The two main characteristics of Indian culture are multi-culturalism and unity in diversity. Multi-culturalism means that people in India respect each other’s cultures, traditions, and ways of life, even if they are different. During India’s freedom struggle, great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Abul Kalam Azad, and Subhash Chandra Bose made the idea of “unity in diversity” very popular.
Indians may speak different languages, follow different religions, live in different regions, or have different lifestyles, but they still share a strong bond of togetherness. Many things helped this unity grow. Hinduism itself teaches acceptance of many cultures. The big empires in history also brought people together. Different kings and rulers supported many religions and cultures, which increased harmony among the people. Great epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata also helped connect different parts of India with one shared culture.
Cultural exchange among people further strengthens this unity. Sometimes, the differences themselves create new connections. For example, if two groups live far away from each other, they may still share the same language or religion. If two groups follow different religions, they may still be connected by the same land or language.