How the Land Becomes Sacred-Sacredness Social Science Class 6 In English-CBSE Notes

Chapter 8. How the Land Becomes Sacred

Sacredness

Sacredness means finding something of deep religious or spiritual significance that is worthy of respect, reverence or worship.

• Sacredness may be associated with a special location or shrine.
• A sacred place may evoke deep religious feelings, thoughts and emotions.
• Sacredness may also be associated with a special journey called a pilgrimage.
• The route of a pilgrimage may itself become sacred.
• The land covered during a pilgrimage may also acquire sacred significance.
• Therefore, sacredness is connected not only with religion and spirituality but also with geography and traditions.
• Almost every school of thought and religion in India has its own sacred places.

Sacred Places

• Almost every religion has places that are considered sacred.
• People visit sacred places for prayer, worship, spiritual growth and religious activities.
• Some sacred places are associated with important religious personalities.
• Some are associated with important religious events.
• Some sacred places contain relics of spiritual figures.
• People belonging to different faiths may also visit the same sacred place.
• Dargah Sharif of Ajmer is an example where followers of different faiths visit.
• Velankanni Church in Tamil Nadu is also visited by people belonging to different faiths.

Sacred Places in Buddhism

• Buddhist sacred places are often associated with places visited by the Buddha.
• Some Buddhist sacred places are associated with relics of the Buddha.
• Great Stūpa at Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh is an important Buddhist sacred site.
• Sanchi is a relic stūpa.
• Mahabodhi Stūpa at Bodh Gaya in Bihar is another important Buddhist sacred site.
• Bodh Gaya is traditionally regarded as the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment.
• These places are important destinations for Buddhist pilgrims.

Sacred Places in Sikhism

• In Sikhism, takhts are seats or centres of spiritual authority.
• Takht Sri Patna Sahib is located in Patna.
• Akal Takht is part of the Golden Temple at Amritsar.
• Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib is located at Anandpur.
• These places are associated with important Sikh Gurus.
• Sikhs aspire to undertake pilgrimages to these places at least once in their lifetime.
• Sikh tradition records pilgrimages undertaken by Guru Nanak and other Gurus.
• Guru Nanak visited places such as Haridwar, Prayag, Mathura, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Puri.
• Sikh pilgrimage traditions also include visits to some Muslim shrines.

Important Definitions – Sacred Places

Pilgrimage

• Many Indians undertake tīrthayātrās or pilgrimages to sacred sites.
• The sacred places visited during pilgrimage are called tīrthas.
• Pilgrimage is an ancient and continuous tradition in India.
• Pilgrimage is not merely a physical journey.
• It is also considered an inner journey.
• A pilgrimage requires following a specified code of conduct.
• Indians have travelled across the Subcontinent on pilgrimages for at least 3,000 years.
• These journeys were undertaken even when modern means of transportation were not available.
• Continuous pilgrimage across different regions contributed to making the geography of India sacred.

Tīrtha

Tīrtha literally means a place where one can cross a river or another body of water.

• Symbolically, a tīrtha represents a place where a person can cross from ordinary worldly life to a higher spiritual life.
• Tīrthas are therefore held in high reverence.
• They are regarded as sacred places.
• The idea of tīrtha connects physical travel with spiritual progress.

Tīrthayātrā

• Tīrthayātrā means undertaking a journey to a sacred place.
• It is both a physical and spiritual journey.
• A pilgrimage may involve travelling long distances.
• The journey requires discipline and a specified code of conduct.
• It allows people to visit sacred places and experience different regions of the country.

Pilgrimage and the Idea of One Country

• India has been a country of pilgrimages for ages.
• Sacred places are found from the Himalayas in the north to Kanyakumari in the south.
• Places such as Badrinath, Kedarnath and Amarnath are located in the Himalayas.
• Kanyakumari is located at the southern end of India.
• Pilgrims have traditionally travelled from the south to the north and from the north to the south.
• Such journeys created a feeling of connection among people living in different parts of India.
• Pilgrimage helped strengthen the idea of one country and one culture.

Jain Tīrthas

• Jainism also has a rich tradition of tīrthas and pilgrimage.
• In the Jain tradition, tīrthas are associated with places where the Tīrthankaras attained liberation.
• They are also associated with significant events in the lives of the Tīrthankaras.
• Trees, ponds, hills and mountains visited or used for meditation by the Tīrthankaras may also be considered sacred.
• Mount Abu is an important Jain sacred site.
• Girnar is another important Jain sacred site.
• Shatrunjaya Hill in Saurashtra, Gujarat, is also an important Jain tīrtha.

Tīrthankara

Tīrthankara literally means someone who makes a tīrtha, that is, someone who guides the crossing from ordinary life to higher life.

• In Jainism, Tīrthankaras are the supreme preachers of dharma.
• Jain tīrthas are closely associated with their lives and spiritual achievements.

Sabarimala Pilgrimage

• Sabarimala Temple is located in Kerala.
• The temple is dedicated to the deity Ayyappa.
• It attracts a very large number of devotees every year.
• The shrine is located on a hilltop.
• Traditionally, it was reached through a difficult trek across hills and forests.
• The difficult physical journey symbolises the difficulties of the inner spiritual path.
• Natural landmarks along such pilgrimage routes may themselves be considered sacred.

Pandharpur Wari

• Pandharpur Wari is an approximately 800-year-old pilgrimage tradition in Maharashtra.
• Wari means a pilgrimage that is held regularly.
• The Pandharpur Wari is held annually.
• Pilgrims travel in large groups to the Vithoba temple at Pandharpur.
• The pilgrims traditionally walk for about 21 days.
• The tradition shows the importance of collective pilgrimage in Indian culture.

More Sacred Sites – Nature as Sacred

• Hindu and many folk and tribal belief systems give sacred importance to elements of Nature.
• Mountains may be regarded as sacred.
• Rivers may be regarded as sacred.
• Trees and plants may be regarded as sacred.
• Animals may be regarded as sacred.
• In some traditions, even stones may have sacred significance.
• Many geographical sites and natural features are worshipped as divine.
• Many rivers are regarded as devīs.
• Some species of trees, animals and plants are considered particularly holy.
• This tradition is based on the perception of a divine presence throughout Nature.
• Ultimately, the entire Earth is regarded as sacred.
• Earth is personified as Mother Earth or Bhūdevī.

Niyam Dongar

• Niyam Dongar is a sacred hill in the Niyamgiri Range of Odisha.
• It is sacred to the Dongria Khond tribe.
• The Dongria Khond believe that the hill is the abode of Niyam Raja.
• Niyam Raja is regarded as the supreme deity who provides everything necessary for sustenance.
• Cutting trees on the hill is prohibited.
• Cutting trees is considered a sign of disrespect towards the deity.

Sacred Natural Places in Sikkim

• In the early 2000s, the Government of Sikkim identified several sacred natural places.
• These included mountains, caves, lakes, rocks and hot springs.
• These places were to be protected against different forms of damage.
• This shows the relationship between sacred beliefs and the protection of Nature.

Sacred Nature among the Todas

• The Todas are a tribal community of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu.
• Many mountain peaks are considered sacred by the Todas.
• They associate these mountains with their gods.
• Their sense of sacredness extends to many plants.
• Some plants form part of their rituals.
• Shola forests and wetlands are also regarded as important.
• Specific stones and individual trees may also have sacred significance.

Important Terms – Notes 1

Important Places to Remember

• 📍 Sanchi – Important Buddhist relic stūpa, Madhya Pradesh.
• 📍 Bodh Gaya – Associated with the Buddha's enlightenment, Bihar.
• 📍 Takht Sri Patna Sahib – Important Sikh spiritual centre, Patna.
• 📍 Akal Takht – Important Sikh centre at the Golden Temple, Amritsar.
• 📍 Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib – Important Sikh centre at Anandpur.
• 📍 Mount Abu – Important Jain tīrtha.
• 📍 Girnar – Important Jain sacred site.
• 📍 Shatrunjaya Hill – Important Jain tīrtha in Gujarat.
• 📍 Sabarimala – Sacred hilltop shrine dedicated to Ayyappa, Kerala.
• 📍 Pandharpur – Famous for the annual Wari pilgrimage, Maharashtra.
• 📍 Niyam Dongar – Sacred hill of the Dongria Khond, Odisha.
• 📍 Nilgiris – Sacred mountains, forests and natural features for the Todas.

Quick Revision – Notes 1

• ✔ Sacredness means deep religious or spiritual significance.
• ✔ Almost every religion and school of thought in India has sacred places.
• ✔ A shrine is a holy place associated with the divine, a relic or a spiritual figure.
• ✔ A relic is a body part or belonging of a spiritual figure preserved for reverence.
• ✔ Pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place.
• ✔ Tīrtha symbolically represents crossing from ordinary worldly life to higher spiritual life.
• ✔ Pilgrimage is both a physical and an inner journey.
• ✔ India has an ancient and continuous tradition of pilgrimage.
• ✔ Jain tīrthas are associated with the Tīrthankaras and important events in their lives.
• ✔ Hindu, folk and tribal traditions often consider Nature sacred.
• ✔ Mountains, rivers, trees, plants, animals and stones may have sacred significance.
• ✔ Earth is regarded as Mother Earth or Bhūdevī.
• ✔ Sacred natural places can encourage protection of Nature.

All Topics Chapter How the Land Becomes Sacred

• 1. Chapter Review and Key Points
• 2. Sacredness
• 3. Sacred Geography Chardham And Sangham
• 4. Assignments - What Have You Learned?