India Culture - Social Inter-dependence - Hierarchy - Respect - Honour

Slowly life and India culture are changing. Today many Indians, particularly among the educated urban elite no longer consider these practices important. Dining in each other’s homes and in restaurants is common among well-educated people of diverse backgrounds, When Mahatma Gandhi persuaded his followers to sweep their own floors and clean their latrines he sounded the death knell of the Old Hindu order.

India history shows that one of the great themes pervading the India culture is social interdependence. People are born into groups, families, castes and religious communities and they live with the constant assurance of being part of and inseparable from these groups.

India history demonstrates that social interaction is of the greatest importance and is regarded as being of the highest priority. Social bonds are expected to be long lasting. Economic activities that might in Western culture involve impersonal interactions are in India deeply imbedded in a social nexus.

India Culture -Hierarchy - Respect - Honour

All through India history social interaction involves constant attention to hierarchy, respect, honour, the feelings of others, rights and obligations, hospitality, and are reinforced with gifts of food, clothing, and other desirable items. In India culture finely tuned rules of etiquette help facilitate each individual's many social relationships.

Western visitors to India are sometimes startled to find that important government and business officials have left their posts, often for many days, to attend a cousin's wedding or participate in religious activities in a distant part of the country. "He is out of station and will be back in a week or two," office mates blandly explain to the frustrated visitor.

This is not laziness or hedonistic recreation, but is the official's proper recognition of his need to continually maintain his social ties with relatives, caste fellows, other associates, and his God.

In India culture without continually renewing such ties throughout life, a person cannot hope to maintain long-term efficacy in either economic or social endeavours. Social bonds with relatives must be reinforced at family events or at rites crucial to the religious community.

If this were not done regularly vital support in many phases of life would not be forth coming. In India culture it is demonstrated that every activity is an assumption that social ties can help a person and that their absence can bring failure.

Seldom do people carry out even the simplest task on their own. In India history it is shown that from birth onward, a child learns that his "fate" has been "written" by divine forces and that his life will be shaped by a plan decided by more powerful beings.

So that finally, when facing death, a person is confident that offspring and other relatives will carry out the appropriate funeral rites, including a commemorative feast when, through gifts of clothing and food, continuing social ties are reaffirmed.

India Culture - Dance, Music and Art
India Culture - People & Society - The Caste System
India Culture - Purity and Pollution - The Brahman - The Sweeper - The Warrior