Desi[a] (/ˈdeɪsi/ or/ˈdɛsi/[2]DAY-see orDESS-ee;Hindustani: देसी(Devanagari),دیسی(Perso-Arabic),Hindustani:[deːsiː])[b] alsoDeshi, is a loose term used to describe thepeoples,cultures, and products of theIndian subcontinent and theirdiaspora,[4] derived fromSanskritदेश (deśá), meaning 'land' or 'country'.[5] Desi traces its origin to the people from theSouth Asian republics ofIndia,Pakistan, andBangladesh,[c][1] and may also sometimes include people fromAfghanistan,Maldives,Nepal, andSri Lanka.[6][7][8][9][10]
Theethnonym belongs in theendonymic category (i.e., it is a self-appellation).Desi (देसी/دیسیdesī) is aHindustani (Hindi-Urdu) word, meaning 'national', ultimately fromSanskritdeśīya, derived fromdeśa (देश) 'region, province, country'.[3] The first known usage of the Sanskrit word is found in theNatya Shastra (~200 BCE), where it defines the regional varieties of folkperforming arts, as opposed to the classical, pan-Indianmargi. Thus,svadeśa (Sanskrit:स्वदेश) refers to one's own country or homeland, whileparadeśa (Sanskrit:परदेश) refers to another's country or a foreign land.
The wordDesi is widely used bySouth Asians, as well those of theSouth Asian diaspora, to describe themselves; those of South Asian origin, especially Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, use the term "as a means of asserting or reclaiming a sense of pride" in being South Asian, "particularly in the face of racism, discrimination, and stigmatization" of minorities in various parts of the world.[11] With regard to usage of the wordDesi, Helen Kim writes:[11]
Desiness imagines a more conhesive, pan-South Asian American community that goes beyond nation, class, and religion. Instead, a 'desi' South Asian American community comes together over its shared experiences of being positioned as non-White 'others', often cutting across differences in caste, class, religion, and gender. In the UK, the term 'desi' is commonly used to describe British [South] Asian forms of cultural production such as music, literature, and television programming. For example, shows such asDesi DNA, featured on the BBC and BBC Asian Network, cover all areas of current British [South] Asian popular culture such as film, music, and the visual arts, including fashion and style. Club nights that feature [South] Asian music such as bhangra and [South Asian] hip hop, as previously mentioned, are often billed as 'desi' nights. The Internet radio station DesiHits.com, rivaling the BBC Asian Network in cultural significance as well as in the number of young [South] Asian listeners, plays all the current [South] Asian hits, which allows one to browse online by artist and by genre, listing them under categories such as 'desi beats', 'Bollywood', and 'hip hop'.
Among teenagers who have ancestral roots in the Indian subcontinent, the termDesi is "embraced to elucidate a new inclusive identity of South Asians in the US, who participate as 'public consumers and producers of a distinctive, widely circulating cultural and linguistic forms'."[12] To this end, channels such asMTV Desi have recognized "the transnational nature of Desi youth culture, writers, producers, and VJs" and have shared "a range of topics relating to life in South Asia and the South Asian diaspora worldwide".[13]
"Desi" is sometimes perceived as offensive among some South Asian expatriates,[14] as they claim that it erases the diversity ofcultural identities within the South Asian community,[15] and that it primarily identifies the dominantNorth Indian community while excluding other South Asian groups.[14][16] Some resist the label, citing historical Indian imperialism and cultural hegemony.[14] They believe that terms like "Desi" impose a homogenous identity and fail to acknowledge the pluralistic nature of South Asian communities.[16] Alternatives like "South Asian" or "Brown" have been proposed, but they also have their limitations and can be perceived as misleading or exclusive.[16] While some individuals find the term "South Asian" inclusive and encompassing, others feel it does not fully capture their specific backgrounds.[14] The complexity and diversity of the diaspora necessitate recognizing multiple identities and resisting the tendency to homogenize or erase particular communities.[16]
Among non-diasporic South Asians, the termDesi is sometimes used to indicate that a person is rural, unexposed to foreign/modern culture, and more deeply steeped in native South Asian culture.[17][18]
The word "Desi" comes from the Sanskrit word "Desh" meaning "country". The word "Desi" is used to refer to something "from the country" and with time its usage shifted towards referring to people, cultures, and products of a specific region; for example, desi food, desi calendars, and desi dress.[19]
Desi contrasts with the Bengali andHindustani language wordvilāyati (Anglicised as "Blighty") meaning 'foreign',[20] which more specifically came to mean 'European', and 'British; English' during the time of theBritish Raj incolonial India.[21] The word is a loan ofIndian Persianvilāyatī (ولایاتی), fromvilāyat (ولایت) meaning 'Iran' and later 'Europe' or 'Britain',[22] ultimately from Arabicwilāyahولاية meaning 'state, province'.
After the passage of theImmigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the United States dramatically increased immigration from the subcontinent. As increasing numbers of students from the subcontinent arrived in the US and UK, their countries of origin were colloquially referred to asdeś. For example, all things Indian including Indian expatriates were referred to as "desi".
Frank Anthony, an Anglo-Indian Christian leader who helped write theConstitution of India stated that unlike Europe, “[colonial] India had achieved a basic ethnic and cultural unity.” (the boundaries of colonial India include the modern-day republics of independent India, as well as what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh.)[24]
In theUnited States, as in other countries, some diaspora desis are creating a "fusion" culture, in which foods, fashions, music, and the like from many areas ofSouth Asia are "fused" both with each other and with elements from Western culture.[25][non-primary source needed] For example, Urban Desi is a genre of music formed by the fusion of traditionalSouth Asian music and Westernurban music.[26] The growing demand of popular programming for South Asians causedMTV to launch the desi-targeted television channelMTV Desi.
In theUnited Kingdom, desi communities have continued the fusion culture which first emerged during the 89 year rule of theBritish Raj incolonial India, influencing British music, art, fashion and food. There are now dedicated radio stations catering to British-South Asians such as theBBC Asian Network.
In Canada, desis have established sizableethnic enclaves in areas such asBrampton, Ontario (suburbanToronto) andSurrey, British Columbia (suburbanVancouver).
TheNatya Shastra refers to the regional varieties of folk dance and music elements asdesi, and states that these are meant as pure entertainment for common people, while the pan-Indianmargi elements are to spiritually enlighten the audience. The medieval developments of theclassical Indian dance and music led to the introduction of desi gharanas, in addition to the classicalgharanas codified inNatya Shastra. Thedesi gharanas further developed into the present-dayadavus. There israga in Indian classical music known as "Desi".
In regions of South Asia,desi in the context of food, implies "native" or "traditional". For example, "Desi chicken" may refer to a native breed of chicken. This word is also usually restricted to Sanskrit-derived (Indo-Aryan) languages.
Heritage varieties of vegetables and other produce can also be qualified as "desi". "Desi diet" refers to a diet and food choices followed by Indians around the world.Desi daru refers to "country liquor", such asfenny,toddy andarrack. It is differentiated fromIndian-made foreign liquor such as Indian-madewhisky,rum, orvodka.
In the United Kingdom, the term Desi pub is used to describe a pub which is owned or managed by an Indian landlord, or which servesPunjabi food. They developed during the 1960s and 1970s at a time when some Britishpubs enforcedcolor bars to prevent Indians and other immigrants from drinking there. Desi pubs are especially common in theBlack Country and surrounding areas of the West Midlands. As well as drinking places, they also act as community hubs and meeting places for people from different backgrounds and are considered to be an example of successful integration of Indian immigrants into British culture.[27][28]
But as South Asians have built up diasporic communities around the world, 'desi' has traveled with them, used not as a put-down but as an expression of ethnic pride. Make that pan-ethnic: Anyone with heritage from the subcontinent—India, Pakistan, or Bangladesh—can identify as a 'desi' and partake in 'desi' culture.
The lives of South Asians in America, ordesis—a term meaning "of the land" from the Hindi/Urdu worddesh, or country—are both historically constituted and circumscribed by global processes and the limitations of what is possible today.
People from this region in South Asia (i.e., Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan) are broadly referred to as "Desi," meaning from this land. This is a colloquial term used by other South Asians to refer to people of their region when outside of their native land.
In our references, Desi countries of origin include Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Desi refers to the peoples indigenous to the precolonial Indian subcontinent, which is now comprised of several nation states that include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
In July 2005, MTV Networks announced the launch of MTV-Desi, a niche channel for South Asian-American youth. Launched with great fanfare, MTV-Desi sought to respond to ongoing changes in South Asian-American culture and to create a space within mainstream media that would speak to the particular experiences of Desi youth. In addition to Bollywood song sequences and Indi-pop music videos, the channel would feature US- and UK-based artists such as DJ Rekha, MIA, and Jay Sean, alongside popular American stars in order to create a "multi-ethnic, multi-genre playlist" that would resonate with Desi youth (Dev 2006). While music would remain the primary focus of programming, MTV-Desi would also develop new segments covering a range of topics relating to life in South Asia and the South Asian diaspora worldwide, including original shows such asLiveFrom, which would track Desi youth culture in cities across North America and the UK, and hit shows such asRoadies from MTV-India. Recognizing the transnational nature of Desi youth culture, writers, producers, and VJs worked hard to define MTV-Desi as a unique site of cultural production that neither mainstream American television nor the India-centric programming on Dish and DirecTV could match. Declaring that MTV-Desi would soon become the "pop culture destination for desis," Nusrat Durrani, general manager and senior vice president of MTV World, explained: "But more than the music, it is also about articulating the stories from this community--young South Asian-Americans who have grown up in the country, but have not seen themselves on TV" (cited in Mozumder 2005).
