Explore CBSE Notes

India, That Is Bharat

Chapter 5. India, That Is Bharat

This chapter explores the ancient names of India and how the Indian Subcontinent was described by its inhabitants and foreign visitors. It explains the meanings and origins of names such as Sapta Sindhava, Bhāratavarṣha, Jambudvīpa, Bhārata, Hind, Indoi, India and Hindustān.

Chapter Review

Introduction

• India is an ancient land with a long and rich history.
• The geographical region of India has had different names at different points of history.
• The boundaries of the region we call India have also changed over time.
• The region is often referred to as the Indian Subcontinent.
• India has been known by different names both to its inhabitants and to people from outside.
• Ancient Indian texts provide important information about the names of India.
• Accounts of travellers and pilgrims also provide information about India.
• Inscriptions are another important source for understanding ancient names.
• The Ṛig Veda is one of the most ancient Indian texts.
• The Ṛig Veda mentions the name Sapta Sindhava for the northwestern region of the Subcontinent.
• Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
• The word Sindhava is derived from Sindhu.
• Sindhu refers to the Indus River and sometimes to a river in general.
• The Mahābhārata mentions many regions of the Indian Subcontinent.
• The Mahābhārata uses the terms Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.
• Bhāratavarṣha refers to the entire Indian Subcontinent.
• Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• The name Bharata appears in the Ṛig Veda.
• Jambudvīpa means the ‘island of the fruit of the jamun tree’.
• Jambudvīpa later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
• In the time of Emperor Aśhoka, Jambudvīpa included a very large geographical region.
• Bhārata gradually became a commonly used name for the Indian Subcontinent.
• The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes Bhārata as the land north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains.
• Ancient Tamil literature also gives a geographical description extending from the southern tip to the northern mountains and between the eastern and western oceans.
• Foreign visitors also gave names to India.
• The earliest foreign references to India came from the Persians.
• The Persians used names such as Hind, Hidu and Hindu.
• These Persian names were derived from Sindhu.
• In ancient Persian, Hindu was a geographical term and did not refer to the Hindu religion.
• The ancient Greeks used names such as Indoi and Indike.
• The Greek names were derived from the Persian form of Sindhu.
• The ancient Chinese used names such as Yintu and Yindu.
• The Chinese names also ultimately came from Sindhu.
• The term Tianzhu was another Chinese name associated with India.
• The term Hindustān was first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago.
• Hindustān later became a term used by many invaders to describe the Indian Subcontinent.
• Foreign names for India developed through different languages over time.
• The English name India is ultimately connected with the name Sindhu.
• India and Bharat are both official names of the country today.
• The Constitution of India begins with the phrase “India, that is Bharat”.
• The Hindi version uses the expression “Bhārat arthāth India”.
• The name Bharat has continued from ancient times to the present.
• The history of India's names reflects the country's geographical and cultural continuity.

Important Definitions

Term	Definition
Indian Subcontinent	The large geographical region of South Asia that includes India and several neighbouring regions.
Inhabitants	People who live in a particular place.
Sapta Sindhava	An ancient name used in the Ṛig Veda for the northwestern region, meaning the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
Sindhu	The name associated with the Indus River and, in some contexts, a river in general.
Bhāratavarṣha	An ancient name for the Indian Subcontinent meaning ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
Jambudvīpa	An ancient name that came to refer to the Indian Subcontinent.
Bhārata	An ancient name for India that became widely used and remains in use today.
Hind	An ancient Persian name for the region associated with the Sindhu or Indus River.
Indoi	An ancient Greek name for India derived from the Persian form of Sindhu.
Hindustān	A historical name for the Indian Subcontinent that originated in Persian usage.
Constitution	The document that lays down the basic principles and laws of a nation.

Ancient Names of India

Name	Source / Origin	Meaning / Significance
Sapta Sindhava	Ṛig Veda	Land of the seven rivers.
Bhāratavarṣha	Mahābhārata	Country of the Bharatas.
Jambudvīpa	Indian tradition / Mahābhārata	Island of the jamun tree; later used for the Indian Subcontinent.
Bhārata	Ancient Indian literature	Name that became widely used for the Indian Subcontinent.

India in the Ṛig Veda

• The Ṛig Veda is one of India's most ancient texts.
• It is several thousand years old.
• It refers to the northwestern region of the Subcontinent as Sapta Sindhava.
• Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
• The term is connected with the word Sindhu.
• Bharata is also a name found in the Ṛig Veda.
• In the Ṛig Veda, Bharata refers to one of the important Vedic groups of people.

India in the Mahābhārata

• The Mahābhārata is one of India's most famous ancient texts.
• It mentions numerous regions of the Indian Subcontinent.
• Examples include Kāshmīra, Kurukṣhetra, Vanga, Prāgjyotiṣha, Kaccha and Kerala.
• These regions together show a broad knowledge of the geography of the Subcontinent.
• The Mahābhārata uses the terms Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.
• Bhāratavarṣha refers to the entire Subcontinent.
• Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• Jambudvīpa came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.

Jambudvīpa

• Jambudvīpa is an ancient name associated with India.
• The word Jambudvīpa refers to the island of the fruit of the jamun tree.
• The jamun tree is native to India.
• The term later came to refer to the Indian Subcontinent.
• In the time of Aśhoka, Jambudvīpa covered a large region.
• It included areas that are today part of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and parts of Afghanistan.

Bhāratavarṣha and Bhārata

• Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• The term appears in the Mahābhārata.
• The name Bharata appears earlier in the Ṛig Veda.
• Several kings named Bharata are also mentioned in later literature.
• Bhārata gradually became a commonly used name for the Indian Subcontinent.
• The name Bhārata remains in use today.
• In northern India it is generally written as Bharat.
• In southern India it is often written as Bharatam.

Geographical Description of Bhārata

• The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa gives a geographical description of Bhārata.
• It describes Bhārata as the country north of the ocean.
• It describes Bhārata as lying south of the snowy mountains.
• The snowy mountains refer to the Himalayas.
• Ancient Tamil literature also gives a broad geographical description of the land.
• The description extends from Cape Kumari in the south to the great mountain in the north.
• It also refers to the oceans on the east and west.

How Foreigners Named India

• Foreign visitors and invaders often derived the name of India from Sindhu.
• The Persians were among the earliest foreigners to mention India.
• In the 6th century BCE, the Persians gained control of the region around the Indus River.
• The Persians referred to the region as Hind, Hidu or Hindu.
• These names were adaptations of Sindhu in the Persian language.
• In ancient Persian, Hindu was a geographical term.
• It did not refer to the Hindu religion in this historical context.

Greek Names for India

• The ancient Greeks came to know of India through Persian sources and their own contacts.
• They used the names Indoi and Indike.
• These names developed from the Persian form of Sindhu.
• The initial ‘h’ sound of Hindu was dropped because the Greek language did not have that sound.

Chinese Names for India

• Ancient Chinese travellers and scholars interacted with India.
• Chinese texts used names such as Yintu and Yindu.
• These names also ultimately developed from Sindhu.
• Another Chinese term associated with India was Tianzhu.
• Tianzhu could also be understood as ‘heavenly master’.
• This reflected the respect that ancient Chinese had for India as the land of the Buddha.

Hindustān

• Hindustān is a more recent historical name for India.
• The term was first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago.
• Later, many invaders used Hindustān to describe the Indian Subcontinent.
• The word is connected to the earlier Persian usage of Hind.

Xuanzang and Chinese Travellers

• Xuanzang was a famous Chinese traveller who visited India.
• He travelled to India in the 7th century CE.
• He visited many parts of India.
• He met Indian scholars.
• He collected Buddhist texts.
• He returned to China after spending about 17 years in India.
• He translated manuscripts brought from India from Sanskrit into Chinese.
• Several other Chinese scholars also visited India over the centuries.

India and Bharat in the Constitution

• The Constitution of India recognises both India and Bharat.
• The original Constitution was written in English.
• It uses the phrase “India, that is Bharat” at the beginning.
• The Hindi version uses “Bhārat arthāth India”.
• The Constitution came into force in 1950.
• The continued use of Bharat connects the modern nation with its ancient historical tradition.

Important Name Chain

Sindhu → Hindu / Hind → Indoi / Indike → India

• Sindhu was associated with the Indus River.
• Persians adapted Sindhu into forms such as Hind and Hidu.
• Greeks developed forms such as Indoi and Indike.
• The name India ultimately developed through this chain of linguistic changes.

Important Differences

Basis	Bhāratavarṣha	Jambudvīpa
Meaning	Country of the Bharatas	Island of the fruit of the jamun tree
Association	Associated with the Bharata people	Associated with the jamun tree
Historical use	Used for the Indian Subcontinent	Later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent

Basis	Ancient Indian Names	Foreign Names
Examples	Sapta Sindhava, Bhāratavarṣha, Jambudvīpa, Bhārata	Hind, Hidu, Hindu, Indoi, Indike, India, Hindustān
Sources	Ancient Indian texts and inscriptions	Persian, Greek, Chinese and other foreign accounts

Quick Revision

• ✔ India is an ancient land with a long history.
• ✔ The region has been known by many names.
• ✔ The Indian Subcontinent has had changing boundaries over time.
• ✔ Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
• ✔ Sapta Sindhava is mentioned in the Ṛig Veda.
• ✔ Sindhu is associated with the Indus River.
• ✔ The Mahābhārata uses the terms Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.
• ✔ Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• ✔ Jambudvīpa means the island of the fruit of the jamun tree.
• ✔ Jambudvīpa later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
• ✔ Bhārata became a widely used name for India.
• ✔ The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes Bhārata as lying north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains.
• ✔ Persians used names such as Hind, Hidu and Hindu.
• ✔ Ancient Persian ‘Hindu’ was a geographical term in this context.
• ✔ Greeks used Indoi and Indike.
• ✔ Chinese sources used Yintu and Yindu.
• ✔ Tianzhu was another Chinese name associated with India.
• ✔ Hindustān was first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago.
• ✔ Xuanzang visited India in the 7th century CE.
• ✔ India and Bharat are both used as names of the country today.
• ✔ The Constitution begins with “India, that is Bharat”.

Exam Booster

• Remember the meaning and source of Sapta Sindhava.
• Learn the meanings of Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.
• Remember that Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• Remember the connection between Bharata and the Ṛig Veda.
• Understand the geographical description of Bhārata in the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa.
• Learn how Sindhu developed into Hind, Indoi and eventually India.
• Remember that ‘Hindu’ in ancient Persian usage was a geographical term in this context.
• Remember the Greek names Indoi and Indike.
• Remember the Chinese names Yintu, Yindu and Tianzhu.
• Remember the historical origin and later use of the term Hindustān.
• Remember Xuanzang's visit to India and his contribution to the transmission of Buddhist texts.
• Remember the constitutional phrase “India, that is Bharat”.
• Understand that India's different names reflect its long geographical, cultural and historical continuity.

India, That Is Bharat

Chapter 5. India, That Is Bharat

Meaning and Idea of the Indian Subcontinent

The region that we commonly call the Indian Subcontinent has a very long history. Its names, boundaries and political divisions have changed considerably over thousands of years.

• India is a modern nation with defined borders, states and a known population.
• The India of today was very different 500, 2,000 or 5,000 years ago.
• The geographical region is often called the Indian Subcontinent.
• The boundaries of the Indian Subcontinent have changed at different points of history.
• The region has been known by many different names.
• Some names were given by the inhabitants of the region.
• Other names were used by visitors and people from outside.
• Historical names help us understand how people viewed and described this region.

Sources for the Names of India

We learn about the different names of India from several historical sources.

• Ancient Indian texts provide information about the names of the region.
• Accounts written by travellers and pilgrims are another source.
• Inscriptions provide important historical evidence.
• Different sources may describe different parts of the Indian Subcontinent.
• By studying these sources, historians understand how the names of India developed over time.

Important Term – Inhabitants

Inhabitants: People who live in a particular place.

How Indians Named India

Ancient Indian texts contain some of the earliest names associated with the Indian Subcontinent.

• The Ṛig Veda is one of India's most ancient texts.
• It is several thousand years old.
• The Ṛig Veda gives the northwestern region of the Subcontinent the name Sapta Sindhava.
• Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
• The word Sindhava comes from Sindhu.
• Sindhu refers to the Indus River.
• In some contexts, Sindhu can also refer to a river in general.

Sapta Sindhava

Sapta Sindhava is an ancient name mentioned in the Ṛig Veda for the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent.

• Sapta means seven.
• Sindhava is connected with Sindhu.
• Sapta Sindhava means the land of the seven rivers.
• The term is associated with the northwestern region of the Subcontinent.
• The name shows the importance of rivers in the geography of the region.

Sindhu and the Indus River

The word Sindhu has an important place in the history of the names of India.

• Sindhu refers to the Indus River.
• At times, the word Sindhu could also mean a river in general.
• The word Sindhava is derived from Sindhu.
• Later foreign names for India were also connected with the word Sindhu.
• The historical development of the names Hind, Indoi and India can ultimately be traced back to Sindhu.

The Mahābhārata and the Regions of India

The Mahābhārata is one of India's most famous ancient texts. It mentions many regions of the Indian Subcontinent.

• The Mahābhārata contains references to numerous geographical regions.
• These regions cover different parts of the Indian Subcontinent.
• Examples include Kāshmīra, Kurukṣhetra, Vanga, Prāgjyotiṣha, Kaccha and Kerala.
• Kāshmīra corresponds roughly to today's Kashmir.
• Kurukṣhetra refers to parts of present-day Haryana.
• Vanga refers to parts of Bengal.
• Prāgjyotiṣha refers roughly to today's Assam.
• Kaccha refers to today's Kutch.
• Kerala is also mentioned as a region.
• The large number of regions mentioned shows knowledge of the geography of the Subcontinent.

Important: The individual regions shown in the chapter's map do not need to be memorised; the important point is that they cover the geography of the Indian Subcontinent.

Names for the Entire Indian Subcontinent

Ancient Indian texts use names that refer to the Indian Subcontinent as a whole. Two important names mentioned in the Mahābhārata are Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.

• The exact dates of many ancient Indian texts are difficult to determine.
• Scholars generally agree that the Mahābhārata was composed from a few centuries BCE onward.
• The Mahābhārata uses the terms Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa.
• Bhāratavarṣha extends to the entire Indian Subcontinent.
• The text also includes the names of many rivers and peoples.
• Jambudvīpa also came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.

Bhāratavarṣha

Bhāratavarṣha is an ancient name for the Indian Subcontinent found in the Mahābhārata.

• Bhāratavarṣha refers to the entire Indian Subcontinent.
• The term means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• The name Bharata appears earlier in the Ṛig Veda.
• In the Ṛig Veda, Bharata refers to one of the main Vedic groups of people.
• Later Indian literature mentions several kings named Bharata.
• The name Bhārata later became widely used for the Indian Subcontinent.

Bharata in the Ṛig Veda

• The name Bharata first appears in the Ṛig Veda.
• It refers to one of the main Vedic groups of people.
• Later literature mentions several kings named Bharata.
• The term Bhāratavarṣha is connected with the Bharatas.
• The name Bhārata eventually became a widely used name for the Indian Subcontinent.

Jambudvīpa

Jambudvīpa is another ancient name used for the Indian Subcontinent.

• The term Jambudvīpa means ‘the island of the fruit of the jamun tree’.
• The jamun tree is native to India.
• The jamun tree is also known as the jambul tree or Malabar plum tree.
• Jambudvīpa later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
• The term is used in the Mahābhārata.

Jambudvīpa in the Time of Aśhoka

An inscription of the Indian emperor Aśhoka provides an important clue about the historical use of the term Jambudvīpa.

• Aśhoka ruled around 250 BCE.
• Aśhoka left many inscriptions.
• In one of his inscriptions, he used the name Jambudvīpa.
• In this inscription, Jambudvīpa described the whole of India of that time.
• The region included areas that are today Bangladesh and Pakistan.
• It also included parts of present-day Afghanistan.
• This shows that Jambudvīpa was used for a very large geographical region.

Important Terms – Part 1

Term	Meaning / Definition
Indian Subcontinent	The large geographical region of South Asia that has historically been described by different names and had changing boundaries.
Inhabitants	People who live in a particular place.
Sindhu	The name associated with the Indus River; it could also refer to a river in general.
Sapta Sindhava	An ancient name for the northwestern region, meaning the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
Bhāratavarṣha	An ancient name for the entire Indian Subcontinent meaning ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
Bharata	The name of one of the main Vedic groups of people mentioned in the Ṛig Veda; later associated with the name Bhārata.
Jambudvīpa	An ancient name meaning ‘the island of the fruit of the jamun tree’, which later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.

Important Differences

Sapta Sindhava	Bhāratavarṣha
Refers to the northwestern region of the Subcontinent.	Refers to the entire Indian Subcontinent.
Means ‘land of the seven rivers’.	Means ‘country of the Bharatas’.
Mentioned in the Ṛig Veda.	Used in the Mahābhārata.

Bhāratavarṣha	Jambudvīpa
Means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.	Means ‘the island of the fruit of the jamun tree’.
Connected with the Bharata people.	Connected with the jamun tree.
Used for the entire Indian Subcontinent.	Later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.

Important Source–Name Connections

Source	Name / Information
Ṛig Veda	Sapta Sindhava; Bharata
Mahābhārata	Bhāratavarṣha; Jambudvīpa; names of many regions
Aśhoka's inscription	Jambudvīpa used for the whole of India of that time

Quick Revision

• ✔ India has had many names throughout history.
• ✔ The Indian Subcontinent has had changing boundaries.
• ✔ Ancient texts, travellers' accounts and inscriptions provide information about India's historical names.
• ✔ The Ṛig Veda is one of India's most ancient texts.
• ✔ Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the seven rivers’.
• ✔ Sapta Sindhava refers to the northwestern region of the Subcontinent.
• ✔ Sindhava comes from Sindhu.
• ✔ Sindhu refers to the Indus River or, at times, a river in general.
• ✔ The Mahābhārata mentions many regions of the Indian Subcontinent.
• ✔ Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the Bharatas’.
• ✔ Bharata is a name found in the Ṛig Veda.
• ✔ Jambudvīpa means ‘the island of the fruit of the jamun tree’.
• ✔ Jambudvīpa later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
• ✔ Aśhoka used the name Jambudvīpa for the whole of India of his time.

India, That Is Bharat

Chapter 2. India, That Is Bharat

Bhārata – The Name of India

After some centuries, the name Bhārata became the name generally used for the Indian Subcontinent.

• Bhārata became a commonly used name for the Indian Subcontinent.
• The name Bhārata is found in ancient Indian literature.
• The name has continued to be used up to the present day.
• In North India, it is generally written as Bharat.
• In South India, it is often written as Bharatam.

Bhārata in the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa

The ancient text Viṣhṇu Purāṇa gives a geographical description of Bhārata.

Meaning: The country that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bhārata.

• The ocean forms the southern boundary described in the text.
• The snowy mountains refer to the Himalayas.
• The description gives a broad geographical idea of Bhārata.
• This shows that ancient Indian texts had a clear understanding of the geography of the region.

Bhārata in Ancient Tamil Literature

Ancient Tamil literature also contains a geographical description that covers a large part of the Indian Subcontinent.

• A poem from about 2,000 years ago praises a king.
• The poem describes his fame from Cape Kumari in the south.
• It extends the description to the great mountain in the north.
• It also refers to the oceans in the east and west.
• The great mountain in the north refers to the Himalayan region.
• Cape Kumari refers to the southern tip of the Indian Subcontinent.
• This description also shows knowledge of the broad geography of India.

Geographical Understanding of Ancient India

• Different parts of ancient India used similar geographical ideas to describe the region.
• The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes Bhārata between the ocean and the snowy mountains.
• Ancient Tamil literature describes the region from Cape Kumari in the south to the great mountain in the north.
• The eastern and western oceans are also included in the Tamil description.
• These descriptions indicate that ancient Indians had considerable knowledge of their geography.

How Foreigners Named India

India was also known by different names given by people from outside the Subcontinent.

• The earliest foreigners to mention India were the Persians.
• The Persians were the ancient inhabitants of Iran.
• In the 6th century BCE, a Persian emperor gained control of the region around the Indus River.
• The Indus River had earlier been called Sindhu.
• The Persians adapted the word Sindhu into their own language.
• They used the names Hind, Hidu and Hindu.

Persian Names – Hind, Hidu and Hindu

The Persian names for India were derived from the ancient word Sindhu.

• Sindhu → Hindhu / Hind
• Sindhu → Hidu
• Sindhu → Hindu
• These were adaptations of Sindhu in the Persian language.
• In ancient Persian, the word Hindu was purely a geographical term.
• In this historical context, Hindu did not refer to the Hindu religion.

Greek Names – Indoi and Indike

The ancient Greeks also developed names for India from the Persian form of Sindhu.

• The ancient Greeks called the region Indoi or Indike.
• These names were based on Persian sources.
• The Greeks dropped the initial ‘h’ from ‘Hindu’.
• The reason was that the Greek language did not have the ‘h’ sound.

Name Development

Sindhu → Hindu → Indoi / Indike

Chinese Names for India

The ancient Chinese also interacted with India and developed their own names for the region.

• Ancient Chinese texts refer to India as Yintu or Yindu.
• These names also ultimately originated from Sindhu.
• The word developed through different languages and pronunciations.

Name Development

Sindhu → Hindhu → Indu → Yindu

Tianzhu

Tianzhu was another Chinese name associated with India.

• The word Tianzhu was also derived from Sindhu.
• Tianzhu could also be understood as ‘heavenly master’.
• This reflects the respect that ancient Chinese had for India.
• India was respected as the land of the Buddha.

Important Foreign Names of India

People / Language	Name Used for India	Origin / Connection
Persian	Hind, Hidu, Hindu	Derived from Sindhu
Greek	Indoi, Indike	Based on the Persian form of Sindhu
Chinese	Yintu, Yindu	Ultimately derived from Sindhu
Chinese	Tianzhu	Another name associated with India

Development of the Name India

The modern name India developed through a long process of linguistic transformation.

• The starting point was the ancient word Sindhu.
• Persian forms included Hind and Hindu.
• Greek forms included Indoi and Indike.
• The Latin form became India.
• The English name India is connected with this historical development.

Important Name Chain

Sindhu → Hindu / Hind → Indoi / Indike → India

Hindustān

Hindustān is a more recent historical name associated with India.

• The term Hindustān was first used in a Persian inscription.
• This inscription dates to about 1,800 years ago.
• Later, Hindustān became a term used by many invaders.
• They used it to describe the Indian Subcontinent.
• The term is connected with the earlier Persian word Hind.

Xuanzang – A Chinese Traveller to India

Xuanzang was a famous Chinese traveller who visited India in the 7th century CE.

• Xuanzang travelled from China to India.
• He visited many parts of India.
• He met Indian scholars.
• He collected Buddhist texts.
• He remained in India for about 17 years.
• He eventually returned to China.
• He took manuscripts back with him.
• He translated the manuscripts from Sanskrit into Chinese.
• Several other Chinese scholars also visited India over the centuries.

Importance of Xuanzang's Visit

• His journey provides evidence of historical interaction between China and India.
• He visited different parts of India.
• He interacted with Indian scholars.
• He collected Buddhist manuscripts.
• His translations helped transmit Indian Buddhist knowledge to China.

India and Bharat in the Constitution

The modern Constitution of India recognises the names India and Bharat.

• The Indian Constitution was originally written in English.
• At the very beginning, it uses the phrase “India, that is Bharat”.
• The Hindi version uses “Bhārat arthāth India”.
• The Constitution came into force in 1950.
• The use of Bharat in the Constitution connects the modern country with its ancient historical name.

Constitution – Important Definition

Constitution: A document that lays down the basic principles and laws of a nation.

India and Bharat – Present Usage

• India is the modern English name of the country.
• Bharat is an ancient name that continues to be used today.
• Both names are recognised in the Constitution.
• The constitutional phrase is “India, that is Bharat”.
• The continued use of Bharat shows the connection between India's ancient past and its modern identity.

Important Timeline

Period / Time	Important Event / Development
Ancient period	Ṛig Veda uses the term Sapta Sindhava.
Ancient period	Bharata appears as the name of a Vedic group.
Mahābhārata period	Terms Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa are used.
About 250 BCE	Aśhoka uses Jambudvīpa in an inscription.
6th century BCE	Persians refer to the region using forms such as Hind, Hidu and Hindu.
Later ancient period	Greeks use Indoi and Indike.
Ancient period	Chinese sources use names such as Yintu and Yindu.
About 1,800 years ago	The term Hindustān appears in a Persian inscription.
7th century CE	Xuanzang travels from China to India.
1950	The Constitution of India comes into force and uses “India, that is Bharat”.

Important Differences

Indian Names	Foreign Names
Sapta Sindhava	Hind
Bhāratavarṣha	Hidu
Jambudvīpa	Hindu
Bhārata	Indoi / Indike
	Yintu / Yindu
	Hindustān

Quick Revision

• ✔ Bhārata became a generally used name for the Indian Subcontinent.
• ✔ Bhārata means the land associated with the Bharatas.
• ✔ The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes Bhārata as lying north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains.
• ✔ The snowy mountains refer to the Himalayas.
• ✔ Ancient Tamil literature gives a similar broad geographical description.
• ✔ Persians were among the earliest foreigners to mention India.
• ✔ Persians used Hind, Hidu and Hindu.
• ✔ These Persian names were adaptations of Sindhu.
• ✔ Ancient Persian ‘Hindu’ was a geographical term in this context.
• ✔ Greeks used Indoi and Indike.
• ✔ Greeks dropped the initial ‘h’ sound.
• ✔ Chinese sources used Yintu and Yindu.
• ✔ Tianzhu was another Chinese name associated with India.
• ✔ Hindustān was first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago.
• ✔ Xuanzang visited India in the 7th century CE.
• ✔ Xuanzang stayed in India for about 17 years.
• ✔ He collected Buddhist texts and translated manuscripts into Chinese.
• ✔ The Constitution uses the phrase “India, that is Bharat”.
• ✔ The Constitution came into force in 1950.

Key Terms to Remember

• Bhārata: Ancient and continuing name for India.
• Bhāratavarṣha: Country of the Bharatas.
• Jambudvīpa: Ancient name that later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
• Sindhu: Name associated with the Indus River.
• Hind: Persian name derived from Sindhu.
• Indoi: Ancient Greek name derived through the Persian form.
• Yindu: Ancient Chinese name ultimately derived from Sindhu.
• Hindustān: Historical Persian-derived name for the Indian Subcontinent.
• Xuanzang: Chinese traveller who visited India in the 7th century CE.
• Constitution: Document containing the basic principles and laws of a nation.

India, That Is Bharat

Chapter 5. India, That Is Bharat

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. What is the region that we commonly call India also often called?

   1. European Subcontinent
   2. Indian Subcontinent
   3. Asian Island
   4. Southern Peninsula

2. Which is one of India's most ancient texts?

   1. Mahābhārata
   2. Ṛig Veda
   3. Viṣhṇu Purāṇa
   4. Arthaśhāstra

3. What does ‘Sapta Sindhava’ mean?

   1. Land of seven mountains
   2. Land of seven rivers
   3. Land of seven kingdoms
   4. Land of seven seas

4. The word ‘Sindhava’ comes from:

   1. Ganga
   2. Sindhu
   3. Yamuna
   4. Bharata

5. What does ‘Bhāratavarṣha’ mean?

   1. Land of seven rivers
   2. Island of the jamun tree
   3. Country of the Bharatas
   4. Land of the Buddha

6. Which ancient text uses the terms ‘Bhāratavarṣha’ and ‘Jambudvīpa’?

   1. Ṛig Veda
   2. Mahābhārata
   3. Viṣhṇu Purāṇa
   4. Ramāyaṇa

7. What does ‘Jambudvīpa’ mean?

   1. Country of the Bharatas
   2. Land of seven rivers
   3. Island of the fruit of the jamun tree
   4. Land of snowy mountains

8. Who used the name ‘Jambudvīpa’ in one of his inscriptions?

   1. Chandragupta
   2. Aśhoka
   3. Harṣha
   4. Akbar

9. In the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa, Bhārata is described as the country:

   1. North of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains
   2. South of the ocean and north of the mountains
   3. Between two rivers
   4. Only around the Indus River

10. Who were among the first foreigners to mention India?

    1. Romans
    2. Persians
    3. French
    4. British

11. Which names did the Persians use for India?

    1. Indoi and Indike
    2. Yintu and Yindu
    3. Hind, Hidu and Hindu
    4. India and Inde

12. Which names were used by the ancient Greeks?

    1. Hind and Hidu
    2. Indoi and Indike
    3. Yintu and Yindu
    4. Bharat and Bharatam

13. Which names for India are found in ancient Chinese texts?

    1. Hind and Hindu
    2. Indoi and Indike
    3. Yintu and Yindu
    4. Bhārata and Bharatam

14. Who travelled from China to India in the 7th century CE?

    1. Megasthenes
    2. Xuanzang
    3. Fa-Hien
    4. Al-Biruni

15. Which phrase appears at the beginning of the Indian Constitution?

    1. Bharat is India
    2. India and Bharat
    3. India, that is Bharat
    4. Hindustan, that is India

Answer Key – MCQs

Q. No.	Answer
1	b) Indian Subcontinent
2	b) Ṛig Veda
3	b) Land of seven rivers
4	b) Sindhu
5	c) Country of the Bharatas
6	b) Mahābhārata
7	c) Island of the fruit of the jamun tree
8	b) Aśhoka
9	a) North of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains
10	b) Persians
11	c) Hind, Hidu and Hindu
12	b) Indoi and Indike
13	c) Yintu and Yindu
14	b) Xuanzang
15	c) India, that is Bharat

Fill in the Blanks

1. The region commonly called India is also known as the __________.
2. The Ṛig Veda gives the northwest region the name __________.
3. Sapta Sindhava means the ‘land of the __________ rivers’.
4. The word Sindhava comes from __________.
5. Bhāratavarṣha means ‘the country of the __________’.
6. Jambudvīpa means ‘the island of the fruit of the __________ tree’.
7. Emperor __________ used the name Jambudvīpa in one of his inscriptions.
8. The Persians used the names Hind, Hidu and __________.
9. The Greeks used the names Indoi and __________.
10. The ancient Chinese used the names Yintu and __________.
11. __________ travelled from China to India in the 7th century CE.
12. The Indian Constitution uses the phrase “India, that is __________”.

True or False

1. The Indian Subcontinent has always had exactly the same boundaries.
2. India has been known by many names throughout history.
3. The Ṛig Veda calls the northwest region Sapta Sindhava.
4. Sapta Sindhava means the land of seven mountains.
5. Bhāratavarṣha means the country of the Bharatas.
6. Jambudvīpa later came to mean the Indian Subcontinent.
7. Aśhoka used the name Jambudvīpa in an inscription.
8. The Persians derived Hind and Hidu from Sindhu.
9. In ancient Persian, the word Hindu in this context referred to the Hindu religion.
10. The Greeks used the names Indoi and Indike.
11. The Chinese used the name Yindu.
12. Xuanzang travelled from India to China in the 7th century CE.
13. The Constitution uses the phrase “India, that is Bharat”.

Very Short Answer Questions

1. What is meant by Indian Subcontinent?
2. Who are inhabitants?
3. What is Sapta Sindhava?
4. What does Sindhu refer to?
5. What is Bhāratavarṣha?
6. What is Jambudvīpa?
7. Who was Aśhoka?
8. Name the three Persian names for India mentioned in the chapter.
9. Name the two Greek names for India mentioned in the chapter.
10. Name the two Chinese names for India mentioned in the chapter.
11. Who was Xuanzang?
12. When did the Indian Constitution come into force?

Short Answer Questions

1. Why has India been known by many different names throughout history?
2. What information does the Ṛig Veda give about the northwest region of India?
3. Explain the meaning and significance of the term Bhāratavarṣha.
4. Explain the meaning of Jambudvīpa.
5. What does Aśhoka's use of the term Jambudvīpa tell us about the geographical region?
6. How does the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describe Bhārata?
7. How did the ancient Greeks derive the names Indoi and Indike?
8. How were the names Yintu and Yindu connected with Sindhu?
9. Why is the term ‘Hindu’ in ancient Persian different from the modern religious use of the word?
10. What was the importance of Xuanzang's visit to India?

Long Answer Questions

1. Describe the different ancient Indian names used for the Indian Subcontinent and explain their meanings.
2. Explain how the name of India developed from Sindhu to Hind and eventually to India.
3. Describe the different geographical descriptions of Bhārata found in ancient Indian literature.
4. Explain how Persians, Greeks and Chinese referred to India and how their names were connected with Sindhu.
5. Describe Xuanzang's journey to India and explain what he did during his stay.
6. Explain the significance of the phrase “India, that is Bharat” in the Indian Constitution.

Source-Based Questions

Read the following passage and answer the questions:

An ancient Indian text describes a region as the land of seven rivers. The word used for this region is connected with Sindhu, the name of the Indus River. Later, Persian records used forms such as Hind and Hindu, while Greek sources used Indoi and Indike.

1. Which ancient Indian text is referred to here?
2. What was the ancient name for the land of seven rivers?
3. What does Sindhu refer to?
4. Name any two Persian forms derived from Sindhu.
5. What names did the Greeks use?

Think and Answer

1. Why do you think different peoples used different names for the same geographical region?
2. Why is it important to study the origins of historical names?
3. What can we learn about ancient India's geography from the descriptions in the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa and ancient Tamil literature?
4. Why might travellers from distant countries have been interested in visiting India?
5. If you had lived 2,000 years ago, what name would you have chosen for your land? Give a reason.

Match the Following

Column A	Column B
1. Ṛig Veda	a. Indoi and Indike
2. Mahābhārata	b. Yintu and Yindu
3. Persians	c. Sapta Sindhava
4. Greeks	d. Hind, Hidu and Hindu
5. Chinese	e. Bhāratavarṣha and Jambudvīpa

Activity-Based Questions

1. Make a chart showing the different names of India and the people or languages associated with them.
2. Prepare a flow chart showing the development: Sindhu → Hind / Hindu → Indoi / Indike → India.
3. On an outline map of the Indian Subcontinent, identify the Indus River, Himalayas and Cape Kumari.
4. Prepare a short presentation on Xuanzang's journey from China to India.
5. Write a short paragraph explaining why India has had many names throughout history.
6. Discuss the meaning of the quotation by Sri Aurobindo given at the beginning of the chapter.

Research and Project Work

1. Find out the names by which India is known in five different Indian languages.
2. Find out the modern names of some of the regions mentioned in the Mahābhārata.
3. Make a timeline showing important stages in the development of the names of India.
4. Collect information about one ancient traveller who visited India and write a short report.