Indian culture

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Indian culture encompasses the multitude of cultures of different peoples and religions found in India . Indian culture, especially art, architecture, music, dance and theater, can look back on several thousand years of tradition. The almost unmanageable diversity of languages ​​and peoples has produced many regional characteristics, but historical influences such as Islam or European colonial powers also left their mark.

Texts from the Indian religions, Indian philosophy and literature are counted among the world literature; Indian buildings are part of the world cultural heritage . Aspects of Indian pop culture, especially popular Indian film and Indian cuisine, have become known worldwide.

Fine arts

Painting and sculpture

Indian painting in the Rajasthan style, around 1660

The origins of Indian painting go back to the Stone Age, as shown by cave paintings at the Bhimbetka archaeological site in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Other important examples of Indian art from the early days are the statuettes and sculptures of the Indus culture and the ornate victory columns from the time of the Maurya Empire .

The period of the Gupta Empire from 300 AD is known as the period of Indian classical art. Artistically impressive Hindu Gupta temples such as the Dashavatara temple and the rock paintings from the Buddhist cave temples in Ajanta date from this time . The post-classical period from 800 AD is characterized by the political and cultural fragmentation of the Indian subcontinent. Significant Hindu sculptures from this period such as the depiction of Shiva Nataraja from the 11th or 12th century can be found.

Another significant turning point in the history of art in India was the Islamic influence in India, which began in the 8th century. With the support of Islamic rulers in India, especially during the Mughal Empire, a diverse, important art and architecture emerged. The ornamental sculpture, the precious monumental tombs such as the Taj Mahal and the Persian-influenced miniature painting deserve special mention .

During the Indian colonial period, the influence of Western art and architecture began and at the same time the decline of indigenous Indian art, which was deprived of patronage by the disempowerment of local rulers. A turning point in the development of Indian art was initiated by Rabindranath Tagore (1871–1951), who is also referred to as the father of modern Indian art.

architecture

Indian architecture reflects both the ethnic and religious diversity of the Indian subcontinent and its historical development. The Indian architecture of the historical period was primarily sacral architecture until the early modern period. Buddhism shaped the beginning of monumental architecture, dating back to the time of the Maurya ruler Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. The phase of Hindu temple architecture began with Hinduism of the post-Christian era, which radiated to Southeast Asia in the Middle Ages, while Buddhist architecture was already imitated in ancient times in East Asia and Tibet.

In the Middle Ages, Islamic architecture came to India from the Middle East, where it developed into an independent Indo-Islamic architecture under local as well as West and Central Asian influences. Colonialism brought with it European art in the 16th century, which only led to the development of a British-Indian colonial style in the late 19th century.

Performing arts

dance

Classical dance in India has a tradition that goes back thousands of years; first representations of dancers go back to the time of the Indus culture . Well-known dance representations in the fine arts of India include the bronze statuette of the "dancing girl" from the early city of Mohenjo-Daro and the column reliefs at the Hindu temple of Chidambaram . The classical poses of the traditional Indian dance Bharatanatyam from Tamil Nadu are seen as early as 200 BC. Described in the textbook of dance and drama, Natyashastra , by the classical author Bharata.

The dance in India has its origins in the temple cult, through the cultic dance the gods are to be glorified. In addition to religiously motivated dance, there is also the dance of the traveling singers and dancers, which is already mentioned in the Indian national epic Ramayana .

The Indian regions have different classical dance styles: Kathak is a court dance from northern India, Odissi is an originally religious temple dance from Orissa , Bharatanatyam is a traditional dance from Tamil Nadu, Manipuri is a dance from northeast India. A specialty is the Kathakali from Kerala, a mask dance.

Besides the traditional Indian dance styles, the modern dance style of Bollywood films ( Bollywood dance ) is also very popular in India. It was created by the Indian film industry and is danced to film music.

theatre

South Indian shadow play doll, 19th century

The tradition of Indian theater goes back several thousand years and is closely related to the dance tradition. Dance and theater both have their origins in the worship of the gods. As early as the turn of the century, the most important poses for theater and dance were described in the textbook of dance and acting, Natyashastra , by the early Hindu author Bharata. Architectural evidence for the long existence of a temple theater is the theater hall in the Kailasa temple in the cave temple of Ellora from the 8th century AD, the theater halls of the Ghantai temple near Khajuraho from the 11th century and the Vitthala temple from the 14th Century. In addition to the temple theater, juggling with acrobatics and dance is the second origin of Indian theater. In the Indian national epic Ramayana mentioned dances and theater performances in cities and at court are mentioned.

The earliest surviving Indian drama in Sanskrit comes from Ashvaghosha , a Buddhist poet around 100 AD. Other important classical authors of the Sanskrit drama are Bhasa (2nd or 3rd century), whose bourgeois drama Carudatta describes the fate of a merchant, and the court poet Kalidasa from the 5th century, at the time of the Gupta dynasty . Kalidasa's writings were also well received by Western poets; Herder , Goethe and the Romantics were enthusiastic about his poetry. The playwright Bhavabhuti tried to reform the theater around 700 AD.

In the period that followed, the importance of classical Indian drama decreased. Theater was not funded at the Muslim courts in northern India. Theater therefore survives on the one hand as part of a temple theater under the patronage of temples, on the other hand as a popular theater. A turning point began in the 19th century, and Indian theater turned to new topics such as social issues. In addition, traditional Indian and Western forms of theater were experimented with. Important recent dramatists are Girish Chandra Ghosh (1844–1912) and Rabindranath Thakur ( English Tagore ) at the beginning of the 20th century.

Traditional Indian theater is still maintained today. The only Sanskritt theater that has survived largely unchanged from ancient Indian times is the Kutiyattam . Other traditional Hindu ritual theaters are Ayyappan tiyatta , Bhagavata Mela , Mutiyettu , Nagamandala and Teyyam . The transition to religious dance forms is fluid, along with many others Chhau , Kathakali , Ras lila and Yakshagana . Some traditional entertainment theater styles are Khyal , Nautanki , Swang, and Tamasha .

There are also regional puppet theater and shadow play traditions . Shadow play forms include Tholpavakuthu in Kerala, Ravanacharya in Odisha , Tholu bommalata in Andhra Pradesh and Chamadyache bahulya in Maharashtra.

music

Kishori Amonkar, singer of Hindustani music

The Indian classical music splits into two main directions: the Hindustani and Carnatic music . Hindustan music is the classical music of North India, Carnatic music is the predominant classical style of South India. Important representatives of Hindustani music are Ravi Shankar , an important sitar player, Amjad Ali Khan , Bismillah Khan and Zakir Hussain . Kishori Amonkar was one of the most important singers in Hindustani music. She belonged to the Jaipur Gharana and sang in the Khyal and Thumri styles. In addition to various ethnic groups on the subcontinent, Persian, Arabic and English music have also influenced Indian music.

The current popular music of India is dominated by film music; about 60 percent of the music sold in India is film music. India's film and pop music is heavily influenced by soul , rock and hip-hop . Indian musical styles such as filmi ( film music ) and bhangra have also become popular among foreigners in Great Britain, South and East Asia, but also other parts of the world, and have found their way into their music. Two of the most famous singers of Indian film music are the two sisters Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar , who can each be heard in around a thousand films. Other Indo-British representatives are, for example, Talvin Singh , Nitin Sawhney , Badmarsh & Shri , Bally Sagoo , Panjabi MC and Cornershop .

literature

The first literary traditions were mostly passed on orally and only later written down. They are represented by sacred works such as the Vedas and the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The most important author of the classical Sanskrit literature was the poet Kalidasa , who was probably a poet at the court of King Vikramaditya (380-413 AD). Other important examples of classical Sanskrit literature are the dramas of Bhavabhuti, the romance Panchatantra and the poem Gota-Gavinda. Other important texts from the classical period in India are texts in Pali , the language of early Buddhist poetry, and in Tamil . The Sangam literature from Tamil Nadu reflects some of India's oldest secular traditions.

In the Indian Middle Ages, Arabic and Persian poetry at the Islamic rulers and the literature of the Bhakti movement are particularly noteworthy. From the 15th century, Urdu poetry flourished in the courts of the Mughal rulers .

From the 19th century, Indian writers reoriented themselves. Due to Western influence, new forms such as the novel gain importance. Today there is an extensive Indian literature, both in the Indian regional languages ​​and in English. Some Indian and Indian-born writers such as Salman Rushdie are known beyond India and are part of world literature. The Bengali Rabindranath Thakur is revered as a national poet and is so far the only Indian Nobel Prize winner for literature.

Movie

Bollywood is the slang name for the popular Mumbai- based Hindi film industry in India. Together with the other centers of film production (in the languages ​​Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu), Bollywood makes up the entire Indian film industry, which, measured in terms of films produced and possibly also in ticket sales, is the largest, along with American films the world is.

Bollywood films are usually musicals . There are few films that don't have at least one scene that consists of dance and a song. The Indian audience expects the full program for its money; it calls for songs and dances, love stories, comedies and daredevils, mixed together in an uninterrupted fantastic composition. Such films are called "masala films" after the Indian spice mixture " masala ".

Like masala, the films are a mixture of many things. The plot tends to be melodramatic. Formula elements are regularly used, such as cross-love relationships and angry parents, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, tacitly tolerated villains, prostitutes with hearts of gold, long-lost relatives and siblings separated by fate, dramatic twists of luck or suitable coincidences.

Celebrations and holidays

Selling paints for the Holi festival

The year in India is marked by many festivals. Occasions for holidays or celebrations are historical events, religious traditions or the change of seasons such as the beginning of spring or the beginning of the harvest season.

Indian national holidays commemorate important historical events such as Independence Day (August 15) or the day of the founding of the Republic (January 26). Mahadma Gandhi's birthday on October 2nd is also a national holiday ( Gandhi Jayanti ).

Other Indian holidays are religiously motivated, e.g. B. from the tradition of Hinduism, Islam or the many other religions of India. One of the most popular festivals from the Hindu tradition is the Diwali Festival of Lights . The important Hindu festival Dashahara is celebrated in September / October, which goes back to different traditions depending on the region. The legend with which it z. B. connected in northern India is the Hindu epic Ramayana . In Bengal, the festival Durga Puja is celebrated at this time , in honor of the goddess Durga . Outside of India, the spring festival Holi , which marks the end of winter and is celebrated with lighting fires and scattering colored water and powder, is particularly well known. Also known is the Kanwar Mela festival, when tens of thousands of Shiva's followers take a bath in the Ganges .

Examples of important Muslim festivals celebrated in India are the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice (Id-al-Adha) in February and the birthday of Muhammad (Milad-ul-Nabi). Guru Parab is the birthday of Guru Nanak , the founder of the Sikhs ' religion , and is celebrated on the first full moon after Diwali. Important holidays for the Christian minority in India are Good Friday and Christmas (December 25th). Buddhists gather at Buddha Jayanti in May for prayer and to honor the birthday of their religion founder Buddha ; Followers of Jainism celebrate the birthday of their founder Mahavira .

In addition to historically motivated and religious holidays, there are a large number of other cultural events and festivals in India that revolve around film, dance or music. Examples include the International Film Festival of India in Goa , the Madras Music Festival in Chennai , the Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) and the Vasantahabba dance festival in Bengaluru . Important sporting festivals are z. B. the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Kerala , a race with ornately carved and decorated boats, or the Delhi Horse Show, a two-day horse show with jumping and dressage rides .

Everyday culture

dress

Sari styles

Typical traditional Indian garments for men include dhoti , lungi and kurta . Traditional clothing for women includes the sari , which is cut and wrapped differently depending on the region. Another important traditional garment for women is the Salwar Kamiz , a combination of a pair of trousers (salwar), a tunic (kamiz) and a cloth ( Dupatta ). Many Indian women also wear a choli , a tight blouse. Traditional Indian headgear is the turban for men and the headscarf (Odhni or Dupatta) for women. In addition to traditional clothing, you can also see western clothing such as shirts or jeans, sometimes in combination with traditional clothing.

Games and sports

By far the most popular sport in India is cricket . Polo was a popular upper-class sport until India's independence, but its popularity, like hockey, has declined. Other popular sports in India include soccer, horse racing, and tennis.

A whole range of games and sports were invented in India, including chess . In the ancient martial arts Kalarippayat it is assumed that he himself strongly influenced the much younger Shaolin Kung Fu . Indian yoga is well-known and , in western variations, has a large fan base worldwide.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Manfred Görgens: A short history of Indian art . DuMont, Cologne 1986, ISBN 3-7701-1543-0 .
  2. ^ Margot Berthold: World history of the theater . Alfred Kröner, Stuttgart 1968, p. 30-33 .
  3. ↑ a b India . 2nd Edition. Dorling Kindersley, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8310-0851-3 , pp. 28-29 .
  4. ^ Margot Berthold: World history of the theater . Alfred Kröner, Stuttgart 1968, p. 30-33 .
  5. ^ Margot Berthold: World history of the theater . Alfred Kröner, Stuttgart 1968, p. 39-43 .
  6. ↑ Sisir Kumar Das: The Indian Literature - A Historical Review . In: Martin Kämchen (ed.): Indian literature of the present . edition text + kritik, Munich 2006, p. 50-55 .
  7. ↑ Asha Kasbekar: Pop culture India! Media, arts, and lifestyle . ABC-Clio, 2006, ISBN 1-85109-636-1 , pp. 22 .
  8. ↑ Sisir Kumar Das: The Indian Literature - A Historical Review . In: Martin Kämchen (ed.): Indian literature of the present . edition text + kritik, Munich 2006, p. 25-60 .
  9. ↑ India . 2nd Edition. Dorling Kindersley, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8310-0851-3 , pp. 34-37 .
  10. ↑ 15 of the most beautiful India festivals | Enchanting Travels . In: Enchanting Travels . April 29, 2017 ( enchantingtravels.de [accessed March 18, 2018]).
  11. ↑ India . 2nd Edition. Dorling Kindersley, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8310-0851-3 , pp. 30-31 .
  12. ↑ Lonely Planet Publications (Ed.): India . Mairdumont, Ostfildern 2006, p. 77-78 .
  13. ^ HJR Murray: A History of Chess . Benjamin Press, 1913, ISBN 0-936317-01-9 .