While urban areas are shifting toward nuclear families, the concept of the extended family remains paramount. Decisions regarding careers, marriage, and finances often involve the counsel of elders.

A "melting pot" of 22 major languages and hundreds of dialects. Cultural identity is often tied to one's region of origin.

Indian culture is not a museum piece; it is a living, breathing organism. It is the chaos of a thousand scooters honking at a stray cow, the silence of a temple meditation room, the heat of a green chili, and the sweetness of a gulab jamun . For the traveler or the scholar, the secret to understanding India is simple: embrace the chaos, respect the ritual, and never, ever refuse a cup of chai.