Cultural Diversity in India

Abstract

Culture, in a society, evolves over long period of time when people interact with the elements of nature and social norms created by them. It also gets enriched when people of diverse social background live and interact with each other. Culture includes both the tangible (material) and non-tangible (non-material) elements. The diversity in their habitats as a result of location in a particular ecological niche results in diversity of their house types, building materials, size and shape of the houses, archaeological characteristics adjusting to weather conditions and the networks available for movement and circulation. The diversity in faith has resulted in the creation of temples, masjids, churches, gurudwaras, synagogues, ashrams, khanqahs stupas adding to the different types of tangible elements in the society. Human beings operate through the instruments of labor creating tangible elements. The social necessities provide techniques of modification to obtain freedom from natural compulsions. The methods and techniques of adjustments and modifications introduce diversity at the local, regional and nations levels. It is also true that human beings do not live by bread alone. They do require the food, shelter and clothing providing diversity in food habit shelters and dress. Besides, they also want to attend to their higher needs of understanding the philosophy and secrets of life. They also want to express themselves but the medium available to them is language which is incomplete medium of expression. All the feelings and emotions cannot be expressed through language. Hence, they have developed other forms of expression such as music, dance, painting, poetry, faiths, festivals, celebrations on different occasions adding color. All these represent the non- tangible, (non-material) elements of culture. Cultural diversity adds vigor to social life and needs to be celebrated.