Explore India’s cultural unity, rich geography, and its historical
significance that has shaped civilization from ancient to
modern times.

Chapter 5 India, That Is Bharat

Class 6 NCERT Social
Science Exploring Society India
and Beyond

New
Syllabus | Easy to remember solutions

Concept
Map: 

Chapter 5: India That is Bharat (भारत जो है भारत)

Cultural and Spiritual Unity (सांस्कृतिक और आध्यात्मिक एकता)

Geographical References in Ancient Texts (प्राचीन ग्रंथों में भौगोलिक संदर्भ)

Foreign Travelers’ Accounts of India (विदेशी यात्रियों के भारत के अनुभव)

Q. No. 1
Discuss what could be the meaning of the quotation at the start of the chapter.

Ans. The quotation by Sri Aurobindo,
states, “In India at a very early time the spiritual and cultural unity
was made complete and became the very stuff of the life of all this great surge
of humanity between the Himalayas and the two seas.” This suggests that:

• Spiritual and Cultural Unity: India possessed a strong sense of
  spiritual and cultural unity from ancient times. This unity might refer to
  shared beliefs, values, traditions, and ways of life that transcended
  geographical boundaries within the Indian Subcontinent.
• Early Establishment: This unity was not a recent
  development but was established very early in India’s history.
• Influence on Life: This spiritual and cultural unity
  wasn’t confined to a specific aspect of life but permeated the very fabric
  of existence for the people living in the region. It shaped their
  worldview, social structures, and daily lives.
• Geographical Extent: The phrase “between the
  Himalayas and the two seas” refers to the Indian subcontinent’s
  natural geographical boundaries — the Himalayas in the north and the
  Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal in the south. This highlights that this
  cultural and spiritual unity extended across the entire subcontinent.

Q. No. 2 True
or false?

Ans.

• The Ṛig Veda describes the entire
  geography of India. False. The Ṛig Veda refers to the northwest region of the
  Indian Subcontinent as ‘Sapta Sindhava’, meaning “the land of the
  seven rivers”. This name refers to a specific region, not the entire
  Indian Subcontinent.
• The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes the
  entire Subcontinent. True. The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes “Bhārata” as
  the land “that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy
  mountains”. This description, referring to the Himalayas and the
  surrounding seas, encompasses the entire Indian Subcontinent.
• In Aśhoka’s time, ‘Jambudvīpa’
  included what is today India, parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and
  Pakistan. True. Emperor
  Aśhoka used the term ‘Jambudvīpa’ to describe the area which included
  modern-day India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and parts of Afghanistan.
• The Mahābhārata lists many
  regions, including Kashmir, Kutch, and Kerala. True. The Mahābhārata mentions numerous
  regions, including Kāshmīra (Kashmir), Kaccha (Kutch), and Kerala,
  indicating its awareness of the diverse geographical regions of the Indian
  Subcontinent.
• The term ‘Hindustān’ first
  appeared in a Greek inscription more than 2,000 years ago. False. The term ‘Hindustān’ first
  appeared in a Persian inscription around 1,800 years ago, not a Greek
  inscription.
• In ancient Persian, the word
  ‘Hindu’ refers to the Hindu religion. False. In ancient Persian, ‘Hindu’ was a
  geographical term derived from ‘Sindhu,’ referring to the Indus River and,
  by extension, the region around it. It did not have religious connotations
  in this context.
• ‘Bhārata’ is a name given to India
  by foreign travellers. False. ‘Bhārata’ is a name with ancient roots within
  India, derived from the ‘Bharata,’ a Vedic group of people mentioned in
  the Ṛig Veda. It was not a name given by foreign travellers.

Q. No. 3 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? Use your imagination!

Ans. This question asks for your personal
input.

Q. No. 4 Why
did people travel to India from various parts of the world in ancient times?
What could be their motivations in undertaking such long journeys? (Hint: There
could be at least four or five motivations)

Ans. People travelled to India from various
parts of the world in ancient times for diverse reasons:

• Religious Pilgrimage: India was home to major religions
  like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Pilgrims embarked on journeys to
  visit sacred sites, as exemplified by Xuanzang’s travels from China to
  India in the 7th century CE to collect Buddhist texts.
• Trade and Commerce: India was known for its spices,
  textiles, and precious stones. Traders and merchants traversed land and
  sea routes, connecting India to the Silk Road and other ancient trade
  networks.
• Knowledge Seeking: India was a centre of learning,
  renowned for its universities like Nalanda and Takshashila. Scholars and
  students from different countries travelled to India to study philosophy,
  astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
• Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange: Royal emissaries and travellers
  visited India to establish diplomatic ties, exchange gifts, and experience
  the rich cultural tapestry of the subcontinent.
• Exploration and Adventure: Some individuals were driven by a
  spirit of exploration, seeking new lands, cultures, and experiences. They
  documented their observations, contributing to the knowledge and
  understanding of different regions.