A number of faiths and religions have merged in
India and exist simultaneously. India is a country
with “Unity in Diversity”. This diverseness
in culture makes India a unique country in the world
with a lot of different customs and traditions.
Traditions and rituals in India have become an integral
part of everyday life. Customs of India are a major
attraction for the tourists coming here.
Right from birth to death, an Indian keeps on performing
various customs and traditions. Almost every occasion
in India (birth, engagement, marriage, death and
so on) has a ceremony attached to it. Following
are some of the Indian customs:
Birth
Ceremony
Soon after the birth of a child,
a ceremony for naming the child takes place. A priest
tells the first alphabet from which the name of
the child should start.
Traditional
Welcome
Indians believe in
the phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava”, meaning
a guest is the reflection of God. In the traditional
welcome, the guest is garlanded and a tikka (vermillion)
is put on his/her forehead. Even the Tourism Ministry
of India has launched the 'Atithi Devo Bhava' campaign
to make people aware of India's rich culture and
traditions.
Wedding
Ceremony
Weddings are conducted in India
with great fanfare, following various customs and
rituals. The wedding is not a single day affair
in India; rather, the functions carry on for 3 -
4 or even more days.
Prostrating Before Parents and Elders
Namaskar/Namaste
Indians prostrate before their
parents, elders and teachers by touching their feet.
The elders in turn place their hand on prostrating
person’s head and bless him/her
The most popular form of greeting,
especially the elders, is to say Namaste with the
hands joined at the chest level. It is also used
at the time of farewell.
Lighting
Lamp/Diya
In almost every Indian
household, a lamp/diya is lighted before the altar
of God in the morning. Some people light the lamp
in evening also.
Death Ceremony
After a person passes away, the
cremation is done according to certain rituals.
The rituals continue a few days after the death.
In the above lines, we have mentioned only some
of the customs and traditions of India. Other important
occasions when different customs and rituals are
followed are the Indian festivals. Come and visit
India to know more about the other fascinating aspects
of Indian customs and rituals.
