CLASS VII HISTORY (THE RISE OF SMALL KINGDOMS IN SOUTH INDIA)

 D. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. Name the powerful kingdom that emerged in south India in the eighth century.

Answer: The Chola kingdom emerged as a powerful Kingdom in south India during the eighth century.

2. Name three kingdoms that were mentioned in Ashoka’s edicts.

Answer: The Chola, Cheras and the Pandya are the three kingdoms mentioned in Ashoka’s edicts.

3. Which languages flourished during Cholas and Pandyas period?

Answer: Tamil, Kannada and Telugu languages were flourished during the period of Cholas and Pandyas.

4. Name the main areas that formed the part of the Pandya kingdom.

Answer: The main areas that formed the part of the Pandya Kingdoms were Madurai, Tinnevelley, and parts of Travancore.

5. Where were the rock-cut temples built?

Answer: The rock-cut temples were made at Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram, Badami, Pattadkal, Ajanta and Ellora and elephant.

E. Answer the following questions.

1. Mention the main achievements of Rajaraja, the Great.

Answer: The main achievement of Rajaraja, the great were:

• He ruled from 985 to 1014 A.D. It was under him that the Chola power rose to supreme in south India.
• He pursued a policy of conquest for 14 years and conquered the Chalukya Kingdom of Vengi and captured Kerala and Madurai.
• He also built the famous temple Rajarajeshwara at Tanjore.

2. Describe the socio-economic condition of the people in the southern states.

Answer: the socio-economic condition of the people in the southern states are

Economic condition – Land revenue was the main source of income. It was fixed at one third of the produced by Chola ruler. Agriculture, trade and weaving where the chief occupations of the people. The irrigation facilities were well developed and the economic condition of the people was good.

Social condition – The society of south India was also caste-ridden like that of north India. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas dominated the lower castes. The peasants titled the land which belongs to the rulers or the temples.

3. What were the religious beliefs of the people in the southern states during the medieval period?

Answer: The religious beliefs of the people in southern states during medieval period were:

• Hinduism was the most popular religion. Vedic sacrifices were quiet common.
• The cult of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva became important during this time.
• Kanchipuram was an important centre of pilgrimage for Hindu devotees.
• The Bhakti saints preached the teachings of the epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata which were translated into many south Indian languages.

4. Describe the development of art and architecture under the southern rulers.

Answer: The rulers of southern kingdoms were great patrons of art and architecture. They built a number of important temples. The large rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram and the Kailashnath were built in the eighth century. The Shiva temple of Tanjore and the bronze statue of Natraja are fine examples of Chola art.

5. List the differences between the kingdoms of North and South on the basis of following aspects.

a. Administration

b. Society

c. Economy

d. Religion

e. Education

f. Art and Architecture

Answer:

kingdoms of South	kingdoms of North
(a) Administration – The central administration was divided into different departments. The king ran the administration with the help of his ministers. The empire was divided into provinces.	(a) Administration – the king was all-powerful. The empire was divided into provinces. The king was the head of the military as well as the judiciary.
(b) Society – Caste system was deeply rooted in the society. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas were dominated the lower castes.	(b) Society – Caste system was rigid. The Brahmins enjoyed high positions while the Shudras led a life of misery. The condition of women was also pathetic.
(c) Economy – The main source of income was land revenue. The economic condition of people was good. Their major occupations were agriculture, trade, and weaving.	(c) Economy – The royal family, high officials and the traders were prosperous. The temples were the centres of riches and hence, attracted a lot of invaders.
(d) Religion – Hinduism was the most popular religion. Vedic sacrifices were quite common.	(d) Religion – Vishnu and Shiva were the main Gods of the Rajputs. They also worshipped Goddess like Kali, Laxmi and Durga.
(e) Education- Kanchipuram, capital of Pallavas was an important centre of studies of Sanskrit and regional languages like Tamil. The Bhakti saints preached the teachings of the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, which were translated into many south Indian languages.	(e) Education – Superstition and narrow-mindedness were great hurdles to education. The elementary education was limited to temples and monasteries.
(f) Art and Architecture – The large rock-cut temples at Mahabalipuram and the Kailashnath were built in the eighth century. The Shiva temple of Tanjore and the bronze statue of Nataraja are fine examples of Chola art.	(f) Art and Architecture – The examples of the paintings can be found in the form of murals in palaces, caves and temples. The Jain monks and painters of Bengal developed the art of miniature paintings.