The Heritage of India

GLOSSARY AND NOTES

 

1. Founder one that establishes

2. Reforms amendment of what is defective

3. the Great Mother reference to Mother India

4. Epitome a typical example

5. Tradition an inherited pattern of thought or action

6. Underdog a victim of injustice

7. antipathy a strong feeling of dislike

8. Heritage tradition

9. Prevalent widely accepted or practiced

10. Civilization a high level of cultural development

11. Cease to come to an end

12. Hectic characterized by excitement or confusion

13. Cruel causing pain

14. Customs a usage or practice common to many

15. Untouchability the state of being untouchable

 

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

 

Q1. The three great Indians, who took up the cause of social service, have been mentioned in the chapter. Write the names of these three great Indians?

Ans. Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi

 

Q2. What, according to Vivekananda, was the highest form of service of the Great Mother?

Ans. The highest from of service of the Great Mother was social service.

 

Q3. Which useless customs in ancient Indian culture have been discarded?

Ans. Sati Pratha, childhood marriage and untouchability.

 

Q4. From which books does Hindu civilization continue to receive its inspiration?

Ans. The Bhagvad Gita and the Upanishads

 

Q5. What is unique about Indian culture?

Ans. Indian culture has received, adapted and digested elements of different cultures. But its cultural tradition has remained intact.

 

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

 

1Q. What did Ram Mohan Roy advocate? What relationship do you think he must have seen between ‘social reform’ and ‘social service’?

Ans. Ram Mohan Roy advocated ‘social reform’. He thought that social reform is the another form of social service.

 

2Q. What was the dominant source of much of Gandhi’s philosophy of life? Did he not believe in the basic ideas of Indian Culture? Was he a mere ‘copy’ of European culture?

Ans. He was the epitome of the Indian culture. His philosophy of life was based on western thinkers and writers. It does not mean that he was a mere ‘copy’ of European culture.

 

3Q. What does the author suggest was Gandhi’s great achievement? How has that affected the Hindu way of life?

Ans. His faith in non-violence, love of the underdog, antipathy to caste system and championing of women’s right was his great achievement. He established a new society based on equality. Thus he gave a new shape and new life to Hindu culture.

 

4Q. Does the author visualize a time when Hindu civilization will die out? What contrast does he see between Indian and the West?

Ans. The author does not visualize any such thing. The Hindu civilization will never cease. But it will go on as usual. The Bhagvad Gita will always teach us to work. The Upanishads will always inspire us to think deeply. The people of India will never forget the ideals of Ramayana and Mahabharata. India is well known for its spiritualism and the West is known for its materialism.

 

5Q. What evidence does the author give to prove that Indian culture has changed radically over the centuries?

Ans. The cruel customs of Vedic period do not attract the modern Indians. The Sati Pratha and childhood marriage system are things of the past now. In buses, trains and aero planes, Brahmans travel with the lower castes. All castes are equal according to law. Indian society is free from untouchability system. A great change in Indian family system is seen also.

 

6Q. Does the author believe in the continuity of Hindu civilisation? Why does he think so?’

Ans. The Hindu civilization will never cease. But it will go on as usual. In the past, it has received, adapted and digested elements of different cultures of the world. In future, it will assimilate the western culture. But its cultural tradition will continue.

 

7Q. What does the heritage of India consist of?

Ans. The heritage of India consists of its ancient culture and traditions, its glorious past, its holy books and literature and its peaceful and gentle way of living.

 

8Q. What changes have taken place in Indian Caste system?

Ans. The old caste system is vanishing rapidly. In buses, trains and aero planes, Brahmans travel with the lower castes. Temples are open to one and all. All castes are equal according to law. Indian society is free from untouchability system.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Professor Arthur Llewellyn Basham (24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a noted historian and Indologist and author of a number of books. Basham was one of the first western historians to critically gauge the impact of Swami Vivekananda from a global perspective. His well-known comment about Vivekananda that "in centuries to come, he will be remembered as one of the main molders of the modern world,” is quoted frequently in appreciations and tributes of Vivekananda. This chapter is an extract which has been taken from his the most popular book ‘The Wonder That was India’. This book is a survey of Indian culture from the ancient time to the Age of the Buddha and the later invasions of the Muslims.

 

SUMMARY OF THE CHAPTER

 

Raja Ram Mohan Roy was the founder of social reforms in India. Vivekananda declared that the highest form of the service of the Great Mother was social service. Mahatma Gandhi also developed the theme of social service as a religious duty. He was an epitome of Hindu tradition. His faith in non-violence, love of the underdog, antipathy to the caste system and championing of women’s right shows that he was deeply impressed by the western ideas. He established a new society based on equality. Thus he gave a new shape and new life to Hindu culture. There is awakening in India today. Indians are proud of their country and its heritage. They are ready to give up their weak customs prevalent in Indian culture. India is facing many political and economic problems. But Indians will not copy the western culture blindly. They will use their own reason in bringing any changes in their culture. The Indian culture has received, adapted and digested the elements of many different cultures throughout the world.

 

The Hindu civilization will never cease. But it will go on as usual. The Bhagvad Gita will always teach us to work. The Upanishads will always inspire us to think deeply. The people of India will never forget the ideals of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Western hectic ways of hurry and worry will always be far away from us. The cruel customs of Vedic period do not attract the modern Indians. The Sati Pratha and childhood marriage system are things of the past now. In buses, trains and aero planes, Brahmans travel with the lower castes. All castes are equal according to law. Indian society is free from untouchability system. A great change in Indian family system is seen also. Although there are changes in every field, yet the Indian cultural tradition will continue. It will never be lost.