The document discusses the various aspects of diversity found within Indian culture, including physical, racial, linguistic, scriptural/literary, socio-cultural, religious, economic, and political diversity. It notes that India's vast geography has led to differences in climate, terrain, and resources across its regions. This physical diversity has further contributed to racial, linguistic, cultural, economic, and even political variations among Indians. However, the document also emphasizes that beneath this diversity lies an underlying unity within Indian culture.

1. Characteristics of Indian Culture

2.  The present name of the country “India” refers to ancient
“Bharatavarsha” or the Land of Bharata of mythological
fame.
 Various Muslim nations to the west of India prefer to call
it as Hind or Hindustan.
 Thus we find diversity in the nomenclature of the land
itself.

3.  For a better understanding on the diverse elements of
Indian culture we shall first should focus on its various
aspects.
 Then we shall examine how among these diverse elements
there is the eternal flow of unity which is the fundamental
characteristic of Indian culture.

4. Physical Diversity:
 Geography has given India different physical diversities in
its very structure.
 It has vast varieties of soil, wide differences of the
frontiers with four distinct geographical divisions.

5.  They are as follows:
 1. The Himalayan Mountains with its Eastern and Western
ranges
 2. The Northern plains enriched by Indus, Ganga,
Brahmaputra and their tributaries
 3. The Central Indian plateau and the Deccan plateau
 4. Long strips of coastal lands between the sea and the
Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats Mountain ranges

6.  Thus it is referred to as a sub-continent rather Chan a
mere country.
 Physical diversity has its side effects.
 Differences in physical features automatically have
brought differences in altitude, climate, temperature,
rainfall, flora and fauna.

7. Racial Diversity:
 In the words of the prominent historian V.A. Smith: “India
is an ethnological museum.” Even the ancient.
 Greek historian Herodotus remarked: “Of all the nations
that we know of India has the largest population.”

8.  In the 21st century also India is the second most populous
country of the world.
 This population is composed of so many races and it
represents primarily all the ethnographical dimensions of
mankind.

9. Linguistic Diversity:
 Racial diversity of India has its direct reflection on the
linguistic variety of India.
 As per the Linguistic Survey of India, India possesses 179
languages and 544 dialects.
 These languages and dialects are spoken by the people of
different regions and different races.

10. Scriptural and Literary Diversity:
 India being a multi-lingual country has a vast treasure of
different scripts and literatures.
 When the languages are many, naturally scripts are of
different types.

11.  No wonder then literatures have emerged in various
languages and dialects, both major and minor, thus
contributing to the richness of a Pan- Indian literature
including Sanskrit.
 So far as script is concerned India has got a good number
of scripts.

12. Socio-Cultural Diversity:
 The variations in physical features, racial structure and
languages have resulted in considerable differences in
dress, food habits, social customs and beliefs of the
people.
 The people of India differ considerably in their social
practices and cultural differences vary from state to state.

13.  For example the dress habit of the people of a hot place
like Rajasthan will definitely differ from that of Kashmir
because of a very cold climate.
 The North-Eastern people have their traditional dress
whereas the tribal dress is unique of its own.
 Even the style of wearing a dhoti or a saree differs from
Uttar Pradesh to Bengal to Tamil Nadu to Maharashtra
and Gujarat.

14. Religious Diversity:
 India is a country of many religions.
 All the major religions of the world are found here.
Mention may be made of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism,
Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism etc.
 People of different religions live here in sizeable
numbers.
 All these religions have grown here quite freely with their
different sects and sub-sects.

15. Economic Diversity:
 Since ancient times India has been regarded as the land of
milk and honey.
 It is for this economic prosperity of the land India has
been invaded and occupied by the foreigners many a time
though at present the picture is not so rosy.
 Rather from economic point of view India presents a
picture of diversity.

16.  It is a country of princes and paupers, aristocrats and
middle class people, highly rich and extremely poor
people.
 If India is proud of possessing some richest people of the
world, it is also a matter of shame that millions go without
two square meals a day.
 Crores of Indians live below the poverty line for
generations while the rich continue to grow richer and
richer.

17. Political Diversity:
 The vastness of the country, its geographical diversities,
various races with various languages, religions, creeds and
systems of belief have all contributed significantly to the
political unification of India.
 Regionalism and local identity have played a great role in
the path of maintaining this unity. Interestingly, history has
time and again proved that Indians never presented a
united front in the face of foreign invasion.

18. Continuity and Change
Variety and Unity
Secular Outlook
Universalism
Materialistic and Spiritualistic
Culture is spiritual development of a race or nation in the
field of mind, interests, conduct, thought, art, skills and
civilization