n atlas is a book or collection of maps
A
Thematic maps show specific kind of information
3 components of maps—distance, direction and symbols
Cardinal directions / points = East, West, North, South
Survey of India determine symbols for maps of India
lobe is a sphere on which a map is drawn
G
Globe can be map of Earth, Moon, Planets, Stars etc
Latitude & Longitudes are two system of coordinates on maps
Latitude measures the distance from the Equator
Equator is a latitude at 0° (zero degree)
Latitudes of the two poles are 90° North and 90° South
Equator is also called Torrid as climate is hot
Poles are in Frigid zones as climate is cooler
Longitudes are all half-circles running from one pole to other
Prime Meridian is reference point to measure Longitude
Prime Meridian is formed in 1884 & is marked at 0° longitude
Latitude is a measure of the distance from the Equator
Longitude is a measure of distance from Prime Meridian
IST is 5.5 hours ahead of GMT
New York’s longitude is 74°W, Delhi’s is 77°E, Tokyo’s is 140°E
USA has six time zones and Russia has 11
180°W and 180°E are the same longitude
International Date Line is at 180° longitude
Latitude and longitude together are two coordinates of a place
Subtract a date if travelling east of International date line
Delhi lies at 29°N latitude and 77°E longitude
Add a date if travelling west of International date line
Longitudes and Latitudes form grid lines
Subtract a day if travelling west of International date line
Prime Meridian divides Earth into East & West Hemispheres
A full turn is 360° in 24 hrs means 15° per hour
Equator divides it into Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Every 15° from prime meridian add 1 hour eastward
Greenwich is not 1st prime meridian, other existed before it
Earlier, Ujjain was IN prime meridian, birth of Varāhamihira
India’s latitudes extend from 8°N to 37°N
IN longitudes extend from 68°E to 97°E
t. Blanc (Roof of Europe) is highest peak of Alps
M
Mt. Kilimanjaro is highest peak of Africa in Kenya/Tanzania
Kanchenjunga is located in Sikkim
Mount Kilimanjaro is not part of any range, an isolated peak
Anamudi in Kerala is the highest mountain of South IN
Moss is a small green plant without flowers or true roots
Lichen is plant-like org generally clings to rocks, walls or tree
Montane forest are found on slope of mountains
Pines, firs, spruce and deodar are conifers tree
Sam noh Varunah is motto of IN Navy Mosses and Lichen are found at higher altitudes
Varuṇa is a Vedic deity associated with water / oceans Kumārasambhava is authored by Kalidasa
Pacific, Atlantic, Antarctic, Indian & Arctic oceans - 5 oceans Ibex, Grey fox, Canadian lynx, Falcon, Eagle - Mountain animal
Pacific > Atlantic > Indian > Southern > Arctic ocean (Size) Black Bear also lives in mountains
Tsunamis in IN on 26 December 2004 Ganga is 2500km long, longest river of IN
Terrace farming done by cutting by steps into the slope
Herding is the preferred over agriculture in mountain region
Bachendri Pal - 1st IN women to climb Mt. Everest in 1984
Bachendri pal awarded Padma Shree in 1984
Bachendri pal awarded Padma Bhushan in 2019
Arunima Sinha with one leg climbed Mt. Everest in 2013
Arunima Sinha climbed highest peak of all continents
Arunima Sinha awarded Padma Shri in 2015
Mount Vinson is highest peak of Antarctica
Flash flood is sudden local flood, often caused by cloudburst
Africa, America, Asia, Aus, Europe visible in 5 Olympic rings
Landslide is sudden collapse of earthmass from mountainside
Avalanche occurs when the snow starts melting
Cloudburst is a sudden violent rainstorm
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world, 8848 m
Tibetans call it ‘Chomolungma - Mother Goddess of World
Nepalis call it ‘Sagarmatha’, meaning ‘Goddess of the Sky’
Greenland is the largest island in the world
Mount Kailash in Tibet is sacred for Hindus, Buddhist, Bon
10 largest states of IN equals the size of Greenland
Bon is an ancient Tibetan religion
India has more than 1,300 small islands
A plateau is a raised upland with flat surface
Indian Antarctica Programme began in 1981
Tibetan Plateau has an average altitude of 4,500 m
Dakshin Gangotri - 1st research station in 1983
Tibetan Plateau has length of 2500 Km
50% of world oxygen produced by ocean flora (Planet Lungs)
Like mountains, plateaus are rich in mineral deposits
June 8 is World Oceans Day
Plateaus are called ‘storehouses of minerals’
East African Plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining
Chhota Nagpur Plateau in IN is known for mineral deposits
Only lava plateaus are fertile due to presence of Black soil
Plateaus are also home to many spectacular waterfalls
Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in Zambia/Zimbabwe
Victoria Fall is called The Smoke that Thunders
Hundru Falls located on the Subarnarekha River
Jog Falls on the Sharavati River in KN
Hills are highlands with rounded tops and moderate slopes Nohkalikai Falls in Cherapunji Plateau in Meghalaya
Snow and hailstones are precipitation of water in solid form Plain are extensive flat landform with undulating surface
Mt Aconcagua is highest peak of Andes in Argentina Plains are not more than 300 metres above sea level
Sediments are particles of rock, sand and silt carried by river
overnance - The process of taking decisions, making rules
G
The group of individuals that makes the rules is called Govt
Important rules are called laws
Legislature is the organ that makes new laws
Executive is the organ that implements the laws
Executive also includes President, PM, CM
Separation of powers - Legislature, Executive, Judiciary
Government of India’s motto is Satyameva Jayate
Supreme Court’s motto is Yato Dharmastato Jayah
Yato Dharmastato Jayah - Where is dharma, there is victory
25% of IN population (40 Cr) lives in Ganga Plain
Abdul Kalam born in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, in 1931
Traditional agriculture is mostly rainfed (Rainfall dependent)
Abdul Kalam served as 11th President of IN from 2002-07
Gobi Desert in Asia, Antarctica continent is also desert
emocracy (Greek word) — Demos (people), Kratos (rule)
D
Democracy literally means the ‘rule of the people’
India is a representative democracy, world’s largest democracy
Direct democracy takes decisions of everyone directly
joint family has several generations living together
A
A nuclear family is limited to a couple and their children
A group of connected people / families is called Community
Bhil community celebrates Halma to serve Mother Earth
Mahesh Sharma of the Shivganga movement worked with Bhil
Resident Welfare Associations in city is example of community
Resident Welfare Association make their own rules, regulation
A Jati, National Cadet Corps is also a community
I N has about 600,000 villages, 8,000 towns, 4000 cities
IN population has crossed 1.4 billion, 2/3rd live in rural area
Panchayati Raj is a form of self-government
anchayati Raj has three-tier system
P
Panchayat members are elected directly by the Gram Sabha
Gram Sabha is a group of adults enrolled as voters
Sarpanch or Pradhan is elected head of Panchayat
Dnyaneshwar Kamble - Transgender Pradhan in MH, 2017
Popatrao Baguji Pawar as Sarpanch built rainwater harvesting
Shri Popatrao Pawar was awarded the Padma Shri in 2020
Gram Panchayat is assisted by a Panchayat Secretary
Panchayat Secretary performs administrative work conomic activities are those that involve exchange of money
E
Patwari maintains the villagers’ land records Non-economic activity involves no money, Food cooking home
Child-Friendly Panchayat Initiative listens to children needs Langar is an example of non-economic activities
Encourage the participation of children in Bal Sabhas
Bal Panchayats is done frequently to address issues
In MH, Bal panchayat eliminate child labour / marriage
Children ParL part of Bunker Roy ‘Barefoot College’ initiative
Barefoot College initiative, RJ, inspired children in governance
Children aged 8 to 14 are engaged in governance processes
Children ParL initiative won World Children Honorary Award
Panchayat Samiti is at the block level
Panchayat Samiti links b/w Gram Panchayat and Zila Parishad
Primary activities are dependent on nature to produce goods
Composition of Panchayat Samitis differs from State to State
Example - Agriculture, Mining, Fishing, Forestry, Livestock
Panchayat Samitis coordinate matters across Gram Panchayat
Secondary activities - output of primary activity transformed
1/3rd seats in PRI at every level is reserved for women
Raw material is processed / transformed into goods
Ex-Construction, Manufacture, Water supply, Solar, Electricity
Processing of grain is example of secondary activity
Furniture, Textile, Automobiles, Heavy Industry are examples
Pharmaceutical factory comes under secondary activity
Tertiary activity provide support to primary, secondary activity
Ex - Driving, Skills, Knowledge, Technology, Retail stores
Anand Milk Union Limited (AMUL) was set up in 1946
Tribhuvandas Patel & Varghese Kurien provided leadership
Amul Milk is primary activity, Amul Cheese is secondary
Nandini dairy is in Karnataka, Mother Dairy in NCR
Aavin Milk in Tamil Nadu, Vijaya milk in Andhra Pradesh
Kevi milk in Nagaland & Verka milk in Punjab
Pasteurisation heat milk to a temp to kill germs
Recycling just one tonne of paper saves 17 trees
C ooperative: A group of people who voluntarily come together
to meet their economic and social needs in a formal way. They
MC was created in 1865
B
own the cooperative and decisions are taken by the members
Cities and towns are divided into smaller units called Wards
collectively.
Ward committees facilitate activities like Health
Greater Chennai Corporation, oldest in IN est on 29 Sept 1688
EIC built Fort St. George at Madras
Parliamentary Act of 1792 empowered Madras to collect tax
Only cities with 10L + population have Municipal Corporation
Municipal Council established for 1 - 10 Lakh population
harata 1st appears in the ṚigVeda
B
Jambudvīpa (Malabar plum tree) means island of Jamun tree
Rigveda mentioned IN as region of Sapta Sindhava
Bhā ratavarṣha & Jambudvīpa used for IN in Mahabharata
Other names used in Mahabharata
Kashmir - Kashmira Pragjyotiṣha - Assam
Vanga - Bengal Kaccha - Kutch
Kerala - Keralam
Jambudwipa is also mentioned in Ashokan Inscription
arly humans had notion of the afterlife
E
Ice Age lasted for over 1 lakh around 12,000 years ago
There was no sense of individual ownership in Early Humans
New technologies like pottery making, smelting appeared
I ndia, that is Bharat mentioned in our Constitution
Hindu’ is a purely geographical term
Greeks named the region Indoi or Indike
ersians referred to IN as Hind, Hidu, Hindu
P alibangan - Rajasthan
K
China refer to IN as Yintu, Yindu, Tianzhu Features of IVC
Xuanzang / Hiuen Tsang in IN in 7th C AD Wide streets, often oriented to the cardinal directions
Hiuen Tsang returned to China after 17 yrs Fortified cities with distinct section -
Hindustan is used in Persian inscription 1800 yrs ago Upper Town (Citadel) & Lower town
Public Buildings - Granaries, Warehouses, Assembly Halls
Great Baths Houses of various sizes made with bricks
Dimension - 12 × 7 metres
Waterproofed by Bitumen (a form of Tar)
Surrounded by room with well in one room
Dholavira city has 3 parts
In Dholavira, stones are used as foundation for buildings
Every house has bathroom connected to street
100s of bricks wells in MjD for water use
Ponds, Man made reservoir of 73m (total 6) in Dholavira
Barley, wheat, millets, rice, pulses, vegetables grown
Harappans were 1st to grow Cotton
A clay plough model is found from Banawali in Haryana
Dairy product, Fish, Meat, turmeric, ginger & bananas found
eginning of Mesopotamian civilisation - 4000 BCE
B Ornaments, timber, gold and cotton exported
Beginning of Indus-Sarasvatī civilisation - 2600-1600 BCE Harappans import copper
Ghagghar is the present name of Saraswati river Bead of carnelian - reddish semiprecious stone as ornament
Civilisation has Urbanism, Govt, Economy, Writing, Art Harappan beads of carnelian excavated at Susa (Iran), GJ
1st civilisation is Mesopotamia civilisation (6000 BCE) Conch shells is used to make beautiful shell bangles
Egyptian civilisation arrived after Mesopotamia Harappans add tin to copper to make bronze
IVC began as rural civilisation in plains of Indus-Saraswati Bronze is harder than copper (Used to make tool, pot, pan)
Early towns of IVC came up in 3500 BCE Harappan ivory comb (7cm) found in Oman
Early cities in IVC came up in 2600 BCE Lothal has a dockyard measuring 217m x 36 m
Harappa is 1st site of IVC excavated in 1920-21 Seals are made of steatite (hardens after heating)
IVC is called 1st urbanisation in IN Seals depict animal figures with a few signs
Name of Saraswati river is 1st found in Rigveda A Priest King, a seal showing a swastika, a Pashupati seal
Bronze mirror & chisel, stone weight - Dholavira
A gamesboard about 25 cm in length found from Dholavira
A terracotta whistle (4cm) found at Karanpura in RJ
Dancing Girl, a bronze figurine from Mohenjo-daro (10.8cm)
A terracotta figurine seated in a Namaste
A story of thirsty cow on pot
Harappan do not have army or weapons of war
indhu-Sarasvatī civilization disintegrated in 1900 BCE
S
IVC people chose rural lifestyle after decline of IVC
arappa, Ganweriwala, Mohenjo-daro - Pakistan
H World witnessed reduced rainfall post 2200 BCE
Rakhigarhi, Farmana, Bhirrana, Banawali - HR Climate change is major reason for IVC decline
Dholavira and Lothal - GJ Drying of Sarasvatī River is another reason
Kalibangan, Banawali abandoned due to drying of Saraswati
Tenets of Jainism
Indian culture like Banyan tree has many roots & branches Promoted values like Ahimsa, Anekāntavāda and Aparigraha
Veda comes from the Sanskrit vid which means knowledge Insists on the interconnectedness and interdependence of all
Vedas contains Hymns, Poems, Songs recited orally Anekāntavāda means ‘not just one’ but Multiple aspect
In 2008, Vedic chanting declared Intangible heritage(UNESCO) Truth has many aspects, can’t be described by single
Vedic gods are Indra, Agni, Varuṇa, Mitra, Sarasvatī, Uṣhas Aparigraha means ‘non-possession’ (detachment)
Hymns, Poems, Songs praises Vedic Gods Ahimsa means refraining from physical violence
Vedic gods sustains Ritam, Truth, Order in World & Cosmos From violence in thought & feelings
Vedic gods and goddesses as seen as one Living creature should not be slain, or abused
Hymns were composed in the Sapta Sindhava region Dharma, Karma, Rebirth same Hinduism, Buddhism & Jainism
Vedic society was organised in different janas or ‘clans’
Rigveda list 30 janas Bharatas, Purus, Kurus, Yadus, Turvasas
These janas are governed by Raja, Sabhā and Samiti
Upaniṣhads’ introduced the notion of rebirth and karma
Vedanta - Every life, nature, universe is one divine (Brahman)
Aham brahmasmi&Tat Tvam Asiare part of Vedanta
Upaniṣhads introduced Atman that resides in every being
Everything in world is connected, interdependent (Upanishad)
Yoga was developed in 1st millennium BCE
Yoga realises Brahman in one’s consciousness
Charvaka School aka Lokayata school by Brihaspati
Upanishads were written during 1300-700 BCE
It rejected God, Life after death
Vedic School of thought developed b/w 800 - 1st C AD
Jagannath, worshipped at Puri, was originally a tribal deity
Shvetaketu and the seed of reality - Chhandogya Upaniṣhad
Tribes has their own version of Ramayan & Mahabharata
Shvetaketu was son of RishiUddalaka-Aruṇi
Nature worship is common to Tribal & Hindu beliefs
Nachiketa and his quest with Yama - Katha Upaniṣhad
Toda tribes worship peaks of Nilgiri (TN) as abode of God
Debate of Gārgī and Yājñavalkya - Bṛihadāraṇyaka Upaniṣhad
Many tribal groups have a concept of a supreme being
Janaka announced prize for debate with Yājñavalkya
Arunachal tribes worship Donyipolo (Sun, Moon combined)
Later Donyipolo assumed Supreme Being status
Siddhartha Gautama, born in Lumbini in 560 BCE
Munda and Santhal tribes worship Singbonga
Buddha left his palace at age of 29
Singbonga is supreme deity who created this world
Buddha enlightened under pipal tree at Bodh Gaya
Andre ́Beteille - Tribal beliefs have influenced all culture in IN
Buddhism did not accept the authority of the Vedas
A tribe is a group of families or clans
Avidyā (ignorance), Attachment are source of human suffering
They share common descent
Buddha’s ahimsa - non-hurting, non-injuring
They share same language, customs, traditions
Buddha founded Sangha for bhikṣhus / bhikṣhuṇis
They lived as a close-knit community under a chief
Jain comes from jina, meaning ‘conqueror
There is no concept of private property
Jainism propounded by was given by Vardhamāna Mahavira
There are 705 tribes in IN, 104 million in strength
Mahavira born in 6th C BCE in the city of Vaiśhālī in Bihar
Tribes in IN is more than Aus & UK population
Mahavira left home at age of 30, enlightened after 12 yrs
Jainism is similar to Vedanta, Buddhism; rejected Vedas
1 8% of world population (1.4 billion) lives in IN
IN has 4,635 communities, 325 languages, 25 scripts
Above data by People of India project report
British historian Vincent Smith wondered
ice, Wheat, Pulses, Turmeric, Grams in diversified food of IN
R
All are called ‘staple grains’ as they are basic food for most IN
Sari Banarasi, Kanjivaram, Paithani, Patan Patola, Muga, Mysore
C hintz is printed cotton fabric, UK, Fr banned import, 17C AD
Harvest festival with different names celebrated in IN
Pañchatantra, Ramayana, Mahabharat unites IN
Panchatantra written originally in Sanskrit
200 adaptations of the Panchatantra exist in 50 languages
Show how one collection of stories has become many
About a hundred versions of the Mahābhārata in TN
Bhils, Gonds, Mundas have their own versions of above
K.S. Singh who directed the ‘People of India’ project
I n the end, we should remember that Indian culture
celebrates diversity as an enrichment, but never loses sight
of the underlying unity which nourishes that diversity.
End of Social Science