PROJECT: Incredible India-Unity

In Diversity
PREPARED BY:
Mr. Dileep Singh- Principal
(AECS-NO.4 RAWATBHATA)
An Informative

Presentation for the

students of Social Science
 Index
1. Introduction
2. Physical Diversity and Unity :
Geographical & Historical Heritage
3. India-An Ethnological Museum
4. Cultural Unity
5. Languages in India
6. Literature
7. Religions and Religious Festivals
8. Collage of dances
9. Indian Polity- A brief statistics
10. Importance of National Unity
 (1) INCREDIBLE INDIA
( A NATION OF UNITY IN DIVERSITY)
India, also known as
Bharat, is a big country.
Her Civilisation is 5000
years old.
She has given birth to the
worlds most important
religions.
She provided refuge to
other leading religions.
People of many races
have come to India and
settled here.
She absorbed them all
into her blood and
fraternized them as her
children.
Unity and synthesis are
the embodiments of
Indian culture.
 (2)Physical Diversity and Unity :
Geographical & Historical Heritage
India is a vast country extending from the
Himalayas in the North to Kanyakumari in the
South.
The Himalayas separate her from the rest of Asia.
The Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the
Indian Ocean make her a peninsula.
We find endless diversity in the Indian sub-
continent from the physical point of view.
There are wide differences in her climate,
temperature, rainfall, soil, agriculture, flora and
fauna etc.,
Today India is divided into 28 States and 7 Union
Territories.
The States of India are divided on the basis of the
languages spoken by the people.
INDIAN MOUNTAIN RANGES & RIVERS
 India a country of "Unity in Diversity"
India is a country of large diversity in its
nature, people, culture and so many things.
Still Unity exists here as an integral part of the
country.
Here we find:
Himalaya range covered with snow through out
the year;
A sand desert;
So many high mountains, hill stations;
Dense forest;
Beautiful beaches and so many such wonders.
 India-An Ethnological Museum
Indias ancient history tells us about the Harappan people who
lived in the Indus River areas prior to the coming of the Aryans.
The Vedas speak about the Aryans and their spread in the Indo-
Gangetic regions.
The Sangam classics bear testimony to a well developed culture
among the Tamils, even during the pre-Christian Era, in the extreme
south of India.
Apart from these early settlers, the Persians, the Greeks, the Sakas,
the Huns, and the Kushans entered India in the North West.
During the medieval times The Arabs, the Turks, the Mongols and
the Mughals came to India.
The Europeans, such as the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and
the English, came in the modern period.
Except the Europeans, others have been absorbed into the stream of
Indian life.
It is due to this fact that many consider India as an ethnological
museum of many races.
Thus Indian society is a multi-racial society.
MONUMENTS

ANCIENT
Ajanta & Ellora Caves
Ajanta Ellora Caves located
near the city of Aurangabad in
Maharashtra.
These are cave shrines cut out of
rock, by hand, and rank amongst
some of the most outstanding
specimens of ancient Indian
architectural heritage.
Ajanta caves,(29 caves) lie deep
within the Sahyadri hills,
Ajanta caves depict the story of
Buddhism for a period from 200
BC to 650 AD.
The Ellora caves represent the
three faiths of Hinduism,
Buddhism and Jainism,
structures were carved during
the 350 AD to 700 AD period.
 Sanchi stupa (Raisen-Madhya Pradesh)
Emperor asoka (273-236 B.C.) Had put up at sanchi
a pillar edict and a stupa containing relics of the
buddha in his honour.
The top of the asoka pillar, which comprises of four
lions.
The size and the weight of the pillar and stupa point
to advanced construction technology that was
existent at the time of asoka.
In some of the panels on the gateways of the stupa
scenes from the jataka tales have been shown.
BODHGAYA&BODHI
TREEBIHAR
BODHGAYA & BODHI TREE- (BIHAR)
Bodh Gaya is the holiest site in the Buddhist
world.
It was here the Buddha was enlightened under
the bodhi tree.
It was King Ashoka who first built a temple near
the bodhi tree.
on the western side of the temple, is the large
bodhi tree where he was enlightened
A stone railing protects the tree and steel posts
hold up the spreading branches.
When the wind blows and leaves fall, there is a
mad scramble by pilgrims to gather the fallen
sacred leaves.
MEDIEVAL INDIA
 MAHABALIPURAM (TAMILNADU)
Located at a distance of 58-
km from Chennai on the
shores of the Bay of Bengal.
Known for its rocks carvings
and monolithic sculptures
It is also known as the Seven
Pagodas (temples),six now lie
submerged in the sea.
Mahabalipuram temples
whose architecture was
inspired by the Pallava Art
were built during the period
830 - 1100 AD.
 KHAJURAHO TEMPLES-CHHATARPUR
(MADHYAPRADESH)
9th to 12th century temples of Khajuraho are
the evidences of the architectural geniuses
during the times of Chandela dynasty.
Situated in Madhya Pradesh, India,
Khajuraho oozes with passion, eroticism, dance
and music and other finesses of creative arts
depicted in sculpture and images of the
temples.
The two richer distinctive groups of temples
are the Western and Eastern group of temples
KONARK-SUN TEMPLE (ORISSA)
The name Konark is
derived form the words
Kona - Corner and Arka -
Sun;
It is situated at Puri
Konark is also known as
Arkakshetra.
This temple built in 1278
AD by the Ganga King
Narasimha Deva is one
of the grandest temples of
India.
It was referred to as the
Black Pagoda.
 KUTUBMINAR (DELHI)
Named After : Qutab-ud-din
Aibak
Famous As : Highest brick History :Started
tower in the world. by Qutub-ud-Din
Built in :1193 A.D. Aibak but was
Structure :Height- 72.5 m. Completed by His
Total Steps up to the Top Son-in-law
399. Iltutmish and
Base is 14.3 m. wide, Further By Firoz
Top Floor is 2.75 meters Shah Tughlak.
wide.
Don't Miss :Hidden
Pathways Believed to Lead
up to the Red Fort.
Vijay Stambh
(Victory Tower)
The tower of the piece-
de-resistance of
chittaurgarh.
Constructed by the king of
Mewar Rana Kumbha
between 1442 AD and
1449 AD.
Commemoration of
victory over the combined
armies of Malwa and
Gujarat led by Mahmud
Khilji
 GOLDEN TEMPLE (Amritsar-PUNJAB)
Golden Temple is also known
as Sri Darbar Sahib or Sri
Harmandir Sahib.
Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth
Nanak, conceived the idea and
he himself designed the
architecture of Sri Harmandir
Sahib.
The building work completed in
1601 A.D. on Bhadoon Sudi
1st, 1661 Bikrmi Samvat
(August/September,1604).
Guru Arjan Sahib installed
newly created Guru Granth
Sahib, in Sri Harmandir Sahib
and appointed Baba Budha ji
as its first Granthi.
RED FORT (DELHI)
 RED FORT (DELHI)
The Red Fort was the palace for Mughal
Emperor Shah Jahan's new capital,
Shahjahanabad, the seventh Muslim city in the
Delhi site.
The Red Fort stands at the eastern edge of
Shahjahanabad, and gets its name from the
massive wall of red sandstone that defines its
eight sides. The wall is 1.5 miles (2.5 km) long,
and varies in height from 60ft (16m) on the
river side to 110 ft (33 m) towards the city.
The fort lies along the Yamuna River, that fed
the moats that surround most of the wall.
 Taj Mahal of India - "a monument of
immeasurable beauty".
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument
constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz
Mahal.
Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra
Year of Construction: 1631-1653AD.
Spread Over: 42 acres.
The purity of the white marble, the exquisite
ornamentation, precious gemstones used in it.
This is One of the Seven Wonders of the World
 CHARMINAR-HYDERABAD
Built by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah in 1591
This is made of beautiful colossus in granite, lime,
mortar and, some say, pulverised marble.
One time it was at the heart of the city.
Charminar is a squarish structure with four towers of 20
metres in length in the four corners of the square.
Each arch is 11 metres wide and rises 20 mtrs. to the
pinnacle from the plinth.
From the ground to the apex, the minarets cover a
length of 48.7 metres.
 THOUSAND PILLERS TEMPLE (RAMESHAWARAM)
The temple of Rameswaram is
situated in district Ramnad
,Tamil Nadu
The temple we see today was
built by King Udayana of the
Setupati dynasty, in the
fifteenth century.
Later, several rulers added
buildings, walls and gopurams
to the main shrine.
The 1200-metre-long corridor,
with 1000 magnificent pillars,
is a unique feature of the
Rameswaram temple.
MODERN INDIA
 JANTAR-MANTAR (DELHI)
Built By : Sawai Jai Singh
II.
Built in 1710
It is an Astronomical
Observatory.
The esoteric structures
used by modern day
scholars to determine
position of astral bodies.
A perfect amalgamation
of religion and science.
An example of its own
unsecularized integrity.
 HAVA MAHAL-JAIPUR(RAJASTHAN)
Maharaja Sawai
Pratap Singh erected
Hawa Mahal or the
Palace of the Wind in
1799.
Lal Chand Usta
designed this
exemplary five
storied building in
red and pink sand
stone.
It is beautifully
outlined with white
borders and its
motifs are painted
with quick lime.
LOTUS / BAHAI TEMPLE (DELHI)
A Remarkable Architecture
 LOTUS TEMPLE
Lotus Temple is a symbol of manifestation from
the almighty, peace, purity, love and immortality
which makes it an important icon for Indians.
It has a half opened Lotus flower with 27
freestanding "petals" made of marble, about 40
meters tall surrounded by nine ponds and
appears as if the temple is floating like a Lotus
flower in water.
The structure was designed and built by the
Persian architect Fariborz Sahba from Canada
and the team of 800 engineers, technicians,
workers and artisans, who worked for 10 years.
The whole structure is made of white marble that
adds to the glory of the temple
 GATEWAY OF INDIA (MUMBAI)
The Gateway of India was
built to commemorate the
visit of the King George V
and Queen Mary to Mumbai
in 1911 AD.
It was designed by George
Wittet.
It is built of yellow kharodi
basalt and reinforced
concrete.
The construction was
completed in 1924 AD.
(4)Cultural Unity and Diversity of India
 Indias fundamental unity rests upon her
peculiar type of culture.
It is expressed through language, literature,
religion, philosophy, customs, traditions,
beliefs, art and architecture.

Her adjustability, accommodation and spirit of

tolerance enable Indian culture survive several
vicissitudes.

Various cultural groups live together in India.

This has made Indian society a multicultural
society.
(5) Languages in India
People in India speak different
languages.
M
ore than 1652 mother tongues in
India.
Most of the states have its own
language.
Hindi is the national language.
 Language has never been a hurdle for
Indias religious and cultural unity.
Even before the improvement of
roads, communication, printing, the
Mahabharata and Ramayana stories
were popular throughout the India.
English language had cemented the
already existing geographical,
religious and cultural unity of
India.
It made political unity possible.
 (6) Literature:
India is a treasure house of vast
literature.
The Vedas, Mahabharata,
Ramayana, Bhagavad-Gita, the
Bible, the Quran, and the
Thirukkural are familiar with all
Indians.
These are available in all Indian
languages.
 Kalidasas literary works like Megadootham
and Sakunthalam are still read in many parts
of India.
Hindu, Buddhist, Jainist, Saivaite and
Vaishnavite philosophical treatises are read in
every nook and corner of India.
Philosophical interpretations written by saints
like Sankara, Ramanuja, Kabir, Nanak and
Chaitanya are widely read.
All irrespective of caste and status sing the
Thevaram and Nalayira Divya Prbhandam,
written by Nayanmars and Alwars.
These literary works bring unity among the
Indians and act as the vital unifying force.
(7) Religions and ReligiousFestivals
India has a multi-religious society.
Hinduism is practiced by more than 82 per cent of the
people.
According to the 1991 Census there are :
-11.7 per cent Muslims and
- 2.3 per cent Christians in India.
Sikhism is followed by 2.0 per cent of the people.
The rest of the people follow Buddhism, Jainism and
other religions.
Hinduism acts as a great unifying force.
Pilgrimages undertaken by the people from the South
to the North and vice versa to holy places in India are
as old as Indian Civilisation.
Hinduism is catholic in spirit and cultivated the capacity
of toleration.
It had never encouraged bloody religious wars,
excepting, minor persecutions.
 (8)Festivals of India
India is the a land of festivals.

Every festival epitomizes the

social, cultural and religious

aspirations of the people.
Every festival brings with it

happiness and joy in the life of

the people.
Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
Lohri is a bonfire festival
and is celebrated on the
auspicious day of January
13 every year.
The Lohri festival is
celebrated to mark the
beginning of sun's journey
towards Uttarayan (north).
Lohri is celebrated in the
states of Punjab, Haryana
and Delhi.
Lohri jubilates fertility
It is celebrated with much
more enthusiasm in
families where a child has
been born.
Onam
HOLI
Krishna Janmashtami
Ram Navami
Dussehra
Durga Puja
Ganesh Chaturthi
Diwali
Mahavir Jayanti
Buddha Jayanti
Republic Day of India
India's Independence Day
Gandhi Jayanti Raghupati
Raghav Raja
Ram, Patit
Pavan Sita Ram
Sita Ram Sita
Ram, Bhaj
pyare tu Sitaram
Ishwar Allah
tero naam, Sab
ko Sanmti de
Bhagawan
Id-ul-Fitr
Christmas
 (9) Indian Polity: A Brief
Satistics
It has 28 states and
7union territories.
There are 22 official
languages ,114
languages, 216mother
tongues and 900
dialects in India.
Hindi- National
language.
English-commonly used
for national, political,
commercial &
educational purposes.
7th largest country,
second most populous.
 (10)Indian Folk & Classical
Bhangra

Dances
Kathak Mijo

Dumhal Bihu
Bharatn
atyam
Rajasthani

Kuchipudi Manipuri
Garba Odissi

Koli

kathakali Mohiniattam
 (11)Importance of National Unity
But unfortunately the peace and understanding
among different communities is in danger.
At present communalism is the biggest problem.
It is the biggest threat to humanity and to the
unity and integrity of the country.
People from different background and culture
participated in India's struggle for freedom with a
single identity of being an Indian.
The national leaders, particularly Mahatma
Gandhi, Nehru, Azad and Bose had coined the
slogan unity in diversity.
Modern India presents a picture of unity in
diversity where people of different faiths and
beliefs live together in peace and harmony.
Still today India remains one of the most
ethnically diverse countries in the world and
maintain its unity.
 India is our Motherland! We love India as our
mother.

"Bharat Mata" - Mother India, a painting by

Abanindra nath Tagore
 JAI HIND

THANK YOU
(Dileep Singh- Principal, Atomic Energy Central School No. 4,
Rawatbhata)