Recently, the Central Government has started using the Bharat name in various places, which has sparked the Bharat Vs India Debate again, as this debate has existed since the making of our Constitution. The debate about the same happened during the constitutional assembly debates.
We have individuals who view this move of govt as a commendable step towards decolonization, a reclamation of our pre-colonial identity, and an assertion of our roots. They see it as an opportunity to embrace our indigenous heritage. However, there are those who remain sceptical. Opposing this use of bharat name, particularly from the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A, they suspect political motives behind this decision. They speculate that it is influenced because of their alliance's name and political interests.
It's crucial to understand that India's legal framework recognizes both names. Article 1 of our Constitution explicitly acknowledges our nation as "India, that is Bharat." This means that both names hold official and constitutional status, coexisting harmoniously within our democratic framework.
India is perhaps the only country in the world that has a number of names: Bharat, bharat khand, bharatvarsh, India, Hindustan and the most ancient Jambu Dweep. However, at present, only Bharat and India are in common use and Hindustan appears occasionally.
To fully understand this topic, we must first explore the roots of these two names. "India" is a term with a long history, one that traces its origins to the River Indus and has been used for centuries, especially during the period of British colonial rule. On the other hand, "Bharat" holds a deep connection to our ancient scriptures and symbolises the cultural and historical identity of our nation. It carries with it a sense of heritage that predates the colonial era.
The earliest mention of the name Bharat in literature is found in the Rig Veda (circa 1500 BCE). It mentions a Bharata clan as the principal tribe of the region, which is now north India. Additionally, Bharat follows from king Bharata, heir to the Kuru dynasty, and the son of Dushyant and Shakuntala, thereby connected to the epic Mahabharata. Bharat appears 22 times in Srimad BhagavadGita.
The most popular reference to a geographical area being described as Bharat is in the Vishnu Purana:
"Uttaram yat samudrasya, Himadreschaiva dakshinam,
varsham tad Bharatam nama Bharati yatra santatih",
Meaning, the country that lies to the north of the ocean and to the south of the snowy mountains is called Bharata and the people of the country are called bharti. Other then Vishnu Purana (2,1,31), Bharat has been mentioned in Vayu Purana (33,52), Linga Purana (1,47,23), Brahmanda Purana (14,5,62), Agni Purana (107,11–12), Skanda Purana, Khanda purana (37,57) and Markandaya Purana (50,41), all using the designation Bhāratavasha ( i.e. bharat mainland). Bharat has also its mention in Hathigumpha inscription of King Kharavela (first century BCE).
The literal meaning of Bharat in Sanskrit translates into - 'to bear/ to carry' and means 'one who is in search of light/ knowledge'. Hence Bharat means ‘Country where people are in search of knowledge’.
Now you all might be thinking that if Bharat was so prominent in ancient India then when and how did Bharat became India?
Now the name ‘India’ originates from the River Sindhu. Initially, there was no word like India or Indus. It all started with the word Sindhu. So India name is evolved from sindhu. First it became Sindhu to Hindu: The old Persian equivalent of Sindhu is Hindu. So, the Persian invaders started calling the Sindhu as “Hindu”. The Persians, who interacted with the people of the region, referred to it as "Hindu".
Then Hindu to Indos: This word Hindu passed to Greeks and Romans:
The loss of the /h/ from the dialects of Greek spoken language gave rise to the word “Indos”.
The term "India" was derived from the Greek word "Indós," which was used by ancient Greek writers to refer to the region arround the Indus River. The Romans later adopted this term as "India."
During Colonial time The British East India Company, which changed everything in India during the colonial era, used the name "India" for administrative purposes. This contributed to the widespread use of the term during the colonial period and beyond. After the independence our Constitution maker adopted both the names in the constitution after a long debate over the official name of the country.
The debate over "Bharat" versus "India" as the name for our nation is rooted in historical and cultural significance. Both names have their place in our History, and our Constitution recognizes them both. The recent use of "Bharat" reflects a desire to embrace our pre-colonial identity, while "India" has colonial origins. It’s the choice of the people what name they prefer and want to use. Regardless of the name used, our focus should remain on the unity and progress of our diverse nation.
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