INDIA - Seventh largest country by land area; - Second most populous country (with over 1.2 billion); and - Most populous democracy in the world. - Hinduism - Buddhism - Sikhism - Islam - Christianity - Jainism During the Vedic period (c. 1700 – 500 BCE),the foundations of Hindu philosophy, mythology, theology and literature were laid, and many beliefs and practices which still exist today, such as dhárma, kárma, yóga, and mokṣa, were established. INDIAN LITERATURE The earliest literary writings in India, composed between 1700 BCE and 1200 CE, were in the Sanskrit language. Prominent works of this Sanskrit literature include epics such as the Mahābhārata and the Ramayana, and Kamasutra, the famous book about sexual intercourse also originated in India. ART and ARCHITECTURE VASTU SHASTRA - "science of construction" or "architecture” - explores how the laws of nature affect human dwellings; - it employs precise geometry and directional alignments to reflect perceived cosmic constructs. TAJ MAHAL - built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by orders of Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife; - UNESCO World Heritage List as "the jewel of Muslim art in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". TRADITIONAL INDIAN CLOTHING SARI or SAREE - traditional Indian women clothing. - formal occasions. - a strip of unstitched cloth draped over the body in various ways. Saris are usually known with different names in different places. 1. Kavanis – white saris with golden borders in Kerala; 2. Mundu – a simple white sari worn as a daily wear; 3. Pudavai – saris in Tamil Nadu; and 4. Seere – saris in Karnataka. DHOTI - traditional Indian men strip cloth. - wrapped around the waist and fixed with belt PATTU PAVADAI -usually worn by teenage and small girls; - a cone-shaped skirt, usually of silk, that hangs down from the waist to the toes with golden border at the bottom. DASTAR - also known as a pagri. - worn to protect the long uncut hair GANDHI CAP - a white colored cap made of khadi was popularized by Mahatma Gandhi during the Indian independence movement. - symbolic tradition for politicians and social activists. INDIAN CUSTOMS There are three national holidays: Republic Day (26 January), Independence Day (15 August), and Gandhi Jayanti (2 October) which occur on the same day every year. Indians value their family system a lot. Typically, an Indian's family encompasses what would be called the extended family. It is routine for Indians to live as part of the paternal family unit throughout their lives - i.e. sons live together with their parents all their lives, and daughters live with their parents till they get married. "We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.“ — Jawaharlal Nehru