Ancient Indian Culture

The rich heritage of Indian culture can be traced back to ancient times. The practices, beliefs and customs that we follow today were established thousands of years back. In ancient India, culture was the determining factor of the Indian society. Though different beliefs were followed in different regions, the foundation base of ancient Indian culture remained the same. From every day dressing to elaborate rituals, every minute and major detail was decided centuries back. The root of Indian culture has existed since ancient times and that is what makes it so strong.

Indian Culture is so diverse that even Indians do not know of all the customs of India. It is unique in its very own way. With growing modernization, it has become more difficult for the increasingly small families to keep in touch with the tradition and culture of their forefathers. They are unaware of their customs. Even though we have accepted modern means of living, improved our lifestyle, our values and beliefs still remain unchanged. A person can change his way of clothing, way of eating and living but the rich values in a person always remains unchanged because they are deeply rooted within our hearts, mind, body and soul which we receive from our culture.

Indian culture treats guests as god and serves them and takes care of them as if they are a part and parcel of the family itself. Even though we don’t have anything to eat, the guests are never left hungry and are always looked after by the members of the family. Elders and the respect for elders is a major component in Indian culture. Elders are the driving force for any family and hence the love and respect for elders comes from within and is not artificial. An individual takes blessings from his elders by touching their feet. Elders drill and pass on the Indian culture within us as we grow.

“Respect one another” is another lesson that is taught from the books of Indian culture. All people are alike and respecting one another is ones duty. In foreign countries the relation between the boss and the employee is like a master and slave and is purely monetary whereas in Indian culture the relation between the boss and the employee is more like homely relations unlike foreign countries.

Helpful nature is another striking feature in our Indian culture. Right from our early days of childhood we are taught to help one another in need of help and distress. If not monetary then at least in kind or non-monetary ways. Indian culture tells us to multiply and distribute joy and happiness and share sadness and pain. It tells us that by all this we can develop co-operation and better living amongst ourselves and subsequently make this world a better place to live in.

The rich cultural heritage of India is evident from different civilizations which flourished in this land and left a lasting impression on the minds of the people. The most important among this civilization is the Indus Valley Civilization which is also known as Harappan Civilization. People of the Indus Valley Civilization were specifically marked for their strong social and cultural roles which they played with ease. The ancient culture of India is noted for its social and organizational systems. Some of them are as follows:

* Architecture
The Harappa Civilization and the Mohenjo-Daro Civilization are witness to the architectural glory of ancient India. Both the cities display signs wonderfully designed streets, market palces and houses. The designs of the buildings and roads speak volume about the architectural craftsmanship of the people of that period.

* Place of women in society
During the Indus Valley civilization, women were treated weaker than their male counterparts. According to the ancient texts, women lacked both physical and spiritual strength. With their charm and seduction, they used to prevent men from indulging in spiritual affairs.

* Customs and traditions
One of the important features of the culture of ancient India is that the period was characterized by religious sexual images. During the Indus Valley Civilization, 2 coinciding iconographic systems were introduced. These were images of animals and man-animal combination.

* Caste system
Unlike modern India, there was social mobility among the people of ancient India. At that time, it was possible for people to move from one verna or upper caste to another after some difficulty.

* Asrama system
The asrama system of Hinduism was in full practice as part of the ancient culture of India. According to the system, an individual begins his life as a student. Then, he becomes a householder. In the later stage, he forsakes his home to become a hermit. Ultimately, he renounces all his worldly pleasures to be an ascetic.