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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 Civics Social Science Chapter 1 On Equality

1. In a democracy why is Universal Adult Franchise important?
Answer: In a democracy, the Universal Adult Franchise is important because of the following reasons:

1. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
2. Every adult irrespective of caste, creed, religion, region, sex, the rich or poor background is allowed to vote. This is called a universal adult franchise.
3. The concept of the universal adult franchise is based on equality.
4. In a democracy every citizen is equal.

2. Re-read the box on Article 15 and state two ways in which this Article addresses inequality?
Answer: This Article addresses inequality in terms of access to shops, public restaurants, hotels and places of public entertainment, or [b] the use of wells, tanks, bathing ghats, roads and places of public resort maintained wholly or partly out of state funds or dedicated to the use of the general public.

3. In what ways was Omprakash Valmikis experience similar to that of the Ansaris?
Answer: Omprakash Valmiki’s experience was similar to that of Ansaris in the following ways:

1. Omprakash Valmiki was not allowed to sit with other students on the desks or mats.
2. Ansaris were not given apartments on rent in the locality of the people belonging to the Hindu religion.
3. Omprakash Valmiki was discriminated against on the basis of caste while Ansaris were discriminated against on the basis of religion.

4. What do you understand by the term “all persons are equal before the law”? Why do you think it is important in a democracy?
Answer:

1. By the term, “all persons are equal before the law”, we understand equality.
2. Equality is important in a democracy because democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people.
   • Equality is the essence of democracy.
   • If people are discriminated against on the basis of caste, creed, religion, sex, prosperity etc. the democracy will not survive.

5. The Government of India passed the Disabilities Act in 1995. This law states that persons with disabilities have equal rights, and that the government should make possible their full participation in society. The government has to provide free education and integrate children with disabilities into mainstream schools. This law also states that all public places including buildings, school etc., should be accessible and provided with ramps. 
Look at the photograph and think about the boy who is being carried down the stairs. Do you think the above law is being implemented in his case? What needs to be done to make the building and accessible for him?

How would his being carried down the stairs affect his dignity as well as his safety?
Answer: The boy in the photograph is disabled. As per the law this building should have been accessible for him. But we see the law is not being implemented in his case. He is being carried down by security personnels through stairs. This building does not provide ramps. The boy’s dignity is overlooked here. He may morally feel inferior. The way he is carried down the stars may prove dangerous. Law should take this case to the court.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is Joothan about?
Answer: It is about the bitter experiences of growing up of a dalit boy.

2. What suggestion was given to Ansaris by the property dealer?
Answer: They were suggested to change their names and call themselves Mr and Mrs kumar.

3. On what basis were the Ansaris treated unequally?
Ans. The Ansaris were treated unequally on the basis of religion.

4. What do you mean by ‘dignity’? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Dignity means thinking of one self and others as worthy of self-respect.

5. What are the two ways in which the government has tried to implement the equality that guaranteed in the constitution?
Answer:
(i) Through laws
(ii) Through government programmes or schemes to help unprivileged groups.

6. Who have been employed to cook the meal under midday meal scheme?
Answer: Dalit women have been employed for this purpose.

7. How did B.R. Ambedkar view self-respect?
Answer: B.R. Ambedkar viewed self-respect as the most vital factor in life, without which man was cipher.

8. What was the condition of the African-Americans in the United States of America prior to 1950s?  [V. Imp.]
Answer: Prior to 1950’s, the African-Americans were treated extremely unequally in the USA and denied equality through law.

9. What is known as the Civil Rights Movements?  [V. Imp.]
Answer: A movement took place in the USA in the late 1950’s to push for equal rights for African-Americans. This movement later came to be known as Civil Rights Movement.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What is it that makes Kanta unsure?
Answer: Kanta is a poor domestic worker. She lives in a slum which is very filthy. Her daughter is sick but she cannot skip work because she needs to borrow money from her employers to take her daughter to the doctor. Her job as a domestic help is not a permanent. She can be removed by her employers any time.

2. Mention two different kinds of inequalities that exist in our country. Give examples.  [V. Imp.]
Answer: Two different kinds of inequalities that exist in our country are—inequalities based on the caste system and that based on the religion.
Omprakash Valmiki was treated extremely unequally because he was a dalit. In school, his headmaster made him sweep the school and the playground.
The Ansaris were treated unequally on the basis differences of religion. They were looking to rent an apartment in the city. They were about to take an apartment at the first sight. But the moment the land lady knew their names she declined to rent the house.

3. Write a note on equality in Indian democracy.  [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Indian constitution recognises all persons as equals. This means that every individual in the country irrespective of his/her caste, religion, educational and economic backgrounds is recognised as equal. Although, inequality still exists in the country, yet the principle of the equality of all persons is recognised. While earlier no law existed to protect people from discrimination and ill treatment now there are several that work to see that people are treated with dignity.

4. Write a brief note on the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Answer: The Civil Rights Act was passed in the year 1964. The Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, religion or national origin. It also stated that all schools would be open to African-American children and that they would no longer have to attend separate schools specially set up for them. However, a majority of African-Americans continue to be among the poorest in the country.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. What are the provision made in the constitution for the recognition of equality?  [V. Imp.]
Answer: The provisions made in the constitution for the recognition of equality are as follow:
(a) Every person is equal before the law. What this means is that every person, from the President of India to a domestic worker like Kanta, has to obey the same laws.
(b) No person can be discriminated against on the basis of their religion, caste, race place of birth or whether they are male or female.
(c) Every person has access to all public places including playgrounds, hotels, shops and markets. All persons can use publicly available wells, roads and bathing ghats.
(d) Untouchability has been abolished.

2. How can you say that establishment of equality in society is a continuous struggle?
Answer: Inspite of several efforts made by the government inequalities still exist in our society. Even today low caste people are being discriminated against and treated unequally. The reason behind it is that people refuse to think of them as equal even though the law requires it.

This attitude of the people is so deeply rooted that it can not change all of a sudden. It will take a lot of time.Even though  people are aware that discrimination is against the law, they continue to treat others unequally on the basis of caste and religion. People are also discriminated against on the basis of economic status, disability and gender.

Unless people believe that every person deserves to be treated equally and with dignity, the present attitude cannot be rooted out. Changing people’s attitude is a very slow process and hence establishment of equality in society is a continuous struggle.

NCERT SolutionsMathsScienceSocialEnglishSanskritHindiRD Sharma

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

1. 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
Answer:  subadar               – provincial governor
faujdar                           –  a Mughal military commander
ijaradar                         – a revenue farmer
misl                               –  A band of Sikh warriors
chauth                          – tax levied by the Marathas
kunbis                         – Maratha peasant warriors
umara                         – a high noble

2. Fill in the blanks:

1. Aurangzeb fought a protracted war in the …………………
2. Umaraand jagirdars constituted powerful sections of the Mughal
3. Asaf Jah founded the Hyderabad state in ………………….
4. The founder of the Awadh state was ………………..

Answer:

1. Deccan
2. administration
3. 1724
4. Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa’adat Khan

3. State whether true or false:
(a) Nadir Shah invaded Bengal.
(b) Sawai Raja Jai Singh was the ruler of Indore.
(c) Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
(d)  Poona became the capital of the Marathas in the eighteenth century.
Answer:  (a)—False, (b)—False, (c)—True, (d)—True

4. What were the offices held by Sa’adat Khan?
Answer:
Offices held by Sa’adat Khan.

• Subadari
• Faujdari
• Diwani

He was responsible for managing political, military and financial affairs.

5. Why did the Nawab of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system?
Answer:
Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal tried to do away with the jagirdari system because:

1. They were suspicious of this system that they inherited.
2. Their methods of tax collection were different, they hired “revenue farmers to collect the taxes”.
3. They used practice of Ijaradari rather than jagirdari.
4. They wanted to expand and receive land as security against loans.
5. They knew the loopholes of the system and that how jagirdars become powerful if not checked in time.

6.  How were the Sikhs organised in the eighteenth century?
Answer:  During the 17th century the Sikhs got organised into a political community. This led to the regional state-building in Punjab. Guru Gobind Singh fought many battles against the Rajputs as well as Mughal rulers, both before and after the institution of the Khalsa in 1699. After the death of Guru Gobind Singh in 1708, the Khalsa revolted against the Mughal authority under the leadership of Banda Bahadur and declared their sovereign rule.

Banda Bahadur was captured in 1715 and executed in 1716. In the 18th century, the Sikhs organised themselves into a number of bands called jathas and later on rrdsls. Their well-knit organisation enabled them to put up successful resistance to the Mughal governors first and then to Ahamd Shah Abdali. Who had seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the Mughals.

7. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?
Answer:
Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan because of the following reasons:

1. They wanted to clip away the authority of the Mughal Empire.
2. Maratha king to be recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.
3. To possess the right to collect Chauth and sardeshmukhi in the entire region.

8. What were the policies adopted by Asaf Jah to Strengthen his position?
Answer:
After being the actual ruler of the Deccan, Asaf Jah began to adopt some policies in order to strengthen his position :

• He brought skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India who welcomed the new opportunities in the south.
• He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs.
• He ruled independently without Mughal interference. The Mughal emperor merely confirmed the decisions already taken by Asaf Jah.

9. Do you think merchants and bankers today have the kind of influence they had in the eighteenth century?
Answer:  During the 18th-century merchants were more influential than the bankers. They used to provide more loan opportunities at higher interest rates. But now, with the spread of education people prefer banks which provide loans and other financial assistance at cheaper rates. Bankers also provide subsidy on the interest rate. They have different scopes of loans for different purposes. So they are more influential today than the merchants.

10. Did any of the Kingdoms mentioned in this chapter develop in your state? If so, in what ways do you think life in the state would have been different in the eighteenth century from what, it is in the twenty-first century?
Answer:  I live in Delhi. None of the Kingdoms mentioned in the chapter developed in this region.
If any of the students live in any of the regions where the kingdoms mentioned in the chapter developed they should consult their history teacher and prepare their answer.

11.  Find out more about the architecture and culture associated with the new courts of any of the following Awadh, Bengal, or Hyderabad.
Answer:  For self-attempt.

12. Collect popular tales about—rulers from any one of the following groups of people: the Rajputs, Jots, Sikhs, or Marathas.
Answer:  For self-attempt.

Very Short Type Questions

1. What was the effect of Aurangzeb’s long war in the Deccan? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The military and financial resources of his empire got depleted,

2. Which parts of India were associated with peasant and zamindari rebellions?
Answer: Northern and western parts of India.

3. Name the three states that were carved out of the old Mughal provinces in the 18th century. [Imp.]
Answer:  Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.

4. What was the ambition of the Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah?
Answer:  He wished to control the rich textile producing areas of the Coromandal coast in the east.

5. Why was his ambition not fulfilled?
Answer:  Because the British began to gain power in his region.

6. What was the geographical and economic importance of Awadh? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Awadh was a prosperous region, controlling the rich alluvial Ganga plain and the main trade route between north India and Bengal.

7. Name the new social groups that developed in Awadh to influence the management of the state’s revenue system ?
Answer:  Moneylenders and bankers.

8. Why did zamindars of Bengal borrow money from bankers and moneylenders?
Answer: They borrowed money to pay the revenue in cash.

9. Where did Sawai Raja Jai Singh found his new capital?
Answer:  He founded his new capital at Jaipur

10. Why was a system called rakhi introduced?
Answer:  This system was introduced to give protection to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20% of the produce.

11. Who was Shivaji?
Answer:  Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Kingdom

12. How were peasant-pastoralists important for Shivaji? [V- Imp.]
Answer:  Peasant-pastoralists provided the backbone of the Maratha army. Shivaji used these forces to challenge the Mughals in the peninsula.

13. What was Chauth? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  25% of the land revenue claimed by zamindars was known as Chauth.

14. What was sardeshmukhi? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  9-10% of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan was known as sardeshmukhi.

15. Under whose leadership the Jats became powerful?
Answer:  The Jats became powerful under the leadership of churaman.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. How did the later Mughal emperors lose their control over their nobles? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The efficiency of the imperial administration broke down under the later Mughal emperors. It became increasingly difficult for them to keep a check on their powerful Nobles appointed as governors often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal empire. As the governors consolidated their control over the provinces, the periodic remission of revenue to the capital declined.

2. Describe the impact of Nadir Shah’s invasion upon Delhi. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Nadir Shah, the ruler of Iran, sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense amounts of wealth. As a result, the Mughal treasury became vacant. Delhi turned into a deserted place. The wealthy now became beggars. There spread chaos everywhere. Those who once set the style in clothes now went naked and those owned property were now homeless. The New City, Le. Shahjahanabad turned into rubble. Delhi, once so rich, became poor after Nadir Shah looted it.

3. Divide the states of the eighteenth century into three overlapping groups.
Answer:  (a) States that were old Mughal provinces like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.

• States that had enjoyed considerable independence under the Mughals as watan jagirs.These included several Rajput principalities.
• The group included states under the control of Marathas, Sikhs and others like the Jats.

4. How did Burhan-ul-Mulk reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Burhan-ul-Mulk tried to reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region by taking following steps:

• He first of all reduced the number of office holders [jagirdars) appointed by the Mughals.
• He also reduced the size of jagirs, and appointed his own loyal servants to vacant positions.
• The accounts of jagirdarswere checked to prevent cheating and the revenues of all districts were re-assessed by officials appointed by the Nawab’s court.

5. How did moneylenders and bakers achieve influential position in the state of Awadh? [V. Imp.]
Or
Describe the close connection between the state of Awadh and bankers.
Answer:  The state of Awadh depended on local bankers and mahcyans for loans. It sold the right to collect tax to the highest bidders. These revenue farmers known as jaradars agreed to pay the state a fixed sum of money. Local bankers guaranteed the payment of this contracted amount to the state. In turn the revenue farmers were given considerable freedom in the assessment and collection of taxes. These developments made the positions of moneylenders and bankers influential. They began to influence the management of the state’s revenue system.

6. How did Murshid Quli Khan become powerful in Bengal?
Answer:  Under Murshid Quli Khan, Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control. He was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province. Although never a formal subadar, Murshid Quli Khan very quickly seized all the power that went with that office. Soon, he began to command the revenue administration of the state. In order to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major re-assessment of the revenues of Bengal. Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars.
Q. 7. Who were the Jats? How did they consolidate their power during the late 17th and 18th centuries?
Ans. The Jats were prosperous agriculturists. Like other states they also consolidated their power during the late 17th and 18th centuries. Under the leadership of Churaman they acquired control over territories situated to the west of the city of Delhi. By the 1680s they had begun dominating the region between the two imperial cities of Delhi and Agra. Towns like Panipat and Ballabhgarh became major trading centres in the areas dominated by them. Under Suraj Mai the kingdom of Bharatpur emerged as a strong state.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. The Mughal Empire had to face a variety of crises towards the closing years of the 17th century. What were the causes behind it?
 Or
What were the causes of the fad of the Mughal Empire?     [V. Imp.]
Answer: There were a number of factors that led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

• Emperor Aurangzeb fought a long war in the Deccan. As a result, the military and financial resources of his empire got depleted.
• The successors of Aurangzeb were not at all efficient. The efficiency of the imperial administration broke down. It became increasingly difficult for later Mughal emperors to keep a check on their powerful Nobles appointed as governors often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal Empire.
• Under the later Mughals, peasant and zamindar rebellions increased in many parts of northern and western India. These revolts were sometimes caused by the pressures of mounting taxes. The local chieftains were also becoming powerful by seizing the economic resources of the region.
• In the midst of economic and political crisis, the ruler of Iran, Nadir Shah, sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense amounts of wealth. Again, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded north India five times between 1748 and 1761. These invasions further weakened the Mughal Empire.
• The competitions amongst different groups of nobles also proved unfortunate for the Mughal Empire. The later Mughals were puppets in the hands of either Iranis or Turanis, the two major groups of nobles.

2. Describe the three common features of the states like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.
Or
What common features were shared by these three states—Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad?                      [V. Imp.]
Answer: The common features shared by these states were:

• Though many of the larger states were established by erestwhile Mughal nobles they were highly suspicious of some of the administrative systems that they had inherited, in particular, the jagirdari system.
• Rather than relying upon the officers of the state, all the three regimes contracted with revenue-farmers for the collection of revenue.
• The third common feature in these three states was their emerging relationship with rich bankers and merchants. These people lent money to revenue farmers, received land as security and collected taxes from these lands through their own agents.

3.  Give an account of the Maratha expansion occurred between 1720 and 1761.
Answer:  The Maratha empire expanded between 1720 and 1761. It gradually chipped away at the authority of the Mughal Empire. Malwa and Gujarat were seized from the Mughals by the 1720s. By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.

After raiding Delhi in 1737 the frontiers of Maratha domination expanded rapidly — into Rajasthan and the Punjab in the north, into Bengal and Orissa in the east, and into Karnataka and the Tamil and Telugu countries in the south. These were not formally included in the Maratha empire, but were made to pay tribute as a way of accepting Maratha sovereignty.

NCERT SolutionsMathsScienceSocialEnglishSanskritHindiRD Sharma

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 9 The Making Of Regional Cultures

1.  Match the following :
Anantavarnam         – Kerala 
Jagannatha               – Bengal
Mahodayapurma     – Orissa
Lilatilakam              – Kangra
Mangalakavya        – Puri
Miniature                 –  Kerala
Answer:
Anantavarnam         –       Orissa
Jagannatha              –        Kangra
Mahodayapurma   –        Kerala
Lilatilakam             –        Kerala
Mangalakavya       –        Bengal
Miniature              –         Kangra

2. What is Manipravalam? Name abook written in that language.
Answer: Manipravalam is a language. The book written in that language is Lilatilakam.

3. Who were the major patrons of Kathak?
Answer: The Mughals were the major patrons of Kathak.

4. What are the Important architectural features of the temples of Bengal?
Answer:
Architectural features of the temples of Bengal:

1. Double roofed or dochala, four roofed (chauchala).
2. Comparative more complex-four roofed structures-four triangular roofs placed on four walls moved up to coverage on curved line or a point.
3. Built on a square platform.
4. Interior plain.
5. Outer walls decorated with paintings, ornamental tiles or terracotta tablets.

5. Why did minstrels proclaim the achievements of heroes?
Answer: Minstrels used to recite poems and songs which depicted the stories of the ” Rajputs’ heroic deeds. By reciting such poems and songs these minstrels inspired others to follow the examples of Rajputs. Ordinary people were also attracted by these stories.

6. Why do we know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of ordinary people?
Answer: We know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of ordinary people because the ordinary people followed the cultural practices adopted by their kings/emperors. Moreover people had faith in their rulers. They could not adopt other cultural practices which their rulers did not practise.

7. Why did conquerors try to control the temple of Jagannatha at Puri?
Answer: The temple of Jagannatha at Puri gained importance as a centre of pilgrimage. Its authority in social and political matters also increased. Hence, conquerors tried to establish control over the temple. They felt that this would make their rule acceptable to the local people.

8. Why were temples built in Bengal?
Answer:
Temples were built in Bengal because of the following reasons:

1. Increase in religious faith.
2. Mosques had already been built.
3. Powerful people wanted to demonstrate their power and proclaim their piety.
4. ‘Low’ people also participated in the temple building.
5. New economic opportunities to people also helped in temple setting up.
6. Support of Brahmanas to get idols placed in temples from huts.

9. Describe the most important features of the culture of your region, focussing on buildings, performing arts, and painting.
Answer: I live in Delhi. Right from the beginning, it has been a land of mixed cultures. In old days, it was invaded by a number of foreign rulers. Some of them stayed here for some time and some settle down permanently. They all affected its culture, language, religion, society, architecture, art and painting. Still we have buildings and monuments built by Mughal emperors, slave emperors, Rajput rulers and many more. We have temples, mosques and many other such places constructed by different rulers. Differences of cultures can still be seen in the areas of old Delhi and new Delhi.

10. Do you use different languages for (a) speaking, (b) reading, (c) writing? Find out about one major composition in language that you use and discuss why you find it interesting.
Answer:
(a) For speaking I use Hindi and Punjabi.
(b) For reading I use Hindi and English.
(c) For writing I use Hindi and English.
Thus, I use different languages for speaking, reading and writing.

11. Choose one state each from north, west, south, east and central India. For each of these, prepare a list of foods that are commonly consumed, highlighting any differences and similarities that you notice.

12. Choose another set of five states from each these regions and prepare a list of clothes that are generally worn by women and men in each. Discuss your findings.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who was Anantavarman?
Answer: Anantavarman was one of the most important rulers of the Ganga dynasty in the 12th century.

2. Who did King Anangabhima III dedicate his kingdom to? What did he proclaim himself?
Answer: King Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to Purushottama Jagannath and proclaimed himself as the deputy of the god.

3. What was called Rajputana by the British?          [V. Imp.]
Answer: In the 19th century, the region that constitutes most of the present-day Rajasthan was called Rajputana by the British.

4. How were the Rajput rulers most distinctive?
Ans. The Rajput rulers were the apostles of bravery. They fought valiantly and often chose death on the battlefield rather than face defeat.

5. Define the term Kathak.
Answer: The term Kathak is derived from Katha, a word used in Sanskrit and other languages for the story.

6. Who were the Kathaks?
Answer: The kathaks were originally a caste of storytellers in temples of north India who beautified their performances with gestures and songs.

7. Where did Kathak develop?
Answer: Kathak developed in the courts of Rajasthan (Jaipur) and Lucknow.

8. Under whose patronage did kathak grow into a major art form?
Answer: Kathak grew into a major art form under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh.

9. What are miniatures?           [Imp.]
Answer: Miniatures are small-sized paintings, generally done in water colour on cloth or paper.

10. What distinguished Kangra painting from the paintings?
Answer: Soft colours including cool blues and greens, and lyrical treatment of themes distinguished Kangra painting from other paintings.

11. On what objects do we fiend paintings of ordinary people?
Answer: We find paintings of ordinary people on pots, walls, floors, and cloth.

12. Who were the Naths?
Answer: The Naths were the ascetics who engaged in a variety of yogic practices.

13. Why was the second category of the early Bengali literature not written down?
Answer: The second category of the early Bengali literature was circulated orally and therefore it was not written down.

14. What are the chief food items of the Bengalis?
Answer: Rice and fish are the chief food items of the Bengalis.

15. What do terracotta plaques on the walls of temples and viharas depict?[V. Imp.]
Answer: They depict scenes of fish being dressed and taken to the market in baskets.

16. Why was the Bengal Brahmanas allowed to eat fish?
Answer: The Bengal Brahmanas were allowed to eat fish because fish was the main item in the local diet.

17. What is the Brihaddharma Parana?
Answer: It is a thirteenth-century Sanskrit text from Bengal.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1.  Mention the role of the Chercis in the development of Malayalam.            [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the south-western part of the peninsula, part of present-day Kerala. It is likely that Malayalam was spoken in this area. The rulers introduced the Malayalam language and script in their inscriptions.

2.  How did the Cheras draw upon Sanskritic traditions?
Answer: The temple theatre of Kerala borrowed stories from the Sanskrit epics. The first literary works in Malayalam, dated to about the 12t.h century, are directly indebted to Sanskrit. The Lilatilakam, a fourteenth-century text, dealt with grammar and poetics and was composed in Manipravalam – literally, ‘diamonds and corals’ referring to the two languages namely Sanskrit and the regional language.

3.  How did regional cultures evolve?  [V. Imp.]
Answer: Regional cultures today are often the product of complex processes of intermixing of local traditions with ideas from other parts of the sub-continent. Some traditions appear specific to some regions, others seem to be similar across regions and yet others derive from older practices in a particular area, but take a new form in other regions.

4.  How are women depicted in the stories about Rajput heroes?
Answer: Sometimes these stories depict women as the cause for conflict, as men fought with one another to either win or protect them (women). Women are also depicted as following their heroic husbands in both life and death. We are familiar with the stories about the practice of sati or the immolation of widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands. So. those who followed the heroic ideal often had to pay for it with their lives.

5. Mention all the six dance forms that are recognised as classical.
Answer: Six classical dances are :

• Kathak (North India)
• Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu)
• Kathakali (Kerala)
• Odissi (Orissa)
• Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh)
• Manipuri (Manipur).

6. How did miniature painting develop under the Mughal patronage? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Miniatures are small-sized paintings, generally done in water colour on cloth or paper. The earliest miniatures were on palm leaves or wood. The Mughal emperors especially Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan patronised highly skilled painters. These painters primarily illustrated manuscripts containing historical accounts and poetry. These were generally painted in brilliant colours and portrayed court scenes, scenes of battle or hunting and other aspects of social life. They were often exchanged as gifts and were viewed only by the emperor and his close associates.

7. Write a brief note on early Bengali literature.
Answer: There are two categories of early Bengali literature:

• The first includes translations of the Sanskrit epics, the Mangalakavyas, auspicious poems, dealing with local deities, and Bhakti literature such as the biographies of Chaitanyadeva, the leader of the Vaishnava Bhakti movement.
• The second includes Nath literature such as the songs of Maynamati and Gopichandra, stories concerning the worship of Dharma Thakur, and fairy tales, Folk tales and ballads. The texts belonging to the first category are written while those belonging to the second category circulated orally.

8. Who were the pirs? What was their position in society?  [V. Imp.]
Answer: Pirs were spiritual leaders having supernatural powers. They also functioned as teachers and adjudicators. When early settlers in Bengal sought some order and assurance in the unstable conditions of the new settlements pirs favoured them and gave them full moral support. People viewed them as respectful figures. The cult of pirs became very popular and their shrines can be found everywhere in Bengal.

9. What is the significance of fish in Bengal? [Imp.]
Answer: Bengal is a riverine plain which produces abundant rice and fish. These two items are important foods of the Bengalis. Fishing has always been an important occupation and Bengali literature contains several references to fish. What is more, terracotta plaques on the walls of temples and viharas depict scenes of fish being dressed and taken to the market in baskets?

Due to the popularity of fish in the local diet, the Bengal Brahmanas also started eating fish. The Brihaddharma Purana, a thirteenth-century Sanskrit text from Bengal, permitted them to eat certain varieties of fish.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. What do you know about the Rajput tradition of heroism? Write in brief [V. Imp.]
Answer: Rajputs are closely associated with the culture of Rajasthan. It is they who made this culture distinctive. The cultural traditions of Rajasthan were linked with the ideals and aspirations of rulers. From about the eighth century, most of the present-day Rajasthan was ruled by various Rajput families. The name of Prithviraj is worth mentioning because he was one of the ablest Rajput rulers. These Rajput rulers ares known for their bravery and sense of sacrifice. They cherished the ideal of the hero who fought valiantly, often choosing death on the battlefield rather than face defeat.

Stories about Rajput heroes were recorded in poems and songs, which were recited by specially trained minstrels. These preserved the memories of heroes and were expected to inspire others to follow their examples. Ordinary people also liked these stories which often depicted dramatic situations and a range of strong emotions in the forms of loyalty, friendship, love, valour, anger etc.

2.  Give a detailed description of kathak, a popular classical dance form of north India. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The term Kathak is derived from Katha, a word used in Sanskrit and other languages for the story. The Kathaks was originally a caste of storytellers in temples of north India, who beautified their performances with gestures and songs. Kathak began evolving into a distinct mode of dance in the 15th and 16th centuries with the spread of the Bhakti movement.

The legends of Radha-Krishna were enacted in folk plays known as rasa Lila, which combined folk dance with the basic gestures of the Kathak story-tellers. Kathak was performed in the Mughal court. Here, it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with a distinctive style. Afterward, it developed in two traditions known as gharanas—one in the courts of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and the other in Lucknow. Kathak grew into a major art form only under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh.

By the third quarter of the 19th century, it was firmly established as a dance form not only in these two regions but also in the adjoining areas of present-day Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. Emphasis was laid on intricate and rapid footwork, elaborate costumes as well as on the enactment of stories. Although most British administrators never favoured Kathak, it survived and continued to be performed by courtesans. It was recognised as a classical dance form after the country got independence.

3. How did Bengali develop as a regional language? [Imp.]
Ans: Bengali is said to have been derived from Sanskrit but early Sanskrit texts derived it. Now the question arises how did this language develop. From the fourth-third centuries BCE, commercial ties developed between Bengal and Magadha which may have led to the growing influence of Sanskrit. During the fourth century, the Gupta rulers established political control over north Bengal and began to settle Brahmanas in this area. Thus, the linguistic and cultural influence from the mid-Ganga valley became stronger.

In the seventh century, the Chinese traveller Xuan Zang observed that languages related to Sanskrit were in use all over Bengal. From the eighth century, Bengal became the centre of a regional kingdom under the Palas. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, Bengal was ruled by Sultans. In 1586, when Akbar conquered Bengal, it formed the nucleus of the Bengal Suba, While Persian was the language of administration, Bengali developed as a regional language.

By the 15th century, the Bengali group of dialects came to be united by a common literary language based on the spoken language of the western part of the region, now known as West Bengal. Thus, although Bengali is derived from Sanskrit, it passed through several stages of evolution. A wide range of non-Sanskrit words, derived from tribal languages, Persian and European language, have become part of modem Bengali.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 8 Devotional Paths To The Divine

1. Match the following:
The Buddha                      –   namghar
Shankaradeva                  –   worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya        –   questioned social differences  
Nayanars                          –  Sufi saint
Alvars                               –  worship of Shiva
Answer:  The Buddha           –  questioned social differences
Shankaradeva                –  namghar
Nizamuddin Auliya      –  Sufi saint
Nayanars                        –  worship of Shiva
Alvars                             –   worship of Vishnu

2. 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.
Answer:
(a) Advaita
(b) Alvars
(c) Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Akkamahadevi
(d) Pandharpur

3. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis.
Answer:
Beliefs and Practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis

1. Criticism of ritual and other aspects of conventional religion.
2. Renunciation of the world.
3. Path of salvation in meditation on the formless.
4. Ultimate reality and realisation of oneness.
5. Intense training of mind and body through practices like yogasanas, breathing exercises, and meditation.

4. What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express these?
Answer:
Major ideas expressed by Kabir and his way of expressing them:

1. Rejection of orthodox religion and religious traditions.
2. Religion was is accessible to all.
3. Criticism of all external worship of Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam
4. No caste system.
5. Belief in formless God.
6. Bhakti and devotion is the only path of salvation.
7. He expressed his ideas through couplets.

5. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?
Answer: 

• Sufis were Muslim mystics. They rejected outward religiosity and gave emphasis on love and devotion to God. They inspired people to be compassionate towards all fellow human beings.
• They rejected idol worship and considerably simplified rituals of worship into collective prayers.
• They believed that the heart can be trained to look at the world in a different way.
• They developed elaborate methods of training using zikr, meaning chanting of a name or sacred formula, contemplation, sama Le. singing, raqs, Le. dancing, discussion of parables, breath control etc. under the guidance of a master called pir.

6. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices?
Answer:
Yes, many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices because they had numerous shortcomings and they promoted division in society.

7. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer:
Msyor Teachings of Baba Guru Nanak

1. Worship of one God.
2. Irrelevance of caste, creed, and gender for attaining liberation.
3. The pursuit of active life with a strong sense of social commitment.
4. Nam, the dam, is the major essence of his teachings.
5. Nam-japna, kirt-kama, and vand Chakhna basis of right belief, and worship, honest living and helping others.
6. The idea of equality.

8. For either the Virashaivas or the saints of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.
Answer: Attitude of the Virashaivas towards caste :
They believed in the equality of all human beings. They were against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They wished for a society where people of all backgrounds could live in harmony without any feelings of high and low, rich and poor.

9. Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai?
Answer:  Mirabai was a Rajput princess married into the royal family of Mewar. But she had no interest in the worldly affair. She was an ardent devotee of Krishna and wanted to devote her time to the worship of her lord. She had no belief in princely status and other norms of high-class society. Her devotion to her deity was supreme. Hence, she left the royal palace and began to lend. Simple life with ordinary people.

10. Find out whether in your neighbourhood there are any dargahs, gurudwaras or temples associated with saints of the Bhakti tradition in your neighbourhood. Visit any one of these and describe what you see and hear.
Answer: Students are suggested to do this exercise themselves.

11. For any of the saint-poets whose compositions have been included in this chapter, find out more about their works, noting down other poems. Find out whether these are sung, how they are sung, and what the poets wrote about
Answer:  Mainly Guru Nanak. Read the chapter and write down.

12. There are severed saint-poets whose names have been mentioned but their works have not been included in the chapter. Find out more about the language in which they composed, whether their compositions were sung and what their compositions were about.
Answer:  For self attempt.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What did the Puranic stories consist of? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The Puranic stories consisted of local myths and legends

2. Who were the Pulaiyar and the Panars?
Answer:  They were considered untouchables

3. How many Alvars were there?
Answer:  There were 12 Alvars.

4. Name the two sets of compilations of Nayanar’s songs.
Answer:  Tevaram and Tiruvacakam.

5 Name the set of compilation of Alvars’ songs.
Answer:  Divya Prabandham.

6. What did Ramanuja propound?
Answer:  He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.

7. What is abhang? 
Answer:  It is a Marathi devotional hymn.

8. Name any two saints of Maharashtra.
Answer:  Namdev and Tukaram

9. Who were Sufis?
Answer:  Sufis were Muslim mystics.

10. Name any two great Sufis of Central Asia.
Answer:  Ghazzali and Rumi.

11. What are namghars?          [Imp.]             
Answer: They are houses of recitation and prayer, a practice that continues even today.

12. What was known as dharmsal?
Answer:  Baba Guru Nanak created a sacred place which was known as dharmsal. It is now known as Gurudwara.

13. To whom did Baba Guru Nanak appoint as his successor?
Answer:  Guru Nanak appointed Guru Angad, one of his followers, as his successor.

14. What is Guru Granth Sahib?
Answer:  Guru Granth Sahib is the holy scripture of the Sikhs.

15. Why did the Mughal emperor Jahangir order the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606?
Answer:  The Mughal emperor Jahangir looked upon the Sikh community as a potential threat and therefore he ordered the execution of Guru Aijan.

16. What did the terms ‘nam’, ‘dan’ and ‘isnan’ mean?    [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The terms nam, dan and isnan meant right worship, welfare of others and purity of conduct.

17. Who compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer:  Guru Angad compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who were the Nayanars and Alvars? Write about them in brief. [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The Nayanars and Alvars led religious movements in south India during the seventh to ninth centuries. The Nayanars were devotees of Shiva while the Alvars were the devotees of Vishnu. They came from all castes including those considered ‘untouchable’ like the Pulaiyar and the Panars. They preaohe^gjgdent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation. They went from place to place composing beautiful poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited and set them to music. There were 63 Nayanars who belonged to different caste backgrounds. There were 12 Alvars who came from equally divergent backgrounds.

2.  Who was Ramanuja? What are the main points of his preachings?
Answer: Ramanuja was a Bhakti saint. He was born in Tamil Nadu in the 11th century. He was deeply influenced by the Alvars.

The main points of his preachings are :

• Ramanuja taught people that the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him.
• He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.

3.  What do you mean by Khanqahs? What purpose did it serve?                     [V. Imp.]
Answer: Khanqahs were houses of rest for travellers especially one kept by a religious order. Sufi masters usually held their assemblies here. Devotees of all descriptions including members of the royalty and nobility, and ordinary people flocked to these Khanqahs. Here, they discussed spiritual matters, sought the blessings of the saints in solving their worldly problems or simply attended the music and dance sessions.

4.  “The songs are as much a creation of the saints as of generations of people who sang them.’ Explain.                [V. Imp.]
Answer: The works of the saints were composed in regional languages and could be sung. They became very popular and were handed down orally from one generation to another. Usually, the most deprived communities and women transmitted these songs. They even added their own experiences to them. Thus, the songs as we have them today are as much a creation of the saints as of generations of people who sang them. They have become a part of our living culture.

5.  Who was Kabir? How do we know about him?
Answer: Kabir probably lived in the fifteenth-sixteenth centuries. He was one of the most influential saints. He was brought up in a family of Muslim jalahas or weavers settled in or near the city of Benaras, now Varanasi. We have little reliable information about the life of Kabir. We come to know of his ideas from a vast collection of verses called sakhis and pads, which are said to have been composed by him and sung by wandering bhajan singers.

6 Who were the followers of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer: Baba Guru Nanak had a large number of followers. They belonged to a number of castes but traders, agriculturists, artisans and craftsmen predominated. Thus, the followers of Guru Nanak were all householders and adopted productive and useful occupations. They were expected to contribute to the general funds of the community of followers.

7 Why was the Mughal emperor Jahangir hostile to the Sikh community? How did the Sikh movement gain momentum?    [V. Imp.]
Answer: By the beginning of the 17th century the town of Ramdaspur, Amritsar had developed around the central Gurudwara known as Harmandar Sahib, the Golden Temple. It was a virtually self-governing body and the modem historians refer to the early 17th-century Sikh community as ‘a state within a state’. This made the Mughal emperor Jahangir hostile to the Sikh community. He looked upon them as a potential threat and he ordered the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606.
It is from this time the Sikh movement began to gain momentum. It was a development that culminated, in the institution of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.                         ’                ~

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Write in brief about the ideas of Shankara and Ramanuja.
Answer:  Shankara. He was one of the most Influential philosophers of India. He was bom in Kerala in the eighth century. He was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God, the Ultimate Reality. He taught that Brahman, the only or Ultimate Reality, was formless and without any attributes. He considered the world around us to be an illusion or maya, and preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge to understand the true nature of Brahman and attain salvation. Ramanuja.

He was bom in Tamil Nadu in the eleventh century and was deeply influenced by the Alvars. He preached that the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him. He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita of qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct

2. Write a brief note on new religious developments in north India. [V. Imp.]
Answer:  During the thirteenth century a new wave of the Bhakti movement began in north India. This was an age when Islam, Brahmanical Hinduism, Sufism, various strands of Bhakti, and the Nathpanths, Siddhas and Yogis influenced one another. Ordinary people such as craftspersons, peasants, traders, etc. showed their interest in listening to these new saints. Kabir and Baba Gum Nanak did not approve orthodox religious.

Tulsidas and Surdas accepted existing beliefs and practices but wanted to make these accessible to all. Tulsidas conceived of God in the form of Rama. His Ramacharitmanas is a unique creation, Surdas was an ardent devotee of Krishna. His compositions compiled in the Sursagara, Sursaravali and Sahitga Lahari, express his devotion. Shankaradeva of Assam emphasised devotion to Vishnu and composed poems and plays in Assamese. He began the practice of setting up namghars or houses of recitation and prayer. Saints like Dadu Dayal, Ravidas and Mirabai are worth-mentioning here.

Mirabai was a Rajput princess and was married into the royal family of Mewar in the 16th century. She became a disciple of Ravidas, an untouchable saint. She devoted her life to Lord Krishna. She composed a number of bhqjans expressing her intense devotion. A unique feature of most of the saints is that their works were composed in regional languages and could be sung. Therefore, they became very popular among the common mass.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

1. Match the following:
garh             –     khel
tanda           –    chaurasi
labourer      –   caravan
clan             –   Garha Katanga
Sib Singh    –  Ahom State
Durgawati   – paik
Answer:
garh – chaurasi
tanda – caravan
labourer – paik
clan – khel
Sib Singh – Ahom state
Durgawati – Garha Katanga

2. Fill in the blanks: 

1. The new castes emerging within vamas were called……………………
   
2. ……… were historical works written by the Ahoms.
   
3. The…….. mentions that Garha Katanga had 70,000 villages.
   
4. As tribal stales became bigger and stronger they gave land grants to………….. ..
   

Answer:

1. jatis
   
2. Buraryis
   
3. Akbar Nama
   
4. temples, Brahmanas.

3. State whether true or false:
(a) Tribal societies had rich oral traditions.
(b) There were no tribal communities in the north-western part of the subcontinent.
(c) The Chaurasi in Gond states contained several cities.
(d) The Bhils lived in the north-eastern part of the sub-continent.
Answer:    (a)—T, (b)—F, (c)—F, (d)—F.

4. What kinds of exchanges took place between nomadic pastoralists and settled agriculturists?
Answer:

1. Nomadic pastoralists gave wool, ghee etc.
2. Settled agriculturalists gave the nomadic pastoralists grains, cloth, utensils and other products.

5. How was the administration of the Ahom state-organized?
Answer:
Administration of Ahoms

1. The Ahom state depended upon forced labour.
   • The forced workers were called paiks.
2. A census of the population was taken.
   • Each village had to send a number of paiks by rotation.
   • People from heavily populated areas were shifted to less populated places. — Ahom clans were thus broken up.
3. By the first half of the seventeenth century, the administration became quite centralised.

6. What changes took place in vama-based society?
Answer: The following changes took place in uama-based society:

• Smaller castes or jatis emerged within vamas.
• On the other hand, many tribes and social groups were taken into caste-based society and given the status of jatis.
• Specialised artisans such as smiths, carpenters and masons were also recognised as separate jatis by the Brahmanas.
• Jatis rather than vama became the basis for organising society.
• Among the Kshatriyas, new Rajput clans became powerful.
• Many tribes became part of the caste system. But only the leading tribal families could join the ruling class. A large majority joined the lower jatis of caste society.
• Many dominant tribes of Punjab, Sind and the North-West Frontier had adopted Islam. They continued to reject the caste-system.

7. How did tribal societies change after being organised into a state?
Answer:
Changes in the Society

1. The emergence of large states changed the nature of tribal society.
2. Equal society gradually got divided into unequal social classes.
   • Brahmanas received land grants from the Gond rajas.
   • They became more influential.
3. The Gond chiefs now wished to be recognised as Rajputs.
   • Aman Das, the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, assumed the title of Sangram Shah.
   • His son, Dalpat, married princess Durgawati.
4. She was the daughter of Salbahan, the Chandel Rajput raja of Mahoba.

8. Were the Banjaras important for the economy?
Answer: The Banjaras were very important for the economy. They were trader-nomads and controlled trade and commerce. They played an important role in transporting grain to the city markets. They usually bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer. From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places.

9. In what ways was the history of the Gonds different from that of the Ahoms? Were there any similarities?
Answer:

The history of the Gonds was different from that of the Ahoms in the following ways:

1. Gonds lived in Gondwana while Ahoms lived in Brahmaputra valley.
2. Gonds practiced shifting cultivation while Ahoms did not practice shifting cultivation.
3. Gond kingdoms were large, Ahom kingdom was small.
4. Gond kingdoms were divided into garhs, Ahoms built a large state.
5. Gonds did not use fire-arms, Ahoms used fire-arms for the first time in the history of the subcontinent.

The similarity is that both were tribes:

1. The Mughals tried to control the lands of both at different point of time.
2. There were changes in society of both due to the diversification of occupations.

10. Plot the location of the tribes mentioned in this chapter on a map. For any two, discuss whether their mode of livelihood was suited to the geography and the environment of the area where they lived.
Answer: Several tribes live in different parts of India. See the map given below

These tribes settled temporarily at the places which suited them as per their need and livelihood. Whenever they found the environment or their mode of living unfavourable, they migrated to other suitable places.

11. Find out about present-day government policies towards tribal populations and organise a discussion about these.
Answer:
Policies about Tribal population

• Overall upliftment.
• Land rights.
• Education.
• Cultural and social upliftment.
• Roads, water, industries.
• Mainstreaming.
• Enforcement of reservation in government jobs.

12. Find out more about present-day nomadic pastoral groups in the sub-continent.
Answer: What animals do they keep? Which are the areas frequented by these groups? Ans. Present-day nomadic pastoral groups in the sub-continent are – Gaddi shepherds living in the western Himalayas, Gujjar Bakarwals, living in Jammu & Kashmir, Banjaras living in Rajasthan. These nomadic people keep sheep, goats, and camels. They frequently visit the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Rajasthan.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How did the castes of entertainers earn their livelihood?
Answer: They earned their livelihood by performing in different towns and villages.

2. Which tribe was very influential in Punjab during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries?              [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Khokhar tribe was very influential in Punjab during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries

3. Name the tribe which was powerful in the north-west.
Answer: Balochis

4. Name any two tribes which lived in the extreme South
Answer: Vetars and Matravers

5. Who were specialised artisans?
Answer: Smiths, carpenters, and masons were specialised artisans

6. Who controlled Garh?
Answer: A Gond clan usually controlled the Garh

7. What made the Brahmanas more influential in the Gond Society? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Gond raja began to grant land to the Brahmanas. This made them influential.

8. Who was Aman Das?
Answer: He was the Gond raja of Garha Katanga.

9. Who was Durgaivaii?
Answer: She was the daughter of Salbahan, the Chandel Rajput raja of Mahoba. She got married to Dalpat, the son of the Gond raja Aman Das.

10. When did the Mughal forces attack Garha Katanga?
Answer:  The Mughal forces attacked Garha Katangst in 1565.

11. What made Garha Katanga a rich state?    [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Garha Katanga earned huge wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms. This made it a rich state.

12. Name the items which the Mughals captured by defeating the Goods.
Answer:  Precious coins and elephants.

13. Who introduced new methods of rice cultivation?                                          ‘
Answer:  The Ahoms introduced new methods of rice cultivation.

14. When did the Mughals attack the Ahom kingdom?
Answer:  The Mughals attacked the Ahom kingdom in 1662.

15. What do present-day historians use to write tribal histories?     [V. Imp.]
Answer: They use oral traditions and rich customs of the tribal people to write their (tribals’) histories.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Mention some special features of tribal societies.        [Imp.]
Answer:  Some special features of tribal societies are :

• They did not follow the social rules and rituals which the Brahmanas prescribed.
• They were not divided into many unequal classes.
• Members of the society were united by kinship bonds.

2. How did the tribal people earn their livelihood? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The main occupation of the tribal people was agriculture. But there were also hunter-gatherers or herders. Most often they combined these activities to make full use of the natural resources of the area in which they lived. Some tribes were nomadic moving from one place to another.
A tribal group controlled land and pastures jointly and divided these amongst household as per its own rules

3. Write a short note on Bcuyaras’.
Answer:  The Banjaras were important trader nomads. They usually moved in caravan known as tanda. A tanda contained as many as 6 or 7 hundred persons. They carried their wives and children along with them. They owned their oxen. They bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer. From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places. The Banjaras did not travel more than 6 or 7 miles a day. They preferred cool weather. After unloading their oxen, they freed them to graze

4. How did Sultan Alauddin Khalji and the Mughals use the Bcuyaras?
Answer:  Sultan Alauddin Khalji used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets. Under the Mughals the Banjaras carried grain on their bullocks from different areas and sold it in towns. They transported food grain for the Mughal army during military campaigns

5. Write a brief note on the administrative system of the Gond kingdom. [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The Gond Kingdom was divided into garhs. Each garh was controlled by a particular Gond clan. This was further divided into units of 84 villages called chaurasi. The chaurasi was subdivided into barhots which were made up of 12 villages each.

6. Write in brief about Rani DurgawatL
Answer:  Rani Durgawati was married to Dalpat, the son of the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, Aman Das. Dalpat, however, died early. After his death, Rani Durgawati, being very capable, began to rule on behalf of her five-year-old son, Bir Narain. She extended her kingdom veiy soon. In 1565, when the Mughal forces under Asaf Khan attacked Garha Katanga, she put up a strong resistance. Finally, she was defeated. But she did not surrender, Instead she preferred to die.

7. Who were the Ahoms? How did they build a large state?      [Imp.]
Answer:  The Ahoms were the tribal people who migrated to the Brahmputra valley from present-day Myanmar in the 13th century. They created a new state by suppressing the older political system of the bhuiyans i.e. landlords. During the 16th century, they annexed the kingdoms of the Chhutiyas in 1523 and of Koch- Hajo in 1581. They also subjugated many other tribes. In this way, the Ahoms built a large state and for this they used firearms as early as 1530s.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Give a brief account of the tribal people found in different parts of the subcontinent [V. Imp.]
Answer: Tribal people were found in almost every region of the sub-continent. In Punjab, the Khokhar tribe was influential during the 13th and 14th centuries. Later, the Gakkhars became more important. In Multan and Sind, the Langahs and Arghuns dominated extensive regions. The Balochis were another large and powerful tribe in the north-west. In the western Himalayas, the Gaddi Shepherds lived. The Nagas, Ahoms and many others lived in the distant north-eastern part of the subcontinent. In many areas of present-day Bihar and Jharkhand, Chero Chiefdoms had emerged by the 12th century.

However, they were subdued by the Mughals. The Mundas and Santals were other important tribes that lived in these states and also in Orissa and Bengal. The Kolis, Berads and numerous others lived in the Maharashtra highlands, Karnataka and Gujarat. Further there were large tribal populations of Koragas, Vetars, Maravars and many others in South. The Bhils were spread across western and central India. By the late 16th century many of them had become settled agriculturists and some even zamindars. Many Bhil clans, nevertheless, remained hunter-gatherers. The Gonds were found in large numbers across the present-day states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

2. What do you know about the Ahom Society?              [Imp.]
Answer:  Ahom society was divided into clans or Khels. There were very few castes of artisans, so artisans in the Ahom areas came from the nearby kingdoms. Kheloften controlled several villages. The peasant was given land by his village community. Even the king could not take it away without the community’s consent. The Ahoms worshipped their own tribal gods. But during the first half of the 17 century Brahmanas achieved great influence which gave rise to Hinduism.

In the reign of Sib Singh Hinduism became a predominant religion. However, the Ahom kings remained stick to their traditional beliefs to some extent even after adopting Hinduism. Ahom society was very sophisticated. Poets and scholars were given land grants. Theatre was encouraged

3. How did the nomadic pastoralists earn their living? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Nomadic pastoralists kept on moving from place to place with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchanged items like wool, ghee, etc. with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another, transporting them on their animals. The Banjaras were trader-nomads who bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer.

From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places. Thus, they played an important role in connecting India to the outside world. Many pastoral tribes reared and sold animals, such as cattle and horses, to the wealthy people. Different castes of petty pedlars travelled from village to village. They made and sold wares like ropes, reeds, etc. Sometimes mendicants acted as wandering merchants. There were also castes of entertainers who earned their living by performing in different towns and villages.

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