What is ‘Culture’ ? Print
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Basically man is an animal. Prior to the development of intelligence, he also lived as animals did. He was having his abode nearby water, food and shelter. Then, man led a nomadic life for these. When he experienced lack of food resources, he migrated from place to place for the same. This position prevailed for eons. During the Stone Age, man lived on herbal roots, fruits and flesh. Consequent upon the development of intelligence, he began to lead his life at diverse places. He embarked upon farming. After cultivating land, he started producing food grains. Then, settling himself in this occupation, he felt a dire need to reside at a fixed place of dwelling. He cultivated the land, enriching its fertility which gave him fruits, food grains, etc. and continued his residence there alone. All these things transformed the area into a village. For satisfying his need of water, he began to stay near streams, rivulets and rivers. In course of time that place came to be known as a village. This culture was deeply rooted in the land. In those days, man had few requirements; he could fulfill his needs with the help of people around. Thereafter came into existence, ‘The Barter system’. In the then prevailing system of rural administration, primary and economic needs of people were fully accomplished through barter system. Thenceforth people were leading a happy life. The keeping and rearing of sheep, cows and other domestic cattle became the perpetual cause and remedy for their better subsistence. In the matter of agriculture and house building carpenters, ironsmiths, rope-makers, cobblers, etc. also extended their helping hands. People living in caves and at the foothills of mountains, started building their houses to protect themselves from wild and ferocious animals and cannibals. For this purpose, man made use of trees. Bricklayers and masons started constructing houses. Broad dried leaves, branches of coconut and similar other trees were used for covering their body and house construction. He began to protect himself from sun, wind, cold and rain.
Subsequently, shepherds started weaving what is called in rural parlance ‘Ghongadya’ which later on came to be known as blankets. Tailors started making garments. While tramping barefooted in the jungle through thorns and other pricking and piercing objects, they were injured. To counter such painful incidents, people engaged in making leather and started producing goods like ‘Chappals’ and similar other footwear items, fulfilling domestic necessities like mats, plates, baskets etc. Men began preparing such goods and items with the help of bamboos. Those who were engaged in extracting different oils from various oil seeds also brought out oil cakes as bi-product. This enhanced the taste of food items. All these activities later on came to be known as barter system. Men who were engaged in dealing with bangles known as ‘Kaasaar’ sold them to womenfolk, whereas goldsmiths embarked upon embellishing men and women by the sale of fascinating and attractive ornaments.
People who knew the work of carding raw cotton and wool began making mattresses or ‘Gaddis’.Later on it so happened that among the above mentioned craftsmen and workers, one suitable person in the same village was chosen to act as ‘Patil’, who is considered in modern era as a rural revenue officer. The very same person was also supervising and looking after the village welfare. He was supposed to control diverse activities of the inhabitants of the area. In the matter of maintaining proper and regular accounts ‘Kulkarni’ (another revenue officer of modern times) also helped the ‘Patil’.
For propitiating the village deity and other matters connected therewith, priests came into the picture. In this way self-sufficient village came into existence. All this was the basic concept or foundation of what is known as ‘Ramrajya’. Many other such villages started exchanging goods amongst themselves in the very same village for the fulfillment of their requirements. As a result of this, the village also became self-sufficient. Several other such cultures came into being like the major and ancient prominent civilizations of Mesopotamia, Greek, Roman and Indus Valley, many other minor civilizations came into existence and they too underwent drastic changes in their constitution. A few of these civilizations are on the verge of extinction while others are now becoming extinct.
 
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