Title: Exploring cultural diversity of the people of India.

POPLINE Document Number: 081316

Author(s):

Joshi NV
Gadgil M
Patil S

Source citation:

CURRENT SCIENCE, 1993 Jan 10;64(1):10-7.

Abstract:

An examination of cultural diversity in India was conducted on the basis of data collected in the People of India (POI) project. Data on 776 individual items about identity, ecology, food habits, occupation, kinship networks, marriage rules, art and music, educational status, and impact of development programs were obtained from 2753 communities. States are identified by the number of communities, population size, mean number of traits, mean dissimilarity, and total number of traits. Homogeneity is reflected in union territory geographic units; heterogeneity is reflected at the state level. Communities may be predicted based on population size only at the state level. It is common for villages with 500-1000 inhabitants to support 8-16 communities. The minimum number of traits a community will support is 32 and the maximum is 406. The northeastern states of Nagaland and Mizoram reported a higher number of traits, while the northwestern states of Gujarat and Rajasthan reported a lower number of traits. The northwestern states tended to have physical features that were more similar and supported tribal groups with more food taboos, more rigid cultural practices, and caste-dominated occupations. Very few traits were reflected in little-known tribal groups such as the Sentinelese or Jarwas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Differences between communities showed that trait dissimilarities were lowest within the geographic tract comprising Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh and followers of the Jain religion. Trait dissimilarity was highest among Christians who were scattered across all states, followed by Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs. Nomadic pastoralists had the highest levels of trait dissimilarity; agriculturalists had the lowest. Of the populous states with over 250 communities, Bihar (261 communities) had the lowest dissimilarity and Maharashtra (305 communities) had the highest. Low trait richness was correlated with high levels of trait dissimilarities. The distribution of trait richness and dissimilarity is described. Clustering of traits shows the geographic proximity is not a simple predictor of differences, but a multivariate one. There is a clustering around 6 different food plants; clustering also occurs around resource use, or occupation with specific foods habits, or nomadic life and ecological setting. Changes in occupational patterns were also described.

Keywords:

India
Demographic Analysis
Culture
Community
Population Characteristics
Multiregional Analysis
Comparative Studies
Modernization
Food Supply
Standard of Living
Asia, Southern
Asia
Developing Countries
Research Methodology
Residence Characteristics
Population Distribution
Geographic Factors
Population
Demographic Factors
Studies
Social Change
Natural Resources
Environment
Economic Factors