Culture of South India

The South Indian culture is celebrated in the elaborate dance forms of South India: Koodiyattam, Bharatanatyam, Oyilattam, Karakattam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Thirayattam, Theyyam, Bhuta Kola, Ottamthullal, Oppana, Kerala Natanam, Mohiniaattam and Yakshagana.

Top 05 - South Indian Culture and Heritage

01. Cinema

The silver screen is an ever-growing area of culture in South India, with a film industry worth around $42 billion as well as the highest per capita movie consumption in India.

From the first silent film in 1916, the industry covers all genres, from thrillers and dramas to good old fashioned love stories. South Indian cinema has influenced politics and film personalities like C.N.Annadurai and M.G.Ramachandran have gone on to become Chief Ministers.

Films are produced in the four regional languages - Kannada cinema (Karnataka), Malayalam cinema (Kerala), Tamil cinema (Tamil Nadu) and Telugu cinema (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh).

02. Languages

As South India covers a vast area, it's unsurprising that you'll hear different dialects and accents as you travel from town to town. The majority of people in South India speak one of the four major Dravidian languages. Here's a quick guide, along with some useful translations!

03. Religion

South India is home to many people belonging to different religious schools of thought and, refreshingly, there is a very progressive and tolerant culture towards this.

Hinduism is the most popular religion, accounting for about 80% of the population, with both the Shaivite and Vaishnavite branches being practiced. Around 11% follow Islam, mainly in the Malabar Coast and Christianity is popular in the south, making up around 8% of the population.

One of the oldest Jewish communities in the world can be found in Kerala, who are rumoured to have arrived in the Malabar coast during King Solomon’s reign.

You’ll see many celebrations of religion in architecture, sculpture and arts and craft, not to mention the vibrant festivals honouring deities, saints and gods.

04. Clothing

Beautiful to behold, South Indian clothing is also a part of cultural identity.

You’ll see South Indian women traditionally wearing a saree (or sari), an unstitched draping garment that enhances the shape of the wearer. The stomach and navel are only partially covered to pay homage to Indian philosophy, where the navel of the Supreme Being is believed to be the source of creativity and life.

Unless in a formal or religious situation, South Indian men do not traditionally cover their upper body and wear either a colourful lungi or a white dhoti, types of sarong embroidered with typical batik patterns.

In parts of north Karnataka and in Andhra, men wear kachche panchey, tied at the back, and in the peninsular coastal region, lungis and saris are also tied at the back.

05. Dancing

South Indian dancing is spectacular – a variety of elaborate dance forms that tell stories and convey emotion in a twirl of bright colours accompanied by traditional music.

Karnataka

Dollu Kunitha - a dance with quick movements, performed in rituals.

Beesu Samsale - dancers produce interesting sounds from hand cymbals.

Kerala

Padayani - dancers wear massive masks called ‘Kolams’.

Oppana - a wedding dance where dancers circle the bride.

Perini - a dominant, acrobatic war dance performed while worshipping Lord Shiva.

Tamil Nadu

Karagattam - dancers balance pots on their head.

Mayil Attam - known as the ‘peacock dance’, dancers dress and move as peacocks.

Paampu Attam - dancers dress as snakes.

Therukoothu - dancers wear dramatic make-up and clothing to tell stories from Hindu epics.

Garadi - dancers are dressed like monkeys and perform acrobatic moves.