UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on Vedanta and Hindu philosophy in the West and offshore aquifers (Week 119)

QUESTION 1

What are offshore aquifers, and how do they differ from terrestrial aquifers in terms of origin and structure? Discuss the potential importance of offshore aquifers in addressing global water scarcity.

QUESTION 2

How did Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th century facilitate the reception of Vedanta and Hindu philosophy in the West?

General points on the structure of the answers for UPSC Mains

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: What are offshore aquifers, and how do they differ from terrestrial aquifers in terms of origin and structure? Discuss the potential importance of offshore aquifers in addressing global water scarcity.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Much like aquifers on land, offshore aquifers are bodies of rock or sediment which contain freshwater. The difference is that they are located beneath the sea floor. Scientists believe that offshore aquifers can extend up to 90 kilometres off the coast and contain more freshwater than all the water that has ever been removed from aquifers on land.

— The offshore aquifer is just one of many depositories of freshwater known to exist in shallow salt waters around the globe.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— A 2021 study, ‘Offshore fresh groundwater in coastal unconsolidated sediment systems as a potential fresh water source in the 21st century’, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, estimated that there was a million cubic kilometres of freshwater beneath the sea floor — about 10% of all terrestrial fresh groundwater.

— Over the years, scientists have confirmed the existence of offshore aquifers at several locations, including off the coasts of Australia, China, North America, and South Africa. However, they have not been really explored primarily due to an exclusive focus on aquifers on land and logistical reasons.

— Aquifers on land get freshwater primarily from rain and snow-melt, which soaks into the soil and trickles down through the rocks. However, this is not how offshore aquifers can get freshwater. According to one theory, water might have reached beneath the sea floor during past ice ages, when sea levels were lower and large areas that are currently covered by the ocean were dry land. As a result, rain trickled into the ground, building up large volumes of freshwater. Also, during this time, the size of ice sheets had grown, and their weight may have forced water into porous rocks that extended out to sea.

Significance of offshore aquifers

— Offshore aquifers are significant as they can be untapped freshwater reserves and help deal with water scarcity on land. According to a 2023 United Nations report, the world is currently facing an unprecedented water crisis, with global freshwater demand predicted to exceed supply by 40% by 2030.

— The crisis has been exacerbated by rising global warming, which has led to droughts and changes in rainfall and snowfall patterns. This has severely affected the recharge of freshwater sources. The scarcity has also been driven by pollution and wasteful use of water.

Conclusion:

— The road to turning offshore aquifers into a dependable municipal supply of freshwater is long and dotted with challenges. For instance, offshore drilling is quite expensive. The latest extraction off the US northeastern coast cost around $25 million.

— There will also be a need to design wells which will operate beneath the sea floor, transport water onshore, and control pumping to ensure that salt water is not mixed with freshwater. It is also unclear how extraction from offshore aquifers will impact the ecology and marine life.

(Source: Scientists uncover hidden freshwater under sea floor: What are offshore aquifers and why are they significant?)

Points to Ponder

Read more about Offshore aquifers

Read about the sources of freshwater

Related Previous Year Questions

Why is the world today confronted with a crisis of availability of and access to freshwater resources? (2023)

India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity. (2015)

QUESTION 2: How did Swami Vivekananda in the late 19th century facilitate the reception of Vedanta and Hindu philosophy in the West?

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Swami Vivekananda’s nationalism is linked to spiritualism. He linked India’s regeneration to its long-standing spiritual purpose.

— He stated, “Each nation has a destiny to fulfil, a message to convey, and a task to complete. As a result, we must grasp our own race’s mission, its destiny, its place in the march of nations, and the role it must play in promoting race harmony.”

— His nationalism is founded on humanism and universalism, the two defining characteristics of Indian spiritual culture. He taught individuals to break free from self-created bonds and the misery that comes with them.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— Vivekananda addressed the Parliament a total of six times, although his first speech was probably the most famous. His message was radical yet resonant. “We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true,” he said.

— Transcendentalists such as Ralph Waldo Emerson had laid the seeds for the reception of Vedanta in the US through their “rejection of conventional Christian religiosity” (‘A Religion “Based Upon Principles, And Not Upon Persons”: The Heart of the “Strategic Fit” of Swami Vivekananda’s Promotion of Vedānta?’, 2023).

— Moreover, “rapid economic and social changes” that occurred as a result of industrialisation, as well as “intellectual challenges posed by Darwinism and the new biblical criticism”, had led to an “unfulfilled spiritual need” which in turn created “opportunities to propagate the message of Vedanta among receptive audiences” (Beckerlegge).

— Vivekananda’s participation in the Parliament opened the United States’ eyes to Hinduism, specifically Vedanta, the “philosophical position of radical nondualism” which he presented as an inclusive, universal religion.

— Vedanta societies cropped up around the US — and elsewhere in the West — largely due to the popularity of Vivekananda and his teachings. Many remain active till date. A diverse crop of figures, from authors like J D Sallinger and Aldous Huxley, to filmmaker George Lucas, have been directly or indirectly influenced by the philosophy of Vedanta.

Conclusion:

— Vivekananda’s teachings also contributed to the widespread popularity of meditation and Hatha Yoga (now simply known as yoga) in the West. Yoga, which was once only practiced by a few renunciants and mendicants, is now a billion-dollar health and wellness industry.

— Swami Vivekananda’s nationalism is founded on religion, which is the lifeblood of the Indian people. Deep concern for the masses, freedom and equality as means of self-expression, spiritual unity of the globe on the basis of universal brotherhood, and “Karmyoga,” a system of ethics to achieve political and spiritual freedom by selfless service, serve as the foundation of his nationalism.

(Source: How Vivekananda introduced America to Hinduism, http://www.pib.gov.in)

Points to Ponder

Read more about Vivekananda

Read about Vedanta

Related Previous Year Questions

What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India? (2014)

Several foreigners made India their homeland and participated in various movements. Analyze their role in the Indian struggle for freedom. (2013)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 118)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 119)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 118)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 119)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 117)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 118)

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