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Synopsis Invisible rivers of religion and culture have flowed into India since time immemorial, perhaps even before the birth of the great river Indus that has nurtured equally great civilisations. It is not surprising that the great religions—Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism—have found a natural home in this great land of influences and confluences. The intricate mixing of religion and culture is as much part of the Indian ethos as song and dance, fairs and festivals. Yet, even as a distinctive entity, culture has manifested itself in several uniquely Indian ways: strong family ties and loyalty, spontaneous fellow-feeling, natural friendliness, and a creative mind. All these and more are reflected in the articles and papers that constitute the present four-volume compilation on Indian culture and its vast sweep. While the task of capturing the essence of Indian culture is not humanly possible, the materials included herein are representative of all that it signifies