India is a vast country, and the most populous democracy in the world.

The country can be divided into five regions Northern, Southern, Eastern, Western and Central. India is a multilingual, multi-ethnic and pluralistic society, where one can come across a big difference between each region. Here, let us discuss some of the differences between North and South India. Both the regions have geographical, cultural, racial and political differences. North India lies in the Indo-Gangetic plain. Towards the North is the Himalayas, which separates the country from Central Asia. The Vindhya ranges separates the North from the South. South India is situated in the Peninsular Deccan Plateau. This region has the Arabian Sea in the west, Bay of Bengal in the east and Indian Ocean in the south. When talking about the racial differences, the North Indians are termed as Aryans, and the South Indians as Dravidians. In physique as well, there are many differences between the people of the South and North. The North Indians are taller, and more strongly built than the South Indians. The South Indians are a bit darker than the North Indians. A big difference can be seen in their dressing styles. Salwar Kamiz is the widely used dress by North Indian women. On the other hand, women in the South wear saris. While men in the North wear Salwar, the men in South prefer dhotis. Another difference that can be seen between North and South India is their food. When compared to the North Indian food, the South Indian food is spicier. The South Indians use more tamarind and coconut when compared to North Indians. The North Indians use more milk products when compared to the people of South India. When talking about the culture, there is vast difference between North and South India. One can come across differences in their music (Northern Hindustani and Southern Carnatic), dance forms and folks. Summary:

1. North India lies in the Indo-Gangetic plain. South India is situated in the Peninsular Deccan Plateau. 2. North Indians are termed as Aryans, and the South Indians as Dravidians. 3. The North Indians are taller, and more strongly built than the South Indians. The South Indians are a bit darker than the North Indians. 4. When compared to the North Indian food, the South Indian food is spicier. 5. The South Indians use more tamarind and coconut when compared to North Indians.

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IT has become common among statesmen and historians to speak of unity in diversity with regard to India. To some, this many afford an easy escape from considering seriously either the nature of unity or of diversity. In analysing the differences between the cultural regions in India one does not, of course, commit oneself to a denial of their fundamental unity. That there are significant elements of continuity in race and culture between the different regions of India is not merely a question of ideology, but a historical and scientific fact. The terms Aryan and Dravidian have generally been used to emphasise the distinctiveness in both race and culture of the people of North and South India respectively. This is unfortunate, for both these terms refer to linguistic categories which may not coincide with racial or biological categories. Strictly speaking there is no Dravidian race, although there is a Dravidian family of languages, and one may even loosely speak of a Dravidian culture. The confusion of racial and cultural categories has been an unfortunate feature of much of nineteenth century ethnology. It persists among educated laymen who continue to speak with confidence about the Dravidian race, if not the Aryan race.

The concept of race has been critically examined in recent years. Some
anthropologists, like Ashley Montagu, have indeed argued that the older conception of race as a localized and pure physical type may have to be jettisoned. Human populations in even fairly small areas are so diverse, and their patterns of heredity so complex, that it becomes almost impossible to make any kind of ethnogeographical classification. Not only is there no such thing as an Aryan race, but the population of North India is so diverse that it is difficult even to identify the many physical types that have gone into its composition. Many physical types have for many generations intermixed with one another, some coming from outside and others perhaps local to the soil. There are, then, no pure physical types either in the North or in the South, the population of North India being perhaps more mixed than that of the South. This diversity within each area reduces the contrast between the two regions, North and South. Thus, although a Kashmiri, as a physical type, may stand in sharp contrast to an Andhra, the Bengali, who is North Indian, may be closer racially to the latter rather than the former. Thus, there are many elements of continuity between the people of North and South India considered as racial types. In this regard some North Indian groups may stand closer to the South Indians than to other groups in North India. Earlier ethnologists thought of the Aryans and Dravidians as constituting two distinct and pure physical types. Groups which did not fit either of these types were

explained as being mixtures of the two. Thus, Risley spoke of the population of Bihar as being Aryo-Dravidian and the Maharashtrians as being ScythoDravidians. The people of Bengal were, according to Risley, Mongolo-Dravidian. Recent researches tend to show that these anomalies may not be so easily accounted for. Diversities within each of the regions and continuities between them cannot be explained simply in terms of intermarriage across the border. Excavations in Harappa and Mohenjodaro have shown that diversities in the population existed even before the Aryan and Dravidian cultures had crystallized as such. The skulls from the Indus Valley sites contain both Aryan and Dravidian types. It should cause little surprise, therefore, to find in the contemporary population Aryan types in the South and Dravidian types in the North.

The criteria generally used in racial classifications in India are somatic traits such
as skin-colour, hair form, stature, shape of the head as measured by the cephalic index and form of the nose as given by the nasal index. Any population that is homogenous and distinctive in the possession of a number of such traits may be regarded as a race. As indicated earlier, a race in this sense is an ideal rather than an existing fact. There is considerable overlap between adjacent populations, and hardly any group is homogenous with regard to even a small number of criteria. Skin-colour is, in general, lighter among North Indians than among South Indians. But here again there are many exceptions and North Indians are by no means homogenous in this respect. From the Punjab through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar into Bengal the colour of the skin becomes progressively darker. On the other hand, the Saraswat Brahmins of Mangalore, to take one example, are usually of a fairly light skin-colour. The average stature also is higher in the North than in the South, but here again similar exceptions are noted. The Coorgs, for instance have a higher average stature than the people of Bengal or Gujarat. South Indians are more commonly dolichocephalic or long-headed, but there are some notable exceptions. In the North, long-, medium- and broad-headed populations are found intermixed in quite a complicated manner. South Indians are usually medium-nosed (mesorrhine), and this is perhaps true for most North Indians too. However, the proportion of narrow-nosed (leptorrhine) people is considerably greater in the North as compared to the South. Dr. Guha, in his racial classification of India, has divided the population into six basic types. Of these, the Negrito and the Pre-Dravidian are to be found mainly in the tribal population. A third type, the Palae-Mongoloid is confined to tribal and semi-tribal groups living in the Himalayan foothills. The Nordic type, in its pure

form, is also confined to a small section of the population in the extreme North. The two remaining types, namely the Mediterraneans and the Western Brachycephals, account for the remaining bulk of the Indian population. Each of these again has three sub-types.

The Mediterranean type is of slight build and is characteristically dolichocephalic

or long-headed. The skin-colour varies from dark to light brown. It is found typically among the people of South India, although many North Indians also belong to this type. The Western Brachycephals are, on the other hand, broadheaded, and occur typically in the population of Maharashtra and Bengal, as also in other North Indian states. The Coorgs of South India, however, belong to this group, being both tall and broad-headed. We conclude, therefore, that no hard and fast lines can be drawn in racial, i.e., biological, terms between the peoples of North and South India.

The terms Aryan and Dravidian, as explained above, refer to linguistic divisions,
and there are major differences of language between the people of North and South India. The North Indian languages, such as Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati, belong to the Indo-Aryan family and are related to the modern European languages. The South Indian languages, such as Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada, belong to the Dravidian family. The North Indian languages are inflectional in nature whereas the South Indian languages areagglutinative. The formation of words is based upon different principles in the two groups of languages. However, in language also there are many common elements between the people of North and South India. English has been the language of higher learning in both divisions of the country for almost a hundred years. More important than this, the influence of Sanskrit has acted, although unequally, over both North and South Indian languages. All South Indian languages, including Tamil, have a substantial stock of words derived from Sanskrit. Telugu and Kannada are heavily Sanskritised in their vocabulary, and the copiousness of Sanskritic words is an index of a high-flown and literary style in these, as in so many North Indian languages. Attempts have been made from time to time to prepare maps of cultural zones in India. These maps show the distribution of culture traits mainly traits of material

culture throughout the country. In such distribution maps the primary division tends to be between North and South, although the culture zones do not coincide exactly with geographical divisions. Items of dress and diet vary between North and South, although such marginal areas as Bengal and Maharashtra tend, as often as not, to share features of South Indian material culture. An interesting account of variations in material traits is to be found in N.K. Boses paper on Culture Zones in India. It may be pointed out here that regional variations have also been corroborated to a certain extent by the findings of archaeology. In the Palaeolithic period, the handaxe culture was concentrated in the South, and important sites have been discovered in Madras and Mayurbhanj. The Soan Valley sites in the Punjab show, on the other hand, an entirely different cultural type, namely, the flake and pebble complex. Neolithic tools again are found in East and South India and are largely absent in the North and West. These differences, of course, may be of little or no significance to the present-day distribution of cultures.

Many of the cultural differences between North and South India have been
attributed to the differential impact of Muslim rule. Muslim dynasties ruled in North India continuously for more than five hundred years and Muslim culture influenced local ways of living in many important respects. Muslim influence came later in the South and was on the whole much more superficial. It is on these grounds that some have claimed that South Indian culture has preserved in a more pure and pristine form the traditional Hindu ways of living. These differences are expressed perhaps most strikingly in the architecture of North and South India. The most impressive examples of North Indian architecture are the monuments created by the Muslims. No doubt these were influenced in varying degrees by Hindu styles, but they are basically Islamic in expression. Even Hindu architecture in the North, as Professor Kabir shows in The Indian Heritage, reveals the influence of Muslim styles. The temples of South India, on the other hand, belong to an entirely different tradition. They contrast with North Indian mosques and mausolea in their absence of domes and in their rich and elaborate ornamentation.

Muslim influence is also alleged to have affected differentially the social

organization of the people of North and South India. The greater rigidity of caste in

South India, and the importance of purity-pollution concepts, have been attributed by some to the absence of a strong and lasting Muslim influence. There are, however, a number of other facts which appear to be responsible for these differences. The different types of castes which have been dominant in the different areas may be one of the factors to be taken into account. Throughout South India, and particularly in Madras and Mysore, castes are divided into three groups, viz., Brahmins, Non-Brahmins and Untouchables. This division serves to highlight the unique position of the Brahmin, and his social importance. In North India, the Brahmin is not to the same extent separated from the rest of the population, and his position appears to be not quite as unique. Social anthropologists have noticed the importance of secular criteria of caste dominance in North India in contrast to ritual criteria which appear to be more important in the South. This might indicate a significant cultural difference between the two regions which will have to be investigated in greater detail.

Castes in all parts of India are endogamous or inmarrying. However, differences

in marriage rules lead to differences in kinship alignments between North and South India. In North India, marriage is generally not allowed between persons who are closely related to each other. In South India, the opposite is the case and preferential kin-marriage is a widespread phenomenon. Marriage with the mothers brothers daughter or the elder sisters daughter is practiced by most of the castes of South India. This leads to the fact that ones relations by blood and by marriage happen to be the same. Thus, there are many ties of kinship and affinity between the same set of persons in South Indian society. It is in this connection that Mrs Karve has contrasted the close-knit kinship system of South India with the ramifying system of the North. Within the scope of a brief article it is possible to indicate differences between North and South India in only a broad and limited way. No doubt there are innumerable details not touched upon here which express the diversity of Indian culture. Variations in detail can be pointed out between adjacent districts, not to speak of such large geographical divisions as North and South India. But it must be repeated that these differences in culture and social organization do not by any means completely mask the many elements of continuity between the different regions of India. Village life shows broadly similar features everywhere in India. The distinctiveness of the Indian village community has become almost proverbial. Without emphasizing too much this distinctiveness, one can say that it does provide a common way of living and a common outlook on life to the rural people

of India as a whole. The vertical unity of the village cuts across the horizontal unity of caste in broadly similar ways in every part of the country. The joint family and wider kinship groups affect similarly the lives of people in every region. The broad framework of caste is the same throughout India. Caste-wise division of labour was a characteristic of Indian society as a whole and still forms an important feature of Indias rural economy. The varna scheme provide everywhere an ideal model for the ranking of castes. There are similarities not only in the hierarchy of caste, but also in patterns of caste mobility. Sanskritisation and Westernisation are means for enhancing the status of a caste in the North as much as in the South.

The Brahmins, as agents of Sanskritic learning, have provided a common

framework of values throughout India. The same ideas of dharma, karma and samsara operate in North as well as South India. The epics and the Puranic legends, the many temples and centres of pilgrimage have all contributed to build up a Great Tradition that has a truly all-India character. British rule created new conditions for the unity of India. It brought together effectively, under a single administration, the entire population of the country. With its railways and postal and telegraphic system, new conditions of mobility were created; this led to an interchange of people and ideas on a scale that was perhaps unprecedented. The rise of nationalism was partly based upon these conditions, and already in the nineteenth century people had become conscious of the unity of India as a political necessity.

Some of the famous festivals of North India are:

Holi: It is the most colourful festival of North India, celebrated with great enthusiasm, especially in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. During this festival, people paint each other with colourful colours and feast on delicious sweets. Drenched in colours, people greet each other and dance away to glory. It is celebrated in the month of March/April.

Janmashtami: It is the festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna. Ages ago, Lord Krishna took birth in Mathura to show that good is always powerful than evil. Devotees keep fast on this day and sing devotional songs in the praise of the Lord.

Diwali: It is the festival of light celebrating the victory of good over evil. During this festival, houses are decorated, small lamps (diyas) are lit, Goddess Laxmi is worshipped, crackers are burnt, and gifts are exchanged. It is one of the most important festivals of North India. It is celebrated in the month of October/November.

Pushkar Fair: It is the largest cattle fair in the world, celebrated in October/November in Rajasthan. Filled with several cultural activities, the fair attracts people from across the world.

Surajkund Craft Mela: Displaying wonderful traditional handicrafts of several states of India, Surajkund Craft Mela is very popular with tourists. Visitors can also relish a variety of dishes from various states at the Mela. Dance and music performances are also a part of the Mela. This fair stretches for 15 days.

Hemis Festival: Celebrated in Hemis Monastery for two days in June/July in Jammu and Kashmir, Hemis Festival is a colourful fair offering a wide variety of handicrafts.

Taj Mahotsav: It is a ten-day festival celebrated in Agra in the month of February every year. Showcasing the rich heritage of Uttar Pradesh, Taj Mahotsav has a lot to offer to the visitorsarts, crafts, cuisine, dance and music performances.

amous Festivals of South India Aaranmula Boat Race (Kerala)

Famous Festivals of South India - The boat race is organized every year in the beautiful village of Aaranmula during August-September. The Aaranmula boat race is the part of the Aaramula Temple festival. People gather on the shores of the river Pamba, to see a huge cluster of snake boats called Palliyodams. The boats measuring 100 ft long, resemble the hood of snake and a tampering bow. Nicely decorated with silk and gold spangled umbrellas, each boat is oared by a crew of more than 100 men.

Nehru Trophy Boat Race (Kerala)

The annual water festival at Punnamada Lake in Alleppey, is regarded as the largest snake boat race in

the world. This most famous boat race of Kerala is held every year to commemorate the visit of Late Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru, to this place in 1952. About 100-120 oarsmen, oar these magnificent snake boats or Chundans to the rhythmic accompaniment of local songs.

Onam (Kerala)
Famous Festivals of South India and the national festival of Kerala is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingham (August/September). Onam celebrates the return of the legendary king Mahabali, who ruled over a golden age. The ten-day-long festival marks the month of harvest suggesting prosperity and happiness all around. People decorate their yards with flowers. Dressed in their new clothes they assemble in their homes for the traditional Onam meal.

Thrissur Pooram Festival (Kerala)

Thrissur Pooram Festival is the most colourful and spectacular temple festival of Kerala. It is believed that during the festival the gods and goddesses of nearby province meet together for celebration. The festival falls in the spring months of Pooram Asterism, and is conducted at the great Vadakkunnatha temple of Thrissur.

Pongal Festival (Tamil Nadu)

The Pongal festival of Tamil Nadu is celebrated to mark the end of the southeast monsoons and the reaping of the harvest as well. The four-day festival falls in the month of Thai and is mainly a rural festival. The festival is considered auspicious for begining a new venture. The Sun is worshiped during the festival.

Natyanjali Dance Festival (Tamil Nadu )

Dedicated to the Cosmic Dancer, Lord Shiva, the Natyanjali Dance festival is celebrated every year during February/ March. The festival starts on the occasion of the Maha Shivaratri, at the 'Prakar' of the Chidamaram Temple. The temple built around thousand years ago, provides a beautiful backdrop to the event.

Mysore Dussehra (Karnataka)

The ten-day-long festival falls every year in the month of October. Dedicated to Goddess Chamundeshwari, the festival is celebrated by the people of Karnataka with great pomp and glamour. The last day of the festival sees a colourful procession of elephnats, carrying the the idol of goddess Chamundehswari.

Karaga Festival (Karnataka)

The festival is celebrated in the capital city Bangalore, in the honour of the queen of Pandavas, Draupadi. Karaga is celebrated annually on the full moon day of April.

Makar Sankranti (Andhra Pradesh)

This harvesting festival is celebrated in Mid January for three days. The first day of the festival is called Bhogi, second day is Samranti while the third day is known as Kanuma. During the festival many

families arrange a doll show and invite their friends and give alms to the poor. They also decorate and worship their cattle.