10 Things North Indians Believe About South Indians

North Indians may have progressed beyond lumping all the people from South India together in that amorphous group they used to call Madrasis, but there are still some beliefs North Indians continue to have about our Southern brethren: some admiration, some envy, some amazement:

1. South Indians are really, really bright

That one south Indian boy always stood first in class and won all the quiz competitions. After a while the other students in class just gave up. IITs are peopled with brainiacs born and brought up south of the Vindhyas. It is as inevitable as death and taxes, feel North Indians.

2. All South Indians are trained in classical dance

Well North Indians are not far wrong here. Astonishingly high proportions of people from the south are trained in Carnatic music or classical dances such as Bharatnatyam. So are south Indians more cultured than north Indians? Lots of north Indians seem to think so… I kind of agree.

3. South Indian names are unpronounceable

They really fox North Indians. Some South Indian names don’t have surnames; some have surnames that encapsulate an entire address. Confusing much? Some North Indians don’t even try; the initials are enough.

4. The weather is wonderful down south

North Indians are jealous of the weather in South India. The beautiful temperate South is what all the north yearns for when the summer days swelter and the winter nights chill to the bone.

4. South Indians cannot speak Hindi

6. South Indians have a funny accent

Hmmm – tried saying Canada recently Mr. From-the-Pind?

7. All South Indians watch ALL Rajini movies

Yes the South is a bit obsessed by the Rajini Phenomenon… did I hear you say “Bhai Megafan”?

8. People from the south are more modest

When Chetan Bhagat said in 2 States, a south Indian drawing room looks like a Punjabi's drawing room after its been burgled he wasn’t far wrong. Simplicity is the hall mark of the South Indian. Err… lets not forget about South Indian weddings and the jewelry shown off there, though.

9. Anything can happen in South Indian movies

Ditto Hindi movies! Logic, coherence, believability are not exactly the hallmark of mainstream Bollywood. Or Tollywood. Or Sandalwood. Or Mollywood.

10. All South Indians say….

All South Indians say….

Aiaiyo!, or Yenna Rascala. Seems a Pan-Indian thing doesn’t it? After all we’re Indians, all of us; we are like this only!

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