Class 07 History Chapter 4 Spread of Indian Culture in the World Notes & Important Question Answer

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Chapter Notes 

Due to the fame of India in the world, the use of the word 'Indies' for South-East and South Asian countries (present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, Cambodia Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia etc.) Used to be done. The word 'Indies' is derived from the famous river 'Sindhu' (Indus) of India. Indians never tried to forcefully impose their culture and ideas on anyone. People from other countries have willingly adopted and assimilated the cultural and spiritual values ​​of India.

Business :
In ancient times, many prosperous cities like Kashi, Mathura, Ujjain, Pataliputra etc. and developed ports like Bhrigukachha, Tamralipti, Kaveripattanam, Arikamedu etc. were located in India. As a result of the rise of maritime trade around 500 BC, Indian merchants from these thriving cities and ports traveled to distant lands in search of new trade opportunities. These traders took Indian culture and values ​​with them wherever they went. Some of those traders even settled in those countries. Thus traders played an important role in the trade of Indian goods as well as carriers of Indian culture.

Indian Scholars:
Many Indian scholars and teachers also traveled to many countries and played an important role in hoisting the glory of Indian culture there. In 67 AD, two Acharyas named Kashyapa Martag and Dharmarakshit went on a trip to China on the invitation of Ming-Ti, the ruler of China. When another Indian Acharya Kumarajiva went to China, he translated many Sanskrit texts into Chinese on the request of the ruler there. When Acharya Atisha (Dipankara Srigyan), the head of Vikramshila University, went to Tibet in the eleventh century, he provided a strong foundation for Buddhism there. As a result, many Tibetans adopted Buddhism and declared it the official religion of Tibet. Even today the Dalai Lama of Tibet is the most prominent leader of Buddhism.

Academic Center :
In ancient times, India had many famous universities like Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramshila, Vallabhi etc. which were the center of attraction not only for Indian but also for foreign students and scholars. Foreign scholars often used to come to Nalanda University to get education and study various subjects. It is said that the library building of this university was seven storeyed. When these students went back to their country after completing their education, they used to take Indian knowledge as well as Indian culture with them. The Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang, in his account of his visit to India, mentions his experiences at Nalanda and Vallabhi, the two universities of India. Similarly Taranath, a scholar of Tibet, has described Vikramshila University and spread the knowledge gained there in Tibet. In this way Indian culture was spread outside India through education.

Missionary and Ambassador:
Religious preachers and ambassadors have also played an important role in the promotion of Indian culture and civilization abroad. King Ashoka sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka to propagate the teachings of Lord Buddha. Many Buddhist monks also went there along with him. It is believed that he also took a branch of the Bodhi tree from Bodh Gaya with him to Sri Lanka and planted it there. Later, Buddhism became so popular in Sri Lanka that two Buddhist monasteries named Mahavihara and Abhayagiri were built there. For a long time, Buddhism remained the main religion in Sri Lanka and the Pali language remained the literary language there. The roots of cultural ties between India and Cambodia went even deeper when Kaundinya, a Brahmin of Indian origin, established the Kaundinya dynasty there.

Foreign Travellers: 

Scholars like Megasthenes and Dionysius etc. came to India during Maurya period and Chinese traveler Fahiyan came during the reign of Chandragupta II. He described India's culture and social tradition in his book 'Fo-Kuo Ki'. Hiuen Tsang came to India during the reign of Harshvardhan and wrote a book called 'Si-U-Ki'. Itsing also described the civilization and culture of India. Therefore, many foreign travelers came to India from time to time and spread the culture of India in the world through their stories.

Influence of Indian culture on South Asian countries-

Linguistic Influence:
There is a clear influence of Indian languages ​​like Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali etc. on the languages ​​of different countries. For example, in Thai language Ravana is mentioned by the name of Thosakatha. Which is the Thai version of the word 'Daskanth' of Sanskrit origin, which means one with ten throats. Similarly, the name of Thailand's king 'Bhumibol Adulyadej' is the Thai form of the Sanskrit word 'Atulyathej'. Many Indonesian names have Sanskrit origins. For example, the main leader of Indonesia is 'Sukarno' and his daughter's name is 'Meghavati Sukarnoputri'.

The names of various places have been derived from the Sanskrit language itself. For example, South-East Asia has been called as 'Suvarnabhumi' or 'Suvarnadvipa' for a long time. The name of the airport of Thailand's capital Bangkok is still 'Suvarnabhumi Airport'.

The capital of Indonesia 'Jakarta' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Jaya Kritah'. Similarly, the name of 'Java' of Indonesia is derived from the Sanskrit word Javadvipa which literally means 'Yava' i.e. barley-shaped island. Even at present, the words of Sanskrit language are used in abundance in the naming of various places. For example, in 1962, the name of 'New Guinness' of Indonesia was changed to 'Jayapur'. Similarly, Orange mountain has been converted into 'Jayvijay' mountain. The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Sports of Indonesia are called by Sanskrit names like 'Yuddha Graha' and 'Kridabhakti' respectively.

The name of its state seat has been changed to 'Putrajaya' by Malaysia in 1999. The name of the capital of Malaysia is 'Kuala Lumpur' which is the Malaysian version of the Sanskrit word 'Cholanampuram' i.e. 'City of the Cholas'. Malaysia itself has a hill station named 'Sungei Pattani' which is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Sringapatnam'. All these examples are a clear proof that the languages ​​of many countries have been influenced by the Indian language Sanskrit.

Religious Influence:
Hinduism and Buddhism spread widely in different parts of the world through Indian missionaries, Buddhist monks, traders and foreign travelers and became an integral part of their culture. Even today, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Tibet, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, even Japan, Korea, China etc. countries have a large number of people who believe in Hinduism and Buddhism. Hindu temples, Buddhist stupas, religious texts such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, Jataka tales, naming of various places and characters associated with many episodes of Indian mythology and evidence of Indian way of life, customs, spiritual values ​​are clearly visible in these countries. Let's give At present, Gurmukhi language has been considered as the second national language due to the dominance of the Sikh community in Canada.

Temple : 

• The Vishnu temple of Angkor Wat, located in 'Cambodia', is the largest temple in the world. This temple is dedicated to Lord 'Vishnu'. Various episodes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and mythological stories have been beautifully depicted on the walls of this temple. The most prominent of these is the depiction of 'churning of the ocean'. This temple has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage. 
• The Angkor Wat Temple was built in the early 12th century by the Khmer king Suryavarman II as his state temple. 
• The 'Borobudur Temple' located in Java, Indonesia is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. This temple is a major pilgrimage site of Buddhism dedicated to Lord Buddha, which is decorated with 504 idols of Lord Buddha in different postures. It has also been declared a World Heritage by UNESCO. 
• The 'Prambanan' temple is located in Java, Indonesia, which is dedicated to the Hindu trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). Temples of their vehicles Hans, Garuda and Nandi respectively have also been built in front of the temples of the three deities. Between the two rows are two temples dedicated to Durga and Ganesha. Apart from these eight main temples, there are 240 small temples. 
• The Batu Caves located in Malaysia are considered to be one of the most popular Hindu temples outside India dedicated to Lord 'Murugan' (Kartikeya). 
• The 'Eravan Temple' located in Thailand is the only temple of Brahma ji outside India apart from the Pushkar Temple in Rajasthan, India. The famous temple of 'Pashupatinath' located in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

Legendary Characters:

• In many countries of the world, special importance has been given to various characters related to Sanatan Dharma texts and Puranas, which is a clear proof of the deep imprint of Indian culture in the subconscious of the people there. 
• A replica of 'Ankor Wat Temple' is inscribed on the national flag of Cambodia. 
• The national airline of Indonesia is named 'Garuda Indonesia' after the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. 
• The picture of Lord Ganesha is inscribed on the currency notes of Indonesia and the statue of Ganesha has also been installed at the main gate of the Rashtrapati Bhavan there. 
• A magnificent temple has been constructed outside the 'Bangkok World Trade Center' in which a beautiful idol of Lord Ganesha has been installed. 
• In Malaysia, the army chief is called 'Lakshmana', inspired by the role played by his younger brother Lakshmana in Lord Rama's victory in the Rama-Ravana war. 
• Naming of various places after Indian mythological places – The remains of a city 'Ayuthiya' with a name similar to the name of 'Ayodhya', the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram, have been found in Thailand. 
• The name of the Indonesian city 'Madura' is similar to that of 'Mathura', the birthplace of Lord Krishna, or 'Madurai', the main city of South India. 

Influence of Indian culture on other countries - 

• Indian culture also spread in China, Japan, Korea and Arab countries. 
• Through Bodhidharma, a scholar of Kanchipuram, the method of Indian yoga and meditation reached China, which became popular there as 'Chon'. In the fourth century, Emperor 'Duan', the first ruler of the 'V' dynasty, was influenced by Buddhism and declared it the state religion of China. As a result Buddhism became popular in China. 
• Buddhism also reached Korea, a country located to the north-east of China, via China. In 352 AD, a Buddhist monk named 'Sando' went to Korea with the statue of Lord Buddha and his sutras. In 404 AD, two Buddhist temples were built in Progyang city of Korea. In the 8th and 9th centuries, the method of 'meditation yoga' reached Korea through China and its kings, queens, princes, ministers and even warriors trained extensively to develop qualities like concentration, fearlessness and valor. Received. Buddhist texts were printed in Korea. 
• The earliest evidence of Indian culture in Japan is found around 552 AD when the Emperor of Korea sent a statue of Lord Buddha, his sutras, worship instruments as a gift to the Emperor of Japan. Soon thousands of Japanese people became Buddhist monks and Buddhism was given the status of the state religion in Japan. Sanskrit was recognized as a sacred language in Japan and Buddhist monks began to receive special training in writing Sanskrit letters and mantras. The script he used is known as 'Sheetan' which is believed to be the Japanese version of the word 'siddham' of Sanskrit origin i.e. a script that bestows 'siddhi'. 
• Tibet, located north of the Himalayas, is a major center of Buddhism. In the seventh century, Naradeva, the ruler of Tibet, sent his minister 'Thonmi Sambhota' to Magadha with 16 scholars. Where he took education from Indian masters and rendered a new script in Tibet which was based on the characters of India's 'Brahmi script'. He also created a new grammar based on Panini's Sanskrit grammar, after which many Sanskrit texts were translated into Tibetan. 
• Nalanda, Prambanan Temple, Borobudur Temple and Angkor Wat Temple have been declared as World Heritage by UNESCO. 
• India and Arab countries were connected by both land and sea routes. The famous treatise of astronomy 'Brahma-Sputa-Siddhanta' was known as 'Sindhina' in Arab countries. Indian mathematics was called in Arab countries by the name of 'Hindisa' i.e. 'taken from Hind'. The Indian decimal system and the principle of zero were learned by the Arabs from contact with the Indians. Many texts based on the Indian system of medicine were translated into Arabic. 

Mind Map 

• Since ancient times, Indian culture has spread to many parts of the world through various mediums. 
• Many Sanskrit texts were translated into the languages ​​of different countries. 
• Books like 'Ramayana', 'Mahabharata' became very popular in many countries. 
• Since ancient times, India was a major center of education and the educational institutions here have been the center of attraction for foreign students due to their high educational standards. 
• Influenced by Indian culture, Hindu and Buddhist temples were built in many countries. 
• The Indian language 'Sanskrit' and the Indian script 'Brahmi' had a deep impact on the languages ​​and scripts of many countries. 
• Foreign students became the bearers of Indian culture. 
• Indian astronomy, mathematics, medicine, yoga-meditation etc. spread to every corner of the world. 
• Hinduism and Buddhism were recognized as major religions in many countries. 

Question Answer
let's know, how much learned
Select the correct answer :
1. Which one of the following ancient universities is not located in the Indian territory today?
a) Nalanda
b) Taxila
c) Vallabhi
d) Vikramshila
Answer – b) Taxila

2. In _________ AD, two Acharyas named Kashyapa Martag and Dharmarakshit went on a visit to China on the invitation of Ming-Ti, the ruler of China.
a) 67
b) 60
c) 06
d) 76
Answer – a) 67

3. The word Indies is derived from the ______ river of India.
a) Ganges
b) Yamuna
c) Indus
d) none of these
Answer – c) Indus

4. Buddhist monasteries named Mahavihara and Abhayagiri were built in _____ country
a) China
b) Cambodia
c) Sri Lanka
d) India
Answer – c) Sri Lanka

5. On the walls of which of the following temples, various episodes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and other mythological stories have been beautifully depicted.
a) Erawan
b) Angkor Wat
c) Pashupati Nath
d) fire place
Answer – b) Ankorwat

Fill in the blanks: 

1. The Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia is dedicated to _______ deity. 
2. The army chief in Malaysia is called ________. 
3. King Ashoka sent his son _______ and daughter _______ to Sri Lanka to propagate the teachings of Lord Buddha. 
4. Indian Mathematics is known as ________ in Arab countries. 

Answer – 1. Vishnu, 2. Laxman, 3. Mahendra, Sanghamitra, 4. Hindisa

Match :
Hiuen Tsang  Developed Port 
Pterygium     Main leader of buddhism 
Dalai Lama   Daughter of king ashoka 
Sangei Patni  Chinese traveler 
Sanghamitra  A hill station in malaysia
Answer -
Hiuen Tsang  Chinese traveler 
Pterygium     Developed Port 
Dalai Lama    Main leader of buddhism
Sangei Patni  A hill station in malaysia
Sanghamitra  Daughter of king ashoka 

Tick ​​True (✓) or False (X) to the following statements : 

In 1962, New Guinness of Indonesia was renamed as Jayapura. (✓)
A Brahmin named Kaundinya established the Kaundinya dynasty in Sri Lanka. (✓)
The Borobudur Temple in Java is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. (✓)
Influenced by Indian culture, Hindu and Jain temples were built in many countries. (✓)
Naradeva was the ruler of Tibet in the seventh century. (✓)

Short Question:
Question 1. When and how did the method of Dhyana Yoga reach Korea?
Answer – In the eighth and ninth centuries, the method of 'meditation yoga' reached Korea via China.

Question 2. Which is the famous book of astronomical knowledge? By what name is it known in Arab countries?
Answer – The famous book of astronomy is 'Brahma-Sputa-Siddhanta'. It was known as 'Sindin' in Arab countries.

Question 3. What is the main basis of the Indian way of life?
Answer – Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the main basis of the Indian way of life.

Question 4. When and by whom was Buddhism declared the state religion of China?
Answer – Emperor 'Dawn', the first ruler of 'V' dynasty in the fourth century had declared Buddhism as the state religion of China.

Question 5. In which country the idol of Ganesha is inscribed on the currency notes?
Answer – Indonesia

Let's consider:
Question 1. What were the features of the library of Nalanda University?
Answer – Foreign scholars often used to come to Nalanda University to get education and study various subjects. It is said that the library building of this university was seven storeyed.

Question 2. Explain the statement “Merchants played an important role in the trade of Indian goods as well as carriers of Indian culture”.
Answer – As a result of the increase in maritime trade around 500 BC, Indian merchants from prosperous cities and ports used to travel to faraway countries in search of new business opportunities. These traders took Indian culture and values ​​with them wherever they went. Some of those traders even settled in those countries. Thus traders played an important role in the trade of Indian goods as well as carriers of Indian culture.

Question 3. “Indian culture has a deep impact on Indonesia.” Justify this statement with examples.
Answer – A very deep impact of Indian culture is seen on Indonesia. Many Indonesian names have Sanskrit origins. For example, the main leader of Indonesia is 'Sukarno' and his daughter's name is 'Meghavati Sukarnoputri'. The capital of Indonesia 'Jakarta' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Jaya Kritah'. Similarly, the name of 'Java' of Indonesia is derived from the Sanskrit word Javadweep. In 1962, the name of 'New Guinness' of Indonesia was changed to 'Jayapur'. Similarly, Orange mountain has been converted into 'Jayvijay' mountain. The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Sports of Indonesia are called by Sanskrit names like 'Yuddha Graha' and 'Kridabhakti' respectively.

Question 4. Make an analytical comment about Angkor Wat Temple.
Answer – The Vishnu temple of Angkor Wat, located in 'Cambodia', is the largest temple in the world. This temple is dedicated to Lord 'Vishnu'. Various episodes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and mythological stories have been beautifully depicted on the walls of this temple. The most prominent of these is the depiction of 'churning of the ocean'. This temple has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage. The Angkor Wat Temple was built in the early 12th century by the Khmer king Suryavarman II as his state temple.

Question 5. 'Indian culture had a religious impact on Japan. " Do you agree with this statement? Justify with examples.
Answer – Yes, I agree with the statement that Indian culture had a religious influence on Japan. The earliest evidence of Indian culture in Japan is found around 552 AD when the Emperor of Korea sent a statue of Lord Buddha, his sutras, worship instruments as a gift to the Emperor of Japan. Soon thousands of Japanese people became Buddhist monks and Buddhism was given the status of the state religion in Japan. Sanskrit was recognized as a sacred language in Japan and Buddhist monks received special training in writing Sanskrit alphabets and mantras. The script he used is known as 'Sheetan' which is believed to be the Japanese version of the word 'siddham' of Sanskrit origin i.e. a script that bestows 'siddhi'.

Let's try
Question 1. Show the different countries mentioned in the text on the political map of the world.
Answer - 

Spread of Indian Culture in the World

Imagine -
Question 1. If you get a chance to go abroad and come across the name of a historical temple or a place which is influenced by Indian culture, how would you feel?
Answer – If I get a chance to go abroad and see the influence of Indian culture in any historical temple or any other place, then I will feel proud of myself and my country.

Important Question Answer

Question 1. How did foreign travelers propagate Indian culture?
Answer – Scholars like Megasthenes and Dionysius came to India during the Maurya period and the Chinese traveler Fahiyan came during the reign of Chandragupta II. He described India's culture and social tradition in his book 'Fo-Kuo Ki'. Hiuen Tsang came to India during the reign of Harshvardhan and wrote a book named 'Si-U-Ki'. Itsing also described the civilization and culture of India. Therefore, many foreign travelers came to India from time to time and spread the culture of India in the world through their stories.

Question 2. Describe the Borobudur temple.
Answer – 'Borobudur Temple' located in Java, Indonesia is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. This temple is a major pilgrimage site of Buddhism dedicated to Lord Buddha, which is decorated with 504 idols of Lord Buddha in different postures. It has also been declared a World Heritage by UNESCO.

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