Uttarakhand in transition: globalisation impact on culture, cuisine and language

Uttarakhand, in the Himalayan foothills, is known for its dense cultural heritage, dialects, and traditional cuisine. Historically influenced by nature and spiritual ethos, the area has evolved unique indigenous practices. With the influences of globalization and westernization now on the move, these indigenous traditions of Uttarakhand's culture, cuisine, and language are being profoundly altered. This review examines the twofold influence of local customs and global influences in Uttarakhand, highlighting the impact of globalization on the cultural practices, food culture, and linguistic identity of the region. Globalization, propelled by communication, trade, and global cooperation advances, has caused cultures to slowly become homogenized. In Uttarakhand, this is experienced through changes in festival rituals, practices, and art forms, where global influences are gradually making their presence felt in the traditional practices. The new generation, being exposed to international media and tourism, is fusing traditional customs with cosmopolitan sensibilities, creating anxiety about the integrity and continuity of the cultural heritage of the region. Language itself, a strong component of culture, is in the process of change as local dialects such as Kumaoni and Garhwali become secondary to the spread of Hindi and English. This change causes difficulties for retaining cultural heritage as the rich storytelling tradition associated with these languages also becomes vulnerable.