South Indian Culture

COSTUME: The traditional costume of the kannadigas is Saree. Ilakal Saree and Mysore silk are also most famous in Karnataka. The draping of sari varies depending on the area like kodagu, North and South Karnataka and Karavali. Davani is a traditional clothing for young females. Dhoti is the traditional costume of the men, which is known as Panche. The traditional headgear of South Karnataka is Mysore Peta , while pagadi or pataga which looks like a turban is preferred in the northern areas of the states. Of course the costume of the kannadigas varies which includes all the modern outfits. CUISINE: Some of the popular dishes relished by the people of Karnataka are Mangalorean fish curry, and Gadbad ice cream. Bisi bele bath is the rise based dish which is quite popular in India. A delicious sweet made of flour, ghee and sugar, The Mysore pak is known far and wide in India and abroad. Karadantu of Gokak and Amingad, Belgaavi kinda and Dharwad pedha are the other famous swe...

         மார்கழித் திங்கள் மதிநிறைந்த நன்னாளால்,     நீராடப் போதுவீர் போதுமினோ நேரிழையீர்,     சீர்மல்கும் ஆய்ப்பாடிச் செல்வச் சிறுமீர்காள்!     கூர்வேல் கொடுந்தொழிலன் நந்தகோபன் குமரன்     ஏரார்ந்த கண்ணி யசோதை யிளஞ்சிங்கம்,     கார்மேனிச் செங்கண் கதிர்மதியம் போல்முகத்தான்,     நாரா யணனே நமக்கே பறைதருவான்,     பாரோர் புகழப் படிந்தேலோ ரெம்பாவாய். This is the first paasuram of Thiruppavai which is a collection of thirty paasurams written by Andal(or Nachiyar). These paasurams are in praise of Lord Vishnu and form a part of the Divya Prabhandam written by twelve alvars. Through the Thiruppavai, Andal or kodhai tells the people to recite the name and glories of Lord Vishnu. These paasurams are sung across all the temples in Tamilnadu during the Margazhi season which begins in the month of December. The link given below contains the Thiruppavai sung by th...

If you ask a crowd consisting of youngsters from Tamilnadu if they know all the Tamil months, hardly one or two hands will go up.English has become so prevalent in today's world that our traditional Tamil terminologies are taking a back seat. It is very important especially in today's conditions that we realise the importance of the rich culture we are blessed with before it vanishes from the face of the planet. The Tamil calendar begins on the 14th of April and many cultural,religious and agricultural events are based on the Tamil calendar. So here is a list compiling the days of the week in the Tamil calendar. . Kizhamai (Tamil) Weekday (Transliteration) Vaasara (Sanskrit) Lord or Planet Gregorian Calendar equivalent 1. ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை Nyayitru-kizhamai Ravi-vaasara Sun (ஞாயிறு) Sunday 2. திங்கட்கிழமை thingat-kizhamai Soma-vaasara Moon (திங்கள்) Monday 3. செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை Chevvai-kizhamai Mangala-vaasara Mars (செவ்வாய், Red Planet) Tuesday 4. புதன்கிழமை bhudhan-kizha...

Deepavali or Diwali also known as the "festival of lights" is undoubtedly the biggest and brightest festival of India. The word 'deepavali' literally translates to a row of lights. It is celebrated for around four days and usually falls between mid- October and November. The story of Diwali is different across the various communities in India. Some believe that it is the day when Lord Ram returned after his 14 year exile while some believe that it is the day when Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasur. The second day of deepavali(amavasya) marks the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. In South India, Diwali begins with an early morning oil bath followed by lighting lamps and bursting crackers. On Diwali people wear new clothes and gifts and sweets are exchanged among relatives, neighbours and friends. People clean and decorate their houses in a belief that Goddess Lakshmi will visit their house. Diwali is a celebration of life, its enjoyme...

South India is an area of immense diversity. It consits of various artforms, various languages, and various cuisines. Yet, each one is unique. South India is home to rich temples with varying histories and architectural styles. It is home to various monuments which have been listed as world heritage sites by UNESCO. It is home to cuisines that attract people from all over the world. It is home to mind boggling sceneries, from rivers and mountains,to lakes and hills. It is home to various species of flora and fauna. Best of all, it is home to fabulous people. These are people who have rich traditional values inculcated in them. These people will greet anyone with a warm smile, and treat them with kindness and compassion. These people will do anything to help others. It is home to farmers, who work through day and night with determination, who face all oddities, just to provide the world with food. It is home to great scientists like Sir C.V.Raman, and great musici...

The people of andaman and nicobar have a rich culture and traditions. A  lot of visitors  are mainly attracted by the native population upholding the richness,ethnicity and customs of the islands,so that they come and visit the islands . The native people of andaman and nicobar islands are constituted by two distinct groups namely the Negrito in the andaman and  autochthones who are the Mangoloid Nicobarese and shompen. They preserve their  culture with a unique style and dignity which is appreciated and attracted by the tourist . The major portion of the local people belong to the descendants who came here during early periods from Indian main land region. These migrants from different parts of the country add to the culture and traditions of andaman and nicobar.  Both calsses of the people in both the regions live in peace and harmony preserving their culture and tradition.  Negroids of paleolithic age who migrated from africa are islanders of triba...

Dosa is the comfort food of every South Indian. It is very simple and easy to make. All that's required is some rice and some urad dhal and some love for dosas. Don't underestimate this simplicity though. It's taste is incomparable. The batter is prepared by soaking and grinding rice and the dal and mixing them in required proportions. Salt is also added as per requirement. Fermentation is then allowed to take place. Once this is done, preparing the dosa is a piece of bread . A pan is kept on a stove and heated. And then the batter is poured on the heated tawa and swirled till it's thin. Some oil or ghee is then added along the circumference of the dosa. It is allowed to cook till it's golden. It is then turned and cooked for a while, and then served hot and crispy. It is best served with sambar and colourful chutneys. For people with tight schedules, who do not have the time to prepare this batter, it is available in shops. This simple, yet d...

PILGRIMAGE  PLACES  Tirupati or Thirumala, was the most popular and main temple in Andhra Pradesh, dedicated to the Hindu god Venkateswara.  Srisailam is dedicated mainly to Shiva.It is one of the locations of various Jyotilingams. Simhachalam is said in mythology to be the abode of the saviour-god Narasimha, who rescued Prahlada from abusive father . CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS Andhra Pradesh has many museums, including the Salar Jung museum in Hyderabad, which features a varied collection of sculptures, paintings  and religious artifacts Amaravati museum near Guntur city that features relics of nearby ancient sites The Visakha museum in Visakhapatnam, which displays the history of the pre independence Madras presidency in a rehabilitated Dutch bungalow WORLD'S LARGEST TREE Thimmamma Marrimanu, a banyan tree which is located in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh with a canopy of 19,107sq.m, 8 branches spread over 8 acres, holds the Guin...