Mistry

Jai Mistry
Mrs. Yates
AP Human 1
2 May 2016
Unit 4: Political Organization of Space
The world is gradually becoming more and more unitary. The Western cultural
presence in India is direct evidence, as it lessens distinctions between India and the West
itself. In even a place as auspicious as Shirdi, the home of the creator of a mass Hindu
following, the Western influence is unquestioned. The globalization of the world has
resulted in the blurring of previously established boundaries globally and also reflects
histories of the past.
My family and I, during our two-week stay in India, visited the auspicious
hometown of a revered Hindu figure, Sai Baba. Within the city is a temple, filled to the
maximum with eager devotees. Even though the city was dominated by a major templeattraction, next to it was a mall full of Western shops and restaurants. This is an example
of how such a distinguished and unique cultural landmark is part of an integrated globe,
as even a place of such religious indigenous value has room for relatively new Western
influences. The auspiciousness of the area can prevent it from being westernized for so
long before McDonalds and Pizza Huts flood the region. After Western ideas have been
introduced, there is no way back from the path of globalization, even regarding the
cultural worth of the area. The Westernization of Shirdi shows how political or even
spatial boundaries between places in the West and the East are not as prevalent as before

Mistry
due to connecting forces in the establishment of Western things such as shops and
restaurants.
All the Western influences in Shirdi only reflect Indias relatively recent history of
British domination. The British colonial impact on India is unquestionable, as it is
exhibited through details as irrelevant as peoples clothing choices. The British in almost
every way possible, such as political boundaries, have affected the present South Asian
sub-continent. Clothes, vehicles, language, hairstyles, architecture and technology are
only a few things introduced or affected by previous British colonialism. However, these
created borders do not hinder South Asias contact with the Western world at all. As the
world progresses into the future, distinct boundaries such as distance and political borders
prove no obstacle in the goal of mass world globalization. The world is becoming more
and more unified, and no place is being left out from this global inclusiveness.
Histories of the past directly reflect modern relationships between
countries/regions and globalization has resulted in the more intimate and appreciative
nature of these relationships. Visiting Shirdi was direct proof, as its Western influences
range from being prevalent since British colonial rule to modern influences through
globalization. The world is becoming more and more unitary.