Cultural Setting of India

India is a land of immense diversity, often described as a "subcontinent" due to its vastness and variety in terms of race, language, religion, and ethnicity.

1. Racial, Linguistic, and Ethnic Diversities

• Racial Groups: B.S. Guha classified the Indian population into six major racial groups: Negrito, Proto-Australoid, Mongoloid, Mediterranean, Western Brachycephals, and Nordic.
• Linguistic Diversity: India has 22 official languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The major language families are Indo-Aryan (North India) and Dravidian (South India).
• Religious Minorities: India is a secular country with major religions being Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

2. Tribes in India

• India has a significant tribal population (Scheduled Tribes).
• Major Tribes: Bhils, Gonds, Santhals, Minas, Bodos.
• Tribal Areas: Concentrated in the North-East, Central India (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha), and Andaman & Nicobar.
• Problems: Land alienation, indebtedness, lack of education, and displacement due to industrial projects.

3. Demographics

• Growth of Population: India became the most populous country in the world in 2023.
• Distribution and Density: Population density is high in the Northern Plains (Bihar, West Bengal, UP) and low in hilly/desert regions (Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan).
• Demographic Attributes:
  • Sex-Ratio: Number of females per 1000 males. (943 as per 2011 Census).
  • Literacy Rate: Percentage of people aged 7 and above who can read and write. (74.04% in 2011).
  • Work-force: The proportion of the population actively engaged in economic activities.
• Migration:
  • Inter-regional: Between different states/regions.
  • Rural to Urban: Most common due to "push factors" (poverty in villages) and "pull factors" (jobs in cities).

4. Settlements

• Rural Settlements:
  • Types: Clustered (compact), Semi-clustered, Hamleted, and Dispersed (isolated).
  • Morphology: Often circular (around a pond) or linear (along a road/river).
• Urban Settlements:
  • Urban Development: Rapid growth of towns and cities.
  • Morphology of Indian Cities: Often have an old core (walled city) and newer planned areas.
  • Functional Classification: Administrative towns (Delhi), Industrial towns (Jamshedpur), Transport towns (Mughalsarai), Commercial towns (Mumbai).
• Conurbations and Metropolitan Regions: Large urban areas formed by the merging of several cities (e.g., Delhi-NCR).
• Urban Sprawl: The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into the countryside.
• Slums: Areas of overcrowded, substandard housing (e.g., Dharavi in Mumbai). Problems include lack of sanitation, clean water, and healthcare.
• Town Planning: Initiatives like "Smart Cities Mission" and "AMRUT" aim to improve urban infrastructure and planning.