PM Modi explains India to Lex Fridman in 4 minutes — ‘100 languages, thousands of dialects...’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi explained India as a nation in just four minutes to MIT scientist and American podcaster Lex Fridman.

In a podcast where PM Modi spoke on several topics, Lex Fridman questioned the Prime Minister about the idea that unifies India as one nation and what was the foundational idea which unites the nation in terms of communities and culture. 

Explaining the ideology of India to Lex Fridman, Modi highlighted how India is a civilization that dates back thousands of years, comprising more than 100 languages and thousands of dialects.

Modi also emphasised India's diversity, saying that every 20 miles in the nation, the language, customs, cuisine, and clothing keeps changing.

“Look, India is a cultural identity. It is a civilization that dates back thousands of years. Consider the vastness of India, over 100 languages, thousands of dialects. India is so diverse that we have a saying that every 20 miles, the language changes, customs change, cuisine changes, even clothing styles shift from region to region,” said PM Modi. 

India - North to South

Further, Modi highlighted that India's diversity ranges from the North to the South and cited Lord Ram, whose name echoes in every corner of the nation.

“From the south to the north, you will see immense diversity across the country. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find a common thread. For example, the stories of Lord Ram can be heard everywhere in India. His name echoes in every corner of the country. But if you look closely from Tamil Nadu to Jammu and Kashmir, you will always find people whose names include Ram in some form. In Gujarat, he might be called Rambhai. In Tamil Nadu, Ramachandra, and in Maharashtra, Rambhau,”said PM Modi.

Cultural bond in India

Highlighting India's unique cultural bond, PM Modi related it to one simple ritual: Taking a bath in river water.

“We have a ritual where all the rivers of India are remembered. They chant, ” I am bathing with the waters of all these rivers: Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmada, Sindhu, Kaveri. It’s a sentiment that unites a nation, and we have a long tradition of making such resolutions at the beginning of important events and rituals,” said PM Modi in the podcast.

PM Modi also focused on Indians performing Puja during their weddings and drew a parallel to how they relate to the entire universe, beginning with Jambudweep, Bharatkhand, and Aryavrat, and gradually narrowing it down to the village, then mentioning the specific family and finally, invoke the family deity. 

“And the resolution itself can present a historical record. And in so doing serve as a way of collecting and preserving historical data. It has been an incredibly unique system, guided meticulously by our scriptures. When someone makes a resolution, performs a Puja, or even during weddings, we start by invoking the entire universe, beginning with Jambudweep, Bharatkhand, Aryavrat, and gradually narrow it down to the village, then mentioning the specific family, and finally, we invoke the family deity. This practice is still alive, happening daily in every corner of India, but sadly, the Western and global models began viewing nations only as administrative systems,” said PM Modi.

Unity in India

PM Modi also addressed how India was fragmented, scattered and varied across regions due to factors like multiple Kings and ruling regimes. However, the Unity of the nation lies in the cultural bonds in the system. 

“India, however, has had a variety of administrative systems throughout history. Many systems were fragmented, scattered and varied across regions. Kings and rulers were numerous, but India’s unity lay in cultural bonds,” he said.

Traditions and pilgrimage have played a key role in keeping the people of the nation united. To date, millions of people in India travel from one place to another for pilgrimage.

“Pilgrimage traditions played a key role in preserving this unity. Shankaracharya established the four pilgrimage sites. Even today, millions of people travel from one place to another for pilgrimage. In Kashi, you’ll find people who bring water from Rameshwaram to Kashi and take water from Kashi to Rameshwaram. Even if you look at our Hindu calendar, you’ll find so many things across the country that you can’t even imagine,” said PM Modi in the podcast.