indian civ terms

upaya

"Skillful Means" was developed into a form of Buddhist practice that encourages imaginatively applying wisdom to whatever circumstances one is in to assist in easing suffering or cultivating insight

Harijan

"child of god", Gandhi's term for an untouchable in the caste system, disliked by Ambedkar

Ram Rajya

'Rule of Ram', Hindu vision of idealized or ancient India when Rama ruled according to the dharma

Khilafat Movement

1919-1922 was led by the Ali brothers to protect the religious successor to Muhammad after the Ottomans had been defeated. Congress and Gandhi both supported the movement but increasing tensions between Muslims and Hindus weakened the movement. The Ali brothers were accused of corruption, which also weakened the movement.

Narasimha

4th avatar of Vishnu; the man-lion

Krishna

A charming and mischievous god; a form of Vishnu, a center figure in the Gita

"Hymn of Cosmic Man"

A story in the Rig Veda which suggests that the universe was made of parts of Parusha's body when his body was sacraficed. The four varnas/castes each come from a part of his body: Brahmans from his mouth, Kshatriyas from his arms, Vaishyas from his legs and Shudras from his feet.

Forward Castes

All non backward castes, but different from upper castes, Indians on average ahead of others economically and socially

Mahavira

An extreme aesthetic who founded the religion Jainism, obtained omniscience by working through his suffering, was a teacher

Brahmanical synthesis

Assumed many traditions - included some ascetical traditions and Vedic tradition. Had 4 stages -- Brahmacharya (student), garhastya (marriage/household), vanaprastha (give up everything, live in woods), samnyasa (solo stage, vow of poverty)

Thomas Macaulay's "Minute on Education"

Believed that Indian education was deeply inferior, sought to enact British education taught in English on the Indian people

Abul Mansur Ahmad, "The Lahore Resolution Restored"

Bengali statesman, spokesperson for view of Lahore Resolution - creating Muslim-majority independent states out of the subcontinent

Alexander the Great

Between 334 and 323 B.C.E. he conquered the Persian Empire, reached the Indus Valley. Makes little impression on India, but after his death his followers settled in India

Delhi Sultanate

Centralized Indian empire of varying extent, created by Muslim invaders after 1500, centered in Delhi

Indra

Chief deity of the Aryans; warrior god

China's Belt and Road Initiative

China's way of funneling money into networks that will connect China with the world in an attempt to create a new Silk Road, extends throughout Pakistan and Bangladesh, which India is wary of (doesnt think it is only for economic reasons)

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

Created the six conditions, Bangladesh's requests when leaving East Pakistan. Bangladeshi insurgent/activist turned leader who was later assassinated by members of the army for corruption. Dropped the secular part of the Bangladeshi Constitution, making Islam the state religion

Indira Gandhi

Daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister. She was also prime minister of India from 1966 to 1977. Assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards following Operation BlueStar

Uddalaka and his son Svetaketu

Famed teacher, in a conversation with son depicted in the Upanisads, he discusses creation with Svetaketu where they discuss Atman (personal self) versus universal self

First Partition of Bengal

First partitioned in 1905 by the British Viceroy at the time, supposedly to make it easier to govern but supported by Muslims who wanted more control of governance of East Bengal. Launched Anti-British movement (boycotts, attempted assassination) and partition was annulled in 1911

first, second and third urbanizations of India

First urbanization- Indus Valley civilization Second urbanization - Maharajas, princely states Third urbanization - Gupta empire

killing of Vali

From the Ramayana: Controversial literal back-stabbing (back-shooting) by Rama (Vishnu) of King Vali, son of Indra and brother, a strong, courageous, and overall good and pious king. The controversy comes from how Rama uses Vali's brother as a distraction before shooting and killing Vali from behind, breaking the rule that any fight should be face-on.

Hindutva

Fundamentalist Hindu movement that became politically important in India in the 1980s by advocating a distinct Hindu identity and decrying government efforts to accommodate other faith groups.

Swaraj

Gandhi's message to people of India about self-rule. Swaraj literally means "self rule"

Article 370 of the Indian Constitution

Gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir while still keeping it tied to India. All internal affairs of Kashmir would be decided by its own legislation, and no outsiders were allowed to own property in Kashmir. Supposed to be provisional, is currently removed by Modi

Bhakti

Hindu devotional movement, emphasizing poetry and rituals as means by which to achieve personal relationship with the divine

Guru Granth Sahib

Holy scripture of Sikhism, which has the sayings and teachings of the ten Sikh Gurus.

Operation Bluestar

Indian military action to capture the Sikh leader, led to the destruction of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Resulted in animosity directed toward Indira Gandhi, the prime minister at the time

February 21, 1952

International Mother Language day, anniversary of the day the people of Bangladesh fought for the Bangla language

Mohenjo-Daro

Largest city of the Indus Valley civilization. It was centrally located in the extensive floodplain of the Indus River. Large-scale implies central planning.

Kali Age

Last of the four Hindu stages the world goes through in a cycle, describes the dharmic cycles where each additional cycle is shorter than the last and illustrates additional decline in the moral and physical state of humanity.

Aurangzeb (1658-1707)

Later Mughal Emperor (1658-1707). Less-tolerant than predecessors: under him, Islamic law because state law. Destroyed Hindu temples and created additional taxes on non-Muslims

Shore Temple

Mamallapuram, 8th century; stacked superstructure w/2 shrines; started out for Vishnu, changed to Shiva mid-construction (image of reclining Vishnu was hidden and then worn away by the ocean); granite stone

Pataliputra (Patna)

Mauryan Empire: 320-185 BCE Gupta Empire: 320-550 CE A city in Northeastern India that was the capital of the Mauryan Empire. Both the Buddha and Mahavira were from Pataliputra. The city thrived during Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka's reigns. Pataliputra later became the capital of the Gupta Empire from 320-550 CE. It is located in the present day state of Bihar.

Abul Kalam Azad

President of Congress 1940-46 and united India, never saw a conflict between being Indian and Muslim. He saw real enemy as British. Didn't want Pakistan or partition.

Sayyid Abul ala Maududi

Said that India didn't need anything from the West Founded the Islamic party in 1941 Was against the founding of Pakistan because he didn't want Muslims to have a small portion of the subcontinent

Aryans

Subject of debate: were Aryans part of Indian civilization or did they come from Europe? When their civilization began in Punjab in 1500 BC, the IVC was already in decline but debated if Aryans massacred them

Radcliffe Line

The 1947 boundary line separating India and Pakistan

Moksha

The Hindu concept of the spirit's 'liberation' from the endless cycle of rebirths.

Babri Masjid

The Muslim mosque that was destroyed by Hindu nationalist groups in Ayodhya because of religious fighting. Cited reason as mosque being placed in the birthplace of Ram.

Mauryan Empire

The first state to unify most of the Indian subcontinent. It was founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 324 B.C.E. and survived until 184 B.C.E.

Khalistan

The name of a proposed Sikh state hoped for by some Punjabi Sikhs

McMahon Line

Treaty signed in 1914- The boundary between China and India, later not recognized by China because it was technically a deal made between China and British

Communal Award

Voting scheme in Indian Constitution, created in 1932 to create separate electorates - Muslims, Sikhs, Depressed Classes, etc

Shah Bano Case

When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Shah Bano, a Muslim woman against her husband, who was backed by the religious community. Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi enacted the Muslim Women's Right Bill.

Stupa

a Buddhist shrine, usually dome-shaped to look similar to mound of earth containing Buddha's ashes

Mihrab

a niche in the wall of a mosque, at the point nearest to Mecca, toward which the congregation faces to pray.

Article 17 of the Indian Constitution

abolition of Untouchability

Armed Forces Special Powers Act

act of the Indian parliament to grant Indian Armed Forces the power to maintain public order in "disturbed areas" ex: Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir Gives armies right to huge invasions of privacy of people and arrest/search anyone

Muslim League

an organization formed in 1906 to protect the interests of India's Muslims, which later proposed that India be divided into separate Muslim and Hindu nations

Indian National Army

army of Indian prisoners of wars and other Indians in Southeast Asia founded by Subash Chandra Bose (1897-1945) in 1942. The Army wanted India to rise up from British control as the Japanese advanced toward it, did not succeed militarily. Did not agree with Gandhi's nonviolence

Taj Mahal

beautiful mausoleum at Agra built by the Mogul emperor Shah Jahan (completed in 1649) in memory of his favorite wife

Fatepur Sikri

city that was constructed by Akbar and was later abandoned. Had grand open pavillion palaces and miles of walls

kaivalya

experience of detachment in Hinduism

Kumud Pawde, "The Story of my Sanskrit"

female Dalit activist and professor of Sanskrit who learned Sanskrit against the wishes of many anti-Dalit groups / historical rules

Sheikh Abdullah

first minister of Kashmir (Indian portion), signed the agreement allowing Article 370 in 1952, thought that Kashmir could be a part of India and being Muslim and Indian could coexist

Abul Fazl

grand vizier of Akbar, treated Akbar as an incarnation of God, believed in qualities of royalty that were consistent with those in God

Ashokan edicts

inscriptions on pillars Ashoka erected, meant to align the empire with the message of the Buddha and construct Ashoka's legacy as a Buddhist ruler

Endogamy

marriage within the tribe, caste, or social group

Svetasvatara Upanisad

one of the earliest major Upanisad with an emphasis on Shiva, includes all of the basic teachings of the Gita, also includes elements of bhakti poetry

Salt March

passive resistance campaign of Mohandas Gandhi where many Indians protested the British tax on salt by marching to the sea to make their own salt.

Svadharma

personal dharma, code that guides an individual's actions

Uniform Civil Code

proposal in India to formulate and implement personal laws of citizens which apply on all citizens equally regardless of their religion (ex: marriage, divorce, etc). Demand for the code came after the Shah Bano case

Princely States

ruled by Indian princes allied with the Raj; agents of the East India Company were stationed at their courts to ensure loyalty.

Duhkha

the Sanskrit word for suffering, which Buddhism states is the primary condition of life

Battle of Plassey

the victory in 1757 by the British East India Company under Clive (with help of rajas) against Mughal soldiers established British supremacy over Bengal

Cholas

took control of southern India in 9th century, longest running dynasty in southern India, had grand temples

Nirvana (Buddhism)

ultimate reality/goal in Buddhism, the end of suffering

Sangh Parivar

umbrella term for the RSS, which was founded as a grassroots organization to train Hindus. The group resents Islam and Westernized secular Hinduism, and one of their own killed Gandhi. includes groups like the VHP, BHP, etc representing the Hindu Nationalism movement in modern India

Ranjit Singh

was the founder and maharaja of the Sikh Empire in the Punjab region of northwest India. He was responsible for modernizing the Sikh military.

Sita

wife of the Hindu god Rama, ideal of womanhood due to her devotion to Ram even in insane tests of faith (fire test)

Laws of Manu

work of Hindu law and ancient Indian society, written c.200 in India, includes rules about caste