Cultural India India is a popular destination and boast a cultural heritage that is worth exploring. As a tourist you have many choice to explore - from cuisine to dances to music. All in diverse in nature encompass to form the culture of India. Ver few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as India's. Dating back to over 5000 years old civilization, India's culture has been enriched by successive waves of migration which were absorbed into the Indian way of life. The Indian culture comprises of Indian music, Indian Dance, Indian cuisines, costumes and Indian Festivals.

Indian Dances Indian dances are popular all over the world for their unique style and lucid expression portrayed by the artiste. Indian dances have the potential to recreate the magic of past era as well as represent the present with their futuristic style.

It is belived that classical dance in India originated 2BC when the ancient treatise on dance, Natya Shastra, was compiled. Guided by the elaborate codes in the Natya Shastra and by mythology, legend and classical literature, Indian classical dance attracts many tourist all across the world. Classical dance forms have rigid rules for presentation. ASome of the leading dance classical dance form are Bharata Natyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Mohini Attam.

Dance of Mohini is quite popular in Indian mythology. Mohini according to legends was a very beautiful woman who attracts people instantly and was an enchantress, thus Mohiniattam it is the dance of the enchantress. It is also believed that Lord Vishnu had disguised himself as 'Mohini' with an intention to slay Bhasmasura and also during the churning of nectar from the ocean. But the basis of this dance is not seduction alone. Not many knows that it also signifies transformation of Lord Vishnu into a female form and also the concept of 'Ardhnareeshwara' i.e. male and female as one. Like many other dance forms, this was also restricted to the Devadasis. Love and devotion to god is the major theme behind the dance. Vishnu or Krishna ismore often the hero.

The culture of India is one of the oldest and unique. In India, there is amazing cultural diversity throughout the country. The South, North, and Northeast have their own distinct cultures and almost every state has carved out its own cultural niche. There is hardly any culture in the world that is as varied and unique as India. India is a vast country, having variety of geographical features and climatic conditions. India is home to some of the most ancient civilizations, including four major world religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.A combination of these factors has resulted into an exclusive culture- Indian culture. Indian culture is a composite mixture of varying styles and influences. In the matter of cuisine, for instance, the North and the South are totally different. Festivals in India are characterized by color, gaiety, enthusiasm, prayers and rituals. In the realm of music, there are varieties of folk, popular, pop, and classical music. The classical tradition of music in India includes the Carnatic and the Hindustani music.