Eastern in compared with western part India
One of the most debated topics in competitions and group discussions is Indian Culture Vs Western Culture. They are diametrically opposite to each other. As a coin has two sides, both cultures all have some merits and demerits. Indian culture is a mix of diversities in customs, rituals, traditions, language, etc., that varies from region to region within the country. It is one of the oldest and a combination of various cultures.
On the other hand, Western culture, it is quite advanced and open. The norms, beliefs, values, traditions, customs and practices are greatly inspired by European culture. Moreover, Western Culture includes British culture, French culture, Spanish culture .
Content: Indian Culture Vs Western Culture
Comparison Chart
| BASIS FOR COMPARISON | INDIAN CULTURE | WESTERN CULTURE |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | The culture which is followed in India, is Indian culture. | The culture which is followed in most western countries like USA, Spain, Canada, Europe etc. is known as Western culture. |
| Religion | Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism. | Christianity, Judaism. |
| Family | Joint family | Nuclear family |
| Music | Folk, Classical, Sufi, Bollywood music is liked in Indian culture. | Hip-hop, Jazz, Blues, Rap, Heavy metal, Rock music is appreciated in western culture. |
| Equality | Woman are considered inferior than man, however the thinking is changing with the effect of westernization. | Both man and woman are considered equal. |
| Languages | Hindi is the highly spoken language, but there are many other languages which are spoken in different areas like Telegu, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Bihari, Urdu etc. | English is widely spoken in western countries, followed by French and Spanish. |
| Relation with family | Every individual is closely attached to their family, they respect and care about family more than themselves. | Individual is not much attached to their family, they leave their parent's home by the age of 18. |
| Society | In India, people kill their own needs and desires because they assume in advance, what the society will think? | They are open minded and gives priority to making themselves happy. |
| Marriages | Arranged marriages are preferred. | Love marriages are common. |
| Clothing | Traditional clothing depends upon region and religion. | A person can wear whatever he / she likes. |
About Indian Culture
Indian Culture is the ancient and one of the most popular cultures in the world. India is very well known for its rich cultural heritage which is a combination of customs, traditions, lifestyle, religion, languages, rituals, cuisine, etc. depending upon area. Here you can see unity in diversity like people belonging to different religions live happily. Guests are considered God here, people welcomed them with joined hands and a smile on their face. Not only the guests but here people worship animals, statues, rivers, stones, trees, kids, etc.
Indian Culture is now divided into two categories which are traditional and the modern one. In traditional culture, people give more importance to their society. Community comes first according to them, but this scenario is changing slowly with the impact of westernization. About 3-4 decades ago, only arranged marriages are common, where the parents of the bride and groom choose the spouse for their child and then decides about the marriage but now love marriages are also equally respected.
There are so many festivals celebrated in the country like Holi, Diwali, Dusshera, Eid-UL-Fitr, Christmas, Baisakhi, Navratri, Muharram, etc. Here you can see the variety of clothing depending on the region. The Indian woman prefers Saree or Salwar Kameez with dupatta whereas Dhoti Kurta, and Kurta Payjama is the traditional outfit of men in India.
Here, transparent, revealing and tight fit dresses are not likened. Hindi is the most popular language of the country, but there are 122 major languages which are spoken in India. In India, there are is a wide variety of cuisines like northern, southern, eastern, western, etc. which differ in spices and ways of making them. Indian sculpture, architecture is also world famous.
About Western Culture
Western Culture is referred as the modern and advanced culture in the world. The main pillars of the western culture are capitalism, individualism, rights, ethical values, etc. You can see western culture in America, Germany, Spain, Europe, etc. Here most people belong to Christianity and Judaism. People give more importance to their wants, needs, desires and happiness. Nobody here has time to think what other people thinks about them because they are busy in doing their own business.
If we talk about marriages, love marriages and consented marriages are very popular in western countries. Here people are allowed to have multiple partners. They are very frank and open in this regard. People do not have a strong bond with their family; they leave home after reaching the age of 18 to become self-dependent. Youngsters learn and earn at the same time.
Western architecture, paintings, and music are highly admired across the world. Ballet dance and ballroom dance are the popular dance forms here. In western countries, people are more concerned about their health, and that is why they prefer heavy lunch and a light dinner. Their food contains less oil and spices.
When its about clothing, people like to wear what the desire, there is no restriction on wearing anything. English, French, American, Spanish, etc. are the most common languages spoken in the Western countries.
Key Differences Between Indian Culture and Western Culture
The following are the major differences between Indian Culture and Western Culture
- The culture which is prevalent in India is known as Indian Culture. The culture, widespread in the western countries is known as Western Culture.
- Indian Culture has a variety of religions like Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, etc. while in Western Culture the people mostly belong to Christianity.
- In Indian Culture, joint families are common. Conversely, In Western Culture, small families are there.
- The traditional Indian outfit is worn in Indian Culture. In contrast to Western culture, there is no such traditional outfit.
- A variety of Folk, Classical, Bollywood songs is preferred in Indian Culture. On the other hand, Western Culture promotes Hip-Hop, Jazz, Blues, Rap, Heavy Metal and Rock music.
- Hindi is mainly spoken in Indian Culture but in the case of Western Culture, English is spoken in a high ratio.
- Indian Culture is not that more open as compared to Western Culture.
- Indian Culture gives more importance to society as compared to an individual, however in Western Culture, society does not take part in the life of an Individual.
Conclusion
Both Indian Culture and Western Culture are right at their places. There is a lot to learn from both the cultures. For last few decades, Indian culture has been influenced by the western culture, and they are adopting the merits of the western culture like cleanliness, equal rights for both men and women, frankness, etc. which helped in removing the shortcomings of Indian culture. Similarly, western culture is also getting an Indian touch regarding Indian cuisine and yoga.
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