India

Inez Seeger, Hannah Naka and Courtney Rayment

What is the size and population of India?

Approximately the size of India

is 1,269,346 Square miles.

India is the world second largest

country, and the current estimated population is 1.15

billion people.

What are the environmental features of India?

India is famous for its mountain ranges called the Indus Ganges. Other

environmental features include a flat terrain named Deccan, a river called Indus, a desert called Thar and major cities consisting of Delhi, Pataliputra,

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.

What is the Climate like in India?

India is known for its extremely high equatorial temperatures. Additionally, India has high

humidity with its unrelenting heat included in its tropical climate. On the coast, seasonal cyclones

are common from the Indian Ocean. The most pleasurable time to visit India is between January and September. Only the

northeastern regions are more reasonably cool between March and August. Mountains such as

Indus Ganges are attractive holiday destinations when it’s summer, between May and September.

What are some of the crops/food grown in India?

Some of the major foods produced from India are rice,

oilseeds, maize, wheat, pulses, sugarcane, jowar and millets.

Crops/food exported from India?

A variety of foods are exported from India. Beginning with fruits such as banana’s, mangoes, oranges,

pineapples, passion fruits, and some nuts like cashews and walnuts. Cereals consisting of wheat,

rice, maize and corn; organic oil seeds and oils such as the soybean, sunflower, mustard and

cottonseeds, the groundnut and castor are exported. More inclusive, organic pulses like red

gram and the black gram come from India. Organic vegetables such as brijal, garlic, potato, tomato

and onion, organic herbs and spices like tamarind, peppermint, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, white pepper, amla, chili, ginger, vanilla, cardamom,

turmeric, cinnamon, and mace. Some other major things are sugar, coffee, jaggery, cotton, textile

and especially tea.

What are the Traditional Indian Dishes?

The Indian cuisine is divided into groups such as the Northern Indian, Eastern Indian, Western Indian and

the Southern Indian. Northern Indian foods are popular with tawa (griddle)

and dairy products for baking flat breads like roti, kulcha, paratha and main courses like tandoori

chicken. Western Indian cuisine is divided between three large departments, Gujarati, Maharashtrian

and Goan. The Gujarati cuisine is mainly full of vegetables for the sake of being mostly vegetarian. Maharashtrian food has two parts defined by where it is and what kind of place its from. Goan cookery is predominantly by the Portuguese migration of Goa.

What is the nutrition adequacy of food typically eaten by people of this culture?

Mainly the foods that are traditionally eaten by Indian’s are curries, rice’s and plenty

of spices in most of their dishes.  Many Indian’s are vegetarians and they eat

vegetables, fruits, whole grains, milk and plant-based proteins. These foods contain essential micronutrients and vitamins that

produce antioxidants that are good for heart, blood pressure and diabetes.

However, Indian’s often reheat food, which destroys the nutritional value. For example, North Indian food, especially

Punjabi food, is generally higher in calories and fat and lower in nutritional value. Because of the use of pure ghee, butter, oil or trans fats. By 2010 India

will carry 60% of the world’s heart disease rates (Xavier, St Johns National

Academy of Health Science, 2008)

India’s food pyramid

What are the customs/religions based on the foods Indian’s eat?

Jainism is one of the religions. Jainism is an ancient religion from India. Jains believe

that animals and plants, as well as human beings, contain living souls. Each of these

souls is considered of equal value and should be treated with respect and

compassion. Jains are strict vegetarians and live in a way that minimizes their use

of the world's resources.

Buddhists are a vegetarian as they honor and refrain from killing

animals. Buddhism believes that anything bad one inflicts on someone (be it animal or human), will have its consequences much like the Hindus’ Karma. Monks have a propensity to

fast in the afternoons. Nuns and Buddhist monks aren’t permitted to

cook or keep their own food.

Hinduism is also a religion shared amongst Indian’s. If some Hindus are particularly

faithful, they might not eat pork. The majority of Hindus are vegetarian but this is

by choice. There are certain eating arrangements across India. For example in one part of the region crab and duck might be banned, while in other places it would be a staple. In the Hinduism religion, most of

them don’t eat beef because the cow is sacred.