South Asia: Mini-tourWhat part of South Asian culture that we explore today would you like to learn more about? Why?

Did anything shock you? Why?

Geography

Languages

• There are over 1,652 different languages in the region and many more dialects.

• The most common languages are Hindi, English, Telugu, Urdu, Bengali, and Marathi.

Important Sites

• Taj Mahal: Built by Shahjahan in the 1700s for his wife.

Ganges River

• A major pilgrimage site for many Indians.

Religions

• Hinduism• Buddhism• Islam• Jainism • Sikhism

Families

• Traditional Indian households contain an extended family. (Parents, grandparents, children and their children.)

• In modern times, many families only live in nuclear families. (Parents and Children.)

Clothing

Culture Shocks

Indian Toilets

• It is traditional to a cupful of water and your left hand instead of toilet paper.

Weddings• Arranged marriages are losing

favor in India, especially among the wealthy but still account for 90%. These marriages are not forced but are typically arranged by the parents.

• For many Indian couples, the first time they meet is the day they get married.

• The divorce rate in India is 5-7%. The divorce rate in the U.S. is 50%.

Weddings (continued)

• Traditional weddings are huge and can last for days.

• Many have upwards of 500 guests. • It is thought of a marriage of two families

instead of the marriage of two people.

Transportation

• In India, a bike or motorbike is a family vehicle.

Transportation (Cont.)

Transportation (Cont.)

• School Transportation

Transportation

• Traffic jam and train.

Cosmopolitan Cities

• The big cities are just as advanced and cosmopolitan as any in the world.

Cities (Cont.)• Vast differences between urban and rural

areas.

Entertainment• Cricket and Bollywood, the world’s largest movie industry.

Different Social Rules• Personal space “bubble” is smaller than in the U.S.• Shake and eat with your right hand.

Social Rules (Cont.)• Friends hold hands to show endearment.

Why is it important that we study South Asia?

Singh is King (Akshay Kumar)

• India Music Video 1.mp4

India in 2 Minutes

• The World in 2 Minutes_ India.mp4