I am a native South Indian and I have visited North India a couple of times. I have seen a lot of differences in Cultural, Climatic and Food Habits and practises. The main distinction I have seen is the food that they eat is very different to what we have here in South India (but both of them are based of the same concept and cereals). it has become very hard for me to distinguish between the two, although I do know there is some part of me that just wants to scream it out, but I find it difficult. God Weare so different yet we are the same ? What do you think?
If you go 1km in distance you are bound to find the place different in culture, crowd, and food. It's true the some of the same cereals are used but just made in different ways. I think in North India more wheat is used in the forms of naans and roti, where as in South India rice is commonly used. Health wise I think South Indian food is much healthier as less oil is used as compared to North India where a lot of oil and ghee is used and gravy dishes are very thick in consistency as well. Both places the North and South have a good amount of tourists, but I think North has been more modernized according to the preference of the people living there and people visiting, and with South India, it has maintained its culture and history and is commonly know for its old temples and buildings. Both North and South are different with each other and you can not say one is better than the other or popular than the other. They have their own qualities and attractions.
Everything is different when you compare North and South India. Be it clothes - I have never seen a South Indian wearing a turban for example, languages spoken and the different traditions that are followed. The big fat Indian wedding is normally referred to a Punjabi wedding (lol) Your observations about food is bang on. I am told Punjabis start their breakfast with a sweet. South has a rice eating population and wheat is what predominates in the North. Last but not the least South has no snow which is a sad thing really.
