India, That Is Bharat
Introduction & The Big Questions
- How do we define India?
- What were the ancient names for India?
Today, the India we know is a modern nation with defined borders, defined states and a known population. However, it was very different 500 years ago, 2,000 years ago or even 5,000 years ago. This region of the world, which we often call the 'Indian Subcontinent', has had many different names and shifting boundaries.
We can learn about India's past and evolution from many different sources — ancient texts, accounts of travellers and pilgrims, and inscriptions.
Consider the physical map of the Indian Subcontinent (Fig. 5.2). What are its natural boundaries that you can make out?
Answer: Himalayas in the north; Arabian Sea to the west; Bay of Bengal to the east; Indian Ocean / Cape Comorin to the south; Hindu Kush to the northwest.
Key Definition — Inhabitants (Green Sidebar Term)
In the course of history, India has been called by many names — both by its inhabitants (people living there) and by visitors from outside. These names come to us from:
- Ancient texts
- Accounts of travellers and pilgrims
- Inscriptions
How Indians Named India — Sapta Sindhava
The Ṛig Veda is India's most ancient text (several thousand years old). It gives the northwest region of the Subcontinent the name:
The word 'Sindhava' comes from 'Sindhu', which refers to the Indus River, or at times to a river in general.
| Source text | Ṛig Veda (India's most ancient text, several thousand years old) |
| Name given | Sapta Sindhava |
| Meaning | Land of the Seven Rivers |
| Region described | Northwest region of the Subcontinent only (NOT entire India) |
| Root word | Sindhu = Indus River or a river in general |
The rivers shown in the northwest map include: River Indus (flowing through northwest and south), River Jhelum, River Chenab, River Ravi, River Beas, River Sutlej (the five rivers of Punjab), River Sarasvati (the mythical/ancient river), River Ganga, River Yamuna, River Chambal, River Narmada, River Tapti.
The seven rivers of 'Sapta Sindhava' likely referred to the Indus and its major tributaries in the northwest Punjab region.
The Mahābhārata & Regional Names
The Mahābhārata is one of India's most famous texts (also covered in the theme 'Our Cultural Heritage and Knowledge Traditions'). It lists names for many regions across the entire Subcontinent.
| Kāshmīra | More or less today's Kashmir |
| Kurukṣhetra | Parts of Haryana today |
| Vanga | Parts of Bengal |
| Prāgjyotiṣha | Roughly today's Assam |
| Kaccha | Today's Kutch (Gujarat) |
| Kerala | More or less today's Kerala |
The map shows these regions (from north to south, west to east):
Northwest: Gandhāra, Druhyu, Kāmboja, Kaikeya, Madra, Vāhlika, Sauvira, Ambastha, Shivi
North-Central: Matsya, Shurasena, Pañcāla, Chedi, Kosala, Kāshi, Videha, Magadha, Anga, Prāgjyotiṣha, Ānarta, Avanti, Darsana, Kārusha, Pundra, Suhma, Vanga
Central-West: Māhiṣhmati, Surāṣhtra, Vidarbha, Dakshina Kosala
Central-East: Janasthāna, Kalinga
South: Ashmaka, Kishkindhya, Dravida, Chola, Pāndya, Kerala
Note from NCERT: "You do not need to remember those regions, but notice how they cover the entire geography of the Subcontinent."
Bhāratavarṣha & Jambudvīpa
The Mahābhārata uses two important terms for the entire Indian Subcontinent. Because ancient Indian texts are difficult to date, scholars generally agree the Mahābhārata was written from a few centuries BCE onward.
Bhāratavarṣha = "The country of the Bharatas"
- Clearly extends to the entire Subcontinent; includes names of numerous rivers and peoples
- 'Bharata' first appears in the Ṛig Veda, referring to one of the main Vedic groups of people
- In later literature, several kings named 'Bharata' are mentioned
Jambudvīpa = "The island of the fruit of the jamun tree"
- Jamun tree is a common tree native to India; also called jambul tree or Malabar plum tree
- Came to mean the Indian Subcontinent
- Used in Mahābhārata and later by Aśhoka in his inscriptions
Aśhoka & Jambudvīpa (~250 BCE)
Aśhoka is one of India's greatest emperors (approximate date: 250 BCE). He left many inscriptions across the Subcontinent. In one of his inscriptions, he used the name 'Jambudvīpa' to describe the whole of India.
| Emperor | Aśhoka |
| Approximate date | 250 BCE |
| Name used | Jambudvīpa |
| Scope of name | The whole of India |
| Included in his time | Today's India + Bangladesh + Pakistan + parts of Afghanistan |
| Evidence type | Stone inscriptions (epigraphic evidence) |
Aśhoka's use of 'Jambudvīpa' is the earliest definitive epigraphic (inscription-based) evidence of a single name covering the entire Indian Subcontinent. His date (~250 BCE) is a key anchor.
Bhārata — The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa Definition
A few centuries after the Mahābhārata, 'Bhārata' became the name generally used for the Indian Subcontinent. The clearest definition comes from the Viṣhṇu Purāṇa:
| "North of the ocean" | Indian Ocean / Arabian Sea / Bay of Bengal form the southern boundary |
| "South of the snowy mountains" | The Himalayas = the 'snowy mountains' (himādreś) |
| Name used | Bhārata |
| North India spelling | Bharat |
| South India spelling | Bharatam |
| Status today | Remains in use; official name in Indian Constitution |
Have you identified the 'snowy mountains'? Do you think this brief description of Bhārata is correct?
Answer: Yes, the Himalayas are the snowy mountains. This description correctly captures the essential geography — the subcontinent is bounded by the Himalayas in the north and the seas on the south, east, and west.
Ancient Tamil Literature's Definition of India
A poem from ancient Tamil literature (~2,000 years ago) praises a king whose name was known across the entire Subcontinent, showing that different parts of India held a consistent geographical understanding:
| "The great mountain in the north" | The Himalayas |
| "Cape Kumari in the south" | Cape Comorin / Kanyakumari (southernmost tip of India) |
| "Oceans on the east and west" | Bay of Bengal (east) & Arabian Sea (west) |
Ancient Indians from both north and south, across different languages (Sanskrit and Tamil), held a consistent geographical understanding of the Indian Subcontinent. As the NCERT concludes: "It looks like ancient Indians knew their geography well!"
The Indian Constitution — "India, That Is Bharat"
The Indian Constitution, which was first written in English, uses the phrase 'India, that is Bharat' right at the beginning (Article 1).
Similarly, the Hindi version of the Constitution mentions it as 'Bhārat arthāth India'.
| Article 1 phrase (English) | "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." |
| Article 1 phrase (Hindi) | "Bhārat arthāth India" |
| Part of Constitution | Part I — The Union and its Territory |
| Original language | First written in English |
| Came into force | 1950 |
| Significance | Both ancient names — India (from Sindhu via Greek) & Bharat (from Rig Veda/Mahabharata) — are enshrined together |
In the reproduction of the first page of the original Constitution (Fig. 5.5), the phrase 'India, that is Bharat' appears in the very first line under Part I — The Union and its Territory, Article 1(1). The page features decorative borders with floral and Harappan-style motifs, and a bull seal illustration at the top (reminiscent of Indus Valley seals).
The left margin headings visible on the Constitution page include: "Name and Territory of the Union", "Admission or establishment of new States", and "Formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States".
How Foreigners Named India — The Persians
The first foreigners to mention India were the Persians, the ancient inhabitants of Iran.
| Time period | 6th century BCE |
| Event | A Persian emperor launched a military campaign and gained control of the region of the Indus River ('Sindhu') |
| Evidence | Earliest records and stone inscriptions |
| Persian names used | 'Hind', 'Hidu', or 'Hindu' |
| Why these names? | Adaptations in Persian language of 'Sindhu' |
| Critical exam note | In ancient Persian, 'Hindu' is a purely geographical term; it does NOT refer to the Hindu religion |
In ancient Persian usage, the word 'Hindu' is a purely geographical term referring to the region around the Indus/Sindhu River. It does NOT refer to the Hindu religion. This distinction is explicitly stated in NCERT and is frequently tested.
Greeks & Chinese — The Sindhu Chain Diagrams
Based on Persian sources, the ancient Greeks named the region 'Indoi' or 'Indike'. They dropped the initial letter 'h' of 'Hindu' because this letter did not exist in the Greek language.
The ancient Chinese also interacted with India. In several texts, they refer to India as 'Yintu' or 'Yindu'. This word also originally comes from 'Sindhu':
| Greek names | Indoi, Indike |
| Why Greeks dropped 'h' | The letter 'h' did not exist in the Greek language |
| Greek source | Adapted from Persian 'Hindu' |
| Chinese names | Yintu, Yindu |
| Chinese chain | Sindhu → Hindhu → Indu → Yindu |
| Latin name | India (derived from Greek) |
| English name | India (from Latin) |
| French name | Inde |
Tianzhu & Hindustan
| Name | Tianzhu |
| Origin | Also derived from 'Sindhu' |
| Alternative meaning | 'Heavenly master' |
| Significance | Reflects the respect the ancient Chinese had for India as the land of the Buddha |
| Name | Hindustan |
| First used | In a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago |
| Later usage | Became the term used by most invaders of India to describe the Indian Subcontinent |
| Composition | Hind (Persian adaptation of Sindhu) + stan (place/land in Persian) |
The term 'Hindustan' was first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago. It was NOT first used by Greeks, and NOT 2,000 years ago. The NCERT True/False exercise directly tests this.
Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) — Don't Miss Out
Xuanzang (formerly spelt Hiuen Tsang, Hsuan Tsang, etc.) was a Chinese scholar-pilgrim who:
- Travelled from China to India in the 7th century CE
- Visited many parts of India
- Met scholars and collected Buddhist texts
- Returned to China after 17 years
- Translated the manuscripts he brought from Sanskrit into Chinese
Several other Chinese scholars also visited India over the centuries.
| Other spellings | Hiuen Tsang, Hsuan Tsang |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Period of India visit | 7th century CE |
| Duration in India | 17 years |
| Primary purpose | Collected Buddhist texts; met Indian scholars |
| On return to China | Translated Sanskrit manuscripts into Chinese |
| Historical value | His account is a key source for Indian history of the 7th century CE (e.g., Harsha's empire) |
Complete Names of India Table (NCERT Let's Explore)
The NCERT provides an incomplete table asking students to fill in the names. Here is the complete version:
| Persian | Hind, Hidu, Hindu, Hindustan |
| Greek | Indoi, Indike |
| Latin | India |
| Chinese | Yintu, Yindu, Tianzhu |
| Arabic & Persian (medieval) | Hind, Al-Hind, Hindustan |
| English | India |
| French | Inde |
| Sanskrit / Ancient Indian (from Rig Veda) | Sapta Sindhava (northwest region only) |
| Sanskrit / Ancient Indian (from Mahabharata) | Bhāratavarṣha, Jambudvīpa |
| Sanskrit / Ancient Indian (from Vishnu Purana) | Bhārata |
| Hindi (Constitution) | Bhārat (Bhārat arthāth India) |
| English (Constitution) | India (India, that is Bharat) |
Before We Move On — Complete Summary (NCERT)
- India is an ancient land which has had many names in the course of its history.
- The names given by the ancient inhabitants of India include 'Jambudvīpa' and 'Bhārata'. The latter became widespread in time and is the name of India in most Indian languages.
- Foreign visitors to, or invaders of, India mostly adopted names derived from the Sindhu or Indus River; this resulted in names like 'Hindu', 'Indoi', and eventually 'India'.
True or False — All NCERT Exercise Answers
| The Ṛig Veda describes the entire geography of India. | ❌ FALSE — It only names the northwest region (Sapta Sindhava), not the entire Subcontinent. |
| The Viṣhṇu Purāṇa describes the entire Subcontinent. | ✅ TRUE — "North of ocean and south of snowy mountains = Bhārata." |
| In Aśhoka's time, 'Jambudvīpa' included India, parts of Afghanistan, Bangladesh & Pakistan. | ✅ TRUE — Aśhoka's empire extended across all these regions. |
| The Mahābhārata lists many regions, including Kashmir, Kutch, and Kerala. | ✅ TRUE — Kāshmīra, Kaccha, and Kerala are all listed. |
| The term 'Hindustan' first appeared in a Greek inscription more than 2,000 years ago. | ❌ FALSE — It appeared in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago. |
| In ancient Persian, the word 'Hindu' refers to the Hindu religion. | ❌ FALSE — In ancient Persian, 'Hindu' is purely a geographical term. |
| 'Bhārata' is a name given to India by foreign travellers. | ❌ FALSE — 'Bhārata' is an indigenous Indian name from the Rig Veda and Mahabharata. |
Possible motivations (at least 4-5 as NCERT hints):
- Trade: India was known for spices, textiles, gems, and other goods
- Religion/Pilgrimage: India as the land of the Buddha (e.g., Chinese pilgrims like Xuanzang)
- Learning/Knowledge: India's universities (like Nalanda) attracted scholars
- Military conquest: Persian, Greek, and later invasions
- Diplomacy: Political and cultural exchange between civilisations
Physical & Regional Maps — Complete Summary
| Fig. 5.1 | A scene from rural India about 2,300 years ago — north gate of the Great Sanchi Stupa. Shows everyday rural life in ancient India. |
| Fig. 5.2 | Physical map of the Indian Subcontinent with rivers. Shows Hindu Kush, Himalayas (north), Arabian Sea (west), Bay of Bengal (east). Rivers: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, Sutlej, Sarasvati, Ganga, Yamuna, Chambal, Narmada, Tapti, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Brahmaputra. |
| Fig. 5.3 | The northwest region of the Indian Subcontinent — the Sapta Sindhava region. Shows seven+ rivers of the Punjab-Sindh region. (Uploaded image available above.) |
| Fig. 5.4 | Map of regions listed in the Mahābhārata covering the entire Subcontinent from Gandhāra (NW) to Kerala (South), Vanga (East) to Surāṣhtra (West). (Uploaded image available above.) |
| Fig. 5.5 | First page of the original Constitution of India (Ministry of Culture, GoI, 2000). Shows Part I — The Union and its Territory, with "India, that is Bharat" in Article 1. (Uploaded image available above.) |
- North: The Himalayas ("snowy mountains" / "the great mountain")
- Northwest: Hindu Kush mountains
- South: Indian Ocean / Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari)
- West: Arabian Sea
- East: Bay of Bengal
Practice MCQs
India, That Is Bharat · 40 Questions · UPSC & State PCS Level
