North Indian Culture
North Indian Culture refers to the culture of North Indian states where people are predominantly Indo-Aryan. The term North India officially refers to the states of Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and the Union Territories of Delhi and Chandigarh.
The North Zone of India has its capital location ‘Delhi’ along with the most popular sites of Golden Triangle Tour (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur). There is a strong regional bonding between Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand with some variations on the basics of customs, rituals, and traditions.
With the famous landmarks, scenic Himalayan region, the remote location of Ladakh, you can also explore the traditions and cultures of Rajasthan, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh-like surroundings states.
People
People of the North are well built and sturdy. The states of Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh are overwhelmingly Hindu. Jammu and Kashmir is the only state in India with a majority Muslim population while Punjab is the only state with a majority Sikh population.
Religion
North India is predominantly Indo-Aryan and includes various ethnic groups such as Brahmins, Ahirs, Jats, Rajputs, Gurjars, Khatris, Tarkhans, Kambojs, Banias, and Dalits. Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism are the dominant religions in North India. Other religions practiced by various ethnic communities include Jainism and Buddhism.
Tradition
There are so many festivals that are celebrated widely in North India with pomp and show like Dusshera, Diwali, Karvachauth, Holi, Navratri, Shivratri, Guru Nanak Jayanti. Many festivals are called with different names in various regions but are same North India festivals are celebrated in Uttarayana. Ram Navmi and Janamasthami related to Lord Rama and Krishna are given importance in the North.
Dressing
Women in North India wear salwar, suits even jeans. Salwar-Kameez is a traditional outfit for the women of Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and northern Haryana. In Rajasthan and its adjoining areas like southern Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, women wear Ghagra Choli.
In rural northern region men in wear pajama or dhoti, with a shirt or long kurta. Men also wear headgear, which is considered a symbol of honor.
Food
North Indian main food is dal, chawal, bajra, etc. North Indians prepare parathas, chapatti, puri, and rotis from wheat flour. Also, it is less spicy and includes mostly vegetables like Cauliflower, brinjal, etc. One striking difference is the oil in which the food is cooked. In the north, they use mostly vegetable oils and mustard oil.
Language
The languages include mostly Hindi, Bhutia, Nepalese, Punjabi, Urdu(in Kashmir).
Dance
Northern India embraces dance moves like Bhangra, Manipuri, Odissi, Bihu are some leading forms of classical dance. Kathak is the main dance form in North India, While North Indian has Hindustani style music, musical instruments like sitar, sarangi, santoor, and tabla are used.
Suggested Read: South Indian Culture
