India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Extra Questions and Answers Social Science Chapter 7

Class 6 Social Science Chapter 7 Extra Questions and Answers India’s Cultural Roots

NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 7 India’s Cultural Roots Important Extra Questions and Answers

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Very Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
Who founded the Sangha, a community of bhikshus?
Answer:
Gautam Buddha.

Question 2.
Who was Rohineya?
Answer:
Rohineya was extra ordinarily skilled burglar during the time of Mahavira, founder of Jainism. He evaded all attempts by others to catch him.

Question 3.
What was the thought of Charvaka School?
Answer:
Charvaka school believed that this material world is the only thing that exists and therefore there can be no life after death.

Question 4.
Name one tribal deity.
Answer:
Jagannath.

Question 5.
Name two holy books of Hindu.
Answer:
Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Question 6.
Who wrote Vedas?
Answer:
Vyasa.

Question 7.
What was Siddhartha Gautama known as after attaining enlightenment?
Answer:
He was known as the Buddha.

Question 8.
How many tribes were officially recorded in India in 2011?
Ans.
There were 705 tribes recorded in India in 2011.

Question 9.
What does the term “Vedanta” refer to in Vedic thought?
Answer:
Vedanta refers to the concept that everything is one divine essence called brahman.

Question 10.
What is the term for the practice of not owning material possessions in certain Indian philosophies?
Answer:
Aparigraha refers to the practice of not owning material possessions in certain Indian philosophies.

Question 11.
Indian culture is thousands of years old, and has many parts that are all connected. Which ancient civilisation is connected to Indla’s cultural roots?
Answer:
Harappan civilisation is connected to India’s cultural roots.

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
Write short notes on India’s culture.
Answer:
India’s culture is known as the oldest and very interesting culture in the world. Citizens of this country belongs to different religions, traditions, dresses etc.

Question 2.
What is the contribution of folk and tribal traditions to Indian Culture?
Answer:

1. Folk and tribal traditions provide a window into the rich heritage of these communities.
2. They reflect the beliefs, values and the aspirations of tribal cultures.
3. They also tell about the world view and the way of life.

Question 3.
Write short notes on Vedic Society.
Answer:

1. Vedic society was organised in different Janas or Clans i.e., large group of people.
2. The Rig Veda lists over 30 such Clans like, the Bharats, the Purus and the Yadus etc. Each clan or Janas was associated with a particular region of the north west part of Bharat.

Question 4.
How do folk and tribal traditions interact with leading philosophical schools in India?
Answer:
Folk and tribal traditions in India have interacted with major philosophical schools through the exchange of deities, rituals and concepts. For instance, tribal deities and mother-goddess worship have influenced mainstream religions. Similarly, Hindu deities have been incorporated into tribal beliefs, creating unique versions of epics like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. This interaction has enriched both folk and philosophical traditions, reflecting a dynamic cultural exchange.

Question 5.
What was the Charvaka school of thought and its primary belief?
Answer:
The Charvaka school, also known as Lokayata, held that the material world is the only reality and denied the existence of life after death.It did not gain widespread popularity and eventually faded away. It was overshadowed by other philosophical traditions that offered broader spiritual and ethical perspectives.

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Discuss the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Jainism, focusing on their core teachings.
Answer:
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) and Jainism was founded by Mahavira. Both religions emerged around the same time and share some core ideas, but differ in their approaches.
Similarities between Buddhism and Jainism include nonviolence (ahimsa), karma (the principle of cause and effect) and rebirth, aiming to overcome suffering and ignorance.

Buddhism teaches that following the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path leads to Nirvana, or enlightenment. It emphasises a balanced approach known as the middle way, avoiding extremes. Whereas Jainism focusess on strict ascetic practices and renouncing material possessions. It introduced ideas like anekantavada (the belief that reality is complex and cannot be captured by a single perspective) and aparigraha (non-possessiveness), which are less emphasised in Buddhism.

Question 2.
How did early Vedic society organise itself, and what does this reveal about its governance and social structure?
Answer:
Early Vedic society was organised into different janas or clans, which were larger groups of people associated with specific regions. The Rig Veda lists over 30 such janas, including the Bharatas, Purus and Kurus. Each jana had its own social and territorial identity.

Although the Vedic texts provide limited information on governance, terms like raja (king), sabha (assembly), and samiti (gathering) suggest that early Vedic society was organised around collective decision-making and leadership roles.

The mention of various professions in the Vedic texts also indicates a complex social structure with specialised roles and occupations, reflecting the organised and hierarchical nature of Vedic society.

Question 3.
A group of texts known as ‘Upanishads’ expanded the Vedic concepts. What are the main concepts Introduced in the Upanishads?
Answer: The Upanishads, a collection of texts emerging from Vedic tradition, introduced several concepts.

Important among them are the ideas of rebirth (the cycle of repeated births and deaths) and karma (the law of actions and their consequences).

The Upanishads also elaborate on the concept of brahman, the ultimate, unchanging reality thatunderpins the universe, and atman, the true self that resides within every being. These texts suggest that the essence of existence is interconnected and that realising the unity between atman and brahman leads to spiritual enlightenment. These philosophical ideas form the basis for Vedanta, one of the major schools of thought in Hinduism.

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Case Based Questions

Question 1.
There has been a constant interaction between folk and tribal traditions, and the leading schools of thought. Deities, concepts, legends and rituals have been freely exchanged in both directions. For instance, according to tradition, Jagannath, worshipped at Puri (Odisha), was originally a tribal deity; this is also the case with various forms of the mother-goddess worshipped across India.Some tribes, on the other hand, adopted Hindu deities long ago, and possess their own versions of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana – this has been well documented from India’s North-Eastern states, all the way to Tamil Nadu.

(i) What is the significance of the interaction between folk and tribal traditions with leading schools of thought?
(ii) Which Indian region is mentioned as having tribes that possess their own versions of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana?
(iii) What is one example of a deity that was originally tribal but became integrated into mainstream Hindu worship?
Answer:
(i) The interaction between folk and tribal traditions with leading schools of thought have led to an exchange between deities, concepts, legends, and rituals.
(ii) India’s North-Eastern states and Tamil Nadu are the regions having tribes that possess their own versions of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
(iii) Lord Jagannath is a deity that was originally tribal but became integrated into mainstream Hindu worship.

Question 2.
There were yet other schools of thought at the time. For example, one of them, known as the ‘Charvaka’ school (sometimes also ‘Lokayata’), believed that this material world is the only thing that exists, and therefore there can be no life after death. This schoo does not seem to have gained much popularity and it disappeared with time. We mention it to show that there was a wide diversity of intellectual or spiritual belief systems; people were free to choose what suited them.

Although the Vedic, Buddhis and Jain schools had important differences, they also shared some common concepts, such as dharma, karma, rebirth, the search for an end to suffering and ignorance, and many important values.

(i) What did the Charvaka school of thought believe in?
(a) The existence of multiple deities
(b) Rebirth and karma
(c) The material world is the only reality and no life after death
(d) The importance of ritual sacrifices
Answer:
(c) The material world is the only reality and no life after death

(ii) Which of the following is true about the Charvaka school?
(a) It was highly popular and widely accepted
(b) It disappeared with time due to lack of popularity
(c) It merged with the buddhist school of thought
(d) It was primarily focused on ritual sacrifices
Answer:
(b) It disappeared with time due to lack of popularity

(iii) Which concepts were shared by the Vedic, Buddhist and Jain schools despite their differences?
(a) Worship of a single god
(b) Materialism and skepticism
(c) Dharma, karma, rebirth, the search for an end to suffering and ignorance
(d) Exclusivity of their own spiritual paths
Answer:
(c) Dharma, karma, rebirth, the search for an end to suffering and ignorance

(iv) What does the diversity of intellectual and spiritual belief systems in ancient India indicate?
(a) Strict adherence to a single religion
(b) People were free to choose what suited them
(c) Absence of philosophical debates
(d) Uniformity in spiritual beliefs.
Answer:
(b) People were free to choose what suited them

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Competency Based Questions

Question 1.
Tribes generally worship many delties associated with these natural elements. What is the role of nature in tribal and folk belief systems in India?
Answer:
In tribal and folk belief systems, elements of nature such as mountains, rivers and trees are considered sacred. Tribes often worship natural deities associated with these elements, reflecting a deep connection with the environment. For example, the Toda tribals view certain mountain peaks as divine residences. These beliefs highlight the integral role of nature in spiritual and cultural practices.

Question 2.
Buddhism emerged as a distinct school of thought rejecting Vedic authority. What distinguishes Buddhism from Vedic tradition?
Answer:
Buddhism differs from Vedic tradition as it rejects Vedic authority. It was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha; it focused on overcoming suffering through enlightenment. Buddha’s teachings inclugde the concepts of ‘ahimsa’ (non-hurting) and the Four Noble Truths. Unlike Vedic traditions that emphasise rituals and deities, Buddhism centers on personal spiritual awakening and the path to Nirvana.

Question 3.
Jainism is another important school of thought that became widespread at the same time as Buddhism. Briefly explain some key bellefs in Jainism.
Answer:
Jainism, an ancient school of thought, emphasises key principles such as ahimsa (non-violence), anekantavada (non-absolutism), and aparigraha (non-possessiveness). Some of its key beliefs are

• Ahimsa is central to Jain practice and involves avoiding harm to any living being, including insects and microorganisms.
• Anekantavada advocates for the understanding that truth and reality are complex and multi-faceted, encouraging openness to different perspectives.
• Aparigraha involves minimising material possessions and desires to achieve spiritual liberation.
• Jainism highlights the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life forms, advocating for harmony with nature and all living beings. These principles are essential for achieving liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and rebirth.

India’s Cultural Roots Class 6 Skill Based Questions

Question 1.
Create a list of modern situations or problems where the principles of non-violence and interconnectedness could be beneficial. Discuss or present your ideas with the class.
Answer:
Here is a list of modern situations or problems where the principles of non-violence and interconnectedness could be beneficial

(a) Conflict Resolution In global or community conflicts, using non-violent communication and recognising shared human needs can lead to peaceful solutions.
(b) Environmental Issues Addressing climate change and environmental degradation through collaborative efforts and recognising the interconnectedness of ecosystems and human activities can promote sustainable practices.
(c) Social Injustice Fighting against racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination by fostering empathy, solidarity, and non-violent activism can create a more equitable society.

Question 2.
Research a specific tribe in India. What are their unique traditions, beliefs and ways of life? How have they interacted with mainstream culture?
Answer:
The Gond tribe is one of India’s largest tribal groups. They live mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. They practice animism, worshipping nature and deities like Pharsa Pen, the god of hunting.
They have a rich oral tradition, vibrant art, and tattooing practices. Agriculture, hunting, and fishing are their main occupation of Gonds, with a strong emphasis on community living and collective decision-making. Interaction with mainstream Hindu culture has led to the adoption of festivals like Diwali and Holi.
Despite modern influences, the Gonds strive to preserve their unique cultural identity.

Class 6 SST Extra Questions