Question

Read and Discuss the Section ‘Bharat Mata’ in Chapter III: India’s Quest, in : Jawaharlal Nehru, Discovery of India.

Answer 1

In the section ‘Bharat Mata’ from Chapter III, The Quest, of Jawaharlal Nehru’s The Discovery of India, Nehru explains the meaning of Bharat Mata or Mother India.

During his travels, people often welcomed him with the slogan “Bharat Mata ki Jai.” Nehru asked them what they meant by “Bharat Mata”. He explained that India was not merely its mountains, rivers, fields or geographical territory. Bharat Mata represented the millions of people living throughout India. 

The section highlights that:

• India consists of people belonging to different regions, languages, religions and cultures.
• Despite this diversity, Indians share a sense of belonging to one country.
• The welfare and freedom of ordinary people are central to the idea of the nation.
• True patriotism means caring for the people of India and working for their progress.

Thus, Nehru’s idea of Bharat Mata represents the people of India and their unity in diversity, rather than only the physical land of the country.