India is a cultural civilization unified by deep common threads — language diversity, shared epics, pilgrimage traditions, and ritual practices — not merely an administrative state.

Modi describes India as a cultural identity and ancient civilization united by common threads like the stories of Lord Ram, pilgrimage traditions connecting every region, and ritual practices that invoke the entire geography of the nation. ✦ AI generated

Narendra Modi · Lex Fridman · 2025-03-16 · original ↗

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, 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 Ram Bhai. In Tamil Nadu, Ramachandra, and in Maharashtra, Ram Bhau. This unique cultural bond is what unites India as one civilization. Take something as simple as bathing in 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.

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