This chapter was quite interesting to read. There was a lot of different information in this chapter, so it was a little difficult to get ahold of it all! The chapter again emphasized the importance of family, community, and socialization in the Indian culture. This has been discussed many times throughout the book--so it is clearly a very important aspect of the culture. The author even says that "childhood socialization, family, shared work, neighborliness, and interdependence create strong bonds, the bedrock to social life." I also enjoyed reading the section in this chapter about the "big" and "little" people. The people are subdivided into those who are powerful and those who are less powerful. This can also be described as those who are "cooked" and those who are "raw." I thought that parallel was quite funny! Patrons are the "big" people in the community, and those below the patrons are subordinate and are supposed to follow the instruction of the patron. This reminds me of our government and the way it runs (in a way).
I also thought it was funny when the author states that "ideas of hierarchy are part of the social etiquette." When I read about the hierarchy of subcastes and the way people are ranked, at first glance it seems appalling. The truth is we all rank people, in the United States and everywhere. The only difference is that we do it behind close doors, we think it, or we whisper it--but there are still hierarchies in our society. In India however, it is accepted social etiquette. I just thought this was an interesting realization. I'm not qualifying it to say that it's right to "rank" people, or saying that it's a good thing even--it's just interesting to say that it happens to some extent everywhere, I believe. Each subcaste regards itself as having a separate history, mythological origin, and relationship to all others. Subcastes divide into two family units. One unit is the household, the other is a group whose members regard themselves as closely related, but too close for marriage. The chapter also discussed how the ideal household is through the decent of the male line. This was discussed in earlier chapters, so I don't feel like there is too much to report from this particular section of the reading.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Chapter 9: Music and Dance
This chapter was really interesting to me--but was a little difficult to get through for me. I think I sometimes have difficulty reading about music and dance, rather I would rather listen to the music and see the dance. Who knows, maybe I'll download some Indian music tonight! There were some particular things that I took away from this chapter which I thought were really interesting. I think it it funny that in traditional dance only the men can play the parts, so they must dress as women if there is a role for women in the dance. What is interesting is that this form of dance feels threatened by Hindi films that actually use females for the female roles.
After reading about the classical dance, I would really love to see this performed at some point. Who knows, maybe this summer! The dances share elements of vocabulary with music. Expressive gestures and movements are combined with rhythm that is beaten out by the feet. Bells are worn around the ankles in order to emphasize the footwork. The vocabulary and gesture allows the dancer to provide a setting, a character, or idea. Many of the best loved dance dramas are from Hindu epics, myths, and stories. While reading this section, it reminded me of a ballet. The way they tell stories through dance must be similar to the classical Indian dance. I think it would be interesting to see the dance in order to compare the styles with one another.
As with everything else it seems in India, dance and music aren't just purely for entertainment. They too serve religious and sacred value. Indo-Islamic musical subcultures are growing today. Many dances are performed for the deities and songs are performed as a religious act (similar to the Western culture's worship). Many of the types of elements and instruments used in Indian music was quite foreign to me, although some are the same. There are five key elements in making music, according to the Indians--raga (tone), the beat, the drone, and the interplay between improvisation and composed segments in a particular work. Music and dance in India has kept many roots, but has changed and transformed a great deal in recent years due to globalization of mass media, new technology, etc.
After reading about the classical dance, I would really love to see this performed at some point. Who knows, maybe this summer! The dances share elements of vocabulary with music. Expressive gestures and movements are combined with rhythm that is beaten out by the feet. Bells are worn around the ankles in order to emphasize the footwork. The vocabulary and gesture allows the dancer to provide a setting, a character, or idea. Many of the best loved dance dramas are from Hindu epics, myths, and stories. While reading this section, it reminded me of a ballet. The way they tell stories through dance must be similar to the classical Indian dance. I think it would be interesting to see the dance in order to compare the styles with one another.
As with everything else it seems in India, dance and music aren't just purely for entertainment. They too serve religious and sacred value. Indo-Islamic musical subcultures are growing today. Many dances are performed for the deities and songs are performed as a religious act (similar to the Western culture's worship). Many of the types of elements and instruments used in Indian music was quite foreign to me, although some are the same. There are five key elements in making music, according to the Indians--raga (tone), the beat, the drone, and the interplay between improvisation and composed segments in a particular work. Music and dance in India has kept many roots, but has changed and transformed a great deal in recent years due to globalization of mass media, new technology, etc.
Chapter 10: Social Customs and Lifestyles
I feel like this section was a kind of catch all for all the information that the author wanted to include but didn’t know where to put. That made for an interesting, if scattered, read. So, that will probably be reflected in this blog!
First, I found the section on origin myths to be very interesting. I do not know of any origin myths locally, but I am sure that there have been some, especially among the Native Americans. However, what I found intriguing about the names of these places is that sometimes places are named badly in order to not catch the attention of the evil eye. I read earlier in the book about parents naming their children in a similar way. They used the example of a place being called “Big Sand Dune” in order not to draw attention to itself. I still do not know what the evil eye is, but it must be a big deal to cause all of this!
I also liked learning about the concept of “big” and “little” men. Even more, I liked that there were sometimes called “cooked” and “raw” men. Patrons are the big people in a community and they act in a sort of patriarchal way, whereas the little men are subordinates that are expected to be loyal. I think the thing I related to this most is the idea of our government and how we are supposed to support their decisions and be loyal as they “watch over us” in a way. (at least that is somewhat the hope) I don’t know if that is how they look at it, but that is the first thing that came to my mind.
This chapter also mentions marriage again. Although they did talk about caste, I did not find that anything new was said. However, when discussing marriage, the author states that the “family that receives the bride is superior to the family that gives the bride.” I was confused by this because I couldn’t tell if it meant that the woman was valuable, and thus whoever had her was the superior one or if it meant that the husband’s family was always seen as superior to the wife’s family. Either way, I think this is an interesting point that can parallel American society because it seems to me that when a couple gets married it is the woman’s family, generally, who more often feels like they are losing their daughter as opposed to the man’s family feeling a loss of a son. This could have something to do with the fact that both societies (for the most part, the reading says that there are some exceptions in India) are based in descent through the father’s line.
First, I found the section on origin myths to be very interesting. I do not know of any origin myths locally, but I am sure that there have been some, especially among the Native Americans. However, what I found intriguing about the names of these places is that sometimes places are named badly in order to not catch the attention of the evil eye. I read earlier in the book about parents naming their children in a similar way. They used the example of a place being called “Big Sand Dune” in order not to draw attention to itself. I still do not know what the evil eye is, but it must be a big deal to cause all of this!
I also liked learning about the concept of “big” and “little” men. Even more, I liked that there were sometimes called “cooked” and “raw” men. Patrons are the big people in a community and they act in a sort of patriarchal way, whereas the little men are subordinates that are expected to be loyal. I think the thing I related to this most is the idea of our government and how we are supposed to support their decisions and be loyal as they “watch over us” in a way. (at least that is somewhat the hope) I don’t know if that is how they look at it, but that is the first thing that came to my mind.
This chapter also mentions marriage again. Although they did talk about caste, I did not find that anything new was said. However, when discussing marriage, the author states that the “family that receives the bride is superior to the family that gives the bride.” I was confused by this because I couldn’t tell if it meant that the woman was valuable, and thus whoever had her was the superior one or if it meant that the husband’s family was always seen as superior to the wife’s family. Either way, I think this is an interesting point that can parallel American society because it seems to me that when a couple gets married it is the woman’s family, generally, who more often feels like they are losing their daughter as opposed to the man’s family feeling a loss of a son. This could have something to do with the fact that both societies (for the most part, the reading says that there are some exceptions in India) are based in descent through the father’s line.
Chapter 8: Festivals and Lesiure Activities
This chapter was fun to read! From this chapter alone, India seems to be a pretty exciting place. There are hundreds of different festivals each year in India--from domestic events to large Indian holidays. I realize that not all people participate in all festivities, but it seems that at any given time in India, there is some type of festival or special activity going on somewhere. Apparently communities even compete to put on the best display or hire the most popular musicians for some local festivals. One of the festivals I enjoyed reading about what the festival for Ganesh's birthday. Ganesh is one of the gods worshipped by Hindu's. For Ganesh's birthday there is a procession to the sea where celebrants immerse Ganesh images in the water. These images can be anything from pictures to large clay replicas of the deity. While in India, I was actually able to see some of these large idols made to celebrate Ganesh's birthday. These statues were so elaborate and artistically beautiful--it amazes me that they were made with the purpose of being thrown in a river! On the day after the festival, the waters of Mumbai are tinted with paints from the decorations. I bet this is an interesting site to see! So many people come to celebrate Ganesh's birthday that it's polluting the water to an extent that environmentalists become concerned over the toxins in the water!
Another interesting festival is Holi. This is celebrated on the lunar year's end. For this holiday people get to violate normal rules of social respect. For example, children are allowed to mock adults, women can tease men, and men horseplay with one another. If you ask me, this sounds like a pretty funny festival to attend!
For the seasons of the year, there are different festivals to represent those seasons. Spring festivals conclude the winter season and begin the hot. This festival is for hopes of a good crop. The fall festivals mark the harvest, the cold season is a time for cattle fairs and weddings, and the hot season is the time of the Goddess. Pilgrimages are also popular festivals. These can include a trip to the Ganges to spread ashes of a deceased parent, or a trip to a nearby shrine, or a trip across India to a particular place. I am amazed at all of the festivals and activities that take place in India! With all that goes on, we are bound to end up being in India during at least one festival this summer!
Another interesting festival is Holi. This is celebrated on the lunar year's end. For this holiday people get to violate normal rules of social respect. For example, children are allowed to mock adults, women can tease men, and men horseplay with one another. If you ask me, this sounds like a pretty funny festival to attend!
For the seasons of the year, there are different festivals to represent those seasons. Spring festivals conclude the winter season and begin the hot. This festival is for hopes of a good crop. The fall festivals mark the harvest, the cold season is a time for cattle fairs and weddings, and the hot season is the time of the Goddess. Pilgrimages are also popular festivals. These can include a trip to the Ganges to spread ashes of a deceased parent, or a trip to a nearby shrine, or a trip across India to a particular place. I am amazed at all of the festivals and activities that take place in India! With all that goes on, we are bound to end up being in India during at least one festival this summer!
Chapter 7: Women, Marriage, and Family
This chapter was extremely interesting to me. It definitely portrayed the hardships women in India face. The first thing that came to mind, besides the sadness that I feel for these women, is the thankfulness that I should feel yet I take advantage of every day. While in the United States today, women may not be completely equal in some ways to men, we have come so far. As a woman, I can vote, I can become educated, I can choose a career, I can decide who I am going to marry, and the list goes on and on. These are things that I so often take for granted, that the women of India today do not have the privilege of being a part of.
This chapter opened my eyes to the inequality of women in India. So often, I think of the oppression of women as something that used to happen but it isn't so bad today. Well, that's just not true. Today, women in India are disadvantaged with respect to inheritance and property rights. Women's wages are approximately half those paid to men. Less than 40% of women are enrolled in secondary school, and even less than that are enrolled in higher education. Women experience higher mortality rates in the early years due to infanticide, neglect, and abuse. I would have had no idea that infanticide still occurred in India today, except for the fact that I did a project in Cultural Anthropology a couple of years ago about infant infanticide in India. It is tragic that this still occurs today. Women are also eight times as likely to experience the death of a child in India as compared to mothers in the United States. These statistics and facts were absolutely shocking to me as I read this chapter.
The author says that "parents say they give extra affection to the daughter in order to compensate for the hard life she will live after she marries." I am not certain as to whether Indian girls receive extra affection, but from the reading I can see the hard life the women experience after marriage. The caste system restricts the choice of marriage partners, and marriages are still often arranged for women. I can remember looking at the newspapers in India and seeing the huge sections with available men and women so that a marriage could be arranged. After the marriage the bride must move in with her husband and his family. She must learn about the the family history from the mother in law. The husband's family makes decisions about work, the children's schooling, and even birth control. In many cases the family farm is the primary work site for most women. As a "good wife" a woman devotes herself to her husband's welfare through performance of religious ritual, household duties, and chastity.
It seems contradictory to me that so much oppression towards women occurs in India, yet India is one of the few countries that has had a woman as the head of state. Maybe this is an encouraging fact--that women will be able to be more equal and to have more opportunities in their country. Maybe Indian women will be able to slowly escape from the difficult lives they now live and in the future they will be more free and equal.
This chapter opened my eyes to the inequality of women in India. So often, I think of the oppression of women as something that used to happen but it isn't so bad today. Well, that's just not true. Today, women in India are disadvantaged with respect to inheritance and property rights. Women's wages are approximately half those paid to men. Less than 40% of women are enrolled in secondary school, and even less than that are enrolled in higher education. Women experience higher mortality rates in the early years due to infanticide, neglect, and abuse. I would have had no idea that infanticide still occurred in India today, except for the fact that I did a project in Cultural Anthropology a couple of years ago about infant infanticide in India. It is tragic that this still occurs today. Women are also eight times as likely to experience the death of a child in India as compared to mothers in the United States. These statistics and facts were absolutely shocking to me as I read this chapter.
The author says that "parents say they give extra affection to the daughter in order to compensate for the hard life she will live after she marries." I am not certain as to whether Indian girls receive extra affection, but from the reading I can see the hard life the women experience after marriage. The caste system restricts the choice of marriage partners, and marriages are still often arranged for women. I can remember looking at the newspapers in India and seeing the huge sections with available men and women so that a marriage could be arranged. After the marriage the bride must move in with her husband and his family. She must learn about the the family history from the mother in law. The husband's family makes decisions about work, the children's schooling, and even birth control. In many cases the family farm is the primary work site for most women. As a "good wife" a woman devotes herself to her husband's welfare through performance of religious ritual, household duties, and chastity.
It seems contradictory to me that so much oppression towards women occurs in India, yet India is one of the few countries that has had a woman as the head of state. Maybe this is an encouraging fact--that women will be able to be more equal and to have more opportunities in their country. Maybe Indian women will be able to slowly escape from the difficult lives they now live and in the future they will be more free and equal.
Chapter 9: Music and Dance
This chapter talked about a lot of things that were familiar to me from taking Cultural Anthropology. For instance, in native dances, only men are included, so female parts are played by men dressed up as women. These dances are often related to myths and native Indian stories. I found it interesting that these dancing groups feel threatened by bigger Hindi films that do include actual women and think that this could mean that they come to be ignored.
When I think of music and dance, I primarily think about entertainment and recreation. However, this is not necessarily the case for Indians. Music and dance holds a very important and serious part in their culture and is not only for entertainment. They can be used (as in the West) for religious purposes, for group cohesiveness, for teaching, and, surprisingly, even for protest. The text mentions how people who are subordinated often utilize music and dance to express that dissatisfaction.
One problem with Indian music and dance becoming more modern and popular is sexuality. One reason for this is that much of the dance was seen from ladies who worked in the temples and were also prostitutes. I understand how this can be questionable in society, but then the author goes on to talk about how men and women holding hand is also unacceptable. I think it is strange that there are these extremes…I mean prostitutes dancing or holding hands?...
Dancing and music were also related because they can be used in nation building. After India gained its independence from Britain, these medias were used to build Indian cohesiveness and unity. How cool it is that this is not just done by politicians and national leaders through speeches and executive decisions, but also by the average person through their song and dance!
The text also speaks of different musical elements and instruments that were very foreign to me. I had never thought about it before reading this, but Indians have different music theory from the west. It makes sense that they would since they had also had music for millennia, but I guess I just assumed that everyone used the same system of music and theory to understand it. Clearly, this would not be the case, so this was an “ah-hah!” moment for me! That seems to be happening a lot through this text, and that is certainly a good thing!
When I think of music and dance, I primarily think about entertainment and recreation. However, this is not necessarily the case for Indians. Music and dance holds a very important and serious part in their culture and is not only for entertainment. They can be used (as in the West) for religious purposes, for group cohesiveness, for teaching, and, surprisingly, even for protest. The text mentions how people who are subordinated often utilize music and dance to express that dissatisfaction.
One problem with Indian music and dance becoming more modern and popular is sexuality. One reason for this is that much of the dance was seen from ladies who worked in the temples and were also prostitutes. I understand how this can be questionable in society, but then the author goes on to talk about how men and women holding hand is also unacceptable. I think it is strange that there are these extremes…I mean prostitutes dancing or holding hands?...
Dancing and music were also related because they can be used in nation building. After India gained its independence from Britain, these medias were used to build Indian cohesiveness and unity. How cool it is that this is not just done by politicians and national leaders through speeches and executive decisions, but also by the average person through their song and dance!
The text also speaks of different musical elements and instruments that were very foreign to me. I had never thought about it before reading this, but Indians have different music theory from the west. It makes sense that they would since they had also had music for millennia, but I guess I just assumed that everyone used the same system of music and theory to understand it. Clearly, this would not be the case, so this was an “ah-hah!” moment for me! That seems to be happening a lot through this text, and that is certainly a good thing!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Chapter 8: Festival and Leisure Activities
At the beginning of this chapter, it was describing festivals as times of “intensified social and ritual interaction”. I read this and thought…do we have festivals in the US? Of course we do, but there for a split second, I did not realize it. But just think…Christmas, Easter, the 4th of July, Mother’s Day, etc. Of course, we see them as holidays, and “festivals” seems like a word for something foreign that goes on in other countries, however, we think that just because it is unfamiliar. So, there before I really even got into the reading, another assumption in me was disproven!
I found the frequency and variety of festivals in India interesting to me. This states that every “village, city neighborhood, and squatter settlement probably has at least one…committee that plans…and organizes its festivals.” (142) I found this interesting because I feel like, at least in my experience, “festivals” that I am familiar with are not organized or planned by a committee, but are celebrated in their own ways by families, friends, neighbors, or religious groups…not by a committee specific to a political location. Does this mean that Festivals are celebrated by the majority of people in the same way in a specific area?
The seasons in India also directly reflect the season. People have more time to celebrate in the cold season because planting does not consume their time, whereas it does in the hot season. Therefore, sometimes festivals revolve around that. However, festivals are often also focused around times of harvest, which reminded me somewhat of our Thanksgiving.
However, as static as festivals can sometimes seem, the author points out that like everything else, things have to change. An intriguing example of this was how Hindus noticed that many Indians were converting to Christianity and Buddhism because of how they had suffered from lack of economic gain in the 1990’s. (felt excluded under Hinduism) So, the “Sanskritization of festivals” was adopted to be more inclusive.
I found the frequency and variety of festivals in India interesting to me. This states that every “village, city neighborhood, and squatter settlement probably has at least one…committee that plans…and organizes its festivals.” (142) I found this interesting because I feel like, at least in my experience, “festivals” that I am familiar with are not organized or planned by a committee, but are celebrated in their own ways by families, friends, neighbors, or religious groups…not by a committee specific to a political location. Does this mean that Festivals are celebrated by the majority of people in the same way in a specific area?
The seasons in India also directly reflect the season. People have more time to celebrate in the cold season because planting does not consume their time, whereas it does in the hot season. Therefore, sometimes festivals revolve around that. However, festivals are often also focused around times of harvest, which reminded me somewhat of our Thanksgiving.
However, as static as festivals can sometimes seem, the author points out that like everything else, things have to change. An intriguing example of this was how Hindus noticed that many Indians were converting to Christianity and Buddhism because of how they had suffered from lack of economic gain in the 1990’s. (felt excluded under Hinduism) So, the “Sanskritization of festivals” was adopted to be more inclusive.
Chapter 7: Women, Marriage, and Family
At least from this reading, there is nothing easy about being a woman in India. There were several things that I had heard about India before reading this article that I assumed had ended…like infanticide of female children…that indeed have not ended. This was a shock to me, because even though I knew it did go on at one point, after reading about how much India has moved on from the stereotypical images…this is one that is still around, which is saddening to me.
It is always interesting for me to study women in different countries, because I am also a history major and have taken the course, “Women in European History” and am currently taking “Southern Women of the 18-19th Centuries.” Therefore, I often find comparisons from these classes to other women’s groups I study. I did this with this reading regarding what Indians regard as the “good woman”. A good woman for them is supposed to restrict her personal mobility, control her sexuality, and subordinate herself to her family’s interests. It also states that Indian women want to be the perfect wives and devote themselves to their husband’s best interests. This is VERY similar to the expectations of a Southern woman in the 17-1800’s because she was expected to be domestic, pure, and self sacrificing (as well as pious). I found this parallel very interesting as I reflected on readings from both classes.
Finally, I also was interested to see how marriages worked in India because I had so many images of arranged marriages, etc. in my mind that I wanted to see if they were true. Again, turns out, at least in part, they are. I thought it was so interesting that instead of wedding announcements, they put singles ads in the Sunday newspaper! Also, sometimes children are “wed” as young children and then a commitment ceremony is performed secondarily after the acts of marriage can be performed. For women who want our of an arranged marriage, they can either elope, refuse a proposal, run away, or disappear from the honeymoon. But it isn’t as easy as that…if the families have already exchanged dowry items, everything gets more complicated because sometimes things cant just be given back. I thought it was strange how if this happened, another woman would be offered as a substitute. My initial reaction to this is to be outraged, but after thinking about it, I realize that this is not so strange for them because it is their culture. Although they may not all like it, it is not strange to them in the way it is to me because I am the one living in a culture that is almost totally opposite in regards to marriage practices. Therefore, this was a good lesson in keeping a cultural relativist mindset.
It is always interesting for me to study women in different countries, because I am also a history major and have taken the course, “Women in European History” and am currently taking “Southern Women of the 18-19th Centuries.” Therefore, I often find comparisons from these classes to other women’s groups I study. I did this with this reading regarding what Indians regard as the “good woman”. A good woman for them is supposed to restrict her personal mobility, control her sexuality, and subordinate herself to her family’s interests. It also states that Indian women want to be the perfect wives and devote themselves to their husband’s best interests. This is VERY similar to the expectations of a Southern woman in the 17-1800’s because she was expected to be domestic, pure, and self sacrificing (as well as pious). I found this parallel very interesting as I reflected on readings from both classes.
Finally, I also was interested to see how marriages worked in India because I had so many images of arranged marriages, etc. in my mind that I wanted to see if they were true. Again, turns out, at least in part, they are. I thought it was so interesting that instead of wedding announcements, they put singles ads in the Sunday newspaper! Also, sometimes children are “wed” as young children and then a commitment ceremony is performed secondarily after the acts of marriage can be performed. For women who want our of an arranged marriage, they can either elope, refuse a proposal, run away, or disappear from the honeymoon. But it isn’t as easy as that…if the families have already exchanged dowry items, everything gets more complicated because sometimes things cant just be given back. I thought it was strange how if this happened, another woman would be offered as a substitute. My initial reaction to this is to be outraged, but after thinking about it, I realize that this is not so strange for them because it is their culture. Although they may not all like it, it is not strange to them in the way it is to me because I am the one living in a culture that is almost totally opposite in regards to marriage practices. Therefore, this was a good lesson in keeping a cultural relativist mindset.
Chapter 6: Food and Dress
Well, so far this is probably my favorite chapter. I mean really, who doesn't like to talk about food, and what girl doesn't like to talk about clothes? This chapter was just fun. It was also very interesting though, especially to learn about foods and the meaning behind them along with the meaning behind the dress worn in India. Throughout this chapter I was constantly reminded about experiences that I have had while in India--some of which I had completely forgotten about until reading this chapter. It is really neat to understand more of what I have already seen and experienced in order to better prepare me for this coming summer. It was a nice "stroll through memory lane" while reading this chapter, but more than that I was really grasping the meaning behind a lot of what I saw and experienced.
The first thing that really caught my attention in this chapter was when the author mentioned that foods have supernatural characteristics. This again reminded me of the fact that in India, the natural and the supernatural are intertwined. We have now seen this in the family, in the land, and now we are seeing the supernatural in food. Foods are often used for ritual purity and given to the gods as a sacrifice. Foods can also have "hot" and "cold" qualities, and these are the supernatural qualities of the food. Within these, there are also three categories of food: earth and water, fire, and air and sky. By eating different categories of foods, people can affect their inner nature or people can attain a desired state by what they eat. This "natural" thing--food--is also used for the supernatural. I really though the tie between this and family, and land truly portrays the the the natural and supernatural are intertwined.
I also thought it was interesting the amount that food and dress vary from region to region. For some reason, as a Westerner I seem to lump all of India into one category. How unfair is that?! I mean, in the United States, South Carolina is very different from California--so why would I expect the entire nation to share the same foods and clothing styles? It's interesting the things that this book brings up that I have never thought about before, yet they seem like such trivial facts sometimes. I guess that just shows how blinded I can be sometimes.
When it comes to clothing, color really does matter. Red, green, and yellow are considered happy colors and they are associated with fertility and good luck. White, pale blue, and lavender represent mourning. Blue and green often have diverse meanings. Many middle class youth in India today show that they are trendy by following western fashions. I can remember this first hand when I met a girl my age in India. We ended up hanging out for awhile and talking, and I remember laughing to myself as I looked down and I was wearing a salwar kamiz and she was wearing jeans and a Nike t-shirt. What reversed roles we seemed to be playing. This is becoming very popular among teens in India today. Middle class wives typically wear the traditional sari, while middle class mean wear Western clothing. Farmers, and lower class individuals usually wear traditional Indian attire.
The first thing that really caught my attention in this chapter was when the author mentioned that foods have supernatural characteristics. This again reminded me of the fact that in India, the natural and the supernatural are intertwined. We have now seen this in the family, in the land, and now we are seeing the supernatural in food. Foods are often used for ritual purity and given to the gods as a sacrifice. Foods can also have "hot" and "cold" qualities, and these are the supernatural qualities of the food. Within these, there are also three categories of food: earth and water, fire, and air and sky. By eating different categories of foods, people can affect their inner nature or people can attain a desired state by what they eat. This "natural" thing--food--is also used for the supernatural. I really though the tie between this and family, and land truly portrays the the the natural and supernatural are intertwined.
I also thought it was interesting the amount that food and dress vary from region to region. For some reason, as a Westerner I seem to lump all of India into one category. How unfair is that?! I mean, in the United States, South Carolina is very different from California--so why would I expect the entire nation to share the same foods and clothing styles? It's interesting the things that this book brings up that I have never thought about before, yet they seem like such trivial facts sometimes. I guess that just shows how blinded I can be sometimes.
When it comes to clothing, color really does matter. Red, green, and yellow are considered happy colors and they are associated with fertility and good luck. White, pale blue, and lavender represent mourning. Blue and green often have diverse meanings. Many middle class youth in India today show that they are trendy by following western fashions. I can remember this first hand when I met a girl my age in India. We ended up hanging out for awhile and talking, and I remember laughing to myself as I looked down and I was wearing a salwar kamiz and she was wearing jeans and a Nike t-shirt. What reversed roles we seemed to be playing. This is becoming very popular among teens in India today. Middle class wives typically wear the traditional sari, while middle class mean wear Western clothing. Farmers, and lower class individuals usually wear traditional Indian attire.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Chapter 6: Food and Dress
(Indian Bride)
This was one of the most interesting chapters for me so far because so much of it will be related to the trip to India this summer. I will see, smell, and eat these foods that I am reading about and see people dressed in this way, which makes this reading very exciting!
It is very easy to overlook, but food and dress have so much to do with status, religion, politics, etc. so it was good that this chapter reminded me of this.
When I think of Indian food, I think that it is very distinctly India...it is different from Chinese and Japanese, different from Thai...it is just INDIAN. One thing I found very interesting from this reading was that so many of the ingredients we see in India food is not Indian at all. These include peanuts, chilies, tea, millet, etc. Sometimes it is easy to forget that India was a British colony for so long and was very involved with trade, so it would make sense that they have incorporated ingredients from all over the world. However, until I read this chapter...that had not clicked with me yet!
Foods are also seen as either "hot or cold" and hot foods cause different reactions in people than hot foods do according to Indian tradition. Hot foods (such as pork, beef, intoxicants) cause courage, restlessness, and anticipation for action. Cold foods (like dairy, honey, chicken, etc) produce spirituality. This is interesting to me because there is no such concept that is defined in western society that I know of, but there are also some similarities. For instance, I have heard of people having a "stiff drink" to build up courage in anticipation of some action. However, the more direct association to western culture is that it seems to me that "hot" foods are things that men stereotypically eat more and "cold" foods are more stereotypically female in western culture. This is intriguing to me because this could also perpetuate the stereotype that men are more courageous and prone to action, whereas women are more spiritual. I just thought that was an interesting parallel.
As far as dress is concerned, I chuckled when I read, " 'Pink is the navy blue of India'". I noticed this in my last post as well (in the last chapter) through the "Pink City" so I found this interesting. I also liked learning about what different colors represented in Indian culture. For instance, red, green, and yellow are seen as happy colors--relating to fertility and good luck. I found it interesting that colors of mourning were white and pale colors...very different from the West which uses black to signify mourning. Would this be because after death or in times of sickness the body loses its color? I wondered this, but the text did not provide answers like this.
Brides often wear red and it is interesting how many garments a bride is required to have--some given by the groom's family, some by her family, but many of them she makes herself. Jewelry is also crucial to a bride and to a married woman. Different types of jewelry signify different things such as a bride, married woman, widow, etc. There are also other interesting symbols of a bride that are worth mentioning, one of which is that the husband puts a red streak in the part of the woman's hair to signify their "happy conjugal life."
Chapter 5: Landscape and Architecture
"the Pink City"
I love architecture. I always have. In 7th grade I went to New York City and my friends came back with tons of pictures of their friends and I had ALL photos of buildings. I went to England over interim and the architecture was one of things I loved most about the country. I love architecture. That means that I found this chapter very interesting!
Being a history major, I could relate to how the author talked about how cities were often build around bodies of water. This is very typical of civilization in general. However, I found it interesting how these settlements are divided into different areas depending on whether it was a village or city. It was also interesting to me that people build their homes out of different materials (kaccha or pakka) depending on their socioeconomic status. Kaccha homes are made out of perishable materials whereas pakka homes are built of permanent substances. This is important to remember when Claire and I go to India because we will encounter people of differing classes and it is important to remember how they live and how that is reflective of their status in India society.
There are also several cultural points that are made in this chapter that will be relevant to adapting to indian culture. For instance, the text points out that it is customary to remove your shoes when entering private space. Also, the kitchen of a home is considered the most pure part of the home and at times this area is cut off from certain people, such as menstruating women and people of low caste. When living in India, this is something I need to know in order to be able to relate to people effectively and in a way that does not make them uncomfortable or offended. Another cultural point that I found interesting was that there were no tombs in India until the Muslims introduced them because Hindus tended to cremate their dead...so until the Muslims introduced burial, there were no major architecturally significant tombs.
I also found that I liked the cohesiveness of the cities described in India that seems so different from American or English cities. For instance, Jaipur is the "Pink City" because it was decreed that all buildings not already made of the pink sandstone should be painted pink. It is almost like some cities have a theme! It also talked about another city that was largely made of curves in order to represent the nature of light! I find that very interesting and reflective of how the idea of urban areas and development is different in India than it is in America.
I think all in all, the hardest parts about this reading is that it is hard for me to visualize some of the structures that are described because they are so foreign to me. Also, I find myself getting bogged down in names of places and people which makes the text harder to follow.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Chapter 5: Landscape and Architecture
This chapter was a bit easier for me to get through than the last (thank goodness!). This chapter was still a little difficult because of all of the history involved. A lot of information and history was discussed from before the 4th century to basically the present. That's a lot to cover in one chapter! It was still interesting to read about the landscape and architecture and their significance to the Indian culture and system of beliefs.
In the section about shelter and settlement patterns, the author mentions how the villagers divide their lands by use in which a village map is also a map of social relationships and history. The author also mentions the relationship the men and women have with houses and the structures that are built. The idea of relationships and roles reminded me of the reading from chapter three about world views. The more I'm reading, the more I'm understanding just how much India seems to be a relational society. From the importance placed on the family, to the social relationship that is placed among the village. The relational values tend to seep into all areas of social life.
The section on sacred geography was also quite interesting. A previous chapter also mentioned how the material world and the supernatural worlds are intertwined in the Indian society. This is most evident in sacred geography. For example, footwear must come off when entering a private area (such as a house, a mosque, or a temple). That is because these places are considered sacred and as an act of respect, the shoes are taken off. Also, this section mentioned the fact that the Ganges River is not only a river but it is also considered a goddess. Forests and trees are also considered to have guardian divinities. Within the geography of India, there are many sacred aspects. This shows just how much the material and supernatural worlds are not separate, but they are one.
The rest of the chapter was focused on significant geographical and architectural happenings from before the 4th century until after independence. Because this is a lot of information, and not as much to reflect on, I'm going to take this time to run through the information and mention some of the things I found most interesting. Before the 4th century, stupas were built throughout north and south India. Stupas contained relics of a holy figure. No free standing architecture is known for this early period, although rock cut architecture was most significant. During the 4th to the 12th century, free standing stone temples came about. Worshippers would enter from a secular space and move into the increasingly sacred space, which would end in the temples darkest heart. The temples contain platforms, an entrance porch, an assembly hall, an innermost chamber of the deity, and the temples highest spire. During the 12th-20th century Islam brought the mosque to India, the custom of burying, and the tomb became a significant structure. Growth of regional traditions, new palaces, forts, merchants' homes, and other structures were built. Groups that prospered during this time translated their success into elaborate structures. After independence, there was much need for schools, government buildings, housing for the poor, and urban renewal. Also, settlements were established in concentric rings with commercial at the core, residential districts, the middle and working class families, and then on the outside was the unused land where squatters live. While these sections did not provide me with a lot to reflect on, I found the information interesting and I feel like I learned a lot about the land and architecture from this reading.
In the section about shelter and settlement patterns, the author mentions how the villagers divide their lands by use in which a village map is also a map of social relationships and history. The author also mentions the relationship the men and women have with houses and the structures that are built. The idea of relationships and roles reminded me of the reading from chapter three about world views. The more I'm reading, the more I'm understanding just how much India seems to be a relational society. From the importance placed on the family, to the social relationship that is placed among the village. The relational values tend to seep into all areas of social life.
The section on sacred geography was also quite interesting. A previous chapter also mentioned how the material world and the supernatural worlds are intertwined in the Indian society. This is most evident in sacred geography. For example, footwear must come off when entering a private area (such as a house, a mosque, or a temple). That is because these places are considered sacred and as an act of respect, the shoes are taken off. Also, this section mentioned the fact that the Ganges River is not only a river but it is also considered a goddess. Forests and trees are also considered to have guardian divinities. Within the geography of India, there are many sacred aspects. This shows just how much the material and supernatural worlds are not separate, but they are one.
The rest of the chapter was focused on significant geographical and architectural happenings from before the 4th century until after independence. Because this is a lot of information, and not as much to reflect on, I'm going to take this time to run through the information and mention some of the things I found most interesting. Before the 4th century, stupas were built throughout north and south India. Stupas contained relics of a holy figure. No free standing architecture is known for this early period, although rock cut architecture was most significant. During the 4th to the 12th century, free standing stone temples came about. Worshippers would enter from a secular space and move into the increasingly sacred space, which would end in the temples darkest heart. The temples contain platforms, an entrance porch, an assembly hall, an innermost chamber of the deity, and the temples highest spire. During the 12th-20th century Islam brought the mosque to India, the custom of burying, and the tomb became a significant structure. Growth of regional traditions, new palaces, forts, merchants' homes, and other structures were built. Groups that prospered during this time translated their success into elaborate structures. After independence, there was much need for schools, government buildings, housing for the poor, and urban renewal. Also, settlements were established in concentric rings with commercial at the core, residential districts, the middle and working class families, and then on the outside was the unused land where squatters live. While these sections did not provide me with a lot to reflect on, I found the information interesting and I feel like I learned a lot about the land and architecture from this reading.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Chapter 4: Art and Literature
This was probably the hardest chapter for me to read thus far. This chapter deals a lot with asceticism in art and how different cultural circumstances determine that art of a period. For instance, the author makes a point that the state has been integral to Indian history, and this is reflected in the art of the different times.
Before reading this chapter, I thought that Indian art was probably distinctly religious in nature for the most part. It is certainly true that some Indian art does deal with religion—such as the art focused on the god Kali that is mentioned at the beginning of the chapter, but not all Indian art is religious. In fact, I found it interesting that the author made the point that Indian art is neither religious nor sacred. In fact, the religious and the secular are not neatly separated at all.
Of the art that is religious, the artists emphasis is often on the eyes of the deity. They are usually huge in proportion to the rest of the face. What I found most interesting about this is that the artists make the eyes the finishing touch of their piece by “opening” the eyes to awaken the deity.
As far as literature is concerned, the most interesting parts where when the author talked about literary aesthetics. I had not really thought about literary aesthetics before, so it was interesting to think of focusing on sound patterns, rhythm, rhyme, and interplay of different word meanings. I think in a western context we deal much more with what a piece of literature means rather than how it sounds, so I guess this is just a cultural difference of how literature is appreciated.
Although this chapter was hard to get through, I think I did get some useful pieces of information about Indian art and literature.
Before reading this chapter, I thought that Indian art was probably distinctly religious in nature for the most part. It is certainly true that some Indian art does deal with religion—such as the art focused on the god Kali that is mentioned at the beginning of the chapter, but not all Indian art is religious. In fact, I found it interesting that the author made the point that Indian art is neither religious nor sacred. In fact, the religious and the secular are not neatly separated at all.
Of the art that is religious, the artists emphasis is often on the eyes of the deity. They are usually huge in proportion to the rest of the face. What I found most interesting about this is that the artists make the eyes the finishing touch of their piece by “opening” the eyes to awaken the deity.
As far as literature is concerned, the most interesting parts where when the author talked about literary aesthetics. I had not really thought about literary aesthetics before, so it was interesting to think of focusing on sound patterns, rhythm, rhyme, and interplay of different word meanings. I think in a western context we deal much more with what a piece of literature means rather than how it sounds, so I guess this is just a cultural difference of how literature is appreciated.
Although this chapter was hard to get through, I think I did get some useful pieces of information about Indian art and literature.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Chapter 4: Art and Literature
Well, I'll have to admit, this chapter was quite difficult for me to get through. The chapter was about art and literature and it discussed art from the fourth centure to the present, and literature from that point to the present as well. I am not an art history "buff" by any stretch, nor am I a history person...so that made this material quite dense for me to read. It's also difficult to read through that amount of history in a few short pages. Ok...with all my complaining aside, I did find some things interesting.
In the beginning of the chapter the author discusses aesthetics. She mentioned that a good portion of Indian art has been produced in the context of religious use. I was struct by this part because I could really understand the truth in this statement. I have had the priviledge of going to India before, and after seeing first hand the elaborate temples and ornate shrines, this statement really rang true to me. The temples themselves are massive pieces of artwork it seems, and that's not to mention the ornate things that are found inside. They truly are artistic in nature. While in India I was also able to visit an idol factory. This was amazing to see as streets of a small section of town made up this factory, and there were hundreds, even thousands of idols being built in this area. They were all built with clay and straw, and as the author of the book mentioned, many images are used only once for a festival, worshipped, and then sunk into a river or pond. This was true of the idols I saw while at the idol factory. This portion of the chapter in particular really struck me because I could visualize from first hand experience what the author was describing. The idols that are worshipped each day are pieces of art and creativity, that although I do not worship these gods, they are more than impressive to appreciate for their aesthetic and artistic appeal.
In the beginning of the chapter the author discusses aesthetics. She mentioned that a good portion of Indian art has been produced in the context of religious use. I was struct by this part because I could really understand the truth in this statement. I have had the priviledge of going to India before, and after seeing first hand the elaborate temples and ornate shrines, this statement really rang true to me. The temples themselves are massive pieces of artwork it seems, and that's not to mention the ornate things that are found inside. They truly are artistic in nature. While in India I was also able to visit an idol factory. This was amazing to see as streets of a small section of town made up this factory, and there were hundreds, even thousands of idols being built in this area. They were all built with clay and straw, and as the author of the book mentioned, many images are used only once for a festival, worshipped, and then sunk into a river or pond. This was true of the idols I saw while at the idol factory. This portion of the chapter in particular really struck me because I could visualize from first hand experience what the author was describing. The idols that are worshipped each day are pieces of art and creativity, that although I do not worship these gods, they are more than impressive to appreciate for their aesthetic and artistic appeal.
Chapter 3: World View
Well, I really enjoyed reading this chapter. I feel like the first two chapters included a lot of "nuts and bolts" information, and this chapter really started revealing the Indian people and the Indian culture. The chapter is entitled "World View" and it discusses the shared systems of values and ideas that are held by the Indian people. I do feel like I learned about many of the things that are valued by the Indian people, and as I think back to my time spent in India and I look ahead to this summer, I am excited to see first hand how these customs are played out.
I enjoyed reading and learning about the amount of emphasis the Indian people place on the family. The author states that "the most important factor framing Indian world view is that of the family." When I think about the Indian people versus American people, I think about how differently the average American family looks to the Indian people compared to what they are familiar with. I wonder if they see American families as distant, as too busy, or if they see American families as similar to how they view their own families? I don't know. I would imagine it would be the first I mentioned, but I think that would be interesting to investigate. The author also mentioned that children realize they are part of internal hierarchies. This is seen by the responsibilities they have within the family and is a good example of how the society works. The Indian society is based on hierarchy, and within the family there is a smaller, more specialized "society" it seems.
The chapter also mentioned the nature of the unverise and that there are three things that are regarded highly: duty, action, and experience. When reading these things it was amazing how they all focused back on the family at some point or another. Duty is seen in the family because each member of the family has duties to fulfill, and they family is the happiest when these specialized dutues are completed (this reminds me of a well run society in which specialization is a major theme--when people specialize, they are more successful!). Within the family there is also action that must take place. Women must actively struggle to be "good wives" and the householder must act to become a "man-in-the-world." I really think it is neat to see and understand how children in India, and families in India are socialized with such a strong sense of obligation towards the family.
I enjoyed reading and learning about the amount of emphasis the Indian people place on the family. The author states that "the most important factor framing Indian world view is that of the family." When I think about the Indian people versus American people, I think about how differently the average American family looks to the Indian people compared to what they are familiar with. I wonder if they see American families as distant, as too busy, or if they see American families as similar to how they view their own families? I don't know. I would imagine it would be the first I mentioned, but I think that would be interesting to investigate. The author also mentioned that children realize they are part of internal hierarchies. This is seen by the responsibilities they have within the family and is a good example of how the society works. The Indian society is based on hierarchy, and within the family there is a smaller, more specialized "society" it seems.
The chapter also mentioned the nature of the unverise and that there are three things that are regarded highly: duty, action, and experience. When reading these things it was amazing how they all focused back on the family at some point or another. Duty is seen in the family because each member of the family has duties to fulfill, and they family is the happiest when these specialized dutues are completed (this reminds me of a well run society in which specialization is a major theme--when people specialize, they are more successful!). Within the family there is also action that must take place. Women must actively struggle to be "good wives" and the householder must act to become a "man-in-the-world." I really think it is neat to see and understand how children in India, and families in India are socialized with such a strong sense of obligation towards the family.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Chapter 3: World View (Culture and Customs)
I really enjoyed reading this chapter because it showed what it was like to grow up Indian and how people come to certain cultural ways that are so different from what I am used to in the U.S. One thing I learned is how much life in India is centered around the family. I feel like the family is highly regarded in most cultures, but I now see how this is even more so in India. And they do not just mean the nuclear family…but extended family, especially along the paternal line. I found the role of the mother very interesting because the children develop close bonds with all the females of the family, and not just the biological mother, which reinforces that inclusiveness and sense of belonging in the wider scope of the family.
I have heard from various people as I have grown up…especially since I have been an “adult” (I use the term loosely because my mom says that I am not an adult until I am out of the house and paying all my own bills!) that you “love your boys and raise your girls.” Therefore, another point I found interesting was that this seems to be true in Indian culture because the text says that boys are more coddled and girls learn at an earlier age that they have responsibilities. Also, in American culture I have noticed the importance placed on making sure that you treat all your children the same. Therefore, it is interesting to me that Indians do not “expect or attempt” to treat their children all the same! This makes me wonder whether some children feel disadvantaged and less loved, or if it is such a part of their culture that the children do not feel deprived from unequal treatment.
All of this emphasis on the family makes it a virtue to have a large family and network of support. I am very interested in poverty and its effects, so I enjoyed that the author acknowledges how poor families deal with this ideal. They do not have the resources to support a large family because of their economic situation. How does that influence how they construct their family situation? Do they try to maintain ties at the risk of losing them, or cut themselves off completely to avoid that loss?
Finally, I was interested in what the author said about Indian belief in supernatural and natural forces. Here are just a few I found intriguing: parents dress young boys as girls to avoid the Evil Eye, parents give children ugly names also to avoid the Evil Eye, people should not verbalize anything about the future, Tuesdays are in auspicious and bad days to start a trip, and how a person turns out depends on their ancestors and the quality of the soil on which they were raised. Just a couple comments on these: what is the Evil Eye? And what does it mean for poor people that much of who they become is based upon the soil? What if they do not have any soil at all or that which they are raised is infertile for crops, but is rich in minerals? What does “good soil” mean?
I have heard from various people as I have grown up…especially since I have been an “adult” (I use the term loosely because my mom says that I am not an adult until I am out of the house and paying all my own bills!) that you “love your boys and raise your girls.” Therefore, another point I found interesting was that this seems to be true in Indian culture because the text says that boys are more coddled and girls learn at an earlier age that they have responsibilities. Also, in American culture I have noticed the importance placed on making sure that you treat all your children the same. Therefore, it is interesting to me that Indians do not “expect or attempt” to treat their children all the same! This makes me wonder whether some children feel disadvantaged and less loved, or if it is such a part of their culture that the children do not feel deprived from unequal treatment.
All of this emphasis on the family makes it a virtue to have a large family and network of support. I am very interested in poverty and its effects, so I enjoyed that the author acknowledges how poor families deal with this ideal. They do not have the resources to support a large family because of their economic situation. How does that influence how they construct their family situation? Do they try to maintain ties at the risk of losing them, or cut themselves off completely to avoid that loss?
Finally, I was interested in what the author said about Indian belief in supernatural and natural forces. Here are just a few I found intriguing: parents dress young boys as girls to avoid the Evil Eye, parents give children ugly names also to avoid the Evil Eye, people should not verbalize anything about the future, Tuesdays are in auspicious and bad days to start a trip, and how a person turns out depends on their ancestors and the quality of the soil on which they were raised. Just a couple comments on these: what is the Evil Eye? And what does it mean for poor people that much of who they become is based upon the soil? What if they do not have any soil at all or that which they are raised is infertile for crops, but is rich in minerals? What does “good soil” mean?
Chapter 2: Religion
I find studying religions extremely interesting. I love to learn about my own religion along with the belief systems of other people. For these reasons, I really enjoyed reading this chapter about religion. There were many times throughout this chapter that I was reminded of things that I have learned in my Religions of the World class I took a few semesters ago at Wofford. Some of the information, I'll have to admit was a bit rusty, but reading this chapter jogged my memory to some of the things I learned in that class. I believe religion is one of the many reasons I love India. There is such a vastness of religion and religious beliefs among the country which I find to be fascinating.
One of my favorites parts of this chapter was at the very beginning when the author wrote that "religion in India moves with the times." I don't think I have ever thought about this. This may seem silly, but it's true. I am a Christian, and as I have grown up, I feel like there is always a lot of talk about how Christianity has to "change with the times." (I mean this in the sense of how we worship, not who or what we worship.) I know personally at my church we have gone back and forth with an early "contemporary" worship service where the music is comprised of praise songs rather than hymns and the dress is casual rather than formal. "We must change with the times in order to stay current and to connect with people in today's society," many believe. I've thought about this and dealt with this my entire life, but I've never really thought about it occuring among other religions. I always think about India and the old traditions--the temples, the shrines, the sacrifices, etc. Anyways, I thought that was eye opening for me. I believe the author was also meaning how the religion has changed, which is interesting because when I think of religion, I think of something constant. "This is what I believe, and this is why I believe it..." Religion and deities changing with time and circumstance is so strange to me and something that is difficult to get my head around. Reading this made me appreciate both some similarities and differences that I can see among the West and India.
I also appreciated the statistics that were provided. According to the 1991 census, 82% of the population is Hindu, 11.6% is Muslim, 2.2% is Christian, 1.9% is Sikh, .41% is Jain, and .38% is other. How crazy is it that less than 1% of the population is Buddhist?! Buddhism was born in India, and yet today it is so small. Christianity, on the other hand is one of India's fastest growing religions. In America, Christianity is on the decline. It's amazing to me how this shift is occuring, and it makes me wonder why and how these changes occur. I realize that it happens slowly over many years, but that statistic really amazes me. I wonder what the statistics will look like in 10 years, 20 years, or even 50 years from now?
I also enjoyed reading the brief descriptions of the religions that are represented in India so that I could get a better feel for the ones I'm not familiar with. It was also helpful to be reminded of some of the beliefs and values regarded by other religions that I am more familiar with.
One of my favorites parts of this chapter was at the very beginning when the author wrote that "religion in India moves with the times." I don't think I have ever thought about this. This may seem silly, but it's true. I am a Christian, and as I have grown up, I feel like there is always a lot of talk about how Christianity has to "change with the times." (I mean this in the sense of how we worship, not who or what we worship.) I know personally at my church we have gone back and forth with an early "contemporary" worship service where the music is comprised of praise songs rather than hymns and the dress is casual rather than formal. "We must change with the times in order to stay current and to connect with people in today's society," many believe. I've thought about this and dealt with this my entire life, but I've never really thought about it occuring among other religions. I always think about India and the old traditions--the temples, the shrines, the sacrifices, etc. Anyways, I thought that was eye opening for me. I believe the author was also meaning how the religion has changed, which is interesting because when I think of religion, I think of something constant. "This is what I believe, and this is why I believe it..." Religion and deities changing with time and circumstance is so strange to me and something that is difficult to get my head around. Reading this made me appreciate both some similarities and differences that I can see among the West and India.
I also appreciated the statistics that were provided. According to the 1991 census, 82% of the population is Hindu, 11.6% is Muslim, 2.2% is Christian, 1.9% is Sikh, .41% is Jain, and .38% is other. How crazy is it that less than 1% of the population is Buddhist?! Buddhism was born in India, and yet today it is so small. Christianity, on the other hand is one of India's fastest growing religions. In America, Christianity is on the decline. It's amazing to me how this shift is occuring, and it makes me wonder why and how these changes occur. I realize that it happens slowly over many years, but that statistic really amazes me. I wonder what the statistics will look like in 10 years, 20 years, or even 50 years from now?
I also enjoyed reading the brief descriptions of the religions that are represented in India so that I could get a better feel for the ones I'm not familiar with. It was also helpful to be reminded of some of the beliefs and values regarded by other religions that I am more familiar with.
Chapter 1: Land, People, and History
I really enjoyed reading this chapter of Culture and Customs of India. The purpose of this chapter was to provide general information about India. This is important to read and understand in order to truly appreciate the people and where they come from. I can honestly say I learned a lot in reading this chapter. There doesn't seem to be as much to reflect on, but I'm sure that will come later as the book progresses and goes a bit deeper.
I thought it was really interesting how the chapter emphasized the importance of India and it's role as an industrial power. I didn't realize that India is the world's largest democracy. As a Westerner, I think it is easy for me to take for granted the vastness of the country and only focus on what is portrayed in the news or on TV. We see pictures of orphans, of starving children, and homeless people, and while this is accurate to a degree, there is also a vast side of India that we neglect to think about. India is home to the world's largest middle class, in which 150-200 million people have resources to live a "middle class" lifestyle. The chapter also mentioned that less than one half of India's 1 billion people live in poverty. While I would like to know how poverty is defined in this situation, I thought this was an extremely interesting statement. This is why I am excited to study Indian economics and how it relates to the global society. I hope to gain a more well rounded view of India throughout this semester of study in order to better understand not only the poverty, but the economic powerhouse India is becoming.
Claire's Reading List for the Semester
Andersen, Walter
2001 Recent Trends in Indian Foreign Policy. Asian Survey 41(5):765-776.
Dossani, Rafiq
2007 India Arriving: How This Economic Powerhouse Is Redifining Global Business
Gupta, Bhabani Sen.
1997 India in the Twenty-First Century. International Affairs 73(2):297-314.
Henderson, Carol E.
Culture and Customs of India (ebook)
Kaushik, Surendra K.
1997 India’s Evolving Economic Model: A Perspective on Economic and Financial
Reforms. American Journal of Economics and Sociology 56(1):69-84.
Kotwal, Ashok and Mukesh Eswaran
1993 Why Poverty Persists in India: A Framework for Understanding the Indian Economy
Millikan, Max
1976 Economic thought and Its Application and Methodology in India. The American
Economic Review 46(2):399-407.
Rai, Vinay and William Simon
2007 Think India: The Rise of the World’s Next Superpower and What It Means for Every
American
Sundaram, Lanka
1981 The International Status of India. Transactions of the Grotius Society 17:35-54.
Thakur, Ramesh
1994 Restoring India’s Economic Health. Third World Quarterly 14(1):137-157.
2008 India: The Next Global Growth Engine? (DVD)
2001 Recent Trends in Indian Foreign Policy. Asian Survey 41(5):765-776.
Dossani, Rafiq
2007 India Arriving: How This Economic Powerhouse Is Redifining Global Business
Gupta, Bhabani Sen.
1997 India in the Twenty-First Century. International Affairs 73(2):297-314.
Henderson, Carol E.
Culture and Customs of India (ebook)
Kaushik, Surendra K.
1997 India’s Evolving Economic Model: A Perspective on Economic and Financial
Reforms. American Journal of Economics and Sociology 56(1):69-84.
Kotwal, Ashok and Mukesh Eswaran
1993 Why Poverty Persists in India: A Framework for Understanding the Indian Economy
Millikan, Max
1976 Economic thought and Its Application and Methodology in India. The American
Economic Review 46(2):399-407.
Rai, Vinay and William Simon
2007 Think India: The Rise of the World’s Next Superpower and What It Means for Every
American
Sundaram, Lanka
1981 The International Status of India. Transactions of the Grotius Society 17:35-54.
Thakur, Ramesh
1994 Restoring India’s Economic Health. Third World Quarterly 14(1):137-157.
2008 India: The Next Global Growth Engine? (DVD)
Chapter 2 (Cultures and Customs): Religion
I am very interested in religion in India, so this chapter was enjoyable for me to read. However, it was also mostly review, because last semester I took Religions of the World from Dr. Mathewson, where we learned about all the religions that were mentioned in this chapter. However, there were several new points that I found very interesting.
First of all, it is very interesting to me how the whole concept of religion is very different in India than it is in the West. I feel like here, religion is not altered. What you believe is, for the most part, what you believe. However, I found it interesting that this chapter talks about how religion in India is very relative to the circumstances of the day and can be adjusted accordingly. It moves with the times.
When talking about Hinduism, I feel like I knew more about the origins of the religion than the book expounded on. For instance, I learned in my other class that the term originates from the residents of the Indus Valley and the term “Hindu” came to represent the conglomeration of religions that were practiced there. Therefore, Hindu beliefs, deities, customs, etc. are very particular to the region and can vary widely from place to place. However, I did learn several things about Hinduism including that there is a purity distinction between the right and left directions, priests are not full time, and that some of the most extreme sects practice nudity!
Hinduism is not the only religion in India, as I knew, so Henderson devotes somewhat smaller sections on Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. I found it very interesting that about 70% of Indian Muslims live in poverty. This has caused me to wonder if there is a socio-economic advantage to being Hindu and if, therefore, religious minorities are more prone to poverty. This is something that my individual reading may help to answer. From the section of Sihkism, I learned about khalsa, which refers to how the Guru chose the “nucleus of believers” He asked for people to volunteer for sacrifice and tricked them into thinking it was real by showing them the blood…but it was actually the blood of a goat. This way, he knew who the most devoted people were! One more short tidbit was from the Islam section where I found a parallel to Judaism. They feel that meat should be halal, meaning the animal should be “killed with a knife thrust as Allah’s name is uttered.” This reminded me of the dietary laws of Judaism, which I found interesting.
Now I feel that I have a decent general grasp of religion in India which will be vital in interpreting other aspects of Indian society because the culture of any country is going to be largely formed around their belief system.
First of all, it is very interesting to me how the whole concept of religion is very different in India than it is in the West. I feel like here, religion is not altered. What you believe is, for the most part, what you believe. However, I found it interesting that this chapter talks about how religion in India is very relative to the circumstances of the day and can be adjusted accordingly. It moves with the times.
When talking about Hinduism, I feel like I knew more about the origins of the religion than the book expounded on. For instance, I learned in my other class that the term originates from the residents of the Indus Valley and the term “Hindu” came to represent the conglomeration of religions that were practiced there. Therefore, Hindu beliefs, deities, customs, etc. are very particular to the region and can vary widely from place to place. However, I did learn several things about Hinduism including that there is a purity distinction between the right and left directions, priests are not full time, and that some of the most extreme sects practice nudity!
Hinduism is not the only religion in India, as I knew, so Henderson devotes somewhat smaller sections on Islam, Christianity, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. I found it very interesting that about 70% of Indian Muslims live in poverty. This has caused me to wonder if there is a socio-economic advantage to being Hindu and if, therefore, religious minorities are more prone to poverty. This is something that my individual reading may help to answer. From the section of Sihkism, I learned about khalsa, which refers to how the Guru chose the “nucleus of believers” He asked for people to volunteer for sacrifice and tricked them into thinking it was real by showing them the blood…but it was actually the blood of a goat. This way, he knew who the most devoted people were! One more short tidbit was from the Islam section where I found a parallel to Judaism. They feel that meat should be halal, meaning the animal should be “killed with a knife thrust as Allah’s name is uttered.” This reminded me of the dietary laws of Judaism, which I found interesting.
Now I feel that I have a decent general grasp of religion in India which will be vital in interpreting other aspects of Indian society because the culture of any country is going to be largely formed around their belief system.
Reading Reflection: Culture and Customs of India, Chapter 1: Land, People, and History
I found this chapter to be a good overview of India in several facets from geography, to language, to culture, to history. In my mind, this chapter was probably meant to be mostly background information on India as a whole to give the reader a general base of knowledge before delving into more specific issues later in the text. Therefore, my reactions will mostly likely also be more general than comments on chapters to come. That being said, I did take some specific points from the reading that are worth mentioning.
First of all, I liked how Carol Henderson started out with the acknowledgement that “the West has ignored India’s true nature for a very long time.” This struck me because I realized that this was true for me. When just picturing India, I think of bright colors, women wearing gold body piercings, big temples, unclean butcher shops, and poverty. While these things are at least in some degree present in India, are they big enough to warrant Western society’s…and my view of India being limited to those images? I think not. Henderson does a good job of awakening the reader to this fact early on through several facts that I found interesting: India is the world’s largest democracy, has the largest middle class of any country, and less than half of the population is poor. (although that still sounds like a lot to me)
In the realm of religion, I found it interesting that religions other than Hinduism (Islam and Christianity) are popular among the untouchables, or Dalits, because they offer relief from their oppressed caste status. Religion is also deeply involved in the history of India as a country. This section on history and culture was very confusing to me because it was very dense and the names of places and people are so foreign that it was a challenge to keep them all straight. Therefore, I felt like this is the section of that chapter that I retained the least from. However, I think one of the best points that I did retain from the history section was that through interactions with the British empire, India became to be seen as a culture that was apart from politics and history and was governed by the ancient instead of by the ingenuity of their modern leaders. I feel that this is a valid statement because when the average Westerner thinks of India, they probably do think of ancient aspects and traditions and not the international economic power that India is today. I know that is something I would be prone to do. Through reading this chapter I feel I have gotten a more accurate feeling of India in general, apart from what was before assumptions and false images.
First of all, I liked how Carol Henderson started out with the acknowledgement that “the West has ignored India’s true nature for a very long time.” This struck me because I realized that this was true for me. When just picturing India, I think of bright colors, women wearing gold body piercings, big temples, unclean butcher shops, and poverty. While these things are at least in some degree present in India, are they big enough to warrant Western society’s…and my view of India being limited to those images? I think not. Henderson does a good job of awakening the reader to this fact early on through several facts that I found interesting: India is the world’s largest democracy, has the largest middle class of any country, and less than half of the population is poor. (although that still sounds like a lot to me)
In the realm of religion, I found it interesting that religions other than Hinduism (Islam and Christianity) are popular among the untouchables, or Dalits, because they offer relief from their oppressed caste status. Religion is also deeply involved in the history of India as a country. This section on history and culture was very confusing to me because it was very dense and the names of places and people are so foreign that it was a challenge to keep them all straight. Therefore, I felt like this is the section of that chapter that I retained the least from. However, I think one of the best points that I did retain from the history section was that through interactions with the British empire, India became to be seen as a culture that was apart from politics and history and was governed by the ancient instead of by the ingenuity of their modern leaders. I feel that this is a valid statement because when the average Westerner thinks of India, they probably do think of ancient aspects and traditions and not the international economic power that India is today. I know that is something I would be prone to do. Through reading this chapter I feel I have gotten a more accurate feeling of India in general, apart from what was before assumptions and false images.
Jessie's Bibliography
Poverty and its Implications
An examination of poverty in India and some issues that rise from it
1. Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner
By Sujata Patel (editor), Jasodhara Baqchi, and Krishna Rajj
May 23, 2002
—Chapter 9: “Poverty and Inequality in India: An Examination of the First Three Five-Year Plans” by K. Saradamoni
2. Common Text Culture and Customs of India (ebook)
by Carol E. Henderson
3. Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner
By Sujata Patel (editor), Jasodhara Baqchi, and Krishna Rajj
May 23, 2002
--Chapter 11: “Working Mothers, Poverty and Child Loss” by N. Krishnaji
4. “Growth of Slums, Availability of Infrastructure and Demographic Outcomes in Slums: Evidence from India” by S. Chandrasekhar
5. Street Children in Bangalore (India): Their Dreams and Their Future
By Patricia Nieuwenhuizen (available on Feb. 28, 08)
6. Voices from the Street; An Ethnography of India’s Street Children: A Case Study of Delhi
By Lori McFadyen, 2004
7. Living in India’s Slums
By Hans Schenk (editor) January 1, 2001
8. Poor in Urban India: Life in the slums of a western Indian city
By Lancy Lobo, 2001
9. “The Subjective Well-Being of the Homeless, and Lessons for Happiness”
Social Indicators Research, Vol. 76, No. 2 (April 2006) (This deals with feelings of the homeless in 3 different cultures, one being Calcutta, India. I could then compare their feelings in India with other areas in the U.S. which I think would be very useful.)
“Poverty, Politics, and religion: the plight of India’s poor” by Ranjan Kamath and Padmavathi Roa (1999)-- film
10. “Militant Hindus and Buddhist Dalits: Hegemony and Resistance in an India Slum”
By Janet A. Contursi, American Ethnologist Vol. 16, No. 3 (August 1989)
An examination of poverty in India and some issues that rise from it
1. Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner
By Sujata Patel (editor), Jasodhara Baqchi, and Krishna Rajj
May 23, 2002
—Chapter 9: “Poverty and Inequality in India: An Examination of the First Three Five-Year Plans” by K. Saradamoni
2. Common Text Culture and Customs of India (ebook)
by Carol E. Henderson
3. Thinking Social Science in India: Essays in Honour of Alice Thorner
By Sujata Patel (editor), Jasodhara Baqchi, and Krishna Rajj
May 23, 2002
--Chapter 11: “Working Mothers, Poverty and Child Loss” by N. Krishnaji
4. “Growth of Slums, Availability of Infrastructure and Demographic Outcomes in Slums: Evidence from India” by S. Chandrasekhar
5. Street Children in Bangalore (India): Their Dreams and Their Future
By Patricia Nieuwenhuizen (available on Feb. 28, 08)
6. Voices from the Street; An Ethnography of India’s Street Children: A Case Study of Delhi
By Lori McFadyen, 2004
7. Living in India’s Slums
By Hans Schenk (editor) January 1, 2001
8. Poor in Urban India: Life in the slums of a western Indian city
By Lancy Lobo, 2001
9. “The Subjective Well-Being of the Homeless, and Lessons for Happiness”
Social Indicators Research, Vol. 76, No. 2 (April 2006) (This deals with feelings of the homeless in 3 different cultures, one being Calcutta, India. I could then compare their feelings in India with other areas in the U.S. which I think would be very useful.)
“Poverty, Politics, and religion: the plight of India’s poor” by Ranjan Kamath and Padmavathi Roa (1999)-- film
10. “Militant Hindus and Buddhist Dalits: Hegemony and Resistance in an India Slum”
By Janet A. Contursi, American Ethnologist Vol. 16, No. 3 (August 1989)
Course Syllabus
SPECIAL TOPICS/INDEPENDENT STUDY (SOC 481)
Participants: Claire Bishop and Jessie Davis
Professor: Dr. Cynthia Fowler
Meeting Schedule: Tuesdays 2:30 pm
Course Goal
SOC 481 is an Independent Study course. The general goal of the course is to introduce Claire Bishop and Jessie Davis, 2 sociology majors, to the anthropology and sociology of India. It is designed to prepare Claire and Jessie for their trip to India during summer 2008. The premise of the course is that the travel experiences of Claire and Jessie will be enriched if they have a basic understanding of the culture of their host community.
Participants: Claire Bishop and Jessie Davis
Professor: Dr. Cynthia Fowler
Meeting Schedule: Tuesdays 2:30 pm
Course Goal
SOC 481 is an Independent Study course. The general goal of the course is to introduce Claire Bishop and Jessie Davis, 2 sociology majors, to the anthropology and sociology of India. It is designed to prepare Claire and Jessie for their trip to India during summer 2008. The premise of the course is that the travel experiences of Claire and Jessie will be enriched if they have a basic understanding of the culture of their host community.
Course Requirements
1. Read the required text: Culture and Customs of India by Carol Henderson. 2002. Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. 192 pages. (This is an ebook that can be accessed through Wofford’s library.)
2. Produce a Bibliography consisting of approximately 10 texts that center on a theme of special interest. (Claire’s bibliography might focus on economic development in India. Jessie’s focus might be current social issues in India.)
3. Read the texts on the Bibliography.
4. Create an Annotated Bibliography of all texts on the Bibliography. Follow the Annotated Bibliography Guidelines on this website to prepare this assignment: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm
5. Meet for 2 hours each week of the semester to discuss reading materials. Write the Text Discussion Highlights to keep track of the discussion as it progresses.
6. Compose Text Reviews for the Culture and Customs of India textbook plus at least 4 titles on the Bibliography. Follow the Book Review guidelines below to prepare these essays. The Grading Rubric for the Text Reviews is also provided below.
7. Produce a Final Project that fuses reflections on this semester’s documentary research with a projected itinerary for their trip to India so that your travel will be purposeful.
8. Establish a blog. Post all course products (Bibliography, Text Reviews, Text Discussion Highlights, Final Project, etc.) on a blog. Post travel updates regularly on the blog while in India during summer 2008.
9. Use this course together with summer 2008 first-hand experiences in India as a foundation for projects during fall 2008 and spring 2009 courses. This semester’s work can be expanded into a research project in the Capstone course, for example, that Claire and Jessie will be required to complete as seniors during spring 2009.
Timeline
Weekly 2-hour book discussion.
Weekly meeting with Dr. Fowler.
February 4-February 18 Prepare Bibliographies
February 7- 29 Read Culture and Customs of India
February 29 Text Review of Culture and Customs of India Due.
February 29-April 7 Prepare Annotated Bibliographies
April 7 Annotated Bibliography Due
April 7-April 28 Prepare Text Reviews of 4 of the titles on the Bibliography.
April 28 4 Text Reviews Due
May 9 Text Discussion Highlights Due
May 9 Final Project Due
Assessment
Claire and Jessie will be graded on an A-F scale. All assignments will be submitted electronically if possible (e.g., as a Word .doc or on the blog).
Bibliography 20%
Annotated Bibliography 20%
5 Text Reviews 20%
Text Discussion Highlights 20%
Final Project 20%
Wofford Honor Code
TEXT REVIEW GUIDELINES
Title. Author. Date of publication. Place of Publication: Publisher. Number of pages.
Broad summary statement about the content of the reading assignment.
What do you want to remind your audience about the reading?
Main points and key terms in the reading.
I. What is the primary topic?
Who are the characters (anthropologists, subjects of research), what are the locations (places where anthropologists work, places where subjects live), and what are relevant dates/time periods?
It is better to paraphrase using your own words, rather than using a direct quote. If you do quote directly from the text, be certain to identify it as a quote.
II. Reaction to the contents.
emotions, feelings, questions, insights that you had when reading the book
personal experiences related to the content
new information that you didn't know before
What do you agree or disagree with and why?
III. Evaluation (with recommendations) of the reading.
opinion of contents and why
suggestions on improving content and its delivery (if any)
questions that you would like answered
recommendation to read it, avoid it, or otherwise
Do you have any questions for your audience or can you elicit their participation?
What can you say about the discipline of ecological anthropology based on this reading assignment? What does it tell you about the issues, approaches, and subject matter of the discipline?
GRADING RUBRIC FOR TEXT REVIEWS
________ evidence that you read and understood the text (25 points)
________ quality & organization of content (25 points)
________ clarity and creativity in writing style (25 points)
________ commentary about and interpretation of subject matter (25 points)
TOTAL SCORE ________ (out of 100 points)
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