Self concept of India

Ancient Pakistanis called themselves "Indians" over 3500 years ago. Ancient Indians (of modern times) called themselves "Bharatis" around about 2,500 years ago. The first time they called themselves "Indian" was when the British forced it onto them when they took hold of the subcontinent, around 200 years back. The first time they accepted the name "Indian" was at Partition, when Jinnah was furious that Nehru had chosen India for a name.

The following verses from the ancient Tamil literature are quoted to prove that the Tamil people (Indians living in the southern most part of India) had clear idea of the geographical boundaries of the land, where they lived.

The verses in original text, transliteration and meaning are as follows:

வடாஅது பனிபடு நெடுவரை வடக்கும்

தெனாஅது உருகெழு குமரியின் தெற்கும்

குணாஅது  கரைபொரு தொடுகடல் குணக்கும்

குடாஅது தொன்றுமுதிர் பௌத்தின் குடக்கும்

Vadathu panipadu neduvarai vadakkum

Thenadhu urukezhu kumariyin terkum

Kunadhu karaiporu todukadal kunakkum

Kudathu tonrumudhir bauvattin kudakkum (Puram.6: 1-4).

Karikizhar (a Tamil poet) describes the land with the boundaries as follows �

1. snow clad tall mountains in the north
2. the fearful Kumari in the south
3. shore washing ocean in the east
4. the old ocean on the west

தென்குமரி வடபெருங்கல்

குணகுடகட லாலெல்லை

Tenkumari vadaperungal

Kunakuda kadala ellai (Puram,17: 1-2).

Kurungozhiyur Kizhar (another poet) describes the boundaries of the land as � Kumari in the south, a big rocky (hill) in the north, eastern ocean in the east and Western Ocean in the west.

குமரிஅம் பெருந்துறை அயிரைமாந்தி

வடமலை பெயர்குவை ஆயின் இடையது

சோழநன்னாட்டு�����

Kumariam peruturai ayirai idaiyadhu manthi

Vadamalai peyarguvin ayin idaiyadhu

Chozha nanndau�������(Puram. 67: 6-8)

Pisirandaiyar (another poet) mentions that Chozhanadu was in between Kumari (in the south) and the Northern Mountain (Himalayas).

வடதிசை யதுவே வான்தோய் இமயம்

தென்திசை ஆஅய்குடி இன்றாயின்

Vadathisai yadhuve vantoi imayam

Tenthisai yadhuve Aykudi inrayin (Puram.132: 7-8).

If the sky touching Himalayas in the north and the clan of Ay in the South were not there, the vast world would get destroyed.

........................................பனிபௌவத்துக்

குணகுட கடலோடுஆயிடை���.

���������pani bauvattuk

kunakuda kadalodu ayidai����(Padit.51:14-15)

Kings and the learned coming from different parts of the land, which is surrounded by conch sounding cold southern ocean, eastern ocean and Western Ocean.

தென்குமரி வடபெருங்கல்

குணகுடகட லாலெல்லை

Tenkumari vadaperungal

Kunakudakadala ellai (Maduraikkanchi.70-71)

Mangudi Marudhanar describes the boundaries of the land are � the southern Kumari, northern big mountain, eastern ocean and western ocean.

Note how Kurungozhiyur Kizhar and Mangudi Marudhanar repeat the sentences exactly same as if they quote.

பொற்கோட்டு இமயமும் பொதியும் போ ன்றே

porkottu imayamum podiyum ponre (Puram,2: 25)

Murinjiyur Naganar praises Cheraman Peunchotru Udhiyan Cheraladhan that he should live long like the golden peaked Himalayas and podiyam / Podigai Hills.

Above all, the name Bharat is specifically mentioned in Manimekhalai:

பாடல்சால் சிறப்பிற் பாரதத் தோங்கிய

Padalsal sirappir Bharadhat tongiya (17-57)

Much sung Bharat was famous for maintaining good relations with other countries  with all wealth to be attracted by other countries.

Dear Kashmiri,

There are only a few literatures which date as early as or probably earlier than the Rg Veda. One of them is Sangam Literature. If you go through them, it would be amazing to see the fine details that have been described about the culture in terms of Warfare, Political Science, Fine Arts and a lot more. They give a great details about India and especially South India (which in my view had been by and large neglected subjected till a few decades back).