Vanakam. We bow to you. We bid you welcome in the name of god. The most universal is the soft-spoken Vanakam. Vanakam greets you with palms joined symbolic of that greatest gifts, hospitality, synonymous with saying “My home is yours”. Vanakam now welcomes you now to the journey into Indian Culture.
We embarked on this project on the 27 th August 2004. As trainee teachers specializing in Tamil Language, we felt that it was the sole duty of all Indians to be aware of our culture. Reason is obvious. Due to modern and western influence, our culture is eroding. Therefore, we wanted to achieve an eye opener, not only for Indians, but also the other races to show how dynamic and rich in values, the Indian Culture is.
We should say we walked on a rough path trying to complete the project. Of course, no projects are a bed of roses. There are thorns along the way. But when this project was concerned, we had lots of trouble gathering information. When birth, death and the puberty ceremony is concerned, information was not available on books or the ‘big’ internet. So we had to get direct information from interviews and had to filter and consolidate them in sync with our project.
Not forgetting our survey respondents. We had an e-survey and our target audience were all Indian themselves.
Sad to say, about 90% of the respondents failed this survey! This actually boost our esteem to make this project a better and more informative one. So we gathered more information to answer all queries and givre answers to all questions throbbing in the hearts of our respondents.
So we are now proud to present the Journey to Indian Culture . We hope this will be informative and a visual treat to audience of all ages and races. Thanking you.
Yours Faithfully,
Vikneswari Rethinam & Prema Prabhakaran
A small bit of Hinduism
Indian Culture introduces the beliefs, ideals and traditions of the Hindus, a heterogeneous people, who can trace their faith back to a civilization that existed over 4,000 years ago. The beliefs and customs that Indian Mystica deals with are those encountered in everyday life. We feel the need to delve into such a subjective and potentially controversial area, because understanding the How, What and why of many customs and practices can only happen with reasoned information. Hinduism is a blanket term for a staggering range of concepts and 'levels' of thought. It is also a pulsating record of the cultural evolution of 80 percent of the world's largest democracy and the millions-strong Hindu Diaspora that pervades almost all continents. Many Hindu practices and beliefs astound with their scientific and humane relevance. Others seem superstitious and illogical. Nevertheless, it is interesting to understand why those who went before us acted in a particular - often apparently contradictory-way. Flowers, fasts, feasts, adornment, rites of passage, sacred scriptures, deeply felt environmental and social values. Beliefs and Concepts that are generally followed but do not pertain to a particular ceremony or time.
Customs and Ceremonies which deal with specific ceremonies for specific occasions; customs appeal because of the grace and beauty they bestow on the routine business of living. Perhaps the most intriguing fact about Hinduism is its ability to adapt to changing attitudes. Nor does it flinch from other theological points of view but, instead, posits that 'just as all rivers meet in the ocean, so do all religions lead to one god'. Hindu is not synonymous with Indian. Although about 80 percent of Indians are Hindus, India is home to almost every religion in the world. It also includes non-formal and tribal faiths. All these have influenced Hinduism and vice-versa, while retaining their separate distinct identities. A word of caution! Everyone is advised to use their discretion to accept or follow any information contained in Indian Mystica. It is for those who have a general interest in India and would like more information about popular beliefs and ceremonies and their significance.
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