5. India, That Is Bharat
1. India – An Ancient Land
India is one of the world’s oldest civilizations.
It has always been a land of cultural and spiritual unity, even though people spoke many languages and lived in different regions.
From the Himalayas in the north to the oceans in the south, people shared traditions, stories, and ideas.
2. How Indians Named India
Rig Veda (oldest text): called northwest India Sapta Sindhava = “land of seven rivers” (Indus and its tributaries).
Mahābhārata (epic poem): mentioned many regions like Kashmir, Kutch, Bengal, Assam, Kerala.
Bhāratavarṣha: meant “land of the Bharatas” (an ancient tribe). Later, it came to mean the whole subcontinent.
Jambudvīpa: “island of the jamun fruit.” Emperor Aśhoka used this name 2,300 years ago.
Viṣhṇu Purāṇa: described India as “the land north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains.”
Ancient Tamil poetry also described India from Cape Kumari (Kanyakumari) in the south to the Himalayas in the north.
3. India in the Constitution
When India became independent and wrote its Constitution in 1950, the first page declared:
“India, that is Bharat.”
In Hindi it is written as “Bhārat arthāth India.”
This shows the continuity of ancient names with modern India.
4. How Foreigners Named India
Persians (Iran, 6th century BCE): Called India Hind / Hidu / Hindu (from Sindhu river).
Greeks: Took the Persian word and called it Indoi / Indike → became “India.”
Chinese: Called India Yintu / Yindu / Tianzhu. “Tianzhu” also meant “heavenly master,” showing respect for Buddha.
Later Persians & Arabs: Used the word Hindustān (appeared in a Persian inscription ~1,800 years ago).
Europeans (English, French, Latin): Used India / Inde.
5. Travellers and Visitors
Many travellers came to India in ancient times.
Example: Xuanzang from China (7th century CE) stayed for 17 years, studied at Nalanda, and carried Buddhist texts back to China.
India was respected as a land of knowledge, spirituality, and trade.
6. Why India Had Many Names
Different regions and cultures saw India in different ways.
Names given by Indians themselves: Sapta Sindhava, Bhāratavarṣha, Jambudvīpa.
Names given by foreigners: Hind, Indoi, Yindu, Hindustān, India.
Almost all foreign names came from the word Sindhu (Indus River).
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Exercise Questions and Answers
Q1. Discuss what could be the meaning of the quotation at the start of the chapter.
Answer:
The quotation by Sri Aurobindo means that from very early times, India had a strong spiritual and cultural unity. Despite many different regions, languages and peoples, Indians shared common traditions, values, and ways of life, making them one civilization.
Q2. True or False
1. The Ṛig Veda describes the entire geography of India. → False
2. The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes the entire Subcontinent. → True
3. In Aśhoka’s time, ‘Jambudvīpa’ included what is today India, parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. → True
4. The Mahābhārata lists many regions, including Kashmir, Kutch, and Kerala. → True
5. The term ‘Hindustān’ first appeared in a Greek inscription more than 2,000 years ago. → False (It first appeared in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago).
6. In ancient Persian, the word ‘Hindu’ refers to the Hindu religion. → False (It referred only to the land near the Sindhu river).
7. ‘Bhārata’ is a name given to India by foreign travellers. → False (It was used by Indians themselves).
Q3. If you were born some 2,000 years ago and had the chance to name our country, what name or names might you have chosen, and why?
Answer (Sample):
I would have chosen the name Aryavarta (“land of the noble people”), because it shows the greatness of Indian culture and learning. Another name could be Saraswati Desh, to honour the famous river and goddess of knowledge.
Q4. Why did people travel to India from various parts of the world in ancient times?
Answer:
People travelled to India because:
1. For trade in spices, silk, cotton, and precious stones.
2. To spread or learn religions like Buddhism and Hinduism.
3. For education in universities like Takshashila and Nalanda.
4. Out of curiosity to explore new lands and cultures.
5. Some came as invaders to capture wealth and territory.
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