Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Introduction to Introduction to Physical Geography Physical Geography

of South Asia of South Asia An Outline of Geographic An Outline of Geographic

Location of Indic CivilizationLocation of Indic Civilization

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Contemporary Political Contemporary Political Notion of South AsiaNotion of South Asia

South Asia contains seven South Asia contains seven nations: India, Pakistan, nations: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives. The and Maldives. The combined area of these combined area of these seven nations is seven nations is approximately 1.7 million approximately 1.7 million square miles, and it square miles, and it contains 1.3 billion contains 1.3 billion people. South Asia has people. South Asia has five times the population five times the population of the United States in an of the United States in an area that is only one-half area that is only one-half the size of the United the size of the United States States

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Image and History Image and History Colonial Colonial

Construction of Construction of IndiaIndia

Orientalist MythsOrientalist Myths Utilitarian Idea of Utilitarian Idea of

Oriental DespotismOriental Despotism Marxist PerceptionsMarxist Perceptions Nationalist HistoriesNationalist Histories Communal Communal

ConstructionsConstructions

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

The Politics of Naming The Politics of Naming

India Land Beyond India Land Beyond River IndusRiver Indus

Avesta (Ancient Avesta (Ancient scriptures of scriptures of Zoroastrianism )CaZoroastrianism )Called the area lled the area Heptahindu –Heptahindu –

Achaemenid Achaemenid Inscriptions hndstn Inscriptions hndstn (Hindustan)(Hindustan)

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Ancient Indian Cosmology Ancient Indian Cosmology and the Naming of the and the Naming of the

subcontinentsubcontinent Flat Global Surface Flat Global Surface

with Mount Meru at with Mount Meru at its centerits center

Jambudvipa-island of Jambudvipa-island of rose apple tree rose apple tree

Land South of Land South of Himalaya-Himalaya-BharatvarshaBharatvarsha

New Nationalist New Nationalist disposition to describe disposition to describe India as BharatvarshaIndia as Bharatvarsha

Homeland and Sacred Homeland and Sacred GeographyGeography

Better than the entire world, is our Better than the entire world, is our Hindustan,,We are its nightingales, and it (is) our garden We are its nightingales, and it (is) our garden abodeabode

If we are in an alien place, the heart remains in the If we are in an alien place, the heart remains in the homeland,homeland,Know us to be only there where our heart is.Know us to be only there where our heart is.

That tallest mountain, that shade-sharer of the sky,That tallest mountain, that shade-sharer of the sky,It (is) our sentry, it (is) our watchmanIt (is) our sentry, it (is) our watchman

In its lap frolic those thousands of rivers,In its lap frolic those thousands of rivers,Whose vitality makes our garden the envy of Whose vitality makes our garden the envy of Paradise.Paradise.

O the flowing waters of the Ganges, do you O the flowing waters of the Ganges, do you remember that dayremember that dayWhen our caravan first disembarked on your When our caravan first disembarked on your waterfront?waterfront?

Religion does not teach us to bear ill-will among Religion does not teach us to bear ill-will among ourselvesourselvesWe are of Hind, our homeland is Hindustan.We are of Hind, our homeland is Hindustan.

In a world in which ancient Greece, Egypt, and In a world in which ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome have all vanished without traceRome have all vanished without traceOur own attributes (name and sign) live on today.Our own attributes (name and sign) live on today.

Such is our existence that it cannot be erasedSuch is our existence that it cannot be erasedEven though, for centuries, the cycle of time has Even though, for centuries, the cycle of time has been our enemy.been our enemy.

Iqbal! We have no confidant in this worldIqbal! We have no confidant in this worldWhat does any one know of our hidden pain?What does any one know of our hidden pain?

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

The Idea of IndiaThe Idea of India

Major Geographic Major Geographic regions of the regions of the Indian subcontinentIndian subcontinent

HimalayaHimalaya Indo-Gangetic PlainIndo-Gangetic Plain Deccan Plateau Deccan Plateau Coastal StripCoastal Strip

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

HimalayaHimalaya Himalaya means abode of snowHimalaya means abode of snow Origins of HimalayaOrigins of Himalaya The largest and highest The largest and highest

mountain system in Asia, mountain system in Asia, forming a broad continuous forming a broad continuous arc for nearly 2600 km (1600 arc for nearly 2600 km (1600 mi) along the northern fringes mi) along the northern fringes of the Indian subcontinent, of the Indian subcontinent, The Himalayas range, The Himalayas range, averaging 320 to 400 km (200 averaging 320 to 400 km (200 to 250 mi) in width, rises to 250 mi) in width, rises sharply from the Gangetic sharply from the Gangetic Plain. North of this mountain Plain. North of this mountain belt lies the Tibetan Plateau belt lies the Tibetan Plateau (Qing Zang Gaoyuan). (Qing Zang Gaoyuan).

Origins of snow fed river systems Origins of snow fed river systems and movements of monsoonand movements of monsoon

Dividing line between India and Dividing line between India and the rest of north Asiathe rest of north Asia

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Himalaya as CivilizationHimalaya as Civilization Himalaya in Hindu legendHimalaya in Hindu legend Abode of Shiva and DurgaAbode of Shiva and Durga The Great Himalayas, (the highest The Great Himalayas, (the highest

zone, consists of a huge line of snowy zone, consists of a huge line of snowy peaks with an average height peaks with an average height exceeding 6100 m (20,000 ft). The exceeding 6100 m (20,000 ft). The width of this zone is about 24 km . width of this zone is about 24 km .

the Middle Himalayas (also known as the Middle Himalayas (also known as the Inner or Lesser Himalayas), the Inner or Lesser Himalayas), (average height between 6000 and (average height between 6000 and 10,000 ft, width of about 80 km ). 10,000 ft, width of about 80 km ).

and the Sub-Himalayas, which and the Sub-Himalayas, which includes the Siwalik Range and includes the Siwalik Range and foothills and the Tarai and Duars foothills and the Tarai and Duars piedmontpiedmont (an area of land formed or (an area of land formed or lying at the foot of a mountain or lying at the foot of a mountain or mountain range) (width of 48 km). mountain range) (width of 48 km).

Residence of 40 million peopleResidence of 40 million people Densely populated valleysDensely populated valleys English hill stationsEnglish hill stations Sparsely populated forests and Sparsely populated forests and

natural resourcesnatural resources Diversity of population Muslim, Diversity of population Muslim,

Hindus, Buddhists, Christians Hindus, Buddhists, Christians

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Indo-Gangetic PlainIndo-Gangetic Plain Indo-Gangetic Plain Indo-Gangetic Plain

stretches from Indus stretches from Indus valley of Pakistan to lower valley of Pakistan to lower Gangetic delta of Gangetic delta of BangladeshBangladesh

Two regions within the Two regions within the plainplain

West- Indus Valley- West- Indus Valley- Punjab and HariyanaPunjab and Hariyana

East beyond the Delhi East beyond the Delhi Ridge stretching up to Ridge stretching up to BangladeshBangladesh

This alluvial plain This alluvial plain constitutes the heartland constitutes the heartland of the Indian civilization of the Indian civilization

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Indo-Gangetic PlainIndo-Gangetic Plain Densely populated regionDensely populated region Centers of Centers of

Maurya(300BC), Gupta (4 Maurya(300BC), Gupta (4 th Century Ad) Mughal th Century Ad) Mughal ( 1526-1707) and the ( 1526-1707) and the British Empire (1757-British Empire (1757-1947)1947)

Major Urban Centers in Major Urban Centers in South AsiaSouth Asia

Lahore, Delhi, Banaras, Lahore, Delhi, Banaras, Calcutta and DaccaCalcutta and Dacca

Agricultural Heartland of Agricultural Heartland of India, Pakistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh.Bangladesh.

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Peninsular India Peninsular India Deccan PlateauDeccan Plateau

This plateau occupies the This plateau occupies the greatest part of India - a tilted greatest part of India - a tilted tableland of low rolling hills, tableland of low rolling hills, great river valleys and great river valleys and uplands. In the central area, uplands. In the central area, the rich black soil retains the rich black soil retains water but in the regions where water but in the regions where this soil does not occur water this soil does not occur water is a constant problem. Much of is a constant problem. Much of India's mineral wealth is found India's mineral wealth is found on the plateau. The southern on the plateau. The southern part of the plateau is called part of the plateau is called the Deccan Peninsular. The the Deccan Peninsular. The Dec ' can tilts to the east, Dec ' can tilts to the east, declining in elevation and declining in elevation and containingcontainingriver systems which form river systems which form fertile deltas when they reach fertile deltas when they reach the Bay of Bengal. the Bay of Bengal.

Prof. Subho Basu Hstory of South Asia

Coastal IndiaCoastal India The Western and Eastern The Western and Eastern

Ghats: Ghats: These Ghats (hills) rise These Ghats (hills) rise abruptly on either side of the abruptly on either side of the Deccan Peninsular. The Ghats Deccan Peninsular. The Ghats are a barrier to transportation are a barrier to transportation and rainfall. The narrow coastal and rainfall. The narrow coastal plainsplainsbordering the Arabian Sea and bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal lie beyond the the Bay of Bengal lie beyond the Ghats.Ghats.

The Western Coastal Plain is The Western Coastal Plain is much narrower than the Eastern much narrower than the Eastern Coastal plain and much wetter. Coastal plain and much wetter.

Part of ancient maritime empires Part of ancient maritime empires and well connected with the rest and well connected with the rest of Asia through trade and of Asia through trade and commerce.commerce.

Thickly populated with Thickly populated with flourishing agriculture. flourishing agriculture.