title: Uno (card game)

text: On October 1, 2019, Mattel released a Braille version of their game with Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind. Riccobono said in a press release, "The fact that a blind person is now able to play a classic game of UNO straight out of the box with both blind and sighted friends or family members is a truly meaningful moment for our community."


title: Uno (card game)

text: Uno HO differs from the standard game in that the cards are transparent and waterproof. Play is identical to the standard pre-2018 Uno game, with the addition of two types of "Wild Downpour" cards. When one of these is played, all other players must draw either one or two cards as indicated on the card. The player using it may then declare the next color to be matched.


title: Uno (card game)

text: In 2018, Mattel released a spin-off of Uno entitled "Dos"; the game is differentiated primarily by having a "center row" of discard piles, where pairs of cards that add up to the sum of a card on the top of one of the piles may be discarded.


title: Uno (card game)

text: The game can be played with two decks of standard playing cards, if the jokers are marked up as the zeroes of the four suits, and the royalty treated as the special cards.


title: Uno (card game)

text: In March 2013, it was announced that Mattel and the Gurin Company were teaming up to create a game show based on the card game, produced as a half-hour daily strip with a $100,000 cash jackpot along with a primetime version in which contestants competed for 1 million dollars. However, the idea was scrapped later on.


title: Uno (card game)

text: On February 4, 2021, an action heist comedy film based on the game was announced to be in development for Mattel Films with Lil Yachty of record label Quality Control Music developing and being eyed for the lead role alongside the label's managers Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas, and Brian Sher for Quality Films producing, Marcy Kelly writing, and Robbie Brenner and Kevin McKeon leading the project as executive producer and supervising producer, respectively.


title: Uno (card game)

text: Uno is a member of the shedding family of card games. The shedding family of card games consists of games where the objective is to get rid of all your cards while preventing the other players from getting rid of their cards.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian culture is the heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, belief systems, political systems, artifacts and technologies that originated in or are associated with the ethno-linguistically diverse India. The term also applies beyond India to countries and cultures whose histories are strongly connected to India by immigration, colonisation, or influence, particularly in South Asia and Southeast Asia. India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian culture, often labelled as a combination of several cultures, has been influenced by a history that is several millennia old, beginning with the Indus Valley civilization and other early cultural areas. Many elements of Indian culture, such as Indian religions, mathematics, philosophy, cuisine, languages, dance, music and movies have had a profound impact across the Indosphere, Greater India and the world. Specifically Southeast Asian and Himalayan influence on early India, had lasting impacts on the formation of Hinduism and Indian mythology. Hinduism itself formed from various distinct folk religions, which merged during the Vedic period and following periods. Especially Austroasiatic groups, such as early Munda and Mon Khmer, but also Tibetic and other Tibeto-Burmese groups, left noteworthy influence on local Indian peoples and culture. Several scholars, such as Professor Przyluski, among others, concluded that there is a significant cultural, linguistic, and political Mon-Khmer (Austroasiatic) influence on early India, which can also be observed by Austroasiatic loanwords within Indo-Aryan languages and rice cultivation, which was introduced by East/Southeast Asian rice-agriculturalists using a route from Southeast Asia through Northeast India into the Indian subcontinent. The British Raj further influenced Indian culture, such as through the widespread introduction of the English language, and a local dialect developed.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian-origin religions Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, are all based on the concepts of dharma and karma. Ahimsa, the philosophy of nonviolence, is an important aspect of native Indian faiths whose most well known proponent was Mahatma Gandhi, who used civil disobedience to unite India during the Indian independence movementthis philosophy further inspired Martin Luther King Jr. during the American civil rights movement. Foreign-origin religion, including Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam, are also present in India, as well as Zoroastrianism and Baháʼí Faith both escaping persecution by Islam have also found shelter in India over the centuries.


title: Culture of India

text: India has 28 states and 8 union territories with different culture and it is the second most populated country in the world. The Indian culture, often labeled as an amalgamation of several various cultures, spans across the Indian subcontinent and has been influenced and shaped by a history that is several thousand years old. Throughout the history of India, Indian culture has been heavily influenced by Dharmic religions. Influence from East/Southeast Asian cultures onto ancient India and early Hinduism, specifically Austroasiatic groups, such as early Munda and Mon Khmer, but also Tibetic and other Tibeto-Burmese groups, had noteworthy impact on local Indian peoples and cultures. Several scholars, such as Professor Przyluski, Jules Bloch, and Lévi, among others, concluded that there is a significant cultural, linguistic, and political Mon-Khmer (Austroasiatic) influence on early India, which can also be observed by Austroasiatic loanwords within Indo-Aryan languages and rice cultivation, which was introduced by East/Southeast Asian rice-agriculturalists using a route from Southeast Asia through Northeast India into the Indian subcontinent. They have been credited with shaping much of Indian philosophy, literature, architecture, art and music. Greater India was the historical extent of Indian culture beyond the Indian subcontinent. This particularly concerns the spread of Hinduism, Buddhism, architecture, administration and writing system from India to other parts of Asia through the Silk Road by the travelers and maritime traders during the early centuries of the Common Era. To the west, Greater India overlaps with Greater Persia in the Hindu Kush and Pamir Mountains. Over the centuries, there has been a significant fusion of cultures between Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs and various tribal populations in India.


title: Culture of India

text: India is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and other religions. They are collectively known as Indian religions. Indian religions are a major form of world religions along with Abrahamic ones. Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third and fourth-largest religions respectively, with over 2 billion followers altogether, and possibly as many as 2.5 or 2.6 billion followers. Followers of Indian religions – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists make up around 80–82% population of India.


title: Culture of India

text: India is one of the most religiously and ethnically diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people. Although India is a secular Hindu-majority country, it has a large Muslim population. Except for Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram and Lakshadweep, Hindus form the predominant population in all 27 states and 9 union territories. Muslims are present throughout India, with large populations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Assam; while only Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep have majority Muslim populations. Christians are other significant minorities of India.


title: Culture of India

text: Because of the diversity of religious groups in India, there has been a history of turmoil and violence between them. India has been a theatre for violent religious clashes between members of different religions such as Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. Several groups have founded various national-religious political parties, and in spite of government policies minority religious groups are being subjected to prejudice from more dominant groups in order to maintain and control resources in particular regions of India.


title: Culture of India

text: According to the 2011 census, 79.8% of the population of India practice Hinduism. Islam (14.2%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikhism (1.7%), Buddhism (0.7%) and Jainism (0.4%) are the other major religions followed by the people of India. Many tribal religions, such as Sarnaism, are found in India, though these have been affected by major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity. Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and the Baháʼí Faith are also influential but their numbers are smaller. Atheism and agnostics also have visible influence in India, along with a self-ascribed tolerance to other faiths. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Centre, India will have world's largest populations of Hindus and Muslims by 2050. India is expected to have about 311 million Muslims making up around 19–20% of the population and yet about 1.3 billion Hindus are projected to live in India comprising around 76% of the population.


title: Culture of India

text: Atheism and agnosticism have a long history in India and flourished within Śramaṇa movement. The "Cārvāka" school originated in India around the 6th century BCE. It is one of the earliest form of materialistic and atheistic movement in ancient India. Sramana, Buddhism, Jainism, Ājīvika and some schools of Hinduism consider atheism to be valid and reject the concept of creator deity, ritualism and superstitions. India has produced some notable atheist politicians and social reformers. According to the 2012 WIN-Gallup Global Index of Religion and Atheism report, 81% of Indians were religious, 13% were not religious, 3% were convinced atheists, and 3% were unsure or did not respond.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian philosophy comprises the philosophical traditions of the Indian subcontinent. There are six schools of orthodox Hindu philosophy—Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mīmāṃsā and Vedanta—and four heterodox schools—Jain, Buddhist, Ājīvika and Cārvāka – last two are also schools of Hinduism. However, there are other methods of classification; Vidyarania for instance identifies sixteen schools of Indian philosophy by including those that belong to the Śaiva and Raseśvara traditions. Since medieval India (ca.1000–1500), schools of Indian philosophical thought have been classified by the Brahmanical tradition as either orthodox or non-orthodox – āstika or nāstika – depending on whether they regard the Vedas as an infallible source of knowledge.


title: Culture of India

text: The main schools of Indian philosophy were formalized chiefly between 1000 BCE to the early centuries of the Common Era. According to philosopher Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the earliest of these, which date back to the composition of the Upanishads in the later Vedic period (1000–500 BCE), constitute "the earliest philosophical compositions of the world." Competition and integration between the various schools were intense during their formative years, especially between 800 BCE and 200 CE. Some schools like Jainism, Buddhism, Śaiva, and Advaita Vedanta survived, but others, like Samkhya and Ājīvika, did not; they were either assimilated or became extinct. Subsequent centuries produced commentaries and reformulations continuing up to as late as the 20th century. Authors who gave contemporary meaning to traditional philosophies include Shrimad Rajchandra, Swami Vivekananda, Ram Mohan Roy, and Swami Dayananda Saraswati.


title: Culture of India

text: For generations, India has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. It is when extended members of a family – parents, children, the children's spouses, and their offspring, etc. – live together. Usually, the oldest male member is the head of the joint Indian family system. He mostly makes all important decisions and rules, and other family members are likely to abide by them. With the current economy, lifestyle, and cost of living in most of the metro cities are high, the population is leaving behind the joint family model and adapting to the nuclear family model. Earlier living in a joint family was with the purpose of creating love and concern for the family members. However, now it's a challenge to give time to each other as most of them are out for survival needs. Rise in the trends of nuclear family settings has led to a change in the traditional family headship structure and older males are no longer the mandated heads of the family owing to the fact that they mostly live alone during old age and are far more vulnerable than before.


title: Culture of India

text: In a 1966 study, Orenstein and Micklin analysed India's population data and family structure. Their studies suggest that Indian household sizes had remained similar over the 1911 to 1951 period. Thereafter, with urbanisation and economic development, India has witnessed a break up of traditional joint family into more nuclear-like families.


title: Culture of India

text: Sinha, in his book, after summarising the numerous sociological studies done on the Indian family, notes that over the last 60 years, the cultural trend in most parts of India has been an accelerated change from joint family to nuclear families, much like population trends in other parts of the world. The traditionally large joint family in India, in the 1990s, accounted for a small percent of Indian households, and on average had lower per capita household income. He finds that joint family still persists in some areas and in certain conditions, in part due to cultural traditions and in part due to practical factors.


title: Culture of India

text: Youth in lower socio-economic classes are more inclined to spend time with their families than their peers due to differing ideologies in rural and urban parenting. With the spread of education and growth of economics, the traditional joint-family system is breaking down rapidly across India and attitudes towards working women have changed.


title: Culture of India

text: Arranged marriages have long been the norm in Indian society. Even today, the majority of Indians have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family members. In the past, the age of marriage was young. The average age of marriage for women in India has increased to 21 years, according to the 2011 Census of India. In 2009, about 7% of women got married before the age of 18.


title: Culture of India

text: In most marriages, the bride's family provides a dowry to the bridegroom. Traditionally, the dowry was considered a woman's share of the family wealth, since a daughter had no legal claim on her natal family's real estate. It also typically included portable valuables such as jewelry and household goods that a bride could control throughout her life. Historically, in most families the inheritance of family estates passed down the male line. Since 1956, Indian laws treat males and females as equal in matters of inheritance without a legal will. Indians are increasingly using a legal will for inheritance and property succession, with about 20 percent using a legal will by 2004.


title: Culture of India

text: In India, the divorce rate is low — 1% compared with about 40% in the United States. These statistics do not reflect a complete picture, though. There is a dearth of scientific surveys or studies on Indian marriages where the perspectives of both husbands and wives were solicited in-depth. Sample surveys suggest the issues with marriages in India are similar to trends observed elsewhere in the world. The divorce rates are rising in India. Urban divorce rates are much higher. Women initiate about 80 percent of divorces in India.


title: Culture of India

text: Recent studies suggest that Indian culture is trending away from traditional arranged marriages. Banerjee et al. surveyed 41,554 households across 33 states and union territories in India in 2005. They find that the marriage trends in India are similar to trends observed over the last 40 years in China, Japan, and other nations. The study found that fewer marriages are purely arranged without consent and that the majority of surveyed Indian marriages are arranged with consent. The percentage of self-arranged marriages (called love marriages in India) was also increasing, particularly in the urban parts of India.


title: Culture of India

text: Weddings are festive occasions in India with extensive decorations, colors, music, dance, costumes and rituals that depend on the religion of the bride and the groom, as well as their preferences. The nation celebrates about 10 million weddings per year, of which over 80% are Hindu weddings.


title: Culture of India

text: While there are many festival-related rituals in Hinduism, "vivaha" (wedding) is the most extensive personal ritual an adult Hindu undertakes in his or her life. Typical Hindu families spend significant effort and financial resources to prepare and celebrate weddings. The rituals and processes of a Hindu wedding vary depending on the region of India, local adaptations, family resources and preferences of the bride and the groom. Nevertheless, there are a few key rituals common in Hindu weddings – "Kanyadaan", "Panigrahana", and "Saptapadi"; these are respectively, gifting away of daughter by the father, voluntarily holding hand near the fire to signify impending union, and taking seven circles before firing with each circle including a set of mutual vows. Mangalsutra necklace of bond a Hindu groom ties with three knots around the bride's neck in a marriage ceremony. The practice is integral to a marriage ceremony as prescribed in Manusmriti, the traditional law governing Hindu marriage. After the seventh circle and vows of "Saptapadi", the couple is legally husband and wife. Sikhs get married through a ceremony called Anand Karaj. The couple walks around the holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib four times. Indian Muslims celebrate a traditional Islamic wedding following customs similar to those practiced in the Middle East. The rituals include "Nikah", payment of financial dower called "Mahr" by the groom to the bride, signing of a marriage contract, and a reception. Indian Christian weddings follow customs similar to those practiced in the Christian countries in the West in states like Goa but have more Indian customs in other states.


title: Culture of India

text: India, being a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. The three national holidays in India, the Independence Day, the Republic Day and the Gandhi Jayanti, are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India. In addition, many Indian states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Navratri, Janmashtami, Diwali, Maha Shivratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Holi, Rath Yatra, Ugadi, Vasant Panchami, Rakshabandhan, and Dussehra. Several harvest festivals such as Makar Sankranti, Sohrai, Pusnâ, Hornbill, Chapchar Kut, Pongal, Onam and Raja sankaranti swinging festival are also fairly popular.


title: Culture of India

text: India celebrates a variety of festivals due to the large diversity of India. Many religious festivals like Diwali (Hindu) Eid (Muslim) Christmas (Christian), etc. are celebrated by all. The government also provides facilities for the celebration of all religious festivals with equality and grants road bookings, security, etc. providing equality to the diverse religions and their festivals.


title: Culture of India

text: The Indian New Year festival is celebrated in different parts of India with a unique style at different times. Ugadi, Bihu, Gudhi Padwa, Puthandu, Vaisakhi, Pohela Boishakh, Vishu and Vishuva Sankranti are the New Year festival of different part of India.


title: Culture of India

text: Certain festivals in India are celebrated by multiple religions. Notable examples include Diwali, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains across the country and Buddha Purnima, Krishna Janmashtami, Ambedkar Jayanti celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus. Sikh festivals, such as Guru Nanak Jayanti, Baisakhi are celebrated with full fanfare by Sikhs and Hindus of Punjab and Delhi where the two communities together form an overwhelming majority of the population. Adding colours to the culture of India, the Dree Festival is one of the tribal festivals of India celebrated by the Apatanis of the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the easternmost state of India. Nowruz is the most important festival among the Parsi community of India.


title: Culture of India

text: Islam in India is the second largest religion with over 172 million Muslims, according to India's 2011 census. The Islamic festivals which are observed and are declared public holiday in India are; Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha (Bakri Eid), Milad-un-Nabi, Muharram and Shab-e-Barat. Some of the Indian states have declared regional holidays for the particular regional popular festivals; such as Arba'een, Jumu'ah-tul-Wida and Shab-e-Qadar.


title: Culture of India

text: Christianity in India is the third-largest religion with over 27.8 million Christians, according to India's 2011 census. With over 27.8 million Christians, of which 17 million are Roman Catholics, India is home to many Christian festivals. The country celebrates Christmas and Good Friday as public holidays.


title: Culture of India

text: Regional and community fairs are also a common festivals in India. For example, Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan is one of the world's largest markets of cattle and livestock.


title: Culture of India

text: Greetings include "Namaste (Hindi,Sanskrit and Kannada)", "Nômôskar" in Odia, "Khulumkha" (Tripuri), "Namaskar (Marathi)," "Namaskara "(Kannada and Sanskrit), "Namaskaram" (Telugu, Malayalam), "Vanakkam" (Tamil), "Nômôshkar" (Bengali), "Nomoskar" (Assamese), "Aadab" (Urdu), and "Sat Shri Akal" (Punjabi). All these are commonly spoken greetings or salutations when people meet and are forms of farewell when they depart. Namaskar is considered slightly more formal than Namaste but both express deep respect. Namaskar is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists, and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture may be made wordlessly or said without the folded hand gesture. The word is derived from "Sanskrit" ("Namah"): to bow, reverential salutation, and respect, and (te): "to you". Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". In Hinduism it means "I bow to the divine in you." In most Indian families, younger men and women are taught to seek the blessing of their elders by reverentially bowing to their elders. This custom is known as Pranāma.


title: Culture of India

text: Other greetings include "Jai Jagannath" (used in Odia) "Ami Aschi" (used in Bengali), "Jai Shri Krishna" (in Gujarati and the Braj Bhasha and Rajasthani dialects of Hindi), "Ram Ram/(Jai) Sita Ram ji" (Awadhi and Bhojpuri dialects of Hindi and other Bihari dialects), and "Sat Sri Akal" (Punjabi; used by followers of Sikhism), "As-salamu alaykum" (Urdu; used by follower of Islam), "Jai Jinendra" (a common greeting used by followers of Jainism), "Jai Bhim" (used by followers of Ambedkarism), "Namo Buddhay" (used by followers of Buddhism), "Allah Abho" (used by followers of the Baháʼí Faith), "Shalom aleichem" (used by followers of Judaism), "Hamazor Hama Ashobed" (used by followers of Zoroastrianism), "Sahebji" (Persian and Gujarati; used by the Parsi people), "Dorood" (Persian and Gujarati; used by the Irani people), "Om Namah Shivaya/Jai Bholenath" Jaidev (used in Dogri and Kashmiri, also used in the city of Varanasi), "Jai Ambe Maa/Jai Mata di" (used in Eastern India), "Jai Ganapati Bapa" (used in Marathi and Konkani), etc.


title: Culture of India

text: These traditional forms of greeting may be absent in the world of business and in India's urban environment, where a handshake is a common form of greeting.


title: Culture of India

text: The varied and rich wildlife of India has a profound impact on the region's popular culture. Common name for wilderness in India is Jungle which was adopted by Britons living in India to the English language. The word has been also made famous in "The Jungle Book" by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the "Panchatantra" and the "Jataka tales".


title: Culture of India

text: In Hinduism, the cow is regarded as a symbol of "ahimsa" (non-violence), mother goddess and bringer of good fortune and wealth. For this reason, cows are revered in Hindu culture and feeding a cow is seen as an act of worship. This is why beef remains a taboo food in mainstream Hindu and Jain society.


title: Culture of India

text: The Article 48 of the Constitution of India is one of the Directive Principles which directs that the state shall endeavor to prohibit slaughtering and smuggling of cattle, calves and other milch and draught cattle. As of January 2012, cow remains a divisive and controversial topic in India. Several states of India have passed laws to protect cows, while many states have no restrictions on the production and consumption of beef. Some groups oppose the butchering of cows, while other secular groups argue that what kind of meat one eats ought to be a matter of personal choice in a democracy. Madhya Pradesh enacted a law in January 2012, namely the Gau-Vansh Vadh Pratishedh (Sanshodhan) Act, which makes cow slaughter a serious offence.


title: Culture of India

text: Gujarat, a western state of India, has the Animal Preservation Act, enacted in October 2011, that prohibits the killing of cows along with buying, selling and transport of beef. In contrast, Assam and Andhra Pradesh allow butchering of cattle with a fit-for-slaughter certificate. In the states of West Bengal and Kerala, consumption of beef is not deemed an offence. Contrary to stereotypes, a sizeable number of Hindus eat beef, and many argue that their scriptures, such as Vedic and Upanishadic texts do not prohibit its consumption. In southern Indian state Kerala, for instance, beef accounts for nearly half of all meat consumed by all communities, including Hindus. Sociologists theorise that the widespread consumption of cow meat in India is because it is a far cheaper source of animal protein for the poor than mutton or chicken, which retail at double the price. For these reasons, India's beef consumption post-independence in 1947 has witnessed a much faster growth than any other kind of meat; currently, India is one of the five largest producers and consumers of cattle livestock meat in the world. A beef ban has been made in Maharashtra and other states as of 2015. While states such as Madhya Pradesh are passing local laws to prevent cruelty to cows, other Indians are arguing "If the real objective is to prevent cruelty to animals, then why single out the cows when hundreds of other animals are maltreated?"


title: Culture of India

text: Indian food is as diverse as India. Indian cuisines use numerous ingredients, deploy a wide range of food preparation styles, cooking techniques, and culinary presentations. From salads to sauces, from vegetarian to meat, from spices to sensuous, from bread to desserts, Indian cuisine is invariably complex. Harold McGee, a favourite of many Michelin-starred chefs, writes "for sheer inventiveness with the milk itself as the primary ingredient, no country on earth can match India."


title: Culture of India

text: According to Sanjeev Kapoor, a member of Singapore Airlines' International Culinary Panel, Indian food has long been an expression of world cuisine. Kapoor claims, "if you looked back in India's history and study the food that our ancestors ate, you will notice how much attention was paid to the planning and cooking of a meal. Great thought was given to the texture and taste of each dish." One such historical record is , (, The Delight of Mind), written in the 12th century. The book describes the need to change cuisine and food with seasons, various methods of cooking, the best blend of flavours, the feel of various foods, planning and style of dining amongst other things.


title: Culture of India

text: India is known for its love of food and spices. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the local produce, cultural diversity, and varied demographics of the country. Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into five categories – northern, southern, eastern, western, and northeastern. The diversity of Indian cuisine is characterised by the differing use of many spices and herbs, a wide assortment of recipes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is vegetarian, many Indian dishes also include meats like chicken, mutton, beef (both cow and buffalo), pork and fish, egg and other seafood. Fish-based cuisines are common in eastern states of India, particularly West Bengal and the southern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.


title: Culture of India

text: Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of certain food preparations and are used to enhance the flavour of a dish and create unique flavours and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the Central Asians, Arabs, Mughals, and European colonists. Sweets are also very popular among Indians, particularly in West Bengal where both Bengali Hindus and Bengali Muslims distribute sweets to mark joyous occasions.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe. In most Indian restaurants outside India, the menu does not do justice to the enormous variety of Indian cuisine available – the most common cuisine served on the menu would be Punjabi cuisine (chicken tikka masala is a very popular dish in the United Kingdom). There do exist some restaurants serving cuisines from other regions of India, although these are few and far between. Historically, Indian spices and herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. The spice trade between India and Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to find new trade routes with India leading to the "Age of Discovery". The popularity of "curry", which originated in India, across Asia has often led to the dish being labeled as the "pan-Asian" dish.


title: Culture of India

text: Regional Indian cuisine continues to evolve. A fusion of East Asian and Western cooking methods with traditional cuisines, along with regional adaptations of fast food are prominent in major Indian cities.


title: Culture of India

text: The cuisine of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana consists of the Telugu cuisine, of the Telugu people as well as Hyderabadi cuisine (also known as Nizami cuisine), of the Hyderabadi Muslim community. Hyderabadi food is based heavily on non-vegetarian ingredients while, Telugu food is a mix of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian ingredients. Telugu food is rich in spices and chillies are abundantly used. The food also generally tends to be more on the tangy side with tamarind and lime juice both used liberally as souring agents. Rice is the staple food of Telugu people. Starch is consumed with a variety of curries and lentil soups or broths. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are both popular. Hyderabadi cuisine includes popular delicacies such as "Biryani", "Haleem", "Baghara baingan" and "Kheema," while Hyderabadi day to day dishes see some commonalities with Telanganite Telugu food, with its use of tamarind, rice, and lentils, along with meat. Yogurt is a common addition to meals, as a way of tempering spiciness.


title: Culture of India

text: Traditional clothing in India greatly varies across different parts of the country and is influenced by local culture, geography, climate, and rural/urban settings. Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as sari and "mekhela sador" for women and dhoti or lungi or panche (in Kannada) for men. Stitched clothes are also popular such as churidar or "salwar-kameez" for women, with "dupatta" (long scarf) thrown over shoulder completing the outfit. The salwar is often loose fitting, while churidar is a tighter cut. The dastar, a headgear worn by Sikhs is common in Punjab.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian women perfect their sense of charm and fashion with makeup and ornaments. Bindi, mehendi, earrings, bangles and other jewelry are common. On special occasions, such as marriage ceremonies and festivals, women may wear cheerful colours with various ornaments made with gold, silver or other regional stones and gems. Bindi is often an essential part of a Hindu woman's make up. Worn on their forehead, some consider the "bindi" as an auspicious mark. Traditionally, the red bindi was worn only by married Hindu women, and coloured bindi was worn by single women, but now all colours and glitter have become a part of women's fashion. Some women wear sindoor – a traditional red or orange-red powder (vermilion) in the parting of their hair (locally called "mang"). Sindoor is the traditional mark of a married woman for Hindus. Single Hindu women do not wear "sindoor"; neither do over 1 million Indian women from religions other than Hindu and agnostics/atheists who may be married. The make up and clothing styles differ regionally between the Hindu groups, and also by climate or religion, with Christians preferring Western and Muslim preferring the Arabic styles. For men, stitched versions include kurta-pyjama and European-style trousers and shirts. In urban and semi-urban centres, men and women of all religious backgrounds, can often be seen in jeans, trousers, shirts, suits, kurtas and variety of other fashions.


title: Culture of India

text: The Rigvedic Sanskrit is one of the oldest attestations of any Indo-Aryan languages, and one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European languages. The discovery of Sanskrit by early European explorers of India led to the development of comparative Philology. The scholars of the 18th century were struck by the far-reaching similarity of Sanskrit, both in grammar and vocabulary, to the classical languages of Europe. Intensive scientific studies that followed have established that Sanskrit and many Indian derivative languages belong to the family which includes English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Celtic, Greek, Baltic, Armenian, Persian, Tocharian, and other Indo-European languages.


title: Culture of India

text: Tamil, one of India's major classical language, descends from Proto-Dravidian languages spoken around the third millennium BCE in peninsular India. The earliest inscriptions of Tamil have been found on pottery dating back to 500 BC. Tamil literature has existed for over two thousand years and the earliest epigraphic records found date from around the 3rd century BCE.


title: Culture of India

text: The evolution of language within India may be distinguished over three periods: old, middle and modern Indo-Aryan. The classical form of old Indo-Aryan was "Sanskrit" meaning polished, cultivated and correct, in distinction to "Prakrit" – the practical language of the migrating masses evolving without concern to proper pronunciation or grammar, the structure of language changing as those masses mingled, settled new lands and adopted words from people of other native languages. "Prakrita" became middle Indo-Aryan leading to "Pali" (the language of early Buddhists and Ashoka era in 200–300 BCE), "Prakrit" (the language of Jain philosophers) and "Apabhramsa" (the language blend at the final stage of middle Indo-Aryan). It is "Apabhramsa", scholars claim, that flowered into Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali, Marathi, Punjabi, and many other languages now in use in India's north, east and west. All of these Indian languages have roots and structures similar to Sanskrit, to each other and to other Indo-European languages. Thus we have in India three thousand years of continuous linguistic history recorded and preserved in literary documents. This enables scholars to follow language evolution and observe how, by changes hardly noticeable from generation to generation, an original language alters into descendant languages that are now barely recognisable as the same.


title: Culture of India

text: Sanskrit has had a profound impact on the languages and literature of India. Hindi, India's most spoken language, is a "Sanskritised register" of the Delhi dialect. In addition, all modern Indo-Aryan languages, Munda languages and Dravidian languages, have borrowed many words either directly from Sanskrit ("tatsama" words), or indirectly via middle Indo-Aryan languages ("tadbhava" words). Words originating in Sanskrit are estimated to constitute roughly fifty percent of the vocabulary of modern Indo-Aryan languages, and the literary forms of (Dravidian) Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Tamil, although to a slightly smaller extent, has also been significantly influenced by Sanskrit. Part of the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, the Bengali language arose from the eastern Middle Indic languages and its roots are traced to the 5th-century BCE Ardhamagadhi language.


title: Culture of India

text: Another major Classical Dravidian language, Kannada is attested epigraphically from the mid-1st millennium AD, and literary Old Kannada flourished in the 9th- to 10th-century Rashtrakuta Dynasty. Pre-old Kannada (or "Purava Hazhe-Gannada") was the language of Banavasi in the early Common Era, the Satavahana and Kadamba periods and hence has a history of over 2000 years. The Ashoka rock edict found at Brahmagiri (dated 230 BCE) has been suggested to contain a word in identifiable Kannada. Odia is India's 6th classical language in addition to Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. It is also one of the 22 official languages in the 8th schedule of Indian constitution. Odia's importance to Indian culture, from ancient times, is evidenced by its presence in Ashoka's Rock Edict X, dated to the 2nd century BC.


title: Culture of India

text: The language with the largest number of speakers in India is Hindi and its various dialects. Early forms of present-day Hindustani developed from the Middle Indo-Aryan "apabhraṃśa" vernaculars of present-day North India in the 7th–13th centuries. During the time of Islamic rule in parts of India, it became influenced by Persian. The Persian influence led to the development of Urdu, which is more Persianized and written in the Perso-Arabic script. Modern standard Hindi has a lesser Persian influence and is written in the Devanagari script.


title: Culture of India

text: During the 19th and 20th centuries, Indian English literature developed during the British Raj, pioneered by Rabindranath Tagore, Mulk Raj Anand and Munshi Premchand.


title: Culture of India

text: In addition to Indo-European and Dravidian languages, Austro-Asiatic and Tibeto-Burman languages are in use in India. The 2011 Linguistic Survey of India states that India has over 780 languages and 66 different scripts, with its state of Arunachal Pradesh with 90 languages.


title: Culture of India

text: The Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyaṇa are the oldest preserved and well-known epics of India. Versions have been adopted as the epics of Southeast Asian countries like Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Ramayana consists of 24,000 verses in seven books (') and 500 cantos ('), and tells the story of Rama (an incarnation or Avatar of the Hindu preserver-god Vishnu), whose wife Sita is abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. This epic played a pivotal role in establishing the role of dhárma as a principal ideal guiding force for Hindu way of life. The earliest parts of the Mahabharata text date to 400 BC and is estimated to have reached its final form by the early Gupta period (c. 4th century AD). Other regional variations of these, as well as unrelated epics include the Tamil Ramavataram, Assamese Saptakanda Ramayana, Kannada "Pampa Bharata", Hindi "Ramacharitamanasa", and Malayalam "Adhyathmaramayanam". In addition to these two great Indian epics, there are The Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature composed in classical Tamil language — "Manimegalai", "Cīvaka Cintāmaṇi", "Silappadikaram", "Valayapathi" and "Kundalakesi".


title: Culture of India

text: India has had a long romance with the art of dance. The Hindu Sanskrit texts "Natya Shastra" (Science of Dance) and "Abhinaya Darpana" (Mirror of Gesture) are estimated to be from 200 BCE to early centuries of the 1st millennium CE.


title: Culture of India

text: The Indian art of dance as taught in these ancient books, according to Ragini Devi, is the expression of inner beauty and the divine in man. It is a deliberate art, nothing is left to chance, each gesture seeks to communicate the ideas, each facial expression the emotions.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian dance includes eight classical dance forms, many in narrative forms with mythological elements. The eight classical forms accorded classical dance status by India's "National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama" are: "bharatanatyam" of the state of Tamil Nadu, "kathak" of Uttar Pradesh, "kathakali" and "mohiniattam" of Kerala, "kuchipudi" of Andhra Pradesh, "yakshagana" of Karnataka, "manipuri" of Manipur, "odissi (orissi)" of the state of Odisha and the "sattriya" of Assam.


title: Culture of India

text: In addition to the formal arts of dance, Indian regions have a strong free form, folksy dance tradition. Some of the folk dances include the "bhangra" of Punjab; the "bihu" of Assam; the zeliang of Nagaland; the Jhumair, Domkach, chhau of Jharkhand; the Ghumura Dance, Gotipua, Mahari dance and Dalkhai of Odisha; the , and of Uttar Pradesh; the jat-jatin, nat-natin and saturi of Bihar; the "ghoomar" of Rajasthan and Haryana; the "dandiya" and "garba" of Gujarat; the kolattam of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana; the "yakshagana" of Karnataka; "lavani" of Maharashtra; "Dekhnni" of Goa. Recent developments include adoption of international dance forms particularly in the urban centres of India, and the extension of Indian classical dance arts by the Kerala Christian community, to tell stories from the Bible.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian drama and theatre has a long history alongside its music and dance. Kalidasa's plays like Shakuntala and Meghadoota are some of the older dramas, following those of Bhasa. Kutiyattam of Kerala, is the only surviving specimen of the ancient Sanskrit theatre, thought to have originated around the beginning of the Common Era, and is officially recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It strictly follows the Natya Shastra. Nātyāchārya Māni Mādhava Chākyār is credited for reviving the age old drama tradition from extinction. He was known for mastery of Rasa Abhinaya. He started to perform the Kalidasa plays like "Abhijñānaśākuntala", "Vikramorvaśīya" and "Mālavikāgnimitra"; Bhasa's "Swapnavāsavadatta" and "Pancharātra"; Harsha's "Nagananda".


title: Culture of India

text: India has a long tradition of puppetry. In the ancient Indian epic "Mahabharata" there are references to puppets. Kathputli, a form of string puppet performance native to Rajasthan, is notable and there are many Indian ventriloquists and puppeteers. The first Indian ventriloquist, Professor Y. K. Padhye, introduced this form of puppetry to India in the 1920s and his son, Ramdas Padhye, subsequently popularised ventriloquism and puppetry. Almost all types of puppets are found in India.


title: Culture of India

text: India has a rich and ancient tradition of string puppets or marionettes. Marionettes with jointed limbs controlled by strings allow far greater flexibility and are therefore the most articulate of the puppets. Rajasthan, Orissa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are some of the regions where this form of puppetry has flourished. The traditional marionettes of Rajasthan are known as "Kathputli". Carved from a single piece of wood, these puppets are like large dolls that are colourfully dressed. The string puppets of Orissa are known as "Kundhei". The string puppets of Karnataka are called "Gombeyatta". Puppets from Tamil Nadu, known as "Bommalattam", combine the techniques of rod and string puppets.


title: Culture of India

text: Rod puppets are an extension of glove-puppets, but are often much larger and supported and manipulated by rods from below. This form of puppetry now is found mostly in West Bengal and Orissa. The traditional rod puppet form of West Bengal is known as "Putul Nautch". They are carved from wood and follow the various artistic styles of a particular region. The traditional rod puppet of Bihar is known as "Yampuri".


title: Culture of India

text: Glove puppets are also known as sleeve, hand or palm puppets. The head is made of either papier mâché, cloth or wood, with two hands emerging from just below the neck. The rest of the figure consists of a long, flowing skirt. These puppets are like limp dolls, but in the hands of an able puppeteer, are capable of producing a wide range of movements. The manipulation technique is simple the movements are controlled by the human hand, the first finger inserted in the head and the middle finger and the thumb in the two arms of the puppet. With the help of these three fingers, the glove puppet comes alive.


title: Culture of India

text: The tradition of glove puppets in India is popular in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal and Kerala. In Uttar Pradesh, glove puppet plays usually present social themes, whereas in Orissa such plays are based on stories of Radha and Krishna. In Orissa, the puppeteer plays a "dholak" (hand drum) with one hand and manipulates the puppet with the other. The delivery of the dialogue, the movement of the puppet and the beat of the dholak are well synchronised and create a dramatic atmosphere. In Kerala, the traditional glove puppet play is called "Pavakoothu".


title: Culture of India

text: Shadow puppets are an ancient part of India's culture and art, particularly regionally as the "keelu bomme" and "Tholu bommalata" of Andhra Pradesh, the "Togalu gombeyaata" in Karnataka, the "charma bahuli natya" in Maharashtra, the "Ravana chhaya" in Odisha, the "Tholpavakoothu" in Kerala and the "thol bommalatta" in Tamil Nadu. Shadow puppet play is also found in pictorial traditions in India, such as temple mural painting, loose-leaf folio paintings, and the narrative paintings. Dance forms such as the Chhau of Odisha literally mean "shadow". The shadow theatre dance drama theatre are usually performed on platform stages attached to Hindu temples, and in some regions these are called "Koothu Madams" or "Koothambalams". In many regions, the puppet drama play is performed by itinerant artist families on temporary stages during major temple festivals. Legends from the Hindu epics "Ramayana" and the "Mahabharata" dominate their repertoire. However, the details and the stories vary regionally.


title: Culture of India

text: During the 19th century and early parts of the 20th century of the colonial era, Indologists believed that shadow puppet plays had become extinct in India, though mentioned in its ancient Sanskrit texts. In the 1930s and thereafter, states Stuart Blackburn, these fears of its extinction were found to be false as evidence emerged that shadow puppetry had remained a vigorous rural tradition in central Kerala mountains, most of Karnataka, northern Andhra Pradesh, parts of Tamil Nadu, Odisha and southern Maharashtra. The Marathi people, particularly of low caste, had preserved and vigorously performed the legends of Hindu epics as a folk tradition. The importance of Marathi artists is evidenced, states Blackburn, from the puppeteers speaking Marathi as their mother tongue in many non-Marathi speaking states of India.


title: Culture of India

text: According to Beth Osnes, the "tholu bommalata" shadow puppet theatre dates back to the 3rd century BCE, and has attracted patronage ever since. The puppets used in a "tholu bommalata" performance, states Phyllis Dircks, are "translucent, lusciously multicolored leather figures four to five feet tall, and feature one or two articulated arms". The process of making the puppets is an elaborate ritual, where the artist families in India pray, go into seclusion, produce the required art work, then celebrate the "metaphorical birth of a puppet" with flowers and incense.


title: Culture of India

text: The "tholu pava koothu" of Kerala uses leather puppets whose images are projected on a backlit screen. The shadows are used to creatively express characters and stories in the "Ramayana". A complete performance of the epic can take forty-one nights, while an abridged performance lasts as few as seven days. One feature of the "tholu pava koothu" show is that it is a team performance of puppeteers, while other shadow plays such as the "wayang" of Indonesia are performed by a single puppeteer for the same "Ramayana" story. There are regional differences within India in the puppet arts. For example, women play a major role in shadow play theatre in most parts of India, except in Kerala and Maharashtra. Almost everywhere, except Odisha, the puppets are made from tanned deer skin, painted and articulated. Translucent leather puppets are typical in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, while opaque puppets are typical in Kerala and Odisha. The artist troupes typically carry over a hundred puppets for their performance in rural India.


title: Culture of India

text: Music is an integral part of India's culture. Natyasastra, a 2000-year-old Sanskrit text, describes five systems of taxonomy to classify musical instruments. One of these ancient Indian systems classifies musical instruments into four groups according to four primary sources of vibration: strings, membranes, cymbals, and air. According to Reis Flora, this is similar to the Western theory of organology. Archeologists have also reported the discovery of a 3000-year-old, 20-key, carefully shaped polished basalt lithophone in the highlands of Odisha.


title: Culture of India

text: The oldest preserved examples of Indian music are the melodies of the "Samaveda" (1000 BC) that are still sung in certain Vedic Śrauta sacrifices; this is the earliest account of Indian musical hymns. It proposed a tonal structure consisting of seven notes, which were named, in descending order, as "Krusht", "Pratham", "Dwitiya", "Tritiya", "Chaturth", "Mandra" and "Atiswār". These refer to the notes of a flute, which was the only fixed frequency instrument. The Samaveda, and other Hindu texts, heavily influenced India's classical music tradition, which is known today in two distinct styles: Carnatic and Hindustani music. Both the Carnatic music and Hindustani music systems are based on the melodic base (known as Rāga), sung to a rhythmic cycle (known as Tāla); these principles were refined in the nātyaśāstra (200 BC) and the dattilam (300 AD).


title: Culture of India

text: The current music of India includes multiple varieties of religious, classical, folk, filmi, rock and pop music and dance. The appeal of traditional classical music and dance is on the rapid decline, especially among the younger generation.


title: Culture of India

text: Prominent contemporary Indian musical forms included filmi and Indipop. Filmi refers to the wide range of music written and performed for mainstream Indian cinema, primarily Bollywood, and accounts for more than 70 percent of all music sales in the country. Indipop is one of the most popular contemporary styles of Indian music which is either a fusion of Indian folk, classical or Sufi music with Western musical traditions.


title: Culture of India

text: Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora and Sittanavasal and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism. Most early and medieval art in India is Hindu, Buddhist or Jain. A freshly made coloured floor design (Rangoli) is still a common sight outside the doorstep of many (mostly South Indian) Indian homes. Raja Ravi Varma is one of the classical painters from medieval India.


title: Culture of India

text: Pattachitra, Madhubani painting, Mysore painting, Rajput painting, Tanjore painting and Mughal painting are some notable Genres of Indian Art; while Nandalal Bose, M. F. Husain, S. H. Raza, Geeta Vadhera, Jamini Roy and B. Venkatappa are some modern painters. Among the present day artists, Atul Dodiya, Bose Krishnamacnahri, Devajyoti Ray and Shibu Natesan represent a new era of Indian art where global art shows direct amalgamation with Indian classical styles. These recent artists have acquired international recognition. Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, Mysore Palace has on display a few good Indian paintings.


title: Culture of India

text: The first sculptures in India date back to the Indus Valley civilisation, where stone and bronze figures have been discovered. Later, as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism developed further, India produced some extremely intricate bronzes as well as temple carvings. Some huge shrines, such as the one at Ellora were not constructed by using blocks but carved out of solid rock.


title: Culture of India

text: Sculptures produced in the northwest, in stucco, schist, or clay, display a very strong blend of Indian and Classical Hellenistic or possibly even Greco-Roman influence. The pink sandstone sculptures of Mathura evolved almost simultaneously. During the Gupta period (4th to 6th centuries) sculpture reached a very high standard in execution and delicacy in modeling. These styles and others elsewhere in India evolved leading to classical Indian art that contributed to Buddhist and Hindu sculptures throughout Southeast Central and East Asia.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian architecture encompasses a multitude of expressions over space and time, constantly absorbing new ideas. The result is an evolving range of architectural production that nonetheless retains a certain amount of continuity across history. Some of its earliest production are found in the Indus Valley civilisation (2600–1900 BC) which is characterised by well-planned cities and houses. Religion and kingship do not seem to have played an important role in the planning and layout of these towns.


title: Culture of India

text: During the period of the Mauryan and Gupta empires and their successors, several Buddhist architectural complexes, such as the caves of Ajanta and Ellora and the monumental Sanchi Stupa were built. Later on, South India produced several Hindu temples like Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura, Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur built by Raja Raja Chola, the Sun Temple, Konark, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, and the Buddha stupa (Chinna Lanja dibba and Vikramarka kota dibba) at Bhattiprolu. Rajput kingdoms oversaw the construction of Khajuraho Temple Complex, Chittor Fort and Chaturbhuj Temple, etc. during their reign. Angkor Wat, Borobudur and other Buddhist and Hindu temples indicate strong Indian influence on South East Asian architecture, as they are built in styles almost identical to traditional Indian religious buildings.


title: Culture of India

text: The traditional system of Vaastu Shastra serves as India's version of Feng Shui, influencing town planning, architecture, and ergonomics. It is unclear which system is older, but they contain certain similarities. Feng Shui is more commonly used throughout the world. Though Vastu is conceptually similar to Feng Shui in that it also tries to harmonise the flow of energy, (also called life-force or Prana in Sanskrit and Chi/Ki in Chinese/Japanese), through the house, it differs in the details, such as the exact directions in which various objects, rooms, materials, etc. are to be placed.


title: Culture of India

text: With the advent of Islamic influence from the west, Indian architecture was adapted to allow the traditions of the new religion, creating the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The Qutb complex, a group of monuments constructed by successive sultanas of the Delhi Sultanate is one of the earliest examples. Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Gol Gumbaz, Red Fort of Delhi and Charminar are creations of this era, and are often used as the stereotypical symbols of India.


title: Culture of India

text: British colonial rule in India saw the development of Indo-Saracenic style and mixing of several other styles, such as European Gothic. The Victoria Memorial and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus are notable examples.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian architecture has influenced eastern and southeastern Asia, due to the spread of Buddhism. A number of Indian architectural features such as the temple mound or stupa, temple spire or shikhara, temple tower or pagoda and temple gate or torana, have become famous symbols of Asian culture, used extensively in East Asia and South East Asia. The central spire is also sometimes called a vimanam. The southern temple gate, or gopuram is noted for its intricacy and majesty.


title: Culture of India

text: Contemporary Indian architecture is more cosmopolitan. Cities are extremely compact and densely populated. Mumbai's Nariman Point is famous for its Art Deco buildings. Recent creations such as the Lotus Temple, Golden Pagoda and Akshardham, and the various modern urban developments of India like Bhubaneswar and Chandigarh, are notable.


title: Culture of India

text: Field hockey was considered to be the national game of India, but this has been recently denied by the Government of India, clarifying on a Right to Information Act (RTI) filed that India has not declared any sport as the national game. At a time when it was especially popular, the India men's national field hockey team won the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup, and 8 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals at the Olympic Games. However, field hockey in India no longer has the following that it once did.


title: Culture of India

text: Cricket is considered the most popular sport in India. The India national cricket team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy and shared the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka. Domestic competitions include the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, the Deodhar Trophy, the Irani Trophy and the Challenger Series. In addition, BCCI conducts the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 competition.


title: Culture of India

text: Football is popular in the Indian state of Kerala also considered as home of football in India.The city of Kolkata is the home to the largest stadium in India, and the second largest stadium in the world by capacity, Salt Lake Stadium.National clubs such as Mohun Bagan A.C., Kingfisher East Bengal F.C., Prayag United S.C., and the Mohammedan Sporting Club.


title: Culture of India

text: Chess is commonly believed to have originated in northwestern India during the Gupta empire, where its early form in the 6th century was known as "chaturanga". Other games which originated in India and continue to remain popular in wide parts of northern India include Kabaddi, Gilli-danda, and Kho kho. Traditional southern Indian games include Snake boat race and Kuttiyum kolum. The modern game of polo is derived from Manipur, India, where the game was known as 'Sagol Kangjei', 'Kanjai-bazee', or 'Pulu'.


title: Culture of India

text: It was the anglicised form of the last, referring to the wooden ball that was used, which was adopted by the sport in its slow spread to the west. The first polo club was established in the town of Silchar in Assam, India, in 1833.


title: Culture of India

text: In 2011, India inaugurated a privately built Buddh International Circuit, its first motor racing circuit. The 5.14-kilometre circuit is in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, near Delhi. The first Formula One Indian Grand Prix event was hosted here in October 2011.


title: Culture of India

text: One of the best known forms of ancient Indian martial arts is the "Kalarippayattu" from Kerala. This ancient fighting style is mentioned in Sangam literature 400 BCE and 600 CE and is regarded as one of the oldest surviving martial arts. In this form of martial arts, various stages of physical training include ayurvedic massage with sesame oil to impart suppleness to the body ("uzichil"); a series of sharp body movements so as to gain control over various parts of the body ("miapayattu"); and, complex sword fighting techniques ("paliyankam").Silambam, which was developed around 200 AD, traces its roots to the Sangam period in southern India. Silambam is unique among Indian martial arts because it uses complex footwork techniques ("kaaladi"), including a variety of spinning styles. A bamboo staff is used as the main weapon. The ancient Tamil Sangam literature mentions that between 400 BCE and 600 CE, soldiers from southern India received special martial arts training which revolved primarily around the use of spear ("vel"), sword ("val") and shield ("kedaham").


title: Culture of India

text: Among eastern states, "Paika akhada" is a martial art found in Odisha. "Paika akhada", or "paika akhara", roughly translates as "warrior gymnasium" or "warrior school". In ancient times, these were training schools of the peasant militia. Today's Paika akhada teach physical exercises and martial arts in addition to the Paika dance, performance art with rhythmic movements and weapons being hit in time to the drum. It incorporates acrobatic manoeuvres and use of the khanda (straight sword), patta (guantlet-sword), sticks, and other weapons.


title: Culture of India

text: In northern India, the "musti yuddha" evolved in 1100 AD and focussed on mental, physical and spiritual training. In addition, the "Dhanur Veda" tradition was an influential fighting arts style which considered the bow and the arrow to be the supreme weapons. The "Dhanur Veda" was first described in the 5th-century BCE Viṣṇu Purāṇa and is also mentioned in both of the major ancient Indian epics, the "Rāmāyaṇa" and "Mahābhārata". A distinctive factor of Indian martial arts is the heavy emphasis laid on meditation ("dhyāna") as a tool to remove fear, doubt and anxiety.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian martial arts techniques have had a profound impact on other martial arts styles across Asia. The 3rd-century BCE "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" taught how to meditate single-mindedly on points located inside one's body, which was later used in martial arts, while various mudra finger movements were taught in Yogacara Buddhism. These elements of yoga, as well as finger movements in the "nata" dances, were later incorporated into various martial arts. According to some historical accounts, the South Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma was one of the main founders of the Shaolin Kungfu.


title: Culture of India

text: Indian television started off in 1959 in New Delhi with tests for educational telecasts. Indian small screen programming started off in the mid-1970s. Only one national channel, the government-owned Doordarshan existed around that time. The year 1982 marked a revolution in TV programming in India, as the New Delhi Asian games became the first to be broadcast on the colour version of TV. The Ramayana and Mahabharat were among the popular television series produced. By the late 1980s television set ownership rapidly increased. Because a single channel was catering to an ever-growing audience, television programming quickly reached saturation. Hence the government started another channel that had part of national programming and part regional. This channel was known as DD 2 (later DD Metro). Both channels were broadcast terrestrially.


title: Culture of India

text: In 1991, the government liberated its markets, opening them up to cable television. Since then, there has been a spurt in the number of channels available. Today, the Indian small screen is a huge industry by itself and offers hundreds of programmes in almost all the regional languages of India. The small screen has produced numerous celebrities of their own kind, some even attaining national fame for themselves. TV soaps enjoy popularity among women of all classes. Indian TV also consists of Western channels such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, HBO, and FX. In 2016 the list of TV channels in India stood at 892.


title: Culture of India

text: "Bollywood" is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based film industry in India. Bollywood and the other major cinematic hubs (in Bengali Cinema, Oriya film industry, Assamese, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi and Telugu) constitute the broader Indian film industry, whose output is considered to be the largest in the world in terms of number of films produced and number of tickets sold.


title: Culture of India

text: India has produced many cinema-makers like S.S.Rajamouli, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, J. C. Daniel, K. Viswanath, Ram Gopal Varma, Bapu, Ritwik Ghatak, Guru Dutt, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shaji N. Karun, Girish Kasaravalli, Shekhar Kapoor, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Nagraj Manjule, Shyam Benegal, Shankar Nag, Girish Karnad, G. V. Iyer, Mani Ratnam, and K. Balachander (see also: Indian film directors). With the opening up of the economy in recent years and consequent exposure to world cinema, audience tastes have been changing. In addition, multiplexes have mushroomed in most cities, changing the revenue patterns.


title: Culture of India

text: India's diversity has inspired many writers to pen their perceptions of the country's culture. These writings paint a complex and often conflicting picture of the culture of India. India is one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse countries in the world. The concept of "Indian culture" is a very complex and complicated matter. Indian citizens are divided into various ethnic, religious, caste, linguistic and regional groups, making the realities of "Indianness" extremely complicated. This is why the conception of Indian identity poses certain difficulties and presupposes a series of assumptions about what concisely the expression "Indian" means. However, despite this vast and heterogeneous composition, the creation of some sort of typical or shared Indian culture results from some inherent internal forces (such as a robust Constitution, universal adult franchise, flexible federal structure, secular educational policy, etc.) and from certain historical events (such as Indian Independence Movement, Partition, wars against Pakistan, etc.) Hindu Sanskriti Ankh is an ancient series of books originally from northern part of India highlighting the Bharatiya sanskriti, that is, the culture of India.


title: Culture of India

text: According to industry consultant Eugene M. Makar, for example, traditional Indian culture is defined by a relatively strict social hierarchy. He also mentions that from an early age, children are reminded of their roles and places in society. This is reinforced, Makar notes, by the way, many believe gods and spirits have an integral and functional role in determining their life. Several differences such as religion divide the culture. However, a far more powerful division is the traditional Hindu bifurcation into non-polluting and polluting occupations. Strict social taboos have governed these groups for thousands of years, claims Makar. In recent years, particularly in cities, some of these lines have blurred and sometimes even disappeared. He writes important family relations extend as far as 1 gotra, the mainly patrilinear lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth. In rural areas & sometimes in urban areas as well, it is common that three or four generations of the family live under the same roof. The patriarch often resolves family issues.


title: Culture of India

text: Others have a different perception of Indian culture. According to an interview with C.K. Prahalad by Des Dearlove, author of many best selling business books, modern India is a country of very diverse cultures with many languages, religions, and traditions. Children begin by coping and learning to accept and assimilate in this diversity. Prahalad – who was born in India and grew up there – claimed, in the interview, that Indians, like everyone else in the world, want to be treated as unique, as individuals, want to express themselves and seek innovation. In another report, Nancy Lockwood of Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest human resources association with members in 140 countries, writes that in the past two decades or so, social change in India is in dramatic contrast to the expectations from traditional Indian culture. These changes have led to Indian families giving education opportunities to girls, accepting women working outside the home, pursuing a career, and opening the possibility for women to attain managerial roles in corporate India. Lockwood claims that change is slow, yet the scale of cultural change can be sensed from the fact that of India's 397 million workers, 124 million are now women. The issues in India with women empowerment are similar to those elsewhere in the world.


title: Culture of India

text: According to Amartya Sen, the India born Nobel Laureate in Economics, the culture of modern India is a complex blend of its historical traditions, influences from the effects of colonial rule over centuries and current Western culture – both collaterally and dialectically. Sen observes that external images of India in the West often tend to emphasise the difference – real or imagined – between India and the West. There is a considerable inclination in the Western countries to distance and highlight the differences in Indian culture from the mainstream of Western traditions, rather than discover and show similarities. Western writers and media usually misses, in important ways, crucial aspects of Indian culture and traditions. The deep-seated heterogeneity of Indian traditions, in different parts of India, is neglected in these homogenised descriptions of India. The perceptions of Indian culture, by those who weren't born and raised in India, tend to be one of at least three categories, writes Sen:


title: Culture of India

text: The curatorial approach, one inspired by a systematic curiosity for the cultural diversity of India within India, is mostly absent.


title: Culture of India

text: Susan Bayly, in her book, observes that there is a considerable dispute in India and Orientalist scholars on perceived Indian culture. She acknowledges that many dispute claims of the pervasiveness of caste and strict social hierarchy in modern India. Bayly notes that much of the Indian subcontinent was populated by people for whom the formal distinctions of caste and strict social hierarchies were of only limited importance in their lifestyles.


title: Culture of India

text: According to Rosser, an American sociologist, Americans of South Asian origins feel the Western perception of the culture of India has numerous stereotypes. Rosser notes that the discourse in much of the United States about the culture of India is rarely devoted to independent India. People quickly make sweeping and flawed metaphysical assumptions about its religion and culture but are far more circumspect when evaluating civil society and political culture in modern India. It is as if the value of South Asia resides only in its ancient contributions to human knowledge whereas its pathetic attempts to modernise or develop are to be winked at and patronised. Rosser conducted numerous interviews and summarised the comments. The study reports a stark contrast between Western perceptions of the culture of India, versus the direct experience of the interviewed people. For example:


title: Colin Morgan

text: Colin Morgan (born 1 January 1986) is a Northern Irish actor. He is best known for playing the title character in the BBC fantasy series "Merlin" (2008–2012), Leo Elster in "Humans" (2015–2018), and Billy Clanton in Kenneth Branagh’s "Belfast" (2021).


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan made his London theatre debut in 2007 as the title character in DBC Pierre's "Vernon God Little". He went on to appear in the theatre productions Pedro Almodóvar's "Todo sobre mi madre" (""All About My Mother"") in 2007, Thomas Babe's "A Prayer for My Daughter" in 2008, Pedro Miguel Rozo's "Our Private Life" in 2011, "Step in Time" at The Old Vic 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala in 2012, Shakespeare's "The Tempest" in 2013, and Jez Butterworth's "Mojo" during 2013 and 2014.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In July 2008, "Screen International" named Morgan as a "Star of Tomorrow". For his performance in "Merlin", Morgan was nominated for Outstanding Actor (Drama) in the Monte Carlo TV Festival Awards in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and Best Actor in Drama Performance: Male in the National Television Awards in 2013.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan was born in Armagh, Northern Ireland, the son of Bernard, a painter and decorator, and Bernadette, a nurse. He is the younger of two brothers; they were both raised Roman Catholic.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 1997, Morgan began studies at Integrated College Dungannon. Morgan starred in several college productions including "Surgical Sensations at St. Senapods" and "Bad Day at Black Frog Creek".


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan was awarded a National Diploma in Performing Arts from the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education in 2004. He graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2007. In the final year of his undergraduate course, he was discovered by theatre director Rufus Norris and made the decision to leave three-quarters of the way through to make his professional London West End theatre debut as the title character in "Vernon God Little". Morgan's performance was well received and used as an assessment for his final grade.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In November 2010, the Belfast Metropolitan College honoured Morgan with an Award of Distinction for his contribution to the Arts.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan made his professional stage debut in London as the titular character Vernon God Little mounted at the Young Vic in 2007. "The Telegraph" said that Morgan "captures all the vulnerability, confusion and gallows humour of the adolescent hero who finds himself in no end of trouble." That same year, Morgan went on to play the role of Esteban, an aspiring teenage writer, in the Old Vic stage adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar's "Todo sobre mi madre" (All About My Mother) opposite Diana Rigg. For both of these roles, Morgan was nominated for the 2007 "London Newcomer of the Year" in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 2008, Morgan appeared in the Young Vic production of Thomas Babe's "A Prayer for My Daughter". "The Independent" noted Morgan brought Jimmy to life through "twisting, twitching mood-swings and mix of half-druggy cackling punk and half-angelic visionary." "Variety" also singled out his "remarkable level of twitchy intensity."


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 2011, Morgan performed in the Royal Court Theatre production of Pedro Miguel Rozo's play "Our Private Life" to favourable reviews as Carlos, a "bipolar compulsive fantasist" homosexual who suspects he was molested by his father as a child. On 9 December 2012, Morgan performed the role of Gary, a flamboyant dance instructor trying to win the heart of one of his students, in "Step in Time" at The Old Vic 24 Hour Musicals Celebrity Gala in aid of The Old Vic Trust.


title: Colin Morgan

text: He played Ariel opposite Roger Allam's Prospero in the 2013 Globe Theatre production of "The Tempest", which was later broadcast to cinemas as part of "Globe On Screen" in May 2014, with a subsequent DVD release in July 2014. For this role, Morgan sought to imbue his portrayal of Ariel with "ethereal stillness" and "acrobatic precision". "The Washington Post" critic said that he "can't remember a better Ariel," and that Morgan's portrayal was "mysterious, in a way I've never quite experienced before — also wonderfully vulnerable".


title: Colin Morgan

text: From 2013 to 2014, Morgan made his West End debut as Skinny Luke in Jez Butterworth's dark comedy "Mojo" at the Harold Pinter Theatre. "Radio Times" described Morgan's performance as "an accomplished study in human weakness ... played with precision and pathos."


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 2017, Morgan returned to London theatre, appearing in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' "Gloria", a comic drama.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan made his National Theatre debut in May 2018, starring in the new production of Brian Friel's "Translations", directed by Ian Rickson.


title: Colin Morgan

text: He performed at the Bridge Theatre in early 2020, for Caryl Churchill's "A Number" opposite Roger Allam.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In television, Morgan first appeared in 2007 as the embarrassed gay son John Leary in sketches on "The Catherine Tate Show"'s "Christmas Special." In 2008, he portrayed the conflicted teenager Jethro Cane opposite David Tennant in the fan-favourite "Doctor Who" episode "Midnight."


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan is best known for playing the title role in BBC TV series "Merlin" from 2008 to 2012 "Merlin" chronicles the adventures of a young warlock who serves as Arthur's servant and Gaius' ward; Merlin must secretly develop his magical gifts under the gaze of Kings Uther and Arthur, both of whom despise the art.


title: Colin Morgan

text: The show was loosely based on the Arthurian legends of Merlin and his relationship with King Arthur. Morgan was nominated for and won multiple acting awards, including the "Caron Keating Outstanding Newcomer Award" in the 56th annual Variety Club Showbiz Award ceremony on 16 November 2008 (at the start of the series) and the "Best Actor in Drama Performance: Male" award in the 2013 National Television Awards (at the conclusion of the series).


title: Colin Morgan

text: The role of Merlin proved difficult to cast, according to co-creator and executive producer Johnny Capps. "We had to find an actor who has a broad playing range, someone with the lightness of touch who will be able to deal with action and magic", Capps said in a 2011 interview. "We had an instinct about Colin. At first we weren't sure about him but then saw him again and again and we watched back his final auditions and said, 'He's perfect for the part.'" Before auditioning for the role, Morgan received the script for Prince Arthur by mistake. He only had five minutes before his audition to read over the correct part.


title: Colin Morgan

text: After spending 2013 in back-to-back stage productions, Morgan reappeared on television as an ambitious journalist in an episode of the 1950s Irish crime drama "Quirke", based on the books by John Banville.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Later that year, he took on the role of detective sergeant alongside Gillian Anderson and Jamie Dornan in the second series of "The Fall". Morgan was approached to play the role, meeting with writer Allan Cubitt and lead actress Gillian Anderson in London to discuss his involvement. To prepare for his performance, Morgan read up on police procedures and spoke to the set's police advisor. He also did an impromptu interview of two police officers he saw in the street in London.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In June 2015, Morgan began his role as the mysterious fugitive Leo Elster in "Humans", a British-American AMC/Channel 4 eight-part science fiction drama adapted from the Swedish series "Real Humans". "Humans" was Channel 4's highest-rated drama since "The Camomile Lawn" (1992). Reviewer Paul Simpson described Morgan as one who "always rises to strong material, and [whose] performance has become increasingly engaging as the series has progressed."


title: Colin Morgan

text: In the summer of 2016, Morgan starred with actress Charlotte Spencer in the BBC One Victorian era ghost hunter series "The Living and the Dead" as the central character Nathan Appleby.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan portrayed a homeless drug-addict opposite Colm Meaney in the 2010 independent Irish film "Parked", for which he spent several weeks in Dublin researching drug addiction and homelessness. Morgan's performance was praised by multiple critics and director Darragh Byrne.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 2011, Morgan appeared in the film "Island", an independent adaptation of Jane Rogers' novel "Island".


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan next portrayed WWI British soldier Victor Richardson, in a BBC Films and Heyday Films feature adaptation of Vera Brittain's World War I memoir "Testament of Youth". To prepare for the role of the soldier, Morgan read Brittain's works, as well as personal letters exchanged between Vera, Victor, and their friends. He also contacted a Blind Veterans Charity in Brighton, which allowed him to interview blind people. The British Film Institute's brochure said, "Shining brightly and lingering long in the mind afterwards, are the performances of three rising British stars – Colin Morgan, Taron Egerton and Kit Harington”.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In the autumn of 2015, Morgan was featured as Frankie Shea, brother-in-law and personal driver of Tom Hardy's Reggie Kray, in the 1960s London gangster film "Legend" based on the book "The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins" by John Pearson.


title: Colin Morgan

text: For two days in Blackpool, from 9 to 10 May 2015, Morgan filmed "The Laughing King", a short film by White No Sugar TV and Funky Films in support of the UK charity Campaign Against Living Miserably's (CALM) push to raise awareness regarding depression, mental illness and male suicide. He played the role of Jake, a young man who arrives in Blackpool, the seaside town of his childhood, determined to end his life. It was released on 12 January 2016, in the London Short Film Festival.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In April 2016, Morgan portrayed the Duke of Blackwood in the "Snow White and the Huntsman" spin-off, "".


title: Colin Morgan

text: In the fall of 2016, Morgan filmed the Oscar Wilde biopic "The Happy Prince" alongside Rupert Everett and Colin Firth, in Bavaria, Germany.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In the summer of 2017, Morgan played the title role in "Benjamin", a film written and directed by Simon Amstell.


title: Colin Morgan

text: In 2021, Morgan appeared in Kenneth Branagh’s film "Belfast ", based on the director’s childhood during The Troubles. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan took part in BBC Radio play "Cry Babies" by Kim Newman on BBC Radio 4 in March 2009, playing the part of Roger. In December 2014, he starred as Newton Pulsifer in the first audio dramatisation of the popular book "Good Omens", written by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, directed and adapted by Dirk Maggs, and produced by Heather Larmour, also on BBC Radio 4.


title: Colin Morgan

text: On 4 December 2016, Morgan read "Autumn Journal" on BBC Radio 3, which was about Louis MacNeice's poetic testament of life in 1938, written against the turbulent backdrop of the Munich Agreement, the fall of Barcelona and Britain's preparations for an inevitable war.


title: Colin Morgan

text: For the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking on 14 April 2012, Morgan performed readings from survivor accounts and testimonials during "Titanic: A Commemoration in Music and Film", broadcast live on BBC2 from Belfast's Waterfront Hall.


title: Colin Morgan

text: On 27 August 2014, Morgan narrated Big Mountain Productions' "Addicts Symphony" on Channel 4. The one-off documentary followed composer, musician and recovering alcoholic James McConnel as he brought together ten classical musicians whose lives had been blighted by addiction for a spectacular concert.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan is a vegetarian, citing allergies and lactose intolerance. He has advocated ethical consumerism and practises yoga.


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan does not participate in social media, saying: "There's no social media or googling yourself. You only have to do it once to learn never to do it again."


title: Colin Morgan

text: Morgan has also criticised celebrity culture:Something has been lost somewhere along the way with the craft of story-telling ... When the creativity is overshadowed by the 'business' I often feel disappointed by that. We have some amazing filmmakers who are keeping the spirit of the craft alive and that's a hub of excitement I want to be in.


title: Colin Morgan

text: From October 2009 until its conclusion in March 2011, Morgan was an ambassador for the "A Night Less Ordinary" scheme in which Arts Council England offered free theatre tickets to anyone under 26 years old. He contributed a painting from the "Merlin: Colin and Bradley Quest" series to the 2010 BBC Children in Need auction. It sold for £620.00.


title: Colin Morgan

text: On 9 April 2011, Morgan collected funds for the Great Ormond Street Hospital. On 9 December 2012, he was a part of the "24 Hour Musicals" at the Old Vic Theatre, which brought together more than 30 actors, directors, writers and composers to create four short musicals in just 24 hours. The process culminated in four world premieres presented to an audience of more than 1,000, and raised £182,000 towards the work that the theatre does with emerging talent, schools and the community.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Radamel Falcao García Zárate (born 10 February 1986) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano and often captains the Colombia national team. Nicknamed ""El Tigre"" (Spanish for "The Tiger"), he is considered one of the greatest Colombian footballers of all time.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao began his professional career in the Colombian Second Division at the age of 13 at Lanceros Boyacá, before moving to the Argentine club River Plate, where he played with their youth academy from 2001 until 2005 and later won the 2007–08 Clausura tournament. In 2009, he joined Portuguese club Porto, where he won several trophies, including the UEFA Europa League and Primeira Liga double in 2011. In August 2011, Falcao moved to Spanish club Atlético Madrid for a club record €40 million. He was integral in the club's 2012 Europa League and Super Cup victories. Falcao was also prolific in La Liga during his time with Atlético, being the third-highest goalscorer in 2011–12 and 2012–13, both behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Widely regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, Falcao controversially signed for newly promoted Ligue 1 side Monaco in 2013 for a club record €60 million, despite interest from top European clubs. In the second half of his debut season, an ACL injury ruled him out for six months; he went on to spend the next two seasons on loan at Premier League clubs Manchester United and Chelsea. Rejoining Monaco in the summer of 2016, he regained his best form and led them to their first Ligue 1 title in 17 years. Falcao joined Turkish club Galatasaray in 2019, before returning to La Liga in 2021 with Rayo Vallecano.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao made his senior debut for Colombia in 2007, and has since earned over 100 caps and scored 36 goals, making him their all-time top scorer since breaking the previous record of 25 goals in June 2017. He represented his country at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Copa América. Falcao missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup through injury, but made his World Cup debut at the 2018 tournament in Russia.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao is Porto's all-time top goalscorer in international club competitions, set the record for most goals (17) in a European campaign in 2011, is the first player to win consecutive Europa League titles with two teams (Porto in 2011 and Atlético in 2012), and is Monaco's highest goalscorer this century (83). He was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2012, finished in fifth place for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, and was awarded the 2012 Globe Soccer Best Footballer. In November 2018, Falcao was honoured by the Atlético Madrid fans with a plaque outside the Metropolitano Stadium.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao made his debut for Lanceros Boyacá in the Colombian Categoría Primera B (second tier) on 28 August 1999, playing the last 40 minutes against Deportivo Pereira at the age of 13 years and 199 days, thus becoming the youngest debutant at that level of Colombian professional football. In 2000, Lanceros' coach, Hernán Pacheco, began to consider the 14-year-old more seriously; Falcao played seven matches that year. On 23 July, at the Estadio Olímpico del Sol in Sogamoso, he scored his first and only goal for the club, to seal a 2–0 win against Club El Cóndor that took Lanceros off the bottom of the table. In his two years with the club, he played eight matches and scored once.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: After training with Millonarios, who did not take up their option to purchase the player, Falcao was sold to River Plate of Argentina in February 2001, for a $500,000 fee. He began his River career in the youth team, playing in the eighth division of Argentine football. River's coach, Leonardo Astrada, gave Falcao his professional debut in the 2005 Torneo Clausura, on 6 March 2005, in a game that finished in a 3–1 victory for his club against Instituto de Córdoba.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao became a regular in the first team during the 2005 Torneo Apertura. He scored twice in a match for the first time in Argentina, on 2 October in a game against Independiente that finished as a 3–1 win for River. He repeated the feat twice more during the Apertura: against Lanús, his brace contributed to a 4–1 home win, and against San Lorenzo, River won 5–1. This brought his total for the competition to seven from as many games under the management of Reinaldo Merlo, who gave Falcao the trust he needed to establish himself in the team.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: In the match against San Lorenzo in November, Falcao injured the ligaments of his right knee and missed the remainder of the Apertura; then, during pre-season training in January 2006, he sustained more serious damage to the same knee, which required surgery and was expected to keep him out for at least six months. He returned to the field in September, soon after the start of the 2006 Torneo Apertura, in which he made 12 appearances, mainly as a substitute; he scored just once, to seal a 2–0 win against Rosario Central that took River clear at the top of the table. A few days earlier, he made his debut in CONMEBOL competition, in the last eight of the 2006 Copa Sudamericana against Atlético Paranaense of Brazil. He was replaced at half-time, and the match finished 2–2; this meant River were eliminated on aggregate, as they lost the home leg 1–0.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: He was sent off in his only outing in the 2007 Copa Libertadores, against Colo-Colo on 22 February 2007. Domestically, he made little impression on the 2007 Torneo Clausura. He scored in only one of the eight games he played: River's first two goals as they beat Racing Club 4–2 away from home. Falcao scored his first professional hat-trick on 27 September 2007, as River made a historic comeback against Botafogo to win the series 4–3 after trailing 3–1 on aggregate and progress into the quarter-finals of the 2007 Copa Sudamericana. The following week, he scored his first goal in a "Superclásico", the first of River's goals as they beat Boca Juniors 2–0.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: River Plate were reported to have rejected a $15 million offer from Milan for Falcao in early 2008, as well as bids from clubs including Aston Villa and Fluminense. On 27 February, Falcao scored, but was red-carded, in a 2–1 win over Club América in the 2008 Copa Libertadores group stage. He was a key player as Diego Simeone led River to the 2008 Torneo Clausura championship, his first domestic title, and his performances linked him with moves to a variety of clubs, including Man United and Arsenal. Nevertheless, he remained with River as they suffered the worst campaign in their history, finishing bottom of the 2008 Torneo Apertura.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: In 2009, River Plate had a difficult start: they were eliminated in the group stage of the 2009 Copa Libertadores and won few games at the beginning of the 2009 Torneo Clausura. Falcao retained his eye for goal and was instrumental in Nestor Gorosito's plans, having matured as a striker over the previous two years; he finished as top scorer with 43 goals.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: On 15 July 2009, Primeira Liga team Porto signed Falcao on a four-year-contract worth €3.93 million for 60% of his economic rights after Porto sold striker Lisandro López to Olympique Lyon for €24 million. In the transaction, Porto also sold Mario Bolatti for €1.5 million to a third party owner, Natland Financier B.V., in exchange for 35% of the economic rights of Falcao. A week before, Porto rivals Benfica came very close to signing Falcao after making a €4.7 million offer, but the reluctance of the club to pay an additional €700,000 requested by Falcao for awards and delayed salaries dictated the end of negotiations, which prompted Falcao to join Porto a week later. He made his debut against Paços de Ferreira on the opening matchday and scored an important goal to earn the team a draw. He went on to score three goals in as many games, making him one of the few to score four goals in the first four matchdays of the Portuguese league.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: On 15 September, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 1–0 away defeat against Chelsea. Two weeks later, on 30 September, he scored his first Champions League goal, a backheel, in a 2–0 group stage win over his future club, Atlético Madrid. On 12 December, Falcao scored a header to defeat rivals Sporting CP in a 1–0 home victory. On 10 January 2010, Falcao scored a brace, including the winning goal, in a 3-2 league victory over Uniao de Leiria. On 2 February, Falcao scored twice in a 5–2 Taça de Portugal quarter-finals victory against rivals Sporting CP. In the same month, he scored the winning goal in a UEFA Champions League round of 16 2–1 victory over Arsenal, his fourth goal in the tournament, even though Porto were later eliminated from the competition. On 3 April, Falcao scored a brace against Marítimo to lead the scoring charts with 20 goals, although he would eventually finish the season as the second-highest league scorer with 25 goals, behind only Benfica's Óscar Cardozo, who had 26. Falcao later scored two more braces in away victories over Vitoria Setubal and Leiria on 24 April and 8 May respectively. He scored in his last game of the season, the 2010 Taça de Portugal Final, where Porto won 2–1 against Chaves. Falcao wrapped up the campaign with a career-high 34 goals in all competitions.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao made an impressive start to the 2010–11 season, scoring a goal in the 2010 Portuguese Super Cup 2–0 victory over Benfica. He scored his first two league goals on the second matchday of the season in a 3–0 victory against Beira-Mar on 22 August 2010. He scored his second double for the club in a 5–1 victory over União de Leiria on 25 October. On 7 November, he scored twice, one of them a backheel goal, in a 5–0 victory against the defending champions Benfica.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: On 2 December, Falcao scored his first hat-trick for Porto in a 3–1 victory against Rapid Wien during a UEFA Europa League clash, becoming the top goal scorer with seven goals. On 7 April 2011, Falcao scored another hat-trick and provided an assist in the quarter-finals of the Europa League against Russian side Spartak Moscow in a 5–1 victory, bringing his goal tally in the tournament to ten. In the second leg, he scored another goal and provided another assist in another victory with the same scoreline in a 10–3 aggregate thrashing that took Porto to the tournament's semi-final stage.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: On 17 April, he scored a double against rivals Sporting CP to help defeat them 3-2. He further added to his position as top scorer in the Europa League by scoring four goals in the semi-final against Villarreal two weeks later, which finished 5–1 for Porto. In the Europa League final against domestic rivals Braga, Falcao scored the only goal of the game with a header after a cross from Fredy Guarín, giving the title to Porto. He set a new goalscoring record of 17 goals in 14 games during the Europa League campaign, surpassing Jürgen Klinsmann's previous record of 15 goals. In July 2011, Falcao extended his contract until 2015 with an added €45 million buy-out clause. Porto paid a commission of €6.58 million to extend the contract.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: On 18 August 2011, Atlético announced they had signed Falcao from Porto on a €40 million transfer fee; the fee could potential rise to €50 million based on performance-based clauses, making him the most expensive player in the club's history. Atlético and the Colombian forward also agreed on a four-year-contract.


title: Radamel Falcao

text: Falcao made his Atlético debut on 11 September away to Valencia, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 defeat. A week later, on 18 September, Falcao scored his first hat trick for Atlético in a 4–0 win against Racing Santander. On 3 November, Falcao netted a goal in Atlético's 4–0 triumph over Udinese – the goal meant that Falcao had scored 19 goals in his last 18 Europa League games.