Diversity in India Indian Food India is a land of variety. Some people eat vegetarian food, such as fruits, vegetables, lentils and pulses, while others eat non vegetarian food, such as meat, fish, chicken and pork. Each part of India has its own types of special foods. What people eat depends greatly on the climate and culture of that region. In North India, the fertile soil fed by rivers is favourable for the growth of wheat. This is why the staple diet in the region is woven around wheat. Many people eat rotis and paranthas with curry or vegetables. People eat rice too. In South India, marshy land helps in a better cultivation of rice than wheat. Hence, the staple diet in southern India is woven around rice. Rice is often eaten along with sambhar, rasam, vegetables and curd based dishes. A few popular dishes of South India are dosa, Idli, vada and pachadi. In Eastern India, like West Bengal, Assam and Odisha, people like to eat fish, being fishing is the main occupation of this region. Rice is the staple diet, as this region is suitable for growing rice. In the Western part of India, the climate is very hot and dry. People often eat all types of food in this part of the country. In Rajasthan, dal baati and churma are famous dishes. Goa is famous for seafood as it lies in a coastal region, while in Gujarat people like to eat vegetarian foods like Dhokla, Thepala etc. Do Watch : Traditional Drinks of India Apparel of India India is a country of contrasting cultures, and people across the nation wear a wide variety of clothes. Each state typically has its own style of clothing. The climate and the weather conditions differ from one place to another. People wear clothes in accordance with the climate of their region. Men also wear different types of clothes in India. In cities, men usually wear shirts and trousers, while in villages, they often wear traditional clothes like dhotis, kurtas and turbans or pugrees, which are worn on the head. A turban is a long piece of cloth wrapped around the head to get protection from heat. Women of India wear various types of clothes. The common styles of traditional clothing in India are saree, salwar-kameez, skirt blouse and lehnga-choli. India has a tradition of making high quality handloom products Did you know: using extraordinary Cotton was first skills and grown in India. craftsmanship. A Saree is worn in different ways in different parts of the country. Almost all the different regions of the country have their own weaving styles and patterns. Mahatma Gandhi used to spin khadi or handspun fabric on a charkha, also known as a handloom. Languages spoken in India India is home to numerous languages, including Sanskrit, which is one of the oldest languages in the world. Other languages such as Hindi are commonly spoken throughout the Indian subcontinent, with regional variations. Many different languages are spoken in different regions and states across the country. The prominent languages in India besides English and Hindi are Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi and many more such. Religion Many other religions also India is the coexist in India birthplace of like Islam, four major Christianity, religions, Judaism, and such as, Zoroastrianism. Hinduism, People of all Sikhism, religions live Jainism and together and Buddhism. celebrate religious festivals together. Festivals Festivals in india can be categorized as national festivals, religious festivals and harvest festivals. National festivals are: Harvest festivals are Independence Day (15th based on the arrival of August), Republic Day new crop. They are (26th January) and mainly Baisakhi, Pongal, Gandhi Jayanti (2nd and Onam. October). These Religious festivals are based on a festivals are celebrated particular religion. For example, by the whole country, Hindus celebrate Diwali, Holi and as national festivals. Janmashtami, Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr and Christians celebrate Christmas. India - Unity in Diversity Unity in diversity is used as an expression of unity and .The country is home to harmony between numerous religions, individuals or groups different cultures, belonging to different traditions & languages. backgrounds or having The people of the country different beliefs. People, celebrate more than 30 despite belonging to major festivals belonging different backgrounds, to various religions, respect each other, and live cultures and communities. with the feeling of harmony and brotherhood. Do Watch : Best Of India I N D I A.