SOUTH ASIA (CHAPTER 8)

THE REALM

Five Regions India Pakistan Bangladesh Mountainous

North Southern Islands

MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES OF SOUTH ASIA

Well defined physiographically The world’s second largest population cluster Low income economies Population concentrated in villages -

subsistence agriculture Boundary problems - Kashmir FEDERAL SYSTEM

ADOPTED BY INDIA IN 1947 PROVIDES REGIONS AND PEOPLES WITH SOME

AUTONOMY AND IDENTITY

Monsoons--“To know India and her people, one has to know the monsoon.”

--To the people of India, the monsoons are a source of life, but it also causes destruction.

-- Very distinctive seasonal precipitation regime

CULTURE

A culturally fragmented realm Religious and linguistic diversity Religious Patterns:

Islam is predominant in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Hinduism is predominant in India, generally. Sikhism thrives in northern India. Buddhism is predominant in Sri Lanka.

CULTURE HEARTH The Indus River

Where an early culture emerged and developed Arts and trade routes emerged from isolated ethnic

groups and villages to towns and beyond. Hinduism emerged from the beliefs and practices

brought to India by the Aryans (6th century BC) Buddhism born of discontent; made the state

religion of India in 3rd century BC Islam swept through central India from the 8th -10th

centuries AD

EARLY CULTURE HEARTHS

LANGUAGES

RELIGION

HINDUISM

One of the world’s oldest religions

Diffused south and east down the Ganges River (see text for holy site).

Absorbed and eventually supplanted earlier native religions and customs

HINDUISM

Not just a religion; an intricate web of religious, philosophical, social, economic, and artistic elements

No common creed, no single doctrine No direct divine revelation No rigid narrow moral code

MAJOR TENETS OF HINDUISM

Three main ideas are important in understanding the Hindu religion and the Caste System

Reincarnation Karma Dharma

REINCARNATION

Every living thing has a soul.

When a living thing dies, its soul moves into another living creature.

Souls are reborn in a newly created life.

KARMA

Every action brings about certain results. There is no escaping the consequences

of one’s actions. Good behavior is rewarded when the

soul is reborn into a higher ranking living creature; bad behavior is punished when the soul is reborn into a lower ranking living creature.

DHARMA

A set of rules that must be followed by all living things if they wish to work their way up the ladder of reincarnation.

Each person’s dharma is different.

Puja or worship (also, Hindus do not eat beef)

Cremation of the dead

Regulations of the caste system (note video)

THREE BASIC PRACTICES

ORIGINS AND SPREAD OF BUDDHISM

Siddhartha Gautama (563 - 483 B.C.) – a.k.a Buddha. Born in Nepal.

Buddhism came from Hinduism (just as Christianity came from Judaism).

Emperor Asoka adopted it as the state religion (3rd Century B.C.)

Adherents object to harsher features of

Hinduism (e.g. Caste System)

Focuses on knowledge, especially self-

knowledge

Elimination of worldly desires,

determination not to hurt or kill people or

animals E. J. PALKA

FOUR “NOBLE TRUTHS” OF BUDDHISM Sorrow and suffering are part of all life.

People suffer because they desire things they cannot have.

The way to escape suffering is to end desire, to stop wanting, and to reach a stage of not wanting.

To end desire, follow the “middle path,” i.e., the path that avoids the extremes of too much pleasure and desire.

FALL OF BUDDHISM ON THE SUBCONTINENT

Hinduism was broad and tolerant, accepting many of the teachings of Buddha, so many stayed with Hinduism

Also, Buddhists in India were willing to compromise with the beliefs and customs of Hinduism

Final blow to Buddhism came in the 8th century, with the arrival of Islam, which:-- Destroyed the great Buddhist monasteries-- Burned libraries

-- Killed monks

Today there are only 1 million Buddhists in India – in the region where it started!

RELIGIOUS CONTRASTS

ISLAM Monotheistic No idols One sacred book Uniform dogma - 5 pillars Intolerant (of other religions) Eat beef/Sacrifice cows Bury Dead Social Equality (in theory) Theocratic society (state

religion encouraged)

HINDUISM Polytheistic Many idols Various sacred writings Varying beliefs Absorbed other religions Don’t eat beef/Venerate cows Burn dead (cremation) Caste separation Having the religion as part of

the “State” is of secondary importance

INDIA

INDIA ENCOMPASSES 3/4s OF SOUTH ASIA’S

TOTAL AREA A FEDERATION OF 28 STATES, AND 1

National Capital Territory. POPULATION OF 1.124 BILLION PEOPLE –

the world’s largest democracy. 28% URBANIZED 14 MAJOR AND NUMEROUS MINOR

LANGUAGES

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (INDIA)

38% LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE

A MIXTURE OF TRADITIONAL VILLAGE FARMING AND MODERN AGRICULTURE

HANDICRAFTS, OLD AND NEW BRANCHES OF INDUSTRY; CLOTHING INDUSTRY (note video)

MULTITUDE OF SUPPORT SERVICES AND NUCLEAR POWER

E. J. PALKA

E. J. PALKA

GREEN REVOLUTION THE SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER YIELD,

FAST-GROWING VARIETIES OF RICE AND OTHER CEREALS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAM-1960s FOCUSED ON THE FOOD CRISES INCREASED PRODUCTION PER UNIT AREA VIA:

MIRACLE CROPS NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS INTENSIVE USE OF FERTILIZERS

INDIA’S GREAT CITIES MUMBAI (BOMBAY) - 18.9 MILLION

ACHIEVED “PRIMACY” BASED ON ITS SITUATION. It was the nearest Indian Port to Europe.

KOLKATA (CALCUTTA) - 14.6 MILLION 500,000 HOMELESS FORMER BRITISH COLONIAL CAPITAL (1772-

1912) DELHI (NEW AND OLD) - 16.2 MILLION

BRITISH AND INDIAN SEAT OF GOVERNMENT

West PakistanEast Pakistan

India

PAKISTAN (AT PARTITION, 1947)

PAKISTAN

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN

POPULATION OF 166.9 MILLION

80% SUNNI MUSLIMS; 16% SHIA MINORITY

34% URBANIZED

KASHMIR (Jammu and Kashmir)

Although its population is mainly Muslim, much of Jammu and Kashmir became part of India in 1947. India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the territory, and there has been a separatist insurgency in the area.

INDEPENDENCE & PARTITION FACED WITH THE CHOICE OF JOINING

EITHER HINDU INDIA OR MUSLIM PAKISTAN

HINDU MAHARAJA BUT MUSLIM POPULATION

JANUARY 1949 – U.N. CEASE FIRE 1980 to 88 – Muslim extremists continue

insurgency

BANGLADESH

INDEPENDENT SINCE 1971 FORMERLY EAST PAKISTAN (see previous slides) 85% MUSLIM, 12% HINDU 147.3 MILLION PEOPLE DENSITY = 3,914/sq mi 2.1% ANNUAL GROWTH RATE NATURAL HAZARDS – CYCLONES

THE MOUNTAINOUS NORTH

THE SOUTHERN ISLANDS

MALDIVES >1,000 ISLANDS <115 SQ MI / 300 SQ KMS POPULATION OF 300,000 OVERWHELMINGLY MUSLIM HIGHEST GNP IN THE REALM

SRI LANKA FORMERLY CEYLON INDEPENDENT SINCE 1948

SRI LANKA 20.1 MILLION PEOPLE (70% BUDDHISTS) PLANTATION AGRICULTURE:

TEA, RUBBER, COCONUTS

SOUTH (MAJORITY OF POPULATION) ARYAN BUDDHISTS SPEAK SINHALA (INDO-EUROPEAN)

NORTH (18% OF THE POPULATION) DRAVIDIAN HINDU TAMIL LANGUAGE

SRI LANKA SINHALESE vs. TAMILS TAMILS DEMAND EQUAL

RIGHTS:

-- EDUCATION

-- EMPLOYMENT

-- LAND OWNERSHIP

-- LANGUAGE AND POLITICS

LTTE – LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM

E. J. PALKA

E. J. PALKA

E. J. PALKA

E. J. PALKA

E. J. PALKA