The Bengali culture is found throughout the South Asian countries of India, West Bengal, Bangladesh, and even some of southern China. The region is right above the Bay Of Bengal. The bay created many rivers, therefore creating a flood plain and delta. This is where many people have farms because of the fertile grounds. The area the Bengali people is said to cover is around two hundred and thirty thousand square miles, of which thirty eight percent of the land is in India, and the rest in the nation of Bangladesh.
   The number of Bengali people is estimated to be around one hundred and thirty three million currently. This includes all people from various Bengali regions, races, and families. The region spans almost back for four millenia.
   The main region the Bengalis inhabit is very mountainous and has rugged terrain.This is because of the windy mountain range, which is also the highest mountain
range in the world, the Himalayas. The landscape can very also to plains and deltas because of the Ganges river nearby. The Ganges is very important to the culture and civilization because it provides water and energy for the surrounding areas. It is especially important because it is a religious landmark for the Hindu religion.
    The culture was started by Dravidian  people nearly four thousand years ago. The Dravidians were an ancient people that inhabited the lands around India and China. The Dravidian people eventually made the Indus-Valley civilization. Then the kingdom of Magadha took over the region of Bangladesh and the surrounding areas.  The influence from this culture affected the Bengalis drastically, to keep separate from them, they had to move to where they are today.The first reference to the name 'Bengali' came from a Greek historian in one hundred before Christ. It is speculated that the name came from the word 'Gangahard' meaning 'The land at the Ganges heart". The Magadha Empire became the footstool for the Indian Gupta Empire in the 3rd through 6th centuries. Since the 12th century to the nine-teenth century the region had been controlled by England and Great Britain under the rule of the kings and queens. The official language is Bengal, or Bengali. It is the main language for ninety eight percent of the population. Many of the other people also speak English and Urdu. The language of Bengali is originally from the ancient Sanskrit.
     Two main religions are practiced in Bengali culture: Islam and Hinduism. Buddhists and Christians are there, but definitely not enough to compare. Music, dancing, and songs are a big part of the native religions. Some parts of the culture believe that there are shamans, healers from the spirit world, living among the tribes. Bauls are believed to be the musicians from the gods.There is a large organization called the 'Holy Cross' and are trying to reach out to Bengali people through mission efforts. The Holy Cross is a mission team devoted to ministering to the countries in need. They have built hospitals, schools, and churches all around India and Bangladesh. Islam people are very extravagant in the festivals that they hold. They have two eids, a ramadan, shab-e-quadar, milad un-nabi, shab-e-barat, and many other celebrations. The whole community participates in these festivities, even if they are not Islam. Gifts are given during these festivals, but in cities gifts are given on birthdays. If you do not have a gift to give during these festivals it is considered rude and inconsiderate.

    The Bengali people work off the Caste system. So once you are born into a certain class, you cannot get out of it or into another one. The other levels are as follows: Brahmans are teachers, scholars, or priests. Kshatriya are warriors, military personnel, or the ruling elite. Vaishyas  are merchants, cattle herders, or artisans. Sudras are servants, laborers, or peasants. The lowest class is the 'Untouchables', where people are scared to even touch them because they think they are filthy and unclean. They are known by various names including Panchamas (5th varna), Ashprush (untouchables), Harijans (Children of God), and Dalits (literally broken people). Bengali houses are mostly shanty towns or mud huts, with an exception for rich people, who have nice stone or wood estates. The older you are, the more wise and respected you are. The older people in a group, whether it be a family or business meeting, are expected to make the decisions in the group. Men are usually well educated, therefore wives weren't allowed to go to school. But in recent years women have gained more rights and are schooled for around 8 years, but only because of the donations from other countries to make schools for women.
Bengali social customs are as unique as any other countries social customs. Bengali greetings are only between people of the same sex, and an offense if you greet someone of the opposite sex. If you are talking to someone the same age, you must use their first name, and if you greet anyone older or younger use their last names. At the dining room, do not use your left hand, for it is supposedly unclean and unholy.
     Bengali cuisine consists of rice, cattle, and dairy products. The people like to steam their food and use lots of spice. The modern education system was founded by missionaries to Bangladesh from Britain. There is a private and public sector, much like U.S. schools. There are many schools and businesses of repute in the Bengali area, including the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, which is renown for its teaching of business skills.
   The Bengali's main occupations consist of farming and industry. The agriculture sector is prevalent and many people farm for a living. As the numbers have it, the textile industry is one of the biggest occupations, raking in ten thousand textile, etc....businesses in Bangladesh alone. Banking and Education are close seconds to the top occupations. The usual work day consists of going to work and doing your job with no breaks and strict supervision.
     Bengali people have been struggling with a sad addiction to illegal drugs, such as opiates, since the introduction of them from China. The government has tried to fix this through extensive anti-drug laws, but to no avail. The problem is a big one, so it will take many years to help recover this country's social standards.
    Bengali people are unlike any other culture and are very unique.

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2.      2. “Category:Bengali Culture." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.

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 "Bangladesh." : Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Apr. 2013.