India, That Is Bharat Class 6 Social Science MCQ Chapter 5

This chapter explores how our country came to be known by different names such as Sapta Sindhava, Bharatavarsha, Jambudvipa, Hindustan and India. The MCQs below include a mix of fact-based, conceptual, and tricky exam-style questions. Solving them will help students to perfect their knowledge and understanding and prepare effectively for class tests and Olympiads.

India has not always been known by just one name. Over time, people from inside and outside the subcontinent used different names for this land. This chapter helps students understand how the idea of India developed through geography, texts, and history.

This chapter is part of the theme Tapestry of the Past. It deals with the ancient names of India, the natural boundaries of the Indian subcontinent, and how Indian and foreign sources described this region. It also shows that Bharat and India both have deep historical roots.

You will also see how rivers, mountains, texts, inscriptions, and travellers help us know the past. The chapter is useful for exams because many of its terms, names, and dates can be asked directly.

Let’s have a look at some of the top topics covered in India, That is Bharat Social Science Chapter 5:

Indian Subcontinent – A region with changing boundaries in different periods of history.
Natural boundaries – Himalayas in the north, seas on three sides.
Sapta Sindhava – Early Vedic name meaning land of the seven rivers.
Rig Veda – The oldest Indian text to mention an early name of the region.
Sindhu – Refers to the Indus River, and sometimes to a river in general.
Mahabharata – Mentions many regions across the subcontinent.
Bharatavarṣha – Ancient term used for the whole Indian subcontinent.
Jambudvipa – Another ancient name used for the subcontinent.
Bharata – Name linked to the Bharatas and later used widely for India.
250 BCE – Approximate time of Ashoka, who used Jambudvipa in an inscription.
Vishnu Purana – Describes Bharata as land north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains.
Cape Kumari – Mentioned in ancient Tamil literature as India’s southern end.
India, that is Bharat – Phrase used in the Constitution of India.
1950 – The Indian Constitution came into force in this year.
India’s Persian names – Hind, Hidu, and Hindu came from Sindhu.
India’s Greek names – Indoi and Indike developed from Persian forms.
India’s Chinese names – Yintu, Yindu, and Tianzhu were used for India.
Hindustan – A later name first used in a Persian inscription about 1,800 years ago.
Xuanzang – Chinese traveller who visited India in the 7th century CE.

For more practice, take a look at other chapters in MCQ Questions & Answers for Class 6 Social Science.

30 MCQ Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 5 India, That Is Bharat

Question 1: Which ancient Indian text first mentioned the region called ‘Sapta Sindhava’ or land of the seven rivers?

a) Mahabharata
b) Rig Veda
c) Vishnu Purana
d) Ramayana

Answer:

b) Rig Veda — It refers to the northwest as the land of seven rivers.

Question 2: The word ‘Sindhava’ in the Rig Veda is derived from the word ‘Sindhu’, which means-

a) Mountain
b) River
c) Ocean
d) Kingdom

Answer:

b) River — Sindhu specifically refers to the Indus River or rivers in general.

Question 3: The Mahabharata uses the term ‘Bharatavarsha’, which means-

a) Land of the jamun tree
b) Country of the Bharatas
c) Land of kings
d) Sacred land

Answer:

b) Country of the Bharatas — Referring to the Vedic people called Bharatas.

Question 4: Which ancient term for India literally means “the island of the jamun fruit tree”?

a) Bharata
b) Aryavarta
c) Jambudvipa
d) Hindustan

Answer:

c) Jambudvipa — It was widely used in texts and inscriptions.

Question 5: Emperor Ashoka used the term ‘Jambudvipa’ in his inscriptions around-

a) 500 BCE
b) 250 BCE
c) 100 CE
d) 800 CE

Answer:

b) 250 BCE — To describe the Indian Subcontinent.

Question 6: According to the Vishnu Purana, Bharata is described as the land-

a) North of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains
b) Between the two rivers of Ganga and Yamuna
c) Surrounded by deserts on three sides
d) Across the Himalayas only

Answer:

a) North of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains — A clear definition of Bharata.

Question 7: Which ancient Tamil poem describes a king whose fame spread from Cape Kumari in the south to the great mountain in the north?

a) Silappadikaram
b) Sangam poem
c) Tolkappiyam
d) Manimekalai

Answer:

b) Sangam poem — About 2,000 years old, showing Indians knew their geography.

Question 8: In the Indian Constitution, the phrase ‘India, that is Bharat’ appears in the-

a) Preamble
b) First article
c) Last article
d) Citizenship section

Answer:

b) First article — It affirms the dual name of the nation.

Question 9: The Hindi version of the Constitution uses the phrase-

a) India arthat Bharata
b) Bharata arthath India
c) Hindustan arthat India
d) Aryavarta arthath Bharata

Answer:

b) Bharata arthath India — As written in the Hindi text.

Question 10: The first foreigners to mention India were the-

a) Chinese
b) Persians
c) Greeks
d) Arabs

Answer:

b) Persians — In the 6th century BCE they called it ‘Hind’ or ‘Hidu’.

Question 11: The Persian names ‘Hind’, ‘Hidu’ or ‘Hindu’ were adaptations of the word-

a) Ganga
b) Indra
c) Sindhu
d) Yamuna

Answer:

c) Sindhu — They modified the word for the Indus River.

Question 12: The Greeks referred to India as-

a) Yintu
b) Indoi / Indike
c) Hindustan
d) Bharatam

Answer:

b) Indoi / Indike — Derived from Persian ‘Hindu’.

Question 13: The Chinese referred to India as ‘Yintu’ or ‘Yindu’, both derived from-

a) Indoi
b) Sindhu
c) Bharata
d) Jambudvipa

Answer:

b) Sindhu — Adapted into their language.

Question 14: Which Chinese term for India could also mean ‘heavenly master’, showing their respect for India as the land of the Buddha?

a) Yindu
b) Tianzhu
c) Yintu
d) Bharatam

Answer:

b) Tianzhu — Signifying reverence in Chinese culture.

Question 15: The word ‘Hindustan’ first appeared in a Persian inscription about-

a) 2,800 years ago
b) 2,000 years ago
c) 1,800 years ago
d) 1,000 years ago

Answer:

c) 1,800 years ago — Later widely used by invaders and travellers.

Question 16: The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang travelled to India in the-

a) 4th century CE
b) 5th century CE
c) 7th century CE
d) 10th century CE

Answer:

c) 7th century CE — He visited, studied, and carried texts back to China.

Question 17: Xuanzang spent about ___ years in India, collecting Buddhist texts and meeting scholars.

a) 5
b) 10
c) 17
d) 25

Answer:

c) 17 — He later translated texts into Chinese.

Question 18: The modern name ‘India’ comes from which ancient language?

a) Latin
b) Greek
c) Persian
d) Arabic

Answer:

a) Latin — Derived from Greek forms and Sindhu.

Question 19: The French name for India is-

a) Indica
b) Inde
c) Yindu
d) Indoi

Answer:

b) Inde — From the same roots as ‘India’.

Question 20: In which text is Bharata described as the country “north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains”?

a) Rig Veda
b) Vishnu Purana
c) Mahabharata
d) Sangam literature

Answer:

b) Vishnu Purana — A clear description of Bharata’s boundaries.

Question 21: The term ‘Aryavarta’ is traditionally associated with-

a) Land between the Ganga and Yamuna
b) The Himalayan mountains only
c) The southern tip of India
d) Islands of the Bay of Bengal

Answer:

a) Land between the Ganga and Yamuna — As described in later texts.

Question 22: Which Indian tree inspired the ancient name ‘Jambudvipa’ for the Subcontinent?

a) Mango
b) Peepal
c) Jamun
d) Neem

Answer:

c) Jamun — The fruit of the jamun tree gave the name.

Question 23: Which ruler’s inscriptions provide some of the earliest references to India as ‘Jambudvipa’?

a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Harshavardhana
c) Ashoka
d) Kanishka

Answer:

c) Ashoka — Around 250 BCE.

Question 24: The phrase ‘India, that is Bharat’ signifies-

a) Two different countries
b) One nation known by two names
c) Only an ancient idea, not relevant today
d) Only a cultural identity, not political

Answer:

b) One nation known by two names — As affirmed in the Constitution.

Question 25: The Mahabharata lists regions such as Kashmira, Vanga, Pragjyotisha and Kaccha, showing-

a) Only religious divisions of India
b) The wide geographic coverage of the Subcontinent
c) Foreign invasions
d) Maritime trade

Answer:

b) The wide geographic coverage of the Subcontinent — Reflecting diversity.

Question 26: Ancient Greeks dropped the letter ‘h’ from the Persian ‘Hindu’ because-

a) They disliked the sound
b) Greek language did not have the letter ‘h’
c) It was easier to pronounce
d) They confused it with another word

Answer:

b) Greek language did not have the letter ‘h’ — Hence ‘Hindu’ became ‘Indoi’.

Question 27: The term ‘Hindustan’ later came to be used by-

a) Only Indian poets
b) European merchants only
c) Invaders and travellers to describe the Subcontinent
d) Only the Chinese

Answer:

c) Invaders and travellers to describe the Subcontinent — It became common usage.

Question 28: Ancient Chinese pilgrims respected India as-

a) The land of the Buddha
b) Aryavarta
c) A land of deserts
d) Land of only wars

Answer:

a) The land of the Buddha — Hence names like Tianzhu carried reverence.

Question 29: Which modern term for India is found in the English version of the Constitution?

a) Bharat
b) Aryavarta
c) India
d) Hindustan

Answer:

c) India — Alongside Bharat, both are official names.

Question 30: Which pair correctly matches the foreign languages and their names for India?

a) Greek – Indoi; French – Inde
b) Latin – Bharatam; Chinese – Aryavarta
c) Persian – Jambudvipa; Arabic – Bharatam
d) Tamil – Indike; Sanskrit – Inde

Answer:

a) Greek – Indoi; French – Inde — Both derived from Sindhu/Indus.

Class 6 Social Science Chapter 5 Fill in the Blanks with Answers – India, That Is Bharat

1. The Rig Veda describes north-west India as the land of the ___ rivers.

Answer:

seven

2. The word ‘Sindhu’ in Sanskrit means ___.

Answer:

river

3. The Mahabharata refers to India as ___, meaning the country of the Bharatas.

Answer:

Bharatavarsha

4. The ancient name ‘Jambudvipa’ literally means the island of the ___ fruit tree.

Answer:

jamun

5. Emperor Ashoka used the term ‘___’ in his inscriptions around 250 BCE to describe India.

Answer:

Jambudvipa

6. According to the Vishnu Purana, Bharata is the land north of the ___ and south of the snowy mountains.

Answer:

ocean

7. Sangam poems, about 2,000 years old, describe a king whose fame spread from Cape Kumari in the south to the great ___ in the north.

Answer:

mountain (Himalayas)

8. In the Constitution of India, the phrase “India, that is Bharat” appears in Article ___.

Answer:

9. The Hindi version of the Constitution uses the phrase “___ arthath India.”

Answer:

Bharata

10. The Persians, in the 6th century BCE, called India by names such as _ or _.

Answer:

Hind, Hidu (or Hindu)

11. The Greeks dropped the letter ‘___’ from ‘Hindu’ because it did not exist in their language.

Answer:

12. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited India in the ___ century CE.

Answer:

7th

13. Xuanzang spent about ___ years in India, studying and collecting Buddhist texts.

Answer:

14. The French name for India is ___, derived from the same roots as the English word ‘India’.

Answer:

Inde

15. The phrase “India, that is Bharat” signifies one nation known by ___ names.

Answer:

two

True or False type Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 5 India, That Is Bharat

Question 1. The Rig Veda refers to north-west India as the land of the seven rivers. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 2. The Mahabharata mentions India as Bharatavarsha, the land of the Bharatas. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 3. The ancient name Jambudvipa refers to the island of the mango fruit tree. (True/False)

Answer:

False

Question 4. Emperor Ashoka used the word ‘Jambudvipa’ in his inscriptions around 250 BCE. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 5. According to the Vishnu Purana, Bharata is described as the land between the two great rivers Ganga and Yamuna. (True/False)

Answer:

False

Question 6. Sangam poems written about 2,000 years ago describe a king whose fame extended from Cape Kumari to the Himalayas. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 7. The phrase “India, that is Bharat” appears in the last article of the Indian Constitution. (True/False)

Answer:

False

Question 8. The Persians were among the first foreigners to call India by names such as Hind or Hindu. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 9. The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited India in the 7th century CE and stayed for about 17 years. (True/False)

Answer:

True

Question 10. The modern name ‘India’ is derived from the Latin form of the word ‘Sindhu’. (True/False)

Answer:

True