How the Land Becomes Sacred Class 7 Notes

How the Land Becomes Sacred Class 7 Notes

How the Land Becomes Sacred Class 7 Notes

1. Sacredness: Finding something of deep religious or spiritual significance, worthy of respect and reverence, holy or divine.

2. Pilgrimage: A journey to a sacred place that is significant within a religion or belief system.

3. Shrine: A place regarded as holy because of its associations with the divine, a sacred relic, or a spiritual figure.

4. Relic: A part of a saint's or other spiritual figure's body or sometimes one of their belongings kept as objects of reverence.

5. Tirtha: Literally, a place where one can cross a river or other body of water; symbolically, a place where one can cross from ordinary worldly life to a higher, spiritual life.

6. Tirthankara: In Jainism, the supreme preachers of dharma who guide the crossing from ordinary to higher life.

7. Char Dham: A set of four sacred pilgrimage sites in India located in the southern, northern, eastern, and western corners of the country.

8. Jyotirlinga: Sacred shrines dedicated to Śhiva, a major deity of Hinduism, each with its own unique mythology and name.

9. Shakti Pitha: Places across the Indian Subcontinent where parts of the divine mother Sati's body are believed to have fallen.

10. Punyakshetra: A sacred space or region perceived as holy, often associated with natural landscapes.

11. What is sacredness?

1. Refers to places, journeys with deep spiritual/religious importance
2. Evokes deep feeling about religious traditions
3. Gives diversity to cultural landscape

12. Sacred sites across religions

1. Related to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism. Christianity, Jainism, Judaism and Zoroastrianism and many others
2. Sanchi Stupa (Buddhism), Takhts (Sikhism), Bodh Gaya (Buddhism)
3. Tirthas (Jainism) - Places of important events in the lives of Tirthankaras

13. More sacred sites

1. Hindus and tribes - Sacred natural elements as deities mountains, rivers, plants, animals, trees etc.
2. Rivers (Goddesses), Earth (Bhudevi, Mother Earth)
3. Dongria Khond tribe (Jharkhand) - Sacred deity - Niyam Dongar hill (abode of Supreme Deity Niyam Raja)
4. Sabarimala temple - difficult trek, inner spiritual journey
5. Toda tribes (Tamil Nadu) regards sacred - mountain peaks, natural elements

14. Pilgrimage

Importance

1. Ancient Indian tradition
2. Involves physical and spiritual journey
3. Makes geography sacred
4. Connect people, foster sense of unity, sharing of culture

15. Challenges

1. Difficult journey, difficult trek
2. Overcrowding, pollution, lesser
3. facilities
4. Difficult transport system

16. Sacred Ecology

1. Long joumey - religious, trade, learning, cultural exchange, sharing of idea, discussion, debate
2. Tirthas - located in natural settings - make these places sacred
3. Rivers - Widespread, central to many rituals

17. Kumbh Mela

1. At Prayagraj, every 6 years, at confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Sarasvati
2. UNESCO declared World Heritage
3. Origin -- Amrita manthana
4. A deep at confluence considered sacred
5. About 47% people of India attended it recently

18. Mountain and Forest

1. Mountains linked with legends, deities
2. Height refers to relation between earth and heaven
3. Many tirthas and temples at hilltops - journey to devine
4. Tests physical and mental strength

19. Trees, Forests, Sacred Groves

1. Peepal - sacred tree in many religions, linked to Buddha's enlightment
2. Ramayana, Mahabharata describe pilgrimages - connecting people
3. Sacred groves - Protected by communities - homes of deitics
4. Helps in biodiversity conservation
5. Have water bodies - helps in water conservation

20. Sacred Geography (Beyond India)

1. Ancient Greece - had sacred landmarks - mountains, groves
2. Native American - sacred nature - special bond
3. Maori tribe (New Zealand) Mountains as ancestor, legal right as humans
4. Community elders talk about sacred places - prevent exploitation.

21. Importance of Sacred Geography

1. Sustained Indian civilisation
2. Overexploitation of natural resource raises conflicts
3. Contribute to global sustainability
4. Connects significant figures, events
5. Supports spiritual growth, cultural integration

22. Sacred Geography

1. Created by interconnected sacred sites
2. Char dham - visit of 4 sacred sites in 4 corners of country
3. 12 Jyotirlingas, 51 Shaktipithas spread across India
4. Journey to these places helps to known commonality, culture and language
5. Traditional tirthas - located near river, forest, mountain, lakes, etc.
6. Together they make sacred geography

23. Sacred Groves and Biodiversity

Regional Names for Sacred Groves

1. Different names represent regional cultural practices
2. Malayalam (Kavu), Tamil Nadu (Kovilkadu), Kannada (Devare Kadu)
3. Highlights cultural importance, local traditions

24. Sacred Groves - Trade Route

1. In Tamil Nadu, sacred groves protect 'fruit bats'
2. Role in seed dispersal, pollination
3. Pilgrimage route overlap with trade routes - pilgrims and trader benefit
4. Examples - Uttarapatha and Dakshinapatha