Department of Cultural

Indian culture, often labelled as a combination of several cultures, has been influenced by a history that is several millennia old, beginning with the Indus Valley civilization and other early cultural areas. Many elements of Indian culture, such as Indian religions, mathematics, philosophy, cuisine, languages, dance, music and movies have had a profound impact across the Indosphere, Greater India, and the world. There was also mutual influence between India and Southeast Asian, having influence on the formation of local Hinduist branches and mythology. Hinduism itself formed from various distinct folk religions, which merged during the Vedic period and following periods. There is evidence for local Austroasiatic influence, evident in Munda and Mon Khmer, which merged their traditional cultures with Indiam-derived ones. Several scholars, such as Professor Przyluski, among others, concluded that there is a significant cultural, linguistic, and political Mon-Khmer (Austroasiatic) influence on early Munda-speaking people within eastern India The British Raj further influenced Indian culture, such as through the widespread introduction of the English language, and a local dialect developed.

Indian culture is the heritage of social norms and technologies that originated in or are associated with the ethno-linguistically diverse India. The term also applies beyond India to countries and cultures whose histories are strongly connected to India by immigration, colonisation, or influence, particularly in South Asia and Southeast Asia. India’s languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country.