Belgaum enjoys rich cultural diversity stemming from its proximity to the states of Maharashtra and Goa. Kannada and Marathi are the main languages spoken. The customs and traditions of Belgaum have been influenced by both the Kannada and Marathi cultures. Traditional dressing in rural Belgaum is similar to the attires of people in the north Karnataka and south Maharashtra belt; the men wear a turban with a long tailpiece at the rear and a dhoti (a sarong worn in a manner that allows easier movement) and the women wear sarees but with the lower half drawn like a dhoti. However, in the city, the costumes are very much in tune with modern urban India. Belgaum’s positioning has also made its cuisine a potpourri of central(Marathi)and north Indian flavours and the fast food is predominantly influenced by Marathi tastes (e.g. vada pav, missal) and other north Indian chaat.