101. Khasi A ethnographic report on a group that lives in northeastern india in the District of the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills. http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture.7852

Society-KHASI The Khasi live in northeastern India in the District of the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills, under the control of the Assam State Government. The Khasi proper live in the upland center of the District, while the closely related Jaintia inhabit the southeastern part of that region, and the affiliated Lynngam live on the western border of the Khasi Hills, near the Garo Hills. The geography of the different areas in which these peoples live varies greatly. It is one of the factors that has contributed to differences in culture, dialect, economy, social life, and political organization among these groups, even though they share the same language and social structure. The United Khasi-Jaintia Hills District covers 5,554 square miles of hilly tableland. It is bounded on the south by the Cachar Hills and East Pakistan, on the east by the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills Districts, on the north by the plains of the Kamrup and Nowgong Districts, and on the west by the Garo Hills. The ecology varies, within short distances, from jungle to scrub or grassland. The Khasi speak a Mon-Khmer language of the Austro-Asiatic family. Khasi, Jaintia, and Lynngam are the three major dialects spoken, with variations occurring in each village. The Khasi language is giving way to Assamese on the fringes of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills area. In 1842, writing was introduced by the Methodist missionaries, who applied the Roman alphabet to the Cherrapunji dialect of Khasi. According to the 1951 census of India, the total Khasi population in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills District was 363,599 (Nkane 1967: 95). Khasi villages are situated below hill summits to avoid strong winds. In every village, the following places can be found: cremation grounds, tree groves, a market place, the home of the village priest, and the home of the chief, if he lives in that village. Today, Christian churches, government and social welfare buildings, and schools are also part of the village. In the past, several villages grouped together to form one large village for defense. Now, the once non-cohesive component villages have been integrated through the schools and public services. The Khasi have a market economy based on agriculture. Most Khasi not only produce goods but also participate in trade as sellers, middlemen, etc. On the Shillong Plateau, the major field crops are potatoes, maize, millet, and dry rice. The potato was introduced to this area in 1830 by David Scott. Paddy rice is found in parts of Jaintia. The upland Khasi tend house gardens of pumpkins, eggplant, sweet potatoes, etc. Hunting with bow and arrow is only for sport, and fishing for subsistence is common only in the southern foothills. In Khasi villages, women operate household shops. Markets are held in different places according to the eight-day week, but the Shillong market, which attracts Khasi from all over the hill area, is open daily. The use of currency has replaced the barter system. Markets fulfill social as well as economic functions, by supplying recreation in the form of archery contests, opportunities for courtship, disseminating information, etc. There are few industrial arts, but those that exist are the specialty of certain villages (e.g., the forging of knives and swords in the villages of the upland Khasi). The production of ready-made garments has been made possible by the introduction of the sewing machine. Boiled rice and dried fish are the staple foods of the Khasi; beef, pork, and chicken are beyond the means of most people. The use of betel nut, tobacco, and rice whisky as stimulants is common. In Khasi society, descent is matrilineal; a person is a member of his or her own matrilineage from birth. The maximal matrilineage is the sib, and the minimal matrilineage is the local descent group, or iing. In the past, this group spanned six generations, but today this has been reduced to four. An iing divides after it grows to more than four generations in a single village, and new houses are located some distance from the old iing. The term iing also indicates an extended family, a nuclear family, or a house. The nuclear family is the basic domestic unit, but this unit may temporarily include other relatives. Neolocal residence is common today; traditionally, however, residence was either matrilocal, uxorilocal, or, occasionally, virilocal. Elopement frequently occurs among the Christians and non-Christians, but some Khasi still prefer to be married according to the traditional ceremony. Other characteristics of Khasi marriage include: monogamy, sib exogamy, and the lack of a bride-price or dowry. Divorce must be by mutual consent. Traditionally, the youngest daughter inherited all of her mother's property; this practice is now changing to include older daughters and also sons. The village is the basic unit of political organization. An assembly of adult males from the village, and the headman elected by this assembly, govern the village. The 25 Khasi chiefdoms, or states, probably arose from the voluntary association of villages. Because villages readily transfer their allegiance from one chief to another, chiefdoms are not territorial entities. Chiefs have executive and judicial functions, but before they can act, they must be granted approval by an executive council. Market tolls, fines, and licenses to distill rice whisky provide revenue for the chief. Lineages are classed as either noble, commoner, or servant. The majority of the people are commoners. A few servant lineages remain, and the people belonging to these lineages must perform certain duties in the chief's household. The positions of state and village priest and the chief's councilor and elector can be filled only by members of the noble lineages. Of all the deities in the Khasi pantheon, the unnamed God and Goddess are the most important. The God is characterized as powerful and merciful, yet also passive; the Goddess is closer to the individual. Divination by reading eggshells and entrails is practiced. Sacrifice is performed to explain and remedy misfortune. The Khasi also believe in demons, omens in nature and in dreams, and mystic numbers and colors. Ceremonies addressed to the ancestors take place during life crises, marriage, divorce, etc. Many chiefdoms also have a state religion, in which the Pombland ceremony takes place over a year to secure the blessing of the ancestors for the entire chiefdom. Many foreign missionaries have been active among the Khasi, with great success. The Calvinistic Methodist missionaries were the first to establish themselves among the Khasi in 1832; Unitarians, Seventh Day Adventists, Catholics, and others followed. A good introduction to the Khasi may be found in McCormack (1964). Gurdon (1907) provides historical depth. Culture summary by Heather M. Fellows Gurdon, Philip Richard Thornhagh. The Khasis. With an introduction by Sir Charles Lyall. London, D. Nutt, 1907. 27, 227 p. illus. McCormack, Anna P. Khasis. In Frank M. LeBar, Gerald C. Hickey, and John K. Musgrave, eds. Ethnic Groups of Mainland Southeast Asia. New Haven, Human Relations Area Files Press, 1964: 105-112. Nakane, Chie. Garo and Khasi: a comparative study in matrilineal systems. Paris, Mouton, 1967. 187 p. illus., maps. 7852

102. Cultural Heritage Of India, Culture Tourism In India, Heritage Tourism In India, Cultural and Heritage tours india, indian culture, indian religion, indian dances, indian food, culture tourism in india, cultural tour packages, http://www.india-travel-agents.com/cultural-heritage-tourism-india/

Information on Cultural and Heritage tours India, Culture Tourism in India and Cultural Heritage of India Hotel Reservation About Us Services Contact Us ... Email o o Railway Tourism in India o Goa Travel Guide o Kerela Travel Guide o o Ayurveda in India India Tour Packages Discover India Luxury Train Tours ... Incentive Tours From time since immemorial, India has been considered to be a land with rich cultural heritage. Centuries after centuries, this country has seen rulers like Rajputs, Moughals, English, Portuguese. Besides, various religions also flourished at different times in this country like Buddhism, Jainism etc. All these factors have played their role in making an impact on the culture of this country. One can find the traces of different cultures in Music, dance, architecture, festivities, languages spoken, traditional beliefs and customs, food and many more like these. It is the development in these aspects of life that makes the heritage of India one of the most vibrant and most exhaustive. We believe in the continuity and dynamism of Indian cultural heritage and it is our endeavor to help people from world over get acquainted with same. And there can not be a better way to understand this than to experience it. Travel to India with our cultural tour packages and understand why this heritage has withstood thousands of years and still going strong.

103. TOI Search Engine Redirector Research interests in poetic discourse and South india Tribal culture. Munich University, Germany.› http://ulrich.demmer.bei.t-online.de

104. Indian Fairs Festivals, Fairs In India, Festivals In India, Culture Tourism In I indian Fairs Festivals, Fairs in india, Festivals in india, indian religion, indian dances, indian food, culture tourism in india, cultural tour packages, http://www.india-travel-agents.com/cultural-heritage-tourism-india/indian-fairs-

Information on Indian Fairs Festivals, Fairs in India, Festivals in India, fairs and festivals of India, Culture Tourism in India and Cultural Heritage of India. Hotel Reservation About Us Services Contact Us ... Email o o Railway Tourism in India o Goa Travel Guide o Kerela Travel Guide o o Ayurveda in India India Tour Packages Discover India Luxury Train Tours ... Incentive Tours India is a rich land which has attracted invaders from Central Europe and Asia who left their imprint on this land, its religions and its lifestyles over 40 centuries. As a result, today, Indian celebrates more festivals than any other country. Nonetheless, Indians are known to celebrate all the festivals with great fan fare and importance. January Makar Sankranti, Lohri, Pongal, Thai Pusam, Float Festival, National Kite Festival, Bikaner Festival, Pattadakal Dance Festival, Id-ul-Fitr, Vasant Panchami February Mahashivratri, Goa Carnival, Desert Festival, Nagaur Fair, International Yoga Week, Elephant Festival, Deccan Festival, Taj Mahotsav, Surajkund Crafts Mela, Chapchar Kut, Islands Tourism Festival

105. Www.indiatrends.com: India, Culture, News, Daily, Cricket, Travel, Bollywood, Fa News and information on culture, travel, sports, and jewellery. http://www.indiatrends.com/

106. India Travel Packages,India Travel Package,Holiday Travel Packages In India,Indi Tours for wildlife, culture, and ayurveda. Also offers tailormade packages, hotel reservations, domestic and international airlines booking. http://www.transindiatravels.com/

Home Tour Packages Hotel Booking Services ... E-mail Select your city ::Hotels in India:: Hotels in Delhi Hotels in Agra Hotels in Jaipur Hotels in Udaipur Hotels in Mumbai Hotels in Goa Hotels in Cochin Hotels in Kumarakom Newsletter Subscription Form Name : Email : A few Words... Friends, I call you so because after travelling in India with us, you will leave as our friends. We are leading travel agents in India from last 20 years, handling incoming tourists from GERMANY, AUSTRIA, USA, UK, AND OTHER COUNTRIES. WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SERVICES FOR A MEMORABLE TOUR OF INDIA TRAVEL PACKAGES IN INDIA Golden Triangle Explore Delhi, Jaipur, Agra and view their timeless monuments. Spice Tours of Kerala Visit the places that will leave you speechless with their lush green fields. Rajasthan Heritage Trips A comprehensive Heritage Trips to Rajashtan that includes the most famous tourist attractions... Pushkar Tours Explore the most revered pilgrimages in Rajasthan on our Pushkar Tours.

107. Untitled Document History of ancient india. Includes stories and information about Hindu culture. http://tlc.ousd.k12.ca.us/library/india/index.html

108. India Medical Tourism,India Hospital,Hospital Facilities India,Healthcare India, Medical tour operator offering treatment with post treatment culture tours packages, history tour, and wildlife tourism. http://mediescapes.com

Mediescapes India ~ HEALTH CARE INDIA ~~~ MEDICAL TOURISM SERVICE OPERATOR INDIA~ India Medical Tourism Operator. W hy C hoose ... 's Medical Issues. D isclaimer. L egal ... nsurance. India Surgical Procedures. I ndia B one ... urgery. India Non - Surgical Procedures. I ndia G O ... herapy (ECP) India Health Care Procedures. I ndia D ental ... aser Procedures Eastern System of Medicine. A yurveda in I ndia. ... Home Recuperative Holidays in India. B ackwaters of K erala ... ndia. About Treatment Cities in India. B angalore C ity ... uide. Mumbai City Guide N ew D elhi ... hrases. Testimonials. Our current Press News. How to receive speedy Medical Opinion from medical service provider ?. Write to us your country / city name from where you are seeking medical opinion with your full contact details Send by email or by post copy of recent clinical observations / diagnosis / medical report translated into English. Send us images in JPEG file format. Send us recent X-Ray's / CT Scan / Echocardiogram / Angiogram / Pathological Reports or a summery of observations on them India Meditracks.

109. General India Information, India's Culture, Food India, India's People, Railway TheBestOfindia.com is a prominent Convenience web site providing AZ of indian information, General india Information like india s culture, Food india, http://www.thebestofindia.com/

Book Mark Us An Express Guide To The Best India Web Sites Providing Information on Travel, Indian Culture, Business, Matrimonial sites, Indian Food, Outsourcing, Shopping and much more. Indian Travel India News Indian Currency Indian Weather ... Business INTERESTED IN INDIA? "THE BEST OF INDIA'S" Directories make it easy for You To Find What You Are Looking For. (see below). We researched the top search engines and directories to find the "Best" in the most searched Indian Categories. We have created this Convenience web Site so that You, the visitor, can spend Your time comparing Pre-Qualified and Recommended Web Sites in each Category. Rather than searching through hundreds of listings in the various search engines simply use The Best Of India. You can feel comfortable in knowing that the services, products and information You are looking for have been thoroughly researched before they appear here. Thank You for visiting THE BEST OF INDIA. Make us Your first stop when Your needs include those associated with the Country of India. (

110. Kamat's Potpourri: The Timeless Theater Archives Kamat's Potpourri a digital archive of history, arts, and culture of india. http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/

more ads The Timeless Theater Last Updated: September 19,2005 Introduction Site Map Master Index Pictorial Navigation The Timeless Theater Some Highlights Ashokan Inscriptions Excerpts from ancient inscriptions of India propagating non-violence, peace that were erected by Emperor Ashoka. Janavashya of Kallarasa Article on 15th century erotic work Janavashya, based on the classsic "Rati Rahasya". Mohenjodaro The remnants of city of Mohenjodaro are a great source of archeological resource for uncovering details of the lost Indus Valley civilization. Indian Festivals A comprehensive list of festivals observed by people in different parts of India and by different faiths; includes tribal festivals. Indian Loin Cloth Article on the loin cloth of Kaupina and its role in understanding Indian culture. Beauty is Skin Deep Memorable photographs of handicapped children at an orphanage in Melkote going about their daily activities. South Canara Article on coastal district of Dakshina Kannada, a cultural hub of Konkani, Tulu and other communities. Partition of India The partition of India is perhaps the most painful one episode in the sub-continent. A summary of important considerations of partition with pointers to further study.

111. India Heritage - India - Its History, Culture, Art, Tourism, Cuisine, Religions india heritage In-depth information on the various facets of indian Heritage, culture, history, literature, dance, music, theatre, folk arts, religions, http://www.indiaheritage.com/

112. Indiainformation-premier Search Engine On India Offers information on travel, culture, education, city guides, and news. http://www.indiainformation.com/

Sorry, your browser doesn't suppor Java. WELCOME TO THE PREMIER SEARCH ENGINE OF INDIA Veda Ramayan Gita Music ... National Anthem Search WWW Search www.indiainformation.com Search Web Audio News Pictures Video www.discoverudaipur.com www.indiainformation.com/dang -Tribal market Buy on line Handbook of alternative Medicine Indian Market on line www.indiainformation.com/indianmarket Hotel Booking upto 70% discount INDIA SPECIAL Send Greetings Baby's Names Songs/Bhajans Free Download ... Global Shopping GENERAL Government Festivals of India STD ISD Codes PIN Codes Organizations Philosophy Literature Jobs DISCOVER INDIA Tourist information. HISTORY Ancient, Modern. CULTURE MONUMENTS ENTERTAINMENT Movies,Drama. HINDU GODS Brahma,Vishnu,Mahesh. BUSINESS Companies,Shares CITY WEATHER Indian City . SPORTS Indian Sports. TEMPLES Dwarka,Kedarnath. RELIGION Hinduism,Buddism. HEALTH Doctors,Hospitals.

113. Anthropologist Tracks Transnational Movements Of India's Culture Anthropologist tracks transnational movements of india s culture. The movie begins with a familiar story line Boy meets girl. They fall in love. http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/00/000224mankekar.html

Kathleen O'Toole, News Service (650) 725-1939; e-mail: kathleen.otoole@stanford.edu Anthropologist tracks transnational movements of India's culture The movie begins with a familiar story line: Boy meets girl. They fall in love. Her close-knit family in England worries. Then the girl's father uproots the whole family to take them back to their roots in India, where marriages are still arranged by parents. In a darkened theater in California's Silicon Valley, a man who left India many years ago, a successful computer engineer in his mid-50s with three daughters, finds himself unexpectedly dissolved in tears. Purnima Mankekar tells this story about an acquaintance's reaction to an Indian film with a sense of wonderment. "What," she asks, "is tearing at these hearts?" Mankekar, an assistant professor of anthropology at Stanford and a member of the far-flung Indian Diaspora herself, searches for ways to explain such complex heart tugs, the global-yet-local nature of today's cultures. "A lot of overseas Indians, including people [whose families] left India centuries ago, are much more captivated by these Indian-made films than by those from Hollywood," she says assuredly, after having reviewed industry box office data. "Something resonates, a cultural meta-discourse of behavior and relationship patterns connects them to these films. Some of the people I've met from Guyana and Trinidad actually learned what little Hindi they know from watching these films, and the Indian film industry has become more sensitive to the needs of the Diaspora because they have become a major part of their audience."

114. India : Country Studies - Federal Research Division, Library Of Congress Overview of life, history, and culture by the US Library of Congress. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/intoc.html

The Library of Congress Especially for Researchers Research Centers Home ... Country Studies India Find in Federal Research Division Pages Researchers Web Pages All Library of Congress Pages A Country Study: India Library of Congress Call Number India Foreword Acknowledgments Preface ... Country Profile - Visit new updated Profile (PDF) Country Geography Society Economy ... Search Database Choose a Country Study Afghanistan Albania Algeria Angola Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Belarus Belize Bhutan Bolivia Brazil Bulgaria Cambodia Chad Chile China Colombia Caribbean Islands Comoros Cyprus Czechoslovakia (Former) Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland Georgia Germany Germany (East) Ghana Guyana Haiti Honduras Hungary India Indonesia Iran Iraq Israel Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Latvia Laos Lebanon Libya Lithuania Macau Madagascar Maldives Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Moldova Mongolia Nepal Nicaragua Nigeria North Korea Oman Pakistan Panama Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Saudi Arabia Seychelles Singapore Somalia South Africa South Korea Soviet Union (Former) Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Syria Tajikistan Thailand Turkmenistan Turkey Uganda United Arab Emirates

115. Holiday Ideas Adventure Trails Ayurveda Shalas Backwaters Of Music, Theatre, Yoga. (c) Department of Tourism Ministry of Tourism and culture Government of india 2002 webmaster@incredibleindia.org. http://www.tourismofindia.com/exi/culture.htm

Holiday Ideas Adventure Trails Ayurveda Shalas Backwaters of Kerala Beaches of India Citylife Dive destinations Ecotourism Health Resorts Hill Stations Offbeat Destinations Pilgrim Destinations Palace-on-Wheels Palaces Religion in stone The Buddhist Circuit The Desert Adventure The Golden Triangle The Heart of Heritage The Lure of the Jungle The North-East The Punjab Circuit The Temple Trail World Cultural Heritage Experience India Arts Culture Hi Tech Healing India by Rail Religion Shopping States of India Weddings Search Home Attire Cinema Cuisines Dance Fairs Fashion Festivals Museums Literature Music Theatre Yoga (c) Department of Tourism Ministry of Tourism and Culture Government of India 2002 webmaster@incredibleindia.org

116. Tourism Of India - Culture - Museums View List of Museums in india. (c) Department of Tourism Ministry of Tourism and culture Government of india 2002 webmaster@incredibleindia.org. http://www.tourismofindia.com/exi/museums.htm

Holiday Ideas Adventure Trails Ayurveda Shalas Backwaters of Kerala Beaches of India Citylife Dive destinations Ecotourism Health Resorts Hill Stations Offbeat Destinations Pilgrim Destinations Palace-on-Wheels Palaces Religion in stone The Buddhist Circuit The Desert Adventure The Golden Triangle The Heart of Heritage The Lure of the Jungle The North-East The Punjab Circuit The Temple Trail World Cultural Heritage Experience India Arts Culture Hi Tech Healing India by Rail Religion Shopping States of India Weddings Search Home Experience India - Culture Museums View List of Museums in India Uncovering Riches Housed in the Maze of Indian Museums Strange though it might seem for a country which has such a plethora of them, museums are an alien concept to India. In fact, it was the British, with their great love for preserving and displaying things, who introduced the notion of a museum to India. The first museum to be established was the Indian Museum in Kolkata, which beside the wonderful medieval Hindu sculptures, also has a great collection of early Buddhist art. Today there are well over 500 different kinds of museums in India and though all of them have a special charm to them, the ones in places like

117. Website Of Embassy Of India, Copenhagen Contains a mini portal on indian economy, tourism, science and technology, education, culture, arts, government, business, news, indiaDenmark relations and links to Denmark. http://www.indian-embassy.dk/

Embassy of India- Copenhagen About us Visa Services Consular Services ... Site Map Welcome to the Website of Embassy of India, Copenhagen Location The Embassy is located at Vangehusvej 15, 2100 Copenhagen, close to Svanemollen train statio n. Working hours: The Embassy is open for business from Monday to Friday during following hours: Deposit: 0930 to 1200 hrs; Collection: 0930 to 1030 hrs. Chancery and Commercial Section 0900 to 1730 hrs Telephone Numbers After Office hours (For Emergencies only): The Embassy may be closed for business on some days, which may not be the same as local holidays. Please click here for list of holidays during year 2005 Embassy of India, Denmark Travel advisory for Indian Nationals visiting Denmark Common Minimum Programme of the New Government (PDF) Newsletter MEA Newswire ... Today's weather in Copenhagen Information given in other Indian or non-Indian internet sites linked to this website does not construe an endorsement of views contained therein by this Embassy or the Government of India. Site designed by Embassy of India Updated on 16 august, 2005

118. Santal An ethnography of one of the largest ethnic groups in india. http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/EthnoAtlas/Hmar/Cult_dir/Culture.7866

Society-SANTAL The Santals are one of the largest ethnic groups in India. They had a population of about 2,500,000 according to the census of 1931, and their estimated population around 1960 was placed at over 3,000,000 (cf. Culshaw 1949: 1; Orans 1965: xi). They occupy primarily the Chotanagpur Plateau, with their settlements distributed over an area of 350 miles, from the Ganges to the Baitarani, between long. 86 degrees-88 degrees E and lat. 22 degrees-26 degrees N. Politically, this region extends through the states of Bihar, West Bengal, and northern Orissa. Within each of these states, the Santal population is concentrated as follows: Bihardistricts of Santal Parganas, Manbhum, Singhbhum, Bhagalpur, Hazaribagh, and Monghyr; West Bengaldistricts of Bankura, Birbhum, and Midnapore; Orissadistricts of Mayurbhanj and Balasore. The Santal Parganas district is considered to be the heart of the Santal area. Beyond this region, the Santals have spread widely in India as agricultural and industrial laborers. The Santals are a non-Hingu peoplein fact, they make a clear distinction based on race between themselves and Hindus and are classified as a "Pre-Dravidian" tribe. Their language, Santali, belongs to the Munda (or Mundari) branch of the Austro-Asiatic language family. There are dialectical variations in Santali, but Orans (1965: 6) claims that there is almost complete mutual intelligibility throughout the population. Moreover, this mutual intelligibility is said to be a basis of their social cohesion, which has been maintained despite the fact that the Santals as a whole have never been politically unified. The main dialectical distinction is between Northern Santali, which is spoken by the great majority of Santals, and Southern Santali. The latter is spoken in the southern part of Bihar and in Orissa, while Northern Santali is spoken in most of Bihar and in West Benhal. Prior to the nineteenth century, the basic Santal subsistence pattern was hunting, but with an ever-increasing population and the rapidly decreasing game supply, the Santals have since turned to agriculture. Today, the Santals are predominantly cereal agriculturists, growing rice as their chief crop, and further supplementing this with millet, sorghum, maize, and some vegetable crops. Cotton is grown for textile use. Santal agricultural methods are primarily of the slash-and-burn variety, with little knowledge or application of crop rotation, irrigation, or fertilizers. Hunting, fishing, and gathering are of little economic importance today, although the annual "dehiri" hunt is an event enjoyed by most of the male population. Cattle are raised to some extent, as well as sheep, goats, pigs, oxen, buffaloes, cows, cats, and dogs. These animals are used as supplementary sources of protein in the diet, as well as for other purposes (e.g., rodent control). The Santals trade extensively with neighboring Hindu peoples for the bulk of their everyday goods except for food stuffs and a few forest products. Santal social organization is characterized by a lack of the caste cleavages so prominent in Hindu society, a patrilineal kinship system, and a relatively low level of political integration. The entire society seems to be divided into 9 exogamous but noncorporate patrilineal sibs. (By tradition there should be 12 sibs, but Orans says that actually there appear to be only 9). These sibs are divided into subsibs, which in turn are subdivided into local patrilineal lineagesthe largest corporate kin groups. The basic family unit is the extended patrilocal family. Each village is usually composed of a number of lineages. The village is evidently the key political unit, but the largest formally organized territorial unit is the pargana, a loose confederation of approximately a dozen villages bound together to settle certain judicial questions and headed by an official called a parganath. Culshaw (1949) discusses the pargana, and this seems to be the same unit which Biswas calls a bungalow, describing it as an administrative grouping of villages headed by a parganait (1956). Traditionally, Santal religion was characterized by a belief in a pantheon of supernatural beings represented at the top by the supreme god Thakur (Chando, Chando Bonga, Sing Bongo, or Kando) and including six other major gods and a host of nature and ancestral spirits. Although the Santals had no idols or temples, the Sacred Grove or Spring represented to them the place of residence of the supernatural powers, and it was there that prayers and sacrifices were made, usually by a priest, to avert the ill will of the gods and to bring upon themselves, their crops, and their animals the blessings of the supernaturals. In addition, each family had two gods of its own, the orakbonga (household god) and the abgebonga (secret god), whose name was never divulged to anyone except the eldest son in the family. The bongas or spirits were generally friendly toward man, but at times could inflict misery and trouble. Hinduism has had only nominal influence on Santal religious practices as has Christianity, despite the fact that Christian missionaries have been functioning among the Santals since 1862. Biswas indicates that in addition to being a minority group, the Christian converts were also faced with the problem of loss of ethnic identity (Biswas, 1956: 217-218). Although magic and witchcraft have also figured prominently in Santal religious practices, Mukherjea believes that these concepts were probably borrowed from the Hindus (Mukherjea 1962: 308-309). The Santals strongly believed in the existence of witches in the society, who, motivated by envy and operating through the medium of the "evil eye" or other magical practices, visited sickness, death, and other calamities upon members of the village community. By means of divinatory practices exercised through the offices of the witch-finder and the Ojha (a kind of exorcist), the causative agents of the disease were determined and ritually removed, and the identity of the witch revealed. Once the name of the witch was known, that person was often beaten, fined, driven from the community, and not infrequently killed. Witches in Santal society were inevitably female, while the Ojha and the witch-finders were male. Summaries of Santal culture may be found in any of the sources cited below. Culture summary by Robert O. Lagace and John M. Beierle Biswas, P. C. Santals of the Santal Parganas. Delhi, Bharatiya Adimjati Sevak Sangh, 1956. 12, 230, p. illus., map. Culshaw, W. J. Tribal heritage: a study of the Santals. London, Lutterworth Press, 1949. 12, 222 p. illus., map. Orans, Martin. The Santal; a tribe in search of a great tradition. Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1965. 14, 154 p. tables. Mukherjea, Charulal. The Santals. Rev. 2d ed. Calcutta, A. Mukherjee, 1962. 16, 459 p. illus., tables. 7866

119. IFSC:Educational Consultants Specialised In Guiding Students Get Admission To Re india based educational consultants specialized in guiding students get admission to Russian medical universities. http://www.beadoctor.com

About IFSC The International Foundation for Studies and Culture (IFSC) is an organization working under the auspices of the Cultural Department of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai. The main aim and goal of IFSC is to bring awareness and promote the Russian education system in India. The Cultural Department of the Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, which is also popularly known as the Cultural Center of Russia has been jointly organizing various promotional activities along with IFSC to bring about awareness and guiding Indian students in seeking admission in various Universities in Russia. IFSC has its central office located in the Cultural Center of Russia at Mumbai and also has its own office in Pune and other places in India. Besides having its own offices, IFSC also maintains a wide network of associates all over the country to guide students who are unable to come to its office in Mumbai. Our primary aim is to develop close ties between the cultures of India and Russia and also act as a guiding force to the student society in India, about the various educational Institutes of Russia. We bridge the distance between the student society in India and the educational institute of Russia.

120. Free Indian Matrimonial For All India Religions,castes. Free matrimonial site for all religions, castes and culture. http://www.youthsindia.com

A real complete free Indian matrimonial service F e a t u r e s Simple search Advanced search Add profile View profile ... Contact us Message Board Feature 'View profile' is up now, please start using. W elcome to Youths India, a complete free Indian matrimonial service for Indians across the world. This is your site so feel free to browse through several hundreds of high profile Indian brides or grooms and contact them. Our commitment ~ Free of charge for ever ~ True, no charges for any reason. ~ 100% privacy and email security. ~ No spamming, no email misuse. ~ No information misuse. Truly free, no email hiding. ~ Unlimited access and contacts ~ Trustworthy and reliable. ~ Guaranteed quality free service Motto The prominent motto of the site is  quality free service including free matrimonial service as our top priority and many other services to come soon and also to throw light on young talents by publishing their remarkarble work on the site. Benefits You will see the benefits immediately after adding your profile. You can contact prospective profiles with your email-id and also receive emails from prospective members with their email-id. No email hiding and no limitations. Several hundreds of high profile bride and groom to search and each day large number of members and visitors view your profile leading to a fast settlement.

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

Page 6     101-120 of 195    Back | 1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | Next 20