The Indian Attire of Men…

Till now I have been writing lot about Indian women attire. In India not only women but also men have different attires. Although, now a days mostly men wear western outfits ie.trouser or jeans and shirt. But these are not a part of Indian culture. The Indian men's traditional attire consists of the kurta and pajama, dhoti, lungi and other dresses. Worn on both formal and informal occasions, kurta and pajama are quite popular dress of Indian men. A sherwani is generally wear for special occasions. Usually the lungi is worn in many parts of India like south india, but depending on the social practices of the region it may be restricted to indoor-wear.

Kurta Pajama -Kurta is a loose collarless shirt worn by both men and women. Generally, it’s worn with pajamas, a shalwar, or churidars. This ensemble also includes a bandi (short jacket or waistcoat) and a dupatta.

Lungi –The custom of wearing lungis varies by state. Lungi is generally woven from cotton and is available in many designs, patterns and colors. ,the most commonly worn are those with checks or the ones in a single dark hue. In southern state Kerala Lungi is worn as a casual dress.

Lungi in plain white hue is called a Mundu. For ceremonial occasions like weddings, Mundus often bear golden embroidery, known as kasavu.In Karnataka colored lungi is called mundas whereas plain white cloth smilar to lungi is called a panche generally used for formal ceremonies.In the state of Tamil Naidu lungi’s are worn in similar way as Kerala and they are called Kaili or Saaram.In the eastern state of West Bengal and Bhiar Lungi are primiraily home wear of men of all classes of the society.In northern state of Punjab lungis are worn both by men and women.
Not only India,lungis are worn in Bangladesh,Sri Lanka,Myanmar,Indonesia,Malaysia,Singapore,the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Pensuila. Mostly lungis are popular in heat and humidity prone areas.

Dhoti- Dhotis are traditional Indian wear that is quite popular among rural men. Dhotis flaunt one’s eminent status and love for Indian culture. Great men like Mahatma Gandhi used to wear dhoti. Even today Indian men wear dhoti as ethnic attire It is a rectangular piece of unstitched cloth, usually around 7 yards long, wrapped around the waist and the legs, and knotted at the waist. The Dhotī or Doti in Hindi, called Dhotiyu in Gujarati, Suriya in Assamese, Vaytti or Veshti in Tamil, Dhuti in Bangla, Dhoti or Kachche Panche in Kannada, Dhotar, Angostar, Aad-neschey or Pudve in Konkani, mundu in Malayalam, Dhotar in Marathi, Laacha in Punjabi and Pancha in Telugu.Dhoti is generally worn with Kurta's.

Sherwani -The word Sherwani immediately crops up the picture of India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, as it used to be his favorite attire. Sherwani is a long coat resembling achkan in styling. It is buttoned upto the collar and lengthwise it is usually below the knee. It is supposed to be worn over a kurta and a churidar, or khara pajama or a salwar and at times, even a dhoti. A part of men's clothing in India, the traditional Sherwani happens to be an ultimate wedding and party attire. The origin of sherwani can be traced back in Central Asia during the times when it was the dress code of the Turkish and Persian nobles in the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire. In the late eighteenth century, almost every man wore sherwani, as this attire did not restrict itself only to the nobles, but became the traditional dress of common man. Sherwani is the national dress of men in Pakistan.

Achkan –The Achkan is a full sleeved tunic with a high round neck ,length which falls 3-5 cms above the knee.It has a full front opening in the center and is fastened with buttons and button holes.It is on the smilar pattern of Sherwani.The Sherwani differs from Achkan in length and flares.

Angarakha : It is worn in the upper part of the body. It comes in different colors and also in different cuts. Two main types are long angarakha reaching below knees and the other is frock style and is waist length.This Rajasthani costume is also popular in some parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh as well.

The Law Of Karma – A Unique Contribution of India to the World

The law of cause and effect forms an integral part of Hindu philosophy. This law is termed as 'karma', which means to 'act. As in my earlier post on Hinduism I have been writing that all concepts, philosophies, festivals of Hindu religion are based on my scientific and social theory, the same is the Law of Karma.

The theory of karma harps on the Newtonian principle that every action produces an equal and opposite reaction. Every time we think or do something, we create a cause, which in time will bear its corresponding effects. This cause and effect generates the concept of samsara (or the world) and birth and reincarnation. Karma doest not only mean physical action. Mental actions also constitute Karma. Karma could bring fruition immediately or at a later stage. "Good karma" and "bad karma," which are stored reactions that gradually unfolds to determine our unique destiny. The karma incurred by a person through his actions determines the course of his life upon earth and his progression into the higher world. Hindu philosophy, which believes in life after death, holds the doctrine that if the karma of an individual is good enough, the next birth will be rewarding, and if not, the person may actually devolve and degenerate into a lower life form.

Things do not happen in this universe by accident or chance in a disorderly manner. They happen in regular succession. They follow one another in a regular order. There is a certain definite connection between what is being done now by you, and what will happen in the future. Past – Present – Future all are connected. Everything in this universe is connected. Even if we do something unimportant, it important that it gets done as everything is connected. Each step leads to a next step so neither the first step or the last steps are of greater significance. As both the steps were needed to accomplish the task.

There are three kinds of Karma’s. Prarabdha (so much of past actions as has given rise to the present birth), Sanchita (the balance of past actions that will give rise to future births - the storehouse of accumulated actions), Agami or Kriyamana (acts being done in the present life).

The doctrine of Karma is not only associated Hinduism.Jainsim, Buddhisim, Sikkhism all these great religions revolve around the Law of Karma.In Christianity its said ‘What you sow,you reap this also the cause and effect, thus Law of Karma.For good karma it is necessary to stabilize our minds and thoughts. This can be done by practicing Yoga. Also good Karma can be achieved by following Dharma.

Interesting Facts about India

Mark Twain said ‘India is, the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.

• India is the largest democracy in the world.
• Although modern images & descriptions of India often show poverty, India was one of the richest countries till the time of British in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth and was looking for route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
• Every major world religion is represented in India. Additionally, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism all originated in India.
• India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
• The world's first University was established in Takshashila in about 700 B.C. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century C.E. was one of the great achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
• According to the Geological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world. Kohinoor, the jewel in the crown of the British monarch, is from India.
• The concept of the number zero was created in India by the sage Aryabhatta. The place value system and the decimal system were also developed in India in about 100 B.C. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus originated from India.
• The Vishnu Temple in the city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate $6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
• Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. Charaka, the father of medicine, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
• India is one of the largest exporters of computer software products. It exports soft wares to over 90 countries.
• Christians and Jews have been living in India since 52 A.D. and 200 B.C. respectively.
• Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
• The art of Navigation was developed along the river Sindhu over 6000 years ago. In fact, the word Navigation comes from the Sanskrit word Navgatih
• The largest employer in the world is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.
• Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.
• Chess was invented in India. The game of snakes & ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindh Valley, known as the Indus Valley Civilization.
• India is the largest English speaking country in the world.
• Sushruta is regarded as the father of surgery. Over 2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones and also plastic surgery and brain surgeries. Anesthesia was used in Indian medicine long before it was adopted into modern medicine.