Transcript No Slide Title

Some History
• European companies came to India
for spices
• What started out as a spice factory
here and there, eventually turned
into a factory with a fort built
around it here and there—which
eventually lead to armies and the
British taking over
• When Britain eventually took
control over the land they also
began instilling their own morals
and ethics
• Main problem: Owned by Britain
meant fighting Britain’s wars!
• India finally gained its
independence in 1947
– However, British armies didn’t leave
till 1950.
Indian Independence Movement
• Series of revolutions
empowered by the people
of India put forth to battle
the British Empire for
complete political
independence
Gandhi—Father of the Nation
• Climax of Independence
Movement = Mahatma
Gandhi's Quit India
Movement (1942-1945)
• World's first and largest
mass, non-violent civil
resistance movement (50
million people!)
• Achieving full freedom after
WWII on August 15, 1947.
• Hinduism has no
“founder”
• Based on ancient
traditions of India
Basic Belief
• People die and are reborn
many times as many
differ. things
• There is a universal soul
called Brahman
• Goal in life is to escape the
cycle of birth and death
and become part of the
Brahman
• This is achieved by living a
pure and good life
• Four Goals (Arms in life)
– 1st: Student = Self-control & how to
contribute to society
– 2nd: Householder (sometimes omitted)
– 3rd: Forest Dweller: turning your
household over to your children and
retreating into meditation
– 4th: Sannyasin = Renouncing society,
devotes to God, example of spiritual life
• The religion forms the basis of their
social structure (caste system is Varna
in religious terms)
– Priests & educated people (Brahmanas)
– Aristocrats & rulers of society (Kshatria)
– Landlords & businessmen
(Vaisia)
– Peasants & working class
(Sundra)
• If you did not fit into any
of these castes, you were an
“untouchable” or outcast
(you clean sewage or
something of this
“degrading” nature in
Indian society)
• The 1st three castes had social
& economical rights
• They were also seen as “twice
born”
– Reincarnation is a huge belief in
Hinduism
– 1st birth- Born into world
– 2nd birth- Born into society
• Once you were born into a Varna
(caste) you could never leave it
• You and your descendents would
forever marry into this caste
system
• Many of these Varna had a
special diet that they had to
adhere to
– This diet was strictly for their
Varna
Vishnu
• Vishnu is regarded as
a major god in
Hinduism and Indian
mythology.
– He is the Protector of
the universe
– Participates in worldly
affairs
– His 10 Avatars
(incarnations, like
Prince Rama) help
him “save the world”
Vishnu continued…
• When there is disorder in the
universe, Vishnu battles with the
forces of chaos, or he sends one of his
Avatars (or incarnations) to save the
world.
• Vishnu uses both force and guile to
ensure the stability of the universe.
• His consort Laxmi, goddess of wealth
and power, offers him the
wherewithal to maintain the integrity
of the world.
More on gods…
• 10 Avatars = the 10 cycles of
Vishnu… we are on cycle 9.
• 2 other major Hindu gods
–Brahma: the Creator (born from a
lotus out of Vishnu’s bellybutton)
–Shiva: the destroyer of the universe
Vindhya Mountains
• For centuries they were a
barrier for communications
between the North and South
• The people of Northern and
Southern India are markedly
different to this day
• India is essentially a land of villages
• More than 500,000 villages exist in
the countryside
• Most houses are built with mud and
cow dung (mmm mmm!)
• Diet consist of: unleavened bread,
rice, curry, red-pepper powder or
green pepper for seasoning.
SMALL VILLAGE
• 30% of India’s population lives in
the city
• Crowding is a general
characteristic of Indian cities
• Many people are unemployed, the
cities attract people to come and
find work
CALCUTTA
Interesting Tidbits
• India’s National
Animal is the Bengal
Tiger
• They believe the tiger
is the god that gives
them honey and wax
• It is believed the tiger
will not eat you if you
have prayed to him
Turbans
• Mostly worn by Sikhs
• Symbolic of the person’s:
– Sovereignty
– Dedication
– Self-respect
– Courage
– Piety
• All practicing Sikhs wear the turban out
of love and obedience of the wishes of the
founders of their faith.
Bindi
• Originally worn by Hindu
women
• Signifies female energy (shakti)
and is believed to protect women
and their husbands
• Traditional symbol of marriage
(widows do not wear the bindi)
• Now unmarried women and
women of different religions
wear them
Sari or Saree
• Length of fabric from 13-26
feet long
• Used for centuries
• Style/designs reveal aspects
about the person wearing it
• Creates a picture of flowing
grace that conceals as much
as it reveals.
Arranged Marriages?!
• Firm belief that the
parents choose your
“mate”
• Daughters’ families give
a dowry to the new
husband
– Often things that he/they will
need to start
• Given in “re-payment”
for the trouble of taking
their daughter
Gender Equity?
• More rights than many Asian
countries—aside from arranged
marriages
• Women (can be) educated, business
proprietors, doctors, lawyers,
pilots, computer technicians, etc.
• Most religions treat women equally
• Still prefer boys—birth of girls are
not celebrated
• Most of India respects
the cow
• Some in India revere the
cow
• Few bow to the cow
• Cows are important to
their culture for it’s
farming, and dairy
production NOT for its
meat
A
Sacred
Cow?
• Many Hindus are
vegetarian, meat eating
Hindus, however, still do
not eat beef
• A legislation is out to ban
all slaughtering of cows
Random Notions
• Old customs of the country are followed with
strictness (i.e. when entering any place of worship it
is essential to take off ones shoes; people remove
their shoes while entering their houses as well.)
• It is custom to handle or accept something with the
right hand only. The left hand is considered to be not
clean.
• Women usually don’t shake hands with men.
Instead they greet you with folded hands.
• Hello in India is "Namaste" or "Namskaram".
• There is a custom where younger people touch the
feet of their elders to acquire their blessings.
• There are 18 recognized languages in
India.
• World’s lowest per-capita income--$2,900!
• Only 36% of India’s massive population is
literate (U.S. = 99%)
• Supports 15% of the world’s population
(about a billion people)
• India is the home of the
famous Taj Mahal
India’s Economy
• India formerly relied on agriculture,
but today that only makes up 21% of
its income.
• Major sources of revenue:
–
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–
–
–
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Diamond polishing
Petroleum
Textiles
Films (hear of Bollywood?)
Pharmaceuticals
Information Processing
Business process outsourcing
Hooray for Bollywood!
• Strong part of popular culture of not
only India, but also of the Middle
East, parts of Africa, and parts of
Southeast Asia.
• Output is the largest in the world in
terms of number of films produced
and in number of tickets sold
• Attributes consist of dancing, songs,
bright colors, and many films are
produced in English