India History
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India has a rich, colorful, and
breath taking history due to it’s omnipresent past and
it’s modernizing present nation. India's history is everywhere,
in its temples, mosques, forts, palaces, tombs, and monuments,
but it has only recently become a single country, which makes
its history a complex one. India’s history begins with
the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization in such sites as
Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, and Lothal, and the coming of the Aryans.These
two phases are |
usually described as the pre-Vedic and Vedic periods. It is in
the Vedic period that Hinduism first arose. Historical accounts
of India start with the Harappan Civilization. The Harappan Civilization
is a sophisticated agricultural and urban society that flourished
from 3000-1700 B.C. This period was led by the Sanskrit-speaking
elite, which embedded into India Hinduism, the caste system, and
the dichotomy between a rural farming majority, and an urbanized
merchant class, all ruled by local kings and princes.
In the fifth century, large parts of India were united under Ashoka.
Ashoka converted to Buddhism, and it is in his reign that Buddhism
spread to most parts of Asia. Mauryas, another leader shaped the
country to what we know it to be now. It is in the reign of the
Mauryas that Hinduism took the shape that fundamentally informs
the religion down to the present day. Islam first came to India
in the eighth century, and by the 11th century had firmly established
itself in the country as a political force. Today, there are many
ways to describe "modern" India, but perhaps the most
fitting is "Land of Paradoxes." Life has changed dramatically
in the last decade, as India began to liberalize its economy. Nowadays
women have more rights and have risen to top positions of power
and authority.
India is the fourth-biggest economy in the world after the United
States, China, and Japan. The diversity of religious belief and
practice in India is both unique and somewhat confounding. 81% of
people in India are Hindu, Islam 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%,
other (including Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis) 2.5%. There are many
languages spoken in India, but the official language of the country
is Hindu. Everything from from their attire, to the way they greet
people is rich is history. Even though there is no strict dress
code in India, the styles varying from community to community. In
the North, men wear a loose type of pajama and kurta. While in the
South and the East they use dhotis. Most women usually wear the
sari, but the way it is worn varies from place to place.
In India certain customs are observed in social matters. For example,
when people are introduced to each other they usually say "Namaste,"
this means hello. The custom is not in the word but more in how
it is presented. Whether you say hello or goodbye both hands are
joined and raised when greeting a person in India. India is filled
with breath taking views of temples, and medieval architecture.
It is a land where you can find beauty in even the most unpleasant
location in the country.
More Information
 www.state.gov
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