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indiaencyclopedia.info - India and Society

The Indian society is not a uniform one. This is a natural corollary to the fact that diversity is a part of Indian way of life. From region to region, diversity in the social structure is prominently seen. The north Indian social traditions and customs are markedly different and so those of the eastern India from those of other parts of the country. And here lies the tantalizing element of mystery associated with India. The diversity factor notwithstanding, there is a common thread running through the Indians. Unity in diversity is best seen in India in a maze of seemingly disparate peoples. One social unifier is the Indian system of caste-ism adhered to by all racial groups belonging to the Hindu religion fold. Lambasted by many as a retrogressive social tradition, this system has also given the Indians a sense of belongingness to a shared way of life. Though caste rigidity was prevalent in the olden times, now it has become flexible to a large extent. It is not an uncommon to come across families of so called incompatible castes entering into matrimonial alliance.

The gender inequality is a phenomenon causing concern in the Indian society. The Indian society is highly prejudiced against the female gender. Basically a male dominated society, decision making at family and political level is almost single handedly handled by the men. Customs such as Dowry are worsening the process of subjugating women in the society. Of late, with social awareness about women's vital role in the development of a community or the country, there has been a change in the perception of gender equations in favor of women. Education of women, giving the women a greater say in decision making in the family and the governance are emphasized. With the liberalization of economy women are in top managerial position at par with the best men. In spite of significant leaps made by India in the economic front, poverty is still a dominant social reality. A majority of the population of India lives in utter poverty without access to health care, housing, drinking water and education. Major policy change has to be enforced to better the lives of these millions souls if India is to become a truly desirable place to live in.

The genesis of the contemporary styles of classical dances can be traced to the period between 1300-1400 A.D. India offers a number of classical dance forms, each of which can be traced to different parts of the country. Each form represents the culture and ethos of a particular region or a group of people. Bharatnatyam- Tamil Nadu; Kathak - Uttar Pradesh; Kathakali - Kerala; Kuchipudi- Andhra Pradesh; Manipuri - Manipur; Mohiniyattam - Kerala; Odissi - Orissa. There is a multiplicity of festivals in India. Most of the festivals owe their origin to legends, gods and goddesses and mythology. As many communities there are, there are as many festivals unique to them. Color, gaiety, enthusiasm, feasts and a variety of prayers and rituals characterize festivals here. There are number festivals celebrated in India too numerous to count. Some important festivals are: Deepawali, Krishna Janmashtami, Onam, Dussehra, Pongal, Ramzan Id, Baisakhi Easter, Ganesha Chaturthi Holi, Raksha, Bandhan, Ram Navmi, Christmas, Good Friday, Makar Sankranti, Moharrum Shivratri, Durga Puja and many others.

Access to wealth and power varies considerably, and vast differences in socioeconomic status are evident everywhere. The poor and the wealthy live side by side in urban and rural areas. It is common in city life to see a prosperous, well-fed man or woman chauffeured in a fine car pass gaunt street dwellers huddled beneath burlap shelters along the roadway. In many villages, solid cement houses of landowners rise not far from the flimsy thatched shacks of landless laborers. Even when not so obvious, distinctions of class are found in almost every settlement in India. Urban-rural differences can be immense in the Indian Society. Nearly 74 percent of India's population dwells in villages, with agriculture providing support for most of these rural residents. In villages, mud-plastered walls ornamented with traditional designs, dusty lanes, herds of grazing cattle, and the songs of birds at sunset provide typical settings for the social lives of most Indians. In India's great cities, however, millions of people live amidst cacophony--roaring vehicles, surging crowds, jammed apartment buildings, busy commercial establishments, loudspeakers blaring movie tunes--while breathing the poisons of industrial and automotive pollution


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