Bharat
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet" This line from Romeo and Juliet illustrates that names aren't important or perhaps they are!
On September 18, 1949, the Constituent Assembly meditated upon colorful names for the yet-to-be-born Indian nation –' Bharat',' Hindustan',' Hind',' Bharatbhumi', and,' Bharatvarsh'. Eventually, Article 1(1) of the Constitution of India became the functionary and the only provision on the picking of the nation, stating, "India, that's Bharat, shall be a Union of States." Therefore, the Constitution equates 'India' with 'Bharat', meaning, language is the only difference.
India, a land rich in culture and tradition, has a great diversity of persuasions, languages, societies, and traditions. Just like a person needs a meaningful name for his/her identity, a nation needs to have a meaningful name too. India is maybe the only country in the world that has several names Bharat, India, Hindustan or Hind, and the most ancient Jambudweep. Still, at present, only Bharat and India are in common use and Hindustan/Hind appears sometimes.
During the G20 summit held in New Delhi, India, The Rashtrapati Bhavan transferred out regale invites in the name of "President of Bharat". A new sanctioned document calling PM Modi as the "Prime Minister of Bharat" added to rumors that India's name could be changed. There is adding enterprise among the people of India that the Government of India is planning to change the name of India to Bharat during the forthcoming special administrative session. Although it is not sanctioned yet some citizens have supported this decision while some of them have opposed it. Right-wing political leaders from Mr Modi's BJP contend "India" was introduced by British colonialists, is a "symbol of slavery" and argue that a name change is a trouble to reclaim India's history.
Although this decision is not sanctioned yet, it's important to understand the meaning, etymology, origin, and significance of' BHARAT' and why there's a need to change India's name to Bharat.
The etymology of' Bharat: ''Bharat' appears in the Mahabharata and Puranas as "Bharatvarsh", describing a geographical area between the southern abysses and the Himalayas, though politically divided into lower regions. The term 'Bharat' is ancient, also seen in Jain and Hindu myths as "Bharat Varsh". The term' Bharata' is embedded in Sanskrit, deduced from 'Bhru,' meaning to give for or cover. From 'Bhrata' (Brother), it evolved to 'Bharata', signifying a land that nurtures and supports, as King Bharata was known for the protection of the land and its people. Some reports suggest 'Bharat' originates from the Prakrit language as "Bharad" or "Bharah," set up in eulogies and Jain records.
Son of Queen Shakuntala and King Dushyant, King Bharat united and ruled over the entire Indian subcontinent. He renamed the key as "Bharatvarsha" after him. He was a significant figure in Mahabharata and an ancestor of the Pandavas and Kauravas.
The Rigveda mentions the Bharata lineage, ruled by King Sudasa. The notorious 'Dasharajnya' war of ten lords took place, where King Sudasa's advanced military chops led to palm.
People began relating themselves as Bharata, and the name stuck, came synonymous with the land. While some sympathizers of the name Bharat say "India" was given by British pioneers, chroniclers say the name predates social rule by centuries. India comes from the swash Indus, which was called Sindhu in Sanskrit. Trippers from as far down as Greece would identify the region southeast of the Indus River as India indeed before Alexander the Great's Indian crusade in the 3rd century BCE.
Back in 2014, Sadhguru was asked a question by Kiran Bedi during an interview about whether it was a mistake to convert the name from Bharat to India. To that he replied, that it was a huge mistake, as whenever any conquering forces enthrall a nation, the first thing they do is change the name of the nation as per their convenience. That's how we got the name India, It's pointless and it does not make any sense, so when the British left in 1947, the first thing we should've done was to change the name.
The name Bharat is a symbol of India's rich heritage and culture. still, this has now come a content of debate about whether India should be renamed Bharat, While the name Bharat is loved by numerous people, this decision has posed a challenge from the opposition and colorful people because the name India has become decreasingly popular encyclopedically and some people believe that the name Bharat is too old fashioned and India should be replaced with a further ultramodern name. Still, the forthcoming decision of PM Narendra Modi's government to change the name is apt to free ourselves from the social history and move towards our roots.
And as the Vishnu Purana says: Vishnu Purana (2,1,32)
uttaraṃ yatsamudrasya himādreścaiva dakṣiṇam
varṣaṃ tadbhārataṃ nāma bhāratī yatra santatiḥ
उत्तरं यत्समुद्रस्य हिमाद्रेश्चैव दक्षिणम्।
वर्षं तद् भारतं नाम भारती यत्र सन्ततिः॥
"The country (varṣam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bhārata; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."
Thank you!
Sources:
https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2017/05/india-bharat-and-hindustan-meanings-and-connotations/
https://newssevenseas.com/india-renamed-as-bharat-symbol-of-unity-strength/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_for_India
**Author :- Sara Mandke, a Student of Government Law College, Mumbai
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