Hindu Literature

• What types of texts are included in Hindu literature?

  Philosophical texts, epic poems, and Puraṇas
• What is India's rank in terms of population?

  Second most populous nation
• How wide is India’s shoreline?

  About 3,000 km (1,865 mi)
• Which countries share land frontiers with India?

  Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Burma
• What are the official names of India?

  India and Bharat
• When did India's civilization grow up in the Indus Valley?

  4000 to 2500 B.C.
• What are the three topographic regions of India?

  • Himalayan Mountain system (North)
  • Northern plain (Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra rivers)
  • Peninsular India (South)
• What is the fourth most widely spoken language in the world?

  Hindi
• What are the four major language groups in India?

  1. Indo-Arab
  2. Dravidian
  3. Hindi
  4. Indo-Aryan
• Where are Turk-Iranian people primarily found?

  Frontier Province and Beluchistan
• Where are Indo-Aryan people primarily found?

  Eastern Punjab, Rajasthan, and Kashmir
• What is Scytho-Dravidian ancestry a mix of?

  Scythians and Dravidians
• Where is the Aryo-Dravidian racial type found?

  Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Bihar
• Where is the Mongol-Dravidian racial type most prominent?

  Bengal and Orissa
• What is the Mongoloid racial type's geographical stretch?

  Nepal and Assam to Burma
• Where is the Dravidian racial type primarily found?

  Southern India, particularly south of M.P.
• What are the four major religions in India?

  • Hinduism
  • Jainism
  • Buddhism
  • Sikhism
• What is a core belief of Hinduism regarding violence?

  Adherents can escape the cycle of rebirth
• What is the core religious duty in Jainism?

  Non-violence
• How is non-violence emphasized in Buddhism?

  Through compassion in moral codes
• What values are Sikhs meant to uphold?

  Honesty, compassion, and spirituality
• What is the Indian caste system?

  • Major social system grouping people by birth
  • Castes include:
  • Brahmins (priests)
  • Kshatriyas (warriors)
  • Vaishyas (merchants)
  • Shudras (manual laborers)
  • Dalits (untouchables)
• What was the literacy rate trend in India from 1950 to 1988?

  Literacy doubled
• Who has higher literacy rates in India?

  Men
• What is the duration of primary education in India?

  8 years
• What is the compulsory education age range in India?

  1. 14 years old
• What is the structure of the Indian Parliament?

  • Two houses:
  • Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
  • Lok Sabha (House of the People)
• Which party remained in control of the Indian government?

  Indian National Congress
• What caused the Congress party to lose its parliamentary majority in 1989?

  Discontent with India's leadership
• Who succeeded Rajiv Gandhi as party leader in 1991?

  1. V. Narasimha Rao
• When did India gain independence as a sovereign state?

  August 15, 1947
• Who was the first Prime Minister of India?

  Jawaharlal Nehru
• What did the new government succeed in integrating?

  More than 500 princely states
• What year did India have a border war with China?

  1962
• Who succeeded Nehru as Prime Minister?

  Lal Bahadur Shastri
• What happened in 1996 regarding politicians in India?

  24 politicians charged with bribery
• What are the two periods of Indian literature history?

  1. The Vedic Period (1500 BC to 200 BC)
  2. The Sanskrit Period (200 BC onwards)
• What is the Rig Veda known for?

  Knowledge of Hymn and Praise
• How many verses does the Rig Veda consist of?

  10,552 verses
• What is the focus of the Sama Veda?

  Chanted in fixed melodies