india and german

7/28/2019 India and German

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ART & CULTURE OF INDIAAND GERMANY

INDEX

1CULTUREOF

INDIA

2DANCES OF

INDIA

3LAGUAGES

SPOKEN IN

INDIA

4FESTIVALS OF

INDIA

5MONUMENTS OF

INDIA

6ART AND CRAFT

OF INDIA

7CULTUREOF

GERMANY

8DANCES OF

GERMANY

9LAGUAGES

SPOKEN IN

GERMANY

10

FESTIVALS OF

GERMANY

11MONUMENTS OF

GERMANY

12ART AND CRAFT

GERMANY


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Culture of IndiaIndian culture is rich, diverse and unique in the whole world as the people in the country

belong to different religions, castes, creed; speak different languages; enjoy different kind

of cuisines. People belonging to different religions celebrate different festivals with great

enthusiasm and zeal.

The major religions followed within India are Hinduism (80%), Islam (14%), Christianity

(2.4%), Sikhism (2%), Buddhism( 0.7%), Jainism (0.5%). The people belonging to differentethnic groups are Indo-Aryans(72%), Dravidians (25%) and Others(3%). There are

hundreds of tribal communities. There are about 1600 languages spoken throughout the

country.

Indian culture is so diverse that it is very difficult to explain it. Every region and every

state has a culture and tradition of its own. Even in one single state different communities

follow different customs. Every region has it own cuisine, clothing, language, etc. The

appearances of the people too differ from one another depending on the region one

belongs to. The diverse climate and the diverse landscape too plays a major role in the

diverse culture of India.

People belonging to different regions celebrate different festivals all round the year. Some

of the important Hindu festivals celebrated are Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Ganesh Utsav;

Muslim festivals celebrated are Id and Bakriid and the Christian festivals celebrated are

Christmas, and Easter.


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Dances of India

Indian dances and music were not only seen as ways to celebrate, but alsoas offerings of worship and thanks giving to the deity. All the dance forms

were structured around the nine 'Rasa' or emotions, Hasya (happiness),Shoka (sorrow), Krodha (anger), Karunai (compassion), Bhibatsa (disgust),

Adhbhuta (wonder), Bhaya (fear), Viram (courage) & Shanta (serenity).

Major dances of India

CLASSICAL AND FOLK DANCES

There are many dance forms of India but the major

Dances are :-

1. Bharata Natayam

Bharatanatyam, whose antiquity iswell established, is the most popular

of Indian dances, which said tobe originated in Thanjavoor (Tanjore)

of Tamil Nadu. Bharatanatyam is apurest form of classical dance

2. Kathak

Kathak dances are basically fromUttar Pradesh.

This north Indian dance form isinextricably bound with classical

Hindustani music, and the rhythmicnimbleness of the feet is accompanied

by the table or Pakhawaj.


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3. Kathakali

Kathakali classical dance of Kerala owes its

transnational fame to the nearly 300-years.

Kathakali literally means story-play and is

an elaborate dance depicting the victory oftruth over falsehood. Themes revolve

around the two great epics, the Ramayana

and the Mahabharatha.

Folk dances

1. Garba

Garba Dance is a popular folk Dance of Gujarat. It is a circular formof dance performed by ladies on the Navaratri days, Sharad Purnima,

Vasant Panchami, Holi and such other festive occasions. The basicsof the dance are singing and clapping rhythmically while going round

the goddess.

2. Bhangra

Bhangra is a lively form of folk music and dance that originates fromPunjab. Punjabis performed Bhangra to celebrate the sucess of theharvest. People perform Bhangra on the day of Baisakhi, April 13.Bhangra is considered the king of dances.


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3. Manipuri dance

Manipuri is the classical dance from the Manipur region in theNorth East. Slow and gracious movements differentiate Manipurifrom other dance styles. The delicate arm movements and gentle footwork characterize this dance.

The dances of India are sograceful that there are nowords to appreciate them.


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Languages of IndiaIndian languages belong to a numerous linguistic families, the majorones being the Indo-European languages-Indo-Aryan; 72% of

Indians used the language of this family and the Dravidianlanguages; 25% of Indians used the language of this family. Other

languages spoken in India belong to the Austro-Asiatic, Tibeto-

Burman, and a few minor language families and isolates.

Hindi is the main language in India. It is a language of Indo-Aryan, Central family and

several states and union territories apply this language as their dialect; Andaman and

Nicobar Islands, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, the national

capital territory of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh,

Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Without Hindi there are 21 more official

language in India. These are-

1. Assamese is a language of Indo-Aryan, Eastern family and it is the regional language

of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Assamese used as official language in Assam andArunachal Pradesh.

2. Bengali is a language of Indo-Aryan, Eastern family and it is the regional language of

West Bengal, Tripura, Kolkata, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and also few regions of

Assam. Bengali Used as official language in West Bengal and Tripura and as a sub-

official language in Assam.

3. Bodo is a language of Tibeto-Burman family and it is the regional language of

Assam. Bodo Used as sub-official language in Assam.

4. Dogri is a language of Indo-Aryan, Northwestern family and it is the regional

language of Jammu and Kashmir.

5. Gujarati is a language of is a language of Indo-Aryan, Western family and it is the

regional language of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Gujarat. Gujarati

Used as official language in Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

6. Kannada is a language of Dravidian family and it is the regional language of

Karnataka. Kannada Used as official language in Karnataka.

7. Kashmiri is a language of Indo-Aryan, Dardic family and it is the regional language

of Jammu and Kashmir.

8. Konkani is a language of Indo-Aryan, Southern family and it is the regional languageof Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. Konkani Used as official language in

Goa.

9. Maithili is a language of Indo-Aryan, Eastern family and it is the regional language

of Bihar. Maithili Used as official language in Bihar.

10. Malayalam is a language of Dravidian family and

it is the regional language of Kerala, Andaman and

Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.


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Festivals of India

India is often described as a land of many religions and languages, but it

might as well be described as a land of festivals. Some festivals areobserved throughout the country; others have specific regionalassociations. India celebrates holidays and festivals of almost all the

faiths in the world. In one region or the other, festivals happen almost

every day, each with a specialty of its own. Each festival in each regionhas its own particular foods and sweets appropriate to the season andcrops, and days are spent in their careful preparation.

There are three National holidays:

Independence Day:

This is celebrated on 15th August as India gained independence fromBritish rule on this day in 1947.

Republic Day:

This is celebrated on 26th January. On this day India became a republic.

Gandhi Jayanti:

This is celebrated on 2nd October which is father of the nation MahatmaGandhis birthday.

Following are some of the major festivals from India.

Diwali:

Deepawali literally means an array of lamps is the Festival of Lights.Depawali is the occasion of joy and jubilation for one and all in the entireHindu world. All the illumination and fireworks, joy and festivity, signifiesthe victory of divine forces over those of wickedness. Deepawali

symbolizes the victory of righteousness and the lifting of spiritualdarkness. Depawali is a festival that lasts 5 days.

In North India, Depawali is associated with the return of Sri Rama toAyodhya after vanquishing the demon Ravana. The people of Ayodhya,overwhelmed with joy, welcomed Rama through jubilation and

illumination of the entire capital.

In South India, Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the victory of LordKrishna over the demon Narakasura.

To the Jains, Depawali has an added significance to the great event ofMahavera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvana.

Though, Diwali is mainly a 5 day festival but people start preparing forDiwali weeks ahead by cleaning and decorating their households. It is

said that Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth roams the earth on this day andenters the house that is pure, clean and brightly illuminated.

It is also the beginning of the new financial year for the businesscommunity.


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Bhai Dooj:

Bhaiya Duj is the festival that is celebrated on the fifth day of Diwali andit falls on second day after Diwali that is on 'Shukla Paksha Dwitiya' in the

Hindi month of 'Kartik'. 'Dwitiya' means 'Duj' or the second day after the

new moon. This festival is popular in different regions with differentnames such as 'Bhai-Dooj' in north India, 'Bhav-Bij' in Maharashtra,

'Bhai-Phota' in Bengal and 'Bhai-Teeka' in Nepal.

Dussehra or Vijayadashmi:

Dussehra or Navratri is one of the most popular festivals of India.Dussehra is the anniversary of the victory of Goddess Durga over thebuffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura, giving the goddess her name

Mahishasura-Mardini (the slayer of Mahishasura). Dussehra alsocommemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana of Lanka. Thetheme of this festival is the victory of good over evil.

Ganesh Chaturthi:

Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesh, is celebrated in August-September. Ganesh is the elephant headed son of Goddess Parvati,

consort of Lord Shiva.

In Maharashtra, it is most important festival and is celebrated for 10

days. It is celebrated from 4th to 14th day of bright fortnight of Bhadrapadmonth. In Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, images ofGanesh made of unbaked clay are worshipped on this day in every house.

A special sweet called Modak is prepared on this occassion. To mark theend of the festivities, the clay idols are immersed in water.

Holi:

The full-moon day in February-March is celebrated as Holi, the festival ofcolors. Holi is a festival of fun and gaiety for people of all ages. Bonfires

are lit and people smear colors on each other. Holi signifies the start of

spring and end of winter. People celebrate the new harvest and return ofcolor in nature.

The mythological origin of this festival varies in North and South India.

In the South, especially in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it is believed that KamaDeva, the God of love, aimed his arrow at his wife Rati. The arrow hitShiva by mistake. Kama was burnt to ashes by the fire coming out of the

third eye of the enraged Lord Shiva. Rati, was so grief-stricken that Shiva

relented and granted her the power to see Kama deva but without a

physical form. In Tamil Nadu, the festival known as Kaman vizha, Kamanpandigai, or Kama Dahanam commemorates the burning of Kama.

In the North, it is believed that a mighty King Hiranyakashipu ordered his

people to worship him as a God. But Prahlad, his only son, refused toaccept his father as a God, because he believed only in Lord Vishnu. The

King tried to kill his son, but every time Prahlad was saved as he utteredthe name of Vishnu. Finally, Prahlad's aunt Holika, claiming herself to be

fireproof, took the child in her lap and sat in the fire to burn him alive.

When the fire subsided, the king found, the child alive while Holika hadperished.


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Monuments of India

The Cultural Sites

Agra Fort, Agra (1983)Agra Fort represents the first major building project of

Akbar, with remains of only a few buildings built by himwhich now survive. Built on the site of an earlier castle inAD 1565-1575, the fort, apart from other important units,

contains Jahangiri Mahal, Khass Mahal, Diwan-i-Khass,Diwan-i-Am, Machchhi Bhawan and Moti Masjid. Many

extant buildings were erected by Shah Jahan (AD 1630-1655). Of its four gates, the most impressive is the Delhi

Gate on the west.

Ajanta Caves (1983)The world famous Ajanta Caves including the unfinished ones arethirty in number, of which five (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are chaitya-grihas and the rest areviharas (monasteries). After centuries ofoblivion, these caves were discovered in AD 1819. They fall into

two distinct phases with a break of nearly four centuries betweenthem. All the caves of the earlier phase date between second

century BC-AD. The caves of the second phase were excavatedduring the supremacy of the Vakatakas and Guptas.

A few paintings, which survive on the walls of Caves 9 and 10dateback to the second century BC-AD. The second group of the

paintings started in about the fifth century AD and continued forthe next two centuries as noticeable in later Caves. Caves 1, 2, 16

and 17 have remarkable paintings with themes intensely religiousin tone and centre around Buddha, Bodhisattvas, incidents fromthe life of Buddha and the jatakas. The paintings are executed on a ground of mud-

plaster in the tempera technique.


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Ellora Caves (1983)The magnificent group of rock-cut shrines of Ellora,

representing three different faiths, Buddhist, Brahmanicaland Jaina were excavated during the period from fifth to

the thirteenth century AD. The Buddhist Caves (1 to 12)were excavated between the fifth and the seventh

centuries AD, when the Mahayana sects were flourishingin the region. Important in this group are Caves 5, 10 and

12.

The Brahmanical Caves numbering 13 to 29 are mostlySaivite. Kailasa (Cave 16) is a remarkable example of rock-cut temples in India on

account of its striking proportion, elaborate workmanship, architectural content andsculptural I ornamentation. There are two dhvaja-stambhas or pillars with flagstaff in

the courtyard. The grand sculpture of Ravana attempting to lift mount Kailasa, theabode of Siva, with his full might is a landmark in Indian art.

The Jaina Caves (30 to 34) are massive, well-proportioned, decorated and mark the lastphase of the activity at Ellora

Taj Mahal, Agra (1983)Taj on the right bank of River Yamuna, about 1.5km from

the Agra fort, was built to enshrine the remains ofArjumand Banu Begam entitled Mumtaj Mahal, the queen of

the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. lts constructioncommenced in AD 1631 and completed seventeen years

later at an enormous cost and labour. The intricate carvingsand inlay work in marble enhance the beauty of Taj in

which the emperor was also buried by the side of his queen after his death. Unlike otherMughal garden tombs, the mausoleum is situated at the northern end of a largerectangular area with its central portion divided into a square garden. The Taj is

entered through a majestic gateway in the centre of the southern side where there is aspacious quadrangle. The monument is considered to be an epitome of love and one of

the most flawless architectural creations of the world.

Mahabalipuram Group of Monuments (1984)Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, the city of Mamalla, is named

after the title of great Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman-I (AD 630-668). It was a sea-port during the time of Periplus (first centuryAD) and Ptolemy (AD 140) and many Indian colonists sailed to

South-East Asia through this port town. While there is someevidence of architectural activity going back to the period of

Mahendrayarman-I (AD 600-630), the father of Mamalla, most ofthe monuments like rock-cut rathas, sculptured scenes on openrocks like Arjuna's penance, the caves of Govardhanadhari and

Mahishasuramardini, the Jala-Sayana Perumal temple (the sleepingMahavishnu or Chakrin at the rear part of the Shore temple

complex) are attributed to the period of Narasimhavarman-IMamalla.

The monolithic Dharmaraja, Arjuna and Draupadi rathas are square on plan, the Bhimaand Ganesa rathas are rectangular and Sahadeva ratha apsidal. Though monolithic

sculpturing, both cut-in and cut-out, continued even during later periods(Atiranachanda cave, Pidari rathas and Tigercave), the structural architecture was

introduced on a grand scale by Pallava Rajasimha (AD 700728), culminating in erectionof the world famous Shore temple.


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Sun Temple, Konark (1984)Konark is the Kainapara of the Periplus (first century AD)- an important port of the Orissan coast. The most notable

marvel is the stately Sun Temple, built in c. AD 1250,during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King

Narasimhadeva-I (AD 1238-1264), to enshrine an imageof Sun (Arka), the patron deity of the place. The entire

complex was designed in the form of a huge chariotdrawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of

exquisitely carved wheels. The sanctum symbolises themajestic stride of the Sun-god and marks the culminationof the Orissan architectural style. The walls of the temple contain superb carvings of

divine, semi-divine, human and animal figures amidst floral and geometricornamentations. The vivacious kanyas, dancers and musicians are remarkable for theirsensuous modelling, pulsating with human emotions which are absorbed in a variety ofgestures and rhythmic actions. Mighty simha-gajas welcome the visitor at the porches.

Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)Hampi, on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra, once

formed the seat of the mighty Vijayanagara empire. Thecontemporary chroniclers who came from far off countrieslike Arabia, Italy, Portugal and Russia visited the empire

and have left graphic and glowing accounts of the city.Monuments were built here between AD 1336 and 1570,

from the time of Harihara I to that of Sadasiva Raya.Royal buildings were raised by Krishnadeva Raya (AD

1509-1530). Hampi covers an area of nearly 26 sq km andis enclosed by seven lines of fortifications. Within the

innermost enclosure extensive remains of the palace are noticed. Temples of this cityare noted for their large dimensions, florid ornamentation, bold and delicate carvings,stately pillars, magnificent pavilions and sculptural depictions from the Ramayana and

the Mahabharata.

The largest extant temple is that of Pampapati with magnificent entrance tower caused

by Krishnadeva Raya. The Vitthala temple is an exellent example of Vijayanagara style.The monolithic statues of Lakshmi, Narasimha and Ganesa are massive and graceful.

The Krishna temple, Pattabhirama temple, Hazara Ramachandra, Chandrasekharatemple and the Jaina temples are noteworthy. Some temples are flanked on either sideby storeyed mandapas. The audience hall of the king, Zenana enclosure with a massive

stone basement of the Queen's palace and an ornate pavilion Lotus Mahal' are

examples of secular architecture. The corner towers, Dhananayaka's enclosure(treasury), Mahanavami Dibba with sculptured panels, a variety of ponds, tanks,

mandapas, elephant stables, pillared mandapas are awe-inspiring.


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Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)Velha Goa (Goa) is famous for the most spectacular group of

churches and cathedrals built during the sixteenth and seventeenthcenturies AD. These include Se Cathedral, Church and Convent of

St. Francis of Assisi, Chapel of St. Catherine, Basilica of Bom Jesus,Church of the Lady of Rosary and Church of St. Augustine. TheChurch of St. Cajetan is modelled on the original design of St.

Peter's Church in Rome. The Church of Bom Jesus with its facade isdecorated with Ionic, Doric and Corinthian pilasters.

The paintings in the churches were done on wooden borders andfixed between panels having floral designs as in the chapels

housing the tomb of St. Xavier, the arches above the altars in thetransept of the Se' Cathedral and in the nave on either side of the

main altar in the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. There aredelicately carved painted wooden statues besides a few in stone to

adorn the altars, depicting mostly the saints, Mother Mary and Jesus on the cross.

Fatehpur Sikri, Agra (1986)In honour of saint Shaikh Salim Chishti, the Mughal emperorAkbar, the great, founded a magnificent city on Sikri ridge. In1571 he ordered the construction of buildings for his own use

and asked the noblemen to built houses for themselves. Within ayear, most of the work was finished and within the next few

years, a well planned city with administrative, residential andreligious buildings came into existence.

The Jami Mosque was perhaps among the first buildings to comeup. Its epigraph provides AH 979 (AD 1571-1572) as the date ofits completion. The Buland Darwaza was added some five years

later.

Among other important buildings are the tomb of Shaikh SalimChishti, the Naubat-or-Naqqar Khana (drum-house), Taksal

(mint), Karkhanas (royal workshops), Khazana (treasury), Hakim's quarters, Diwan-i-

Am (hall of public audience), house of Maryam also called Sunahra Makan (GoldenHouse), palace of Jodha Bai, Birbal's house etc.

Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)Khajuraho, the ancient Kharjjuravahaka, was the principal

seat of authority of the Chandella rulers who adorned itwith numerous tanks, scores of lofty temples of sculpturalgrace and architectural splendour. The local tradition lists

eighty-five temples but now only twenty-five are standingexamples in various stages of preservation. But for

Chausath-Yogini, Brahma and Mahadeva which are ofgranite, all the other temples are of fine grained

sandstone, buff, pink or pale yellow in colour. TheLakshmana temple dedicated to Vishnu built

byYasovarman (AD 954), is an ornate and evolved example.

The Visvanatha, Parsvanatha and Vaidyanatha temples belong to the time of kingDhanga, the successor of Yasovarman. The Jagadambi and Chitragupta are noteworthyamong the western group of temples. The largest and grandest temple of Khajuraho isthe immortal Kandariya Mahadeva which is attributed to king Ganda (AD 1017-1029).

The other examples that followed viz., Vamana, Adinatha, Javari, Chaturbhuj andDuladeo, are smaller but elaborately designed. The Khajuraho group of temples arenoted for lofty terraces (jagati) and functionally effective plans. The sculptures ofdivine and semidivine being win universal admiration for their delicate modelling.


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Elephanta Caves (1987)Elephanta anciently known as Gharapuri, the island

capital of Konkan Mauryas, is celebrated for its colossalimage of Mahesamurti with three heads each representing

a different form.

In fact, there are seven caves out of which the most

important is the Mahesamurti cave. The main body of thecave, excluding the porticos on the three open sides and

the back isle is 27 metres square and is supported byrows of six columns each. The gigantic figures of

dvarapalas or doorkeepers here are very impressive.

There are sculptured compartments in this cave with remarkable images ofArdhanarisvara, Kalyana-Sundara Siva, Ravana lifting Kailasa, Andhakari-murti (slaying

of Andhaka demon) and Nataraja Siva.

Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)Imposing Stupa-1 with four gateways

and railings made Sanchi a worldfamous Buddhist site. The original

stupa of the Asokan times was enlargedand faced with stones.lt is decoratedwith balustrades, staircases and anumbrella on top. Besides this, other

stupas, monolithic Asokan pillar, manyother temples, monasteries and sculptures are found scattered at

Sanchi and its adjoining hills from the Mauryan period to the twelfthcentury AD.

In the first century BC, the Andhra-Satavahanas extended their swayover the eastern Malwa and carved the elaborate gateways to Stupa1 with the stories of the life of Buddha who was worshipped here insymbolic form. The inscriptions on the gateways and railings record

the donation made by the corporate guilds and individuals.

From the second to the fourth century AD, Sanchi along with Vidisacame under the Kushan and Kshatrapa rulers and subsequently

passed on to the hands of the Guptas when some temples were builtand decorated with sculptures. Some shrines and monasteries were

also constructed during the seventh to the twelfth century AD.


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Humayun's Tomb; New Delhi (1993)The first substantial example of

a garden tomb on charbaghpattern with high arches anddouble dome was erected by

Humayun's queen Hamida BanuBegam (Haji Begam) in AD 1569at a cost of 15 lakh rupees (1.5

million).

The high rubble built enclosureis entered through two lofty

double-storeyed gateways onthe west and south. A baradari

(pavilion) occupies the centre ofthe eastern wall and a hammam (bath chamber) in the centre of

northern wall. The lofty mausoleum is in the centre of the enclosureand rises from a podium faced with a series of cells having arched

openings. Red sandstone and marble have been used for veneering.The central octagonal chamber contains the cenotaph, encompassedby octagonal chambers at the diagonals and arched lobbies on the

sides. Their openings are closed with perforated screens. Each side isdominated by three arches, the central one being the highest. This

plan is repeated on the second storey also. The roof surmounted by a

double dome (42.5m) of marble has pillared kiosks (chhatris) placedaround it.

Several rulers of the Mughal dynasty lie buried here. Bahadur ShahZafar had taken refuge in this tomb with three princes during the

first war of Independence (AD 1857).

On the southwestern side of the tomb is located Barber's tomb (Nai-ka-Gumbad) which stands on a raised platform, reached by seven

steps from the south. The building is square on plan and consists of asingle compartment covered with a double-dome.

Qutub Complex, New Delhi (1993)

Qutub-Minar in red and buff sandstone is thehighest tower in India. It has a diameter of

14.32m at the base and about 2.75m on the topwith a height of 72.5m.

Qutubu'd-Din Aibak laid the foundation of Minarin AD 1199 for the use of the mu'azzin (crier) togive calls for prayer and raised the first storey,to which were added three more storeys by his

successor and son-in-law, Shamsu'd-DinIItutmish (AD 1211-1236). All the storeys are

surrounded by a projected balcony encircling theminar and supported by stone brackets, whichare decorated with honey-comb design, more

conspicuously in the first storey.Numerous inscriptions in Arabic and Nagari characters in differentplaces of the minar reveal the history of Qutub. According to the

inscriptions on its surface it was repaired by Firuz Shah Tughlaq (AD

1351-1388) and Sikandar Lodi (AD 1489-1517).


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Art and craft of india

Arts and Craft of India

India is a land abundant in raw materials that have lent themselves to the

creative hands of the Indian craftsmen. From expensive materials like ivory,

gems and marble; to cheaper ones like clay, cane and bamboo and wood,Indian handicrafts have an amazingly captivating beauty. Another thrilling

factor is the numerous processes that these materials go through before

they take final shape. Processes like the 'chikan' work and 'phulkari andbagh' work on cloth; certain types of polishing and metal casting or eventhe filigree work on metals is unique to Indian art.

Indian art and crafts are truly fascinating; it is incredible how ancient

practices and traditions have continued since time immemorial. The history

of India is a story of unbroken traditions that have continued for over 5000years. For centuries, Indian handicrafts have been distinguished for theiraesthetic and functional value.

Indian art has been influenced by many factors, mainly religious, political

and social. India is a land of immense diversity. Various traditions, rituals,

geographic and climatic conditions, lifestyles and cultures have given birthto numerous styles and designs. It has gradually evolved with the evolutionof the civilization.

Techniques have been experimented and perfected upon through centuries.

Indian art features spiral and curvaceous lines, vines and tendrils, round

figured women, circular amulets, colored gemstones, arches and domes,haloed deities, crescent moons and the sun. Nature has been very inspiring

in this case, and Indian art has borrowed freely from it. These crafts

remained coveted and the skills were handed over from generation to

generation.

The arts of India expressed in architecture, sculpture, painting, jewelry,pottery, metalwork, and textiles, were spread throughout the Far East with

the diffusion of Buddhism and Hinduism and exercised a strong influence on

the arts of China, Japan, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), Thailand,Cambodia, and Java.

Early Period

Examples of the 3rd millennium BC from the Indus Valley, found among theremains of the burnt-brick buildings of Mohenjo-Daro, include alabaster and

marble figures, terra-cotta figurines of nude goddesses, terra-cotta andfaience representations of animals, a copper model of a cart, and numerous

square seals of ivory and of faience showing animals and pictographs. Thesimilarity of these objects to Mesopotamian works in subject matter and

stylized form indicates an inter-relationship of the two cultures and a

possible common ancestry. In Vedic and later times, from the 2ndmillennium to the 3rd century BC, connections with Middle Eastern culture

are not evident. An example of the earlier phase of this period is a 9th-century BC gold figurine of a goddess, found at Lauriya Nandangarh. Later,

from 600 BC to historical times, common examples include finely polishedand ornamented stone disks and coins representing many kinds of animalsand religious symbols.


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The various forms of art included:

Temple Sculptures

Mostly produced in stone, clay, ivory, copper, and gold in the Hindu, Budhistand Jain temples.

Painting

Like the remarkable Buddhist murals in rock-cut shrines in Ajanta; thepainting in the Jogimara cave at Orissa; Jain Palava paintings; murals atEllora; Rajput paintings and Mughal paintings.

Jewelry, Pottery and Textiles

Valued for their royal patronage, besides artistic excellence, these artistic

pieces are a culmination of exquisite workmanship and artistic perception.Flawlessly crafted using different raw materials and designs, with great

attention invested on intricacy and detail, they are matchless in beauty andrange. Coming in different range and variety, with exclusive styles andexecution, their beauty is awesome.

BeautyThe spark of creativity was there since the beginning of civilization in India.

The immortality of the handicrafts and arts of India maybe attributed to

their ability to captivate the beholder. An inspiring range of products areavailable from timeless creations, which include crafts in wood, papier

mache, wood, metal, glass and a variety of other materials. They haveremained coveted for their ability to transform homes into absolute placesof beauty.

From geometric designs to floral to images of gods and goddesses areincluded. Wall hangings are symbol of welcome and hospitality in the Indian

context, besides whetting the craving for the aesthetic.


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Germany

Culture of Germany

German culture began long before the riseofGermany as a nation-state and spanned the entireGerman-speaking world. From its roots, culture inGermany has been shaped by major intellectual andpopular currents in Europe, both religious and secular.Historically Germany has been called Das Land derDichter und Denker(the land of poets and thinkers).

The federated states are in charge of the culturalinstitutions. There are 240 subsidised theatres,hundreds of symphonic orchestras, thousands ofmuseums and over 25,000 libraries spread inGermany. These cultural opportunities are enjoyed bymany: there are over 91 million German museumvisits every year; annually, 20 million go to theatresand operas; 3.6 million per year listen to thesymphonic orchestras.
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Dances of Germany

Dance in Germany:Dance is very popular in Germany and is entrenched in Germanculture from the very beginning. With more than two hundred and fifty

ballet companies and over sixteen hundred dancers employed bytheaters, Germany is well renowned for its performing arts. You canfind innumerable freelancers and choreographers performing atvarious venues both within and outside the country. German dancingscenario is dominated by the traditional classical approach as well asthe modern expressionist approach.

In the traditional circuit you can find world renowned ballet masterssuch as John Neumeier whose high aestheticism and great intensity

has enabled them to gain this status.

At the flip side of German dancing scene, stand the dance theaters orthe Tanztheater. With its roots in the expressionist dance of 1920sand the political street theater of the 1960s, the Tanztheater hasbecome a famous dance form. Some eminent performers of thisdance form are- Johann Kresnik and Sasha Waltz from Berlin andPina Bausch of Wuppertal.


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Languages of Germany

The official language ofGermany is Standard German, with

over 95% of the country speaking Standard German or German

dialects as their first language.[1]This figure includes speakersofNorthern Low Saxon, a recognized minority or regional

language which is not considered separately from Standard

German in statistics.

Minority first languages include:

Sorbian 0.09% Romani 0.08% Danish 0.06% North Frisian 0.01%Immigrant languages spoken by sizable communities of first

and second-generation persons of Eastern European, African,

Asian and Latin American origins include:

Turkish, Russian, Arabic, from the Middle East and North Africa; Greek; Dutch; Igbo; Italian; Polish; Serbo-Croatian from the former Yugoslavia; SpanishMost Germans also learn English as their first foreign language

in school. Sometimes French or Latin are taught first, but

usually English is, with French and Latin as common second or

third foreign languages. Russian, Italian, Spanish, Polish,

Dutch, classical Greek, and other languages are also offered in

schools (often depending on the school's geographic location).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Germany#cite_note-BBC-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Germany#cite_note-BBC-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Germany#cite_note-BBC-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Low_Saxonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Frisian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbo-Croatian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbo-Croatian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Frisian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbian_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Low_Saxonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Germany#cite_note-BBC-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_languagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Official_language


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Monuments of Germany

With a long history and known for its architecture, Germany draws

millions of visitors from around the world each year. Home to stunning

mountain ranges, active night clubs and an array of museums, finerestaurants and locally owned breweries, it is a unique destination for a

vacation any time of the year. To keep even the pickiest traveler busy,

most cities have a variety of attractions and monuments to visit.

Museum Island

Located on the northern edge of an island in the Spree River at the centerof Berlin, Museum Island houses five museums and was added to theUNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1999. Originally a belonging toPrussian kings, the collection was made public and put on display in 1918.The collections we separated during the Cold War, but are now on fulldisplay year round. Each museum was designed to reflect the era of workon display inside, the final building was finished in 1930 and houses workfrom the modern era.

Klner Dom

Construction of the Dom was completed in 1884, and at thetime it was the tallest structure in the world. At 523 feettall, it held that title until the completion of theWashington Monument. Built to house relics of the Magi,including a gilded sarcophagus from the 13th century and areliquary said to hold the remains of the three wise men.The building is open to the public for no charge. Thecathedral suffered shelling during WWII, and was repairedin 1956. The cathedral was put on the World Heritage Listin 1996.

Berlin Olympic Stadium

Host to the 1936 Olympics, the Berlin Olympic Stadium hasa long and illustrious history, and to this day remains Berlin'sprimary sporting arena. Built between 1934 and 1936, it wasreconstructed in the 1980's by the original architects' son, and,each year since, has been stage to the German Cup Final, as wellas the 2006 FIFA world cup. The stadium is open five days perweek, but not open to the public during events. There is a smallfee for entry and several options for walking tours both in andaround the stadium.


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Nymphenburg Palace

Construction on Nymphenburg Palace started in 1664 andwas completed 10 years later. Originally serving as a

summer residence for Elector Ferdinand, it now houses

treasures from Germany's past. Situated amongst park-like

grounds that are laced by canals, it sits in Munich and

welcomes thousands of visitors each year. For a small fee,

guests can view a collection of antiques, period furnishings

and paintings from several different periods. Most rooms

have been decorated in a Neo-classical or Rococo Style, and

the grounds provide a view of stables complete with

antique carriages and museum. The landmark is open daily

except on major holidays.

Museum Island Klner Dom

Berlin Olympic Stadium Nymphenburg Palace


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Art and craft of Germany

Germany has been famous for its arts and crafts the world over

for centuries.The history of arts and crafts in Germany is aglorious chapter of the larger history of European High Culture.

German artists have enjoyed the praise of the world in different

centuries. During the Renissance period, there were several

important German artists including Durer and Grunewald.

Friedrich is a key figure in the period of High German

Romanticism. Later, in the history world art, Surrealism

became a very important movement amd the German artist

Ernst was a leading exponent of the Surrealist movement in

art.

German handicrafts are famous all over the world and are in

great demand for their painstakingly crafted intricatedecorations and colorful styles.

In ancient times German crafts used to be organised in guilds

and the process of becoming a craftsman involved being a

Lehrling (apprentice) for some time with the Meister (master)

and traveling on Walz from town to town getting employed

temporarily with different Meister. The remnants of these

practices still survive in some parts of Germany and the

German are proud of their arts and crafts tradition.

The Christmas markets of Germany are especially noted for the

wide range of traditional German handicrafts.You can geteverything from traditional German angels and nutcrackers to

smokers here. These items make great gifts too. Best of all,

Christmas markets in Germany are open all round the year, so

you can shop any time of the year! Handcrafted clocks, beer

steins, figurines, music boxes and woodcarvings are famous

German handicrafts known the world over.

Kathe Wohlfahrts in the medieval city of Rothenburg is one of

the most famous Grman Christmas markets.

The Crystal Road and The Porcelain Road are other important

crafts centers in Germany selling a wide variety of craftsincluding the handmade figurines called Hummel figurines.

Devised as paintings of children by a German nun, you can now

buy these Hummel figurines at the Goebel factory.

Zwiesel is a great place for delicate glass sculptures. Soligen

knives crafted by Germans are famous too and are considered

the best cutlery in the world.


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india and german

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