desi culture; a very inclusive thread appreciating ALL of south asia

disclaimer: south asia includes afghanistan, bangladesh, bhutan, india, the maldives, nepal, pakistan, and sri lanka

south asia is home to one of the world’s earliest known civilizations, the indus civilization. the major religions in south asia consist of hindusim, islam, sikhism, buddhism, and christianity

traditional clothing in afghanistan are inspired by pashtun culture

the country is also known for its traditional carpets known as afghan rugs

some popular dishes in afghanistan; grilled lamb kebab, roasted chicken, mantu (dumplings), and kabuli palaw

street food in afghanistan!

fun fact: one of the oldest oil painting on earth is from afghanistan

bangladesh was originally part of pakistan and was referred to as ‘east pakistan’ however bangladesh eventually sought independence (refer to bangladesh liberation war)

an important aspect of the culture of bangladesh is clothing; woman usually wear saris and young females wear salwar kameez. men’s casual wear is the lungi with formal clothing being suits or shirts and trousers however on cultural or religious occasions men wear panjabi

the nation’s staple food is rice served with various types of dishes and curries

street food in bangladesh is top tier and a must try

rooted in bangladesh’s culture, history and religion are the nation’s architectural attributes and designs. the nation owns architectural relics and monuments which are thousands of years old. here are some of the remains of pre-muslim buddhist architecture at paharpur

weddings in bangladesh culture is prominent and always eventful; first there’s an islamic ceremony called a nikkah, then a gaye holud (pre-wedding), and finally the huge reception

bhutan is located in the himalayan mountains of south asia, the culture of bhutan dates back over hundreds of years ago

bhutanese clothing

bhutanese food

people of bhutan celebrate a number of festivals throughout the year but one of the most unique is the tshechu

architecture of bhutan

Indian culture is often considered as a collective from a shared group of distinct cultures that had originated in the Indian subcontinent. The origins of these cultures developed in the countries of India, Pakistan Bangladesh, and Nepal

the ancient Indian classical language is called Sanskrit which was one of the most earliest Indo-European languages to be developed

The modern Indian languages, such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Urdu, and Manipuri, each have their own unique and significant traditions which go back for many centuries. In terms of native speakers, Hindi is the most common language spoken in India

indian food

traditional Indian clothing

Indian art and architecture

spices and herbs have been used by indians for thousands of years for both culinary and health purposes

The culture of Maldives is influenced by the proximity of the island nation to India and Sri Lanka

maldivian food

maldivian traditional clothing

architecture in the maldives

nepal is a sovereign state in south asia situated in the himalayas, the culture is influenced by the indian and tibetan culture

nepalese food

nepalese clothing

architecture of nepal

pakistan has multiple ethnic groups and cultures such as punjabis, kashmirs, muhajirs, pashtuns, shinaki and a few other communities scattered all over the country. these groups have come to form a new culture heavily influenced by the neighboring countries and the cultures

the country’s population speaks more than 60 languages and among them all, urdu is the national language. the other official language is english

pakistani clothing

pakistani food

pakistani architecture

and finally, sri lanka which is famous for its beautiful beaches, lush, green forests, and also its rich culture that is strongly influenced by theravada buddhism

sri lankan tamil, sri lankan moors, and indian tamil are the biggest ethnic minority groups in the country. sinhala and tamil are both regarded as the national and official languages of sri lanka

sri lankan food

sri lankan clothing

sri lankan architecture

this is called mehendi (aka henna) it is a temporary art form of skin decoration that is used for beauty during many events, such as weddings and coming of age ceremonies. this art is practiced in countries like India, pakistan, nepal, and bangladesh

south asia celebrates many amazing festivals ranging from holi, diwali, to pahela baishakh, eid festivals and more!

the countries of south asia share a strong connection through indian film as well. the Indian movie industry came to be known as bollywood which has become popular culture