Chapter 5: India, that is Bharat

Answer: We can define India as a geographical and cultural unit bounded by the snowy mountains (Himalayas) in the north and the sea in the south. It is a region where spiritual and cultural unity has been established since early times, which has become an integral part of a great stream of human life even amidst diversity.

Answer: Our country was mainly given names like 'Jambudvipa' and 'Bharat' (or Bharatvarsh) by ancient Indians. Later, through contact with foreigners and invaders, it became known as 'Hindu', 'Indoi', 'Hindos', 'Hindustan', and 'India'.

Answer/Outline: By studying the map, we can clearly see the following natural boundaries:

• In the North: The vast 'Himalayas' mountain range and the 'Hindu Kush' mountains in the northwest act as a natural wall.
• In the South, East, and West: The Indian peninsula is surrounded by the sea on three sides. The Arabian Sea in the west, the Bay of Bengal in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south form natural boundaries.

Answer/Outline: Students should carefully observe the map of the Mahabharata period given on page 79. From the regions shown in it, you can make a list of names you have heard in historical serials or stories like this:

Gandhara, Panchala, Magadha, Kashi, Kosala, Avanti, Saurashtra, Kalinga, Dravida, Chola, and Pandya, etc.

Answer: Yes, the 'snow-capped mountains' refer to the 'Himalayas' mountain range located in the north of India. The shloka from the Vishnu Purana "Uttaram Yat Samudrasya Himadreschaiva Dakshinam...", which means "The country that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharat," provides an absolutely accurate and appropriate brief geographical description of our country India's boundaries.

Answer: Yes, in Part I of the original English text of the Indian Constitution given on page 82, it is clearly written: "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." This shows that our country's constitution has officially accepted both the names 'India' and 'Bharat' with the same meaning.

Answer/Outline: Based on the chain of words derived from the name of the river Sindhu (such as Sindhu → Hindu → Indoi/Indike) given on page 81 and other details, the table can be filled as follows:

• Persian: Hindu
• Greek: Indoi / Indike
• Latin: India (given)
• Chinese: Yindu (As shown in the chart on page 81: Sindhu → Hindu → Indu → Yindu)
• Arabic and Persian: Hindu / Al-Hind
• English: India (given)
• French: Inde (given)

Answer: The quote by Sri Aurobindo is given on page 75: "Spiritual and cultural unity was established in India from the very early times..." It means that India is not just a piece of land, but a great cultural and spiritual stream spread from the Himalayas to the ocean. Despite geographical diversity since ancient times, there has been an unbreakable inner unity in the life values of the people here.

• (a) The Rigveda describes the complete geography of India.
  Answer: False. (The Vedas mention some rivers; there is no claim of complete geography in the textbook).
• (b) The Vishnu Purana describes the entire subcontinent.
  Answer: True. (The shloka describes the entire region north of the ocean and south of the mountains).
• (c) During Ashoka's time, 'Jambudvipa' included present-day India, parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
  Answer: True.
• (d) The Mahabharata has a list of many regions, which mentions some regions including Kashmir, Kutch, and Kerala.
  Answer: True. (According to the map, southern states like Kerala, etc., are shown).
• (e) The word 'Hindustan' was first used 2000 years ago in a Greek inscription.
  Answer: False. (The Greeks used the word Indoi/Indike).
• (f) In the ancient Persian language, the word 'Hindu' refers to the Hindu religion.
  Answer: False. (The word 'Hindu' was used to denote the Sindhu river and its region, not the religion).
• (g) India was given the name Bharat by foreign travelers.
  Answer: False. (The name Bharat was given by the ancient Indians themselves. Foreign travelers gave the name India).

Outline (Guidance for students): You have to think for yourself in this question. For example, you can write, "If I were born 2000 years ago, I would have chosen the name 'Aryavarta' or 'Himasagar Desh' for the country, because it is protected between the Himalayas and the ocean." You can think of any logical name of your choice and note down the reasons for it.

Answer/Outline: Despite the absence of modern vehicles in ancient times, people traveled long distances for the following purposes:

• Trade and Commerce: Foreign travelers came to buy and sell spices, cloth, or precious metals from one country to another.
• Discovery of new lands: To know new cultures and gain geographical knowledge of the world.
• Propagation of religion and pilgrimage: To spread Buddhism or other religions, or to visit holy pilgrimage sites.
• Conquest and invasion: Foreign invaders like Alexander traveled to expand their empires and acquire wealth.
• Shelter or migration: People migrated in search of new and safe habitats to escape natural disasters, famines, or wars.