Comments on Profile Post by SummerForest

the people and Their culture . The culture means nothing if you don't care for and respect the individuals and people who make it first

The concept of culture in south, east and south-east Asia is very complex, though. History plays a great role in shaping culture here.

History is one of my most favorite topics and I love Asian history the most. One that I have much of

But history is the collective movement and actions of individuals and people over a period of time

I read ancient histories about long extinct ethnicities and nations and current news of the same subject

By history I mean how these Asian countries have been influenced by each other through commercial interactions and conquests and later by European colonization.

Yep,and also by the ethnic mixing of the same.

I first learned to love Asian culture particularly East Asian culture first from my Dad who was a naval seaman that had a tour of duty in 64&65 in the Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, South Korea and South Vietnam. My dad always wanted to go back and never did.However he taught my sister and I a love of that part of the world. That was reinforced later on by different means

Ethnic mixing took place due to those commercial interactions in ancient time.

And other reasons. And not so ancient times either

Interesting! The countries you mentioned are the least influenced by Indian subcontinent though.

My love of India grew later, after i read some about South Asia when I started reading encyclopedias since I was 8. Plus meeting a Southern Indian family when I was about 22. Of course my interactions here on NUF play apart as well

You haven't met many Bengalis from India I think?

Nope, the family i know is Marathi/Hindi mix

And I consider India to be a union of many nations like the United Kingdom is

Bengalis are very liberal and love literature. Culturally, they are the most open minded people here.

It's not nations exactly, it's more a union of races and cultures.

In UK the separate political identities are important, but in India it is not.

Tell that to the groups in NorthEastIndia that want to split)

Ahh that's a totally different story. Do you know how they came to join the Indian Union after 1947? They were distinctly separate people in the first place. Never much of a part of the political map of ancient and medieval India.

The people there are not political nations, but diverse ethnic groups and I think Indian political leaders completely failed to provide them the facilities they had expected when they first joined Indian Union.

I know , The Naga,Assamesse, Kukis, Garo, Khasi, Tripuri , Ahom and others. I support their ambitions to separate through it was very wrong of them to murder the mainly Bengali settlers and other things done

I think they won't gain much from getting separated. For most of the amenities they'll have to depend on India. The leaders of those ethnic groups who joined India, were politically wise people. It is our failure that we couldn't actually do much for them.
Assam and Tripura are part of India from ancient time. But the rage against Bengalis there is mostly politically motivated.

History of India is indeed very complex. But I appreciate how different ethnicities and religions intermingled here.

Perhaps maybe Probably. On a different topic about Bengalis been meaning to ask if there is much interaction with your Eastern Bengali ethnic brethren on a day to day basis amongst the regular populace ?

Eastern Bengalis? Well, there's not much division among modern Indian Bengalis anymore. There's some exaggerated difference in dialect and food habits shown in popular literature and movies, though.

Talking about with your ethnic kindred in Bangladesh

I was waiting for this mention haha. What should I say? The dialect is different and the outlook in general is also different. I think their long interaction with Islam has made them more conservative (talking about Hindus there). People still immigrate to India (mostly illegally) and rate of minor marriage is higher among them. Actually, I can tell you a lot more, but this isn't the right place.

Ok, was curious because talking with people in the thick of the matter is more telling than reading about it in encyclopedias

Exactly. I've seen how people believe in crazy things about other nations and races.