The Indian Diaspora is Forging Strong Bonds Between North and South India.

India is a vast country and until recently traveling between States was not that common. In the case of North and South India many myths are built up. A general myth was that in the South Lord Shiva was worshipped and in the North it was Vaishnavism. In reality Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Vishnu, Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman are all worshipped equally in both places. The imperialist Historians decreed that the North Indians also known as Aryans came from outside India. They were ‘fair’ skinned unlike the South where people were dark skinned. The Aryans colonised Dravidians of the South. So the people of the South were labelled as Dravidians. This Mantra became a ‘fact’ and planted a seed of separation from the two parts of the country. It suited the hegemony that the British imperial powers wanted to establish. This theory was taught in the schools and generations of people have repeated this lie including Indians. This lie has been exposed by modern DNA and anthropological studies. They show that people across both North and South India share deep, ancient indigenous ancestry with high degrees of historical intermixture rather than two isolated, pure biological races. DNA analysis from ancient Indus Valley Civilization sites (such as Rakhigarhi) and Bronze-Age samples disproves the old theory that light-skinned ‘Aryans’ invaded India, wiped out or chased away a distinct ‘Dravidian’ race, and completely replaced the population. In reality it was the ancient Indians also known as Aryans who settled in different parts of the world. Sanskrit the mother of Indo European languages also binds the two parts of India. Sanskrit remains the language of religious rituals, poojas and the masterpieces like Ramayana and Maharashtra.
It is the Indian diaspora which is forging this unity between the North and South. We are witnessing Hindu Mandirs installing deities that are held in great respect in the South of India. In doing so they are finding out that though the names of these deities may be different they are actually the same as the ones people from the North worship.
At the Swaminarayan Mandir in Abu Dhabi we see the deities of Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj, Radha-Krishna, Sita-Rama, Shiva-Parvati (with Ganesha and Kartikeya), Sri Venkateswara( Balaji), Lord Jagannath and Ayyappan. Shri Venkateswara is also known as Govinda. He is a form of Lord Vishnu. Ayyappan is son of Shiva and Vishnu (in the female Mohini form). He is also known as Hariharaputra. Ayyappa incarnated to slay the demoness Mahishi.
At the new Swaminarayan Mandir in Paris we have the Padmavati Venkateshwar Bhagwan and Ayyappa. Padmavati Venkateshwar are the forms of Laxmi and Vishnu. This incorporation of South Indian deities is building a strong bond between the two parts of India. At the Abu Dhabi Swaminarayan Mandir devotees from Keralam and TamilNadu organise big pooja festivals too. At the Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley which opened in 2010 they have a deity of Shri Tirupati Balaji which is a form of Lord Vishnu.
Similarly during the Navratri devotees from Southern States like Keralam, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana are taking part with great enthusiasm in the Gujarati Garbas. People from the North are also finding out that one of the greatest temples in Keralam is Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple at Thiruvananthapuram. Here we have Lord Vishnu in Anantha Shayana (eternal yogic sleep) reclining on the five-hooded serpent Adi Shesha. There are many more examples of Rama, Krishna and Vishnu deities in South Indian Mandirs.
There have been many Vaishnava Saints of South India. Yamunacharya was one of the early saints who propagated worship of Vishnu. Ramanuja was a philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Shri Vaishnavism tradition in Hinduism. His philosophical foundations for devotional practice were influential in the Bhakti movement. Chaitanya Maharabhu revived the Bhakti movement over 500 years ago. The Hare Krishna movement epitomises Chaitanya Mahaprabhu teachings today.
What we are seeing here is one of the strongest virtues of Sanatan Dharma. And that is an ability to change according to new circumstances that unfold. Brahamvihari Swami who with the guidance of Pramukh Swami and Mahant Swami Maharaj and other senior Sadhus has brought to reality the beautiful Mandir in Abu Dhabi has also welcomed the deities that are revered by the people of the South. In the process the BAPS Swaminarayan movement is spreading to other parts of India and to the Indian diaspora from different States of India. In the same spirit BAPS Mandir Neasden celebrated the Navratri festival this year. Just as North Indian Mandirs are installing deities that are worshipped in South India, the Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Mandir near Birmingham which opened in 2006 has installed the deity of Maha Vishnu keeping in mind the North Indian devotees.
In the UK there has been a unique partnership between the East African Indians who have built a powerful platform of Hindu Dharma over the last 60 years and the huge number of highly educated professionals who have come from India over the last 25 years. Together we have become a powerful voice for Sanatan Dharma.
Nitin Mehta
20 October 2026
www.nitinmehta.co.uk