Modi argues that India's unity is cultural and civilizational, not administrative. Despite vast diversity in language, customs, and cuisine, a common thread runs through shared stories of Lord Ram, ritual invocations of all rivers, and pilgrimage traditions that have preserved this unity for millennia. ✦ AI generated
Narendra Modi · Lex Fridman · 2025-03-16 · original ↗
plays this moment only · 75:25 — 78:00
“What is the idea that unifies India? What is India as a nation? What is the foundational idea that unites all of these disparate worlds and communities and cultures?”
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 ship 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.
verbatim transcript · starts at 75:25