In the context of the diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States ? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint.

Cultural Practices & traditions:

1. Festivals: celebrated together and regionly. e.g: → Bihu in Assam → Baisakhi in Punjab → Pongal in south

2. Food habits: shared sea food culture seen in coastal states while dairy dominated in north

3. Pilgrimage sites are spread out: → Hindu: Chaar dham, South temples → Muslim: Dargah and mosques are throughout India.

(4) Cultural syncretism: Ganga Jamuna Tehzeeb as seen in Kathak dance, Avarkali suits.

(5) Role of family as an institution is strong: → promotes maintenance of culture.

(6) United but with regional touch: (e.g.) Hindu marriage of Delhi will be different from that of Bengal.

(7) Regional variations of dialects of main language: (e.g.) Hindi spoken differently in Bundelkhand v/s Rajasthan.