Indian Civilization and Culture
Indian Civilization and Culture : Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi (More a spiritual leader than a politician)
Born-2 October 1869 ( Porbandar in Gujarat )
Mohan Das Karamchand Gandhi (More a spiritual leader than a politician)
Born-2 October 1869 (Porbandar in Gujarat)
Died – 30 Jan 1948 (At the hands of a fanatic)
Popularly known as – “Bapu” and “The Father of Nation”
Dominated Indian Politics from 1915-1948.
Used “ Truth” and “ Non-Violence “ as the chief weapons against British rules to gain India’s Independence.
Autobiography-“ My Experiments with Truth”
Wrote articles for- Young India.
EXPLANATION IN ENGLISH | Indian Civilization and Culture
Indian Civilization and Culture : Gandhi praises the ancient civilizations of India that is still firm, strong and unbeatable. There have been several great civilizations in the world but none of them survives in its ancient glory. Rome and Greece, Egypt and Japan as well as China have lost their old civilizations.
But the civilization of India has withstood the test of time. Some people accuse people of India as too obstinate to adopt any change.
But Gandhi does not consider it a fault. Indian civilization has been durable because our ancestors tested it on the anvil of their experience and found it true.
The Europeans are guided by the writings of ancient Greece and Rome, Which themselves have been ruined. They hope to avoid the mistakes those old people made. But Gandhi thinks they will not be able to do so.
The basic difference between European and Indian civilization is that the western people are after material achievements. They yearn for more and more physical comforts and luxuries.
But our ancestors knew that there is no end to the desire for physical pleasure. But they did not. They prescribed self-restraint because happiness does not depend on riches.
Our ancestors wanted us to use our limbs to keep healthy and happy. If we ran after luxuries we
would barter permanent happiness for momentary pleasure.
Cities and Village
Our ancestors preferred villages to cities because the knew cities are full of vices, crimes, robbers, thieves an exploitation of the poor.
In villages people lived in peace following their occupations to earn a living.
The tendency of western civilization is to propagate immorality, whereas the tendency of Indian civilization is to elevate man’s moral being.
Pursuit of Materialism
The west has made maddening physical discoveries. But Gandhi is not impressed by them. The discoveries have given rise to multiplication of desires. But human heart is never satisfied.
So there is insatiable desire for more. This becomes a hindrance rather than help. It becomes a burden. Gandhi is sure that even the Europeans will have to remodel their lives.
In India, Our ancestors investigated the matters that concern the spirit. They found happiness lies in contentment.
May be the western civilization is well suited to us, Gandhi advises his countrymen to cling to their
civilization, and not to be deluded by the glamour of the west.
No doubt a certain degree of physical harmony is necessary. But one should not be a slave to them for his own betterment, and has usefulness to society.
Questions & Answers | Indian Civilization and Culture
Q. 1. What, according to the author is modern civilizations?
Ans.- The modern civilizations is the worship of the material things
according to the author. It is also the worship of brute in us. It has no existence if it does not think at every step of the triumph of material civilization. As such the author has advised us to keep away from it at any cost .
Q. 2. What did the author convey to the countrymen about dealing with modern civilization?
Ans.- The distinguishing characters of modern civilization, is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants, which the author observed. Hence the author conveyed to the countrymen to keep away from modern civilization.
Q. 3. What is the distinguishing characteristic of modern civilization?
Ans.- The distinguishing characteristic of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of human wants. The modern or western state of dissatisfaction arises really from want of living faith in a
future state .
Q. 4. The author perceived danger from modern inventions. How?
Ans.-The author became aware of immediate and distinguished results of modern inventions. It has maddened to resist and nobody dares to oppose it, According to him we are in danger of exchanging permanent good for a momentary pleasure.
Q. 5. What does author prefer to materialism?
Ans.- Author prefers development along spiritual lines rather than development along material and materialism. The modern people will have to perish under the weight of materialism. So he prefers
restricting our wants.
Q. 6. What does our civilization depend upon?
Ans.- Our civilization does not depend upon multiplying our wants or self – indulgence, but it depends upon restricting our wants or self-denial.
Q.7. What is civilization in the real sense of the term?
Ans. Civilization in real sense of term, consists not in multiplication but in the deliberate and voluntary restriction of wants. This alone increases and promotes contentment, real happiness
and capacity for service.
Objective Questions MCQs | Indian Civilization and Culture
1. Indian Civilization and culture is ……..
(A) a story
(B) a Speech
(C) a Biography
(D) an essay
2. ‘My Experiments with Truth’ was written by-..
(A) Nehru
(B) Mahatma Gandhi,
(C) Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad
(D) Sardar Patel
3. ………….. were rulers of Egypt….
(A) Americans
(B) Africans
(C) Iranians
(D) Pharaohs
4. Indian glory is that it is…..
(A) immovable
(B) movable
(C) uncivilized
(D) ignorant’
5. Civilization is the state of development of a …..
(A) people
(B) animal
(C) bird
(D) non-living things
6. Gibbon is associated with…..
(A) Italy
(B) Sweden
(C) Russia
(D) America
7. ‘Simple living and high thinking’ is the base of …..
(A) American Civilization
(B) Indian Civilization
(C) European Civilization
(D) None of these
8. “Plain living and high thinking’ is the motto of ….
(A) Western philosopher
(B) Eastern philosopher
(C) North philosopher
(D) None of these
9. Mahatma Gandhi has written the lesson…..
(A) I Have a Dream
(B) The Artist
(C) Indian Civilization and Culture
(D) The Earth
10. Pharaohs were rulers were ancient……
(A) Russia
(B) Egypt
(C) India
(D) Greece
11. Human mind is a restless bird which always remains ….
(A) Hungry
(B) unsatisfied
(C) thirsty
(D) sick
12. The mind is a restless …………… the more it gets the more it wants.
(A) bird
(B) dog
(C) cow
(D) monkey
13. ………….. Was a spiritual leader than a politician.
(A) Nehru
(B) Sardar Patel
(C) Mahatma Gandhi
(D) Indira Gandhi
14. The people of Europe learn their lesson from the writing of the
man of ……
(A) Germany
(B) Britain
(c) Greece or Rome
(D) Spain
15. Sacrifice is the sole aim of our ….
(A) Philosopher
(B) civilization
(C) rights
(D) scientists
16. European civilization will mean ….. for India.
(A) want
(B) living
(C) real
(D) ruin
17. Wealth and luxuries do not make a…… Happy.
(A) bird
(B) man
(C) cow
(D) dog
18. The people of Europe are inspired by. ……… and Roman writers.
(A) British
(B) Greek
(C) German
(D) Indian
19. …….. is against blind imitation of western civilization.
(A) Nehru
(B) Gandhi
(C) Patel
(D) Ambedkar
20. Our ancestors enjoyed ………….. Rule.
(A) Nice
(B) Society
(C) Home
(D) Nation
21. The invention of …………… proved a milestone in our development.
(A) fire
(B) agriculture
(C) carpentry
(D) None of these
22. Gandhi wrote articles for ….
(A) ‘The Hindu’
(B) ‘The Times of India’
(C) ‘The Blitzes’
(D) ‘Young India’
23. …….were satisfied with small villages.
(A) Our ancestors
(B) Germans
(C) Romans
(D) Italians
24. Happiness is largely a …..
(A) mental condition
(B) physical condition
(C) disease
(D) imagination
25. Our civilization teaches us to be more … towards one another.
(A) enemy
(B) angry
(C) upset
(D) friendly
26. Gandhi went to Champaran in ….
(A) 1915
(B) 1916
(C) 1917
(D) 1918
27. To observe morality is to attain mastery over ….
(A) economic growth
(B) political ability
(C) minds and passions
(D) None of these
28. Mahatma Gandhi was more a ….
(A) politician
(B) economist
(C) social reformer
(D) spiritual leader
29. Mahatma Gandhi used ……. as the chief weapons .
(A) swords
(B) nuclear weapons
(C) guns
(D) truth and non-violence
30. People in ancient days were satisfied with ….
(A) towns
(B) cities
(C) metro cities
(D) villages
31. Our forefathers saw that kings and their swords were inferior
to….
(A) the swords of ethics
(B) the swords of politics
(C) the swords of economics
(D) the swords of treachery
32. In ancient days the common people enjoyed —
(A) courts rule
(B) slavery
(C) true home rule
(D) foreign rule
33. Our ancestors dissuaded us from ….
(A) politics
(B) luxuries and pleasure
(C) morality
(D) spirituality
34. Indian Civilization and Culture’ has been written by ….
(A) Pt. Nehru
(B) M. Gandhi
(C) Hussain
(D) None of these
35. The tendency of Indian civilization is to elevate ….
(A) immorality
(B) partiality
(C) moral being
(D) dishonesty
36. Indian civilization is ….
(A) godless
(B) based on belief in God
(C) based on partiality
(D) based on matter
37. In ancient days the common people followed ….
(A) business
(B) agriculture
(C) industry
(D) politics
38. Modern civilization is the worship of —
(A) material
(B) ethics
(C) brotherhood
(D) equality
39. My Experiments with the truth is the …….. of Mahatma Gandhi.
(A) Biography
(B) Autobiography
(C) speech
(D) story
40. European civilization is the worship of….
(A) Spiritualism
(B) Friendship
(C) Mentalism
(D) brute in us
V.V.I Prose Lines Explanation | Indian Civilization and Culture
1. “Civilization is that mode of conduct which points out to man the path of Duty.”
This line has been taken from the essay ‘Indian civilization and culture’ written by Mahatma Gandhi where he says that our ancient Indian civilization teaches us imperative restriction upon our wants
which provides happiness.
Western Civilization teaches us indefinite multiplicity of human wants which creates miseries.
Indian civilization and culture is still alive because it is not developed with material things only but it contains spiritual values.
2. “We notice that the mind is a restless bird, the more it gets; the more it wants and still remains unsatisfied.”
This line has been taken from the essay ‘Indian civilization and culture’ written by Mahatma Gandhi where he says that human mind is a restless bird so the more we indulge in our passions the more
unbridled they become.
So we should set a limit to our wants as happiness is largely a mental condition which does not depend upon either we are rich or poor.
3. “A certain degree of physical harmony and comfort is necessary but above a certain level it becomes a hindrance instead of help.”
This extract has been taken from the essay ‘Indian civilization and culture’ written by Mahatma Gandhi where he says that physical harmony and comfort is necessary to a certain extent but above limit it becomes a hindrance instead of help.
We must arrange our physical circumstances so that they do not hinder us in our duty.
4. “A man is neither necessarily happy because he is rich nor unhappy because his poor. The rich are often seen to be unhappy; the poor to be happy.”
This line has been taken from the essay ‘Indian civilization and culture’ written by Mahatma Gandhi where he says that happiness is largely of mental condition. A man is neither necessarily happy because he is rich nor unhappy because his poor.
The rich are often seem to be unhappy and the poor to be happy. Our real happiness and health
depend upon our proper use of hand and feet. Machinery and materialism would make us a slave and we will lose our moral values.
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