Saturday, March 26, 2011

CUSTOMS DUTIES FOR 2011-12

CUSTOMS DUTIES FOR 2011-12

As a measure of rationalization of duty structure the rates of 2% and 3% are being unified
with the median rate of 2.5%. Accordingly basic customs duty on all goods currently attracting 2%
has been increased to 2.5% and basic customs duty on those goods attracting 3% has been
decreased to 2.5%.(S. No. 1 & 2 of Notification No. 21/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 1 and 2
No change

Chapter 3
Basic customs duty is being reduced from 30% to 10% on Live SPF L. Vannamei (S. No. 2A of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 4 to 7
No change

Chapter 8
8.1 Basic customs duty is being reduced from 30% to 10% on Pistachios (S. No. 14A of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21 /2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
8.2 Basic customs duty is being reduced from 100% to 30% on Sun-dried dark seedless raisin
(S.No.16A of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21
/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 9 to 13
No change

Chapter 14
Basic customs duty is being reduced from 30% to 10% on Bamboo for use in the manufacture of
agarbatti (S. No. 28A of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by
Notification No. 21 /2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 15 and 16
No change

Chapter 17
Basic customs duty is being reduced from 25% to 10% on Lactose for use in the manufacture of
homeopathic medicine (S. No. 39A of Notification No. 21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as
amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 18 and 19
No change

Chapter 20
Basic customs duty is being reduced from 30% to 10% on Cranberry products (S. No. 45A of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 21 and 22
No change

Chapter 23
23.1 De-oiled rice bran oil cake is being exempted from Basic customs duty (S. No. 53AA of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
23.2 Export duty of 10% is being levied on de-oiled rice bran oil cake
23.3 Fin fish feed is being exempted from Basic customs duty (S. No. 53AB of Notification
No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21 /2011-Cus dated the 1st
March 2011 refers)

Chapter 24
No change

Chapter 25
25.1 Basic customs duty on mineral gypsum is being reduced from 5% to 2.5% (S. No.584A of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002 as amended by Notification No.21 /2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 26
26.1 Basic customs duty is being increased on all ores and concentrates from 2% to 2.5%. (S. No.
518 of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21
/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
26.2 Basic customs duty is being exempted on the value of gold and silver content in copper
concentrate. (Notification No. 23 /2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
26.3 Export duty on Iron ore is being increased on both fines and lumps (other than pellets) to a
unified rate of 20%. Iron ore pellets have been exempted from export duty. (Notification No. 27
/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers).
26.4 Full exemption from the additional duty of customs leviable under section 3(5) of customs
Tariff Act is being provided to copper dross, copper residues, copper oxide mill scale, brass dross and
zinc ash (S. No. 76 of Notification No.20/2006-Cus dated 1st March, 2006, as amended by Notification
No. 20/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers).

Chapter 27
27.1 An explanation is being inserted to define coking coal as coal of Crucible Swelling Number
(CSN) of above 2 and mean reflectance of above 0.85 have been prescribed for “Coking coal” for the
purposes of this exemption. (S. No.68 & 68A of Notification No.20/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002,
as amended by Notification No. 21 /2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
27.2 Basic customs duty on carbon black feed stock is being reduced from 5% to 2.5%. (S. No. 541
of Notification No.20/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21 /2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
27.3 Basic customs duty on petroleum coke is being reduced from 5% to 2.5%. (S. No. 596 of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers);
27.4 Basic customs duty on bio-based asphalt sealer and preservation agent (CTH: 2715), millings
remover and crack filler (CTH: 2715), asphalt remover and corrosion protectant (CTH: 3402.90) and
sprayer system for bio-based asphalt (CTH 8705) imported for bio-based asphalt road construction is
being fully exempted (S. No.230A of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as
amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 28
No change

Chapter 29
29.1 Basic customs duty on Acrylonitrile is being reduced from 5% to 2.5%. (S. No. 476 of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide notification No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st
March, 2011 refers)
29.2 Basic customs duty on Diphenylmethane 4, 4-diisocyanate (MDI) is being reduced from 7.5%
to 5% subject to actual user condition. (S. No.553D of notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted
vide notification No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011 refers)
29.3 Basic customs duty on Caprolactam is being reduced from 10% to 7.5 %. ( S. No. 553E of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011
refers)

Chapter 30
30.1 Concessional rate of 5% of basic customs duty is being provided on four live saving drugs,
with Nil CVD along with on bulk drugs used in the manufacture of said drugs. (S. No. 171 to 174 in list
2 appended to notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st
March, 2011 refers).

Chapter 31 to 37
No change

Chapter 38
38.1 Basic customs duty on Crude Palm Stearin imported for the manufacture of laundry soap, is
being reduced from 20% to nil on actual user basis (S. No. 491A of notification No. 21/2002-Customs
as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011 refers)
Chapter 39
39.1 Basic customs duty on Sodium Polyacrylate is being reduced from 7.5% to 5%. (S. No. 559B
of notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide notification No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st
March, 2011 refers)
39.2 Basic customs duty on Polytetrametylene ether glycol (PT MEG) is being reduced from 7.5%
to 5% subject to actual user condition. (S. No. 559C of notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted
vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011 refers)
39.3 Basic customs duty on nylon chips is being reduced from 10% to 7.5%. (S. No. 559D of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011
refers).

Chapter 40
40.1 Basic customs duty on pneumatic tyres and retreaded tyres of kind used for aircrafts is being
decreased from 3% to 2.5% (S. No. 605 of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as
amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus dated the 1st March, 2011 refers)

Chapters 41 to 46
No change

Chapter 47
47.1 Basic customs duty on Rayon grade wood pulp is being reduced from 5% to 2.5%. (S. No. 606
of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No.21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)
47.2 Similarly, Basic customs duty on waste paper is being reduced from 5% to 2.5% (S. No. 152 of
Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, as amended by Notification No. 21/2011-Cus
dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 49
49.1 Customs exemption to printed books is being restricted to tariff items 4901 10 10, 4901 91
00 and 4901 99 00. (S. No. 160 of Notification No.21/2002-Cus dated 1st March, 2002, Notification
No. 21/2011-Cus dated the 1st March 2011 refers)

Chapter 50
50.1 Basic customs duty on raw silk (not thrown), of all grades is being reduced to 5%.( S. No.
164A Of notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March,
2011 refers)

Chapter 51
No change

Chapter 52
50.2 Basic customs duty on cotton waste is being reduced from 10% to nil. (S. No. 587 of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011
refers)

Chapter 53
No change

Chapter 54
54.1 Basic customs duty on nylon yarn is being reduced from 10% to 7.5%. (S. No. 534A of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011
refers).

Chapter 55
55.1 Basic customs duty on nylon fibre is being reduced from 10% to 7.5%. (S. No. 535B of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs as inserted vide No. 21 /2011-Customs, dated 1st March, 2011
refers).

Chapter 56 to 70
No change

Chapter 71
71.1. An import duty structure of ‘Nil basic customs duty, CVD of Rs.140 per 10 gram and Nil SAD is
being prescribed for gold dore bars having gold content not exceeding 80%, imported for refining
and manufacturing serially numbered gold bars in India. (S. No. 518B of notification No. 21/2002-
Customs dated 01.03.2002 as inserted by notification No. 21/2011-Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers)
Chapter 72
72.1 Basic customs duty is being fully exempted on Stainless steel Scrap (S.No. 202 of the
notification No. 21/2002-Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011
Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).
72.2 Basic customs duty on Ferro-nickel is being reduced from 5% to 2.5%. (S.No. 197A of the
notification No. 21/2002-Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011
Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).

Chapter73-83
No change

CHAPTER 84
84.1 Basic customs duty is being reduced from 5% to 2.5% on specified Agriculture Machinery
such as Paddy Transplanter, Laser land Leveller, Cotton Picker, Reaper-cum- binder, Straw or fodder
balers, Sugarcane Harvesters, Track used for manufacture of Track-type Combine Harvester etc.
Basic Customs Duty on the parts and components required for manufacture of the said equipment is
being reduced from 7.5% to 2.5% (Notification No. 21/2002-Customs as amended vide notification
No. 21/2011-Customs refers].
84.2 Full exemption from Basic Customs Duty and additional duty of customs (CVD) on tunnel
boring machines and parts and components thereof for use in the assembly of Tunnel boring
machines used for highway development projects is being provided. [List 18 of Notification No.
21/2002-customs as amended vide notification No. 21/2011-Customs refers].
84.3 Excise duty/ CVD is being reduced to 5% and SAD to NIL on parts of inkjet & laser jet printers
imported by actual users for manufacture of printers.
84.4 The concessional rate of duty of 5% BCD, 5% Excise Duty/CVD & Nil SAD presently applicable to
High speed machinery (>70000 copies per hour) is being extended to mailroom equipment viz.
overhead conveyor gripper, stacker, wrapper, labeler, strapper, inserters and delivery conveyors
designed for use with high speed printing machines with a minimum speed of 70000 copies per hour,
imported by newspapers registered with Registrar of Newspapers of India (RNI). [S. No. 267C of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted vide notification No. 21/2011-Customs refers]
84.5 Import of parts & components for manufacture of 23 specified high voltage transmission
equipments (List 44 of Notification No. 21/2002-Customs dated 01.03.2003) is being allowed at a
concessional rate of 5% BCD+4% CVD +Nil SAD subject to actual user condition. [S. No. 424A of
notification No. 21/2002 inserted vide notification No. 21/2011-Customs refers].
84.6 CVD / excise duty on the parts of optical disc drives viz. DVD Drives/ Writers, CD Drives and
Combo Drives is being reduced to 5% and NIL SAD subject to actual user condition.
84.7 Basic Customs Duty is being reduced from 7.5% to 5% on Micro Irrigation equipment
classifiable in 84248100 [S. No. 607 of notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted vide notification
No. 21/2011-Customs refers].
84.8 Basic customs duty on cash dispensers is being reduced to nil. Parts of cash dispensers
required for manufacture of cash dispensers are also being fully exempted from basic customs duty
subject to actual user condition [S. No. 608 and 609 of notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted by
notification no 21/2011-customs refers].
84.9 Basic Customs Duty on specified gems and jewellery machinery is being reduced from 7.5%
to 5% [S. No. 610 of notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted by notification no 21/2011-customs
refers].

CHAPTER 85:
85.1 Full exemption from basic customs duty, additional duty of customs equivalent to excise
duty presently available on parts, components and accessories of mobile handsets including cellular
phones is being extended to parts, components for manufacture of PC connectivity cable and subparts
of parts and components of PC connectivity cable, battery chargers and hands-free
headphones of mobile handsets including cellular phones. [Notification No. 23/2010-Customs as
amended vide notification No. 19/ 2011-Customs refers].
85.2 Full exemption from Special Additional Duty of customs on parts, components and
accessories of mobile handsets including cell phones is now being extended to parts, sub-parts and
components of battery chargers, PC connectivity cable and hands-free headphones of mobile
handsets including cellular phones. Validity of this exemption is also being extended upto 31.3.2012.
[Notification No. 22/2011-Customs refers].
85.3 The list of specified raw materials for use in electronics/IT industry, eligible for custom duty
exemption is being expanded to include some more items (S. Nos. 38, 133, 190, 234, 235, 236 and
237 of notification No. 25/99-Customs as amended vide notification No. 14/2010-Customs refers).
85.4 LEDs used for manufacture of LED lights and light fixtures are being fully exempted from
levy of special duty of customs leviable under Section 3(5) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975.
85.5 Full exemption from payment of Additional duty of Customs ( CVD) is being granted on the
portion of value representing the consideration paid or payable for the transfer of the right to use
such goods to those packaged or canned software, which do not require affixation of RSP under
The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 or the rules made there under, subject to the Importer being
registered under the Service Tax.

Chapter-86
No change

Chapter-87
87.1 The definition of “Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit” for vehicles of CTH 8703 & 8711
(Motor cars and other motor vehicle including two wheelers) is being inserted to exclude such units
which contain a pre-assembled engine or gearbox or transmission mechanism or a chassis where
such parts or sub-assemblies is installed. ( Explanation in S.No. 344 & 345 of the notification No.
21/2002- Customs, dated 01.03.2006 inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011 Customs dated
01.03.2011 refers).
87.2 A concessional rate of Nil BCD CVD @ 5% and full exemption from SAD is being extended to
specified parts of the hybrid vehicles, namely, battery pack, battery charger, AC/DC electric motors,
and motor controllers. (S.No. 345A of the notification No. 21/2002-Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as
amended vide Notification No. 21/2011- Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).
87.3 A concessional rate of CVD @ 5% and full exemption from basic custom duty and Special
Countervailing duty (Special CVD) is being extended to spare battery pack to such importers who are
registered with Indian renewable energy development agency (IREDA) or any State Nodal agencies
notified for Central Financial Assistance (CFA) scheme of the Ministry of Non- Conventional &
Renewable Energy (MNRE). (S.No. 613 of the notification No. 21/2002-Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as
inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011- Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).

Chapter 88
88.1 A basic customs duty @ 2.5 % is being imposed on imports of aircrafts for Non- scheduled
operations while exemption from CVD and SAD would continue in this category. The restriction on
the inter-changeability of aircraft imported for non-scheduled operations (passenger) and nonscheduled
operations (charter) is also being removed. (S.No. 347B of the notification No. 21/2002-
Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011- Customs dated 01.03.2011
refers).
88.2 The education cess and secondary and higher education cess is being imposed on aircrafts
falling under 8802 20 00, 8802 30 00 and 8802 40 00 (S. No 1 Notification No. 69/2004-Customs,
dated 09.07.2004 as inserted vide Notification No. 17/2011- Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).

Chapter 89
89.1 Full exemption is being extended on imports of spares and consumables required for repair of
ocean going vessels by ship owners for such vessels which are registered in India. (S.No. 351Aof the
notification No. 21/2002-Customs, dated 01.03.2006 as inserted vide Notification No. 21/2011-
Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers).

CHAPTER 90
90.1 Basic Customs Duty has been reduced from 10% to 5%, Additional Customs Duty(CVD) from
10% to 5% and Special Additional Duty of Customs (Special CVD) to Nil on Polypropylene, Stainless
Steel Strip and Stainless Steel capillary tube for manufacture of syringe, needle, catheters, cannulae
on actual user basis. [S. No. 357C of notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted vide notification No.
21/2011-Customs refers].
90.2 Endovascular stents have been fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty of 5%; [S. No.
543A of notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted vide notification No. 21/2011-Customs refers].

Chapter 97
ART AND CULTURE
97.1 At present specified categories of works of art and antiquities are exempted from customs
duty. The scope of the exemption is being expanded by including,-
(a) works or arts or antiquities for exhibition or display in private art galleries or similar
premises that are open to general public;
(b) works of art created by an Indian artist abroad, irrespective of the fact whether such
works are imported along with the artist or the sculptor on their return to India.
(Notification No. /2011-Customs dated 01.03.2011 refers)

MISCELLANEOUS:
M.1 Full exemption from Basic Customs Duty is being provided for Toughened Glass & silver
paste imported for manufacture of Solar cells/Modules subject to actual user condition; [S. No. 38 of
notification No. 25/1999-Customs as amended/inserted vide notification No. 14/2011-Customs
refers].
M.2 Basic customs duty on solar lantern/ lamps is being reduced from 10% to 5%. [S. No. 612 of
notification No. 21/2002-Customs inserted vide notification No. 21/2011-Customs refers].
M.3 The benefit of exemption available on Ultra Mega Power Projects is being extended for
development of facilities such as Ash disposal system including ash dyke, water intake including
treatment and storage facilities and coal transportation, both inside and also outside the power
plant’s designated boundary except the township.
M.4 It is being clarified that the Cement & steel going into construction activity of the power
project are not eligible for the benefit of customs duty and excise duty exemptions and that the
special power cables connecting generators and right upto the transformer within the power
generation plant would be eligible for the benefits of the said exemptions.
M.5 Water Pumping Station and Water Reservoir are being included in the scope of projects
eligible for such exemption. [Notification Nos. 13/2011-Customs and 16/2011-Customs refers].
M.6 Safeguard Duty: The levy of safeguard duty on imports of caustic soda lye, when imported
into India during the period 01.04.2009 to 30.03.2010 is being incorporated in the Finance bill for
validating or confirming the provisional safeguard duty already imposed vide Notification
no.131/2009-Custom, dated 04.12.2009.
M.7 Acetate Tow: The notification under section 11 of the Customs Act, 1962 is being issued for
restricting the imports of Acetate Tow for manufacture of Filter Rods and Filter Rods for
manufacture of Filter cigarettes. (Notification No. --/2011-Customs (NT) refers).
M.8 SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES:
M.8.1 All clearances from SEZ into DTA are being exempted from SAD charged at 4% provided they
are not exempt from the levy of VAT/Sales Tax. (Notification No. 45/2005 dated 16.05.05 as
amended by 18/2011-Cus dated 01.03.2011 refers).
M.8.2 CVD exemption currently available to Plastic materials reprocessed in India out of the scrap
or the waste of goods falling under specified chapters is being extended to domestic tariff area
clearances of such plastic materials manufactured in SEZ units also. (S.No. 78 of notification No.
4/06-CE dated 01.03.06 as amended by 04/2011-CE dated 01.03.2011 refers)
M.9 EXPORT PROMOTION:
M.9.1 The list of specified goods, allowed to be imported duty free for use in the manufacture of
leather goods, for export is being expanded.
M.9.2 The list of specified goods, allowed to be imported duty free for use in the manufacture of
textile and leather garments, is being expanded by including anti-theft devices like labels, tags and
sensors therein.
M.9.3 Description of some items is being changed in the list of items that are allowed to be
imported duty free for manufacture of textile/leather garments and other leather goods for export.
M.9.4 Benefit of duty free import is being extended to trimmings, embellishments, components
etc. against exports of leather goods, footwear and textile garments by merchant exporters also
subject to certain conditions.
M.9.5 Specified tools used in the handicrafts sector are being included in the list of specified goods,
allowed to be imported duty free to the Handicrafts exporters.
(S. Nos. 114, 167, 167A, 583 and Condition No 21 of notification No 21/2002-Customs date
01.03.2002 as amended by notification by 21/2011-Customs dated 01.03.2011 refer).








Customs

Boost Windows Xp Speed Upto 60%


Boost Windows Xp Speed Upto 60%

Whenever you start your computer, you are faced with a few moments of thumb twiddling while Windows XP boots and prompts you to log on. Although you should expect to wait for a few moments, sometimes Windows XP seems to boot rather slowly. In fact, you may notice that over a period of time the PC that used to roar to life seems a bit sluggish instead. Fortunately, you can perform several techniques that help Windows XP get the bootup speed you want. This chapter explores how to put these techniques to work.

Some of the things may already have been discussed in some threads earlier


Some of the things may already have been discussed in some threads earlier


Stopping Unneeded Startup Services

Along with the core operating system and programs that Windows XP runs when it starts, there is also a host of services involved. Many of these services are necessary for Windows XP to operate correctly. However, many of them are for features in Windows XP that you may not use at all. You can peruse the services and disable any service that you do not want to run. The fewer services that run, the more quickly Windows XP will boot.

Caution: Exercise caution when stopping services. If you do not know what a service does or are unsure of the ramifications of stopping the service, leave it alone. Some services are critical to Windows XP's operations, so make sure you understand what the service is before you disable it.

To reduce the number of services that start on bootup, you can access two different areas of Windows XP. The first is the System Configuration Utility. The Services tab shows you the services that start when the computer boots.

You can stop a service from starting by simply clearing the check box next to the service and clicking OK. However, before you do so, there is another way to disable services that you may prefer because the interface gives you more information about the service in question.

Open Control Panel/Administrative ToolsServices or else select Start/Run, type services.msc, and click OK. Either way, you see the Services console.

I prefer to use the Services console instead of the System Configuration Utility because it describes what the service does. Additionally, you can double-click a service and examine its properties.

Notice the Startup Type column in Figure 4-2. This information lists whether the service is automatic or manual. Manual services are only started in Windows XP when you start a process that requires the service. Some other process may require the service that has a "dependency" relationship with it; in this case, the dependency service will start, as well. Because these services do not start automatically when you boot Windows XP, you do not need to do anything with manual services.

However, all services listed as automatic start when Windows XP boots. These are the services that increase boot time. As I have mentioned, many of them are necessary and important, so you should not stop automatic services from booting unless you are sure of the ramifications. You can get this information by looking at the Description column. Here's a quick look at common services you may want to live without:

Automatic Updates: This service enables Windows XP to check the Web automatically for updates. If you don't want to use
Automatic Updates, you can disable the service. You can always check for updates manually at the Windows Update Web site.
Computer Browser: If your computer is not on a network, you don't need this service. If you are on a network, leave it alone.
DHCP Client: If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are on a small workgroup, you can still increase boot time by configuring manual IP addresses (which I explore later in this chapter).

DNS Client: If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are, leave it alone.

Error Reporting and Event Log: You don't have to use these services but they can be very helpful, so I would leave them configured as automatic.

Fax: If you don't use your computer for fax services, you can disable this one. Help and Support: If you never use the Windows XP

Help and Support Center (found on the Start menu), you can disable this service.

IMAPI CD-Burning COM: This service enables you to burn CDs on your computer. If you never burn CDs, you can disable the service.

Indexing Service: Your computer keeps an index of files but if you rarely search for files, the service is just a resource hog. You can stop it and turn the service to manual.

Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing: If you do not use these features, you can disable them.

Infrared Monitor: If you do not use infrared devices, you can disable this service.

Messenger: This service sends alert messages on a local area network (it is not the same as Windows Messenger). If you are not on a network, you can disable this service.

Print Spooler: If you do not do any printing from the computer, you can disable this service. If you print, make sure you leave it as automatic.

Remote Registry: This service allows remote users to modify the Registry on your computer. If you are not on a network, you can disable this service.

System Restore Service: This service allows you to use System Restore. If you have turned off System Restore anyway, you do not need to turn off the service. If you do, you turn off System Restore.

Themes: If you do not use themes, you can disable this service.

Windows Image Acquisition: If you do not use scanners or digital cameras, you can disable this service.

Wireless Zero Configuration: If do not use wireless networking devices, you can
disable this service. You may have a number of other automatic services, depending on software and other configurations on your computer. So it's a good idea to look through the services and learn more about them. If you double-click a service, a Properties dialog box appears

Notice that on the General tab, you see a Startup Type drop-down menu. If you want to change an automatic service to manual, select Manual here and click OK. As a general rule, don't disable a service unless you are sure you will never use it.
However, manual configuration allows the service to be started when you find it necessary, thus speeding up your boot time. However, before you change a service to manual, look at the Dependencies tab (see Figure 4-4). This tab shows you which other services depend upon the service you are considering changing.

Keep in mind that services are necessary for the vast functionality you get with Windows XP. Change only those services that you understand and do not use. How you use your Windows XP computer should be the best guide in terms of optional startup services.

Tips:
The Indexing service and the System Restore service take up a lot of disk space and system resources across the board.
You can live without the Indexing service but I suggest that you keep using System Restore. It works great when you are in a bind and this is one case where the loss of speed may not be worth the ramifications of not using System Restore. Speed Tips and Tricks for Windows XP Startup Aside from startup programs, services, and the Prefetch folder, there are a number of other startup procedures and issues you can modify to help Windows XP start faster. The following sections explore those tips and tricks. Manual IP Addressing on Small Office/Home Networks Windows XP is configured to help you take care of networking. It uses the TCP/IP protocol for networking in workgroups, or what you might call small office or home networks that do not use a dedicated server. The problem is that automatic IP addressing can be slow. When your computer boots, it has to query the network to see what IP addresses are already in use and then assign itself one. If you want to speed up the boot time a bit, consider manually assigning IP addresses to all computers on the network. This way, the network computers do not have to worry about locating an automatic IP address. Because one is manually configured, the operating system doesn't have to spend time solving this problem. This isn't a networking book, however, so I won't delve into the implications of using a manual IP address, but if you are using a computer that functions as a host computer to the Internet (using Internet Connection Sharing [ICS]), you can get into connectivity problems if you change the configuration of the IP address. However, you can still work around this problem by starting with the ICS host computer. Select Start/Connect To/Show All Connections. Right-click your network adapter card and click Properties. On the General tab, select TCP/IP in the list of services and click the Properties button. In the TCP/IP properties, you can see if you use an automatic or manual IP address. In the example in Figure 4-5, I have configured a manual IP address of 90.0.0.1 and a default subnet mask. The other computers on my office network each use a different IP address in the same class, such as 90.0.0.2, 90.0.0.3, 90.0.0.4, and so on. This way, each computer has a permanent IP address, which helps increase boot time. Note that if you change the IP addresses of your computers, they must all use the same subnet mask. A default subject mask of 255.255.255.0 will keep you in good shape. Make sure you understand the implications of changing IP addresses on your network. If you have no networking experience at all, you may be wiser to leave the automatic IP addressing as is and try to gain some speed using the additional suggestions in this chapter. Disabling Recent Documents History Windows XP includes a feature that keeps track of all recent documents you have opened or used. The idea is that you can select Start/Recent Documents History and quickly reopen any document you have recently used. I use many documents each day and never use the feature myself. In my opinion, I can keep up with what I want to use without Windows XP doing it for me. The bad thing about Recent Documents History is that Windows XP has to calculate what should be put there each time you boot Windows, which can slow things down. So, if you never use the Recent Documents History, it's a good idea to disable it.

Here's how:
1. Open the Registry Editor (select Start/Run, type regedit, and click OK).
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mcft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
3. Create a NoRecentDocsHistory D_WORD key. Double-click the value to open it once it is created.
4. Set the Data Value to 1 to enable the restriction.
5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor. You'll need to restart the computer for the change to take effect. Disabling the Boot Logo You can remove the boot logo that appears when you start Windows XP. This little tweak probably shaves only a few seconds off your boot time but seconds count if you are serious about trying to get Windows XP up and running as quickly as possible. The only negative is that if you remove the boot logo, you will also not see any boot messages, such as check disk. (But if you are not having problems with your computer, this isn't such a big deal.)
To remove the boot logo, follow these steps:
1. Select Start/Run, type msconfig, and click OK.
2. In the System Configuration Utility, click the BOOT.INI tab.
3. On the BOOT.INI tab, click the NOGUIBOOT check box option. Click OK. Removing Unwanted Fonts One trick that increases your boot time a bit is to lose any fonts in the Fonts folder in Control Panel that you never use. The more fonts you have, the more processing Windows XP has to do to prep all of those fonts for use. You must be a bit careful here to not remove fonts that you might want, but there is a good chance that you can live without many of them. For instance, you may have foreign language fonts and other symbol fonts (such as Wingdings) that you never use. To delete unneeded fonts, follow these steps:
1. Open the Fonts folder in Control Panel.
2. Select Edit/Select All and then Edit/Copy.
3. Create a new folder on your desktop, open it, and select Edit/Paste.
4. In this new folder, delete any of the fonts you do not want.
5. Return to the Fonts folder in Control Panel. Right-click the selected fonts and click Delete.
6. Go back to your new desktop folder and click Edit/Select All.
7. Return to your Fonts folder and click Edit/Paste. You now have only the desired fonts in the Fonts folder. Tip: You can directly delete fonts from the Fonts folder without creating the secondary folder. However, I recommend the preceding steps to help ensure that you do not make a mistake in the deletion process. Stopping Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Sharing In Windows XP Professional, you have two remote networking features called Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop Sharing. These remote networking features are very helpful in a variety of situations but if you don't use them, it is good idea to disable them to save boot time. You can always enable them later if you want to use them. Note: If you are interested in using Remote Desktop or Remote Assistance, see my book Windows XP for Power Users: Power Pack published by John Wiley & Sons.
1. Open the Start menu, right-click My Computer, and choose Properties.
2. Click the Remote Tab.
3. Clear both check boxes to disable Remote Assistance and Remote Desktop. Speeding Up the Dual-Boot Timeout If you dual-boot your computer with Windows XP and another operating system, you see an operating system selection menu on startup. If you typically boot into Windows XP and not the other operating system, you can speed up the dual-boot timeout value so that you do not wait so long for the boot process to select your default operating system and continue with the boot process. The default timeout value is 30 seconds but you can change this setting to 10. This gives you enough time to select the alternate operating system if you want but also speeds up the boot process. You can skip this section if you do not use a dual-boot configuration.
Follow these steps:
1. Locate the boot.ini file on your computer. It is a hidden file by default; mine is located in C:\boot.ini.
2. Open the file with Notepad (which is what opens it by default).
3. Change the Timeout value to 10 (see Figure 4-11).
4. Select File/Save and close Notepad. Speeding Up Your PPPoE Connection If you use a Point-to-Point Protocol connection over Ethernet (PPPoE), you may notice a delay in using the PPPoE connection after startup. By default, there is a 120 second delay but you can stop this behavior by manually configuring an IP address for the network adapter card. If you do not use a PPPoE connection, you can skip this section.
1. Select Start/Connect to/Show All Connections.
2. Open the TCP/IP properties for your LAN network interface card.
3. Manually set the IP address on the TCP/IP properties to an appropriate IP address and subnet mask for your network. Reducing the Wait Time When you start to shut down Windows XP, it has to quit, or "kill," any live applications or processes that are currently running. So close all applications first. However, some applications and processes are always running in the background. You can reduce the amount of time that Windows XP waits for those applications and processes to close before Windows XP kills them. Edit three different Registry settings to change this:
1. Open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Select WaitToKillAppTimeout and set the value to 1000.
3. Select the HungAppTimeout value and set it to 1000 as well. 4
. Navigate to HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop. Set the WaitToKillAppTimeout and set the value to 1000. Select the HungAppTimeout \newline value and set it to 1000 as well.
5. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l. Select the WaitToKillServiceTimeout value and set it to 1000.
6. Close the Registry Editor. Automatically Killing Tasks on Shutdown You know the drill. You start to shut down the computer, you wait a few moments, and then you see a dialog box asking if you want to kill an application or service that is running. Instead of prompting you, you can make Windows XP take care of the kill task automatically. Here's how:
1. Open the Registry Editor.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop.
3. Highlight the value AutoEndTasks and change the value to 1.
4. Close the Registry Editor.

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY MNP IN INDIA

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY MNP IN INDIA

Hi friends now wait is over.Now you are a freedom bird to change your operator as per your wish.Ya there is only 3 hours more to change your operator without changing your favorite and lucky number.The process of changing the telecom operator without changing the mobile number is called Mobile Number Portability.After a long time discussion among Telecom Operators In India and the TRAI it has been officially announced to launch on 20th January 2011.The major telecom Operators in India are overcome to get the New customers through MNP with attractive tariff offers and value added services.
Let us discuss about the MNP:



What IS MNP:
It is facility for the Indian telecom customers which allows to change the Mobile operator with your existing mobile number.
Does anyone can enjoy the benefit of MNP:
No,all of the mobile customers cannot enjoy the benefit of MNP.The minimum requirement to change the operator,if he/she has been with the operator for at least 90 days.
I'm Interested,What is the Procedure?
To begin the MNP process you need the UPC(Unique Porting Code).To get the UPC code you need to send the message as PORT 10 Digit Mobile Number and send it to 1900.You will be charged 1rs for sending this SMS
Example:
PORT 9894098940 and send it to 1900.
You will get alpha-numeric Unique Porting Code with the expiration date of it.
Now just visit the nearer Operator Outlet which you are going to change.They will give you one form which costs you Rs.19 and attach your ID proof with it,follow the instructions given by them.
When you submitted the required applications,you will get the new operator SIM with in 1 week.Your connection will be interrupted for only 2 hours.It may normally happens during 12.00 midnight to 5am.So this time mayn't inconvenience for you.
After you get the New SIM card you may throw the old SIM card to the dust bin.When you bought new SIM card,you can't change to another operator immediately until the time period of 90 days.
Vote for the Telecom Operator which you would like to leave:




Now the Power is In your Hand,Now you can enjoy the fresh Telecom operator for every 90 days.Hats Off to TRAI for this Fantastic Mobile Number Portability.

India Business Culture

India Business Culture

India is a culturally rich and diverse country where one can see varied array of language, religion, caste and regionalism. While doing business in India, every organization has to consider all these factors before formulating their business plans and take necessary actions accordingly. The India Business Culture is an extension of the common culture of the society. It is unique in its own way. However, in Indian business culture, the behavior, etiquette and approach of organizations and its professionals change according to the addressee and the context of address.


Language

India is a multilingual country with each of its states having different official languages. However, Hindi is the only officially recognized language in the country. While talking on India business culture, English is the most preferred language, which is followed religiously in every industry.

Meetings, Greetings and Courtesies

In India, people greet each other by saying 'Namaste', while conjoining the palms together below the chin (position of fingers would point up) and nodding the head. One can also do this while saying good-bye. Use of the namaste will show that you have understandings of Indian culture. While greeting superiors or showing respect to someone, a slight bow is added.

In Indian business culture, people also greet each other by a handshake. In a one-to-one meeting with a male counterpart, a woman usually initiates a handshake. If the woman doesn�t, the man will smile and nod slightly.

While greeting an individual, people use appropriate formal title. One can also add �ji� after the title to show respect for the person he/she is greeting.



While meeting a person or client for business purpose, always exchange business cards at the first meeting. You must exchange the cards with your right hand only. Cards must be put away with due respect.

Relationship Building

In India business culture, business development largely depends upon relationship building. Indians tend to give favorable deal to those whom they know and trust. Hence, a good way to earn business is to earn the trust of the customers first. You can earn the trust of people by demonstrating strong business insight, showing honesty and respect.

Meetings

Any business meeting has to be arranged well in advance. These have to be fixed in writing and confirmed by phone. It is better to avoid fixing meetings on or near national holidays like Independence Day, Republic Day, Gandhi Birthday or either of the two Eids. People often club their leaves to enjoy extended holidays during this time.

Time

Indians value punctuality in others, but they often lag behind the schedule themselves. A 10-minute late is acceptable in most of the cases. It can also be seen that family responsibilities getting preferences over business, which leads to last minute cancellation of meetings, though not quite often.

Inside the Meeting Room

After entering into the meeting room, one must approach and greet the senior-most figure first. Every meeting usually has some 'getting to know you' process, where the meeting starts with some initial conversation. The favorite topics are business news, how stock market is doing, or the game of cricket. It is good to avoid discussing personal matters. If you are new to India, it is always better to refrain from commenting on volatile issues like poverty or beggars.

Process

If your business meeting involves negotiation, be prepared for a slow process. In India business culture, decision is taken at the highest level and may take more time than one would have expected. You can�t get a favorable decision unless you can establish the trust of the client. Until the trust is not established, you should concentrate on building a rapport with the client. As the decision is taken at the highest level, absence of the any higher-position holder like Director or owner indicates that it is only the early stage of negotiation.

Decision

Statistics, empirical data or commendable PowerPoint presentation cannot solely influence the business decision. Indians tend to reckon the intuitions, feelings and faiths before they reach at any decision. You must show your patience and good character before any final verdict comes out. You cannot afford to show frustration or anger.

Negotiation

One should refrain from putting high pressure tactics while negotiation with the clients. Do not confront or be forceful. If you are to disagree or criticize, you need to do it in the most diplomatic language. Indians do not say "no" directly, as it is often considered rude. If during the negotiation process, you come to the terms like "We'll see", "possibly" or "We'll try", there is every possibility that they are indicating a 'no'.

Business Attire

Business culture in India demands formal attire. Men usually wear formal shirts and pants. Suits or Blazers are also quite worn, often during the winter. Women wear saris or suits. On the last working day of the week, people often wear casuals. However, that has to be a decent one.

Culture of India

Culture of India

India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country, but nevertheless possess a commonality. The culture of India is an amalgamation of these diverse sub-cultures spread all over the Indian subcontinent and traditions that are several millennia old.[1]
Regarded by some historians as the "oldest living civilization of Earth", the Indian tradition dates back to 8000 BC[2] and has a continuous recorded history since the time of the Vedas for over 5,500 years.[3] Several elements of India's diverse culture — such as Indian religions, yóga and Indian cuisine — have had a profound impact across the world.

Contents

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Religions and spirituality


Close-up of a statue depicting Maitreya at the Thikse Monastery in Ladakh, India. Dharmic religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, are indigenous to India.[4]
India is the birth place of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, collectively known as Indian religions.[5] Indian religions, also known as Dharmic religions are a major form of world religions along with Abrahamic ones. Today, Hinduism and Buddhism are the world's third- and fourth-largest religions respectively, with over 2 billion followers altogether,[6][7][8] and possibly as many as 2.5 or 2.6 billion followers.[6][9] India is also the birthplace for the Lingayat and Ahmadiyya faiths.
India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion still plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people.
The religion of 80% of the people is Hinduism. Islam is practiced by around 13% of all Indians.[10] Sikhism, Jainism and especially Buddhism are influential not only in India but across the world. Christianity, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and the Bahá'í Faith are also influential but their numbers are smaller. Despite the strong role of religion in Indian life, atheism and agnostics also have visible influence along with a self-ascribed tolerance to other people.
According to Eugene M. Makar, an respected industry consultant, traditional Indian culture is defined by relatively strict social hierarchy. He also mentions that from an early age, children are reminded of their roles and places in society.[11] This is reinforced by the fact that many believe gods and spirits have an integral and functional role in determining their life.[11] Several differences such as religion divide the culture.[11] However, a far more powerful division is the traditional Hindu bifurcation into non-polluting and polluting occupations.[11] Strict social taboos have governed these groups for thousands of years.[11] In recent years, particularly in cities, some of these lines have blurred and sometimes even disappeared.[11] Important family relations extend as far as gotra, the mainly patrilinear lineage or clan assigned to a Hindu at birth.[11] In rural areas & sometimes in urban areas as well, it is common that three or four generations of the family live under the same roof.[11] The patriarch often resolves family issues.[11]

Family


A bride during a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony in Punjab.
Family plays a significant role in the Indian culture. For generations, India has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. It is a system under which extended members of a family – parents, children, the children’s spouses and their offspring, etc. – live together. Usually, the eldest male member is the head in the joint Indian family system. He makes all important decisions and rules, and other family members abide by them. However, in recent times, many families especially in urban areas, in have stopped abiding by the extended family system and have started living as a nuclear family.

Marriage

For centuries, arranged marriages have been the tradition in Indian society. Even today, the vast majority of Indians have their marriages planned by their parents and other respected family-members, with the consent of the bride and groom. They also demand dowry, which has been outlawed by the Indian government, but Indian society and culture still promotes and maintains it. They get around by not letting the authorities know the arrangements of money.[12] Arranged matches are made after taking into account factors such as age, height, personal values and tastes, the backgrounds of their families (wealth, social standing), their castes and the astrological compatibility of the couples' horoscopes.
In India, the marriage is thought to be for life,[13] and the divorce rate is extremely low — 1.1% compared with about 50% in the United States.[14] The arranged marriages generally have a much lower divorce rate. The divorce rates have risen significantly in recent years:
"Opinion is divided over what the phenomenon means: for traditionalists the rising numbers portend the breakdown of society while, for some modernists, they speak of a healthy new empowerment for women."[15]

Namaste

Namaste, Namaskar or Namaskara or Namaskaram, Vanakkam (Tamil) or Asssalamu alaikum (Urdu / Persian) Sat Shri Akal (Punjabi) is a common spoken greeting or salutation in the Indian subcontinent. Namaskar is considered a slightly more formal version than Namaste but both express deep respect. It is commonly used in India and Nepal by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs, and many continue to use this outside the Indian subcontinent. In Indian and Nepali culture, the word is spoken at the beginning of written or verbal communication. However, the same hands folded gesture is made usually wordlessly upon departure. Taken literally, it means "I bow to you". The word is derived from Sanskrit (namah): to bow, obeisance, reverential salutation, and respect, and (te): "to you". As explained by an Indian scholar, in literal terms Namaste refers to 'That which is of God in me bows to that which is of God in you'.

Festivals


Radha and gopikas celebrating Holi, known as the "festival of colors".
India, being a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals of various religions. The three national holidays in India, the Independence Day, the Republic Day and the Gandhi Jayanti, are celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm across India. In addition, many states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics. Popular religious festivals include the Hindu festivals of Navratri, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga puja, Holi, Rakshabandhan and Dussehra. Several harvest festivals, such as Sankranthi, Pongal and Onam,"Nuakhai" are also fairly popular.
Certain festivals in India are celebrated by multiple religions. Notable examples include Diwali, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, and Buddh Purnima, celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus. Islamic festivals, such Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Ramadan, are celebrated by Muslims across India. Sikh Festivals , such as Guru Nanak Jayanti, Baiskhi are celebrated with full fanfare by Sikhs and Hindu. Adding colors to the culture of India, the Dree Festival is one of the tribal festivals of India celebrated by the Apatanis of the Ziro valley of Arunachal Pradesh, which is the easternmost state of India.

Names and language

Indian names are based on a variety of systems and naming conventions, which vary from region to region. Names are also influenced by religion and caste and may come from the Indian epics. India's population speaks a wide variety of languages.

Animals


Cows depicted in the decorated goppuram of the Kapaleeshwarar temple in Chennai.
The varied and rich wildlife of India has had a profound impact on the region's popular culture. Common name for wilderness in India is Jungle which was adopted by the British colonialists to the English language. The word has been also made famous in The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. India's wildlife has been the subject of numerous other tales and fables such as the Panchatantra and the Jataka tales.[16]
In Hinduism, the cow is regarded as a symbol of ahimsa (non-violence), mother goddess and bringer of good fortune and wealth.[17] For this reason, cows are revered in Hindu culture and feeding a cow is seen as an act of worship.[18]'

Cuisine

The Food in India is classified into three major categories. Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Satva which stand for balance, Rajas stands for passion, and Thamas stands for indulgence. Food is consumed according to the lifestyle of the person. For example: A King has to be aggressive to defend his country, he would be taking food which would give much passion and that aggressiveness which is required. When a person tries to lead his life in want of self realisaiton, he would prefer a Satvic food or known as Sattvic diet, which would help to keep his mind in balance. Thamasic food or known as Static foods is to be taken only if its required, like consumption of Alcohol. This is the reason why in many Indians try to abstain drinking.
The multiple varieties of Indian cuisine are characterized by their sophisticated and subtle use of many Spices and Herbs. Each family of this cuisine is characterized by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. Though a significant portion of Indian food is vegetarian, many traditional Indian dishes also include: chicken, goat, lamb, fish, and other meats.
India is known for its love for food and spices, and it plays a role in everyday life as well as in festivals. Indian cuisine varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the country. Generally, Indian cuisine can be split into 5 categories — northern, southern, eastern, western and north-eastern.
Despite this diversity, some unifying threads emerge. Varied uses of spices are an integral part of food preparation, and are used to enhance the flavor of a dish and create unique flavors and aromas. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups that entered India throughout history, such as the Persians, Mughals, and European colonists. Though the tandoor originated in Central Asia, Indian tandoori dishes, such as chicken tikka made with Indian ingredients, enjoy widespread popularity.[19]
Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe.[20] Historically, Indian Spices and Herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. The Spice trade between India and Europe led to the rise and dominance of Arab traders to such an extent that European explorers, such as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus, set out to find new trade routes with India leading to the Age of Discovery.[21] The popularity of curry, which originated in India, across Asia has often led to the dish being labeled as the "pan-Asian" dish.[22]

Clothing

Traditional clothing in India greatly varies across different parts of the country and is influenced immensely by local culture, geography and climate. Popular styles of dress include draped garments such as sari for women and dhoti or lungi for men; in addition, stitched clothes such as churidar for women and kurta-pyjama and European-style trousers and shirts for men, are also popular.
In India, a person's social status is perceived to be symbolized by his or her attire. Indian dress etiquette discourages exposure of skin and wearing transparent or tight clothes.[23] Most Indian clothes are made from cotton which is ideal for the region's hot weather.[24] Since India's weather is mostly hot and rainy, majority of Indians wear sandals.[25]
Worn by women on their forehead, the bindi is considered to be a highly auspicious mark in Hindu religion.[26] Traditionally, the red bindi (or sindoor) was worn only by the married Hindu women, but now it has become a part of women's fashion. Some Indian traditions consider the bindi to be representative of the third eye.[27]
India's clothing styles have continuously evolved over the course of the country's history. Ancient Vedic texts mention clothes made from barks and leaves (known as phataka). The 11th century BC Rig-veda mentions dyed and embroidered garments (known as paridhan and pesas respectively) and thus highlights the development of sophisticated garment manufacturing techniques during the Vedic age.[28] In 5th century BC, Greek historian Herodotus describes the richness of the quality of Indian cotton clothes.[29] By 2nd century AD, muslins manufactured in southern India were imported by the Roman Empire and silk cloth was one of the major exports of ancient India along with Indian spices.[30] Stitched clothing in India was developed before 10th century AD and was further popularized in 15th century by Muslim empires in India.[30] Draped clothing styles remained popular with India's Hindu population while the Muslims increasingly adopted tailored garments.[31]
During the British Raj, India's large clothing and handicrafts industry was left paralyzed so as to make place for British industrial cloth. Consequently, Indian independence movement leader Mahatma Gandhi successfully advocated for what he termed as khadi clothing — light colored hand-woven clothes — so as to decrease reliance of the Indian people on British industrial goods.[32] The 1980s was marked by a widespread modification to Indian clothing fashions which was characterized by a large-scale growth of fashion schools in India, increasing involvement of women in the fashion industry and changing Indian attitudes towards multiculturalism. These developments played a pivotal role in the fusion of Indian and Western clothing styles.[33]

Languages and literature

History

Time is always referred as Kala Chakra in India. In Ancient India the time was divided in Four yugas. The calendar which most Indians follows goes in accordance to this. There by, measuring the dates of Vedas came in later days.
With its oldest core dating back to as early as 1500 BC,[34] the Rigvedic Sanskrit is one of the oldest attestations of any Indo-Iranian language, and one of the earliest attested members of the Indo-European language family, the family which includes English and most European languages.[35] Sanskrit has had a profound impact on the languages and literature of India. Hindi, India's most spoken language, is a "Sanskritized register" of the Khariboli dialect. In addition, all modern Indo-Aryan languages, Munda languages and Dravidian languages, have borrowed many words either directly from Sanskrit (tatsama words), or indirectly via middle Indo-Aryan languages (tadbhava words).[36] Words originating in Sanskrit are estimated to constitute roughly fifty percent of the vocabulary of modern Indo-Aryan languages,[37] and the literary forms of (Dravidian) Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.[36] Part of the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, the Bengali language arose from the eastern Middle Indic languages and its roots are traced to the 5th century BC Ardhamagadhi language.[38][39]
Tamil, one of India's major classical languages, descends from Proto-Dravidian languages which was spoken around the third millennium BC in peninsular India. Tamil literature has existed for over two thousand years[40] and the earliest epigraphic records found date from around the third century BC.[41] Another major Dravidian language, Kannada is attested epigraphically from the mid-1st millennium AD, and literary Old Kannada flourished in the 9th to 10th century Rashtrakuta Dynasty. Pre-old Kannada (or Purava HaleGannada) was the language of Banavasi in the early Common Era, the Satavahana and Kadamba periods and hence has a history of over 2000 years.[42][43][44][45] The Ashoka rock edict found at Brahmagiri (dated to 230 BC) has been suggested to contain a word in identifiable Kannada.[46]
According to 2001 India census, Hindi is the most spoken language in India, followed by Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and Tamil.[47] In contemporary Indian literature, there are two major literary awards; these are the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship and the Jnanpith Award. Seven Jnanpith awards each have been awarded in Kannada, six in Hindi, five in Bengali, four in Malayalam, three each in Marathi, Gujarati, Urdu and Oriya and two in Tamil,.[48]

Epics

The Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata are the oldest preserved and well-known epics of India. Versions have been adopted as the epics of Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The Ramayana consists of 24,000 verses in seven books (kāṇḍas) and 500 cantos (sargas),[49] and tells the story of Rama (an incarnation of the Hindu preserver-god Vishnu), whose wife Sita is abducted by the demon king of Lanka, Ravana. This epic played a pivotal role in establishing the role of dhárma as a principal ideal guiding force for Hindu way of life.[50] The earliest parts of the Mahabharata text date to 400 BC[50] and is estimated to have reached its final form by the early Gupta period (ca. 4th c. AD).[51] Other regional variations of these, as well as unrelated epics include the Tamil Ramavataram, Kannada Pampa Bharata, Hindi Ramacharitamanasa, and Malayalam Adhyathmaramayanam. In addition to these two great Indian epics, there are five major epics in the classical Tamil languageSilappatikaram, Manimekalai, Civaka-cintamani, Valayapathi and Kundalakesi.

Performing arts

Dance


A kuchipudi performer from Andhra Pradesh.
Indian dance too has diverse folk and classical forms. Among the well-known folk dances are the bhangra of the Punjab, the bihu of Assam, the chhau of Jharkhand,the Odishi of Orissa, the ghoomar of Rajasthan, the dandiya and garba of Gujarat, the Yakshagana of Karnataka and lavani of Maharashtra and Dekhnni of Goa. Eight dance forms, many with narrative forms and mythological elements, have been accorded classical dance status by India's National Academy of Music, Dance, and Drama. These are: bharatanatyam of the state of Tamil Nadu, kathak of Uttar Pradesh, kathakali and mohiniattam of Kerala, kuchipudi of Andhra Pradesh, manipuri of Manipur, odissi of the state of Odisha and the sattriya of Assam.[52][53]

Drama and theater

Indian drama and theater has a long history alongside its music and dance. Kalidasa's plays like Shakuntala and Meghadoota are some of the older plays, following those of Bhasa. One of the oldest surviving theatre traditions of the world is the 2,000 year old Kutiyattam of Kerala. It strictly follows the Natya Shastra.[54] Nātyāchārya Māni Mādhava Chākyār is credited for reviving the age old drama tradition from extinction. He was known for mastery of Rasa Abhinaya. He started to perform the Kalidasa plays like Abhijñānaśākuntala, Vikramorvaśīya and Mālavikāgnimitra; Bhasa's Swapnavāsavadatta and Pancharātra; Harsha's Nagananda.[55][56]

Music

The music of India includes multiple varieties of religious, folk, popular, pop, and classical music. The oldest preserved examples of Indian music are the melodies of the Samaveda that are still sung in certain Vedic Śrauta sacrifices. India's classical music tradition is heavily influenced by Hindu texts. It includes two distinct styles: Carnatic and Hindustani music.

Panchavadyam temple music in Kerala.
The earliest account of Indian musical hymns is found in the 1000 BC Sāmaveda.[57] It proposed a tonal structure consisting of seven notes, which were named, in descending order, as Krusht, Pratham, Dwitiya, Tritiya, Chaturth, Mandra and Atiswār. These refer to the notes of a flute, which was the only fixed frequency instrument. Both the Hindustani classical music and the Carnatic classical music systems are based on the melodic mode (known as Rāga), sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala. These principles were refined in the nātyaśāstra (200 BC) and the dattilam (300 AD).[58]
Purandaradasa is considered the "father of carnatic music" (Karnataka sangeeta pitamaha).[59][60][61] He concluded his songs with a salutation to Lord Purandara Vittala and is believed to have composed as many as 475,000 songs in the Kannada language.[62] However, only about 1,000 are known today.[59][63]
Prominent contemporary Indian musical forms included filmi and Indipop. Filmi refers to the wide range of music written and performed for mainstream Indian cinema, primarily Bollywood, and accounts for more than 70 percent of all music sales in the country.[64] Indipop is one of the most popular contemporary styles of Indian music which is either a fusion of Indian folk, classical or Sufi music with Western musical traditions.[65]

Visual arts

Painting

The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphst it was common for households to paint their doorways or indoor rooms where guests resided.
Cave paintings from Ajanta, Bagh, Ellora and Sittanavasal and temple paintings testify to a love of naturalism. Most early and medieval art in India is Hindu, Buddhist or Jain. A freshly made coloured flour design (Rangoli) is still a common sight outside the doorstep of many (mostly South Indian) Indian homes. Raja Ravi Varma is one the classical painters from medieval India.
Madhubani painting, Mysore painting, Rajput painting, Tanjore painting, Mughal painting are some notable Genres of Indian Art; while Nandalal Bose, M. F. Husain, S. H. Raza, Geeta Vadhera, Jamini Roy and B.Venkatappa[66] are some modern painters. Among the present day artists, Atul Dodiya, Bose Krishnamacnahri, Devajyoti Ray and Shibu Natesan represent a new era of Indian art where global art shows direct amalgamation with Indian classical styles. These recent artists have acquired international recognition. Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, Mysore Palace has on display a few good Indian paintings.

Sculpture


The 5th century Buddhist vishvakarma cave at Ellora, Maharashtra.
The first sculptures in India date back to the Indus Valley civilization, where stone and bronze figures have been discovered. Later, as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism developed further, India produced some extremely intricate bronzes as well as temple carvings. Some huge shrines, such as the one at Ellora were not constructed by using blocks but carved out of solid rock.
Sculptures produced in the northwest, in stucco, schist, or clay, display a very strong blend of Indian and Classical Hellenistic or possibly even Greco-Roman influence. The pink sandstone sculptures of Mathura evolved almost simultaneously. During the Gupta period (4th to 6th century) sculpture reached a very high standard in execution and delicacy in modeling. These styles and others elsewhere in India evolved leading to classical Indian art that contributed to Buddhist and Hindu sculpture throughout Southeast Central and East Asia.

Architecture


Considered to be an "unrivaled architectural wonder",[67] the Taj Mahal in Agra is a prime example of Indo-Islamic architecture.
Indian architecture encompasses a multitude of expressions over space and time, constantly absorbing new ideas. The result is an evolving range of architectural production that nonetheless retains a certain amount of continuity across history. Some of its earliest production are found in the Indus Valley Civilization (2600–1900 BC) which is characterised by well planned cities and houses. Religion and kingship do not seem to have played an important role in the planning and layout of these towns.
During the period of the Mauryan and Gupta empires and their successors, several Buddhist architectural complexes, such as the caves of Ajanta and Ellora and the monumental Sanchi Stupa were built. Later on, South India produced several Hindu temples like Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura, Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur, the Sun Temple, Konark, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple at Srirangam, and the Buddha stupa (Chinna Lanja dibba and Vikramarka kota dibba) at Bhattiprolu. Angkor Wat, Borobudur and other Buddhist and Hindu temples indicate strong Indian influence on South East Asian architecture, as they are built in styles almost identical to traditional Indian religious buildings.

The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Rajasthan, one of the largest private residences in the world.[68]
The traditional system of Vaastu Shastra serves as India's version of Feng Shui, influencing town planning, architecture, and ergonomics. It is unclear which system is older, but they contain certain similarities. Feng Shui is more commonly used throughout the world. Though Vastu is conceptually similar to Feng Shui in that it also tries to harmonize the flow of energy, (also called life-force or Prana in Sanskrit and Chi/Ki in Chinese/Japanese), through the house, it differs in the details, such as the exact directions in which various objects, rooms, materials, etc. are to be placed.
With the advent of Islamic influence from the west, Indian architecture was adapted to allow the traditions of the new religion. Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Gol Gumbaz, Qutub Minar, Red Fort of Delhi are creations of this era, and are often used as the stereotypical symbols of India. The colonial rule of the British Empire saw the development of Indo-Saracenic style, and mixing of several other styles, such as European Gothic. The Victoria Memorial or the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus are notable examples.
Indian architecture has influenced eastern and southeastern Asia, due to the spread of Buddhism. A number of Indian architectural features such as the temple mound or stupa, temple spire or sikhara, temple tower or pagoda and temple gate or torana, have become famous symbols of Asian culture, used extensively in East Asia and South East Asia. The central spire is also sometimes called a vimanam. The southern temple gate, or gopuram is noted for its intricacy and majesty.
Contemporary Indian architecture is more cosmopolitan. Cities are extremely compact and densely populated. Mumbai's Nariman Point is famous for its Art Deco buildings. Recent creations such as the Lotus Temple, and the various modern urban developments of India like Chandigarh, are notable.

Sports and Martial arts


The annual Snake boat race is performed during Onam Celebrations on the Pamba River at Aranmula near Pathanamthitta.
Field Hockey is the national Sport in India, and the India national field hockey team won the 1975 Men's Hockey World Cup and 8 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals at the Olympic games. Cricket is the most popular Sport in India. The India national cricket team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup and the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, and shared the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka. Domestic competitions include the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, the Deodhar Trophy, the Irani Trophy and the Challenger Series. In addition, BCCI conducts the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 competition.
India is the host of 2010 Commonwealth Games, played in New Delhi. It hosted a spectacular display of Indian culture and heritage to the entire world during the opening ceremony of the games.
Chess is commonly believed to have originated in northwestern India during the Gupta empire,[69][70][71][72] where its early form in the 6th century was known as chaturanga. Other games which originated in India and continue to remain popular in wide parts of northern India include Kabaddi, Gilli-danda, and Kho kho. Traditional southern Indian games include Snake boat race and Kuttiyum kolum.

Indian martial arts


Kalarippayattu, one of the oldest and most prominent forms of Indian martial arts.
One of the best known forms of ancient Indian martial arts is the Kalarippayattu from Kerala. This ancient fighting style originated in southern India in 12th century BC and is regarded as one of the oldest surviving martial arts.[73] In this form martial arts, various stages of physical training include ayurvedic massage with sesame oil to impart suppleness to the body (uzichil); a series of sharp body movements so as to gain control over various parts of the body (miapayattu); and, complex sword fighting techniques (paliyankam).[74] Silambam, which was developed around 200 AD, traces its roots to the Sangam period in southern India.[75] Silambam is unique among Indian martial arts because it uses complex footwork techniques (kaaladi), including a variety of spinning styles. A bamboo staff is used as the main weapon.[75] The ancient Tamil Sangam literature mentions that between 400 BC and 600 AD, soldiers from southern India received special martial arts training which revolved primarily around the use of spear (vel), sword (val) and shield (kedaham).[76]
In northern India, the musti yuddha evolved in 1100 AD and focussed on mental, physical and spiritual training.[77] In addition, the Dhanur Veda tradition was an influential fighting arts style which considered the bow and the arrow to be the supreme weapons. The Dhanur Veda was first described in the 5th century BC Viṣṇu Purāṇa[73] and is also mentioned in both of the major ancient Indian epics, the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. A distinctive factor of Indian martial arts is the heavy emphasis laid on meditation (dhyāna) as a tool to remove fear, doubt and anxiety.[78]
Indian martial arts techniques have had a profound impact on other martial arts styles across Asia. The 3rd century BC Yoga Sutras of Patanjali taught how to meditate single-mindedly on points located inside one's body, which was later used in martial arts, while various mudra finger movements were taught in Yogacara Buddhism. These elements of yoga, as well as finger movements in the nata dances, were later incorporated into various martial arts.[79] According to some historical accounts, Indian Buddhist monk Bodhidharma was one of the main founders of the Shaolin Kungfu.[80]

Popular media

Television

Indian television started off in 1959 in New Delhi with tests for educational telecasts.[81] Indian small screen programming started off in the mid 1970s. At that time there was only one national channel Doordarshan, which was government owned. 1982 saw revolution in TV programming in India, with the New Delhi Asian games, India saw the colour version of TV, that year. The Ramayana and Mahabharat were some among the popular television series produced. By the late 1980s more and more people started to own television sets. Though there was a single channel, television programming had reached saturation. Hence the government opened up another channel which had part national programming and part regional. This channel was known as DD 2 later DD Metro. Both channels were broadcasted terrestrially.
In 1991, the government liberated its markets, opening them up to cable television. Since then, there has been a spurt in the number of channels available. Today, Indian silver screen is a huge industry by itself, and has thousands of programmes in all the states of India. The small screen has produced numerous celebrities of their own kind some even attaining national fame for themselves. TV soaps are extremely popular with housewives as well as working women, and even men of all kinds. Some lesser known actors have found success in Bollywood. Indian TV now has many of the same channels as Western TV, including stations such as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, HBO, FX, and MTV India.

Cinema


Shooting of a Bollywood dance number.
Bollywood is the informal name given to the popular Mumbai-based film industry in India. Bollywood and the other major cinematic hubs (in Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Punjabi and Telugu]]) constitute the broader Indian film industry, whose output is considered to be the largest in the world in terms of number of films produced and number of tickets sold.
India has produced many critically acclaimed cinema-makers like K. Vishwanath, Bapu, Jagdaman Grewal, Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Guru Dutt, K. Vishwanath, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shaji N. Karun, Girish Kasaravalli, Shekhar Kapoor, Hrishikesh Mukherjee, Shankar Nag, Girish Karnad, G. V. Iyer etc. (see Indian film directors). With the opening up of the economy in the recent years and consequent exposure to world cinema, audience tastes have been changing. In addition, multiplexes have mushroomed in most cities, changing the revenue patterns.

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