In the context of diversity of india, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the states? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint.
Answers
Answer:
In terms of food and festivals there are commonalities: These tribes live in remote areas, and often make meagre income or surplus from Jhum-cultivation. So, their festivals and marriage ceremonies are designed such that the families have to save-up edible wild-plants, fermented liquor and mithun (domestic bovine) so that during the event, women of the village help preparing grand-feast, thereby ensuring the equitable food availability and balanced nutrient supply to all the members of village throughout the year.
But, given their internal ethnic and linguistic differentiation, it’ll be wrong to state that North East region equals “tribal cultural region”. North-East is infact a “Mixed Cultural region” wherein depending on the domination of Hindu, Christian and Tribal population in a particular state their cuisine, family customs, dance and music varies.
Even within Sikkim, we can see two broad cultural streaks- Sikkim-Buddhist culture & cuisine vs Nepali-Brahmin/Hindus.
Meghalaya’s Khasi and Garo tribes follow Matrilineal law of inheritance i.e. The youngest daughter of the house will stay with the parents and inherit the house that is named after her mother. The husband is expected to leave his house and live with his wife in his mother-in-laws house.
Whereas Manipur’s Meitei families are patriarchal and patrilocal practices i.e. Newly married couple usually live with the groom’s parents. Sons inherit their parent’s property equally while girls inherit nothing.
Nagaland too has patriarchal system, where women are neither recognized in the inheritance rights, not allowed in the traditional village councils. Violent protests erupted in 2017 against the proposal for 33% reservation to women in civic bodies.
Conclusion: North Eastern states are formed on ethno-linguistic lines. Culture differs within and across the state. Neither individual states nor entire region form a single block of uniform culture.
Western India: Culture transgresses state borders
Gujarati, Marathi and Rajasthani languages belong to the same Indo-Aryan linguistic group, and Hinduism and Jainism have significant presence in these three states:
Food: Rajasthani & North Gujarati cuisine is primarily made up of grains, pulses and dry items with longer shelf-life due to the scarcity of fresh vegetables, fruits and water (e.g. Daal-Baati, Churma), whereas South-Gujarati and Maharashtrian dishes have fresher items with shorter shelf-life (rice, khichdi, khamna-dhokla, Pohay, Misal Paav.)
Dress: Rural males in Southern Gujarat and Maharashtra prefer to wear white Gandhi cap, shirt and pyjama, whereas in Northern Gujarat and Rajasthan: rural males prefer turbans, kurta and dhoti.
Non-material components: Since Khstriya communities dominant in Rajasthan so honor, valour, sacrifice are cherished more. Whereas Gujarat has prevalence of agrarian and trading communities hence cooperation and aversion to violence. Maharashtra and Southern Gujarat: Ganesh Festival more prominent whereas in Northern Gujarat and Rajasthan: Festivals associated with female deities are more prominent.
Conclusion: At the macro level, the border areas between two states of India have a distinct language and culture which is influenced by elements from both the states: Northern-Gujarat and Rajasthan, Southern-Gujarat and Maharashtra, Karanataka and Maharashtra etc. Still, to say that Western India as a geographical unit or Bombay Presidency as a historic unit forms a cultural unit, will be an oversimplification. If we don’t dissect the intra-state cultural differences then we can see three state-wise cultures i.e. Maharastrian, Gujarati and Rajasthani. Hence here States form cultural units, rather than Regions.
South India: Individual states are cultural units
Southern India consists of: Andhra Pradesh (Telugu), Telengana (Telugu), Karnataka (Kannada), Tamilnadu (Tamil) and Kerala (Malyalam).
Dress: Trousers are unsuitable for the heat, humidity. They’re also inconvenient while fishing or working in the paddy-fields of Southern India. Hence Lungi is a common ‘material’ component of Southern culture.