Festival
Festivals as living cultural traditions
Festivals create spaces for family, community, food, music, prayer, art and shared memory. Their forms differ by region and community, making India's festive calendar especially varied.
Culture
Traditions that continue to evolve.
Indian culture is expressed through language, dress, music, dance, crafts, customs and the everyday practices of communities across the country.
Cultural snapshot
Many expressions, many regions.
- Languages: Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and many other languages and regional varieties.
- Attire: Saree, kurta-pajama, lehenga, dhoti and numerous regional styles.
- Dance: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi and other classical and folk traditions.
- Crafts: Textiles, embroidery, pottery, painting, metalwork and woodcraft.
Attire
Textiles & traditional dress
Clothing can communicate regional identity through fabric, weaving, embroidery, patterns, colors and methods of draping.
Performing Arts
Dance, music & storytelling
Indian performance traditions combine rhythm, gesture, expression, music and narrative. Classical and folk forms each have distinctive histories.
Languages of India
A glimpse into linguistic diversity
| Language | Region example | Cultural note |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | North and Central India | One of India's major languages with a broad literary and media presence. |
| Bengali | West Bengal and Tripura | Known for rich literary, musical and artistic traditions. |
| Tamil | Tamil Nadu | A classical language with a long literary history. |
| Telugu | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana | A major South Indian language with extensive literary traditions. |