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GREETINGS

The unique culture or custom I saw in our country and our people is the way they greet others by saying Namaste or Vanakkam with the hand sign. It is one of the most popular custom in India which isn't just restricted to the Indian territory any more. Many leaders such as Barack Obama, the former president of The US, Ban Ki Moon, former
Secretary-General of the UN and many more have greeted everyone with Namaste in many places. This shows that Namaste is one of the most unique and admiring way of greetings in the world tradition. This is the most unique custom I found in India.

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CHITRA POURNAMI
Chitra Pounami is celebrated on full moon in the Tamil month Chitirai or Chaitra. This festival is dedicated to Hindu God Chitragupta who is known for recording the sins and bad deeds of people living on earth for Yaman, the Hindu god of death and underworld.
On the festival day, many devotees bathe in rivers or other water bodies to symbolize their sins being washed away. This is especially popular at the river Chitra in the district of Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India.

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The Chhau Dance originates in the Purulia district in West Bengal and draws inspiration from martial arts and combative training.The dance is used as a form of storytelling on stage, using vivacious all-male troupes. It combines martial arts, acrobatics, athletics and its motifs highlight religious themes of Shaivism, Shaktism, and Vaishnavism. This folk dance is egalitarian and is celebrated every spring.

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Every region in India has its own distinct cuisine with a signature dish or ingredient. It’s one of the best countries for vegetarian cuisine, which you’ll find predominantly in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Non-vegetarian options feature strongly in Bengali, Mughlai, North Indian and Punjabi cuisine, and Kerala in South India is famous for its delicious fish dishes.

You can always guarantee plenty of fresh ingredients, including wonderful herbs and spices used for flavour, aromas, to enhance colours and for healing properties.

Although many restaurants provide cutlery for tourists, it’s great to get involved with the Indian tradition of eating with your hands. As well as immersing yourself in Indian culture, your digestive system will thank you as it means you eat more slowly. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after, and use your right hand to eat.

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YOGA
The ancient Indian practice for health and wellness, Yoga, is scientific and it emphasizes unifying the mind with the body and soul to promote mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing. Yoga disciplines your mind, breath and body through a series of poses, sequences, guided meditation, controlled breathing, word chanting and other techniques. It aids in self-realization, eases bodily suffering, promotes relaxation making you calmer and happier. The International Yoga Festival held in Rishikesh is a celebration of the ancient tradition of Yoga to promote good health, wellbeing and a divine lifestyle. Other than attending the festival you can choose to rejuvenate at the several wellness retreats across the country.

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KOLAM

Kolam (also known as Rangoli) is drawn at the doors of every house in Tamil Nadu. It is drawn before the sunrise and is said to welcome Goddess Laxmi. This has become hugely popular among North Indians too.

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Religious Customs - Holy Cow
Cow, in the Indian culture, is considered to be a Holy animal. She is worshipped as a maternal figure and is a depiction of the bounty of Mother Earth. Lord Krishna, who grew up as cow herder is often depicted as playing his flute among cows and Gopis (milkmaids) dancing to his tunes. Interestingly, Lord Krishna is also known by the name of 'Govinda' or 'Gopala', which translates to the 'friend and protector of cow'. Hence, cows have an auspicious significance in Indian Culture and religion.

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KUMBH MELA
The Kumbh Mela (fair) is the world’s largest congregation of religious pilgrims. It rotates between these four pilgrimage destinations in a 12-year cycle: Haridwar, Allahabad, Nashik, and Ujjain. The last Kumbh Mela was held at Ujjain in 2016 and the next one will happen in 2022 at Haridwar. The main devotees are the Naga sadhus. Their solitary and extremely harsh lifestyle revolves around a monastic way of living. The significance of the fair for Hindus is to cleanse their sins by bathing in sacred waters.

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Nag panchami : A festival to worship snake
Serpent  blessing is considered as well being and peaceful to the family  the festival falls on July and August  several mythological stories are narrated about its significance on this day the serpent is make of wood , silver and it is worshipped by offering milk, sweets, flowers sometimes a real snake is also used on this day digging the ground is also considered as tabbo on nag pancham  as it harm the snakes

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RAMLILA
Ramlila translates to “Rama’s play” and is performed across northern India during Dussehra (October-November). This theatrical presentation celebrates the life of Rama, his strengths, and his struggles. The dramatic performances involve a combination of songs, narration, dance, and dialogue to recount episodes from the Ramcharitramanas composed by Tulsidas. It spreads the message of “good over evil” along with teaching the philosophy of life to the audience. It is staged in all towns and villages of north India but if you are traveling to India during that time of the year, you can watch the best Ramlilas in Ayodhya, Ramnagar, Varanasi, Vrindavan, Almora, Satna, and Madhubani.

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HOLA MOHALLA OF PUNJAB

Hola Mohalla, also called Hola, is a three-day-long Sikh festival that normally falls in March and takes place on the second day of the lunar month of Chett, a day after the Hindu spring festival Holi but sometimes coincides with Holi. Hola Mohalla is a big festive event for Sikhs around the world.

The fair held during Holi and Hola at Anandpur Sahib is traditionally a three-day event but participants attend Anandpur Sahib for a week, camping out and enjoying various displays of fighting prowess and bravery, and listening to kirtan, music, and poetry. For meals, which is an integral part of the Sikh institution (Gurdwara), visitors sit together in Pangats (Queues) and eat vegetarian food of the Langars. The event concludes on the day of Hola Mohalla with a long, "military-style" procession near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, one of the five seats of temporal authority of the Sikhs.

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KALARIPAYATTU

Kalarippayattu, also known simply as "Kalari", is an Indian martial arts that originated in modern-day "Kerala", a state on the southwestern coast of India. Kalarippayattu is known for its long-standing history within Indian martial arts. It is believed to be the oldest surviving martial art in India, with a history spanning over 3,000 years. Kalarippayattu is mentioned in the Vadakkan Pattukal a collection of ballads written about the Chekavar of the Malabar region of Kerala. In the Vadakkan Pattukal, it is stated that the cardinal principle of Kalarippayattu was that knowledge of the art be used to further worthy causes, and not for the advancement of one's own selfish interests. Kalarippayattu is a martial art designed for the ancient battlefield (the word "Kalari" meaning "battlefield"), with weapons and combative techniques that are unique to India.

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KALAMEZHUTHU
Kalamezhuthu is a ritual art form of Kerala wherein the deity’s form is drawn on the floor using five types of coloured powders. This is practiced by many communities in Kerala and is a part of many ritual forms. Kalamezhuthu and Pattu is conducted to propitiate the deities and to avoid untoward happenings.“It refers to the pictorial representation of deities on the floor (kalam) using coloured powders (kolappodi) during ceremonies. When combined with the singing of specific songs (kalampaattu) and dance movements related to the puja (kalapradakshinam), it becomes a ritualistic performance known as ‘kalamezhuthum paattum’ or ‘kalamezhuthupaattu’.Only natural products are used for the ritual to make the Kalam, also called the dholichithram or powder drawing. The pigments are extracted from plants- rice flour (white), charcoal powder (black), turmeric powder (yellow), powdered green leaves (green), and a mixture of turmeric powder and lime (red). The entire process can take up to 2 hours and it is sometimes even decorated with a canopy of palm fronds, garlands of red hibiscus flowers and thulasi or Ocimum leaves.

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The Thimithi or firewalking ceremony is a Hindu festival originating in Tamil Nadu, South India that is celebrated a week before Deepavali, during the month of Aipasi of the Tamil calendar (Gregorian calendar months of October and November). The fire-walking ceremony is in honor of the goddess Draupati Amman, who is considered the incarnation of goddess Mariamman and is practiced not only in India, but also in Fiji, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, Réunion, South Africa, and other countries with large South Indian populations.
The priest starts the tīmiti by walking through the pit filled with hot burning wood with a karakattam "sacred water-filled pot" on his head. He is followed by male devotees intent on fulfilling their personal promises and proving their faith. The devotees may include a minority of non-Indians and non-Hindus.
The practice is a sign of utter devotion to their faith.

The Kanni Amman Kovil temple located in Manappakkam a village near Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India is believed to be celebrating Thimithi thiruvizha for more than 2000 years. More than 5000 people do thimidhi and many people do tonsuring (fully shaven head), ear-piercing, make Pongal, Kadavettu (Goat-cutting) in front of the temple as offerings to the Goddess Arulmigu Kanni Amman, and celebrate the festival.