Why do you think towns grew around temples?
The towns grew around temples due to the following reasons:
- Temple were often central to the economy and society.
- Rulers, who built temples, donated land and money to carry out the rituals, feed pilgrims and priests and celebrate festivals etc.
- Pilgrims who flocked to the temples also do donations.
- Temple authorities used their wealth to finance, trade and banking.
How important were craftspersons for the building and maintenance of temples?
In what ways was craft production in cities like Calcutta different from that in cities like Thanjavur?
Why did people from distant lands visit Surat?
How was water supplied to the city of Thanjavur?
Who lived in the “Black Towns” in cities such as Madras?
Fill in the blanks:
(a) The Rajarajeshvara temple was built in ———.
(b) Ajmer is associated with the Sufi saint ————.
(c) Hampi was the capital of the ———— Empire.
(d) The Dutch established a settlement at ———— in Andhra Pradesh.
State whether true or false:
(a) We know the name of the architect of the Rajarajeshvara temple from an inscription.
(b) Merchants preferred to travel individually rather than in caravans.
(c) Kabul was a major centre for trade in elephants.
(d) Surat was an important trading port on the Bay of Bengal.
Who was considered a “foreigner” in the past?
Match the following:
Gurjara-Pratiharas Western Deccan
Rashtrakutas Bengal
Palas Gujarat and Rajasthan
Cholas Tamil Nadu
Which ruler first established his or her capital at Delhi?
Match the following:
mansab Marwar
Mongol governor
Sisodiya Rajput Uzbeg
Rathor Rajput Mewar
Nur Jahan rank
subadar Jahangir
How is the “trabeate” principle of architecture different from the “arcuate”?
Match the following:
garh khel
tanda chaurasi
labourer caravan
clan Garha Katanga
Sib Singh Ahom state
Durgawati paik
The Buddha namghar
Shankaradeva worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya questioned social differences
Nayanars Sufi saint
Alvars worship of Shiva
Anantavarman Kerala
Jagannatha Bengal
Mahodayapuram Orissa
Lilatilakam Kangra
Mangalakavya Puri
Miniature Kerala
Match the following:
subadar a revenue farmer
faujdar a high noble
ijaradar provincial governor
misl Maratha peasant warriors
chauth a Mughal military commander
kunbis a band of Sikh warriors
umara tax levied by the Marathas
State whether true or false:
(a) We do not find inscriptions for the period after 700.
(b) The Marathas asserted their political importance during this period.
(c) Forest-dwellers were sometimes pushed out of their lands with the spread of agricultural settlements.
(d) Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban controlled Assam, Manipur and Kashmir.
List some of the technological changes associated with this period.
Fill in the blanks:
(a) Shankara was an advocate of ————-.
(b) Ramanuja was influenced by the —————.
(c) ————, ———— and ———— were advocates of Virashaivism.
(d) ———————— was an important centre of the Bhakti tradition in Maharashtra.
Who were the major patrons of Kathak?
What kind of irrigation works were developed in the Tamil region?
How did a temple communicate the importance of a king?
Why were temples built in Bengal?
For either the Virashaivas or the sants of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.
How were the affairs of jatis regulated?
According to the “circle of justice”, why was it important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?
In what ways has the meaning of the term “Hindustan” changed over the centuries?