The Indian traditional habit of marrying within one's caste or community leads to genetic mutations, thus explaining why certain
diseases are concentrated only in a particular pocket of the population in India.


The research paper that restructures the Indian population history carries important findings that have medical implications. That many modern groups of people in India have descended from a small number of people is what scientists technically describe as a "founder event'' -- a rampant Indian practice of people marrying within small group of people.







Senior scientist with Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Kumarasamy Thangaraj says that because of this "high endogamy'' within the country, a practice that dates back to several thousand years, makes these pockets genetically unique. "Because of this, there may be mutation in the gene that leads to various diseases,'' Thangaraj says.


And thus recessive hereditary diseases (single gene disorders that occur when person carries two abnormal or malfunctioning copies of a disease causing gene) are seen among Indians who have descended from a small group of founder individuals. Thallasaemia is a case in point wherein a couple (both carriers) carrying one abnormal and normal gene each pass on the abnormal ones to the child.

Researchers say similar founder events seen in other groups, such as Finns and Ashkenazi Jews are well known to increase the incidence of recessive genetic diseases. The new study predicts that the same will be true for many groups in India. "Further studies of these groups should lead to the rapid discovery of genes that cause devastating diseases, and will help in the clinical care of individuals and their families who are at risk,'' said the study's co-author David Reich, an associate professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School.

Researchers say there is a certain genetic mutation seen specifically in the Indian sub-continent alone, which they have been able to connect with the cardiac condition. "The study gives us an understanding why the incidence of cardiac disease is different in the Indian sub- continent from the rest of the world,'' says Thangaraj. He says there would be similar diseases that can be understood genetically.

Maharnavami : The 9th Day in Dasara

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Maharnavami is the 9th day in the festival days of Dasara. This day along with Durgashtami and Vijayadasami are considered to be the most auspicious and most of the Dasara activities and special puja's are done.

Durgashtami

Durgashtami is the 8th day in the Dasara/Dushera festival.

Durga Devi is believed to be the one Goddess who always stands for the Good and kills that bad and the forces causing the evil in the society.

Goddess Gayathri Devi : Dasara Day 3 avatar

Monday, September 21, 2009

Today is the Third day of the Dasara/Dusherra Festival. The third day of this 9 day event is dedicated to the Goddess Gayathri Devi.


Gyathri Devi is believed to the one who has uttered the mantras and the traditions to be followed.
Gayathri Mata is famous for her discipline and strict rules. Not everyone is allowed to go and make puja as they wish. Highly qualified priests are only allowed to offer pujas to mata inside the Garbha Gudi


The Gayathri mantram has high importance in the HIndu culture and is the most basic mantra which is uttered in every auspicious event.
The importance of the mantra will be discussed in detail later in this blog.

Ramzaan

Sunday, September 20, 2009

People across the globe(mostly in the South-east Asia) are celebrating their Ramdan/Ramzan today. The new moon has been spotted yesterday late in the evening which gave a green signal for the Ramzaan celebrations today.






The 30 fasting in the holy month of Ramzan by the Muslim brothers across the world ends today.
TheIndianLifestyle blog team wishes you all a Happy Ramzan

The second day of Dasara festival is dedicated to Godess Parvathi Devi. Mata Parvathi is the wife of Lord Shiva, the creator of this Universe according to the HINDU religion.


Godess Parvathi is also called of great importance in the culture and tradition of the Hindu religion. She is also called as the Ardhangini and which later is used in the day to day life while the relation between and husband and wife is described.
Parvathi Devi is so called because Lord Shiva has given half of his body to Parvathi and Parvathi Devi thus became the most powerful and the Goddess to be pleased for ones wishes to succeed.
Lord Shiva and Parvathi have two children namely Lord Vinayaka or Lord Ganesha also called by so many other names and Lord Kumara Swamy.
Recently we have celebrated the Vinayaka chavithi.

Today is the first day of the 9day Dasara/Dusherra festival.

Each day is dedicated to a Goddess. This day the goddess is prayed and all the devotees make special poojas for that particular avatar.

The first day of the Dasara festival is dedicated to
Sri Balatripura sundari Devi. She is one of the avataras of Durga Devi.

This year in 2009 her avataram is on 19-Sep-2009

Vinayaka Chavithi : Recently concluded festival

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Recently we have celebrated the ganesh festival, also called as Vinayaka Chavithi. It started on 23-Aug-2009 this year and and ended on 3-Sep-2009.
Vinayaka chavithi is celebrated across India with bhakthi and shraddha. Lord Ganesha is the son of Mother Parvathi and Lord Shiva.



This festival is the day on which Lord Ganesha is accepted as the head of all the Gods. On this day all the Indians bring in a idol of Vinayaka to their house and worship and take his blessings.

Vinayaka is called the Vighna nasaka...., means he is the remover of all the hurdles ..... so people pray to him when they start a new job/work.



Upcoming festival :Dusherra

Dusherra is a 9 day festival of India. This festival is celebrated across India by almost all the people with bhakthi and shraddha. This festival is dedicated to the goddess Kanaka durga, Saraswathi, Kalika Devi, Annapurna Devi, and the last day of the Navarathri is called VijayaDasami.

This festival is celebrated in large scale in the state of West Bengal in India, Mysore of Karnataka, Mumbai, and these days in Andhra Pradesh.

It is also celebrated in large scale in Nepal, Bangladesh also.
There are many reasons for which this Navarathri days are celebrated. We will discuss them in detail every day startinf from 19-Sep-2009

Introduction to Indian Lifestyle

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Welcome to the Indian Lifestyle Blog.

We are here to let you know the lifestyle and the traditions in India.
Its a country of 27 states with 1600+ languages and who believe in "UNITY IN DIVERSITY"

Say cheers to India which is home to many and has a warm welcome to every foreigner.

From ages it has been a destination from all over the world and fascinated many travellers