Eleanor Finch
The name of a country is an important aspect of its identity and culture. According to the Indian Constitution, the country is referred to as 'India, that is Bharat', as stated in Article 1, which declares that 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States'. This formulation combines the traditional name, Bharat, with the modern name, India, reflecting the rich history and diversity of the nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | India, that is Bharat |
| Alternate names | Bharat, Hindustan, Aryavarta |
| Structure | Federal |
| Territory | Union of States |
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What You'll Learn
The country's name according to the constitution
The name of a country is an important aspect of its identity and culture. According to the Constitution, the name of the country is 'India, that is Bharat'. This is mentioned in Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, which states that 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States'. The use of both names in the Constitution recognises the historical significance of the two terms.
The name 'India' has its roots in the Greek 'Indika' or 'Indía', derived from the Latin transliteration of the country's name. Ultimately, the name can be traced back to the Sanskrit 'Síndhu', the name of the River Indus and the lower Indus Valley (modern-day Sindh, Pakistan). 'India' is the common and formal name used in English, and it is one of the country's two significant short names.
'Bharat', the other short name, is also deeply rooted in history. It is the traditional name for the country and holds cultural significance for Indians. Additionally, the name 'Hindustan' is often used as an alternate name for the country when Indians communicate among themselves. This name encompasses most of the modern Indian states that constitute the subcontinent.
The Constituent Assembly had to adopt a mix of both traditional and modern names due to a lack of unanimity regarding the country's name. While some members favoured the traditional 'Bharat', others preferred the modern 'India'. As a result, the Constitution recognised both names as equally official, reflecting the country's rich history and cultural diversity.
In conclusion, the Constitution of India recognises and embraces the country's diverse heritage by providing two equally official names, 'India' and 'Bharat', each with its own unique historical and cultural significance. The inclusion of these names in the Constitution unifies the country's past and present, serving as a reminder of India's rich and varied history.
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The origin of the name 'India'
The name India has a rich history and is known by different names in different cultures. The country's constitution, adopted in 1950, recognises this by stating "India, that is Bharat".
The English name India is derived from the Indus River, known as the Sindhu in Sanskrit. The neighbouring Iranians and Arabs pronounced the word as 'Hindu', while the Greeks pronounced it as 'Indus'. The English term comes from the Latin form of the Greek word, 'Indía'. The Greeks used the name to refer to the lands east of Persia and south of the Himalayas. The name had appeared in Old English by the 9th century and re-emerged in Modern English in the 17th century.
Bharat, meanwhile, is derived from the name of the Vedic community Bharatas, who are mentioned in the Rigveda as one of the original communities of the Aryavarta, which roughly corresponds with the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The name is also rooted in the Dharmic religions, particularly Hinduism. The long-form Sanskrit name is Bhāratavarṣa, which is used to distinguish it from other varṣas or continents. The designation Bharat appears in the official Sanskrit name of the country, Bhāratagaṇarājya.
India has other names in different cultures. Tibetans, for instance, refer to the country as Gyagar Phagpay Yul, which means "India the land of Aryas". The Dalai Lama, who refers to himself as the "Son of India", reveres the country as the guru to Tibet's chela (shishya or disciple). Devout Buddhists in the Sinosphere use related terms to designate India as their "heavenly centre", referring to the sacred origins of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent.
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The traditional name 'Bharat'
The Republic of India is officially referred to by two names: India and Bharat. The latter, which is derived from the Vedic community Bharatas, holds a significant ancient legacy, prevalent in Indian scriptures and texts.
The name 'Bharat' is rooted in the Dharmic religions, particularly Hinduism, and is the shortened form of 'Bhāratavarṣa' in the Sanskrit language. It is a vrddhi derivation of Bharata, which was originally an epithet of Agni. The term is a verbal noun of the Sanskrit root bhr-, "to bear/to carry", with a literal meaning of being maintained (of fire). The root bhr is cognate with the English verb "to bear" and the Latin "ferō".
The name 'Bharat' is also associated with King Bharata, a legendary emperor and the son of Dushyant and Shakuntala. This name is intricately woven into the fabric of the 'Mahabharata', chronicling the epic war involving his descendants. In the Vedas, 'Bharat' represents a tribe that engaged in a fierce conflict with the Puru tribe, from which the Bharata tribe emerged, giving birth to the Kuru dynasty.
The designation 'Bharat' appears in the official Sanskrit name of the country, 'Bhāratagaṇarājya'. The name is derived from the ancient Hindu Puranas, which refer to the land that comprises India as 'Bhāratavarṣa' and uses this term to distinguish it from other 'varṣas' or continents. For example, the Vayu Purana says, "he who conquers the whole of 'Bhāratavarṣa' is celebrated as a samrāṭa".
In 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted "Bharat" (alongside "India") as one of the country's two official short names. This was further affirmed in 1950, when Article 1 of the Indian Constitution declared, "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." This compromise acknowledged the historical and cultural significance of both names.
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The use of 'Hindustan'
The name of the country according to its constitution is India, which is also one of its two official short names, the other being Bharat. Hindustan is an unofficial name for the country, widely used throughout North India.
The use of Hindustan as a name for India is derived from the Indus River, combining "Hindu" as an exonym with the suffix "-stan" in the Persian language. It has been the most common Persian name for India since at least the 3rd century, with the earlier form "Hindush" (an adaptation of the Sanskrit name "Sindhu") being attested in Old Persian as early as the 6th century BCE. It was used to refer to the lands east of the Persian frontier in the Indus Valley. The name did not become particularly widespread in other languages until the 11th century, when it was popularised during the Muslim period in the Indian subcontinent.
Hindustan is still a common name for India in the Hindustani language and is also used in contemporary Persian and Hindi-Urdu. In the 19th century, the term as used in English referred to the Indian subcontinent, and during the British era, it was used simultaneously with "India". However, during the independence movement, Indian leaders did not approve of the name "Hindustan" due to its implied meaning as the land of Hindus, and they insisted that the new Dominion of India should be called 'India'. As a result, Hindustan did not receive official sanction, while 'Bharat' was adopted as an official name in addition to "India".
The region of Hindustan, according to Babur Nama, was extensive, full of people and produce, ending on all sides but the north at a great enclosing ocean. To the north lay mountains connecting with those of Hindu-Kush, Kafiristan, and Kashmir. North-west of it were Kabul, Ghazni, and Qandahar, while Dihlī was considered the capital of Hindustan. The term Hindustan was also used by the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal periods to refer to their Indian dominion, centred around Delhi. During this time, Hindustan referred specifically to the territories of Northern India under Muslim political control, while "Hind" referred to the rest of India.
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The country's classification as a 'Union'
The country's classification as a Union is threefold. Firstly, the Indian Constitution of 1950 identifies the country as a "Union of States", distinguishing between three main types of states: Part A, Part B, and Part C. Secondly, the country is a union of its states and union territories. For instance, in 2019, the Parliament of India passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, which reorganised the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories. Thirdly, the country is a union in the sense that the states and union territories are autonomous but still fall under the overarching sovereignty and security provided by the central government. This means that the states and union territories have their own legislative and executive bodies, but they cannot act independently or compromise the unity of the nation.
The country's classification as a Union of States is significant because it allows for a federal government structure. In this structure, the central government takes care of fiscal policy, security, intelligence, foreign policy, national highways, and union territories, while the state governments handle matters related to the welfare and progress of their residents. This federal structure also ensures that the central government cannot interfere in matters that are under the jurisdiction of the state governments, as outlined in the state list and concurrent list of subjects in the Constitution.
The classification of the country as a Union also has implications for the alteration of state boundaries. Unlike the American federal structure, where state boundaries cannot be altered, the Indian Union of States allows for more flexibility. State boundaries in India can be changed, and states can even be merged with others, resulting in the loss of the original state's separate existence. This flexibility in state boundaries is a point of contention for some, who argue that it can be used by politicians to spread regionalism and imply that states can act independently of the Union.
The country's name, as given in the Constitution, is also indicative of its classification as a Union. The Constituent Assembly adopted a mix of the traditional name "Bharat" and the modern name "India", resulting in the country's official name being "India, that is Bharat". This name reflects the country's unity as a Union, encompassing both traditional and modern aspects.
Overall, the country's classification as a Union of States in the Constitution of 1950 has shaped India's government structure, the relationship between the central and state governments, and the flexibility of state boundaries. It is a crucial aspect of India's political system and national identity.
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the country as stated in the Constitution is 'India, that is Bharat'.
There was no unanimity in the Constituent Assembly with regard to the name of the country. Some members suggested the traditional name (Bharat), while others advocated the modern name (India).
The name "India, that is Bharat" is mentioned in Article 1 of the Indian Constitution.
Article 1 states that 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States'.
The English term "India" is derived from the Greek Indika or Indía, which comes from the Latin transliteration of the country's name. The name ultimately comes from Sanskrit Síndhu, the name of the River Indus and the lower Indus Valley (modern-day Sindh, Pakistan). Bharat is the traditional name for the country.
