"Unity in diversity" is rightly applicable to Indian Art & Culture which is rich in culture and heritage. From the times of Mauryas, Cholas, Mughals till to the period of British Empire, India has always been famous for its traditions and hospitality. The warmth in the relations and euphoria in celebrations make the country stands out distinctively in the clutter. The country's liveliness and generosity attract a number of tourists. The cuisines, festivals, music, literature, and theatre…everything is 'special' in this 'land of gods'.

There are certain things about India that are famous worldwide, like: "Namaste", is a way common way of greeting outsiders and elders and makes you feel the affection in the greeting.

Indian people are also famous for welcoming with flower garlands. In the Indian marriages the exchange of garlands between bride and groom is a ritual in itself. People also offer flower garlands to gods and goddesses during their prayers.

Time has changed but the lavishness has always been an integral and indispensable part of Indian marriages. In India, marriage is still taken as an institution where not two people but two families get united. So, it always calls for boisterous celebrations full of music and dance. Within India, every caste and community has its own way of performing the rituals of marriage. Muslims also have their own special way of celebrating the marriage ceremony, popularly called Nikaah. Parsis plant a young mango tree in a pot during the marriage ceremony. Every state has its own special way of celebrating the marriage ceremony.

Beauty of Indian women lies in the clothes she wears. Very traditional and ethnic yet contemporary Indian Saris are famous worldwide. In rural parts a version of sari, called ghagara -choli is very much popular. In order to have a graceful and complete look, women folk carry a duppatta, which is a soft and delicate material of reasonable length thrown over the shoulder. Salwar kameez is also very popular dress. Like ghagara choli, salwar kameez is also complemented by dupatta.

Indian men prefers everything that fits well and looks good. But, traditionally you can see north Indians wearing kurta pajama, dhoti kurta or sherwani on formal celebrations whereas south Indian men prefer lungi with shirt.

Unique designs, artistic looks and creativity are always a part of Indian jewelry. Gold and silver jewelry actually represents the culture and tradition of India. Specialty of Gujarat and Rajasthan, the lac bangles and bracelets are worn and liked by the women of all states. From earrings, nose-rings, armlets, necklaces to anklets and bracelets, Indian jewelry give a woman everything that she needs to enhance her beauty.

Mehndi or henna is a kind of paste that is designed on the palms on the women on special occasions like engagement, marriage or festive celebrations. The paste is applied for few hours or overnight and washed when it gets dried completely. This gives reddish-brown color to the palms. In Indian marriages, especially in the north, a special night is celebrated before the day of marriage in which mehndi is designed on the palms of bridegroom and it is followed by some colorful dance and music. In certain parts of India, mehndi is a special kind of ancient folk art.

India is a secular state and every citizen enjoys an equal right of choosing and following a particular religion. More than three fourth of Indian population belongs to Hindu religion and you can find Hindu pilgrimages in every part of the country. Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Haridwar , Varanasi , Sabrimala, Sringeri, Dakshineshwar-belur math, Rameshwaram are some of the most popular and frequented visited pilgrimage sites.

The Muslims have their pilgrimages like Dargah Sharief of Ajmer at Rajasthan and Dargah of Ajan Pir in Assam.

Pilgrimage sites for Sikhs like Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, Tarn Taaran in west of Amritsar are also pupolar. Hemkund Sahib, situated at an altitude of 4329 meters, is the highest Gurudwara in the world. The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, mediated here for years in the mountains and here only he left his body to get united with Almighty. Churches can also be found through out India. With so many religions and pilgrimages…but still people are united. It is just because of the Indian values that bind people together. These values weave people together just like beads in a string.

Dance, drama, theatre or music, every art is unique in itself. In India, religions, mythology and classical literature form the basis of most of the performing arts.

Indian classical dances like Bharatnatyam, Kathakali, Kathak, Manipuri, Odissi and Kuchipudi mainly follow the codes of natya shastra, mythology and classical literature and epics like Ramayana and Mahabharta. Another kind of performing art is theatre. Professional theatre is popular only in big urban areas or metropolitan cities. Uniqueness of Indian theatre is the puppet show.

For Indians, music is to the soul what food is to the body. Since Vedic period it's been capturing the heart and mind of every Indian. The Indian villages also have their special kind of music that carries colors of folk tradition. Music of Indian movies is also liked by the masses.

Films are another kind of performing arts for which India is quite popular in the world. The country produces more than 1000 movies every year and these movies are not only popular in the domestic market but also have a wide viewership in the Asian and European countries. Indian Film Industry was born in 1897, when the first Indian made motion picture ‘Panorama of Calcutta” was screened in Kolkata. India’s first feature film “Raja Harsishchandra” was made in the silent era in 1913. Now, on an average, annually 800 films are produced in India. Either it is the blockbuster movies or mainstream parallel cinemas that rule the Indian film scenario.

India has always been famous for this kind of visual art. The creativity and use of colors has always been graceful and unique in the Indian paintings. Keeping their culture and tradition in mind, Indian artists also imbibe the qualities of other European artists and this gives a contemporary look to the Indian paintings with a traditional touch. A very ancient and aesthetic kind of visual art in India is pottery. In this form of art lumps of clay are hand-molded to form toys and deities of worship. Terracotta and blue gaze are the two main varieties of pottery that are famous in India. Pottery also has a great religious significance. On Durga Puja and Ganesh Chathurthi the beautiful idols of Maa Durga and Lord Ganesha show the confluence of pottery, sculpture and painting.

Celebration is a fundamental part of every Indian's life. From January to December, every month comes with a particular Fair or Festival.

Despite so many diversities, people in India are united and they feel proud of their culture and tradition. On the world stage, either through international film festivals or through beauty pageants, India displays regularly its talent and culture.