UNRAVELLING THE
NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE

DISCUSSION GROUP IV

Content Page
Content Page

1. Introduction.…………………………………………………………………………… 1 1.1 Methodology…………………………………………………………………. 3
2. North-South Divide
2.1 Language Binary..…………………………………………………………….. 2.1.1 Northern Indians, Sanskrit, Hindi and Influence of English.………..4 2.1.2 Northern Indians, Sanskrit, Punjabi and Influence of English………4 2.1.3 Southern Indians, Tamil and Influence of English….…………...…. 5 2.1.4 Southern Indians, Telugu and Influence of English…………………6

2.2 Religious Binary.………..………………….………………………………… 7 2.2.1 Hinduism ………….……………………………………………….. 7 2.2.2 Islam.………….……………………………………………………. 12 2.2.3 Inter-religious Interaction.…….…….……………………………… 13 2.2.4 Evaluation..…………………………………………………………. 13

2.3 Economic Binary.………………………………....…………………..……… 14 2.3.1 Introduction………………………………………………………… 14 2.3.2 Indians in Colonial Singapore……………………………………… 14 2.3.3 During Japanese Occupation……………………………………….. 17 2.3.4 Post War to Present Day Singapore………………………………… 17

2.4 Cultural Binary.………………………………………………………………. 18 2.4.1 Word “Raga”.………………………………………………………. 19 2.4.2 South Indian Music…………………………………………….…… 21

3. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………….…….. 23
4. Bibliography …………………………………………………………….……………... 26
5. Appendix A…………………………………………………………….……………….. 28

1. Introduction

India, the second most populous country in the world, is home to a rich diversity of people from a myriad of geographical, cultural, political and racial backgrounds. Partly for the purpose of easier administration and classification process, India was divided into two broad groups: North and South.

Additionally, Indians are neither distinct nor homogeneous as a community. They are “compartmentalized by occupational, religious, educational, and linguistic differences,