6. Know the ways how Indians worship their gods.

In 326 BC Alexander the Great conquered the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent as far as the Hyphasis River, and established satrapies as well as several cities, such as Bucephala, until his troops refused to go further east. The Indian satrapies of the Punjab were left to the rule of Porus and Taxiles, who were confirmed again at the Treaty of Triparadisus in 321 BC, and remaining Greek troops in these satrapies were left under the command of general Eudemus. Sometime after 321 Eudemus toppled Taxiles, until he left India in 316 BC. Another general also ruled over the Greek colonies of the Indus: Peithon, son of Agenor,[4] until his departure for Babylon in 316 BC, and a last one, Sophytes, may have ruled in northern Punjab until around 294 BC. Greek Late Archaic style capital from Patna (Pataliputra), 3rd century BC, Patna Museum (click image for references). According to Indian sources, Greek ("Yavana") troops seem to have assisted Chandragupta Maurya in toppling the Nanda Dynasty and founding the Mauryan Empire.[5] By around 312 BC Chandragupta had established his rule in large parts of the northwestern Indian territories. In 303 BC, Seleucus I led an army to the Indus, where he encountered Chandragupta. The confrontation ended with a peace treaty, and "an intermarriage agreement" (Epigamia, Greek: Επιγαμια), meaning either a dynastic marriage or an agreement for intermarriage between Indians and Greeks. Accordingly, Seleucus ceded to Chandragupta his northwestern territories, possibly as far as Arachosia and received 500 war elephants (which played a key role in the victory of Seleucus at the Battle of Ipsus):
"The Indians occupy [in part] some of the countries situated along the Indus, which formerly belonged to the Persians: Alexander deprived the Ariani of them, and established there settlements of his own. But Seleucus Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus in consequence of a marriage contract, and received in return five hundred elephants."
—Strabo 15.2.1(9) Also several Greeks, such as the historian Megasthenes followed by Deimakos and Dionysius, were sent to reside at the Mauryan court. Presents continued to be exchanged between the two rulers. Bilingual edict (Greek and Aramaic) by king Ashoka, from Kandahar. Kabul Museum (click image for translation).
On these occasions, Greek populations apparently remained in the northwest of the Indian subcontinent under Mauryan rule. Chandragupta's grandson Ashoka, who had converted to the Buddhist faith declared in the Edicts of Ashoka, set in stone, some of them written in Greek, that Greek populations within his realm also had converted to Buddhism:
"Here in the king's domain among the Greeks, the Kambojas, the Nabhakas, the Nabhapamkits, the Bhojas, the Pitinikas, the Andhras and the Palidas, everywhere people are following Beloved-of-the-Gods' instructions in Dharma."—Rock Edict Nb13 (S. Dhammika). In his edicts, Ashoka claims he sent Buddhist emissaries to Greek rulers as far as the Mediterranean (Edict No13), and that he developed herbal medicine in their territories, for the welfare of humans and animals (Edict No2).The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka, such as Dharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek ("Yona") Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist proselytism (the Mahavamsa, XII[8]). It is also thought that Greeks contributed to the sculptural work of the Pillars of Ashoka. Again in 206 BC, the Seleucid emperor Antiochus led an army into India, where he received war elephants and presents from the king Sophagasenus:
"He (Antiochus) crossed the Caucasus (Hindu Kush) and descended into India; renewed his friendship with Sophagasenus the king of the Indians; received more elephants, until he had a hundred and fifty altogether; and having once more provisioned his troops, set out again personally with his army: leaving Androsthenes of Cyzicus the duty of taking home the treasure which this king had agreed to hand over to him."—Polybius 11.39 [10]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Greek

7. Know the role of woman in the society.

General comments on being a woman in India:
When women speak professional they often get much help from males
A single successful woman is less accepted by her peers than the women who are married.
Women rarely drive cars, but occasionally are seen operating motor scooters.
Drivers and servants are the norm for successful women.
Men gather at many places throughout the community such as the well, or a central gathering spot but women are confined to their immediate home and often visit from rooftop to rooftop.
There is much contrast between women’s role in India and other countries.
Women’s Dress Even in the 21st century women in India continue to wear the tradition style of clothing, while men on the whole especially those in urban areas have adapted the Western style of dress. For women there are two predominant styles of dress. One is the Saree (Sari) and the second the pajamas with tunic top. These articles of clothing are available in a broad array of fabric and colors. A separate scarf is almost always worn with either of these styles. These are worn for practical reasons, not as a fashion statement. They are used to cover the face, wash the face, and protect themselves from pollution and other environmental hazards as well as being utilized to carry many things needed in a woman’s daily life. Work and Careers Career choices for women are limited. Unless the shop or business was very upscale women were not evident as clerks, cashiers or general help. More women are attending college, and many perceive a college education as preparation for finding an appropriate husband. In Rural area’s many men leave home to find work in the city, leaving the wife to provide the necessary food for the family to survive. The oldest female child must drop out of school to tend to the younger siblings while the mother works in the field. Limited Child care facilities –mothers often take children to the work place. Marriage To insure purity of family bloodline, families insist on arranged marriages. The child inherits the caste of their father and brides live with grooms’ family. Inter caste marriages are tolerated if it is the groom who marries down. For consenting to such a match a bigger dowry is demanded by the grooms family. Brides’ and grooms’ families advertise in paper for mates. Divorce is rare in India. Unlike Western cultures engagement and wedding rings are not exchanged instead a marriage necklace is given to the bride by the mother-in-law.
In rural area’s marriage often takes place at 12-13 years of age. This results in numerous health issues for the young bride as well as any of her resulting children
http://www.canr.msu.edu/vanburen/India/women.htm



8. Identify their gods and goddesses.

The Gods and Goddesses
Aditi Description: Mother of the gods. Rules Over: Sky, earth, past and the future.
Agni Other Names: Pramati. Description: Has seven tongues which he uses to consume sacrifices. Fire God. Pictured as a man with three flaming heads, three legs and seven arms, clothed in black with smoke forming his standard and headdres. Rules Over: Rain, weather, storms, protector of the home, wealth, power, new beginnings, light, rebirth, immortality, justice, forgiveness, love, virility, mediation between the gods and men.
Aryaman Description: God of the Heavens. Rules Over: Sun, Moon, winds, waters, seasons.
Asvins Other Names: Aswins, Nasatyas. Description: Twin gods of the morning. They rode in a gold car drawn by horses or birds. The physicians of the Gods. Their Names: Dasra and Nasatya. Rules Over: Morning and evening stars, healing, old age, protection of love and marriage.
Brahma Other Names: Prajapati (A form of him, at least). Description: Part of the triad with Vishnu and Shiva. Father of the gods, men and the world. Guardian of the world. Shown riding a swan and has red skin, four heads and wore white robes. In his four arms he carries his scepter (or a spoon/string of beads), the Vedas, a bow and a water jug. Rules OveR: Magick, wisdom, knowledge.
Brihaspati Other Names: Bramanaspati. Description: Master of magickal power and the priesthood. Rules Over: Magick, priesthood, created things.
The Buddha Description: Divine Teacher. Avatar/Incarnation of Vishnu. Rules Over: Spiritual illumination, wisdom, self-realization.
Chandra Other Names: Soma. Description: Moon god whose name came from the intoxicating, hallucinogenic drink made for the gods. Rules Over: Psychic visions and dreams, rising on the inner planes, pleasant forgetfulness.
Devi Other Names: Mahadevi, "Shakti". Description: Shiva's Consort. Most powerful of the Goddesses.
Durga Other Names: Jaganmatri (aspect of them, at least). Description: One of the triad with the Goddesses Uma and Parvati. In her aspect of Durga Pratyangira, she is a yellow woman with ten arms who carries a trident, sword, drum and bowl of blood. Mother Goddess. Rules Over: Death, destruction, futility, ruin, comfort, help, power, nurturing, protection, defense.
Gandharvas Description: Gods of the air, rain clouds and rain. Adept horsemen and musicians. Rules Over: Truths, medicines, musical skills, air, cloud and rain.
Ganesha Other Names: Ganesa, Ganapati, Gajani. Description: Elephant-headed god of scribes and merchants. Invoked before any undertaking to ensure success. Rules Over: Wisdom, good luck, literature, books, writing, worldly success, prosperity, peace, beginnings, successful enterprises, journeys, building, overcoming obstacles, taming dangerous forces, combination of force and cunning.
Ganga Description: Goddess of the river Ganges. Rules Over: Purification.
Gauri Descriptoin: Benign aspect of the Great Goddess. Rules Over: Wealth, good fortune.
Indra Other Names: Parjanya, Svargapati, Meghavahana, Vajri, Sashra. Description: King of the Gods, Guardian of the Eastern quarter. Pictured as fair with golden skin riding an horse, elephant (Airavata) or in a chariot drawn by two tawy horses. Rules Over: War, weather, fertility, lightning, sky, warriors, violence, weather, fertility, lightning, sky, warriors, violence, reincarnation, rain, strength, bravery, horses, elephants, love, sensual desire, rainbow, personal intervention, law, magick power, rivers, time, seasons, storms, opposition to evil, creativity, the sun, hunting dogs, offerings.
Jyeshtha Description: Goddess of bad luck. Rules Over: Revenge, dark magick.
Kali Other Names: Kali Ma. Description: "The black mother" who has a dual personality exhibiting traits of both gentleness and love, revenge and terrible death. Wife of Shiva. As the female Holy Trinity she is called Prakriti (Nature). Pictured with black skin, hideous face smeared with blood, fur arms and bare breasts. She despises most males. Rules Over: Regeneration, revenge, fear, dark magick, sexual activities, protection of women.
Kami Other Names: Dipaka, Gritsa, Mayi, Mara, Ragavrinta, Titha. Description: God of desire. Ever-yojng man riding a parrot and is accompanied by his wives Rati, Vasanta, and the Apsaras. Rules Over: Physical love, pleasures, sensual desire, spring, women, flowers.
Karttikeya Other Names: Skanda, Subramanya. Description: Chief war god with six heads and twelve arms. Defender of the gods. Women cannot enter his temples. Rules Over: Revenge, dark magick, war.
Krishna Other Names: Vishnu (Incarnation of him). Description: Most famous avatar of Vishnu. Had 180 wives. His birth was announced by a star and angelic voices. It is said that Krishna returns at the end of each age to save the righteous, destroy sin, and establish goodness and holiness. Rules Over: Erotic delights, sexual pleasures, love, music, savior from sins.
Kubera Other Names: Kuvera, Khanapati, Dhanapati, Jambhalla. Description: Dwarf god of Earth and treasures of the earth enthroned in the Himalayas. Fat, white, bejeweled, hideous dwarf with three legs and only eight teeth. Rules Over: Fertility, wealth, treasure, minerals, gold, silver, jewels, pearls, precious stones.
Lakshmi Other Names: Rukmini. Description: Goddess of love and beauty. She gave Indra the drink of soma (wise blood) from her own body so he could produce the illusion of birth-giving and become king of the devas. Rules Over: Good fortune, prosperity, success, love, feminine beauty.
Manjusri Description: Patron of grammatical science. Rules Over: Enlightenment, wisdom, civilization, books and writing.
Mara Description: Master magician. Rules Over: Illusion, dark magick.
Parvati Other Names: Mena, Haimavati. Description: God of the Himalayas, Virgin Mother Goddess. Represents union of god and goddess, man and woman. Rules Over: Desire, ecstacy.
Puchan Other Names: Pushan. Description: Lead souls to the afterworld. Considered a good guide, leading his followers to wealth. Rules Over: Marriage, journeys, roads, cattle, meetings, prosperity, material gain.
Rama Other Names: Ramachandra. Description: Princely incarnation of Vishnu. Hero God.
Rati Other Names: Mayavati. Description: Goddess of sexual passions. Wife of Rama. Rules Over: Lust, sexual activities.
The Ribhus Description: Artisan elves who are the sons of Indra by Saranyu. Gods of crafts, horses and the Sun. Rules Over: Herbs, crops, streams, creativity, blessings.
Rudra Other Names: Pasupati, Tryambaka. Description: Lord of beasts, ancient Vedic god of the dead and prince of demons. Ruddy or swarthy man with a wild temper. Rules Over: Healing, herbs, death, disease, the jungle, wild animals, the woodlands, cattle, intelligence, song, sacrifice, creation, prosperity, thieves, storms, wind, judgment.
Sarasvati Description: Inventor of Sanskrit and discoverer of soma in the Himalayas. Graceful woman with white skin, wearing a crescent Moon on her brow and seated on a lotus flower. Rules Over: Arts, science, music, poetry, learning, teaching.
Savitri Description: Rising and descending aspects of the Sun. Golden-haired goddess who rides in a car drawn by two brilliant horses. Rules Over: Night, rest, healing, long life, immortality, dispels tribulation.
Shiva Other Names: Siva, Mahakala, Lingodbhava, Rudra, Pashupa, Bhutapati, Tryambaka, Digambara, Nataraja, Natesa, Shiva Ardhanari. Description: Member of the Hindu triad with Brahma and Vishnu. Merciful fertility god who is also an ascetic who practices yoga. Always represents great power. Rules Over: Fertility, physical love, destruction, strength, medicine, storms, warriors, long life, healing, magick, weapons, cattle, rivers, fire, death, dance, rhythm, meditation, war, righteousness, judgment.
Siva Jnana-Dakshinamurti Description: God of all wisdom. Rules Over: Wisdom, meditation.
Siva Lingodbhava Description: God of reproduction and fertility. Rules Over: Fertility, procreation.
Surya Description: Chief Sun God. Some stories say he is the original source of soma which he gave to the moon to be distributed to the gods. Dark red man with three eyes and four arms who rides a chariot pulled by seven mares, each one representing a day of the week. Rules Over: Measures, understanding, waters, winds, complete dominion, blessings, spiritual enlightenment.
Tara Description: Mother Goddess who helped to control human sexuality in order to achieve spiritual enlightenment. Rules Over: Knowledge, compassion, punishment, threats, control, enlightenment.
Tvashtar Other Names: Tvashtri. Description: Creator of all things and craftsman of the gods. Created magickal weapons for the gods. Rules Over: Arts and crafts, skill with the hands, creativity, source of all blessings, granter of prosperity.
Uma Other Names: Uma Haimavati. Description: Corn Goddess who is part of the trinity of the Great Goddess. Mediates conflicts between Brahma and the other gods. Rules Over: Light, beauty, fertility, harvest, crops, the Earth, the dark seasons, yogic asceticism.
Vajrapani Description: God of lightning. Similar to Pan. Rules Over: Woodlands, physical love, ecstasy.
Varuna Description: God of the Sun. Judge of man's deeds. Created the heavens , earth and the air between them. Rules Over: Rain, wind, rivers, the Sun, truth, justice, punishment, heavenly gifts, law, magick power, snakes, demons, white horses, oceans, the creative will, seasons, death, rewards, prophecy.
Vishnu Description: With three steps he measured the seven worlds. Intermediary between the gods and man. Sun God. To help man, Vishnu appears on Earth as a human avatar. Nine avatars are said to have already come, with a tenth yet to appear. Rules Over: Peace, power, strength, compassion, love, abundance, success, victory.
Visvakarma Description: God of smiths and craftsmen. Creator and maintainer of everything in the universe, making things hold their individual shapes. Rules Over: Animals, horses, creativity, weapons making, architecture, building, smiths, craftsmen.
Yama Other Names: Dharmaraja, Samana, Pitripati, Sraddaheva, Dandadhara. Description: Judge of the dead. God of death, truth and righteousness. Judges men's dharma. Rules Over: Judgment, destiny, death, punishment.
http://www.scns.com/earthen/other/seanachaidh/godindia.html

9. Know their economic status.

For most of its post-independence history, India adhered to a quasi-ocialist approach with strict government control over private sector participation, foreign trade, and foreign direct investment. However, since 1991, India has gradually opened up its markets through economic reforms and reduced government controls on foreign trade and investment. Foreign exchange reserves have risen from US$5.8 billion in March 1991 to US$208 billion in June 2007,[38] while federal and state budget deficits have reduced.[39] Privatisation of publicly-owned companies and the opening of certain sectors to private and foreign participation has continued amid political debate.[40] With a GDP growth rate of 9.4% in 2006-07, the Indian economy is among the fastest growing in the world.[41] India's GDP in terms of USD exchange-rate is US$1,103 billion, which makes it the twelfth largest economy in the world.[42] When measured in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), India has the world's fourth largest GDP at US$4.156 trillion.[6] India's per capita income (nominal) is $979, ranked 128th in the world, while its per capita (PPP) of US$3,700 is ranked 118th.
The Indian economy has grown steadily over the last two decades; however, its growth has been uneven when comparing different social groups, economic groups, geographic regions, and rural and urban areas.[43] Although income inequality in India is relatively small (Gini coefficient: 32.5 in year 1999- 2000)[7] it has been increasing of late. Despite significant economic progress, a quarter of the nation's population earns less than the government-specified poverty threshold of $0.40/day. In addition, India has a higher rate of malnutrition among children under the age of three (46% in year 2007) than any other country in the world.[43][44]
India has a labour force of 509.3 million, 60% of which is employed in agriculture and related industries; 28% in services and related industries; and 12% in industry.[6] Major agricultural crops include rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, and potatoes. The agricultural sector accounts for 28% of GDP; the service and industrial sectors make up 54% and 18% respectively. Major industries include automobiles, cement, chemicals, consumer electronics, food processing, machinery, mining, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, steel, transportation equipment, and textiles.[6]
In 2006, estimated exports stood at US$112 billion and imports were around US$187.9 billion. Textiles, jewellery, engineering goods and software are major export commodities. Crude oil, machineries, fertilizers, and chemicals are major imports. India's most important trading partners are the United States, the European Union, China, and the United Arab Emirates.[6] More recently, India has capitalised on its large pool of educated, English-speaking people to become an important outsourcing destination for multinational corporations. India has also become a major exporter of software as well as financial, research, and technological services. Its natural resources include arable land, bauxite, chromite, coal (of which it has the fourth largest reserves in the world), diamonds, iron ore, limestone, manganese, mica, natural gas, petroleum, and titanium ore.

10. Describe modern India.

India at the time of independence was a country beset with great economic problems. It had suffered colonial exploitation for about two centuries and was recovering painfully from the blight of a distressing famine. The disruption of life caused by the Second World War had aggravated the crisis. Large parts of the country were under the feudal rule of Indian princes and only a miniscule minority had taken any initiative to modernize their states. In any case, the benefits of industrializations remained confined to a small privileged section of the society. With freedom from foreign rule, also came partition and the government was confronted with the awesome task of rehabilitating millions of refugees.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of India since independence has been to overcome the trauma of partition and forge a unified modern nation from a bewildering diversity. India today can take pride in its federal form of governance that gives full scope to the development of the country's diverse ethnic and linguistic groups within the overall framework of a united nation.
The process of political integration was completed in two stages after the adoption of a federal constitution on January 26, 1950. First by securing the merger of princely states and then by the redrawing of the boundaries of the states to accommodate the aspirations of major linguistic or ethnic groups. This political transformation synchronized a revolutionary social change with far reaching economic development.
Jawaharlal Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of India was influenced by socialist thought. Many young leaders also seriously attempted to give the policies of the Indian National Congress - the party in the vanguard of the anti imperialist struggle - a socialist ideological orientation. Mahatma Gandhi too was unequivocal in his championing of the impoverished masses. God for him was no other but the Daridranarayan, poorest of the poor.
The new government gave top priority to economic planning for development. Land reforms were undertaken to ensure greater social justice and eradicate bondage. Steps were taken to accelerate industrialization and redress regional imbalances. Progress was slow, as the infrastructure was not there. People had very high expectations and the government had to provide for education, health care and employment for hundreds of millions of people. For more than three decades, India's national income grew by no more than 3.6 per cent a year, one of the slowest growth rates in the developing world. Its per capita income was among the lowest.
It took the nation almost half a century to find its feet. Today India is a nuclear power, has launched satellites into space, produces its own steel, and builds its own warships and many of its aircrafts. It has an impressive heavy engineering base, and is one of the few developing countries that is able to bid successfully for heavy engineering turnkey contracts in other developing countries. Its progress in agriculture is equally impressive.
India's most impressive achievement is that the Indian economy today is stable and self-reliant. A powerful entrepreneurial class has emerged - almost as important an objective as securing all-round industrial development.
India's strategy for development has had many critics. It was pointed out that the emphasis on heavy industry made capital inefficient and lowered the annual rate of growth of GNP to about 3.6 per cent between 1950 and 1975.
But the philosophy of self-reliance is finally paying off. By the 80's, the first phase of industrialization was largely over. India now has a well-developed industrial base that can produce almost anything that the country needs. The scientific and technical infrastructure is capable of responding to complex challenges. With the success of the green revolution that began in 1975, India has also become self-sufficient in food grains.
A self confident nation, India is prepared to interact with the rest of the world without anxiety or inhibition. Just when other countries began to increase protection, the Indian government began to lower protective barriers, invite global tenders for its major investment projects, and encourage industry to secure the most up-to-date technology from abroad.
http://www.goindiago.com/history/modern.htm