The Story of India Q & A

Agriculture

1. What role have the monsoon winds played in Indian history?

A monsoon failure can cause years of drought, and scientists believe that a weakened monsoon may have contributed to the fall of the Indus Valley civilization. Monsoons in India blow from the sea toward land in a southwest direction from June to September and from October through December, winds blow from the land to the sea from the northeast, from the Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. This switching of the wind direction season to season, aid ships making the journey back and forth across the Indian Ocean for trade.

2. What is the importance of the Anicut Dam? What does its construction in the second century CE tell us about the Cholan Empire?

The Anicut Dam, built in the 2nd century, has been providing water to support farming efforts in the southern portion of India. It’s age is a reflection of the importance farming and the support of farming in the history of India.

3. While modern agriculture continues to employ 2/3 of the Indian population, it serves as only one fifth of the nation's GDP. What does this shift indicate about India's changing economy? Will agriculture diminish over time?

The shift in the source of income indicates that India is probably leaving the agricultural age and more fully embracing the industrial age as the west has done since the late 1800’s.

Allahabad

1. How does the massive pilgrimage to Allahabad in modern times illustrate India's historical spirituality

It is where, according to Hindu legend, Lord Brahma (the God of creation) performed the first fire sacrifice. Each year during this time, thousands of pilgrims travel to the city to take a ritual bath in the confluence to wash away their sins and increase their chances for salvation. They also perform religious rituals and listen to Holy Men.

2. How was Nehru's policy of non-alignment during the Cold War a reflection of India's past?

Nehru believed in the policies of Ashoka the Great (c. 269-233 BCE), considered the greatest Mauryan emperor in India’s history. Nehru advocated nonalignment, taking the side of neither capitalism nor communism in the Cold War. His goals followed Ashoka’s in the practice of Noninterference and peaceful co-existence. This practice was probably developed by Ashoka to enable a peaceful co-existence between the myriad of cultures, languages, and religion that exist in India.

3. What is the symbolism associated with Nehru's selection of the Lion Capital of Ashoka as the national emblem?

Because Ashoka has become an enduring symbol of enlightened rule, non-violence, and religious tolerance, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, adopted the Lion Capital of Ashoka, as India's official emblem in 1950.

4. While the Great Rebellion of 1857 attempted to rid India of the British,how did Britain subsequently change its ruling style to gain an even stronger foothold in the subcontinent?

The army was reorganized to have a higher ratio of British to Indian soldiers, recruitment focused on regions that had not revolted, and units were composed of soldiers representing many Indian ethnicities to make it less likely that group cohesion could occur through a religious basis.

Edicts

1. What purpose did the Ashokan pillars play during Ashoka's rule? Why do you think they would have been effective?

The pillars contained inscriptions of the Buddhism based edicts of Ashoka after he became remorseful of his past massacres. They were rules of civility that he learned from the Buddhist teachings. They could have been effective because of their locations near the Stupas (religious burial sites) and from the respect and awe that people felt for his transformation.

2. How did the possible meeting between Alexander the Great and a young Chandragupta influence the development of the Mauryan Empire?

Chandragupta was in awe of Alexander the Great. He sought to emulate his successes on both the battlefield and in construction of architecture.

3. In light of India's many religious traditions, why do you think Buddhism suffered a sharp decline in India after Ashoka?

There were many competing religions and philosophies in India. Without the charisma and constant reminders of Ashoka, other religions were able to gather converts.

4. What teachings of the Buddha are most relevant in today's world?

They are the first forerunners of the UN’s declaration of human rights. All humans are members of the same family.

Golden Temple

1. How do Sikhs show the importance of the Sikh holy book, the "Adi Granth"?

The Adi Grnth is brought into the Golden Temple each day for viewing. The Golden Temple is a monumental 2-story structure of marble with the upper story gilded in gold that is positioned in Amrita Saras (pool of nectar).

2. What traits does Sikhism draw from Hinduism? Islam?

Similar to Hinduism, Sikhism teaches that the karmic cycle of rebirths cannot be overcome unless you achieve oneness with God. Like Islam, it emphasizes belief in only one God.

3. Compare the basic tenets of Sikhism and Akbar’s universal religion. Can you make a connection between the two?

Akbar was a Muslim, which was monotheistic. The Sikh was also a monotheistic religion preaching a one true god.

Science

1. Why do you think yoga has become so popular outside of India?

Yoga is popular because of the similarity to “New Age” practices that are popular in that it is used as a method of physical and spiritual discipline but is not a religion per sa.

2. What aspects of Ayurvedic medicine are valued by many people in the United States?

Like many people believe today, Ayurveda emphasizes maintaining health through proper lifestyle including diet, meditation, and exercise.

3. Why were India's advancements in mathematics important? What aspects of math taught today in school originated in India?

The concept of Zero are said to have originated in India, many other concepts of algebra, trigonometry and even the base 10 numbering system were used in India during the 320-550 BCE.

Tamil Nadu

1. Why did the British find the region so valuable?

The area was considered the most fertile of all the colonies controlled by the British.

2. What did the Romans trade with Tamil Nadu?

Rome's conquest of Egypt in 30 BCE consolidated a maritime route to India that remained active into the 7th century. Pepper, spices, and textiles were the primary items traded with the West in exchange for wine, olive oil, and Roman coins.

Trade

1. Why has India been an important center of trade?

With both land routes and sea routes from many different countries, it was a source of spices, culture and religion by the Romans, Chinese, Portuguese, and British.

2. What importance did spices play in the development of trade? What eventually ended the European demand for Indian spices?

Spices were used for the preservation of food (as well as to mask rotting). The requirement for the spices for preservation subdued with the discovery of artificial refrigeration.

3. What was the significance of Vasco da Gama's arrival in Calicut?

He was the first person to navigate a sea route from Europe to India

4. Who did the British East India Company employ to assist the company in its domination of India?

They hired armies of Indians as soldiers and supplied with them with European weaponry to increase their effectiveness against its western competitors, the Dutch East India Company and the French Compagnie des Indes Orientales.

5. How might people of the United States react to a corporation being given the authority to govern another country?

I don’t think it would go over too well (although we’ve gotten close to it in Central and South America in the last century.)