India - life and traditions text and pictures from http://www.oocities.org/teacherkab/
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India is a large country with the second biggest population in the world and many different languages, cultures, religions and climates. 2
India’s people When Indian people greet each other they place their hands together and say "Namaste". This means, "I bow my head to you." Older people are treated with great respect in India. When greeting an elder, some Indians may touch their feet as a sign of respect. http://www.shalusharma.com/meaning-of-namaste/namastebow-down/
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India's people come from many backgrounds. Some are very wealthy while others are very poor. Most people live modestly in the large cities. Religion is very important in the culture of India. Most people are Hindu or Muslim, but Christianity, Sikkhism, and Buddhism, and other religions are also practiced. 4
Clothing in India varies by area. Most women wear a sari made of colorful silk or cotton. The sari is one long piece of material that is draped around the body like a dress. Many men wear a dhoti. A dhoti is a white piece of cloth that is wrapped around the hips and pulled through the legs. Not all people dress traditionally in India, but the clothing is always loose due to the heat.
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Most children in India attend school. Some schools are modern and have books and computers. In poor areas of the cities or in remote areas, there can be 40-60 students in one classroom with little or no supplies. Most schools teach in English because there are too many regional languages. 6
India's Homes The homes in India are as varied as the people. Most people live very modestly in small apartments or homes in large cities. Many just outside of the large cities live in moderate homes with balconies and gardens. There are also very wealthy people who live in large, modern homes with 7 servants.
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India's Culture The people of India have many languages, religions, and cultures. Religion has been very influential in the music, dance, festivals, and clothing of India. The unique sound of India's music is often created with an Indian instrument called a sitar. This instrument looks similar to a guitar, except that it has a very long neck. There are 18 official languages, but over 1,600 languages and dialects spoken in India. English is commonly spoken in India.8
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India's Foods Many of India's people are vegetarians, meaning they don't eat meat. Hindus believe that the cow is a sacred animal and never eat beef. Much of the food in India is flavored with spices such as cinnamon, garlic, and cumin. Most meals include rice, vegetables, bread, and yogurt. 9
India's Activities Watching movies is a popular pastime in India. Bombay is the center of India's film industry. Indian children play soccer and badminton and board games like Parcheesi and backgammon. Basketball is becoming more popular in recent years. 10
Wordlist Greet each other = hälsa på varandra
supplies = utrustning
Bow = buga , böja
as varied as = lika varierande som
Treat = behandla
moderate = måttlig
sign of respect = tecken på respekt
influential = påverkade
modestly = Blygsamt
similar = liknande
cloth = tygbit
Commonly = vanligtvis
wrapped = omlindad
sacred = helig
hips = Höfter
flavored = smaksatt
due to = på grund av
cinnamon = kanel
attend = närvara
in recent years = på senare år
remote = avlägsna 11