sticks each member of the pack in order to achieve a common goal. In lieu with this let’s take a moment to flip into ancient pages of time and learn from the Indian leader as the world knows him, Mahatma Gandhi.

Technically he is referred to as Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi but to the people of the India he the one true example of great leadership. His place in history is carved by his being the pre-eminent spiritual and political leader of the Indian nation. He was the person responsible for the birth of the Satyagraha or the fight against oppression and tyranny via the use of civil disobedience.

This principle was adhered upon the belief of ahimsa which means that conflicts can be revolved without the presence of violence. Gandhi’s works resulted into Indian independence which also transpired into various actions across the globe for the propagation of freedom and civil rights.

Gandhi was referred into so many ways. The most famous of which is Mahatma Gandhi meaning having a great soul. He was called as such by the great poet Rabindranath Tagore. He was also known as Bapu or Father as he was recognized in every corner of India as the one true Father of the Nation. October 2, the day on which this icon of democracy is born, is noted in India as Gandhi Jayanti and is a national holiday. This day is also commemorated globally as the International Day of Non Violence.

Gandhi’s work involving civil disobedience started during his plight as an expatriate in South Africa wherein the Indian Community was plagued by issues revolving around civil rights. He returned to his homeland in 1915 to lead farmers, labourers, and peasants in an organized protest regarding the high stacks of burden given by increased discrimination and land taxation. At the onset of 1921, he assumed control of the Indian National Congress wherein his leadership focused on the improvement of India’s status particularly in areas of poverty, religious and ethnic amity, untouchability, economic self-reliance, and women’s rights.

The greatest contribution of Gandhi came in great global fashion as he sought to achieve Swaraj and rid his motherland of foreign rule and control. He was joined by his faithful wards during the Dandi Salt March in 1930 in order to express objections and protests regarding Britain’s imposition of salt tax. The march rallied on for a staggering 400 kilometers. He then launched the Quit India Movement to give more emphasis on his eagerness to give India its freedom. Due to his actions and rallies, Gandhi was imprisoned in India and even in parts of South Africa.

Even in times of despair and hardship Gandhi encouraged others to follow in his practice of ahimsa wherein a person is bound to abide of what is pure and true. He was known for a life of simplicity and humility. His love for India was even expressed by his garments which are composed of the traditional shawl and dhoti which he himself made on a charkha. He was a vegetarian who utilized fasting in long periods for purposes of self-cleansing and to express protest regarding social injustices.

Mahatma Gandhi was a great Indian leader from which you can surely learn so much about how life’s adversities can be warded off in simple terms.

Learn Deeply In Indian Philosophy

2010-09-20T18:34:00.001-07:00

There have been a lot of philosophical activities around the globe. This is mainly due to the fact that man is continuously evolving and is in constant search of deeper understanding and grasp of what is truly occurring around his external environment. Moreover he is more and more curious at how he can absolutely control his inner thoughts and beings.

This characteristic of man towards philosophy has brought him ahead of all that is surrounding. It has clearly brought him beyond the limits of time and nature. Civilizations and communities have thrived because of guiding principles and practices. Let’s take a look at one of the oldest surviving groups in the world’s history and learn how Indian philosophy have given its lands and people quite a promising journey.

The earliest thinkers within the Indian circles regarded philosophy in high terms as they seem to see it as one of the practical needs so as to reach a better understanding on how the different aspects of life can be best manipulated and navigated. Philosophical works of budding ancient Indian writers focused their works on explaining at how these works can benefit in man’s struggle and survival. Philosophy at that time was simply believed to be within the realms of an underlying order which is encompassing and omnipresent.

The Rig Veda was the first one that contained such form of order which was described in the image of the Brahman. The Brahman was recognized as overlooking being that is beyond the capacities of normal men. It was basically an indescribable and inexplicable existence that this world’s emotions and comprehension cannot reach.

Indian philosophy can be categorized through the use of the existence of two schools. The first one is the astika or the six orthodox schools all of which are founded under the Vedic authority. The six member schools are Nyaya or the school of logic, Vaisheshika or the atomist school, Samkhya or the enumeration school, Yoga or the school of Patanjali from which the metaphysics of Samkhya springs forth, Purva Mimamsa or the tradition of Vedic exegesis and rituals, and finally Vedanta or Uttara Mimamsa which gives much emphasis on Vedic philosophy.

The mentioned schools are usually paired up for reasons regarding concepts and histories. Pairings include Mimamsa-Vedanta, Nyaya-Vaisheshika, and Samkhya-Yoga. The school of Vedanta then branches on to more sub-schools such as Dvaita, Suddhadvaita, Dvaitadvaita, Advaita, and Achintya Bheda Abheda.

The Brahmins then identified schools that did not acknowledge the power of the Vedas as heterodox or unorthodox. These schools were mainly built on the nastika system. The Jain, Buddhist, and Carvaka philosophies are the ones that fuel the beliefs of such schools.

The Jain principle is that one should be wary of the consequences that may arise from his physical and mental behavior. It gives much emphasis on having full awareness about the well-being of all the things around since most being that are part of the world possess a soul. Furthermore there should be equality in the advocacy and treatment of all walks of life. Buddhism is built on the concept of karma which clearly states that there is a major connection between events that have taken place and events that will take place in the near future. Carvaka is a school of thought that is based on ideas of materialism and atheism.

Indian philosophy is a great medium that can be used to learn how these people come up with their words and actions in certain time and places.