Chapter 1: Understanding Diversity (Notes)
Posted on : 19-11-2017 Posted by : Admin

1. The variety and wide range of things we find in and around as is termed as diversity. For example in the mother nature we find varieties of things like plants, animals, flowers, birds, trees, rivers etc.
2. Man was a nomad initially during ancient times, later he started to lead a social life by mingling with other people of the society and this led to the emergence of diversity.
3. In India diversity can be seen in religions, languages, food, clothes, races, tribes etc. Different religious and cultural backgrounds are the main aspects of Diversity.
4. Human beings are social animals and thus cannot fulfill all their needs on their own. They depend on each other and also on their social groups to fulfill the needs.
5. People can make friends with any one. And the backgrounds like religion, social status and economic status cannot become barriers in making friends.
6. Inequality comes when a person does not have the resources and opportunities that are available to other persons.
7. Right to Education (RTE) has made provision for poor family children to study in public schools. This has helped to reduce the levels of economic inequality in education.
8. Within various social groups of humans, different activities are performed depending on the culture, skills, geographic location, interests and understanding.
9. As globalization started, the interdependence of various social groups also increased.

   ---

   ---

10. Ladhak is a desert in the north eastern mountainous part of Jammu & Kashmir. Very little agriculture is possible here as this area does not receive good rainfall and this area is covered with snow for a large part of the year. For drinking water people depend on the melting water from the mountains in the summer months.
• People in Ladhak, rear Sheep and the wool from these particular sheep called as Pashmina wool are very special and costly. People carefully collect the wool and sell it to the local traders. Pashmina shawls are woven in Kashmir.
• People eat meat and milk products. Each family has some goats, Cows & dzos (Yak-cows).
• Though it is a desert it has attracted many traders and it also has many passes for example: Tibet.
• The caravans traded spices, wool, textiles and raw silk.
• Buddhism reached Ladhak via Tibet. Ladhak is also called the Little Tibet. Islam was introduced in this region more than 400 years ago. Local version of Tibetian national epic "Kesar saga" is sung both by Muslims and Buddhists.
11. Kerala is a state in the South western part of India. It is surrounded by Sea on one side and Hills on other side.  A number of spices are grown in this region.  These spices made this region attractive for the traders. Jewish and Arabs were the first to come here.
• The Apostle of Christ, St. Thomas is believed to come here nearly 2000 years ago and he is one to bring Christianity to India. Ibn Battuta travelled here before 700 years ago and he wrote a travelogue describing Muslims as the highly respected community.
• When Portuguese were discovering sea route from Europe to India, Vasco da Gama first landed here. Because of all these historical influences Kerala practices various religions.
• The fishing nets used here are exactly like the Chinese fishing nets and are called as Cheena-vala. Even the utensils used for frying are called Cheenachatti. It is believed that the word cheena would have come from China.
• The land is very fertile and suitable for growing various crops. People here eat mainly rice, Fish and vegetables.
12. Unity and diversity run parallel to each other in India. In India we find people speaking various languages, celebrating different festivals, eating different cuisines, practicing different religions but still all live together happily as Indians.
13. The Phrase Unity in diversity was first coined by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in his book “The discovery of India”
14. India's diversity has always been seen as a source of its strength. When the British ruled India, people from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds came together to oppose them.
15. India's freedom movement had thousands of people of different backgrounds in it. They worked together to decide joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British.
16. Though British thought they could divide Indians because they were so diverse, the people showed how they could be different and yet be united in their battle.
17. India's National anthem composed by Rabindranath Tagore also expresses the unity of India.

Lets understand the diversity of India by taking examples of two states

Link to Solutions on this topic