India – A Land of Unity in Diversity

The history of ancient India is interesting because India proved
to be a melting pot of numerous races. The pre-Aryans, the Indo-
Aryans, the Greeks, the Scythians, the Hunas, the Turks, etc., made
India their home. Each ethnic group contributed its might to the
making of Indian culture. All these peoples mixed up so inextricably
with one another that at present none of them can be identified in
their original form. Different cultures mingled with one another
through the ages. Many pre-Aryan or Dravidian terms occur in the
Vedic texts. Similarly, many Pali and Sanskritic terms appear in the
Sangam literature.

Since ancient times, India has been the land of several religions.
Ancient India witnessed the birth of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.
But all these cultures and religions intermingled with one another.
Although Indians people speak different languages, practice different
religions, and observe different social customs, they follow certain
common styles of life throughout the country. Therefore, our country
shows a deep underlying unity in spite of great diversity.

In fact, the ancients strove for unity. They looked upon this
vast subcontinent as one land. The name Bharatavarsha or the
land of Bharata was given to the whole country, after the name of
an ancient tribe called the Bharatas. Our ancient poets, philosophers
and writers viewed the country as an integral unit. This kind of political
unity was attained at least twice during the Mauryan and Gupta
Empires.
The unity of India was also recognized by foreigners. They
first came into contact with the people living on the Sindhu or the
Indus, and so they named the whole country after this river. The
word Hind is derived from the Sanskrit term Sindhu, and in course
of time the country came to be known as ‘India’ in Greek, and
‘Hind’ in Persian and Arabic languages.
Efforts for the linguistic and cultural unity of the country were
made through the ages. In the third century B.C., Prakrit language
served as the lingua franca of the country. Throughout the major
portion of India, Asoka’s inscriptions were written in the Prakrit
language. Also, the ancient epics, the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, were studied with the same zeal and devotion
throughout the country. Originally composed in Sanskrit, these epics
came to be presented in different local languages. Although the Indian
cultural values and ideas were expressed in different forms, the
substance remained the same throughout the country.
Hence, India has emerged a multi-religious and multi-cultural
society. However, the underlying unity and integrity and the plural
character of Indian society remain the real strength for the
development of the country.