Class 6 ncert Chapter 5 SST Solution - India that is Bharat

Chapter 05 : India that is Bharat

Question: How can we define India?

Answer: India is an ancient land. India is identified by its spiritual and cultural unity, diversity, and rich history. It is located between the Himalayas and two seas (the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal).

Question: What name has been given to India in the Indian Constitution?

Answer: In the Indian Constitution, India is defined as "India, that is Bharat". In the Hindi version, it is written as "Bharat arthaat India". It represents the two official names of the country: "India" in English and "Bharat" in Hindi/Sanskrit.

Question: What were some ancient names of India?

Answer:

• Sapta Sindhava (in Rigveda) – Land of seven rivers
• Bharatvarsha (in Mahabharata)
• Jambudvipa (in Ashoka’s inscriptions)
• Hind / Hindu (in Persian sources)
• Indoi (Greek name)

Question: How did the name 'Bharatvarsha' originate?

Answer: The name 'Bharatvarsha' originated from the Vedic community named 'Bharata' and later from King Bharata. This name is mentioned in texts like the Mahabharata and Vishnu Purana.

Question: What names were given to India by foreigners?

Answer:

• Persians called it 'Hind', 'Hidu', or 'Hindu', derived from 'Sindhu'
• Greeks called it 'Indoi' or 'Indike'
• Chinese called it 'Yindu' or 'Yintu'
• Arabs/Persians used the name 'Hindustan'
• British adopted the name 'India' from the Greek term

Question: What are the natural boundaries of India?

Answer:

• North: Himalayas
• South: Indian Ocean
• East: Bay of Bengal
• West: Arabian Sea

Question 5: Where did the name 'India' come from?

Answer: The name 'India' originated from the Indus River. Persians called 'Sindhu' as 'Hind', and the Greeks derived 'Indos' or 'India' from it.

Question: Which regions are mentioned in the Mahabharata?

Answer:

• Kashmir (present-day Jammu & Kashmir)
• Kurukshetra (Haryana)
• Vanga (Bengal)
• Pragjyotisha (Assam)
• Kutch (Gujarat)
• Kerala

Question: Which regions were included in 'Jambudvipa' during Ashoka’s time?

Answer: 'Jambudvipa' means "the land of the Jambu tree". During Ashoka’s time, it included present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of Afghanistan.

Question: How much did ancient Indians know about their geography?

Answer: Ancient Indians had good knowledge of their geography. They described the Himalayas, rivers, and seas clearly. For example, Tamil literature mentions the region from 'Cape Kumari' to the 'Great Mountain'.

Question: How is India described in the Vishnu Purana?

Answer: The Vishnu Purana states that the land which extends from the Himalayas in the north to the ocean in the south is called Bharat.

Question: What are "Cape Kumari" and "Great Mountain" in Tamil literature?

Answer: Cape Kumari = Southernmost point of India (Kanyakumari) Great Mountain = Himalayas

Ncert Exercise Solutions

Question: What is the meaning of Sri Aurobindo’s quotation at the beginning of the chapter?

Answer: It reflects the spiritual and cultural unity of India, extending from the Himalayas to the seas.

Question: State True/False:

• 'Rigveda' describes the entire geography of India.
  Answer: False – It mainly describes north-western India.
• 'Vishnu Purana' describes the entire subcontinent.
  Answer: True
• During Ashoka’s time, 'Jambudvipa' included present-day India, parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.
  Answer: True
• The Mahabharata lists regions including Kashmir, Kutch, and Kerala.
  Answer: True
• The term 'Hindustan' was first used in a Greek inscription 2000 years ago.
  Answer: False – It appeared in Persian texts.
• In ancient Persian, the word 'Hind' referred to the Hindu religion.
  Answer: False – It referred to a geographical region.
• Foreign travelers gave India the name 'Bharat'.
  Answer: False – They used names like 'India', 'Indica'. 'Bharat' was given by Indians.

Question: If you were born 2000 years ago, what name would you give to India?

Answer: "Bharatvarsha" or "Jambudvipa", as these names are mentioned in ancient texts and reflect the diversity of the land.

Question: Why did people travel to India in ancient times?

Answer:

• Trade (spices, gems, silk)
• Religious studies (Buddhist sites, Hindu temples)
• Education (Nalanda, Takshashila universities)
• Cultural exchange (art, music, philosophy)
• Political relations (connections with rulers like Emperor Ashoka)