Historical usage of India as a political entity
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India as a political entity refers to historical political entities based in India which covered large areas of the Indian Subcontinent and also called themselves India in any form or language.
Mauryan Empire (Jambudvipa)
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Jambudvipa is a Sanskrit term used to describe territories of the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia, it has been used in Hindu literature such as Puranas.[1]
Ashoka, who was the third Maurya Emperor used this term in his inscriptions to denote his relam in 3rd century BCE.[2]
Kingdom of Kannauj (Middle India) (Aryavarta)
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The Kingdom of Kannauj ruled vast parts of the Northern Indian Subcontinent.
During diplomatic exchanges with the Tang dynasty of China, Emperor Harsha referred to his kingdom as "Middle India" or "Middle Country" (Madhyadesha).
The Gurjara-Prathira dynasty which ruled Kannauj after Harsha, conquered large parts of the Northern India Subcontient and called themselves as the "Lords of the Aryavarta", Aryavarta is a term used to represent Northern Indian Subcontient or Northern South Asia.
Delhi Sultanate (Hindustan) (Hind and Sind)
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Hindustan is derived from the Persian word Hindū cognate with the Sanskrit Sindhu, it was historically used to refer to Norther Indian Subcontinent but later expanded to the entire Indian subcontinent and South Asia.
The Delhi Sultanate was also known as the "Empire of Hindustan", a name that gained currency during the Medieval and Modern period.[3]
The empire was also called "Hind and Sind" by Ibn Battuta.
The term Hindustan is still used as a historic name to describe the modern Republic of India.[4]
Mughal Empire (Hindustan) (Al-Hind)
[edit](Hindustan is derived from the Persian word Hindū cognate with the Sanskrit Sindhu, it was historically used to refer to Norther Indian Subcontinent but later expanded to the entire Indian subcontinent and South Asia.)
The term Hindustan was also used by the Mughal Empire which directly succeeded the Delhi Sultanate.
The official name of the vast empire was "Dominion of Hindustan" (Wilāyat-i-Hindustān) as seen in various official documents of the Mughal Empire.
In addition there were several names used,
- "Country of Hind" (Bilād-i-Hind)
- "Sultanate of Al-Hind" (Salṭanat(i) al-Hindīyyah)
- "Land of Hind" (Hindostān)
Like Hindustan, Hind and Al-Hind were also used to represent Northern Indian subcontinent and later expanded to the entire Indian Subcontinent and South Asia.
Contemporary Chinese chronicles also referred to the empire as Hindustan (Héndūsītǎn).
References
[edit]- ^ "Paradise Found: Appendix: Section IV. The Earth and World of the Hindus". sacred-texts.com. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
- ^ Annual Report Of Mysore 1886 To 1903.
- ^ Jackson, Peter (2003-10-16). The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press. p. 86. ISBN 978-0-521-54329-3.
- ^ "Shaikh Ayaz International Conference - 2007". 2007-10-20. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2024-10-31.