India - A Cultural Perspective - MercuryNIE · 4 India in the curriculum This unit of work looks at...

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India: a cultural perspective Author Jan Kiernan Editor Damian Bester Cover Design Lewis Mathieson Cover image AFP First published in 2010. Copyright News Ltd. Fair copying of this publication is permitted for the purposes of teaching, review or research. News Ltd is not responsible for the content of external web-links provided in this book, which have been included in good faith. All URLs were checked and operational as at September 1, 2010. Copyright inquiries should be addressed to: Damian Bester Education Services Manager Davies Brothers Pty Ltd 91-93 Macquarie St Hobart TAS 7000 Email: [email protected]

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Contents India in the curriculum 4

What I want to know about India 5 Big ideas about India 6

The Indian flag 7

India: find the landmarks 9 Map of India quiz 10

Kashmir 11 India or Australia? 12

Australia-India statistics 13

Made in India scavenger hunt 15 Indian words in Australia 16

How far is it to New Delhi? 17

Key phrases in Hindi 19 Indian calendar 20

India’s megacities 21 World Heritage sites 25

India: a great mix of things 29

The Indian people 31 The sacred cow 32

The Ganges River 33

Yoga 35 Indian cooking 36

Hinduism 38 On being polite 42

Ceremonial elephants 43

Traditional music 44 Mahatma Gandhi 45

Bollywood 46

Ramayana 48 Indian festivals 50

Traditional games 52 Sport 53

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India in the curriculum

This unit of work looks at life in India today and the customs and traditions that are part of the lifestyle of its people. It also seeks to look forward to the India of the future and the issues that it has to face. The unit of study is divided into five parts or key questions.

Key questions Sample learning opportunities What are the major physical features, natural resources and climate and vegetation patterns of India?

Have students:

• use atlases, maps and globes to familiarise themselves with India’s location.

• prepare a map to show major physical features and population centres.

• collect and graph information about the climate of India.

• gather information about the vegetation of India. • locate and map mineral deposits in India.

What are some of the traditions and customs of the peoples of India?

Have students:

• make a brief study of the major periods in the history of India and draw timelines.

• find out about the major religions of India. • prepare a collection of stories, drama, artworks and

poetry from India.

What is it like to live in contemporary India?

Have students:

• investigate aspects of the diversity of contemporary life of the people of India, such as types of agriculture, housing, clothing, transport, the media, government...

• find out what it is like to grow up in India, collecting information about education, games, sport, leisure activities...

What are some of the economic, political, social and cultural links between Australia and India?

Have students:

• find out about trade between Australia and India. • investigate links in areas such as education, sport,

entertainment, health... • discuss political issues that concern both countries. • make a major study of the tourist industry in India.

What are some of the major challenges that India will face in the future?

Have students:

• investigate and discuss issues such as pressure of population, climate change, resource access and management, pollution, urbanisation…

India A cultural perspective

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What I KNOW What I WANT to know

What I have LEARNT What SOURCES I used

K

S L

W


activity 1 News Ltd NIE

K-W-L-S What I want to know about India

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Big Ideas

what are the big ideas

about India?

The history

The people

The environment

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The Indian Flag

India’s flag was adapted from the banner of the Indian National Congress—the group that led the struggle for independence from the British. It had three colours—orange, white and green—with a spinning wheel in the centre. The colours represented the country’s two major religions and the peace intended to exist between them. After independence, the government kept the flag but changed the spinning wheel for the blue chakra, which is the Buddhist symbol representing the Law of Dharma, or eternal change.

Find out more about the Chakra symbol and its significance. Find out more about the Law of Dharma, or eternal change, and its significance.



Colour in your own Indian national flag on the next page.

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India Find the landmarks

Locate these places on the map of India below: Cities: New Delhi, Agra, Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Kolkata, Varanasi, Nagpur, Jodhpur, Lucknow, Patna, Surat, Hyderabad, Mysore.

Rivers:

Ganges, Narmada, Krishna, Mahanadi, Brahmaputra.

Seas and islands:

Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean.

Also mark the nation of Sri Lanka.



www.besttofind.com/Img/base-map-of-india-2.jpg

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What is the capital city of India and what line of latitude runs through it?

Which countries share a border with India?

Map of India Quiz

What country lies north-east of the city of Mumbai?

Which major city is located in the far north-west of the country?

What Gulf lies to the east of India?

Which river runs through Varanasi?

Which major city is found in the far north-east of the country?

Which two major cities lie on the Ganges River?

Mount Everest lies on the border of India and which other country?

What Indian island lies off the south-east coast of mainland India?

What sea lies east of the city of Goa?



Map from CIA World Factbook

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Kashmir Since the establishment of the modern nations of India and Pakistan in 1947, there has been conflict over the region of Kashmir. China is also involved, as it disputes the eastern border. Wikipedia describes the conflict as a territorial dispute involving India, Pakistan, China, and the people of Kashmir themselves. India claims the entire former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir and administers about 43% of the region. India’s claim is contested by Pakistan which controls about 37% of Kashmir. In addition, China has controlled 20% of Kashmir since 1963. India refers to this as an “illegal occupation” by Pakistan and China. India’s official position is that Kashmir is an integral part of India. Pakistan’s official position is that Kashmir is a disputed territory whose final status must be determined by the people of Kashmir. China’s official position is that the area it calls Aksai Chin is a part of Tibet, which is a part of China. Certain Kashmiri independence groups believe Kashmir should be independent of both India and Pakistan. Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_conflict TASK: Access information about Kashmir to answer these inquiry questions:

• Who is involved in the dispute? • What is Kashmir? • What does India want? • What does Pakistan want? • What does China want? • What do some local Kashmiris want?

This map from Wikimedia Commons (above) shows the parts of Kashmir that India believes to be illegally occupied by other nations.

The official Indian Government map showing the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

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These statements can be completed by writing in Australia or India. The first has been completed for you as an example:

India has a larger population than Australia.

has a land border with Nepal.

has a religious symbol on its flag.

was ruled by the Mughals.

has only one time zone.

has the Pacific Ocean to its east.

is a republic.

has the higher mountains.

has summer in December, January and February.

is closer to New Zealand.

is in the northern hemisphere.

has six states and two territories.

has more large rivers.

is closer to China.

has hosted four Commonwealth Games.

has a larger population.

invented calico.

is closer to the equator.

is the sixth largest country in the world, in area.

has a capital that is at approximately 35° N latitude.

has a large plateau named the Deccan.

gained independence in 1947.

is also a continent.

is crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn.

has a large World Heritage reef on its eastern coastline.



India or Australia?

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Australia—India let’s talk statistics

SIZE

India 3,287,263km2—world’s 7th largest country Australia 7,741,220km2—world’s 6th largest country POPULATION India 1,173,000,000 (US Census Bureau estimate, March 2010)

Population growth 1.4% (2009 estimate, CIA World Factbook)

Urbanisation 29% - growing at 2.4% (CIA World Factbook, 2008 estimate) Australia 22,066,000 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sept 2009)

Population growth 2.1% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Sept 2009)

Urbanisation 89% growing at 1.2% (CIA World Factbook, 2008 estimate)

TERRAIN

India: Upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in the south, flat to rolling plains along the Ganges, deserts in the west and the Himalayas in the north. Highest mountain: Kanchenjunga 8598m – 3rd highest in the world

Australia: Mostly low plateaux with deserts, fertile plain in the south-east. Highest mountain: Mt Kosciuszko 2229m GOVERNMENT

Republic of India. Capital: New Delhi (National Capital Territory of Delhi) Federal parliamentary democracy (republic)

Commonwealth of Australia. Capital: Canberra (Australian Capital Territory) Federal parliamentary democracy (Commonwealth realm)



CIA World Factbook maps

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CURRENCY

Indian Rupee (INR)

Australian Dollar (AUD) CLIMATE

India: Varies from tropical monsoon in the south to temperate in the north. Suffers from droughts and flash flooding. Follow real-time weather in India: www.weatheronline.co.uk/India.htm

Australia: Generally arid to semi-arid, temperate in the south and east, tropical in the north. Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast, severe droughts, bushfires Source: CIA World Factbook

India: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html

Australia: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/as.html

U.S. Census Bureau, International Database: http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/informationGateway.php ACTIVITY: Use the CIA World Factbook and other sources to make further comparisons between Australia and India. For example: literacy rates, death rate, life expectancy, natural resources, water resources, arable land...

Topics Australia India

Exchange rate: 1.00 AUD = 41.82 INR (1 September 2010)

Find out what the exchange rate is today at www.xe.com/ucc



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Made in India Scavenger Hunt

India is one of Australia’s leading trading partners.

Australia’s main exports to India are iron ore, wool, copper, zinc and educational services.

Australia’s main imports from India are clothing, computers, telecommunications equipment, toys, games and sporting equipment.

Task: Go on a scavenger hunt around your home and school to find items that were made in India. Make a list.

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18

19 20 21

22 23 24

25 26 27

28 29 30



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Indian words in Australia Words from one country often find their way into the language of another. English has picked up words from all sorts of places over the centuries.

As India was part of the British Empire, it is not all that surprising that a number of words which come from India are now very much part of the English language. A few examples are:

Shawl: a scarf worn over the shoulders. Bungalow: a one-storey house, often with a verandah. Punch: a mixed drink, from the Hindi word panch meaning five. Loot: plunder or the proceeds of a robbery. Thug: a villain, from the word thuggee (worshipper of the Goddess Kali). Calico: coarse cotton cloth. Khaki: a Hindi word meaning dusty brown with a yellow or green tinge. Your task: Write dictionary meanings for these Indian words commonly used in Australia: Bandana:

Bangle:

Jungle:

Pyjamas:

Shampoo:

Here are a few more: atoll (ring of coral enclosing a lagoon); aubergine (eggplant); avatar (incarnation); candy (piece of sugar); cash (coins of small value); cheetah; chit (a letter or note); chutney (“to crush"); cot (a portable bed); crimson (red dye); cushy (easy, happy, soft); diva (a god); dingy (a tiny boat); gymkhana (place where sporting events take place); Himalaya (“place of snow”); jackal (“the howler”); juggernaut (something immense and unstoppable); karma (work or fate); lilac (dark blue); mandarin (an advisor); mantra (holy message); mugger (a creature which attacks stealthily); orange; pundit (scholar or priest); raj (kingdom); rice; Singapore (“the lion city”); sugar; verandah (courtyard or porch); zen (meditation).



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How far is it to New Delhi?



http://welt-atlas.de/

www.freeworldmaps.net/outline/maps/eckert3.gif

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How far is it to New Delhi? continued Your challenge is to use the table (below) of “as the crow flies” distances (rounded to the nearest 100km) to provide data for the distance between cities in the Asia Pacific region and New Delhi.

1. Locate the cities listed on the table on the map of the region.

2. Mark them on the blank map provided.

3. Using the scale on a map in your atlas, and a ruler, estimate the distance from each of the cities to New Delhi.

4. Complete the first column on the table below.

5. On your map rule an “as the crow flies” line between each city and New Delhi.

6. Write on the line your estimated distance as you have recorded in the table.

7. Check the lines on the map and your table estimations to see if you might have overestimated or underestimated some distances.

8. Check the accuracy of your estimations using the How far is it? Website at www.indo.com/distance Scroll down the page to the section that looks like this...

Various query formats are allowed; for example:

Chicago, IL Jakarta 40:26:26N 79:59:46W Athens, Greece

or

Complete the table below and calculate how far out you were with your estimations. Find out how far it is from your state capital to New Delhi.

How far from New Delhi?

From

to (optional)

Look it up! Clear



City My estimation to the nearest 100km

Actual distance in kilometres to the nearest 100km

Difference

Tokyo Bangkok Kuala Lumpur Beijing Jakarta Manila Hanoi Beijing Seoul My capital city: …………………..

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Key phrases English Hindi Yes Ha No Nahi Thank you Dhanyavaad You are welcome Aapakaa svaagat hai Please Kripyaa Excuse me Shamma kare Hello Namaste Goodbye Alavidha Good morning Shubha prabhaat Good night Shubha raatri I do not understand Mai nahii samajhataa hu Do you speak… Kyaa aap... ? English Angrejii What is your name? Aapka naam kya hai? Nice to meet you Aapse milkar khushii huyii How are you? Aap kaise hai? Good Achchhey Where is...? Kahan hai..?



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Indian Calendar

Your task: Choose a month and design a calendar using Hindi names for the month and the days of the week. Use your calendar to write your class timetable and lesson notes for the month.

Days of the week

Hindi translation Pronunciation

Monday सोमवार Somvaar

Tuesday मंगलवार Mangalvaar

Wednesday बुधवार Budhvaar

Thursday गुरुवार Guruvaar

Friday शुबवार Shukravaar

Saturday शिनवार Shanivaar

Sunday रिववार Itvaar or Ravivaar

January Janavaree

February Faravaree

March Maarch

April Aprel

May Maee

June Joon

July Julaaee

August Agast

September Sitmbar

October Aktoobar

November Navambar

December Disambar

English Hindi



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India’s Megacities

Of the world’s estimated 6,692,030,277 people it is estimated that around 1,173,000,000 live in India. Estimations of the population of India’s largest cities vary from source to source. Although India has only about 30 per cent of its people living in urban centres, India’s largest cities are amongst the largest in the world.

India’s largest cities are Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Surat.

Search the internet for five different websites that give statistics for the population of these cities.

Sources:

Website Name URL

1

2

3

4

5



Source: CIA World Factbook

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India’s Megacities continued

Write in the population figures for five cities using your website sources.

What reasons can you give for the variations in the figures from the different websites?

Where might you be able to get more accurate figures?

Why?

Your task: Find out more about your five cities and prepare a tourist itinerary for a visit to them. You might like to include a special city on your tourist route, the city of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal. Use the planning sheet on the next page to help you. Present your information including images and points of interest.

Cities Website 1 Website 2 Website 3 Website 4 Website 5



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India’s Megacities My tour itinerary

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India’s Megacities My tour itinerary

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World Heritage Sites

To be included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value. Australia has 18 World Heritage sites listed, with 11 in the Natural category, three in the Cultural category and four in the Mixed category, including the 2010 listing of Australian convict sites. http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/au India has 28 sites with a high focus of 23 Cultural sites and five Natural sites. http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/in Perhaps the most famous is the Taj Mahal in Agra. This was built by Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife he called “the Chosen One”, Mumtaz Mahal. He married Arjumand Banu Begum in 1612. She died at the age of 38 in 1631 while giving birth to their 14th child. It is believed that on her deathbed she asked Shah Jahan to build a beautiful memorial to her. This example of Mughal architecture, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is considered a great monument to love. Constructed of white marble, decorated with Muslim patterns and calligraphy and inlayed with semi-precious and precious stones, the tomb took 22 years to build. TASK: 1. Conduct research on the Taj Mahal in order to prepare a brochure for visiting tourists. 2. On the following page, identify the photos of some of the other Indian UNESCO cultural sites and

prepare a short paragraph describing each.

• Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa • The Red Fort, Delhi • The Agra Fort • Fatehpur Sikri • The Royal Observatory, Jaipur • Amber Fort located in Amber (near Jaipur) • Hawa Mahal, Jaipur • St Francis CSI Church, Kochi • Paradesi Synagogue, Kochi • The Shore Temple, Mahabalipurum



The Agra Fort. Image: Jan Kiernan

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World Heritage Site Name and description

World Heritage Sites in India continued

All images from Wikimedia Commons

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World Heritage Site Name and description


All images from Wikimedia Commons

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Task: Locate the 10 World Heritage sites from the previous pages on this map of India.

www.besttofind.com/Img/base-map-of-india-2.jpg

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India a great mix of things

Taj Mahal

Britain’s flag—the Union Jack

Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.

Queen Victoria and her Indian servant Munshi Hafiz Abdul Karim.



To mention India will, for some, paint pictures of exotic lands, of maharajahs, of elephants. Some see colourful religious festivals, others may see busy streets and beggars. Some may see violence and poverty, while others picture gentler images of cricket matches and palaces. India is a great mix of things.

It might not be obvious that Australia and India have much in common; however, both countries were once part of the British Empire and both are now members of the Commonwealth of Nations. Both countries share January 26 as their national day.

Interestingly, India’s national day celebrates the end of British rule in 1947, while Australia celebrates the arrival of the British in 1788. In area, India is the seventh largest country in the world and in population is second only to China. A great many of the people live in acute poverty, while as many as 100 million enjoy a standard of living equal to or higher than the average Australian.

The country is divided into 28 states and seven union territories. With 15 major languages and hundreds of dialects spoken, India is a fascinating cultural and linguistic blend. India’s early history is uncertain but we know that Aryan peoples from the southern Russian steppes and Iran began to colonise India from about 1500BC. Hinduism evolved from the religions of the Aryan and Indus Valley civilisations. From the third century BC, Buddhism grew in influence, but Hinduism finally emerged as the most practiced religion. Islam was introduced in the 12th century and today one in eight Indians is Muslim.

Western influences began with the coming of Portuguese traders and Christian missionaries from Britain and the Netherlands in the 16th century. British influence grew through the East India Company, which by the 1760s was the major force in Bengal. A series of conflicts saw the Company’s power extend throughout the entire sub-continent, although a third of the territory remained in the hands of local princes. After the “Indian Mutiny”, power shifted to Britain.

Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India in 1870. British rule was essentially based on creating wealth for Britain, particularly through cash crops such as cotton, indigo and opium. Many of these were used as raw materials for Britain’s industrial revolution.

Jan Kiernan

Wikimedia Commons

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India: a great mix of things continued

An English-style education system was introduced to create a class of Indian bureaucrats who would run India for the British. Those who led the long independence struggle had mostly been educated in the British tradition and, being familiar with the ideas of Western democracy, could see that they were being denied freedom under British rule. Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi launched a remarkable campaign of non-violence, non-co-operation and civil disobedience. After gaining independence from Britain, the bulk of the states joined the new India, while neighbouring Pakistan was founded as an Islamic nation. As a developing nation, India is beset with a great many difficulties. The most serious of these is poverty. The benefits of development are quickly eroded by a large and rapidly increasing population. Thousands of Australians visit India each year to experience the mystery that is India, seeking the rich abundance of cultural heritage. It is the contrasts of this Hindu culture that proves attractive to so many in the West: a land of history, tradition and an intriguing mix of new and old.



Image: Jan Kiernan

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The modern nation of India is home to more than 1.1 million culturally diverse people. They are descended from three basic and distinct groups which settled in the sub-continent many thousands of years ago. The first of these spread throughout India and still live in hill and forest regions. They were joined by dark-skinned Dravidians. It is unclear where these people came from or at what time they arrived, but we know they were highly organised people. The remains of their civilisation can still be seen in great ruined cities dating back more than 5000 years. The Dravidians were in turn displaced by Aryans from central Asia more that 3500 years ago. Both the Hindu religion and caste system evolved from the Vedic tradition of the Aryans and the established religions of the pre-Aryan population. India won independence from the British in 1947, an event that was called “Partition”. Independence did not come easily and demands for the removal of the British had been long and strong.

In 1857 a mutiny of Indian soldiers of the British Army in India—or a War of Independence, depending on whose history books you read—took place. Despite this, it was another 90 years before India managed to win her independence. This long struggle was led by people such as Mahatma Ghandi and the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. At independence, “British India” was divided into two new countries—India and Pakistan—and their relationship has been rocky. A war in 1971 resulted in part of Pakistan becoming the new nation of Bangladesh and controversy still rages over the state of Kashmir.

With its diverse population, modern India is home to a large number of independence movements. Their struggles occasionally spill over into violence as they vie to withdraw from the Republic of India and its federal government.

Freedom fighters Jawaharlal Nehru, left, and Mahatma Gandhi.

British India

Republic of India Islamic Republic of Pakistan

People’s Republic of Bangladesh



The Indian People

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The Sacred Cow In India, the cow is considered sacred. It is against Hindu religious beliefs to eat beef and it is common to see cattle freely roaming the streets. Many westerners question this taboo, believing that in a country facing widespread poverty, beef would be a rich source of food. Although not eating the meat, Hindus make use of cows for milk, and making:

• dahi or curds. • a drink called lassi. • an ingredient in curry dishes and desserts. • paneer, or curd cheese. • butter, which is then made into ghee by boiling. Ghee is not only used in cooking

but in religious ceremonies.

Image: AFP



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The Ganges River The Ganges (Ganga) River rises in the western Himalayas, flowing some 2510km through northern India and neighbouring Bangladesh until it empties into the Bay of Bengal through the Sunderbans Delta. In comparison, Australia’s Murray-Darling system is 3717km in length. Evidence shows that people have lived along its banks for at least 6000 years with many imposing capitals built along its sustaining waters. The Ganges, or Mother Ganga, is the holiest river for Indian Hindus, with many making a pilgrimage to bathe in its holy waters to receive forgiveness for past sins. The river is also important as a venue for a baptism, burial rites, cremation, and cleansing the soul. Cremation procedures are sometimes inadequate, resulting in partially burnt or unburnt bodies floating down the river. The river also maintains agriculture, energy generation from dams upstream, transport and industries producing textiles, paper and leather goods. As well as supporting industry and infrastructure, it is the main source of drinking water and bathing for many Indians. It is estimated that as many as 10 million people bathe in the river daily. It is used for washing of clothes and food but also the discharge of raw sewage, causing poor health, disease and major pollution. It is not uncommon to see dead livestock floating down the river. Your task: Undertake an investigation of the significance of the River Ganges including aspects such as its spiritual significance and its uses. Focus on Varanasi and other large centres on its banks. Include visuals.

A Hindu devotee prays in the River Ganges in Allahabad, India

AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)



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River Ganges continued

A Hindu devotee prays in the River Ganges in Allahabad, India AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

Useful websites:

“About the Ganges River” provides a map and facts. http://web.bryant.edu/~langlois/ecology/gangesmap.htm “Ganges River India” is a gallery depicting scenes on the river. www.karlgrobl.com/Ganges/ “India For Kids” - Visit the cities of Thrissur, Mysore, Mumbai and Jaipur as well as the River Ganges. Read bedtime stories, excerpts from the Ramayana, or a diary kept by one of the site’s virtual tourists. http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/india.htm “River Ganga” (Ganges) - Find out about tributaries, pollution problems and the river’s importance in Hindu mythology. www.cse.iitk.ac.in/~amit/other/ganges.html “TempleNet: The River Ganges” - Learn about the legendary, historical, and present-day importance of the Ganges river to the Hindu faith and India. www.templenet.com/Ganga/ganga.html Pollution (YouTube) Note to teachers: written comments posted by YouTube users may feature strong language. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb_yDBmRgmU

The holy city of Varanasi on the banks of the River Ganges. Image: Wikimedia Commons



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Yoga

One feature of life in Western countries is the way a number of people have looked to other cultures to find different ways to help people live in the modern world. Asian medicines, acupuncture and herbal remedies are all popular. Meditation and yoga have made a big impact on Western thinking in recent years. India is of course, home to yoga. In general terms, yoga aims to improve people’s health and develop harmony, soothing stress and bringing balance into people’s daily life. There are a number of different styles of yoga practised in Australia. Did you know that yoga has been used in schools, with pregnant mums and with top athletes?

Your task: Find out more about yoga, the different styles, and some of the most common yoga exercises.



Image: News Ltd

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Indian cooking Indian cuisine reflects the immense diversity of the country. Before the British arrived, India’s food was influenced by the Mughal style of cooking which is characterised by the use of more meat and creamy sauces flavoured with spices other than chilli. With British rule came recipes, methods of preparation and traditions. These not only influenced local cuisine but were in turn influenced by the local surroundings. Religious affiliation is a major influence, with 80 per cent of the population being Hindu (who don’t eat beef as cows are sacred) and 14% Muslim (who are forbidden by their religion to eat pork) as well as Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, Jews and Parsis. Added to this diversity are other factors, including caste, traditions, income and the availability of foodstuffs in a large country with different climates and topography. In India, the cow is considered sacred. It is against Hindu religious beliefs to eat beef and it is common to see cattle freely roaming the streets. Many westerners question this taboo, believing that in a country facing widespread poverty, beef would be a rich source of food. Milk is made into dahi (curds), a drink called lassi, or used as an ingredient in curry dishes and desserts. Paneer (curd cheese) is another product. Cream is made into butter, which is then boiled to produce ghee. Ghee is not only used in cooking but in religious ceremonies Often when you mention Indian cooking an immediate thought that pops into many heads is “hot curry”. This is not always the case, as it depends on what part of the country the cook comes from, with South India traditionally having the hottest food. Indian dishes are known for their use of curry (kari in the Tamil dialect). Curry—in this case a generic word for spices in general—helped keep food fresh in the hot climates of South India. Making curry becomes a very individual thing, with each region of the country having its own speciality and each family having their own favourite recipe. Indians prefer to roast, grind and blend their own mixture of spices to match their particular cuisine or dish. Ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, coriander, cumin, cloves, pepper and turmeric were traditionally used, with chilli peppers added to the mix with the arrival of the Portuguese colonists on the west coast. Anything from six to more than 20 different spices may be combined to make a single curry. Cream, curds or ghee (clarified butter) is often added to make the curry sauce smooth and thick. In some parts of the country the favoured spices are sweet and aromatic, while and in others the desired curry is stronger and spicier. It all comes down to what you like best and what ingredients are available locally. In Kashmir, for example, where fruit is grown, curries often contain fruit.



Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia Commons

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Meals, for the most part, are quite simple and vegetarianism is common. As well as religious reasons, economic factors prevail as meat, poultry and fish are luxuries for millions of poor Indian families. While very little meat is eaten in India, it is not difficult for the average Indian family to get a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Major ingredients in Indian include rice and roti (wheat bread), spiced yoghurt, cream based dishes and dishes using coconut. Alcohol is not usually consumed in India and meals are generally accompanied by lassi, water, coconut milk or fruit juice. It is common to add spices such as cardamom or cinnamon to tea so as to add fragrance and taste. An average meal might consist of curry, white rice, a vegetable dish, some form of lentils and unleavened Indian bread (chapati). Traditionally, Indian food is eaten with the right hand. Consideration is taken as to the effect different foods have on the health and wellbeing of the consumer. Some foods and spices are said to “heat” the body, whereas others are “cooling”. Thus mango, nutmeg and meat might be accompanied with yoghurt, cloves and banana – combining warming and cooling foods. Task: Collect and publish a selection of Indian recipes. Here is one to start with:



Ingredients

1 kg chicken pieces 3 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped 1 ½ teaspoons of ground coriander 3 cloves of garlic, chopped ½ teaspoon cumin 1 ½ teaspoons paprika 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 3 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ teaspoon of curry powder 2 tablespoons mint 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons sesame oil Oil for deep frying

Spicy Fried Chicken Method

• Puree together the onions, garlic, ginger, lemon juice, mint, sesame oil and vegetable oil in an electric blender.

• Mix in the coriander, curry powder, salt, paprika and cumin.

• Coat the chicken with the mixture and allow to stand for several hours or overnight.

• Cook the chicken in hot oil until golden brown and cooked through. Serve immediately.

1. As a class, create a cookbook. You may like to use a computer.

2. Select one or more of your recipes and prepare an Indian meal. 3. Create a Indian theme with objects and decorations. 4. Create an illustrated menu that describes the dish you have prepared. 5. Serve fragrant tea, coconut milk, water and/or fruit juice with the meal.

Indian cooking continued

38



Hinduism All of the major religions of the world can be found in India, but Hinduism (more than 80 per cent of all Indians are Hindu) is more than a religion—it is a way of life. Unlike Christianity, Hinduism has no organised church, but a central belief that there is a Universal Spirit or Brahman who is unknowable. The spirit shows himself to the world in various forms, particularly as the Trinity of Brahman the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. Shiva can also be the builder because life and death are closely linked in Hindu belief. Hindus also believe in reincarnation. These three manifestations in turn have many other manifestations, also known as avatars. Hindus might say there are thousands of “gods” while others might say that they are in fact all manifestations of the one god—Brahman. According to Hindu teaching, all living things pass through a series of rebirths and the future life of a person depends on their deeds or karma. If you do evil then you will come back as a member of a lower caste or possibly an animal, insect or even vegetable. In theory there are only four castes in Hindu society. These are the:

Brahmans (priests and teachers) Kshatriyas (kings, warriors and aristocrats) Vaishyas (traders and merchants) Sudras (farmers)

However, if you ask an Indian his caste, he is likely to tell you his jati or subdivision on one of the castes. There are hundreds of jatis in India. There is another group considered too lowly to be part of the caste groups. These are known as the “untouchables”. They were considered to be unclean and, especially in southern India, were made to avoid contact with caste Hindus. In parts of the country they are still discriminated against, for instance they must draw water from separate wells. Ghandi sought to improve their lot and fought against the caste system. He called the untouchables, harijans (children of God). The Indian Government has provided special conditions for harijans under the Constitution in an attempt to improve their conditions. Some have become wealthy but many remain socially and economically oppressed. When it is time for worship, most believers tend to select favourites. However, the chief gods, Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva appear in most legends and sacred writings of Hinduism as they represent the endless cycle of birth, life and death. Brahman is believed to have created the universe and is the god of wisdom. He is pictured as having four heads and rides a goose. Vishnu is the god of the earth and the sky. He is kind, compassionate and loving. When his help is needed on Earth he is said to have appeared in human form.

39

Shiva, as the “destroyer”, is savage, cruel and frightening but he is also the god of fertility and is capable of destroying demons. Another prominent Hindu deity is Devi, a powerful mother-goddess. She often takes the form of other characters. There are kind and loving versions of Devi (Sati, Parvati and Uma) and fierce and violent ones (Shakti, Urga and Kali). Then there is Sarasvati, a water goddess said to have invented the ancient Indian script of Sanskrit. She is the goddess of poetry, music and science. Animal gods are also important. Ganesha is a much-loved elephant god who is wise, clever and careful and removes obstacles. Garuda is the king of the birds, having the head, talons, wings and beak of an eagle and the body of a man. He helps Vishnu fight against evil. Hanuman is a clever monkey god who is favourite with the poor because of his selfless devotion and service to Rama – one of the earthly forms of Vishnu. Not surprisingly, with such a galaxy of gods, Indian cultural life is rich in festivals and celebration. Activity: Find images of the Hindu gods and paste them on the following pages. Locate images of the Hindu Gods to colour in. Example websites: www.4to40.com/activities/artcraft/html/coloringbook9.htm www.sanatansociety.org/Hindu_kids_corner/hindu_kids_coloring_pages.htm



Avatars image from Wikimedia Commons

Hinduism continued

40

Locate images of these Hindu gods



Brahman

Vishnu

Shiva

Devi

41

Locate images of these Hindu gods



Saravasti

Ganesha

Garuda

Hanuman

42

On being polite: Dos and Don’ts

As with other nations and cultures, India has certain sets of customs behaviours.

FEET: Feet have a big part in being polite. Shoes are “unclean” and must be removed before entering a home or place of worship. Never sit with the soles of your feet facing another person. It is good manners for a young person to touch the feet of an older person. The young receive blessings for this. CLEANLINESS: Cleanliness is important, with hands washed before meals, and hands and mouths washed after meals. Hindus bathe before worship at temples. Washrooms are generally attached to mosques as well. WHICH HAND?: The right hand is used for “clean tasks” such as preparing food and eating. The left hand is used for purposes of personal hygiene. Although these traditions have become ritual, they might well have originated as a way of avoiding disease. GREETING: A common gesture is the putting their palms together as if in prayer.

Your task: Role-play scenarios:

• One on “being polite” and one on “not being polite” according to what you have read about Indian “Dos and Don’ts”.

• One on “being polite” and one on “not being polite” according to commonly held Australian customs.



43

Ceremonial elephants Times change and so do fashions. A wealthy Indian seeking a status symbol would more than likely settle for the most up-market car available. One hundred years ago the rich Indian would have chosen, as a transportation status symbol, an elephant completely decked out with jewels as a showy way of letting the world know he was not just well off but way ahead of ordinary people. During various ceremonies, an Indian prince or maharajah would choose a ceremonial elephant to display his wealth. When setting out for a hunting exhibition, he would ride in style atop his elephant. An age-old profession in India was that of the mahout (keeper of elephants). Today in New Delhi there are still a handful of these mahouts and elephants ready to be spruced up for action. Each year on January 26—India’s national day—the elephants make a comeback as the government hires them for various festivities. Apart from this celebration, their keepers can only count on an occasional advertising jobs or lavish wedding celebrations. Activity: Make a drawing or a model of an elephant to decorate in a way that pleases you.



Image: Wikimedia Commons

44

Traditional Music Traditional music is perhaps is one of the most recognised sounds of India. It became popular in the West in the 1960s when some Western bands, including the Beatles, began using Indian instruments. According to Hindu legend, Sarasvati, the goddess of learning and arts, blesses all musical instruments. There are four basic types of instrument used in Indian music: Tantu (stringed), Susir (wind), Avanada (percussion) and Ghana (bells, cymbals and gongs). Probably the best known of all Indian instruments would be the sitar, which is made from a seasoned gourd (a plant from the same family as the pumpkin) and teakwood. The sitar has two sets of strings on two separate bridges. The main set has six or seven strings and the other from 11 to 19 strings. These strings are plucked with a mizrah or plectrum which is worn on the index finger.



Image: Jan Kiernan

45

Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi had a very different approach to the Indian freedom struggle than the “mutineers”. Born in 1869, he was a lawyer who had worked overseas for a number of years. When he returned to India he resolved to unite his people against Britain. He firmly believed that the village-based civilisations which had developed in India over thousands of years were superior to British industrialisation. Gandhi won the leadership of the Indian nationalist movement because of his undeniable abilities and also because he closely identified with the poorest sections of society. He lived and acted in the manner of the poorest of Indians, going out of his way to fight for the rights of the lowest sector in society—the so-called “Untouchables”—who were considered to be beyond contact with the higher castes. His plan to remove the British included no military tactics at all. He was convinced that any military action would end in defeat for his people and was against the use of force to win an argument. For a quarter of a century, Gandhi and his followers kept up their campaign of passive resistance to British rule. Indians, under the guidance of Gandhi, refused any honours from the British government, boycotted the courts of law, schools and universities and refused to have anything to do with goods made in Britain. Many of his supporters resigned from official positions and refused to pay taxes. One example of this non-violent action came in 1939, when Gandhi demanded an end to the controversial salt tax, which everyone was forced to pay. He led a 24-day “salt march” to the sea with 78 supporters where they were met by thousands of Indians. They began boiling sea water to extract tax-free salt. As a result, Gandhi and up to 60,000 others were arrested by the British. In the aftermath of World War II, Gandhi’s movement eventually persuaded the British Government that India must be given independence. Sadly, Gandhi was assassinated shortly after. Gandhi is most often referred to as Mahatma Gandhi, the title “mahatma” meaning “great soul”. In India, he is officially honoured as the “Father of the Nation” and his birthday—October 2—is both a national holiday and the International Day of Non-Violence.



Wikimedia Commons

46

Bollywood Bollywood is the name often given to India’s Hindi-language film industry, which is based in the city of Mumbai. It is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest centres of film production in the world. Bollywood films are mostly musicals, and are expected to have catchy music and song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. A film’s success can depend on the quality of its musical content and quite often this music is released before the movie itself, with the aim of increasing the audience. These movies are a mix of many genres with songs and dances, comedy and dare-devil thrills combined in three-hour-long extravaganzas with an intermission. Most have a hero able to fight off villains all by themselves. Bollywood plots tend to be melodramatic, frequently employing formulaic ingredients such as star-crossed lovers and angry parents, love triangles, family ties, personal sacrifice, corrupt politicians, kidnappers, conniving villains, long-lost relatives, siblings separated by fate, dramatic reversals of fortune, and convenient coincidences. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollywood



Wik

imed

ia C

omm

ons

The 2008 Bollywood title Singh is Kinng was shot largely in Australia on

the Gold Coast. The movie’s Wikipedia entry

notes that the spelling of the word “king” in

the title with an extra “n” was based on advice

provided by a numerologist—and says

this has become a routine practice in

Bollywood.

47

TASKS: 1. Source a copy of a Bollywood film and write a short synopsis:

2. Find out some more about these aspects of Bollywood movies:



Bollywood continued

Bollywood aspects

Information

actresses

fashion

costumes

movies

dance

clothes

music

48

Ramayana The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India, the other being the Mahabharata. It depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king. It tells the story of Rama, whose wife Sita is abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. Thematically, the epic explores the tenets of human existence and the concept of dharma—“righteous duty”. The name Ramayana is a combination of the Sanskrit words Rama and ayana, translating to “Rama’s Journey”. The Ramayana consists of 24,000 verses in seven books (kandas) and 500. The epic was an important influence on Indian life and culture. Like its counterpart the Mahabharata, the Ramayana is not just an ordinary story, it contains the teachings of ancient Hindu sages. The characters Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata, Hanuman and Ravana are all fundamental to the cultural consciousness of India. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramayana TASKS

1. Search local libraries, bookshops or the internet for stories of the Ramayana. 2. Provide character profiles of these main characters of the Ramayana.

Characters Character profiles

Rama

Sita

Hanuman

Lakshmana

Ravana

Dasharatha

Bharata

Shatrughna



49



3. Write a synopsis of the Ramayana epic.

4. Find images of Rama, Sita and Hanuman, Lakshmana, Bharata and Ravana.

Ramayana continued

50

Indian festivals Almost any week of any month is marked by some sort of festival. In fact, India is said to celebrate the biggest number of religious festivals in the world. While Hinduism is the major religion in the country, there are large numbers as of Buddhists, Christians and followers of other faiths. It isn’t all that surprising then that the festivals of these faiths are widely celebrated. The major Hindu festivals observed in India are Shivrati in February, Holi in March (celebrating the arrival of spring), and Diwali (the festival of lights in November). Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil, bringing peace and prosperity. During Diwali, houses are decorated with lights and firecrackers let off. New clothes are bought, debts settled and sweets sent to relatives and friends. There are two major festivities on the Islamic calendar in India. These are Id-Ul-Fitr, “festival of breaking the fast”, and Id-Ul-Zuha, “Feast of Sacrifice”. Muslims observe Ramadan by fasting between sunrise and sunset in order to strengthen their devotion to their faith. It occurs in the month that Mohammed received the Qur’an. The “one day of the year” for Indian Buddhists is in May with their Buddha Pernima Festival. For Sikhs, Basakhi is celebrated as the acknowledgement of the foundation of khalsa (pure) Sihk religion. These are not all the religious festivals celebrated in India, but they do give an indication as to how they are spread. Non-religious festivals and holidays are celebrated with much enthusiasm as well. New Year’s Day, Republic Day (January 26) and Christmas Day are also big occasions. The oldest and most important festival in India is held every 12 years when millions of pilgrims come to the Ganges to bathe. It is believed that during this festival of “Kumbh Mela”, sins and evils are washed away, giving the bather salvation. There are a great many Hindu gods and all have a special festival in their honour. Music and drama festivals are features of this celebration of their faith. Perhaps the most popular of all Indian festivals is Dussehra which is held in September. Great torch-light processions take place all over the country and are followed by fairs and feasting. If this all gives the impression that Indians tend to take celebrations and festivities very seriously, it is because they do. They certainly work at having a good time and recreational activities are tackled with just as much vigour as religious ones.



Diwali lamps from Wikimedia Commons

51

The Indians invented polo and hockey and take both sports very seriously. Their devotion to cricket assumes near religious fervour, but this is not all that surprising for a people who are always on the look-out for the opportunity celebrate in a big way. Camel Polo: Jaisalmer Desert Festival We all know about polo and have seen television reports of polo players mounting their polo ponies. Camels don’t give us much bother either—we have a mental picture of these “ships of the desert”. But what do these two images—mallet-wielding polo-players and beasts of burden—have in common? The answer can be found in the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Among the attractions at this desert festival are snake charmers, puppeteers, musicians, dancers and of course, camel polo. Camel racing and camel polo are the biggest draws at the three-day festival. The camel is important in this part of India as it is desert country. The animals are carefully groomed and dressed in ceremonial regalia to bring back memories of the old India before it became a modern independent country. TASK Access the internet to find information about the following, as well as creating your own:

• Rangoli • Wheel of Dharma • Buddhist Flag including the significance of the colours • The eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism:

1. Right-coiled White Conch Shell 2. Precious Umbrella 3. Victory Banner 4. Dharma Wheel 5. Lotus Flower 6. Golden Fish 7. Vase of Treasure 8. Auspicious Drawing



Indian festivals continued

52

Traditional games Traditional Indian games are still played in rural India. Possibly the best-loved of these is kabbadi. Wikipedia describes this as a team contact sport that originated in the state of Tamil Nadu as a game for preparing soldiers. Two teams occupy opposite halves of a field and take turns sending a “raider” into the other half, in order to win points by tagging or wrestling members of the opposing team; the raider then tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting “kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi” during the whole raid. The name comes from a word meaning “holding of breath”, which is the crucial aspect of play. Kabaddi is the state game of Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in India, and the national game of neighbouring Bangladesh. There is also an international competition which includes Australia. Another popular village game is gulli danda or tip-cat. A piece of wood is shaped so it can be tipped and hit by a stick. Pole climbing and wrestling are other favourites among many across India. During springtime, kite flying is taken on in a big way. On certain days the skies over some towns and cities are filled with colourful kites. Kite-fighting competitions are held where kites are manoeuvred into each other’s paths to try and cut the opposition’s kite’s string. Activity: Organise a kite making and flying fun day for your class or school.



A game of kabbadi being played. Image: Wikimedia Commons

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Sport The Indian people have a love of sport that is equalled by few nations on earth. Australians are very much aware of the great passion Indians have for cricket, which was introduced by the British when they ruled India. There is hardly a village anywhere in the country where you would not find a group of children with a bat and ball in hand. Sport has on more than one occasion made those with racist ideas question sporting results. When the Indian hockey team won at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, they won so easily that the German leader Adolf Hitler thought they must have cheated. He ordered that their hockey sticks be checked for glue or to find if magnets had been stuck onto them. What Hitler did not know was that hockey was an Indian invention. Other sports have their origins in India as well. There is strong theory that chess has its beginnings in India. It is known that ancient Indian rulers played chess or shatranj with live chessmen dressed in appropriate clothing. The chess board was a courtyard of black and white marble. Polo and snooker are also said to have their roots in old India. The period of play in polo is called a “chukker”—a word which has been borrowed from Hindi, while riding breeches or jodhpurs take their name from the city of Jodhpur famous for its love of the game. TASK: India’s famous cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar, or the “Little Master” as he is widely known, has recently made news by overtaking Australian Steve Waugh’s record for playing in the most Test Matches. He has also made more runs than Ricky Ponting. Write a background profile entitled “The Little Master”.



Australian players congratulate India’s

Sachin Tendulkar on becoming test

cricket’s highest run scorer on day one of

the second test in Mohali in 2008.

News Ltd photo.

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