Holt World Geography Today- Chapter 25 India Review

subcontinent

A large landmass that juts out from a continent

boycott

A group's refusal to have commercial dealings with some organization in protest against its policies

partition

A division into parts, like the 1947 division of the British colony of India into nations of India and Pakistan.

reincarnation

..., In Hinduism and Buddhism, the process by which a soul is reborn continuously until it achieves perfect understanding

karma

(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation

caste

A Hindu social class system that controlled every aspect of daily life

dharma

In Hindu belief, a person's religious and moral duties

Himalayas

the mountain range whose existence was caused by the Indian subcontinent's crash into Asia

Ganges River

Located in India, this river is considered sacred to Hindus and is used for spiritual cleansing, funeral rites, and other Hindu rituals.

monsoon

A wind system in which winds reverse direction and cause seasons of wet and dry weather; strongly influence India's climates.

Sanskrit

an ancient language from which the language Hindi was developed.

Dalits

They are the lowest of the four classes in India; view as not part of any caste; considered to be unclean; forbidden to have contact with Indians of any caste.

secular

According to its consitution, India's government does not suppose any one religion, and all faiths are equal under the law.

Hinduism

An ancient religion; hold many gods and goddesses (pantheon); teaches that all gods and all living beings are part of a single spirit; three beliefs are reincarnation, dharma, and karma.

Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Two of the largest cities in India; rank 5th and 8th among the world's largest cities.

summer monsoon

Usually begins in June in India; a large low-pressure area over interior Asia pulls moist air inland from the Indian Ocean.

winter monsoon

Usually lasts from November to March; cold dry winds blow from Asia's interior into India. As the winds drop down from the mountains they warm and become even drier. As a result, much of India has a wam dry winter.

Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi

Led India's indpendence movement and became internationally famous for his doctrine of nonviolent protest and civil disobedience.

"Mahatma"

Hindu word meaning "Great Soul."

colony

a territory inhabited and controlled by people from a foreign land

green revolution

program to encourage farmers to adopt modern agricultural methods

Sherpas

ethnic group from the mountains of Nepal, serve as guides into the Himalayas

Sri Lanka

large island country devastated by 2004 tsunami

Indus River

creates a fertile plain in Pakistan