The culture of India was
moulded throughout various eras of history, all the while
absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders
and immigrants. Many cultural practices, languages, customs
and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries.
South Indian women traditionally wear the chira (in Telugu)
while the men wear a type of sarong, which could be either
a white pancha or a colourful lungi with typical batik
patterns. The chira is an unstitched drape and only partially
covers the midriff. In Indian philosophy, the navel of
the Supreme Being is considered as the source of life
and creativity.
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating
from Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India. This popular
Tamil dance form called Bharatanatyam is a 20th century
reconnstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers.
Cathir in turn, is derived from ancient dance forms.
The word Bharata, some believe, signifies the author
of the famous Sanskrit treatise on stagecraft, called
NatyaShastra, and the word Bharatanatyam is sometimes
given a folk etymology as follows:Bha for Bhava or abhinaya
and expression, Ra for raga or melody, and Ta for tala
or rhythm.
Rice is the staple diet, while fish is an integral
component of coastal South Indian meals. Coconut is
an important ingredient in Kerala whereas Andhra Pradesh
cuisine is characterized by pickles and spicy curries.
Dosa, Idli, Uttapam are popular throughout the region.
There are large coffee estates in southern Karnataka
and parts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Konkan, also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali,
is a rugged and beautiful section of the western coastline
of India from Raigad to Mangalore. It includes Mumbai
Region and Thane District. The sapta-Konkan is a slightly
larger region described in the Skanda-purana.
Konkan is also one of six divisions of the
state of Maharashtra.
Residents of Konkan and their descendants are called
Konkanis. The name may also refer specifically to the
Konkani people, an ethnic group of the region; most
of them speak the Konkani language, which is from the
Indo-European family of languages.
The Sanskrit term Konkanastha meaning "Resident
of Konkan", is used to refer to the Chitpavan,
a Brahmin caste of the region.
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