Understanding the Passage and the Role of Pilgrimages in India

The question asks why the great sages of India established pilgrimages in different corners of the country, according to the provided passage. To answer this, we need to carefully read the passage and find the author's reasoning behind these pilgrimage sites like Setubandha (Rameshwar), Jagannath, and Hardwar.

Analyzing the Passage for the Answer

The passage states:

• The author mentions how leaders travelled across India and saw no aloofness.
• The author then poses the question about the intention behind establishing pilgrimage sites like Setubandha, Jagannath, and Hardwar.
• The passage explicitly says: "They knew that the worship of God could have performed just as well at home." This rules out the sole purpose being just religious worship.
• It continues: "But they saw that India was one undivided land so made by nature. They, therefore, argued that it must be one nation. Arguing thus, they established holy places in various parts of India and fired the people with an idea of nationality..."

This clearly indicates that the establishment of these pilgrimage sites was linked to the sages' observation of India's natural unity and their desire to foster a sense of nationality and oneness among the people.

Evaluating the Options based on the Passage

Let's look at the given options:

• Option 1: <p>Because they wanted to push people to travel to different places</p>
  While pilgrimages involve travel, the passage suggests the *reason* for establishing them was deeper than just encouraging travel itself. Travel was a means to an end (seeing unity, feeling nationality), not the primary goal according to the author.
• Option 2: <p>Because they could observe the underlying unity of the country as made by nature</p>
  This option directly aligns with the passage's statement: "They saw that India was one undivided land so made by nature. They, therefore, argued that it must be one nation. Arguing thus, they established holy places..." This is presented as the core reason.
• Option 3: <p>Because they themselves had travelled to these places</p>
  The passage mentions leaders travelling, but it doesn't state that the sages established the sites *because* they themselves had travelled there. Their travel (or understanding derived from observing travel) informed their view of India's unity, which then led to the establishment of sites. This option reverses the cause and effect.
• Option 4: <p>Because they wanted people to be religious everywhere</p>
  The passage explicitly says worship could be done at home, indicating that religious worship itself wasn't the sole or primary reason for establishing widespread pilgrimage sites. The purpose went beyond mere religion to include a sense of national unity.

Based on the direct statements in the passage, Option 2 provides the author's intended reason for the establishment of pilgrimage sites by the sages.

Conclusion: Why Pilgrimages Were Established

According to the author of the passage, the great sages established pilgrimage sites in different corners of India because they recognized the fundamental, natural unity of the land and wanted to instil a feeling of oneness and nationality among the people. These sites served as focal points to reinforce the idea that despite regional differences, India was inherently one nation.

Revision Table: Key Points from the Passage

Additional Information: Concepts Related to the Passage

The passage touches upon several interesting themes:

• National Unity: The central theme is how the ancient sages fostered a sense of national unity in India through strategic religious practices like pilgrimages. They used shared religious destinations to create a cultural and national bond across diverse regions.
• Pilgrimages (Teerth Yatra): These are journeys to holy places, a significant practice in many religions, including Hinduism. Historically, they facilitated cultural exchange, geographical knowledge, and a shared identity among people from different parts of the subcontinent.
• Historical Context: The passage contrasts the pre-railway era, where travel fostered unity, with the post-railway era, which the author suggests led to increased distinctions (though he offers a counter-argument using an analogy). This reflects on how infrastructure and modernization can impact social perceptions and unity.
• Author's Perspective: The author holds a strong view that India was inherently one nation from ancient times due to natural geography and the wisdom of its sages, challenging the idea that national unity is a recent or imposed concept.