Difference between India, Hindustan and Bharat
The South Asian subcontinent has been addressed by a plethora of names at different times throughout the History. There was a time when the subcontinent as a whole, was referred to as ‘Hindustan –The Golden Sparrow’. This was one of the eminent names of South Asia before it was partitioned into different countries. During the British reign over the subcontinent, the name ‘India’ was used invariably all over the world to refer to South Asia. However, after independence from British rule, the subcontinent was gradually partitioned into different countries, the largest amongst which is ‘India’ or ‘Bharat’.
Meaning of the Terms
India is derived from the word ‘Indus’. Indus refers to the Hindus and is in turn derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Sindhu’. Sindhu is a river in the country more commonly known as the Indus River. The ‘Indus people’ was the term used by the Europeans to address the People of South Asia which gave rise to the name ‘India’. Hindustan on the other hand, is a fully qualified Persian word which is composed of two independent words ‘Hindu’ and ‘Sthan’ (meaning the place or land). Thus the whole term Hindustan means ‘The Land of Hindus’.
Present Use of the Terms
The word ‘India’ today only refers to the ‘Republic of India’ or ‘Bharat’ which achieved independence from the ‘British Raj’ on August 15th, 1947. It is the 7th largest country in the world and largest in the subcontinent of South Asia. The Republic of India is amongst the very few secular nations in the world. Historically ‘Hindustan’ was used to refer to the northern land of India which holds great significance in the Hindu mythology – mainly the Punjab and Indo-Gangetic Plains. However nowadays, the term is mostly being used synonymously to ‘India’ to refer to the whole of the country.
Controversies
Since India is a secular country, the synonymous usage of the term Hindustan to mean India is condemned by the non Hindu citizens of the country especially the Muslim sects. However the people of the neighboring Islamic state ‘Pakistan’ willingly accept the name of Hindustan to mean India. As per the Constitution of India, only ‘Bharat’ is the only other recognized name for the ‘Republic of India’ which holds equal status as that of the label ‘India’. Hindustan is not an officially recognized synonym for the country.
Summary
- India and Hindustan were the two eminent names of the South Asian subcontinent before and during the ‘British Raj’ in the region.
- India is derived from the phrase ‘People of Indus River’ whereas Hindustan is a Persian word meaning ‘Land of Hindus’.
- India refers to the ‘Republic of India’, the 7th largest country in the world.
- The historical usage of the term ‘Hindustan’ was confined to refer to the northern region of India which holds a great significance in the Hindu Mythology.
- Nowadays, the term Hindustan is commonly used as a synonym to India to refer to the whole of the country.
- Bharat is an official label for India, while Hindustani is not.
