IV. Culture of IndiaIV. Culture of India

A. Taj Mahal •Taj Mahal – Most famous

work of Islamic architecture •Located in India •Was built as the tomb of an

Indian Queen

Taj Mahal

B. Music and Film

• Indians love watching movies and listening to music

• India makes more movies than any other country in the world

• Style of music that is unique to this area of the world

Bollywood – Bombay, India

Indian Movie Snacks

C. Languages of India • 18 official languages •Dialect – Regional variety of a

language• Hundreds of different dialects

are spoken throughout India

• Indo-Aryan – Language family which come from the ancient Aryan language Sanskrit

• Dravidian – Original language spoken in India many years ago

• English – Language of business, government, and science

D. Religion in Daily Life• Hindus can believe in one god, many

gods, or no gods at all • There is no single set of rules that all

Hindus must follow• They do not have churches • Ganges River – Considered to be

the holiest waters in the world by Hindus

Followers Bathing in the Ganges River

Looks Clean

E. Family in India• Most Indians live with members of

their extended family • Arranged Marriage – Parents

select who their children wed • Many marriages in India are still

arranged

•Dowry – Money or property given by a bride to her new husband and his family

• Practice is growing less common today, but still common

Indian Bride-To-Be