Boston Mahesh: I suppose that this makes South Indians not-so-desi since they don’t arrive on a horse, have mendhi, mayun, etc. They have garlands and a big ass lunch and dinner in which guests sit on the floor, but no singing and dancing. This was the way historically, but I’m sure with the rise of bollywood and being a part of India since ’47, things are getting Punjabified.”

I have to point out one thing here—you are saying Punjabi = desi, and therefore south indians are not desi. If you assume Punjabi = desi and all others aren’t desi, tautalogically punjabis have a disproportionate representation . I am pretty sure no one in their right minds in India would ever say South Indians are not desi. Though as far as some of the diaspora and pakistanis are concerned, non punjabis from India don’t seem to register.

It isn’t quite fact that Punjabi have a disproportionately high impact on India, but from your lens, it is. We love them of course, but we also love non Punjabis around here.

I suppose that this makes South Indians not-so-desi since they don’t arrive on a horse, have mendhi, mayun, etc. They have garlands and a big ass lunch and dinner in which guests sit on the floor, but no singing and dancing. This was the way historically, but I’m sure with the rise of bollywood and being a part of India since ’47, things are getting Punjabified.

I don’t see the point of the Census racial classification system in the first place.

Anyway its very weird but growing up there is the specific I don’t know “Bazaari” subculture that sort of links the Khaleej, South Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan & the western edges of india so I never felt particularly “mixed” or “half”. The main difference is in mentality; as a rule of thumb Persians are subtle whereas Paks are overt.

Pre-1950 there was so much movement all around that families were very linked. We use the word “desi” and other such terms but these are external identifiers. Also I think the last century has seen Middle Easterners (particularly sophisticates) actively stress how Westernised and “non-Asian” they are. Every time I heard a Middle Eastern person say how unique the “Middle East” is I want to ask them what exactly is the “Middle East”. There is Arab world, Iran, Turkey, Af-Pak which seamlessly blends into India. Unfortunately the third world, particularly the Islamic world, has been deeply “Westoxified” absorbing the superficial elements of Western culture and orientation without imbibing the best and most formidable values.

Anyway to cut a long story short I’m as Brown as can be (though have never used that term) and definitely think of myself as an Asian & Easterner and I have a fairly good grasp of Persian culture. The Persians and other Middle Easterners have to define their own orientation but there is a trend, particularly among the secular and Westernised, to deny their “Easterness”..

Funny story when my oldest brother was getting married, his Sikh wife wore Desi but then also “respected our culture” by wearing a white wedding dress for one of the events. That’s what I found funny is that Arabs and Persians only do the western wedding dress and have completely adopted, which I never understand because I’ve been curious what was the “original” type (just googled it for Persians the bridal couple wore white and for Afghans its green).