June 2004 - Issue 6

Go to » [ 1 ] 2 3 4

Indian Culture - Living Spaces

Indian Woman clad in Saree An Indian Lady dressed in Saree

Excerpts and features from Monisha Bharadwaj's "India Style". Photography by Bharath Ramamrutham.

India is a land of glorious flamboyance and excess. Step into this vast sub-continent and the senses are suffused with a riot of vibrant colours, earth-rich smells, tingling tastes and a tapestry of textures and sounds.

Celebrations of festivals, wedding processions and election campaigns are all larger-than-life events that call for public participation and collective self-expression. It is this common spirit of India that unites the whole nation, bridges linguistic and cultural divides and geographical boundaries, and lends a unique identity to the very heart and soul of the country.

Regional Culture and Styles

Each region of India has a definitive style and culture which is echoed throughout the aesthetics of its homes. Kerala, on the southwestern coast, is known for its wooden houses which delight in strong lines with few flourishes, In Kashmir, Himalayan flora inspires delicate embroidered shapes mimicking the leaves of the chinar tree flowers and fruit designs appear in embroidery, carving and moldings, and embellish homes and houseboats of the state.

Cultural Influences

Indian culture has also been influenced by the influx of many cultures over many centuries. The Muslim influence is evident in the arches, domes and ornate filigrees seen throughout north India, where the Mughals ruled for over four centuries. Then came the Europeans; first the Portuguese (in search of spices) in 1497 who colonized Goa, Daman and Diu; then the Dutch in 1595, and the British who established their East India Company on the last day of 1600. 19th century colonial influence brought a love of both the Gothic and the baroque. As a result, it is not surprising to find a stiff Victorian edifice studded with gargoyles beside an ancient Hindu temple, sculpted with sensuous gods.

The Five Elements

The concept of the 'five elements' (air, water, fire, earth and space) has been woven into the fabric of india since befpre the arrival of the aryans around 1500BC. Indian be;oefs have always been animist - dedicated to the worship of nature. Although ancient western beliefs recognise the first four elements, the fifth-space - is a more abstract principle. To many Indians, the notion of space respresents the vast vacuum beyond ordinary perception, and symbolises the huge power of an unseen force. It is thus a source of inspiration in Hinduism and Zen Buddhism. The ancient animists worshipped trees and valued all plants, but the earth, rain and rivers were truly venetrated and destructive energy of primeval storms and earthquakes help people in awe.

Living Spaces

Figure 01 - Baithak
Click image to see larger view

Home and Heart

Few Indians entertain the Western notion of a separate room to dine in. In most towns and cities in the modern Indian home, the living room in which to eat. A complete suite of seating furniture is a western concept and many people prefer a floor-level seating arrangement called a baithak. This comprises a thick soft mattress which is placed against a wall to support the sitter's back, covered with a decorative fabric and scattered with cushions of different shapes, colours and sizes that are either embroidered, mirror-worked, painted or encrusted with tiny sequins.

[ 1 ] 2 3 4