National Symbols of India

The National Emblem

Was established on the day where India became a republic. This logo can be seen on any court document and also on the Indian passport

The National Flag

A horizontal tri color equally disturbuted, the deep saffron (Kesari) which represents courage and sacrifice, the Indian green which represents  prosperity, the color white which represents peace and the centre design carrying value of the Ashok Chakra which has 24 spokes in the color navy blue which represents righteousness and the 24 spokes represents 24 hours in a day

The National Anthem 

"Jana Gana Mana" written by Rabindrath Tagore is the name of the Indian National Anthem. It is sung on the Independence Day which took place on 15th August, 1947, It is sung before every cricket game or any other gam played in India as well as at schools, and Indians take pride in to it when it is sung

The National Flower 

The Lotus. It is considered as a sacred flower, and carries value in the art. mytholgy and in every Indian's heart and has been ana auspicious sysmbol of the Indian culture

The National fruit 

 The sweetest, ripest, juciy Mango which is origionated from India and carry 100 different varities

The National river 

The Ganga river which is considered to be India's longest river. This river is considered to be the most sacred river on Earth for the Hindus

The National bird 

The Peacock. The Peacock represents unity in the colors of India and is considered beautiful in the Indian culture

The National animal

The Bengal Tiger. The Bengal Tiger can be found in almost every region of India given by the name of "Panthera". 

The National currency

The Indian Rupee (ISO code: INR) The Indian Rupee symbol is derived from the "Devangari" script as shown below 

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: A Garden of Grief

More than 90 years after the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred on April 13, 1919, the wounds still remain open with blood-curdling memories; especially for the pre-independence generation. The unwarranted killings of hundreds of men, women and children, in cold blood at Amritsar, by a group of British soldiers, was described by Mahatma Gandhi as having shaken the foundations of the British Empire.
The massacre was ordered by General R.E.H. Dyer on the day of Baisakhi, one of the largest festivals of Punjab, where an estimated 15 to 20 thousand revellers of all religions had gathered to commemorate the day that Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699. Surrounded by houses and buildings, the Jallianwala Bagh had very narrow entrances, most of which were locked at all times. The relatively wider main entrance was guarded by troops, which opened fire without warning, and continued to fire until the ammunition was exhausted. The troops had received orders to shoot at the densest section of the crowd.

Apart from the hundreds who died of direct shooting, there were several who lost their lives in stampedes at the narrow gates and many died jumping into the solitary well inside the bagh, to escape firing. It is unimaginable what the casualties would have been had the armored vehicles armed with machine guns, brought by General Dyer, been able to get past the narrow entrances to the bagh.

The firing that lasted for about 6 minutes, left destruction and devastation behind, with over 1000 innocent people including children losing their lives and left thousands of other injured and scarred.

Back in his headquarters, General Dyer reported that he had been confronted by a revolutionary army. However, the massacre evoked feelings of deep anguish and anger amongst people and catalysed the freedom movement in Punjab. 

Uses of The Banyan Tree

Let’s have a look at some of the multiple uses the Banyan tree has…

• ·         The Banyan tree is still used as a source of shade in many villages.
• ·         Each and every part of this tree has its own unique medical uses.
• ·         The bark and seeds can be used as a tonic to maintain body temperature and treat diabetes.
• ·         The roots can be used to strengthen your teeth and gums by brushing with them.
• ·         The sap treats external skin bruising and inflammation.
• ·         Skin disease treatment is also possible with some properties of Banyan tree.
• ·         Shellac has a large number of roles in making adhesive and surface finishes.
• ·         Using the bark of the tree, paper can be created.
• ·         Fiber can also be made from the bark of the tree in order to create ropes.
• ·         Women from the Indo-Nepal region crush the prop root to paste and apply it to their hair. This keeps hair healthy and shiny
• ·         The wood is soft and often used as firewood.

• Even the leaves are useful and are used as natural biodegradable plates to serve food on.

Some Facts About India

The Great Banyan Tree

The Banyan tree is one of the most magical trees – not only in the way its aerial roots create an astounding structure, but also in the properties that each and every part of the tree holds. It is one of the few elements in nature which is useful in every single aspect. This is the reason that the Banyan tree is the National tree of India.

One of the largest trees named the Great Banyan can be found Kolkata in India. It is said to be over two hundred and fifty years old. Another such tree can be found in Bangalore and has a spread of over 2 acres.

Here’s an interesting fact about this tree: Originally from India, this tree received its name from the Banias or Indian traders who sat below the tree shades. Village meetings and other useful gatherings would also take place in its shade, thereby giving it its name.

In Indian culture, the Banyan tree is considered to be sacred and leaves of the tree is considered to be the resting place of god Krishna. In fact, it is also believed that Buddha achieved enlightenment while sitting under a Banyan tree. There are various uses of the Banyan tree. From medicinal to recreational – there’s no part of life in which this tree doesn’t aid humanity.

Famous Indian Street Foods

Jalebi

Delicious sticky orange designs of deep-fried wheat flour soaked in sugar syrup usually eaten after a meal, or served during Indian festivals in our Indian culture. This can be found in every state of India

                                   Flickr: clicheshots (Creative Commons)

Malaiyo

A warm dessert well cooked with cardamom and pistachio, it tastes smooth but feels bubbly on the tongue, and it’s served in little clay pots which you smash on the ground when your meal is over as to following the Indian tradition

Kulfi

Kulfi is a slowly prepared Indian ice cream made with evaporated and sweetened milk. This kulfi is flavoured with rose, basil, jelly, tapioca jellies and more. It gives a very sweet and thick texture when taking the first bite!

Bhel Puri

 A savoury snack made from puffed rice and salad with a sharp tamarind sauce coated with tomatoes and onions

Pani Puri

Deep-fried hollow balls of puffed bread filled with tamarind water, chickpeas and spiced mashed potato and lentils Pani puri is eaten all over southern side of Asia

Living In India

This poster foreshadows about the people living in India 

Bollywood movies that are released worldwide

India is huge on Bollywood. Bollywood movies is a cultural time pass for all the Indian citizens living worldwide……you can access the classics anywhere on DVD, stream online

My family is a huge movie buff! And when it comes to Bollywood movies, we all love the big drama, the actors and actresses romancing and singing songs running around trees in the gardens……..the big boom wakaaooo punches and kicks the villain……the hero always saving days Band of course happy endings…..like I cannot even stop admiring.

When I was a kid, my favourite Bollywood movie was Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Hearty people take the bride away).  I have seen this movie at least 20 times and I still watch it whenever it is playing on TV. DDLJ is a very romantic movie of the 90s, a trend movie for the youth of those ages. Love stories just like Romeo and Juliet, but they don’t die Raj and Simran. 

The movie set in London where they meet. Simran and Raj go on a Europe trip and they fall in love. The story had a twist when Simran’s dad would disapprove of their relationship; arrange Simran’s marriage in Punjab, India. Raj loved Simran, he would do anything for her, and he decided to go to India, ask her hand in marriage and win her family’s heart.

                     Kayfil,2013

I had always dreamt of my man just like Raj who would go beyond to win his love back. I guess with all us Indians, Bollywood movies were like a fantasy ride. Girls dreaming about their prince charming, the dark tall handsome shining armour. We Indians are full of drama, and therefore love our dramatic Bollywood movies.

Want to know any more Bollywood movies? Comment below!

Did you know that India is titled as “Incredible India”?

Incredible is something unbelievable...too great to be valid. Incredible India has an astounding mixed bag as far as societies, customs, garments, individuals, religion, dialects, vegetation, populace, landforms, soil hues, food, musical instruments, Tourism, vocal music, and moves. But then there's solidarity in so much differences. Three seas meet at the Southern tip of India, on the North are the delightful frigid mountains, and in the middle of these are perfect slope stations, levels, fields, tropical backwoods, streaming waterways, pastures, ranches, modest towns and alluring urban areas. This makes each travel India.

India is an exemption from different nations. We can see the lavishness, success and bliss in the personalities of its kin. In the meantime there is destitution, insidious, debasement, and so forth. As per its topography India has everything on earth, mountains, streams, snow caped mountains, hot deserts, sandy shorelines. Temperature ranges from -degree Celsius to more than 50 degree Celsius. The biodiversity is one of the biggest on the planet. Great greenery is of Indian root.

Indus valley human progress is one of the best civilizations on earth. You can see a decently created city and a farmland that is immature, in the same way as a portion of the African nations in the same country. Diverse religions and station live in India with congruity.

What are your views about India and Its Diverse Culture?

What are the best Indian grocery stores?

Finding it difficult to find Indian food items and other stuff here in Toronto? Don’t worry here are a list of Indian grocery stores where you can find and buy everything you are looking for. These are the best grocery stores for Indian grocery and other things. Also if you are looking for grocery store sales you will get it at these stores.

Arora Foods Market- This store offers a taste of India, with crisp natural materials, nuts and flavors, produce and the sky is the limit from there. To finish off your Indian shopping, purchase one of their offered Bollywood films or CDs before going.

Subzi mandi- This store offers meat and fish; fruit and vegetable; candy, nut, and confectionery; dairy product; bakeries; and miscellaneous food (including coffee, health food, vitamin food).

Indian Punjabi Bazaar- This supply has a wide variety of Spices, Pickles, Chutnes, Pules, Lentils, and Basmati Rice. They give one of the biggest possibilities of genuine Indian goods like Basmati Rice, Dry Fruits, Premium Spices, Masala Curry Paste, Snacks, Sweets and Teas in one store.

Golden Groceries- This store offers a broad choice of the freshest fruits and vegetable products alongside wide assortment of Canadian and Indian items. They also offer groceries and a wide choice of administrations for all our clients' necessities.

Please feel free to suggest if you know more good stores.

Top 6 Indian food recipes 

Everybody loves to eat tasty food. Indian restaurant are famous for their tasty food and I love tasty Indian food. Indian buffets are very famous for its variety of tasty recipes. Everybody has his/her favorite food recipes and India has variety of food recipes. It is a very difficult task to choose your favorite recipes but still people have their favorite recipes. It was difficult but somehow I managed to create a list of top 10 Indian recipes. Below is the list of the recipes:

Here is  a short video I have created on top 6 Indian food recipes:

These are my top 6 Indian Food recipes.I would love to know about yours.Feel free to write them in the comment box.Also tell me how did you like the video?

Top 6 Indian food recipes

Everybody loves to eat tasty food. Indian restaurant are famous for their tasty food and I love tasty Indian food. Indian buffets are very famous for its variety of tasty recipes. Everybody has his/her favorite food recipes and India has variety of food recipes. It is a very difficult task to choose your favorite recipes but still people have their favorite recipes. It was difficult but somehow I managed to create a list of top 10 Indian recipes. Below is the list of the recipes:

Figure 1 :(Ndtv food, 2015)

11.Rogan Josh-Rogan josh is one of the better known Indian classics, and this fiery lamb or mutton dish from the Kashmir region of India is now popular all over the world. 

  Figure 2 (Indian Food, 2014)

 2.   Tandoori chicken-Classic tandoori chicken from India is marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, and plenty of spices, then grilled or broiled. Plan ahead. This recipe needs to marinate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Figure 3: (my cooking journey, 2013)

3.    Shahi Paneer- Shahi Paneer is a heavenly North Indian curry made with Paneer (curds) and tomato based fiery sauce bound with Indian curry flavors.

Figure 4: (mjdelights, 2011)

4.      Paani Puri- It is the one of the most popular Chaats in India.

Figure 5: (Kakori Kababs: World’s softest kebabs for toothless old Nawabs, 2010)

   

Kakori kabab-It is made with the finest meat of the lamb and a few spices.

Figure 6: (hydrabadi biryani, 2014)

6.      Hydrabadi biryani-It's the perfect choice for foodies who prefer having their rice with spice, interspersed with tender pieces of meat or chicken.

So what do think about these recipes and what are your favorite recipes?

sources:

mjdelights. (2011). Retrieved from www.mjdelights.in: http://www.mjdelights.in/2011/05/pani-puri/

my cooking journey. (2013, 02 25). Retrieved from www.mycookingjourney.com: http://www.mycookingjourney.com/2013/02/shahi-paneer-bm-25-cottage-cheese.html

hydrabadi biryani. (2014). Retrieved from http://food.sulekha.com/hyderabadi-mutton-biryani.htm

Indian Food. (2014). Retrieved from Indianfood.about.com: http://indianfood.about.com/od/chickendishes/r/tandoorichicken.htm

Insight India. (2014). Retrieved from www.insightIndia.com: http://insightsindia.blogspot.fr/

Kakori Kababs: World’s softest kebabs for toothless old Nawabs. (2010). Retrieved from akshay-chavan.blogspot.ca: http://akshay-chavan.blogspot.ca/2010/05/kakori-kababs-worlds-softest-kebabs-for.html

Indian Cultural Dresses

Check out the different types of traditional wear of India 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNVyQYGI66M_JGyC6xyrU0g

What are the effects of tourism industry on the economy?

The Indian business culture is very diverse and vast in their cultural practices. Tourism is the backbone for India as they have so much to offer in their Indian business culture.

 Every time a tourist visits India, the profit made not just helps the business of tourism but as well the economy of India.

                                (meetmashru01015.2011)

The Indian business culture usually depends on the tourism factor as it helps them have a steady economy.  It usually helps them going in my opinion. 

The Rupee currency increases too because of the effect of tourism in the Indian states. When more tourists come to visit India it helps them with their economy, it helps them with their standards of living as well. Indians are encouraged to boost tourism as I said; more tourism brings in more money into the economy. 

What do you think would work well as tourism for the economy of India? What are some of your favourite tourism spots?

\If you have any more questions about knowing more about the Indian business culture, please let me know!

Link to Tourism in india

http://www.yatra.com/travel/india-tourism

http://india.saarctourism.org/culture-of-india.html

Here is the link to the Indian tourism spots. The cultural differences of India depend on the different state of India. Tourism is huge in India as there is so much to see and explore about. 

Most of the tourism in India is based on the wildlife, the hills and the history of India. The different states in India carry cultural differences that matter to the people of India. 

These website shows tourism in different states, forecasting on the different cultures of India. It shows the food, the language, the living, the art and crafts, the monuments, the attractions, the spots to visit, the hotels to book, the life style in each state. 

The cultural differences in India are shown in these websites. I highly recommend that you check out these websites if any of you.

If you want to know more links on tourism in India, share and follow me!

sandeepachetan.com, 2013)

Top 10 differences in culture of different states

India is a beautiful country filled with variety of cultures. I want people living outside of India gain the knowledge about the different cultures of India. In my blog, I want my readers to understand how cultural India is from different countries on the globe

India as a county is made up of 29 states. Each state has its own culture. These states are all different from each other when it comes to the cultures. In my blog, I want my readers to be amazed how each state of India has its own cultural differences. So let me get you all overwhelmed

1.      Food- Each state has its own cuisine. In Punjab, people eat a lot of wheat based food like Aloo ka Parantha (stuffed potato bread), Makki di Roti (cornflour bread) and their food is also a little high in spices but very delicious. In the western side of India, states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, these states have a variety of dishes that are mild and also spicy. The state of Gujarat is famous for their snacks and sweets like Dhoklas and Barfis. In Maharashtra, people like their fast foods like Wada Pav, Bhel Puri and Chaats. In the southern part of India like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, people eat rice based foods like Idli, Wada, Dosa.

 Mayfield, A. (n.d.). Food Map of India    

2.      Language- One of the other cultural differences of India is its different languages. The oldest language is Sanskrit. In India, the base language is Hindi. Besides Hindi, there are other 19 different languages spoken by the people from different states. Here are a few to list- Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam spoken in the southern part of India, Bengali spoken by the people of West Bengal

3.      Festivals- India are very famous for its festivals. All the festivals of India are very colorful and celebrated in very different ways in the states. The biggest festivals of India are Diwali and Holi. Festivals like Lohri; Vaisakhi is celebrated in parts of Punjab. Ganesh Chaturthi, where people celebrate the birthday of Lord Ganesha is really a huge festival in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The people in the south celebrate Pongal and Onam.

4.      Dance-The folk dances of India are very colorful and classical. In Punjab, their famous dance is Bhangra and Giddah. In Maharashtra, people dance the Lavni. The southern part of India is very famous for its classical dances like Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Kuchipudi and many other dance forms.

5.      Music- India’s music is has been a very important cultural aspect of India. Indian music is made of 7 Ragas Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Da, Ni, just like Do, Re, Mi…..These 7 Ragas make a complete rhythm in Indian music.  

6.      Clothing- Clothes according to the different cultures of India differ from the states that are present. In a few states mean traditionally wear “Kurta and pajama” (long-dress shirt and bottoms) or a “dhoti” ( a long skirt wrapped around the lower waist and the legs) and then women wear “Salwar Khameez” (top and trousers) or a “Saree” ( along metred material wrapped around the body and draped over the shoulder)

7.      Weddings- The cultures of India are different when it comes to weddings. Each state has a different ritual they follow. The famous ones are located in the state Punjab, Maharashtra and Kerala. In Punjab the Sikh marriages are performed. These couples take their vows in front of the  “Guru Granth Sahib”(holy book of Sikhism, text by all the 10 Gurus, 11^th guru, Marathi couples take their vows in front of god and the Agni (fire), the same goes for the couples in Kerala. They perform the Hindu wedding ritual.

8.      Sports- The main cultural sport of India that are played and followed is Cricket, Cricket originated from the Romans, then later from England and now we have our own Indian team that have been playing with professional sports men in the World Cup.

9.      Religion- In India, religion falls under the cultural differences of every state. The religion Hinduism is followed by 82 percent of the people in India; Islam is followed by 12 percent. These two religions are considered the main religions of India. The other states follow Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and Christianity.

10.  Art- India is very popular in embroidery and tri dying (piece of fabric is tied with a thread on some spots and then put into different coloured dyes to give it a natural design). We also specialize in earthen sculpting (clay pots). As mentioned before in weddings, mehndi is a cultural tradition that can also be considered as art.

                                (Jitu’s best work and galleries)

What do you think about the Cultural differences? Would you like to know more?

Indian customs and traditions

Indian customs and traditions

India's culture is among the world's most established civilizations in India started around 4,500 years prior. Numerous sources portray it as "Sa Prathama Sanskrati Vishvavara" — the first and the preeminent culture on the planet, as indicated by the All World Gayatri Pariwar (AWGP) association.

Western social orders did not generally see Indian customs positively, as per Christina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London. Early anthropologists once considered culture as a transformative procedure, and each part of human advancement was seen as determined by development. Nonetheless, Indians made huge advances in structural planning (Taj Mahal), science (the innovation of zero) and pharmaceutical (Ayurveda). Today, India is an extremely differing nation, with more than 1.2 billion individuals, as indicated by the CIA World Fact book, making it the second most crowded country after China. Diverse areas have their own particular Indian traditions. Dialect, religion, nourishment and expressions of the human experience are only a portion of the different parts of Indian culture. Here is a short outline of the culture of India.

India has 28 states and seven regions, as per the World Health Organization. There is no official dialect in India, as indicated by a Gujarat High Court controlling in 2010. Numerous individuals living in India likewise write in Devanagari script. Indeed, it is a misinterpretation tahat the lion's share of individuals in India talk Hindi. Despite the fact that numerous individuals talk Hindi in India, 59 percent of India occupants talk an option that is other than Hindi, as per The Times of India. Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu are some different dialects talked in the nation.

What do you think about Indian customs and traditions?

Did you know about these top Indian restaurants?

Did you know about these top Indian restaurants?

India has variety of delicious foods and variety of Indian restaurants where this delicious food is being served. The Indian restaurants are famous all over the world and people come from all over the world to eat there. Talking about the best Indian restaurants, India has a lot of them. But did you know the name of the top Indian restaurants? If not, I will tell you about some of them.

Bukhara, New Delhi - The restaurant serves cooking in a "tandoor" broiler with an uncommon emphasis on kebabs, which are served without cutlery. Bukhara represents considerable authority in Indian food, and the north Indian cooking styles. 

Koh Restaurant (Mumbai) - Opened in august by Ian Kittichai, a famous chef from New York, Koh is one of the newest Indian restaurants with a specialty in rice cakes, coconut cheese cake, green curry yum and the Hamachi.  The technology is here is one of the best and some of the foods cooked are top quality and up there with the best in the world. This Indian restaurant is one you need to find time and spend your holiday at.

Have you ever been to one of these restaurants?