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Alekhya Makneni

Ms. Wyman and Mrs. Hurd

English I, 1st Period

03 March 2024

Annotated Bibliography

"India." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 19 Oct. 2023.

school.eb.com/levels/high/article/India/111197. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

India’s culture is very diverse. Like other countries in the East, India is also

affected by Western culture, but it is not as strong because Indians still have

traditional cuisines, fashion, and continue to release their own films and music.

Arranged marriages are very frequent, with love marriages occurring mostly in

urban areas and divorce rates are very low. In families, there is still a degree of

patriarchy, although it’s not as strong as in previous times. Traditionally, women

are also expected to be very obedient to their husbands, to the point where they

aren't allowed to remarry if their husbands die. India celebrates many festivals

that vary throughout the region. Some important festivals in India are Holi, the

festival of color, Dussehra, where Ramayana is reenacted, and Diwali, the festival

of lights. India also has secular holidays such as Independence Day and Republic

Day. Indian cuisine varies with the region’s cultures. Pulses, grains, species, and

dairy products are very important in Indian cuisines. Food is typically eaten with

hands and there is etiquette to that as well. Clothing in India is very traditional.

Depending on the region, in rural areas, men wear a dhoti or a lungi around their
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waist. In more urban areas, men wear more Western clothing. O`lder women

typically wear saris but how it is wrapped varies on the region. Younger women,

or women who live in cities wear a salwar-kameez, which is a long-tailed shirt

and pants, as saris are reserved for special occasions. Architecture is a very

important part of India’s history. Many temples have sculptures carved out of

stone, and they are very detailed. There are other arts in India as well, such as

embroidery, painting, pottery, etc. India also has a very distinguished traditional

dance and music. There are different forms of dance such as Bharatanatyam,

Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Kathak, and Bhangra. There are two main forms of

music which are Hindustani and Carnatic music. The Indian film industry is

popular, with the most famous one being Bollywood. Indian literature is very old

with ancient texts such as the Vedas. India also has a very notable sports culture.

It has traditional sports such as kabaddi which is almost 4,000 years old, and it

combines wrestling and rugby. Cricket, which was brought to India by the British,

is also very important in Indian sports, with the Indian cricket team having many

international competitions and support. This is a very useful source because it

goes in depth on the different cultural aspects of India. This source also fits into

my research because India is a very integral part of my identity. I could use this

source to explain the celebrations that happen in India, India’s fashion, and a

curiosity category. However, as I read through the culture section of the source, a

weakness that I noticed is that some of the information is very outdated. The

article said that “Beyond the family the most important unit is the caste.”. While
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caste still plays a role in the culture of India, it is not the second most important

unit as other parts of Indian culture take a more prominent role than that.

Thatavarthi, Gayathri. “Exploring the True Essence of South Indian Culture.” Caleidoscope, 15

July 2023, www.caleidoscope.in/art-culture/south-indian-culture#:~:text=Encompassing

%20states%20such%20as%20Tamil,treasure%20trove%20of%20artistic%20expression.

Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Even after taking North, East, and West India out of the picture, South India is

still very diverse. The four main languages in South India are Telugu, Tamil,

Malayalam, and Kannada. Each state in South India also has its unique cuisines.

Men in South India wear dhotis and lungis while women wear sarees. Cotton

clothes are worn daily while silk clothes are saved for special occasions. Despite

these norms, there is a variety of different clothing in South India, and it mostly

depends on the person who wants to wear it. People in South India are also very

religious and traditional. Performing arts are very prominent in South India,

ranging from Carnatic music and traditional music to forms of dance such as

Kathakali and Bharatanatyam. A unique art form in South India is muggulu, and

they are drawn by releasing colored rice flour through two fingers on the ground.

These patterns decorate the doorstep and courtyard of a traditional South Indian

home. There are also many traditional festivals in South India. Some examples

include Onam in Kerala, Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Diwali, Pongal, etc. The

source I used is very useful as it touches on the many diverse topics of India such

as arts, clothing, festivals, food, etc. This information fits into my research

because I’m from Andhra Pradesh, which is a state in South India, and some of
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the topics they covered are some things that we do in Andhra Pradesh. A strength

in this source is that the source had found a way to simplify the over complex

culture of South India.

"Andhra Pradesh." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 16 Nov. 2023.

school.eb.com/levels/high/article/Andhra-Pradesh/111224. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Andhra Pradesh is a country known for its architectural marvels, language, arts,

and diversity. The architecture in Andhra Pradesh is very old and highly

developed. A major form of dance in Andhra Pradesh is Kuchipudi, and a major

form of music is Carnatic. Telugu is the main language spoken in Andhra Pradesh

and Telugu literature has been prominent in the revolution of literary expression.

There is also a lot of cultural diversity in Andhra’s region alone. There are so

many different dialects of Telugu, and traditions vary from area to area. This is a

partly useful source because it does discuss Andhra Pradesh’s cultural life. This

information fits in as my parents were born and raised in Andhra and I was born

in Andhra. Many of our traditions are rooted there and the language we speak,

Telugu, is also from there. This can be used in my research. Andhra's culture is an

indispensable part of me, and the different traditions, arts, and language is

something that I am familiar with. The weakness in my source in my source is

that in the cultural life section of the article, there isn’t much information. It’s not

going in depth, and that is leaving some gaps in the knowledge of Andhra’s

culture.
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Kommanaboyina. “Telugu Traditions.” Telugu Traditions, 23 June 2023,

telugutraditions.com/#:~:text=Telugu%20traditions%20encompass%20a%20rich,holding%20on

%20to%20their%20roots. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

Two states in India, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are the states with the most

Telugu-speaking people. Festivals are very important in Telugu traditions, as it is

in most of India. Some examples include Sankranthi, Pongal, and Bathukamma.

Music and dance are also one of many ways in which Telugu people express

themselves. Kuchipudi is a very prominent classical dance, and it follows

narratives shown through face expressions, music, and movements. Rice is a

staple in Telugu cuisine and it is typically served with curries and pickles. Telugu

cuisine is also known for its spicy and tangy flavors. Tradition-wise, Telugu

weddings are very grand, and the bride and groom have to do a series of specific

things in order to tie the knot. Telugu traditions have been passed down from a

parent to their child through generations, and they adapt to the modern world as

they get applied. Tollywood is also essential to Telugu’s pop culture and it is very

popular, not only in Telugu regions, but globally. This is a useful source because

it talks about many aspects of the culture of Telugu. It fits into my research

because I have grown up speaking Telugu, and many of the things mentioned in

the article are the things that I do on a day-to-day basis. This could be used in my

research as I could show things such as Telugu cuisines and traditions. A strength

of this source is that the website itself is about Telugu traditions, meaning that

most of the information from this source is from an expert on this topic.
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“The Most Influential India People.” India in Your Home, www.india-in-your-home.com/india-

people.html. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.

There are many famous people who have revolutionzed and reshaped India as a

country. The following people are some of the many ones who have made a big

change. Mohandas Gandhi is arguably the most influential person in India’s

history. Culturally, Gandhi had strived for equality, religious tolerance, and the

abolition of India’s caste system's practices. He fought for India’s independence

peacefully, and it had made a profound impact. Another person in the

revolutionary battle in India was Subash Chandra Bose. He was a key figure in

India’s fight for independence against Britain because unlike Gandhi, Bose

advocated to fight against Britain using aggression, and it had immensely helped.

Another person is Rabindranath Tagore. He is the author of India’s national

anthem and he was an influential poet and novelist. Finally, J.R.D Tata is India’s

most successful businessman as he had established the famous company, Tata,

with a lot of branches. One thing that Tata was notable for was that he made a

successful company without it going corrupt. The source I used is a strong and

useful source because it lists out many influential people in India with

descriptions of each of them, making it easy for the reader to easily locate the

information. This information fits into my research because it specifically lists out

iconic people that are important to India’s culture overall. I could use this to list of

many famous Indian people and how they have changed India and the world for

the better.
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