Research Paper on Cultural, Political and Social Identity of the South Asian People

Introduction

South Asia is made up of India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Maldives. The South Asian region is approximated to be having 1.8 billion people and some of the ethnic groups found in the place include; Tibetan, Iranian Dravidian, and Indo-Aryan, among others. The region consists of the sub-Himalayan kingdoms, and the Indian Ocean bounds it. It is one of the areas considered to be densely populated. It is a region with the highest number of Muslims followed by the Christians and finally the Buddhists. South Asia is a region with many faces but is also viewed as that with uniformity in culture and identity. It is a region that is considered to be culturally rich but also seen by the outside world as the hotbed of religious violence. The political setup is a mix of democratic and autocratic leadership. It is made up of a different culture that emanates from the Indian/ Hindu and is also shaped by Buddhism and Islamic religions. There is little influence from the Confucian culture of the north and even Catholicism. The region experiences a lot of cultural conflicts because of the different principles brought about by religion as well as language and ancient experiences.

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The purpose of the paper is to explore the culture of South Asia based on different parameters, which include; religion, politics, ethnicity, famous art, and music. The target audience includes students, sociology art, and culture scholars. It will explore the cultures which define the identity of the people on the context of religion, political, and social organization. Because of the culturally rich status of the Asian people, it is a time challenging to distinguish one way of life from another as the population is large.

South Asia is known as the cradle of civilization because of its significant achievement in technology, art, trade, planning of the cities and architecture, among others. The region began to thrive in approximately two thousand years ago through the Harappa civilization. The Harappa culture was, however, overpowered by the Vedic culture because of the adverse climatic conditions and population dislocation through the Indo-Aryan migration. The migration led to the settlement in the Indo-gagentic plain and the establishment of the social order known as the caste system. The system was arranged in the Varna order where tribes were congregated into kingdoms. The arrangement led to the beginning of rivalry because of the hierarchy system, which put people into classes and social rules. Those from the lower caste were not allowed to interact with those from the higher hierarchy. The Vedic political set up resulted in significant urbanization, flourishing commercial activities, and military competition. The Vedas are the source of a majority of literature, art, ethnic activities, and philosophic ideas, among others.

The Vedas are the significant contributors of religious scriptures, some of the full practice rituals in Asia, sacrifices, and mediations. The ceremonies were carried down from one generation to another, and they are still practiced to date in the region. The Vedas contributions were primarily used in the establishment of modern-day doctrines and also political ideas and concepts which were made into law. The major world religions that originated from South Asia include; Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. It is important to note that with the introduction of Islam, eighty percent of the population became Muslim, a religion that is dominant in the region to date. The few areas with Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Bhutan while Pakistan, Afghanistan, among other areas are dominated by the Islamic religion. There are also regions with Christian believers practicing the Catholic faith.

One of the significant difference among the people in the region is the aspect which emanates from Egalitarianism and caste system. According to the egalitarian principles, all the people are equal, and no one is born superior to another. Everyone is entitled to enjoy all the rights and privileges as provided by the law. It is the system followed by the elites in the region. On the contrary, there is the caste system which puts people under social classes which and explains that there are those people born poor and should remain in the same caste while there are those form a rich lineage who also need to maintain their status. The rich are not to mingle with the underprivileged. The Hindu faith is the source of the caste system, which gave people a commonplace in society right from birth. Because some people were not comfortable with the caste system, and they hated the way people were treated, they broke away and formed the Buddhism and Islamic religions, which were defined by Egalitarian principles. Buddhism was and is still practiced in regions such as Sri Lanka and Bhutan, while Islam is prevalent in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Hindu religion, on the other hand, is popular in India and Nepal

The caste system was majorly practiced in India, but it is fading away in the modern society which has gone through great civilizations, but the cultural roots are still in existence especially in the rural parts of India. The various religions in South Asia greatly determine how people live as it lays principles to be followed. The way of dressing, food, art, among other aspects, is much determined by the religion followed by people in the place. It gives strict guidelines on how the food should be prepared and served. Devotions were also a significant source of different cuisines in South Asia. Also, art being made is based on the religious belief of the people in the place. For instance, there are buildings designed based on Islamic beliefs and others, according to Catholicism.

In South Asia, there are two significant languages Indo-Aryan and Dravidian. The significant places where the Indo-Aryan language is spoken is in regions such as Nepal, Sri Lanka Bangladesh, and Pakistan, among others. On the other hand, Dravidian is much expressed in India and some parts of Sri Lanka as well. There are also several other small languages being used in different parts of South Asia, and they include; Pashto, Punjabi, Bengali, Sidhi, and Dari, among others. It is estimated that the total number of languages being spoken in the South Asian region add up to seven hundred and eighty.

The dress code for men and women in India is different where for the women; the Saris are worn while for men, Panches and Dhotis are the order of the day. Pakistan's primary dress code is the Salwar Kameez, and this is the same as that of Bangladesh. Sri Lanka's dress code is the same as that of India. The foods that are generally consumed In South Asia is majorly spiced. The meals are heavily spiced and with meat being eaten with most foods. It is except the Hindus and Buddhists who do not eat meat because of religious restrictions. They majorly consume vegetarian foods but with lots of spices too.

The people of South Asia are also rich in art, and the designs originated from religions practiced by different groups of people. Temples were put in place to represent the image of the Supreme Being that the group believed the external parts of the temples were covered with sculpted images with numerous decorations that were curved out to enhance the beauty of the buildings. The religious carvings and decorations were meant to glorify the gods that the South Asian people worshipped. The sculptors also curved various images such as the magnificent curves of women and pictures of married couples to emphasize on the importance of marriage and the beauty of women. The women in this region signified wealth, greatness, and prosperity.

South Asia also thrived in plastic arts, great philosophy, and exemplary literature which documented the way of life and the traditions of the people. Music and dance was also a great deal among the people as it was a way of celebrating as well as mourning. It was a way of expressing joy or sorrow. The primary philosophical system in the region was Vedanta, which is credited to Shankara, the great philosopher. One of the Philosophical ideas the elite emphasized was that of monistic faith which linked the soul of a human being with divine authority. There are also several secular kinds of literature that were written in the South Asian region, and they include; epics, poems, fables among others which were written about the happenings of the time. The literature was first written in Sanskrit then translated to other languages.

Music and dance were also a critical part of the South Asian region lifestyle. Both religious and secular music and dance were essential. The dominant religion that greatly blended religion and culture with music is Hindu. The dancing in this cultural belief was spread to diverse parts of the region and was much enjoyed and adopted by people. Some of the epics that continue to spread in the area include Ramayana and Mahabharata among the Indians. Museums were also used to preserve culture and traditions among the South Asian people.

The world has become dynamic, and most of the cultural beliefs have changed over time. In the South Asian regions, people are embracing modernity, and some cultural views are being shed off. With the emergence of the modern education system and the introduction of technology, a lot has changed. People are no longer rooted in their traditions but have begun to emulate the western world. Women are now getting an education and no longer regarded as home keepers like in the ancient days. The political systems are embracing the egalitarian type of leadership. Women have also risen to take part in the political direction and writing of literature. The regions have also developed ties with the outside world, such as the western countries, and they are slowly aping their culture. The strict traditions are fading away as people become elites and embrace western culture. The political system is a blend of democratic and autocratic leadership. It is made up of a different culture which emanates from the Indian community and also shaped by Buddhism and Islamic religions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is essential to note that the South Asian region is culturally rich, with different beliefs and practices. The area is guided by religious principles. Various religions are being practiced by the people, and they include Hindu, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity. A majority of the people in the region believe in Islam. The Hindu religion is more conservative because it is the one that introduced the caste system that put people in social classes while Buddhism and Islam follow the egalitarian principles where all people are equal. The buildings were also constructed using the religious architectural designs which were used to glorify deity of different religions.

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