India, a nation of diverse cultures and a rich history, is known by multiple names that reflect its multifaceted identity. While "India" is a name rooted in colonial history and widely recognised internationally, "Bharat" carries deep cultural and historical significance, tracing its origins to ancient scriptures and epics. Similarly, Mughal emperors gave the name "Hindustan" for the regions they ruled between 1526 AD to 1761 AD
Delving into the historical context, "Bharat," "Bharata," or "Bharatvarsha" finds its origins in Puranic literature and the epic Mahabharata. It serves as a geographical marker, representing a subcontinental territory extending from the southern sea to the northern abode of snow
"Bharata" also bears significance as the name of an ancient legendary king, believed to be the progenitor of the Rig Vedic tribe of the Bharatas, and by extension, the ancestor of all peoples in the Indian subcontinent
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Jawaharlal Nehru's reflections in 1927 emphasise the concept of the "fundamental unity of India." He portrayed India as "Bharata," the sacred land of the Hindus, marked by a shared faith and culture that has endured through the ages
During the early Mughal period in the 16th century, the term 'Hindustan' came to encompass the entirety of the Indo-Gangetic plain. By the mid-to-late eighteenth century, 'Hindustan' was frequently used to refer to the territories under the rule of the Mughal emperors, which extended across a substantial portion of South Asia
By the late 18th century, British maps began replacing "Hindustan" with "India." This shift was influenced by colonial nomenclature and the European historical associations tied to the name "India," ultimately leading to its widespread adoption
During the Constituent Assembly debates, the naming of India in the Constitution became a subject of discussion. While "Hindustan" was omitted, the assembly decided to retain both "Bharat" and "India" in recognition of the diverse opinions and historical complexities surrounding the country's identity
In 2016, the Supreme Court firmly rejected a PIL that aimed to change the country's name from 'India' to 'Bharat.' Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice UU Lalit dismissed the petition, emphasising that both 'Bharat' and 'India' were valid names for the nation. It's essential to understand that Article 1 of the Indian Constitution explicitly states, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”
The controversy surrounding the use of "India" stems from its association with the colonial past. Some members of the Constituent Assembly have advocated for the retention of "Bharat" or the inclusion of both names in the Constitution, reflecting the intricate historical and emotional dimensions with the nation's nomenclature