Essay – South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities
South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities Essay: South Asian societies are dissimilar to western societies as the major South Asian societies are characterized by cultural homogeneity in sharp contradiction to western societies which are heterogeneous. The majority of South Asian nations such as India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bhutan are pluralistic societies. It signifies that most of the societies in the southern part of Asia have multiple regions and cultural groups sharing space within the borders of their nation. For instance, in India in particular, citizens of various religions, castes, creed, races and social statuses dwell in the nation in a co-existent and interdependent setting.
Discussion
The culture of diversity and pluralistic identities make South Asian nations unique from western societies. India in general, arguably the most dominant state in the South Asian region is home to various religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Sikh, Zoratrians Jews and even to Chinese migrants to commute to the nation as slaves and labourers working in tanneries, tea and coffee plantations during the colonial era. The Indian constitution has been specifically acknowledged as a secular nation as documented in the preamble by the 1976 amendment. India has a majority of Hindu ethnicity, however, every religion is granted equal constitutional significance. With the exceptions of nations like Pakistan and Afghanistan which identify themselves as Islamic states, most of the other nations like Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh share cultural and religious identities through the spread of Hinduism and Buddhism. The congeniality in cultural identities among the South Asian nations can be assigned to the shared history of colonialism. India is a nation that was divided into two separate countries by partition, leading to the formation of Pakistan in 1947 and subsequently, Bangladesh in 1971 share major similarities. For instance, the influence of Urdu in the Punjabi and Hindi languages spoken by the majority of people in India showcases prominent linguistic semblances. On the other hand, the Bengali language is a common trait between the eastern regions of India and Bangladesh. The influence of Bangla is palpable in Assamese and other Northeastern states of India. The congeniality of South Asian pluralistic culture and identities led to the formation of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation on 8 December 1985 with founding members being India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The SAARC with major assistance from India has sought to strengthen South Asian identities to prominent status on the world stage through the “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or the world as a family. The inter-regional trade between South Asian nations is estimated to be $ 23 Billion as of 2022.
Conclusion
In conclusion, South Asian nations such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan share the traits of cultural plurality and diversity. The history of Colonialism by European nations such as the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Portugal has bound the nation with cultural identities rather than dividing them
FAQs
Q1. When did India become a secular nation?
Ans: The Indian constitution has been specifically acknowledged as a secular nation as documented in the preamble by the 1976 amendment.
Q2. How does SAARC help in regional cooperation?
Ans: The SAARC with major assistance from India has sought to strengthen South Asian identities to prominent status on the world stage through the “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or the world as a family. The inter-regional trade between South Asian nations is estimated to be $ 23 Billion as of 2022.
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