Jesal Sharma 
India’s multicultural identity is not a recent development or a modern idea. It is something built over thousands of years through migration, trade, religion, and regional diversity. What makes India unique is not just that it has many cultures, but that these cultures have existed together, influenced each other, and continued side by side without merging into a single uniform identity.
One of the clearest reasons is geography and movement of people. India was connected to major ancient trade routes, both by land through Central Asia and by sea through the Indian Ocean. Traders from Arabia brought not only goods like spices and textiles but also ideas, language influences, and religious practices, which is why you see strong Islamic cultural influences along coastal regions like Kerala and Gujarat. Similarly, Jewish communities settled in Kerala over a thousand years ago, and their traditions still exist today. The Parsis, who came from Persia to escape religious persecution, settled in western India and became an important part of cities like Mumbai, contributing to business, architecture, and culture while maintaining their own identity.
Different empires added further layers instead of replacing what existed before. The Mughal Empire introduced Persian art styles, architecture, and language influences, which blended with local traditions to create forms like Hindustani classical music and Urdu. At the same time, southern India continued to develop its own Dravidian traditions, languages like Tamil and Telugu, and temple architecture that looks completely different from northern styles. This is why a temple in Tamil Nadu looks entirely different from one in Uttar Pradesh, yet both are part of Indian culture.
Language diversity makes this even more visible. India does not have just one or two dominant languages. It has hundreds. Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, and many more are spoken by millions, each with its own script, literature, and history. Moving from one state to another can mean entering a completely different linguistic and cultural environment, yet all of these exist within the same nation.
Food is another strong example of multiculturalism. Wheat-based diets dominate in the north, leading to rotis and parathas, while rice is the staple in the south and east, leading to dishes like dosa, idli, and rice-based meals. Coastal regions rely on fish and coconut, while inland areas use dairy, lentils, and grains. Even a single dish like biryani has multiple regional versions, such as Hyderabadi, Lucknowi, and Kolkata biryani, each shaped by local history and taste.
Religion in India also shows this diversity clearly. Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism all have strong presences, often within the same cities. It is common to find a temple, mosque, church, and gurudwara within a short distance of each other. Festivals from different religions are widely recognised, and in many cases, people from different communities participate in each other’s celebrations.
India has always been multicultural because it developed through addition rather than replacement. New cultures arrived, but instead of erasing older ones, they became part of a larger, more complex whole. This is why India cannot be defined by a single language, religion, or tradition. It is a country where differences are not just present but deeply embedded into everyday life.
In India, multiculturalism is not an idea people are trying to achieve. It is simply how the country has always existed.
