I will try to clean the above from excess print:

Dear Praj:

I’d like to spend more time on your original post: “she is a Punjabi and I am a South Indian and we belong to different religions and speak different languages”-

Punjabis are associated with the Punjab region in northwestern India and eastern Pakistan (Punjab means five rivers in Persian). The Punjabi people first practiced Hinduism, the oldest recorded religion in the Punjab region. Today, the majority of Indian Punjabis are either Sikhs or Hindus, with a Muslim minority.

The Punjab has been described as the “breadbasket of both India and Pakistan”. Agriculture has been the major economic feature of the Punjab and the foundation of the Punjabi culture, with one’s social status being determined by landownership. Besides being known for agriculture and trade, the Punjab is also a region that over the centuries has experienced many foreign invasions and consequently has a long-standing history of warfare. Warrior culture typically elevates the value of the community’s honor (izzat), which is highly esteemed by Punjabis.

The Punjabi diaspora (Punjabis who emigrated out of the Punjab region of India and Pakistan) numbers around the world has been given between 2.5 and 10 million, mainly concentrated in Britain, Canada, United States, and other parts of the world. 85% of Indo-Canadians in British Columbia are Punjabi Sikhs.

The influence of Islam,  specifically Sufism and Sikhism are widespread in the modern-day North Indian society, clearly palpable in linguistics, music, attire, etc. Much of this influence can be attributed to close to a millennium of Muslim rule across North India. Unlike in the North, South India had less outside influence. As such the original Hindu traditions are relatively better preserved in South India than in North India.

Hinduism and Sikhism are both Indian religions but one is much older than the other. Hinduism has pre-historic origins while Sikhism was founded in the 15th century by Guru Nanak. Both religions share the concepts of Karma, Dharma and other concepts but interpret them differently. For example, according to Hinduism, the soul is sent to heaven or hell before it is sent back to a new reincarnation. The souls are reborn into another being as per their karma. Sikhs believe that heaven and hell are also both in this world where everyone reaps the fruit of karma.

There are four varnas within Hindu society (a varna is a social class within the hierarchical caste system). Within these varnas, there are also many jati. The first varna is the Brahmin (teacher or priest), the second is the Kshatriya  (ruler or warrior), the third is the Vaishya (merchant or farmer) and the fourth is the Shudra (servant or laborer). People who are excluded from the four-fold varna system are considered untouchables and are called Dalit. (Contact with the untouchables is traditionally considered to defile members of higher castes, hence… untouchables).

Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, preached against the caste system and for abolishing caste-based prejudice. But although Sikh Gurus criticized the hierarchy of the caste system, one does exist in Sikh community. Some Sikh families continue to check the caste of any prospective marriage partner for their children. In addition, Sikhs of some castes tend to establish gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) intended for their caste only.

Praj- now that I know more about Punjabis and South Indians, maybe I can answer you better in regard to your particular situation. I read that marriages between Punjabis and South Indians are common, particularly among the diaspora in the Western world. Is this accurate?

anita