Question : Does the evidence of land ownership at our disposal support the theory of the prevalence of feudalism in early medieval India?
(2015)
Answer : From the 5th century onwards, the growth of the agrarian economy led to the emergence of regional landed aristocracies. There was the fission of previously undifferentiated village or tribal communities with the rise of new ruling elites. The reconstitution of rural society also meant greater differentiation within its ranks. It meant the emergence of new kinds of servile groups -- the lower peasantry, village servants, tenants and lower artisans -- upon whose labour the entire ....
Question : Why is Mamallapuram famous?
(2015)
Answer : Mamallapuram is also called Mahabalipuram, which is of great historical important place. Mamallapuram dates back to the Tamil Pallava dynasty in the 7th-9th century. It was largely developed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman I Mahamalla in the 7th century AD. It is famous due to the following reasons:
The temples of Mahabalipuram were built largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman and show the movement from rock-cut architecture to structural building.
The monuments are ....
Question : Give a brief account of the early medieval temple architecture of Kashmir.
(2015)
Answer : The architecture of medieval Kashmir may be said to begin at the seventh centuries A.D. It almost ended with the transfer of the kingdom from Hindu to Muslim hands in A.D. 1337.
The buildings which represent Medieval Kashmiri architecture may be divided into two classes: The Buddhist architecture and the Hindu architecture.
In terms of materials, ornament, and technique, there is practically no difference between the two, but the religious needs of the two communities being in ....
Question : Evaluating various theories regarding the Chola State, throw light on its village assemblies.
(2014)
Answer : South India under the Cholas has claimed the major attention of scholars and researchers, as the Chola period is of crucial importance in the study of the South Indian state and society and its implications for the medieval state in India.
The Segmentary state or Peasant state and society theory of the American school based on African models and the Japanese emphasis on the need for micro-level studies using computerised data have led to continuous and ....
Question : Critically analyse the agricultural economy from 750 to 1200 CE.
(2014)
Answer : Dissimilar views have been put forward concerning the nature of the overall set up of early medieval agrarian economy. On the one hand, it is seen as a manifestation of feudal economy, while on the other, it is dubbed as a peasant state and society. The salient characteristics of agrarian economy of this period included emergence of hierarchical landed intermediaries. Vassals and officers of state and other secular assignee had military obligations and feudal titles. ....
Question : Assess the contribution of the Acharyas in the development of the ideological basis of Bhakti.
(2012)
Answer : The five main Bhakti Acharyas of the Hindu religion Shri Vallabhacharya, Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharaya, Shri Madhavacharya, Shri Himbarkacharya propagated the philosophy of Shudhadvaita which forms the basis of Pushtimarg (the path of Grace) devotional practice.
The acharyas have made significant contribution to the Bhakti movement that led to the Medieval rise in popularity of the Hindu religion. The devotional movement in based on the idea that love of God should be seen as an end in itself, ....
Question : Evaluate Rajatarangini as a source of history.
(2012)
Answer : Rajatarangini (Sanskrit: “River of kings”) is a historical chronicle of early India, written in Sanskrit work by the Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana in 1148 that is justifiably considered to be the best and mostauthentic work of its kind. It covers the entire span of History in the Kashmir region from the earliest times to the date of its composition.
Rajatarangini, which consists of 7,826 verses, is divided into eight books. Book I attempts to weave imaginary tales ....
Question : How far do you agree with the view that the temples in early medieval period were catalyst in spreading education?
(2010)
Answer : The temples during early medieval period were fulfilling many roles. Where a matha was attached to temple this complex was a counterpart to monastery of earlier period. Where it received grants of land or village at too became a land lord with accompanying power. The temple was institution of Puranic sect and as such it too played a civil role as a symbol of royal or local power depending on who was its patron investing ....
Question : To what extend did “monetary anemia” afflicted the erst while commercial economy during the early medieval period?
(2010)
Answer : Early medieval period represented a feudal period. Feudal system is based on lord and land rights. Favourable condition for the growth of this feudal trend were decline in trade and craft, decline in circulation of coins and agriculture became the mainstay.
The coin available of the period between (750-950 AD) are few and in no way match either in quantity of quality with coins of earlier period. The absence of coin mould in archeological finds are ....
Question : Applicability of the term ‘Indian Feudalism’ to early Medieval Society.
(2009)
Answer : The post-classical period in India is usually looked at from the perspective of the political aftermath of the Muslim invasions and not as a situation which developed out of a continuous historical process. Early medieval period was the time when feudalism had taken its firm roots in Indian society at least in terms of economic relationships.
The social structure encompassed local lords with pre-eminent social and political status in the area. The key figures of early ....
Question : Show that the administrative system in India reached a very high level during the Chola period.
(2007)
Answer : The system of Chola administration was highly organized and efficient. The Cholas alone were able to ignore their feudatories to a significant extent unlike the Chalukayas the Rashtrakutas and the Hoyasalas. The Chola political system was the only one which still maintained contact with the cultivators on a wide scale, and retained characteristics of a centrally organized administration.
The king was the pivot of the whole state machinery. All authority rested in his hands, but he ....
Question : The Samanta System.
(2005)
Answer : In Indian context the term Samanta system means the political system that chiefly depended on land-owners. We come to know about the beginning of the system at the Gupta period but it was its full swing during the Rajput Age.
How the Samanta or feudal tendency grew is obvious from paucity of coins of common use from the Gupta period onwards. This factor was linked with the decline of internal trade. In the Harsha period hardly ....
Question : The Cholas are said to have established a strong and well organised administration with an element of self-government at the local level. Do you agree? Give reasons.
(2004)
Answer : The Chola kings followed a highly efficient system of’ administration. The entire Tanjore district, parts of’Trichy, Pudukottai and South Arcot districts formed the part of’ the Chola Mandalam. The Cholas had three major administrative divisions called Central Government, Provincial Government and Local Government. Tanjore was the capital of the Cholas. The efficient Chola administrative system has been well appreciated by many historians and rulers.
The king was the head of the administration. The Chola kings and ....
Question : “The inferior cavalry of the Rajputs was not the only cause of their defeat at the hands of Turko-Afghans and Mughals”. Comment.
(2001)
Answer : The success of turko, Afghans and Mughals was the consumption of a process which extended till the establishment of Mughal empire rather than the inferior cavalry of the Rajputs. There was a basic lack of consciousness of the need for defence. A conjoint effort of various Indian rulers was not made through the centuries, to defend the north-west passes.
The conquest of Afghanistan and Punjab by Mahmud Ghazni breached the outer defence of India. It enabled ....
Question : Were the Chola village assemblies democratic in nature? Give reasons for your answer.
(2000)
Answer : The administrative unit was the village and the nature of village administration was certainly of a very different order. The degree of autonomy at village level was something quite remarkable for the times. Chola officers participated in village affairs more as advisers and observers than as administrators. The Chola pattern of government was based more or less on democratic principles and most of the business was carried on by the popular assemblies. The most important ....
Question : Social structure of the Rajputs.
(1998)
Answer : Large-scale land grants and related economic changes led to the evolution of social structure broadly characterized by a sizeable number of intermediaries and a large body of improverished peasantry. The Samantas and the ruling landed aristocracy irrespective of their social origins emerged as a distinctive group. The brahmana landlords constituted a section of this class. They gave up their priestly function and diverted their attention to the management of land and people. A person's position ....
Question : Critically evaluate the achievements of the Cholas.
(1998)
Answer : The Cholas had ruled as chieftains in Tamilnad since AD 1st century. Towards the middle of the 9th century, Vijayalaya (846-870) conquered Tanjore (the heart of Tamilnad) and declared himself the ruler of an independent state. Even more important was Parantaka I (1906-53) who conquered the land of the Pandyas, but suffered defeat at the hands of a Rashtrakuta king. Chola power became solidly established in the reign of Rajaraja I (985-1014), and of his ....
Question : Assess the importance of the Cholas in the history of South India.
(1996)
Answer : The Cholas had ruled as chieftains in Tamil-nad since the first century A.D. They made their reappearance towards the middle of the ninth century, when Vijayala (850-875 A.D.) defeated the Pallavas in about 850 A.D. and regained much of the old Chola territory including Tanjore, which became henceforth the capital of the Chola Empire. In A.D. 907, the first important ruler of the Chola dynasty, Parantaka I, came to power and ruled for almost half ....
Question : Give an account of the society in Northern and Central India since the death of Harsha to the Muslim conquest of North India.
(1996)
Answer : From Harsha’s death to the twelfth century A.D. the destiny of Northern and central India was controlled by the various Rajput dynasties. The Rajputs were very proud of their high descent from the Aryan heroes like Rama and Krishna. They were very brave and Chivalrous and would never show their back to their enemy. They were always true to their word and hated deceit and treachery like anything. They would not attack an unarmed enemy ....
