history short q & athousands of weavers in india were thrown out of employment h10 during medieval...

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HISTORY Q&A

S.N. QUESTION ANSWER H1 Who issued gold coins The Kushans were amongst the earliest

rulers of the subcontinent to issue gold coins.

H2 Which rulers controlled the silk route

The best known of the rulers who controlled the Silk Route was the Kushans

H3 Kushans ruled over Central Asia and north-west India during which period

Kushans ruled about 2000 years ago

H4 Harappan Seal often contain animal motifs and signs from a undeciphered script. The seal was used for what

The seals were used to stamp bags or packets containing goods that were sent from one place to another. The seals were not used as monetary unit

H5 Indus Valley sites Lothal: Dockyard, Store House, Fire alters Kalibangan: Fire alters Mohenjodaro: Great Bath

H6 Important port of Cholas C Kaveripattinam

H7 Capital of Pandyas Madurai

H8 Reasons of decline of Mughal Empire

1.Depletion of military and financial resources due to Deccan campaign of Aurangzeb2

2. Inefficient successors of Aurangzeb 3. Nadir Shah’s invasion followed by a series

of plundering raids by Ahmad Shah Abdali

4. Competition amongst different groups of nobles

H9 What was the effect of the

development of cotton industries in Britain on textiles producers in India

Handloom weaving died in India. Thousands of weavers in India were thrown out of employment

H10 During medieval India the term ‘Dehliwal’ refers to

Coins minted in Delhi were called Dehliwal. These coins had a wide circulation

H11 Bhakti movement in South India was led by whom

It was led by Nayanars (Saints devoted to Shiva) and Alvars (Saint devoted to Vishnu) The followers came from all castes and creeds. They drew upon the ideals of love and heroism as found in the Sangam Literature and blended them with the values of Bhakti. There were 63 Naranars. There are two sets of compilations of their songs- Tevaram and Tiruvacakam. There were 12 Alvars. Their songs were compiled in the Divya Prabandham


H12 Traditional occupation of Tribals Labadis Gaddis Bakarwals Gujjars

Van Gujjars & Labadis were cattle herders Gaddis of Kulu were shepherds Bakarwals of Kashmir rared goats

H13 What were Shrenis among craftsman

Many crafts persons and merchants formed associations known as Shrenis. These Shrenis of crafts persons provided training, procured raw material, and distributed the finished products. Shrenis also served as banks, where rich men and women deposited money

H14 Formed in 1830 Ideology of Brahmo Samaj

1. Prohibited all forms of idolatry and sacrifice

2. Not to criticise other religious practices 3. They believed in Upanishads

H15 What was Vandemataram

movement It was an extension of Swadeshi movement in Andhra region against the partition of Bengal

H16 Bhakti saints of North India 1. Kabir and Guru Nanak ji rejected all orthodox religion

2. Tulsidas and Surdas accepted existing beliefs and practiced them but wanted to make these accessible to all.

3. Surdas was an ardent devotee of Krishna 4. Shankaradeva of Assamemphasized

devotion to Vishnu 5. Chaitanyadeva from Bengal preached

selfless devotion to Krishna-Radha 6. The works were composed in regional

languages and could be sung.

H17 Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni 1. Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, Afghanistan ruled from 997 to 1030.

2. He extended control over parts of Central Asia, Iran and north-western part of the subcontinent.

3. His targets were wealthy temples including that of Somnath, Gujarat.

4. He engaged a scholar named al Biruni to write an account of subcontinent. His Arabic work is known as the Kitab-al Hind

H18 Established in 1867 in Bombay. Objectives of Prarthana Samaj

1. Removal of caste restrictions 2. Abolition of child marriage 3. Encouraging women education 4. To end the ban on widow remarriage

H19 How Mahayana Buddhism differ

from earlier Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism had two distinct features. Earlier the Buddha’s presence was shown in sculpture by using certain Signs associated with Buddha. For instance, his attainment of enlightenment was shown by sculptures of the Peepal tree. Now statues of Buddha were made. The second change was belief in Bodhisattvas.


Bodhisattvas were perceived as deeply compassionate beings who accumulated merit through their efforts but used this not to attain nibbana and thereby abandon the world but to help others. This new way of thinking was called Mahayana- literally the great vehicle. Those who adopted these beliefs described the older traditions Hinayana or lesser vehicle. The worship of images of Buddha and Bodhissattvas became an important part of Mahayana traditions. The worship of images of Buddha and Bodhisattavs became an important part of Mahayana traditions. The worship of Bodhissattvas became very popular and spread throughout Central Asia, China, and later to Korea and Japan.

H20 Preaching’s of Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya

1. Shankaracharya advocated that the individual soul and the Supreme God are one, whereas Ramanujacharya propounded that the soul always remains distinct from Supreme God.

2. To attain salvation, Shankaracharya preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge, whereas Ramanujacharya advocated intense devotion of the path of knowledge, whereas Ramanujacharya advocated intense devotion to Vishnu.

H21 Why non-cooperation movement

was withdrawn Mahatma Gandhi was against the violent movements. He called off the Non-Cooperation Movement when in February 1922 a crowd of peasants set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura. 22 policemen were killed. The Congress adopted the resolution to fight for Purna Swaraj in 1929 in Lahore Session under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru. Consequently the ‘Independence Day’ was observed on 26th January 1930 all over the country. Sarojini Naidu was a significant leader of the Dandi March. She was the first Indian women to become President of the Indian National Congress (1925).

H22 Communities and their traditional occupations

WEAVING TANTI of Bengal, Julahas of North India, Sale and Kaikollar and devangs of South India CRAFT OF IRON SMELTING Agarias LEATHER WORK Madigas of Andhra Pradesh ODD JOBS & CULTIVATION Dublas


H23 Birsa Movement Birsa movement was aimed at reforming tribal society. It urged the Mundas to give up drinking liquor, clean their village, and stop believing in witchcraft and sorcery. Birsa turned against missionaries and Hindu Landlords. They attacked police stations and churches and raided the property of moneylenders and Zamindars. The Birsa wanted Munda Raj with Birsa at its head.

H24 Various Communities LANDOWNERS: Vellalar ORDINARY PLOUGHMEN: Uzhavar LANDLESS LABOURERS: Kadaisiyar and Adimai

H25 MODERATE and RADICAL Leadership in Congress

The Congress initially was moderate in their approach towards British Rule. They sought greater voice for Indians in the government and in administration. The Moderate leaders wanted to develop public opinion to be moulded through awareness of how British Rule is exploiting India. Radical Leaders criticized the Moderates for their “politics of Prayers”. They emphasised the importance of self-reliance and constructive work. They argued that people must rely on their own strength and not on the ‘good’ intentions of the government, people must fight for swaraj. The Swadeshi movement sought to oppose British rule and encourage the ideas of self-help, swadeshi enterprise, national education, and use of Indian languages. To fight for Swaraj, the radicals advocated mass mobilization and boycott of British institutions and goods. The Moderates were opposed to use of boycott. They felt that it involved the use of force.

H26 Ryotwari system In the British territories in the South the Permanent Settlement was not successful. As there was no Zamindari system in South. The Ryotwari system was introduced in South by Alexander Read. Later further developed by Thomas Munro. The system was gradually extended all over south India. In Ryotwari system the settlement was made directly with the cultivators of the land. Thomas Munro thought that the British should act as paternal father figures protecting the Ryots under their charge.


H27 ‘Vetti’ means what in inscriptions of the Cholas.

The inscriptions of Cholas who ruled in Tamil Nadu refer to more than 400 terms for different kinds of taxes. The most frequent tax is ‘Vetti’. Vetti was tax not in cash but in the form of forced labour, and kadamai, or land revenue.

H28 Bahadur Shah Zafar during 1857 rebellion

Bahadur Shah Zafar was the Mughal Emperor in 1857. He was seen as a natural leader during the rebellion. Leadership for the rebellion at the local level was provided by the deposed rulers, Zamindars, religious leaders etc. Many new leaders emerged during the movement. Some of the important leaders were Nana Saheb, Begum Hazarat Mahal, Rani Lakshmibai etc. Ahmadullah Shah a maulvi from Faizabad raised a huge force of supporters. In Bihar, an old zamindar, Kunwar Singh, joined the rebel sepoys and battled with the British for many months.

H29 Ajanta Caves Many of the caves at Ajanta were decorated with Paintings. The colours were made of plants and minerals. Stories from the Jatakas were often shown on the railings of stupas and also inside paintings of Stupas.

H30 ‘Lilatilakam’ works The first literary works in Malayalam are directly indebted to Sanskrit. The Fourteenth century text the LILATILAKAM dealing with grammar and poetics was composed in Manipravalam- literally ‘diamonds and corals’ referring to the two languages Sanskrit and the regional language.

H31 Books and Authors Dadabhai Naoroji: Poverty and Un-British Rule in India Tarabai Shinde: Strpurushtulna Jyotirao Phule: Gulamgiri

H32 Movements led by the leaders from Non-Brahman castes

They tried to change those habits and practices which provoked the contempt of dominant castes They tried to create a sense of self-esteem among the subordinate castes Some of such movements are Satnami movement founded by Ghasidas and movement led by Sri Narayana Guru in Kerala.


H33 Movements led by Mahatma Gandhi ji

When Mahatma Gandhi returned from south Africa, a peasant from Bihar persuaded him to visit Champaran and see the plight of the indigo cultivators there. Mahatma Gandhi’s visit in 1917 marked the beginning of the Champaran movement against the indigo planters. Gandhi ji sought to obtain for the peasant’s security of tenure as well as the freedom to cultivate the crops of their choice. The following year in 1918, Gandhiji took part in two campaigns in Gujarat. First he intervened in a labour dispute in Ahmedabad, demanding better working conditions for the textile mill workers. Secondly, he joined peasants in Kheda in asking the state for the remission of taxes following the failure of their harvest

H34 MAHAJANAPADAS Some of the Mahajanapadas like Magadha were monarchies, other like Vajji, were under a different form of government, known as gana or sangha. These were oligarchies, where power was shared by a number of men, often collectively called rajas. These rajas performed rituals together. They also met in assemblies, and decided what had to be done and how, through discussion and debate. Women Dasas and Kammakaras were not allowed to participitate in these assemblies. Both Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas. Buddha belonged to a small gana known as the Sakya gana. Mahavira was a Kshatriya prince of the Lichchhavis, a group that was part of the Vajji sangha

H35 Chola Empire: Ur and Nadu Chola Empire had administrative units as Ur and Nadu Ur was the settlements of peasants, while Nadu was the larger unit formed by the group of villages Ur became prosperous with spread of irrigation agriculture The village council and the Nadu had several administrative functions including dispensing justice and collecting taxes.

H36 The revolt of Songram Sangma During the British Rule many new forest rules and laws were enforced. These laws were not liked by many tribal groups. They turned rebellions at many places. Sonagram Sangma was one such revolt in 1906 in Assam and the forest Satyagraha of the 1930s in the Central Provinces.


H37 Who set up schools for the Education of the girls, during the British rule

Many of the reformers advocated girl’s education in India. Vidyasagar in Calcutta and many others set up schools for girls. Arya Samaj set up schools for girls in Punjab. Jyotirao Phule set up schools for girls in Maharashtra Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain started schools for muslim girls in Patna and Calcutta

H38 INDIGO REVOLT The local zamindars and village headmen supported indigo ryots in their rebellion against the planters. In many villages, headmen who had been forced to sign indigo contracts mobilized the indigo peasants and fought pitched battles with lathiyals. Intellectuals from Calcutta supported indigo ryots by writing about the misery of the ryots and the tyranny of the planters. The zamindars were unhappy with the increasing power of the planters and angry at being forced by the planters to give them land on long leases.

H39 ‘Rajatarangini’ poem by Kalhana Rajatarangini was a poem written by Kalhana in Sanskrit. The poem contained the history of kings who ruled over Kashmir. He used a variety of resources including inscriptions, documents, eyewitness accounts and earlier histories to compose his account in poem Rajatarangini. He was often critical about rulers and their policies.

H40 Promotion of education in the pre-independence of India.

The social reform organizations like: The young Bengal Movement The Veda Samaj The Aligarh Movement The Singh Sabha Movement Advocated and worked towards education during pre-independence time. The young Bengal Movement attacked tradition and custom, demanded education for women. The Veda Samaj established in Madras in 1864, was inspired by the Brahmo Samaj. It worked to abolish caste distinctions and promote widow remarriage and women’s education. The Aligarh Movement had an enormous impact in the area of educational reform. The Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College founded by Sayyid Ahmed Khan in 1875 at Aligarh, later became Aligarh Muslim University. AMU offered modern education, including western science to Muslims.


The reform organizations of the Sikhs, the first Sigh Sabhas were formed at Amritsar in 1873 and at Lahore in 1879. The Sabhas sought to rid Sikhism of superstitions, caste distinctions and practices seen by them as non-Sikh. They promoted education among the Sikhs, often combining modern instruction with Sikh teachings.

H41 Agricultural practices of Harappan civilization.

Harappans used the plough to dig the earth for turning the soil and planting seeds. We have found evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan Rajasthan. The evidence of storage of water and water supply to fields have also been found. Thus, they have irrigation system too. Water from wells was also used for irrigation. Water reservoirs also found in Dholavira (Gujarat)

H42 Development of commercial activities of European companies in India

European Companies used their naval power to gain control of the sea trade. The growth of commercial activities of European companies resulted in decline of the independence of crafts persons of India. In the 16th and 17th centuries, European countries were searching for spices and textiles. The English, Dutch and French formed East India Companies in order to expand their commercial activities in the east. The European Companies used their naval power to gain control of sea trade and forced Indian traders to work as their agents. The spurt in demand for goods like textiles led to a great expansion of the crafts of spinning, weaving, bleaching, dyeing etc. However, this period witnessed the decline of the independence of crafts persons. They now began to work on a system of advances which meant that they had to weave cloth which was already promised to European agents. Weavers no longer had the liberty of selling their own cloth or weaving their own pattern. They had to produce the designs supplied to them by the Company agents. Thus, their creativity was compromised.

H43 Khilafat Movement In 1920 the British imposed a harsh treaty on the Turkish Sultan (Khalifa). Indian Muslims were keen that the Khalifa be allowed to retain control over Muslim sacred places in the erstwhile Ottoman Empire. The leaders of the Khilafat agitation, Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, initiated Non-Cooperation movement. Gandhiji had joined them.


H44 Alauddin Khilji resisted Mongol attack

Mongol attacks on Deli Sultanate forced Alauddin Khilji to take many harsh measures: Alauddin Khilji raised a large standing army. He constructed a new garrison town named Siri for his soldiers The soldiers had to be fed. He collected tax from lands between the Ganga and Yamuna. The tax was fixed at 50% of the peasant’s yield Alauddin paid salary to soldiers in cash rather than iqtas. The soldiers would buy their supplies from merchants in Delhi. Alauddin even controlled the prices of goods in Delhi. Muhammad Tughluq also paid his soldiers cash salaries. Mohammad Tuglaq used a token currency.

H45 European style of Painting European artists brought with them the idea of realism. This was a belief that artists should be able to depict faithfully what the eye saw. European artists also brought with them art of oil painting. Oil painting enabled artists to produce images that look real. Another tradition of art that became immensely popular in colonial India was portrait painting. The rich and the powerful both British and Indian wanted to see themselves on canvas. Britishers did not believe in miniature paintings. They preferred life-size images that looked lifelike and real.

H46 Colonial Forest Policy The British declared Forests to be State Property. Some forests were classified as Reserved Forests for they produced timber which the British wanted. In these areas of forests natives were not allowed practice jhum cultivation, collect fruits or hunt animals.

H47 The ‘Mansabdari’ system of the Mughals

The term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab, meaning a position or rank. It was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix Rank Salary Military Responsibilities Rank and Salary were determined by a numerical value called Zat. The higher the Zat, the more prestigious was the noble’s position in court and the larger his salary. Themansabdar’s military responsibilities required him to maintain a specified number of sawar or cavalrymen.


H48 Mauryan Administration Mauryan Empire was very large. Different areas were ruled differently. The area around Pataliputra was under the direct control of the emperor. The areas had capitals such as Taxila or Ujjain. Officials were appointed to collect taxes from farmers, herders, crafts-persons and traders. Officials those not obeying the orders of Emperor were punished. These officers were given salaries. Spies of Emperor were there to keep a watch over these officials.

H49 Teachings of Buddha 1. Life is full of suffering and unhappiness 2. The sufferings are due to uncontrolled

desires which cannot be fulfilled. 3. The constant craving and desires could

be tackled by following a moderation in everything.

4. Sometimes even when our desires are fulfilled still we are not satisfied as the craving increases further for more desires

5. Buddha also taught people to be kind and to respect the lives of others, including animals.

6. Buddha believed that the results of our actions called Karma affect us both in this life and the next

7. Buddha taught in the language of the ordinary people PRAKRIT.

H50 Akbar’s idea of sulh-I kul Abul Fazal helped Akbar in framing avision of governance around the idea of sulh-I kul. 1. The idea of tolerance did not discriminate

between people of different religions. 2. All religions focus on system of ethics-

honesty, justice, peace 3. The principles of governance was

followed by Jahangir and Shah Jahan as well.

H51 What were ‘Manigramam and ‘Nanadesi’

There were several guilds (Association of persons engaging in same business or craft) in South India from the eight century onwards. The Manigramam and Nanadesi guilds were most famous. These guilds traded extensively both within the peninsula and with Southeast Asia and China.

H52 M N Roy M N Roy was an Indian revolutionary. He founded Communist Party. He was prominent leader in India, China and Europe.


H53 Who wrote ‘The Rebirth of Russia and The Soviet State of Russia’

S D Vidyalankar

H54 ‘Jamdani’ refers to Jamdani is a fine muslin textile woven in Bengal. On Jamdani decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread was used. The most important centres of Jamdani weaving were Dacca in Bengal and Lucknow in the United Provinces.

H55 Saint-Poets of Maharashtra From 13th century to 17th century many prominent saint-poets were from Maharashtra. The most important among them were Janeshwar, Namdev, Eknath and Tukaram as well as women like Sakkbai and the family of Chokhamela. This regional tradition of bhakti focused on the Vitthala (a form of Vishnu) temple in Pandharpur as well as on the notion of a personal god residing in the hearts of all people. The saint-poets from Maharashtra rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and social differences based on birth. Infact they even rejected the idea of renunciation and preferred to live with their families, earning their livelihood like any other person, while humbly serving fellow human beings in need. A new humanist idea emerged as they insisted that bhakti lay in sharing others’ pain.

H56 Doctrine of Lapse Lord Dalhousie was the Governor General from 1848 to 1856. He started the concept of Doctrine of Lapse. The doctrine declared that if an Indian ruler died without a male heir his kingdom would be considered as “Lapse” and the territory will become the part of the East India Company. Awadh was annexed in 1856. It was not under Doctrine of Lapse. Governor-General Dalhousie declared that the territory was being misgoverned and British Rule was needed to ensure proper administration.

H57 What was the difference between Mansabdari system and Iqtadari System

Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs. Some mansabdars were paid in cash (Naqdi) also. But unlike muqtis (IQTADAR) most mansabdars did not actually reside in or administer their jagirs. Mansabdars had rights to the revenue of their assignments. The revenue used to be collected by their servants. Mansabdars themselves could be serving other part of the country.


Iqtadars were responsible for the administration of their IQTAS. Iqtadars received their salary from the imperial treasury.

H58 Chola Temples Chola temples often became centres around which settlements grew and flourished. These were centres of craft production. Amongst the crafts associated with temples, the making of bronze images was the most distinctive Temples were endowed with land by rulers as well as other land owners. The produce of this land went to maintain all the workers working in or for the temple. These workers were staying nearby the temple. They included priests, garland makers, cooks, sweepers, musicians, dancers etc. Therefore temples were not only places of worship they were the centre of economic, social and cultural life as well

H59 ‘Satnami Movement’ The Satnami movement in Central India was founded by Ghasidas who worked among the leather workers and organised a movement to improve their social status. In eastern Bengal, Haridas Thakur’s Matua sect worked among Chandala cultivators. Haridas questioned Brahmanical texts that supported the caste system.

H60 East India Company in the Battle of Plassey 1757

After the defeat at Plassey, Sirajuddaulah was assassinated and Mir Jafar made the nawab. The Company was still unwilling to take over the responsibility of administration. Its prime objective was the expansion of trade. If this could be done without conquest, though the help of local rulers who were willing to grant privileges, then territories need not be taken over directly. In 1765 the Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal. The Diwani allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal. After the battle of Buxar in 1764, the Company appointed Residents in Indian States. They were political or commercial agents and their job was to serve and further the interests of the Company. Through the Residents, the Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states.


H61 Permanent Settlement Though the share of the company was higher under the permanent settlement, it was the zamindars who benefitted most from the expansion of agriculture. The Permanent Settlement created problems. Company officials discovered that the Zamindars were in fact not investing in the improvement of land. The revenue that had been fixed was so high that zamindars found it difficult to pay. By the first decade of the 19th century the situation started to change. The prices in the market increased and cultivation slowly expanded. This resulted in increase of income of Zamindars. But the revenue of the company remained at the same level due to permanent settlement. In the villages the cultivators found the system oppressive. The rent he paid to the zamindars was high and his right on the land was also insecure.

H62 Mandapika refers to what Mandpika means a village market where peasants brought their produce to sell. Mandapika shortened to Mandi. They also had market street called Hatta for purchase of miscellaneous items later Hatta shortened to Haat.

H63 Administration of Akbar The Empire was divided into provinces called Subas. The provinces were administered by the Subadar who carried out both political and military functions. Each Suba had a financial officer or Diwan For the maintenance of peace and order in his province, the Subadar had a support of other officers: Military Paymaster- Bakshi Minister incharge of religious matters- Sadr Military Commander- Fauzdar Town Police Commander- Kotwal Akbar’s nobles commanded large armies and had access to large amounts of revenue.

H64 Crafts in Harappan cities Copper and Bronze were used to make tools and weapons The Harappans made pots with beautiful black design Most of the objects were made of stone, shell and metal including copper, bronze, gold and silver. Gold and silver were used to make ornaments and vessels. Copper and Bronze was also used making ornaments.


H65 Abanindranath Tagore Nationalist Artists

Abanindranath was the nephew of Rabindranath Tagore. A new group of nationalist artists gathered around him. The group felt that a genuine Indian style of painting had to draw inspiration from non-western art traditions and try to capture the spiritual essence of the East. They rejected the convention of oil painting and the realistic style. They turned towards miniature painting, ancient art of mural painting in the Ajanta caves for inspiration. They were also influenced by the art of Japanese artists who visited India at that time to develop an Asian art movement. The group also rejected the art of Ravi Varma as imitative and westernized and declared that such a style was unsuitable for depicting the nation’s ancient myths and legends.

H66 Philosophy of Ramakrishna Mission

Ramakrishna Mission stressed the ideal of salvation through social service and selfless action. Arya Samaj in North India sought to revive Vedic Learning and combine it with modern education in the sciences.

H67 ‘Salt Satyagraha’ In 1930, Gandhiji declared that he would lead a march to break the salt law. According to this law, the state had a monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt. Peasants, tribal and women participated in large numbers. The government tried to crush the movement through brutal action against peaceful satyagrahis. Thousands were arrested and sent to jail.

H68 Tax collection during Sangam period.

The chiefs of Sangam period did not collect regular taxes. Instead, they demanded and received gifts from people. They also went on military expeditions and collected tribute from neighbouring areas. They kept some of the wealth and distributed the rest amongst their supporters, including members of their family, soldiers and poets. Many poets whose compositions are found in the Sangam collection composed poems in praise of chiefs who often rewarded them with precious stones, gold, horses, elephants, chariots, and fine cloth.


H69 The reason for the resignation of congress ministers in provinces in 1939.

In September 1939, two years after the Congress ministers assumed office, the Second World War broke out. Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru both were critical of Hitler. Congress promised the support to British in their war effort and demanded independence of India in return after the war. The British refused to concede the demand. In protest, the Congress ministers resigned in October 1939.

H70 Architect Splendour of Vijayanagara Empire

Hampi is located in the Krishna-Tungabhadra basin, which formed the centre of Vijayanagara Empire. It was founded in 1336. The magnificent ruins at Hampi reveal a well-fortified city. No mortar or cementing agent was used in the construction of these walls and technique followed was to wedge them together by interlocking. What was most significant about this fortification is that it enclosed agricultural tracts. The architecture of Hampi was distinctive. The buildings in the royal complex had splendid arches, domes and pillared halls with niches for holding sculptures. They also had well-planned orchards and pleasure gardens with sculptural motifs such as the lotus and corbels. Generally, these are regarded as typical features of the architecture introduced by the Turkish Sultans.

H71 Important Changes Introduced by the British aftermath the 1857 rebellion

1. The British Parliament passed a new Act in 1858 and accepted direct responsibility for ruling India

2. A member of the British Cabinet was appointed Secretary of State for India and made responsible for all matters related to the governance of India.

The governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy, that is personal representative of the Crown.

3. It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduce and the number of European soldiers would be increased.

4. The land and property of Muslims were confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility. The Britishers believed that they were responsible for the rebellion in a big way.

5. Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their land

6. The British decided to respect the customary religious and social practices of the people in India.


H72 British Durbars in India In 1877, Viceroy Lytton organised a Durbar to acknowledge Queen Victoria as the Empress of India. In 1911, When King George V was crowned in England, a Durbar was held in Delhi to celebrate the occasion. The decision to shift the capital of India from Calcutta to Delhi was announced at this Durbar.

H73 Non-Cooperation Movement 1. Non-Cooperation programme was adopted at Nagpur session of the congress in 1920

2. The movement included surrender of titles that the government had awarded

3. Boycott of civil services, army, police, courts and legislative councils, school, and foreign goods were part of the movement.

4. Mahatma Gandhi in his book Hind Swaraj (1909) declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians and had survived only because of this cooperation. If Indians refuse to cooperate, British rule in India would collapse within a year, and Swaraj would come

5. Gandhi ji proposed that the movement should unfold in stages. Surrender of titles, boycott civil services, army, police, courts and legislative council, schools and lastly foreign goods.

6. In case the government use repression, full disobedience campaign would be launched

7. Many within Congress were reluctant to boycott the council elections scheduled for November 1920

8. Finally, at the Congress Session at Nagpur in December 1920, compromise was worked out and the Non-Cooperation programme was adopted.

H74 Puranas The Puranas contains details on how the Gods were to be worshipped They were written in simple Sanskrit verse Everybody including women and Shudras were allowed to hear and practice Puranas 1. Puranas literally means old. The Puranas

contain stories about Gods and Goddesses such as Vishnu, Shiva, Durga or Parvati.

2. They also contain details on how they were to be worshipped.

3. There are accounts about the creation of the world and also about kings

4. Much of what is contained in the Puranas evolved through interaction


amongst people- priests, merchants and ordinary men and women who travelled from place to place sharing ideas and beliefs.

5. Both the Puranas and the Mahabharata are supposed to have been compiled by Vyasa.

H75 Bhakti 1. Bhakti is generally understood as a person’s devotion or his love to his or her chosen deity. Anyone whether rich or poor belonging to the so-called high or low caste, man or woman, could follow the path of Bhakti.

2. Those who followed the system of Bhakti emphasized devotion and individual worship without much rituals and sacrifices.

3. A devotee worships deity with pure heart and deity will appears to him/her.

H76 Communities and their

professions Saliya : Weavers Sthapatis: Sculptors Banjaras: Traders 1. The Saliya weavers of Thanjavur and the

nearby town of Uraiyur used to produce cloth for flags to be used in the temple festivals, Fine cotton for elite and coarse cotton for the masses.

2. In Swamimalai, the sthapatis used to make exquisite bronze idols and tall, ornamental bell metal lamps

3. The Banjaras were the most important trader nomads. Their caravan was called tanda. Sultan Alauddin Khalji used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets.

H77 Agricultural Practices of Mahajanapada period

There were two major changes in agriculture during mahajanapada period. One was the growing use of iron ploughshares. This helped better turnover of soil. This helped in producing more foodgrain. Secondly, people began transplanting paddy. This led to increased production.

H78 Rulers of mahajanapadas and Rigvedic period

During Rig-vedic period there was no regular army, but there were assemblies where people met and discussed matters of war and peace. The rulers of mahajanapadas began maintaining armies. Soldiers were paid regular salaries. The rulers of Rigvedic period did not have capital cities, palaces or armies, nor did they collect taxes. As the rulers of the mahajanapadas were


- building huge forts - maintaining big armies They needed more resources. So, they started collecting the taxes. Rulers were advised to collect taxes and tribute from cultivators, traders and artisans. Rulers also started raiding neighbouring areas to acquire wealth.

H79 Tamil Epics Silappadikaram: IIango Manimekalai: Sattanar Tamil epic, the Silappadikaram was composed by a poet named LLango, around 1800 years ago. It is the story of a merchant named Kovalan, who lived in Puhar and fell in love with a courtesan named Madhavi, neglecting his wife Kannagi. Another Tamil epic, the Manimekalai was composed by Sattanar around 1400 years ago. This describes the story of the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi

H80 Establishment of English power in India

In 1600, the East Indian Company acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I granting it the sole right to trade with the East. The other European powers wanted to have trade links with India and eastern markets. The Portuguese had already established their presence in the western coast of India and had their base in Goa too by the time British came to India.

H81 Participation of industrial workers in Civil Disobedience Movement

The industrial working class did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement in large numbers, except in Nagpur region. As the industrialists came closer to the Congress, workers stayed aloof.

There were strikes by railway workers in 1930 and dockworkers in 1932. In 1930 thousands of workers in Chotanagpur tin mines wore Gandhi caps and participated in protest rallies and boycott campaigns. But the congress was reluctant to include workers’ demands as part of its programme of struggle. They felt that this would alienate industrialists and divide the anti-imperial forces.


H82 Asiatic Society of Bengal William Jones was an expert in law and also a linguist. He studied ancient Indian texts on law, philosophy, religion, politics, morality, arithmetic, medicine and other sciences. Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Nathaniel Halhed were also busy discovering the ancient Indian heritage, mastering Indian Languages and translating Sanskrit and Persian works into English. Together with them Jones set up the Asiatic Society of Bengal and started a journal called Asiatick Researches.

H83 Annexation of Indian States from 1757 to 1857

The process of annexation of Indian states by the East India Company from 1757 to 1857 had many facets. The Company rarely launched a direct military attack on an unknown territory. Instead it used a variety of political, economic and diplomatic methods to extend its influence before annexing an Indian kingdom. The Company officials began interfering in the internal affairs of Indian states. They tried to decide who was to be the successor to the throne, and who was to be appointed in administrative posts. Sometimes the Company forced the States into ‘subsidiary alliance’.

H84 Why Nawab got defeated in the battle of Plassey.

Commanders of the Nawab were bribed by the Company and secured their support. Mir Jafar one of the Sirajuddaulah’s commanders never fought the battle. He was promised by Clive to make him Nawab after Sirajuddaulah The battle of Plassey became famous because it was the first major victory of the Company in India.

H85 Jyotirao Phule He dedicated the book “Gulamgiri” to all those Americans who had fought to free slaves during the Civil War. Phule was critical of the anti-colonial nationalism that was preached by upper-caste leaders He criticized all forms of inequality, including the plight of upper caste women.


H86 Prarthana Samaj The Prarthana Samaj adhered to the tradition of Bhakti that believed in spiritual equality of all castes.

H87 The Paramhans Mandali The Paramhans Mandli was founded to work for abolition of caste

H88 E V Ramaswamy Naicker E V Ramaswamy Naicker was an outspoken critc of Hindu scriptures, especially the Codes of Manu, the ancient lawgiver, and the Bhagvad Gita and the Ramayana. He said that these texts had been used to establish the authority of Brahmans over lower castes and the domination of men over women. The forceful speeches, writings and movements of lower caste leaders lead to thinking and some self-criticism among upper caste nationalist leaders.

H89 Patola Weaving Patola was woven in Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan. It was highly valued in Indonesia and it became part of the local weaving tradition there.

H90 Akbar Nama It is a three-volume history of Akbar’s reign, written by Abul Fazi The Ain-I Akbari, which deals with Akbar’s administration, the geography of his empire, etc is part of Akbar Nama. Akbar asked Abul Fazal to write a history of his reign. The first volume dealt with Akbar’s ancestors and the second volume recorded the events of Akbar’s reign. The third volume is the Ain-I Akbari. It deals with Akbar’s administration, household, army, the revenues and the geography of his empire. It also provides rich details about the traditions and culture of the people living in India. The most interesting aspect about the Ain-I Akbari is its rich statistical details about things as diverse as crops, yields, prices, wages and revenues.

H91 Which leader of India supported ‘Western Education’ in order to modernize India

Rammohun Roy was keen to spread the knowledge of ‘Western Education’ in the country and also to bring about greater freedom and equality for women.


H92 IQTA system under the Delhi sultanate

The Khalji and Tughluq monarchs appointed military commanders as governors of territories. The territories were of different sizes. These lands were called IQTA and their holder was called IQTADAR or MUQTI. The duty of the MUQTIS was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their IQTAs. The MUQTIS also collected the revenues of their assignments as salary, in exchange for their military services. The MUQTI collected only the taxes prescribed by the state. They also paid their soldiers from these revenues.

H93 Sangam Poems Sangam poems mention the muvendar. This is a Tamil Word meaning three chiefs, used for the heads of three ruling families, the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas, who became powerful in South India around 2300 years ago

H94 Ashoka the ruler The most famous Mauryan ruler was Ashoka. He was the first ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions. Most of Ashoka’s inscriptions were in Prakrit and were written in the Brahmi script, while those in the northwest of the subcontinent were in Aramaic and Greek. Most Prakrit inscriptions were written in Brahmi script; however, some in northwest were written in Kharosthi. The Aramaic and Greek scripts were used for inscriptions in Afghanistan. Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador to court of Chandragupta Maurya.

H95 Classical Dances The Dance forms that are recognized as classical by the Sangeet Natak Akademi are: Kathak Bharatnatyam of Tamil Nadu Kathakali of Kerala Odissi (Odisha) Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh) Manipuri (Manipur) Mohiniattaam (Kerala) Sattriya (Assam)

H96 Harappan Settlement Many of the Harappan cities were divided into two or more parts. Usually the part to the west was smaller but higher and described as the citadel. Generally, the part to the east was larger but lower. This is called the lower town. In some cities, special buildings were constructed on citadel.


For ex. in Mohenjo-daro, a very special tank, which archaeologist call the Great Bath was built in the citadel area. Generally, houses were either one or two storeys high, with rooms built around a courtyard. Most houses had a separate bathing area, and some had wells to supply water. Many of these cities had covered drains. Each drain had a gentle slope so that water could flow through it. Very often drains in houses were connected to those on the streets and smaller drains led into bigger ones.

H97 Bidri Crafts The crafts persons of Bidar were so famed for their inlay work in copper and silver that it came to be called Bidri. The craft is known for its inlay work in copper and silver.

H98 Megalithic burials Tools and weapons of iron and ornaments of stone and gold are found at megalithic burials Generally, the dead were buried with distinctive pots which are called Black and Red Ware. Sometimes, megaliths contain more than one skeleton. These indicate that people perhaps belonging to the same family were buried in the same place though not at the same time.

H99 Inscriptions of the Pallavas The inscriptions of the Pallavas mention a number of local assemblies. These included the sabha, which was an assembly of Brahmin land owners This assembly functioned through subcommittees, which looked after irrigation, agricultural operations, making roads, local temples, etc The ur was a village assembly found in areas where the landowners were not Brahmins and the nagaram was an organisation of merchants.

H100 Rowlatt Satyagraha It was the first all-India struggle against the British government Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in response to Jallianwala Bagh atrocities During the movement, Hindus and Muslims were united in the fight against British rule. The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities, inflicted by General Dyer in Amritsar on Baisakhi day (13 April) were a part of government repression.

history short q & athousands of weavers in india were thrown out of employment h10 during medieval...

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