North Indian versus a Keralite.

If  we ask  a student of class nine studying in North India,'Where is Quillon and what language is spoken there', I can vouchsafe that  70 %  children will  not be able to answer this question. Out of  the 30% who answer the question  another half may not know which language is spoken there.Similarly  the students in South India will not be familiar with  Bhatinda or Rewari, towns of  Northern India. Leave aside children, even many adults  are unaware of  the languages spoken in many parts of the country. The people do not distinguish between Tamil, Telugu, Malyalam and Kannada. For them all are Madrasis.  I will confine myself to Kerala and the North.
                      People staying in South India  believe that people staying on  Northern side of  Vindhyas are Punjabis. Similarly  people in the North of India have a belief that every one across the Vindhya  is  a Madrasi. A  North Indian girl  told her mother that she  wanted to marry a Keralite. The mother immediately reacted"Will you marry a Madrasi?" The daughter corrected ,"No Mom, he is not a Madrasi. He is a Keralite".The mother's reply was unique, "It is one and the same".
 Regarding food habits also the  notions formed have no base. In the North I have seen that even educated people  have the impression that Idli, Dosa and Sambaar comprise the staple food.of South Indians. They don't want to agree that these items are taken for breakfast or as a snack. In the South there is a similar opinion about 'Chole Bhature'..
 An interesting thing is that in the towns and cities of North, people will not agree to let out their property to 'Punjabis'. An opinion has been formed that Punjabis are quarrelsome and they will neither give rent in time nor vacate the property  easily. They prefer a "Madrasi" because he is harmless. How such a notion has spread,  is beyond any rationale.
However they have a similar stand on one issue. They  believe that husband  is an Avtara(God)  to be placed on a higher pedestal,. Both sides are 'one 'and have a common belief in this case. They never  address their husband by his name. In Kerala women call their husbands 'Chettan', which  means brother(I do not understand the reason for addressing. )  and 'Nokoo' (Look). Punjabi women address their spouses as 'Dekho', 'Suno"  or " Pappu ke papa" and so on.   This form of addressing is slowly being replaced by the first name of the husband.
What is your experience of  mingling with the people of the two States.?


Note this post is not directed towards any particular person . No  offence  meant.