Abstract
As Gandhi said "the soul of India lives in villages". The culture of India was born and is still living in them. The village is the smallest territorial unit, and since 3/4th of the Indian population lives in villages, understanding rural life leads to a larger understanding of the Indian society itself. Mostly, the architecture of the village is basic. The houses are made of mud, with palm trees leaves. Villages are almost self-sufficient. However, it would be a mistake to consider the village only as an autocratic political system. While political ties are strong, they are not and cannot be the only basis of the interdependence of families and individuals. The links are also economical, marital, and religious. Politically, every village has a Panchayat, irrespective of its size. The Panchayat is an institution comprising of well respected, elected or nominated people, who perform all executive, legislative and judicial duties in the village. It is the basis of the democratic system. Moreover, the Panchayat mostly performs welfare duties, such as education or health.
