The statement is deliberate and consciously made. I wanted to highlight the overt diversity that is ingrained in our society.
The color, form,features of different gods and also the mode of worship is different not only between North and South India; but, also within the same region. Different Casts have different gods and goddesses to worship, different festivals to celebrate and different rituals to follow. The extent of this cultural diversity can be imagined from the fact that in may Indian marriages, the two sides start big fight because they do not agree on the form of rituals they want to follow. I can go on and on in writing about the diversity.

The purpose is not to find the depth of diversity – the purpose however is to discover the underlying force which unites. The idea or the philosophy which brings the two fighting sides to enter in to a life long family relationship.

Indian national identify is not an umbrella indentity where all other identities have their place. For example USA where a legally binding national identity has been politically created where all sub-identities have their place to grow.

Indian national identity is like an organically grown coral reef where the calcarius polyps from all over the world have come and assimilated themselves to become a part of the reef itself. The entire reef is formed of the dead bodies of millions of generations of polyps and this has been providing solid foundation for the colorful life to grow and florish. Over a period different part of the reef acquires different forms, shapes, colors; but they remain integral part of the same reef. That does not need a polity to emphasise any more. The polity is blind and can see only diversity of colors, forms and shapes – it can not see the underlying reef.

I want to discover and strengthen the reef in our Indian polity. I do not agree to the concept of ‘Unity in Diversity’ which gives precedence to diversity. The national ethos should be guided by ‘Diversity in Unity’ which gives pre-eminence to Unity and allows for diversity.

We need to discover the synthesizing forces of our cultural ethos and strenghten it.

I did not understand the point about “Gods having no resemblance” – you mean as they are depicted or portrayed or that there are actually “different” Gods? (I think it is a bit of both)…Regardless, there is a common cultural and civilizational ethos that binds us together (as I mentioned at our meeting at LBS) otherwise why should Rameshwaram be sacred to “North Indians” and why should “South Indians” make a trek to Badrinath/ Kedardham?

You will also find this post interesting and thought-provoking: http://satyameva-jayate.org/2008/11/24/the-politics-of-identity/

In UK, I come across Marathi Mandal, Gujrati samaj, Bengali pujo samiti, but I have not come across an Indian cultural group. Why is this so?

Sometimes I ask a question – what is the essence of being an Indian? And – I do not find any answer.

As a Bihari, I have different festivals which are not a common with a South Indian. As a north Indian, I wear a dhoti in a completely different style as a Malyali or a Tamil.

In UK I find myself more at home as compared to Chennai because I can understand what a taxi driver says; but, I can not understand an auto driver cheating me in Chennai.
My Gods have no resemblance to the Gods prayed and worshipped in South India.

What is the common denominator between a North Indian and a South Indian?

Shall we not debate and try to find this if we are all serious about bringing Indianness on the forefront of all agenda?

***
In the meantime, violence against “outsiders” continues unabated:

4 Hindi speaking people shot dead in Assam
Monday, 10 March , 2008, 00:01

Dibrugarh: Four Hindi speaking people were shot dead by the banned ULFA militants in Assam’s Tengakhat in Dibrugarh district on Sunday night.

Official sources here said a group of militants came to a brick kiln near Udalguri tea estate between Chabua and Tengakhat around 10:30 pm and gunned down four of the workers there.