Did Indian emigrants overseas come from mainly North India, South India or equally from all parts of India? (place, people)
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I know that most Chinese emigrants came from South China, rather than North China, and that shapes for instance what Chinese food is like in many western countries, but what about India?
I ask because in part I heard that most Indian restaurants in the United States and elsewhere in the west serve mainly food influenced by "North Indian", Mughlai cuisine, stuff like butter chicken, kebabs etc.
In Singapore and Malaysia, which large Indian minorities (about 10%) the largest state of origin is Tamil Nadu. Tamils form probably the majority in Singapore, and at least a large plurality if not majority in Malaysia. Tamil is actually the fourth official language of Singapore. There are sizeable Malayalee, Kanada, Andhra Pradeshi, and northern Indian communities, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Sikhs, Parsis. Bengalis are quite well represented now among the newer immigrants. So yes, they're more South Indian, and South Indian food is accordingly the most common type of food you will find. A lot of vegetarian Indian restaurants there.
I get the impression in the UK North Indians as well as Pakistanis and Bengalis predominate. In Australia I'd say it's a bit of a mix.
In Singapore and Malaysia, which large Indian minorities (about 10%) the largest state of origin is Tamil Nadu. Tamils form probably the majority in Singapore, and at least a large plurality if not majority in Malaysia. Tamil is actually the fourth official language of Singapore. There are sizeable Malayalee, Kanada, Andhra Pradeshi, and northern Indian communities, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Parsis. Bengalis are quite well represented now among the newer immigrants. So yes, they're more South Indian, and South Indian food is accordingly the most common type of food you will find. A lot of vegetarian Indian restaurants there.
I get the impression in the UK North Indians as well as Pakistanis and Bengalis predominate. In Australia I'd say it's a bit of a mix.
Let me confirm for you that the majority of Indians in the UK do, in fact, come from the North, with a very sizable amount of them from Punjab alone
Let me confirm for you that the majority of Indians in the UK do, in fact, come from the North, with a very sizable amount of them from Punjab alone
Yes, I was pretty sure. I wonder why, really. I mean most Indian immigration was post-war, and actually the South is wealthier on average, but maybe the north has more wealthy people?
In the case of Malaysia Indians arrived a long time ago, brought by the British as labourers.etc. The Tamils were often the labouring underclass while other Indians like Sikhs filled higher positions.
Interestingly, in the US it seems that there is a more even mix from other parts of India since Indian immigration is pretty recent and ongoing anyway (I think not just in the UK but also in Canada, north Indians like Punjabis dominate), but the generic Indian restaurant in America seems to have north Indian-influenced food rather than South Indian.
Interestingly, in the US it seems that there is a more even mix from other parts of India since Indian immigration is pretty recent and ongoing anyway (I think not just in the UK but also in Canada, north Indians like Punjabis dominate), but the generic Indian restaurant in America seems to have north Indian-influenced food rather than South Indian.
Maybe North Americans demand meat-heavy dishes, while South Indian is more vegetarian (though some meat dishes). Although once more Americans try a delicious south Indian thali they'll be saying, 'meat, whats that?' haha
In Canada, Sikhs, and Punjabis in general dominate with Tamils(many of them Sri Lankan) coming in an extremely distant second. In the UK it's something of a plurality(40%/35%) between Punjabis and Gujaratis; it seems that many Gujaratis Hindus are dabbling about in the UK Conservative Party(which I find sorta odd) and are pushing for the demographic category of "British Hindu". In the US, Gujaratis consist of about 40% of the Indian-American population; but Punjabis have a pretty strong showing, and people who go to the US on a work visa are mostly from the "south". In East Africa, I believe Gujaratis are most prevalent out of all Indians; some of my family actually immigrated to the US from Tanzania, and my cousin married a gal who seems to have well connected/influential family members in Kenya. In the Caribbean it's people with originating from the Bihar/Uttar Pradesh region. In Southeast Asia, it's mostly Tamils judging from the surnames.
In Canada, Sikhs, and Punjabis in general dominate with Tamils(many of them Sri Lankan) coming in an extremely distant second. In the UK it's something of a plurality(40%/35%) between Punjabis and Gujaratis; it seems that many Gujaratis Hindus are dabbling about in the UK Conservative Party(which I find sorta odd) and are pushing for the demographic category of "British Hindu". In the US, Gujaratis consist of about 40% of the Indian-American population; but Punjabis have a pretty strong showing, and people who go to the US on a work visa are mostly from the "south". In East Africa, I believe Gujaratis are most prevalent out of all Indians; some of my family actually immigrated to the US from Tanzania, and my cousin married a gal who seems to have well connected/influential family members in Kenya. In the Caribbean it's people with originating from the Bihar/Uttar Pradesh region. In Southeast Asia, it's mostly Tamils judging from the surnames.
Yes in Singapore Tamils are definitely the largest group, with smaller Malayalee, Gujarati, Punjabi including Sikhs, elsewhere in north and South Indians, with a lot of people now from Bangladesh and West Bengal. Singapore's Little India has a wide variety of South Asian cuisines, from Kashmir to Pakistan to Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, as well as Tamil of course. There's also a not insignificant Sinhalese/Sri Lankan Tamil community. Tamil is one of the 4 official languages of Singapore.
In the United States, there is no doubt that Gujaratis dominate with Punjabis coming second. What makes the Punjabi shift greater is that several Pakistanis come from the Punjab province. The main divide becomes religion at that point. The culture and language share too many similarities to divide them in that aspect.
South Indians are somewhat common here, but leagues behind Gujjus and Punjabis, that's for sure. Like someone else said, alotta work visa folks are from South India. And cities with significant tech industries (Bay Area) will have alotta South Indians considering India's IT hubs are in the South. People come from other parts of India, but just no where as much. Maharashtra is another place that's popular, but, again. No where as much as Gujjus/Punjabis.
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