Question: Write a short note on the Paramaras.

Answer: The Paramaras dynasty of Rajputs ruled the region around Malwa from the 10th to
the 12th centuries CE. The most famous ruler of this dynasty was Raja Bhoj, who ruled from
1010-1060 CE. The capital of the Paramaras was at Dhar. The Paramaras ruled till 1305 CE,
when Malwa was conquered by Alauddin Khilji, The Khalji Sultan of Delhi.

Question: Write a paragraph on the Palas.

Answer: After the death of Harsha, in 750 CE, the people elected one Gopala as their ruler.
His son, Dharamapala, founded the Pala Dynasty (775-810 CE). Under Dharampala and his
son, Devapala, the Pala kingdom grew to include present day Bengal, Bihar and parts of
Odisha. One of the later Pala kings, Mahipala was defeated by Chola king Rajendra Chola in
1203 CE. They were the last major Indian dynasty to embrace Buddhism. The University at
Nalanda was revived by the patronage of the Palas. Dharampala established a famous Buddist
monastery and college at Vikramashila.

Question: Who was Mahmud of Ghazni? What was the purpose of his invasion of
India?

Answer: An Ambitious Turkish chief, Sabuktgin, the Amir of Ghazni took advantage of the
fragmented state of kingdoms, and attracted by tales of the riches of India. One of his sons,
Mahmud of Ghazni, attacked India several times between 1010 and 1026 CE, taking back
with him vast riches from India.

Mahmud of Ghazni captured Kangra, Mathura, Kannauj, Thanesar, Gwalior and Somnath. He
was interested in ruling the territories he conquered. His purpose to invade India was only to
take away the vast riches.

Question: Write who were the participants and what was the result of the First Battle of
Tarain and the second Battle of Tarain?

Answer: The First Battle of Tarain: In 1191 CE, Prithviraj challenged and defeated
Mohammad Ghori, the Turkish invader.

The Second Battle of Tarain: In 1192 CE, Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.

Question: Who were the Rajputs? Why is the period between 8th and 12th centuries CE
known as the Rajput period of Indian history?

Answer: The Rajputs were clans, or social groups based around present day Rajasthan. They
claimed descent from the Kshatriyas. The Rajputs were staunch Hindus. They created large
empires and resisted the advance of the Arabs and Turks. They protected their land and
religion with fierce patriotism. Their contribution to the politics and culture of India between
the 8th and 12th Centuries CE was so immense that this period of Indian history came to be
called Rajput Period.
Question: Who were the Partiharas? Describe how and where they came to power and
how their kingdom ended.

Answer: Many historians claim that Gujaras came ti India with the Huns a warlike tribe from
Central Asia at the end of the 5th century CE. They established their kingdoms in Punjab and
Southern Rajasthan. By the time Hieun Tsang visited India in 7th century CE, they had come
to be considered kshatriyas and of Indian origin. The Pratiharas were one of the most
powerful of the various Gujara clans and the empire they established came to be known as
Gujara-Pratiharas.

Nagabhata I (730-756 CE) established the Pratihara dynasty and took control of Ujjain. He
was known for his repeated resistance to Arab invasion. After almost a century Nagabatta II
captured Kannauj, the imperial city of Harsha, and made it his capital. His grandson Bhoja I
(836-886 CE) was a powerful ruler. Under him the territory of Guajara-Pratiharas stretched
from the foothills of Himalayas to the River Narmada and from Bengal to Sind.

The Gujara-Pratihara Empire broke up into several independent kingdoms around 950 CE.
Around 1019 CE, Mahmud of Ghazni took control of Kannauj. This spelt the end of the
Pratihara dynasty

Question: Write an essay on the Rashtrakuta dynasty outlining how they built their
empire.

Answer: Rashtrakuta Dynasty:

1. The Rashtrakutas ruled over large parts of southern, central and northern India
between the 8th and 10th Centuries CE.
2. The Rashtrakutas came to power under the leadership of Dantidurga, who defeated
the Chalukyas of Badami in 753 CE and the Gurjaras of Malwa.
3. He then went on to capture Kalinga, Kosala and Srisailam.
4. Krishna I succeeded Dantidurga. The rock-cut Kailashnath Temple at Ellora was built
during his rule.
5. Under Dhruva Dharavarsha (780 CE), the empire expanded further to become a pan-
India power. He defeated Palas and Gujara-Pratiharas and annexed Kannauj.
6. In the 9th century CE, Amoghavarsha I established his capital at Manyakheta, which
remained the capital of the Rashtrakutas till the end of the empire.
7. After ruling for over 200 years, the might of the Rashtrakutas was broken by the
Chalukyas of Kalyan.

Question: Write a summary of the military victories of Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra
Chola. Include a note on their army and navy.

Answer: The Cholas were a powerful ruling dynasty of South India. Credit for glorious
Chola rule goes to Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola. These two great monarchs
gave political unity to South India for the first time.

Rajaraja Chola (985-1014 CE): He followed a policy of war and conquest. He defeated the
Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi, the Pandyas, the Gangas of Kalinga and Cheras of Kerela and
captured large tracts of the Deccan and even parts of Ceylon.
Rajaraja introduced two important features of the Chola administration-the navy and local
self-government. He laid the foundation of powerful Chola navy. In 1005 CE, while he was
still a monarch, he appointed his son Rajendra Chola his successor.

Rajendra Chola (1014-1044 CE): He carried Chola power to greater heights. He captured
Vengi, sent a naval fleet into the Bay of Bengal and took over parts of Sumatra, Malaya and
the Andaman and Nicobar islands. He undertook an expedition to North India around 1023
CE, defeated Mahipala of Pala dynasty, and annexed Bihar, Odisha and Bengal.

Army and Navy: The Cholas developed a powerful army and navy. The army consisted of
the infantry, cavalry and elephants. The best horses were imported from Arabia. A huge
amount of money was spent for the training and upkeep of the army. The Cholas were first to
maintain a large and efficient navy. The Chola navy was one of the strongest aspects of the
Chola Empire.

Question: Describe the administrative system that prevailed in the Chola empire.

Answer: Rajaraja built up Chola power with his clever administrative skills. Under him, the
Cholas perfected a highly organised administrative system with a strong centre, yet the
autonomy of village assemblies was also protected and nurtured.

At the top of the structure was the king, who held all power. The entire kingdom was divided
into two categories – areas governed by vassal chiefs and those directly under the king. The
part of the kingdom that was directly under the king was divided into six provinces or
mandalams. The provinces were divided into districts or nadus, which were further divided
into kurams or kottams.

Village administration was carried on by village assemblies called urs. A group or union of
villages, called kurams or kottam, managed its affair through sabhas or mahasabhas. The
mahasabhas consisted of learned brahmins who were gifted land by the rulers. They had
extensive powers. But the sabhas were still under the control of the royal officers, called
adhikaris. Elections were held every year by casting votes.

The sabhas had different committees to look after different activities. There were eight
committees to deal with various aspects of administration, i.e., gardens, irrigation, cultivation,
education, land, roads, judicial and accounts. Each village had a treasury of its own and
accounts were maintained carefully.

Question: How did the Rajputs explain their origin?

Answer: Rajputs origin:

1. The world ‘Rajputs’ come from the Sanskrit word ‘Rajputra’ which means son of a
king. Historians have different opinions regarding their origin.
2. Some believe that they were descendants of the central Asian triles settled in India
after the Hun invasion.
3. The Rajputs however claimed to be descendants of the kshatriyas or warrior class of
Vedic Times.
4. They claimed that they were ‘Surya-Vanshi’ that is belonging to the sun family or
‘Chandra-Vanshi’ that is belonging to the moon family.
 5. Some Rajput clans also considered themeselves to be part of the fire family (agni –
kula).

Question: How did Muhammad Ghori benefit from Mahmud of Ghazni’s death?

Answer: After Mahmud’s death, however, the Ghaznavids become weak. Taking advantage
of this, Muizzudin Muhammad made Ghor independent once again. He also annexed all
Ghaznavid territories. Muizzudin Muhammad is popularly known as Muhammad Ghori.

Question: Which ruling dynasties engaged in tripartite struggle to control Kannauj?

Give reason.

Answer: The tripartite Struggle:

1. Since 8th country the Palas, The Gurjras – Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas were engaged
to control Kannauj
2. One major cause was a city of Kannauj in North India. Kannauj was rich in wealth
and resources. ( minerals. agriculture and trade)
3. There was a fight to control the wealth as well as the fertile of Gangetic Valley.
4. Continuous fights weakened all the three and within 100 years the power of three
declined.

Question: How do you know that the Rashtrakutas were patrons of art architecture and
literature?

Answer: The Rashtrakutas were patrons of art architecture and literature. The famous
Kailasa Temple at Ellora and the rock-cut caves at Elephanta were carved during the reign of
the Rashtrakutas. The Rulers also encouraged the growth of the regional languages,
especially Kannada.

Question: What do you know about Chola sculpture?

Answer: The cholas also excelled at making images. They were either of stone or bronze, the
latter being more popular. The bronze image of Lord Shivo as Nataraja – Lord of Dance is
one of the finest specimens of chola art.

Question: How was the clash between Prithwiraj Chauhan and Muhammad Ghori in
1192 different from the clash in 1191?

Answer: In 1191, the armies of Muhammad Ghori and pritheiraj Chauhan clashed at Train,
about 80 miles from Delhi. Muhammad Ghori was defeated in the first battle of train.

Soon after, Muhammad Ghori began to regroup his forces. The two armies met once again in
1192. This time, Muhammad’s army was better prepared. Prithwiraj appealed to the
neighbouring kings for help. The most powerful Rajput ruler – Raja Jaichandra of kanauj,
however stayed away. Prithwiraj was defeated and captured. His territories were occupied.
Question: Describe the military achievements of Rajaraja Chola and Rajendra chola.

Answer: Rajaraja chola (985-1016) also called Rajaraja I was a brilliant commander. He
defeated the Pandyas and the Cheras. He built a strong navy to control trade along the coastal
area. The Chola fleet captured parts of Ceylon (Sri Lanka ) and the Maldive Islands.

Rajendra Chola (1016 – 1044 ) was Rajaraja’s son. He succeeded his father to the throne.
Rajendra Chola’s most daring compaign was in South-East Asia. For countries, Indian
merchants had been trading with various parts of South-East Asia and Southern China. Indian
ships had to pass through the straits of Molucca, which was controlled by the kingdom of Sri
Vijay. They appeald to Rajendra Chola for help. He sent his fleet and defeated the Sri Vijaya
king.

Question: Write a short note on the regional kingdoms of the Deccan. The Deccan.

Answer: Region between the river Narmada and Krishna is known as the Deccan.

The Rashtrakutas:

1. The Rashrakutas rose to power in the 8th century under Dantidurga.

2. Dantidurga and his successor Krishna I consolidated the rule in the region of present
day Maharashtra.
3. Malkhed, near modern Sholapur in Maharashtra, was the capital city.
4. Continuous wars weakened the Rashtrakutas considerably. They were finally
overthrown in the 10th Century.
5. They were patrons of art, architecture and literature. The famous Kailasa Temple at
Ellora, Rock-cut caves at Elephanta were carved during the reign of Rashtrakutas.

Yadav of Devagiri:

1. Bhillama founded the kingdom in 12th century.

2. The Yadavs consolidated themselves in the region between Godavari and Narmada
rivers.
3. Flourishing trade made the kingdom rich and prosperous.
4. In fourteenth century, the Khalji rulers annexed their territories.

Chalukyas of kalyani:

1. The Chalukyas of Kalyani were also known as later Chalukyas or the western
Chalukyas.
2. The greatest ruler was Vikramanka.
3. He and his successors built many temples Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal.

Kabatiyas of warangal (ruled in 12th and 13th century):

1. The Kabatiyas ruled in the 12th and 13th centuries.

2. Their kingdom lay between Godavari and Krishna rivers.
3. Kabatiyas rulers were followers of Shaivism, though Jainism and Vaishnavism also
flourished.
4. The rulers patronized Sanskrit and Telugu.
 5. The kingdom was conquered by Sultan of Delhi in the early 14th century.

Hoysalas of Dvarasmudra:

1. The Hoysalas ruled the region covered by present day Karnataka.

2. The most powerful king Vishnuvardhan.
3. The kingdom was later absorbed into Delhi Sultanate.

Question: Who were known as Samantas?

Answer: Big landlords or warrior chiefs who were subordinates to a king are called
samantas.

Question: Who were Rashtrakutas?

Answer: They were subordinate to the Chalukyas of Karnataka. Later they became
independent started their own dynasty.

Question: Do you think being born as a Kshatriya was important in order to become a
ruler during this period? Give examples.

Answer: No. It was not important to be a Kshatriya in order to become a ruler in that
period. For example:

1. Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukya overlord and performed a

ritual called hiranya-garbha to establish his kingdom.
2. Kadamba Mayurasharman and the Gurjara-Pratihara Harichandra were Brahmanas
who gave up their traditional professions and took to arms, successfully establishing
kingdoms in Karnataka and Rajasthan respectively.

Question: Name the famous caves having a wall carving of Vishnu as Narasimha, the
man-lion done during Rashtrakutas period.

Answer: Ellora caves

Question: What is vetti and kadamai?

Answer: These terms are taxes during Chola period. Vetti was the most common tax which
means forced labour. Kadamai refers to land revenue.

Question: Why the rulers wanted to control Kanauj and the Ganga valley?

Answer: Kannauj (near modern Kanpur) was rich fertile plain between the Ganges and
Yamuna rivers. Kannauj was already established business hub. It had been capital city and a
political center. These were the reasons rulers wanted to control Kannauj and the Ganga
valley.

Question: What were the two major cities under the control of the Chahamanas?

Answer: Delhi and Ajmer

Question: How did the Rashtrakutas become powerful?

Answer:Initially the Rashtrakutas were subordinates to the Chalukyas of Karnataka. In the

mid 8th century, Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukya overlord and
performed a ritual called Hiranya Garbha and became ruler.

Question: What is meant by Hiranya-garbha? Or What was the purpose behind

performing Hiranya-garbha ritual?

Answer: Hiranyagarbha (literally, the golden womb) war a ritual performed by the non-
kshatriyas to become a Kshatriya and a ruler. It was thought to lead to the rebirth of the
sacrificer as a Kshatriya even if he is not one by birth.

Question: Why were temples often raided when kingdoms were attacked?

Answer: The rulers tried to demonstrate their power and resources by building large temples.
Temples had become rich and had been a hub of social, cultural and economic activities.
Therefore, when kingdoms were attacked, temples were raided to plunder money and rich
valuables.

Question: What term was used for land grants given to Brahmanas in Chola period?
How these land grants were recorded?

Answer: Land grants received by Brahmanas were called Brahmadeya. These were recorded
on copper plates It was written partly in Sanskrit and partly in Tamil. The ring holding the
plates together was secured with the royal seal, to indicate that this is an authentic document.

Question: Write a short note on Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni.

Answer: Sultan Mahmud was ruler of Ghazni. He ruled from 997 to 1030 AD. He extended
control over parts of Central Asia, Iran and the north-western part of the subcontinent. He
attacked Indian subcontinent seventeen times and plundered wealth from rich temple
including Somnath, Gujarat. Much of the wealth Mahmud carried away was used to create a
splendid capital city at Ghazni. He was also interested in finding about the people he
conquered. He brought his scholar Al-Biruni, to study about India. Al-Biruni wrote a book
about India called Kitab-al Hind.

Question: Why the Chahamanas may have wanted to expand their territories? Who
was the famous Chauhan ruler who defeated Sultan Ghori?

Answer: Chahamanas, or Chauhans dynasty ruled over the region around Delhi and Ajmer in
12th century. Being centrally located, they attempted to expand their control to the west and
the east, where they were opposed by the Chalukyas of Gujarat and the Gahadavalas of
western Uttar Pradesh.
The best-known Chahamana ruler was Prithviraja III (1168-1192), who defeated an Afghan
ruler named Sultan Muhammad Ghori in 1191, but lost to him the very next year, in 1192.
Question: How did the Cholas rise to power?

Answer: A minor chiefly family known as the Muttaraiyar held power in the Kaveri delta.
They were subordinate to the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. Vijayalaya, who belonged to the
ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the delta from the Muttaraiyar in
the middle of the ninth century. The successors of Vijayalaya conquered neighbouring
regions and the kingdom grew in size and power. Rajaraja I and Rajendra I were the most
powerful Chola leaders.

Question: Who built the town of Thanjavur and its famous goddess temple?

Answer: Vijayalaya built the town of Thanjavur and a temple for goddess Nishumbhasudini
there.

Question: Name the territories annexed by Chola kings to expand their kingdom.

Answer: The Pandyan and the Pallava territories in south India, Ganga valley Sri Lanka,
Lakshdweep, Countries of Southeast Asia (e.g. Sumatra)

Question: Name the two big temples built by Chola kings.

Answer: The big temples of Thanjavur and ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’, built by Rajaraja and
Rajendra, are architectural and sculptural marvels.

Question: How did the city and temple get name its name ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’?

Answer: After defeating Pala kings, Chola king Rajendra I brought Ganga water from Ganga
valley to sanctify tank of his royal temple. The temple and the city got its name as
‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’ i.e. the city of the Chola that seized the River Ganga.

Question: How did Chola temples become the nuclei of settlements?

Answer: Chola temples became the nuclei of settlements which grew around them.

1. These were centres of craft production. Amongst the crafts associated with temples,
bronze images and paintings were distinctive and world famous.
2. Temples were also endowed with land by rulers as well as by others. The produce of
this land went to maintain all the specialists who worked at the temple and very often
lived near it – priests, garland makers, cooks, sweepers, musicians, dancers, etc.
3. Temples were not only places of worship, they were the hub of economic, social and
cultural life as well.

Question: What type of Chola art is world famous?

Answer: Chola bronze images are considered amongst the finest in the world.

Question: How did River Kaveri bring prosperity to Chola kingdom?

Answer: The river Kaveri branches off into several small channels before emptying into the
Bay of Bengal. These channels overflow frequently, depositing fertile soil on their banks.
Water from the channels also provides the necessary moisture for agriculture, particularly the
cultivation of rice. It promoted agriculture development during Chola period.

Question: What kind of irrigation works were developed in the Tamil region? OR How
did agriculture developed in Chola kingdom?

Answer: Although agriculture had developed earlier in other parts of Tamil Nadu, it was
only from the fifth or sixth century that this area was opened up for large-scale cultivation.

1. Forests were cleared in some regions; land was levelled in other areas.
2. In the delta region embankments were built to prevent flooding.
3. Canals were constructed to carry water to the fields.
4. In many areas two crops were grown in a year.
5. For irrigation, wells were dug and in other places huge tanks were constructed to
collect rainwater.

Question: Was caste system prevalent in Chola empire? Give details.

Answer: Following instances indicate that caste system was prevalent in Chola kingdom:

1. Rich peasants of the Vellala caste had considerable control under Chola government.
2. Brahmanas often received land grants or brahmadeya. As a result, a large number of
Brahmana settlements emerged in the Kaveri valley.
3. People of Pulaiyas (considered outcast by Brahamanas and Vellala caste) used to live
on the outskirts of village in small hamlet. They were not allowed to partcipate in
Village administrative activities.

Question: What was sabha in Chola empire? How its members were chosen?

Answer: Land grants given to Brahamans called brahamadeya. These land grants were
looked after by an assembly (Sabha) of prominent Brahmana land holders which worked very
efficient. Their decisions were recorded in detail in inscriptions, often on the stone walls of
temples. The sabha had separate committees to look after irrigation works, gardens, temples,
etc.

The members of the village assembly were elected by lottery system called Kudavolai
System. The names of the eligible persons were written on palm leaves and put into a pot. A
boy was asked to pick up names from the pot. The chosen persons were declared elected.
Question: Who can become the member of the village assembly under Chola kingdom?

Answer: Brahamans who had received land grants and people of Vellala caste has
considerable control of village assembly or sabha. Following was the criterion to become
member of the sabha:

1. All those who wish to become members of the sabha should be owners of land from
which land revenue is collected.
2. They should have their own homes.
3. They should be between 35 and 70 years of age.
4. They should have knowledge of the Vedas. They should be well-versed in
administrative matters and honest.
5. If anyone has been a member of any committee in the last three years, he cannot
become a member of another committee.
6. Anyone who has not submitted his accounts, as well as those of his relatives, cannot
contest the elections.