Long Questions: Understanding Diversity | NCERT Summary: UPSC PDF Download

Q1: How does the term “unity in diversity” describe India? What has Jawahar Lal Nehru quotes about the diversity in his book “The Discovery of India”?
Ans: Yes, I agree that the phrase "unity in diversity" is a good way to characterise India. India is a vast geographical location with a diverse culture that promotes diversity. Different people from different religious and cultural backgrounds live happily in a vast society. Diversity adds variety to the way we live. Pt. Nehru in his book “The Discovery of India” has aptly written that it was something quite deep-rooted among the people and different customs were practised with tolerance. Every variety of custom was acknowledged and even encouraged by the people. Pt. Nehru meant that every person irrespective of religion should respect each other’s feelings, customs and rituals etc. Despite their differences, all Indians are united in their celebration of national festivals and days, and in their singing of the national anthem. This shows that we all are united.

Q2: What was the poem sung after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre? Describe.
Ans: The poem reads:

• Don't forget the days of blood, O friend
• In the midst of your happiness remember to shed a tear for us 
• The hunter has torn away every single flower
• Do plant a flower in the desert garden dear friend 
• Having fallen to bullets we slept in Jallianwala Bagh 
• Do light a lamp on this lonely grave O friend
• The blood of Hindus and Muslims flows together today 
• Do soak your robe in this river of blood dear friend 
• Some rot in jails while others lie in their graves
• Do shed a few tears for them O friend.

The line, “The blood of Hindus and Muslims flow together today” reflects India’s unity. This line in the poem sung after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre reflects India’s essential unity.
Both Hindus and Muslims struggled together to fight against the British for the freedom of the country. This shows that the strength of unity made it very difficult for the British to continue their rule in India and Indians gained their Independence. Also, the same National Flag was unfurled as an example of protest against the British throughout the country.

Q3: Choose any two regions of India and differentiate their diversity and also explain how the people in these two diverse states are still connected?
Ans: 

• Rajasthan is one of the western states of India. It has an extremely dry desert on its boundary and the international border with Pakistan runs through the desert. It has a very low density of vegetation and the rainfall is scanty.
• Odisha, on the other hand, is located in the near eastern part of India. It receives occasional rainfall from cyclones and monsoons. The entire region has mountains as well as plains. It also has a lot of beautiful beaches in India with migratory birds.
• However, the people in both Rajasthan and Odisha have inhabited the region for millennia. The people of the two regions have been connected politically since the time of Ashoka. The people of both Odisha and Rajasthan have held their culture enacted even after invasions. They celebrate their festivals around the year and are known by them. For example, Pushkar Fair and Desert Festival in Rajasthan and Rath Yatra in Odisha. Moreover, both states have a diverse cuisine which is peculiar but contains both Wheat and Rice. Also, the parent language of the people from both states is Sanskrit.

Q4: Let us try to understand what we mean when we say that historical and geographical factors influence the diversity of a region. We can do this by reading about life in two different parts of the country, Kerala and Ladakh. Now do this exercise.
Ans:

Q4: How do we explain diversity?
Ans: We explain diversity in the following manner:
Historical Basis:

• People travelled from one place to another in ships, on horses, on camels or on foot, before the advent of trains, aeroplanes, buses or cars.
• They went to new lands to settle or to trade.
• They stayed for a long time at one place once they settled there.
• They left their homes due to famines and droughts as they could not get enough food there.
• Some of them went in search of work.
• When they settled in new places they began to change their life-style according to new surroundings, smother time they adopted old styles.
• Due to mix of old and new, their languages, food, music, religions, also underwent change.
• Inter mixing of cultures resulted in new and different styles, giving birth to diversities.

Thus regions became very diverse because of their unique histories.
Geographical Basis:

• People adapt their lives according to geographical conditions.
• Life-style of the people living near sea is different from those living in mountainous areas. They are different in their clothing, work, foods, living styles and in growing food and vegetables.

Q5: Tell about the festivals celebrated by different religions in your surroundings.
Ans: India is a highly diverse country; followers of almost all religions of the World live in India. A few of the festivals which are shared by different regional and religious groups or communities are:

• Republic Day, Independence Day, Gandhi Jayanti. 
• The huge diversity makes our country rich in terms of cultural differences. These are the national festivals, and every Indian, regardless of geography or faith, participates in them.

Other festivals celebrated are:

• Diwali: Celebrated by all our Hindu friends.
• Durga Puja: Celebrated by all our Bengali friends.
• Eid: Celebrated by all our Muslim friends.
• Christmas: Celebrated by all our Christian friends.
• Baisakhi: Celebrated by all our Punjabi friends.

Q6: What are the learnings you earn from the rich and diverse heritage of India?
Ans: India is a country with a rich cultural heritage. Diversities have given many advantages in our life.
The learnings that we earn from the rich and diverse heritage of India are:

• Mutual respect for one another.
• With respect to the religious sentiments of others.
• Tolerance for each other.
• Different ways to communicate with each other.
• Help each other in diverse situations.