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

Q1: How are history and geography tied in the cultural life of a region? Clarify with examples from Ladakh and Kerala.
Ans: Kerala and Ladakh are different in terms of geographical features.

• Geography of Kerala made possible the cultivation of spices and rice.
• Its coastal location made fishing possible.
• Geography of Ladakh made possible the wool collection as a major occupation of the Ladakhi people.

History of both the regions has seen similar cultural influences.

• Chinese and Arab Traders came to these regions and set up trading occupations there.

Q2: How was unity in diversity seen during the British rule in India?
Ans:

• People of India have diverse cultures, customs, traditions and backgrounds.
• British took advantage of this diversity and ruled India for nearly 300 years.

But the diverse people rose against the British as one nation. They showed unity in diversity and threw their rule from India.

• Man and woman from different cultures, customs, traditions and backgrounds came together to oppose the British.
• They took part in the freedom struggle.
• They went to jail together.
• They worked together to decide joint actions.
• They acted as one against the British.

Ultimately they uprooted the British Empire from India and attained freedom in 1947.

Q3: From where people who write stories get their ideas?
Ans: People who write stories get their ideas from all sorts of different places such as

• books
• real life
• their imagination.

People living in forests chose writing about their fight and friendships with animals. Others wrote stories about love and honour describing kings and queens. Some people wrote their childhood memories of school and friends.

Q4: How is the influence of diverse cultures still in vogue?
Ans: Influence of diverse cultures is still in vogue because of the following:

• Man’s life is on the move at present.
• We go from place to place and adopt the culture of new places where we live in.
• Our cultural traditions also undergo a change.
• We also adopt several things from our neighbourhood.
• Our daily life also changes accordingly.
• We also hear stories of other’s customs and traditions.

Q5: Perhaps you have not noticed that there are several people in the locality where you live who are poor and who do not have enough to eat or wear and sometimes not even a place to live. This difference is not the same as the one we have seen earlier. This is not a difference but it is the question of inequality. How does inequality come?
Ans: Inequality comes when there is a big gap between the haves and the have-nots. One has resources and opportunities in abundance while another does not have them at all.

• One lives in luxurious houses while another does not have even a place or jhoogi to live in.
• One spends extravagantly, another does not have enough to meet his both ends.

Caste system is another example of inequality.

• Society has been divided into different groups on the basis of work done by the people.
• A potter’s son is a potter.
• A person engaged in one work could not think of another work done by others.
• This created inequality in the society.

Q6: What does Jawahar Lai Nehru say in his book, ‘Discovery of India’ about unity in diversity?
Ans: 

• Jawahar Lai Nehru says that Indian unity is not imposed from outside.
• It was something deeper and within its fold.
• People practised the widest tolerance of beliefs, and customs.
• They acknowledged and encouraged variety.
• Unity in diversity exists in India.
• Nehru described his country, “unity in diversity.”

Q7: Who was the Islamic traveller of the 14th century in India?
Ans: Ibn Battuta was an Islamic traveller of the 14th century who came to India.

Q8: What are the names of two great mountains surrounding Ladakh?
Ans: The two great mountains that surround Ladakh are the Karakoram and the great Himalayas.

Q9: Define the term “Natural hazards”?
Ans: Natural hazards are the terrifying forces of nature that shatter the economy and livelihood of the people affected by these natural hazards. For example- earthquakes, floods, droughts, etc.

Q10: Where is Ladakh situated?
Ans: Ladakh is a Union Territory of India. It is situated in the eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir.

Q11: What similarities do you find in Kerala and Ladakh?
Ans: Kerala and Ladakh both the states are residing at two different points in India one is at extreme North and one is at the south. But both the states are influenced by traders.

Q12: Define the meaning of diversity?
Ans: Diversity refers to the differences among people based on their language, religion, eating habits, etc. We learn about different types of culture because of diversity. Even today, we continue to follow various cultures. We continue to assimilate cuisines and new costume traditions from around the world. We are all Indians, notwithstanding our differences.

Q13: Explain the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Ans: The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a ghastly and provocative attack by the Britishers on freedom fighters. The bruises gave in the massacre still feel the same. A British army officer whose name was General Dyer commanded his troops to shoot dead every freedom fighter present in Jallianwala. Dyer’s troops fired till the last bullet of their gun on every protester present in the Jallianwala. Jallianwala had a single entrance and exit. Nobody could escape from this disaster and loathsome firing. Many hundred people were killed in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Q14: Name two states with their traditional dress.
Ans: Tripura- Rignai is a long and broadcloth worn by the woman of Tripura which is draped around the waist and reaches to knees.
Manipur- Innaphi is a traditional shawl wrapped around the shoulders and head by the women of Manipur.

Q15: Define inequality?
Ans: Inequality is a term used for the things of people who are divided or distributed unequally on the grounds of governmental benefits, resources and cultural differences. For example, the caste system of India gives a hike to inequality.
To eradicate this inequality our leaders have made a provision in the constitution of India which is known as “Quota’’.

Q16: Define Communal Riots.
Ans: When two or more communities fight on their religious differences; the term is given to this fight is “Communal Riot”. People of different communities due to their religious differences start to kill each other on the grounds of inequality. These riots are most often politically motivated to benefit political parties to gain votes. Misguided people and political goons attract other innocent people and the riot takes place.