YIC - Indian Culture

Indian Culture:

Culture means the total accumulation of materials, ideas, objects, symbols, beliefs, sentiments, values and social forms which are passes from one generation to another in any given society.

The study of Indian culture is very interesting because this is one of the culture which is the most ancient one which is still followed by 1/7th of the human race. This culture is about 5000 years old and still it is developing and enriching in subsequent centuries.

Indian Material Culture:

Yoga:

Yoga was an integral part of Indian culture. As per some of these studies, Yoga in practice is as old as 5000 years. A great saint named Patanjali collected all the Yoga tricks and presented it in the form of Sutras.

 Indus Valley Civilization:

The Indus civilization is one of three in the 'Ancient East' that, along with Pharaonic Egypt and Mesopotamia, was a cradle of early civilization in the Old World. Mesopotamia and Egypt were longer-lived, but coexisted with Indus civilization during its florescence between 2600 and 1900 B.C. Of the three, the Indus was the most expansive, extending from today's northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and India.

At its peak, the Indus Civilization may have had a population of over five million inhabitants. The inhabitants of the ancient Indus River valley developed new techniques in handicraft, seal carving and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead, and tin). The Indus cities are noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, and clusters of large non-residential buildings. Children's toys were found in the cities, with few weapons of war, suggesting peace and prosperity. Their trade seals, decorated with animals and mythical beings, indicate they conducted thriving trade with lands as far away as Sumer in southern Mesopotamia.

Ayurveda System:

Ayurveda is a system of medicine with historical roots in the Indian subcontinent. Globalized and modernized practices derived from Ayurveda traditions are a type of alternative medicine. In countries beyond India, Ayurveda therapies and practices have been integrated in general wellness applications and in some cases in medical use

Mind Culture:

Indian ancient civilization worshipped nature because they recognized divine in everything in Nature. Indian culture in its long career has experimented with life in its diverse aspect and levels. It has not neglected any of the value of life but it has concentrated more on some then on others.  Politics, economics, arts, science, religion and philosophy. All these has been enriched by its contribution. But it’s greatest and most unique contributions are in the field of religion and Philosophy. Indian has been known to other nations as the land of wealth of philosophical wisdom.

There are 2 kind of knowledge - Para and Apara. Para Vidya is the divine knowledge. It is the actual process by which you know the reality or the essential dimension for realizing the ultimate reality. It goes beyond the intellect, emotion, body and mind - an inward journey.

Apara Vidya consists of all the four vedas.

Veda:

Vedas are the treasure house of all the knowledge based on the name indicates. Veda is derived from the verbal name Vid. The word Rishi means a Seer from the verbal root Dras, to see. The Rishi are the mantra drasta, a seer of mantra. The mantra were not his own. The Rishi saw the truth or heard them, therefore Veda is called as Sruti(which is heard)

There are 4 vedas - Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda.

Rig Veda: It is as old as 3000 BC. It contains 1028 hymns/ 10,589 verses/ 10 mandala or books. Dedicated to 33 different god. The Gods were , Rain, fire, Storm(Rudra) etc

Sama Veda: Wisdom and collection of chant. This is derived from 8th and 9th book of Rig veda. This is meant for the priests who perform the rituals in some ceremonies.

Yajur Veda: Wisdom of sacrifices

Atharva Veda:  The wisdom of Atharvanas.

Each Veda consists of 4 parts:

1.       The Mantra samhita or the Hymns

2.       Bramhana or explanation of the mantra

3.       Aranyaka or the Philosophical interpretation

4.       Upanisad or the knowledge portion of the Veda.

The Epics:

The Ramayana and Mahabharata are the great Indian Epics, written in magnificent Heroic poetry, the first by Valmiki and the second by Vyasa.

Ramayana

 The epic, traditionally ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki, narrates the life of Rama, the legendary prince of the Kosala Kingdom. It follows his fourteen-year exile to the forest from the kingdom, by his father King Dasharatha, on request of his second wife Kaikeyi. His travels across forests in India with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, the kidnapping of his wife by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, resulting in a war with him, and Rama's eventual return to Ayodhya to be crowned king.

Mahabharata:

The Mahabharata is an epic legendary narrative of the Kurukṣetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Paṇḍava princes. It also contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life" or puruṣārtha . Bhagavad Gita  is one of the principal work in Mahabharata.