Download ppt - FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LEADS TO DIVERSITY Has 3 topographical zones:Has 3 topographical zones: Northern mountains (Himalayas) River

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LEADS TO PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LEADS TO

DIVERSITYDIVERSITY• Has 3 topographical Has 3 topographical

zones:zones:

Northern mountains Northern mountains (Himalayas)(Himalayas)

River Basins (Indus River Basins (Indus and Ganges)and Ganges)

The Peninsula and The Peninsula and it’s coastal areas it’s coastal areas (Southern India)(Southern India)

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LEADS TO PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY LEADS TO

DIVERSITYDIVERSITY• Climates lead to Climates lead to

early differences:early differences:

Tropical and lush Tropical and lush (Peninsular India (Peninsular India and Ganges Basin) – and Ganges Basin) – produce riceproduce rice

Dry and limited rain Dry and limited rain (Indus basin) – rely (Indus basin) – rely on irrigation, on irrigation, produce wheat, produce wheat, millet, and barleymillet, and barley

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA CASTE SYSTEM OF VEDIC AGE (1500 – 500 CASTE SYSTEM OF VEDIC AGE (1500 – 500

BCEBCE BrahminsBrahmins• Priests and scholarsPriests and scholars• Only ones who could Only ones who could

control the technology of control the technology of sacrificessacrifices

• Only ones who knew the Only ones who knew the rituals and prayersrituals and prayers

• Did not want them written Did not want them written down…knowledge is down…knowledge is powerpower

KshatriyasKshatriyas• Warriors and kingsWarriors and kings

VaishyasVaishyas• LandownersLandowners

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA CASTE SYSTEM OF VEDIC AGE (1500 – 500 CASTE SYSTEM OF VEDIC AGE (1500 – 500

BCEBCE Shudras• Servants and slaves

Untouchables• People outside system

because of the demeaning work they performed

Divided within each group according to heredity – known as a Jati group

Great care taken to prevent intermixing of groups…

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA BUDDHISM REFORMS VEDIC BELIEF BUDDHISM REFORMS VEDIC BELIEF

SYSTEMSYSTEM Story of Siddhartha Gautama (a.k.a. the Buddha)

• Upper class prince who rejects social status and all that go with it.

• Concerned that desire for material goods would lead to unhappiness

• Believed in middle path, moderation


SYSTEMSYSTEM Philosophy centered on Philosophy centered on the individual’s path to the individual’s path to enlightenmentenlightenment

• Denied the usefulness of godsDenied the usefulness of gods

• Life through moderation Life through moderation meant less desire and less meant less desire and less sufferingsuffering

• All people are composites All people are composites ((khandhaskhandhas)::

In direct contradiction to In direct contradiction to Vedic belief of an external Vedic belief of an external soul (atman)soul (atman)


SYSTEMSYSTEM Challenge to the Challenge to the power structure and power structure and class system in India class system in India (Brahmin priests)(Brahmin priests)

• Anyone could become Anyone could become enlightened, regardless of enlightened, regardless of classclass

• If the aim of life is to If the aim of life is to become enlightened, and become enlightened, and the need for material things the need for material things is futile, what importance is futile, what importance does the aristocracy have to does the aristocracy have to ordinary personordinary person

FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA FOUNDATIONS OF INDIA HINDUISM AND THE INDIAN HINDUISM AND THE INDIAN

SOCIETYSOCIETY Evolution of the Vedic Evolution of the Vedic belief systembelief system

• Featured emphasis on Featured emphasis on intense personal devotion to intense personal devotion to a deity and the prominence a deity and the prominence of goddessesof goddesses

• Usually took the form of: Usually took the form of: Vishnu (preserver), Shiva Vishnu (preserver), Shiva (destroyer), or Brahma (destroyer), or Brahma (creator)(creator)

• All gods were a manifestation All gods were a manifestation of a single divine forceof a single divine force


SOCIETYSOCIETY Worship focuses on Worship focuses on temple and temple and included included performing service performing service to the deityto the deity

• Got rid of the sacrificial Got rid of the sacrificial nature of original Vedic nature of original Vedic systemsystem

• Ganges River becomes an Ganges River becomes an important location for important location for pilgrimagespilgrimages


SOCIETYSOCIETY Karma becomes Karma becomes an important part an important part of belief structure:of belief structure:

• Status in life is based Status in life is based on what you did in on what you did in previous livesprevious lives

• Better conduct leads to Better conduct leads to social advancement(s)social advancement(s)


SOCIETYSOCIETY

DharmaDharma

• Religious duties were Religious duties were tied into social standing, tied into social standing, gender, and agegender, and age

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a5/Upanayanam.jpg


SOCIETYSOCIETY

• Hinduism appealed Hinduism appealed to people’s need to to people’s need to believe in gods and believe in gods and love of ritualslove of rituals

• Buddhism focus on Buddhism focus on individuality was too individuality was too much for ordinary much for ordinary citizens…citizens…