KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA

SANGATHAN

ZONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

MYSORE

STUDY MATERIAL

HISTORY – XII (027)

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 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

It is with profound delight and utmost pride that I announce the

publication of our study material for class XII History for the session
2023-24. It’s my firm belief that access to quality education should
know no boundaries, transcending social and economic constraints.
Our collective vision is to empower all students with the tools for
success and intellectual growth.

With their steadfast dedication PGTs History of Bangalore, Chennai,

Ernakulam & Hyderabad regions of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan
have invested their knowledge, expertise, and passion into
meticulously crafting these study materials to complement
theclassroom learning experience of the students.

These materials serve as invaluable aids for self-study since they are
comprehensive, well-structured, and presented in a manner that is
easy to comprehend. It is with pleasure that I place on record my
commendation for the commitment and dedication of the team of
teachers which included the Training Associate (Mr. S Murugan)
from ZIET Mysore who has been the Coordinator of this assignment
and all the concerned PGTs in History subject experts from the four
feeder regions of ZIET Mysore.
Wishing you all the very best in your academic journey!

MENAXI JAIN
DIRECTOR
ZIET MYSORE

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 Content development team

sl Name of the teacher Designation KV

1 Mrs. Nimmi Antony PGT(History) Kv Thrissur
2 Mr. Prem Kumar J PGT(History) Kv Pattom Shift 1
3 B Sreelakshmi PGT(History) Tirumalagiri
4 K. Rama Rao PGT(History) Kv No.1 Golconda
5 Rachana Sharma PGT(History) Picket
6 Sh. T. Narasimham PGT(History) Asc Centre
7 K Surya Prakash Reddy PGT(History) Meg & Centre
8 Rekha Dall PGT(History) Afs Yelahanka
9 Smt. M Shakila PGT(History) Crpf Avadi
10 [Link] PGT(History) Dgqa Chennai
11 Mr. Krishna Singh PGT(History) Portblair No.2
12 Mrs. S. Vanmathy Devi PGT (History) Virudhunagar

CLASS XII COURSE STRUCTURE(HISTORY)

Theory Paper
S. Part Period Marks
No
1 Themes in Indian History Part--I 60 25
2 Themes in Indian History Part--II 60 25
3 Themes in Indian History Part -- III 60 25
4 Map 15 05
Total 195 80

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 CLASS XII COURSE STRUCTURE
Theory Paper
S. No Part Period Marks
1 Themes in Indian History Part--I 60 25
2 Themes in Indian History Part--II 60 25
3 Themes in Indian History Part -- III 60 25
4 Map 15 05
Total 195 80

Part—I Themes in Indian History 25

Marks
Theme Theme Title Periods Marks
No.
1 Bricks, Beads and Bones 15
The Harappa Civilisation
2 Kings, Farmers and Towns 15
Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE600 CE)
25
3 Kingship, Caste and class 15
Early Societies (c. 600 BCE600 CE)
4 Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings 15
Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE600 CE)
Part II Themes in Indian History 25
marks
5 Through the eyes of Travellers 15
Perceptions of Society (c. tenth to seventeenth
centuries)
6 Bhakti-Sufi Traditions 15
Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts 25
(c. eighth to eighteenth centuries)
7 An Imperial Capital – Vijayanagar (c. fourteenth to 15
sixteenth centuries)
8 Peasants, zamindars and the States Agrarian 15
Society and the Mughal Empire (c.
sixteenth-seventeenth centuries)
Themes in Indian History Part—III
25 marks
Theme Theme Title Periods Marks
No.
09 Colonialism and The Countryside 15
Exploring Official Archives 25

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 10 Rebels and Raj 15
1857 Revolt and its Representations
11 Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement 15
Civil Disobedience and Beyond
12 Framing of the Constitution 15
The Beginning of a New Era
Including Map work of the related Themes 15 05
Theory Total 80
Project Work 25 20
TOTAL 220 100

CLASS XII
COURSE CONTENT
Suggestive Learning
Theme No. Specific learning Teaching learning outcome with
and Title objectives process specific
competencies
Themes in Indian History Part—I
• Familiarize the ▪ Inquiry based use ❖ To investigate,
learner with the of questions to explore and
early urban centers explore. interpret the early
as economic and ▪ Illustrate how urban centres and
social institutions. archaeological social institutions.
• Introduce the excavations are ❖ State and
ways in which new undertaken, and deduce the multi-
1 data can lead to a their findings are lateral aspects of
BRICKS, BEADS revision of existing interpreted. Harappan
AND notions of history. ▪ Use of Picture civilization to
BONES The • Find the charts and Map understand the
Harappan difference between reading to trace the first civilization of
Civilisation an archeologist and growth of urban the world.
historian who centres. ❖ Investigate and
Investigate and interpret historical
interpret historical and contemporary
and contemporary sources and
sources. viewpoints of ASI
and historians on
Harappa.

5
 • To Familiarize ▪ Use of ❖ To critically
the learner with Archaeological evaluate and
major trends in the Evidence Videos interpret major
2 political and and Narration trends in the
KINGS, FARMERS economic history of method to bring an political and
AND the subcontinent. understanding of the economic history
TOWNS: Early • Introduce trends. of the
States and inscriptional ▪ Virtual tour to subcontinent.
analyse and ❖ Decode
understand the inscriptional
inscriptions evidence.
Economies analysis and ❖ Analyse
(c.600 BCE600 CE) the ways in which inscriptional
these have shaped evidences and the
the understanding ways in which these
of political and have shaped the
understanding of
economic
political and
processes · economic
Critically examine processes.
the limitations of
inscriptional
evidence.
• To Familiarize ▪ Narration of the ❖ To examine,
the learners with issues in social analyse the issues
issues in social history. of social history.
history.
3 • Introduce the ▪ Story boards can ❖ Analyse social
KINSHIP, CASTE strategies of textual be used to discuss norms in order to
AND analysis and their the scriptures of understand the
CLASS, Early use in ancient India. perspectives of
society given in the
Societies (c. 600 reconstructing ▪ Debate & Group
scriptures of ancient
BCE600 CE) social history. discussion condition India.
• To appraise the of women during ❖ Examine the
condition of women Mahabharata age. varied dimensions
during Mahabharata explored by
age. historians in order
to understand
dynamic
approach of
Mahabharata..
4THINKERS, • Discuss the ▪ Use of flow chart ❖ To infer and
BELIEFS AND major religious and Tabular columns compare the
BUILDINGSCultural developments in to compare the major religious
Developments (c. early India.• major religions in developments in
600 BCE600 CE) Introduce strategies ancient India.▪ early India.❖
of visual analysis Picture chart to Elucidate the rich
and their use in discuss the stories in religious sculpture
reconstructing the the sculptures. and infer the
theories of religion. stories hidden in
it.

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 • Reconstructing ▪ Use of map to ❖ To create a
the Mauryan locate the places of picture album of
administration with religious the Buddhist
help of Arthasastra development. sculpture/
Indica and other
sources.

Themes in Indian History Part—II

• Familiarize the ▪ Think Pair and ❖ To understand
learner with the share the features of salient features of
salient features of social history as social histories
social histories narrated by described by the
described by the travellers. travellers and
travellers. ▪ Reading the text apply the learning
• Discuss how for knowing the in real life.
traveller’s accounts traveller’s accounts ❖ Elucidating the
5 can be used as which is the source accounts of
THROUGH THE sources of social of social history. foreign travellers
EYES OF history. ▪ Narration of the in order to
TRAVELLERS • Familiarise with writings of all the understand the
Perceptions of the accounts of travellers. social political and
Society foreign travellers in economic life
(c. tenth to order to understand during the tenure
seventeenth the social political of different rulers
centuries) and economic life in in the medieval
the medieval period. period.
❖ Compare and
contrast the
perspectives of Al
Biruni, Ibn Battuta
and Bernier
towards Indian
society.
6 • Familiarize the ▪ Use ❖ Understand the
BHAKTI –SUFI learner with the chronological order religious
TRADITIONS religious to track the developments.
Changes in developments. developments. ❖ Summarize the
Religious • Discuss ways of ▪ Venn diagram to philosophies of
analysing devotional make comparison of different Bhakti
literature as different religious and Sufi
movements.

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 Beliefs and sources of history. ▪
Group discussion saints to
Devotional Texts • Understand the on the value impact. understand the
(c. eighth to religious religious
eighteenth developments developments
centuries) during medieval during medieval
period. period.
• Understand the ❖ Comprehend
religious the religious
movement in order movement in
and its impact. order to establish
unity, peace
harmony and
brotherhood in
society
• Acquaint the ▪ Visit museums ❖ Students will
learner with the attached to be able to Classify
buildings archaeological the distinctive
monuments that [Link] learn about architectural
were built during the the nature, contributions of
time.• To examine characteristics and the Vijayanagar
the ‘excerpts or the significance of empire to
sources more archaeological comprehend the
closely and discuss artefacts, historical richness of
the ways in which monuments which mingled cultures
7AN IMPERIAL architecture can be could be of political, of deccan India.❖
CAPITAL: analysed to social, or religious Analyse accounts
VIJAYANAGARA(c. reconstruct history.• significance.▪ View of foreign
fourteenth to Analyse city documentary Videos traveller’s on
sixteenth centuries planning, water and observe Vijayanagar in
management Pictures on order to interpret
system, architecture.▪ political, social
administration of the Graphic organisers and cultural life of
rulers with the help to make comparison the city.❖ Assess
of literary accounts of the study reports. and appreciate
of foreign traveller’s the city planning,
and architectural watermanagement
evidence. system,
administration of
the rulers

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 • Engage the • Group discussion ❖ Comprehend
students to discuss on the agrarian the facets of
the developments in development and agrarian
agrarian relations. impact. developments in
• Discuss how to ▪ Create a Venn order to
supplement official diagram or a table understand the
8 documents with and compare the relationship
PEASANTS, other sources. changes during the between the state
ZAMINDARS • Elaborate the 16th and 17th and the agriculture
AND THE STATE agrarian changes century, during Mughal
Agrarian Society occurred during ▪ Debate on the period.
and the Mughal sixteenth and differences in the ❖ Compare and
Empire (c. seventeenth sector and arrive on contrast the
sixteenth centuries. the impact. agrarian changes
seventeenth • Explain the occurred during
centuries) changes and sixteenth and
differences in the seventeenth
agrarian sectors. centuries.
❖ Make a table
and bring out the
differences in the
agrarian sector.

Themes in Indian History-3

• Discuss how ▪ Discussion and ❖ Evaluate the
colonialism affected deliberation on the revenue systems
zamindars, colonialism and introduced by the
peasants and revenue system. British to
artisans. ▪ list the problems understand the
• Explain the for understanding economic aspects
09 revenue systems the lives of the of colonization in
COLONIALISM introduced by the people. India.
AND THE British to ▪ Classify the ❖ Analyse the
COUNTRYSIDE Comprehend the records and reports. colonial official
Exploring Official problems and limits records& reports
Archives of using official to understand the
sources for divergent
understanding the interest of British
lives of the people. and Indians.
· Discuss about
the types of records
and reports.

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 maintained by the ❖ Find solution
rural society• to be taken to
Understand the protect the
divergent interest of peasants and
the British in the artisans in this
society and on the century
Indians.
• Discuss how the ▪ Movie or video ❖ To examine
events of 1857 are watching on events the events of
being interpreted. of 1857 followed by 1857.
• Discuss how discussion. ❖ Correlate the
visual material can ▪ Problem solving Planning and
be used by method to question coordination of the
historians to narrate the events and rebels of 1857 to
events. suggest actions. infer its domains
10 • Understand the and nature.
REBELS AND THE planning and ❖ Examine the
RAJ: execution of the momentum of the
1857 Revolt and its plan. revolt to
Representations • Highlight the understand its
united contribution spread.
made by the Indian ❖ Analyse how
soldiers. revolt created
vision of unity
amongst Indians.
nationalist
and British.

11 • To acquaint the ▪ Collaborate and ❖ Understand the

MAHATMA learner with create. a timeline of nationalist
GANDHI AND THE significant elements the movement. movement in
NATIONALIST of the Nationalist ▪ Making a collage chronological
movement and the of events. order.
nature of Gandhian individuals, and
leadership. institutions

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 MOVEMENT Civil • Discuss how under the Gandhian ❖ Correlate the
Disobedience and Gandhi was leadership. significant
Beyond perceived by ▪ Doing a Project elements of the
different groups. on historical source nationalist
• Examine how such as movement and the
historians need to newspapers, nature of ideas,
read and interpret biographies and individuals, and
newspapers diaries auto- biographies institutions under
and letters as a diaries and letters. the Gandhian
historical source. leadership.
• Throw light on ❖ Debate on the
nationalism and significant
patriotism. contributions of
Gandhi to
understand his
mass appeal for
nationalism.
❖ Explore the
ways of
interpreting
historical source
such as
newspapers,
biographies and
auto- biographies
diaries and
letters
• Discuss how the ▪ Mock session of ❖ Highlight the
founding ideals of the assembly to role of Constituent
the new nation state debate and discuss Assembly to
were debated and the ideals.▪ Use understand
formulated.• sources & case functionaries in
Understand how studies for a Group framing the
12FRAMING THE
discussion. constitution of
CONSTITUTIONThe such debates and
India.❖ Analyse
Beginning of a New discussions can be
read by historians.• how debates and
Era
Discuss the other discussions
countries around important
constitution and issues in the
compare. Constituent
features of our
constitution.

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 LIST OF MAPS
S. No Page No. Part – I Maps
1 2 Mature Harappan sites: Harappa,
Banawali, Kalibangan, Balakot,
Rakhigarhi, Dholavira, Nageshwar, Lothal,
Mohenjodaro, Chanhudaro, KotDiji.

2 3 Mahajanapada and cities: Vajji, Magadha,

Kosala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti,
Rajgir, Ujjain, Taxila,
Varanasi.

3 33 Distribution of Ashokan inscriptions:

• Pillar inscriptions – Sanchi, Topra,
Meerut Pillar and Kaushambi.
• Kingdom of Cholas, Cheras and
Pandyas.

4 43 Important kingdoms and towns:

• Kushanas, Shakas, Satavahanas,
Vakatakas,Guptas
• Cities/towns: Mathura, Kanauj, Puhar,
Braghukachchha, Shravasti, Rajgir,
Vaishali, Varanasi,Vidisha

5 95 Major Buddhist Sites: Nagarjunakonda,

Sanchi, Amaravati, Lumbini, Bharhut, Bodh
Gaya, Ajanta

S. No Page No. Part II - Maps

6 174 Bidar, Golconda, Bijapur, Vijayanagar,
Chandragiri, Kanchipuram, Mysore,
Thanjavur, Kolar, Tirunelveli

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 7 214 Territories under Babur, Akbar and
Aurangzeb:
• Delhi, Agra, Panipat, Amber, Ajmer,
Lahore, Goa.

S. No Page No. Part III - Maps

8 287 Territories/cities under British Control
in1857: Punjab, Sindh, Bombay, Madras
Berar, Bengal, Bihar,
Orissa, Surat, Calcutta, Patna, Allahabad

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 3. Assessment of Project Work:
1. Project Work has broadly the following phases: Synopsis/ Initiation, Data Collection, Data Analysis
and Interpretation, Conclusion.
2. The aspects of the project work to be covered by students can be assessed during the academic
year.
3. 20 marks assigned for Project Work can be divided in the following manner:
PROJECT WORK: 20 Marks
The teacher will assess the progress of the project work in the following manner
Month Periodic Assessment Marks
work Rubrics

April- Instructions about Project Introduction, Statement of 6

July Guidelines, Background reading Purpose/Need and objectives of the
Discussions on Theme and study, Hypothesis/ Research Question,
Selection of the Final Topic, Review of Literature, Presentation of
Initiation/ Synopsis Evidence, Methodology,
Questionnaire, Data

August - Planning and organization: forming Significance and relevance of the topic;
October an action plan, challenges encountered while
feasibility, or baseline study, conducting the research.
Updating/modifying the action plan, 5
Data Collection

November- Content/data analysis and Content analysis and its relevance in

January interpretation. Conclusion, the current scenario. Conclusion,
Limitations, Suggestions, Limitations, Bibliography, Annexures
Bibliography, and
Annexures and overall presentation Overall Presentation. 5
of the project.

January Final Assessment and VIVA by both External/ Internal Viva based on the 4
- Internal and project
February External Examiners
TOTAL 20

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BASED ON LATEST CBSE EXAM PATTERN
FOR THE SESSION 2023-2024

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16
17
 BLUE PRINT

SN TOPIC OTQ SA LA PASS MAP TOTAL

AGE

1 BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES

The Harappan Civilization:
2 KINGS, FARMERS AND
TOWNS:Early States and 1(7) 3(3) 8(1) 4(1) 25
Economies (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)
3 KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS
Early Society Societies (C. 600
BCE-600 CE)
4 THINKERS, BELIEFS AND 5
BUILDINGS Cultural
Developments (c. 600 BCE - 600
CE)
5 THROUGH THE EYES OF
TRAVELLERS Perceptions of
Society (c. tenth to seventeenth
century) 1(7) 3(3) 8(1) 4(1) 25
6 BHAKTI –SUFI TRADITIONS:
Changes in Religious Beliefs and
Devotional Texts (c. eighth to
eighteenth centuries)
7 AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL:
VIJAYANAGARA (c. fourteenth
to sixteenth centuries)
8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND
THE STATE: Agrarian Society
and the Mughal Empire (c.
sixteenth-seventeenth centuries)
9 COLONIALISM AND THE
COUNTRYSIDE: Exploring
Official Archives
10 REBELS AND THE RAJ: 1857 1(7) 3(3) 8(1) 4(1) 25
Revolt and its Representations
11 MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE
NATIONALIST MOVEMENT:
Civil Disobedience and Beyond
12 FRAMING THE
CONSTITUTION: The Beginning
of a New Era
TOTAL 21X1=21 6X3=18 8X3=24 4X3=12 5 80

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 PART-1
THEME 1
BRICKS, BEADS AND BONES
THE HARAPPAN CIVILISATION

Map showing some Mature Harappan Culture sites

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Key concepts in nutshells
❖ Early Harappan culture – Before 2600 BCE
❖ Mature Harappa culture – 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE
❖ Late Harappa culture – After 1900 BCE
❖ Extent of Harappan civilisation: -
❖ Northern boundary- Manda Southern Boundary- Daimabad
❖ Eastern boundary- Alamgirpur Western boundary- Sutkagendor Characteristics
of the Harappan Civilisation.

Harappa
Harappa was destroyed by brick robbers. Alexander Cunningham noted that the
amount of brick taken from the ancient site was enough to lay bricks for “about 100
miles” of the railway line between Lahore and Multan.

Food habits of Harappan people

• They ate plant and animal products, including fish.
• Archaeologists found shreds of evidence from charred grains and seeds.
• Bones of Wild species found.
• Bones of fish and fowl are found.

Agricultural technologies of Harappa

• Oxen were used for plowing (Representations on seals and terracotta sculpture)

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 • Terracotta models of the plow have been found at sites in Cholistan(Pakistan)
and at Banawali (Haryana).
• Evidence of a plowed field at Kalibangan (Rajasthan)
• The plowed field at Kalibangan had two sets of furrows suggesting that two
different crops were grown
• Traces of canals have been found at Shortughai in Afghanistan.
• Water reservoirs located in Dholavira (Gujarat)

Food processing technologies of Harappa

• Processing of food required grinding equipment, vessels for mixing, blending,
and cooking.
• These were made of stone, metal, and terracotta.
• Saddle quern was used for grinding cereals.

Subsistence strategies
❖ The Harappans ate wide range of plants and animal products.
❖ Archaeologists have been able to reconstruct dietary practices from finds of
charred grains and seeds.
❖ Archaeo-botanists, who are specialists in ancient plant remains.
❖ Animal bones found at Harappan sites include those of cattle, sheep, goat,
buffalo and pig.
❖ The bones of wild species found suggest the Harappans hunted these animals
themselves or obtained meat from other hunting communities.
❖ Bones of fish and fowl are also found.

Agricultural technologies:
❖ Representations on seals and terracotta sculpture indicate that the bull was
known.
❖ Archaeologists extrapolate from this that oxen were used for ploughing.

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 ❖ Terracotta models of the plough have been found at sites in Cholistan and at
Banawali.
❖ Evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan has also been found.
❖ Traces of irrigation canals have been found at Shortugahi in Afghanistan.
❖ Traces of rainwater harvesting found in Dholavira in Gujarat through water
reservoirs.

Craft Production
SUBSISTENCE STRATEGY Beads :Carnelian
Grain :Wheat Barley,Lentil,Chickpea ,Jasper,Crtstal,Quart
Animal Bone: cattle, sheep, z and Steatute
goat, buffalo and pig Identifying Centres
Agricultural technologies of Production -

A Planned
Urban Centre
Laying out drains
Domestic
architecture BRICKS Strategies for Procuring
BEADS AND Materials
The Citadel BONES Materials From Subcontinent
and beyond -
Contact With Distant Land- Copper
from Oman

Social Differences
Burials
Luxuries End e Civilization
Climatic change, deforestation,
excessive floods, the shifting
and/or drying up of
rivers, to overuse of the landscape.

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MOHENJODARO: A planned urban city
Two Sections of settlement:-
❖ The settlement is divided into two sections, one smaller but higher and the
other much larger but lower.
The Citadel
❖ These were constructed on mud brick platforms and were walled, which meant
that it was physically separated from the Lower Town.
❖ These include the warehouse – a massive structure of which the lower brick
portions remain.
❖ The upper portions, probably of wood, was – the Great Bath. It was a large
rectangular tank in courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.
The Lower Town
❖ It had carefully planned drainage system. The roads and streets were laid out
along an approximate “grid” pattern.
❖ It provides examples of residential buildings. Many were centred on a
courtyard, with rooms on all sides.
❖ Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks, with drains connected
through the wall to the street drains.
❖ The uniqueness of the structure, as well as the context in which it was found
(the Citadel, with several distinctive buildings), has led scholars to suggest that
it was meant for some kind of a special ritual bath.
Tracking Social Differences
Burials:
❖ At burials in Harappan sites, the dead were generally laid in pits.
❖ Sometimes, there were differences in the way the burial pit was made.
❖ Some graves contain pottery and ornaments, perhaps indicating a belief that
these could be used in the after life.

23
 ❖ Jewellery has been found in burials of both men and women.
Looking for “luxuries”:
❖ Utilitarian objects are of daily use made fairly easily out of ordinary
materials such as stone or clay.
❖ Luxuries are those items if they are rare or made from costly, non-local
materials or with complicated technologies.
Craft Production
❖ Chanhudaro is a tiny settlement exclusively devoted to craft production,
including bead-making, shell-cutting, metal-working, seal-making and weight-
making.
❖ The variety of materials used to make beads is remarkable.
❖ Techniques for making beads differed according to the material.
❖ Nodules were chipped into rough shapes, and then finely flaked into the final
form.
❖ Specialised drills have been found at Chanhudaro, Lothal and more recently at
Dholavira.
❖ Nageshwar and Balakot were specialised centres for making shell objects –
including bangles, ladles and inlay.
Centres of production:
❖ Archaeologists identified centres of production by looking for raw materials
and tools used.
❖ Waste is one of the best indicators of craft work. Sometimes, larger waste
pieces were used up to make smaller objects.

24
 ❖

Mohenjo-Daro
• It was a planned Urban Centre
• Cities were divided into two parts:
✓ The Citadel
✓ The Lower Town

Citadel
• A citadel or upper town is the core fortified area of a town or city.
• It was built on the raised platform.
It was situated in the Western part of the city. Introduction
• Indus valley civilization is also known as Harappan civilization.
• It started flourishing along River Indus (now in Pakistan) at around 2600 B.C.
• Harappan civilization was the largest Bronze age civilization in the world.
• Harappa was the first site of this civilization discovered by archaeologists.
• It was an urban civilization. Its writing is not deciphered.
• After 1900 B.C., most of the sites were abandoned due to some reasons. By
1900 B.C. major part of the civilization ended.

SL. PLACE MATERIAL

1. Nageshwar & Balakot Shell Objects
2. Shortughai (Afghanistan) Lapis Lazuli (A Blue precious stone)

3. From South Rajesthan and Steatite

25
 North Gujarat
4. Khetri [ From Rajasthan] Copper
metal

5. South India Gold

Strategies for procuring material
Procured from the subcontinent and beyond:
❖ The Harappans procured materials for craft production in various ways.
❖ Terracotta toy models of bullock carts suggest that this was one important
means of transporting goods and people across land routes.
❖ Another strategy for procuring raw materials may have been to send
expeditions, which established communication with local communities.
Contact with distant lands:
❖ Archaeological finds suggest that copper was also probably brought from
Oman, on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.
❖ Mesopotamian texts datable to the third millennium BCE refer to copper
coming from a region called Magan, perhaps a name for Oman.
❖ Other archaeological finds include Harappan seals, weights, dice and beads
which suggests contacts with regions named Dilmun (probably the island of
Bahrain), Magan and Meluhha, possibly the Harappan region.
❖ It is likely that communication with Oman, Bahrain or Mesopotamia was by
sea. Mesopotamian texts refer to Meluhha as a land of seafarers. Besides, we
find depictions of ships and boats on seals.
Seals, Script, Weights
Seals:
❖ Seals and sealing’s were used to facilitate long distance communication.
❖ The sealing also conveyed the identity of the sender.

26
Scripts :
❖ An enigmatic script: Harappan seals usually have a line of writing, probably
containing the name and title of the owner.
❖ Scholars have also suggested that the motif (generally an animal) conveyed a
meaning to those who could not read.
❖ Most inscriptions are short, the longest containing about 26 signs. Although the
script remains undeciphered to date.
❖ The script was written from right to left.
Weight:
❖ Exchanges were regulated by a precise system of weights, usually made of a
stone called Chert and generally cubical, with no markings.
❖ Metal scale-pans have also been found.
The End of the Civilisation
❖ There is evidence that by c. 1800 BCE most of the Mature Harappan sites in
regions such as Cholistan had been abandoned.
❖ Simultaneously, there was an expansion of population into new settlements in
Gujarat, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh.
❖ Several explanations for the decline of Harappan civilisation are climatic
changes, deforestation, excessive floods, the shifting and/or drying up of rivers.
❖ The end was evidenced by the disappearance of seals, the script, distinctive
beads and pottery, the shift from a standardised weight system to the use of
local weights; and the decline and abandonment of cities.
Discovering the Harappan Civilisation :
Cunningham’s confusion:
❖ The first Director-General of the ASI, Cunningham used the accounts left by
Chinese Buddhist pilgrims who had visited the subcontinent between the fourth
and seventh centuries CE to locate early settlements.

27
❖ A site like Harappa, which was not part of the itinerary of the Chinese pilgrims
and was not known as an Early Historic city.
❖ A Harappan seal was given to Cunningham by an Englishman. He noted the
object, but unsuccessfully tried to place it within the time-frame with which he
was familiar. It is not surprising that he missed the significance of Harappa.

28
Pots of Harappan Civilization

Ornaments of Harappan Civilization

The Harappan seal

• One of the most distinctive artifacts of the Harappan civilization is the
Harappan Seal.
• The seals are made of a stone called steatite; seals often contain animal motifs
and signs from a script.
• Believed to be used for commercial purposes. A standard Harappan Seal was
square shaped with a 2 by 2 dimensions.
• Pictures of animals were there on all the seals with something written in a
pictographic script.

29
Drainage system
• Harappan cities had a well-planned drainage system.
• Roads and streets were laid out along an approximate “grid.” pattern,
intersecting at right angles.
• Streets with drains were laid out first, and then houses were built along with
them.
• The drains were made of mortar, lime, and gypsum.
• ERNEST MACKAY noted: “It is the complete ancient system as yet
discovered.”
• Every house was connected to the street drains.
• The main channels were made of bricks set in mortar
• Channels were covered with loose bricks that could be removed for cleaning.
• In some cases, limestone was used for the covers.
• House drains first emptied into a sump or cesspit into which solid matter
settled.
• Drainage channels had sumps for cleaning.
• At Lothal, while houses were built of mud bricks, drains were made of burnt
bricks.

Drainage System at Lothal

30
Contact with Distant Lands
• Harappans had trade relations with Mesopotamia, Oman, Bahrain
• Shreds of evidence include Harappan seals, weights, dice, and beads,
depictions of ships and boats on seals.
• Copper was also probably brought from Oman.
• A distinctive type of vessel, a sizeable Harappan jar coated with a thick layer
of black clay has been found at Omani sites.
• Harappans exchanged the contents of these vessels for Omani copper.
• Mesopotamian texts that are datable to the third millennium BCE refer to
copper from a region called Magan.
• The round “Persian Gulf” seal found in Bahrain sometimes carries Harappan
motifs.
• Mesopotamian texts mention the products from Meluhha: carnelian, lapis
lazuli, copper, gold, and varieties of wood.
• Contact with Oman, Bahrain, or Mesopotamia was by sea.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Kalibangan is located at
a) Gujarat
b) Rajasthan
c) Himachal Pradesh
d) Punjab
Answer : b (Rajasthan)
2. The Indus Valley Civilization was initially called
a) Harappa Civilization
b) Mohenjo-daro Civilization
c) Punjab-Sindh Civilization
d) Lothal Civilization
Answer : a (Harappa Civilization)
3. Which is the biggest Harappan Civilization site
a) Ropar

31
 b) Lothal
c) Kalibangan
d) Rakhigarhi
Answer : d (Rakhigarhi)
4. In Sindhi language, the word ‘Mohenjo-daro’ means
a) The land of the living
b) Mount of the Dead
c) God’s own Land
d) The people of Sindh
Answer : b (Mound of the Dead)
5. ‘The Great Bath’ & ‘The Great Granary’ belong to which site
a) Kalibangan
b) Bhirrana
c) Mohenjo-daro
d) Lothal
Answer : c (Mohenjo-daro)
6. Where is Rakhigarhi located?
a) Gujarat
b) Haryana
c) Rajasthan
d) Afghanistan
Answer : b (Haryana)
7. In which of the following sites was found the seated male sculpture of the
‘Priest King’
a) Amri
b) Kalibangan
c) Kot diji
d) Mohenjo-daro

32
 Answer : d (Mohenjo-daro)
8. The Harappan terracotta models of plough have been found at which of the
following sites situated in Pakistan?
(a) Cholistan (b) Banawali
(c) Kalibangan (d) Shortughai
Ans:1 (a)
9. A distinctive type of vessel, a large Harappan jar coated with a thick layer
of black clay has been found at which of the following place?
(a) Meluhha (b) Dilmun
(c) Magan (d) Omani
2 (d)
10. Harappan seals usually have a line of writing, probably contains the ………
.
(a) Name of the owner (b) Title of the owner
(c) Address of the owner (d) Both (a) and (b)
Ans: (d) Both (a) and (b)
11. Who among the following is also known as father of Indian Archaeology?
(a) John Marshall (b) Alexander Cunningham
(c) REM Wheeler (d) RS Bisht
Ans: (b) Alexander Cunningham
12. Which pair is not correct?
(a) Lothal–Gujarat (b) Nageshwar–Maharashtra
(c) Banawali–Haryana (d) Kalibangan–Rajasthan
Ans:(b) Nageshwar–Maharashtra
13. Identify the construction found in Harappan civilisation.
1. It was a large rectangular tank.
2. It was in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.
3. There were rooms on three sides.

33
 4. Water from the tank flowed into a huge drain.
Codes
(a) The Great Tank (b) The Great Bath
(c) The Great Washroom (d) None of these
Ans: (b) The Great Bath
14. Consider the following statements and select the incorrect one.
(a) The Indus Valley Civilisation is also called the Harappan culture.
(b) The Harappans ate a wide range of plants only
(c) Traces of canals have been found at the site of Shortughai.
(d) A water reservoir was found in Dholavira.
Ans: (b) The Harappans ate a wide range of plants only
15. Match the following.
List I List II
A. Excavations began at Mohenjodaro 1. 1946
B. R.E.M. Wheeler excavates at Harappa 2. 1925
C. S.R Rao begans excavations at Lothal 3. 1960
D. B.B Lal and B.K Thapar began excavation at Kalibangan 4. 1955
Codes
ABCDABCD
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 4 3 2 1 (d) 1 4 3 2
Ans: (b) 2 1 4 3
16. Match the following
List I List II
A. Shortughai 1. Pakistan
B. Khetri 2. Afghanistan
C. Meluhha 3. Rajasthan
D. Kot Diji 4. Mesopotamia

34
 Codes
ABCDABCD
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 4 1 3 2
(c) 2 3 4 1 (d) 1 3 4 2
Ans:(c) 2 3 4 1
17. Identify the Harappan evidence.
1. It was not alphabetical.
2. It had many signs, i.e. between 375 and 400.
3. It was written from right to left.
4. It was not deciphered.
Codes
(a) Harappan seals (b) Harappan coins (c) Harappan scripts (d) None of these
Ans: (c) Harappan scripts
18. Assertion (A) Seals were used to facilitate long-distance communication in
Harappan civilisation.
Reason (R) If the bag of goods reached with its sealing intact, it meant that it
had not
been tampered with.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
19. Assertion (A) Nageshwar and Balakot were specialised centres for making shell
objects.
Reason (R) These two settlements were near the coast.
Codes

35
 (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans:(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
20. ……… . The given image of Harappan stone statue ‘priest king’ is similar
with the ‘priest king’ of
(a) Oman (b) Greece
(c) Mesopotamia (d) Afghanistan
Ans: (c) Mesopotamia
21. Consider the following statements and suggest the incorrect one.
(a) People of Harappan civilisation worshipped many gods and goddesses.
(b) The caste system was present in the society.
(c) All people lived together with mutual love and understanding.
(d) Women had a high position in the society.
Ans: (b) The caste system was present in the society.
22. Consider the following statements and select the correct one.
(a) The Harappan people used bricks of standardised ratio.
(b) Economic life of the people was very prosperous.
(c) Mohenjodaro was the most well-known urban site of the Harappan
civilisation.
(d) Harappan was the first site to be discovered.
Ans: (b) Economic life of the people was very prosperous.
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. How can you say that the Harappan culture was an urban one?
Ans
i)- The cities were well planned into upper and lower town.
ii) The roads were straight and wide.

36
 iii) The houses were made of burnt bricks and contained more than one
storey. Every house had a well and bathroom.
iv) The Drainage system was excellent with house drains emptying into
street drains.
v)Existence of public buildings.
vi) Lothal had a dockyard and was an important trading Centre.
2. Why is Harappan script considered an enigmatic script or mysterious
script? OR What are the main characteristics of Harappan Script?
Ans:-
i)- Because it is yet to be deciphered. Its mystery has still not been solved
yet.
ii) It was not alphabetical. It had too many signs; all the signs symbolized
certain things.
iii) The signs of this script were of the period 375 to 400.
iv) The script has been found on a variety of objects.
3. What were the differences in techniques adopted by Marshall and
wheeler in studying Indus Valley Civilization?
Ans:-
i)- Marshall tended to excavate along regular horizontal units, measured
uniformly throughout the mound ignoring the stratigraphy of the site.
ii) Due to this technique valuable information about the context of these
finds was irretrievably lost.
iii) Wheelers recognized that it was necessary to follow the stratigraphy of
the mound rather than digging mechanically along uniform horizontal
lines.
4. Write a note on the drainage system of Harappa?
Ans:-
i) The drainage was made of mortar lime and gypsum

37
 ii) They were covered with big bricks and stones which could be lifted
easily to clean the drain.
iii) Smaller drains from houses on both the sides were laid on the main
channel.
iv) Pits were provided for sewage for the houses.
5. How do archaeologists reconstruct the past?
Ans:
i) Classification of finds that finds are whether tools or weapons or
ornaments or both or something meant for ritual use.
ii) An understanding of the function of an artifact is often shaped by it
resemblance with present day things. Beads, pots are obvious examples.
iii) Archaeologists reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by examining
seals, some of which seem to depict ritual scenes
iv) Archaeologists often move from known to unknown that is from
present to past regarding the reconstruction of religious practices.
6. Describe any three sources to know about Harrapan civilization
Ans:
i. The Harappan seal
ii. Distinctive Artefact
iii. Beads, Weights, Blades iv. Terracotta Bull
v. Copper Tools
vi. Reservoir At Dholavira
vii. Faience Pots
viii. A Terracotta Figurine
ix. “Priest-King” Stone Statue
x. Any other relevant point
Any three points to be described
7. How Harappan seals and sealing were’s used by facilitating long

38
 distance communication? What did the sealing’s convey?
Ans:
i) Seals and sealing’s were used to facilitate long distance communication.
ii) Imagine a bag of goods being sent from one place to another. Its mouth
was tied with rope and on the knot was affixed some wet clay on which
one or more seals were pressed, leaving an impression. If the bag reached
with its sealing intact, it meant that it had not been tampered with.
iii) The sealing also conveyed the identity of the sender.
8. Write a note on the agriculture technology of Harappans?
Ans:
i) The prevalence of agriculture is indicated by finds of grains in various
sites of civilization.
( i i ) Archaeologists have found evidence of a ploughed field at seals
and terracotta sculpture indicates that the bull was known and oxen were
used for ploughing.
(iii)Two different crops were grown
together.
iv)Canals and wells were constructed for irrigation.
( v ) Traces of canals have been found in all the Harappan sites of
Shortughai in Afghanistan; Water reservoirs have been found in
Dhaulavira.
9. What do you know about trade and commerce of Indus valley
civilization?
Ans:-Internal Trade: - was advanced Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa were main
trade Centre.
i)Heavy and small weight has been found at these sites.
i i ) These are made up in the multiple of two as [Link] upto 12,800.
iii) There was strict control on

39
 weights and Measures
iv) International trade - They had trade relation with other countries such
as Egypt, Oman.
v)The trade was carried both by
sea and land
vi)Probably the metals like gold, silver, Tin and copper and
precious stones were imported from the other countries,
10. How have historians provided new insight into the subsistence
strategies of the Harappan culture?
Ans:
According to historians mature Harappan culture developed in some of the
areas occupied by the Early Harappan cultures. These cultures also shared
certain common elements including subsistence strategies.
For example:
i. The Harappans ate a wide range of plant and animal products,
including fish and meat, wheat, maize, millets, pulses, rice and
another eatables.
ii. Cattle, sheep, goat, buffalo and pig were domesticated by the
Harappans for their sustenance.
iii. The evidence of wild species like boar, deer and gharial have also
been traced from the remains of bones, but it is not sure whether the
Harappans hunted these animals themselves or obtained meat from
other hunting community.
iv. Archaeological evidences suggested that oxen were used for
ploughing and two different crops were grown together. As most of
the sites are located in semi-arid lands, it is evident that water from
canals and wells was used for irrigation.
LONG ANSWERS

40
1. Explain the main characteristics of the Harappan Civilization.
Characteristics of the Harappan Civilization:-
Ans:(i) Planned Urban centre-unique feature of Mohenjo-Daro- two
Sections
a. The Citadel
b. The Lower Town
(ii) Laying out drainage
(iii) Domestics Architecture(a) warehouse / Granary
(b) Great Bath
(c) Bricks used for construction of buildings
(d) Double story building Other features
(iv) Seals and Sealings used to facilitate long distance communication
(v) Use of weights, usually made of stone called chert, generally cubical,
with no marking.
(vi) Burials-to lay the dead in pits were found in Harappan Civilization
some graves contained pottery and ornaments indicating a belief that these
could be used in after life.
(vii) Use of enigmatic script-writing found in objects like seals, copper
tools, rims of jars, terracotta tablets, jewellery, bone rods.
viii) Some archaeologists are of the opinion that Harappan society had no
rulers, whereas other archaeologists feel that there was no single ruler but
several rulers.8
2. Discuss the functions that may have been performed by rulers in
Harppan civilization?
Ans: Some archaeologists say that Harappan society had no rulers
and that everybody enjoyed equal status.
(i)Others feel there were no single ruler but several.
(ii)Under the guidance and supervision of the rulers, plans and layout of

41
 the city were prepared.
(iii)Big bu il di ng s , p a l a c e s , forts, tanks, wells, c a n al s ,
granaries e t c w e r e constructed under the supervision of rulers.
(iv)Roads, drains w e r e also constructed and cleanliness w a s
m ainta ined under the overall supervision of ruler.
(v)The ruler might have taken interest in promoting the farmer to
increase production and the craftsmen to promote different handicrafts
(vi)He m a i n t a i n e d a n d c o n t r o l l e d e x t r a o r d i n a r y
u n i f o r m i t y o f H a r a p p a ’ s artefacts like - Seals, Weight and
bricks.
(vii)During foreign attack and natural disaster he used to play an active
role by providing security and food
3. How did Harappan civilization come to an end?
Ans:-
Some schools have tried to explain the important causes which led to the
abandonment of the mature Harappan sites by 1800 B.C. E.
Some of them are as follows: -
i) By Floods - It is speculated that a sudden flood might have
submerged the various town and buried them under the thick layer of mud.
ii) Due to the change in the course of Indus River
iv) Climatic change - It is also possible that there was climate change and
drought took place due to deforestation.
iii) Earthquakes - It is also probable that the nature itself turned the whole
land upside down.
iv) Aryan Invasion - Some scholars say that Aryans were responsible.
4. Early Harappan archaeologists thought that certain objects which
seem unusual and unfamiliar may have had a religious significance’.
Substantiate. or

42
 Describe briefly how seals of Harappan period help in reconstructing
their religious beliefs.
Answer:
Giving archaeologic interpretation to reconstruct religious practices of
Harappan civilisation was not easy. The important facts to reconstruct the
religious belief of the Harappan period are as follows:
i. Archaeologists thought that certain objects which seemed unusual or
unfamiliar may have had a religious significance. These included
terracotta figurines of women, heavily jewelled with elaborate head
dresses. These were regarded as mother Goddesses.
ii. Rare stone statuary of men seated with one hand on the knee was
regarded as ‘priest king’. Other structures found in Harappan
Civilisation, like the great bath and fire altars found at Kalibangan
and Lothal also were taken as significant for ritual practices.
iii. Attempts were made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by
examining different seals.
iv. Mythical creatures like unicorn, figure seated cross-legged in yogic
posture, sometimes surrounded by animals, regarded as ‘proto-
shiva’ were all examples of Hindu religion. Conical stone objects
were classified as Tingas’.
v. Many reconstructions of Harappan religion are made on the
assumption that later traditions provide similarity with earlier ones.
It follows from the rule that archaeologists try to know the facts by
following the process of ‘known to the unknown.’ Thus,
reconstructing religious practices was not easy for the
archaeologists.
5. Describe briefly how the centres of craft production are identified.
Answer:

43
 In order to identify centres of craft production, archaeologists usually look
for the raw materials, like stone modules, whole shells, copper ore,
unfinished objects, rejected and waste materials. Actually, waste products
indicate craft work. For example, if shell or stone is used to make any
object, then pieces of shell or stone will be discarded as waste at the place
of production. These can be understood through following points:
i. Both Nageshwar and Balakot are near coast and shell objects are
found here. These areas were specialised centre for making shell
objects, including bangles, ladles and inlay, which were taken to
other settlement.
ii. Similarly, some finished products like different pots and beads are
found in Lothal and Chanhudaro, which were taken to the large
urban centres such as Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
iii. For making beads, stones like carnelian, jasper, crystal, quartz,
steatite and metals like copper, bronze, gold, and other materials
like shell, faience, terracotta were used. For making beads, grinding,
polishing and drilling were dome. Specialised drills have found at
Chanhudaro, Lothal and Dholavira.
iv. In order to identify the craft production centre, archaeologists look
for raw materials and tools. Large- waste pieces of raw materials
indicated the specialised craft production centres. But sometimes
minuscule bits suggest that craft production was also undertaken in
large cities like Harappa and Mohenjodaro.
Source Based Questions
1. FROM R.E.M. WHEELER, "Harappa 1946",
Ancient India, 1947.
In the 1960s, the evidence of massacre in Mohenjo-Daro was
Questioned by an archeologist named George Dales. He

44
 Demonstrated that the skeletons found at the site did not belong to
the same period: Whereas a couple of them definitely seem to indicate
a slaughter, the bulk of the bones were found in contexts suggesting
burials of the sloppiest and most irreverent nature. There is no
destruction level covering the latest period of the city, no sign of
extensive burning, no bodies of warriors clad in armour and
surrounded by the weapons of war. The citadel, the only fortified part
of the city, yielded no evidence of a final defense.
i)Name the archeologist who presented this source?
Ans:John Marshall
ii) Which argument for the destruction of Harappa civilization, does
this excerpt indicates?
Ans:This except indicates that the Harappa civilization was destroyed by
foreign invasion.
iii) Who propounded the theory opposite to this?
How?
Ans:George Dales. He hesitates to accept that this invasion was carried
out by the Aryans. He demonstrated that the skeletons found at the site
did not belong to the same period: Whereas a couple of them
definitely seem to indicate a slaughter, the bulk of the bones were
found in contexts suggesting burials of the sloppiest and most
irreverent nature. There is no sign of extensive burning, no bodies of
warriors clad in armour and surrounded by the weapons of war.
2. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
The frontiers of the Harappan Civilisation have little or no connection with
present-day national boundaries.
However, with the partition of the sub-continent and the creation of
Pakistan, the major sites are now in Pakistan territory. This has spurred

45
 Indian archaeologists to try and locate sites in India. An extensive survey
in Kutch has revealed a number of Harappan settlements and explorations
in Punjab and Harappan settlements have added to the list of Harappan
sites. While Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhi Garhi and most recently Dholavira
have been discovered, explored and excavated as part of these efforts,
fresh explorations continue.
[Link] problem has occurred in the frontiers of the Harappan
Civilisation?
Ans: The problem which has occurred in the Harappan Civilisation is that
the frontiers of this civilisation have little or no connection with present
day national boundaries due to partition of Indian sub-continent and
Pakistan.
[Link] has spurred Indian archaeologists to do?
Ans:. The partition between the two nations i.e. India and Pakistan, created
a problem of demarcation of Harappan sites. This has spurred Indian
archaeologists to try and locate these sites in India.
[Link] settements have been found?
Ans: After extensive survey of Kutch, Punjab and Haryana, a number of
new sites have been discovered, e.g. Kalibangan, Lothal, Rakhi Garhi and
most recently Dholavira
CBSE PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS
3 MARKS QUESTIONS
1 Who was john Marshall? How did he mark a change in the Indian
archaeology?
2 Who was R E M Wheeler? Mention any one of his contributions in the
field of archaeology?
3 Who was Cunningham? Mention any one account used by him to
locate the early settlements of Harappan civilization

46
4. How were Harappan seals and sealing’s used by facilitate long
distance communication? What did the sealings convey?
5. Give two features of Harappan settlements?
6 Give any two features of Harappan writing
7 Mention any four items found in the graves of the Harappans.
8 Mention two strategies adopted to identify social differences among
the Harappans .
9 How did Harappan obtain red colour or Carnelian?
10 Mentin any two difficulties faced by Historians in deciphering the
Indian script
11 What do the studies done by the archaeo-zoologist reveal about the
Harappans?
12 Mention two features of the domestic architecture of the Harappan
residential buildings
13 Mention the two features of Great bath.
14 Mention two distinctive features of the urban centres of the Harappan
Civilization.
8MARKS QUESTIONS
1 Describe the distinctive features of domestic architecture of
Mohenjadaro .
2 Mention any two changes that were observed after 1900BCE in
Harappan Civilization .What would have brought these changes
?Explain
3 Why do archaeologists and historians find Harappan script
enigmatic? Explain reasons.
4 “Early Harappan archaeologists thought that certain objects which
seem unusual and unfamiliar may have had a religious significance”.
Substantiate

47
5 How have historians provide new insight into the subsistence
strategies of the Harappan culture?
6 Explain the strategies for procuring materials by the Harappans for
the craft production.
7 “The archaeological records provide no immediate answer to the
Harappan central authority”.Analyse different views given on the
same .(also for 8)
8 Explain the exclusive features of the craft productions in
Chanhudaro.
9 Describe briefly how the centres of craft production are identified
10 What were the materials used for the production during Harappan
culture? From where were these materials procured? Explain.
11 To what extent had the Harappans established trade relations with
the world? Explain.
12 Why did Cunningham, The first Director General of ASI miss the
significance of the Harappa? Explain
13 Describe the agricultural technology adopted by the Harappa.
14 How did architectural features of Mohenjadaro indicate Planning?
Support the statement with examples.
15 What factors in your opinion is responsible for the collapse of a
mature Harappan Civilization by 1800 BCE?
16 Explain briefly the distinctive features of Harappan drainage system
17. Describe the civilization of John Marshall .Director General of the
ASI to Indian archaeology.
MAP QUESTIONS
Locate the following in the political Map of India
Kalibangan ,Nageshwar ,Lothal Dholavira,Rakhigarhi,Ropad,Banawalli,
Kot Diji,Chanthudaro,Harappa ,Mohenjadaro

48
[Link]
ew?usp=drive_web

49
 THEME 2
KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS
EARLY STATES AND ECONOMIES
(C. 600 BCE - 600 CE)
Prinsep and Piyadassi
❖ In Indian epigraphy took place in the 1830s.
❖ This was when James Prinsep, an officer in the mint of the East
India Company, deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi, two scripts used in the
earliest inscriptions and coins.
❖ He found that most of these mentioned a king referred to as Piyadassi – meaning
“pleasant to behold”; there were a few inscriptions which also referred to the
king as Asoka, one of the most famous rulers known from Buddhist texts.

1. The sixth century BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early
Indian history.
❖ It is an era associated with early states, cities, the growing
use of iron, the development of coinage, etc.

50
❖ It also witnessed the growth of diverse systems of thought, including Buddhism
and Jainism.
❖ Early Buddhist and Jaina texts mention, sixteen states known as
mahajanapadas.
❖ some names such as Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara and
Avanti occur frequently
❖ While most mahajanapadas were ruled by kings, some, known as ganas or
sanghas, were oligarchies where power was shared by a number of men, often
collectively called rajas.

SIXTH CENTURY BCE TURNING POINT

DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY STATES & CITIES

THE GROWING USE OF IRON

THE DEVELOPMENT OF COINAGE

GROWTH OF BUDDHISM AND JAINISM.

51
Causes for the Rise of Magadha
❖ Powerful Mahajanapada: Between the sixth and the fourth centuries BCE,
Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the most powerful mahajanapada.
❖ Fertile Belt: Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially
productive.
❖ Rich Deposit of Iron: Iron mines (in present-day Jharkhand) were accessible
and provided resources for tools and weapons.
❖ Elephant: Elephants, an important component of the army, were found in
forests in the region.
❖ Efficient Transport system: The Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of
cheap and convenient communication.
❖ Ambitious King: The early Buddhist and Jaina writers who wrote about
Magadha attributed its power to the policies of individuals: ruthlessly ambitious
kings of whom Bimbisara, Ajatasattu and Mahapadma Nanda are the best
known, and their ministers, who helped implement their policies.
❖ Twin Capital: Initially: Rajagaha (the Prakrit name for present day Rajgir in
Bihar) was the capital of Magadha, means “house of the king”. Rajagaha was a
fortified settlement, located amongst hills.
❖ Later, in the fourth century BCE, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra, present-
day Patna, commanding routes of communication along the Ganga.

52
 Elephant
Powerful
Mahajanapada Efficient
Transport
system:

CAUSES FOR
THE RISE OF
MAGADHA
Fertile Belt- EMPIRE Ambitious
Ganga King

Twin Capital-
Rich Deposit of Rajagaha &
Iron Pataliputra
Commanding routes of
communication

Sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire.

Finding out about the Mauryas Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct
the history of the Mauryan Empire.
❖ These include archaeological finds, especially sculpture.

53
❖ Contemporary works, such as the account of Megasthenes (a Greek
ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya),
❖ Arthashastra, composed by Kautilya or Chanakya, traditionally believed to be
the minister of Chandragupta.
❖ Besides, the Mauryas are mentioned in later Buddhist, Jaina and Puranic
literature, as well as in Sanskrit literary works.
❖ The inscriptions of Asoka (c. 272/268-231 BCE) on rocks and pillars are often
regarded as amongst the most valuable sources.
❖ Asoka was the first ruler who inscribed his messages to his subjects and officials
on stone surfaces – natural rocks as well as polished pillars.

Buddhist, Jaina
and Puranic
Account of literature,
Megasthenes
- Indica
SOURC
ES FOR
MOURIAN
EMPIRE

Inscriptions of
Kautilya’s Arthashastra
Asoka -On rocks
and pillars

54
ASHOKAS DHAMMA
❖ He used the inscriptions to proclaim what he understood to be dhamma.
❖ This included respect towards elders, generosity towards Brahmanas and those
who renounced worldly life, treating slaves and servants
❖ Kindly, and respect for religions and traditions other than one’s own.
❖ Special officers, known as the dhamma mahamatta, were appointed to spread
the message of dhamma.
Histories of the Gupta
❖ Histories of the Gupta rulers have been reconstructed from literature, coins and
inscriptions, including prashastis, composed in praise of kings in particular, and
patrons in general, by poets.
❖ ThePrayaga Prashasti (also known as the Allahabad Pillar
Inscription) composed in Sanskrit by Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta,
arguably the most powerful of the Gupta rulers (c. fourth century CE).
Strategies for increasing production
❖ Shift to plough agriculture: The strategy was the shift to plough agriculture,
which spread in fertile alluvial river valleys such as those of the Ganga and the
Kaveri from c. sixth century BCE.
❖ Iron-tipped ploughshare: The iron-tipped ploughshare was used to turn the
alluvial soil in areas which had high rainfall.
❖ Transplantation: In some parts of the Ganga valley, production of paddy was
dramatically increased by the introduction of transplantation.
❖ Iron ploughshare was restricted to certain parts of the subcontinent –
cultivators in areas which were semi-arid, such as parts of Punjab
and Rajasthan did not adopt it till the twentieth century.
❖ Hoe agriculture: Those living in hilly tracts in the north eastern and central
parts of the subcontinent practiced hoe agriculture.

55
 ❖ Use of irrigation: Another strategy adopted to increase agricultural production
was the use of irrigation, through wells and tanks, and less commonly,
[Link] as well as individuals organised the construction of
irrigation works.
New cities
❖ Pataliputra :on riverine routes
❖ Ujjayini: were along land routes
❖ Puhar :near the coast from where sea routes began.
❖ Mathura: were bustling centres of commercial, cultural and political activity.

NEW CITIES

PATALIPUTRA -
PUHAR :NEAR
RIVERINE
THE COAST
ROUTES

MATHURA:
CENTRES OF
UJJAYINI: LAND COMMERCIAL,
ROUTES CULTURAL AND
POLITICAL
ACTIVITY.

Northern Black Polished Ware

❖ Fine pottery bowls and dishes, with a glossy finish, known as Northern Black
Polished Ware, probably used by rich people, and
❖ Ornaments, tools, weapons, vessels, figurines, made of a wide range of
materials – gold, silver, copper, bronze, ivory, glass, shell and terracotta.
Coins and kings

56
❖ Punch-marked coins made of silver and copper (c. sixth century BCE onwards)
were amongst the earliest to be minted and used.
❖ Punch marked coins with specific ruling dynasties, including the Mauryas,
❖ It is also likely tat merchants, bankers and townspeople issued some of these
coins.
❖ The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by the Indo-
Greeks, who established control over the north-western part of the subcontinent
c. second century BCE.
❖ The first gold coins were issued c. first century CE by the Kushanas.
❖ These were virtually identical in weight with those issued by contemporary
Roman “Periplus” is a Greek word meaning sailing around and “Erythraean”
was the Greek name for the Red Sea.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Who deciphered Brahmi and Kharoshtl scripts?
(a) James Princep
(b)Cunningham
(c) Wheelar
(d)John Marshall Ans: James Princep
2. How many Mahajanapadas were there?
(a) 17
(b) 14
(c) 18
(d) 16 Ans : d)16
3. Which of these was the most powerful Mahajanapada from 6th to
4th century BCE ?
(a) Kuru
(b) Magadha
(c) Panehala

57
 (d) Ciandhra Ans: Magadha
4. Who appointed Dhamma Mahamatas ?
(a) Bimbisar
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Asoka
(d) Pandava Ans: Ashoka
5. Who founded the Mauryan Empire ?
(a) Chandragupta maurya
(b) Bindusar
(c) Asoka
Ajatashatu Ans Ajathashatu
6. Sangam is a literature of ........................................ language.
(a) Tamil
(b) Malayalam
(c) Sanskrit
(d) None of the above Ans: Tamil
7. Harishena was a court poet of………………………..
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Asoka
(d) Chandragupta II Ans Samudragupta
8. Consider the following statements about the Mauryan Empire :
(i) There were 5 major political centres in the Empire.
(ii) Megasthenese wrote about the Mauryan Empire in his book
Indica.
(iii) Asoka founded the Mauryan Empire in 321 B.c.
(iv) Asoka used his sources to propogate Buddhism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?

58
 (a) 1,2 &3
(b) 1,2 &4
(c) 2,3 & 4
(d)1,3 & 4 Ans: (b) 1,2 &4
9. Which was the first capital of Magadha?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Kalinga
(c) Rajagaha
(d) None of the above Ans: Rajagrah
10. What is James prinsep’s contribution in the development of the
Indian epigraphy ?
(a) He deciphered the Brahmi script used in most of the Asokan
inscriptions.
(b) He deciphered the Kharoshti script used in most of the
Asokan inscriptions.
(c) Both ‘a’ &’b’
(d) None of these Ans: Both ‘a’ &’b’
11. Who issued the first coins bearing the names of rulers ?
(a) Mauryas
(b) Guptas
(c) Indo- Greeks
(d) Satavahanas Ans:Indo-Greek
12. Asoka is mentioned by which titles in his inscriptions ?
(a) Asoka , Piyadassi
(b) Masattuvan ,Asoka
(c) Devanampiya, Piyadassi
(d) Devaputra , Piyadassi Ans: Devanampiya, Piyadassi
13. Who composed the Prayag Prashasti in praise of Samudragupta?

59
 (a) Prabhavati Gupta
(b) Harisena
(c) Kautilya
(d) Banabhatta Ans: Harisena
14 Who was Dhamma Mahamatta ?
(a) Special revenue officers appointed by Asoka for tax collection.
(b) Special officers appointed by Asoka for maintaining law and
order.
(c) Special officers appointed by Asoka to spread the message of
Dhamma.
(d) Special officers appointed by Asoka to stop the message of
Dhamma. Ans : (c)
15. ..................... are the writings engraved on hard surfaces such as
stone,metal or pottery.
(a)Inscriptions(b)Epigraphy
(c) Calligraphy (d) Manuscripts Ans: (a)Inscriptions
16. Few inscriptions mentioned a king referred to as Piyadassi which
meant pleasant to
behold. Who among the following king was known as Piyadassi?
(a)Samudragupta(b)Chandragupta I
(c)Ashoka(d)Kanishka Ans:c)Ashoka
17. Which century is often regarded as a major turning point in an
early Indian history and is an era associated with early states,
cities development of coins etc.?
(a)FifthcenturyBCE (b)SixthcenturyBCE
(c)SeventhcenturyBCE(d)EightcenturyBCE
Ans:(b)SixthcenturyBCE
18. What does the term Mahajanapadas symbolises?

60
 (a) Amalgamation of large number of rural and urban settlements.
(b) Separation of a large number of rural and urban settlements.
(c) Single state with single ruler.
(d) None of the above Ans: a) Amalgamation of large number of rural
and urban settlements.
19. Match the following.
State Capital
A. Anga 1. Rajgir
B. Magadha 2. Champa
C. Kashi 3. Varanasi
D. Vatsa 4. Kaushambi
Codes
ABCDABCD
(a) 2 1 3 4 (b) 1 2 4 3
(c) 2 4 3 1 (d) 1 2 3 4
20. Match the following.
A. Gahapati 1. Plough men
B. Vellalar 2. Head of a house
C. Uzhavar 3. Land owner
D. Adimai 4. Slaves
Codes
ABCDABCD
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 2 3 1 4
(c) 4 1 2 3 (d) 2 1 3 4
21.. Which king is depicted in the coins?
(a) Kanishka (b) Ashoka
(c) Chandragupta Maurya (d) None of these
22. Which one of the following pairs is incorrectly matched?

61
 (a) Magadha – Most powerful Mahajanapada
(b) Puhar – On a land trade route
(c) Rajagaha – Fortified settlement
(d) Suvarnagiri – Goldmine in Tamil Nadu Ans: b) Puhar – On a land
trade route
23.. Identify the name of the historian from the following
informations.
1. He was an officer in the mint of the East India Company.
2. He deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi, two scripts used in the
earliest inscriptions and coins.
3. His findings gave a new direction to investigations into early
Indian political history.
(a) James Prinsep (b) John Marshall (c) A Cunningham (d) Rakhal
Das Banerji Ans: (a) James Prinsep
24.. Identify the ruler.
1. He was one of the most famous ruler known from Buddha texts.
2. He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya.
3. He tried to hold his empire together by propagating Dhamma.
(a) Chandragupta I (b) Bimbisara (c) Ashoka (d) Samudragupta
25. Assertion (A) : Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of
Mauryan Empire.
Reason (R) : Magadha was the most powerful Mahajanapada
between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true Ans: a) Both A and R are true and R is

62
 the correct explanation of A
26. Assertion (A) : Very large size statues of Kushana rulers have
been found from many places.
Reason (R) : The Kushana rulers considered themselves as son of
God.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
26 Which of the following statements is not correct?
(a) The first gold coin was issued by Kushanas.
(b) The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued
by Indo-Greeks.
(c) Copper coins were issued by tribal republics.
(d) Punch-marked coins were only made of copper. Ans: (d) Punch-
marked coins were only made of copper.
27. Select the correct statement.
(a) Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts are not deciphered till today.
(b) Mahavira and Buddha did not belong to ganas.
(c) Arthashastra was written by Kautilya.
(d) Taxila was famous for the goldmines. Ans: (c) Arthashastra was
written by Kautilya.
28. Which of the following statements is not correct?
(a) Most Ashokan inscriptions were in the Prakrit language.
(b) Chandragupta II was the founder of Mauryan Empire.
(c) Many Kushana rulers adopted the title ‘Devaputra’.
(d) An Agrahara was a land granted to Brahmana Ans: (b)

63
 Chandragupta II was the founder of Mauryan Empire
SHORT QUESTION &ANSWERS
1. Why is the 6th century BCE often considered a major turning point in
Indian history?
(i) Emergence of States, cities and towns ; use of iron
(ii) Emergence of States, cities and towns.
(iii) Dominance of Hinduism.
(iv) Use of iron
(v) Emergence of Buddhism and Jainism
(vi) Extensive use of Copper
2. Describe the salient features of mahajanapadas.
Ans: The salient features of mahajanapadas are as follows :
(i) The most important mahajanapadas were Vajji, Magadha, Koshala,
Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara and Avanti.
(ii) Most mahajanapadas were ruled by kings.
(iii)Some, known as ganas or sanghas, were oligarchies where power
was shared by a number of men, often collectively called rajas.
(iv)Each mahajanapada had a capital city, which was often fortified.
(v)Brahmanas composed the Dharmasutras which laid down norms for
rulers as well as for other social categories.
3. Explain the main features of the Mauryan administration.
(i) Megasthenes mentions a committee with six subcommittees for

coordinating military activity.

(ii) One looked after the navy the second managed transport and

provisions, the third was responsible for foot-soldiers, the fourth for
horses, the fifth for chariots and the sixth for elephants.

64
 (iii)The activities of the second subcommittee were rather varied-

arranging for bullock carts to carry equipment, and recruiting servants

and artisans to look after the soldiers.
(iv) Asoka also tried to hold his empire together by propagating Dhannna,

the principles of which were simple and virtually universally

applicable.
(v) Special officers, known as the Dhamma Mahamatta, were appointed

to spread the message of Dhamma

4. List some of the problems faced by epigraphists.
Ans: The problems faced by epigraphists are as given below :
i. Sometimes, the letters of inscriptions are very faintly engraved, and
thus reconstructions are uncertain.
ii. Sometimes, the inscriptions may be damaged or letters missing.
iii. It is not easy to be sure about the exact meaning of the words used in
the inscriptions.
iv. Several thousand inscriptions have been discovered but not all have
been deciphered, published and translated.
v. Many more inscriptions must have existed, which have not survived
the ravages of time.
vi. There is also a possibility that what we consider politically or
economically significant may not have been recorded in inscriptions.
5. How did the political history of ’ early India get a new direction with
the research work of James Princep? Or
Why is James Princep’s contribution considered as the historic
development? in the Indian epigraphy?
Ans:There was a lot of development in the Indian epigraphy around 1830 in
which James Princep, who was an officer in the unit of the East India
Company, played a great role.

65
 i. He deciphered two scripts namely Brahmi and Kharosthi.
ii. These scripts were used in the earliest inscriptions and coins.
iii. James Princep came to know that most of the inscriptions and coins
had the name of king who was referred to as Piyadassi that is,
“Pleasant to behold” as the one with a handsome face.
iv. There was also the name of Ashoka on a few inscriptions. According
to Buddhist texts, Ashoka was one of the most important rulers of the
era.
6. Explain the sources used by historians to reconstruct the history of the
Mauryan Empire.
Ans:
i. The most important source of information about the Mauryan period
was the book “Indica” written by Megasthenes, a Greek
ambassador in the court of Chandragupta Maurya. It gives a beautiful
depiction of the society and the administrative system.
ii. Another important source of information is the book, “Arthashastra”
written by Kautilya or Chanakya. It gives detailed knowledge
about the Mauryan administrative system.
iii. “Mudrarakshasa” by Vishakhadutta tells a lot about how
Chandragupta snatched the reins of rule from the Nanda dynasty.
iv. The texts of Jain and Buddhist religions throw a great deal of light
on the life and religious views of Mauryan kings.
v. The inscriptions of Ashoka also help a lot in understanding the
history of the Mauryan period.
7. Write about the Dhamma of Ashoka.
Ans:The main principle of Ashoka was to respect the elders. According to
him, all the pupils must respect their teachers (Gurus) and all should respect
the Saints, Brahmans and elderly people.

66
 i. According to the Dhamma of Ashoka, all the elderly persons should
respect members of the family, relatives, servants, the poor and the
slaves.
ii. Everyone has to face the ordeal in his next birth for all his evil deeds.
So all should perform pious deeds.
iii. Non-violence was the cardinal principle of Ashoka’s Dhamma.
According to it, no one should hurt anyone with words, deeds and
thoughts.
iv. All should analyse their actions from time to time.
v. Envy, anger, pride and lies are all evils. All the people should remain
away from them.
8. What are inscriptions ? Why are they considered as important
documents or permanent evidence?
Ans:

i. Inscriptions are writings engraved on hard surfaces like stone, metal

or pottery. Inscriptions generally record the activities, achievements
or ideas of those who commissioned them.
ii. They also include the donations made by men and women to religious
institutions
iii. They are virtually permanent records as their information could not
be changed.
iv. Even some inscriptions carry dates of their commission.
v. Others which are not dated can be dated on the basis of palaeography
or style of writing.
9. How the Brahmi Script of Ashokan age was deciphered?
Ans:Most of the scripts used to write modern Indian languages are defined
from Brahmi script.

67
 i. This script was used in most of Ashokan inscriptions. From the late
18th century, European scholars, helped by Indian pandits, worked
backwards from contemporary Bengali and Devanagri.
ii. Scholars who studied early inscriptions thought that these inscriptions
were in Sanskrit but the earliest inscriptions were in Prakrit
iii. . After decades of great hard work by many epigraphers, James
Princep deciphered the Ashokan age Brahmi script in 1838.
10 How do historians reconstruct the lives of ordinary people?
. Ans: Ordinary people could not leave behind any historical evidence about
their life. Hence, the historians use a variety of sources to reconstruct the
lives of the common people during the ancient times. The important sources
are:

i. Remains of houses and pottery give an idea of the life of common

men.
Some inscriptions and scriptures talk about the relation between
monarchs and the subject.
ii. It talks about taxes and happiness and unhappiness of the common
men.
iii. Changing tools of craftsmen and farmers talk about the lifestyle of the
people.
iv. Historians also depend upon folklores to reconstruct the lives of the
people during the ancient times.
LONG QUESTION AND ANSWERS
1. What does Asokan inscriptions tell about the Mauryas? Describe the
limitations of the inscriptional [Link]
To what extent the epigraphists face limitations of inscriptional
evidence? Explain.

68
Answer:
INTRODUCTION: Asoka was the first ruler who inscribed his messages
on stone surfaces i.e. natural rocks and polished pillars. The major rock
edicts explain the Mauryans administration specially about Asoka. Some of
the important inscriptions are discussed below:
(i) The name of Asoka was not mentioned in the inscriptions. Instead,
the titles viz, ‘Devanampiya’ (beloved of the God) and ‘Piyadassi’
(pleasant to behold) were mentioned.
(ii) Asoka condemned the desire for fame and glory. He stressed on
popularity of Dhamma.
(iii) Dhamma included respect towards elders, generosity towards
Brahmanas and those who renounced worldly life, treating slaves and
servants kindly and respect for religions and traditions other than
one’s own.
Limitations of inscriptional evidence are:
i. Technical Limitations: Sometimes letters are very faintly engraved
and thus doubts arise for inscriptions may be damaged or letters
missing.
ii. Damaged or Missing Letters: Sometimes important letters are
damaged or missing in the inscription. It makes the work for
epigraphists more difficult.
iii. Lack of Clarity: It is not always easy to be sure about the exact
meaning of the words used in the inscriptions, some of which may be
specific to a particular place or time. So, scholars are constantly
debating on alternative ways to read inscriptions.
iv. Undeciphered Inscriptions: Thousands of inscriptions have been
discovered, but not all have been deciphered, published and

69
 translated. Many inscriptions were destroyed and what we have
today’ probably a fraction of it.
v. Non-relevance of Inscriptions: Inscriptions were composed in praise
of kings and patrons in general. Not everything that is economically
or politically important was recorded in the inscriptions, e.g. routine
agricultural practice, the joys and sorrow of common man were not
mentioned in the inscriptions. Thus, it is difficult for the epigraphists
to give the complete picture of a society by relying on inscriptions
only.
2. Explain the system of land grants and trade from 600 BCE to 600 CE.
Answer:
From the early centuries, the grants of land were recorded in inscriptions.
Some inscriptions were recorded in copper plates. The records that have
survived, give us the following facts:
Land Grant :
The land grants were given to religious institutions or to Brahmanas.
Women were not supposed to have independent access to resources like
land.
But aristocrat women like Prabhavati Gupta, daughter of Chandragupta II
had access to lands.
All the people in rural areas had to obey the new land of the village and pay
him all the taxes.
Weakened Political Power:
(i) Some historians claim that land grants e indicative of weakening
political power, as kings were loosing control over their samantas.
(ii) Sometimes, kings tried to win allies by making grants of land.
(iii)Land grants provide some insight into the relationship between
cultivators and the state.

70
 Development of trade:
(i) Land and river routes criss-crossed the sub-continent and extended in
different directions from the 6th century BCE.
(ii) The ruler tried to control these routes by offering protection for a
price.
(iii) The merchants travelled with caravans of bullock carts and
pack-animals.
(iv) A wide range of goods were carried from one place to another.
These were salt, grain, cloth, metal ores and finished products, stone,
timber, medicinal plants, spices and pepper and textiles. All these
were transported across the Arabian sea to the Mediterranean.
3. What do you mean by’ Numismatics? How has the study of coins
helped the Numismatists to reconstruct possible commercial networks?
Answer:
Numismatics is the study of coins, including visual elements such as scripts
and images, metallurgical analysis and the contexts in which they have been
found.
The study of coins has helped the numismatists to reconstruct the possible
commercial networks in the following ways:
i. Introduction of Coinage for Trade Facilitation: To some extent,
exchanges were facilitated by the introduction of coinage. A wide
range of goods like salt, grain, cloth, metal ores and finished products,
stone, timber, medicinal plants, etc were carried from one place to
another. These certainly required some kind of currency for exchange.
Hence, these led to the development of coinage across the trading
cultures.
ii. Excavation of Punch-marked Coins across the Sub-continent:
Punch-marked coins made of silver and copper (16th century BCE

71
 onwards) were amongst the earliest to be minted and used. These
have been recovered from excavations at a number of sites throughout
the sub-continent. Numismatics have studied these and other coins to
reconstruct possible commercial networks.
iii. Kings, Merchants and Bankers as Issuing Authority: Attempts
made to identify the symbols on punch-marked coins with specific
ruling dynasties, including the Mauryas, suggest that these were
issued by kings. It is also likely that merchants, bankers and towns
people issued some of these coins.
iv. Similarity of Kushana Coins with those of Greeks and Parthians:
The first gold coins were issued in 1st century CE by the Kushanas.
These were virtually identical in weight with those issued by
contemporary Roman emperors and the Parthian rulers of Iran have
been found from several sites in North India and Central Asia.
v. Close Connections with Roman Empire: The widespread use of
gold coins indicates the enormous value of the transactions that were
taking place. Besides, hoards of Roman coins have been found from
archaeological sites in South India. It is obvious that networks of
trade were not confined within political boundaries. South India was
not a part of the Roman empire, but there were dose connections
through trade.
4. What is the importance of the emergence of Gupta age in Indian
history?
Answer: Introduction :
❖ Gupta age occupies an important place in ancient Indian history.
❖ All the rebellious elements remained no more with the advent of this
age and political unity came into the scenario.

72
 ❖ Peace and security were established in the country and all the internal
conflicts came to an end.
❖ The country made huge progress in the fields of art and literature.
❖ The whole atmosphere was filled with peace and prosperity. In short,
the following are the important aspects of this age :
End of Darkness:
i. After the Mauryan empire, peace was established in-country during
Kushanas. But it lasted only for a short span of time.
ii. After Kushanas, again, internal conflicts and wars started. We do not
have enough information about the kings who ruled during this age of
chaos but this darkness came to an end with the advent of the Gupta
age.
Political Unity:
i. Country was divided into smaller states before the Gupta age. Nag
and Vakatak were important dynasties. Except these, Yoddeya,
Licchhavi, Malwa, etc., dynasties were also present.
ii. Kings of these dynasties were often engaged in wars with each other.
iii. There was no powerful king in the country who could establish
political unity in the country.
iv. Kanishka was an able and powerful ruler but his tenure was very
small. Gupta kings established political unity in the country.
Peace and Prosperity:
i. Gupta kings provided top quality administration and established
peace in the country. Trade was encouraged and the country became
prosperous.
Re-emergence of Hinduism:
ii. Hinduism re-emerged during the Gupta age. Buddhism made huge
progress during the reign of Ashoka and Kanishka.

73
 iii. But Gupta kings were the followers of Hinduism which spread to a
great deal during their reign.
Progress in Fine Arts:
i. Fine arts also made huge progress during the Gupta age.
ii. Beautiful sculptures and paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses were
made.
iii. Ajanta Caves were built during this age.
iv. The art of metal sculptures also developed in this age.
Progress in Literature:
i. Gupta age was very important from the literary point of view.
ii. Sanskrit language and Sanskrit literature made huge progress in the
country. Kalidasa was born in this age and so was Vishakhadatta.
Harissa and Amarsena held an important place in Sanskrit literature.
iii. Except these, books were written on astrology, mathematics,
geography, chemistry, etc. Aryabhatta, Varhamihira and Brahma
Gupta were the great scientists of this age.
Foreign Relation:
i. Actually Gupta age holds an important place in Indian history.
ii. The first time, Indians went over to foreign countries to spread their
culture. Centres of Indian culture were made in Java, Sumatra, Bali,
Burma and other countries. Even Indians made colonies in various
other countries.
iii. Foreign powers in the country came to an end during this age.
Samudragupta defeated foreign kings and made India free from the
rule of foreign kings.
5. Which Mahajanapada emerged as the strongest state during the period
6th to 4th century BCE ? What were its reasons?
Causes for the Rise of Magadha

74
 ❖ Powerful Mahajanapada: Between the sixth and the fourth centuries
BCE, Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the most powerful
mahajanapada.
❖ Fertile Belt: Magadha was a region where agriculture was
especially productive.
❖ Rich Deposit of Iron: Iron mines (in present-day Jharkhand) were
accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons.
❖ Elephant: Elephants, an important component of the army, were
found in forests in the region.
❖ Efficient Transport system: The Ganga and its tributaries provided a
means of cheap and convenient communication.
❖ Ambitious King: The early Buddhist and Jaina writers who wrote
about Magadha attributed its power to the policies of individuals:
ruthlessly ambitious kings of whom Bimbisara, Ajatasattu and
Mahapadma Nanda are the best known, and their ministers, who
helped implement their policies.
❖ Twin Capital: Initially: Rajagaha (the Prakrit name for present day
Rajgir in Bihar) was the capital of Magadha, means “house of the
king”. Rajagaha was a fortified settlement, located amongst hills.
❖ Later, in the fourth century BCE, the capital was shifted to
Pataliputra, present-day Patna, commanding routes of communication
along the Ganga.

Source Based Questions

1. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follows :
In Praise of Samudragupta
This is an excerpt from the Prayaga Prashasti: He was without an antagonist
on earth; he, by the overflowing of the multitude of (his) many good

75
 Question ualities adorned by hundreds of good actions, has wiped off the
fame of other kings with the soles of (his) feet; (he is) Purusha (the Supreme
Being), being the cause of the prosperity of the good and the destruction of
the bad (he is) incomprehensible; (he is) one whose tender heart can be
captured only by devotion and humility; (he is) possessed of compassion;
(he is) the giver of many hundred-thousands of cows; (his) mind has
received ceremonial initiation for the uplift of the miserable, the poor, the
forlorn and the suffering; (he is) resplendent and embodied kindness to
mankind; (he is) equal to (the gods) Kubera (the god of wealth), Varuna (the
god of the ocean), Indra (the god of rains) and Yama (the god of death)…
(i) From where has this excerpt been taken? Whose composition is this?
Answer:
This excerpt has been taken from the Prayaga Prashasti, popularly known as
the Allahabad Pillar Inscription. It has been composed by Harisena, the
court poet of Samudragupta.
(ii) What is its original language?
Ans:
Its original language is Sanskrit.
(iii) Who was Samudragupta? With which gods has he been compared?
Ans:
Samudragupta was the most powerful of the Gupta rulers. So he has been
compared to Kubera, the god of wealth, Varuna, the god of the ocean, Indra,
the god of rains and Yama, the god of death.
2. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follows :
Life in a Small Village
The Harshacharita is a biography of Harshavardhana, the ruler of Kanauj,
composed in Sanskrit by his court poet, Banabhatta (c. seventh century CE).
This is an excerpt from the text, an extremely rare representation of life in a

76
 settlement on the outskirts of a forest in the Vindhyas :
The outskirts being for the most part forest, many parcels of rice-land,
threshing ground and arable land were being apportioned by small farmers.
it was mainly spaded culture owing to the difficulty of ploughing the
sparsely scattered fields covered with grass, with their few clear spaces,
their black soil stiff as black iron There were people moving along with
bundles of bark countless sacks of plucked flowers, loads of flax and hemp
bundles, quantities of honey, peacocks tail feathers, wreaths of wax, logs,
and grass. Village wives hastened en route for neighbouring villages, all
intent on thoughts of sale and bearing on their heads baskets filled with
various gathered forest fruits.
(i) From which book has this excerpt been taken? Who was the author
of this book?
Ans:This excerpt has been taken from Harshacharita written in Sanskrit.
This book is a biography of Harshavardhana. Its author was Banabhatta, the
court-poet of Harsha¬vardhana.
(ii) Who was Harshavardhana?
Ans:Harshavardhana was the ruler of Kanauj in the seventh century.
(iii) The life of which settlement has been described in this excerpt?
Enumerate its any three geographical features.
Ans:This excerpt is a beautiful depiction of life in a settlement on the
outskirts of a forest in Vindhyas. Its geographical features are as follows :
(a) The land of this settlement was fertile. The people grew paddy or rice in
it.
(b) It was difficult to plough the sparsely scattered fields covered with grass.
(c) The land had only a few clear spaces. The black soil of this settlement
was as stiff as the black iron.
3. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follows :

77
Prabhavati Gupta and the Village of Danguna
This is what Prabhavati Gupta states in her inscription :
Prabhavati Gupta commands the gramakutumbinas (householders/peasants
living in the village), Brahmanas and others living in the village of
Danguna…
“Be it known to you that on the twelfth (lunar day) of the bright (fortnight)
of Karttika, we have, in order to increase our religious merit donated this
village with the pouring out of the water, to the Acharya (teacher)
Chanalasvamin You should obey all (his) commands
We confer on (him) the following exemptions typical of an agrahara….(this
village is) not to be entered by soldiers and policemen ; (It is) exempt from
(the obligation to provide) grass, (animal) hides as seats, and charcoal (to
touring royal officers); exempt from (the royal prerogative of ) purchasing
fermenting liquors and digging (salt); exempt from (the right to) mines and
Khedira trees; exempt from the obligation to supply) flowers and milk; (it is
donated) together with (the right to) hidden treasures and deposits (and)
together with major and minor taxes This
charter has been written in the thirteenth (regnal) year. (It has been)
engraved by Chakradasa.
(i) Who has issued this inscription?
Ans:This inscription has been issued by Prabhavati Gupta.
(ii) Why does she want to donate land? Who is the recipient of the
donation of land?
Ans:She wanted to donate land to increase her religious merit. The recipient
of the land is Acharya Chanalasvamin.
(iii) What were the exemptions on the land of a typical agrahara?
Ans:The following exemptions were available on land of a typical agrahara:
(a) The soldiers and policemen will not enter the village given in donation.

78
 (b) Grass, charcoal and animal hides as seats with not be provided to those
administrative officials who visit the village.
(c) The village was exempted to pay minerals, Khadira trees, flowers and
milk.
(d) Exemption from purchasing fermenting liquors and digging salt.
Additional MCQs

1] The first gold coins were issued by ____________.

A. The Kushanas
B. The Vakatakas
C. The
Mauryas
D. The Yaudheyas
solution) A. The Kushanas

2] Asokan Brahmi was deciphered by James Prince in the year ____________.

A.1835
B.1836
C. 1838
D. 1837
solution) C . 1838

3] Which metal coins first entered circulation in the sixth century as an

experiment? A. Silver and Copper
B. Copper and Gold
C. Gold and Silver
D. Tin and copper
solution) A. Silver and Copper

4] In his inscriptions, Asoka is referred to by which titles?

A. Ashoka, Piyadassi
B. Masattuvan, Ashoka
C. Devanampiya, Piryadassi
D. Devaputra, Piyadassi
solution) C. Devanampiya,
Piryadassi

79
5] Contrary to the norms of Sanskrit legal scriptures, which Queen enjoyed
independent access to
land?
A. Salavati
B. Vijaya Satakani
C. Prabhavati Gupta
D. Yana Sakasena tel
solution) C . Prabhavati Gupta

6] An agrahara was land granted to a

__________.
A. Kshatriya
B. Brahmana
C. Vaishya
D. Shudra
solution) B. Brahmana

7] _____________ are inscriptions that record gifts made to religious

institutions. A. Elogium inscriptions
B. Votive inscriptions
C. Honorific inscriptions
D. Dedicatory inscriptions
solution) B. Votive inscriptions

8] In the year __________, the first issue of Epigraphic Carnatica, a journal of

south Indian inscriptions, was published.
A.1884
B.1885
C. 1886
D. 1887
solution) C. 1886

9] In Tamil, successful merchants were known as ____________.

A. Samantas
B. Masattuvan
C. Setthis
D. Satthavahas
solution) B. Masattuvan

80
10] Harshavardhana was the ruler of ___________.
A. Kanauj
B.
Topra
C. Sanchi
D. Shishupalgarh
Solution) A. Kanauj

11] Capitals of mahajanapadas are located ___________.

A. near agricultural fields
B. near to iron mines
C. next to forests
D. along routes of communication
solution) D. along routes of
communication

12] Which of the following traders' ventures were risky yet immensely
profitable? A. Peddlers
B. Seafarers
C. Merchants with caravans of bullock carts and pack – animals
D. All of the above
solution) B. Seafarers

13] Identify the group that issued such coins.

A. Yaudheya
B. Gupta
C.
Kushanas
D. Mauryas
Solution) A. Yaudheya

81
14] Who deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi?
a. John Marshall
b. Alexander Cunningham
c. James Prinsep
d. Fracois Bernier
Solution) c. James Prinsep.
15] Match the following:

a. Epigraphy i. The government of the Roman

Republic

b. Oligarchy ii. Harishena

c. Piyadassi iii. Pleasant to behold

d. Prayaga Prashasti iv. Study of Inscriptions

A. a-i, b-ii, c-iii, d-iv

B. a-iii, b-ii, c-iv, d-i
C. a-ii, b-i, c-iii, d-iv
D. a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii
Solution) D. a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii
16] Assertion: Many Kushana rulers called themselves devaputra or son of god.
Reason: Their inspiration were Chinese rulers who called themselves
descendants of god.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
Solution) b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
17] The Maryann Empire lasted for-
a. 1500 years
b. 750 years
c. 150 years
d. 2500 years
Solution) C.150 years
18] Kautilya was the minister of which ruler?
a. Chandragupta Maurya
b. Asoka

82
 c. Ajatasattu
d. Mahapadma Nanda
Solution) a: Chandragupta Maurya
19] The Prayaga Prashasti was composed for-
a. Chandragupta
b. Samudragupta
c. Harishena
d. Rudradaman
Solution) b: Samudragupta
20] Sources for knowing the subjects’ perception of their kings:
a. Inscriptions
b. Manuscripts
c. Anthologies
d. Travelogues
Solution) c. Anthologies
21] In which language were the Jatakas written?
a. Pali
b. Prakrit
c. Sanskrit
d. Tamil
Solution a: Pali

22] The Sudarshana lake was built under the rule of:
a. Guptas
b. Mauryas
c. Shakas
d. Satavahanas
Solution) b. Mauryas
23]. Greek sources claim the Mauryan ruler had a standing army of-
a. 10, 00,000
b. 2,00,000
c. 80,000
d. 6,00,000
Solution) D 6, 00,000
83
24] The term ‘vellalar’ was used for-
a. Landowners
b. Ploughmen
c. Artisans
d. Merchants
Solution) a. Landowners
25) Pick the correct pair:
a. Chandragupta - Maurya
b. Asoka - Khushana
c. Rudradaman - Shaka
d. Samudragupta - Satavahana
Solution) c. Rudradaman - Shaka

CBSE PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

1. Why was Mauryan Empire regarded as a major landmark in the
early Indian history
2. Why is the 6th century BCE is regarded as a major turning points in
early Indian history ?
3. Why is James Prinsep’s contribution considered as the historic
development in Indian epigraphy?
4. How were the coins used in the 1st century CE ? Give two examples
5. How did Kushana rulers exemplify themselves with the high status ?
6. How have the Prashastis draws the factual information about the
Gupta rulers ?
7. Mention any two features of the administrative system of the
Mauyan Empire
8. How did Magadha became the most powerful mahajanapada
between 6th and 4th century BCE ?Give two reasons
9. Explain why the communication along both land and riverine routes
was vital for the existence of the empire during the period of

84
 Mauyans
10. Who deciphered the Brami and Kharosthi script ?What important
facts were revealed through these script ?
11. Mention any two ways in which the inscriptions of land grant help
us to understand rural society in ancient times.
12. Critically examine the limitations of the inscriptional evidences in
understanding political and economic history of India.
13. Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct the history
of the Mauryasn [Link] any four such sources. 8 marks al
14. What is the role played by the coins in the decipherment of
Kharosthi script ?
15. Explain briefly the notion of Kingship during Kushana and Gupta
empire.
16. Describe briefly strategies for increasing agriculture production
from 6th century BCE to 6th century CE .
17. How Magadha became the most powerful Mahajanapada between
sixth to fourth century BCE? Give two reason..
18. Explain the main features of the Mauryan administration
19. What do you mean by Numismatics? How has the study of coins
helped the Numismatics to reconstruct possible commercial ne
20. How do the modern historians explain the development and growth
of Magadhan power ? Explain briefly.
MAP

85
86
 THEME-3
KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS EARLY SOCIETIES
(C. 600 BCE - 600 CE)

THE CRITICAL EDITION OF THE MAHABHARATA:

❖ One of the most ambitious projects of scholarship began in 1919, under the
leadership of a noted Indian Sanskritist, V.S. Sukthankar.
❖ A team comprising dozens of scholars initiated the task of preparing a
critical edition of the Mahabharata.
❖ The team worked out a method of comparing verses from each manuscript.
❖ Published in several volumes, running into over 13,000 pages.
❖ The project took 47 years to complete.
❖ Two things became apparent: there were several common elements in the
Sanskrit versions of the story, evident in manuscripts found
all over the subcontinent, from Kashmir and Nepal in the north to Kerala and Tamil
Nadu in the south.
❖ These variations were documented in footnotes and appendices to the main text.
TERMS FOR FAMILY AND KIN
❖ Sanskrit texts use the term kula to designate families and jnati for the larger
network of kinfolk.
❖ The term vamsha is used for lineage.
❖ Patriliny means tracing descent from father to son, grandson
and so on.
❖ Matriliny is the term used when descent is traced through the
mother.

87
RULES OF MARRIAGE
❖ While sons were important for the continuity of the patrilineage, daughters were
viewed rather differently within this framework.
❖ The daughters had no claims to the resources of the household.
❖ At the same time, marrying them into families outside the kin was
considered desirable.
❖ kanyadana or the gift of a daughter in marriage was an important religious duty of
the father.
TYPES OF MARRIAGES:
❖ Endogamy refers to marriage within a unit – this could be a kin group, caste, or a
group living in the same locality.
❖ Exogamy refers to marriage outside the unit.
❖ Polygyny is the practice of a man having several wives.
❖ Polyandry is the practice of a woman having several husbands.

Endogamy-Refers to Polygyny-The
marriage within a practice of a man
unit having several wives

TYPES OF
MARRIAGE

Exogamy-Refers to
marriage outside
the unit Polyandry -The practice of
a woman having several
husbands.

88
THE GOTRA OF WOMEN
❖ Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer, and all those who belonged to the same
gotra were regarded as his descendants.
❖ Women were expected to give up their father’s gotra and adopt that of their
husband on marriage
Members of the same gotra could not marry.
The “right” occupation
❖ The Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras also contained rules about the ideal
“occupations” of the four categories or varnas.
❖ Brahmanas were supposed to study and teach the Vedas, perform sacrifices and get
sacrifices performed, and give and receive gifts.
❖ Kshatriyas were to engage in warfare, protect people and administer justice, study
the Vedas, get sacrifices performed, and make gifts.
❖ Vaishyas, who were in addition expected to engage in agriculture, pastoralism and
trade.
❖ Shudras were assigned only one occupation – that of serving the three “higher”
varnas.)The
Brahmanas evolved two or three strategies for enforcing these norms:
a) As we have just seen, was to assert that the varna order was of divine origin.
b) Second, they advised kings to ensure that these norms were followed within their
kingdoms.
c) And third, they attempted to persuade people that their status was determined by
birth.
NON-KSHATRIYA KINGS
❖ According to the Shastras, only Kshatriyas could be kings.
❖ The social background of the Mauryas, who ruled over a large empire, has been
hotly debated.

89
 ❖ While later Buddhist texts suggested they were Kshatriyas, Brahmanical texts
described them as being of “low” origin.
❖ The Shungas and Kanvas, the immediate successors of the
Mauryas, were Brahmanas.
❖ Political power was effectively open to anyone who could muster support and
resources, and rarely depended on birth as a Kshatriya.
❖ The Shakas who came from Central Asia, were regarded as mlechchhas, barbarians
or outsiders by the Brahmanas.
❖ One of the earliest inscriptions in Sanskrit describes Rudradaman, the best-known
Shaka ruler (c. second century CE), rebuilt Sudarshana lake This suggests that
powerful mlechchhas
were familiar with Sanskritic traditions.
❖ The best-known ruler of the Satavahana dynasty, Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani,
claimed to be both a unique Brahmana (eka bamhana) and a destroyer of the pride
of Kshatriyas..
DUTIES” OF THE CHANDALAS
❖ The Manusmriti laid down the “duties” of the chandalas.
❖ They had to live outside the village, use discarded utensils, and wear clothes of the
dead and ornaments of iron.
❖ They could not walk about in villages and cities at night.
❖ They had to dispose of the bodies of those who had no relatives and serve as
executioners.
❖ The Chinese Buddhist monk Fa Xian (c. fifth century CE) wrote
that “untouchables” had to sound a clapper in the streets so that people could avoid
seeing them.
❖ Another Chinese pilgrim, Xuan Zang (c. seventh century),observed that
executioners and scavengers were forced to live outside the city.

90
THE CRITICAL EDITION OF THE MAHABHARATA
❖ One of the most ambitious projects of scholarship began in 1919, under the
leadership of a noted Indian Sanskritist, V.S. Sukthankar.
❖ A team comprising dozens of scholars initiated the task of preparing a
critical edition of the Mahabharata.
❖ It meant collecting Sanskrit manuscripts of the text, written in a variety of scripts,
from different parts of the country.
❖ The team worked out a method of comparing verses from each manuscript.
❖ They selected the verses that appeared common to most versions and published
these in several volumes, running into over 13,000 pages.
❖ The project took 47 years to complete.
❖ There were several common elements in the Sanskrit versions of the story, evident
in manuscripts found all over the subcontinent, from Kashmir and Nepal in the
north to Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south.
❖ Enormous regional variations in the ways in which the text had been transmitted
over the centuries.

91
 ❖ These variations were documented in footnotes and appendices to the main text.
Language and content
❖ Historians usually classify the contents of the present text under two broad heads –
sections that contain stories, designated as the narrative, and sections that contain
prescriptions about social
norms, designated as didactic.
❖ This division is by no means watertight – the didactic sections include
stories, and the narrative often contains a social message.
❖ Historians agree that the Mahabharata was meant to be a dramatic, moving story,
and that the didactic portions were probably added later.
Author(s) and dates
❖ The original story was probably composed by charioteer-bards known as sutas who
generally accompanied Kshatriya warriors to the battlefield and composed poems
celebrating their victories and other achievements.
❖ These compositions circulated orally.
❖ Then, from the fifth century BCE, Brahmanas took over the story and
began to commit it to writing.
The search for convergence
❖ The Mahabharata, like any major epic, contains vivid descriptions of battles,
forests, palaces and settlements.
❖ In 1951-52, the archaeologist B.B. Lal excavated at a village named Hastinapura in
Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). Was this the Hastinapura of the epic?
❖ While the similarity in names could be coincidental, the location of the site in the
Upper Ganga doab, where the Kuru kingdom was situated suggests that it may have
been the capital of the Kurus mentioned in the text.
❖ B V Lal noted about the houses in the second phase (c. twelfth-seventh centuries
BCE): “Within the limited area excavated, no definite plans of houses were
obtained, but walls of mud and mud-bricks were duly encountered.

92
 ❖ The discovery of mud-plaster with prominent reed-marks suggested that some of
the houses had reed walls plastered over with mud.”
❖ For the third phase (c. sixth-third centuries BCE), he noted: “Houses of this period
were built of mud-brick as well as burnt bricks. Soakage jars and brick drains were
used for draining out refuse water, while terracotta ring-wells may have been used
both as wells and drainage pits.”
❖ One of the most challenging episodes in the Mahabharata is
Draupadi’s marriage with the Pandavas, an instance of polyandry that is central to
the narrative.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The earliest sculptural depictions of scenes from Mahabharata is represented
on a terracotta sculpture from the walls of a temple in Ahichchhatra located
in which state?
(a) Rajasthan (b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Haryana (d) Maharashtra
Ans: (b) Uttar Pradesh
2. Which among the following contains a list of successive generations of
teachers and students many of whom were designated by metronymics?
(a) Brihadranayaka Upanishads
(b) Ken Upanishads
(c) Katha Upanishads
(d) Aitareya Upanishads
3. Match the following.
List I List II
A. Gotra 1. Lineage
B. Vanik 2. Common descendants of Vedic seer
C. Polygyny 3. Practice of a man having several wives
D. Vamsha 4. Merchants

93
 Codes
ABCD ABCD ABCD ABCD
(a) 2 4 3 1 (b) 4 2 3 1 (c) 1 2 4 3 (d) 3 4 2 1
4. Which of the following rulers were identified through the names derived
from their mother?
(a) Pandavas (b) Satavahana
(c) Cholas (d) Kauravas
5. Which of the following statements is/are incorrect?
(a) Mahabharata, a colossal epic, has over 1,00,000 verses.
(b) Pandavas emerged victorious in the battle.
(c) Kanyadaan means gift of a daughter in marriage.
(d) Endogamy is a marriage outside the unit.
(e) Nishadas were people living in forests.
Answer-(d)Endogamy is a marriage physics the unit
6. Panini’s ‘Ashtadhyayi’ is a work on
(a) Sanskrit grammar.
(b) Sanskrit history.
(c) Sanskrit mantras.
(d) Sanskrit plays.
Ans: (a) Sanskrit grammar.
7. Which of the following statements is incorrect about the duties as laid
down in Manusmritifor the Chandalas?
(a) They had to live on the outskirts of the village.
(b) They had to use discarded utensils.
(c) They were supposed to wear old clothes of the villagers and ornaments
made from shells.
(d) It was their duty to serve as executioner and dispose of the bodies
of those who had norelatives.

94
 Answer(c) They were supposed to wear old clothes of the villagers and
ornaments made fromshells.
8. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion
(A) and the other labelled as Reason
(R) : Assertion (A): Women were expected to give up their father's
gotra and take up their husband's gotra after marriage. Reason (R):
Women who married Satavahana rulers retainedtheir father's gotras
instead of adopting names derived from their husband's gotra name.
(a) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(c) (A) is correct but (R) is not correct.
(d) (R) is correct but (A) is not correct.
Answer-Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
9. Rulers whose name ended with the term 'Puta' belonged to
(a) Satavahana dynasty.
(b) Shunga dynasty.
(c) Mauryan dynasty.
(d) Kanva dynasty.
Ans: (a) Satavahana dynasty.
10. Mandasor Stone inscription records the history of a guild of
(a) goldsmiths.
(b) rathakaras.
(c) potters.
(d) silk weavers.
Ans: (d) silk weavers.
11. Consider the following statements and select the correct one.
(a) Brahmanas were supposed to study and teach the Vedas.
(b) Kshatriyas were expected to engage in agriculture.

95
 (c) Vaishyas were to engage in warfare.
(d) Shudras were engaged in any work which they liked. Ans: (a) Brahmanas
were supposed to study and teach the Vedas.
12 . Match the following.
List I List II
A. Endogamy 1. Practice in which one man has several wives
B. Exogamy 2. Marriage within the same family unit living in the same locality
C. Polyandry 3. Practice in which one woman has several husbands
D. Polygyny 4. Marriage outside the family unit
Codes
ABCDABCD
(a) 3 1 4 2 (b) 2 4 3 1
(c) 1 4 3 2 (d) 3 1 4 2 Ans: (b) 2 4 3 1
13. Identify the social category of people from the informations given below.
1. They were placed at the very bottom of hierarchy.
2. Their task was to handle corpses and dead animals.
3. They had to live outside the village, use discarded utensils and wear clothes of
the dead and ornaments of iron.
14. Identify the text.
1. The text included over 100,000 verses.
2. The original story was composed by charioteer-bards known as Sutas.
3. The Sanskrit used in this text was far simpler than that of Vedas.
4. It was one of the great epics of India.
(a) Ramayana (b) Mahabharata (c) Purana (d) Manusmriti
15. Who was the editor of the present edition of the Mahabarta ?
Ans: V.S. Sukthankar.
16. How much time taken to complete this project ?
Ans: 47 years

96
17. How many forms of marriages were found?
Ans: 8
18. The Book Mrichchhakatika was written by which writer.
Ans : Shudraka
19. What was patriliny?
Ans. Patriliny Means trashing descent from father to son, Grandson and so on.
20. What was Matriliny?
Ans. Matriliny the term is used when descent is traced through the mother.
21. What do you understand of Exogamy Marriage types.
Ans. Marriage outside the unit
22. What sources are used by Historian for understanding of social changes?
Ans. Textual Traditions. - From Inscriptions
23. How Historians classify the contents of the Mahabharata?
Ans:- Narrative- Stories, [Link] - Social Norms.
24 Which elements are considered by historians when they analyse text Book.
Ans:-They examine whether text were written in which languages. They also
consider the kinds of text; author; audience; time period etc.
25. What was the ancient Tamilkam?
Ans:- In Tamilkam there were several chiefdoms around 2000 Years ago
26. Consider the following statements and choose the correct answer.
(a) The original version of the Mahabharata is in Sanskrit.
(b) According to the Dharmasutras, there is no rules about the ideal occupations
of the four categories.
(c) In Brahmanical theory, only varna was based on birth.
(d) According to Shashtras, both Brahmins and Kshatriyas could be the rulers.
Ans:(a) The original version of the Mahabharata is in Sanskrit.
27. Assertion (A) The Manusmriti is considered the most important of the
Dharmasutras

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 and Dharmashastras.
Reason (R) It lays down codes of social behaviour in great detail.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true Ans; (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct
explanation of A
28. Assertion (A) The practice of endogamy meant that marrying daughters into
families outside the kin was considered desirable.
Reason (R) Daughters had no claims to the resources of the household according
to the Manusmriti.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans: (d) A is false, but R is true
29. Which of the following pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Critical edition of Mahabharata – V.S. Sukthankar
(b) ‘Vamsha’ is used to designate – Family
(c) Exogamy refers to – Marriage within the unit
(d) Best known ruler of Satavahana – Gotami-puta sami-Siri-Yana-Satakani
Ans: (a) Critical edition of Mahabharata – V.S. Sukthankar
30. Match the following.
List I List II
A. Endogamy 1. Practice in which one man has several wives
B. Exogamy 2. Marriage within the same family unit living in the same

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 locality
C. Polyandry 3. Practice in which one woman has several husbands
D. Polygyny 4. Marriage outside the family unit
Codes
ABCD ABCD
(a) 3 1 4 2 (b) 2 4 3 1
(c) 1 4 3 2 (d) 3 1 4 2 Ans: (b) 2 4 3 1
SHORT ANSWERS(3 Marks)
1. Mention rules of marriage as mentioned in the early text.
Ans:- i)The gift of a Daughter after dressing her in costly clothes and honoring
her with presents of Jewels.
ii)The gift of a daughter by the father after he has addressed the couple with the
text'' May both of you perform your duties together.
iii) After having given as much wealth as he can afford to the kinsmen and to the
Bride herself. - The voluntary union of a maiden and her lover.
2. What rules did the Dharma sutras and Dharma Shastra's contain about the
Ideal ''occupations'' of the four Varna's?
Ans.- i) Brahmanas were supposed to study and teach the Vedas, perform
sacrifices and give and receive gifts.
ii) Kshatriyas were to engage in warfare, protect people and justice, study the
Vedas and get sacifices performed.
iii) The last three occupations were also assigned to the Vaishyas ie crafts,
Agriculture and trade
iv)Shudras were assigned only serving the three ''higher'' varnas.
3. What was Jati? How are they related to Varnas?
Ans. –i) Jati in Brahmanical theory.
ii) Varna was based on Birth.
iii) Number of varnas were four.

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 iv) There was no restriction on the number of Jati.
v) Jatis which shared a common occupation or profession were sometimes
organized into shrenis or guilds.
4. How could men and women acquire wealth in early societies?
Ans.- i) For men wealth-Inheritance, finding, purchase, conquest, investment,
work and acceptance of gifts from good people.
ii) For women - what was given at the time of the marriage, bridal procession,
token of affection she got from her brother, mother or father and she could also
acquire from husband.
5. Who was V.S. Sukthankar? What was his contribution in understanding the
Mahabharata.
Ans. i) V.S. Sukthankar was a famous Sanskritist.
ii) Under the Sukthankar a team prepared the critical edition of the Mahabharata.
iii) Collecting Sanskrit Manuscripts of the text. Written in a variety of scripts.
iv) Ultimately, they selected the verses that were common to most versions.
v) And published these in several volumes.
6. What were the effects of several changes in between 600 BCE and600 CE on
societies?
Ans.i) Extension of Agriculture in to forested areas.
ii) Craft specialists often emerged as distinct social groups.
iii) Trade activities increased.
iv) Many religious activities /movements started.
7. What do you understand by '' The critical edition of the Mahabharata''?
Ans.i) One of the most ambitious projects of scholarship began in 1919.
ii) Under the leadership of a noted Indian Sanskritist V.S. Sukthankar.
iii (A team comprising a dozen of scholars initiated the task of preparing a critical
edition of the Mahabharata.
8. What were the terms of gotras? What were the rules of gotras?

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 Ans. i) Each gotra was named after a Vedic Seer and all those who belonged to
the same gotra.
ii) Two rules about gotra were particularly very important. Women were expected
to give up their father's gotra and adopt that of their husband's gotra after
marriage.
iii) Marriage in same gotra was not allowed
9. Why were mothers important in Satavahana rule?
Ans:- i)Satavahana rules were Identified through matronymics (Names Derived
from mother) -Although this may suggest that mothers were important.
ii) We have got name like gautami putra Satakarni , Vashishthi putra Pulvami .
10. What were the categories made by Brahmanas?
Ans:- i) Brahmanas Claimed the order in which they were ranked. First was
divinely ordained.
ii) While placing group classified as shudras at the bottom of the social order.
11. Describe the Duties of the Chandalas.
Ans:- i) They had to live outside the village.
ii) Use discarded utensils.
iii) Wear Clothes of the dead and ornaments of iron.
12. What do you understand by the Term '' Beyond the four varnas''?
Ans:-i) Brahmanas considered some people as being outside the system, they
were called untouchable.'
ii) Some activities were '' Polluting'' those who performed such tasks designated
as chandalas'
13. What do you understand by stridhana (Woman's wealth)?
Ans:- i)According to Manusmriti women were allowed to retain the gift they
received on the occasion of their marriage as stridhana.
ii)This could be inherited by their children.
14. How is Mahabharata a Dynamic text?

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 Ans:- i)- Versions of the epic were written in a variety of languages.
ii) Several stories that originated in specific regions.
iii) At the same time the central story of the epic was often retold in different
ways.
iv) Different phases in the composition of Mahabharata.
15. What were the two-broad head of the content of Mahabharata? Discuss
whether Mahabharata could have been the works of a single author?
Ans: i) Narrative section stories are included and didactic section prescription
about social norms are included.
ii) Most of the historians now believe that the Mahabharata was a dramatic and
moving story.
iii) The didactic portion is an afterward addition.
iv) It is believed that the original story was written by the charioteer knows as
sutas.
v) It is also believed that in the beginning the text was orally circulated. scholars
and priests carried it from one generation to another.
16. Explain why the rulers in early period were not invariably kshatriyas?
i) Early kings were not invariably kshatriyas .
ii)Shastras say only kshatriyas can become kings .
iii) Rulers of many dynasties had different origins.
v)Suages, Kanvas - were Brahmins not Kshatriyas
vi)Sakas - Melechchas - outcast
vii)Satvahanas unique Brahmins
viii)Political power was open to anyone who could garner support.
17. Discuss whether the Mahabharata could have been the work of a single
author.
Ans.i) Probably composed by charioteer - bards known as sutas.
ii) From the fifth century BCE Brahmanas took over the story and began to

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 commit it to writing.
iii) Also possible that the upheavals that often accompanied the establishment of
these states.
iv) Where old social values were often replaced by new norms.
v) Another Phase in the composition of the text between C 200 BCE and 200 C.E.
vi)Between 200 BCE and 400 BCE Large didactic sections were included the
manusmriti.
LONG ANSWERS
1. Explain Mahabharata as a Dynamic text
The critical edition of the mahabharata
i) One of the most ambitious projects of scholarship began in 1919, under the
leadership of a noted Indian Sanskritist, V.S. Sukthankar.
ii) A team comprising dozens of scholars initiated the task of preparing a
critical edition of the Mahabharata.
iii) It meant collecting Sanskrit manuscripts of the text, written in a variety of
scripts, from different parts of the country.
iv) The team worked out a method of comparing verses from each manuscript.
v) They selected the verses that appeared common to most versions and published
these in several volumes, running into over 13,000 pages.
vi) The project took 47 years to complete.
vii) There were several common elements in the Sanskrit versions of the story,
evident in manuscripts found all over the subcontinent, from Kashmir and Nepal
in the north to Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the south.
viii) Enormous regional variations in the ways in which the text had been
transmitted over the centuries.
ix) These variations were documented in footnotes and appendices to the main
text.
Language and content

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i)Historians usually classify the contents of the present text under two broad
heads – sections that contain stories, designated as the narrative, and sections that
contain prescriptions about social norms, designated as didactic.
ii)This division is by no means watertight – the didactic sections include
stories, and the narrative often contains a social message.
iii)Historians agree that the Mahabharata was meant to be a dramatic, moving
story, and that the didactic portions were probably added later.
Author(s) and dates
i)The original story was probably composed by charioteer-bards known as sutas
who generally accompanied Kshatriya warriors to the battlefield and composed
poems celebrating their victories and other achievements. ii)These compositions
circulated orally.
iii)Then, from the fifth century BCE, Brahmanas took over the story and
began to commit it to writing.
The search for convergence
i) The Mahabharata, like any major epic, contains vivid
descriptions of battles, forests, palaces and settlements.
ii)In 1951-52, the archaeologist B.B. Lal excavated at a village named
Hastinapura in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh). Was this the Hastinapura of the
epic?
iii) While the similarity in names could be coincidental, the location of the site in
the Upper Ganga doab, where the Kuru kingdom was situated,
suggests that it may have been the capital of the Kurus mentioned in the text.
iv) Lal noted about the houses in the second
phase (c. twelfth-seventh centuries BCE): “Within the limited area excavated, no
definite plans of houses were obtained, but walls of mud and mud-bricks were
duly encountered.
v) The discovery of mud-plaster with prominent reed-marks suggested that some

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 of the houses had reed walls plastered over with mud.”
vi)For the third phase (c. sixth-third centuries BCE), he noted: “Houses of this
period were built of mud-brick as well as burnt bricks. Soakage jars and brick
drains were used for draining out refuse water, while terracotta ring-wells may
have been used both as wells and drainage pits.”
One of the most challenging episodes in the Mahabharata is
Draupadi’s marriage with the Pandavas, an instance
of polyandry that is central to the narrative.
2. “The Mahabharata is a good source to study the Kinfolk values of ancient
times.” Justify the statement with suitable arguments.
Answer:
The Mahabharata is a good source to study the Kinfolk values of ancient times.
This statement can be justified in the following ways:
i. Families are usually parts of the larger networks of people defined as relatives,
or to use a more technical term Kinfolk. While familial ties often regarded as
‘natural’ and based on blood, they are defined in many different ways. Some
societies regard cousin as being blood relations, some others do not. The
Mahabharata was a story of Kinship relations. It narrated a feud over land and
power between two groups of cousins, viz, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Both
of the cousins had different set of ideal which shaped their actions and led to
changes in their attitude of life.
ii. Mahabharata reinforced the idea of patriliny, i.e. tracing descent from father to
son, grandson and so on. Under patriliny, sons could claim the resources
(including the throne in the case of kings) of their father when the latter died. In
Mahabharata, both the Kauravas and the Pandavas believed that they were the real
successor of the throne.
iii. Draupadi’s marriage with the five Pandavas was the most challenging episode
in the Mahabharata. It indicated polyandry (the practice of a woman having

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 several husbands) among elites in that period.
It is evident that literature gives us an idea about the perception of the writer, but
sometimes it contains conflicting ideas. Thus, epic like Mahabharata does not
always depict the real picture of the society.
3. Historians find it particularly a difficult task to understand a text as complex
as the Mahabharata.” Justify this statement.
Answer:
Historians find it particularly a difficult task to understand a text as complex as
the Mahabharata because:
i. Historians classified the contents of the Mahabharata under two broad
heads i.e. narrative section, which contains stories and didactic section
which contains prescriptions about social norms. The historians suggested
that the Mahabharata had a dramatic story and the didactic portions were
probably added later.
ii. Historians consider several dements when they analyse text to examine the
language of the text.
iii. The historians have to find out about the authors, whose perspectives and
ideas have shaped the text, as well as the intended audience, as very often,
authors keep in mind the interests of their audience while composing their
work.
They also have to ascertain the possible date of the composition or compilation of
the texts as well as the place where they may have been composed.
4. Describe the familial relationship observed during Mahabharat era.
i. Families are usually parts of larger networks of people defined as
relatives/ kinfolk.
ii. People belonging to the same family share food, resources, work, and live
together and perform rituals together.
iii. Familial ties were often regarded as “natural” and based on blood

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 iv. Rules about patriliny-The Mahabharata shows patriliny. It describes a feud
over land and power between the Kauravas and the Pandavas
v. Most ruling dynasties followed patrilineal with little variations
vi. In very exceptional circumstances, women such as Prabhavati Gupta exercised
power
vii. Rules of marriage- There were two systems of marriage Endogamy and
Exogamy. viii. Marriages-Girls were married at the “right” time and to the “right”
person.
ix. Kanyadana or the gift of a daughter in marriage was an important
religious duty of the father.
x. There are three types of marriage- Monogamy, polygamy or
Polyandry
xi. Marriage norms were compiled in Dharmasutras, Dharmashastras
and Manusmriti.
xii. These texts recognized as many as eight forms of marriage.
xiii. The Gotra rules for women- Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer, and all
those who belonged to the same gotra were regarded as his descendants.
xiv. Two rules about gotra were particularly important: a) women were expected
to give up their father’s gotra and adopt that of their husband on marriage and b)
members of the same gotra could not marry.
xv. Some of the Satavahana rulers were polygynous
xvi. Importance to mothers
xvii. Any other relevant point
Any eight points to be explained
5. Describe the Social implications of access to Resources during Mahabharat
period.
i. Gendered access to property-. According to the Dharmashastras the paternal
estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after the death of the Father, with a

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 special share for the eldest.
ii. Women could not claim a share of these resources.
iii. Women were allowed to retain stridhana
iv. This could be inherited by their children, without the husband having any
claim on it.
v. Wealthy women such as the Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta had property
including lands.
vi. Epigraphic and textual evidences suggest that upper-class women had access
to resources, land, cattle and money.
vii. Varna and access to property-There were criterion for regulating access to
wealth was varna.,
viii. While a variety of occupations were listed for varnas
ix. Poems included in the Tamil Sangam anthologies often illuminate social and
economic relationships, while there were differences between rich and poor, those
who controlled resources were also expected to share them.
Sources Based Questions
1. Read the given excerpts carefully and answer the questions:
According to the Shastras, only Kshatriyas could be kings. However, several
important ruling lineages probably had different origins. The social background of
the Mauryas, who ruled over a large empire, has been hotly debated. While later
Buddhist texts suggested they were Kshatriyas, Brahmanical texts described them
as being of “low” origin. The Shungas and Kanvas, the immediate successors of
the Mauryas, were Brahmanas. In fact, political power was effectively open to
anyone who could muster support and resources, and rarely depended on birth as a
Kshatriya. Other rulers, such as the Shakas who came from Central Asia, were
regarded as mlechchhas, barbarians or outsiders by the Brahmanas. However, one
of the earliest inscriptions in Sanskrit describes how Rudradaman, the best-known
Shaka ruler (c. second century CE), rebuilt Sudarshana lake . This suggests that

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 powerful mlechchhas were familiar with Sanskritic traditions. It is also interesting
that the best-known ruler of the Satavahana dynasty, Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani,
claimed to be both a unique Brahmana (eka bamhana) and a destroyer of the pride
of Kshatriyas. He also claimed to have ensured that there was no intermarriage
amongst members of the four varnas. At the same time, he entered into a marriage
alliance with the kin of Rudradaman. As you can see from this example, integration
within the framework of caste was often a complicated process. The Satavahanas
claimed to be Brahmanas, whereas according to the Brahmanas, kings ought to have
been Kshatriyas. They claimed to uphold the fourfold varna order, but entered into
marriage alliances with people who were supposed to be excluded from the system.
And, as we have seen, they practised endogamy instead of the exogamous system
recommended in the Brahmanical texts.
i) Who were the Mlechchhas?
Ans: Barbarians or outsiders.
ii) Who was Gotami-Puta-Siri –Satakani ?
Ans:Ruler of the Satavahana dynasty & destroyer of the pride of Kshatriyas
iii) Who was Rudradaman?
Ans:Shaka Ruler .
2. Read the given excerpts carefully and answer the questions:
Draupadi's Marriage
Drupada the king of Panchala groined a competition where the challenges
were to string a bow and hit target: the winner would be chosen to marry his
daughter Draupadi. Arjuna was victorious and was garlanded by Draupadi.
The Pandavas returned with her to their mother Kunti, who, even before she
saw them to share whatever they had got. She realized mistake when shesaw
Draupadi. But her command could not be violated. After much deliberation,
Yudhisthira decided that Draupadi would be their common wife.
When Drupada was told about this, he protested. However, the seer Vyasa

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 arrived and told him that the Pandavas were in reality incarnations of Indra.
Whose wife had been reborn as Draupadi and they were thus destined for each
other?
Vyasa added that in another instance a young woman had prayed to Shiva for
a husband. And in her enthusiasm, had prayed five times instead of once.
This woman was known reborned as Draupadi and Shiva had fulfilled her
desire convinced by these stories, Drupada consented to marriage.
i). What w a s the competition organized by the Panchala king
Drupada for the marriage of his daughter?
Ans: Drupada organized a competition where the challenge was to string a bow
and hit a target
ii). Which two explanations were given by Vyasa to convince king
Drupada for Draupadi being the common wife of the Pandvas?
Ans:Vyasa told that the Pandvas were in reality incarnations of Indra. He also told
that a Woman was blessed by Lord Shiva to have five husband was reborn as
Draupadi.
iii). What form of the marriage was Draupadi's marriage to the
Pandvas? Give two views of historians about the form of marriage.
Ans: It w a s an example of polyandry. Some h i s t o r i a n s b e l i e v e t h a t
such kind of marriages were perhaps prevalent in some section of societies.
Some historians believe that such tradition was present in the Himalayan region.
Additional MCQs
Q1 What does the Sanskrit word ‘Kula’ define?
(A) Neighbours (B) Families (C) Deities (D) None of these

Q2 . Consider the following statements about

Mahabharata:
(1) Historians have set aside the traditions as described in Mahabharata.
(2) It has around 10,000 verses.

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 (3) The main theme of Mahabharata is about the warring princes across
India.
(4) Its critical edition was started by K. R. Mangalam in 1919 CE.
State which of the above statements are correct?

(A) Only (1) (B) (1) and (2)

(C) (1), (2) and (4) (D) None of these

Q3. Ekalavya belonged to the category of:

(A) Vanik (B) Mlechchha
(C) Brahmana (D) Nishada

Q4 Which of the following statement is incorrect about the meaning of Endogamy?

(A) Endogamy refers to marriage outside the unit.
(B) Endogamy refers to marriage within a unit – this could be a kin group,
caste, or a group living in the same locality.
(C) It is the practice of a man having several wives.
(D) It is the practice of a woman having several husbands.

Q5 Which one of the following statements is incorrect about the duties as laid down
in Manusmriti for the
Chandalas?
(A) They had to live on the outskirts of the village.
(B) They had to use discarded utensils.
(C) They were supposed to wear old clothes of the villagers and ornaments
made from shells.
(D) It was their duty to serve as executioner and dispose of the bodies of
those who had no relatives.

Q6 What was the cause of war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas?
(A) Right to Panchayat of Dwarka
(B) Right to throne of Hastinapur

(C) Right to enslave the other party

(D) None of these

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Q7 A forest-dwelling or a hunting community is called

(A) Nishada (B) Chandala

(C) Suvarnakaras (D) Shudras
Q8 Which foreign traveller wrote in his account that “untouchables” had to
sound a clapper in the streets so that people could avoid seeing them.”?
(A) Fa-Hien or Fa-Xian
(B) Hiuen-Tsang
(C) Marco Polo
(D) Megasthenes,
Q9 Women were allowed to retain the gifts they received on the occasion of their
marriage as:
(A) stridhana (B) manusmriti
(C) biksha (D) None of These

Q10 Which among the following was a strategy adopted by the Brahmanas to
enforce the varna order?

(A) Assert that varna order was a human creation.

(B) Advised kings to punish those who violated these norms.
(C) Persuaded people that their status was determined by birth.
(D) Persuaded people that their status was determined by occupations
they practised.
Q11 Consider the following statements regarding the rules of the marriage during
the Early Societies:
I. At that time sons were important for the continuity of the patrilineage,
daughters were viewed rather differently within this framework.
II. At the same time, marrying them into families outside the kin was
considered desirable.
III. The system of exogamy gave rise to the belief that kanyadana or the
gift of a daughter in marriage was an important religious duty of the father.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
(A) Only I (B) I and II
(C) I and III (D) All of the above

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Q12 According to Manusmriti, for women, there are six means of acquiring wealth.
Which one of the following statement is incorrect regarding those
means?
(A) She could acquire wealth through any subsequent gift and whatever
her
“affectionate” husband might give her.
(B) She could acquire wealth through bridal procession.
(C) She could acquire wealth as a token of affection, and what she got
from her brother, mother or father.
(D) She could acquire wealth after her husband’s death.

Q13 The word ‘Didactic’,means

(A) something that is meant for purposes of instruction.
(B) The description of events in a story
(C) Noticeable or sudden and often surprising
(D) Extremely mournful, melancholy or pathetic.

Q14 Who wrote the short story,“Kunti O Nishadi”?

(A) Mahadevi Verma (B) Mahashweta Devi
(C) Krishna Sobti (D) Ashapurna Devi

Q15 The original story of Mahabharata was probably composed by

(A) Lord Ganesha
(B) Rishi Veda Vyasa
(C) Charioteer-bards known as sutas.
(D) Lord Brahama
(E)

Q16 Identify the years span, when an archeologist [Link] excavated at a village
named Hastinapura in Meerut (Uttar Pradesh)?
(A) 1951–52 (B) 1962–63 (C) 1970–71 (D) 1950–51

Q17 Sutta Patika is a text belong to ................ religion.

(A) Hindu (B) Buddhist
(C) Jain (D) None of this.

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Q18 According to The Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras
Kshatriyas were to engage in ..................... .
(A) warfare, protect people and administer justice, study the Vedas, get
sacrifices performed, and make gifts
(B) study and teach the Vedas, perform sacrifices and get sacrifices
performed, and give and receive gifts.
(C) in agriculture, pastoralism and trade.
(D) serving the Brahmans.

Q19 Puranaruru is one of the anthologies of poems. It belongs to……………..

(A) Tamil Sangam literature.

(B) Buddhist literature

(C) Sanskrit literature

(D) Bengali literature

Q20 Gandhari appeal to her son not to fight against the Pandavas
because……………….
(A) She knew that Pandavas will win.
(B) She knew that Kauravas will win.
(C) She knew that the war will end in a tie.
(D) She knew that it is not necessary that victory would come in war.

Q21 In Sanskrit and inscriptions, merchants were known as Vanik

(A) True (B) False

Q22 . Brihadaranyaka is a Puran

(A) True (B) False
Directions : In the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed
by a statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice as:
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

(B) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.

(C) A is true but R is false.

(D) A is false and R is true.

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Q23 Assertion (A): With the emergence of new towns, no change was observed in
the beliefs and practices in social life.
Reason (R): A Brahmanical practice, evident from c. 1000 BCE onwards, was to
classify people (especially Brahmanas) in terms of gotras

Q24 . Assertion (A): People of some jatis did not easily fit in the varna system.
Reason (R): People of some jatis organised into groups called shrenis.

Q25 Assertion (A): Women were expected to give their father’s gotra and take up
their husband’s gotra after marriage.
Reason (R): Women who are married the Satavahana rulers retained their
father’s gotras instead of taking of husband’s gotra.
Q1 Option (B)
Q2 Option (D)
Q3 Option (D)
Q4 Option (B)
Q5 Option (C)
Q6 Option (A)
Q7 Option (A)
Q8 Option (A)
Q9 Option (A)
Q10 Option (C)
Q11 Option (D)
Q12 Option (D)
Q13 Option (A)
Q14 Option (B)
Q15 Option (C)
Q16 Option (A)
Q17 Option (B)
Q18 Option (A)

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 Q19 Option (A)
Q20 Option (D)
Q21 Option (A)
Q22 Option (B)
Q23 Option (D)
Q24 Option (B)
Q25 Option (B)

CBSE PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

1. Identify any two occupations to be performed by Kshatriyas as per varna
order
2. State whether gender differences were realy important in the early societies
from C600 BCE to 600CE
3. Mention the rules about classification of people in terms of ‘gotra’ under
4. How did Brahmanas develop a sharper social divide? Give two examples.
5. Mention one of the most challenging episodes in the Mahabharata
6. Define the system of exogamy. Give one reason for adopting it .
7. Explain the language and content of Mahabharata.
8. Explain how you will prove that the text of Mhabharata was a dynamic one
9. Who composed the original story of the text of Mahabharata? Desceibe the
various stages through which Mahabharata was completed between the 5th
century BCE and 400 CE ?
10. Mention any two features of gotra as per the Bhramanical practice .What
evidences do we get from the satvahanas inscription regarding the
inheritance of gotra ?Explain .
11. Critically examine the duties as laid down in ‘Manusmriti ‘for the Chandalas
12. Describe how ,according to Manusmriti paternal estate ,was to be divided
after the death of the parents with special reference to the rights of women .

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13. “The Dharmasutras and Dharmashastra also contained rules about the ideal
occupations of the four categories of varna”.Critically examine the statement
.
14. Describe the various stages through which Mahabharata was compiled in the
20th century .
15. Explain how you will prove that the text of Mhabharata was a dynamic one.
16. How did brahmanaical social order create a sharper social divide?
MAP

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 THEME-4
Thinkers Belief and Buildings
Culture Development
(c. 600 BCE-600 CE)
Key concepts in nutshell
❖ Buildings of SanchiKannakkheda are the most wonderful ancient buildings
in the state of Bhopal.
❖ Buddhist, Jaina and Brahamanical text, monument and inscription are the
some of the important historical sources of the age of C 600 BCE-600CE,
which help in reconstructing Indian history.
❖ Many was provided by rulers of Bhopal, Shahjahan Begum and her
successor Sultan Jahan Begum to preserve the ancient sites.
❖ The Rigveda is a collection of hymns, praise of many deities like Agni,
Indra, Soma etc.
❖ The basic philosophy of Jainism already existed in north India even before
the birth of vardhamanaMahavira.
❖ ThaBhuddha was the most influential teachers of his times.
❖ Two traditions were including in modern Hinduism – Vaishnavism and
Shaivism.
A Glimpse of Sanchi
❖ Nineteenth-century Europeans were very interested in the stupa at Sanchi.
❖ The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan Begum and her successor Sultan Jehan
Begum, provided money for the preservation of the ancient site.
❖ One of the most important Buddhist centres, the discovery of Sanchi has
vastly transformed our understanding of early Buddhism. Today it stands
testimony to the successful restoration and preservation of a key
archaeological site by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

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The mid-first millennium BCE is often regarded as a turning point in world
history
❖ It saw the emergence of thinkers. They tried to understand the mysteries of
existence and the relationship between human beings and the cosmic order.
❖ This was also the time when new kingdoms and cities were developing and
social and economic life was changing in a variety of ways in the Ganga
valley.
❖ The early Vedic traditions, religious belief and practice were known from
the Rigveda, compiled between c.1500 and 1000 BCE.
❖ Rigveda consisted of hymns, which were chanted when sacrifices were
performed, where people prayed for cattle, sons, good health, long life, etc.

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 Mid-first millennium BCE turning point in world history

Development
Emergence of of new
thinkers kingdoms
and cities

Turning
point in
world
history

Changing social and Early Vedic

economic life traditions, religious
belief and practice were
known from the Rigveda

SACRIFICES
❖ At first, sacrifices were performed collectively. Later (c. 1000 BCE-500 BCE
onwards) some were performed by the heads of households for the wellbeing
of the domestic unit.
❖ More elaborate sacrifices, such as the rajasuya and ashvamedha, were
performed by chiefs and kings who depended on Brahmana priests to
conduct the ritual.

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 ❖ Many ideas found in the Upanishads (c. sixth century BCE onwards) show
that people were curious about the meaning of life, the possibility of life after
death and rebirth.
❖ Thinkers were concerned with understanding and expressing the nature of
the ultimate reality.
❖ On the other hand, people outside the Vedic tradition began speculating on
the significance of the sacrificial tradition and questioned the existence of
ultimate reality..

Entire world is animated:

even stones, rocks and
water have life. The cycle of birth
and rebirth is
shaped
MESSAGE through karma.
OF
MAHAVIRA

Asceticism
and penance
are required
to free
oneself from Achieved only by
the cycle of renouncing the world.
karma.

The Message of Mahavira

❖ The philosophy of the Jainas already existed before the birth of Mahavira in
the sixth century BCE.
❖ Vardhamana who came to be known as Mahavira, was preceded by 23 other
teachers or tirthankaras, according to Jaina tradition.

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❖ Tirthankaras are the teachers who guide men and women across the river of
existence.
❖ The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even
stones, rocks and water have life.
❖ The principle of ahimsa, emphasised within Jainism, has left its mark on
Indian thinking as a whole.
❖ According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped
through karma.
❖ Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma.
This can be achieved only by renouncing the world.
❖ Jaina monks and nuns took five vows: to abstain from killing, stealing and
lying; to observe celibacy; and to abstain from possessing property.
❖ Gradually, Jainism spread to many parts of India. Jaina scholars produced a
wealth of literature in a variety of languages – Prakrit, Sanskrit and Tamil.

Buddhist texts

TIPITAKA
(Three baskets to hold different types of texts).

Vinaya Pitaka Sutta Pittaka Abidhama Pitaka

❖ Rules and ❖ Buddha’s ❖ Dealt with
regulations for teachings were philosophical
those who joined included in the matters.
the sangha or Sutta Pitaka
monastic order.

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[Link]/SYNOPSIS
AJIVIKAS: a Buddhist sect, who were also defined as fatalists (believe in luck).
ANICCA: transient and constantly changing.
ASHVAMJEDHA: A type of yagna in which a horse was released.
CHAITYAS: Possibly have been derived from the word chita, meaning a funeral
pyre.
CHARANACHITRAS: the wandering storyteller, who carried scrolls of cloth or
paper with pictures.
HAGIOGRAPY: a biography of a saint or religious leader often praising the saint’s
achievements.
LOKAYATAS: a religious sect who are defined as materialists.
RAJASUYA YAGNA: a special kind of sacrificial ceremony, performed by chiefs
and kings, who dependent on brahmanas to conduct the rituals.
THUPA: Pali word for stupa.
TIPITAKA: literally applies to three baskets to hold different types of texts.
TIRTHANKARS: literally, those who guide men and women across the river of
existence (in Jainism).
UPANISHADS: brahmanical philosophical texts.
➢ Buildings of Sanchi kannakkheda are the most wonderful ancient buildings in
the state of Bhopal.
➢ Buddhist, jaina and bramhanical text, monument and inscription are the some
of the important sources of the age of C 600 BCE-600CE.
➢ Many was provided by rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan begum and her successor
Sultan Jehan begum to preserved the ancient sites
➢ The Rigveda is a collection of hymns, praise of many deities like Agni, Indra
, Soma etc.
➢ The basic philosophy of Jainism already existed in north India even before the
birth of Vardhamana Mahavira.
➢ The Buddha was the most influential teachers of his times.
➢ Two traditions were including in modern Hinduism- Vaishnavism and
Shaivism.

123
Buddhist texts
❖ Buddhist texts mention as many as 64 sects or schools of thought.
❖ Debates took place in the kutagarashala – literally, a hut with a pointed roof
– or in groves where travelling mendicants halted.
❖ Mahavira and Buddha, questioned the authority of the Vedas.
❖ They also emphasised individual agency – suggesting that men and women
could strive to attain liberation from the trials and tribulations of worldly
existence.
❖ The Buddha (and other teachers) taught orally – through discussion and
debate.
❖ Men and women (perhaps children as well) attended these discourses
and discussed what they heard. None of the Buddha’s speeches were written
down during his lifetime.
❖ After his death (c. fifth-fourth century BCE) his teachings were compiled by
his disciples at a council of “elders” or senior monks at Vesali (Pali for
Vaishali in present-day Bihar).
❖ These compilations were known as Tipitaka – literally, three baskets to
hold different types of texts.
❖ They were first transmitted orally and then written and classified according
to length as well as subject matter.
❖ The Vinaya Pitaka included rules and regulations for those who joined the
sangha or monastic order.
❖ The Buddha’s teachings were included in the Sutta Pitaka;
❖ The Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with philosophical matters.
❖ Each pitaka comprised a number of individual texts. Later, commentaries
were
written on these texts by Buddhist scholars.

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 TRANSFORMATION OF SIDDHARTHA TO BUDDHA
❖ The teachings and message of Buddha spread across the subcontinent and
beyond – through Central Asia to China, Korea and Japan, and through Sri
Lanka, across the seas to Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.
❖ According to Buddhist traditions, Siddhartha, as the Buddha was named at
birth, was the son of a chief of the Sakya clan. He had a sheltered upbringing
within the palace but he was deeply anguished when he saw an old man, a
sick man and a corpse.
❖ He also saw a homeless mendicant, who, it seemed to him, had come to
terms with old age, disease and death, and found [Link] decided
that he too would adopt the same path. He then left the palace and set out in
search of his own truth.
❖ He meditated for several days and finally attained enlightenment. After this
he came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.
❖ For the rest of his life, he taught dhamma or the path of righteous living.
BUDDHAS TEACHINGS:

Anicca Anatta Dukkha

(Transient ) (Soulless) (Sorrow)
Constantly changing Nothing Permanent Intrinsic to
or Eternal human
existence

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BUDDHAS TEACHINGS:
❖ The Buddha’s teachings have been reconstructed from stories, found mainly
in the SuttaPitaka.
❖ Some stories describe his miraculous powers, others suggest that the Buddha
tried to convince people through reason and persuasion rather than through
displays of supernatural power.
❖ According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and
constantly changing; it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent
or eternal in it. Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to
human existence.
❖ It is by following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-
indulgence that human beings can rise above these worldly troubles.
❖ The Buddha regarded the social world as the creation of humans rather than
of divine origin. So he advised kings and gahapatis to be humane and ethical.
❖ The Buddha emphasised individual agency and righteous action as the means
to escape from the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation and nirvana,
literally the extinguishing of the ego and desire – and thus end the cycle of
suffering for those who renounced the world.
❖ Buddha’s last words to his followers were: “Be lamps unto yourselves as all
of you must work out your own liberation.”
FOLLOWERS OF BUDDHISM
❖ His Followers: As the number of disciples of the Buddha increased and he
founded a sangha, an organisation of monks who too became teachers of
dhamma.
❖ These monks lived on alms, and so they were known as bhikkhus.
❖ Initially, only men were allowed into the sangha, but later women also came
to be admitted. The Buddha’s foster mother, MahapajapatiGotami was the
first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni.

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 ❖ The Buddha’s followers came from many social groups. They included
kings, wealthy men and gahapatis, and also humbler folk: workers, slaves
and craftspeople.
❖ Once within the sangha, all were regarded as equal, having shed their earlier
social identities on becoming bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.
❖ Buddhism grew rapidly as it appealed to many people dissatisfied with
existing religious practices and confused by the rapid social changes taking
place around them.
❖ The importance attached to conduct and values rather than claims of
superiority based on birth drew men and women to Buddhist teachings.

STUPAS
❖ In Buddhist ideas and practices included sites with special trees or unique
rocks, or sites of awe-inspiring natural beauty.
❖ These sites, with small shrines attached were described as chaityas.
❖ Buddha was born at (Lumbini), he attained enlightenment at (Bodh Gaya),
his first sermon (Sarnath) and attained nirvana (Kusinagara).
❖ Each of these places came to be regarded as sacred.
❖ About 200 years after the time of the Buddha, Asoka erected a pillar at
Lumbini to mark the fact that he had visited the place.
❖ places where relics of the Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used
by him were buried were mounds known as stupas.

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 ❖ According to a Buddhist text known as the Ashokavadana, Asoka
distributed portions of the Buddha’s relics to every important town and
ordered the construction of stupas over them.
❖ A number of stupas, including those at Bharhut, Sanchi and Sarnath had
been built.
STRUCTURE OF STUPA
❖ The stupa (a Sanskrit word meaning a heap) originated as a simple semi-
circular mound of earth, later called anda.
❖ Gradually, it evolved into a more complex structure, balancing round and
square shapes.
❖ Above the anda was the harmika, a balcony-like structure that represented
the abode of the gods.
❖ Arising from the harmika was a mast called the yashti, often surmounted by
a chhatri or umbrella.
❖ Around the mound was a railing, separating the sacred space from the secular
world.
SCULPTURE
The Buddhist sculptures were beautiful and valuable. The sculpture in Sanchi
seems to depict a scene from the story of VessantaraJataka.
SYMBOLS:
Many early sculptors did not show the Buddha in human form – instead, they
showed his presence through symbols.
❖ The empty seat was meant to indicate the meditation of the Buddha, and
the stupa was meant to represent the mahaparinirvana.
❖ Another frequently used symbol was the wheel. This stood for the first
sermon of the Buddha, delivered at Sarnath.
Popular traditions:

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 ❖ A sculpture of a beautiful women swinging from the edge of the gateway,
holding onto a tree was the representation of shalabhanjika.
❖ Shalabhanjika a woman whose touch caused trees to flower and bear fruit.
It is likely that this was regarded as an auspicious symbol and integrated into
the decoration of the stupa.
❖ The shalabhanjika motif on most of the Buddhist sculptures suggests that
many people who turned to Buddhism enriched it with their own pre-
Buddhist and even non-Buddhist beliefs, practices and ideas.
❖ There are other motifs as well. Some of the finest depictions of animals are
found there. These animals include elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle.
While the Jatakas contain several animal stories that are depicted at Sanchi,
it is likely that many of these animals were carved to create lively scenes to
draw viewers.
❖ Animals were often used as symbols of human attributes. Elephants, for
example, were depicted to signify strength and wisdom.
❖ Another motif is that of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants, which
seem to be sprinkling water on her as if performing an abhisheka or
consecration.
❖ The serpent motif is also found on several pillars. One of the earliest modern
art historians, James Fergusson, considered Sanchi to be a centre of tree and
serpent wor ship.
New Religious Traditions
❖ Early Buddhist teachings had given great importance to self-effort in
achieving nirvana. Buddha was regarded as a human being who attained
enlightenment and nirvana. Gradually the idea of a saviour emerged.
❖ Simultaneously, the concept of the Bodhisatta also developed. Bodhisattas
were perceived as deeply compassionate beings who accumulated merit

129
 through their efforts but used this not to attain nirvana and thereby abandon
the world, but to help others.
❖ The worship of images of the Buddha and Bodhisattas became an
important part of this tradition.
❖ This new way of thinking was called Mahayana – literally, the “great
vehicle”. Those who adopted these beliefs described the older tradition
as Hinayana or the “lesser vehicle”.
❖ The notion of a saviour was not unique to Buddhism, it was also a part of
Hinduism. Sects of Vaishnavism and Shaivism emerged in Hinduism, in
which there was growing emphasis on the worship of a chosen deity.
Purani Hinduism
❖ Vaishnavism – is a form of Hinduism within which Vishnu was worshipped
as the principal deity and Shaivism is a tradition within which Shiva was
regarded as the chief god. In such worship the bond between the devotee and
the god was visualised as one of love and devotion, or bhakti.
❖ In Vaishnavism, cults developed around the various avatars or incarnations
of the deity. Ten avatars were recognised within the tradition. Different
avatars were popular in different parts of the country.
❖ Some of the avatars were represented in sculptures. For example, Shiva was
symbolised by the linga.
❖ All such representations depicted a complex set of ideas about the deities and
their attributes through symbols.
❖ Much of what is contained in the Puranas evolved through interaction
amongst people who travelled from place to place sharing ideas and beliefs.
Early Temples:
❖ The early temple was a small square room, called the garbhagriha, with a
single doorway for the worshipper to enter and offer worship to the image.

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 ❖ Gradually, a tall structure, known as the shikhara, was built over the central
shrine. Temple walls were often decorated with sculpture.
❖ Later temples became far more elaborate – with assembly halls, huge walls
and gateways, and arrangements for supplying water.
❖ One of the unique features of early temples was that some of these were
hollowed out of huge rocks, as artificial caves.
❖ The tradition of building artificial caves was an old one. Some of the
earliest of these were constructed in the third century BCE on the orders of
Asoka for renouncers who belonged to the Ajivika sect.
❖ This tradition evolved through various stages and culminated much later – in
the eighth century – in the carving out of an entire temple, that
of Kailashnatha (a name of Shiva).
Reading the unfamiliar
❖ The European scholars were horrified by what seemed to them
grotesque figures, with multiple arms and heads or with combinations of
human and animal forms (of gods and goddess).
❖ They compared and often found early Indian sculpture inferior to the works
of Greek artists, they were very excited when they discovered images of the
Buddha and Bodhisattas that were evidently based on Greek models. These
were, more often than not, found in the northwest, in cities such as Taxila
and Peshawar, where Indo-Greek rulers had established kingdoms in the
second century BCE.
❖ As these images were closest to the Greek statues these scholars were
familiar with, they were considered to be the best examples of early Indian
art.

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 Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of the following is the most important idea in Jainism?
(a) Observing celibacy
(b) Entire world is animated
(c) Belief in non-violence
(d) Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of
Karma.
Answer: (b) Entire world is animated
2. Which kingdom donated for Bharhut stupas?
(A)The Maurya
(B) The Satavahan
(C) The Sung
(D)The Kanv
Answer: (B) the Satavahan
3. According to which Buddhist text Asoka distributed portions of the
Buddha’s relics to every important town and ordered the construction
of stupas over them?
(a) Ashokavadana (b) Mahaparinibbana Sutta
(c) Sutta Pitaka (d) Vessantara Jataka
Answer: (a) Ashokavadana
4. The Sangha was an association of whom?
(a) Bhikkus (b) merchants
(c) traders (d) dancers
Answer: (a) Bhikkus
5. What is the meaning of ‘Three baskets’?
(a) Tirthankara (b) Triratna

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 (c) Tipitaka (d) Trishula
Answer: (c) Tripitaka
6. . What was the name of the gana to which Buddha belonged to?
(a) Licchavi (b) Sakya
(c) Koliyas (d) Kamboj
Answer: (b) Sakya
7. Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
a) Bhopal- shahjehan begum
b) Tirthankars- teachers of Buddhism
c) Stupa- Sanchi near Bhopal
d) Hagiography - saints
Answer: b) Tirthankars- teachers of Buddhism
8. Consider the following statements:
1. Jainism was started by Rishabhdev.
2. Lord Mahavira was 24th Tirthankar of Jainism.
3. Teachings of Jainism are given in Angar.
4. Jainism started Sangha to spread its massage.
Which of the given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (b) 1, 2, 3
(c) 2, 3, 4 (d) 1, 3, 4
Answer: (b) 1, 2, 3.
9 Choose the correct option:
(a) Sanchi Stupa situated near to Bhopal.
(b) Sanchi Stupa was preserved by the Beghums of Bhopal
(c) Sanchi Stupa belongs to Buddhism.
(d) All of these.
Answer: (d) All of these
10. New tradition of Buddhism was called as

133
 (a) Shwetambar (b) Digambar
(c) Hinayana (d) Mahayana
Answer: (d) Mahayana
11. The most splendid stupa was at _________
(a) Amravati (b) Sanchi
(c) Bhoomra (d) Shahjidheri
Answer: (a) Amravati
12. How many school of thoughts were established in the Indian sub-
continent during mid-first millennium BCE?
(A) 72
(B) 64
(C) 60
(D) 68
Answer: (B) 64
13. At which place Lord Buddha attained true enlightenment?
(a) Lumbini (b) Kushinagara
(c) Sarnath (d) Bodhgaya
Answer: (d) Bodhgaya
14. .________ is the birth place of Gautama Buddha.
(a) Kalinga (b) Sarnatha
(c) Lumbini (d) Kushinagara
Answer: (c) Lumbini
15. 24 great teachers of Jainism are known as ________
(a) Tirthankars (b) Jataks
(c) Jinas (d) Vardhmanas
Answer: (a) Tirthankars
16. Which of these was not the Begum of Bhopal?
(a) Shahjehan Begum (b) Sultanjehan Begum

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 (c) Noorjehan Begum (d) (a) and (b) both
Answer: (c) Noorjehan Begum
17. Sanchi Stupa is situated
(a) Near to Bhopal (b) Near to Indore
(c) Near to Delhi (d) Near to Agra
Answer: (a) Near to Bhopal
18. Who provided money for the preservation of the Sanchi Stupa?
(a) John Marshall (b) Begums of Bhopal
(c) Alexander Cunningham (d) None of the above
Answer: (b) Begums of Bhopal
19. What was the balcony-like structure in a stupa called?
(a) Anda (b) Harmika
(c) Yashti (d) Chhatri
Answer: (b) Harmika
20. Which of the following statements is incorrect regarding the lively
discussions and debates in the Buddhist texts?
(a) Debates took place in the kutagarashala.
(b) Many of the teachers questioned the authority of the Vedas.
(c) In these debates the kings tried to convince one another as well as
laypersons about the validity of their philosophy or the way they
understood the world.
(d) If a philosopher succeeded in convincing one of his rivals, the
followers of the latter also
became his disciples.
Answer: (c) In these debates the kings tried to convince one another as
well as laypersons about the validity of their philosophy or the way they
understood the world.
21. Consider the following statements regarding Sangha.

135
 (i) Mahapajapati Gotami persuaded Buddha to allow women into the
sangha.
(ii) Many women who entered the sangha became teachers of Dhamma
and went on to become theris.
(iii) Once within the sangha, all were regarded as equal.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) I and II (b) II and III
(c) I and III (d) II only
Answer: (b) II and III
22. Match the following.
(a) Buddha attained
(i) Lumbini
Nibbana
(b) Buddha delivered his
(ii) Kusinagara
first sermon
(iii) Sarnath (c) Buddha was born
(d) Buddha attained
(iv) Bodh Gaya
enlightenment
Choose the correct option
(a) i – b, ii – c, iii – a, iv – d (b) i – c, ii – a, iii – b, iv – d
(c) i – c, ii – b, iii – a, iv – d (d) i – d, ii – a, iii – b, iv – c
Answer: (b) i – c, ii – a, iii – b, iv – d
23. Consider the following statements regarding the structure of the
stupa.
(i) Harmika is a balcony-like structure that represented the abode of gods.
(ii) A mast called the anda arose from the harmika.
(iii) A yashti was often surmounted by a chhatri or umbrella.
(iv) Yashti arose from the harmika.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?

136
 (a) I, II and III (b) II, III and IV
(c) I and IV (d) I, III and IV
Answer: (d) I, III and IV
24. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the
other labelled as
Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The mid-first millennium BCE saw the emergence of new
religions in India.
Reason (R): People began speculating on the significance of the sacrificial
tradition and
authority of the Vedas.
(a) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct Explanation of (A).
(b) Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is not the correct Explanation of
(A).
(c) (A) is correct but (R) is not correct.
(d) (R) is correct but (A) is not correct.
Answer: Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct Explanation--
of (A).
Additional MCQs
Q1) who among the following rulers worked on the preservation of Sanchi
stupa?
a) Ruksar Begum
b) Sultan Jehan Begum
c) Roshnara Begum
d) Shahjehan Begum
Ans- B
Q2) In which language did Buddha preach?
a) Pali
b) Prakrit

137
 c) Brahmi
d) Sanskrit
Ans- A
Q3) which of the following religion spread widely in Asia?
a) Buddhism
b) Jainism
c) Hinduism
d) Brahminism
Ans- A
Q4) Stories that were used to spread Buddhism include:
a) Manimekelai
b) Panchatantra
c) Jatakas
d) Hitopadesha
Ans- C
Q5) which of the following is not a constituent of the stupa?
a) pitha
b) anda
c) haramika
d) chhatri
Ans- A
Q6) consider the following statement with regard to the Sanchi stupa:
a) it is the largest stupa
b) the gateways of the stupa were richly carved
c) several animal stories are depicted at Sanchi
d) Sanchi stupa survived while the Amravati stupa did not
Ans- A
Q7) which of the following places has not yielded the remains of the stupa?
a) Sanchi
b) Sarnath
c) Amaravati
d) Pataliputra
Ans- C
Q8) _____________ is a collection of verse composed by bhikkhunis.

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 a) therigatha
b) sutta pitaka
c) buddhacharita
d) Mahabharata
Ans- A
Q9) Which of the following foreign powers wanted to take away the eastern
gateway of Sanchi stupa to their own country?
a) Norwegians
b) French
c) Scottish
d) Portugese
Ans- B
Q10) which of the following is the most important idea in Jainism?
a) Observing celibacy
b) Entire world is animated
c) Belief in non-violence
d) Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of
karma.
Ans- B
Q11) who provided money for the preservation of the Sanchi stupa?
(a) John Marshall
(b) Begums of Bhopal
(c) Alexander Cunningham
(d) None of the above
Ans- B
Q12)What was the balcony like structure in a stupa called?
(a) Anda
(b) Harmika
(c) Yashti
(d) Chhatri
Ans- B
Q13) According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is
(a) Permanent and stable
(b) Transient (anicca) and constantly changing
(c) Permanent and constantly changing

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 (d) None of the above
Ans- B
Q14) The first woman to be ordained as a Buddhist bhikkhuni was
____________
(a) Kamalavathi
(b) Punna
(c) Maya
(d) Mahapajapati
Ans- D
Q15) Chaityas were described as __________
(a) Special trees or unique rocks regarded as sacred
(b) Sites, with small shrines attached to them
(c) Buddhist texts kept in the stupa
(d) Place where stupas were made
Ans- B
Q16) where did Buddha give his first sermon?
(a) Sarnath
(b) Gaya
(c) Lumbini
(d) Kushi nagar
Ans- A
Q17) what was the time period of compilation of Rigveda?
(a) 1500BCE-1000BCE
(b) 2600BCE-1900BCE
(c) 1900BCE-1000BCE
(d) 1600BCE-900BCE
Ans- A
Q18) who funded money for the conservation in sanchi stupa?
(a) Sultan Jehan begum
(b) Shajehan
(c) Rashiu
Ans- A
Q19) Where is Amaravati ?
(a) AP

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 (b) MP
(c) UP
(d) HP
Ans- A
Q20) who were the main gods in the first millennium BCE?
a) Indra
b) Agni
c) Soma
d) All of the above
Ans- D

Short Answers
1. Explain the central teachings of Jainism.
Ans. The main teachings of Jainism are as follows:
(i) The entire world is animated. Life exists even in rocks and stones
normally considered non-living.
(ii)The principle of non-violence is practised in extreme form in Jainism.
No harms should be caused to animals, plants and insects and any other
living beings that may include rocks and stones too.
(iii)The cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through Karma. If one is to
escape this cycle of Karma, one must practise ascetism and penance. It is
possible when one renounces the world. So one has to live in monastery to
attain salvation.
(iv)Jain monks have to take vows to observe the following:
(a) Not to kill anyone (b) Not to steal anything
(c) Not tell lies (d) Not to possess property
(e) To observe celibacy.

2. Discuss the role of the begums of Bhopal in preserving the stupa at

Sanchi.

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 Ans. Begums of Bhopal made a great contribution to the preservation of
the Stupa of Sanchi. Following are the major contribution made by them.
(a) Shahejahan Begum and her successor Sultan Jahan Begum of Bhopal
were the rulers of Bhopal, who made generous grants to the preservation of
the Stupa of Sanchi.
(b) A museum was built near the stupa and it was built mainly on the
financial support of Begum Sultan Jahan Begum.
(c) The support to preserve the stupa came from the Europeans also.
(d) French and British both took the plaster cast copies of the pillars of the
stupas to be displayed in the museums at France and Britain. They also
contributed financially to preserve the stupa.
3. Why do you think women and men joined the sangha?
Ans: The important reasons why men and women joined sanghas could be
as follows:
(а) Many of them wanted to renounce the worldly pleasures.
(b) They could study the Buddhist literature and philosophy by staying in
the company of other monks.
(c) Many people entered sanghas to become priests and teachers of
Buddhism.
(d) All were considered equal and the previous social identity was to be
renounced.
(e) The environment of sanghas was democratic. The decision making
within sanghas was based on voting. This attracted many and they took to
the life of sanghas
4. Why the mid-first millennium. B.C.E. is regarded as the turning point in
the world’s history? Or
“The mid-first millennium B.C.E. is often regarded as the turning point in

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 ^ the world history.” Justify the statement. (C.B.S.E. 2011, 2016 (D) (OD))
Answer:
i. The mid-first millennium B.C.E. is regarded as a turning point in the
world’s history as it saw the emergence of many thinkers in different
parts of the world.
ii. Thinkers like Zarathustra in Iran, Kong Zi in China, Socrates, Plato
and Aristotle in Greece, and Mahavira and Buddha in India emerged
in this age.
iii. They tried to understand the mysteries of existence and the relation
between human beings and cosmic order
iv. . This was the time when new kingdoms were emerging in Ganga
valley. Social and economic life was changing.
v. All these thinkers were trying to understand these developments as
well.
5. Explain the main teachings of Buddha.
Answer:
The main teachings of the Buddha areas
i. The world is transient. It is constantly changing. It is also without
any soul. There is nothing eternal or permanent in it.
ii. Sorrow is intrinsic to human existence. Human beings can get rid of
all worldly troubles by following the path of moderation between
severe penance and self-indulgence.
iii. The existence of God-whether it is or not-was irrelevant in the
earliest forms of Buddhism.
iv. Buddha believed that the decay and the destruction of the human
body were inevitable.
v. Buddha believed that the social world was the creation of humans
were: It had no divine origin. So, he advised kings and chapatis to be

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 humane and ethical. Buddha emphasized that the individual effort
could transform social relations.
vi. Buddha believed that righteous action was the means to escape the
cycle of re-birth.
vii. According to the Buddha, the salvation or the attainment of self-
realization (Nibbana) could be possible if a person ended his ego
and desires.
viii. The Buddha advised all his followers to be their own lamps. They
must work out their own salvation or liberation.
6. Give reasons for the emergence of new religious sects during sixth-
century B.C.E.
Answer:
Many new religious sects emerged in North-Eastern India during the sixth
century B.C.E. Following were their main reasons for emergence :
i. Complexity in Vedic religion: Earlier, Vedic religion was very
simple but gradually its rule became very complex. So, people
wanted to have a simple religion.
ii. Caste system and untouchability: Shudras were badly hated by the
upper three castes. This lower class of society wanted to have
another religion, which could give them their rightful place.
iii. Difficult language: All the famous texts of Vedic religion were in
the Sanskrit language. General masses were unable to understand
this language.
iv. Birth of great men: Two great men were born in the sixth century
B.C.E.—Mahavir and Mahatama Buddha.
v. They brought some reforms in Hinduism and presented in a new
form. However their teachings took form of two new religions,
which became very popular as Jainism and Buddhism.

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7. Describe the similarities between Jainism and Buddhism.
Answer:
Following were the main similarities between Jainism and Buddhism :
i. The founders of both religions were Kshatriya Prince. Both of them
left their houses and meditated a lot. In this way, they both were
enlightened.
ii. Both the religions emerged in the form of reaction to Hinduism.
Both Lord Mahavira and the Buddha opposed the prevailing evils of
Hinduism and kept very simple rules of religion in front of the
public. That is why the teachings of both took the form of different
religions.
iii. Both the religions gave stress on non-violence. According to them,
giving physical or mental pain to any living being is a sin.
iv. Both the religions denounced the caste system. According to them,
no one is inferior or superior on the basis of caste.
8. Describe briefly the features of early temples made during the period
when stupas were built in Sanchi.
Answer:
In the early period, the central points of development in the temple
sculpture were as under:
i. The temples came into existence almost at the same time when the
stupas were developed at Sanchi.
ii. The early temples were in the form of a small square room which
was called the Garbhagriha. It had a single doorway through which
the worshippers entered the temple to worship the images of gods or
goddesses.
iii. A tall structure was gradually built over the central shrine. It was
called Shikhara.

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 iv. The walls of the temples were often decorated with beautiful
sculptures.
v. Some of these temples were hollowed out of huge rocks, they
looked like artificial caves.
vi. In the 8th century, the temple of Kailashnatha was the culminated
form of such temples. It was developed by cutting the whole hill.
9. Explain why the Stupa at Sanchi survived but not at Amaravati.
Answer:
i. Amaravati Stupa was discovered all of a sudden. It was the most
beautiful and largest stupa of the Buddhists. In 1854, the
Commissioner of Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) visited the Stupa of
Amaravati.
ii. He took many statues and idols of this place to Madras. In that
decade, many stones of Amaravati were taken to different places.
iii. Some of the stones reached the Asiatic Society of Bengal at
Calcutta. Many of them reached Indian Offices at Madras.
iv. A few ones were even taken to London. Many statues of Amaravati
adored the gardens of the British officials.
v. In reality, every new official of this region carried away the stones
and idols on the plea that their predecessors had also done so.
vi. As a result of this, the Stupa of Amaravati was shattered.
vii. In the case of Sanchi, it was well preserved by the Begums of
Bhopal along with the British. They gave away a lot of money to
preserve Sanchi but this did not happen in the case of Amaravati.
10. Who were Chaityas?
Answer:

i. The word ‘Chaitya’ has been derived from the word ‘Chita’.

146
 ii. The Hindi word ‘Chita’ meant a funeral pyre and by extension a
funerary mound.
iii. In the Buddhist literature, Chaityas were those sacred places that
were associated with the life of Buddha. For example, the Buddhists
consider Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, and Kushinagar as the
Chaityas.
Long Answers
1. Discuss the development in sculpture and architecture associated with
the rise of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
Ans.i)Vaishnavism and Shaivism are the two branches of Hinduism. In
case of Vaishnavism, Lord Vishnu was regarded as the chief deity. In case
of Shaivism Lord Shiva was regarded as the chief deity.
ii) Both traditions were part of the Bhakti movement. Bhakti movement
emphasised on the love and devotion of the devotee to: the God.
iii) This tradition of Vaishnavism and Shaivism also impacted the tradition
of architecture and sculpture. The temples developed the house deities.
iv) The initial temples were small and simple. It was a small room called
Garbhagriha. Later it expanded, a tall structure was built on the
garbhagriha. It was called Shikhara. The walls of the temple were
decorated with suitors. Soon temples were built that had huge entrance and
big halls for the comfort of visitors.
v) Many of these temples were carved out of rocks. These artificial caves
were turned into temples. The tradition of article caves is old who had
renounced the world.
vi) The most important were the Ajivikas, that developed as a sect during
the reign of Asoka. Later a good example of the rock-cut temple is the
Kailash Nath temple of the 8th Century. It was carved out of a single piece
rock.

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 vii) There is a copper plate inscription at the temple of Ellora Sculpture
was yet another way of expression. Shiva has been shown in the form of
Linga.. There were also combination of man and animal forms.
2. Discuss how and why stupas were built. Describe the structure of
stupa with example.
Ans.i) About 200 years after the time of Buddha King Asoka erected a
pillar at Lumbini. This was to announce the visit of Buddha to this
[Link] were the mounds put on the bodily remains of the body of
Lord Buddha or of any object that was used by him.
ii) At the place of stupas such objects were buried. These were places of
great respect under the tradition of Buddhism, as they had the relics of
Buddha. As per the description of Asokavadana winch a famous Buddhist
book, Emperor Asoka gave Buddha’s relic to all major cities. Later on
such places stupas were put.
iii)The most important stupas are at Sanchi, Bharhut and Saranath.
The structure of a stupa was like a dome and hemisphere. On the top of it,
there would be a balcony called harmik. This balcony represented the
abode of God. The harmik was covered with an umbrella. There used to be
railings around the balcony.
iv)The construction of the stupas was made possible by the contribution of
many. On the forefront were the monarchs. The Satvahan Kings offered
huge amount for the construction of the stupqs. Apart from the monarchs,
merchants, artisans and common men and women also contributed to the
construction of the stupas .
3. Discuss the development in sculpture and architecture associated with
the rise of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
Ans:

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 i. The rise of Vaishanavism and Shaivism led to worship of a chosen
deity. This helped in the development of sculpture and architecture.
For example, in the case of Vaishnavism, cults developed around the
various avatars or incarnations of the dieity.
ii. Ten avatars were recognised within the tradition. It is possible that
different avatars were popular in different parts of the country.
iii. Each of these local deities was recognised as a form of Vishnu. It,
therefore, created a more unified religious tradition.
iv. Some of these forms were represented in sculptures as in one figure
the Varaha or boar avatar of Vishnu has been shown as rescuing the
earth goddess.
v. Under Shaivism, Shiva was symbolised by the linga. He was
represented in the human form too.
vi. The deities and their attributes were depicted through symbols such
as head-dresses, ornaments and ayudhas – weapons or auspicious
objects the deities hold in their hands etc.
vii. At the same time, the rise of Vaishnavism and Shaivism, temples
were made to house images of gods and goddesses.
viii. The early temple was a small square room, called the garbhagriha,
with a single doorway for the worshipper to enter and offer worship
to the image.
ix. Later on, shikhara was built over the central shrine. Temple walls
were decorated with sculpture.
x. Artificial caves were built and ultimately it led to the carving out of
an entire temple, that of Kailashnath.
4. Critically examine why the stupa at Sanchi survived while Amaravati
stupa did not. Answer:

i. Archaeologist H.M. Cole believed that museums should have

plaster-case facsimiles of sculpture, whereas the originals should

149
 remain where they had been found. Unfortunately, Cole was unable
to convince the authorities about Amaravati but his plea for in-Site
preservation was adopted in the case of Sanchi. As a result, Sanchi
survived but Amaravati did not.
ii. Perhaps Amaravati was discovered before scholars understood the
value of the find and realized how critical it was to preserve things
where they had been found instead of removing them from the site.
iii. Sanchi was discovered in 1818. At that time, three of its gateways
were still standing. The fourth gateway was lying on the spot where
it had fallen. The mound was in good condition
iv. Then it was suggested that the gateway be taken to either London or
Paris.
v. But due to a number of reasons, Sanchi was kept as it was and so it
stands.
vi. On contrary to it, mahachaitya at Amaravati is now only a little
mound, whose glory has been lost.
5. Explain how the ideas of Puranic Hinduism developed in different
ways within the tradition.
Answer:

i. Puranic Hinduism originated from the notion of a Saviour. Two

traditions were part of Hinduism-Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
ii. Vishnu was the principal deity in Vaishnav tradition and Lord Shiva
was regarded as the chief God in Shaivism.
iii. In both traditions, special emphasis was laid on the worship of a
specific deity. In this type of worship, the bond between the devotee
and God was seen as one of love and devotion. It is called Bhakti.
iv. Incarnation or Avtarism: Various cults were developed around
various avatars of Vishnu in Vaishnavism. Ten avatars were
recognized in this tradition.
v. It has been believed that whenever the world is threatened by
disorder and destruction because of the dominance of evil forces, the

150
 deity takes avatar to save the world in different forms. Probably
different avatars were popular in different parts of the country.
vi. All the local deities were recognized as a form of Vishnu and
Vaishnavism became a more unified religious tradition.
Sculptures:
i. Some of the avatars represented in sculptures of other deities were
also made. Shiva was represented by the ‘Linga’ but he was also
represented in human form in many sculptures.
ii. All these representations of deities were based on a complex set of
ideas. Their attributes and symbols were depicted from their
headdresses, ornaments, and weapons or auspicious objects the
deities hold in their hands, how they are seated, etc.
Stories of Puranas:
i. In order to understand the meaning of these sculptures, historians
have to be familiar with the stories associated with them.
ii. Some stories are found even in the most of the stories of Puranas
were developed through mutual contracts of people.
iii. Priests, merchants, common men, and women used to move from
one place to another and used to exchange their beliefs and ideas.
For example, Vasudeva-Krishna was an important deity of the
Mathura region.
iv. But during many centuries, his worship spread to different parts of
the country as well.
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
1. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Sanchi in the nineteenth century
The most wonderful ancient buildings in the state of Bhopal
are at Sanchi Kanakhera, a small village under the brow

151
of a hill some 20 miles north-east of Bhopal which we
visited yesterday. We inspected the stone sculptures and
statues of the Buddha and an ancient gateway … The ruins
appear to be the object of great interest to European
gentlemen. Major Alexander Cunningham … stayed several
weeks in this neighbourhood and examined these ruins
most carefully. He took drawings of the place, deciphered
the inscription, and bored shafts down these domes. The
results of his investigations were described by him in an
English work
I) Why was Sanchi an interest to Alexander Cunningham?
i. Cunningham was supposed to prepare illustrated reports on the stupa.
ii. Sanchi draw lies both in it being a center of Buddhist heritage and an
important part in the history and archaeology of India.
iii. Any other relevant point
Any one point
II) How was Sanchi related with the Buddhism?
i. Sanchi is one of the oldest Buddhist monuments contain the relics of the
Buddha
ii. The domed shape of the stupa represent Buddha seated in meditation
iii. Any other relevant point
Any one point
III) How did Shahjahan Begum conserve Sanchi stupa?
i. The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjahan Begum and Sultan Jehan Begum,
provided money for the preservation of the ancient site.
ii. John Marshall dedicated his important volumes on Sanchi to Sultan
Jehan.
iii. She funded the museum that was built there as well as the guesthouse

152
 where John Marshall lived
iv. She also funded the publication of the volumes written by John
Marshall.
v. Any other relevant point
2. Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
Fatalists and materialists
Here is an excerpt from the Sutta Pataka, describing a conversation
between king Ajatasatru, the ruler of Magadha, and the Buddha: On one
occasion King Ajatashatru visited the Buddha and described what another
teacher named Makkhali Cosala, had told him Though the wise should
hope, by this virtues... by this penance I will gain karma ...and the fool
should by the same means hope to gradually rid himself of his karma,
neither of them can do it. Pleasure and pain, measured out as it were,
cannot be altered in the course of samsara transmigration. It can neither be
lessened nor increased…. just like a ball of string will when thrown
unwind to its full length, so fool and wise alike will take their course and
make an end of sorrow.
And this is what a philosopher named Auta Kesakambalin taught: There is
no such thing, no king, as alum
or sacrifice, or offering ….....there is no such thing . as this world or the
next …..
A human being is made up of four elements. When he dies the earthly in
him returns to the earth, the fluid to water, the heat to fire, the windy to air,
and his senses pass into
Space ……
The tall of gifts is a doctrine of fools, an empty lie … fools and wise alike
are cut off and perish. They do not survive after death,
The first teacher belonged to the tradition of the Ajivikas. They have often

153
 been described as fatalists those who believe that everything is
predetermined. The second teacher belonged to the tradition or the
Lokayatas, usually described as materialists. Texts from these traditions
have not survived, so we know about them only from the works of other
Traditions.
i) From where has this excerpt been taken?
Ans: This excerpt has been taken from Sutta Pitaka.
ii) What does it describe?
Ans: The excerpt described the dialogue between Ajatasattu and Lord
Buddha.
iii) How many elements is a human being made up of? What happens after
his death
iii.A human being is made up of four elements i.e. earth, air, fluid, and
heat. When a person died these elements returned to their respective
places.
CBSE Previous Year Questions (3 Marks)
1 Why are Buddhist stupas said to be “stories in stone”?Explain
2 How was Buddhas presences shown through symbols?Give two
examples .
3 Mention the internal functioning of the Buddhist Sanghas.
4 Name the two types of sources throughwhich we come to know about
Buddha and his teachings.
5 “The Begum of Bhopal played a significant role in preserving the
remains of stupa at Sanchi.”Support this statement with suitable
evidence.
6 Mention any four social groups from which the followers of Buddha
came.
7 What does the motif of a woman surrounded by lotuses and elephants

154
 depict? Mention ant two opinions.
8 Mention how, according to Jainism, one can free himself from the
cycle of Karma .
9 How was the fate of Amaravati stupa different from the Sanchi stupa
?Explain
10 “Many rituals religious beliefs and practices were not recorded in a
permanent visible from as monuments or sculptures or even
paintings.”Critically examine the statement
11 Describe the teachings of the Bhudha.
12 Describe how the Bhudha’s teachings have been reconstructed from
the stories of sutta pitaka
13 Explain the structureal ans sculptural features of the Sanchi stupa
14 Explain how and why were stupas built.
15 How Sutta Pitaka did reconstructed the philosophy of Bhudhism?
Mention about Bhudhist Tipitaka .
MAP

155
156
157
 PART-II
THEME: FIVE
THROUGH THE EYES OF TRAVELLERS
PERCEPTION OF SOCIETY
([Link] To Seventeenth Century)
KEY CONCEPT
❖ Many foreign travellers visited India during medieval period. They
came to India for several motives.
❖ Most of the travellers who came to India wrote their accounts.
❖ The accounts of these travellers dealt with various aspects. Some
travellers accounts deal with the affairs of the court whereas few
accounts are focussed on religious issues.
❖ Some travellers create about the contemporary style of architecture and
monuments, whereas other depicts the social and economic life.
❖ The travellers who visited India presented the true picture of Indian
civilisation in their accounts.
❖ Al-Biruni, a great scholar of central Asia, came to India in the 11th
century. He arrived India during the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni.
❖ Al-Biruni was bom on 4 Sept. 973 at Khwarizm in Uzbekistan.
❖ Al-Biruni was well-versed in many languages. Languages such as
Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and Sanskrit were known to him.
❖ Al-Biruni’s most outstanding work ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’ was written in
Ghazni and was concerned India. It was also known as Tarikh-ul-Hind
and Tahqiq-ma-lil-Hind.
❖ Al-Biruni has thrown a light on caste system prevailing in the Hindu
society.
❖ According to Al-Biruni’s description India’s economic condition was
very good.

158
❖ Al-Biruni’s real name was Abu-Abdullah Muhammad. He was fond of
travelling and wanted to increase his knowledge by establishing his
contact with the people of different countries.
❖ He travelled thirty years of his life.
❖ The great traveller of Morocco died in 1377, but the account written by
him ‘Rihla’ is of immense wealth.
❖ After returning to Morocco in 1354 he (Ibn Battuta) was ceremoniously
welcomed by ‘Sultan’, Abu Iram.
❖ Sultan Abu Iram appointed Ibijuzayy to help Battuta to compile his
account ‘Rihla’.
❖ Rihla was written in Arabic. In it describe whatever he saw in India.
❖ Undoubtedly Tlihla’ is considered as an invaluable source of Indian
History in the 14th century.
❖ Francois Bernier was a French traveller who came to India in 17th
century.
❖ Francois Bernier was a great French doctor, philosopher and an
historian who remained in India from 1656 to 1688 and wrote his
famous book entitled. “Travels in the Mughal court”.
❖ Francois has given great detail about Indian Kharkhenas. Town, land
ownership system and social evil, i.e. sati system.
❖ Abdur Razzaq the great Iranian scholar came to India in 15th century.
He was born in 1413 and was appointed the Qazi of Samarqand under
Shah Rokh Khan.

159
 TRAVELLRS ACCOUNT

Al-Biruni
i) Great scholar of central Asia
ii) Well-versed in Arabic, Persian,
Hebrew and Sanskrit
.iii) Outstanding work ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’

Francois Bernier:
i)French doctor, political
philosopher and historianii) Ibn Battuta
ii)Francois Bernier’s book .i)Ibn Battuta wrote the book ‘Rihla’ in
‘Travels in the Mughal Arabic
Empire .ii)Called Global Trotter
iii) Crown ownership system iii) Travelled extensively to Syria, Iraq,
of land ruined the Persia, Yemen, Oman, Mecca and a few
agriculture , living standard trading ports on the coast of East Africa.
of all sections of society,
except the ruling aristocracy

Al-Biruni and the Kitab-ul-Hind:

❖ Al-Biruni was born in 973 at Khwarizm in present day Uzbekistan.
❖ He was well-versed in different languages like Syriac, Arabic, Persian,
Hebrew and Sanskrit.
❖ In 1017 with the invasion of Khwarizm, he arrived in Ghazni as a
hostage. But gradually developed a liking for the city and interest for
India.

160
 ❖ When the Punjab became a part of the Ghaznavid empire, he travelled
widely in the Punjab and other parts of Northern India.
❖ He spent years in the company of Brahmana priests and scholars by
learning Sanskrit and studying religions and philosophical texts.
❖ Al-Biruni wrote ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’ in Arabic, in a simple and lucid
manner.
❖ It is a voluminous text including 80 chapters covering subjects like
religion, philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners and
customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws and
metrology.
❖ Al-Biruni was familiar with translations and adaptations of Sanskrit,
Pali and Prakrit texts into Arabic. However, he was also critical about
the ways in which these texts were written, and clearly wanted to
improve on them.
Al-Biruni’s View About Indian Society:
❖ According to Al-Biruni, Sanskrit was so different from Arabic and
Persian that ideas and concepts could not be translated easily from one
language to another.
❖ Al-Biruni tried to explain the caste system by comparing it with other
societies. He tried to suggest that social divisions were not unique to
India.
❖ Al-Biruni depended on the Vedas, the Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, the
works of Patanjali, the Manusmriti, etc.
❖ Sanskrit texts laid down the rules of caste system from the point of
view of Brahmanas, but in real life the system was not quite so rigid.

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 Overcoming barriers to understanding

Language: Sanskrit Religious beliefs and The self-absorption

was so different from practices. and consequent
Arabic and Persian that insularity of the local
ideas and concepts population .
could not be easily
translated from one
language into another.

Ibn Battuta and his Book Rihla:

❖ Ibn Battuta wrote the book ‘Rihla’ in Arabic. This book provides
extremely rich and interesting detail about the social and cultural life in
the sub-continent in the 14th century.
❖ Ibn Battuta went to far-off places, exploring new worlds and peoples.
❖ Before coming to India, he travelled extensively to Syria, Iraq, Persia,
Yemen, Oman, Mecca and a few trading ports on the coast of East
Africa.
❖ When he came to Delhi, Muhammad-bin- Tughlaq was the Sultan of
Delhi. The Sultan was impressed by his scholarship and appointed him
the ‘qazi’ or judge of Delhi.
❖ He visited Bengal, Assam, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Sumatra and China.
❖ He meticulously recorded his observations about new cultures, peoples,
beliefs, values, etc.
❖ Travelling was not secure at that time. During his travel, Ibn Battuta
was attacked by bands of robbers several times and was severely
wounded.

162
❖ Ibn Battuta spent several years travelling through North Africa, West Asia,
parts of Central Asia, the Indian sub-continent and China and recorded
extensively his experiences.
Ibn Battuta’s Description of Indian Society:
❖ In the 14th century, Indian sub-continent had its contact from China in the
East to North West Africa and Europe in the West. Ibn Battuta travelled
through these lands and arrived at Delhi in the 14th century after visiting
sacred shrines, meeting with rulers, learned men and people who spoke
Arabic, Persian, Turkish and other languages. He shared ideas, information
and anecdotes.
❖ While describing Indian society, Ibn Battuta explained the unfamiliar
things like coconut and paan in a unique way.
❖ Ibn Battuta found the cities of India densely populated and prosperous.
According to him, Delhi was the largest city in India. He also had the same
view for Daulatabad (in Maharashtra).
❖ The bazaars (markets) were the places of economic transactions and also
the hub of social and cultural activities. There were masjids and temples to
offer prayers and also some bazaars marked with spaces for public
performances by dancers, musicians and singers.
❖ Ibn Battuta found Indian agriculture very productive because of the
fertility of the soil where farmers tend to cultivate two crops a year.
❖ Indian manufacturing flourished due to inter-Asian network of trade and
commerce. These were in great demand in both West Asia and South-East
Asia where artisans and merchants were fetching huge profits.
❖ Indian textiles, specially cotton cloth, fine muslins, silks, brocade and satin
were also in great demand.
❖ Ibn Battuta was amazed by the efficiency of the postal system which was
of two kinds, the horse-post called ‘uluq’ and the foot-post called ‘dawa’.

163
 Ibn Battuta’s
Description of Economic
Indian Society transactions
and also the
hub of social
and cultural
activities.

Great Demand
of Indian
Textile cotton
cloth, fine
muslins, silks, Efficiency of the postal
brocade and system
satin

Densely
Populated and
prosperous.

Manufacturing
Flourished due to
inter-Asian
network of trade
and commerce.
Indian agriculture
very productive -
fertility of the soil
,two crops a year

164
Francois Bernier: A French Traveller
❖ A number of Portuguese, Dutch, English and French travellers came to
India in the 16th and 17th century. Of them, Jesuit Roberto Nobili,
Duarte Barbosa, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and Manucci wrote different
aspects of Indian society.
❖ French doctor, political philosopher and historian Francois Bernier
spent twelve years (1656 to 1668) in India and was closely associated
with the Mughal court.
❖ Bernier travelled to several parts of India and wrote detailed accounts
by comparing the situation in India with Europe.
❖ His works were published in France in 1670-71, and translated into
English, Dutch, German and Italian. His writings became extremely
popular.
Francois Bernier and His View About Contemporary Society:
❖ He compared and contrasted what he saw in India with the situation in
Europe in general and France in particular.
❖ Bernier’s book ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’ is marked by detailed
observations, critical insights and reflection. He constantly compared
Mughal India with contemporary Europe, generally emphasising the
superiority of the latter.
❖ According to him, the Mughal emperor owned all the lands and
distributed it among his nobles and it led to disastrous consequences for
economy and society. This perception was supported by most of the
travellers of that period.
❖ As having no legal right over land, landholders could not pass on their
land to their childern. Thus, they avoid any kind of long-term
investment in the sustenance and expansion of production.

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 ❖ This crown ownership system of land ruined the agriculture as well as
the living standard of all sections of society, except the ruling
aristocracy which oppressed the peasant class.
❖ He explained that because of crown ownership of land, Indian society
has no social group or class between the poorest of the poor and the
richest of the rich. He further said, “There is no middle state in India”.
❖ Bernier described Mughal king as the king of “beggars and barbarians”.
But Abul Fazl gave a different account by describing revenue as a
claim made by the ruler on his subjects for the protection he provides,
rather than as rent on land that he owned.
❖ French philosopher Montesquieu used this account to develop the idea
of oriental despotism and in the 19th century, Karl Marx used this
account to develop the Asiatic mode of production.
❖ He also explained that India had a more complex social reality where
artisans had no incentive to improve the quality of their products as
profits were appropriated by the state.
❖ He added that the country used to exchange its manufacturing goods
with the precious metals gold and silver, from outside the sub-
continent.
❖ There were all kinds of towns i.e. manufacturing towns, trading towns,
port-towns, sacred centres, pilgrimage towns, etc.
❖ The different urban groups included mahajans, sheth, nagarsheth,
hakim or vaid, pundit or mulla, wakii, painters, architects, musicians,
calligraphers, etc.
Views of Travellers about Women:
❖ Slaves were openly sold in markets with horses, camels and other
commodities.

166
 ❖ Ibn Battuta mentioned that there was considerable differentiation
among slaves.
❖ Slaves were generally used for domestic labour and female slaves were
used for the service of Sultan and to keep a watch on the nobles.
❖ Bernier wrote about the practice of’Sati’. He noted that while some
women seemed to embrace death cheerfully, others were forced to die.
❖ Women’s labour was crucial in both agricultural and non-agricultural
production.
❖ Women from merchant families participated in commercial activities.
❖ Travellers’ accounts provide us important information of that period but
many aspects of social life were unnoticed by them.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Which of these French travellers came to during 17th century?
(a) Al-Biruni
(b) Ibn-Battuta
(c) Abul Fail
(d) Fra ncois Bernier
Ans:(d) Fra ncois Bernier
2. Who among the following belonged to Morocco?
(a) Ibn Battuta
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Francois Bernier
(d) Abdul Samarandi
Ans: (b) Al-Biruni
3. Who Wrote ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’?
(a) Callin Mcenzie
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Abdul Samad Lahori

167
 (d) lbn-Battuta
Ans: (b) Al-Biruni
4. lslamic Law is known as ________
(a) Shariya
(b) Samr
(c) Ulema
(d) All of these
Ans: (a) Shariya
5. Which of the following cities, according to Ibn-Battut a, was the
largest?
(a) Surat
(b) Delhi
(c) Daulatabad
(d) Agra
Ans: (b) Delhi
6. Who wrote the book, “Travells In The Mughal Empire”?
(a) Francois Bernier
(b) John Marshall
(c) Callin Mcenzie
(d) James Princep
Ans: (a) Francois Bernier
7. Which among the following was the book written by Al-Biruni?
(a) Rihla
(b) Kitab-ul-Hind
(c) Discovery of India
(d) Arthashastra
Ans: b) Kitab-ul-Hind

168
8. Choose the correct option:
Who founded Delhi as a city full of exciting opportunities?
(a) Jbn-Battuta
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Francois Bernier
(d) Karl Marx
Ans: (a) Ibn-Battuta
9. Choose the correct option:
(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite
disasterous for farmers.
Ans: (d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite
disasterous for farmers.
10. Consider the following statements.
1. Montesquieu used Bernier’s accounts to develop his idea of oriental
despotism.
2. Bernier gave a detailed report on rural society.
. According to Bernier, crown ownership of land was good for peasants.
4. Bernier onsidered Indian King was the king of beggars.
Which of the given statement is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 2, 3
(c) 1, 2, 4
(d) 2, 3, 4
Answer: (c) 1, 2, 4

169
11. Consider the following:

1. Al-Biruni i. Rihla

2. Ibn-Battuta ii. Kitab-ul-Hind

3. Francois iii. Travels in Mughal

Bernier Empire
Correctly match them.
(a) 1 – (ii), 2 – (i), 3 – (iii)
(b) 1 – (i), 2 – (ii), 3 – (iii)
(c) I – (iii), 2 – (i), 3 – (iii)
(ci) 1 – (ii), 2 – (iii), 3 – (i)
Answer: (a) 1 – (ii), 2 – (i), 3 – (iii)
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Mention any three characteristics of the cities in the Indian sub-
continent as described by Ibn Battuta.
Ans:
Ibn Battuta described the cities of the sub-continent and mentioned
important features of these as follows:
i. These cities were densely populated and prosperous.
ii. These cities had crowded streets, bright and colourful markets
with a wide variety of goods
2. Name the book written by Ibn Battuta. What was his observation
about female slaves in the sub-continent?
i. Ibn Battuta wrote the book named ‘Rihla’.
ii. Ibn Battuta had following observation about the female slaves of
Indian sub-continent:
iii. The female slaves excelled in music and dance and they were
employed in Sultan’s service,

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 iv. They were also employed by the Sultan to keep an eye on his
noble’s activities.
3. Examine the causes that made Al-Biruni visit India.
There are many causes that made Al-Biruni visit in India. These are:
i. Al-Biruni arrived in Ghazni as a hostage by Sultan Mahmud of
Ghazni. It was the place where he developed an interest for India.
ii. When the Punjab became a part of the Ghaznavid Empire, Al-
Biruni travelled widely in the Punjab and parts of northern India.
iii. Al-Briuni spent years in the Company of Brahmana priests and
scholars, learning Sanskrit and studying religious and
philosophical texts.
iv. He read the Vedas, the Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, the works of
Patanjali, the Manusmriti, etc to understand Indian society
properly.
4. Examine why Bernier described the Mughal towns as the ‘Camp
Towns’.
i. Bernier described Mughal cities as ‘camp towns’. By camp towns
he mean towns that depended for their survival on the imperial
court.
ii. He believed that these towns came into existence when the
imperial court moved in the area and rapidly lost their importance
when imperial court moved out.
iii. These towns became singificant with the royal patronage,
basically they did not have any other social and economic
foundations.
iv. During Mughal period, 15 per cent of the population lived in these
‘camp towns’ according to Bernier.
5. State the inherent problems faced by Al-Biruni in the task of

171
 understanding Indian social and Brahmanical practices.
i. Sanskrit was so different from Arabic and Persian that ideas and
concepts could not be translated from one language to another.
ii. The second barrier was the difference in religious beliefs and
practices.
iii. The self-absorption and consequent insularity of the local
population constituted the third barrier.
6. Explain briefly the barriers, felt by Al-Biruni, in understanding
what he observed in India.
Ans:
Al-Biruni was aware of the problems that he could face during his travel.
He felt that many barriers obstructed his understanding. These barriers
can be studied as under :
i. The first barrier was that of the language. He found a lot of
difference between Sanskrit and Arabic or Persian. He found it
hard to translate ideas and concepts of one language into another.
ii. Secondly, he found a lot of difference in religious beliefs and
practices.
iii. The third barrier was the self-absorption and insularity of the local
population.
7. Which four social categories of ancient Persia were described by Al-
Biruni? What he actually wanted to express?
Ans:
Al-Biruni tried to explain the caste system in comparison with its
parallels in other societies. He wrote that four social categories were
recognised in ancient Persia and these were:-
i. Knights and princes.
ii. Monks, fire priests and lawyers.
iii. Physicians, astronomers and other scientists.
Peasants and artisans were:

172
 i. Actually, he wanted to express that these social categories were
not unique to India. He also expressed that all humans are treated
equally in Islam and they differ only in their observance piety .
8. “India had a unique system of communication during the fourteenth
century.” Examine the statement of Ibn-e-Batuta.
Answer:

ii. The state took special steps to encourage merchants. Inns and rest
houses were built on almost all the trading routes. Ibn-Battuta was
amazed by observing the postal system.
iii. Merchants were not only able to send information to a long-
distance but also to dispatch goods required at short notice.
iv. The postal system was so efficient that while it took 50 days for
traders to reach Delhi from Sindh but the news, reports of spies
would reach the king in only 5 days.
9. Ibn-Battuta was full of excitement to know about the unfamiliar.”
Give reasons in favour of the statement.
Ans:

i. When Ibn-Battuta arrived in India in the 14th century, the whole

of the sub-continent was part of a global network of
communication.
ii. This communication network stretched from China in the east and
North¬western Africa and Europe in the west. Ibn-Battuta himself
extensively travelled in these regions. During his journeys, he
observed sacred places, spent time with scholars and rulers and
even remained on the post of Qazi.
iii. He also enjoyed the cosmopolitan culture of urban centres where
people used to speak Arabic, Persian, Turkish and other languages
and exchanged ideas, information, stories, etc.
iv. These include stories of men noted for their piety, kings, general
masses and people of all categories. If anything was unfamiliar in

173
 those stories, it was particularly highlighted so that the readers or
listeners must be impressed by that.
v. Ibn-Battuta very interestingly described the coconut and the paan.
His readers were very much unfamiliar with these two things.
10. i.
ii. For example, Al-Biruni had explained the caste system in India.
iii. He did not consider it unique as such social divisions were
prevalent in ancient Persia.
iv. He even accepted the Brahmanical description of the caste system.
But he did not accept the notion of pollution as social pollution
was contrary to the laws of nature.
v. Actually, he tried to explain the caste system in comparison with
its parallels in other societies. But he also expressed that all
humans are treated equally in Islam and they differ only in their
observance piety.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Explain the observations of Ibn Battuta about the cities of India,
with special reference to Delhi.
i. Indian cities were densely populated and prosperous although
sometimes these were affected by the wars.
ii. Most cities had crowded streets and bright colourful markets with
a wide variety of commodities.
iii. Delhi with its vast population became the largest city in India.
Daulatabad was no less, easily rivalled Delhi in size.
iv. The rampart round the city was widely expanded. Inside the
rampart, there were houses for the night sentry, gate keepers and
store houses.

174
 v. The lower part of the rampart was built of stone and the upper part
was of bricks. It had many towers.
vi. There were twenty eight gates in Delhi, which were called as
‘Darwazas’. Of these gates, Budaun darwaza, Mandi darwaza, Gul
darwaza were very famous.
vii. The markets and bazaars of Indian cities were the places of
economic transactions and social and cultural activities. Most of
the bazaars had a masjid and a temple. These places also had fixed
spaces for public performances by dancers, musicians and singers.
viii. Ibn Battuta found that many towns derived their wealth and
prosperity through the appropriation of surplus from villages.
2. “The conception of social pollution intrinsic to the caste system was
contrary to the law of nature.” Examine Al-Biruni’s statement on
Indian caste system.
i. Al-Biruni wrote the voluminous text ‘Kitab-ul-Hind in which he
elaborately discussed about the social life of India.
ii. According to him, the conception of the pollution intrinsic to the
caste system in India was contrary to the law of nature. Al-Biruni
tried to explain the caste system by looking for parallels in other
societies.
iii. He noted that in ancient Persia, four social categories were
recognised. These were kings and princes; monks, fire-priests and
lawyers; physicians, astronomers and other scientists and peasants
and artisans.
Social Divisions not Unique to India:
i. In other words, he attempted to suggest that social divisions were
not unique to India. At the same time, he pointed out that within

175
 Islam all men were considered equal, differing only in their
observance of piety (deep respect for God).
ii. Cycle of Purification Important for Life on Earth: Al-Biruni
believed that if there . were no phenomenon of removing impurity,
then the life on Earth would have been impossible.
iii. Hence, the conception of social pollution intrinsic to the caste
system, was according to him, contrary to the laws of nature.
iv. Al-Biruni’s description of caste system was deeply influenced by
his study of normative Sanskrit texts, thus he described caste
system from the point of view of Brahmanas. But in real life, the
caste system was not so rigid.
3. Explain the views of Bernier about a more complex social reality of
the Mughal empire, Bernier had the following views about the
complex social reality of the Mughal empire:
i. Bernier had a belief that the Mughal state was tyrannical.
ii. He observed that artisans had no incentives to improve the quality
of their manufactures, as the profit was appropriated by the state.
iii. The manufacturers were consequently, everywhere in decline.
iv. Bernier also pointed out that vast quantities of the world’s
precious metals flowed into India, as manufactures were exported
in exchange for gold and silver.
v. People were employed in manufacturing carpets, brocades,
embroideries, gold and silver cloths and various sorts of silk and
cotton goods.
vi. There were several kinds of towns in India. These were
manufacturing towns, trading towns, port towns, sacred centres,
pilgrimage towns, etc.

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 SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS:
1. The Poor Peasant
An excerpt from Bernier’s description of the peasantry in the
countryside:
Of the vast tracts of country constituting the empire of Hindustan,
many are little more than sand, or barren mountains, badly cultivated,
and thinly populated. Even a considerable portion of the good land
remains untilled for want to labourers; many of whom perish in
consequence of the bad treatment they experience from Governers, The
poor people, when they become incapable of discharging the demands of
their rapacious lords, are not only often deprived of the means of
subsistence, but are also made to lose their children, who are carried
away as slaves. Thus it happens that the peasantry, driven to despair by
so excessive a tyranny, abandon the country.
In this instance, Bernier was participating in contemporary debates
in Europe concerning in nature of state and society, and intended that his
description of Mughal India would serve as a warning to those who did
not recognize the ‘merits’ of private property.
i. Name the book written by the Francois Bernier on the critical
insights and reflection on the empire of Hinduism.
ii. What description Bernier has given on the condition of Indian
Peasantry during the Mughal Empire?
2. The Child Sati
This is I perhaps one of the most poignant description by Bernier:
At Lahore, I saw a most beautiful young widow sacrificed, who
could not, I think, have been more than twelve years of age. The poor
little creature appeared more dead than alive when she approached the
dreadful pit: The agony of her mind cannot be described; she trembled

177
 and wept bitterly; but three or four of the Brahmanas, assisted by an old
woman who held her under the arm, forced the unwilling victim toward
the fatal spot, seated her on the wood, tied her hands and feet, lest she
should run away, and in that situation the innocent creature was burnt
alive. I found it difficult to repress my feelings and to prevent their
bursting forth into clamorous and unavailing rage.
[Link] Bernier consider this treatment as a crucial marker of the
difference between western and eastern societies?
ii. What role did the Indian patriarchal society play towards this
social evil?
iii. Compare the condition of the woman of the era mentioned above
to that of today.
3. Music in the Market
Read Ibn Battuta’s description of Daulatabad: In Daulatabad there is a
market place for male and female singers, which is known as Taraba. It
is one of the greatest and most beautiful bazaars. It has numerous shops
and every shop has a door which leads to the house of the owner… The
shops are decorated with carpets and at the centre of a shop, there is a
swing on which sits the female singer. She is decked with all kinds of
finery and her female attendants swing her. In the middle of the market
place, there stands a large cupola, which is carpeted and decorated and in
which the chief of the musicians takes his place every Thursday after the
dawn prayers, accompanied by his servants. and slaves. The female
singers come in successive crowds, sing before him and dance until dusk
after which he withdraws. In this bazaar, there are mosques for offering
prayers… One of the Hindu rulers …. alighted at the cupola every time
he passed by this market place, and the female singers would sing before
him. Even some Muslim rulers did the same.

178
 (i) From where has this excerpt been taken?
Ans: This excerpt has been derived from Ibn Battuta’s description of
Allahabad.
(ii) What was Taraba? Discuss its three features.
Ans: Tarabad was a market place for male and female singers in
Daulatabad.
(a) It was one of the greatest and most beautiful bazaars.
(b) It had many shops which were decorated with carpets.
(c) There was a swing in the centre of the shop. The female singer sat on
it. Her attendants swing her.
(iv) How was the Hindu ruler welcomed when he visited cupola in
the market place?
Ans: The female singers welcomed the ruler by singing songs when he
reached the cupola.
4. The Bird leaves its Nest
This is an excerpt from the Rihla :
My departure from Tangier, my birthplace, took place on Thursday… I
set out alone, having neither fellow-traveller nor caravan whose party I
might join, but swayed by an overmastering impulse with me and a
desire long-cherished in my bosom to visit these illustrious sanctuaries.
So I braced my resolution to quit all my dear ones, female and male and
forsook my home as birds forsake their nests My age at that time was
twenty-two years. Ibn Battuta returned home in 1354, about 30 years
after he had set out.
(i) What is Rihla?
Ans:‘Rihla’ is an account of travels, written in Arabic, by Ibn Battuta. It
gives a detailed description of the social and cultural life in the
fourteenth century.

179
(ii) Why did Ibn Battuta set out of his house all alone? How old was
he at that time?
Ans: He set out alone as he had a keen desire to visit illustrious
sanctuaries. Besides, he was quite experienced in travelling as he had
already gone to Mecca, Syria, Iraq, Persia, Yemen, Oman and a few
trading ports of South Africa. He was then just 22 years old.
(iii) Why did he compare himself with the birds?
Ans:He compared himself to the birds as he felt as free as the birds. The
birds leave their nests to see new places. Similarly, he had left all his
friends and relatives to know about new places.

180
 THEME: SIX
BHAKTI-SUFI TRADITIONS
CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND DEVOTIONAL TEXTS
([Link] to Eighteenth century )
KEY CONCEPT :
❖ From 8th-18th century Bhakti Movement, Islam and Sufi movement
played an important role in the history of medieval India.
❖ The Alvars and the Nayanars were considered as the founder of Bhakti
movement in southern India.
❖ The Alvars were the devotees of Lord Vishnu, while the Nayanars
followed Shaivism.
❖ Both Alvars and Nayanar strongly criticised the social and religious
malpractices prevalent in the society.
❖ Two women saints-Andal of Alvars and Karaikkal of Ammaiyar of
Nayanars played a valuable role in giving a new direction to the
society.
❖ The Cholas, Pallavas, and Chalukya patronised both Alvar and Nayanar
cult.
❖ Basavanna founded Virashaivas or Lingayats in Karnataka and played a
valuable role in the development of his cult.
❖ Islam was founded by prophet Muhammad in 7th century in Azabia.
❖ The pillars of Islam are;
o Reutors Raima
o Namaz
o Ranja
o Zakat
o Hajj
❖ The holy book of Islam is Quran Shariff. It has been written in Arabic
and has 114 chapters.

181
❖ According to Muslim tradition Quran is the compilation of those
message which god (Allah) had sent to prophet Muhammad between
610-632 at Mecca and Madina through his envoy Archangel Jibris.
❖ During Medieval period in India Sufism emerged as a powerful
[Link] were so called because of the purity (safa) of their
hearts. They are in the first queue before god. Some others are of
❖ the views that Sufi’s were called so because of their habit of wearing
wool (suf).
❖ Unity in God, complete self-surrender, charity, Ibadat, love for
mankinds, etc. are the main teaching of Sufism.
❖ Sufi silsilas begin to emerge in Islamic world.
❖ The important silsilas of Islam are;
❖ The Chishti Silsila
❖ The Suhrawardi Silsila
❖ The Qadiri Silsila
❖ The Naqshbandi Silsila
❖ Data Gunj Bakhsh, Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti, Shaikh Qutbuddin.
Bakhtiyar Kaki, Fariduddin Gunj-i Shakar, and Shaikh Nizamuddin
Auliya are some of the prominent Sufi Shaikhs in India.
❖ Ziyarat meant pilgrimage to the tombs of sufi saints. Its main objective
was to seek the spiritual grace from the Sufi.
❖ Music and dance are an important part of Ziyarat.
❖ The Sufis believed that music and dance evoke divine ecstasy in human
heart.
❖ The religious gathering of Sufism is known as Sama.
❖ The qual is an Arabic word which meant ‘saying’. It was sung at
opening or closing of the qawwals.

182
 ❖ The devotional worship of god with the ultimate objective of attaining
moksha is called Bhakti. The word Bhakti was derived from the root
‘Bhaj’ meaning to adore.
❖ The Bhaktis who were against the worship of avatars and idol worship
are known as saints. Kabir, Guru Nanak Dev ji and successor of Guru
Nanak Dev ji are the prominent Bhakti Saints.
❖ The impact of the Bhakti movement on the Indian Society was
significant and far-reaching.
❖ A variety of religious structures like stupas, monastries, temples are
found in the sub-continent by the mid-first millennium CE. Textual
resources like the Puranas, music in different regional languages,
hagiographies of saints were also found. These sources provide us with
insight into a dynamic and diverse scenario.
Various Religious Beliefs and Practices:
❖ A wide range of Gods and Goddesses were found in sculpture as well
as in texts.
❖ Puranic texts were composed and complied in simple Sanskrit language
which could be accessible to women and Shudras, who were generally
deprived of vedic learning.
❖ any beliefs and practices were shaped through continuous mingling of
Puranic traditions with local traditions. Jagannatha cult of Odisha was
the local deity made of wood by local tribal specialists and recognised
as a form of Vishnu.
❖ The local deities were often incorporated within the Puranic
framework, by providing them with an identity as wife of the principal
deities. For e.g. they were equated with Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu, or
Parvati, wife of Shiva.

183
 ❖ Tantric practices were widespread in several parts of sub-continent. It
influenced Shaivism as well as Buddhism.
❖ The principal deities of the Vedic pantheon Agni, Indra and Soma were
rarely visible in textual or visual representations.
❖ All other religious beliefs, e.g. Buddhism, Jainism, Tantric Practices
ignored the authority of the vedas.
❖ The singing and chanting of devotional composition became a mode of
worship particularly true for the Vaishnava and Shaiva sects.
Early Traditions of Bhakti:

NIRGUNA SAGUNA
Without attributes With attributes
Devotion to and worship of It is worship of and
the Divine as formless. devotion to a manifested
deity who takes the form
of an idol, an image or an
incarnation.

Early Traditions of Bhakti:

❖ Historians classified bhakti traditions into two broad categories i.e.
Nirguna (without attributes) and Saguna (with attributes).
❖ In the sixth century, Bhakti movements were led by Alvars (devotees of
Vishnu) and Nayanars (devotees of Shiva).
❖ They travelled place to place singing Tamil devotional songs. During
their travels, the Alvars and Nayanars identified certain shrines and
later large temples were built at these places.

184
❖ Historians suggested that the Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement
of protest against the caste system. Nalayira Divyaprabandham
composed by the Alvars was described as the Tamil Veda.
❖ Women devotees like Andal, Karaikkal Ammariyar composed
devotional music which posed a challenge to patriarchal norms.
❖ Under the patronage of the Chola rulers, large and magnificent temples
were constructed at Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Gangai
Kondacholapuram.
❖ Tamil Shaiva hymns were sung in the temples under royal patronage

BHAKTI

Alvars
i)Devotees of Vishnu Nayanars
ii) Nalayira
i)Devotees of Shiva.
Divyaprabandham ii)Karaikkal Ammariyar
composed by the Alvars was composed devotional music
described as the Tamil iii)Magnificent temples were
Veda. constructed at Chidambaram,
iii) Andal, composed Thanjavur and Gangai
devotional music Kondacholapuram.

185
The Virashaiva Tradition in Karnataka:
❖ A new movement emerged in Karnataka led by a Brahmana named
Basavanna in the 12th century’.
❖ His followers were known as Virashaivas (heroes of Shiva) or
Lingayats (Wearers of Lingas). Lingayats continue to be an important
community in the region to date.
❖ The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste, pollution, theory of rebirth
etc and encouraged post-puberty marriage and the remarriage of
widows.
❖ Our understanding of the Virashaiva tradlition is derived from
Vachanas (literally sayings) composed in Kannada by women and men
who joined the movement.
❖ Lingayats believe that on death the devotee will be united with Shiva
and will not return to this world. Therefore they do not practise
funerary rites such as cremation, prescribed in the Dharmashastras.
Instead, they ceremonially bury their dead

186
187
 Were known as Virashaivas
(heroes of Shiva) or
Lingayats (Wearers of
Lingas).

Led by a Brahmana
named Basavanna in challenged
the 12th century’. the idea of
caste,
pollution,
theory of
rebirth

VIRASHAIVA
TRADITION IN
KARNATAKA

Lingayats believe
that on death the
devotee will be united
with Shiva and will not
return to this world

Encouraged post-puberty
marriage and the remarriage
of widows.
They do not practise funerary rites
such as cremation.
They ceremonially bury their dead.

188
Emergence of Islamic Traditions:
❖ In the 13th century, Turk and Afghans invaded India and established
the Delhi Sultanate.
❖ Theoretically, Muslim rulers were to be guided by the Ulama and
followed the rules of Shari’a.
❖ Non-Muslims had to pay a tax called Jizya and gained the right to be
protected by Muslim rulers.
❖ Several Mughal rulers including Akbar and Aurangzeb gave land
endowments and granted tax exemptions to Hindu, Jaina, Zoroastrian,
Christian and Jewish religious institutions.
❖ People were occasionally identified in terms of the region from which
they came. Migrant communities often termed as Mlechchha meant that
they did not observe the norms of caste, society and spoke languages
that were not derived from Sanskrit.
❖ All those who adopted Islam accepted the five pillars of the faith that
are:
o There is one God, Allah, and prophet Muhammad is his
messenger.
o offering prayers five times a day (namaz/salat).
o Giving alms (Zakat).
o Fasting during the month of Ramzan (Sawm).
o Performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
The Growth of Sufism:
❖ In the early centuries of Islam, a group of religious minded people
called Sufis turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the
growing materialism of the caliphate.

189
 ❖ Sufis were critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods
of interpreting the Quran and sought an interpretation of it on the basis
of their personal experience.
❖ By the 11th century, Sufism evolved into a well developed movement.
❖ The suits began to organise communities around the hospice or
Khanqah (Persian) controlled by a teaching master known as Shaikh,
Pir or Murshid. He enrolled disciples (murids) and appointed a
successor (Khalifa).
❖ Sufi Silsila means a chain, signifying a continuous link between master
and disciple, stretching as an unbroken spiritual genealogy to the
Prophet Muhammad.
❖ When Shaikh died, his tomb-shrine (dargah) became the centre of
devotion for his followers and practice of pilgrimage or ziyarat to his
grave, particularly on death anniversary or urs (or marriage, signifying
the union of his soul with God) started.
❖ The cult of Shaikh transformed into wali.
The Chishtis in the Sub-continent:
❖ The Chishtis were the most important group of Sufis who migrated to
India.
❖ The Khanqah was the centre of social life.
❖ Shaikh Nizamuddin’s hospice on the banks of river Yamuna in
Ghiyaspur in the fourteenth century was very famous. The Shaikh lived
here and met visitors in the morning and evening.
❖ There was an open Kitchen (langar) and people from all walks of life
came here from morning till late night.
❖ Visitors who came here included Amir Hasan Sijzi, Amir Khusrau and
Ziyauddin Barani.

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 ❖ Pilgrimage (Ziyarat) to tombs of Sufi saints was common. It was a
practice for seeking the Sufis spiritual grace (Barakat).
❖ The most revered shrine was ‘Gharib Nawaz’, the shrine of Khwaja
Muinuddin at Ajmer.
❖ This shrine was funded by Sultan Ghiyasuddin Khalji of Malwa.
Emperor Akbar visited several times and constructed a mosque within
the compound of dargah.
❖ Specially trained musicians or qawwals performed music and dance to
evoke divine ecstasy.
❖ Baba Farid’s compositions in the local language were incorporated in
the Guru Granth Sahib.
❖ In Karnataka, the Sufis were inspired by the pre-existing bhakti
traditions and composed Dakhani, Lurinama (lullabies) and Shadinama
(wedding songs).
❖ Sultans of Delhi always preferred the Sufis although there were
instances of conflict between them.
Kabir:
❖ In North India - a poet saint of 14th and 15th century.
❖ His verses are compiled in three distinct traditions.
❖ Kabir Bijak,Kabir panth and Kabir Granthavali.
❖ Many of his verses included in Adi Granth Sahib.
The message of Guru Nanak :
❖ Is spelt in his hymns and teachings.
❖ He believed that the absolute or ‘rab’had no gender or form.
❖ His ideas are expressed through hymns called ‘shabad’.
❖ Guru Nanaks hymns in Adi Granth Sahib called Gurubani were
composed in various languages.

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Mirabai:
❖ Best known women poet of Bhakti tradition.
❖ She composed many songs in devotion to Lord Krishna.
❖ Her songs inspired people of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
❖ She did not accept the traditional role of a wife or mother.
❖ Virtually all these traditions continue to till date in various regions of
India
New Devotional Paths in Northern India:
❖ Kabir was a poet-saint of 14th-15th centuries.
❖ Kabir’s verses were compiled in three distinct traditions
❖ The Kabir Bijak is preserved by the Kabirpanth in Uttar Pradesh.
❖ The Kabir Granthavali is associated with the Dadupanth in Rajasthan.
❖ Many of his verses were included in the Adi Granth Sahib.
❖ Kabir described the ultimate reality as Allah, Khuda, Hazarat and Pir.
He also used terms from vedantic traditions, like alakh, nirakar,
brahmin, atman, etc.
❖ Kabir accepted all types of philosophy i.e. Vedantic traditions, Yogic
traditions and Islamic ideas.
❖ Kabir’s ideas probably crystallised through dialogue and debate.
❖ The message of Guru Nanak is spelt out in his hymns and teachings,
where he advocated a form of Nirguna bhakti.
❖ According to Guru Nanak, the absolute or ‘rab’ had no gender or form.
His ideas expressed through hymns called ‘Shabad’ in Punjabi.
❖ Guru Arjan compiled Guru Nanak’s hymns along with the hymns of
Baba Farid, Ravidas and Kabir in the Adi Granth Sahib. Later, Guru
Gobind Singh included the compositions of Guru Tegh Bahadur and
this scripture was known as the ‘Guru Granth Sahib.’

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 ❖ Mirabai was a famous woman-poet of Bhakti tradition. She composed
many songs that were characterised by intense expression of emotions.
❖ Mirabai’s song inspired poor and low caste people in Gujarat and
Rajasthan.
❖ Shankaradeva in the late fifteenth century was a leading proponent of
Vaishnavism in Assam.
❖ He emphasised the need for ‘Naam Kirtan’ and encouraged the
establishment of ‘Satra’ or monas tries and ‘naam ghar’ or prayer halls.
His major compositions include the ‘Kirtana-ghosha’.
Religious Traditions of Northern India:
❖ Religious traditions included a wide variety, written in several different
languages and styles. These ranged from the direct language of the
Vachanas of Basavanna to the Persian farman of the Mughal Emperors.
❖ Historians have to understand that religious traditions like other
traditions, are dynamic and change over time.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Non-Muslim had to pay a religious tax called ______
(a) Zakat
(b) Shukrana
(c) Zajiya
(d) None of these
Ans: (c) Zajiya
2. Which of these was a part of Chishti worship?
(a) Dance
(b) Music
(c) Qawali
(d) All of these
Ans: (d) All of these

193
3. Which of these was the capital of Akbar?
(a) Lahore
(b) Multan
(c) Delhi
(d) Fatehpur Sikri
Ans: (d) Fatehpur Sikri
4. Who compiled Adi Granth?
(a) Guru Teg Bahadur Ji
(b) Guru Arjan Dev Ji
(c) Guru Nanak Dey Ji
(d) Guru Gobind Singh Ji
Ans: b) Guru Arjan Dev Ji
5. Choose the correct option:
Islamic Law is known as _______
(a) Shariya
(b) Sa mer
(c) Ulema
(d) None of these
Ans: a) Shariya
6. Choose the correct option:
Alvars and Nayanars were the Bhakts of
(a) Kerala
(b) Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Andhra Pradesh
Ans: (c) Tamil Nadu
7. Vitthala was the principal deity in vitthala temple. Vitthala was
known as the incarnation of Lord

194
 (a) Brahma
(b) Vishnu
(c) Shiva
(d) Ganesha
Ans: (b) Vishnu
8. Consider the following statements regarding Kabir
1. Verses of Kabir are compiled in three distinct traditions.
2. Kabir’s poems are available only in the Urdu language.
3. Kabir used many traditions to describe the ultimate reality.
4. Kabir called ultimate reality only as Allah.
Which of the given statements is/are incorrect?
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 2, 4
(c) 1, 4
(d) 3, 4
Ans: (b) 2, 4
9. Name the principal deity followed at Puri, Orissa.
Ansr: Jagannatha, a form of Lord Vishnu.
10. Who were Alvars?
Ans: Alvars were those who immersed in the devotion of Lord Vishnu.
11. Who were Nayanars?
Ans: Devotes of Lord Shiva was called Nayanars. Question 4. Name a
composition written by Alvars. Answer: Nalayira Divyapradandham.
12. Name a woman devotee each of Alvars and Nayanars?
Ans: Andal (Alvar) and Karaikkal Ammaiyar (Nayanar).
13. Who challenged the idea of caste and the pollution attributed to certain
groups by Brahmanas?
Ans: Lingayats.

195
14. What is Ziyarat?
Ans: The practice of visiting the tomb shrine of Sufi Shaikh was called
Ziyarat.
15. Who preserved the Kabir Bijak?
Ans: The Kabirpanth preserved the Kabir Bijak in Varanasi.
Additional MCQs

Q 1 Which among the following is the correct meaning of Shari’a?

(A) Fasting during the month of Ramzan.
(B) Tax that non-muslim has to pay to the government.
(C) Muslim Sufi-saints.
(D) Laws governing the Muslim community.
Ans. Option (D) is correct
Q 2 Sufism the liberal and mystic movement of Islam reached India in
................... century.
(A) 11th century (B) 15th century
(C) 12th century (D) 13th century
Ans. Option (A) is correct.
Q 3 Alvars and Nayanars were the Bhakts of:
(A) Kerala (B) Karnataka
(C) Tamil Nadu (D) Andhra Pradesh
Ans. Option (C) is correct.
Q 4 In Sufi tradition the word ‘Pir’ means
(A) The Supreme God
(B) The greatest of all Sufi saints
(C) The orthodox teacher who contests the Sufi beliefs
(D) The Guru of the Sufis
Ans. Option (D) is correct.
Q 5 Which Sufi Saint mentioned that devotional music is the one way
of moving closer to God?
(A) Muin-ud-din-Chisti (B) Saiyid Mummed.
(C) Shah Alam Bukhari (D) Baba Farid
Ans. Option (D) is correct.
Q6 Vitthala was the principal deity in Vitthala temple. Vitthala was
known as the incarnation of Lord
(A) Brahma (B) Vishnu
(C) Shiva (D) Ganesha
Ans. Option (B) is correct.

196
Q7 Non-Muslim had to pay a religious tax called ______
(a) Zakat (b) Shukrana
(c) Zajiya (d) None of these
Ans. Option c is correct
Q 8 Which of these was the capital of Akbar?
(a) Lahore (b) Multan
(c) Delhi (d) Fatehpur Sikri

Ans. Option d is correct

Q 9 . Which is not related to virshaivas
A. Rejection of Caste system
B. Burying the deadbody
C. Widow remarriage & delayed Marriage
D. Worship of Vishnu
[Link] d is correct
Q 10 Which statement(s) is/are correct related to Ramananda?
(i) He Worshiped Rama and Sita but preached oneness of God and
Doctrine of Bhakti to
everyone.
(ii) He simplified the rules of worships.
(iii) Ramanand Swami adopted the Vishishtadvaita doctrine of the
Vaishnava which was first
propounded by Ramanuja several centuries earlier.
(iv) He opposed the caste system and chose his disciples from all
sections of society
disregarding caste.
(A) (i), (ii), (iv) (B) (iii), (ii), (i)
(C) (iv), (iii), (ii) (D) All of the above
Ans. Option (D) is correct.
Q11 Who exhorted to give up selfishness, falsehood and hypocrisy and
to lead a life of truth, honesty and kindness?
(A) Guru Nanak (B) Nambaraka
(C) Kabir (D) Namdeva
Ans. Option (A) is correct.
Q12 Which of the following is the basics of Sufi movement?

197
A. A group of religious-minded people turned to asceticism and
mysticism in protest against
the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political
institution.
B. The sufis sought on interpretation of the Quran through personal
experiences.
C. Some mystic men started movements on the basis of Sufi ideas and
these mystics scorned.
D. They were known by different names like Qalandars, Malangs,
Madaris, Haidaris, etc.
Identify the correct options.
(A) A, B, D (B) C, D, A
(C) All of the above. (D) None of the above.
Ans. Option (C) is correct.
Q13Sufism the liberal and mystic movement of Islam reached India in
................... century.
(A) 11th century (B) 15th century
(C) 12th century (D) 13th century
Ans. Option (A) is correct.

Q. 14 In Sufi tradition the word ‘Pir’ means

(A) The Supreme God
(B) The greatest of all Sufi saints
(C) The orthodox teacher who contests the Sufi beliefs
(D) The Guru of the Sufis
Ans. Option (D) is correct.
Q 15 Which Sufi Saint mentioned that devotional music is the one way
of moving closer to God?
(A) Muin-ud-din-Chisti
(B) Saiyid Mummed.
(C) Shah Alam Bukhari
(D) Baba Farid
Ans. Option (D) is correct
Q16 Who compiled Adi Granth?
(a) Guru Teg Bahadur Ji
(b) Guru Arjan Dev Ji
(c) Guru Nanak Dey Ji
(d) Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Ans. Option b is correct

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Q17 Consider the following statements regarding Kabir
1. Verses of Kabir are compiled in three distinct traditions.
2. Kabir's poems are available only in the Urdu language.
3. Kabir used many traditions to describe the ultimate reality.
4. Kabir called ultimate reality only as Allah.
Which of the given statements is/are incorrect?
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 2, 4
(c) 1,4
(d) 3, 4
Ans: (b) 2, 4
Q18 Which of these was a part of Chishti worship?
(a) Dance (b) Music
(c) Qawali (d) All of these
Ans: (d) All of these
Q 19 What is Ziyarat?
Ans:The practice of visiting the tomb shrine of Sufi
Shaikh was called Ziyarat.
Q 20. Who preserved the Kabir Bijak?
Ans:The Kabirpanth preserved the Kabir Bijak in Varanasi.

Directions : In the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is

followed by a
statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice as.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false and R is true.
Q 21Assertion (A): When the Shaikh died, his tomb shrine (dargah, a
Persian term meaning court) became the centre of devotion for his
followers.

199
Reason (R): People believed that the dead saint was united with God
and is closer to Him after
death as compared to when he was living. A
Ans. Option (A) is correct
Q 22 Assertion (A): Brahmanas remained significant intermediaries
between gods and devotees in several form of bhakti.
Reason (R): In the course of evolution of forms of worshiping many
instances, poet-saints emerged as leaders whom there developed a
community of devotees. A
Ans. Option (A) is correct
Q 23 Assertion (A): Nirguna bhakti was worship of an abstract form of
god.
Reason (R): Nirguna Saints does advocate the worshiped
anthropomorphic manifestations of the
divine being, particularly Rama and Krishna. R
Ans. Option (C) is correct
Q 24 Assertion (A): Bhakti Saints adopted local languages to preach
their ideas to the masses.
Reason (R): Vernacular languages could be understood by the common
people. They stressed
equality and to live a simple life. A
Ans. Option (A) is correct
Q25 Assertion (A): Chola ruler Parantaka I had consecrated metal
images of Appar, Sambanda, and Sundarar in a Shiva temple. These
were carried in processions during the festivals of these saints.
Reason (R): The Chola kings often attempted to claim divine support
and proclaim their power and status.
Ans. Option (A) is correct.

200
1. What were the main teachings of Kabir?
Ans:
The major teachings of Kabir were as follows:

i. Kabir described God as nirankar (having no shape). He used the

terms drawn from Islamic tradition like Allah, Khuda, Hajrat and
Peer but also used words of Vedic traditions like Alakh ( (the
unseen) and nirakar ( the formless). Thus, he freely took to both
traditions viz. Islamic and Vedantic.
ii. He repudiated idol worship and polytheism.
iii. He emphasised on the oneness of God though there can be many
names of His
iv. He criticised religious rituals of hindus and muslims alike.
v. He also preached against caste discrimination.
vi. He combined the Sufi traditions of love of God with the Hindi
tradition of remembrance of God.
vii. He also emphasised the dignity of labour.
Thus, the essence of the teachings of Kabir was simple living
based on love and respect all. He wrote in simple language to be
understood by common man of the [Link] Nanak and his
teachings
viii. Guru Nanak was born in a Hindu family in 1469 at
Nankana Saheb on the bank of the river Ravi.
ix. His birth place is now in Pakistan. He learnt Persian, Arabic ,
Hindi and Mathematics. He spent time in the company of Sufi
saints and Bhaktas of various socio-religious movements.

201
2. What were the main teachings of Guru Nanak ?
i. He rejected the religious texts of both Hindus and Muslims.
ii. He preached God is Nirakar viz. without any shape.
iii. He criticised the religious practices like ceremonial bath,
sacrifices , idol worship, and emphasised simplicity.
iv. He called upon his followers to connect to divine by
remembering and repeating the divine name.
v. Guru Nanak expressed himself in Punjabi, the language of the
local people in a lyrical form called Shabad. Shabad can be
recited in various ragas.
3 What was the most striking feature of sculpture as well as of texts
of the phase of 8th to 18th century?

i. Probably the most striking feature of sculpture as well as of texts

was the increasing visibility of different gods and goddesses.
ii. This indicates toward continuation and extension of worship of
major deities, i.e., Vishnu, Shiva, and the Goddess.
iii. Each of these deities was visualized in a number of forms.
4. Give the meaning of Zirnrna. Who was Zimmis?
i. The word ‘Zimmi’ was derived from the Arabic word ‘Zimma’
which meant ‘protection’.
ii. In other words, the Zimmis were the protected people.
iii. They were non-Muslims and included Hindus, Jains, Jews, and
Christians were:
iv. They lived under Muslim rulership and paid a tax called ‘Jizya’.
So they were entitled to protection by the Muslims.
5. Kabir Bijak and Kabir Granthavali are two distinct but
overlapping traditions. How are they preserved?
Ans:

202
 i. The Kabir Bijak has been preserved by the Kabirpanth in
Varanasi and elsewhere in Uttar Pradesh.
ii. The Kabir Granthavali is associated with Dadupanth in
Rajasthan.
iii. Many of his compositions are found in the Adi Granth Sahib.
6. Explain the main features of the early Bhakti Tradition.
The early traditions of Bhakti had the following features:
i. The poet-saints emerged as leaders having a large number of
devotees. They initiated the tradition of the Bhakti movement.
ii. They broke the orthodox Brahmanical framework by
accommodating and acknowledging women and the people
belonging to the lower castes.
iii. The Bhakti tradition also had a lot of diversity.
iv. The Bhakti tradition is classified into two categories: Saguna and
Nirguna. Saguna means the worship of Specific deities such as
Vishnu, Shiva and their incarnational forms like the goddess or
Devi. It emphasized the attributes of deities. On the other hand,
the Nirguna Bhakti was the worship of an abstract form of God.
It was worship with attributes.
7. How women’s devotion was associated with Bhakti tradition? Give
example.

i. Probably the most important feature of Bhakti tradition was the

presence of women. For example, the compositions of an Alvar
woman Andal were sung widely and are sung even today.
ii. Andal considered herself as the beloved of Lord Vishnu and
expressed her love to her deity in the form of verses.
iii. Another woman devotee of Lord Shiva, Karaikkal Ammaiyar
took the path of extreme asceticism to attain her objective.
iv. Her compositions were preserved in Nayanar traditions.

203
 v. These women renounced their social duties, even then they did
not become members of any alternative system.
vi. The lifestyle and compositions of these women challenged the
patriarchal norms of the society.
8. Write a note on the Kitab-ul-Hind.
i. Kitab-ul-Hind was written by Al-Biruni in 1031.
ii. It was considered with India and also known by the name of
Tarikh-ul-Hind and Tahqiq-ma-ul-Hind. It was written in Arabic.
iii. It is divided into 80 Chapters. They have thrown a detailed light
on Hindu religions and philosphy, festivals, customs and
tradition, the social and economic as well as political life of the
people.
iv. In each chapter he adopted a distinctive style and had a question
in the beginning.
v. It was followed by a description based on Sanskrit tradition, At
last he compare the India culture with other culture.
vi. This geometric structure he followed is known for its precision
and predictability.
vii. The main reason for this structure was Al-Biruni’s
mathematical orientation.
9. Discuss Al-Biruni’s understanding of the caste system.
Al-Biruni’s description about caste system as he understood. Al-Biruni
tried to explain the caste system by looking far parallels in other
societies. He described that in ancient Persia, four social categories
were recognised.
i. Knight and princes.
ii. Monks
iii. Fire-priests and lawyers; physicians, astronomers, other
scientists;

204
 iv. Finally, peasants and artisans. He attempted to suggest that social
divisions were not unique to India.
10. Explain the observations of Ibn Battuta about the cities of India,
with special reference to Delhi.
i. Indian cities were densely populated and prosperous although
sometimes these were affected by the wars.
ii. Most cities had crowded streets and bright colourful markets with
a wide variety of commodities.
iii. Delhi with its vast population became the largest city in India.
Daulatabad was no less, easily rivalled Delhi in size.
iv. The rampart round the city was widely expanded. Inside the
rampart, there were houses for the night sentry, gate keepers and
store houses.
v. The lower part of the rampart was built of stone and the upper
part was of bricks. It had many towers.
vi. There were twenty eight gates in Delhi, which were called as
‘Darwazas’. Of these gates, Budaun darwaza, Mandi darwaza,
Gul darwaza were very famous.
vii. The markets and bazaars of Indian cities were the places of
economic transactions and social and cultural activities. Most of
the bazaars had a masjid and a temple. These places also had
fixed spaces for public performances by dancers, musicians and
singers.
viii. Ibn Battuta found that many towns derived their wealth
and prosperity through the appropriation of surplus from villages.

11. Examine the causes that made Al-Biruni visit India.

Ans:There are many causes that made Al-Biruni visit in India. These
are:
i. Al-Biruni arrived in Ghazni as a hostage by Sultan Mahmud of
Ghazni.
ii. It was the place where he developed an interest for India.
iii. When the Punjab became a part of the Ghaznavid Empire, Al-
Biruni travelled widely in the Punjab and parts of northern India.
iv. Al-Briuni spent years in the Company of Brahmana priests and
scholars, learning Sanskrit and studying religious and
philosophical texts.

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 v. He read the Vedas, the Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, the works of
Patanjali, the Manusmriti, etc to understand Indian society
properly.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1. Discuss the major beliefs and practices that characterised Sufism.
The major beliefs and practices that characterised Sufism are as given
below –
i. Sufis turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the
growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political
institution.
ii. They were against the dogmatic definitions and scholastic
methods of interpreting the Qur’an and sunna adopted by
theologians.
iii. They laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense
devotion and love for God.
iv. They regarded Prophet Muhammad as a perfect human being and
suggested to follow his example.
v. Sufis organised communities around the khanqah controlled by a
shaikh, pir or murshid.
vi. Special rituals of initiation were developed in which initiates
took an oath of allegiance, wore a patched garment and shaved
their hair.
vii. After the death of the shaikh, his tomb-shrine or dargah
became the centre of devotion for his followers who performed
pilgrimage or ziyarat to his grave on the occasion of death
anniversary or urs.
2. Analyses, illustrations, why bhakti and sufi thinkers adopted a
variety of languages in which to express their opinions.

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In medieval India, though Sanskrit and Persian may be the language of
the educated people or at the court, the vast number of people living in
villages conversed in the local languages. It was, therefore, needed that
the Bhakti and Sufi saints preached in the languages of the common
people. This was in fact essential in order to make these movement
truly popular.
This is manifested in the following examples:

i. The traditional Bhakti saints composed the hymns in Sanskrit.

Such hymns were sung on special occasions often within
temples.
ii. The Nayanars and the Alvars were wandering saints. They
travelled far and
wide, often walking on foot.
iii. They met people in different villages. These saints would sing
the verses in praise of God all in the language of the local people
only. The language was Tamil only.
iv. These travelling saints established temples where prayers took
place in Tamil and the devotional songs were composed by the
Bhakti Saints.
v. In North India the language was different. Here too the saints
took to the language of the common people. Guru Nanak created
Shabad all in Punjabi. Baba Farid and Swami Raidas (Ravidas)
all composed in Punjabi and Hindustani.
vi. Kabirdas who lived in Benaras, wrote in local language which
was closer to Hindustani. He used words there part of local
dialect.

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 vii. The Sufi tradition of singing on tombs carried on in the
language of the local people only. The shrines were the place of
Sama sung in Hindustani or Hindavi. Another Sufi Saint Baba
Farid composed in Punjabi too that even became part of Guru
Granth Sahib.
viii. Some other saints wrote in Kannada, Tamil and other
languages too.
Thus, we are inclined to agree with the view that the Saints of
Bhakti and Sufi Movement composed in many languages and the
languages of the common people to connect with them.
3. Discuss the similarities in Sufi and Bhakti traditions.
Ans:
The emerging places of Sufi and Bhakti movements were different but
the ideologies of both these movements had many similarities. They can
be discussed as follows :

i. Humanism: Both the movements considered an individual as the

main subject.
ii. They advised all human beings to live in peace and harmony.
iii. Monotheism: Both the movements believed in one God. The
Sufis stated that God is one and we are all his children.
iv. The saints of the Bhakti movement also sang hymns in praise of
God.
v. Love for Mankind: The saints of the Sufi and Bhakti movement
advised all their followers to love human beings. Love for human
beings leads to love for God.
vi. Praise for Guru: Both Sufi saints and Bhakats have eulogized
Guru in their hymns. The only difference is that the Sufis term
their Guru as [Link]:
vii. The Sufi saints and Bhakats advised all the Hindus and the
Muslims to be tolerant. They should live unitedly.

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 viii. Similarity Between Sufis or Bhakats and Mystics: There
was a great similarity between Sufis or Bhakats and mystics
regarding nature, God, soul, and other things.
4. Explain with examples what historians mean by the integration of
cults.
Ans:
i. During the period of the 10th Century to the 17th Century, an
important trend noticed in the religious life in India is the
worship of God in many forms.
ii. Many God and Goddesses appear in the scultures and texts but
they are various forms of the original deities only.
iii. These original deities are Vishnu, Shiva, and Goddesses Durga,
Lakshmi and Parvati.
iv. Historians have noticed the two marked trends in the socio-
religious life of those days.
The first was dissemination of the Brahminical ideas.
i. The Brahminical texts were reproduced in simple Sanskrit.
ii. They were now made available to women and shudras,who did
not have access to Brahminical literature by and large.
The second was the Brahmins who were working on the beliefs and
practices.
i. It was a process of evolution, wherein traditional classical
traditions were getting new shapes continuously as they were
being impacted by the traditions of common people throughout
the land.
ii. .A very good example of the above description is the temple of
Jagannatha at Puri in Orissa.

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 iii. The temple is of Lord Jagannatha who is another form of Vishnu
only. The word Jagannatha means one who owns the world.
iv. There were many local gods; their statues were often created by
wood and stones by tribals.
v. Even families began to have Kul Devata. The Goddeses were
also created in wood and stone.
vi. They all were in various forms only often of Vishnu.
5. What were the similarities and differences between the be-shari‘a
and ba-shari‘a sufi traditions?
Ans:

i. Shari’a is the Islamic law that is applied in a truly Islamic

country.
ii. The Shari’a law owes its origin to the Holy book of Quran, Hadis
(Law book of Islam) and teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
iii. In the medieval ages the Islamic world witnessed a big social and
religious movement called Sufi movement. Sufi movement was
the people-centric and not God-centric.
iv. It believed serving people was the real form of worship. Sufi
movement has had many branches too.
v. One group of Sufi preachers took very radical path. They were
mystics who renounced material world took to the life of
asceticism.
vi. Further they also rejected the supremacy of the Shari’a laws.
Such sufis were called be-shari‘a.
vii. On the other hand , there were sufi saints who criticised
the extravagant lifestyle of monarchs and Khaliphates but did not
reject Shari’a laws. For them Shari’a laws were sacrosant. These
Sufi saints have been called be-shari‘a.
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS

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1. The One Lord:
Here is a composition attributed to Kabir Tell me, brother, how can
there be No one lord of the world but two?
Who led you so astray?
God is called by many names.
Names like Allah, Ram, Karim, Keshav, Hari and Hazrat. Gold may be
shaped into rings and bangles. Isn’t it gold all the same? Distinctions
are only in words that we invent.
Kabir says they are both mistaken. Neither can find the only Ram. One
kills the goat, the other cows. They waste their lives in disputation.
. i)Name any two scriptures, in which verses, ascribed to Kabir,
have been complied
Ans: The two scriptures in which verses of Kabir are found are:
(a) Kabir Bijak
(b) Kabir Granthavali
ii)How did Kabir describe the ‘Ultimate Reality’?
Ans: Kabir described the ‘Ultimate Reality’ by drawing the ranges of
traditions such as from Islam, he had drawn the Ultimate Reality as
Allah, Khuda, Hazrat and Pir. Several terms from the vedantic
traditions, such as Alakh, Nirakar, Brahmana, Atman were also taken
iii)Explain the arguments give by Kabir against the lords of the world
of different communities.
Ans:Kabir used monotheism and iconoclasm to attack Hindu
polytheism and idol worship and said God is one. God is the ultimate
reality and one lord of the world, although he is known by several
names.
2. A Church in Khambat:
This is an excerpt from a farman (imperial order) issued by Akbar in

211
1598. Whereas it reached our eminent and holy notice that the padris
(fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wish to build a house of prayer
(Church) in the city of Kambayat (Khambat, in Gujarat); therefore an
exalted mandate… is being issued… that the dignitaries of the city of
Kambayat should in no case stand in their way but should allow them to
build a Church so that they may engage themselves in their own
worship. It is necessary that the order of the Emperor should be obeyed
in every way.
i)What did the padris want to do?
Ans:The padris (fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wanted to build a
house of prayer i.e. church in the city of Khambat, in Gujarat.
ii)How did Akbar ensure that their desire was fulfilled?
Ans:Akbar issued an exalted mandate. It contained that the dignitaries
of the city of Khambat should not create any hindrance to the making of
churches. But they should allow the padris to build a church, so that
they would follow their own religion
Who guided the Muslim rulers?
Ans: Theoretically, Muslim rulers were to be guided by the ulama. The
ulaina were expected to ensure that they ruled according to the Shari’a.

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 THEME -7
AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL VIJAYANAGARA
(c. fourteenth to sixteenth century)
Key concepts in nutshell
Key concepts:
❖ Discovery of Hampi - In 1799 the first British antiquarian Colin,
Mackenzie. First surveyor general of Indian visited the ruins of Hampi,
collected some manuscripts, had some water colours pained on
monuments and made the first map of the site.
❖ - The Rayas, Nayakas and Sultans - Harihara and Bukka asserted their
independence of the Delhi Sultanate and established the kingdom of
Vijyanagar on AD 1336. - Kings and trading class - The warfare
depended mainly upon powerful cavalry. The Portuguese settled on the
west coast of India in attempt to establish their trading and military
stations.
❖ The climax and decline of Vijaynagar Empire - Krishnadeva Raya was
an able administrator. He built dams for irrigation. He built magnificent
places and temples. Its ruler Rama Raya was miserably defeated on the
battlefield of Rakshasi - Tangadi. Talikota in A.D. 1565. The victorious
armies plundered and destroyed the city of Vijaynagar.
❖ Vijyanagar Hampi Architecture - The Vijyanagar architecture (Hampi
Architecture) of the period (1336-1365) was unique building style
evolved by the imperial vijayanagar empire.
❖ Hampi Bazar - Portuguese travellers Paes and Nuniz visited Hampi in
the mid 15th century. They give an account of Hampi Bazar thus "in
this street lived many merchants and there you will find all sort of
rubies, diamonds pearls and cloths that you may wish to buy".
❖ Building and palaces - we know today about the Vijayanagar palaces
and building is derived from the archeological excavations at Hampi as
no royal palace structures have survived.
❖ King royal enclosure - Another important building at Hampi is the
kings royal enclosure. Paes tells that against the gate there were two
circles in which there were the dancing women richly arrayed with
many jewels of gold and diamonds and many pearls.
❖ Mahanavami dibba - The Mahanavami dibba is located on one of the
highest points in the city. It is a very large platform rising from a base
of about 11000 feet to height of a 40 feet. It seems that it supported a
wooden structure.

213
❖ Forts of Vijaynagar - in the constant struggle for power, fort and
fortified settlements were apotent symbol of authority. The rulers of
Vijaynagar empire created the cities with the main object of protection
against invasions. The city itself was a fortress and designed as such in
every manner.

[Link] DYNASTIES TIME PERIOD

1- Sangama 1336- 1485 c.e.
2- Saluvas 1485-1505 c.e.
3- Tuluvas 1505-1570 c.e.
4- Aravidu 1570-1650 c.e.

❖ The Rayas, Nayakas and Sultans – Harihara and Bukka asserted their
independence of the Delhi sultanate and established the kingdom of
Vijaynagar on AD 1336.
❖ Kings and trading class – The warfare depended mainly upon
powerful cavalry. The Portuguese settled on the west coast of India in
attempted to establish their trading and military stations.
❖ The climax and decline of Vijay Nagar empire – Krishadeva Raya
was an able administrator, He built dams for irrigation. He builds
magnificent places and temples. Its ruler Rama Raya was miserably
defeated on the battlefield of (Rakshasi – Tangadi) Talikota in
A.D.1565. The victorious armies plundered and destroyed the city of
Vijaynagar.
❖ Vijaynagar Hampi Architecture – The Vijaynagar architecture
(Hampi Architecture) of the period (1336-1365) was unique building
style evolved by the imperial Vijaynagar empire.

214
❖ Hampi Bazar – Portuguese travellers Paes and Nuntiz visited Hampi in
the mid 1500 century. They give an account of Hampi Bazar thus “in
this street lived many merchants and there you will find all sorts of
rubies, diamonds pearls and cloths that you may wish to buy.
❖ Building and places – we know today about the Vijaynagar palaces
and buildings are derived from the archeological excavations at Hampi
as no royal palace structures have survived.
❖ Kings royal enclosure – Another important building at Hampi is the
kings royal enclosure. Paes tells against the gate there were two circles
in which there were the dancing women richly arrayed with many
jewels of gold and diamonds and many pearls.
❖ Mahanavami dibba – The Mahanavami dibba is located on one of the
highest points in the city. It is a very large platform rising from a base
of about 11000 feet to height of a 40 feet. It seems that is supported a
wooden structure.
❖ Forts of Vijay nagar – in the constant struggle for power, fort and
fortified settlements were a potent symbol of authority. The rulers of
Vijaynagar empire created the cities with the main object of protection
against invasions. The city itself was a fortress and designed as such in
every manner.
❖ Vijayanagara or “city of victory” was the name of the both a city and an
empire. The empire was founded in the fourteenth century.
❖ In 1565 the city was sacked and subsequently deserted.
❖ One of the most prominent water work to be seen among the ruins in
the Hiriya canal.
❖ In terms of temple architecture, by this period certain new features were
in evidence.

215
 ❖ Best exemplified by the raya gopurams or royal gate ways that often
dwarfed the towers on the central shrines, and signaled the presence of
the temple from a great distance.
❖ The halls in the temple were used for a variety of purposes.
❖ Buildings that survive tell us about the way spaces were organized and
used, how they were built, with what materials and techniques.
HISTORY OF VIJAYANAGARA
❖ Vijayanagara or “city of victory” was the name of both a city and an
empire. The empire was founded in the fourteenth century.
❖ In 1565 the city was sacked and subsequently deserted.
❖ Although it fell into ruin in the seventeenth-eighteenth centuries it
remained in the memories of people living in the Krishna-Tungabhadra
doab, as Hampi, a name derived from that of the local mother goddess,
Pampadevi.
VIJAYANAGARA DYNASTIES
❖ Sangama Dynasty (1336-1485)
❖ Saluva Dynasty (1485-1505)
❖ Tuluva Dynasty (1505-1570)
❖ VVAravidu Dynasty(1570-1646)

THE DISCOVERY OF HAMPI:

❖ The ruins at Hampi were brought to light in 1800 by an engineer and
antiquarian named Colonel Colin Mackenzie.
❖ An employee of the English East India Company, he prepared the first
survey map of the site.
❖ Much of the initial information he received was based on the
memories of priests of the Virupaksha temple and the shrine of
Pampadevi.
RAYAS, NAYAKAS AND SULTANS:

216
 ❖ According to tradition and epigraphic evidence two brothers, Harihara
and Bukka, founded the Vijayanagara Empire in 1336.
❖ This empire included within its fluctuating frontiers peoples who spoke
different languages and followed different religious traditions.
❖ The Vijayanagara kings competed with contemporary rulers – including
the Sultans of the Deccan and the Gajapati rulers of Orissa – for
control of the fertile river valleys. The rulers of Vijayanagara, who
called themselves rayas.
❖ The warfare depended mainly upon powerful cavalry.
❖ The Portuguese settled on the west coast of India attempted to establish
their trading and military stations.
TRADE IN VIJAYNAGAR:
❖ Vijayanagara was also noted for its markets dealing in spices,
textiles and precious stones.
❖ Trade was often regarded as a status symbol for such cities, which
boasted of a wealthy population that demanded high-value exotic
goods, especially precious stones and jewellery.
KRISHNA DEVARAYA (1509-1530
❖ Greatest ruler of Vijayanagar
❖ Belongs to Tuluva dynasty
❖ known as Andra hoja Received title 'establisher of Yavana kingdoms'
❖ Expanded and consolidated empire .
❖ Captured the land between Thungabhadra and Krishna(Raichur doab)
❖ In 1512 he defeated the rulers of Orissa
❖ In 1514 he defeated the Sultan of Bijapur
❖ He built the Hazara Ramaswami temple and Vittal swami temple at
Vijayanagar
❖ Founded a town called Nagalapuram after his mother Nagaladevi

217
 ❖ Built massive Gopurams
❖ Patron of art and literature
❖ Wrote 'Amukta malyada'(work on statecraft) in Telugu and' Usha
parinayam' in Sanskrit

THE CLIMAX AND DECLINE OF VIJAYNAGAR EMPIRE:

❖ The first dynasty, known as the Sangama dynasty, exercised control till
1485. They were supplanted by the Saluvas, who were replaced by the
Tuluvas in 1503.
❖ Krishnadeva Raya belonged to the Tuluva dynasty. His rule was
characterised by expansion and consolidation.
❖ Krishnadeva Raya is credited with building some fine temples and
adding impressive gopurams to many important south Indian temples.
❖ Strain began to show within the imperial structure following
Krishnadeva Raya’s death in 1529. His successors were troubled by
rebellious nayakas or military chiefs.
❖ During this period, as indeed earlier, the military ambitions of the
Deccan Sultanates resulted in shifting alignments. Eventually this led to
an alliance of the Sultanates against Vijayanagara.
❖ Although the armies of the Sultans were responsible for the destruction
of the city of Vijayanagara, relations between the Sultans and the rayas
were not always or inevitably hostile.
❖ In fact the Vijayanagara kings were keen to ensure the stability of the
Sultanates and vice versa.
THE RAYAS AND THE NAYAKAS:
❖ Nayakas were military chiefs who usually controlled forts and had
armed supporters.
❖ They moved from one area to another, and in many cases were
accompanied by peasants looking for fertile land on which to settle.

218
 ❖ They usually spoke Telugu or Kannada. Many nayakas submitted to the
authority of the kings of Vijayanagara but they often rebelled and had
to be subdued by military action.
❖ The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the
Vijayanagara Empire.
❖ They were military commanders who were given territories to govern
by the raya.
❖ They collected taxes and other dues from peasants, craftspersons and
traders in the area.
❖ These contingents provided the Vijayanagara kings with an effective
fighting force with which they brought the entire southern peninsula
under their control.
ARCHEATECTURE OF VIJAYANAGARA EMPIRE
Vijayanagara, was characterised by a distinctive physical layout and building
style:
Water Resources:
❖ Vijayanagara had the natural basin formed by the river Tungabhadra
which flows in a north-easterly direction.
❖ A number of streams flow down to the river from the granite hills.
❖ Embankments were built along these streams to create reservoirs of
varying sizes.
❖ For the most arid zones of the peninsula, elaborate arrangements had to
be made to store rainwater.
❖ The most important such tank was built in the early years of the
fifteenth century and is now called Kamalapuram tank.
❖ One of the most prominent waterworks to be seen among the ruins is
the Hiriya canal.
Fortifications and roads:

219
 ❖ Abdur Razzaq, an ambassador sent by the ruler of Persia to Calicut
(present-day Kozhikode) in the fifteenth century, was greatly impressed
by the fortifications, and mentioned seven lines of forts which encircled
not only the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests.
❖ What was most significant about this fortification is that it enclosed
agricultural tracts.
❖ The archaeologists have also found evidence of an agricultural tract
between the sacred centre and the urban core.
❖ This tract was serviced by an elaborate canal system drawing water
from the Tungabhadra.
❖ A second line of fortification went round the inner core of the urban
complex, and a third line surrounded the royal centre, within which
each set of major buildings was surrounded by its own high walls.
❖ Roads generally wound around through the valleys, avoiding rocky
terrain. Some of the most important roads extended from temple
gateways, and were lined by bazaars.
The urban core:
❖ Archaeologists have found evidence of the houses of ordinary
people along the road.
❖ Fine Chinese porcelain were also found from Muslim residential
quarter.
❖ Tombs and mosques were located there but had their architecture like
that of the mandapas found in the temples of Hampi.
❖ Field surveys indicate that the entire area was dotted with numerous
shrines and small temples which proves a variety of cults existed and
were supported by different communities.

220
The Royal Centre:
➢ The royal centre was located in the south-western part of the
settlement.
➢ About thirty building complexes have been identified as palaces.
➢ One difference between these structures and temples is that the latter
were constructed entirely of masonry, while the superstructure of the
secular buildings was made of perishable materials.

221
The Mahanavami Dibba:
❖ The “king’s palace” has two of the most impressive platforms, usually
called the “audience hall” and the “mahanavami dibba”.
❖ The entire complex is surrounded by high double walls with a street
running between them.
❖ The audience hall is a high platform with slots for wooden pillars at
close and regular intervals.
❖ Located on one of the highest points in the city, the “mahanavami
dibba” is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11,000 sq. ft to
a height of 40 ft.
❖ There is evidence that it supported a wooden structure. The base of the
platform is covered with relief carvings.
❖ Rituals associated with the structure probably coincided with
Mahanavami (literally, the great ninth day) of the Hindu festival during
the autumn months of September and October.
❖ The Vijayanagara kings displayed their prestige, power and suzerainty
on this occasion.
Other buildings in the royal centre:
❖ One of the most beautiful buildings in the royal centre is the Lotus
Mahal, so named by British travellers in the nineteenth century.
❖ While most temples were located in the sacred centre, there were
several in the royal centre as well. One of the most spectacular of these
is one known as the Hazara Rama temple.
THE SACRED CENTRE
Choosing A Capital:

222
❖ According to local tradition, the rocky northern end of the city on the
banks of the Tungabhadra the hills sheltered the monkey kingdom of
Vali and Sugriva mentioned in the Ramayana.
❖ Other traditions suggest that Pampadevi, the local mother goddess, did
penance in these hills in order to marry Virupaksha, the guardian deity
of the kingdom, also recognised as a form of Shiva.
❖ To this day this marriage is celebrated annually in the
Virupaksha temple.
❖ Among these hills are found Jaina temples of the pre-Vijayanagara
period as well.
❖ This area was associated with several sacred traditions.
❖ Rulers very often encouraged temple building as a means of
associating themselves with the divine – often, the deity was explicitly
or implicitly identified with the king.
❖ Temples also functioned as centres of learning.
❖ Temples developed as significant religious, social, cultural and
economic centres.
❖ It is likely that the very choice of the site of Vijayanagara was inspired
by the existence of the shrines of Virupaksha and Pampadevi.
❖ In fact the Vijayanagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of
the god Virupaksha.
❖ All royal orders were signed “Shri Virupaksha”, usually in the
Kannada [Link] building in the region had a long history, going
back to dynasties such as the Pallavas, Chalukyas, Hoysalas and
Cholas.

223
GOPURAMS AND MANDAPAS
❖ In terms of temple architecture, by this period certain new features
(like Gopurams and mandapas) were in evidence.
❖ The raya gopurams or royal gateways that often dwarfed the towers on
the central shrines, and signalled the presence of the temple from a
great distance.
❖ Other distinctive features include mandapas or pavilions and long,
pillared corridors that often ran around the shrines within the temple
complex.
❖ The Virupaksha temple was built over centuries. While inscriptions
suggest that the earliest shrine dated to the ninth-tenth centuries, it was
substantially enlarged with the establishment of the Vijayanagara
Empire.

Conclusion:
Buildings that survive tell us about the way spaces were organised and used,
how they were built, with what materials and techniques. Although wooden
structures are lost, and only stone structures survive, the descriptions left by
travellers allow us to reconstruct some aspects of the vibrant life of the

224
times. They convey ideas which the builders or their patrons wished to project.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. When was the Vijayanagara kingdom established?
(a) 1336
(b) 1340
(c) 1346
(d) 1350
ANS-1336
2. Who established the Vijayanagara Kingdom?
(a) Hasan Gangu
(b) Prantak I
(c) Harihara and Bukka
(d) Krishadeva Raya
ANS-Harihara and Bukka
3. Find out which one of the following is not correctly matched:
(a) Amara-Nayaka System – Vijayanagara Empire
(b) Harihara and Bukka – Founded Vijayanagara
(c) Mahanavami Dibba – King’s palace
ANS- (d)Hazara Rama Temple – New Delhi
4. The battle of Rakshashi- Tangadi is also known as:
a) Talikota
b) Terracotta
c) Ahmednagar
d) Bijapur
ANS-Talikota
5. What is the title of Telugu work on state craft
(A) Amuktamalyada

225
 (B) Tutranmalay
(C) Samarqandi
(D) Muktivahini
ANS –Amuktamalyada
6. Given below are two statements, one labelled as
Assertion(A) and the
other labelled as Reason(R)
Assertion(A):- The amara-nayaka system was a major political
innovation
of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Reason(R):- It is likely that many features of this system were
derived
from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation
of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct
explanation of
C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct
D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct
ANS- Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct
explanation of (A)
7. Assertion (A):-)-Krishnadev Raya’s rule was characterized by
expansion and consolidation.
Reason-(R)- Vijayanagar kingdom acquired land between
Tungabhadra and Krishna River due to its military preparedness.
From the above assertion and reason, find out which one of the
following is true:
A- Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

226
 B- B- Both A and R are false.
C- A is correct but R is not correct
D- R is correct but A is not correct.
ANS- A- Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of
A
8. Which one of the following temples was used only by
Vijayanagara rulers and their families?
A. The Vitthala Temple
B. The Virupaksha Temple
C. The Hazara Rama Temple
D. The Raghunatha Temple
ANS-C. The Hazara Rama Temple
9. Krishnadeva Raya belonged to which of the following dynasties?
A. Sangama
B. Tuluva
C. Aravidu
D. Suluva
ANS- [Link]
10. Who among the following travelled in Vijayanagar Empire in the
fifteenth century and was greatly impressed by the fortification
of the empire?
A. Duarte Barbosa
B. Abdur Razzak
C. Colin Mackenzie
D. Domingo Paes
ANS-B-Abdur Razzak
11. Which one of the following is a correct pair?
A. Cholas - Tamil Nadu

227
 B. Hoysalas- Orissa
C. Sultans -Karnataka
D. Gajapati- Deccan
ANS- A. Cholas - Tamil Nadu
12. Read the following statements:
I. Krishnadeva Raya’s rule was characterised by expansion and
consolidation
II. There was peace and prosperity in his empire
III. He was credited with building some fine temples.
IV. He was defeated in Battle of Rakshi Tangadi .
Which of the above statements are related to Krishnadeva Raya?
A. Only I
B. I, II and III
C. II, III and IV
D. I, III and IV
ANS- B- I, II and III
SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. How did the water requirements problems solved in Vijayanagar
Empire?
i. The water requirements of Vijayanagara were met by the river
Tungabhadra.
ii. Tanks were made to overcome this problem. Kamalapuram
tank was used for irrigation and the needs of the royal centers.
iii. Hiriya canal was the most prominent water work.

2. Describe the main causes responsible for the downfall of

Vijayanagara Empire.
Ans.
i. Weakness of the Central Government.

228
 ii. Weak successor.
iii. Rules of the different dynasties.
iv. Continuos struggles against Bahamani Empire.
v. Battle of Talikota

3. Highlight the contribution of Krishnadeva Raya in the expansion

of Vijaynagar Empire.
Answer:
i. Krishnadeva Raya was the most powerful of the Vijayanagara
kings.
ii. He defeated the Adilshah of Bijapur, Golkonda and the Raja
of Odisha.
iii. He was a kind but ruthless administrator and a very able
general who fought along with his soldiers.
iv. He's credited with building so as well fine temples and
Gopurams.
v. He was a poet. He encouraged artists and expanded trade.
vi. The great mathematician Nilkantha was encouraged by him.
Vijaynagar was at its peak in his times

4. Discuss whether the term “royal centre” is an appropriate

description for the part of the city for which it is used.
i. It included over 60 temples. On the other hand, there were
only thirty building complexes that have been identified as
palaces.
ii. These structures were made of perishable materials.
iii. The “king’s palace” is the largest enclosures but it has not yet
yielded definitive evidence of being a royal residence.
iv. It has two impressive platforms – “audience hall” and the
mahanavami dibba.

229
 LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated
with the mahanavami dibba?
Ans:
i. The mahanavami Dibba was the King’s palace in Vijayanagara
though there is no definite evidence from the available source
we can guess that it had very beautiful wooden structure with
base of the platform was covered with relief carvings.
ii. The Mahanavami Dibba had a very impressive platform
known as “the audience hall”. It was surrounded by high
double walls a street running between [Link] rituals were
associated with the Mahanavami dibba.
iii. Here the Hindu Festival Mahanavami or Navaratri were
celebrated with a great pomp and show in the months of
September-October.
iv. This festival continued for 9 days. The rulers of Vijayanagara
Empire displayed their power, prestige and suzerainty. On this
occasion several ceremonies were performed this included:
i) Worship of the state horse.
(iii) The sacrifice of buffaloes and other animals.
(iv) The main attraction of this occasion were:
(a) Dances
(b) Wrestling matches
(c) Processions of horses, elephants, chariots and soldiers.
ii) All these ceremonies presented before the king and his guests.
On the last day of the festival, the king inspected his army as
well as the nayakas of the army. He also accepted gift from
the nayakas.

230
2. Outline the distinctive features of the Virupaksha temple and the
Vitthala temple in the Royal Centre of Vijaynagar Empire.
i) It is built over centuries, may be during ninth or tenth
centuries as suggested in the inscription.
(ii) It is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, the guardian deity of
kingdom.
(iii) It is decorated with carved pillars.
(iv) There are many big halls which are used for marriages,
social programmes and other social occasions.
(v) Rulers indicated close links with God using title "Hindu
Suratrana".
(vi) Kings visits to temples along with Amaranayakas were
important occassion.
Vitthala Temple :
(i) The Prinicipal deity of this important shrine is Vitthala, a
form of Lord Vishnu. (ii) Temple has several halls and a
unique shrine designed as chariot.
(iii) A feature of temple complexes is the chariot streets that
extended from temple Gopuram in a straight line.
(iv) These streets were paved with stone slabs and lined with
pillared pavilions in which merchants set up their shops.
3. How Abdur Razzaq was impressed by the fortifications, and
roads of the Vijayanagara Empire?
i. Abdur Razzaq,an ambassador sent by the ruler of Persia to
Calicut (present-dayKozhikode) in the fifteenth century, was
greatly impressed by the fortifications, and mentioned seven
lines of forts.

231
 ii. Abdur Razzaq noted that “ between the first, second and the
third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses”.
iii. Domingo Paes observed an agricultural tract between the
sacred centre and the urban core.
iv. Agricultural tracts were incorporated within the fortified area
to defend sieges .
v. First line of fortification Agricultural land Second line of
fortification went round the inner core of the urban complex
vi. Third line surrounded the royal centre, within which each set
of major buildings was surrounded by its own high wall .
vii. The fort was entered through well-guarded gates, which linked
the city to the major roads. Gateways were distinctive
architectural features .
viii. The arch and the dome over the gate are regarded as typical
features of the architecture introduced by the Turkish Sultans.
ix. Roads generally wound around through the valleys, avoiding
rocky terrain.

Source based questions:

1. Kings and Traders
Krishnadeva Raya (ruled 1509-29), the famous ruler of
Vijayanagara, composed a work on statecraft in Telugu. About
traders he wrote:
A king should improve the harbours of his country and so encourage
its commerce that horses, elephants, precious gems, sandalwood,
pearls and other articles are freely imported…
He should arrange that the foreign sailors who land in his
country on account of storms, illness and exhaustion are looked after
in a suitable manner…. Make the merchants of distant foreign

232
 countries who import elephants and good horses are attached to
yourself by providing them with the daily audience, presents and
allowing decent profits. Then those articles will never go to your
enemies.
[Link] should the king improve the harbours of his country ?
A king should improve the harbours of his country and so encourage
its commerce that horses, elephants, precious gems, sandalwood,
pearls and other articles are freely imported
[Link] did Krishnadeva Raya rule?
1509-29
3. Krishnadeva Raya belonged to which dynasty?
Tuluva
2. How tanks were built
About a tank constructed by Krishnadeva Raya, Paes wrote:
The king made a tank … at the mouth of two hills so that all
the water which comes from either one side or the other collects
there; and, besides this, water comes to it from more than three
leagues (approximately 15 kilometers) by pipes which run along the
lower parts of the range outside. This water is brought from a lake
which itself overflows into a little river. The tank has three large
pillars handsomely carved with figures; these connect above with
certain pipes by which they get water when they have to irrigate their
gardens and rice-fields. In order to make this tank the king said broke
down a hill …. In the tank I saw so many people at work that there
must have been fifteen or twenty thousand men, looking like ants …
[Link] briefly where the tank was constructed.
Tank was constructed at the mouth of two hills so that all the water
which comes from either one side or the other collects there; and,

233
besides this, water comes to it from more than three leagues
(approximately 15 kilometers) by pipes which run along the lower
parts of the range outside
[Link] briefly the source of water for the tanks.
This water is brought from a lake which itself overflows into a little
river. The tank
[Link] briefly the advantages of constructing tanks.
To irrigate their gardens and rice-fields

234
235
 THEMER-8

PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE

Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire
(c. sixteenth - seventeenth centuries)
AGRARIAN SOCIETY
❖ Agriculture, the common occupation of peasants and landlords created
a relationship of co-operation, competition and conflict among them.
❖ Agriculture was the main source of the revenue of the Mughal Empire. .
❖ Peasants were engaged in the agricultural activities through the years.

SOURCES:
❖ The major source for the agrarian history of the sixteenth and early
seventeenth centuries are chronicles and documents from the
Mughal court. Ain-i Akbari of Akbar’s court meticulously recorded
the arrangements made by the state.
❖ Some other sources are detailed revenue records from Gujarat,
Maharashtra and Rajasthan dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries.
❖ Besides, the extensive records of the East India Company provide us
with useful descriptions of agrarian relations in eastern India.

236
 ❖ All these sources record instances of conflicts between peasants,
zamindars and the state. In the process they give us an insight into
peasants’ perception of and their expectations of fairness from the state.

AIN-I AKBARI,
❖ Ain-i Akbari written by Abu’l-Fazl has records of arrangements made
by the state for ensuring cultivation, collection of taxes by the state to
regulate the relationship between state and rural zamindar
❖ Most important chronicle was Ain-i Akbari authorised by Akbar’s court
historian Abul Fazl.
❖ The Ain is made up of five books (daftars), of which the first three
books describe the administration of Akbar’s regime. The fourth and
fifth books (daftars) deal with the religious, literary, and cultural
traditions of the people and also contain a collection of Akbar’s
‘auspicious sayings’.
❖ Despite of its limitations, Ain remains an extra ordinary document of
that period

TWO KINDS OF PEASANTS.

These were the Khud Kashta and Pahi Kashta.
❖ Khud Kashta permanently lived in villages

237
 ❖ . They had their own land and practised agriculture over there.
❖ Pahi Kashta cultivated land on a contractual basis, which originally
belonged to someone else.
VILLAGE PANCHAYAT:
❖ Village panchayat was elected by the assembly of the elders.
❖ The headmen of the panchayat was called Mandal or Muqaddam.
❖ He enjoyed his post until he had the confidence of the elders of village.
❖ Village panchayat had the right to levy fines and expulsion of anyone
from the community expulsion from the community was a strict step
which was meted out for a limited period.
❖ It was very difficult to recognise the difference between peasants and
artisans. It was so because both these two groups used to perform both
kinds of works.
❖ People such as, potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers, goldsmiths,
etc. provided their services to the village men and were compensated
through villagers by a large number of means.

JAJMANI SYSTEM
❖ Zamindars in Bengal who remunerated blacksmiths, carpenters, even
goldsmiths for their work by paying them “a small daily allowance and
diet money”. This later came to be described as the jajmani system,
though the term was not in vogue in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries.

ZAMINDARS
❖ Consolidation was a slow process. It could be done through various
sources like colonisation of new lands, by transfers of rights, with the
order of the state and by purchase. These were those processes which
perhaps permitted lower castes to reach to the ranks of Zamindars.

238
 ❖ Zamindars played an important role in colonisation of agricultural land
and helped the setting cultivators by providing them with means of
cultivation and cash loans
FUNCTIONS OF PANCHAYAT:
❖ In mixed-caste villages the panchayat represented various castes and
communities in the village, though village menial-cum-agricultural
worker were not included in it
❖ The panchayat was headed by a headman known as muqaddam or
mandal. Panchayat used their funds for community welfare activities.
❖ The village headman observed the conduct of the members of village
community to prevent any offence against their caste.
❖ Panchayat had the authority to levy fines and inflict punishment.

JATI PANCHAYAT enjoyed considerable power in rural society.

❖ In most cases, except in matters of criminal justice, the state respected
the decisions of jati panchayats. There were substantial number of
artisans in the villages, sometimes it was as high as 25 percent of the
total house holds
❖ Village artisans like potters, blacksmiths, carpenters, barbers,
goldsmiths, etc provided specialized services, in return for which they
were compensated by the villagers.
Zamindars and their Power:
❖ The zamindars had extensive personal lands termed milkiyat (property)
and enjoyed certain social and economic privileges in rural society.
❖ The zamindars often collected revenue on behalf of the state.
❖ Most zamindars had fortresses as well as an armed contingent
comprising units of cavalry’, artillery and infantry.

239
 ❖ In this period, the relatively ‘lower’ castes entered the rank of
zamindars as zamindaris
❖ Although, there can be little doubt that zamindars were an exploitative
class, their relationship with the peasantry had an element of
reciprocity, paternalism and patronage.

WOMEN IN AGRARIAN SOCIETY

❖ Women and men had to work shoulder to shoulder in the fields, so a
gendered segregation between the home (for women) and the world (for
men) was not possible in this context. But biases related to women’s
biological functions did continue.
❖ Artisanal tasks such as spinning yarn, sifting and kneading clay for
pottery, and embroidery were among the many aspects of production
dependent on female labour.
❖ Women were considered an important resource in agrarian society also
because they were child bearers in a society dependent on labour.
❖ Marriages in many rural communities required the payment of bride-
price rather than dowry to the bride’s family.
❖ According to established social norms, the household was headed by a
male. Thus women were kept under strict control by the male members
of the family and the community.
❖ Amongst the landed gentry, women had the right to inherit
property. Women zamindars were known in eighteenth-century Bengal.

FORESTS AND TRIBES: Forest dwellers known as ‘jangli’ were those

whose livelihood came from the gathering of forest produce, hunting and
shifting agriculture.
❖ Sometimes the forest was a subversive place, a place of refuge for
troublemakers.
❖ Forest people supplied elephants to the kings.

240
 ❖ Hunting was a favourite activity for the kings, sometimes it enabled the
emperor to travel extensively in his empire and personally attended the
grievances of his subjects.
❖ Forest dwellers supplied honey, bees wax, gum lac, etc.
❖ Like the ‘big men’ of the village community tribes also had their
chieftains.
❖ Many tribal chiefs had become zamindars, some even became kings.
❖ Tribes in the Sind region had armies comprising of 6,000 cavalry and
7,000 infantry.

LAND REVENUE SYSTEM

❖ Revenue from the land was the economic mainstay of the Mughal
Empire.
❖ This apparatus included the office (daftar) of the diwan who was
responsible for supervising the fiscal system of the empire.
❖ The land revenue arrangements consisted of two stages – first,
assessment and then actual collection.
❖ The jama was the amount assessed, as opposed to hasil, the amount
collected.
❖ In the list of duties of the amil-guzar or revenue collector, Akbar
decreed that while he should strive to make cultivators pay in cash, the
option of payment in kind was also to be kept open.

241
 ❖ Both cultivated and cultivable lands were measured in each province.
The Ain compiled the aggregates of such lands during Akbar’s rule.

Classification of Lands Under Akbar

The following a listing of criteria of classification excerpted from the Ain:
❖ The Emperor Akbar in his profound sagacity classified the lands and
fixed a different revenue to be paid by each.
❖ Polaj is land which is annually cultivated for each crop in succession
and is never allowed to lie fallow.
❖ Parauti is land left out of cultivation for a time that it may recover its
strength. Chachar is land that has lain fallow for three or four years.
❖ Banjar is land uncultivated for five years and more. Of the first two
kinds of land, there are three casses, good, midding, and bad.

THE FLOW OF SILVER

❖ The Mughal Empire consolidated powers and resources from the
empires of Ming (China), Safavid (Iran) and Ottoman (Turkey) during
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
❖ Voyages of discovery and the opening up of the New World resulted in
a massive expansion of Asia’s (particularly India’s) trade with Europe.

242
 ❖ An expanding trade brought in huge amounts of silver bullion into Asia
to pay for goods procured from India, and a large part of that bullion
gravitated towards India.
❖ SO, the period between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries was also
marked by a remarkable stability in the availability of metal currency,
particularly the silver rupya in India.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

1. Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari?
(a) Abul Fazal
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Ibn Battuta
(d) Abdur Razzaq
ANS- Abul Fazal
2. Ahom kings belonged to _______
(a) Madhya Pradesh
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Orissa
(d) Assam
ANS- Assam
3. There are _______ daftars (parts) of Ain.
(a) Three
(b) Four
(c) Five
(d) Six
ANS- Five

243
4. ._____ coins were more prevalent during the Mughal Empire.
(a) Gold
(b) Copper
(c) Tin
(d) Silver
ANS- Silver
5. Ottoman empire belonged to __________
(a) China
(b) Iran
(c) Turkey
(d) Iraq ANS-Turkey
6. During the Mughal Empire, what was Jins-i-Kamil?
(a) Half crop
(b) Perfect crop
(c) Rabi crop
(d) Kharif crop ANS -b) Perfect crop
7. During the Mughal Empire, how did the Panchayats use the funds
available to it?
(a) It was used to entertain revenue officials.
(b) It was used to pay salary to muqaddam and chowkidar.
(c) It was used to meet expenses for the community welfare.
(d) All of these. ANS-(d) All of these.
8. Identify which of the following statement is correct about Ain-i-
Akbari?
(a) Manzil-Abadi is related to the royal household.
(b) Sipah-Abadi is related to civil and military administration.
(c) Mulk-Abadi gives information about the fiscal aspect of the state.
(d) All of these.

244
 ANS- All of these.
Identify which of the following was not correct in the context of the
Mughal Empire.
(a) States help was available for irrigation.
(b) Jins-i-Kamil was a Rabi Crop.
(c) Many new crops reached India such as maize, potato, etc.
(d) There were two types of peasants-khud- Kashta and Pahi-Kashta.
ANS-(b) Jins-i-Kamil was a Rabi Crop
9. With which of the following methods, Zamindari consolidation was
done in the Mughal period?
(a) Colonisation of new lands
(b) By transfer of rights
(c) With the order of the State
(d) All of these ANS-(d) All of these
10. Which of these was a major reason for the higher status of
Zamindars in the Mughal empire?
(a) They had a very high income.
(b) They had extensive personal land.
(c) Most of the time, they belonged to upper castes.
(d) All of these.
ANS-(d) All of these
Additional MCQs
1).Which metal was mostly used to manufacture coins in the Mughal
empire?
A. Gold [Link] [Link] [Link]
2).In the Mughal empire, the term Jin I Kamil is referred to ‐---
A. Half crop [Link] crop [Link] crop [Link] crop
3). The Ain I akbari is divided into --- daftars(parts)

245
4).The Ahom Kings were the rulers of-----
[Link] Pradesh [Link]
[Link] [Link]
5).The 17th and 18th centuries witnessed stability in the availability of ----
[Link] goods [Link] currency
[Link] D. Textile produces in the European market
6).The Ain was divided into 3 books, the first two provided ----
[Link] of regulations [Link] of gazette
[Link] narration D complete history of Akbar’s reign
7).The Zamindars owned vast estates known as ----
[Link] [Link] [Link] [Link]
8).Women zamindars were known in the 18th century in----
[Link] [Link] [Link] [Link]
9).The ----was the fundamental unit of the Mughal agrarian society.
A. State [Link] [Link] [Link]
10).Identify the crop that was introduced into the Indian subcontinent
from Africa and Spain during the Mughal period
[Link] B. Wheat [Link] [Link]
11).Ottoman empire existed in
[Link] B. Srilanka [Link] D. Egypt
12).What percentage of Indian population lived in its villages during the
16th and 17th centuries
A. 80 B.90 C.85 D. 95
13).Which of th e following agents of the States did not seek to control
rural society to ensure cultivation and regular flow of taxes to the state?
A. Collectors [Link] C. Revenue [Link] Keepers
14).What was the average forest cover in India during the 16th and 17th
centuries?

246
A. 30 % B.40% C .50% D.25%
15).Who were termed as Jungli?
[Link] who lacked civilization [Link] dwellers
[Link] makers D. Those who paid no taxes.
16).Find the ODD one out
A. Mughal empire B. Turning empire
C. Ming ( China) [Link] ( Iran)
17).Which of the following is not a problem noted by historians about
the Ain I akbari?
[Link] nature of its quantitative data
[Link] in totalling
[Link] is much more than a reproduction of official papers
[Link] Parameters of fiscal data are not documented.
18).Which of the following A compendium of imperial regulations and
a gazetteer of the empire?
[Link] nama [Link] nama [Link] i akbari [Link] nama
19).The peshkash levied from forest people included a supply of
A. Maize [Link] [Link] [Link]
20).Pargana is an
A. Administrative sub division of a mughal province
B. A Panchayat
C. A forest
D. Mughal army
KEY
1B
2B
3D
4 D
5 D

247
 6 C
7A
8A
9D
10 D
11.C
12.C.
13.B
14 B
15 B
16 B
17 C
18 C
19 C
20.C

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What were two kinds of peasants?
i. These were the Khud Kashta and Pahi Kashta.
ii. Khud Kashta permanently lived in villages .
iii. They had their own land and practised agriculture over there.
iv. Pahi Kashta cultivated land on a contractual basis, which
originally belonged to someone else.
2. What do you understand by. Jajmani system ?

248
 i. Zamindars in Bengal who remunerated blacksmiths, carpenters,
even goldsmiths for their work by paying them “a small daily
allowance and diet money”.
ii. This later came to be described as the jajmani system, though the
term was not in vogue in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries .
3. What was the function of Panchayat?:
i. In mixed-caste villages the panchayat represented various castes
and communities in the village, though village menial-cum-
agricultural worker were not included in it .
ii. The panchayat was headed by a headman known as muqaddam or
mandal. Panchayat used their funds for community welfare
activities.
iii. The village headman observed the conduct of the members of
village community to prevent any offence against their caste.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. Describe the role played by women in agricultural production.
i. Women played an important role in agricultural production.
ii. They worked shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields.
iii. The men tilled and ploughed the lands whilethe women sowed,
weeded and threshed the harvest.
iv. Agricultural production at the time was carried out with the labour
and resources of the entire.
v. The women performed important tasks such as spinning yarn,
kneading clay for pottery and embroidery.
vi. Thus, the peasant women who were skilled artisans worked not
only in the fields but even went to their employer’s houses and even
to the markets, if necessary.

249
 vii. Among the landed gentry class women had the right to inherit
property. Women, including widows participated in the rural land
market. Selling property which they had inherited especially in
Punjab.
viii. Both Hindu and Muslim women inherited zamindaris. They were
free to sell or mortgage their zamidari rights.
ix. .In eighteenth century, Bengal had many women- zamindars. In
fact, the Rajshah zamindari which was one of the most famous of
the time was headed by a woman.
2. What are the problems in using the Ain as a source for reconstructing
agrarian history? How do historians deal with this situation?

i. The Ain-i Akbari written by Abu’l Fazl in 1598 contains invaluable

information for reconstructing the agrarian history of the Mughals.
But it has its own limitations.
ii. Numerous errors in totalling have been detected. These are,
however, minors and do not detract from the overall quantitative
accuracy of the manuals.
iii. Another limitation is the skewed nature of the data.
iv. The fiscal data collected from various sources is in detail yet some
important parameters such as, wages and prices have not been
incorporated properly.
v. The detailed list of prices and wages found in the Ain-i Akbari have
been acquired from data pertaining to the capital Agra and its
surrounding regions.
vi. Historians have dealt with the situation by supplementing the
account of the Ain by information got from the provinces.
vii. These include detailed seventeenth- eighteenth centuries revenue
records from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

250
 viii. These have been also supplemented by records of the East India
Company.
Source Based questions
1. Cash or Kind?
The Ain on land revenue collection:Let him (the amil-guzar) not make it
a practic king only in cash but also in kind. The latter is affected in several
ways. First kankut in the hindi language kan signifies grain, and kut
nates... If any doubts arise, the crops should at and estimated in three lots,
the good, the middling, and the inferior, and the hestitation removed.
Often, too, the land taken by appraisement, gives a sufficiently accurate
return. Secondly, batai, also called bhaoli, the crops are reaped and
stacked and divided by agreement in the presence of the parties. But in this
case several intelligent inspectors are required; otherwise, the evil-minded
and false aregiven to deception. Thirdly, khet-batai, when divide the fields
after they are sown. regiven they Fourthly, lang batai, after cutting the
grain, they form it in heaps and divide it among themselves, and each takes
his share home and turns it to profit.
i) Name the four methods of assessing the land revenue.
Ans:Kankut, batai, khet-batai, lang batai
ii) What are the two forms of paying the land revenue?
Ans:Cash andKind
iii) Which of the four methods according to you is best suited for the
farmer and why?
Ans: Kankut.
MAP QUESTIONS

251
 Solve the following three map questions:
(a) Area and boundary of Mughal Empire in last year of Babar reign
i.e. 1530 A.D.
(b) Show the area and extent of Mughal Empire in Akbar reign i.e.
the last year of his rule 1605 A.D.
(c) Show the extent and area of Mughal Empire in last year of rule
of Aurangzeb reign i.e. 1707.

Video presentation

[Link]
Nm_y/view?usp=drivesdk

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 PART-III
THEME -9
COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE
Exploring Official Archives
KEY CONCEPT
Bengal - Establishment of colonial rule –
❖ New land revenue, Auction system under Warren Hastings.
❖ Permanent Revenue settlement in Bengal by Lord Cornwallis.
❖ Crises in village economy, revenue demand of the state was fixed.
❖ The rise of the Jotedars, Their land was cultivated through share
croppers.
❖ Resistance of Zamindars, their land was auctioned frequently.
❖ The fifth report -report submitted to British parliament 1813 .
❖ The Hoe and the Plough - Shifting agriculture, expensive of village
economy.
❖ Paharias -hunters food gathers connected with forests, invaded settled
farmers 1770.
❖ Santhals - Settled in bangal- practiced cultivation land demarcated to
them known as Daman-i-koh.
❖ Conflicts with unsettled paharias -1850 - they resisted the British -
Santhal revolt.
❖ Revolt in the Bombey and Deccan – 1875.
❖ Burning of account book of money lenders and shop keepers New
revenue System - Ryotwari system in Bombey Deccan - Direct
settlement, land assessed for 30 yrs subject to periodic revision.

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The problem of unpaid revenue:i
❖ The rural economy in Bengal was in crisis with recurrent famines and
declining agricultural output.
❖ The problem lay in identifying individuals who could both improve
agriculture and contract to pay the fixed revenue to the state.
❖ The permanent settlement was made with the rajas and taluqdars of
Bengal.
❖ They were classified as Zamindars and had to pay the revenue that was
[Link] Zamindar was not the landowner in the village, but a revenue
collector of the state.
❖ The zamindar collected rent from different villages, paid the revenue to
the company,and retained the differences as his income.
❖ He was expected to pay the Company regularly, failing which his estate
could be auctioned

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Powers of Zamindars limited:
❖ The Permanent Settlement initially limited the power of the zamindar
to collect rent from the ryot and manage his zamindari.

Why zamindars defaulted on payments

i) The initial demand was very high: It was felt that if the demand was
fixed for all time to come the company would never be able to claim a
share of increased income from land when prices rose and cultivation
expanded.
ii) The company increased the revenue and argued that the burden on the
Zamindar would decline as agriculture production expands and price
rose. II Imposition of high demand:

255
iii) The price of agriculture produce were depressed, the ryots could not
pay their dues to the zamindar ii) The zanindar could not collect the
rent and was not able to pay the company. III The revenue was
invariable: i)
iv) They followed sunset law. IV The powers of the Zamindars limited: i)
The permanent settlement limited the powers of the zamindars to
collect the rent from the ryot and manage his zamindari
The rise of the Jotedars
❖ A group of rich peasants consolidated their position in the villages.
❖ This class of rich peasant was known as [Link] jotedars had
acquired vast areas of land.
❖ They controlled local trade as well as money lending,exercising
immense power over the poorer cultivators of the region.
❖ A large part of their land was cultivated through sharecroppers
(adhiyars or bargadars).When the estate of the zamindar was auctioned
for failure to make revenue payment, jotedars were often amongst the
purchasers.
❖ The jotedars were the most powerful in North Bengal, in some places
they were called haoladars, gantidars or mandals.

The Fifth Report and its Impact on Zamindars:

❖ It was the fifth of a series of report on administration and activities of
East India Company in India. It was submitted to the British Parliament
in 1813.
❖ British Parliament forced the company to produce regular report on the
administration of India and appointed committees to enquire into the
affairs of the company
❖ It became the basis of intense parliamentary debates on the nature of
East India Company’s rule in India.

256
 ❖ Fifth report has shaped our conception of what happened in rural
Bengal during that period and evidence contained in the 5th report are
very important.

The Accounts of Buchanan:

❖ Francis Buchanan undertook detailed surveys of the areas under the
jurisdiction of the British East India Company.
❖ Buchanan journey was sponsored by the company and it was planned
according to its need.
❖ He had specific instruction about what he had to look for and what he
had to record.
❖ Buchanan observed the stones, rocks, different layers of soil, minerals,
and stones that were commercially valuable.
❖ Buchanan wrote about landscape and how these landscapes could be
transformed and made productive.
❖ His assessments were shaped by commercial interest of the company
and modern western notions of what constituted progress. He was
critical of lifestyle of forest dwellers.

In the Hills of Rajmahal:

❖ Francis Buchanan, a physician travelled through Rajmahal hills and he
gave an account about it.
❖ Originally in the Rajmahal hills Paharias lived. They lived on hunting,
shifting cultivation, food gathering and was intimately connected to
forest.
❖ In last decade of 18th century British encouraged forest clearance and
zamindar and jotedar also started to turn uncultivated land into rice
fields.

257
 ❖ As settled agriculture expanded, the area under forest and pasture
contracted. This sharpened the conflict between Paharias and settled
cultivators.
❖ Around 1780, Santhal came into these areas. They cleared the forest
and ploughed land.
❖ As the lower hills were takenover by the Santhal Settlers, the Paharias
receded interior into the Rajmahal hills.

The Santhals became Settlers:

❖ Zamindars and Britishers after having failed to subdue the Paharias and
transform them into settled cultivators turned to Santhals.
❖ . The Santhal appeared to be ideal settlers, cleared the forest and
ploughed land.
❖ After land was granted, population of Santhals increased exponentially
and their villages also increased in number.
❖ When the Santhal were settling, the Paharias resisted but were
ultimately forced to withdraw deeper into hills. It impoverished the
Paharias in the long term.
❖ Santhals now lived a settled life, cultivated a range of commerical crops
for market and dealt with traders,’moneylenders.
❖ But state was taxing them heavily, moneylenders (dikus) were
charging high interest rate and taking over their land when debts
remained unpaid and zamindars were asserting control over their land.
❖ Later due to problems, Santhal revolted in year 1855-1856, and to
pacify them, Britishers carved out new areas for the Santhals and
imposed some special laws within it.

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
[Link] introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal?
(A) Lord Charles Cornwallis
(B) Francis Buchanan
(C) David Ricardo
(D) Thomas Munro ANS-A. Lord Charles Cornwallis
[Link] which name were the jotedars called?
(a) Zamindars
(b) Ryots
(c) Haoldars
(d) Paharias ANS-(c) Haoldars
3. When was the permanent settlement introduced in Bengal?
(a) 1785
(b) 1764
(c) 1793
(d) 1905 ANS-: (c) 1793
[Link] was Fifth Report introduced in the British Parliament?
(a) 1770
(b) 1858
(c) 1813
(d) 1795 ANS-1813
[Link] of Paharias of Rajmahal completely dependent upon _______
(a) river
(b) permanent agriculture
(c) forests
(d) Trade ANS-(c) forests
[Link] among the following emerged as a danger for Paharis?
(a) Santhal
(b) Bhil

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(e) Guj jar
(d) Bekarwal ANS- a) Santhal
[Link]-i-koh was formed for ________
(a) Santhals
(b) Paharias
(c) British
(d) Zamindari ANS- a) Santhals
8._______ was the major source of cotton for the British till 1862.
(a) America
(b) India
(c) China
(d) Japan ANS- a) America
9. Consider the following events:
1. Introduction of Permanent settlement
2. American Civil war
3. Fifth report in the British Parliament
4. Santhals arrived in the hilly area of Rajmahal
The correct Çhronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 4, 3, 2
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4
(d) 1, 3, 4, 2
ANS- b) 1, 4, 3, 2
10. Given below are two statements, one labelled as
Assertion(A) and the
other labelled as Reason(R)
Assertion(A):-permanent settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis .
Reason(R):- Bengal was fertile and it was the first territory to have this
settlement.

260
A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct explanation of
C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct
D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct
ANS- Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of (A)
11. The revenue system that was introduced in the Bombay Deccan came to
be known as
a) Ryotwari.
b) Mahalwari
c) permanent settlement
d) None of the above ANS a) Ryotwari.

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. What was the Limitation Law? Why was this considered as a symbol of
oppression against the ryots of the 19th Century? Give three reasons
Ans. In 1859 the British passed Limitation Law that stated that the loan bonds
signed between moneylenders and ryots would have validity for only three
years. This law was meant check the accumulation of interest over time. The
moneylender, however, turned the law round, forcing the ryot to sign a new
bond every three years.
Reasons: (i) Deeds and bonds appeared as ymbols of the new appressive system
because such deeds had been rare. (ii) The terms of transactions ad to be clearly.
Unambiguously and categorically ated in the contracts, deeds and bonds and
regulated by law. (iii) Unless the deed or contract was legally enforceable, it
had no value.
2. What were the circumstances in 1855-56 which forced Santhals to revolt
against the zamindars? Mention any two.
Ans. 1. In 1855-56 the Santhals felt that it was high time to rebel against
zamindars, in order make an ideal world for themselves to rule. 2. The

261
zamindars were continuously making their control over the Damin area and it
was causing dissension among Santhals.
3. Who were Jotedars? 2 Ans. The group of rich farmers were known as
Jotedars. They controlled local trade as well as money lending, exercising
immense power over the poorer cultivator’s of the region.
4. Who were santhals? What are the two features of their lives? 2 Ans. They
were the tribes living in the foothills of Rajmahal hills. They cultivated their
fields by plough and much civilized than the Paharias.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
[Link] how the powers of jotedars within a village, was more effective
than that of zamindars.
Ans) (i) They lived in villages. So they had a lot of influence on many villagers.
(ii) They opposed the efforts of the zamindars to increase the jama of the
village.
(iii) They mobilised ryots to deliberately delay payments of revenue to the
zamindars.
(iv) They controlled the local trade and moneylending.
(v) They had a control over several areas of land. They even purchased land
when the estates of the zamindars were being auctioned for failure
(vi) When zamindars were in crisis in the eighteenth century, a group of rich
peasants consolidated its position in the villages of Bengal
(vii) This class of rich peasants came to be known as jotedars. They had a
control over vast areas of land. Sometimes they had even a control on many
thousand acres of land.
(viii) They even controlled local trade and moneylending. They exercised
immense power over the poor cultivators of the region. They had even become
more powerful than the zamindars.
[Link] did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Ans) The Paharias response:

262
(a)The settling of the Santhals on the peripheries of the Rajmahal hills were
initiatlly resisted by the Paharias.
(b) But ultimately they were forced to withdraw deeper into the hills.
(c) They were now confined to the more barren and rocky upper hills. This
severely affected their lives.
(d) Their economy was dependent on shifting cultivation which was no longer
feasible leading to their impoverishment.
(e) As forests began to be cleared to facilitate cultivation the Paharia hunters
also faced [Link] the lifestyle of the Paharias underwent great change
with the com ing of the outsiders.
3. What was Damin-i-Koh? Why did Santhals resist Britishers during 18th
century? Give three reasons.
Ans. Damin-i-Koh: In 1882 the British had given a piece of land to the Santhals.
This land was given in the foot-hills of Rajmahal. This land was demarcated as
Damin-i-Koh and declared as the land of the santhals. The Santhals were
allowed to live on this piece of land, practise agriculture and flourish as
peasants over this land.
(a) But the Santhals gradually became top dissatisfied. They found they were
not getting ag their due and were being exploited. The sate was Se levying
heavy taxes on them.
(b) Moneylenders Its charged them high rates of interest and took over their
land when they were unable to pay.
(c) Zamindars also had begun to increase their hold over their area. Thus they
revolted against the exploitation of the zamindar, moneylenders and the state.
(d) After the revolt, the British created the Santhal Pargana from the districts of
Bhagalpur and Birbhum. It was believed that the creation of a new state and
passing of special laws for their protection would conciliate the Santhals.

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SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
On Clearance and Settled Cultivation Passing through one village in the
lower Rajmahal hills, Buchman wrote:The view of the country is exceedingly
fine, the cultivation, especially the narrow valleys of rice winding in all
directions, the cleared lands with scattered trees, and the rocky hills are in
perfection; all that is wanted is some appearance of progress in the area and
vastly extended and improved cultivation, of which the country is highly
susceptible, Plantations of Asan and Palas, for Tessar (tassar silk worms) and
Lac, should occupy the place of woods to as great an extend as the demand will
achieve remainder might be all cleared, and the greater part cultivated, while
what is not fit for the purpose, might near Plamira (Palmyra) and Mowa
(mahua).
Questions:
(i)Who was Buchana? Which landscape is described by him in this
passage?
Ans) Buchanan was a physician. He served in the Bengal Medical Service till
1815. He also served as a surgeon to Lord Wellesley, the Governor General of
India for a few years. Here Buchanan has described the landscape of a village in
the lower Rajmahal hills.
(ii)Mention four features of the landscape described above.
Ans) Four features of the landscape described in the passage are given below:
(a) The view of the village is very fine.
(b) It has the narrow valleys of rice winding in all directions. (c) It has rocky
hills which seems
distinctive of perfection.
(d) The lands are cleared with the seattered trees.
(e) Cultivation is in the developed form. It means the sign of progress.
(iii) When Buchanan wrote about a landscape,what did he highlight?
Ans)When Buchanan wrote about a landscape, he did not merely describe what

264
he saw and what the landscape was like. He also described how their landscape
could be made more productive for the cultivation of the crops.
From the Fifth Report
Referring to the condition of zamindars and the auction of lands, the Fifth
Report stated:
The revenue was not realised with punctuality, and lands to a considerable
extent were periodically exposed to sale by aution. In the native year 1203,
corresponding with 1796 97, the land advertised for sale comprehended a
jumma or assessment of sicca rupees 28,70,061, the extent of land actually sold
bore a jumma or assessment of 14,18,756, and the amount of purchase money
sicca rupees 17,90,416. In 1204, corresponding with 1797-98, the land
advertised was for sicca ruppes 26,66,191, the quantity sold was for sicca
rupees 22,74,076, and the purchase money sicca rupees 21,47,580. Among the
defaulters were some of the oldest families of the country. Such were the rajahs
of Nuddea, Rajeshaye, Bishenpore (all districts of Bengal), and others, the
dismemberment of whose estates at the end of each succeeding year, threatened
them with poverty and ruin, and in some instance presented difficulties to the
revenue officers, in their efforts to preserve undiminished the amount of public
assessment.
(i)Explain the significance of the Fifth Report.
Ans) (a) The Fifth Report was the main period of intense parliamentary debates
on the nature of the East India Company's rule in India.(b) The Fifth Report
gave a clear picture of what happened in rural Bengal in the late 18th century. It
had invaluable evidences.
(ii) With reference to the above report, explain the condition of zamindars
in India.
Ans) (a) The Zamindars were facing highrevenue demand and possibleauction
of their estates.
(b) The Zamindars devised many methods of surviving the pressures. (c) The

265
dismemberment of estates at the end of each succeding year made the
Zamindars poorer and almost ruined them.
(iii)The Fifth Report exaggerated the collapse of the traditional zamindari
system." Support the statement with two arguments.
Ans) (a) After having carefully examined the archives of many Bengal
Zamindars, the researchers indicate that intent on criticising the mal-
administration of the East India Company, the Fifth Report exaggerated the
collapse of traditional Zaminidari power.
(b) The scale on which zamindar were losing their land was also overestimated.
Zamindaris were auctioned however, Zamindars were not always displaced. On
the basis of clever methods, Zamindars used to retain their Zamindaris.

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 THEME : 10
REBELS AND RAJ
THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATIONS

267
KEY CONCEPT :

268
The revolt of 1857 was planned by Nana sahab & Ajimullah khan in Bithor
(Kanpur). 31st May 1857 was fixed for revolt and symbol was chapati and
lotus. People participated in the revolt – due to their hatred against the
oppressive policies of the British
Important events
❖ In Barrackpur on 29 March 1857 Mangal pandey refused to use Bullets
coated with fat of cows and pigs. He murdered Lft. Bagh and Hudson.
He was sentence to death on 8th April 1857.
❖ The soldier of meerut infantry revolted on 10th May 1857 they attacked
on government buildings, office, jail and post office. They looted arms
and ammunition.
❖ They attacked white people and their property. The revolutionary
reached Delhi on 11 may 1857 and requested Mughal emperor Bahadur
Shah Jafar to take over charge of revolt and bless them.
❖ Centres of the Revolt – Lucknow, Kanpur, Bareilly, Meerut, Arrah in
Bihar.

PATTERN OF THE REBELLION

269
❖ The revolt spread from one city to another city.
❖ The sepoys began their action with a signal, firing of the evening gun or
the sounding of the bugle.
❖ They seized the bell of the arms and plundered the treasury.
❖ They attacked the government buildings – the jail, treasury, telephone
office, record room, bungalows –burning all records.
❖ Everything and everybody connected with the white man became a
target.
❖ In major towns like Kanpur, Lucknow, and Bareilly, moneylenders and
rich became the objects of the rebels
❖ They issued proclamation in Hindi, Urdu and Persian.
❖ All sections of the society participated – sepoy / traders / peasents.
❖ Major cities were Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Bareilly. Patterns of
revolt was same in different places.
❖ It shows there was planning and coordination in revolt.
❖ There was communication between sepoys and various cantonments.
❖ Sepoys were taking decisions collectively in panchayats in police lines.

270
RUMOURS AND PROPHECIES
❖ There was the rumour that the British government wanted to destroy the
caste and religion of the Hindus and Muslim.
❖ British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour that was
sold in the market.
❖ There was a fear and suspicion that the British wanted to convert
Indians to Christianity.
❖ The bullets were coated with the fats of cows and pigs Prophecy
❖ British rule will come to an end on the centenary of the battle of
Plassey (23.06.1857)

271
WHY DID THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN THE RUMOURS?
❖ The British adopted policies aimed at reforming Indian society by
introducing Western education, Western ideas and Western institutions.
❖ They set up English medium Schools, Colleges, and Universities which
taught Western sciences and the liberal arts.
❖ The British established laws to abolish customs like Sati (1829) and to
permit the remarriage of Hindu widows (1856).
❖ The British introduced their own system of administration, their own
laws and their own methods of land settlements and land revenue
collection.
❖ They annexed various states like Jhansi and Satara
❖ Christian missionaries were converting Indians in Christianity.
SUBSIDIARY ALLIANCE
❖ It was introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798.
❖ It was alliance between British and Princely states.
❖ British will protect the state.

272
 ❖ A British armed contingent will be depute in the state.
❖ State will provide resource for contingent.
❖ State could not make arrangement or engage in war without permission
of the British
❖ State will disband its own army.
❖ The British resident will be stationed in the state. Resident was
representative of the governor general
ANNEXATION OF AWADH
❖ Awadh was annexed by Lord Dalhousie in 1856.
❖ Awadh was known as heart of North India.
❖ Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was dethroned and exiled to Calcutta.
❖ Awadh was annexed on allegation of misgovern ment and it was
declare that Wajid Ali Shah was not popular ruler.
❖ Infact Wajid Ali Shah was popular ruler. He was widely loved. People
followed him upto Kanpur (Lucknow to Kanpur)
❖ The life was gone out of the body and the body of this town had been
left lifeless.
❖ People were in grief due to exile of Nawab.
❖ Nawab’s Court & its culture declined.
❖ Many people lost their livelihood –
Musician/dancer/poets/artisans/cooks.
❖ “A cherry that will drop into our mouth one day” – Lord Dalhousie.
❖ In 1851, Governor General Lord Dalhousie described the kingdom of
Awadh as “a cherry that will drop into our mouth one day” and five
years later in 1856 it was annexed to the British Empire in allegation of
misgovernment.
❖ The Subsidiary Alliance had been imposed on Awadh in 1801.

273
 ❖ The terms of this alliance the nawab had to disband his military force of
the British to position their troops within the kingdom and act in
accordance with the advice of the British.
❖ Deprived of his armed forces the nawab became increasingly dependent
on the British to maintain law and order within the kingdom.
❖ He could no longer assert control over the rebellious chief and
taluqdars.
❖ British were interested in Awadh due to its productive land and ideal
for market of upper part of India.

REVOLT IN AWADH
Why peasants Taluqdars, sepoy, zamindar joined revolt?
❖ Annexation of Awadh displaced nawab.
❖ Talukdars were disarmed and their forts destroyed.
❖ Talukdars were evicted from lands.

274
 ❖ Revenue demand increased. Burden of demand on peasants increased.
❖ Peasants joined revolt in support of Talukdars because Talukdars were
generous. They helped peasants in needs.
❖ British overassesed the revenue
❖ Method of revenue was inflexible
❖ No help in hardship and in needs and in festival
❖ Taluqdars were loyal to the Nawab of [Link] joined army of
Begum Hazrat Mahal.
SEPOY
❖ Mostly Sepoys were recruited from villages of Awadh.
❖ Sepoys were discontent due to low pays and no leave.
❖ British officer have sense of superiority.
❖ They treat sepoy as inferiors abuse and physical violence.
❖ Use of greased cartridges.
❖ The large majority of sepoys of Bengal army were recruited from
Awadh and eastern UP.
❖ Mostly sepoys were brahmans or upper caste.
❖ Awadh was called Nursery of the Bengal army.
❖ Family members of sepoys living in rural area or villages of Awadh.
Whenever sepoy revolt, they join rebellion.
What the Rebels Wanted?
❖ Mostly rebels were illiterate. We can know about their perspective
through proclamation and ishtahars.
❖ There was vision of unity in this rebel.
❖ The rebels appealed to all sections irrespective to caste and creed.
❖ They emphasized on the co-existence of Hindu Muslim communities
during Mughal period.

275
 ❖ Proclamation was issued by Bahadurshah under the name of
Mohammed and Mahavir. They take care of sentiments of both Hindus
and Muslims.
❖ They Condemned the British for the annexation, British revenue
system, foreign trade In proclamation.
❖ People were urged to fight to their livelihood, faith, honour and
identity.
❖ The rebels were against all oppressors including moneylenders.
❖ Rebels wanted to establish or restore pre British world of 18th century
and court culture.
REPRESSION
❖ British passed many laws to be conquer north India.
❖ North India put under martial law.
❖ Military officers and ordinary Britons were given power to punish
Indians.
❖ Punishment for revolt was only DEATH.
❖ British reconquered Delhi in sept 1857.
❖ Rebel landholders were dispossessed and the loyal rewarded.

IMAGES OF THE REVOLT

❖ We have very few records on the rebels point of view for example
proclamation, Notification, Letters.
❖ There are lot of official records as letters and diaries, autobiography
and official histories.
❖ The changing British attitudes were evident through the innumerable
memos and notes, assessments of situations.
❖ The stories of the revolt that were published in British newspapers and
magazines narrated the in gory detail the violence of the mutineers.

276
❖ The pictorial images were produced by the British and Indians –
paintings, pencil drawings, cartoons, bazaar prints.
❖ Celebrating the saviors.
❖ British pictures commemorate the British heroes who saved the English
and repressed the rebels.
❖ 1.“Relief of Lucknow “, was painted by Thomas Jones Barker In 1859.
❖ It shows British were the victors and James Outram, Henry Havelock
and Collin Campbell rescued the besieged British.
❖ [Link] painting “In Memoriam” was painted by Joseph Noel Paton
in which English women and the children huddled in a circle helpless
and innocent. The British government was asked to protect the honour
of innocent women and ensure the safety of helpless children.
❖ [Link] the painting “Justice” Miss Wheeler is shown as heroic. She is
killing the rebels and defending her honour.
❖ British people were demanding for retribution and revenge.

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NATIONALIST IMAGERIES
❖ It was celebrated as the first war of independence in which all sections
of the people of India came together to fight against imperial rule.
❖ Art and literature had helped in keeping alive the memories 1857.
❖ Leaders of revolt were presented as heroic. Rani Laxmi Bai was shown
as a symbol of the determination to resist injustice and alien rule.

IMPORTANT DATES
❖ 1801 – subsidiary alliance introduced by Wellesley inAwadh
❖ 1856 – nawab wajid ali shah deposed; awadh annexed
❖ 1856-57 – summary revenue settlements introduced in Awadh by the
british
❖ 1857 – 10 May – mutiny starts in Meerut
- 11 -12 may – delhi garrisons revolt; Bahadur Shah accepts
nominal leadership
- 20-27 may sepoys mutiny in Aligah, Etawah, Mainpuri, Etah
- 30 may – rising in lucknow
- May-june – mutiny turns into a general revolt of the people
- 30 – june – british suffer defeat in the battle of Chinhat
- 25 – sept – british forces under Havelock and outram enter the
residency in Lucknow
- July- shah Mal killed in Battle
❖ 1858 – June – Rani Jhansi killed in battle.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1 Which one of the following statements was not a justified reason
for the annexation of Awadh by British in 1857?
a) Wajid Ali Shah was unpopular ruler
b) Subsidiary alliance system was accepted by Wajid Ali Shah at ease

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 c) Mangal pandey initiated the revolt from Awadh
d) Material benefits were given to the Taluqdars by the british
Ans a) Wajid Ali Shah was unpopular ruler
2 On which date the sepoys in the cantonment of Meerut broke out
in mutiny?
Ans 10 May 1857.
3 Where did these mutineers of Merrut reach in the morning of 11
May 1857?
Ans Delhi
4 How can you say that here was communication, co-odination and
planning between the sepoy lines of various cantonments?
Ans Because after the 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry had refused to accept
the new cartridges in early May, they wrote to the 48th Native Infantry
that “they had acted for the faith and
awaited the 48th’s orders”.
5 Match the following associated with places and their leaders.
Place leader
a. Delhi i. Bahadurshah zafar-IInd
and [Link] Khan
b. Kanpoor ii. Nana Sahib
c. Jhansi iii. Rani Laxmi Bai
d. Awadh/Lucknow iv. Begum Hazrat
Mahal/Birjis Qadir
e. Arrah(Bihar) v. Kunwar Singh
f. Pargana Barout(U.P.) vi. Shah Mal
g. Chotanagpur (kol tribal of the region) vii. Gonoo, a tribal
cultivator.
Ans All matches are correct.

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 6 When did the British abolish the Sati system in India?
Ans 1829
7 Who was the Governor general of India when British introduce
the Western Education in
India?
Ans Lord William Bentinck
8 Why did the British became increasingly interested in acquiring
the territory of Awadh.? Consider the following statement.
a. They felt that the soil there was good for producing indigo and
cotton.
b. The region was ideally located to be developed into the principal
market of Upper India.
1. Statement a is correct.
2. Statement b is correct
3. Statement a and b , both are correct.
4. Both a and b are in correct.
Ans. 3. Statement a and b , both are correct.
9 “The life was gone out of the body, and the body of this town had
been left lifeless …For whom such a statement were written by the
writers?
Ans Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh
10 Which of the Indian state was called the “nursery of the Bengal
Army’’. Why?
Ans Awadh.
Because the large majority of the sepoys of the Bengal Army were
recruited from the villages of Awadh and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
Many of them were Brahmins or from the “upper” castes
11 When did the British regain control over Delhi from Mutineers?

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Ans By September 1857.
12 Identify the image and who painted it?

Ans “Relief of Lucknow”, painted by Thomas Jones Barker in 1859,

13 In the following questions, a statement of Assertion(A) is followed
by a statement of Reason(R). mark the correct choice as:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion(A) : Awadh was, in fact called the “Nursery of the Bengal
Army”.
Reason(R) : the large majority of the sepoys of the Bengal Army were
recruited from the villages of Awadh and eastern Uttar Pradesh many
of them were Brahmins or from the “upper” castes
Ans (A)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A

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14 Identify the image and who painted it and write its

theme/messages also?
Ans This image is “In Memoriam” was painted by Joseph Noel Paton.
We can see English women and children huddled in a circle, looking
helpless and innocent, seemingly waiting for the inevitable –
dishonour, violence and death.
15 In the following questions, a statement of Assertion(A) is followed
by a statement of Reason(R). mark the correct choice as:
(A)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(B)Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A
(C)A is true, but R is false
(D)A is false, but R is true.
Assertion(A) : in towns and cantonments, sepoys and the common
people refused to touch the atta
Reason(R) : there was fear and suspicion that the british wanted to
convert Indians to Christianity. Panic spread fast.
Ans (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
16 Identify the image and who painted it and write its
theme/messages also?

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Ans. Justice, Punch, 12 September 1857 The caption at the bottom reads
“The news of the terrible massacre at Cawnpore (Kanpur) produced
an outburst of fiery indignation and wild desire for revenge
throughout the whole of England.
17 Identify the image and who painted it and write its
theme/messages also?

Ans Miss Wheeler defending herself against sepoys in Kanpur.

They appear heroic, defending themselves against the attack of rebels.
Miss Wheeler stands firmly at the centre, defending her honour,
single-handedly killing the attacking rebels. The woman’s struggle
to save her honour and her life, in fact, is represented as having a
deeper religious connotation: it is a battle to save the honour of
Christianity. The book lying on the floor is the Bible.
18 Identify the image and who painted it and write its
theme/messages also?

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Ans The Clemency of Canning.
When Governor General Canning declared that a gesture of leniency
and a show of mercy would help in winning back the loyalty of the
sepoys, but he was mocked in the British press.
19 Who wrote these lines of a famous poem “Khoob lari mardani
woh to Jhansi wali rani thi” (Like a man she fought, she was
the Rani of Jhansi).
Ans Subhadra Kumari Chauhan:
20 Name the governor general who introduced the Subsidiary
Alliance?
Ans Lord Wellseley
3 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 Why did Indian Sepoy revolt against British East India Company
?
Ans Indian Sepoys revolted against British East India Company because
1. Salaries and Allowances of Indian soldiers less than that of
British Soldier.
2. British official considered Indian Soldiers inferior, abusing
and physical violence had become a common thing
3. General Service Enlistment Act – 1856- According to this act
every recruit undertook to serve even overseas. It hurt the
religious belief of Indians that crossing the sea was liable to

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 destroy one’s religion and caste
2 What were the causes of failure of revolt of 1857?
Ans The causes of failure of revolt of 1857 are:
1. Spread in limited area. South and West India remained unaffected.
2. Middle class, upper class and educated class did not support the
revolt.
3. Efficient Railways and transport system helped British to suppress
the revolt.
4. Revolt started before fixed date.
5. Lack of weapons and resources with rebels
6. Efficient and able British commander
3 Discuss how 1857 revolt was a Sepoy mutiny ?
Ans 1857 revolt was started by Sepoy in Meerut on 10 May 1857. There
were many causes that show that Sepoys were dissatisfied from the
behave of British officers and British East India Company.
1. The main ground for the uprising had been prepared by the
soldiers.
2. Important and immediate causes of the revolt was the use of
greased cartridges.
3. The revolt did not spread throughout the country.
4. The revolt did not enjoy the cooperation and support of the
common people
4 How did the message about the Revolt of 1857 spread?
Ans 1. The message of rebellion was carried by ordinary men and
women.
2. At some places, even the religious people spread the message
of the Revolt of 1857. For example, in Meerut, a Fakir used
to ride on an elephant. Many sepoys met him time and again.

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 3. After the annexation of Awadh, Lucknow had many religious
leaders and self-styled prophets who preached the destruction
of the British rule.
4. At many places, the local leaders played an important role.
They urged the peasants, Zamindars, and tribals to revolt.
5. In Uttar Pradesh, Shah Mal motivated and mobilized the
residents of Barout paragana.
6. Similarly, Gonoo, a tribal who cultivated in Singhbhum in
Chhotanagpur, became a rebel leader of the Kol tribe.
5 Examine the proclamation issued by the rebels in 1857 and explain
why they wanted to reject everything associated with the British
rule in India?
Ans The proclamations were issued by the rebel leaders in 1857 to
propagate their ideas and persuade people to join the revolt. The
proclamations condemned the British for the annexations they had
carried out and the treaties they had broken.
1. These proclamations sought to unite all the social groups in
the fight against the firangi raj.
2. People were urged to come together and fight to save their
livelihood, faith, honour, and identity.
3. The proclamations expressed the widespread fear that the
British wanted to destroy the caste and religions of Hindus
and Muslims and convert them to Christianity
6 Discuss the extent to which religious beliefs shaped the revolt of
1857.
Ans 1. Common Indian people did not like new education system.
2. Study of Bible was compulsory in missionary schools.

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 3. The government decided to replace the old guns by the new
Enfilled rifles.
4. bolition of sati practise and other social reforms.
5. The role of Christian missionaries in expansion of
Christianity in India
7 Discuss the Rumours and prophecies which spread during revolt of
1857?
Ans Rumours and prophecies played a part in moving people to action,
following were the main Rumours and prophecies which spread during
revolt of 1857
1. Cartridges of the new Enfield rifles were greased with the fat
of cow and pig
2. There was the rumour that the British government had
hatched a conspiracy to destroy the caste and religion of
Hindus and Muslims
3. British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into the
flour that was sold in the market.
4. British wanted to convert Indians to Christianity. Panic
spread fast
5. Chapattis were being distributed from village to village. A
person would come at night and give a chapatti to the
watchman of the village and ask him to make five more and
distribute to the next village, and so on.
6. The British rule would come to an end after 100 years of its
establishment.
8 What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857?

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Ans 1. The immediate cause was the introduction of the greased
cartridges. These cartridges were to be used with the New
Enfield Rifles.
2. They were greased with the fat of cow and pig, one prohibited
for the Muslims and the other was sacred to the Hindus. The
sepoys refused to use these cartridges which in turn sparked off
the Revolt of 1857.
3. On 29 April 1857 Mangal Pandey refused to used the cartridge
and shot dead his officer.
9 What were the impact of revolt of 1857 ?
Ans Transfer of Power of India from East India Company to British
Parliament.
1. Movement strengthened Hindu Muslim unity.
2. Indian rulers were given rights to adoption.
3. Complete religious freedom was assured to Indians.
4. This revolt sowed the seeds of nationalism.
10 Why did Delhi become the focal point of the Revolt of 1857?
Ans 1. It became the focal point as the long rule of Mughal dynasty
made it the traditional symbol of India's political unity
2. By making Delhi the focal point the sepoys turned their mutiny
into a revolutionary war.
3. This is why rebellious sepoys from all around the country
automatically turned their steps towards Delhi.
4. All Indian Chiefs who participated in the Revolt hastened to
proclaim their loyalty to the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah.
5. Bahadur Shah under the pressure of the sepoys and after mutual
vacillation wrote to all the rulers urging them to unite and oust
the British from India.

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11 "The relationship of the sepoys with the superior white officers
underwent a significant change in the year preceding the uprising
of 1857." Support the statements with examples.
Ans 1. The relationship of the sepoys with their superior white officers
underwent a significant change in the years preceding the
uprising of 1857.
2. In the 1820s, white officers made it a point to maintain friendly
relations with the sepoys. They would take part in their leisure
activities they wrestled with them, fenced with them and went
out hawking with them.
3. Many of them were fluent in Hindustani and were familiar with
the customs and culture of the country. These officers were
disciplinarian and father figure rolled into one.
4. In the 1840s, this began to change. The officers developed a
sense of superiority and started treating the sepoys as their racial
inferiors, riding roughshod over their sensibilities. Abuse and
physical violence became common and thus the distance
between sepoys and officers grew.
12 Why did Taluqdars so powerful in Avadh?
Ans 1. The countryside of Awadh was dotted with the estates and forts
of taluqdars who for many generations had controlled land and
power in the countryside.
2. Before the coming of the British, taluqdars maintained armed
retainers, built forts, and enjoyed a degree of autonomy, as long
as they accepted the suzerainty of the Nawab and paid the
revenue of their taluqs.

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 3. Some of the bigger taluqdars had as many as 12,000 foot-
soldiers and even the smaller ones had about 200. The British
were unwilling to tolerate the power of the taluqdars.
13 How the mutinies began?
Ans 1. The sepoys began their action with a signal: in many places it
was the firing of the evening gun or the sounding of the bugle.
2. They first seized the bell of arms and plundered the treasury.
They then attacked government buildings - the jail, treasury,
telegraph office, record room, bungalows – burning all records.
3. Everything and everybody connected with the white man
became a target.
4. Proclamations in Hindi, Urdu and Persian were put up in the
cities calling upon the population, both Hindus and Muslims, to
unite, rise and exterminate the firangis
14 Analyse the nationalist imageries related to 1857 revolt?
Ans 1. The national movement in the twentieth century drew its
inspiration from the events of 1857.
2. It was celebrated as the First War of Independence in which all
sections of the people of India came together to fight against
imperial rule.
3. Art and literature, as much as the writing of history, have helped
in keeping alive the memory of 1857.
4. The leaders of the revolt were presented as heroic figures
leading the country into battle, rousing the people to righteous
indignation against oppressive imperial rule.
5. Rani of Jhansi was represented as a masculine figure chasing the
enemy, slaying British soldiers and valiantly fighting till her
last. Children in many parts of India grow up reading the lines

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 of Subhadra Kumari Chauhan: "Khoob lari mardani woh to
Jhansi wali rani thi”.
15 ‘The life was gone out of the body’. Who said this statement and
why?
Ans 1. The widespread sense of grief and loss at the Nawab's exile was
recorded by many contemporary observers. One of them wrote:
"The life was gone out of the body’’.
2. The British government also wrongly assumed that Wajid Ali
Shah was an unpopular ruler. On the contrary, he was widely
loved, and when he left his beloved Lucknow, there were many
who followed him all the way to Kanpur singing songs of
lament
CASE STUDY/ SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
1 Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows-
(1+1+2=4)
Ordinary life in extraordinary times
What happened in the cities during the months of the revolt? How did
people live through those months of tumult? How was normal life
affected? Reports from different cities tell us about the breakdown in
routine activities. Read these reports from the Delhi Urdu Akhbar, 14
June 1857: The same thing is true for vegetables and saag (spinach).
People have been found to complain that even kaddu (pumpkin) and
baingan (brinjal) cannot be found in the bazaars. Potatoes and arvi
(yam) when available are of stale and rotten variety, stored from before
by farsighted kunjras (vegetable growers). From the gardens inside the
city some produce does reach a few places but the poor and the middle
class can only lick their lips and watch them (as they are earmarked for
the select).

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 There is something else that needs attention which is causing a lot of
damage to the people which is that the water-carriers have stopped
filling water. Poor Shurfas (gentility) are seen carrying water in pails
on their shoulders and only then the necessary household tasks such as
cooking, etc. can take place. The halalkhors (righteous) have become
haramkhors (corrupt), many mohallas have not been able to earn for
several days and if this situation continues then decay, death and
disease will combine together to spoil the city's air and an epidemic
will spread all over the city and even to areas adjacent and around
1. When 1857 revolt was started ?
Ans. 1857 revolt was started on 10 May 1857.
2. What things was true for vegetables during the month of the
revolt?
Ans. The same thing is true for vegetables and saag (spinach). People
have been found to complain that even kaddu (pumpkin) and baingan
(brinjal) cannot be found in the bazaars. Potatoes and arvi (yam) when
available are of stale and rotten variety, stored from before by
farsighted kunjras (vegetable growers)
3. How was normal life affected during the month of revolt?
Ans. Normal life was badly affected during the month of revolt. The
things of daily use became scarce and many people began to die from
hunger and thrust. The prize of vegetable was too high, these price are
out of reach of the common people.
2 Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows –
(1+1+2=4)
The Azamgarh Proclamation, 25 August 1857
Section III – Regarding Public Servants. It is not a secret thing, that
under the British Government, natives employed in the civil and

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military services have little respect, low pay, and no manner of
influence; and all the posts of dignity and emolument in both the
departments are exclusively bestowed on Englishmen, … Therefore, all
the natives in the British service ought to be alive to their religion and
interest, and abjuring their loyalty to the English, side with the
Badshahi Government, and obtain salaries of 200 and 300 rupees a
month for the present, and be entitled to high posts in the future. …
Section IV – Regarding Artisans. It is evident that the Europeans, by
the introduction of English articles into India, have thrown the
weavers, the cotton dressers, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the
shoemakers, etc., out of employ, and have engrossed their occupations,
so that every description of native artisan has been reduced to beggary.
But under the Badshahi Government the native artisans will
exclusively be employed in the service of the kings, the rajahs, and the
rich; and this will no doubt ensure their prosperity. Therefore these
artisans ought to renounce the English services, … .
1. What did the rebel proclamation repeatedly appeal for?
Ans. The rebel proclamation repeatedly appealed the unity of Hindus
and Muslims. It also appealed that the Indians should take care of their
religion and they should favour the Badshahi government.
2. What was the impact of the British rule on the artisans?
Ans. The Artisans were deprived of their employment as the old rulers
and nobility declined. With the introduction of cheap machine-made
goods of Britain, the artisans lost their overseas and Indian markets
too. The native artisan was reduced to beggary.
3. Why were the public servants dissatisfied with the british
government?
Ans. Under the British government, natives employed in the civil and

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 military service had no respect. Their salaries were low. They had no
decision making power or influence.
3 Read the source given below and answer the questions that follows-
(1+1+2=4)
What the sepoys thought
This is one of the arzis (petition or application) of rebel sepoys that
have survived: A century ago the British arrived in Hindostan and
gradually entertained troops in their service, and became masters of
every state. Our forefathers have always served them, and we also
entered their service ... By the mercy of God and with our assistance
the British also conquered every place they liked, in which thousands
of us, Hindostani men were sacrificed, but we never made any excuses
or pretences nor revolted ...
But in the year eighteen fifty seven the British issued an order that new
cartridges and muskets which had arrived from England were to be
issued; in the former of which the fats of cows and pigs were mixed;
and also that attah of wheat mixed with powdered bones was to be
eaten; and even distributed them in every Regiment of infantry, cavalry
and artillery...
They gave these cartridges to the sowars (mounted soldiers) of the 3rd
Light Cavalry, and ordered them to bite them; the troopers objected to
it, and said that they would never bite them, for if they did, their
religion and faith would be destroyed ... upon this the British officers
paraded the men of the 3 Regiments and having prepared 1,400 English
soldiers, and other Battalions of European troops and Horse Artillery,
surrounded them, and placing six guns before each of the infantry
regiments, loaded the guns with grape and made 84 new troopers
prisoners, and put them in jail with irons on them ...

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 The reason that the sowars of the Cantonment were put into jail was
that we should be frightened into biting the new cartridges. On this
account we and all our country-men having united together, have
fought the British for the preservation of our faith ... we have been
compelled to make war for two years and the Rajahs and Chiefs who
are with us in faith and religion, are still so, and have undergone all
sorts of trouble; we have fought for two years in order that our faith
and religion may not be polluted. If the religion of a Hindoo or
Mussalman is lost, what remains in the world?
[Link] is the source of this passage?
Ans. This is one of the arzis (petition or application) of rebel sepoys
that have survived.
[Link] was the immediate cause of 1857 revolt?
Ans. Use of new Enfield rifles with grease of cows and pigs.
[Link] were the Indian Sepoys against the British?
Ans. Indians sepoys were misbehaved by British officers on the basis
of race.
• Less salary.
• No promotion.
• Use of new Enfield rifles.
8 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 What were the social, economical religious and military causes of
1857 revolt?
Ans Economic Causes :-
(a) Drain of wealth
(b) Destruction of Indian industries, trade & commerce.
(c) Exorbitant rate of land revenue.
(d) Resumption of Inami or rent-free lands.

295
 (e) Unemployment and poverty among the masses.
Social Causes :-
(a) Maltreatment of the Indians.
(b) Interference in the social life of Indians.
(c) Spread of Western Education.
(d) propagation of Christianity.
Military Causes :-
(a) Unrest among the Indian soldiers.
(b) Increase ratio of Indian soldiers.
(c) faulty distribution of troops.
(d) General Service Enlistment Act.
(e) Greased cartridges
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
2 Describe the pattern of 1857 revolt?
Ans 1. The revolt spread from one city to another city .
2. The sepoys began their action with a signal, firing of the evening
gun or the sounding of the bugle.
3. They seized the bell of the arms and plundered the treasury.
4. They attacked the government buildings – the jail, treasury,
telephone office, record room, bungalows –burning all records.
5. Everything and everybody connected with the white man
became a target.
6. In major towns like Kanpur, Lucknow, and Bareilly,
moneylenders and rich became the objects of the rebels
7. They issued proclamation in hindi , urdu and persian .
8. All sections of the society participated – sepoy / traders /
peasents.

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 9. Major cities were Delhi , Kanpur , lucknow , and Bareilly.
Patterns of revolt was same in different places.
[Link] shows there was planning and coordination in revolt.
[Link] was communication between sepoys and various
cantonments . Sepoys were taking decisions collectively in
panchayats in police lines
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
3 Why peasants Taluqdars, sepoy ,zamindar joined revolt in awadh
Ans 1. Annexation of awadh displaced nawab.
2. Talukdars were disarmed and their forts destroyed
3. Talukdars were evicted from lands
4. Revenue demand increased .burden of demand on peasants
increased
5. Peasants joined revolt in support of Taluqdars because Talukdars
were generous .They helped peasantsin needs .They issue loan at
the time of festivals
6. British overassesed the revenue
7. Method of revenue was inflexible
8. No help in hardship and needs and festival
9. Taluqdars were loyal to the Nawab of [Link] joined army
of Begum Hazratmahal.
[Link] Sepoys were recruited from villages of awadh
[Link] were discontent due to low pays and no leave
[Link] officer have sense of superiority
[Link] treat sepoy as inferiors abuse physical violence
[Link] of greased cartridges
[Link] large Majority of sepoys of Bengal army were recruited
from Awadh And eastern UP

297
 [Link] sepoys were brahmans or upper caste .
[Link] was called Nursery of the Bengal army
[Link] members of sepoys living in rural area or villages of
awadh .whenever sepoy revolt they join rebellion
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
4 “A cherry that will drop into our mouth one day” –Explain the
statement ?
Ans 1. In 1851, Governor General Lord Dalhousie described the
kingdom of Awadh as “a cherry that will drop into our mouth
one day” and five years later in 1856 it was annexed to the
British Empire in allegation of misgovernment.
2. The Subsidiary Alliance had been imposed on Awadh in 1801.
3. The terms of this alliance the nawab had to disband his military
force of the British to position their troops within the kingdom
and act in accordance with the advice of the British.
4. Deprived of his armed forces the nawab became increasingly
dependent on the British to maintain law and order within the
kingdom.
5. He could no longer assert control over the rebellious chief and
taluqdars.
6. British were interested in Awadh due to its productive land and
ideal for market of upper part of india
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
Map Question

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299
 THEME -11
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement

KEY CONCEPT :
This chapter analyses Gandhiji’s activities in India during the crucial period
[Link] explores his interactions with different sections of the Indian
society and the popular struggle that he inspired and led. It introduces
different kinds of sources that historians use in reconstructing the career of a
leader and of the social movements that he was associated with.
Moderates: -Those who preferred a more gradual and persuasive approach.
Radicals: - Those who prefer quick response and changes.
Extremists: -Those who preferred violent methods.

300
301
BRIEF NOTES:
❖ In 1905, Bengal, the biggest province of British India and included Bihar
and some parts of Orissa, was partitioned by Viceroy Curzon. It enraged
people all over India. Both the Moderates and the Radicals unitedly
oppressed the British action. This led to the birth of the Swadeshi
Movement, which boycotted British institutions and goods.

302
❖ An important development came in 1906 with the formation of the All
India Muslim League at Dacca. The founder members of the League
were Muslim landlords and nawabs. They supported the partition of
Bengal and demanded for separate electorates for Muslims.
❖ However, in the year 1916, the Congress and the Muslim League
decided to work together for representative government in the country.
❖ The growth of mass nationalism began to take place after 1919.
Peasants, tribals, students and women became involved in the struggle
against the British rule.
❖ Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a mass leader. He, first of all, toured the
entire country in order to understand the people, their needs and the
overall situation.
❖ Afterwards, he led to local movements in Champaran, Kheda and
Ahmedabad in which he got immense success.
❖ In 1919 Gandhiji started Satyagraha Movement against the Rowlett Act
that the British had just passed. The Act curbed fundamental rights such
as the freedom of expression and strengthened the police powers.
❖ In April 1919, there were a number of demonstrations and hartals in the
country against this Act. The government used hartal measures to
suppress them. The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities in Amritsar on Baishakhi
Day were a part of this suppression.
❖ In the year 1920, the British did another wrong known as khilafat
movement. The British imposed a harsh treaty on the Turkish Sultan also
known as Khalifa. This enraged Muslims and Khalifa agitation started
under the leadership of Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali. They wished to
initiate a full-fledged Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhiji supported
their call and urged the congress to campaign against Jallianwala
massacre, and demand swaraj.

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❖ During the years 1921-22, the Non-Cooperation Movement gained
momentum because it got a wide support. However, it was abruptly
called off by Mahatma Gandhi when on February 1922 a crowd of
peasants set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura. twenty two
policemen were killed on that day. It hurt Mahatma Gandhi because he
had never thought that people would go violent. He always wished to
drive away the British by violent methods.
❖ The Congress now resolved to fight for Purna Swaraj (complete
independence under the presidentship of Jawaharlal Nehru.
❖ Now efforts began to be made in this direction. In 1930, Gandhiji started
Dandi March against the Salt Law. He got immense support from the
people.
❖ The combined struggles of the Indian people bore fruit when the
Government of India Act of 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and
the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures in
1937.
❖ In September 1939, the Second World War broke out. The Congress
leaders were ready to support the British war effort. But in return they
wanted independence after the war. The British refused to concede the
demand.
❖ A new phase of movement popularly known as Quit India Movement
was initiated in August 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi.
As a result prominent leaders were jailed at once. But the movement
spread.
❖ In between these events the Muslim League began to demand
independent states for Muslims in the north-western and eastern areas of
the country. Mahatma Gandhi was not in favour of this.

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 ❖ The League began to think that Muslims were a minority and they would
always have to play second fiddle in any democratic structure. The
Congress’s rejection of the Leagues desire to form a joint Congress-
League government in the United Provinces in 1937 further annoyed the
League.
❖ In 1945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the
League and themselves for the independence of India. The talks failed
because the League then wanted Pakistan.
❖ In March 1946, the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi
to examine the League’s demand for Pakistan and to suggest a suitable
political framework for a free India.
❖ The Mission suggested that India should remain united and constitute
itself as a loose confederation with some autonomy for Muslim majority
areas. Neither the Congress nor the League agreed to it. Now, partition
of India became inevitable.
❖ Finally, Pakistan came into existence. The violence of partition shook
both the newly- independent countries—India and Pakistan. It marred
the joy of independence.
Beginning of Gandhian Era:
❖ Mahatma Gandhi is regarded as the father of Indian nation.
❖ Gandhi came back to India in January 1915 after leading successful
struggle against discriminatory and oppressive policy of British in South
Africa. For the first time, Gandhi started Satyagraha in South Africa
(non-violent protest ) and promoted harmony between different religious
communities.
❖ Swadeshi Movement greatly broadened National Movements appeal
among middle classes.

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 ❖ Gandhiji’s first major public appearance in India was at opening of
Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916. During his speech, Gandhiji
charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the labouring poor
sections of our society.
❖ Gandhiji said “There can be no spirit of self-government if we take away
or allow other to ’ take away from the peasant almost the whole result of
their labour.”
❖ He wanted that Indian National Movement should represent Indian
people as a whole.
EXPERIMENTS OF GANDHIJI

1917, Gandhiji successfully led Champaran

Movement.(seek security of the peasants and
their freedom to cultivate crop of their choice).

1918 Textile mill workers in Ahmedabad

(demanding for better working conditions)

1918 Remission of taxes in Kheda.(peasant

movement )
Gandhi as a People’s Leader:
❖ Gandhiji made the freedom struggle and National Movement
representative of [Link] transcended from elite to peasants,
working class and encompassed every section of society. People started
venerating Gandhiji refering to him as ‘Mahatma’. People started
appreciating the fact that Gandhiji lived like them, dressed like them,
spoke their language, stand with them, empathise with them, and
identified with them.

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 ❖ Gandhiji went among the people in simple dhoti or loincloth. He spent
some part of each day working on Charkha and encouraged other
nationalist to do likewise. The act of spinning helped in breaking
traditional caste system and distinction between mental labour and
manual labour.
❖ Gandhiji appealed to peasants as saviour who can save them from
oppressive taxes, officials and restore dignity and autonomy to their
lives. Gandhiji ascetic lifestyle and love of working with hand, a deep
empathy for poor and peasant won him followers irrespective of caste,
creed and religion.
❖ A series of Praja mandal were established to promote the nationalist
creed in the princely states. Gandhiji stressed the use of mother tongue
in communication, as the provincial Congress Committees were based
on linguistic region. Many industrialists, entrepreneurs, businessmen
started supporting Congress and Gandhiji.
❖ Mahatma Gandhi was released from prison in 1924 and now choose to
devote his attention to the promotion of home spun khadi and the
abolition of untouchability. He believed that India need to be free from
evils of untouchability, child marriage, to cultivate a genuine tolerance
for one another and religious harmony.
❖ He stressed the Indian’s need to be self-reliant on the economic front, so
he promoted Khadi and was against mill-made clothes.
Background of National Movements in India:
❖ In 1917, Gandhiji successfully led Champaran Movement. Through
this movement he wanted to seek security of the peasants and their
freedom to cultivate crop of their choice. In 1918, he led a strike
demanding for better working conditions for the textile mill workers in
Ahmedabad and other peasant movement asking the state for the

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 remission of taxes in Kheda. During the First World War (1914-18),
the British government instituted censorship of the
❖ Press and permitted detention without trial. At the recommendation of
Rowlatt Committee, these policies were continued. So in response to it
Gandhiji called for nationwide campaign against Rowlatt Act and
Bandh were observed.
❖ In Punjab opposition was quite intense, Gandhiji was detained while
going to Punjab and many other local Congress leaders were also
arrested. In April 1919, repressive policy took very ugly and tremendous
turn when British Brigadier Dyer ordered his troops to fire on peaceful
assembly at Jallianwalah Bagh in Amritsar. In this incident more than
400 people died. This shocked the nation and very deep resentment and
anger was brewing inside Indians.
❖ It was the Rowlatt Satyagraha that made Gandhiji a true national leader.
Emboldened by its success, Gandhji called for campaign of non-
cooperation with British rule. Indians were asked to renunciate all
voluntary associations with British government. Gandhiji believed if
non-cooperation was carried effectively, British would leave the country
within a year.
Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement:
❖ To further strengthen the movement and unity among fellow Indians he
joined hand with Khilafat Movement. Khilafat Movement was led by
Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali and it demanded restoration of the
respect of the Caliphate.
❖ According to Gandhiji by intermixing of Non-Cooperation and Khilafat
Movement, the two major religious commuities i.e. Hindus and Muslims
could collectively bring an end to colonial rule.

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 ❖ Students refused to go to schools, colleges, lawyers stopped to going
courts, working class went on strike, tribes in Andhra Pradesh violated
forest laws and farmers in Awadh stopped paying taxes.
❖ In February 1922, Gandhiji called off Non-Cooperation Movement
due to untowards incident of burning of police stations in Chauri Chaura
in which several constables were burnt to death.
❖ During the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of Indians were put
in jail and Gandhiji was arrested in March in 1922, charged with sedition
and awarded him six years of imprisonment.
The Salt Satyagraha:
❖ In year 1928, there was Anti-Simon Commission Movement in which
Lala Lajpat Rai was brutally lathicharged and later he succumbed to it.
In year 1928, another famous Bordoli Satyagraha took place. So again
by the year 1928 political activism started brewing in India.
❖ In 1929, Congress session was held at Lahore and Nehru was elected as
its President. In this session “Purna Swaraj” was proclaimed as motto,
and on 26th January, 1930 Republic day was observed.
Dandi (Salt) March:
❖ After Republic day observance, Gandhiji announced his plan of march to
break salt law. This law was widely disliked by Indians, as it gave state a
monopoly in manufacture and sale of salt.
❖ On 12th March, 1930 Gandhiji began his march from ashram to
ocean. He reached to shore and made a salt and thereby making himself
criminal in sight of law. Many parallel salt marches were undertook
during this time in other parts of the country.
❖ Movement was supported by peasants, working class, factory workers,
lawyers and even Indian officials in British government supported it and
left their jobs.

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 ❖ Lawyer boycotted the courts, peasants stopped paying taxes and tribal
broke forest laws. There were strikes in factories or mills.
❖ The government responded by detaining the dissenters or Satvagrahis.
60000 Indians were arrested and various high rank leaders of Congress
including Gandhiji were arrested.
Significance of Dandi March:
Dandi March was very significant for at least three reasons:
➢ It brought Mahatma Gandhi and India to attention of the world.
➢ It was the first National Movement in which women participation was
really very notable. Kamladevi Chattopadhyay, a socialist leader
persuaded Gandhi not to restrict movement to men alone. Many women
including Kamladevi broke salt and liquor laws and courted arrest.
➢ Third and most significant was that this movement forced the British to
realise that their Raj would not last forever and they need to devolve
some power to Indians.

❖ In January, 1931 Gandhi-Irwin pact. Through this pact Civil

Disobedience Movement would be called off, political prisoner will be
released and salt manufacturers can make salt near coast. This pact was
criticised by radical nationalist, as Gandhiji was unable to obtain
commitment of political Independence for Indians.
❖ In later part of 1931, Gandhiji went to attend Second Round Table
Conference as representative of Congress and he said his party represent
all of India but his claim was countered by Muslim league, Princely
states and BR
❖ So, this conference remained inconclusive. Gandhiji returned to India
dejected and resume Civil Disobedience Movement.
❖ In 1935, a Government of India Act came and it promised some part of
representative government. Two years later, elections were held and out

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 of 11 provinces in 8 provinces Congress government were formed.
However in 1939, Congress government resigned from office as British
declined their offer of cooperation in the war in lieu of granting freedom
to India after the end of war.
❖ In 1940 and 1941 Congress organised individual Satyagraha to pressure
the government.
❖ In 1940, Muslim league passed the resolution demanding autonomy for
the Muslim-majority areas of the subcontinent.
❖ In 1942, Prime Minister Winston Churchill sent a mission under Stafford
Cripps to India to try and forge a compromise with Congress and
Gandhiji.
Quit India Movement:
❖ After the failure of Cripps Mission, Gandhiji started Quit India
Movement in August, 1948 from Bombay. Immediately, Gandhiji and
other senior leaders were arrested, but younger activists organised
strikes and acts of sabotage all over the country.

❖ Quit India Movement being a Mass Movement brought into its ambit
hundreds of thousand of ordinary citizens and youths left their colleges
and went to jail. In June, 1944 Gandhiji was released from prison, later
he held series of meeting with Jinnah to sort out the differences.
❖ In 1945, labour government came to power in England and committed
itself to grant Independence to India.
❖ In 1946, Cabinet Mission came but it failed in getting Congress and the
Muslim League agreed on federal system which would have kept India
united and autonomy would have been granted to provinces to a certain
extent.
❖ After failing of talks Jinnah called for direct action day to press demand
for Pakistan.

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 ❖ In February 1947, Viceroy Lord Mountbatten replaced Wavell. He
called for one last round of talk and when talks were inconclusive he
announced India would be freed and it will be divided. Finally on 15th
August, 1947, power was transferred to India.
The Last Heroic Days of Mahatma Gandhi:
❖ Gandhiji marked the day of Independence with a 24 hour fast. The
freedom struggle ended with division of country and Hindus and
Muslims seeking each others life.
❖ In the months of September and October Gandhiji went around hospitals
and refugee camps giving consolation to people. He appealed to Sikhs,
the Hindus and Muslims to forget the past and to extend the hand of
friendship, cooperation and peace.
❖ At the backing of Gandhiji and Nehru,Congress passed resolution on the
right of minorities. It further said party had never accepted partition but
it has been forced on it.
❖ Congress said India will be a democratic secular country, every citizen
will be equal. Congress tried to assure the minorities in India that their
rights will be protected in India.
Knowing Mahatma Gandhi:
There are different sources from which history of the National
Movement and the political career of Gandhiji can be reconstructed.
❖ Writing and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi and his contemporaries were
important source for knowing the events. Though there is a difference,
speech were meant for public while private letter were meant to express
emotions and thinking that cannot be expressed publicly.
❖ Many letters written to individuals were personal but they were also
meant for the public. The language of letter was shaped by the awareness

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 that it might be published, so it often prevent people from expressing
their opinion freely.
❖ Autobiographies give us an account of past, but one need to be careful
while reading and interpreting it. They are written on the basis of
memory of author.
❖ Government records, official letters were also important source for
knowing the history. But it also have limitations as these were mostly
biased so it needs to be interpreted carefully.
❖ Newspapers in English and other Vernacular languages tracked
Gandhiji’s movement, National Movement and sentiment of Indians
regarding freedom movement and Gandhiji. Newspaper should not be
seen as unprejudiced as they were published by people who had their
own political opinions and views.
1 MARK QUESTION & ANSWERS
1 When did the Jallianwala Bagh incident occur?
a. April 1909
b. April 1929
c. April 1939
d. April 1919
Ans d. April 1919
2 When did Gandhiji started Dandi March from Sabamati?
a. July 18, 1942
b. March 12, 1930
c. December 13, 1887
d. January 1, 1912
Ans [Link] 12, 1930
3 Consider the following events
1. Cabinet mission

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 2. Cripps mission
3. Khilafat movement
4. Pakistan resolution
The correct chronological order of these events is :
a. 4,3,2,1
b. 3,4,1,2
c. 3,4,1,2
d. 3,4,2,1
Ans d.3,4,2,1
4 Who was Mahatma Gandhi’s political mentor in india?
a. Rabindranath Tagore
b. Gopal Krishna gokhale
c. Sri aurobindo
d. Swami Vivekananda
Ans [Link] Krishna gokhale
5 Who wrote Mahatma Gandhi’s biography?
a. [Link]
b. Krishna Pillai
c. [Link]
d. [Link]
Ans [Link]
6 Identify the Historical event shown in the picture

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 a. Quit India Movement
b. Dandi march
c. Khilafat movement
d. Non-cooperation movement
Ans [Link] march
7 Who were Lal-Bal-Pal?
Ans All three were early extremist leaders, who led the nation-wide
Nationalist movement. Lal-Lala lajpat Rai, Bal- Bal Ganga dhar Tilak
and Pal- Bipin Chandra Pal.
8 What is meant by Rowlatt Act(1919)?
Ans Anybody could be arrested on the basis of suspicion and put in prison
. without trial. This Act was made by Rowlatt to suppress the freedom
struggle.
9 Why was charkha chosen as a national symbol?
Ans 1- Symbol of self-reliance and self confidence.
2. Source of employment for thousands of poor and unemployed
10 Observe the picture carefully and identify the correct answer

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 a. First round table conference
b. Second round table conference
c. Third round table conference
d. Partition of the country
Ans [Link] round table conference
11 What was the significance of Lahore Session of Congress?
Ans 1- Declaration of poorna Swaraj as the main objective of Congress.
2- 26 January 1930 to be celebrated as Independence Day
12 Describe the Gandhi -Irwin Pact of 1931?
Ans 1- Gandhiji postponed Civil Disobedience movement.
2- Irwin agreed to release all prisoners and allowed to make salt along
the coast.
3- Gandhiji agreed to go to second round table conference
13 Dandi march brought forward ________
a. Non-cooperation movement
b. Civil disobedience movement
c. Quit india movement
d. Rowlatt Satyagraha
Ans [Link] disobedience movement
14 With whom was Mahatma Gandhi compared to his demise?
a. Abraham Lincoln
b. Martin luther king
c. George Washington

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 d. Karl Marx
Ans a. Abraham Lincoln
3 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 Why did Gandhiji start Non-cooperation Movement? Why was it
withdrawn?
Ans To oppose Rowlatt Act. - To undo the injustice done at Jalianwala
Bagh. - To support the Khilafat Movement. - To attend Swaraj. -
Violence at Chauri-Chaura - He withdrew non co-operation movement
because of the incident of Chauri-Chaura - Gandhiji believed in non-
violence.
2 Explain the significance of Dandi March?
Ans 1. Violation of Salt law- a monopoly of British and manufacturing of
salt.
2. Large scale participation of women.
3. Civil law violated across large part of India
3 What was the problem of separate electorates? What was the
disagreement between Congress and Dalits on this issue? Finally
what solution to be of this issue?
Ans Demand of separate electorates by the Dalits in which they wanted
reservation in separate Electorates like Muslims. In 1931 in the second
Round Table Conference Dalit leader, [Link] said Congress
does not represent the Dalits. - He said Dalits are socially and
economically backward. By separate electorate, they can put demands
of their rights. - Gandhiji opposed the separate electorates. - Finally,
Congress gave separate electorates to Dalits within the Congress.
4 When and where was ‘Poorna Swaraj’ formally proclaimed?
Ans The demand for Poorna Swaraj was formally proclaimed by Indian
National Congress at its Lahore Session in December 1929. This

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 session was presided over by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, and decided to
celebrate 26 January as Independence day
5 Why and when did the Simon Commission come to India? Why was
the Simon Commission opposed?
Ans The Simon Commission visited India in 1928 to enquire about the
conditions that prevailed in India. The Simon Commission was opposed
as it had all members from the white community and had no members
from India which was quite insulting to the Indians. So, all the people of
India opposed the Simon Commission in 1928
6 The Salt March of Gandhiji was notable for at least three reasons.
mention these three reasons?
Ans The Salt March (Dandi March) of Gandhiji was notable because of the
following three reasons:
1. By leading the Salt March. Mahatma Gandhi became very popular
in the world. He got world attention as his march was widely
covered by the European and American Press.
2. This Salt March was the first nationalist activity in which women
had participated enthusiastically. They joined the march in large
numbers. In fact, Gandhiji had allowed the women to participate in
his Dandi March on the persuasion of Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay, a
socialist activist.
3. The Salt March made the British realize for the first time that their
rule in India would not last forever. They had understood that they
would have to decentralize their power by involving Indians in the
administration
CASE STUDY/ SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS
1 Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:
Charkha as a National Symbol

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Mahatma Gandhi was profoundly critical of the modern age in which
machines enslaved humans and displaced labor. He saw the charkha as
a symbol of human society that would not glorify machines and
technology. The spinning wheel, moreover, could provide the poor with
supplementary income and make them self-reliant.
What I object to, is the craze for machinery as such. The craze is for
what they call labour¬saving machinery. Men go on “saving labor”, till
thousands are without work and thrown on the open streets to die of
starvation. I want to save time and labor, not for a fraction of mankind,
but for all; I want the concentration of wealth, not in the hands of few,
but in the hands of all. Young India, 13 November 1924 Khaddar does
not seek to destroy all machinery but it does regulate its cause and
check its weedy growth. It uses machinery for the service of the poorest
in their own cottages. The wheel is itself an exquisite piece of
machinery.
Young India, 17 March 1927
[Link] was Mahatma Gandhi critical of machines?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi was critical of the machines because they
enslaved human-beings and displaced labor.
[Link] did Mahatma Gandhi give so much importance to Charkha
(spinning wheel)?
Ans: Mahatma Gandhi gave much importance to Charkha (spinning
wheel). He considered Charkha as a symbol of a self-reliant society.
According to Gandhiji, It signified manual labor. It also provided the
poor with supplementary income.
[Link] the views of Gandhiji, what would be the impact on the poor if the
machines saved labor? How it will benefit the rich (capitalist)?
Ans: Gandhiji was against the craze for machinery. He did not consider

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 machines justified on the plea that they saved labor. He was critical of
machines because they left thousands of people without work. They
made many people die of starvation. Not only this, the machines will
lead to the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few capitalists.
2 Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:
Separate Electorates
In response to Mahatma Gandhi’s opposition to the demand for
separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, Ambedkar wrote:
Here is a class that is undoubtedly not in a position to sustain itself in
the struggle for existence. The religion, to which they are tied; instead
of providing them an honorable place, brands them as lepers, not fit for
ordinary intercourse. Economically, it is a class entirely dependent upon
the high-caste Hindus for earning its daily bread with no independent
way of living open to it. Nor are all ways closed by reason of the social
prejudices of the Hindus but there is a definite attempt all through our
Hindu Society to bolt every possible door so as not to allow the
Depressed Classes any opportunity to rise in the scale of life.
In these circumstances, it would be granted by all fair-minded persons
that as the only path for a community so handicapped to succeed in the
struggle for life against organized tyranny, some share of political
power in order that it may protect itself is a paramount necessity.
[Link] were the arguments of Mahatma Gandhi against the Separate
Electorates? Give any one arguments.
Ans:Mahatma Gandhi stated that the provision of a Separate Electorate
would permanently segregate the depressed classes from the
mainstream of the society.
[Link] has Dr. B.R. Ambedkar described the social and economic
condition of the Dalits?

320
 Ans: According to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the depressed classes were not
in a position to sustain themselves. They do not have an honorable place
in society. They are hated like lepers. They are dependent on the upper
castes to earn their daily bread.
[Link] did he want for the protection of the Dalits? For it, what did he
propose?
Ans: He sought some share in the political power for the depressed
classes. It would help them get protection. So he moved a resolution in
Constituent Assembly seeking separate electorates for the depressed
people of India.
3 Read the following passages and answer the questions that follow:
“Tomorrow we shall break the salt law”
On 5 April 1930, Mahatma Gandhi spoke at Dandi: When I left
Sabarmati with my companions for this seaside hamlet of Dandi, I was
not certain in my mind that we would be allowed to reach this place.
Even while I was at Sabarmati there was a rumor that I might be
arrested. I had thought that the Government might perhaps let my party
come as far as Dandi, but not me certainly. If someone says that this
betrays imperfect faith on my part, I shall not deny the charge. That I
have reached here is in no small measure due to the power of peace and
non-violence: that power is universally felt. The Government may, if it
wishes, congratulate itself on acting as it has done, for it could have
arrested every one of us. In saying that it did not have the courage to
arrest this army of peace, we praise it. It felt ashamed to arrest such an
army. He is a civilized man who feels ashamed to do anything which
his neighbors would disapprove of. The Government deserves to be
congratulated on not arresting us, even if it desisted only from fear of
world opinion. Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law. Whether the

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 Government will tolerate that is a different question. It may not tolerate
it, but it deserves congratulations on the patience and forbearance it has
displayed in regard to this party. What if I and all the eminent leaders in
Gujarat and in the rest of the country are arrested? This movement is
based on the faith that when a whole nation is roused and on the march
no leader is necessary.
[Link] and how did Gandhiji break the Salt Law?
Ans: Gandhi broke the Salt Law at Dandi on the coast of the sea. He
made a fistful of salt from seawater
[Link] was the mental condition of Gandhiji before the Dandi March?
Was he proved right?
Ans:Gandhiji felt uncertain if he would be allowed to reach Dandi.
There was a rumor that he might be arrested.
[Link] did Gandhiji praise the British Government?
Ans:Gandhiji praised the British Government because it was refined
and civilized. It did not have the courage to arrest Gandhi’s army of
peace. Therefore, Gandhiji compared the British Government to a
civilized gentleman who felt ashamed to do anything that his neighbors
did not approve of.
8 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 How did Gandhiji transform National Movement into mass
movement?
Ans 1. Simple lifestyle- Gandhi ji's simple lifestyle and magnetic
personality was also a reason
2. Use of Hindi for communication- Gandhi ji used Hindi or
language of ordinary people.

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 3. Role of Gandhiji in three mass movement.- Three movements he
started in india in the period of 1916-1918 made peple aware of
the idea of satyagrah
4. Emphasis on Truth and non-violence-Truth Non Violence was his
powerful weapon.
5. Swadeshi, boycott and Swaraj.- Gandhi ji Emphasized on
swadeshi, boycott and Swaraj and focus on self reliant
6. Importance on Charkha and Khadi.-
7. Upliftment of women, poor down trodden.- Gandhi ji also work
for discriminated group of society.
8. Hindu-Muslim unity- Gandhi ji's commitment to unify hindu and
muslim helped unify the whole country
9. Abolition of untouchability.- His social reforms like fighting
against untouchability is also a major reason
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
2 The Quit India Movement was truly a mass movement‟. Justify this
statement.
Ans Due to the failure of the Cripps mission, Gandhiji decided to launch his
third major movement against British rule. This was called Quit India
Movement. This was to be a mass struggle on non violent lines under
leadership of Gandhiji.
1. The Next day of the approval of Quit India Movement resolution.
Gandhi and other main congress leaders were arrested. But the
younger activist organized demonstrations and strike in factories,
schools and colleges in all parts of the country.
2. Particularly active in the underground resistance were socialist
members of the congress such as Jaya Prakash Narain and Ram

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 Manohar Lohia, Aruna Asif Ali. In some areas such as Satara and
Midnapur “Independent governments were proclaimed.
3. The movement took the form of a violent outbreak. The government
succeeded in crushing the movement yet it took more than 12
months to suppress this rebellion. By Analyzing above mentioned
incidences it can be said that the Quit India Movement was truly a
mass movement. It brought into its ambit hundreds of thousands of
ordinary people. It brought the nationalist feelings among the youth
to such a stage that the day was not far off when the British would
have to Quit India
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
3 How did Gandhiji transform National Movement into mass
movement?
Ans 1. Simple lifestyle
2. Use of Hindi for communication
3. Role of Gandhiji in three mass movements.
4. Emphasis on Truth and non-violence
5. swadeshi, boycott, and Swaraj.
6. Importance on Charkha and Khadi.
7. Upliftment of women, poor down trodden.
8. Hindu-Muslim unity
9. Abolition of untouchability.
10. Balancing each and every section of society
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
4 “Where ever Gandhiji went, rumours spread of his miraculous power.”
Explain with examples.
Ans 1. The ascetic life style
2. Use of dhoti and charkha

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 3. Use of Hindi for communication made Gandhiji very popular.
4. Where ever he went rumors spread of his miraculous powers. a-
Sent by King to redress the grievances of the farmers. b- Had the
power to overrule all local officials. Gandhiji was superior to the
British.
5. Fight against untouchability
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
5 “Salt march marked a critical important stage in the progress of the
anti-imperialist struggle” - Explain.
Ans 1. On 26 January 1930, “Independence Day” was observed, with the
national flag being hoisted in different venues, and patriotic
songs being sung.
2. Mahatma Gandhi announced that he would lead a march to break
one of the most widely disliked laws in British India, which gave
the state a monopoly in the manufacture and sale of salt.
3. His picking on the salt monopoly was another illustration of
Gandhiji’s tactical wisdom. For in every Indian household, salt
was indispensable; yet people were forbidden from making salt
even for domestic use, compelling them to buy it from shops at a
high price.
4. The state monopoly over salt was deeply unpopular; by making it
his target, Gandhi hoped to mobilize a wider discontent against
British rule 12 March 1930, Gandhiji began walking from his
ashram at Sabarmati towards the ocean.
5. He reached his destination three weeks later, making a fistful of
salt as he did and thereby making himself a criminal in the eyes
of the law as he has broken the salt law.

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 6. Meanwhile, parallel salt marches were being conducted in other
parts of the country.
7. For Swaraj, Hindus, Muslims, Parsis and Sikhs were united
8. These are the steps towards Swaraj.
9. The Salt March was notable for at least three reasons. First, it was
this event that first brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention.
The march was widely covered by the European and American
press
[Link], it was the first nationalist activity in which women
participated in large numbers.
[Link], and perhaps most significant, it was the Salt March which
forced upon the British the realization that their Raj would not
last forever, and that they would have to devolve some power to
the Indian.
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
6 Explain how the coming of Gandhiji broadened the base of the
Idian National Movement.
Ans Base of Indian National Movement broadened under Gandhiji:
1. Gandhiji as people’s leader: It was no longer a movement of
professionals and intellectuals, now hundreds of thousands of
peasants, workers, and artisans also participated.
2. He identified himself with the common man. Dressed like them,
lived like them.
3. Use of charkha.
4. Opposed untouchability and the degrading treatment of Dalits
5. Took up the cause of the peasants
6. Brought changes in the Congress organisation-New branches and
Praja Mandal.

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 7. Encourage the use of local language for communication.
8. Prosperous industrialists and businessmen were involved in the
struggle.
9. Highly talented Indians attached themselves to Gandhiji.
[Link] Hindu-Muslim unity.
[Link] was seen as ‘Mahatma’ and he had a huge following
from all sections of people all over India
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
7 “The Quit India Movement genuinely a mass movement”. Justify
Ans The Quit India Movement genuinely was a mass movement
1. Failure of Cripps Mission led to the launch of the Quit India
Movement in August 1942 for the liquidation of British
imperialism.
2. Dissatisfaction from the Govt. of India 1935.
3. Gandhiji and other important leaders were arrested and jailed.
4. The mass movement was left to the young people of India.
5. Younger activists organised strikes and acts of sabotage.
6. Brought into the movement hundreds of Indians
7. Socialist members like Jayaprakash Narayan were very active in
the underground resistance
8. ‘Independent’ govt. Was proclaimed in many districts like Satara,
Medinipur, etc
ANY OTHER RELAVANT POINTS
Map Question

327
328
 THEME : 12
FRAMING THE CONSTITUTION

KEY CONCEPT :
❖ First meeting of constituent assembly on 9 Dec 1946 and last meeting
with completion of constitution on 26 Nov 1949
❖ The framing of constitution sought to heal wounds of the past and the
present, to make Indians of different classes, castes and communities
come together in a shared political framework.
❖ The learned members discussed each clause by clause each draft in the
Constituent Assembly. The Assembly held 11 sessions, with sittings
spread over 165 days, thus total 2 years, 11 months and 18 days was
taken in framing of this legal document.
❖ In between the sessions, the work of revising and refining the drafts
was carried out by various committees and sub-committees. This theme
is comprised of some important and highly debated issues.

329
❖ The Indian Constitution was completed on 26 Nov 1949 and came into
effect on 26 January 1950 (The Republic Day)

A Tumultuous Time
❖ Here we will study the major political events occurred during the
freedom struggle, that affected the outlook and functioning of
constituent assembly.
❖ The Quit India Movement of 1942 and the Indian National Army led by
Subhash Chandra Bose and INA trials
❖ Mass protests and demands of the workers and peasants in different
parts of the country (1940s) also affected the constituent assembly.
❖ The Direct-Action Day by the Muslim League and the Great Calcutta
Killings of August 1946. The violence culminated in the massacres that
accompanied the migration of the people, when the partition of India
was announced.

330
 ❖ As per Mountbatten Plan on 15 August 1947, India was made free, but
it was also divided into two nations. Millions of refugees were on the
move, Muslims into East and West Pakistan, Hindus and Sikhs into
West Bengal and the eastern half of the Punjab.
❖ When the British left India, the constitutional status of princely states
remained ambiguous. Some rulers were not interested in joining either
India or Pakistan and wished to stay as Free State.

The making of the Constituent Assembly

❖ The members of the Constituent Assembly were not elected on the
basis of universal adult franchise. Provincial elections were held in
India in the winters of 1945-46.
❖ The Provincial Legislatures then chose the representatives to the
Constituent Assembly.
❖ The Constituent Assembly was dominated members of Congress party.
The Congress swept the general seats in the provincial elections, and
the Muslim League captured most of the reserved Muslim seats.
❖ But the League chose to boycott the Constituent Assembly, pressing its
demand for Pakistan with a separate constitution.
❖ The Socialists too were initially unwilling to join as they believed the
Constituent Assembly was a creation of the British. Some were close to
communal parties while others were assertively secular
❖ Debates in constituent assembly reported in newspapers. Criticisms and
countercriticisms in the press in turn shaped the nature of the
consensus. Public was also asked to send in their views on what needed
to be done.
❖ Many of the linguistic minorities wanted the protection of their mother
tongue. Religious minorities asked for special safeguards. Dalits

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 demanded an end to all caste oppression and reservation of seats in
government bodies.

The dominant voices

❖ The Constituent Assembly had 300 members of these; six members
played particularly important roles.
❖ Three were representatives of the Congress- Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh
Bhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad.

Role of six members

❖ Nehru moved the crucial “Objectives Resolution”, as well as the
resolution proposing that the National Flag of India be a“horizontal
tricolor of saffron, white and dark green in equal proportion”, with a
wheel in navy blue at the centre.
❖ Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, worked mostly behind the scenes, playing a
key role in the drafting of several reports, and working to reconcile
opposing points of view.
❖ Rajendra Prasad’s role was as President of the Assembly to steer the
discussion along constructive lines while making sure all members had
a chance to speak.
❖ B.R. Ambedkar lawyer and economist served as Chairman of the
Drafting Committee of the Constitution. (at Independence B.R.
Ambedkar joined the Union Cabinet as law minister
❖ K.M. Munshi from Gujarat and Alladi Krishnaswamy Aiyar from
Madras, both of whom gave crucial inputs in the drafting of the
Constitution.
❖ Two renowned civil servants played vital role in the assembly- B. N.
Rau, Constitutional Advisor to the Government of India, who prepared
a series of background papers based on a close study of the political
systems obtaining in other countries. Chief Draughtsman, S. N.

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 Mukherjee, who had the ability to put complex proposals in clear legal
language

The Vision of the Constitution

❖ On 13 December 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru introduced the “Objectives
Resolution” in the Constituent Assembly.
❖ It proclaimed India to be an “Independent Sovereign Republic”,
guaranteed its citizens justice, equality and freedom, and assured that
“adequate safeguards shall be provided for Minorities, backward and
tribal areas, and Depressed and Other Backward Classes.
❖ Nehru placed the Indian constitution in a broad historical perspective.
❖ Nehru referred American, French, and Russian Revolution and located
the history of Constitution-making in India within a longer history of
struggle for liberty and freedom.
❖ He stressed that the ideals and provisions of the constitution introduced
in India could not be just derived from elsewhere. “We are not going
just to copy”, he said.
❖ The system of government established in India had to “fit in with the
temper of our people and be acceptable to them”.
❖ It was necessary to learn from the people of the West, from their
achievements and failures.

The will of the people

❖ In the winter of 1946-47, as the Assembly deliberated, the British were
still in India. An interim administration headed by Jawaharlal Nehru
was in place, but it could only operate under the directions of the
Viceroy and the British Government in London.
❖ A Communist member, Somnath Lahiri saw the dark hand of British
imperialism hanging over the deliberations of the Constituent

333
 Assembly. He thus urged the members and Indians in general, to fully
free themselves from the influences of imperial rule.
❖ Lahiri exhorted his colleagues to realize that the Constituent Assembly
was Britishmade and was “working the British plans as the British
should like it to be worked out”.
❖ Nehru admitted that most nationalist leaders had wanted a different
kind of Constituent Assembly.
❖ “But,” Nehru emphasized, “You must not ignore the source from which
this Assembly derives its strength
❖ ‘’Governments are, in fact the expression of the will of the people’’.
“We have met here today because of the strength of the people behind
us and we shall go as far as the people – not of any party or group but
the people as a whole – shall wish us to go”.

Defining Rights
❖ There were many important questions to be answered by constituent
assembly.
❖ How were the rights of individual citizens to be defined?
❖ Were the oppressed groups to have any special rights?
❖ What rights would minorities have?

Who, in fact, could be defined as a minority?

The answers were evolved through the clash of opinions and the drama of
individual encounters.
In his inaugural speech, Nehru had invoked the “will of the people” and
declared that makers of the Constitution had to fulfill “the passions that lie in
the hearts of the masses”.
Thus it was a challenging task to meet the aspirations of the diverse group of
people of vast India.
The problem with separate electorates

334
 ❖ On 27 August 1947, B Pocker Bahadur from Madras made a powerful
plea for continuing separate electorates for minorities.
❖ This demand for separate electorates provoked anger and dismay amongst
most nationalists.
❖ Most nationalists saw separate electorates as a measure deliberately
introduced by the British to divide the people.
❖ R.V. Dhulekar to B Pocker Bahadur- “The English played their game
under the cover of safeguards with the help of it they allured you (the
minorities) to a long lull. Give it up now... Now there is no one to
misguide you.”
❖ Sardar Patel declared “Separate electorates were a “poison that has
entered the body politic of our country” “Do you want peace in this
land? Govind Ballabh Pant declared that it was not only harmful for the
nation but also for the minorities.
❖ Behind all these arguments was the concern with the making of a
unified nation state.
❖ The Constitution would grant to citizens rights, but citizens had to offer
their loyalty to the State.
❖ Not all Muslims supported the demand for separate electorates. Begum
Aizaas Rasul, felt that separate electorates were self- destructive since
they isolated the minorities from the majority.

The Powers of the State

1. One of the topics most vigorously debated in the Constituent Assembly
was the respective rights of the Central Government and the states.
2. Among those arguing for a strong Centre was Jawaharlal Nehru.
3. As he put it in a letter to the President of the Constituent Assembly, “it
would be injurious to the interests of the country to provide for a weak
central authority”

335
4. Three lists of subjects: Union, State, and Concurrent. The Draft
Constitution provided for three lists of subjects- Union, State, and
Concurrent.
5. The subjects in the first list were to be the preserve of the Central
Government, while those in the second list were vested with the states.
As for the third list, here Centre and state shared responsibility.
6. Besides, Article 356 gave the Centre the powers to take over a state
administration on the recommendation of the Governor.
7. The Constitution also mandated for a complex system of fiscal
federalism.
8. In the case of some taxes (for instance, customs duties and Company
taxes) the Centre retained all the proceeds; in other cases (such as
income tax and excise duties) it shared them with the states; in still
other cases (for instance, estate duties) not assigned them wholly to the
states
9. The states, meanwhile, could levy and collect certain taxes on their
own: these included land and property taxes, sales tax, and the hugely
profitable tax on bottled liquor
The centre is likely to break
1. The rights of the states were most eloquently defended by K.
Santhanam from Madras. He said, “There is almost an obsession that by
adding all kinds of powers to the Centre we can make it strong.”
2. This was a misconception, said Santhanam. If the Centre was
overburdened with responsibilities, it could not function effectively.
3. By relieving it of some of its functions, and transferring them to the
states, the Centre could, in fact, be made stronger
4. The fiscal provisions would impoverish the provinces since most taxes,
except land revenue, had been made the preserve of the Centre.

336
5. “I do not want any constitution in which the Unit has to come to the
Centre and say ‘I cannot educate my people. I cannot give sanitation,
give me a dole for the improvement of roads, of industries.’ “Let us
rather wipe out the federal system and let us have unitary system.”
6. In a few years, he said, all the provinces would rise in “revolt against
the Centre”. Many others from the provinces echoed the same fears
7. They fought hard for fewer items to be put on the Concurrent and
Union lists.
8. A member from Orissa warned that “the Centre is likely to break” since
powers had been excessively centralized under the Constitution.
What we want today is a strong Government
1. Dr. Ambedkar had declared that he wanted “a strong and united Centre
much stronger than the Centre we had created under the Government of
India Act of 1935”.
2. Reminding the members of the riots and violence that was ripping the
nation apart, many members had repeatedly stated that the powers of
the Centre had to be greatly strengthened to enable it to stop the
communal frenzy.
3. Gopalaswami Swami Ayyangar, reacting to the demands for giving
power to the provinces, He urged that “the Centre should be made as
strong as possible”.
4. Balakrishna Sharma, reasoned at length that only a strong centre could
plan for the well-being of the country, mobilize the available economic
resources, establish a proper administration, and defend the country
against foreign aggression.
5. After Partition most nationalists felt that the earlier political pressures
for a decentralized structure were no longer there. The violence of the
times gave a further push to centralization.

337
6. The Constitution thus showed a distinct bias towards the rights of the
Union of India over those of its constituent states
The Language of the Nation
1. Within the Constituent Assembly, the language issue was debated over
many months. By the 1930s, the Congress had accepted that Hindustani
ought to be the national language.
2. Hindustani – a blend of Hindi and Urdu – was a popular language of a
large section of the people of India. This multi-cultural language,
Mahatma Gandhi thought, would be the ideal language of
communication between diverse communities: it could unify Hindus
and Muslims, and people of the north and the south. As communal
conflicts deepened, Hindi and Urdu also started growing apart.
3. On the one hand, there was a move to Sanskritise Hindi, purging it of
all words of Persian and Arabic origin. On the other hand, Urdu was
being increasingly Persianised.
4. As a consequence, language became associated with the politics of
religious identities. Mahatma Gandhi, however, retained his faith in the
composite character of Hindustani.
A plea for Hindi
1. R. V. Dhulekar, a Congressman from the United Provinces, made an
aggressive plea that Hindi be used as the language of constitution-
making.
2. When told that not everyone in the Assembly knew the language,
Dhulekar retorted, “People who are present in this House to fashion a
constitution for India and do not know Hindustani are not worthy to be
members of this Assembly. They better leave.” On this occasion peace
in the House was restored through Jawaharlal Nehru’s intervention

338
3. But the language issue continued to disrupt proceedings and agitate
members over the subsequent three years. Almost three years later, on
12 September 1947, Dhulekar’s speech on the language of the nation
once again sparked off a huge storm.
4. Language Committee report of the Constituent Assembly. The
Language Committee report of the Constituent Assembly had thought
of a compromise between those who advocated Hindi as the national
language and those who opposed it.
5. It had decided, but not yet formally declared, that Hindi in the
Devanagari script would be the official language, but the transition to
Hindi would be gradual.
6. For the first fifteen years, English would continue to be used for all
official purposes. Each province was to be allowed to choose one of the
regional languages for official work within the province
7. By referring to Hindi as the official rather that the national language,
the Language Committee of the Constituent Assembly hoped a solution
that would be acceptable to all.
The fear of domination
1. Shrimati G. Durgabai from Madras explained her worries about the way
the discussion was developing.
2. “Mr. President, the question of national language for India which was
an almost agreed proposition until recently has suddenly become a
highly controversial issue, whether rightly or wrongly, the people of
non-Hindi-speaking areas have been made to feel that this fight, or this
attitude on behalf of the Hindi-speaking areas, is a fight for effectively
preventing the natural influence of other powerful languages of India
on the composite culture of this nation”

339
3. G. Durgabai informed the House that the opposition in the south against
Hindi was very strong: “The opponents feel perhaps justly that this
propaganda for Hindi cuts at the very root of the provincial
languages...”
4. Yet, she along with many others had obeyed the call of Mahatma
Gandhi and carried on Hindi propaganda in the south, braved
resistance, started schools and conducted classes in Hindi.
5. She had accepted Hindustani as the language of the people, but now
that language. was being changed, words from Urdu and other regional
languages were being taken out
6. Shri Shankar Rao Deo- A member from Bombay, Shri Shankarrao Deo
stated that as a Congressman and a follower of Mahatma Gandhi he had
accepted Hindustani as a language of the nation, but he warned: “if you
want my whole- hearted support (for Hindi) you must not do now
anything which may raise my suspicions and which will strengthen my
fears.”
7. T. A. Ramalingam Chettiar from Madras emphasised that whatever was
done had to be done with caution; the cause of Hindi would not be
helped if it was pushed too aggressively.
8. The fears of the people, even if they were unjustified, had to be
allayed, or else “there will be bitter feelings left behind”. “When we
want to live together and form a united nation,” he said, “there should
be mutual adjustment and no question of forcing things on people ...”
Importance of debates in Constituent Assembly
1. The Constituent Assembly debates help us understand the many
conflicting voices that had to be negotiated in framing the Constitution.
The Constitution of India thus emerged through a process of intense
debate and discussion.

340
 2. Many of its provisions were arrived at through a process of give-and-
take, by forging a middle ground between two opposed positions,
example- right to vote to every adult Indian
3. They tell us about the ideals that were invoked and the principles that
the makers of the constitution operated with. But in reading these
debates we need to be aware that the ideals invoked were very often re-
worked according to what seemed appropriate within a context.
4. At times the members of the Assembly also changed their ideas as the
debate unfolded over three years. Hearing others argue, some members
rethought their positions, opening their minds to contrary views and
others changed their views in reaction to the events around
IMPORTANT DATES:
1945
❖ 26 July - Labour Government comes into power in Britain
❖ December-January - General Elections in India
1946
❖ 16 May - Cabinet Mission announces its constitutional scheme
❖ 16 June - Muslim League accepts Cabinet Mission's constitutional
scheme
❖ 16 June - Cabinet Mission presents scheme for the formation of an
Interim Government at the Centre
❖ 16 August - Muslim League announces Direct Action Day
❖ 2 September - Congress forms Interim Government with Nehru as the
Vice-President
❖ 13 October - Muslim League decides to join the Interim Government
❖ 3-6 December - British Prime Minister, Attlee, meets some Indian
leaders; talks fail
❖ 9 December - Constituent Assembly begins its sessions

341
1947
❖ 29 January - Muslim League demarnds dissolution of Constituent
Assembly
❖ 16 July - Last meeting of the Interim Government
❖ 11 August - Jinnah elected President of the Constituent Assembly of
Pakistan
❖ 14 August - Pakistan Independence; celebration in Karachi
❖ 14-15 August - At midnight, India celebrates Independence
1949
❖ December - Constitution is signed

1 MARK QUESTION & ANSWERS

1 The constitution of India came into effect on:
a. 26th January 1947
b. 26th January 1950
c. 26th January 1952
d. 26th January 1959
Ans b.26th January 1950
2 The number of members of the constitute assembly of Independence
India was:
a. 200
b. 300
c. 350
d. 270
Ans b.300

3 Who among the followings wanted the term ‘minority’, to be

interpreted as the economic term?

342
 a. [Link]
b. Jaipal singh
c. [Link]
d. S.N,Mukherjee
Ans a. [Link]

4 _______ felt that this language could unify the hindus, the muslims,
and people from north and south
a. Gandhiji
b. Srimati durgabai
c. [Link]
d. [Link]
Ans [Link]

5 Identify the leader

a. Abul Kalam Azad

b. Mohamad Ali Jinnah
c. [Link] Bahadur
d. [Link]
Ans [Link] Ali Jinnah
6 Hindustani language is a blend of
a. Hindi-Urdu
b. Hindi-Persian

343
 c. Hindi-Arabic
d. Hindi-Sanskrit
Ans [Link]-Urdu
7 In the following questions, a statement of Assertion(A) is followed by
a statement of Reason(R). mark the correct choice as:
(E)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(F) Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A
(G) A is true, but R is false
(H) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion(A): Mahatma Gandhi thought Hindustani would be the ideal
language of communication between diverse comminities
Reason(R): It could unify Hindus and muslims and the people of the
north and the south.
Ans (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
8 Identify the person who is addressing the gathering?

a. Mahatma Gandhi
b. [Link]
c. [Link] Prasad
d. Jawaharlal Nehru
Ans. [Link] Nehru
9 When was the Drafting Committee formed? Who was its chairman?
Ans The Drafting Committee was formed on 29 August 1947. Dr. B.R.

344
 Ambedkar was it’s chairman.
10 In the following questions, a statement of Assertion(A) is followed by
a statement of Reason(R). mark the correct choice as:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion(A): [Link] Bahadur from madras made a powerful plea
for continuing separate electorates
Reason(R): According to him only separate electrates would ensure
the Muslims had a meaningful voice in the governance of the country
Ans (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
11 When and under which scheme the Constituent Assembly was
formed?
Ans The Constituent Assembly was formed in October 1946 as per the
Cabinet Mission Scheme
12 Who are the two persons shown in the picture?

a. Rajendra Prasad and Jawaharlal Nehru

b. Rajendra Prasad and [Link]
c. Mahatma Gandhi and sardar vallabhbhai patel
d. Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi

345
Ans [Link] Prasad and [Link]
13 In the following questions, a statement of Assertion(A) is followed by
a statement of Reason(R). mark the correct choice as:
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, and R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true.
Assertion(A): [Link], a congress member strongly favoured the
use of the hindi language as the language of the constitution
Reason(R): he tried to resolve the issue by deciding that hindi in the
Devanagari script would be an official language.
Ans (a)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
3 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 What were the immediate events before the making of the
Constitution?
Ans 1. Quit India Movement was launched which was a widespread
popular movement against the British.
2. Subhas Chandra Bose bid to win freedom through armed struggle
and there was an uprising of the Royal Indian Navy in Bombay and
other cities in the spring of 1946.
3. There were mass protests of workers and peasants in different parts
of the country in late 1940s

2 How did [Link] describe the minorities?

Ans 1. [Link] described the minorities as the masses of the country
who still depressed.
2. The people who lived in the tribal areas have no elementary
education.

346
 3. Their lands are snatched away by the land owners or by
moneylenders. They are poor, downtrodden and are oppresses.
3 Examine the views of [Link] and Smt. Durgabai on the
question of National language
Ans 1. On the question of National Language was the case for Hindi was
mostly advocated by [Link]. He wanted that Hindi should
be used as the language of constitutionmaking.
2. Smt. Durgabai informed the House that the South was against Hindi
as it may cut the root of all provincial languages. She started
schools and conducted classes in Hindi, and was shocked to see the
agitation for Hindi
4 How did the Constitution Assembly seek to resolve the language
controversy?
Ans 1. The Assembly discussed the issue of language for the newly
independent country which generated intense arguments.
2. In order to resolve the deadlock over this issue of language, it
advocated that Hindi in Devanagari script should be the official
language of the country.
3. It stated that during the first fifteen years from the enforcement
of the constitution, English would continue to be used for all
official purposes. It also suggested that transition from English
to Hindi would be gradual
5 Examine the views of Mahatma Gandhi on the question of a National
Language of the country
Ans 1. Mahatama Gandhi felt that Hindustani was a language that the
common people could be easily understood.
2. Hindustani was a blend of Hindi and Urdu, was popular among a
large section of the people.

347
 3. According to Mahatma Gandhi, Hindustani would be the ideal
language of communication between diverse communities. It
would help to unify the Hindus and The Muslims and the people
from north and south
6 What are the features of the Indian Constitution?
Ans 1. There was substantial agreement on the granting of the Right to
Vote to every adult Indian.
2. Constitution emphasized on Secularism.
3. Fundamental Rights
7 How the constitution of India protects the rights of the Central and the
State Government?
Ans 1. The rights of the Central and State Governments were debated
vigorously in Constitution Assembly.
2. The Constitution mandated for a complex system of fiscal
federalism.
3. Article 356 gave the powers to the Centre to take over state
administration on the basis of the recommendation of the
Governor.
8 Why the Constitution was regarded a source of expressing the
aspirations of freedom fighters?
Ans 1. Constitution enshrined all the principle values for which
freedom fighters sacrificed their life.
2. The ideals of democracy, equality and justice were given
preference in the Constitution.
3. Fundamental rights were also included in the Constitution so
that everyone can live with dignity which was not provided
during British Rule.
CASE STUDY/ SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS

348
1 “There cannot be any divided loyalty”- Govind Ballabh Pant.
Govind Ballabh Pant argued that in order to become loyal citizens
people had to stop focusing only on the community and the self. For
the success of democracy one must train himself in the art of self
discipline.
In Democracies one should care less for himself and more for others.
There cannot be any divided loyalty. All loyalties must exclusively be
centered round the state. If in a democracy, you create rival loyalties,
or you create a system in which any individual or group, instead of
suppressing his extravagance, cares naught for larger or other interests,
then democracy is doomed.
1. Why did Govind Ballabh Pant give more stress on the art of self-
discipline?
Ans: Govind Ballabh Pant suggested that to make democracy
successful, one should be self disciplined. Individual should care less
for personal gain and focus more on collective benefit or for others
gain in democracy. So a trait of sacrifice should be present in every
citizen and this character of sacrifice can be learned through discipline
[Link] was considered important for the success of democracy?
Ans:For success of democracy, there should not be divided loyalty and
it must be centered round the state and citizens should care less for
themselves and more for fellow citizens.
3.‘In Democracies one should care less for himself and more for
other.’ Give your views on this philosophy.
Ans: This philosophy of democracy suggests that one should be
considerate towards other; nothing should be done for personal gain
which can harm the interest of other person or large section of people.
This philosophy promotes the feeling of people centric benefits instead

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 of individual centric.
2 “British element is gone but they have left the mischief behind”-
Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
It is no use saying that we ask for separate electorates, because it is
good for us. We have heard it long enough. We have heard it for years,
and as a result of this agitation we are now a separate nation… Can
you show me one free country where there are separate electorates? If
so, I shall be prepared to accept it. But in this unfortunate country if
this separate electorate is going to be persisted in, even after the
division of the country, woe betides the country; it is not worth living
in. Therefore, I say, it is not for my good alone, it is for your own good
that I say it, forget the past. One day, we may be united… The British
element is gone, but they have left the mischief behind. We do not
want to perpetuate that mischief. (Hear, hear). When the British
introduced this element they had not expected that they have to go so
soon. They wanted it for their easy administration. That is all right. But
they have left the legacy behind. Are we to get out of it or not?
1. Why are separate electorates considered as a mischief?
Ans: Separate electorate was considered as a mischief because in
the name of giving representation to minorities and making the
administration easy, British divided two major communities of
India politically. Later, this issue of separate electorate played an
important role in partition of the country.
2. State the arguments given by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel for
building political unity and forging a nation.
Ans: Patel said in an assembly that there was no provision of
separate electorate in any free country. He further said that separate
electorate could not deliver any good, so it was better to forget it.

350
 For political unity he said, this electorate had to go. British
introduced the policy of divide and rule. After the British we should
[Link] for the sake of the unity of our nation
3. How did the philosophy of separate electorates result in a
separate nation?
Ans: Philosophy of separate electorate saw Hindus and Muslims as
separate political identity. It believed that interest of Hindus and
Muslims were not common, so to represent Muslims there should
be a Muslim only, similarly for Hindu only Hindu should represent.
This policy separated the people on the basis of religion and started
to keep one community isolated from another politically. It was
there to divide Indians on the basis of religion.
3 “That is Very Good, Sir-Bold Words, Noble Words”
Somnath Lahiri said: Well, Sir, I must congratulate Pandit Nehru for
the fine expression he gave to the spirit of the Indian people when he
said that no imposition 4 from the British will be accepted by the
Indian people.
Imposition would be resented and objected to he said and he added that
if need be we will walk to the valley of struggle. That is very good,
Sir-bold words, noble words. But the point is to see when and how are
you going to apply that challenge. Well Sir the point is that the
imposition is here right now.
Not only is it a fact that this Constituent Assembly, whatever plans we
may be hatching; we are under the shadow of British guns. British
Army, their economic and financial stranglehold-which means that the
final power is still in the British hands and the question of power has
not yet been finally, decided which means the future is not yet
completely in our hands. Not only that, but the statements made by

351
 Attlee and others recently have made it clear that if need be, they will
even threaten you with division entirely

1. Why did Somnath Lahiri congratulate Pandit Nehru?

Ans: Pandit Nehru was congratulated for his fine expression he
gave to the spirit of the Indian people when he said that no
imposition from the British will be accepted by the Indian people

2. Explain why Somnath feels that the absence of constitution will

mean dependence on the British.
Ans: Because in the absence of Constitution for every basic law and
rule, there would be need to refer to British government. So he felt
that Indians should draft their own constitution according to their
will and will of people of independent India

3. How did he feel that final power was still in hands of the
British?
Ans: Somnath Lahiri felt that although we have made our
constitution but still we are not free. We are under British Army,
British economic and financial stranglehold and this means that
final power is still in the hands of British.
8 MARKS QUESTION ANSWERS
1 What were the arguments given by K. Santhanam, in favour of greater
power to the provinces?
Ans 1. [Link], a member from the Madras defended the rights of
the states in the Constituent Assembly.
2. He emphasized the need to strengthen the states. He was not in
favour of vesting more powers with the Centre.

352
 3. He was of the opinion the Centre would not be able to perform
its duties efficiently in case it is over-burdened. The Centre will
become automatically strong if all states are made stronger.
4. He advocated that the Centre should be given less powers and
states should be given more powers. Proposed allocation of
powers between the Centre and States was also a matter of
concern for K. Santharam. He felt that such a distribution of
power would cripple the states.
2 “The discussions within the Constituent Assembly were also
influenced by the opinions expressed by the public”.
Ans The public opinion had a considerable effect on the discussions of the
Constituent Assembly that were:
1. There was public debate on all the resolutions.
2. The newspapers reported the arguments presented by different
members on any issue.
3. Criticisms and counter criticism in the press shaped the nature of
the consensus that was ultimately reached on specific issues.
4. Suggestions from the public was also welcomed which created a
sense of collective participation.
5. Many linguistic minorities demanded protection of their mother
tongue. Religious minorities asked for special safeguards.
6. The groups low caste or dalits demanded an end to ill-treatments
by upper caste people and reservation of separate seats on the
basis of their population in legislatures.
7. Important issues of cultural rights and social justice raised in the
public discussions were debated in the Assembly.
8. In the same way, groups of religious minorities came forward
and asked for special safeguards

353
 3 Discuss the different arguments made in favour of protection of the
oppressed groups.
Ans 1. Demand for Social and Economic Empowerment- It was felt that
oppressed classes like tribals and untouchables required special
attention and safeguards to enable them to raise their status and
come to the level of the general population.
2. Tribals to the Mainstream: Tribals were regarded backward.
They were not accepted well in society. They were almost
rejected. For their empowerment they were required to be
assimilated in the society. They were also required to be brought
into the mainstream of the society. So special protection and
care were offered to them.
3. Constitutional Provisions: Lands of the tribals have been
confiscated and had been deprived of their forests and pastures.
Tribals and untouchables had no access to education. They did
not take part in administration. So some legislation was required
to improve their conditions.
4. Empower the Depressed Classes: In society untouchables were
treated as labourers. Society used their services but did not give
them respectable position. They were treated as outcast and kept
isolated. Their sufferings were due to their systematic
marginalization
4 How did the Constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language
controversy?
Ans 1. Linguistic Diversity -India is a large country. It has many
different regions. Diverse groups of people live here and speak
different languages. So for a new nation like India it was

354
 necessary to give proper attention to the intricacies of different
languages.
2. Hindustani as National Language- Hindustani was a choice for
the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi. Congress had already
decided to adopt Hindustani as the national language of the
country. Mahatma Gandhi was also in favour of adopting
Hindustani as the national language and supported strongly for
this view. He argued that everyone should speak in a language
which is understood by most of the common people. Hindustani
was not a new language. It was a blend of Hindi and Urdu. It
was enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures and spoken
by most of the people of the country.
3. Uproar on the Language Issue- R.V. Dhulekar pleaded in favour
of Hindi for adopting it as the national language. He came from
the United Province and a Congressman. He wanted that Hindi
should be used as language of constitution-making. He even said
that those who did not know Hindustani were not worthy to be
the members of the Constituent Assembly.
4. Suggestion by the Language Committee- The language
Committee of the Constituent Assembly suggested a
compromise formula in its report. It suggested that Hindi in
Devnagri script should be the official language of the country
and tried to resolve the issue. It also suggested that transition
from English to Hindi should be gradual. It was also suggested
that during first fifteen years since adoption of the Constitution,
English would continue to serve as for official purposes. So it
was clear that the Language Committee referred Hindi as the
official language not the national language.

355
 5. Fear of Hindi’s Domination- The members of the Constituent
Assembly who belonged to the Southern India were
apprehensive of the view. They felt that Hindi would be a threat
to their provincial languages. Shankar Rao from Bombay. T.A.
Ramalingam Chettiar and Mrs. G. Durgabai of Madras
suggested that issue of language required utmost care and
needed to be handled efficiently and dextrally. Hindi should not
be thrust upon the people of South India.
5 How did Constituent Assembly of India protected the powers of the
Central government? Explain.
Ans India achieved its independence on 15 th August, 1947 and was also
divided into two parts i.e. India and Pakistan. Before the partition, the
Constituent Assembly did not communicate itself in commendation of
a strong Central Government, but after the declaration of partition on
3rd June, 1947, Constituent Assembly considered itself free from all
restrictions inflicted by Cabinet Mission and political pressures.
Constituent Assembly decided to opt for a federation along with
strong centre.
Dr BR Ambedkar and Jawaharalal Nehru propounded a strong Central
Government for India. They mentioned to the riots ‘and violence that
were fearing the nation apart and stated that only a strong centre can
stop the communal disharmony.
Balakrishna Sharma focused on length of the nation and stated that
only a centre, which was powerful could plan for the well-being of the
country. Strong centre would help in mobilizing available economic
resources and proper administration was possible only through strong
Centre. In spite of arguments of the centre has likely to break or
inefficiency of the centre, the rights of the states were most

356
impressively defended by K Santhanam from Madras.
Also, the decision of the Constituent Assembly to have a strong centre
was occasioned by the situations in which it was taken. Most of the
members felt that strong centre was the need of the hour. It was
necessary to ensure peace, prosperity and political stability, and hence,
Gopala swami Ayyangar requested to make centre as strong as possible

357
 SET-1
केंद्रीय विद्यालय संगठन,चेन्नई संभाग
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, CHENNAI REGION
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER –2022-23

कक्षा / CLASS – XII इतिहास / HISTORY (O27)

MAX. MARKS: 80 अविकतम अंक :80
TIME: 3 HOURS समय : 3 घंटे

General Instructions:
Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
(i) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
(ii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3
marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(iii) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8
marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words .
(iv) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub
questions and are of 4 marks each .
(v) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the
identification and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the
answer book.
(vi) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has
been provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have
to be attempted.
(vii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,
wherever necessary.
सामान्य निर्दे श:

(i) प्रश्ि पत्र में पाांच खांड होते हैं - ए, बी, सी, डी और ई। प्रश्ि पत्र में 34 प्रश्ि हैं।

सभी प्रश्ि अनिवायय हैं।

(ii) खांड ए – प्रश्ि 1 से 21 प्रत्येक के 1 अांक के एमसीक्यू हैं।

(iii) खांड बी – प्रश्ि सांख्या। 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, जििमें से प्रत्येक में 3

अांक हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 60-80 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

(iv) खांड सी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 28 से 30 र्दीघय उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, प्रत्येक में 8 अांक हैं।

प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 300-350 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

(v) खांड डी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 31 से 33 तीि उप प्रश्िों के साथ स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि हैं
और प्रत्येक 4 अांकों के हैं।

358
 (vi) खांड-ई - प्रश्ि सांख्या। 34 िक्शा आिाररत है , जिसमें 5 अांक हैं जिसमें महत्वपर्
ू य
परीक्षर् वस्तओ
ु ां की पहचाि और स्थाि शाममल है । मािधचत्र को उत्तर पजु स्तका के
साथ सांलग्ि करें ।

(i) प्रश्ि पत्र में कोई समग्र ववकल्प िहीां है। हालाांकक, कुछ प्रश्िों में आांतररक ववकल्प

प्रर्दाि ककया गया है। ऐसे प्रश्िों में से केवल एक ववकल्प का प्रयास करिा है।

(ii) इसके अलावा, िहाां आवश्यक हो, प्रत्येक अिभ

ु ाग और प्रश्ि के साथ अलग-अलग
निर्दे श हर्दए गए हैं।

SECTION A - खंड ए ( 1X21=21)

1. Consider the following statements regarding Indus Vally 1
civilisation:
1. The Harappan seal is probably the most distinctive feature of
the Harappan civilisation.
2. Evidences of canal irrigation have been found at a site called
shortughai.
3. Mohenjodaro was a city laid in an unplanned manner.
4. Copper was brought from Kolar region of Karnataka.
Which of the given statements is/are incorrect?
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 3, 4
(c) 1, 2, 4
(d) 2,4
1. मसांिु घाटी सभ्यता के सांबांि में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार 1

करें :
1. हड़प्पा की मुहर शायर्द हड़प्पा सभ्यता की सबसे ववमशष्ट
ववशेषता है।
2. शाटुयघई िामक स्थल पर िहर मसांचाई के साक्ष्य ममले हैं।
3. मोहििोर्दड़ो एक अनियोजित तरीके से बसा हुआ शहर था।
4. ताांबा किायटक के कोलार क्षेत्र से लाया गया था।
हर्दए गए कथिों में से कौि-सा/से गलत है/हैं?
(ए) 1, 2, 3
(बी) 3, 4
(सी) 1, 2, 4

359
 (डी) 2,4
2. Consider the following statements about the seals of Proto-Shiva. 1
1. There is a mention of a diety ‘Rudra’ in ancient religious texts.
2. Later on Rudra word was used for Shiva.
3. Rudra is not mentioned as Pashupati in Rigveda.
4. Depiction of Pashupati does not match the mention of Rudra in
Rigveda.
Which of the given statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 2, 3
(c) 2, 3, 4
(d) 1, 3, 4
2. प्रोटो-मशव की मुहरों के बारे में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार 1
करें ।
1. प्राचीि िाममयक ग्रांथों में एक र्दे वता 'रुद्र' का उल्लेख ममलता है।
2. बार्द में मशव के मलए रुद्र शब्र्द का प्रयोग ककया गया।
3. ऋग्वेर्द में रुद्र का उल्लेख पशुपनत के रूप में िहीां ककया गया
है ।
4. पशप
ु नत का धचत्रर् ऋग्वेर्द में रुद्र के उल्लेख से मेल िहीां
खाता।
हर्दए गए कथिों में से कौि-सा/से सही है/हैं?
(ए) 1, 2, 3, 4 (बी) 1, 2, 3
(सी) 2, 3, 4 (डी) 1, 3, 4
3. Who deciphered Brahmi and Kharoshtl scripts? 1
(a) James Princep
(b) Cunningham
(c) Wheelar
(d) John Marshall
3. ब्राह्मी और खरोष्टल मलवपयों को ककसिे पढा? 1

(ए) िेम्स वप्रांसपे

(बी) कनिांघम
(सी) व्हीलर
(डी) िॉि माशयल

360
4. Sangam is a literature of _________ language. 1
(a) Tamil
(b) Malsyam
(c) Sanskrit
(d) Marathi
4. सांगम _________ भाषा का साहहत्य है । 1
(ए) तममल
(बी) मल्स्याम
(सी) सांस्कृत
(डी) मराठी
5. Shakas who came from Central Asia were regarded by the 1
Brahmanas as?
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
5. मध्य एमशया से आए शकों को ब्राह्मर् ककस रूप में मािते थे? 1

क. र्दाससी
ख. म्लेच्छस
ग. अछूत
d.आययन्स

6. ___ is the practice of a woman having several husbands. 1

[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
6. ___एक महहला के कई पनत होिे की प्रथा है । 1

क. बहुपनतत्व
बी. एांडोगैमी
ग. बहहववयवाह
[Link]

361
7. Choose the correct option: 1
(a) Sanchi Stupa situated near to Bhopal.
(b) Sanchi Stupa was preserved by the Beghums of BhopaL
(c) Sanchi Stupa belong to Buddhism.
(d) All of these.
7. सही ववकल्प चुिें: 1

(ए) भोपाल के पास जस्थत साांची स्तूप।

(बी) साांची स्तूप को भोपाल की बेगमों द्वारा सांरक्षक्षत ककया गया
था
(सी) साांची स्तूप बौद्ि िमय से सांबधां ित है।
(घ) ये सभी।

8. Who Wrote ‘Kitab-ul-Hind’? 1

(a) Callin Mcenzie
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Abdul Samad Lahori
(d) lbn-Battuta
8. 'ककताब-उल-हहांर्द' ककसिे मलखा था? 1

(ए) कॉमलि मैकेंजी

(बी) अल-बबरुिी
(c) अब्र्दल
ु समर्द लाहौरी
(डी) एलबीएि-बतत
ू ा

9. Choose the correct option: 1

(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite
disasterous for farmers.
9. सही ववकल्प चुिें: 1

(ए) इब्ि-बतूता िे चीि में बड़े पैमािे पर यात्रा की।

(बी) अल-बबरूिी िे भारतीय शहरों को काफी आबार्दी वाला पाया।
(c) अल-बबरूिी भारतीय डाक व्यवस्था से अत्यधिक प्रभाववत था।

362
 (डी) इब्ि-बतत
ू ा के अिुसार। भूमम का मक
ु ु ट स्वाममत्व ककसािों
के मलए काफी वविाशकारी था।
10. Consider the following statements regarding Kabir 1
1. Verses of Kabir are compiled in three distinct traditions.
2. Kabir’s poems are available only in the Urdu language.
3. Kabir used many traditions to describe the ultimate reality.
4. Kabir called ultimate reality only as Allah.
Which of the given statements is/are incorrect?
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 2, 4
(c) 1, 4
(d) 3, 4
10. कबीर के बारे में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार करें : 1

1. कबीर के श्लोक तीि अलग-अलग परां पराओां में सांकमलत हैं।

2. कबीर की कववताएँ केवल उर्दय ू भाषा में उपलब्ि हैं।
3. कबीर िे परम वास्तववकता का वर्यि करिे के मलए कई
परां पराओां का इस्तेमाल ककया।
4. कबीर िे परम सत्य को ही अल्लाह कहा है।
हर्दए गए कथिों में से कौि-सा/से गलत है/हैं?
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 2, 4
(c) 1, 4
(d) 3, 4
11. 1
Vitthala was the principal deity in vitthala temple. Vitthala was
known as the incarnation of Lord
(a) Brahma
(b) Vishnu
(c) Shiva
(d) Ganesha
11. ववट्ठल मांहर्दर के प्रमख
ु र्दे वता ववट्ठल थे। ववट्ठल भगवाि के 1

अवतार के रूप में िािे िाते थे

(ए) ब्रह्मा

363
 (बी) ववष्र्ु
(सी) मशव
(डी) गर्ेश

12. Which of the following dynasties ruled Vijayanagara? 1

(a) Sangam dynasty
(b) Saluva dynasty
(c) Tuluva dynasty
(d) All of these
12. निम्िमलखखत में से ककस रािवांश िे ववियिगर पर शासि ककया 1

था?
(ए) सांगम रािवांश
(बी) सलुवा रािवांश
(सी) तुलुवा रािवांश
(डी) ये सभी

13. Find out which one of the following is not correctly matched: 1
(a) Amara-Nayaka System – Vijayanagara Empire
(b) Harihara and Bukka – Founded Vijayanagara
(e) Mahanavami Dibba – King’s palace
(d) Hazara Rama Temple – New Delhi
13. पता लगाएँ कक निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा सही सुमेमलत िहीां 1

है :
(ए) अमारा-िायक प्रर्ाली - ववियिगर साम्राज्य
(बी) हररहर और बुक्का - ववियिगर की स्थापिा
(ई) महािवमी डडब्बा - रािा का महल
(डी) हिारा राम मांहर्दर - िई हर्दल्ली
14. During the Mughal Empire, how did the Panchayats use the funds 1
available to it?
(a) It was used to entertain revenue officials.
(b) It was used to pay salary to muqaddam and chowkidar.
(c) It was used to meet expenses for the community welfare.
(d) All of these.

364
14. मुगल साम्राज्य के र्दौराि पांचायतें अपिे मलए उपलब्ि िि का 1

उपयोग ककस प्रकार करती थीां?

(ए) इसका उपयोग रािस्व अधिकाररयों के मिोरां िि के मलए
ककया िाता था।
(बी) इसका इस्तेमाल मुकद्र्दम और चौकीर्दार को वेति र्दे िे के
मलए ककया िाता था।
(c) इसका उपयोग समुर्दाय कल्यार् के खचों को पूरा करिे के
मलए ककया िाता था।
(डी) ये सभी

15. Identify which of the following statement is correct about Ain-i- 1

Akbari?
(a) Manzil-Abadi is related to the royal household.
(b) Sipah-Abadi is related to civil and military administration.
(c) Mulk-Abadi gives information about the fiscal aspect of the
state.
(d) All of these.
15. आइि-ए-अकबरी के बारे में निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा कथि 1

सही है , इसकी पहचाि करें ?

(ए) मांजिल-आबार्दी शाही घरािे से सांबांधित है ।
(बी) मसपाह-आबार्दी िागररक और सैन्य प्रशासि से सांबधां ित है ।
(सी) मुल्क-आबार्दी राज्य के ववत्तीय पहलू के बारे में िािकारी
र्दे ता है ।
(डी) ये सभी

16 Who Introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal? 1

(a) Lord Cornwallis
(b) Lord Dalhousie
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) Lord William Bentick
16. बांगाल में स्थायी बांर्दोबस्त ककसिे शुरू ककया?
(ए) लॉडय कॉियवामलस

365
 (बी) लॉडय डलहौिी
(सी) लॉडय कियि
(डी) लॉडय ववमलयम बेंहटक

17. Consider the following events: 1

1. Introduction of Permanent settlement
2. American Civil war
3. Fifth report in the British Parliament
4. Santhals arrived in the hilly area of Rajmahal
The correct Çhronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 4, 3, 2
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4
(d) 1, 3, 4, 2
17. निम्िमलखखत घटिाओां पर ववचार करें : 1

1. स्थायी बांर्दोबस्त का पररचय

2. अमेररकी गह
ृ युद्ि
3. बब्रहटश सांसर्द में पाांचवी ररपोटय
4. रािमहल के पहाड़ी इलाके में पहुांचे सांथाल
इि घटिाओां का सही कालािक्र
ु ममक क्रम है :

18 Indicate which of the following is not correct: 1

(a) Nana Saheb was the adopted son of Tantya Tope.
(b) Tantya Tope was the general of Nana Saheb.
(c) Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta.
(d) Lord Dalhousie captured 7 states with the Doctrine of Lapse.
18. इांधगत करें कक निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा सही िहीां है: 1

(ए) िािा साहब ताांत्या टोपे के र्दत्तक पुत्र थे।

(बी) ताांत्या टोपे िािा साहब के सेिापनत थे।
(c) वाजिर्द अली शाह को कलकत्ता निवायमसत कर हर्दया गया।
(d) लाडय डलहौिी िे व्यपगत मसद्िाांत के साथ 7 राज्यों पर
कब्िा कर मलया।

366
19 Which of these was the reason for Nana Saheb’s joining the 1
revolt of 1857?
(а) The British refused him the pension of Peshwa Baji Rao II.
(b) The British captured Awadh
(c) The British captured Jhansi under the doctrine of Lapse
(d) Nana Saheb refused to accept Subsidiary Alliance
19. िािा साहब के 1857 के ववद्रोह में शाममल होिे का इिमें से 1

कौि सा कारर् था?

(ए) अांग्रेिों िे उन्हें पेशवा बािी राव द्ववतीय की पें शि से
इिकार कर हर्दया।
(बी) अांग्रेिों िे अविी पर कब्िा कर मलया
(c) चक
ू के मसद्िाांत के तहत अांग्रेिों िे झाांसी पर कब्िा कर
मलया
(डी) िािा साहब िे सहायक गठबांिि को स्वीकार करिे से
इिकार कर हर्दया।
20 Consider the following events: 1
1. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
2. Khilafat Movement
3. Formation of Swaraj Party
4. Arrival of Simon Commission
The correct chronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 4, 3, 2, 1
(c) 2, 3, 4, 1
(d) 3, 4, 2, 1
20. निम्िमलखखत घटिाओां पर ववचार करें : 1

.1िमलयाांवाला बाग हत्याकाांड

.2खखलाफत आांर्दोलि
.3स्वराि पाटी का गठि
.4साइमि कमीशि का आगमि
इि घटिाओां का सही कालािक्र
ु ममक क्रम है:
1 (ए), 2, 3, 4
4 (बी), 3, 2, 1

367
 2 (सी), 3, 4, 1
3 (डी), 4, 2, 1
21 Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee? 1
(a) B.R. Ambedkar
(b) Sardar Patel
(c) Nehru
(d) Dr. Rajandra Prasad
21. मसौर्दा सममनत के अध्यक्ष कौि थे? 1

अम्बेडकर .आर.बी (ए)

सरर्दार पटे ल (बी)
िेहरू (सी)
डॉ रािेंद्र प्रसार्द (डी)
SECTION B / खंड बी
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS / संक्षिप्त उत्तर प्रकार
के प्रश्न (3X6=18)
22. What were the main subsistence methods of the 3
[Link]? OR
What could be the possible reasons for the decline of Harappan
civilisation?
22. हड़प्पा के लोगों के िीवि निवायह के मुख्य तरीके क्या थे? या
हड़प्पा सभ्यता के पति के सांभाववत कारर् क्या हो सकते हैं?
23. How do the modern historians explain the development and 3
growth of Magadhan power? Explain briefly.
23. मगि शजक्त के ववकास और ववकास की व्याख्या आिनु िक
इनतहासकार कैसे करते हैं? सांक्षेप में बताएां ।
24 Name the book written by Ibn Battuta. What was his observation 3
about female slaves in the sub-continent?
24. इब्ि बतत
ू ा द्वारा मलखखत पुस्तक का िाम बताइए। उपमहाद्वीप 3

में र्दामसयों के बारे में उिका क्या अवलोकि था?

25 Describe the activities performed by the Chisti Silsila? How was 3
their relationship with the state?
25. धचश्ती मसलमसला द्वारा की गई गनतववधियों का वर्यि करें ? 3
राज्य के साथ उिका ररश्ता कैसा था?

368
26 Describe any three strengths and two limitations of the Ain-i- 3
Akbari as an important document in the study of the Mughal
Period.
26. मग
ु ल काल के अध्ययि में एक महत्वपर्
ू य र्दस्तावेि के रूप में 3

आइि अकबरी की ककन्हीां तीि शजक्तयों और र्दो सीमाओां का-ए-

वर्यि कीजिए।
27. What are the ideals expressed in the objectives resolution? 3
(OR)
How did the constituent Assembly seek to resolve language
controversy?
27. उद्र्दे श्य सांकल्प में व्यक्त ककए गए आर्दशय क्या हैं? 3
(OR)

सांवविाि सभा िे भाषा वववार्द को कैसे सल

ु झाया?
SECTION C Long Answer Type Questions 8x3=24
खंड सी दीर्घ उत्तरीय प्रश्न8 x24=3
28. How is Mahabharata a good source to study the kinsfolk values 8
and systems of marriages of ancient times ? Cite examples to
support your answer.
(OR)
Why do we call Mahabharata ‘A Dynamic Text ‘?Explain the
processes involved in preparing the critical edition of the
Mahabharata.
28. महाभारत प्राचीि काल के वववाह सम्बन्िी मूल्यों और वववाह 8

प्रर्ामलयों का अध्ययि करिे का एक अच्छा स्रोत कैसे है ? अपिे

उत्तर के समथयि में उर्दाहरर् र्दीजिए।
(या)
हम महाभारत को 'एक गनतशील पाठ' क्यों कहते हैं? महाभारत
के आलोचिात्मक सांस्करर् को तैयार करिे में शाममल प्रकक्रयाओां
की व्याख्या करें ।
29 Explain Amaranayaka system was a major political innovation of 8
the Vijayanagara empire .(OR)
What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of
enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the city?

369
29 अमरिायका प्रर्ाली ववियिगर साम्राज्य का एक प्रमख
ु 8
राििीनतक िवाचार था। सांक्षेप में बताएां । (या(
ववियिगर के िल सांसाििों और ककलेबांर्दी के स्थाि के बारे में
हड़ताली ववशेषताओां की व्याख्या करें ।
30. What do private letters and autobiographies tell us about an 8
individual? How are these sources different from official
accounts? (OR)
How did the constituent Assembly seek to resolve the language
Controversy? Explain.
30. नििी पत्र और आत्मकथाएँ हमें ककसी व्यजक्त के बारे में क्या 8

बताती हैं? ये स्रोत आधिकाररक खातों से ककस प्रकार मभन्ि हैं?

(या(
सांवविाि सभा िे भाषा वववार्द को कैसे सलु झाया? समझािा।
SECTION -D / खंड-डी
Source Based Questions / स्रोत आधाररत प्रश्न ( 4x3=12)
31. Read the following source carefully and answer the following : 4
How artefacts are identified

Processing of food required grinding equipment as well as vessels

for mixing, blending and cooking. These were made of stone, metal
and terracotta. This is an excerpt from one of the earliest reports
on excavations at Mohenjodaro, the best known Harappan site:
Saddle querns … are found in considerable numbers … and they
seem to have been the only means in use for grinding cereals. As a
rule, they were roughly made ofhard, gritty, igneous rock or
sandstone and mostly show signs of hard usage. As theirbases are
usually convex, they must have been set in the earth or in mud to
prevent their rocking. Two main types have been found: those on
which another smaller stonewas pushed or rolled to and fro, and
others with which a second stone was used as a pounder, eventually
making a large cavity in the nether stone. Querns of the former type
were probably used solely for grain; the second type possibly only
for poundingherbs and spices for making curries. In fact, stones of
this latter type are dubbed “currystones” by our workmen and our
cook asked for the loan of one from the museum foruse in the
kitchen.

370
 भोिि के प्रसांस्करर् में पीसिे के उपकरर् के साथ-साथ ममश्रर्,
सजम्मश्रर् और खािा पकािे के मलए बतयिों की आवश्यकता होती
है । ये पत्थर, िातु और टे राकोटा के बिे होते थे। यह
मोहििोर्दड़ो, िो सबसे प्रमसद्ि हड़प्पा स्थल है , में उत्खिि की
शुरुआती ररपोटों में से एक का एक अांश है : सैडल क्वान्सय …
काफी सांख्या में पाए िाते हैं … और ऐसा लगता है कक अिाि
पीसिे के मलए वे एकमात्र सािि हैं। एक नियम के रूप में , वे
मोटे तौर पर कठोर, ककरककरा, आग्िेय चट्टाि या बलआ
ु पत्थर
से बिे होते थे और ज्यार्दातर कठोर उपयोग के सांकेत हर्दखाते थे।
चूांकक उिके आिार आमतौर पर उत्तल होते हैं, इसमलए उन्हें हहलिे
से रोकिे के मलए उन्हें पथ्
ृ वी या कीचड़ में स्थावपत ककया िािा
चाहहए। र्दो मुख्य प्रकार पाए गए हैं: जिि पर एक और छोटे
पत्थर को िक्का हर्दया या घुमाया गया था, और अन्य जििके
साथ एक र्दस
ू रे पत्थर को पाउां डर के रूप में इस्तेमाल ककया गया
था, अांततः िीचे के पत्थर में एक बड़ी गुहा बिा रहा था। पहले
वाले प्रकार के क्विय सांभवतः केवल अिाि के मलए उपयोग ककए
िाते थे; र्दस
ू रा प्रकार सांभवतः केवल करी बिािे के मलए िड़ी
बूहटयों और मसालों को तेज करिे के मलए। वास्तव में , इस बार्द
के प्रकार के पत्थरों को हमारे कामगारों द्वारा "करीस्टोि" कहा
िाता है और हमारे रसोइए िे सांग्रहालय से रसोई में उपयोग के
मलए एक का ऋर् माांगा।
31. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्यािपूवक
य पहढए और निम्िमलखखत 4
ववकल्प का उत्तर र्दीजिए।
31.1 What is the shape of the base of saddle querns? 1
(a) Circular (b) Curved or rounded outward
(c) Curved inward (d) Conical
31.1 सैडल क्वन्सय के आिार का आकार कैसा होता है ? 1

(ए) पररपत्र (बी) घम

ु ावर्दार या गोल बाहर की ओर
(सी) घम
ु ावर्दार आवक (डी) शांक्वाकार

371
31.2 What are the two types of Querns mentioned in the passage? 1
31.2 मागय में उजल्लखखत र्दो प्रकार के क्विय कौि से हैं ? 2
31.3 For what purposes was grinding equipment used in the kitchen. 1
31.3 रसोई में उपयोग ककए िािे वाले पीसिे के उपकरर् ककि 2
उद्र्दे श्यों के मलए थे।
32. Read the following source carefully and answer the following 4
:
In the account of his experiences, Monserrate, who was a member
of the first Jesuit mission, says: It is hard to exaggerate how
accessible he (Akbar) makes himself to all who wish audience of
him. For he creates an opportunity almost every day for any of
the common people or of the nobles to see him and to converse
with him, and he endeavors to show himself pleasant-spoken and
affable rather than severe towards all who come to speak with
him. It is very remarkable that how great an effect this courtesy
and affability has in attaching him to the minds of his subjects.
32. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्याि से पढें और निम्िमलखखत के उत्तर 4

र्दें :
अपिे अिुभवों के वववरर् में , मोिसेरेट, िो पहले िेसुइट ममशि
के सर्दस्य थे, कहते हैं: यह अनतशयोजक्त करिा कहठि है कक वह
(अकबर) खुर्द को उि सभी के मलए ककतिा सुलभ बिाता है िो
उसके र्दशयकों की इच्छा रखते हैं। क्योंकक वह लगभग हर हर्दि
आम लोगों या रईसों में से ककसी के मलए उसे र्दे खिे और उसके
साथ बातचीत करिे का अवसर पैर्दा करता है , और वह उि सभी
के प्रनत गांभीर होिे के बिाय खुर्द को सुखर्द-बोलिे वाला और
ममलिसार हर्दखािे का प्रयास करता है िो उसके साथ बात करिे
के मलए आते हैं। यह बहुत ही उल्लेखिीय है कक इस मशष्टता
और ममलिसाररता िे उसे अपिी प्रिा के मि से िोड़िे में
ककतिा बड़ा प्रभाव डाला है ।

32.1 Who were Jesuits? How did they establish their network in India? 2

372
32.1 िेसुइट्स कौि थे? उन्होंिे भारत में अपिा िेटवकय कैसे स्थावपत 2
ककया?
32.2 How did Monserrate accord his experience about the Akbar? 1
32.2 अकबर के बारे में मोिसेरेट िे अपिे अिभ
ु व को कैसे स्वीकार 1
ककया?
32.3 How had Akbar’s courtesy brought affability for his subjects? 1
Explain.
32.3 अकबर के सौिन्य से उिकी प्रिा के मलए आत्मीयता कैसे आई? 1
के बारे में बताएां।
33 Read the following source carefully and answer the following 4
:
“That is very good,Sir-bold words,noble words” Somnath
Lahirisaid:
Well, Sir, I must congratulate Pandit Nehru for the fine
expression he gave to the spirit of the Indian people when he said
that no imposition from the British will be accepted by the Indian
people. Imposition would be resented and objected to, he said,
and he added that if need be we will walk the valley of struggle.
That is very good, Sir – bold words, noble words. But the point is
to see when and how are you going to apply that challenge.
Well, Sir, the point is that the imposition is here right now. Not
only has the British Plan made any future Constitution …
dependent on a treaty satisfactory to the British, but it suggests
that for every little difference you will have to run to the Federal
Court or attendance there in England; or to call on the British
Prime Minister Clement Attlee or someone else. Not only is it a
fact that this Constituent Assembly, whatever plans we may be
hatching, we are under the shadow of British guns, British Army,
their economic and financial stranglehold –which means that the
final power is still in the British hands and the question of power
has not yet been finally decided, which means the future is not
yet completely in our hands. Not only that, but the statements
made by Attlee and others recently have made it clear that if need
be, they will even threaten you with division entirely. This
means, Sir, there is no freedom in this country. As Sardar Vallabh
Bhai Patel put it some days ago, we have freedom only to fight
among ourselves. That is the only freedom we have got …
Therefore, our humble suggestion is that it is not a question of
getting something by working out this Plan but to declare
373
 independence here and now and call upon the Interim
Government, call upon the people of India, to stop fratricidal
warfare and look out against its enemy, which still has the whip
hand, the British imperialism-and go together to fight it and then
Resolve our claims afterwards when we will be free .
33. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्याि से पढें और निम्िमलखखत के उत्तर 4

र्दें :
"यह बहुत अच्छा है , श्रीमाि बोल्ड शब्र्द, िेक शब्र्द" सोमिाथ
लाहहररस िे कहा:
ठीक है , श्रीमाि, मझ
ु े पांडडत िेहरू को भारतीय लोगों की भाविा
को र्दी गई उत्कृष्ट अमभव्यजक्त के मलए बिाई र्दे िा चाहहए, िब
उन्होंिे कहा कक अांग्रेिों से कोई भी आरोप भारतीय लोगों द्वारा
स्वीकार िहीां ककया िाएगा। उन्होंिे कहा कक थोपिे पर िारािगी
और आपवत्त होगी, और उन्होंिे कहा कक अगर िरूरत पड़ी तो हम
सांघषय की घाटी में चलेंगे। यह बहुत अच्छा है , सर - बोल्ड शब्र्द,
िेक शब्र्द। लेककि र्दे खिे वाली बात यह है कक आप उस चि
ु ौती
को कब और कैसे लागू करिे वाले हैं।
खैर, महोर्दय, बात यह है कक अभी थोपिा यहाां है। बब्रहटश योििा
िे ि केवल भववष्य का कोई सांवविाि बिाया है ... अांग्रेिों के
मलए एक सांतोषििक सांधि पर निभयर है , लेककि यह सझ
ु ाव र्दे ता
है कक हर छोटे से अांतर के मलए आपको सांघीय न्यायालय में
िािा होगा या इांग्लैंड में वहाां उपजस्थत होिा होगा; या बब्रहटश
प्रिाि मांत्री क्लेमेंट एटली या ककसी और को बल
ु ािे के मलए। ि
केवल यह सच है कक यह सांवविाि सभा, चाहे हम िो भी
योििाएँ बिा रहे हों, हम बब्रहटश तोपों, बब्रहटश सेिा, उिके आधथयक
और ववत्तीय र्दबर्दबे के साये में हैं - जिसका अथय है कक अांनतम
शजक्त अभी भी अांग्रेिों के हाथ में है और सत्ता का प्रश्ि अभी
अांनतम रूप से तय िहीां हुआ है , जिसका अथय है कक भववष्य अभी
परू ी तरह से हमारे हाथ में िहीां है। इतिा ही िहीां, एटली और
अन्य द्वारा हाल ही में हर्दए गए बयािों िे यह स्पष्ट कर हर्दया

374
 है कक अगर िरूरत पड़ी तो वे आपको परू ी तरह से ववभाजित
करिे की िमकी भी र्दें गे। इसका मतलब है , महोर्दय, इस र्दे श में
कोई स्वतांत्रता िहीां है। िैसा कक कुछ हर्दि पहले सरर्दार वल्लभ
भाई पटे ल िे कहा था, हमें केवल आपस में लड़िे की आिार्दी है।
बस यही आजार्दी हमें ममली है... इसमलए हमारा वविम्र सुझाव है
कक यह इस योििा पर अमल करके कुछ पािे की बात िहीां है ,
बजल्क यहाँ और अभी आजार्दी की घोषर्ा करिे और अांतररम
सरकार का आह्वाि करिे, भारत के लोगों से आह्वाि करिे का
सवाल है , भाईचारे की लड़ाई को रोकिे के मलए और अपिे र्दश्ु मि
के खखलाफ र्दे खो, जिसके पास अभी भी कोड़ा है , बब्रहटश
साम्राज्यवार्द - और उससे लड़िे के मलए एक साथ िाओ और
कफर बार्द में हमारे र्दावों को हल करें िब हम स्वतांत्र होंगे।
33.1 Why did Somnath Lahiri congratulate Jawahar Lal Nehru? 1
33.1 सोमिाथ लाहहड़ी िे िवाहर लाल िेहरू को क्यों बिाई र्दी? 1
33.2 Explain why Somnath feels that the absence of constitution will 1
mean dependence on British?
33.2 बताएां कक सोमिाथ को ऐसा क्यों लगता है कक सांवविाि के 1
अभाव का मतलब अांग्रेिों पर निभयरता होगा?
33.3 How did he feel that the final power was still in the hands of the 2
British?
33.3 अांग्रेिों कैसा लगा कक अांनतम शजक्त अभी भी उन्हीां के हाथों में 2
है ?
SECTION E / खंड ई
Map Based Question /मानक्षित्र आधाररत प्रश्न (1x5=5)
34. On the given political map of India, locate and label the following 5
with appropriate symbols :
भारत के हर्दए गए राििीनतक मािधचत्र पर, निम्िमलखखत को
उपयक्
ु त धचह्िों के साथ खोिें और लेबल करें :
34.1 a)Nageshwar a mature Harappan Site . 3
b)Amaravathi a major Bhuddhist Site
c) Agra, a territory under Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb Gwalior
a main centre of the revolt1857

375
 a) िागेश्वर एक पररपक्व हड़प्पा स्थल।
b) अमरावती एक प्रमुख बौद्ि स्थल।
c) आगरा, बाबर के अिीि एक क्षेत्र, अकबर और औरां गिेब
ग्वामलयर ववद्रोह का मुख्य केंद्र था।
On the same outline map, two places have been marked as A and 2
34.2 B, which are centres of the National movement. Identify .
34.2 रूपरे खा मािधचत्र पर र्दो स्थािों को ए और बी के रूप में 2
धचजह्ित ककया गया है , िो राष्रीय आांर्दोलि के केंद्र हैं।
पहचाििा ।

=======================

376
A B

377
 SET-1
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN CHENNAI REGION
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER SCORING KET 2022-23
HISTORY /027
1. (b) 3, 4 1
2. (a) 1, 2, 3,4 1
3. (a) James Princep 1
4. (a) Tamil 1
5. [Link] 1
6. [Link] 1
7. (d) All of these. 1
8. (b) Al-Biruni 1
9. (d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was 1
quite disasterous for farmers.
10. (b) 2, 4 1
11. (b) Vithala 1
12. (d) All of these 1
13. (d) Hazara Rama Temple – New Delhi 1
14. (d) All of these. 1
15. (d) All of these. 1
16. (a) Lord Cornwallis 1
17. (b) 1, 4, 3, 2 1
18. (a) Nana Saheb was the adopted son of Tantya Tope. 1
19. (а) The British refused him the pension of Peshwa Baji Rao II. 1
20. (a) 1, 2, 3, 4 1
21. (a) B.R. Ambedkar 1
22. (i)The Harappan people got food from a wide range of plants 3
and animal products. Fish was their main food.

378
(ii)Their food included grains like wheat, barley, lentil, chickpea
and sesame. From many Harappan sites, charred grains and
seeds have also been found.
(iii) The people also ate rice and millet. The grains of millet
have been found from many sites in Gujarat. Rice was perhaps
not used much because the grains of rice are relatively found
rare.
(iv)Bones of deer and gharial have also been found. From this,
one can imagine that the people of Harappan civilisation also ate
flesh and meat. But it is not known whether the people of
Harappan culture themselves hunted or they got meat from other
hunting communities. They also ate a few birds.
(v) They also got food from many animals like sheep, goat,
buffalo and pig. All these animals were domesticated by them.
(OR)
The following were the reasons for the decline of the Harappan
civilisation:
(i)Floods: Some scholars believe that many towns of the
Harappan civilisation were destroyed because of the floods in
the Indus River. With the passage of time, they were buried
beneath the sands of time.
(ii)Earthquakes: It is also believed that many
earthQuestionuakes might have jolted various cities. They might
have dashed many towns to the ground.
(iii)Droughts and Epidemics: Some scholars think that the
sites of Harappan civilisation might have been hit by acute
droughts or deadly epidemics. These might have resulted in the
destruction of various towns.

379
 iv)Aggressions by the Aryans: Many historians believe that
the people of Harappan civilisation had to face many
aggressions by the Aryans. The people of Harappa were
defeated in many of these wars. It led to the decline of Harappan
civilisation.
23 Causes for the rise of Magadha 3
• Geographical factors
• Magadha was located on the upper and lower parts of the
Gangetic valley.
• It was located on the mainland route between west and
east India.
• The area had fertile soil. It also received enough rainfall.
• Magadha was encircled by rivers on three sides, the
Ganga, Son and Champa making the region impregnable
to enemies.
• Both Rajgir and Pataliputra were located in strategic
positions.
• Economic factors
• Magadha had huge copper and iron deposits.
• Because of its location, it could easily control trade.
• Had a large population which could be used for
agriculture, mining, building cities and in the army.
• The general prosperity of the people and the rulers.
• The mastery over Ganga meant economic hegemony.
Ganga was important for trade in North India.
• With the annexation of Anga by Bimbisara, river Champa
was added to the Magadha Empire. Champa was

380
 important in the trade with South-East Asia, Sri Lanka
and South India.
• Cultural factors
• Magadhan society had an unorthodox character.
• It had a good mix of Aryan and non-Aryan peoples.
• The emergence of Jainism and Buddhism led to a
revolution in terms of philosophy and thought. They
enhanced liberal traditions.
• Society was not so much dominated by the Brahmanas
and many kings of Magadha were ‘low’ in origins.
Political factors
• Magadha was lucky to have many powerful and ambitious
rulers.
• They had strong standing armies.
• Availability of iron enabled them to develop advanced
weaponry.
• They were also the first kings to use elephants in the
army.
• The major kings also developed a good administrative
system.
(ANY THREE POINTS )
24 (i)Ibn Battuta wrote the book named ‘Rihla’. 3
(ii)Ibn Battuta had following observation about the female
slaves of Indian sub-continent:
• The female slaves excelled in music and dance and they
were employed in Sultan’s service,
• They were also employed by the Sultan to keep an eye on
his noble’s activities.

381
25 The activities of the chisti Silsila are as follows: 3
PILGRIMAGE:
i)Pilgrimage to tombs of Sufi saints are prevalent all over the
Muslim world.
ii)This practice is an occasion for seeking the Sufi spiritual
grace.
DARGAHS:
i)For more than seven centuries people of all castes, creeds,
classes and social backgrounds have expressed their devotion at
the dargahs .
MUSIC AND DANCE:
ii) Music and dance is also a part of pilgrimage including mystical
chants performed by specially trained musicians to evoke
divine ecstasy.
CHISTI KHANQAHS:
i) It comprised several small rooms and a big hall where the
inmates and visitors prayed and lived.
OPEN KITCHEN :
i) There was an open kitchen which run on futuh., free langar
service to the people.
ENTRY OF ALL PEOPLE :
i) From morning till late night people from all walks of life –
soldiers, slaves, singers, merchants, poets, travellers, etc. –
came seeking discipleship.
OTHER PRACTISES:
i) Bowing before the Shaikhs, offering water to the visitors, etc
were included. .
REMEMBERING GOD:

382
 i)The Sufis remembered the god either by reciting his name or
evoking his presence or performance of mystical music.
(ANY THREE POINTS)
26 The Strongest Aspects : 3
Ain-i-Akbari depicts enchanting glimpses of the organisation
and structure of the Mughal empire.
(i)It incorporates detailed information about the people of India
and the Mughal empire.
(ii)The statistical data about agriculture is quite significant.
(iii)The information is invaluable to understand the history of
the Mughals and the contribution of historians.
Weak Points or Limitations :
• There are many errors in additions.
• The data of all the provinces have not been accumulated
uniformly.
27 i) It was a documents containing the main object of the framing 3
of a new
constitution .
ii) Prepared by [Link] introduced on 13th dec 1947
iii) Slow - Policy - democracy guaranteed.
iv) Proposed - National Flag of India - ' horizontal'
tricolor of raffrom, white, Dark greenin equal proportion.
v) Value: humbleness, simplicity, selfless service, sacrifice.
Peoplevenerated Gandhiji Mahatma . (OR)
Hindustani:
i) Hindustani was a choice for the Congress and Mahatma
Gandhi. Congress had already decided to adopt Hindustani as
the national language of the country.

383
ii) Mahatma Gandhi was also in favour of adopting Hindustani
as the national language and supported strongly for this view.
iii) He argued that everyone should speak in a language which is
Understood by most of the common people.
iv) Hindustani was not a new language. It was a blend of Hindi
and Urdu.
v) It was enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures and
spoken by most of the people of the country.
Hindi:
i) R.V. Dhulekar pleaded in favour of Hindi for adopting it as
the national language.
ii) He came from the United Province and a Congressman.
iii) He wanted that Hindi should be used as language of
constitution- making.
iv) He even said that those who did not know Hindustani were
not worthy to be the members of the Constituent Assembly.
Report of the Language Committee:
i) The language Committee of the Constituent Assembly
suggested a 34 compromise formula in its report.
ii) It suggested that Hindi in Devnagri script should be the
official language of the country and tried to resolve the issue.
iii) It also suggested that transition from English to Hindi should
be gradual.
iv) It was also suggested that during first fifteen years since
adoption of the Constitution, English would continue to serve as
for official purposes.
v) So it was clear that the Language Committee referred Hindi
as the official language not the national language.

384
 Threat to South:
i) The members of the Constituent Assembly who belonged to
the Southern India were apprehensive of the view.
ii) They felt that Hindi would be a threat to their provincial
languages. Shankar Rao from Bombay. T.A. Ramalingam
Chettiar and Mrs. G. Durgabai of Madras suggested that issue of
language required utmost care and needed to be handled
efficiently and dextrally.
iii) Hindi should not be thrust upon the people of South India.
28. i) The Mahabharata is a story about a feud over land and power 8
between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas,
who belonged to a single ruling family, that of the Kurus, a
lineage dominating one of the janapadas .
ii) The conflict ended in a battle, in which the Pandavas
emerged victorious.
iii) Patrilineal succession was proclaimed. While patriliny had
existed prior to the composition of the epic, the central story of
the Mahabharata reinforced the idea that it was valuable.
iv) Under patriliny, sons could claim the resources (including
the throne in the case of kings) of their fathers when the latter
died.
v) Most ruling dynasties (c. sixth century BCE onwards)
claimed to follow this system, although there were variations in
practice.
vi) Sometimes there were no sons in some situations brothers
succeeded one another, sometimes other kinsmen claimed the
throne, and, in very exceptional circumstances, women such as
Prabhavati Gupta exercised power.

385
vii) While sons were important for the continuity of the
patrilineage, daughters were viewed rather differently within
this [Link] had no claims to the resources of the
household.
viii) Marrying them into families outside the kin was considered
desirable. This system, called exogamy (literally, marrying
outside), meant that the lives of young girls and women
belonging to families that claimed high status were often
carefully regulated to ensure that they were married at the
“right” time and to the “right” person. Kanyadana or the gift of a
daughter in marriage was an important religious duty of the
father.
(OR)
i) Historians consider several elements when they analyse texts.
ii)They examine whether texts were written in Prakrit, Pali or
Tamil, languages
iii)And they try and ascertain the possible date of the
composition or compilation of the texts as well as the place
where they may have been composed.
iv) Historians usually classify the contents of the present text
under two broad heads – sections that contain stories, designated
as the narrative, and sections that contain prescriptions about
social norms, designated as didactic.
v) The original story was probably composed by charioteer-
bards known as sutas.
vi) One of the most challenging episodes in the Mahabharata is
Draupadi’s marriage with the Pandavas, an instance of
polyandry that is central to the narrative.

386
 vii) The growth of the Mahabharata did not stop with the
Sanskrit version. Over the centuries, versions of the epic were
written in a variety of languages through an ongoing process of
dialogue between peoples, communities, and those who wrote
the texts.
29. i)Amara Nayakas exercised power in the empire weremilitary 8
chiefs who usually controlled forts and had armed supporters.
ii) These chiefs often moved from one area to another, and in
many cases were accompanied by peasants looking for fertile
land on which to settle.
iii) These chiefs were known as nayakas and they usually spoke
Telugu or Kannada.
iv) Many nayakassubmitted to the authority of the kings of
Vijayanagara but they often rebelled and had to be subdued by
military action.
v) The amara-nayakasystem was a major political innovation of
the ijayanagara Empire.
vi) It is likely that many features of this system were derived
from the iqtasystem of the Delhi Sultanate.
vii)The amara-nayakaswere military commanders who were
given territories to govern by the raya.
viii) They collected taxes and other dues from peasants, crafts
persons and traders in the area.
ix) They retained part of the revenue for personal use and for
maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants.
x) These contingents provided the Vijayanagara kings with an
effective fighting force with which they brought the entire
southern peninsula under their control.

387
xi) Some of the revenue was also used for the maintenance of
temples and irrigation works.
xii) The amara-nayakas sent tribute to the king annually and
personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their
loyalty.
xiii) Kings occasionally asserted their control over them by
transferring them from one place to another. (OR)

Ans: The advantages and disadvantages of enclosing

agricultural land within the fortified areas of the city were as
follows :
(а) Advantages :
i)During the medieval period, the objective of seiges was to
starve the defenders into submission. These seiges could last for
a long period. Normally, rulers tried to be prepared for such
situations by building large granaries with the fortified areas.
The rulers of Vijayanagara adopted a more elaborate strategy of
protecting the agricultural belt itself.
ii)As the agricultural tract was within fortified area, the peasants
did not face any problems in cultivating the land due to war or
any other reason. The peasants, therefore, did not face any
financial difficulty.
iii)Land revenue was one of the main source of income of the
state. Thus, with the protection of agricultural tract, there was
regular income from this source.
iv)There was an agricultural tract between the sacred centre and
the urban core. This tract had an elaborate canal system drawing
water from the Tungabhadra. So, there was no problem of

388
 irrigation too.
(b) Disadvantages :
i)Such an elaborate system of fortification was very expensive.
The state has to maintain a large army for the protection of a
bigger fortified area.
ii) Sometimes it could have been difficult to decide how much
land be included within the fortified area.
iii) The mahanavami Dibba was the King’s palace in
Vijayanagara though there is no definite evidence. From the
available source we can guess that it had very beautiful wooden
structure with base of the platform was covered with relief
carvings. The Mahanavami Dibba had a very impressive
platform known as “the audience hall”. It was surrounded by
high double walls a street running between them.
30. Private letters and autobiographies are important source of 8
individual’s life and views. Many of our freedom struggle
leaders wrote autobiographies and letters and today they are our
great record about them and history too.
The autobiographies and letters tell us the following things
about an individual.
i) Autobiographies and letters throw light on the interests of an
individual. Let us take an example, Nehru wrote letters to his
daughter Indira describing the events of world history, today it is
known as the book, ” Glimpses of the World History”. These
letters show that Nehru had great interest in history. These
letters show also the views of the author. For example, Nehru
talks highly of the socilaist government of USSR in his
autobiography.

389
ii)These autobiographies and letters are a good source of
information of the social life of those days in India. Dr Rajendra
Prasad has given vivid description of the village life that he saw
as a child in his village.
iii) Above all these autobiographies and letters are great source
of history too. Nehru in his autobiography has explained in
details about the obstinate approach of Moslem League towards
solving the minority problem in India.
These sources were different from the official accounts.
This is manifested in the following points:
i) The official accounts are done by individuals but they work
under the guidelines of the government. Thus, views that run
against the government remain stifled. In addition, the author
would not have the freedom of focused area. He would be
required to write only on topics already defined. However, in
autobiographies and letters one can choose anything of personal
interest. Dr Rajendra Prasad gives a vivid description of his
school and college days in his autobiography. This is not
possible in any government account.
ii)The autographic letters throw light on the personal life of
individual leaders and show these events shaped the thought
process of these leaders in future life. Mahatma Gandhi
described how he was thrown out of the first class compartment
of the train in South Africa because he was not a white man. He
describes the struggle inside on how to protest and later how he
took to non -violent means of protest. (OR)
Hindustani:
i)Hindustani was a choice for the Congress and Mahatma

390
Gandhi.
Congress had already decided to adopt Hindustani as the
national language of the country.
ii)Mahatma Gandhi was also in favour of adopting Hindustani
as the national language and supported strongly for this view.
iii)He argued that everyone should speak in a language which is
understood by most of the common people.
iv) Hindustani was not a new language. It was a blend of Hindi
and Urdu.
v) It was enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures and
spoken by most of the people of the country.
Hindi:
i)R.V. Dhulekar pleaded in favour of Hindi for adopting it as the
national language.
ii)He came from the United Province and a Congressman.
iii)He wanted that Hindi should be used as language of
constitution-making.
iv)He even said that those who did not know Hindustani were
not worthy to be the members of the Constituent Assembly.
Report of the Language Committee:
i)The language Committee of the Constituent Assembly
suggested a compromise formula in its report.
ii)It suggested that Hindi in Devnagri script should be the
official language of the country and tried to resolve the issue.
iii) It also suggested that transition from English to Hindi should
be gradual.
iv)It was also suggested that during first fifteen years since
adoption of the Constitution, English would continue to serve as

391
 for official purposes.
v)So it was clear that the Language Committee referred Hindi as
the official language not the national language.
Threat to South:
i)The members of the Constituent Assembly who belonged to
the Southern India were apprehensive of the view.
ii) They felt that Hindi would be a threat to their provincial
languages. Shankar Rao from Bombay. T.A. Ramalingam
Chettiar and Mrs. G. Durgabai of Madras suggested that issue of
language required utmost care and needed to be handled
efficiently and dextrally.
iii) Hindi should not be thrust upon the people of South India.
31. 31.1 Two main types have been found: those on which another 4
smaller stone was pushed or rolled to and fro, and others with
which a second stone was used as a pounder, eventually making
a large cavity in the nether stone.
31.2 They were roughly made of hard, gritty, igneous rock or
sandstone and mostly show signs of hard usage. As their bases
are usually convex, they must have been set in the earth or in
mud to prevent their rocking.
31.3 Used solely for grain; the second type possibly only for
pounding herbs and spices for making curries.
32. 32.1Jesuits were the missionaries of the society of Jesus who 4
were interested in the propagation of Christianity Akbar was
curious about Christianity and dispatched an embassy to God to
invite Jesuit priests.
32.2 . Akbar created an opportunity every day for any of the
common people or for the nobles to see him and to converse

392
 with him.
32.3 . The high respect, Akbar created opportunity almost every
day for any of the common people or of the nobles to see him,
pleasant-spoken and affable towards all his native and foreigner
subjects.
33 33.1. Somnath Lahiri congratulated Pandit Nehru for the fine 4
expression when he said that no imposition from the British will
be accepted by the Indian people
33.2. The absence of constitution would mean dependance on
the British because for every little difference you will have to
run to the Federal Court or dance attendance there in England;
or to call on the British Prime Minister or someone else
33.3. Lahri felt that the final power was still in the hands of the
British because this Constituent Assembly, is under the shadow
of British guns, British Army, their economic and financial
stranglehold which means that the final power is still in the
British hands and the future is not yet completely in our hands.
34.2 A –Amritsar B-Chauri chura

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 SET-2
केंद्रीय विद्यालय संगठन,चेन्नई संभाग
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, CHENNAI REGION
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER –2022-23

कक्षा / CLASS – XII इतिहास / HISTORY (O27)

MAX. MARKS: 80 अविकतम अंक :80
TIME: 3 HOURS समय : 3 घंटे
General Instructions:
❖ Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in
the question paper. All questions are compulsory.
❖ Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
❖ Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
❖ Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words .
❖ Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions
and are of 4 marks each .
❖ Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the
identification and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer
book.
❖ There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be
attempted.
❖ In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,
wherever necessary.

सामान्य निर्दे श:

❖ प्रश्ि पत्र में पाांच खांड होते हैं - ए, बी, सी, डी और ई। प्रश्ि पत्र में 34 प्रश्ि हैं। सभी

प्रश्ि अनिवायय हैं।

❖ खांड ए – प्रश्ि 1 से 21 प्रत्येक के 1 अांक के एमसीक्यू हैं।

❖ खांड बी – प्रश्ि सांख्या। 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, जििमें से प्रत्येक में 3 अांक हैं।

प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 60-80 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

❖ खांड सी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 28 से 30 र्दीघय उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं , प्रत्येक में 8 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक

प्रश्ि का उत्तर 300-350 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

❖ खांड डी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 31 से 33 तीि उप प्रश्िों के साथ स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि हैं और

प्रत्येक 4 अांकों के हैं।

394
 ❖ खांड-ई - प्रश्ि सांख्या। 34 िक्शा आिाररत है , जिसमें 5 अांक हैं जिसमें महत्वपूर्य

परीक्षर् वस्तुओां की पहचाि और स्थाि शाममल है । मािधचत्र को उत्तर पुजस्तका के साथ

सांलग्ि करें ।

❖ प्रश्ि पत्र में कोई समग्र ववकल्प िहीां है। हालाांकक, कुछ प्रश्िों में आांतररक ववकल्प प्रर्दाि

ककया गया है। ऐसे प्रश्िों में से केवल एक ववकल्प का प्रयास करिा है।

❖ इसके अलावा, िहाां आवश्यक हो, प्रत्येक अिुभाग और प्रश्ि के साथ अलग-अलग

SECTION A 1X21=21
1. According to the ______, the paternal estate was to be divided 1
equally amongst sons after the death of the parents.
(a) Varnas
(b)Dharma Shastra
(c) Manusmriti
(d) Mahabharata
__________के अिुसार, माता-वपता की मत्ृ यु के बार्द पैतक ृ
सांपवत्त को बेटों के बीच समाि रूप से ववभाजित ककया िािा था
क वर्य
ख िमय शास्त्र
ग मिुस्मनृ त
घ महाभारत
2. Consider the following statements about the Mauryan Empire: 1
1. There were 5 major political centres in the Empire.
2. Megasthenes wrote about the Mauryan Empire in his book
Indica.
3. Ashoka founded the Mauryan Empire in 321 B.C.
4. Ashoka used his resources to propagate Buddhism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4
मौयय साम्राज्य के बारे में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार कीजिए:
1.साम्राज्य में 5 प्रमख
ु राििीनतक केंद्र थे।
2. मेगस्थिीि िे अपिी पुस्तक इांडडका में मौयय साम्राज्य के बारे
में मलखा था।

395
 3. अशोक िे 321 ईसा पूवय में मौयय साम्राज्य की स्थापिा की।
4. अशोक िे बौद्ि िमय के प्रचार-प्रसार के मलए अपिे सांसाििों
का उपयोग ककया।
उपरोक्त में से कौि सा/से कथि सही है /हैं?
(क (1, 2 और 3
(ख (1, 2 और 4
(ग (2, 3 और 4
(घ (1, 3 और 4
3. Match the following 1
i. Harappan (a) Gujara
ii. Dholavira (b) Jammu & Kashmir
iii. Manda (c) Rajasthan
iv. Kalibangan (d) Pakistan
a. (i) d, (ii) a, (iii) b, (iv) c
b. (i) b, (ii) c, (iii) d, (iv) a
c. (i)c, (ii)b, (iii)a, (iv) d
d. (i)a, (ii)b, (iii)c, (iv) d
निम्िमलखखत का ममलाि करें :
(i)हड़प्पा) क (गि
ु रात
(ii) िोलावीरा) ख (िम्मू और कश्मीर
(ii) माांडा) ग (रािस्थाि
(iii) कालीबांगा) र्द (पाककस्ताि
क d, (ii) a, (iii) b, (iv) c
ख b, (ii) c, (iii) d, (iv) a
ग (i)c, (ii)b, (iii)a, (iv) d
घ (i)a, (ii)b, (iii)c, (iv) d
4. .Which of the following statements is/are correct about Draupadi? 1
(a) The wife of the five Pandavas and the daughter of Drupada
(b) Draupadi argued with Yudhishthira about putting herself at
stake.
(c) Dhritarashtra returned all the Pandavas and Draupadi to their
personal freedom
(d) all of the above
द्रौपर्दी के बारे में निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा/से कथि सही है /हैं?

396
 क पाँचों पाांडवों की पत्िी और द्रप
ु र्द की पुत्री
ख द्रौपर्दी िे यधु िजष्ठर से स्वयां को र्दाांव पर लगािे के ववषय में
वार्द-वववार्द ककया।
ग ित
ृ राष्र िे सभी पाांडवों और द्रौपर्दी को उिकी व्यजक्तगत
स्वतांत्रता को लौटा हर्दया
घ उपयक् ुय त सभी
5. Observe the picture and answer the following question by choosing 1
correct option
धचत्र का अवलोकि कीजिये और सही ववकल्प चि ु कर
निम्िमलखखत प्रश्ि का उत्तर र्दीजिये

Where has this sculpture been found?

(a) Sanchi
(b) Amravati
(c) Gandhar
(d) Deogarh
यह मर्ू ति कह ां र्मली है?
क साांची
ख अमरावती
ग गाांिार
घ र्दे वगढ
6. Who was the first ruler to inscribe his messages to his subjects and 1
official on stone
surfaces – natural rocks as well as polished pillars?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Bimbisara
(c) Chandra Gupta Maurya
(d) Ashoka
पत्थर पर अपिी प्रिा और अधिकारी को अपिे सांर्देश मलखिे
वाला पहला शासक कौि था
सतहों - प्राकृनतक चट्टािों के साथ-साथ पॉमलश खांभे?

397
 क कनिष्क
ख बबजम्बसार
ग चन्द्र गप्ु त मौयय
घ अशोक
7. What is the title of Telugu work on state craft 1
(a) Amuktamalyada
(b) Tutranmalay
(c) Samarqandi
(d) Muktivahini
राज्य मशल्प पर तेलग ु ु काम का शीषयक क्या है
क अमुक्तमाल्यर्दा
ख तुत्रािमलय
ग समरकाांडी
घ मजु क्तवाहहिी
8. When was the Vijayanagara Empire founded 1
a)1336
(b) 1565
(C) 1800
(d)1498
ववियिगर साम्राज्य की स्थापिा कब हुई थी?
क 1336
ख 1565
ग 1800
घ 1498
9. Choose the correct option:-Islamic law is known as:- 1
(a) Hadith
(b) Sharia
(c) Ulema
(d) Umma
सही ववकल्प चुनिए -:इस्लामी कािूि को इस रूप में िािा िाता
है -:
क हर्दीस
ख शररया
ग उलेमा

398
 घ उम्मा
10. Travels in the Mughal Empire; 1
[Link] Bernier
b,Al Biruni
[Link] Battutah
d. Robert Nobili
मुगल साम्राज्य में रे वल;
क फ्रेंकोइस बनिययर
ख अल बबरूिी
ग इब्ि बतत
ू ूतह
घ रॉबटय िोबबली
11. .Which of the following is not one of the features of the Harappan 1
writing?
(a) The Harappan Script was pictographic and not alphabetical
(b) It has been deciphered by James Princep
(c) It had too many signs, somewhere between 375 and 400
(d) The script was written from right to left
र्िम्िर्लर्ित में से कौि हड़प्प लेिि की र्िशेषत ओ ां में से एक िहीं है?
क हड़प्पा मलवप धचत्रात्मक थी ि कक वर्यमाला
ख इसे िेम्स वप्रांसेप िे समझा है
ग इसमें बहुत सारे सांकेत थे, कहीां 375 और 400 के बीच
घ जस्क्रप्ट र्दाएां से बाएां मलखी गई थी
12. Consider the following events: 1
1. Abolition of sati
2. Passing of Widow Remarriage Act.
3. The beginning of the revolt
4. Queen’s Proclamation.
The correct chronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 2, 3, 4, 1
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2
(d) 2, 1, 3, 4
निम्िमलखखत घटिाओां पर ववचार करें :
1. सती का उन्मल
ू ि
2. वविवा पुिववयवाह अधिनियम का पाररत होिा।
3. ववद्रोह की शुरुआत

399
 4 .रािी की उद्घोषर्ा ।
इि घटिाओां का सही कालािक्र
ु ममक क्रम है:
क 1, 2, 3, 4
ख 2, 3, 4, 1
ग 3, 4, 1, 2
घ 2, 1, 3, 4
13. Who introduced Permanent Settlement? 1
(a) Lord William Bentinck
(b) Lord Cornwalis
(c) Lord Northbrook
(d) Lord Lytton
स्थायी निपटाि की शुरुआत ककसिे की?
क लॉडय ववमलयम बेंहटक
ख लॉडय कॉियवामलस
ग लॉडय िॉथयब्रक
ु
घ लॉडय मलटि
14. Consider the following statements: 1
1. Rumours played a great role in the revolt of 1857 A.D.
2. Peshwa Baji Rao II adopted Nana Saheb as his son.
3. The British had no answer to the action of the rebels during the
months of May and June in 1857 A.D.
4. Awadh was a major centre of revolt in 1857 A.D.
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 1, 2, 3, 4
(c) 2, 3, 4
(d) 1, 2, 4
निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार कीजिए:
1. 1857 ईस्वी के ववद्रोह में अफवाहों िे बड़ी भमू मका निभाई।
2. पेशवा बािीराव द्ववतीय िे िािा साहब को अपिे पत्र
ु के रूप
में गोर्द मलया।
3. 1857 ई .में मई और िूि के महीिों के र्दौराि ववद्रोहहयों की
कारय वाई का अांग्रेिों के पास कोई िवाब िहीां था।
4. अवि 1857 ई .में ववद्रोह का एक प्रमुख केंद्र था।
क 1, 2, 3

400
 ख 1, 2, 3, 4
ग 2, 3, 4
घ 1, 2, 4
15. Choose the correct option: 1
(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite
disastrous for farmers.
सही ववकल्प चुनिए:
क इब्ि-बतत
ू ा िे चीि में व्यापक यात्रा की।
ख अल-बबरूिी िे भारतीय शहरों को काफी आबार्दी वाला पाया।
ग अल-बबरूिी भारतीय डाक प्रर्ाली से बहुत प्रभाववत था।
घ इब्ि-बतूता के अिुसार। भमू म का मक
ु ु ट स्वाममत्व ककसािों
के मलए काफी वविाशकारी था।
16. Which of the following is correct meaning of Jins-i-Kamil? 1
(a) Perfect flowers
(b) Perfect crops
(c) Perfect Sepoy
(d) Perfect administrator
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि-सा जिन्स-ए-काममल का सही अथय है ?
क एकर्दम सही फूल
ख उत्तम फसलें
ग परफेक्ट मसपाही
घ उत्तम प्रशासक
17. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion(A) and 1
the other labelled as Reason(R)
Assertion(A):- The amara-nayaka system was a major political
innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Reason(R):- It is likely that many features of this system were
derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation
of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct
explanation of (A)
C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct
D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct

401
 िीचे र्दो कथि हर्दए गए हैं, एक को अमभकथि) A) के रूप में
लेबल ककया गया है और
अन्य कारर्) आर (के रूप में लेबल ककया गया
कथि) A):- अमारा-िायक प्रर्ाली एक प्रमुख राििीनतक िवाचार
था ववियिगर साम्राज्य का।
कारर्) R):- यह सांभाविा है कक इस प्रर्ाली की कई ववशेषताएां
व्यत्ु पन्ि थीां हर्दल्ली सल्तित की इक्ता प्रर्ाली से।
क और (R) र्दोिों सही हैं और (R) (A) का सही स्पष्टीकरर् है
ख र्दोिों (A) और (R) सही हैं, लेककि (R) सही स्पष्टीकरर्
िहीां है
ग (A) सही है, लेककि (R) सही िहीां है
घ (R) सही है, लेककि (A) सही िहीां है
18. Whom did Gandhiji inform about his Salt March ? 1
[Link] Ripon
[Link] Cunningham
[Link] Irwin
[Link] Lytton
गाांिीिी िे अपिे िमक माचय के बारे में ककसे सूधचत ककया था?
क लॉडय ररपि
ख लॉडय कनिांघम
ग लॉडय इरववि
घ लॉडय मलटि
19. Who among the following said- Separate Electorate to 1
untouchables will
ensure them bondage in perpetuity ?
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b Sardar Patel
c. R. V. Dhulekar
d. Begum Aizaz Rasul
निम्िमलखखत में से ककसिे कहा -अछूतों के मलए पथ ृ क निवायचक
मांडल उन्हें शाश्वतता में बांिि सनु िजश्चत करें ?
क महात्मा गाँिी
ख सरर्दार पटे ल

402
 ग आर. वी. िुलेकर
घ बेगम एिाि रसूल
20. Who was Karraikkal Ammaiyar ? 1
[Link] of Shiva
[Link] of Vishnu
[Link] saint
[Link] of the above
करै क्कल अम्मैयार कौि थे?
क मशव भक्त
ख ववष्र्ु भक्त
ग सूफी सांत
घ उपरोक्त में से कोई िहीां
21. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make _______ language as the 1
national language.
(a) Hindustani
(b) Hindi
(c) Tamil
(d) Urdu
महात्मा गाांिी _____ भाषा को राष्रभाषा बिािा चाहते थे.
क हहांर्दस्
ु तािी
ख हहन्र्दी
ग तममल
घ उर्दय ू
SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (3X6=18)
22. Would you agree that the drainage system in Harappan cities 3
indicates town planning? Give reasons for your answer.
क्या आप इस बात से सहमत हैं कक हड़प्पा शहरों में िल
निकासी प्रर्ाली िगर नियोिि का सांकेत र्दे ती है ? अपिे िवाब
के मलए कारर् बताएां।
(OR)
Describe some of the distinctive features of Mohenjodaro.
मोहििोर्दड़ो की कुछ ववमशष्ट ववशेषताओां का वर्यि कीजिए।
23. Describe the salient features of mahajanapadas 3
महाििपर्दों की मुख्य ववशेषताओां का वर्यि कीजिए

403
24. Explain the sources used by historians to reconstruct the history of 3
the Mauryan Empire. 3
इनतहासकारों द्वारा मौयय साम्राज्य के इनतहास का पुिनियमायर्
करिे के मलए उपयोग ककए गए स्रोतों की व्याख्या करे
25. Why was the permanent settlement of land revenue rarely extended 3
to any region beyond Bengal? Give two reasons

फॊगार सेऩयेककसी बी भें बू-यािस्व का स्थामी फॊर्दोफस्त शामर्द

ही कबी तमों ककमा
गमा? र्दो कायर् फताइए
26. What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated 3
with the mahanavami dibba?
आपको क्या लगता है कक महािवमी डडब्बा से िुड़े अिुष्ठािों का
महत्व क्या था?
27. Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on 3
the part of the rebels.
उि साक्ष्यों पर चचाय करें िो ववद्रोहहयों की ओर से योििा और
समन्वय को इांधगत करते हैं।
OR
How did the rebels in 1857 try to materialise their vision of unity?
Explain
Briefly.
1857 में ववद्रोहहयों िे एकता के अपिे दृजष्टकोर् को कैसे साकार
करिे की कोमशश की? समझािा सांक्षेप में।
SECTION C Long Answer Type Questions
8x3=24
28. Explain the most important idea of Jainism and its impact on 8
Indian
thinking.
िैि िमय के सबसे महत्वपूर्य ववचार और भारतीय सोच पर इसके
प्रभाव की व्याख्या करें ।
OR
“Explain the structural and sculptural features of the Sanchi stupa.
“स चां ी के स्तपू की सरां चि त्मक और मर्ू तिकल र्िशेषत ओ ां की व्य ख्य करें ।
29 Highlight any four aspects observed by Abdur Razzaq on the 8
fortification of the vijayanagar empire

404
 ववियिगर साम्राज्य के ककलेबांर्दी पर अब्र्दरु रज्िाक द्वारा र्दे खे
गए ककसी भी चार पहलुओां पर प्रकाश डामलए
OR
Explain how the Amara-Nayaka system was a major political
innovation of the Vijayanagara empire.
बताइए कक अमारा-िायक प्रर्ाली ववियिगर साम्राज्य का एक
प्रमख
ु राििीनतक िवाचार कैसे था।
30. Examine the different kinds of sources from which the political 8
career of
Gandhiji and the history of the National movement could be
reconstructed.
ववमभन्ि प्रकार के स्रोतों की िाांच करें जििसे गाांिीिी के
राििीनतक कररयर और राष्रीय
आांर्दोलि के इनतहास का पुिनियमायर् ककया िा सके।
OR
“Wherever Gandhiji went rumours spread of his miraculous
powers.” Explain with examples.
िहाँ भी गाांिीिी िे अपिी चमत्कारी शजक्तयों के प्रसार की
अफवाहें फैलाईं।; उर्दाहरर्
सहहत स्पष्ट कीजिए।
SECTION -D Source Based Questions 4x3=12
31. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that
follow:
The most ancient system yet discovered About the drains, Mackay
noted: “It is certainly the most complete ancient system as yet
discovered.” Every house was connected to the street drains.
The main channels were made of bricks set in mortar and were
covered with loose bricks that could be removed for cleaning. In
some cases,limestone was used for the covers. House drains first
emptied into a sump or cesspit into which solid matter settled
while wastewater flowed out into the street drains. Very long
drainage channels were provided at intervals with sumps for
cleaning. It is a wonder of archaeology that “little heaps of
material, mostly sand, have frequently been found lying alongside
drainage channels, which shows … that the debris was not always
carted away when the drain was cleared”.
FROM ERNEST MACKAY, Early Indus Civilisation, 1948.
1+1+2=4
405
 अभी तक की खोि की गई सबसे प्राचीि प्रर्ाली िामलयों के बारे
में , मैके िे उल्लेख ककया :;यह निजश्चत रूप से अभी तक की
खोि के रूप में सबसे पूर्य प्राचीि प्रर्ाली है । हर घर सड़क की
िामलयों से िुड़ा था। मुख्य चैिल मोटायर में स्थावपत ईंटों से बिे
थे और ढीली ईंटों से ढां के हुए थे जिन्हें सफाई के मलए हटाया िा
सकता था। कुछ मामलों में , कवर के मलए चि ू ा पत्थर का
उपयोग ककया गया था। घर की िामलयों को पहले एक िाबर्दाि
या सेसवपट में खाली ककया िाता था, जिसमें ठोस पर्दाथय िम
िाता था, िबकक अपमशष्ट िल सड़क िामलयों में बह िाता था।
सफाई के मलए अांतराल के साथ अांतराल पर बहुत लांबे िल
निकासी चैिल प्रर्दाि ककए गए थे। यह पुरातत्व का एक आश्चयय
है कक ;सामग्री का थोड़ा ढे र, ज्यार्दातर रे त, अक्सर िल निकासी
चैिलों के साथ पड़ा हुआ पाया गया है , िो हर्दखाता है ... कक
िाली साफ होिे पर मलबे को हमेशा र्दरू िहीां रखा गया था
अिेस्ट मैके से, प्रारां मभक मसांिु सभ्यता, 1948।
31.1 Enumerate one reason, why, Mackay states that “it is certainly the 1
most complete ancient systems yet discovered”.
एक कारर् बताएां, क्यों, मैके का कहिा है कक "यह
निजश्चत रूप से अभी तक की खोि की गई सबसे पर्
ू य प्राचीि
प्रर्ाली है
31.2 Define the term’ grid pattern’ of the Lower town and state one of 1
its features.
निचले शहर के धग्रड पैटिय शब्र्द को पररभावषत करें और इसकी
एक ववशेषता को बताएां।
31.3 Describe the features of the domestic drainage system. 2 2
घरे लू जल र्िक सी प्रण ली की र्िशेषत ओ ां क िणिि करें ।
32 A Church in Khambat:
This is an excerpt from a farman (imperial order) issued by Akbar
in 1598. Whereas it reached our eminent and holy notice that the
padris (fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wish to build a house
of prayer (Church) in the city of Kambayat (Khambat, in Gujarat);
therefore an exalted mandate… is being issued… that the
dignitaries of the city of Kambayat should in nocase stand in their

406
 way but should allow them to build a Church so that they may
engage themselves in their own worship. It is necessary that the
order of the Emperor should be obeyed in every way.
खांभात में एक चचय:
यह 1598 में अकबर द्वारा िारी एक फरमाि) शाही आर्दे श (से
एक अांश है । यह हमारे प्रख्यात और पववत्र िोहटस पर पहुांच गया
कक पववत्र सोसायटी ऑफ िीसस के पार्दरी (वपता (शहर में प्राथयिा
)चचय (का एक घर बिािा चाहते हैं काम्बायत) खांबात, गि
ु रात
में (; इसमलए एक अनतशयोजक्त ििार्दे श िारी ककया िा रहा है ...
कक काम्बायत शहर के गर्मान्य व्यजक्त ककसी भी तरह से अपिे
मामले में खड़े िहीां होिे चाहहए, बजल्क उन्हें एक चचय बिािे की
अिुमनत र्दे िी चाहहए ताकक वे स्वयां को अपिी पि
ू ा में शाममल कर
सकें। यह आवश्यक है कक सम्राट के आर्दे श का हर तरह से
पालि ककया िाए।
32.1 What did the padris want to do? 1
पार्दरी क्या करिा चाहते थे?
32.2 How did Akbar ensure that their desire was fulfilled? Who guided 1
the Muslim rulers?
अकबर िे यह कैसे सुनिजश्चत ककया कक उिकी इच्छा पूरी हो?
मजु स्लम शासकों को ककसिे निर्दे मशत ककया?
32.3 How was the situation complicated in the sub-continent and how 2
did the rulers adopt to this situation? 2
उप-महाद्वीप में जस्थनत कैसे िहटल थी और शासकों िे इस
जस्थनत को कैसे अपिाया?
33. What should be the qualities of a national
language ?
A few months before his death Mahatma Gandhi reiterated his
views on the language question. This Hindustani should be neither
Sanskritised Hindi nor Persianised Urdu but a happy combination
of both. It should also freely admit words wherever necessary from
the different regional languages and also assimilate words from
foreign languages, provided that they can mix well and easily with
our national language. Thus our national language must develop
into a rich and powerful instrument capable of expressing the
whole gamut of human thought and feelings. To confine

407
 One self to Hindi or Urdu would be a crime against intelligence
and the spirit of patriotism.
HARIJANSEVAK, 12 OCTOBER 1947
33.1 Explain the term ‘multicultural language’. 1
बहुसाांस्कृनतक भाषा शब्र्द की व्याख्या करें ।
33.2 What were the characteristics of the national language, in context 1
to the source.

स्रोत के सांर्दभय में , राष्रीय भाषा की क्या ववशेषताएां थीां।

33.3 “The report of the Language Committee, promoted the spirit of 1

patrioism’
SECTION E Map Based Question (1x5=5)
On the given political map of India, locate and label the following
with appropriate symbols :
34. 34.1On the given political outline map of India locate and label the
following with appropriate symbols :
भारत के हर्दए गए राििीनतक रूपरे खा मािधचत्र पर उपयुक्त
1
प्रतीकों के साथ निम्िमलखखत का पता लगाएां और लेबल करें :
(i) Lothal, a Mature Harappan site
लोथल, एक पररपक्व हड़प्पा स्थल 1
(ii) Sanchi, a Major Buddhist site
साांची, एक प्रमख
ु बौद्ि स्थल 1
(iii)Hampi / हम्पी OR
Quilon/ जक्वलोि
34.2 On the same outline map of India two places related to the
National Movement have been marked as A, B. Identify them and
1
write their names on the lines drawn near them.
भारत के इसी रूपरे खा मािधचत्र पर राष्रीय आांर्दोलि से सांबांधित
र्दो स्थािों को ए, बी के रूप में धचजह्ित ककया गया है , उन्हें 1
पहचािें और उिके पास खीांची गई लाइिों पर उिका
िाम मलखें?

408
 B

409
 SET – 2 MARKING SCHEME

SECTION A 1X21=21
1. (c) Manusmriti 1
2. (b) 1, 2 and 4 1
3. a. (i) d, (ii) a, (iii) b, (iv) c 1
4. d) all of the above 1
5. (A) Sanchi 1
6. D) Ashoka 1
7. (A) Amuktamalyada 1
8. (A) 1336 1
9. B) Sharia 1
10. (A) Francois Bernier 1
11. b) It has been deciphered by James Princep 1
12. a) 1, 2, 3, 4 1
13. b) Lord Cornwalis 1
14. b) 1, 2, 3, 4 1
15. According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was 1
quite disasterous for farmers.
16. b) Perfect crops 1
17. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct 1
explanation of A
18. Lord Irwin 1
19. A. Mahatma Gandhi 1
20. [Link] of Shiva 1
21. a) Hindustani 1

410
 SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE
QUESTIONS (3X6=18)
22. • The drainage system needed a planning for its execution. 3
It seems that first drainages were laid out and then
houses were built along with the drains. Every house was
supposed to have at least one wall along a street to allow
the domestic waste water to flow out in the street drains.
The plans of the lower town show that roads and streets
were laid out along an approximate grid pattern,
intersecting at right angles.
• It appears that human settlement was made by planning
from the beginning. The city was restricted to a fixed
area on the platforms.
• Bricks, sundried or baked, were of standard ratio. The
length and breadth of bricks were of four times and twice
the height respectively These bricks were used at all the
settlements of the Harappan Civilisation.
(OR)
Harappa as a planned urban centre. It had two parts. One
part of the city was small. It was built on a higher place
Lower Town: It was also a walled town. Most of the
buildings were built on platforms.
In fact, these platforms were considered as foundation
stones. It required huge quantity of labour force to build
these platforms. It is obvious that settlement was first
planned and then implemented as per the building plan.
Quality of sun-dried bricks or baked bricks also prove the

411
 concept of planning.
All the bricks were of standard ratio. The length and width
was four times and twice the height of the bricks
respectively. These bricks were used in the settlements of
the Harappan Civilisation.
23. • Most mahajanapadas were ruled by kings. 3
• Some, known as ganas or sanghas, were oligarchies
where power was shared by a number of men, often
collectively called rajas.
• In some cases, as in the case of the Vajji sangha, the
rajas probably controlled resources such as land
collectively.
24. Sources to reconstruct the history of Mauryan Empire: 3
i) Archaeological finds -sculptures, coins, rock edicts
ii) Accounts of Megasthenes
iii) Arthashastra composed by Kautilya
iv) Buddhist, Jaina, Puranic literature and Sanskrit literary
works.
v) Accounts of Chinese travellers
vi) Inscriptions of Asoka
25. After 1810, the cost of agricultural products were increased. 3
Due to this, the income of the landlords in Bengal were
increased but there was no growth in the income of the East
India Company Thus, the colonial government wanted to
maximise its land revenue by introducing
temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent
settlements. When British officials devised permanent
settlements, they were influenced by the economic theories

412
 at that time. By the 1820s, famous economist David Ricardo
came with his new theory which said that the state needed to
tax the surplus agricultural produce to enhance its
revenue. So the British officials thought that permanent
settlement is ’ not a proper method to collect tax.
Therefore, the colonial government wanted to maximise its
land revenue by introducing temporary revenue settlements
instead of permanent settlement.
26. . The Mahanavami Dibba had a very impressive platform 3
known as “the audience hall”. It was surrounded by high
double walls a street running between them.
Many rituals were associated with the Mahanavami dibba.
Here the Hindu Festival Mahanavami or Navaratri were
celebrated with a great pomp and show in the months of
September-October. This festival continued for 9 days. The
rulers of Vijayanagara Empire displayed their power,
prestige and suzerainty.
27. Lines of communication : There was communication 3
between the sepoy lines of various cantonments.
There was coordination and harmony between sepoys and
ordinary people. Both targeted the white people. Emperor
Bahadur Shah was proclaimed as Emperor of India by the
rebels OR
The revolt tried to gather the support of all sections of the
society irrespective of their casteand creed. The rebellion
was viewed as a war in which both the communities as
Hindus and Muslims stood equally to gain and lose. The
amicable relations which existed between the two

413
 communities were emphasised. The ishtehars brought to the
forefront memories of the pre-British Hindu-Muslim past
and glorified the coexistence of different communities under
the Mughal Empire. Thus, religious differences were not
visible between the two communities in 1857 despite
British attempts to create a wedge between them.
SECTION C Long Answer Type
Questions 8x3=24
28. The entire world is animated and hence Ahimsa is 8
emphasized.
Non injury to living beings Impact on Indian thinking:-
Idea of Ahimsa left its mark on Indian thinking as a whole-
Influenced Bhuddha and Gandhiji Cycle of birth and rebirth
through karma
Renouncing the world to free oneself from the cycle of
karma
High moral thinking was advised through the vows like not
stealing, killing, lying or possessing property and observing
celibacy Simple way of life Vegetarianism
OR
Other sculptures at Sanchi were perhaps not directly
inspired by Buddhist ideas. These figures included beautiful
women swinging from the edge of the gateway holding into
a tree, like, Shalabhanjika was a woman whose touch caused
trees to flower and bear fruit.
There are other images in Sanchi stupa. Depiction of
animals like elephants, horses, monkeys and cattle were
found there. Animals were used as symbols of human

414
 attributes, e.g. elephants were depicted to signify strength
and wisdom.
There is a motif in Sanchi stupa of a woman surrounded by
lotuses and elephants, which seems to be sprinkling water
on her as if performing an Abhisheka or consecration. It has
been identified by some historians as Maya, the mother of
Buddha while others identify her
with a popular Goddess Gajalakshmi (Goddess of good
fortune).
29 He was greatly impressed by the fortification of the 8
Vijayanagara empire. The aspects observed by him are:
Abdur Razzaq mentioned seven lines of forts.
The fortification encircled not only the city but also its
agricultural hinterlands and forests.
Razzaq noted that “between the first, second and the third
walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses”.
The outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city.
The massive masonry construction was slightly tapered. No
mortar or cementing agent was used anywhere in the
construction. The stone blocks were wedge, shaped, which
held them in place. The inner portion of the wall was of i.e.
earth packed with rubble. Square or
rectangular bastions projected outwards.
The fort was entered through well-guarded gates which
linked the city to the major roads. Gateways were distinctive
architectural features that often defined the structures to
which they regulated access.
The arch on the gateway leading into the fortified settlement

415
 as well as the dome over the gate are regarded as typical
features of the architecture introduced by the Turkish
Sultans. Art historians refer to this style as Indo-Islamic, as
it grew continually through interaction with local building
practices in different regions
(OR)
The Amara-Nayaka system was a major political innovation
of the Vijayanagara empire. Many features of this system
were derived from the iqta system of the Delhi sultanate.
The Amara-Nayakas were military commanders who were
given territories to govern by the Rayas
or the rulers of Vijayanagara, The main features of the
Amara-Nayaka system were:
The Amara-Nayakas collected taxes and other dues from
peasants, craftpersons and traders in the area.
They retained part of the revenue for personal use and for
maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants.
These contingents provided the Rayas an effective fighting
force, with the help of which they controlled the Southern
Peninsula.
The Amara-Nayakas sent tribute to the king annually and
gave gifts to the king. Kings occasionally transferred them
from one place to another to show their supremacy.
Many of these Nayakas established independent kingdoms
which led to the collapse of the central imperial structure.
30. (Different kinds of sources that can be used to reconstruct 8
the political career of Gandhiji and the History of the
National Movement.

416
Public voices and private scripts of an individual Speeches
Letters to individuals Publications- Harijan, Young India
etc. Letters written to Gandhiji (A bunch of old letters)
published. Gandhiji’s role understood through other
publications Conversations with Nehru and others
Gandhiji’s autobiography or other such autobiographies of
other leaders of that period. Government records
a)Fortnightly reports b)Police reports..etc
Newspaper reports Time magazine reports on Gandhiji and
Dandi march Oral sources
OR
The peasants regarded Gandhiji as their ‘Messiah’ and
considered him to be having many beneficial and
miraculous powers. Many rumours were in circulation at
various places regarding his miraculous powers. At some
places the common masses came to believe that heVhad
been sent by the king to remove their miseries and resolve
their problems and he had such power that he could even
reject the orders of all the officials.
At some other places it was affirmed that Gandhiji’s power
was greater than even the English king and it was claimed
that with his arrival the colonial rulers would run away out
of fear. In many villages this rumour was in circulation that
the persons criticising Gandhiji got their
houses mysteriously caved and their standing crops getting
destroyed without any reason. Gandhiji was popular with
many names such as ‘Gandhi Baba’, ‘Gandhi Maharaj’ or
‘Mahatma’ among the peasants. They considered him as

417
 their saviour and believed that only he could save them from
the exorbitant rate of land revenue and the oppressive
activities of British officials.
SECTION -D Source Based Questions 4x3=12
31.1 the most complete ancient system, since it is Carefully 1
planned drainage system.
(ii)Grid pattern means:
Roads and streets, intersecting at right angles.
Streets with drains were laid out first and then houses built
along them.
Every house needed to have at least one wall along a street.
( any one point)
(iii)The features of the domestic drainage system were :
Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks,
Drains connected through the wall to the street drains.
31.2 ii)Grid pattern means: 1
Roads and streets, intersecting at right angles.
Streets with drains were laid out first and then houses built
along them.
Every house needed to have at least one wall along a street.
31.3 The features of the domestic drainage system were : 2
Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks,
Drains connected through the wall to the street drains
32.1 The padris (fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wanted to 1
build a house of prayer i.e. church in the city of Khambat, in
Gujarat.

32.2 Akbar issued an exalted mandate. It contained that the 1

418
 dignitaries of the city of Khambat should not create any
hindrance to the making of churches. But they should allow
the padris to build a church, so that they would follow their
own religion.
Theoretically, Muslim rulers were to be guided by the
ulama. The ulaina were expected to ensure that they ruled
according to the Shari’a.
32.3 The situation in the sub-continent became complicated, as 2
there were enough population outside Islam. So the category
of Zimmi meaning protected was developed by the Muslim
rulers for Jews, Christians, Hindus and other non-Muslims
who lived under Muslim
leadership.

33.1 i. Multicultural language means :

A popular language of a large section of the people of India,
A composite language enriched by the interaction of diverse
cultures
Understood by people from various regions

33.2 The characteristics of a national language ,in context to the

source are :
A combination of Sanskritised Hindi nor Persianised Urdu
Words from regional languages Assimilate words from
foreign languages

33.3 The spirit of patriotism as promoted by the language

committee ;

419
 It had decided, but not yet formally declared, that Hindi in
the Devanagari script would be the official language .For the
first fifteen years, English would continue to be used for all
official purposes. Each province was to be allowed to
choose one of the regional languagesfor official work within
the province
SECTION E Map Based Question
(1x5=5)
On the given political map of India, locate and label the
following with appropriate symbols :
34. [Link] [Link] Chaura

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 SET-3
केंद्रीय विद्यालय संगठन,चेन्नई संभाग
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, CHENNAI REGION
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER –2022-23

कक्षा / CLASS – XII इतिहास / HISTORY (O27)

MAX. MARKS: 80 अविकतम अंक :80
TIME: 3 HOURS समय : 3 घंटे

General Instructions:
❖ Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in
the question paper. All questions are compulsory.
❖ Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
❖ Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3
marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
❖ Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words .
❖ Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions
and are of 4 marks each .
❖ Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the
identification and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer
book.
❖ There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has
been provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be
attempted.
❖ In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,
wherever necessary.

सामान्य निर्दे श:

❖ प्रश्ि पत्र में पाांच खांड होते हैं - ए, बी, सी, डी और ई। प्रश्ि पत्र में 34 प्रश्ि हैं। सभी

प्रश्ि अनिवायय हैं।

❖ खांड ए – प्रश्ि 1 से 21 प्रत्येक के 1 अांक के एमसीक्यू हैं।

❖ खांड बी – प्रश्ि सांख्या। 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, जििमें से प्रत्येक में 3 अांक

हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 60-80 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

❖ खांड सी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 28 से 30 र्दीघय उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, प्रत्येक में 8 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक

प्रश्ि का उत्तर 300-350 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

❖ खांड डी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 31 से 33 तीि उप प्रश्िों के साथ स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि हैं और
प्रत्येक 4 अांकों के हैं।

421
 ❖ खांड-ई - प्रश्ि सांख्या। 34 िक्शा आिाररत है , जिसमें 5 अांक हैं जिसमें महत्वपूर्य

परीक्षर् वस्तुओां की पहचाि और स्थाि शाममल है । मािधचत्र को उत्तर पुजस्तका के

साथ सांलग्ि करें ।

❖ प्रश्ि पत्र में कोई समग्र ववकल्प िहीां है। हालाांकक, कुछ प्रश्िों में आांतररक ववकल्प

प्रर्दाि ककया गया है। ऐसे प्रश्िों में से केवल एक ववकल्प का प्रयास करिा है।

❖ इसके अलावा, िहाां आवश्यक हो, प्रत्येक अिुभाग और प्रश्ि के साथ अलग-अलग
निर्दे श हर्दए गए हैं।

1. The ‘Great Bath’ was found in which town of the Indus Valley 1
Civilisation?
A) Lothal B) Harappa C) Mohenjodaro D) Rangpur
मसांिु घाटी सभ्यता के ककस शहर में #39;महािस्िािागार'
पाया गया था ?
A. लोथल
B. हड़प्पा
C. मोहििोर्दड़ो
D. रां गपरु
2. Name the author of the book ‘The Story of Indian 1
Archaeology’.
A) [Link] B) [Link] C) [Link] D)
[Link]
स्टोरी ऑफ इांडडयि आककययोलॉिी पुस्तक के लेखक का िाम
बताइए।
A. आर.एि.रॉय
B. आर.एि.रॉय
C. एस.एि.रॉय
D. आर. रामा स्वामी
3. Which of the following is not one of the features of the 1
Harappan
writing? A) The Harappan script was pictographic and not
alphabetical.
B) It has been deciphered by James Prinsep.
C) It had too many signs, somewhere between 375 and 400.
D) The script was written from right to left.

422
 निम्िमलखखत में से कौि हड़प्पा के लेखि की ववशेषताओां में से
एक िहीां है ?
A. हड़प्पा की मलवप धचत्रात्मक थी ि कक वर्ायिक्र
ु म में ।
B. इसे िेम्स वप्रांसेप िे डडकक्रप्ट ककया है ।
C. इसमें बहुत अधिक धचन्ह थे, कहीां 375 और 400 के बीच।
D. पटकथा र्दाएां से बाएां मलखी गई थी ।

4. Which of the following was the capital of Magadh?

A) Rajgraha B) Ujjaini C) Taxila D) Gandhara
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि मगि की राििािी थी ?
A. रािगह
ृ
B. उज्िैिी
C. तक्षमशला
D. गाांिार
5. Original story of Mahabharata was composed by:
A) Brahamanas B) Kshatriyas C) Sutas D) none
महाभारत की मूल कहािी ककसके द्वारा रची गई थी :
A. ब्राह्मर्
B. क्षबत्रय
C. सूत
D. कोई िहीां
6. Consider the following statements regarding the structure of the
stupa.
i)Harmika is a balcony - like structure that represented the
abode of gods.
II) A mast called the anda arose from the Harmika.
III) A yashti was often surmounted by a chhatri or umbrella.
IV) Yashti arose from the harmika.
Which of the following statement is/are correct?
स्तूप की सांरचिा के सांबांि में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार
करें ।
I) हरममका एक बालकिी िैसी सांरचिा है िो र्दे वताओां के
निवास का प्रनतनिधित्व करती है।

423
 II) हरममका से अांडा िामक एक मस्तूल उत्पन्ि हुआ। 1
III) एक यष्टी को अक्सर छतरी या छतरी से पार ककया िाता
था ।
Iv) हरममका से यजष्ट उत्पन्ि हुई।
निम्िमलखखत में से कौिसा कथि सही हैं?
A) I,II,and III B) II,III,and IV C) I,IV D) I,III and IV
4. The term ‘nirguna bhakti’ refers to : 1
A) Worship of Vishnu C) image worship B) Worship of abstract
form of
God D) worship of Shiva
'निगुर्
य भजक्त ' शब्र्द का अथय है :
A. ववष्र्ु की पि
ू ा
B. मनू तय पि
ू ा
C. भगवाि के अमत
ू य रूप की पि
ू ा
D. मशव की पूिा
5. The most striking feature about the location of Vijayanagara is 1
the natural basin
formed by the river ---------------
A) Narmada B) Yamuna C) Ganga D) Tungabhadra
ववियिगर के स्थापि के बारे में सबसे महत्वपर् ू य ववशेषता िर्दी
द्वारा निममयत प्रा कृत
क बेमसि है ---------------
A. िमयर्दा
B. यमुिा
C. गांगा
D. तुांगभद्रा
6. Give one purpose of writing Ain-I-Akbari. 1
आइि-ए-अकबरी मलखिे का एक उद्र्दे श्य बता इए।
7. Who among the following introduced permanent settlement in 1
Bengal? A) Lord
Dalhousie B) Lord Cornwallis C) Lord Irwin D) Lord Bentick
निम्िमलखखत में से ककसिे बांगाल में स्थायी बांर्दो बस्त की
शुरुआत की ?

424
 A) लॉड डलहौिी B) लॉडय काियवामलस C) लॉडय इरववि D) ल डय
बेंटटीक
8. Who among the following was the President of the Constituent 1
Assembly? A
)[Link] B) [Link] Prasad C) Sardar Vallabh
Bhai Patel
D)Jawahar lal Nehru
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सांवविाि सभा के अध्यक्ष थे?
A. डॉ बी आर अांबेडकर
B. डॉ रािेंद्र प्रसार्द
C. सरर्दार वल्लभभाई पटे ल
D. िवाहरलाल िेहरू
9. Which of the following option is correct? 1
A) Gandhiji started Quit India Mission in 1930
B) He gave his first speech in Champaran
C) Gandhiji was a radical nationalist
D) Gandhiji considered [Link] as his political mentor
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा ववकल्प सही है ?
A. गाांिीिी िे 1930 में भारत छोड़ो ममशि शुरू ककया था
B. उन्होंिे अपिा पहला भाषर् चांपारर्ी में हर्दया था
C. गाांिीिी एक कट्टरपांथी राष्रवार्दी थे
D. गाांिीिी के गोखले को अपिा राििीनतक गुरु मािते थे

10. . Identify the following image and write its name 1

निम्िमलखखत छवव को पहचािें और उसका िाम मलखें
Instruction
In the following questions, a statement of assertion followed by
a statement of reason is given. Choose the correct answer. (14 to
18)
A. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct statements.
B. Both (A) and (R) are not correct.
C. (A) is correct , (R) is wrong statement.
D. (A) is wrong but (R) is correct statement.
11. Assertion : (A) Krishnadeva Raya ‘s rule was characterised by 1
expansion and consolidation.
Reason: (R) Krishna deva Raya belonged to the Tuluva
dynasty.
425
 अमभ कथि: (A) कृष्र्र्दे व राय के शासि की ववशेषता ववस्तार
और समेकि कीथी ।
कारर्: (R) कृष्र् र्दे वराय तुलुव वांश के थे।
12. Assertion : (A )Kabir says that different religions please their 1
gods in different ways.
Reason: (R) Gods are different and they need different forms of
devotion.
अमभ कथि: (A कबीर कहते हैं कक ववमभन्ि िमय अलग-अलग
तरी कों से अपिे र्दे वता ओां को खुश करते हैं।
कारर्: (R) भगवा ि अलग हैं और उन्हें भजक्त के ववमभन्ि रूपों
की आवश्यकता है ।
13. Assertion: (A) Within the sangha men and women were given 1
equal status.
Reason: (R) they had renounced their social status before
joining the Sangha as bhikus and bhikunis.
अमभ कथि:(A) सांघ के भीतर पुरुषों और महहलाओां को समाि
र्दिाय हर्दया गया था।
कारर्: (R) उन्होंिे सांघ में मभक्षुओां और मभक्षुओां के रूप में
शाममल होिे से पहले अपिी सामाजि जस्थनत को त्या गहर्दया था
।
14. Assertion: (A) women had no right to inherit family property. 1
Reason:(R) women were allowed to retain the gift they received
on the occasion of their marriage as stridhana.
अमभ कथि:(A) महहलाओां को पाररवा ररक सांपवत्त के वाररस का
कोई अधिकार िहीां था ।
कारर्:: (R) महहलाओां को उिके वववाह के अवसर पर प्राप्त
उपहा रको स्त्री िि के रूप में रखिे की अिुमनत थी ।
15. Which of the following statement is NOT correct? 1
A) Ibn - batututa wrote a book ‘Rihla’.
B) He found paan and coconut quite common.
C) He considered Indian cities as populated cities.
D) He considered Indian postal system very efficient.
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा कथि सही िहीां है ?
A. इब्ि बतूता िे 'ररहला ' िामक पुस्तक मलखी ।

426
 B. उन्हें पाि और िाररयल का फीसा मान्य लगे।
C. वह भारती य शहरों को आबा र्दीव ले शहर मािते थे।
D. वह भारती यडा कव्यवस्था को बहुत कुशल मा िते थे।
16 When was the constitution passed by the Constituent 1
Assembly?
सांवव िाि सभा द्वा रासांवव िाि कब पारर तककया गया था ?
17 Dandi March brought forward__________________ 1
A) Non Cooperation Movement
B) Quit India Movement
C) Civil Disobedience Movement
D) Rowlatt Satyagraha
र्दाांडी माचय __________________ को आगे लाया
A. असहयो ग आांर्दो लि
B. सवव िय अवज्ञा आांर्दो लि
C. भारत छोड़ो आांर्दो लि
D. रॉलेट सत्या ग्रह
18 Name the painter who painted in’In Memoriam’. 1
उस धचत्रकार का िाम बता इए जिसिे इि मेमो ररयम में
धचत्रका रीकी ।
19. Who among the following Introduced Permanent Settlement in 1
Bengal?
A. Lord Cornwallis
B. Lord Dalhousie
C. Lord Irwin
D. Lord Bentinck
निम्िमलखखत में से ककसिे बांगाल में स्थायी बांर्दोबस्त की
शुरुआत की?
ए लॉडय काियवामलस
B. लॉडय डलहौिी
C. लॉडय इरववि
D. लॉडय बेंहटक
20. Find out from the following pairs which one is NOT correctly 1
matched:
A. Lord Wellesley: Subsidiary Alliance
B. Lord Dalhousie: Doctrine of Lapse
427
 C. Lord Henry Hardinge: Introduced the Enfield rifles
D. Lord Canning: Religious Disabilities Act
निम्िमलखखत युग्मों में से ज्ञात कीजिए कक कौि सा सही
सुमेमलत िहीां है:
ए लॉडय वेलेस्ली: सहायक गठबांिि
B. लाडय डलहौिी: व्यपगत का मसद्िाांत
C. लॉडय हे िरी हाडडिंग: एिफील्ड राइफल्स का पररचय हर्दया
D. लॉडय कैनिांग: िाममयक ववकलाांगता अधिनियम
21. Which of the following options is correct? 1
A. Gandhi ji started Quit India Mission in 1930.
B. Gandhiji gave his first speech in Champaran
C. Gandhiji worked as radical nationalist leader
D. Gandhi considered G.K. Gokhale as his political mentor
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा ववकल्प सही है ?
A. गाांिी िी िे 1930 में भारत छोड़ो ममशि की शरु
ु आत की।
B. गाांिीिी िे अपिा पहला भाषर् चांपारर् में हर्दया था
C. गाांिीिी िे कट्टरपांथी राष्रवार्दी िेता के रूप में काम ककया
डी. गाांिी िी.के. गोखले उिके राििीनतक गरु ु के रूप में ।
SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 6X3=18
22. Describe briefly what has been found in burials at the harappan 3
sites. OR
Describe three features of Harappan drainage system.
सांक्षेप में वर्यि करें कक हड़प्पा स्थलों पर कब्रों में क्या पाया
गया है । or
हड़प्पा िलनि का सीप्रर्ा लीकी तीि ववशेषताओां का वर्यि करें ।
23. State any three elements that historians considered while 3
analyzing the Mahabharata.
महा भारत का ववश्लेषर् करते समय इनत हा सका रोंिे जिि
ती तत्वों पर ववचा रककया , उिका उल्लेख कीजिए।
24. Buildings or architectural remains are a source for 3
reconstruction for temple architecture.’ justify the statement
with reference to the Vithala temple of Vijayanagara.
भवि या स्था पत्य अवशेष मांहर्दर वास्तक ु ला के पि ु निय मायर्

428
 केमलए एक स्रोत हैं। ववियिगर के ववथला मांहर्दर के सांर्दभय में
इस कथि की पुजष्ट करें ।
25. The power of Jotedars were more effective than the Zamindars . 3
Justify with suitable examples.
िो तर्दा रोंकी शजक्त िमीां र्दारों से अधिक प्रभा वशा लीथी ।
उपयक्ु त उर्दा हरर्ों के साथ औधचत्य मसद्ि कीजिए।
26. How did the rebels in 1857 tried to materialise their vision of 3
unity/ explain briefly. OR
The rumours in 1857 began to make sense when seen in the
context of the policies pursued by the british from late 1820s.
Justify with evidence.
1857 में ववद्रो हहयों िे ककस प्रका रएकता के अपिे दृजष्ट कोर्
को साकार करिे का प्रयास ककया / सांक्षेप में व्या ख्याकी । OR
1857 में अफवा हें तब समझ में आिे लगीां िब उन्हें 1820 के
र्दशक के अांत से अांग्रेिों द्वारा अपिा ईगई िीनतयों के सांर्दभय में
र्दे खा गया । सबतू के साथ औधचत्य।
27 Explain any threee ideals included in objective resolution. 3
वस्तनु ि सांकल्प में शाममल ककन्हीां ती ि आर्दशों कीव्या ख्या
कीजिए।
28. SECTION C 8
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 3 X 8=21

Describe the structure of the Stupa and give any two examples
of important Stupas. OR
To what extent the epigraphists face the Mauryas? Describe the
limitations of the inscriptional evidences.
स्तूप की सांरचिा का वर्यि कीजिए तथा महत्वपूर्य स्तूपों के
कोई र्दो उर्दा हरर् र्दीजिए। OR
परु ा लेख-लेखक ककस हर्द तक मौयों का सामिा करते हैं? अमभ
लेखी य साक्ष्यों की सीमाओां का वर्यि कीजिए।
29. Explain how the coming of Gandhiji broadened the base of the 8
Indian National Movement. OR
There are many different kinds of sources from which we can
reconstruct the political career of Gandhiji and the history of the
nationalist movement. Justify the statement with suitable
examples.
429
 बताएांकक गाांिी िी के आिे से भारतीय राष्रीय आांर्दो लि का
आिार कैसे ववस्तत
ृ हुआ। OR
कई अलग-अलग प्रकार के स्र त हैं ि िसे हम गाांिीिी के
राििीनत किी वि और राष्रवार्दी आांर्दोलि के इनतहास का
पि
ु निय मायर् कर सकते हैं। उपयक्
ु त उर्दा हरर्ों के साथ कथि
की पजु ष्ट कीजिए।

30. Identify the relationship of the Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil 8

Nadu with the state from the eighth to the eighteenth century.
OR
‘The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the ‘pollution’
attributed to certain roups by Brahmanas’. critically examine the
statement.
आठवीां से अठा रहवीां शताब्र्दी तक रा के साथ तममलिाडु के
अलवर और ियिा रके सांबांिों की पहचा ि करें । OR
मलांगा यतों िे िानत के ववचा रको चि
ु ौ ती र्दी और प्रर्दष
ू र्
केमलए ब्राह्मर्ों द्वारा कुछ समूहों को जिम्मेर्दा रठहरा या ।
कथि का समालो चिा त्मक परी क्षर् कीजिए।

SECTION D
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS 3X4=12
31. Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions 4
that follow:
Just as the Buddhas teachings were compiled by his followers,
the teachings of Mahavira were also recorded by his disciples.
These were often in the form of stories, which could appeal to
ordinary people. Here is one example , from a Prakrit text
known as the Uttaradhyayana Sutta, describing how a queen
named Kamalavati tried to persuade her husband to renounce
the world. If the whole world and all its treasures were yours,
you would not be satisfied, nor would all this be able to save
[Link] you die , O king and leave all things behind,dhamma
alone, and nothing else, will save you. As a bird dislikes the
cage, so do I dislike the world. I shall live as a nun without
ffspring, without desire, without the love of gain, and without
hatred… Those who have enjoyed pleasures and renounced
them, move about like the wind, and go where ever they please,
unchecked like birds in their flight…
430
A)Name the book from which this excerpt has been taken. 1
B) What things a queen named Kamalavati said to persuade the
king to renounce the world? 2
C) What kind of life the queen desired to live? 1
I. Life of a queen
II. Life of a nun
III. Desired of worldly life.
IV. none
दिए गए गदयां शको ध्या नपूर्क व पद़िए और नीचे दिए गए
प्रश्नों के उत्तर िीजिए:
जिस तरह बुद्ि की मशक्षा ओां को उिके अिुयानययों िे
सांकमलत ककया था , उसी तरह महा वीर की मशक्षाओां को भी
उिके मशष्यों िे र्दिय ककया था । ये अक्सर कहा नियों के रूप
में होते , िो आम लोगों को आकवषय तकर सकते थे। यहाँ एक
उर्दाहरर् है , उत्तरा ध्यायि सत्त
ु के रूप में ज्ञात एक प्राकृत पाठ
से, जिसमें वर्यि ककया गया है कक कैसे कमला वती िाम
की एक रािी िे अपिे पनत को र्दनु िया को त्या गिे केमलए मिा
िे की कोमशश की । यहर्द सारा सांसार और उसका सारा खिा िा
तुम्हारा होता , तो तम
ु सांतुष्ट िहीां होते, और िही यह सब तुम्हें
बचा पाता । िब तुम मरो गे, हे रािा और सब कुछ पीछे छोड़
र्दो , केवल िम्म, और कुछ िहीां ,तुम्हें बचा एगा । जिस प्रकार
पांछी को वपांिरा पसांर्द िहीां है ,है उसी प्रकार मैं सांसार को िा पसांर्द
करता हूँ। मैं बब िा सांता ि के, बबिा इच्छा के, बबिा लाभ के,
और बबिा घर् ृ ा के िि के रूप में रहूांगी ... जिि लोगों िे सखु ों
का आिांर्द मलया है और उन्हें त्याग हर्दया है , वे हवा की तरह
घूमते हैं, और िहाां चा हें वहाां िा ते हैं, अपिी उड़ाि में पक्षक्षयों
की तरह अनि यांबत्र त ..
A. उस पुस्तक का िाम बता इए जिससे यह अांश मलया
गया है । 1
B. कमला वती िाम की एक रािी िे रािा को सांसा रत्या गिे
केमलए रािी करिे केमलए क्या बातें कही ? 2
C. रािी ककस तरह का िीवि िीिा चा हती थी ?

431
 1. एक रािी का िीवि
2. एक िि का िीवि
3. साांसारर क िीवि की का मिा ।
4. कोई भी िहीां
32. This is what Ibn Juzayy, who was deputed to write what Ibn
Battuta dictated said in his instruction:
A gracious direction was transmitted (by the ruler) that he (Ibn
Battuta) should dictate an account of the cities which he had
seen in his travel, and of the interesting events which had clung
to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had
met, of the rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of
learning,and their pious saints, accordingly, he dictated upon
these subjects a narrative which gave entertainment to the mind
and delight to the ears and eyes, with a variety of curious
particulars by the exposition of which he gave edification
and of marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused
interest.
A. What instructions were given by the king to Ibn Battuta? 1
B. What was the impact of the narrative of Ibn Battuta on the
author?
C)Write answer from the option.
D) Who was the author? 1
I. Authors interest was aroused.
II. It was boring
III. It gave entertainment to mind and delight to ears.
IV. None
इब्ि िुजाय, जिसे इब्ि बतूता िे िो आर्दे श हर्दया था , उसे
मलखिे केमलए नियुक्त ककया गया था , िे अपिे निर्दे श में कहा
एक र्दया लुनि र्दे श (शासक द्वारा ) प्रेवष तककया गया था कक
वह (इब्ि बतूता ) उि शहरों का लेखा – िो खामल खेंगे िो
उसिे अपिी यात्रा में र्दे खे थे, और उि हर्द लचस्प घटिा ओां का
िो उसकी स्मनृ त से िुड़ी थीां , और वह उि लो गों के बारे में
बात करे जििसे वह ममला था , र्दे शों के शासकों से उिके
प्रनतजष्ठत ववद्वािों और उिके पववत्र सांतों से, उन्होंिे इि ववषयों
पर एक कथा मलखी , िो मि को मिोरां िि और कािों और
आँखों को ववमभन्ि प्रकार से प्रसन्ि करती थी । जिज्ञासु

432
 वववरर् जिसके प्रर्दशयि से उन्होंिे सांपार्दि और अद्भत
ु चीिें र्दीां
,जििके सांर्दभय में उन्होंिे रुधच िगाई।
A. रािा िे इब्िबतूता को क्या निर्दे श हर्दए थे? 1
B. लेखक कौि था ? 1
C. इब्ि बतत
ू ा की कथा का लेखक पर क्या प्रभाव पड़ा? ववकल्प
से उत्तर मलखखए।
1. लेखकों की रुधच िगी ।
2. यह बहुत उबाऊ था
3. इसिे मि को मिो रां िि और कािों को प्रसन्िता प्रर्दाि
\की 1
4. कोई भी िहीां
33. Nehru admitted that most nationalist leaders had wanted a
different kind of Constituent Assembly. It was also true, in a
sense, that the British Government had a “hand in its birth”, and
it had attached certain conditions within which the Assembly
had to function. “But,” emphasised Nehru, “you must not ignore
the source from which this Assembly derives its strength.”
Nehru added: Governments do not come into being by State
Papers. Governments are, in fact the expression of the will of
the people. We have met here today because of the strength of
the people behind us and we shall go as far as the people – not
of any party or group but the people as a whole – shall wish us
to go. We should, therefore, always keep in mind the passions
that lie in the hearts of the masses of the Indian people and try to
fulfil them.
A. The british government had a hand in its birth, signifies-----
--------------- 1
B. According to Nehru what is the government? 1
C. Who's strength was behind the meeting of the
constituent assembly? 2
िेहरू िे स्वीकार ककया कक अधिकाांश राष्ट्वा र्दी िेता एक अलग
तरह की सांवविाि सभा चहते थे। यह भी सच था , एक मायिे
में ,में बब्रहटश सरकार का "िन्म में हाथ था , और उसिे
कुछ शतों को सांलग्ि ककया था जिसके भीतर वविा िसभा को
कायय करिा था ।लेककि िेहरू िे िो र र्दे कर कहाआपको उस

433
 तकी उपेक्षा िहीां करिी चाहहए जिससे यह सभा अपिी तकत
प्राप्त करती है ।" िेहरू िे आगे कहा : सरका रें राज्य के
का गिात से अजस्त त्व में िहीां आती हैं। सरका रें वास्तव में
लोगों की इच्छा की अमभव्यजक्त हैं। हम आि यहाां ममले हैं
अपिे पीछे के लोगों की ताकत के कारर् और हम िहाां तक
िािाचा हें गे - ककसी पाटी या समह
ू के िहीां बजल्क समग्र रूप
से लोग -
हमें िािे की इच्छा होगी । इसमलए हमें भारती यििता के
हर्दलों में िोिुिूि है उसे हमेशा ध्याि में रखिा चाहहए और उसे
पूरा करिे का प्रया स करिा चा हह ए।
A. इसके िन्म में बब्रहटश सरकार काहाथ था , यह र्दशायता है -है --
------------------
1 B. िेहरू के अिुसार सरकार क्या है ? 1
C. सांवविाि सभा की बैठक के पीछे कक सकीता कत थी ? 2

34. SECTION E MAP QUESTION

In the given outline map of india locate and mark the following
places.
A. mature harappan site.
B. a Buddhist site.
C. any two centres of revolt of 1857.
भारत के हर्दए गए रूपरे खा मािधचत्र में निम्िमलखखत स्था िों
को खोिें और धचजह्ित करें ।
A. पररपक्व हड़प्पा स्थल।
B. एक बौद्ि स्थल।
C. 1857 के ववद्रोह के कोई र्दो केंद्र।

434
 SET -3

Answer key

1. Mohenjodaro
2. [Link]
3. A) harappan script was pictographic and not alphabetical.
4. Rajgriha
5. Sutas
6. D) I,III,IV
7. B) worship of abstract form of god
8. Tungabhadra
9. To describeland revenue system
10. Lord cornwallis
11. [Link] Prasad
12. D)Gandhiji considered [Link] as his political mentor.
13. Karaikkal ammaiyar.
14. A ) both a and R are correct.
15. C) A is correct R is wrong.
16. A ) both a and R are correct.
17. A ) both a and R are correct.
18. B) paan and coconut r quite common.
19. 26 nov 1949.
20. Civil Disobedience Movement.
21. Joseph Noel.
Short answer
22. Dead laid in pits. Difference in the [Link] space lined with
[Link] contained fine
pottery,ornaments,jewellery.
Or
Carefully planned drainage. Grid [Link] house drain join with main
drain.
23. Mahabharat - great epic. Social norms. Patriliny system. Defined duties of
varna system.
24. Vitthala temple, vijayanagar [Link] and [Link] of
kings power.
25. Jotedars -rich peasants. Direct contact with cultivators. Zamindars lost
power due to emergence of
jotedars.
26. Rebels vision of unity- repeatedly appealed to all sections of group. Many
proclaims made in the

435
name of muslim [Link] issued glorifying the communal unity.
OR
Introduction of new catridge coated with fat of pig and cow. Christian
[Link] Bentinck
introduced reform movements,abolished sati, remarriage of widows.
27. Objective of resolution. India as an independent sovereign, republic. It
assured all the citizens of
India to grant justice,equality and liberty.
Long answers.
28. Structure of Stupa - mounds,bodily remains,regarded as sacred. Venerated
as emblems of
buddhism. Stupas-sanskrit meaning heap. Structre -
anda,harmika,yashti,chhatri.(explain features)
Four gateways. People walked round the mound in clockwise direction. Ex.
SANCHI,BARHUT, SARNATH.
OR
Epigraphist and their limitations - Ashoka inscriptions are important
[Link] tell us about Ashoka and his method of preaching
[Link] engraved on hard [Link] recorded ideas, activities, and
achievements. Allahabad pillar inscriptionetc. Inscriptions have their own
limitations:the worlds are difficult to [Link] they are damaged so
words are [Link] is difficult to find out the meaning. All cannot be translated,
deciphered,understood. Some of the matters which appear important today may
be of less important so it might not be recorded.
29. Coming of Gandhi has broadened the base of Indian National Movement-
gandhi returned in January 1915 non-violence satyagraha, sympathy for the
poor,communal [Link] rural people
involvement in the national [Link] felt Indian national movement was
confined in urban areas only. So all his movements focused on mass
participation. Not to cooperate to the british [Link] opposed to color
discrimination and caste [Link] believed in simple living and high
thinking. He identified with the common people.
OR
Different sources like private letters and autobiographies to whom it was written
and who has replied.
Autobiographies depict life story of that individual. Individual letters written by
great leaders [Link] prasad, Jawahar lal Nehru. They are authentic and
important source of [Link] conveys the language style,message.
30. Alvars and nayanars - worshipers of Lord Vishnu and Shiva,initiated
movement of protest against caste system. Against dominance of Brahmanas
reform the [Link] rulers supported brahmanical and bhakti
[Link] many [Link] represent in bronze sculpture.
OR

436
Lingayats -emerged in 12 th century. Founder basavanna, virashaiva, karnataka.
worshiped shiva in linga form. wearer of linga. they challenged the idea of caste
and [Link] not accept theory of [Link] large followers in large
number among marginalised /common group of [Link] not believe on
rituals.
31. A) uttaradhyayana
B) to leave all the worldly things and to follow dhamma alone.
C) Life of a nun.
32. A. The instruction was that Ibn Battuta should dictate an account of the
cities he had seen in his travel.
B. Authors interest was aroused.
C. Ibn Juzayi.
33. A) britishpolicy and their rulehad its influence/impact in the framing the
constitution.
B) According to Nehru the Government did not come out of state papers but of
the strength of people.
C)The people’s strength is behind the constitutent assembly meeting.
34. map a. dholavira. B. bhodh gaya. C. meerut, Delhi, Jhansi (any)

Thanks to all PGTs (HISTORY) of all four feeder regions for sharing their
prepared material and expecially Chennai region content have been incorporated
for the benefits of students of 12th History

437
 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN,CHENNAI REGION

SESSION ENDING EXAM 2023-24

HISTORY (027)

Class:XII Time :3hrs

Max Marks:80

सामान्य निर्दे श:

(I) सभी प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिये।कुछ प्रश्नों में आंतररक विकल्प ददए गए हैं।इस प्रश्न पत्र में प ाँच खंड हैं।

(ii) खंड क ( प्रश्न संख्य 1 से 21) िस्तुननष्ठ प्रश्न (1)अंक ि ले हैं इनके उत्तर एक शब्द य एक पंजतत में दीजिए।

(iii) खंड ख (प्रश्न संख्य 22 से 27) में प्रत्येक प्रश्न 3 अंक क है ।प्रत्येक प्रश्न क उत्तर 60-80 शब्दों में दीजिए।

(iv) खंड ग ( प्रश्न संख्य 28 से 30) में प्रत्येक प्रश्न 8 अंकों क है । प्रत्येक प्रश्न क उत्तर 300-350 शब्दों में
दीजिए।

(v) खंड घ ( प्रश्न संख्य 31 से 33) स्रोत आध ररत प्रश्न हैं।प्रत्येक प्रश्न 4 अंकों क है ।

(vi) खंड ड़. (प्रश्न संख्य 34) म नचचत्र संबंधी है , जिसमें स्थ नों को अंककत करन तथ पहच नन श ममल है । यह
5 अंक क है ।

General Instructions:

(i) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the question
paper. All questions are compulsory.

(ii)Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.

(iii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.

(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words

438
(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and are
of 4 marks each

(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification and
location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.

(vii) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been provided
in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.

(viii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary

Section- A 1X21=21

1. चंप रन सत्य ग्रह शुरू ककय गय :

(क) 1917

(ख) 1918

(ग) 1919

(घ) 1920

Champaran movement was launched in:

(a) 1917

(b) 1918

(c) 1919

(d) 1920

2. ”बंग ल आमी की पौधश ल ” ककसे कह ि त थ ?

(क) झ ाँसी

(ख) लखनऊ

(ग) अिध

439
 (घ) ग्ि मलयर

Which territory was the “nursery of the Bengal Army”:

(a) Jhansi

(b) Lucknow

(c) Awadh

(d) Gwalior

3. कौरि और प ण्डि ककस िंश से थे:

(क) इतछि कु

(ख) कुरु

(ग) ित्स

(घ) इनमें से कोई नहीं

In Mahabharata,Kaurav and Pandavas were from which dynasty?

(a) Ichavaku

(b) Kuru

(c) Vats

(d) None of the above

4. मह त्म ग ंधी दक्षिण अफ़्रीक से ि पस आये:

(क) 1913

(ख) 1914

(ग) 1915

(घ) 1916

Mahatma Gandhi returns from South Africa in:

(a) 1913

(b) 1914

(c) 1915

440
 (d) 1916

5. ररतत स्थ न की पूनति करें :

___________मगध की र िध नी थी

Fill in the blanks:

___________ was the capital of Magadha.

6. यह ाँ दो कथन और क रण ददये हुए हैं। अपने उत्तर को ददये गये विकल्प के अनुस र चुनें

कथि(A) मसंधु घ टी सभ्यत के लोग नौसंच लन ि नते थे।

कारण(R) मसंधु घ टी सभ्यत की मुहरों से समद्र

ु प रीय व्य प र की सच
ू न ममलती है ।

(क) (A) और ® दोनों सही हैं और ®,(A) की सही व्य ख्य है ।

(ख) (A) और ® दोनों सही हैं परं तु ®,(A) की सही व्य ख्य नहीं है ।

(ग) (A) सही है परं तु ® ग़लत है ।

(घ) (A) ग़लत है परं तु ® सही है ।

There are two statements marked as Assertion(A) and Reason(R),mark your answer as
per the codes given below.

Assertion (A) Indus Valley people knew the art of navigation.

Reason ® Indus Valley seals indicate prevalence of overseas trade.

(a) Both (A) and ® are true and ® is the correct explanation of (A)

(b) Both (A) and ® are true but ® is not the correct explanation of (A)

(c) (A) is true but ® is false.

(d) (A) is false but ® is true.

7. ननम्न चचत्र को पहच ननए:

(क) बह
ृ दीश्िर मंददर

(ख) रथ मंददर

441
 (ग) विट्ठल मंददर

(घ) कमल महल

Identify the following image:

(a) Brihadishwara temple

(b) The chariot

(c) Vitthala temple

(d) Lotus Mahal

8. रै यति री व्यिस्थ के अंतगित ज़मीन क सिेिण ककतने िर्षों में ककय ि न थ :

(क) कभी नहीं

(ख) प्रत्येक 10 िर्षों में

(ग) प्रत्येक 20 िर्षों में

(घ) प्रत्येक 30 िर्षों में

Under ryotwari system the lands were re-surveyed:

(a) Never

(b) Every 10 years

(c) Every 20 years

(d) Every 30 years

9. ”रे हल ” क लेखक कौन थ ?

(क) अल-बरुनी

(ख) इब्नबतत
ू

(ग) बननियर

442
 (घ) अब्दरु रज्ि क

Who wrote the book “Rihala”?

(a) Al-biruni

(b) Ibn-Batuta

(c) Bernier

(d) Abdur Rajjak

10. उत्प दकों,विननम ित ओं और व्य प ररयों क एक संघ कहल त थ -

(क) चगल्ड

(ख) समूह

(ग) क रि ाँ

(घ) ब ज़ र

An organisation of producers, manufacturers and traders was called a-

(a) Guild

(b) Group

(c) Karvan

(d) Market

11. सही उत्तर क चुन ि करें :

(क) इब्नबतत
ू ने विस्तत
ृ रूप से चीन की य त्र की

(ख) अलबरूनी ने भ रतीय शहरों को कम घन प य

(ग) अलबरूनी भ रतीय ड क-व्यिस्थ से बहुत प्रभ वित थ

(घ) इब्नबतूत के अनुस र भमू म क र िकीय स्ि ममत्ि ककस नों के मलए बुर थ

Choose the correct option:

(a)Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China

443
 (b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated

(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system

(d) According to Ibn-Battuta,crown ownership of land was quite disastrous for farmers.

12. िोतेद र ककन अमीर लोगों की एक श्रेणी थी:

(क) ककस न

(ख) ज़मींद र

(ग) मज़दरू

(घ) सरक री कमिच री

Jotedars,was a class of rich:

(a)Peasants

(b) Zamindars

(c)labourers

(d) officials

13. ननम्न क मेल कीजिए:

(i) ददल्ली (a) बबरजिस क ददर

(ii) क नपुर (b) कुाँिर मसंह

(iii) आर (c) बह दरु श ह

(iv) लखनऊ (d) न न स हब

विकल्प:

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

(क) (a) (c) (b) (d)

(ख) (c) (d) (b) (a)

(ग) (a) (b) (c) (d)

444
 (घ) (a) (b) (d) (c)

Match the following:

(i) Delhi (a) Birjis Qadir

(ii) Kanpur (b) Kunwar singh

(iii) Arrah (c) Bahadur shah

(iv) Lucknow (d) Nana Sahib

Options:

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

A. (a) (c) (b) (d)

B. (c) (d) (b) (a)

C. (a) (b) (c) (d)

D. (a) (b) (d) (c)

14. ओपननिेमशक श सन पहली ब र स्थ वपत हुआ:

(क) है दर ब द

(ख) पंि ब

(ग) बंग ल

(घ) अिध

Colonial rule was first established in:

(a) Hyderabad (b) Punjab

(c) Bengal (d) Awadh

15. सुलह-ए-कुल क सही अथि तय है :

(क) स ििभौममक प्रसन्नत

(ख) प ररि ररक स मंिस्य

(ग) प ररि ररक श ंनत

445
 (घ) स ििभौममक श नं त

The correct meaning of Sulah-e-kul is:

(a) Universal happiness

(b) Adjustment in family

(c) Peace in family

(d) Universal peace

16. विियनगर स म्र ज्य स्थ वपत हुआ:

(क) 1336

(ख) 1436

(ग) 1536

(घ) 1636

Vijayanagara empire was established in:

(a) 1336

(b) 1436

(c) 1536

(d) 1636

17. ब दश हन म क लेखक कौन थ ?

(क) इन यत ख ाँ

(ख) अब्दल
ु हमीद ल हौरी

(ग) गुलबदन बेगम

(घ) अबुल फ़ज़ल

Who was the author of Badshah nama?

(a) Inayat khan

(b) Abdul Hamid Lahori

(c) Gulbadan begun

446
 (d) Abul fazl

18. न यकों को दी गई भूमम को तय कहते थे ?

(क) अमरम

(ख) पोलीगर

(ग) मसस्ट

(घ) इनमें से कोई नहीं

What was the land given to Nayakas called ?

(a) Amaram

(b) Poligar

(c) Sist

(d) None of the above

19. प्र रूप सममनत क अध्यि कौन थ ?

(क) भीमर ि अम्बेडकर

(ख) सरद र पटे ल

(ग) िि हरल ल नेहरू

(घ) डॉतटर र िेंद्र प्रस द

Who was the chairman of the drafting committee?

(a) [Link]

(b) Sardar Patel

(c) [Link]

(d) Dr. Rajendra prasad

20. अशोक के अमभलेखों को प्रथम ब र ककसने पढ :

(क) िेम्स वप्रंसेप

(ख) व्हीलर

(ग) मैतसमल
ू र

447
 (घ) िॉन मॉशिल

The Ashokan inscriptions were first deciphered by:

(a)James Princep

(b) Wheeler

(c) Max Muller

(d) John Marshall

21. ननम्न घटन ओं पर ध्य न दीजिए:

1. कैबबनेट ममशन

2. किप्स ममशन

3. ख़िल फ़त आंदोलन

4. प ककस्त न संकल्प

इनक सही िम है:

(क) 4,3,2,1 (ख) 4,3,1,2

(ग) 3,4,1,2 (घ) 3,4,2,1

Consider the following events:

1. Cabinet mission

2. Crisps mission

3. Khilafat movement

4. Pakistan resolution

The correct chronological order of these event is:

(a) 4,3,2,1 (b) 4,3,1,2 (c) 3,4,1,2 (d) 3,4,2,1

SECTION- B

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 3X6=18

22. हड़प्पन नगरीय व्यिस्थ के दो भ गों को मलखें और दोनों की एक-एक विशेर्षत एाँ बत एाँ।

अथवा

448
 हड़प्प में स म जिक विर्षमत को दश िने के दो तरीके मलखें।

Mention the two sections of the Harappan settlements and give one main feature of
each?

OR

Mention two strategies adopted to identify social differences among the Harappans.

23. छठिीं शत ब्दी ईस पूिि की भूमम अनुद न व्यिस्थ ककस प्रक र र ज्य और कृर्षकों के संबध
ं ों की
ि नक री दे ती है ।व्य ख्य करें ।

How did the land grant system of sixth century BCE provide an insight into the
relationship between cultivators and the state?Explain.

24. अलबरूनी के अनुस र भ रत के ब रे में उसकी समझ में तय अिरोध थे।

According to Al-Biruni,what were the barriers that obstructed his understanding?

25. ”विियनगर स म्र ज्य में र ि ओं के िीिन में मंददरों की महत्िपूणि भूममक होती थी”।इस
िततव्य को उचचत प्रम ण के स थ मसद्ध करें ।

“Temples played an important role in the life of Vijayanagara kings “justify the
statement with suitable arguments.

26. अमेररकी गह
ृ युद्ध के अंत क भ रतीय कॉटन ब ज़ र पर तय प्रभ ि पड़ ?

What was the impact of end of American Civil war on Indian cotton market?

27. सह यक संचध तय थ ?

अथवा

1857 की ि नं त एक विद्रोह य आज़ दी की पहली लड़ ई थी ? वििेचन करें ।

What was Subsidiary Alliance?

OR

Was the revolution of 1857 a rebellion or the first war of independence? Describe.

SECTION- C

449
 Long Answer Type Questions 8x3=24

28. 600 ईस पूिि से 600 ईसिी तक “वपतस

ृ त्त के आदशि” और विि ह के ननयम की वििेचन करें ।

अथवा

मह भ रत को एक गनतशील ग्रन्थ तयों कह ि त है ? व्य ख्य करें ।

Describe the ‘ideal of patriarchy’and rules of marriage in the early societies from 600
BCE to 600 CE.

OR

Why do we call Mahabharata ‘a dynamic text’? Explain.

29. मुग़ल क ल में कृवर्ष में मदहल ओं की तय भूममक थी।परीिण करें ।

अथवा

अकबर के क ल में भ-ू र िस्ि व्यिस्थ की वििेचन करें ।

Examine the status and role played by the women in the agrarian society during Mughal
period.

OR

Describe the land revenue system of Mughal Empire during the reign of Akbar.

30. भ रत के स्ितंत्रत संघर्षि में नमक सत्य ग्रह क तय महत्ि है ।बिदटश सरक र ने इस पर ककस
प्रक र की प्रनतकिय दी।

अथवा

“मह त्म ग ध
ं ी एक अकेली फ़ौि थे”।मह त्म ग ंधी के िीिन और कृत्यों के संदभि में इस कथन
की व्य ख्य करें ।

Assess the significance of Salt March in India’s freedom [Link] did the British
government react to it ?

OR

450
 “Gandhiji was a one man army” Explain this statement in the context of life and
activities of Mahatma Gandhi.

SECTION -D

Source Based Questions 4x3=12

31. स्तूप तयों बन ए ि ते थे

यह उद्धरण मह पररननब्ब न सुत्त से मलय गय है िो सुत्त वपटक क दहस्स है:

पररननि िण से पूिि आनंद ने पूछ :

भगि न हम तथ गत ( बद्
ु ध दस
ू र न म ) के अिशेर्षों क तय करें गे ?

बद्
ु ध ने कह , “तथ गत के अिशेर्षों को विशेर्ष आदर दे कर ़िद
ु को मत रोको।धमोत्स ही बनो,
अपनी भल ई के मलए प्रय स करो।”

लेककन विशेर्ष आग्रह करने पर बुद्ध बोले :

“उन्हें तथ गत के मलए च र मह पथों के चौक पर थूप ( स्तूप क प मल रूप ) बन न

च दहए।िो भी िह ाँ धूप य म ल चढ एग … य िह ाँ मसर नि एग , य िह ाँ पर हृदय में श ंनत
ल एग , उन सबके मलए िह चचर क ल तक सुख और आनंद क क रण बनेग ।”

(क) स्तप
ू तय है ?

(ख) यह ककस अध्य य से मलय गय है ? यह ककस पस्

ु तक क दहस्स है ।

(ग) तीन ऐसे स्थ नों क न म मलखें िह ाँ स्तूप हैं।

451
 Why was Stupa’s built

“This is an excerpt from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, part of the Sutta Pitaka: As the
Buddha lay dying, Anand asked him: “What are we to do Lord, with remains of the
Tathagata (another name for the Buddha)? “The Buddha replied: “Hinder not
yourselves Ananda by honouring the remains of the Tathagata. Be zealous, be intent on
your own good.”

But when pressed further, the Buddha said: “At the four crossroads they should erect a
thupa (Pali for stupa) to the Tathagata. And whosever shall there place garlands or
perfume …. or make a salutation there, or become in its presence calm of heart, that
shall long be to them for a profit and joy.

a). What are the Stupas? 1

b). From which chapter has this excerpt been taken? It is a part of which book?
1

d). Name any three places where the Stupas have been built. 2

32. अजग्न की प्र थिन

यह ाँ पर ऋग्िेद से मलये गये तो छं द हैं जिनमें अजग्नदे ि क आहि न ककय गय है :

हे शजततश ली दे ि, आप हम री आहुनत दे ित ओं तक ले ि एाँ। हे बुद्चधमंत, आप

तो सबके डेट हैं। हे पुरोदहत, हमें खूब स रे ख द्य पद थि दें ।

हे अजग्न यज्ञ के द्ि र हम रे मलए प्रचुर धन ल दें । हे अजग्न िो आपकी प्र थिन
करत है उसके मलए आप सद के मलए पजु ष्टिधिक अदभुत ग य ल दें । हमें एक पुत्र ममले िो हम रे
िंश को आगे बढ ए…

इस तरह के छं द एक ़ि स तरह की संस्कृत में रचे गये थे जिसे िैददक संस्कृत कह

ि त थ । ये स्रोत परु ोदहत पररि रों के लोगों को मौखखक रूप में मसख ए ि ते थे।

(क) िैददक संस्कृत को महत्िपूणि तयों म न ि त है ?

(ख) िैददक क ल में बमल तयों दी ि ती थी ?

(ग) सही विकल्प क चुन ि करें :

कथन (अ): िैददक परं पर में अजग्न को आग क भगि न म न ि त थ ।

452
 क रण(ब): यज्ञ के द्ि र अजग्न को आहुनत दी ि ती थी िो आक श में ईश्िर के प स ि कर फल
की प्र जप्त कर ती थी।

क) (अ) और (ब) दोनों सही हैं और (ब),(अ) की सही व्य ख्य है ।

(ख) (अ) और (ब) दोनों सही हैं परं तु (ब),(अ) की सही व्य ख्य नहीं है ।

(ग) (अ) सही है परं तु (ब) ग़लत है ।

(घ) (अ) ग़लत है परं तु (ब) सही है ।

A prayer to Agni

Here are two verses from the Rigveda invoking Agni , the God of Fire:

Bring, O strong one, this sacrifice of ours to the Gods, O wise one, as a liberal giver.
Bestow on us, O priest, abundant food. Agni, obtain, by sacrificing, mighty wealth for
us. Pro-cure, O Agni, for ever to him who pays to you (the gift of) nourishment the
wonderful cow. May a son be ours, offspring that continues our line ...

Verses such as these were composed in a special kind of Sanskrit, known as Vedic
Sanskrit. They were taught orally to men belonging to priestly families.

a) Vedic Sanskrit is considered to be important because? 1

b) Why were sacrifices performed during the Vedic Period? 2

c) Choose the correct option. 1

Assertion(A) :Agni was the God of Fire in the Vedic tradition.

Reason(R) :Therefore offerings were made to agni so that in form of smoke they would
reach the Gods living in the sky and invoke their blessings

(i) Both A and R are correct and R is the correct explanation of A. (ii) Both A and R are
correct but R is not the correct explanation of A. (iii) A is incorrect but R is correct.

(iv) R is incorrect but A is correct.

453
33. गोविंद िल्लभ पंत ने कह कक ननष्ठ ि न न गररक बनने के मलए लोगों को समुद य और ़िुद
को बीच में रख कर सोचने की आदत छोड़नी होगी :

लोकतंत्र की सफलत के मलए व्यजतत को आत्म नुश सन कक कल क प्रमशिण लेन होग ।

लोकतंत्र में व्यजतत को अपने मलए कम तथ औरों के मलए ज़्य द कफ़ि करनी च दहए। यह ाँ खंडडत
ननष्ठ के मलए कोई िगह नहीं है । स री ननष्ठ एाँ केिल र ज्य पर केंदद्रत होनी च दहए। यदद ककसी
लोकतंत्र में आप प्रनतस्पधी ननष्ठ एाँ रख दे ते हैं य ऐसी व्यिस्थ खड़ी कर दे ते हैं जिसमें कोई
व्यजतत य समह
ू अपने अपव्यय पर अंकुश लग ने की बि य िह
ृ त्तर य अन्य दहतों की ज़र भी
परि ह नहीं करत , तो ऐसे लोकतंत्र क डूबन ननजश्चत है ।

(क) गोविंद िल्लभ पंत के अनस

ु र लोकतंत्र में ननष्ठ रखने ि लों के कोई दो गण
ु बत एाँ।

(ख) “पथ
ृ क ननि च
ि न” से आप तय समझते हैं।

(ग) प्र रूप सममनत के समि पथ

ृ क ननि च
ि न की म ाँग तयों आई।

“Govind Ballabh Pant argued that in order to become a loyal citizen. People had
focusing only on the community and the self. For the success of Democracy one must
train himself in the art of self-discipline. In democracies one should care less for himself
and more for others. There cannot be any divided loyalty. All loyalties must exclusively
be centred round the State. If in a democracy, you create rival loyalties, or you create a
system in which any individual or group, instead of suppressing his extravagance, cares
nought for larger or other interests, then democracy is doomed.’’

a). Give two attributes of a loyal citizen in a democracy according to G. B. Pant.

1

b). What do you understand by ‘Separate Electorate’? 2

c). Why was the demand for Separate Electorate made during the drafting of the
Constitution? 1

SECTION- E

Map Based Question 1x5=5

34. (अ) भ रत के ददये गये र िनीनतक म नचचत्र पर ननम्न को अंककत करें -

(क) हड़प्प

454
(ख) ददल्ली

(ग) कुशीनगर

अथि

बोधगय

(ब) इसी म नचचत्र पर दो स्थ न A और Bअंककत ककए गए हैं िो भ रत के स्ितंत्रत संघर्षि से

संबंचधत हैं।उनको पहच ननए और उनके न म मलखखए।

(i) On the given political map of india, locate and label the following with appropriate
symbols:

(a) Harappa

(b) Delhi

(c) Kushinagar

OR

Bodhgaya

(ii) On the same outline map,two places have been marked as A and B,which are the
centres of Indian national [Link] them and write their correct names.

455
 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN,CHENNAI REGION
SESSION 2023-24
HISTORY (027)
ANSWER KEY
1. A. Champaran

2. C. Awadh

3. B. Kuru

4. C. 1915

456
5. Patliputra

6. A.

7. A.

8. D.

9. B.

10. A. Guild

11. A.

12. A. Peasants

13. B.

14. D. Awadh

15. D. Universal peace

16. A. 1336

17. B. Abdul Hamid Lahori

18. A. Amram

19. A. Bhimrao Ambedkar

20. A. James princep

21. D. 3,4,2,1

22. (i) Citadel and lower town

(ii) Citadel was small and lower town was big.

(iii) Citadel was used by administrators and lower town by common people
OR
(i) Burials. (ii) classification of towns
23. (i) Land grant was increasing

(ii) Brahmans became more strong in their areas

(iii) Exploitation of peasants
24. (i) Sanskrit

(ii) Indian social system

25. (i) Temples were centre of all the religious activities
(ii) Temples were used to show off the power

(iii) Kings use temple to connect them with common people

26. (i) Cotton export ended

(ii) Now production of cotton also goes down

(iii) cotton was easily available on low rate in Indian market

457
27. (i) Subsidiary alliance was introduced by vellesely

(ii) it was an alliance between British and Indian princely states

(iii) A British resident use to live in the capital of that state with a small army
OR
(i) this is also known as the first war of Indian independence.
(ii) it was started by Indian sepoy’s.
(iii) Many Indian states were also supporting this revolt
28. (i) Hindu weddings were celebrated with verses
(ii) Marriage was considered to be means of obtaining sons
(iii) Kanyadana or gift of a daughter was considered as an important religious duty of the
father

(iv) Hindu dharmshastras recognized 8 forms of marriages of those the first 4 were good and
remaining were condemned
OR
(i) the central story is about two sets of warring cousins
(ii) the growth of Mahabharata didn’t stop with the Sanskrit version
(iii) over the centuries versions of the epic were written in a variety of languages
(iv) the central story of the epic was often retold in different ways
29. (i) There was high mortality rate among women

(ii) Male was the head of the family. Female remained under their control
(iii) Woman performed certain specific role in production. Women sowed, weeded, threshed
and winnowed the harvest
(iv) they also went to house of their employers and even to markets if required (iv)
female were seen as an important source because they were child bearers also
OR.
(i) Akbar followed policies for fixing land revenue
(ii) Zabti system.
(iii) Ten years system
(iv) Batai or Galla Bakshi system
(v) Nasak or Kankut system.
(vi) Measurement of land.
(vii) Facilies of peasants
30. (i) in 1930 Gandhiji announced that he would lead a march to break one of the widely
disliked laws in India, which gave the state a monopoly in the manufacturing and sale of salt

(ii) on 12 march 1930 he began walking from Sabarmati

(iii) Meanwhile parallel salt marches were being conducted in other parts of the country
(iv) the progress can be traced from the secret reports filed by the police officials. (v)
these reproduce the speeches he gave at the villages on route
OR

(i) Related to a rich family but he always lead a simple life

(ii) bound by his truthfulness, non-violence (iii)
Influenced by the great leaders

458
 (iv) His experiments with satyagrah astonished britishers.
(v) he lead three great movements without any fear
31. (a) Stupa was the sacred places. They preserved the relics of the buddha such as the bodily
remains.

(b) Mahaparinibban sutta, a part of Suttapitaka

(c) Bharhut,Sanchi,Sarnath
32. (a) Vedas we’re written in Sanskrit.
(b) For the birth of Sons, for spiritual satisfaction

(c) A
33. (a) He must train himself in the art of self-discipline , He should care less for himself and
more for others

(b) under provisions of government of India act 1909 separate electorate were made for the
Muslims .
(c) Some members of the assembly felt that a meaningful participation of the minorities
could be ascertained by this system.
34. A- Dandi

B- Champaran

459
 MODEL QUESTION PAPER
CLASS – XII HISTORY

[Link]

. TIME: 3 HRS

General Instructions:

(iii) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
(iv) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
(v) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(vi) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words
(vii) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and
are of 4 marks each .
(viii) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification
and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.
(ix) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.
(x) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,
wherever necessary.

SECTION A 1X21=21
1. According to the ______, the paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst 1
sons after the death of the parents.
(a) Varnas
(b)Dharma Shastra
(c) Manusmriti
(d) Mahabharata

2. Consider the following statements about the Mauryan Empire: 1

1. There were 5 major political centres in the Empire.
2. Megasthenes wrote about the Mauryan Empire in his book Indica.
3. Ashoka founded the Mauryan Empire in 321 B.C.
4. Ashoka used his resources to propagate Buddhism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 2, 3 and 4

3. Match the following: 1

460
 (i) Harappan (a) Gujarat
(II) Dholavira (b) Jammu & Kashmir
(iii) Manda (c) Rajasthan
(IV)Kalibangan (d) Pakistan
a. (i) d, (ii) a, (iii) b, (iv) c
b. (i) b, (ii) c, (iii) d, (iv) a
c. (i)c, (ii)b, (iii)a, (iv) d
d. (i)a, (ii)b, (iii)c, (iv) d

4. .Which of the following statements is/are correct about Draupadi? 1

(a) The wife of the five Pandavas and the daughter of Drupada
(b) Draupadi argued with Yudhishthira about putting herself at stake.
(c) Dhritarashtra returned all the Pandavas and Draupadi to their personal freedom
(d) all of the above
5. Observe the picture and answer the following question by choosing correct option 1

Where has this sculpture been found?

(a) Sanchi
(b) Amravati
(c) Gandhar
(d) Deogarh
6. Who was the first ruler to inscribe his messages to his subjects and official on stone 1
surfaces – natural rocks as well as polished pillars?
(a) Kanishka
(b) Bimbisara
(c) Chandra Gupta Maurya
(d) Ashoka
7. What is the title of Telugu work on state craft 1
(a) Amuktamalyada
(b) Tutranmalay
(c) Samarqandi
(d) Muktivahini

8. When was the Vijayanagara Empire founded 1

a)1336
(b) 1565
(C) 1800
(D) 1498

9. Choose the correct option:-Islamic law is known as:- 1

(a) Hadith
(b) Sharia
(c) Ulema
(d) Umma

461
10. Travels in the Mughal Empire; 1
[Link] Bernier
b,Al Biruni
[Link] Battutah
d. Robert Nobili

11. .Which of the following is not one of the features of the Harappan writing? 1
(a) The Harappan Script was pictographic and not alphabetical
(b) It has been deciphered by James Princep
(c) It had too many signs, somewhere between 375 and 400
(d) The script was written from right to left

12. Consider the following events: 1

1. Abolition of sati
2. Passing of Widow Remarriage Act.
3. The beginning of the revolt
4. Queen’s Proclamation.
The correct chronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 2, 3, 4, 1
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2
(d) 2, 1, 3, 4

13. Who introduced Permanent Settlement? 1

(c) Lord William Bentinck
(d) Lord Cornwalis
(c) Lord Northbrook
(d) Lord Lytton

14. Consider the following statements: 1

1. Rumours played a great role in the revolt of 1857 A.D.
2. Peshwa Baji Rao II adopted Nana Saheb as his son.
3. The British had no answer to the action of the rebels during the months of May
and June in 1857 A.D.
4. Awadh was a major centre of revolt in 1857 A.D.
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 1, 2, 3, 4
(c) 2, 3, 4
(d) 1, 2, 4

15. Choose the correct option: 1

(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite disastrous for
farmers.

16. Which of the following is correct meaning of Jins-i-Kamil? 1

(a) Perfect flowers
(b) Perfect crops

462
 (c) Perfect Sepoy
(d) Perfect administrator

17. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion(A) and the 1
other labelled as Reason(R)
Assertion(A):- The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation
of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Reason(R):- It is likely that many features of this system were derived
from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct explanation of
(A)
C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct
D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct

18. Whom did Gandhiji inform about his Salt March ? 1

[Link] Ripon
[Link] Cunningham
[Link] Irwin
[Link] Lytton

19. Who among the following said- Separate Electorate to untouchables will 1
ensure them bondage in perpetuity ?
a. Mahatma Gandhi
b Sardar Patel
c. R. V. Dhulekar
d. Begum Aizaz Rasul

20. Who was Karraikkal Ammaiyar ? 1

[Link] of Shiva
[Link] of Vishnu
[Link] saint
[Link] of the above

21. Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make _______ language as the national language. 1
(a) Hindustani
(b) Hindi
(c) Tamil
(d) Urdu

SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (3X6=18)
22. Would you agree that the drainage system in Harappan cities indicates town 3
planning? Give reasons for your answer.
(OR)
Describe some of the distinctive features of Mohenjodaro.

23. Describe the salient features of mahajanapadas 3

463
24. Explain the sources used by historians to reconstruct the history of the 3
Mauryan Empire. 3
25. Why was the permanent settlement of land revenue rarely extended to any 3
region beyond Bengal? Give two reasons

26. What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated with the 3
mahanavami dibba?
27. Discuss the evidence that indicates planning and coordination on the part of the 3
rebels.
OR
How did the rebels in 1857 try to materialise their vision of unity? Explain
Briefly.

SECTION C Long Answer Type Questions 8x3=24

28. Explain the most important idea of Jainism and its impact on Indian 8
thinking.
OR
“Explain the structural and sculptural features of the Sanchi stupa.
29 Highlight any four aspects observed by Abdur Razzaq on the fortification 8
of the vijayanagar empire
OR
Explain how the Amara-Nayaka system was a major political innovation
of the Vijayanagara empire.

30. Examine the different kinds of sources from which the political career of 8
Gandhiji and the history of the National movement could be reconstructed.
OR
“Wherever Gandhiji went rumours spread of his miraculous powers.”
Explain with examples.

SECTION -D Source Based Questions 4x3=12

31. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:
The most ancient system yet discovered
About the drains, Mackay noted: “It is certainly the most complete ancient
system as yet discovered.” Every house was connected to the street drains.
The main channels were made of bricks set in mortar and were covered
with loose bricks that could be removed for cleaning. In some cases,
limestone was used for the covers. House drains first emptied into a sump
or cesspit into which solid matter settled while wastewater flowed out into
the street drains. Very long drainage channels were provided at intervals
with sumps for cleaning. It is a wonder of archaeology that “little heaps of
material, mostly sand, have frequently been found lying alongside
drainage channels, which shows … that the debris was not always carted
away when the drain was cleared”.
FROM ERNEST MACKAY, Early Indus Civilisation, 1948.

31.1 Enumerate one reason, why, Mackay states that “it is certainly the most 1
complete ancient systems yet discovered”.

31.2 Define the term’ grid pattern’ of the Lower town and state one of its 1
features.

464
31.3 Describe the features of the domestic drainage system. 2 2

32 A Church in Khambat:
This is an excerpt from a farman (imperial order) issued by Akbar in 1598.
Whereas it reached our eminent and holy notice that the padris (fathers) of
the Holy Society of Jesus wish to build a house of prayer (Church) in the
city of Kambayat (Khambat, in Gujarat); therefore an exalted mandate…
is being issued… that the dignitaries of the city of Kambayat should in no
case stand in their way but should allow them to build a Church so that
they may engage themselves in their own worship. It is necessary that the
order of the Emperor should be obeyed in every way.
32.1 What did the padris want to do? 1
32.2 How did Akbar ensure that their desire was fulfilled? Who guided the 1
Muslim rulers?
32.3 How was the situation complicated in the sub-continent and how did the 2
rulers adopt to this situation? 2
33. What should be the qualities of a national language ?
A few months before his death Mahatma Gandhi reiterated his views on
the language question. This Hindustani should be neither Sanskritised
Hindi nor Persianised Urdu but a happy combination of both. It should
also freely admit words wherever necessary from the different regional
languages and also assimilate words from foreign languages, provided that
they can mix well and easily with our national language. Thus our national
language must develop into a rich and powerful instrument capable of
expressing the whole gamut of human thought and feelings. To confine
oneself to Hindi or Urdu would be a crime against intelligence and the
spirit of patriotism.
HARIJANSEVAK, 12 OCTOBER 1947
33.1 Explain the term ‘multicultural language’. 1
33.2 What were the characteristics of the national language, in context to the 1
source.
33.3 “The report of the Language Committee, promoted the spirit of patrioism’ 1
SECTION E Map Based Question (1x5=5)
On the given political map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate
symbols :
34. 34.1On the given political outline map of India locate and label the following
with appropriate symbols :
(i) Lothal, a Mature Harappan site 1
(ii) Sanchi, a Major Buddhist site
(iii)Hampi 1
OR
Quilon 1

34.2 On the same outline map of India two places related to the National Movement
have been marked as A, B. Identify them and write their names on the lines 1
drawn near them.
1

465
 ==================================================

MODEL PAPER

ANSWER KEY

SECTION A 1X21=21

1. (c) Manusmriti 1

2. (b) 1, 2 and 4 1

3. a. (i) d, (ii) a, (iii) b, (iv) c 1

4. d) all of the above 1
5. (A) Sanchi 1
6. D) Ashoka 1
7. (A) Amuktamalyada 1
8. (A) 1336 1
9. B) Sharia 1

10. (B) Francois Bernier 1

11. b) It has been deciphered by James Princep 1

12. a) 1, 2, 3, 4 1
13. b) Lord Cornwalis 1
14. b) 1, 2, 3, 4 1

15. According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite disasterous 1

for farmers.
16. b) Perfect crops 1

17. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of A 1
18. Lord Irwin 1
19. A. Mahatma Gandhi 1

20. [Link] of Shiva 1

21. a) Hindustani 1
SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (3X6=18)

466
22. • The drainage system needed a planning for its execution. 3
It seems that first drainages were laid out and then houses
were built along with the drains. Every house was
supposed to have at least one wall along a street to allow
the domestic waste water to flow out in the street drains.
The plans of the lower town show that roads and streets
were laid out along an approximate grid pattern,
intersecting at right angles.
• It appears that human settlement was made by planning
from the beginning. The city was restricted to a fixed area
on the platforms.
• Bricks, sundried or baked, were of standard ratio. The
length and breadth of bricks were of four times and twice
the height respectively These bricks were used at all the
settlements of the Harappan Civilisation.

(OR)
Harappa as a planned urban centre. It had two parts. One part of the
city was small. It was built on a higher place
Lower Town: It was also a walled town. Most of the buildings were built
on platforms.
In fact, these platforms were considered as foundation stones. It required
huge quantity of labour force to build these platforms. It is obvious that
settlement was first planned and then implemented as per the building
plan. Quality of sun-dried bricks or baked bricks also prove the concept of
planning.
All the bricks were of standard ratio. The length and width was four times
and twice the height of the bricks respectively. These bricks were used in
the settlements of the Harappan Civilisation.

23. • Most mahajanapadas were ruled by kings. 3

• Some, known as ganas or sanghas, were oligarchies where
power was shared by a number of men, often collectively
called rajas.
• In some cases, as in the case of the Vajji sangha, the rajas
probably controlled resources such as land collectively.

24. Sources to reconstruct the history of Mauryan Empire: 3

i) Archaeological finds -sculptures, coins, rock edicts
ii) Accounts of Megasthenes
iii) Arthashastra composed by Kautilya
iv) Buddhist, Jaina, Puranic literature and Sanskrit literary works.
v) Accounts of Chinese travellers
vi) Inscriptions of Asoka
25. 3
After 1810, the cost of agricultural products were increased. Due to this,
the income of the

467
 landlords in Bengal were increased but there was no growth in the
income of the East India
Company Thus, the colonial government wanted to maximise its land
revenue by introducing
temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent settlements.
When British officials devised permanent settlements, they were
influenced by the economic
theories at that time. By the 1820s, famous economist David Ricardo
came with his new
theory which said that the state needed to tax the surplus agricultural
produce to enhance its
revenue. So the British officials thought that permanent settlement is ’
not a proper method to
collect tax.
Therefore, the colonial government wanted to maximise its land revenue
by introducing
temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent settlement.
26. . The Mahanavami Dibba had a very impressive platform known as “the 3
audience hall”. It was surrounded by high double walls a street running
between them.
Many rituals were associated with the Mahanavami dibba. Here the
Hindu Festival Mahanavami or Navaratri were celebrated with a great
pomp and show in the months of September-October. This festival
continued for 9 days. The rulers of Vijayanagara Empire displayed their
power, prestige and suzerainty.
27. Lines of communication : There was communication between the sepoy 3
lines of various cantonments.
There was coordination and harmony between sepoys and ordinary
people.
Both targeted the white people.
Emperor Bahadur Shah was proclaimed as Emperor of India by the rebels

OR

The revolt tried to gather the support of all sections of the society
irrespective of their casteand creed. The rebellion was viewed as a war in
which both the communities as Hindus and
Muslims stood equally to gain and lose. The amicable relations which
existed between the
two communities were emphasised. The ishtehars brought to the
forefront memories of the
pre-British Hindu-Muslim past and glorified the coexistence of different
communities under
the Mughal Empire.
Thus, religious differences were not visible between the two
communities in 1857 despite
British attempts to create a wedge between them.
SECTION C Long Answer Type Questions 8x3=24
28. The entire world is animated and hence Ahimsa is emphasized. 8
Non injury to living beings

468
 Impact on Indian thinking:-
Idea of Ahimsa left its mark on Indian thinking as a whole- Influenced
Bhuddha and Gandhiji
Cycle of birth and rebirth through karma
Renouncing the world to free oneself from the cycle of karma
High moral thinking was advised through the vows like not stealing,
killing, lying or
possessing property and observing celibacy
Simple way of life
Vegetarianism
OR
Other sculptures at Sanchi were perhaps not directly inspired by Buddhist
ideas. These figures
included beautiful women swinging from the edge of the gateway
holding into a tree, like,
Shalabhanjika was a woman whose touch caused trees to flower and
bear fruit.
There are other images in Sanchi stupa. Depiction of animals like
elephants, horses, monkeys
and cattle were found there. Animals were used as symbols of human
attributes, e.g. elephants
were depicted to signify strength and wisdom.
There is a motif in Sanchi stupa of a woman surrounded by lotuses and
elephants, which
seems to be sprinkling water on her as if performing an Abhisheka or
consecration. It has
been identified by some historians as Maya, the mother of Buddha while
others identify her
with a popular Goddess Gajalakshmi (Goddess of good fortune).
29 He was greatly impressed by the fortification of the Vijayanagara empire. 8
The aspects
observed by him are:
Abdur Razzaq mentioned seven lines of forts.
The fortification encircled not only the city but also its agricultural
hinterlands and forests.

Razzaq noted that “between the first, second and the third walls there
are cultivated fields,
gardens and houses”.
The outermost wall linked the hills surrounding the city.
The massive masonry construction was slightly tapered. No mortar or
cementing agent was
used anywhere in the construction. The stone blocks were wedge,
shaped, which held them in
place. The inner portion of the wall was of i.e. earth packed with rubble.
Square or
rectangular bastions projected outwards.
The fort was entered through well-guarded gates which linked the city to
the major roads.
Gateways were distinctive architectural features that often defined the
structures to which

469
 they regulated access.
The arch on the gateway leading into the fortified settlement as well as
the dome over the gate
are regarded as typical features of the architecture introduced by the
Turkish Sultans. Art
historians refer to this style as Indo-Islamic, as it grew continually
through interaction with
local building practices in different regions
(OR)
The Amara-Nayaka system was a major political innovation of the
Vijayanagara empire.
Many features of this system were derived from the iqta system of the
Delhi sultanate. The
Amara-Nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to
govern by the Rayas
or the rulers of Vijayanagara,
The main features of the Amara-Nayaka system were:
The Amara-Nayakas collected taxes and other dues from peasants,
craftpersons and traders in
the area.
They retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining a
stipulated contingent
of horses and elephants.
These contingents provided the Rayas an effective fighting force, with the
help of which they
controlled the Southern Peninsula.
The Amara-Nayakas sent tribute to the king annually and gave gifts to the
king. Kings
occasionally transferred them from one place to another to show their
supremacy.
Many of these Nayakas established independent kingdoms which led to
the collapse of the
central imperial structure.
30. (Different kinds of sources that can be used to reconstruct the political 8
career of Gandhiji and
the History of the National Movement.
Public voices and private scripts of an individual
Speeches
Letters to individuals
Publications- Harijan, Young India etc.
Letters written to Gandhiji (A bunch of old letters) published.
Gandhiji’s role understood through other publications
Conversations with Nehru and others
Gandhiji’s autobiography or other such autobiographies of other leaders
of that period.
Government records a)Fortnightly reports b)Police reports..etc
Newspaper reports
Time magazine reports on Gandhiji and Dandi march
Oral sources
OR

470
 The peasants regarded Gandhiji as their ‘Messiah’ and considered him to
be having many
beneficial and miraculous powers. Many rumours were in circulation at
various places
regarding his miraculous powers. At some places the common masses
came to believe that he
had been sent by the king to remove their miseries and resolve their
problems and he had such
power that he could even reject the orders of all the officials.
At some other places it was affirmed that Gandhiji’s power was greater
than even the English
king and it was claimed that with his arrival the colonial rulers would run
away out of fear.
In many villages this rumour was in circulation that the persons criticising
Gandhiji got their
houses mysteriously caved and their standing crops getting destroyed
without any reason.
Gandhiji was popular with many names such as ‘Gandhi Baba’, ‘Gandhi
Maharaj’ or
‘Mahatma’ among the peasants. They considered him as their saviour
and believed that only
he could save them from the exorbitant rate of land revenue and the
oppressive activities of
British officials.

SECTION -D Source Based Questions 4x3=12

31.
31.1 is the most complete ancient system, since it is Carefully planned 1
drainage system.
(ii)Grid pattern means:
Roads and streets, intersecting at right angles.
Streets with drains were laid out first and then houses built along them.
Every house needed to have at least one wall along a street. ( any one
point)
(iii)The features of the domestic drainage system were :
Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks,
Drains connected through the wall to the street drains.
31.2 ii)Grid pattern means: 1
Roads and streets, intersecting at right angles.
Streets with drains were laid out first and then houses built along them.
Every house needed to have at least one wall along a street.
31.3 The features of the domestic drainage system were : 2
Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks,
Drains connected through the wall to the street drains
32
32.1 The padris (fathers) of the Holy Society of Jesus wanted to build a house 1
of prayer i.e.
church in the city of Khambat, in Gujarat.

32.2 Akbar issued an exalted mandate. It contained that the dignitaries of the 1
city of Khambat

471
 should not create any hindrance to the making of churches. But they
should allow the padris
to build a church, so that they would follow their own religion.
Theoretically, Muslim rulers were to be guided by the ulama. The ulaina
were expected to
ensure that they ruled according to the Shari’a.

32.3 The situation in the sub-continent became complicated, as there were 2

enough population
outside Islam. So the category of Zimmi meaning protected was
developed by the Muslim
rulers for Jews, Christians, Hindus and other non-Muslims who lived
under Muslim
leadership.

33.1 i. Multicultural language means :

A popular language of a large section of the people of India,
A composite language enriched by the interaction of diverse cultures
Understood by people from various regions

33.2 The characteristics of a national language ,in context to the source are :
A combination of Sanskritised Hindi nor Persianised Urdu Words from
regional languages
Assimilate words from foreign languages

33.3 The spirit of patriotism as promoted by the language committee ;

It had decided, but not yet formally declared, that Hindi in the
Devanagari script would be
the official language .For the first fifteen years, English would continue to
be used for all
official purposes. Each province was to be allowed to choose one of the
regional languagesfor official work within the province

SECTION E Map Based Question (1x5=5)

On the given political map of India, locate and label the following with
appropriate symbols :
34. [Link] [Link] Chaura
34

472
 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN

HISTORY

TIME-3 Hrs MM-80 Marks

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
(i) This Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E.

There are 34 questions in the question paper. All questions are compulsory
(ii) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
(ii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying

3 marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying
8 marks each. Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words
(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with
three sub questions and are of 4 marks each
(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification and
location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.
(vi) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.
(viii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary.

473
 SECTION -A 1 x 21 = 21
1 Which of these sites of Harappan Civilisation belong to Haryana? 1
(a) Kalibangan
(b) Lothal
(c) Banawali
(d) Shortugai
2 Which of these was not worshipped by the Harappan? 1
(a) Nature
(b) Goddess
(c) Indra
(d) Pashupatinath
3 Harishena was the court poet of ________ 1
(a) Samudragupta
(b) Chandragupta II
(c) Ashoka
(d) Chandragupta Maurya
4 How many verses are there in Mahabharatha? 1
(a) One lakh
(b) Two lakh
(c) Five lakh
(d) More than one lakh
5 Which of these rulers followed endogamy?
(a) Satvahanas 1
(b) Pandavas
(e) Mauryas
(d) None of these
6 Which of the following is the most important idea in Jainism?
(a) Observing celibacy 1
(b) Entire world is animated
(c) Belief in non-violence
(d) Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of Karma.

7 Identify the given picture 1

a) A sculpture of Buddha from Mathura

b) An image of tirthankara

474
 c) A bodhisatta from Gandhara
d) A part of sculpture at Mahabalipuram
8 Consider the following statements. 1
1. Montesquieu used Bernier’s accounts to develop his idea of oriental despotism.
2. Bernier gave a detailed report on rural society.
3. According to Bernier, crown ownership of land was good for peasants.
4. Bernier considered Indian King was the king of beggars.
Which of the given statement is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 2, 3
(c) 1, 2, 4
(d) 2, 3, 4

9 Choose the correct option: 1

(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite disastrous for farmers.

10 Which of these was a part of Chishti worship? 1

a) Dance
(b) Music
(c) Qawali
(d) All of these

11 Consider the following statements regarding Kabir 1

Which of the given statements is/are incorrect?
1. Verses of Kabir are compiled in three distinct traditions.
2. Kabir’s poems are available only in the Urdu language.
3. Kabir used many traditions to describe the ultimate reality.
4. Kabir called ultimate reality only as Allah.
(a) 1, 2, 3
(b) 2, 4
(c) 1, 4
(d) 3, 4

12 Find out which of the following is not correctly matched? 1

a) Virupaksha Temple Lord Shiva

b) Hazara Rama Temple Mathura
c) Vitthala Temple Lord Vishnu
d) Mahanavami Dibba King’s Palace

13 With which of the following methods, Zamindari consolidation was done in the Mughal 1
period?
(a) Colonisation of new lands
(b) By transfer of rights
(c) With the order of the State
(d) All of these
14 Which commission was set up to investigate the riots of Deccan’s farmer in 1875? 1

475
 (a) Deccan riots commission
(b) Hyderabad riots commission
(c) Bengal riots commission
(d) Chota Nagpur Plateau riots commission

15 Consider the following options. 1

1. The fifth report submitted to the British Parliament in 1813 AD.
2. Jotedars were quite powerful.
3. Santhals were a great danger to Paharis.
4. No Zamindari was auctioned in Bengal.
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(e) 2 and 3 only
(d) 3 and 4 only

16 Consider the following events: 1

1. Abolition of sati
2. Passing of Widow Remarriage Act.
3. The beginning of the revolt
4. Queen’s Proclamation.
The correct chronological order of these events is:

(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 2, 3, 4, 1
(c) 3, 4, 1, 2
(d) 2, 1, 3, 4
17 Which of these was the reason for Nana Saheb’s joining the revolt of 1857? 1

(а) The British refused him the pension of Peshwa Baji Rao II.
(b) The British captured Awadh
(c) The British captured Jhansi under the doctrine of Lapse
(d) Nana Saheb refused to accept Subsidiary Alliance

18 Consider the following events: 1

1. Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
2. Withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement
3. Beginning of Khilafat Movement
4. Formation of Swaraj Party
Their correct Chronological order is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 1, 3, 4, 2
(c) 1, 3, 2, 4
(d) 3, 2, 4, 1

19 Which of the following languages Gandhiji favoured as the national language: 1

(a) Hindi
(b) Urdu
(c) Hindustani
(d) Persian

20 Who among the following made a powerful plea for continuing separate electorates? 1

476
 (a) B Pocker
(b) BN Rao
(c) SN Mukherjee
(d) Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar

21 Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari?

(a) Abul Fazal
(b) Al-Biruni
(c) Ibn Battuta
(d) Abdur Razzaq

SECTION B 3x6=18
SHORT ANSWER TYPE
22 How were Harappa seals and sealings used to facilitate long distance communication? 3
What did the sealings convey?

23 To what extent does knowledge of Buddhist literature help in understanding the sculpture 3
at Sanchi?

24 Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn Battuta. 3

25 Explain the village Artisans of 16th and 17th century. 3

26 Why did the people believe in rumours? 3

27 What was the Objectives Resolution? What were the ideals expressed in the Objectives 3
Resolution?

SECTION C
LONG ANSWER TYPE 3X8=24
28 Discuss the teachings of Buddha and expansion of Buddhism 8
OR

What were the duties of the chandalas?

29 Do you think Ibn Battuta’s account is useful in arriving at an understanding of life in 8

contemporary urban centres ? Give reasons for your answer.
OR
How were the lives of forest dwellers transformed in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries?

30 Describe the grievances of the Indian sepoys against the British rule before the revolt of 8
1857.
OR
Explain why many leaders demanded a strong centre during the debates in Constituent
Assembly? How were powers to legislature finally divided?

SECTION D 4X 3 =12
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS

477
31 A Tiger-Like Husband 1+2+1
This is a summary of a story from the Adi Parvan of the Mahabharata. The Pandavas had
fled into the forest. They were tired and fell asleep; only Bhima, the second Pandava,
renowned for his powers, was keeping watch. A man-eating rakshasa caught the scent of
the Pandavas and sent his sister Hidimba to capture them. She fell in love with Bhima,
transformed herself into a lovely maiden and proposed to him. He refused. Meanwhile, the
rakshasa arrived and challenged Bhima to a wrestling match. Bhima accepted the challenge
and killed him. The others woke up hearing the noise. Hidimba introduced herself and
declared her love for Bhima. She told Kunti, “I have forsaken my friends, my dharma and
my kin; and good lady, chosen your tiger-like son for my man…whether you think me a fool
or your devoted servant, let me join you, great lady, with your son as my husband.”
Ultimately, Yudhisthira agreed to the marriage on one condition that they would spend the
day together, but that Bhima would return every night. The couple roamed all over the
world during the day. In due course, Hidimba gave birth to a rakshasa boy named
Ghatotkacha. Then, the mother and son left the Pandavas. Ghatotkacha promised to
return to the Pandavas whenever they needed him.
a) Who was Hidimba?
b) Why was she sent to Pandavas and what did she do?
c)Whom does Hidimba marry?

32 Reverence for the Jogi 1+2+1

Here is an excerpt from a letter written by Aurangzeb to a Jogi in 1661-62 :

The possessor of the sublime station, Shiv Murat, Guru Anand Nath Jio!
May our Reverence remain in peace and happiness ever under the protection of Sri Shiv
Jio!
…. A piece of cloth for the cloak and a sum of twenty-five rupees which have been sent as
an offering will reach (Your Reverence) Your Reverence may write to us whenever there is
any service which can be rendered by us.

(i) From where has this excerpt been taken?

ii) What was the name of the Jogi? Which deity did he worship?
(iii) Discuss the attitude of the king towards the Jogi.

33 A Ryot Petitions 2+1+1

This is an example of a petition from a ryot of the village of Mirajgaon, Taluka Karjat, to the
Collector, Ahmednagar, Deccan Riots Commission:
The sowkars (chukars) have to late begin to oppress us. As we cannot earn enough to
defray our household expense, we are actually forced to beg to them to provide us with
money, clothes and grain, which we obtain from them not without great difficulty, nor
without their compelling us to enter into hard conditions in the bond. Moreover, the
necessary clothes and grain are not sold to us at cash rates. The prices asked from us are
generally twenty-five or fifty per cent more than demand from customers making ready
money payments The produce of our fields is also taken by the sowars who at the time of
removing it assures us that it will be credited to our account, but they do not actually make
any mention of it in the accounts. They also refused to pass us any receipts for the produce
so removed by them.
(i) What are the four grievances of the peasants?
(ii) State one norm that regulated the relationship between the moneylender and the
ryot?.

478
 (iii) What was the ‘Limitation Law’? How was it manipulated by the moneylender?

34 On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate 3+2=5
symbols
a. Sanchi
b. Magadh
c. Banawali

2. On the same outline map of India, two places related to Vijayanagara empire have been
marked as A, B. Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.

479
 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN

SCORING KEY

HISTORY

1 (c) Banawali 1

2 (c) Indra 1

3 (a) Samudragupta 1
4 More than one lakh 1
5 a) Satvahanas 1
6 (b) Entire world is animated 1
7 c) A bodhisatta from Gandhara 1

8 (c) 1, 2, 4 1
9 (d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite disastrous for 1
farmers.

10 d) All of these 1
11 (b) 2, 4 1

12 b) Hazara Rama Temple -- Mathura 1

13 (d) All of these 1
14 (a) Deccan riots commission 1
15 (a) 1, 2 and 3 1

16 (a) 1, 2, 3, 4 1

17 (а) The British refused him the pension of Peshwa Baji Rao II. 1

18 (c) 1, 3, 2, 4 1

19 (c) Hindustani 1

20 B Pocker 1
21 (a) Abul Fazal 1

22 Harappa seals and sealings were used to facilitate long distance communication. 3
The mouth of the bag of goods was tied up with rope and on the knot was affixed
some wet clay on which one or more seals were pressed, leaving an impression.
This sealing conveyed that if the bag reached with its sealing intact, then it had not

480
 been tampered with and also it conveyed the true identity of the sender of the
goods.

23 A scene at the northern gateway at its first sight seems to depict a rural scene, 3
with thatched huts and trees. However, the historians after studying the sculpture
carefully, identify it as a scene from the Vessantara Jataka. It is a story about a
generous prince who gave away everything to a Brahmana, and went to live in the
forest with his wife and children.
The art historians acquire familiarity with biographies of the Buddha in order to
understand Buddhist sculpture. According to Buddha’s biographies, Buddha
attained enlightenment while meditating under a tree. Many early sculptures
showed Buddha’s presence through symbols such as empty seat, stupa and the
wheel. Such symbols can be understood only with the traditions of those who
produced these works of art.
It may be mentioned that one of the earliest modem art historians, James
Ferguson, considered Sanchi to be a centre of tree and serpent worship because he
was not familiar with Buddhist literature – most of which had not yet been
translated. He, therefore, arrived at his conclusion by studying only the images on
their own.

24 Battuta has given a detailed description on the practice of slavery prevalent in

India. Delhi Sultan-Muhammad bin Tughlaq had a large number of slaves. Most of
these slaves were forcibly captured during the aggressions. Many people sold their
children as a slave, because of acute poverty. Slaves were also offered as a gift
during this time. Battuta when visited him, also brought many horses, camels and
slaves for the Sultan to present him. Sultan Muhammad bin Tuglaq, himself had
presented two hundred slaves to Nasiruddin a religious preacher.
Nobels are used to keep slave those days. Through these slaves, the Sultan used to
get information about the activities of the noble and all other important events of
the empire.
The woman slaves served as servants in the house of the rich (nobles). These
women informed the Sultan about the activities of their masters (i.e., nobles).
Most of the slaves used to do domestic works and there was a lot of difference
between the status of these slaves and the court slaves.

25 Another interesting aspect of the village was the elaborate relationship of

exchange between different producers. The sources say about the existence of
substantial numbers of artisans. However, the distinction between artisans and
peasants in village society was a fluid one, as many groups performed the tasks of
both. Cultivators and their families would also participate in craft production –
such as dyeing, textile printing, baking and firing of pottery, making and repairing
agricultural implements. During off season, the cultivators could engage in
artisanal production. The artisans were paid by a share of the harvest, or an
allotment of land, In Maharashtra such lands became the artisans’ miras or watan
– their hereditary holding. Goods for services Sometimes artisans and individual
peasants entered into a mutually negotiated system of remuneration, most of the
time goods for services
26 I. The British adopted policies aimed at reforming Indian societyby introducing
Western education ,western ideas and western institutions . II. With the
cooperation of sections of Indian society they set up English medium schools
,colleges and universities which taught Western sciences and the liberal arts . III.

481
 The British established laws to abolished customs like sati (1629) and to permit the
remarriage of Hindu widows . IV. The British introduced their own system of
administration, their own laws and their own methods of land settlements and
land revenue collection. III. The proclamations expressed the widespread fear that
the British were bent on destroying the caste and religions of Hindus and Muslims
and converting them to Christianity. IV. People urged to come together and fight
to save their livelihood ,their faith, their honour, their identity . On the other hand,
nationalist imageries of the revolt helped shape the nationalist imagination.
27 Ans. It was Jawaharlal Nehru who presented Objectives Resolution in the 3
Constituent Assembly on 13th December, 1946. He proposed that the National
Flag of India be a ‘horizontal tricolour of 120 saffron , white and dark green in
equal proportion’, with a wheel in navy blue at the centre. It outlined and defined
the ideals and objectives of the Constitution which are as follows: 1. India was
declared as independent sovereign Republic. 2. It assured justice , equality, liberty
and fraternity to all its citizens. 3. It provided adequate safeguards to minorities. 4.
It referred to the well being of the backward and depressed classes. 5. India would
combine the liberal ideas of democracy with socialist idea of economic Justice.
[Link] would adopt that form of government which would be acceptable to its
people. No imposition from the British would be accepted by the Indian people.
[Link] would be a federation. [Link] would work for world peace and human
welfare.
SECTION C
28 One of the most influential teachers of the time was the Buddha. Over the 8
centuries, 49 his message spread across the subcontinent and beyond – through
Central Asia to China, Korea and Japan, and through Sri Lanka, across the seas to
Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Sources of Buddhism These have been
reconstructed by carefully editing, translating and analyzing the Buddhist texts.
Historians have also tried to reconstruct details of his life from hagiographies.
Many of these were written after the time of the Buddha. Early history of Buddha
According to these traditions, Siddhartha was the son of a chief of the Sakya clan.
He was brought up within the palace, insulated from the harsh realities of life. One
day he persuaded his charioteer to take him into the city. His first journey into the
world outside was traumatic (extremely distressing) when he saw an old man, a
sick man and a corpse. He realized in that moment that, the decay and destruction
of the human body was inevitable. He also saw a homeless mendicant, who, it
seemed to him, had come to terms with old age, disease and death, and found
peace. to take him into the city. His first journey into the world outside was
traumatic (extremely distressing) when he saw an old man, a sick man and a
corpse. He realized in that moment that, the decay and destruction of the human
body was inevitable. He also saw a homeless mendicant, who, it seemed to him,
had come to terms with old age, disease and death, and found peace. Teachings of
the Buddha The Buddha’s teachings have been found mainly in the Sutta [Link]
tried to convince people through reason and persuasion rather than through
displays of supernatural power. For instance, when a grief-stricken woman whose
child had died came to the Buddha, he gently convinced her about the inevitability
of death rather than bring her son back to life. These stories were narrated in the
language spoken by ordinary people so that these could be easily understood.
According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is transient (anicca) and constantly
changing; it is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it.
Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence. By
following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence

482
 that human beings can rise above these worldly troubles. In the earliest forms of
Buddhism, God’s existence was irrelevant. Instead, Buddha regarded the social
world as the creation of humans rather than of divine origin. 50 Therefore, he
advised kings and gahapatis (see also Chapter 2) to be humane and ethical.
Individual effort was expected to transform social [Link] Buddha
emphasized individual agency and righteous action as the means to escape from
the cycle of rebirth and attain self-realisation and nibbana, literally the
extinguishing of the ego and desire – and thus end the cycle of suffering for those
who renounced the [Link] to Buddhist tradition, his last words to his
followers were: “Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out your own
liberation.”
OR
[Link] brahamanas developed a sharper social divide by classifying certain social
categories as “untouchable” 2. Those who considered themselves pure avoided
taking food from those they designated as “untouchable”. [Link] sharp contrast to
the purity aspect, some activities were regarded as particularly “polluting”.
[Link] included handling corpses and dead animals. Those who performed such
tasks, designated as chandalas, were placed at the very bottom of the hierarchy.
[Link] touch and, in some cases, even seeing them was regarded as “polluting” by
those who claimed to be at the top of the social order. 6. Manusmriti laid down
the “duties” of the chandalas. They had to live outside the village, use discarded
utensils, and wear clothes of the dead and ornaments of iron. 7. They could not
walk about in villages and cities at night. [Link] had to dispose of the bodies of
those who had no relatives and serve as executioners

29 Ibn Battuta found cities full of opportunities for those who had the necessary 8
drive, resources and skills. They were densely populated and prosperous, except
for the occasional disruptions caused by wars and invasions. According to Ibn
Battuta, it appears that most cities had crowded streets and bright and colourful
markets. He described Delhi as a vast city, with a great population, the largest in
India. In his description of Delhi, he stated, “The rampart around the city is
without parallel. … It has many towers …. There are twenty eight gates of this city
which are called darwaza.” The bazaars were centres of economic, social and
cultural activities.
1. The Ibn Battuta’s account is useful in arriving at an understanding of life in
contemporary urban centres because the description seems to be correct.
For example, the older cities in India have crowded streets and bazaars full
of variety of goods. Delhi was and still is a vast city. The older portion of
Delhi has crowded streets and its bazaars are full of all types of goods.
2. In addition to above it may be stated that when Ibn Battuta arrived in
Delhi in the fourteenth century, the subcontinent was part of a global
network of communication that stretched from China in the east to north-
west Africa and Europe in the west.
3. The Indian agriculture was also productive due to fertility of the soil. This
led to prosperity of towns because the towns derived a significant portion
of their wealth through the appropriation of surplus from villages.
4. The Indian goods were in great demand in both West Asia and Southeast
Asia which fetched huge profits for artisans, merchants and Indian textiles.

.
OR

483
 Transformation in the lives of forest-dwellers (sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries):
(i) Huge areas were covered with forests in the various parts of India in the 16th
and 17th country. Forest-dwellers were called Jangli. The term ‘Jungli’ was used to
describe those whose occupations included activities such as hunting, gathering of
forest produce, and shifting cultivation. These activities were performed according
to a specific reason in the various regions. Consider the example of the Bhils who
fished in summer and collected forest produce in spring. Such activities enabled
the forest tribes to be mobile which was a characteristic feature of their life.
(ii) As the state required elephants for the consolidation of mighty army, the
peskesh levied on the forest people to supply of elephants.
(iii) The lives of the forest-dwellers led to the spread of commercial agriculture.
Forest products like honey, beeswax, gum and lac were in huge demand. Gum and
lac became major items of overseas exports in the seventeenth century and
earned valuable foreign exchange.
iv) Elephants were also captured and sold.
(v) Tribes like the Punjab Lohanis engaged in overland trade with Afghanistan and
internal trade in Punjab as well.
(vi) Social factors were also responsible for transforming the lives of the forest-
dwellers.
(vii) Many tribal chiefs became zamindars, some even became kings. They recruit
people from their own tribes in their army For example in Assam, the Ahom Kings
depended on people who rendered military services in exchange of land.
(viii) By the sixteenth century, the transition from a tribal to a monarchial system
had taken place. In Ain-i Akbari description has been mentioned about the
existence of tribal kingdoms in north-eastern India. Description is also made
regarding the kings who fought and conquered a number of tribes. New cultural
influences also entered in the forested areas. Probably sufi saints played a
remarkable role in spreading Islam in these areas.

30 1. The Indian soldiers were given the new Enfield Rifles. The cartridges of these
rifles were coated with the fat of cows and pigs. The soldiers felt that when they
would bite these bullets, it would corrupt their caste and religion.
2. In many cantonments, the Indian soldiers refused to use the flour which was
said to have the bone dust of cows and pigs.
3. A law was passed in 1857 according to which the Indian soldiers could be sent
across the sea to fight against any enemy. During those days, many Hindu soldiers
considered it a sin against their religion to go across the sea.
4. The Indian soldiers were maltreated during the parade. The Indians could not
bear this humiliation and insult for long.
5. There was discontentment among the Indian soldiers as they were paid less
salary than their counterparts in the British. They also faced difficulty in getting
leaves.
6. The British officials often poked fun at the culture and civilization of the Indian
soldiers. So the Indian soldiers wanted to avenge their insult.
7. When Mangal Pandey, a soldier, was given cartridges coated with the fat of
cows and pigs, he felt infuriated and killed a British official. So he was sentenced to
death for this crime. It spread a wave of anger among all Indian soldiers. As a
result, they rose in rebellion against the British.
OR

484
 1. The issue of the relation between the center and states was highly debated in
the meetings of the Constituent Assembly. Those who were in favour of the strong
centre included Jawaharlal Nehru. In a letter addressed to the President of the
Constituent Assembly, he had said, “As the partition has now become a reality, “a
weak central government will be quite harmful to the country because a weak
centre will not be able to establish peace, coordination and raise voice at the
international level.”
. Similarly, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had also stated that he wanted a strong and unified
center. It should be much stronger than visualized in the Govt, of India Act of 1935.
Referring to the massacre on the roads on account of the partition of the country,
many members emphasised on the need for a strong centre so that violence may
be curtailed. Replying to the demand for more powers to the state, Gopalaswami
Ayyar had stated, “the Centre should be as strong as possible.”
. Bal Krishan Sharma, a member of the United Province, threw a lot of light on the
need for a strong center. He stated that only a strong centre can make plans for
the interest of the country, can provide requisite resources, can establish proper
order and can save the country from foreign invasion.
So as compared to states, the centre has been made strong in India. The states
have been empowered to frame laws on subjects mentioned in the State list. All
subjects of national importance have been kept in the Union list
31 Answer -sister of a man-eating rakshasa. 1+2+1
Answer- She was sent by her brother to capture the [Link]-
Hidimba was a rakshashi who was sister of a man-eating rakhasha named Hidimb.
Hidimb caught the scent of humans and thus he sent her sister to capture
pandavas so that she and her brother can kill and eat them.

Answer-Bhima

32 iThis excerpt has been taken from a letter addressed to a Jogi by Aurangzeb. This 1+2+1
letter was written in 1661-62.
Ii The name of the Jogi was Guru Anand Nath. He worshipped Lord Shiva.
iii The king expressed his deep devotion towards the Jogi. He sent an offering
comprising of a piece of cloth for the cloak and a sum of twenty-five rupees to the
Jogi. He requested the Jogi to write whenever he needed any service to be
rendered by the king.
33 i) The farmers had the following complaints: 2+1+1
(a) The moneylenders were torturing them. To run their homes whatever, they got
from the moneylenders, they had to write bonds specifying strict conditions.
(b) They had to pay 25% to 50% more price as compared to the price on cash
payment.
(c) The production of their fields was also taken by the moneylenders and their
money was not deposited in their account.
(d) The moneylenders got their crops without issuing any receipts.
ii The loan determined the relation between ryot and the moneylender
iii The Limitation Law was passed in 1859. According to it, the signed loan papers
between ryot and the moneylenders were valid for only three years so that the
interest may not accumulate. But moneylenders got a new loan paper from ryot
after every three years. In it, the interest was included in the principal amount.
Interest was again charged on this amount
34 Kanchipuram
Mysore

485
 MODEL QUESTION PAPER

HISTORY (027)

CLASS-XII

Time
Allowed:3hrs Max. Mark- 80

General Instructions:

(i) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.

(ii)Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.

(iii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.

(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words

(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and are
of 4 marks each

(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification
and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.

(vi) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.

486
(viii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever

SECTION-A

Q1Which of the following Harappan civilisation sites

are presently outside India? 1

(1) Kalibangan

(2) Shortugai

(3) Chanhudaro

(4) Lothal

(A) 1 and 2

(B) 2 and 3

(C) 3 and 4

(D) 1 and 4

Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion(A) and the other

labelled as Reason (R).

Q2 Assertion (A): The field had two sets of furrows at right angles to each other. 1

Reason (R): Single crop was grown by Harappans.

A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct

D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct

Q3According to the rock inscription in Sanskrit, composed around second century CE, Sudarshan lake,
an artificial reservoir was repaired by. 1

487
(A) Kushana king Kanishka

(B) Saka king Rudradaman

(C) Kannauj ruler Harsha

(D) Chandragupta II

Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion(A) and the other

labelled as Reason (R). 1

Q4Assertion (A): Punch-marked coins made of gold and brass(c. sixth century BCE onwards) were
amongst the earliest to be minted and used.

Reason (R): Numismatists have studied these and other coins to reconstruct possible commercial
network

A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R)is the correct explanation of (A)
B. Both (A) and (R) are correct, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)

C. (A) is correct, but (R) is not correct

D. (R) is correct, but (A) is not correct

Q5 Mahatma Gandhi wanted to make _______ language as the national language. 1

(a) Hindustani
(b) Hindi
(c) Tamil
(d) Urdu

Q6 Consider the following statements about

Mahabharata: 1

(1) Historians have set aside the traditions as

described in Mahabharata.

(2) It has around 10,000 verses.

(3) The main theme of Mahabharata is about the

warring princes across India.

(4) Its critical edition was started by K. R. Mangalam in 1919 CE.

State which of the above statements are correct?

488
 (A) Only (1)

(B) (1) and (2) and 3

(C) (1), (2) and (4)

(D) None of these

Q7Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1

(a) Buddhist texts mention as many as 66 sects or schools of thought.

(b) Debates about the validity of the philosophy or the way these sects understood the world, took
place in the kutagarashalas in villages.

(c) Many teachers of these sects such as Mahavira and Buddha questioned the authority of the
Vedas.

(d) They also emphasised individual agency– suggesting that men and women could BELIEFS AND
BUILDINGS 27strive to attain liberation from the trials and

tribulations of worldly existence.

(A) (a), (b), (d)

(B) (a), (b), (c)

(C) (b), (c), (d)

(D) (a), (c), (d)

Q8The paintings at Ajanta caves depict stories from the: 1

(A) Rig Veda

(B) Sutta Pitaka

(C) Mahabharata

(D) Jatakas

489
Q9. This picture is one of the most striking example of-

(A) Nayanar Bhakti Movement

(B) Lingayat Sect

(C) Integration of cults

(D) Alvar Bhakti Movement

NOTE : The following question is for the visually impaired candidates in

lieu of Question number 9

Vishnu Bhakta saints were known as _______

(a) Nayanar
(b) Virshaiv
(c) Alvar
(d) Zimmi

Q10. Which of these statements is correct? 1

(A) Early Bhakti movements were led by Alvars, Nayanars.

(B) The Alvars were devotees of Shakti.

(C) The Nayanars were devotees of Vishnu.

(D) Sufis were not a part of the Islamic world.

Q11Arrange the following dynasties of Vijayanagara 1

Empire in Chronological order:

490
(1) Sangama

(2) Aravidu

(3) Tuluva

(4) Saluva

Choose the correct option:

(A) (1), (3), (4) and (2)

(B) (2), (1), (3) and (4)

(C) (1), (4), (3) and (2)

(D) (4), (1), (2) and (3)

Q12 The Portuguese traveller who jointly called the Audience hall and ‘Mahanavami Dibba’ as
‘the house of victory’ was 1

(A) Duarte Barbosa

(B) Fernao Nuniz

(C) Afanasi Nikitin

(D) Domingo Paes

Q13 Who wrote the book, “Travells In The Mughal Empire”? 1

(a) Francois Bernier
(b) John Marshall
(c) Callin Mcenzie
(d) James Princep

14. A physician who came to India and served in the Bengal Medical Service was- 1

(A) Edward Balfour

491
(B) Francis Buchanan

(C) Mehtab Chand

(D) William Griffith

15. The mahajans were collectively represented by the chief of the merchant community known as
1

(a) maulvis.

(b) mullas.

(c) nagarsheths.

(d) sheshtis.

16 Which one of the following is not correctly match? 1

(A) Mutiny: A collective disobedience of rules and

regulations within the armed forces

(B) Revolt: A rebellion of people against

established authority and power. The

terms ‘revolt’ and ‘rebellion’ can be used

synonymously.

(C) Firangi: A term of Turkish origin, is used in

Urdu and Hindi, often in a derogatory sense,

to designate foreigners.

(D) Bell of arms: A storeroom in which weapons

are kept

492
Q17 Birjis Qadr was the younger son of .................. . 1

(A) Nawab Shaukat Ali

(B) Nawab Siraj-ud-daula

(C) Nawab Mir Ali

(D) Nawab Wajid Ali Shah

Q18 With whom was Mahatma Gandhi compared to his demise? 1

(A) Abraham Lincoln

(B) Martin Luther King

(C) George Washington

(D) Karl Marx

Q19 Who among the followings wanted the term ‘minority, to be interpreted as the economic term?
1

(A) N.G Ranga

(B) Jaipal Singh

(C) B.N Rao

(D) S. N. Mukherjee

Q20 During the Mughal Empire, what was Jins-i-Kamil? 1

(a) Half crop
(b) Perfect crop
(c) Rabi crop
(d) Kharif crop

Q21 Identify which of the following statement is correct about Ain-i-Akbari? 1

(a) Manzil-Abadi is related to the royal household.
(b) Sipah-Abadi is related to civil and military administration.
(c) Mulk-Abadi gives information about the fiscal aspect of the state.
(d) All of these.

493
 Section-B

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTION 3X6=18

Q22 What factors in your opinion are responsible for the collapse of a mature Harapp’an Civilisation
by 1800 BCE? 3

Or

Who was R.E.M Wheeler? Mention any one of his contributions in the field of archaeology? 3

Q23 Explain any three sources to reconstruct the history of Mauryas 3

Q24 Explain Al-Biruni’s description of caste system 3

Q25Highlight any four aspects observed by the Portuguese traveller Barbosa on the Urban core of
the Vijayanagara empire. 3

Q26 Explain how East India Company subdued the authority of zamindars in Bengal during 18th
century? 3

Q27 The annexation of Awadh displaced not just the Nawab, but also dispossessed the taluqdars of
the region, causing breakdown of an entire social order.” Critically examine the statement 3

or

With the help of specific examples examine the nature of Indian leadership that emerged against
British in the revolt of 1857

Section -c

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION 3X8=24

494
Q28The Mahabharata is a story of Kinship, marriages, and patriline.” Examine the statement.

Or

What are the elements to be considered by the historians while analyzing texts like

Mahabharata?

Q29 Why were women considered as an important resource in agrarian society? Mention reasons.
8

Or

Why were the Jati Panchayats formed during 16th and 17th centuries? Explain their functions and
authority.

Q30 Explain the main events of the Dandi March. What is its significance in the history of the Indian
National Movement? 8

Or

How have the different kinds of available sources helped the historians in reconstructing the political
career of Gandhiji and the history of the national movement that was associated with it? Explain.

SECTION-D

SOURCE BASED QUESTION 4X3=12

31 Why were Stupas Built?

This is an excerpt from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, part of the Sutta Pitaka. As the Buddha lay, dying
Ananda asked him “What are we to do Lord, with the remains of the Tathagata (another name for
the Buddha)?” The Buddha replied, “Hinder not yourselves Ananda by honouring the remains of the
Tathagata. Be zealous, be intent on your own good.”

But when pressed further, the Buddha said, “At the four crossroads, they should erect a thupa (Pali
for stupa) to the Tathagata. And whosoever shall there place garlands or perfume…. or make a
salutation there, or become in its presence calm of heart, that shall long be to them for a profit and
joy.”

495
31.1 Why were the stupas built?

31.2 What Asoka did with the relics of Buddha?

31.3 Describe the structure of the stupas.

32 The One Lord:

Here is a composition attributed to Kabir Tell me, brother, how can there be No one lord of the world
but two?

Who led you so astray?

God is called by many names.

Names like Allah, Ram, Karim, Keshav, Hari and Hazrat. Gold may be shaped into rings and bangles.
Isn’t it gold all the same? Distinctions are only in words that we invent.

Kabir says they are both mistaken. Neither can find the only Ram. One kills the goat, the other cows.
They waste their lives in disputation.

32.1 How did Kabir describe the ‘Ultimate Reality’?

32.2 Explain the arguments give by Kabir against the lords of the world of different communities.

32.3 Do you agree with Kabir? Give your own views as well.

33 We are not Just Going to Copy’

This is what Jawaharlal Nehru said in his famous speech of 13th December, 1946.

My mind goes back to the various Constituent Assemblies that have gone before and of what took
place at the making of the great American nation when the father of that nation met and fashioned
out a Constitution which has stood the test of so many years, more than a century and a half and of
the great nation which has resulted, which has been built up on the basis of that construction.

My mind goes back to that mighty revolution, which took place also over 150 years ago and to that
Constituent Assembly that met in that gracious and lovely city or Paris which has fought so many

496
battles for freedom, to the difficulties than that Constituent Assembly had and to now the king and
other authorities came in its way and still it continued.

The house will remember that when these difficulties came and even the room for a meeting was
denied to the Constituent Assembly, they took themselves to an open tennis court and met there and
took the oath, which is called the Oath of the Tennis Court that they continued meeting inspite of
kings, inspite of the others and did not disperse till they had finished the task they had undertaken.

Well I trust that it is in that solemn spirit that we too are meeting here and that we too whether we
meet in this chamber or other chambers or in the fields or in the market place will go on meeting and
continue our work till we have finished it.

33.1 How was the American Constitution finalised and explain its results?

33.2 What does Nehru’s determination to pass the Constitution show?

33.3 Explain any two difficulties that were faced by the Constituent Assembly

(34.1) On the given political map of India, locate and label the following with

appropriate symbols:

I Sanchi - A stupa

II Dhaula Veera - Indus valley site

III Golconda- vijayNagar contemporary state

(34.2) On the same outline map, two places have been marked as ‘A and B,as the

centres of the Revolt of 1857 Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near
them.

497
SCORING KEY

Q1-b

Q2-c

Q3-b

Q4-d

Q5-a

Q6-d

Q7-c

Q8-d

Q9-c

Q10-a

Q11-c

Q12-d

Q13-a

Q14-b

Q15-c

Q16-6

Q17-d

Q18-a

Q19-a

Q20-b

Q21-d

SECTION-B

Q22
Climatic change
Deforestation
Excessive floods
Shifting and drying up of rivers
Overuse of the landscape
No single reason was responsible for the decline of this civilisation.

498
Thus, it was not concluded in favour of a dramatic collapse, rather it was believed that the end of
Harappan culture was a gradual
or

R.E.M Wheeler was the Director-General of Archaeological Survey of India.

He was the first person who recognized that it was necessary’ to follow the stratigraphy of the
mound rather than dig mechanically along uniform horizontal line which rectified the previous
problems faced by the archaeologists

23 The most important source of information about the Mauryan period was the book “Indica”
written by Megasthenes,

Another important source of information is the book, “Arthashastra It gives detailed knowledge
about the Mauryan administrative system.

“Mudrarakshasa” by Vishakhadutta tells a lot about Chandragupta

The texts of Jain and Buddhist religions

The inscriptions of Ashoka

24 Al-Biruni’s description of the caste system was influenced by his study of the Sanskrit texts.
According to him, the Brahmana was created from the head of God, Brahma and regarded as the
highest caste of society.

The next caste was Kashatriyas, who were created from the shoulders and hands of Brahma. After
them followed the Vaishyas, who were created from the thigh of Brahma. The Shudras were created
from the feet of Brahma.

Q25 Barbosa has described that the houses of ordinary people are thatched:

i. Houses are well built and strong

ii. Houses were arranged according to occupations in long streets with many open places

iii. Entire area had many shrines and small temples which indicates the prevalence of variety of cults

iv. Rainwater tanks and temple tanks served as sources of water

Q26 The East India Company subdued their authority and restrict their autonomy.

The zamindars troops were disbanded, customs duties abolished and their ‘cutcheries’ (courts)
brought under the supervision of a collector appointed by the company.

Zamindars lost their power to organise local justice and the local police.

Over time the collectorate emerged

499
Q 27 With the removal of Nawab, all taluqdars of the Awadh were also dispossessed, taluqdars were
disarmed and their forts were destroyed.

With a new revenue system i.e. Summary Settlement, taluqdars lost their very large share of
revenue from land. Wherever possible, taluqdars were removed and settlement was done directly
with peasants

or

During the revolt few leaders participated very enthusiastically while some other participated
because they had no choice. They had to participate in the revolt for the sake of their reputation.

For e.g. Bahadur Shah was reluctant to join the rebellion but due to demands of sepoys, he joined
the revolt
Nana Sahib as their leader and he joined the revolt.
Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi participated because her kingdom had been annexed to empire by
‘Doctrine of Lapse’
In Awadh, their was deep resentment against annexation, People of Awadh declared Birjis Qadar,
the young son of dispossessed Nawab as their leader.

Apart from the royal families, local leaders also emerged during the revolt like Kuwar Singh in Arrah,
fakir in Lucknow, Shah Mai in Barout and Gonoo, a tribal cultivator in Singhbhum. Although the
leaders of 1857 revolt participated

Section -C

Q28 The Mahabharata is a story about kinship describing a feud over land and power between the
Kauravas and the Pandavas.

(ii) Pandavas became victorious due to their virtues.

(iii) Kinsmen claimed the throne, and, in very exceptional circumstances, women such as Prabhavati
Gupta exercised power.

(iv) Under patriliny, sons could claim the authority of their fathers .

(v) Men acquired wealth through means led by the Manusmriti like inheritance, work, etc.

(vi) Women acquired wealth through Stridhan( by father, brother, husband).

(vii) While sons were important for the continuity of the patriliny, daughters had no claims to the
resources of the household.

(viii) Various systems followed for the marriage were endogamy, exogamy, polygamy and polyandry

Or

500
The five elements considered by the historians while analyzing the texts:

(i) They examine whether texts were written in Prakrit, Pali or Tamil, languages that were probably
used by ordinary people, or in Sanskrit

(ii) They also consider the kinds of text. Were these mantras, learnt and chanted by ritual specialists,
or stories that people could have read, or heard

(iii) Besides, they try to find out about the authors whose perspectives and ideas shaped the text,

(iv) And they try and ascertain the possible date of the composition or compilation of the texts as
well as the place where they may have been composed.

(v) It is only after making these assessments that they draw on the content of texts to arrive at an
understanding of their historical significance

Q29 (i) Because women worked shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields.

(ii) Men tilled and ploughed the fields and on the other hand, women sowed, weeded, threshed and
winnowed the harvest.

Or
The Jati Panchayats were formed during 16th and 17th centuries due to the following reasons:
1. The decision of the Panchayat in conflicts between Tower-caste’ peasants and state officials or the
local zamindar could vary from case to case.

Jati Panchayats came into existence. Authorities and functions of Jati Panchayats are as follow:

• These Panchayats wielded considerable power in rural society. In Rajasthan Jati

Panchayats arbitrated civil disputes between members of different castes.
• They mediated in contested claims on land.
• They decided whether marriages were performed according to the norms laid down
by a particular caste group

Q 30 the movement was started with famous Dandi March on 12th March, 1930. Gandhiji alongwith
78 of his followers began his foot march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, a village of seashore in
Surat district, about 375 km away from Sabarmati Ashram. The violation of salt law by Gandhiji was a
signal of the beginning of Civil Disobedience Movement. :

This march made Gandhiji a centre of attraction of the whole of the world. The European press and
the American press published detailed accounts of the Salt March conducted by Gandhiji.

501
Undoubtedly it was the first National Movement in which women participated in large numbers.
authority of British was not going to remain permanent in India and now they will have to give some
participation to the Indians in power.

or

The different kinds of available sources

(i) Public voice- One important source is the writings and speeches of Mahatma Gandhi and his
contemporaries, including both his associates and his political adversaries

(ii) Private scripts- Private letters give us a glimpse of his or her private thoughts.

(iii) Autobiographies- It similarly give us an account of the past that is often rich in human detail.

(iv) Through police eyes- Another vital source is government records, for the colonial rulers kept
close tabs on those they regarded as critical of the government.

(v) From newspapers- newspaper tracked Mahatma Gandhi’s movements and reported on his
activities, and also represented what ordinary Indians thought of him.

31. 1. Stupas were built because the relics of Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used by
him were buried there.

2. Asoka distributed portions of Buddha’s relics to every important town and ordered the
construction of stupas over them.

3. Structure of stupas is as follows:

• Anda: It is a semi-circular mound of Earth called anda.

• Harmika: Above anda was the harmika, a balcony-like structure that represented the
abode of the Gods.
• Yashti: Arising from harmika was a mast called yashti. It was surmounted by a
chhatri or umbrella.

32 Kabir described the ‘Ultimate Reality’ by drawing the ranges of traditions such as from Islam, he
had drawn the Ultimate Reality as Allah, Khuda, Hazrat and Pir. Several terms from the vedantic
traditions, such as Alakh, Nirakar, Brahmana, Atman were also taken.

502
3. Kabir used monotheism and iconoclasm to attack Hindu polytheism and idol worship and said God
is one. God is the ultimate reality and one lord of the world, although he is known by several names.

4. Yes, I agree with Kabir’s view. The God is only one inspite of having several names. We the people
of different religions worship him differently, but God is the ultimate reality and he is one.

1 American Constitution was finalised when fathers of that Constitution met and fashioned out a
Constitution. As a result, this Constitution stood the test of so many years.

2. Nehru’s determination to pass ‘The Constitution’ shows that our leaders were determined to
establish parliamentary democracy in India and they were not ready to copy from other
Constitution. But dedication and spirit were things that they wanted to copy.

3 Two such difficulties faced by Constituent Assembly were:

• There was no hall for meeting.

• Kings and other authorities were not too willing and thus, posed hurdles in the
making of Constitution.

34.2 A- MEERUT

B- LUCKNOW

केंद्रीय वर्दयालय संगठन

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER –2023-24
कक्षा / CLASS – XII इतिहास / HISTORY (027)
MAX. MARKS: 80 अधिकिम अंक: 80
TIME: 3 HOURS समय: 3 घंटे

503
General Instructions:
(viii) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
(ix) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
(x) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(xi) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words.
(xii) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and
are of 4 marks each .
(xiii) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification
and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.
(xiv) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.
(xv) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary.

सामान्य निर्दे श:
(vii) प्रश्ि पत्र में पाांच खांड होते हैं - ए, बी, सी, डी और ई। प्रश्ि पत्र में 34 प्रश्ि हैं। सभी प्रश्ि अनिवायय हैं।
(viii) खांड ए – प्रश्ि 1 से 21 प्रत्येक के 1 अांक के एमसीक्यू हैं।
(ix) खांड बी – प्रश्ि सांख्या। 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, जििमें से प्रत्येक में 3 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का
उत्तर 60-80 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।
(x) खांड सी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 28 से 30 र्दीघय उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, प्रत्येक में 8 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 300-
350 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।
(xi) खांड डी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 31 से 33 तीि उप प्रश्िों के साथ स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि हैं और प्रत्येक 4 अांकों के हैं।
(xii) खांड-ई - प्रश्ि सांख्या। 34 िक्शा आिाररत है , जिसमें 5 अांक हैं जिसमें महत्वपूर्य परीक्षर् वस्तुओां की
पहचाि और स्थाि शाममल है । मािधचत्र को उत्तर पुजस्तका के साथ सांलग्ि करें ।
(xi) प्रश्ि पत्र में कोई समग्र ववकल्प िहीां है । हालाांकक, कुछ प्रश्िों में आांतररक ववकल्प प्रर्दाि ककया गया है ।
ऐसे प्रश्िों में से केवल एक ववकल्प का प्रयास करिा है ।
(xii) इसके अलावा, िहाां आवश्यक हो, प्रत्येक अिुभाग और प्रश्ि के साथ अलग-अलग
निर्दे श हर्दए गए हैं।
SECTION A - खंड ए ( 1X21=21)
1. Identify the construction found in Harappan civilisation. 1
i). It was a large rectangular tank.
ii). It was in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.
iii). There were rooms on three sides.
iv). Water from the tank flowed into a huge drain.
Codes
(a) The Great Tank (b) The Great Bath
(c) The Great Washroom (d) None of these
1. हड़प्पा सभ्यता में पाए गए निमायर् की पहचाि करें । 1
i) यह एक बड़ा आयताकार टैंक था।
ii) यह एक आांगि में चारों ओर से एक गमलयारे से नघरा हुआ था।
iii) तीि तरफ कमरे थे।

504
 iv) टां की से पािी एक बड़े िाले में बह गया।
2. Which of the following is correct regarding Harmika? 1
(a) A balcony like structure
(b) Semicircular mound of Earth
(c) A high wall of palace
(d) A gateway of a stupa
2. हरममका के सांबि
ां में निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा सही है ? 1
(a) एक बालकिी िैसी सांरचिा
(b) पथ्
ृ वी का अियवत्त
ृ ाकार टीला
(c) महल की एक ऊांची र्दीवार
(d) एक स्तूप का प्रवेश द्वार
3. Match the following and select the correct option 1
List I Ancient Site List-II
Archaeological Finding
a)Lothal i)Ploughed Field
b)Kalibangan ii)Dockyard
c)Shortughai iii)Terracotta replica of a plough
d)Banawali iv)Trace of canal found .
A B C D
a) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
b) (ii) (i) (iv) (iii)
c) (i) (ii) (iv) (iii)
d) (iv) (i) (ii) (iii)
3. निम्िमलखखत का ममलाि करें और सही ववकल्प का चयि करें । 1

सच
ू ी I प्राचीि स्थल सच
ू ी- II परु ातत्व खोि
a) लोथल i)िोता हुआ खेत
b) कालीबांगा ii) गोर्दी
c) शॉटुयघई iii) एक हल की टे राकोटा प्रनतकृनत
d)बिावली iv) िहर के निशाि ममले।

A B C D
a)(i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
b)(ii) (i) (iv) (iii)
c)(i) (ii) (iv) (iii)
d)(iv) (i) (ii) (iii)
4. What does the term Mahajanapada symbolises? 1
(a) Amalgamation of large number of rural and urban settlements.
(b) Separation of a large number of rural and urban settlements.
(c) Single state with single ruler.
(d) None of the above

505
4. महाििपर्द शब्र्द ककसका प्रतीक है ? 1
(a) बड़ी सांख्या में ग्रामीर् और शहरी बजस्तयों का समामेलि।
(b) बड़ी सांख्या में ग्रामीर् और शहरी बजस्तयों का पथ
ृ क्करर्।
(c) एकल शासक के साथ एकल राज्य।
(d) उपरोक्त में से कोई िहीां।

5. Identify the given image from the following options: 1

This is an image of Shiva as ………….

(a) Virupaksha
(b) Brihadishvara
(c) Nataraja
(d) Kalvairav
5. निम्िमलखखत ववकल्पों में से र्दी गई छवव को पहचािें: 1
यह एक छवव है कक मशव के रूप में …………….
(a) ववरुपाक्ष:
(b) बह
ृ र्दीश्वर
(c) िटराि:
(d) कलावैराव
6. Assertion (A) The practice of endogamy meant that marrying daughters into 1
familiesoutside the kin was considered desirable.
Reason (R) Daughters had no claims to the resources of the household according to
theManusmriti.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
6. र्दावा (A): एांडोगैमी की प्रथा का मतलब था कक बेहटयों की शार्दी ररश्तेर्दारों से बाहर के पररवारों 1
में करिा वाांछिीय मािा िाता था।
कारर् (R): मिुस्मनृ त के अिस
ु ार बेहटयों का घर के सांसाििों पर कोई र्दावा िहीां था।
(a) A और R र्दोिों सत्य हैं और आर सही है । ए की व्याख्या

506
 (b) A और R र्दोिों सत्य हैं, लेककि आर ए की सही व्याख्या िहीां है ।
(c) A सच है , लेककि R झठ
ू ा है ।
(d) A झठ ू ा है , लेककि R सच है ।
7. Consider the following statements and suggest the incorrect one. 1
(a) Mahavira was preceded by 24 tirthankaras.
(b) Both Mahavira and Buddha emphasised that men and women could strive to
attain liberation from trials and tribulations of worldly experience.
(c) The Rigveda consists of hymn in praise of variety of deities.
(d) The Buddha’s foster mother MahapajapatiGotami was the first Bhikkhuni.
7. निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार करें और गलत कथि का सझ
ु ाव र्दें । 1
(a) महावीर 24 तीथिंकर से पहले थे।
(b) महावीर और बुद्ि र्दोिों िे इस बात पर िोर हर्दया कक पुरुष और महहलाएां मौखखक अिभ
ु व
के परीक्षर्ों और क्लेशों से मुजक्त पािे का प्रयास कर सकते हैं।
(c) ऋग्वेर्द में ववमभन्ि प्रकार के र्दे वताओां की स्तनु त में भिि शाममल हैं।
(d) बद्
ु ि की पालक माां महापिापनत गोतामी पहली मभक्खि
ु ी थीां।

8. Fill in the blank : 1

‘Kitab-ul-Hind’ was written by ……………..
8. ररक्त स्थाि को भरें : 1
'ककताब-उल-हहांर्द' …………… द्वारा मलखा गया था।
9. Read the following statements regarding the life in the chisti khanqah. 1
I The khanqah was the centre of social life
II It comprised of several rooms and a hall
III The inmates did not include the family members.
IV Visitors used to visit him in the morning and evening.
Which of the following statements are correct?
(a) I,II and III
(b) I,II and IV
(c)I and II
(d)I and IV
9. धचस्तीखािका में िीवि के बारे में निम्िमलखखत कथिों को पढें । 1
मैं खािकाह सामाजिक िीवि का केंद्र था
II इसमें कई कमरे और एक हॉल शाममल था
III कैहर्दयों में पररवार के सर्दस्य शाममल िहीां थे।
IV आगांतुक उसके पास सुबह और शाम िाया करते थे।
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि से कथि सही हैं?
(a) I,II and III
(b) I,II and IV
(c)I and II
(d)I and IV
10. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion (A) and the other 1
labelled as Reason (R).

507
 Assertion: Govindh Ballabh Pant was against the demand for separate electorates in
the constitution.
Reason: he felt it would isolate the minorities and deprive them of any effective say
within the Government.
Select the correct answer.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
10. िीचे र्दो कथि हर्दए गए हैं, एक को अमभकथि (A) और र्दस
ू रे को कारर् (R) के रूप में लेबल
ककया गया है ।
र्दावा: गोववांर्द बल्लभ पांत सांवविाि में अलग निवायचक मांडल की माांग के खखलाफ थे।
कारर्: उन्होंिे महसूस ककया कक यह अल्पसांख्यकों को अलग-थलग कर र्दे गा और उन्हें
सरकार के भीतर ककसी भी प्रभावी अधिकार से वांधचत कर र्दे गा।
सही उत्तर का चयि करें ।
(a) A और R र्दोिों सत्य हैं और आर सही है । ए की व्याख्या
(b) A और R र्दोिों सत्य हैं, लेककि आर ए की सही व्याख्या िहीां है ।
(c) A सच है , लेककि R झठ
ू ा है ।
(d) A झठ ू ा है , लेककि R सच है ।
11. Complete the following with the correct optionin the context of the Mughal Empire. 1
(a) States help was available for irrigation.
(b) Jins-i-Kamil was a Rabi Crop.
(c) Many new crops reached India such as maize, potato, etc.
(d) There were two types of peasants-khud- Kashta and Pahi-Kashta.
11. मुगल साम्राज्य के सन्र्दभय में निम्िमलखखत को सही ववकल्प के साथ पूरा कीजिए। 1
(a) मसांचाई के मलए राज्यों की मर्दर्द उपलब्ि थी।
(b) जिन्स-ए-काममल एक रबी फसल थी।
(c) भारत में कई िई फसलें पहुांचीां िैसे मक्का, आलू आहर्द।
(d) ककसाि र्दो प्रकार के होते थे-खुर्द- काष्टा और पाही-कश्त।
12. Which among the following is Correctly matched? 1
(a) Ibn-Battuta travelled extensively in China.
(b) Al-Biruni found the Indian cities quite populated.
(c) Al-Biruni was greatly influenced by the Indian postal system.
(d) According to Ibn-Battuta. crown ownership of land was quite disastrous for
farmers.
12. निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सही सुमेमलत है ? 1
(a) इब्ि-बतूता िे चीि में बड़े पैमािे पर यात्रा की।
(b) अल-बबरूिी िे भारतीय शहरों को काफी आबार्दी वाला पाया।
(c) अल-बबरूिी भारतीय डाक व्यवस्था से अत्यधिक प्रभाववत था।
(d) इब्ि-बतूता के अिुसार। भमू म का मक ु ु ट स्वाममत्व ककसािों के मलए काफी वविाशकारी था।
13. Consider the following options: 1
I Gurunanak advocated a form of Nirguna Bhakti
II He rejected sacrifices, ritual baths, and image worship.
III The fifth Sikh Guru was Guru Tegh Bahadur.

508
 Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct about sikh religion?
(a) Only I
(b) Only II
(c) I and II
(d) I, II and III
13. निम्िमलखखत ववकल्पों पर ववचार करें : 1
I.गुरुिािक िे निगर्
ुय भजक्त के एक रूप की वकालत की
II .उन्होंिे बमल, अिुष्ठाि स्िाि और मूनतय पूिा को अस्वीकार कर हर्दया।
III .पाांचवें मसख फुरु गुरु तेगबहार्दरु थे।
उपरोक्त में से कौि सा/से कथि मसख िमय के बारे में सही है /हैं?
a) Only I
(b) Only II
(c) I and II
(d) I, II and III
14. Consider the following statements and select the correct from the following option: 1
During the Mughal Empire, how did the Panchayats use the funds available to it?
(a) It was used to entertain revenue officials.
(b) It was used to pay salary to muqaddam and chowkidar.
(c) It was used to meet expenses for the community welfare.
(d) All of these.
14. निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार करें और निम्िमलखखत ववकल्पों में से सही का चयि करें : 1
मुगल साम्राज्य के र्दौराि पांचायतें अपिे मलए उपलब्ि िि का उपयोग ककस प्रकार करती थीां?
(a) इसका उपयोग रािस्व अधिकाररयों के मिोरां िि के मलए ककया िाता था।
(b) इसका इस्तेमाल मुकद्र्दम और चौकीर्दार को वेति र्दे िे के मलए ककया िाता था।
(c) इसका उपयोग समर्द
ु ाय कल्यार् के खचों को परू ा करिे के मलए ककया िाता था।
(d) ये सभी।
15. Identify which of the following aspect is NOT correct to both Alvars and Nayanars . 1
i) They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Telugu in praise of their gods.
ii) The Alvars and Nayanars identified certain shrines as abodes of their chosen
deities.
iii) Very often large temples were later built at these sacred places.
iv) Singing compositions of these poet-saints became part of temple rituals.
15. निम्ि में से ककस पहलू को पहचािें अलवर और ियिार र्दोिों के मलए सही िहीां है । 1
i) उन्होंिे अपिे र्दे वताओां की प्रशांसा में तेलुगु में भिि गािे के मलए िगहिगह से यात्रा की।-
ii) अल्वार और ियिारों िे अपिे चुिे हुए र्दे वताओां के निवास के रूप में कुछ िाममयक स्थलों की
पहचाि की।
iii) बहुत बार बड़े मांहर्दर बार्द में इि पववत्र स्थािों पर बिाए गए थे।
iv) इि कववसांतों की गायि रचिाएँ मांहर्दर के अिुष्ठािों का हहस्सा बि गईं-
16 Name the Governor General who introduced Enfield rifles . 1
16. उस गवियर ििरल का िाम बताइए जिसिे एिफील्ड राइफलें पेश कीां।
17. Which among the following provided a common factor for tribal uprising in the 19th 1
century?
(a)Introduction of a new system of land revenue.
(b)Influence of foreign religious missionaries.

509
 (c)Rise of large number of moneylenders, traders etc.
(d)Complete destruction of old agrarian order.
17. निम्िमलखखत में से ककसिे 19वीां शताब्र्दी में िििातीय ववद्रोह के मलए एक सामान्य कारक 1
प्रर्दाि ककया?
(a) भू-रािस्व की एक िई प्रर्ाली की शुरूआत।
(b) ववर्दे शी िाममयक ममशिररयों का प्रभाव।
(c) बड़ी सांख्या में साहूकारों, व्यापाररयों आहर्द का उर्दय।
(d) पुरािी कृवष व्यवस्था का पर्
ू य वविाश।
18 Which of the following options is correct? 1
The Simon Commission was boycotted because.
(a)It did not promise swaraj.
(b)It wanted to provide separate Electorate for the Muslims.
(c)It wanted to partition Bengal.
(d)It did not include a single Indian .
18. निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा ववकल्प सही है ? 1
साइमि कमीशि का बहहष्कार इसमलए ककया गया क्योंकक
(a) इसिे स्वराि का वार्दा िहीां ककया था।
(b) यह मुसलमािों के मलए अलग निवायचि क्षेत्र प्रर्दाि करिा चाहता था।
(c) यह बांगाल का ववभािि करिा चाहता था।
(d) इसमें एक भी भारतीय शाममल िहीां था।
19 Consider the following events: 1
i). Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
ii). Khilafat Movement
iii). Formation of Swaraj Party
iv). Arrival of Simon Commission
The correct chronological order of these events is:
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 4, 3, 2, 1
(c) 2, 3, 4, 1
(d) 3, 4, 2, 1
19. निम्िमलखखत घटिाओां पर ववचार करें : 1
i)िमलयाांवाला बाग हत्याकाांड
ii)खखलाफत आांर्दोलि
iii) स्वराि पाटी का गठि
iv) साइमि कमीशि का आगमि
इि घटिाओां का सही कालािुक्रममक क्रम है :
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4
(b) 4, 3, 2, 1
(c) 2, 3, 4, 1
(d) 3, 4, 2, 1
20 What is meant by Sunset Law? 1
20. सयू ायस्त कािूि से क्या तात्पयय है ? 1
21 Indicate which of the following is not correct: 1
(a) Nana Saheb was the adopted son of Tantya Tope.

510
 (b) Tantya Tope was the general of Nana Saheb.
(c) Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta.
(d) Lord Dalhousie captured 7 states with the Doctrine of Lapse.
21. इांधगत करें कक निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा सही िहीां है : 1
(a) िािा साहब ताांत्या टोपे के र्दत्तक पत्र
ु थे।
(b) ताांत्या टोपे िािा साहब के सेिापनत थे।
(c) वाजिर्द अली शाह को कलकत्ता निवायमसत कर हर्दया गया।
(d) लाडय डलहौिी िे व्यपगत मसद्िाांत के साथ 7 राज्यों पर कब्िा कर मलया।
SECTION B / खांड बी
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
सांक्षक्षप्त उत्तर प्रकार के प्रश्ि (3X6=18)
22 Describe the sources historians have used to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan 3
Empire. (OR)
Why 6th century is is often regarded as the major turning point in early Indian
History?
22. मौयय साम्राज्य के इनतहास के पुिनियमायर् के मलए इनतहासकारों द्वारा प्रयक्
ु त स्रोतों का वर्यि 3
कीजिए। (या)
छठी शताब्र्दी को अक्सर प्रारां मभक भारतीय इनतहास में प्रमख
ु मोड़ के रूप में क्यों मािा िाता
है ?
23 Explain the main teachings of Bhudhism . 3
23. बौद्ि िमय की प्रमुख मशक्षाओां की व्याख्या कीजिए। 3
24 Describe the Alberuni’s understanding of the caste system. 3
24. अलबरूिी की िानत व्यवस्था की समझ का वर्यि कीजिए। 3
25 Examine how the Amara – Nayaka system was a political innovation of the 3
Vijayanagara empire .
25. 3
परीक्षर् करें कक कैसे अमारा-िायक प्रर्ाली ववियिगर साम्राज्य का एक राििीनतक

िवाचार था।
26 Why the Permanent settlement did not extend beyond Bengal? 3
26. स्थायी बांर्दोबस्त बांगाल से आगे क्यों िहीां बढा? 3
27. What are the ideals expressed in the objectives resolution? 3
(OR)
How did the constituent Assembly seek to resolve language controversy?
27. उद्र्दे श्य सांकल्प में व्यक्त ककए गए आर्दशय क्या हैं? 3
(या)
सांवविाि सभा िे भाषा वववार्द को कैसे सल
ु झाया?
SECTION /C खंड सी
Long Answer Type Questions िीघव उत्तरीय प्रश्न /8x3=24
28. How is Mahabharata a good source to study the kinsfolk values and systems of 8
marriages of ancient times ? Cite examples to support your answer.
(OR)
Why do we call Mahabharata ‘A Dynamic Text ‘? Explain the processes involved in
preparing the critical edition of the Mahabharata.

511
28. 8
महाभारत प्राचीि काल के वववाह सम्बन्िी मल्
ू यों और वववाह प्रर्ामलयों का अध्ययि करिे

का एक अच्छा स्रोत कैसे है ? अपिे उत्तर के समथयि में उर्दाहरर् र्दीजिए।

(या)

हम महाभारत को 'एक गनतशील पाठ' क्यों कहते हैं? महाभारत के आलोचिात्मक सांस्करर्

को तैयार करिे में शाममल प्रकक्रयाओां की व्याख्या करें ।

29. Explain how the village Panchayat and headmen used to regulate rural society and 8
maintain peaceful coexistence among different classes of rural society.
(OR)
“The women of the Imperial household played a dominant role in the Mughal
Empire.’’Support the statement with facts.
29. समझाएां कक गाांव पांचायत और हे डमेि ग्रामीर् समाि को नियांबत्रत करिे और ग्रामीर् समाि 8
के ववमभन्ि वगों के बीच शाांनतपूर्य सहअजस्तत्व बिाए रखिे के मलए कैसे उपयोग करते थे।
(या)

"शाही पररवार की महहलाओां िे मग

ु ल साम्राज्य में एक प्रमख
ु भमू मका निभाई।'' तथ्यों के साथ

कथि का समथयि करें ।

30. Explain the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920s. 8
(OR)
Explain the outcomes of the provincial legislative elections of 1937 and the role of
congress ministries.
30. 1920 के असहयोग आांर्दोलि में महात्मा गाांिी की भूममका की व्याख्या करें । 8
(या)
1937 के प्राांतीय वविायी चुिावों और काांग्रेस मांत्रालयों की भमू मका के पररर्ामोंकी व्याख्या
करें ।
SECTION -D / खांड-डी
Source Based Questions / स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि (4x3=12)
31. Read the following source carefully and answer the following : 4
How artefacts are identified

Processing of food required grinding equipment as well as vessels for mixing,

blending and cooking. These were made of stone, metal and terracotta. This is an
excerpt from one of the earliest reports on excavations at Mohenjodaro, the best
known Harappan site: Saddle querns … are found in considerable numbers … and
they seem to have been the only means in use for grinding cereals. As a rule, they
were roughly made ofhard, gritty, igneous rock or sandstone and mostly show signs
of hard usage. As theirbases are usually convex, they must have been set in the earth
or in mud to prevent their rocking. Two main types have been found: those on which
another smaller stonewas pushed or rolled to and fro, and others with which a
second stone was used as a pounder, eventually making a large cavity in the nether
stone. Querns of the former type were probably used solely for grain; the second
type possibly only for poundingherbs and spices for making curries. In fact, stones of
this latter type are dubbed “currystones” by our workmen and our cook asked for the
loan of one from the museum foruse in the kitchen.

512
31. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्यािपूवक
य पहढए और निम्िमलखखत ववकल्प का उत्तर र्दीजिए। 4
कलाकृनतयों की पहचाि कैसे की िाती है
भोिि के प्रसांस्करर् में पीसिे के उपकरर् के साथ-साथ ममश्रर्, सजम्मश्रर् और खािा पकािे
के मलए बतयिों की आवश्यकता होती है । ये पत्थर, िातु और टे राकोटा के बिे होते थे। यह
मोहििोर्दड़ो, िो सबसे प्रमसद्ि हड़प्पा स्थल है , में उत्खिि की शुरुआती ररपोटों में से एक का
एक अांश है: सैडल क्वान्सय … काफी सांख्या में पाए िाते हैं … और ऐसा लगता है कक अिाि
पीसिे के मलए वे एकमात्र सािि हैं। एक नियम के रूप में , वे मोटे तौर पर कठोर, ककरककरा,
आग्िेय चट्टाि या बलआ
ु पत्थर से बिे होते थे और ज्यार्दातर कठोर उपयोग के सांकेत
हर्दखाते थे। चूांकक उिके आिार आमतौर पर उत्तल होते हैं, इसमलए उन्हें हहलिे से रोकिे के
मलए उन्हें पथ्
ृ वी या कीचड़ में स्थावपत ककया िािा चाहहए। र्दो मुख्य प्रकार पाए गए हैं: जिि
पर एक और छोटे पत्थर को िक्का हर्दया या घुमाया गया था, और अन्य जििके साथ एक र्दस
ू रे
पत्थर को पाउां डर के रूप में इस्तेमाल ककया गया था, अांततः िीचे के पत्थर में एक बड़ी गुहा
बिा रहा था। पहले वाले प्रकार के क्विय का उपयोग सांभवतः केवल अिाि के मलए ककया िाता
था; र्दस
ू रा प्रकार सांभवतः केवल करी बिािे के मलए िड़ी बूहटयों और मसालों को तेज करिे के
मलए। वास्तव में , इस बार्द के प्रकार के पत्थरों को हमारे कामगारों द्वारा "करीस्टोि" कहा
िाता है और हमारे रसोइए िे सांग्रहालय से रसोई में उपयोग के मलए एक का ऋर् माांगा।
31.1 What is the shape of the base of saddle querns? 1
(a) Circular (b) Curved or rounded outward
(c) Curved inward (d) Conical
31.1 सैडल क्वन्सय के आिार का आकार कैसा होता है ? 1
(a) पररपत्र (b) घुमावर्दार या गोल बाहर की ओर
(c) घुमावर्दार आवक (d) शांक्वाकार
31.2 What are the two types of Querns mentioned in the passage? 1
31.2 मागय में उजल्लखखत र्दो प्रकार के क्विय कौि से हैं? 2
31.3 For what purposes was grinding equipment used in the kitchen. 1
31.3 रसोई में उपयोग ककए िािे वाले पीसिे के उपकरर् ककि उद्र्दे श्यों के मलए थे। 2
32. Read the following source carefully and answer the following : 4
THE ONE LORD
Here is a composition attributed to Kabir:tell me brother, how can there be no one
lord of the world but two/ who led you so astray? God is called by many names:
Names like Allah, Ram, Karim, Keshav, Hari and Hazrat Gold may be shaped into
rings and bangles. Isn’t it gold all the same? Distinctions are only words we invent…
Kabir says they are both mistaken. Neither can find the only Ram. One kills the goat,
the other cows.
They waste their lives in disputation.

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32. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्यािपूवक
य पहढए और निम्िमलखखत ववकल्प का उत्तर र्दीजिए। 4
एक यहोर्ा
यहाँ कबीर को समवपयत एक रचिा है : बताओ भाई, र्दनु िया का कोई एक स्वामी कैसे हो सकता
है , लेककि र्दो / जिसिे आपको इतिा भटका हर्दया? भगवाि को कई िामों से पुकारा िाता है :
अल्लाह, राम, करीम, केशव, हरर और हिरत गोल्ड िैसे िामों को अांगहू ठयों और चडू ड़यों में
आकार हर्दया िा सकता है । क्या यह सब सोिा िहीां है ? भेर्द केवल ऐसे शब्र्द हैं जििका हम
आववष्कार करते हैं... कबीर कहते हैं कक वे र्दोिों गलत हैं। ि तो केवल राम ही ममल सकता है ।
एक बकरी को मारता है , र्दस
ू रा गायों को।
वे वववार्द में अपिा िीवि बबायर्द करते हैं।

32.1 How does Kabir’s composition convey his mystical experiences? 2

32.1 कबीर की रचिा उिके रहस्यमय अिुभवों को कैसे व्यक्त करती है ? 2

32.2 Explain Kabir’s view on God. 1

32.2 ईश्वर के बारे में कबीर के दृजष्टकोर् की व्याख्या कीजिए। 1
32.3 Kabir was a source of inspiration for those who questioned entrenched religious 1
and social institutions, ideas and practices in the search for divine.’ Give your views
on the statement with reference to the passage.

32.3 कबीर उि लोगों के मलए प्रेरर्ा के स्रोत थे जिन्होंिे ईश्वर की खोि में निहहत िाममयक और 1
सामाजिक सांस्थाओां, ववचारों और प्रथाओां पर सवाल उठाया था।' इस कथि पर अपिे ववचार
गद्याांश के सांर्दभय में र्दें ।
33 Read the following source carefully and answer the following : 4
“That is very good,Sir-bold words,noble words” Somnath Lahirisaid:
Well, Sir, I must congratulate Pandit Nehru for the fine expression he gave to the
spirit of the Indian people when he said that no imposition from the British will be
accepted by the Indian people. Imposition would be resented and objected to, he
said, and he added that if need be we will walk the valley of struggle. That is very
good, Sir – bold words, noble words. But the point is to see when and how are you
going to apply that challenge.
Well, Sir, the point is that the imposition is here right now. Not only has the British
Plan made any future Constitution … dependent on a treaty satisfactory to the
British, but it suggests that for every little difference you will have to run to the
Federal Court or attendance there in England; or to call on the British Prime
Minister Clement Attlee or someone else. Not only is it a fact that this Constituent
Assembly, whatever plans we may be hatching, we are under the shadow of British
guns, British Army, their economic and financial stranglehold –which means that
the final power is still in the British hands and the question of power has not yet
been finally decided, which means the future is not yet completely in our hands.
Not only that, but the statements made by Attlee and others recently have made it
clear that if need be, they will even threaten you with division entirely. This means,
Sir, there is no freedom in this country. As Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel put it some
days ago, we have freedom only to fight among ourselves. That is the only freedom

514
 we have got … Therefore, our humble suggestion is that it is not a question of
getting something by working out this Plan but to declare independence here and
now and call upon the Interim Government, call upon the people of India, to stop
fratricidal warfare and look out against its enemy, which still has the whip hand, the
British imperialism-and go together to fight it and then Resolve our claims
afterwards when we will be free .
33. निम्िमलखखत स्रोत को ध्यािपव
ू क
य पहढए और निम्िमलखखत ववकल्प का उत्तर र्दीजिए। 4
"यह बहुत अच्छा है , सर बोल्ड शब्र्द, िेक शब्र्द" सोमिाथ लाहहरीसैर्द:
ठीक है , श्रीमाि, मझ
ु े पांडडत िेहरू को भारतीय लोगों की भाविा को र्दी गई उत्कृष्ट
अमभव्यजक्त के मलए बिाई र्दे िा चाहहए, िब उन्होंिे कहा कक अांग्रेिों से कोई भी आरोप
भारतीय लोगों द्वारा स्वीकार िहीां ककया िाएगा। उन्होंिे कहा कक थोपिे पर िारािगी और
आपवत्त होगी, और उन्होंिे कहा कक अगर िरूरत पड़ी तो हम सांघषय की घाटी में चलेंगे। यह
बहुत अच्छा है , सर - बोल्ड शब्र्द, िेक शब्र्द। लेककि र्दे खिे वाली बात यह है कक आप उस
चुिौती को कब और कैसे लागू करिे वाले हैं।
खैर, महोर्दय, बात यह है कक अभी थोपिा यहाां है । बब्रहटश योििा िे ि केवल भववष्य का कोई
सांवविाि बिाया है ... अांग्रेिों के मलए एक सांतोषििक सांधि पर निभयर है , लेककि यह सझ
ु ाव
र्दे ता है कक हर छोटे से अांतर के मलए आपको सांघीय न्यायालय में िािा होगा या इांग्लैंड में वहाां
उपजस्थत होिा होगा; या बब्रहटश प्रिाि मांत्री क्लेमेंट एटली या ककसी और को बुलािे के मलए।
ि केवल यह सच है कक यह सांवविाि सभा, चाहे हम िो भी योििाएँ बिा रहे हों, हम बब्रहटश
तोपों, बब्रहटश सेिा, उिके आधथयक और ववत्तीय र्दबर्दबे के साये में हैं - जिसका अथय है कक अांनतम
शजक्त अभी भी अांग्रेिों के हाथ में है और सत्ता का प्रश्ि अभी अांनतम रूप से तय िहीां हुआ है ,
जिसका अथय है कक भववष्य अभी पूरी तरह से हमारे हाथ में िहीां है । इतिा ही िहीां, एटली और
अन्य द्वारा हाल ही में हर्दए गए बयािों िे यह स्पष्ट कर हर्दया है कक अगर िरूरत पड़ी तो वे
आपको पूरी तरह से ववभाजित करिे की िमकी भी र्दें गे। इसका मतलब है , महोर्दय, इस र्दे श में
कोई स्वतांत्रता िहीां है । िैसा कक कुछ हर्दि पहले सरर्दार वल्लभ भाई पटे ल िे कहा था, हमें
केवल आपस में लड़िे की आिार्दी है । बस यही आजार्दी हमें ममली है ... इसमलए हमारा वविम्र
सुझाव है कक यह इस योििा पर अमल करके कुछ पािे की बात िहीां है , बजल्क यहाँ और अभी
आजार्दी की घोषर्ा करिे और अांतररम सरकार का आह्वाि करिे, भारत के लोगों से आह्वाि
करिे का सवाल है , भाईचारे की लड़ाई को रोकिे के मलए और अपिे र्दश्ु मि के खखलाफ र्दे खो,
जिसके पास अभी भी कोड़ा है , बब्रहटश साम्राज्यवार्द - और उससे लड़िे के मलए एक साथ िाओ
और कफर बार्द में हमारे र्दावों को हल करें िब हम स्वतांत्र होंगे।
33.1 Why did Somnath Lahiri congratulate Jawahar Lal Nehru? 1
33.1 सोमिाथ लाहहड़ी िे िवाहर लाल िेहरू को क्यों बिाई र्दी? 1
33.2 Explain why Somnath feels that the absence of constitution will mean dependence 1
on British?
33.2 बताएां कक सोमिाथ को ऐसा क्यों लगता है कक सांवविाि के अभाव का मतलब अांग्रेिों पर 1
निभयरता होगा?
33.3 How did he feel that the final power was still in the hands of the 2
British?
33.3 अांग्रेिों कैसा लगा कक अांनतम शजक्त अभी भी उन्हीां के हाथों में है ? 2

515
 SECTION E / खांड ई
Map Based Question मािधचत्र आिाररत प्रश्ि / (1x5=5)
34. On the given political map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate
symbols :
भारत के हर्दए गए राििीनतक मािधचत्र पर, निम्िमलखखत को उपयुक्त धचह्िों के साथ खोिें
और लेबल करें :
34.1 a)Nageshwar a mature Harappan Site . 3
b)Amaravathi a major Bhuddhist Site
c) Agra, a territory under Babur, Akbar, and Aurangzeb Gwalior a main centre of
the revolt1857
a) िागेश्वर एक पररपक्व हड़प्पा स्थल।
b) अमरावती एक प्रमुख बौद्ि स्थल।
c) आगरा, बाबर के अिीि एक क्षेत्र, अकबर और औरां गिेब ग्वामलयर ववद्रोह का मुख्य केंद्र
था।
34.2 On the same outline map, two places have been marked as A and B, which are 2
centres of the National movement. Identify.
एक ही रूपरे खा मािधचत्र पर र्दो स्थािों को ए और बी के रूप में धचजह्ित ककया गया है , िो
राष्रीय आांर्दोलि के केंद्र को पहचािें ।

[Link] PAPER

516
 KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGTHAN

BENGALURU REGION

MODEL QUESTION PAPER (SESSION 2023-24)

CLASS: XII MAX. MARKS: 80

SUBJECT : History(027) TIME : 3 HRS.

General Instructions:
(i) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
questionpaper. All questions are compulsory.

(ii) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.

(iii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks
[Link] to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.

(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answerto each question should not exceed 300-350 words

(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and are
of4 marks each

(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification
andlocation of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.

(vii) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
providedin few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.
(ix) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary.
(Multiple choice questions)

SECTION - A

Q1) who among the following rulers worked on the preservation of sanchi stupa?

a) Ruksar Begum

b) Sultan Jehana Begum

c) Roshnara Begum

d) Shahjehan Begum

Q2) in which language did Buddha preach?

a) Pali
b) Prakrit
c) Brahmi
d) Sanskrit

517
Q3) which of the following religions spread widely in Asia?

a) Buddhism
b) Jainism
c) Hinduism
d) Brahmanism

Q4) Stories that were used to spread Buddhism include:

a) Manimekelai
b) Panchatantra
c) Jatakas
d) Hitopadesha

Q5) which of the following is not a constituent of the stupa?

a) pitha
b) anda
c) haramika
d) chhatri

Q6) consider the following statement with regard to the Sanchi stupa:

a) it is the largest stupa

b) the gateways of the stupa were richly carved
c) several animal stories are depicted at Sanchi
d) Sanchi stupa survived while the Amravati stupa did not

Q7) which of the following places has not yielded the remains of the stupa?

a) Sanchi
b) Samath
c) Amaravati
d) Pataliputra
Q8) _____________ is a collection of verse composed by bhikkhunis.

a) therigatha
b) sutta pitaka
c) buddhacharita
d) Mahabharata

Q9)Which of the following foreign powers wanted to take away the eastern gateway of Sanchi stupa
to their own country?

a) Norwegians
b) French
c) Scottish
d) Portugese

518
Q10) which of the following is the most important idea in Jainism?

a) Observing celibacy
b) Entire world is animated
c) Belief in non-violence
d) Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma.
Q11) who provided money for the preservation of the Sachi stupa.?

a) John Marshall
b) Begums of Bhopal
c) Alexander Cunningham
d) None of the above
Q12)What was the balcony like structure in a stupa called?

a) Anda
b) Harmika
c) Yashti
d) Chhatri
Q13)According to Buddhist philosophy, the world is

a) Permanent and stable

b) Transient (anicca) and constantly changing
c) Permanent and constantly changing
d) None of the above
Q14)The first woman to be ordained as a Buddhist bhikkhuni was ____________

a) Kamalavathi
b) Punna
c) Maya
d) Mahapajapati
Q15) Chaityas were described as __________

a) Special trees or unique rocks regarded as sacred

b) Sites, with small shrines attached to them
c) Buddhist texts kept in the stupa
d) Place where stupas were made
Q16) where did Buddha give his first sermon?

a) Sarnath
b) Gaya
c) Lumbini
d) Kusinagara
Q17) what was the time period of compilation of Rigveda?

a) 1500BCE-1000BCE
b) 2600BCE-1900BCE
c) 1900BCE-1000BCE
d) 1600BCE-900BCE
Q18) who funded money for the conservation in Sanchi stupa?

a) Sultan Jehan begum

b) Shajehan

519
 c) Rashiu
d) Ruksar begum
Q19) Where is Amaravati?

a) AP
b) MP
c) UP
d) HP
Q20) who were the main gods in the first millennium BCE?

a) Indra
b) Agni
c) Soma
d) All of the above
Q21) what do you mean by Gopuram?

a) tall structure of temple

b) small structure of temple
c) wide structure
d) narrow structure

SECTION – B

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q22. Why has the Sanchi stupa survived while Amaravati has not?

Q23. Why were the Buddhist monks known as bhikkus?

OR

Name three places associated with Buddha’s life.

[Link] sponsored the construction of the Sanchi stupa? What was its most distinctive feature?

Q25. State three factors that led to the growth and spread of Buddhism?

OR

How did the ‘four great sights’ influence Buddha?

Q26. Name the two sects into which Buddhism came to be divided. State the important differences
between them.

Q27. What impact did Buddhism have on India’s literature and education?

SECTION- C

520
 (LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS)

Q28. “The principal of ahimsa, emphasized within Jainism has left its mark on India’s thinking as a
whole”. Support the statement with the messages of Mahavira.

OR

Explain the structural and sculptural features of Sanchi stupa.

Q29. Explain the main teachings of Buddha.

OR

“Be lamps unto yourself as all of you must work out your liberation”. In the light of the above last
words of Buddha to his followers bring out his philosophy of life.

Q30. What led to the spread of Buddhism?

OR

Explain how Sanchi stupa stands testimony to successful conservation policies taken up in the
19th century. Why does this not happen in the case of the stupa at Amaravati? Explain.

SECTION – D

(SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS)

[Link] the following extract and answer the questions based on it:

RULES FOR MONKS AND NUNS

These are some of the rules laid down in the Vinaya pitaka:

When a new felt (Blanket/rug) has been made by a bhikkhu ,it is to be kept for (at least) 6 years. If
after less than 6 years he should have another new felt (blanket/rug) made, regardless of whether or
not he has disposed of the first, then-unless he has been authorised by the bhikkhus-It is to be
forfeited and confessed.

In case a bhikkhu arriving at a family residence is presented with cakes or cooked grain meal, he may
accept two or three bowlfuls if he so desires. If he should accept more than that, it is to be
confessed.

Having accepted the two or three bowlfuls and having taken them from there, he is to share them
among the bhikkhus. This is the proper course here.

Should any bhikkhus, having set out bedding in lodging belonging to the sangha- or having had it set
out –and then on departing neither put it away nor have it put away, or should he go without taking
leave, It is to be confessed.

(a) In which Buddhist text were these rules to be found?

(b) State two basic rules mentioned in the extract.
(c) Why do you think these rules were framed?

521
Q32. Read the following extract carefully and answer the questions based on it.

THE WORLD BEYOND THE PALACE

Just as the Buddha’s teachings were compiled by his followers, the teachings of Mahavira was also
recorded by the disciples. This were often in the form of stories, which could appeal to ordinary
people. Here is one example, from a Prakrit text known as Uttaradhyayana sutta, describing how a
queen named kamalavati tried to persuade her husband to renounce the world:

If the whole world and all its treasures were yours, you would not be satisfied, nor would all this be
able to save you. When you die, O king and leave all things behind, dhamma alone, and nothing else,
will save you. As a bird dislikes the cage, so do I dislike (the world). I shall live as a nun without
offspring, without desire, without the love of gain, and without hatred… those who have enjoyed
pleasures and renounced them, move about like the wind, and go wherever they please, unchecked
like birds in their flight… Leave your large kingdom… abandon what pleases the senses, be without
attachment and property, then practice severe penance, being firm of energy…

(a) Which Prakrit text mentions this incident?

(b) How did the queen convince her husband to renounce the world?
(c) What teachings of Mahavira can be inferred from this passage?
[Link] the following short inscription and answer the questions based on it.

In the year 33 of the Maharaja Huvishka (a Kushana ruler), in the first month of the hot season on
the eighth day, a bodhisatta was set up at madhuvanaka by the bhikkhuni dhanavathi,the sister’s
daughter of the bhikkuni budhamita, who knows the tipitaka, the female pupil of the bhikkhu bala,
who knows the tipitaka together with her father and mother.

(a) Who set up a Bodhisatta at madhuvanaka?

(b) Why do you think she installed an image of the Bodhisatta?
(c) Which Buddhist text did she know? From whom did she learn this text?

SECTION – E
MAP BASED QUESTIONS
34.1 On the given political outline map of India, locate and lable the following with appropriate
symbols:

1. Lumbini – Buddhist site

2. Bodhgaya – Buddhist site

3. Amaravati – Buddhist site

34.2 On the same outline map, two places regarding the major Buddhist sites have been marked as
‘A’ and ‘B’. Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.

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 Sample Question Paper
CLASS : XII MAX. MARKS : 80
SUBJECT : History(027) TIME : 3 HRS.

General Instructions:
(i) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
(ii)Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.

(iii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words
(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions and
are of 4 marks each
(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the identification
and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.
(vi) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be attempted.
(vii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,
wherever necessary.
स म न्य ननदे श:
(i) प्रश्न पत्र में प ंच खंड श ममल हैं - ए, बी, सी, डी और ई। प्रश्न पत्र में 34 प्रश्न हैं। सभी प्रश्न अननि यि हैं।
(ii) खंड ए - प्रश्न 1 से 21 प्रत्येक 1 अंक के बहुविकल्पीय प्रश्न हैं।
(iii) खंड बी - प्रश्न संख्य । 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्न हैं, प्रत्येक प्रश्न 3 अंक क है । प्रत्येक प्रश्न क उत्तर 60-
80 शब्दों से अचधक नहीं होन च दहए।
(iv) खण्ड ग - प्रश्न संख्य 28 से 30 दीघि उत्तरीय प्रश्न हैं, प्रत्येक प्रश्न 8 अंक क है । प्रत्येक प्रश्न क उत्तर 300-
350 शब्दों से अचधक नहीं होन च दहए
(v) खंड डी - प्रश्न संख्य 31 से 33 तीन उप प्रश्नों के स थ स्रोत आध ररत प्रश्न हैं और प्रत्येक 4 अंकों के हैं

523
(vi) खण्ड-ई - प्रश्न संख्य । 34 म नचचत्र आध ररत है , जिसमें 5 अंक हैं जिसमें महत्िपूणि परीिण िस्तुओं की
पहच न और स्थ न श ममल है । म नचचत्र को उत्तर पुजस्तक के स थ संलग्न करें ।
(vi) प्रश्नपत्र में समग्र रूप से कोई विकल्प नहीं है । तथ वप, कुछ प्रश्नों में आंतररक विकल्प प्रद न ककए गए हैं।
ऐसे प्रश्नों में केिल एक विकल्प क प्रय स करन है ।
(vii) इसके अनतररतत, िह ाँ आिश्यक हो, प्रत्येक खण्ड और प्रश्न के स थ अलग-अलग ननदे श ददए गए हैं।

Section A 1X21=21
1. Which of the following features was a part of the Harappan civilisation?
A. a flourishing horse breeding industry
B. a well-organised, significantly large library
C. well-planned settlements in definite territories
D. sophisticated defence systems against invaders
ननम्नमलखखत में से कौन सी विशेर्षत हड़प्प सभ्यत क दहस्स थी?
A. एक समद्
ृ ध घोड़ प्रिनन उद्योग
B. एक सुव्यिजस्थत, क फी बड़ पुस्तक लय
C. ननजश्चत प्रदे शों में सनु नयोजित बजस्तय ाँ
D. आिमणक ररयों के खखल फ पररष्कृत रि प्रण ली
2. Harappan cities planned their cities in a __________. 1

A. grid pattern
B. triangular pattern
C. nested-rings pattern
D. circular pattern with the citadel in the middle
हड़प्प नगरों ने अपने नगरों की योिन __________ में बन ई थी।
A चग्रड पैटनि
B. बत्रकोणीय पैटनि
C. नेस्टे ड-ररंग पैटनि
D. मध्य में गढ के स थ गोल क र पैटनि
3. All the information about the rules of diplomacy, administrative systems and other 1
political topics of the Mauryan Empire can be found __________
A. in the Indika
B. on Ashoka's Edicts
C. in the Arthashastra
D. on the walls of Sanchi Stupa
मौयि स म्र ज्य के र िनय के ननयमों, प्रश सननक व्यिस्थ ओं तथ अन्य र िनीनतक विर्षयों की
समस्त ि नक री __________ से प्र प्त की ि सकती है ।

524
 A. इंडडक में
B. अशोक के मशल लेखों पर
C. अथिश स्त्र में
D. स ंची स्तूप की दीि रों पर
4. The Nashik prashasti translates as: "... the king of kings who was equal in strength to 1
mount Himavat, who crushed the pride of the Kshatriyas, who destroyed the Sakas,
Yavanas and Pallavas, whose horses drank waters of the three oceans, and who restored
the glory of his royal family..." Identify the ruler described in this inscription.
A. Rajaraja Chola I, Chola dynasty
B. Nedunjadayan, Pandya dynasty
C. Uthiyan Cheralathan, Chera dynasty
D. Gautamiputra Satakarni, Satavahana dynasty
न मसक प्रशजस्त क अनुि द इस प्रक र है : "... र ि ओं क र ि िो दहम ित पिित के बर बर थ ,
जिसने िबत्रयों के गौरि को कुचल ददय , जिसने शक, यिनों और पल्लिों को नष्ट कर ददय ,
जिनके घोड़ों ने तीन मह स गरों क प नी पी मलय , और जिसने अपने श ही पररि र क गौरि बह ल
ककय ..." इस मशल लेख में िखणित श सक को पहच नें।
A. र िर ि चोल I, चोल िंश
B. नेदं ि
ु दयन, प ंड्य िंश
C. उचथय न चेर लथन, चेर िंश
D. गौतमीपत्र
ु स तकणी, स ति हन िंश
5. During ancient India, people were divided into four groups called varnas. Under this 1
system, each varna had a different set of functions.
Identify the varna that has been matched CORRECTLY with its functions.
A. Kshatriyas - served the other three groups
B. Shudras - study and teach the scriptures
C. Vaishyas - farmers and herders
D. Brahmins - protect people
प्र चीन भ रत के दौर न, लोगों को िणि न मक च र समूहों में विभ जित ककय गय थ । इस प्रण ली
के तहत, प्रत्येक िणि के क यों क एक अलग समह
ू थ।
उस िणि की पहच न करें जिसक उसके क यों के स थ सही ममल न ककय गय है ।
ए िबत्रय - अन्य तीन समूहों की सेि की
B. शद्र
ू - श स्त्रों क अध्ययन और अध्य पन करते हैं
C. िैश्य - ककस न और चरि हे
D. ि ह्मण - लोगों की रि करें
6. The organization for teaching of Buddhism came to be known as _________. 1

A. stupa
B. sangha
C. dharma
D. nirvana

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 बौद्ध धमि के मशिण के मलए संगठन को _________ के रूप में ि न ि ने लग ।
A. स्तूप
B. संघ
C. धमि
D. ननि ण
ि
7. Choose the correct option: Buddhism grew rapidly both during the lifetime of the 1
Buddha and after his death as
A. Buddha and his disciples taught in Prakrit.
B. Importance was given to rituals in Buddhism.
C. People were dissatisfied with existing social practices.
D. Only men were allowed into the Sangha
सही विकल्प चन
ु ें: बद्
ु ध के िीिनक ल में और उनकी मत्ृ यु के ब द बौद्ध धमि तेिी से बढ
A. बुद्ध और उनके मशष्यों ने प्र कृत में मशि दी।
B. बौद्ध धमि में कमिक ंडों को महत्ि ददय ि त थ ।
C. लोग मौिद
ू स म जिक प्रथ ओं से असंतुष्ट थे।
D. संघ में केिल पुरुर्षों को ि ने की अनुमनत थी
8. The Vijayanagara rulers took on the title “Hindu Suratrana” which was a Sanskritisation 1
of the Arabic term Sultan, meaning king, so it literally meant Hindu Sultan. What does
this information prove about the language spoken in Vijayanagara?
A. its root language was Arabic
B. it was influenced by travelling merchants
C. it was spoken across the Southern peninsula
D. it was used exclusively to exalt the status of the king
विियनगर के श सकों ने "दहंद ू सरु ट्र न " की उप चध ध रण की, िो अरबी शब्द सल्
ु तनक
संस्कृतकरण थ , जिसक अथि र ि होत है , इसमलए इसक श जब्दक अथि दहंद ू सुल्त न थ । यह
ि नक री विियनगर में बोली ि ने ि ली भ र्ष के ब रे में तय स बबत करती है ?
A. इसकी मूल भ र्ष अरबी थी
B. यह य त्र करने ि ले व्य प ररयों से प्रभ वित थ
C. यह दक्षिणी प्र यद्िीप में बोली ि ती थी
D. इसक उपयोग विशेर्ष रूप से र ि की है मसयत को बढ ने के मलए ककय ि त थ
9. Why did the Sufis protest against the early Caliphate (661–750)? 1

A. The early Caliphate attacked the khanqah

B. The early Caliphate was not following the five pillars of Islam
C. The early Caliphate was becoming materialistic and dogmatic
D. The early Caliphate was encouraging people to question the Qur’an
सूकफयों ने आरं मभक खखल फत (661-750) क विरोध तयों ककय ?
A. प्र रं मभक खखल फत ने ख नक ह पर हमल ककय
B. प्र रं मभक खलीफ इस्ल म के प ंच स्तंभों क प लन नहीं कर रह थ

526
 C. प्र रं मभक खलीफ भौनतकि दी और हठधमी होत ि रह थ
D. शुरुआती खखल फत लोगों को कुर न पर सि ल उठ ने के मलए प्रोत्स दहत कर रही थी
10. Given below are two statements, one labelled as Assertion(A) and the other labelled as 1
Reason (R).
A: Lingayats challenged the patriarchal norms and enabled women to have control over
their bodies and choice
R: Lingayats encouraged certain practices such as post-puberty marriage and widow
remarriage.
A. A is true but R is false.
B. A is false but R is true.
C. Both A and R are true and R explains A.
D. Both A and R are true but R does not explain A
सूकफयों ने आरं मभक खखल फत (661-750) क विरोध तयों ककय ?
A. प्र रं मभक खखल फत ने ख नक ह पर हमल ककय
B. प्र रं मभक खलीफ इस्ल म के प ंच स्तंभों क प लन नहीं कर रह थ
C. प्र रं मभक खलीफ भौनतकि दी और हठधमी होत ि रह थ
D. शुरुआती खखल फत लोगों को कुर न पर सि ल उठ ने के मलए प्रोत्स दहत कर रही थी
11. Complete the following with the correct option 1
Kitab ul Hind : Al-Biruni , Rihla :………………. :
A. Ibn Hawqal
B. Ibn Jubayr
C. Ibn Qalaqis
D. Ibn Battuta
ननम्नमलखखत को सही विकल्प से पूर कीजिए
ककत ब उल दहन्द : अल-बबरूनी , ररहल :………………. :
A. इब्न हकल
B. इब्न िुबैर
C. इब्न कल ककस
D. इब्न बतत
ू
12. Why did the Vijayanagara rulers establish an association with the deities? 1

A. as evidence to their pious upbringing

B. to gain the support of the brahmana priests
C. to strengthen their authority over the citizenry
D. to seek the blessings and bounties from the gods

विियनगर के श सकों ने दे ित ओं के स थ संबंध तयों स्थ वपत ककए?

A. उनकी पवित्र परिररश के सबत
ू के तौर पर
B. ि ह्मण पुि ररयों क समथिन ह मसल करने के मलए
C. न गररकत पर अपन अचधक र मिबूत करने के मलए
D. दे ित ओं से आशीि िद और उपह र प्र प्त करने के मलए

527
13. Choose the correct option: The European traveler who has given a detailed description 1
of the practice of Sati.
A. Jean Baptiste Tavernier
B. Manucci
C. Francois Bernier
D. Roberto Nobili
सही विकल्प क चयन कीजिए- यरू ोपीय य त्री जिसने सती प्रथ क विस्तत
ृ िणिन ककय है ।
A. िीन बैजप्टस्ट टै िननियर
B. मनुची
C. फ्रेंकोइस बननियर
D. रॉबटो नोबबली
14. From among the following which one depicts the correct meaning of the term Jins-i- 1
kamil concerning crops in Mughal India?
A. Paddy crop
B. Perfect crop
C. Pulses
D. Crop grown in the arid zone

ननम्नमलखखत में से कौन मुगल भ रत में फसलों से संबचं धत जिन्स-ए-क ममल शब्द क सही अथि
दश ित है ?
A. ध न की फसल
B. बबल्कुल सही फसल
C. द लें
D. शुष्क िेत्र में उग ई ि ने ि ली फसल

15. Consider the following statements regarding the establishment of British East India 1
Company in Bengal:
I. The Permanent Settlement had come into operation in 1793.
II. In 1797 there was an auction in Burdwan, during which a number of mahals (estates)
held by the Raja of Burdwan were being sold.
III. The estates of those who failed to pay were to be auctioned to recover the revenue.
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
A. Only I
B. I and II
C. I and III
D. I, II and III
बंग ल में बिदटश ईस्ट इंडडय कंपनी की स्थ पन के संबंध में ननम्नमलखखत कथनों पर विच र करें :
I. स्थ यी बंदोबस्त 1793 में ल गू हुआ थ ।

528
 द्वितीय। 1797 में बदि ि न में एक नील मी हुई थी, जिसके दौर न बदि ि न के र ि के प स कई महल
(संपद ) बेचे ि रहे थे।
तत
ृ ीय। िो लोग भुगत न करने में विफल रहे , उनकी संपवत्त को र िस्ि िसूल करने के मलए नील म
ककय ि न थ ।
ननम्नमलखखत में से कौन स /से कथन सही है/हैं?
A. केिल मैं
B. मैं और द्वितीय
C. I और III
D. I, II और III
16. Which of the following wrote about The Pahariyas? 1

A. Lord Conwallis
B. Francis Buchanan
C. Sidhu Manjhi
D. None of the Above
ननम्नमलखखत में से ककसने पह डड़य के ब रे में मलख है ?
A. लॉडि कॉनि मलस
B. फ्र ंमसस बक
ु नन
C. मसद्धू म झ
ं ी
D. उपरोतत में से कोई नहीं
17. 1

Identify the following image

A. In Memoriam
B. Relief of Lucknow
C. Justice
D. The British Lion’s vengeance
ननम्नमलखखत छवि को पहच नें

A. मेमोररयम में

B. लखनऊ की र हत

529
 C. न्य य

D. बिदटश शेर क प्रनतशोध

18. Find out from the following pairs which one is NOT correctly matched: 1
A. Lord Wellesley: Subsidiary Alliance
B. Lord Dalhousie: Doctrine of Lapse
C. Lord Henry Hardinge: Introduced the Enfield rifles
D. Lord Canning: Religious Disabilities Act
ननम्नमलखखत युग्मों में से ज्ञ त कीजिए कक कौन स सुमेमलत नहीं है :
A. लॉडि िेलेिली: सह यक गठबंधन
B. लॉडि डलहौिी: डॉजतट्रन ऑफ लैप्स
C. लॉडि हे नरी ह डडिंग: एनफील्ड र इफल्स क पररचय ददय
D. लॉडि कैननंग: ध ममिक विकल ंगत अचधननयम
19. Name the judge who charged Gandhiji with sedition. 1

A. John Simon
B. [Link]
C. Sir Stafford Cripps
D. None of the above
ग ंधीिी पर र िद्रोह क आरोप लग ने ि ले न्य य धीश क न म बत इए।

A. िॉन स इमन

B. सी एन िूमफील्ड

C. सर स्टै फ़ोडि किप्स

D. उपरोतत में से कोई नहीं

20. Consider the following events: 1

1. Cabinet Mission 2. Cripps Mission

3. Khilafat Movement 4. Pakistan Resolution
The correct chronological order of these events is:
A. 4, 3, 2, 1
B. 4, 3, 1, 2
C. 3, 4, 1, 2
D. 3, 4, 2, 1
ननम्नमलखखत घटन ओं पर विच र कीजिएः

1. कैबबनेट ममशन 2. किप्स ममशन

3. खखल फत आंदोलन 4. प ककस्त न संकल्प

इन घटन ओं क सही क ल नुिम है :

530
 A. 4, 3, 2, 1
B. 4, 3, 1, 2
C. 3, 4, 1, 2
D. 3, 4, 2, 1
21. Assertion (A) : Mahatma Gandhi thought Hindustani would be the ideal language of 1
communication between diverse communities.
Reason (R) : It could unify Hindus and Muslims and the people of the North and the
South.
A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is true but R is false.
D. A is false but R is true
द ि (ए): मह त्म ग ध
ं ी ने सोच थ कक दहंदस्
ु त नी विविध समुद यों के बीच संच र की आदशि भ र्ष
होगी।
क रण (आर): यह दहंदओ
ु ं और मस
ु लम नों और उत्तर और दक्षिण के लोगों को एकिट
ु कर सकत है ।
A. A और R दोनों सत्य हैं और R, A की सही व्य ख्य है ।
B. A और R दोनों सही हैं लेककन R, A की सही व्य ख्य नहीं है ।
C. A सत्य है परन्तु R असत्य है ।
D. A झूठ है परं तु R सत्य है
SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 3X6=18
22. As per Sanskrit legal texts women did not have access to property. In reference to the 3
norm how is the case of Prabhavati Gupta exceptional? Explain.
संस्कृत क नूनी ग्रंथों के अनुस र मदहल ओं की संपवत्त तक पहुंच नहीं थी। म नदं ड के संदभि में
प्रभ िती गप्ु त क म मल अस ध रण कैसे है ? समझ न ।
23. What were the duties of untouchables prescribed for them in manusmriti and shastra. 3

मनुस्मनृ त और श स्त्र में उनके मलए अछूतों के तय कतिव्य ननध िररत ककए गए थे?
24. How was the attitude of Bhakti saints towards caste? 3

ि नत के प्रनत भजतत संतों क दृजष्टकोण कैस थ ?

25. Describe the accounts of foreign travelers about the city of Vijayanagara. 3

विियनगर शहर के ब रे में विदे शी य बत्रयों के ित्त

ृ न्तों क िणिन कीजिए।
26. Explain the demands of the 1857 rebellions from the British govt. 3

बिदटश सरक र से 1857 के विद्रोह की म ाँगों को स्पष्ट कीजिए।

27. What were the arguments in favor of greater power to the Provinces? 3

प्र ंतों को अचधक शजतत दे ने के पि में तय तकि थे?

SECTION C
Long Answer Type Questions 8x3=24

531
28. “The problems of archaeological interpretation are perhaps most evident in attempts to 8
reconstruct the religious practices of Harappa”. Give suitable arguments in support of
your answer
"हड़प्प की ध ममिक प्रथ ओं के पुनननिम िण के प्रय सों में पुर त जत्िक व्य ख्य की समस्य एं श यद
सबसे स्पष्ट हैं"। अपने उत्तर के समथिन में उपयत
ु त तकि दीजिए
OR
How have archaeologists used evidence from material remains to piece together parts
of a fascinating Harappa history? Explain
पुर तत्िविदों ने आकर्षिक हड़प्प इनतह स के दहस्सों को एक स थ िोड़ने के मलए भौनतक अिशेर्षों
के स क्ष्य क उपयोग कैसे ककय है . व्य ख्य कीजिए?
29. Explain the role of zamindars in the Mughal India during 16th -17th century. 8

16िीं-17िीं शत ब्दी के दौर न मुगल भ रत में िमींद रों की भूममक की व्य ख्य कीजिए।
OR
Examine the role of Panchayats in the rural society of Mughal Empire.
मुगल स म्र ज्य के ग्र मीण सम ि में पंच यतों की भूममक क परीिण कीजिए।
30. Explain the significance of Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920. 8

1920 के असहयोग आंदोलन के महत्ि को स्पष्ट कीजिए।

OR
“Gandhiji’s Quit India movement was genuinely a mass movement bringing into its
ambit hundreds of thousands of ordinary Indians”, explain.?
“ग ाँधी िी क भ रत छोड़ो आन्दोलन ि स्ति में ल खों आम भ रतीयों को अपने द यरे में ल ने ि ल
एक िन आन्दोलन थ ”, व्य ख्य कीजिए?
SECTION -D
Source Based Questions 4x3=12
31. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Rules for monks and nuns
These are some of the rules laid down in the VinayaPitaka: When a new felt
(blanket/rug) has been made by a bhikkhu, it is to be kept for (at least) six years. If after
less than six years he should have another new felt (blanket/rug) made, regardless of
whether or not he has disposed of the first, then – unless he has been authorized by the
bhikkhus – it is to be forfeited and confessed. In case a bhikkhu arriving at a family
residence is presented with cakes or cooked grain-meal, he may accept two or three
bowlfuls if he so desires. If he should accept more than that, it is to be confessed.
Having accepted the two or three bowlfuls and having taken them from there, he is to
share them among the bhikkhus. This is the proper course here. Should any bhikkhu,
having set out bedding in a lodging belonging to the sangha – or having had it set out –
and then on departing neither put it away nor have it put away, or should he go without
taking leave, it is to be confessed.
1. Explain any two rules governing the lives of the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis.
2. Why were the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis expected to share their alms with other
members of the sangha.
3. How Vinaya Pitaka describes the teachings of Buddha. 1

532
 1
ननम्नमलखखत स्रोत को ध्य नपि
ू क
ि पदढए और नीचे ददए गए प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए: 2
मभिुओं और ननों के मलए ननयम
विनय वपटक में ननध िररत कुछ ननयम इस प्रक र हैं: िब एक मभिु द्ि र एक नय महसूस (कंबल /
गलीच ) बन य ि त है , तो उसे (कम से कम) छह स ल तक रख ि न च दहए। यदद छह स ल से
कम समय के ब द उसे एक और नय फेल्ट (कंबल/गलीच ) बनि न च दहए, भले ही उसने पहले क
ननपट न ककय हो य नहीं, तो - िब तक कक उसे मभिुओं द्ि र अचधकृत नहीं ककय गय है - इसे
िब्त कर मलय ि न च दहए और कबूल ककय ि न च दहए। यदद ककसी प ररि ररक ननि स पर
आने ि ले मभिु को केक य पक हुआ अन ि-भोिन ददय ि त है , तो िह दो य तीन कटोरी
स्िीक र कर सकत है यदद िह च हे तो। यदद उसे इससे अचधक स्िीक र करन है , तो उसे स्िीक र
करन होग । दो य तीन कटोरों को स्िीक र करके और उन्हें िह ाँ से ले ि कर, उन्हें मभिुओं के बीच
ब ाँटन है । यह यह ाँ उचचत प ठ्यिम है । यदद कोई मभिु संघ के आि स में शयन करने के मलए चल
गय हो - य ननकल चुक हो - और कफर ि ने पर उसे न तो हट कर रख हो और न ही रख हो, य
बबन छुट्टी मलए चल गय हो, तो यह स्िीक र ककय ि न च दहए .
1. मभिुओं और मभिुखणयों के िीिन को ननयंबत्रत करने ि ले ककन्हीं दो ननयमों की व्य ख्य
कीजिए।
2. मभतखुओं और मभतखुखणयों से संघ के अन्य सदस्यों के स थ अपनी मभि ब ंटने की उम्मीद
तयों की गई थी?

3. विनय वपटक में बुद्ध की मशि ओं क िणिन ककस प्रक र ककय गय है ।

32. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:
This is Al-Biruni’s account of the system of varnas:
The highest caste is the Brahmana, of whom the books of the Hindus tell us that they
were created from the head of Brahman. And as the Brahman is only another name for
the force called nature, and the head is the highest part of the … body, the Brahmana
are the choice part of the whole genus. Therefore, the Hindus consider them as the very
best of mankind. The next caste is the Kshatriya, who were created, as they say, from
the shoulders and hands of Brahman. Their degree is not much below that of the
Brahmana. After them follow the Vaishya, who were created from the thigh of Brahman.
The Shudra, who were created from his feet . . . Between the latter two classes there is
no very great distance. Much, however, as these classes differ from each other, they live
together in the same towns and villages, mixed in the same houses and lodgings
1. Give an account of the system of varnas described by Albiruni.
2. Describe why did he call it as social pollution?’
2
3. Was this system contrary to the law of nature?
1
1
ननम्नमलखखत स्रोत को ध्य नपि
ू क
ि पदढए और नीचे ददए गए प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए:
यह िणि व्यिस्थ के ब रे में अल-बबरूनी क वििरण है :
सबसे ऊंची ि नत ि ह्मण है , जिसके ब रे में दहंदओ
ु ं की ककत बें हमें बत ती हैं कक िे ि ह्मण के मसर
से बन ए गए थे। और िैस कक ि ह्मण प्रकृनत न मक शजतत क दस
ू र न म है , और मसर ... शरीर
क सबसे ऊंच दहस्स है , ि ह्मण पूरे िंश क पसंदीद दहस्स हैं। इसमलए, दहंद ू उन्हें म नि ि नत
क सबसे अच्छ म नते हैं। अगली ि नत िबत्रय है , िो, िैस कक िे कहते हैं, ि ह्मण के कंधों और

533
 ह थों से बन ई गई थी। उनकी डडग्री ि ह्मण से बहुत कम नहीं है । उनके ब द िैश्य क प लन होत
है , िो ि ह्मण की ि ंघ से उत्पन्न हुए थे। उनकी डडग्री ि ह्मण से बहुत कम नहीं है । उनके ब द
िैश्य क प लन होत है , िो ि ह्मण की ि ंघ से उत्पन्न हुए थे। शूद्र, िो उनके पैरों से उत्पन्न हुए
थे। ब द के दो िगों के बीच कोई बहुत बड़ी दरू ी नहीं है । ह ल ाँकक, ये िगि एक-दस
ू रे से मभन्न होने के
क रण, िे एक ही शहरों और ग ाँिों में एक स थ रहते हैं, एक ही घरों और आि सों में ममचश्रत होते हैं।
1. अलबबरूनी द्ि र िखणित िणि व्यिस्थ क वििरण दीजिए।
2. िणिन कीजिए कक उसने इसे स म जिक प्रदर्ष
ू ण तयों कह ?'
3. तय यह व्यिस्थ प्रकृनत के ननयम के विपरीत थी?
33. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follow:
“Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law”
On 5 April 1930, Mahatma Gandhi spoke at Dandi: When I left Sabarmati with my
companions for this seaside hamlet of Dandi, I was not certain in my mind that we
would be allowed to reach this place. Even while I was at Sabarmati there was a rumor
that I might be arrested. I had thought that the Government might perhaps let my party
come as far as Dandi, but not me certainly. If someone says that this betrays imperfect
faith on my part, I shall not deny the charge. That I have reached here is in no small
measure due to the power of peace and non-violence: that power is universally felt. The
Government may, if it wishes, congratulate itself on acting as it has done, for it could
have arrested every one of us. In saying that it did not have the courage to arrest this
army of peace, we praise it. It felt ashamed to arrest such an army. He is a civilized man
who feels ashamed to do anything which his neighbors would disapprove. The
Government deserves to be congratulated on not arresting us, even if it desisted only
from fear of world opinion. Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law. Whether the
Government will tolerate that is a different question. It may not tolerate it, but it
deserves congratulations on the patience and forbearance it has displayed regarding
this party. … What if I and all the eminent leaders in Gujarat and in the rest of the
country are arrested? This movement is based on the faith that when a whole nation
roused and on the march no leader is necessary.
1. What were the apprehensions of Mahatma Gandhi when he started his Dandi March?
2. Why did Gandhiji say that the Government deserved to be congratulated?
3. Why was the ‘Salt March’ very significant?
1
ननम्नमलखखत स्रोत को ध्य नपूिक
ि पदढए और नीचे ददए गए प्रश्नों के उत्तर दीजिए: 1
"कल हम नमक कर क नून तोड़ दें ग"े 2
5 अप्रैल 1930 को, मह त्म ग ध
ं ी ने द ंडी में कह : िब मैं स बरमती से अपने स चथयों के स थ द ंडी
के इस समुद्र तटीय टोले के मलए रि न हुआ, तो मेरे मन में यह ननजश्चत नहीं थ कक हमें इस स्थ न
तक पहुंचने ददय ि एग । िब मैं स बरमती में थ तब भी यह अफि ह थी कक मझ ु े चगरफ्त र ककय
ि सकत है । मैंने सोच थ कक सरक र श यद मेरी प टी को द ंडी तक आने दे , लेककन मझ
ु े बबल्कुल
नहीं। अगर कोई कहत है कक यह मेरे दहस्से पर अपूणि विश्ि स प्रकट करत है , तो मैं आरोप से
इंक र नहीं करूंग । मैं यह ं तक पहुंच हूं, यह श नं त और अदहंस की शजतत के क रण छोट नहीं है :
िह शजतत स ििभौममक रूप से महसूस की ि ती है । सरक र अगर च हे तो इस तरह की क रि ि ई के
मलए खद
ु को बध ई दे सकती है , तयोंकक िह हम सभी को चगरफ्त र कर सकती थी। यह कहते हुए
कक श ंनत की इस सेन को चगरफ्त र करने क स हस नहीं थ , हम इसकी प्रशंस करते हैं। ऐसी सेन

534
 को चगरफ्त र करने में शमि आती थी। िह एक सभ्य व्यजतत है िो अपने पड़ोमसयों को न पसंद करने
ि ले कुछ भी करने में शमि महसूस करत है । सरक र हमें चगरफ्त र न करने के मलए बध ई की प त्र
है , भले ही िह केिल विश्ि िनमत के डर से रुकी हो। कल हम नमक कर क नून तोड़ दें गे। तय
सरक र इसे बद िश्त करे गी यह एक अलग सि ल है । िह इसे बद िश्त नहीं कर सकती है , लेककन
उसने इस प टी के संबध
ं में जिस धैयि और सहनशीलत क पररचय ददय है , उसके मलए िह बध ई
की प त्र है । ... अगर मैं और गि
ु र त और दे श के ब की दहस्सों में सभी प्रमख
ु नेत ओं को चगरफ्त र
कर मलय गय तो तय होग ? यह आन्दोलन इस विश्ि स पर आध ररत है कक िब पूर र ष्ट्र ि ग्रत
हो और आगे बढे तो ककसी नेत की आिश्यकत नहीं है ।
1. िब मह त्म ग ध
ं ी ने अपनी द ंडी य त्र प्र रं भ की तो उनकी तय आशंक एाँ थीं?
2. ग ंधीिी ने सरक र को बध ई क प त्र तयों कह ?
3. 'नमक म चि' तयों बहुत महत्िपूणि थ ?
SECTION E
Map Based Question 1x5=5
34. On the given political map of India, identify locate and label the following with
appropriate symbols:
1. Water Reservoir in Indus valley 1
1
2. The most powerful Mahajan pada
1
3. Capital of Vijayanagar 1
4. A place Nana sahib fought against British 1
5. First satyagraha of Gandhiji in India
ददए गए भ रत के र िनीनतक म नचचत्र पर ननम्नमलखखत को पहच ननए और उसके स थ लेबल कीजिए

उपयत
ु त प्रतीक:

1. मसंधु घ टी में िल िल शय

2. सबसे शजततश ली मह िन पद

3. विियनगर की र िध नी

4. एक िगह िह ं न न स हब ने अंग्रेिों के खखल फ लड़ ई लड़ी थी

5. भ रत में ग ंधी िी क प्रथम सत्य ग्रह

535
536
 Sample Question Paper
CLASS : XII MAX. MARKS : 80
SUBJECT : History(027) TIME : 3 HRS.

Question Answer
No
1. 1 C. well-planned settlements in definite territories 1
2. A. Grid pattern 1
3. C. in the Arthashastra 1
4. D. Gautamiputra Satakarni, Satavahana dynasty 1
5. C. Vaishyas - farmers and herders 1
6. B. sangha 1
7. C. People were dissatisfied with existing social practices 1
8. D. it was used exclusively to exalt the status of the king 1
9. C. The early Caliphate was becoming materialistic and dogmatic 1
10. B. A is false, but R is true. 1
11. D. Ibn Battuta 1
12. C. to strengthen their authority over the citizenry 1
13. C. Francois Bernier 1
14. B. Perfect crop 1
15. D. I,II and III 1
16. B. Francis Buchanan 1
17. B. Relief of Lucknow 1
18. D. Lord Canning: Religious Disabilities Act 1
19. B. [Link] 1
20. D. 3,4,2,1 1
21. A. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A 1
22. The Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta had access to property rights. i. 3
According to the cumulative evidence – both epigraphic and textual –
suggests that while upper-class women may have had access to
resources, land, cattle and money were generally controlled by men. ii.
The inscription indicates that Prabhavati had access to land, which she
then granted to people iii. This may have been because she was a queen
and her situation was therefore exceptional. iv. It is also possible that the
provisions of legal texts were not uniformly implemented.
23. The Brahmanas considered some social categories as “untouchable”. 3
They were primarily connected with the performance of rituals which
they considered as pure.• So they avoided taking food from
‘untouchables’.• Some activities were regarded as “polluting”•
These included handling corpses and dead animals. Those who
performed such tasks were known as chandalas. They were placed at the
very bottom of the social hierarchy. Touching and seeing them was•
regarded as “polluting “by the Brahmanas. The Manusmriti laid down

537
 the duties of the chandalas.• They had to live outside the village, use
discarded utensils, and wear clothes of the dead and• ornaments of iron.
They could not walk an out in villages and cities at night. They had to
dispose of the bodies of• those who had no relatives and serve as
executioners.

24. Attitude towards caste According to some historians, 3

the Alvars and the Nayanars started a movement of protest against the
caste
system and the Brahmanas and attempted to reform the system.
The devotees came from the different social backgrounds such as
artisans, cultivators and even from the caste that were considered
“untouchable”

25. The accounts of foreign travellers about the city of Vijayanagara. i. 3

Colonel Colin Mackenzie-The ruins at Hampi were brought to light in
1800 by an engineer and antiquarian named Colonel Colin Mackenzie.
An employee of the English East India Company, he prepared the first
survey map of the site. ii. Abdur Razzaq noted that fortification between
the first, second and the third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens
and houses iii. Domingo Paes observed: “From the first circuit of
fortification the city there is a great distance, in which are fields in which
they sow rice and have many gardens and much water, in which water
comes from two lakes. iv. The sixteenth-century Portuguese traveller
Barbosa described the houses of ordinary people, which have not
survived: “The other houses of the people are thatched, but nonetheless
well-built and arranged according to occupations, in long streets with
many open places

26. Demands of the 1857 rebels from the British govt. i. Rebels wanted an 3
appeal unity of all the section of the population irrespective of cast.
creed and religion ii. They rejected Firangi raj in condemned British for
the annexation they carried in the treaties they had broken, like in
Awadh, Delhi , Kanpur etc. iii. The rebels tried to establish some kind of
structure of authority and administration in the above mentioned areas.
iv. Zamindars wanted absolute rule in their own zamindari. v. Merchants
wanted reduction in the taxation, postages, tolls, etc. vi. Military and
Public servants wanted all the post of dignity with adequate salaries. vii.
Sepoyes were against the new cartridges and muskets which had arrived
from India viii. Any other relevant point

27. Many like [Link] felt that giving more and more powers to the 3
centre could not make it effective.
If the Centre was overburdened with responsibilities it would not be able
to function effectively .By transferring some of its powers to the states
the Centre could in fact be strengthened.

538
 Moreover the proposed financial allocation of powers wpuld Impoverish
the provinces since most taxes
Were to be given to the centre.

28. Harappan script is not helpful in understanding the Harappan civilization. 8

The script remains undeciphered till date. Material remains help the
archaeologists to reconstruct Harappan life.• Organic material such as
cloth, leather, wood and reeds generally decomposed while stone,
burnt• clay, metal [Link]. Materials such as pottery, tools,
ornaments, and house hold objects are available. Recovering artefacts is
just the beginning of the archaeological enterprise. Archaeologists then•
classify their finds. The second, and most complicated, is in terms of
function: archaeologists have to decide• whether, for instance, an
artifact is a tool or an ornament, or both, or something meant for ritual
use. An understanding of the function of an artefact is often shaped by
its resemblance with present-day things-beads, querns, stone blades and
pots are obvious examples.• Archaeologists also try to identify the
function of an artefact by investigating the context in which• it was
found. Whether it was found in a house, in drain, grave or in kiln. The
problems of archaeological interpretation are perhaps most evident in
attempts to reconstruct• religious practices. Attempts have also been
made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by examining seals,•
some of which seem to depict ritual scenes. Others, with plant motifs, are
thought to indicate nature worship. Many reconstructions of Harappan
religion are made on the assumption that later traditions• provide
parallels with earlier ones. This is because archaeologists often move
from the known to the unknown, that is, from the present to the past.
Or
Recovering artefacts is just the beginning of the archaeological
enterprise. Archaeologists then classify their finds. One simple principle
of classification is in terms of material, such as stone, clay, metal, bone,
ivory, etc. The second, and more complicated, is in terms of function:
archaeologists have to decide whether, for instance, an artefact is a tool
or an ornament, or both, or something meant for ritual use. An
understanding of the function of an artefact is often shaped by its
resemblance with present-day things – beads, querns, stone blades and
pots are obvious examples. Archaeologists also try to identify the
function of an artefact by investigating the context in which it was found:
was it found in a house, in a drain, in a grave, in a kiln? Sometimes,
archaeologists have to take recourse to indirect evidence. For instance,
though there are traces of cotton at some Harappan sites, to find out
about clothing we have to depend on indirect evidence including
depictions in sculpture. Archaeologists have to develop frames of
reference. We have seen that the first Harappan seal that was found
could not be understood till archaeologists had a context in which to
place it – both in terms of the cultural sequence in which it was found,
and in terms of a comparison with finds in Mesopotamia.

539
29. Role of zamindars during the Mughal period i. Landed proprietors 8
enjoyed social and economic privileges ii. Elevated status as they
performed khidmat for the 8 212 state. iii. Held extensive personal lands
as milkiyat. They could sell, mortgage that land. iv. Collect revenue on
behalf of the state. v. They controlled military resources also. vi. Had
fortresses and armed contingent. vii. Were upper caste brahamans and
had full control over village society. viii. The dispossession of weaker
people was a way of expanding zamindari. ix. Few lower caste also
entered into zamindari x. Rajputs and jats adopted various strategies to
consolidate power in north India. xi. Zamindars spearheaded the
colonization of agricultural lands and helped in settling cultivators. xii.
The buying and selling of zamindari accelerated the process of
monetization in the countryside xiii. In few cases zamindars came to be a
exploitative class on peasantry section To be assessed as a whole.
OR
Role of Mughal Panchayats i. The village panchayat was an assembly of
elders, with hereditary rights ii. In mixed-caste villages, the panchayat
was usually a heterogeneous body iii. The panchayat was headed by a
headman known as muqaddam or mandal. , chosen through the
consensus of the elders and zamindar iv. Headmen held office as long as
they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders. v. The chief function
of the headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts,
assisted by the accountant or patwari vi. The panchayat derived its
funds from common financial pool. vii. Expenses for community welfare
activities such as digging a canal, tiding over floods were also met from
these funds. viii. They ensured conduct of the members of the village
community. ix. Panchayats also had the authority to levy fines and inflict
more serious forms of punishment like expulsion from the community.
x. Caste or jati in the village had its own jati panchayat. xi. In Rajasthan,
Jati Panchayats arbitrated civil disputes between members of different
castes. xii. Rajasthan and Maharashtra – contain petitions presented to
the panchayat complaining about extortionate taxation

30. Non-cooperation movement i. Protest against Rowlett act, Jallianwala 8

Bagh massacre, Khilafat movement for Swaraj and against the Govt. of
India Act 1919 iii. Knitted a popular movement through Hindu Muslims
participated together against the colonial power. iv. Swadeshi and
boycott movement became popular v. People defied laws vi. Tribal
people violated forest laws. vii. Traders, farmers, workers joined in the
movement viii. Non-cooperation with the colonial power ix. He became
people’s leader by entailed renunciation and self-discipline x. Gandhiji
emerged as undisputed leader xi. Shaken the foundation of British
power. xii. It was a training for self-rule
or

540
 After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Quit India Movement was
launched in August 1942, by• Mahatma Gandhi. It was the third major
movement against the British rule•
Gandhiji and other important leaders were arrested and jailed. The
movement went into the hands of younger leaders. They organized
strikes and acts of sabotage all over• the country. Particularly active in
the underground resistance were socialist members of the congress such
as• Jayaprakash Narayan. Independent governments were proclaimed in
several districts, such as Satara in the west and Midnapur in• the east.
Quit India was genuinely a mass movement, bringing in to its ambit
hundreds of thousands of ordinary• Indians. It especially energized the
youth who, in very large numbers, left their colleges to go to jail.• In
1943,some of the younger leaders in the Satara district of Maharashtra
set up parallel• government (pratisarkar), with volunteer corps
(sebadals)and village units (tufan dals).They ran people’s courts and
organized constructive work

31. Rules for monks and nuns 4

Ans. (31.1)
(i). Blanket was made by a bhikkhu, it was to be kept for at least six
years. If after less than six years he should have another new felt
(blanket/rug) made, regardless of whether he has disposed of the first,
then – unless he has been authorised by the bhikkhus – it is to be
forfeited and confessed
(ii). They had to set out bedding in lodging
Ans (31.2)
(i). Part of the ruler of Buddhist monastery.
(ii). It was based on compassions for fellow beings.
Ans (31.3)
(i). World is temporary
(ii). World is full of Shakha
(iii). Good karma to escape from rebirth
(iv). Right actions to escape from ego
(v). To live simple life
(vi). Not to be selfish
(vii). Be compassionate and generous
(viii). To speak truth.

32. 1. The highest caste was the Brahmana and as the Brahman was only 4
another name for the force called nature, and the head was the highest
part of the … body, the Brahmana are the choice part of the whole genus.

541
 Therefore the Hindus considered them as the very best of mankind. ii.
The next caste was the Kshatriya, who was created, as they say, from the
shoulders and hands of Brahman. Their degree was not much below that
of the Brahmana. iii. After them follow the Vaishya, who were created
from the thigh of Brahman iv. Shudra, who were created from his feet ...
Between the latter two classes there is no very great distance

2 As social pollution. Based on exploitation

ii. Created out of the Brahman/ nature
iii Differential treatment

3. He considered the caste system contrary to the law of nature as god

has created everyone equal and this system was not prevalent in the
western society. He considered it as social pollution

33. [Link] feared that he would not be allowed to reach Dandi and would 4
be arrested on the way

[Link] felt that the Government should be congratulated because it could

have arrested all the satyagrahis and prevented them from reaching
Dandi .They deserve to be Congratulated for not doing so.

[Link] Salt March was significant as it brought Mahatma Gandhi to World

attention .it was the first nationalist activity in which women participated
in large numbers .Moreover the Salt March highlighted the Intensity of
Nationalist sentiments and made the British realize that their days were
numbered and they would have to develop some power to the Indians.

542
 MODEL PAPER :

General instructions:

1. Question paper comprises five sections – A, B, C,D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
2. Section A: Questions 1 to 21 are Mcqs of 1 mark each.
3. Section B: Question no. 22 to 27 are short answer type questions, carrying 3 marks each.
Answer to each question should not exceed 60 to 80 words.
4. Section C: Question no. 28 to30 are log type questions, carrying 5 marks each. Answer to
each question should not exceed 300 to 350 words.
5. Section D: Question no. 31 to 33 are source based questions, with 3 sub questions and are of
4 marks each.
6. Section E: Question no. 34 is map based, carrying 5 marks that includes identification and
location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer book.
7. There is no overall choice in the question paper. However an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions has to be attempted.
8. In addition to this separate instructions are given with each section and question, wherever
necessary.
Time – 3 Hours. Max. Marks – 80

SECTION A 1*21=21

1. Which of the following statements is correct regarding Al-Biruni’s Kitab-ul-Hind? (1)

a) It is in Persian language.

b) It is divided into 100 chapters.

c) It is divided into several subjects like religion, philosophy, festivals, etc.

d) He used such a language which was not easily understandable by the other locals.

2. Vijayanagara city was situated between which of the following rivers? (1)

a) Krishna in North and Tungabhadra in South.

b) Krishna in South and Cauvery in North.

c) Tungabhadra in North and Krishna in South.

d) Kaveri in North and Tungabhadra in South.

3. Match the following: (1)

List 1 List 2

A. 1921 1. MS Vats beings excavation of Harappa.

B. 1925 2. Excavation begins at Mohenjodaro.

543
C. 1955 3. SR Rao begins excavations at Lothal.

D.1986 4. American team begins excavations at Harappa

Codes:

A B C D

a)1, 2, 3, 4

b) 4, 3, 2, 1

c)1, 4, 3, 2

d)2, 1, 4, 3

4. Choose the correct option.

The lost Harappan civilisation was discovered in 1921by this archaeologist. (1)

a) RD Banerji.

b) Alexander Cunningham.

c) DR Sahni.

d) SR Rao.

5. From among the following, choose the place in which Mangal Pandey was hanged on 29th March,
1857. (1)

a) Meerut.

b) Barrackpore.

c) Berham.

d) Kanpur.

6. Identify the image and write its name. (1)

a) Lotus Mahal.

544
b) Mahanavami Dibba.

c) Diwan-e Khas.

d) Palace of Krishnadeva Raya.

7. Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other labelled as Reason
(R). (1)

Assertion (A) The great epic Mahabharata is the work of not one but several authors at different
time periods.

Reason (R) Historians suggest, the didactic sections of epic were probably added later.

Codes:

a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

c) A is true but R is false.

d) A is false but R is true.

8. Who travelled through Rajmahal hills in 19th century? (1)

a) Buchanan.

b) William.

c) Cleveland.

d) Ricardo.

9. Which among the following was/were the features of Harappan civilisation. (1)

a) Town planning.

b) Citadel or lower town.

c) Drainage system.

d) All of these.

10. Shakas, who came from Central Asia where regarded by the Brahmanas as: (1)

a) Aryans.

b) Daasas.

c) Mlechchhas.

d) Untouchables.

545
11. Identify the dynasty who followed the system of endogamy. (1)

a) Mauryas.

b) Pandavas.

c) Pallavas.

d) Satavahanas.

12. Arrange the following events in chronological order. (1)

1. Composition of Triapitakas.

2. Composition of Charak and Sushruta Samhita.

3. Compilation of Puranas.

4. Composition of Ramayana.

Codes:

a) 1, 4, 2, 3

b) 4, 3, 1, 2

c) 2, 4, 3, 1

d) 3, 1, 2, 4

13. Complete the following analogy with the help of given options.

Karaikkal Amaiyyar: Shiva, Andal: ? (1)

a) Vishnu.

b) Bramha.

c) Agni

d) Shakti.

14. Consider the following statements regarding revolt of 1857 and choose the correct option.
(1)

1. Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah was declared as the leader of sepoys

2 There was no participation of common people.

3. Moneylenders and the rich were attacked.

Codes:

a) 1 and 2.

546
b) 2 and 3.

c) 1 and 3.

d) 1, 2 and 3.

15. identify the incorrectly matched pair.

a) Halalkhoran – Scavengers

b) Mallahzadas – Sons of boatmen

c) Jins-i-kamil – Peasants

d) Agricultural labourers – Majur

16. Identify the famous temple from the description given below.

* while inscriptions suggest that the earliest shrine dated on the 9th – 10th centuries, it was
substantially enlarged with the establishment of the Vijayanagara Empire.

* The hall in the front of the main shrine was build by Krishnadeva Raya to mark his [Link]
was decorated with delicately carved pillars.

a) Gangaikonda cholapuram temple

b) Brihadeshwara temple

c) Virupaksha temple

d) Vittala temple

17. Identify the correctly matched pair.

a) Cuthcheries – court of Zamindars

b) Amlah – Office of zaindars

c) Mandals – Village headmen

d) All of the above

18. Who made an aggressive plea that Hindi can be used as the language of constitution – making ?

a) RV Dhulekar

b)TA Ramalingam Chettair

c) Shankarrao deo

d) Ms G Durgabai

19. Given below are two statements, one labelled as assertion (A) and other labelled as reason (R)

547
Assertion (A) Cripps mission failed in its aim.

Reason (R) Congress demanded to appoint and Indian as defence member to help British in war.

Codes

a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.

c) A is true, but R is false.

d) A is false, but R is true.

20) Who among the following was active in underground resistance during Quite India Movement?

a) Jawaharlal Nehru

b) Jaya Prakash Narayan

c) Subhash Chandra bose

d) Dr Rajendra Prasad

21) Shaikh Nizamuddin’s Hospice comprised several small rooms and a big hall known as………….

a) Jama’at Khana

b) Langar

c) Qalandars

d) Ziyarat

Section B (3*6=18)

(Short answer type questions)

22. What are the most important contribution of Mahatma Gandhi in the political sphere of India?

23. Critically examine the Deccan riots commission report.

24. Give a brief description of Megasthenese. What does megasthenese tell about the
administration of Mauryan Empire?

[Link] were lingayats? Explain there contribution in the social and religious field.

OR

Disscus the role of women devotees in Bhakti Movement with the help of suitable explamples.

26. Examine the role of women in agrarian society during 16th and 17th century in Mughal Empire.

27. Disscus the rules of marriage that were prevalent in early societies between 600 BCE to 600 CE.

548
 OR

Write a short note on ideal occupations as mentioned in Dharmasutras.

SECTION C (8*3=24)

(Long answer type questions)

28. Describe the contributions of John marshall. Director general of the ASI (Archaeological survey of
India) to India archaeology.

OR

How does the architectural futures of Mohenjodaro indicate to town planning?

29. Briefly explain the different types of buildings situated in the royal centre. What do you think
was the significance of the rituals associated with the mahanavami Dibba?

OR

The writing of Portuguese travellers has greatly helped in reconstruction of history of vijayanagara
city. In this regard, highlight the aspects observed by the Duarte Barbosa and Domingo Paes on
urban core and mahanavami Dibba of the Vijayanagara Empire respectively.

30. Examine the repressive measures adopted by British to Subdue the rebels of 1857.

OR

Elucidate how Hindu – Muslim unity was watershed event in 1857 revolt?

SECTION D (4*3=12)

(Source based questions)

31. Read the following source regarding quite India carefully and answer the questions that follow.

After the failure of the Cripps Mission, Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch his 3rd major movement
against British rule. This was the “ Quite India’ campaign, which began in august 1942. Althrough
Gandhi ji was jailed at once, younger avtivitsts organised strikes and acts of sabortage all over the
country. Particularly active in the underground resistance were socialist member of the congress,
such as Jaya Prakash Narayan. In the several district, such as Satara in the west and medinipur in the
East, “ independent’ governments were proclaimed. The British responded with much force, yet it
took more than a year to suppress the rebellion.

“Quite India ‘ was genuinely a mass movement, bringing in to its ambit hundreds of thousands of
ordinary Indians . it espescially energised the young who, in the very large numbers, left their
collages to go to jail. However, while the congress leaders languished in jail, Jinnah and his
colleagues in the Muslim league worked patiently at expanding their influence. It was in the years

549
that the league began to make a mark in the Punjab and Sind, provinces were it had previously had
scarcely any presence.

(1) What was the role of Muslim league in quite India movement?

(2) Discuss the role of youth in quite India movement.

(3) Why was quite India movement a genuinely mass movement?

32. Read the following source carefully and answer the questions that follows.

A Demon

This is an excerpt from a poem by Karaikkal Ammaiyar in which he described herself The female pey
( Demoness) with bulging veins, protruding eyes, white teeth and shrunken stomach and red haired
and jutting teeth lenghtly shins extending till the ankles, shouts and wails while wandering in the
forest. This is the forest of Alankatu, which is the home of our father (Shiva) who dances with his
matter hair thrown in all eight directions, and with cool limbs.

1. Who is the author of this excerpt and what is it about?

2. How did the author describe herself in the poem?

3. What did author try to convey through the poem?

33. Read the following source carefully and answers the questions that follow.

The importants of boundaries

The manusmraiti is one of the best – known legal texts of early India, written in Sanskrit and
complied between second century BCE and second century CE. This is what text advices the king to
do. Seeing that in the world controversies constantly arises due to the ignorance of boundaries, he
should have conceived boundary makers buried – stones , bones , cows hair , chaff , ashes ,
potsherds , dried cow dung , bricks, coals , pebbles and with sand. He should also have another
similar substances that would not decay in the soil buried as hidden markers at the inter section of
boundaries.

1. Why did the controversies of boundaries arises?

2. Suggest the ways to solve the boundary problems.

3. Explain with example any such problem begin faced by India today.

Section E

(Map based question)

34. A. Locate and label the following places on the map of India.

1. Thanjavur

2. Bijapur

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3. Place were salt march was held.

OR

Place from where quite India movement started.

B. On giving political map of India, two main centres of the 1857 revolt have been marked 1 and 2.
Write their names.

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN, CHENNAI REGION

PRE BOARD EXAMINATION/ प्रीबोडय परीक्षा

कक्षा / CLASS – XII इतिहास/ HISTORY
[Link] :80 अधिकिम अंक: 80
General Instructions:
(i) Question paper comprises five Sections – A, B, C, D and E. There are 34 questions in the
question paper. All questions are compulsory.
(ii) Section A – Question 1 to 21 are MCQs of 1 mark each.
(iii) Section B – Question no. 22 to 27 are Short Answer Type Questions, carrying 3 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 60-80 words.
(iv) Section C - Question no 28 to 30 are Long Answer Type Questions, carrying 8 marks
each. Answer to each question should not exceed 300-350 words
(v) Section D – Question no.31 to 33 are Source based questions with three sub questions
and are of 4 marks each .
(vi) Section-E - Question no. 34 is Map based, carrying 5 marks that includes the
identification and location of significant test items. Attach the map with the answer
book.
(vii) There is no overall choice in the question paper. However, an internal choice has been
provided in few questions. Only one of the choices in such questions have to be
attempted.
(viii) In addition to this, separate instructions are given with each section and question,

551
wherever necessary.
सामान्य तनिे श:

1. प्रश्ि पत्र में पाांच खांड – क, ख, ग,

2. और । प्रश्ि पत्र में 34 प्रश्ि हैं। सभी प्रश्ि अनिवायय हैं।

3. खांड – प्रश्ि 1 से 21 प्रत्येक के 1 अांक के एमसीक्यू हैं।

4. खांड बी – प्रश्ि सांख्या। 22 से 27 लघु उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, जििमें से प्रत्येक में 3 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का
उत्तर

5. 60-80 शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

6. खांड सी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 28 से 30 र्दीघय उत्तरीय प्रश्ि हैं, प्रत्येक में 8 अांक हैं। प्रत्येक प्रश्ि का उत्तर 300-350

7. शब्र्दों से अधिक िहीां होिा चाहहए।

8. खांड डी - प्रश्ि सांख्या 31 से 33 स्रोत आिाररत प्रश्ि हैं जििमें तीि उप प्रश्ि हैं और प्रत्येक के 4 अांक हैं।

9. खांड-ई - प्रश्ि सांख्या। 34 िक्शा आिाररत है , जिसमें 5 अांक हैं जिसमें महत्वपूर्य परीक्षर् वस्तुओां की

10. पहचाि और स्थाि शाममल है । मािधचत्र को उत्तर पजु स्तका के साथ सांलग्ि करें ।

11. प्रश्ि पत्र में कोई समग्र ववकल्प िहीां है । हालाांकक, कुछ प्रश्िों में आांतररक ववकल्प प्रर्दाि ककया गया है ।
ऐसे

12. प्रश्िों में से केवल एक ववकल्प का प्रयास करिा है ।

13. इसके अलावा, िहाां आवश्यक हो, प्रत्येक अिभ

ु ाग और प्रश्ि के साथ अलग-अलग निर्दे श हर्दए गए हैं।

[Link] SECTION A 1X21=21

01. 1
Be lamps unto yourselves as all of you must work out your own
liberation”.
Identify the essence of the words of Buddha from the options given below:
a. One should connect to inner being
b. One should live life of Brahmacharya
c. One should focus and express feelings
d. One should spread religion everywhere

अपिे मलए र्दीपक बिो, िैसा तुम सब को अपिा ही करिा है

मुजक्त"।

िीचे हर्दए गए ववकल्पों में से बुद्ि के शब्र्दों के सार को पहचािें:

एक। व्यजक्त को आांतररक अजस्तत्व से िुड़िा चाहहए

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 बी। ब्रह्मचयय का िीवि िीिा चाहहए

सी। व्यजक्त को ध्याि केंहद्रत करिा चाहहए और भाविाओां को व्यक्त करिा चाहहए

डी। हर िगह िमय फैलािा चाहहए

Name the author of the book ‘The Story of Indian Archaeology’. 1

2. A) [Link] B) [Link] C) [Link] D) [Link]

'र्द स्टोरी ऑफ इांडडयि आककययोलॉिी' पुस्तक के लेखक का िाम बताइए।

1. आर.एि.रॉय
2. आर.एि.रॉय
3. एस.एि.रॉय
4. आर. रामास्वामी

Which of the following is not one of the features of the Harappan writing? 1
3. A) The Harappan script was pictographic and not alphabetical.
B) It has been deciphered by James Prinsep.
C) It had too many signs, somewhere between 375 and 400.
D) The script was written from right to left.

निम्िमलखखत में से कौि हड़प्पा के लेखि की ववशेषताओां में से एक िहीां है ?

1. हड़प्पा की मलवप धचत्रात्मक थी ि कक वर्ायिुक्रम में।

2. इसे िेम्स वप्रांसेप िे डडकक्रप्ट ककया है ।
3. इसमें बहुत अधिक धचन्ह थे, कहीां 375 और 400 के बीच।
4. पटकथा र्दाएां से बाएां मलखी गई थी।

4. Which one of the following statements is the correct explanation of 1

‘Endogamy’?
A. Marriage outside a kin group
B. Marriage w kin group
C. A woman having several husbands.
D. A man having several wives

निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा कथि की सही व्याख्या है

'एांडोगैमी'?

ए। एक ररश्तेर्दार समूह के बाहर वववाह

बी वववाह डब्ल्यू पररिि समूह

C. एक महहला जिसके कई पनत हैं।

D. एक आर्दमी जिसकी कई पजत्ियाँ हैं

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5. Original story of Mahabharata was composed by: 1

A) Brahamanas B) Kshatriyas C) Sutas D) none

महाभारत की मूल कहािी ककसके द्वारा रची गई थी:

1. ब्राह्मर्
2. क्षबत्रय
3. सूत
4. कोई िहीां

6. Consider the following statements regarding the structure of the stupa. 1

I) Harmika is a balcony - like structure that represented the abode of gods.
II) A mast called the anda arose from the Harmika.
III) A yashti was often surmounted by a chhatri or umbrella.
IV) Yashti arose from the harmika.
Which of the following statement is/are correct?

स्तूप की सांरचिा के सांबांि में निम्िमलखखत कथिों पर ववचार करें ।

हरममका एक बालकिी िैसी सांरचिा है िो र्दे वताओां के निवास का प्रनतनिधित्व करती है ।
हरममका से अांडा िामक एक मस्तल
ू उत्पन्ि हुआ।
एक यष्टी को अक्सर छतरी या छतरी से पार ककया िाता था।
हरममका से यजष्ट उत्पन्ि हुई।
निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा/से कथि सही है /हैं?

A) I,II,and III B) II,III,and IV C) I,IV D) I,III and IV

7. The term ‘nirguna bhakti’ refers to : 1

A) Worship of Vishnu C) image worship
B) Worship of abstract form of God D) worship of Shiva

'निगुयर् भजक्त' शब्र्द का अथय है :

1. ववष्र्ु की पूिा
2. मूनतय पूिा
3. भगवाि के अमत
ू य रूप की पि
ू ा
4. मशव की पूिा

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8. The most striking feature about the location of Vijayanagara is the natural basin 1
formed by the river ---------------
A) Narmada B) Yamuna C) Ganga D) Tungabhadra

ववियिगर के स्थाि के बारे में सबसे महत्वपूर्य ववशेषता िर्दी द्वारा निममयत प्राकृनतक
बेमसि है ---------------

1. िमयर्दा
2. यमुिा
3. गांगा
4. तुांगभद्रा

9. Give one purpose of writing Ain-I-Akbari. 1

आइि-ए-अकबरी मलखिे का एक उद्र्दे श्य बताइए।

10. Who among the following introduced permanent settlement in Bengal? 1

A) Lord Dalhousie B) Lord Cornwallis C) Lord Irwin D) Lord Bentick

निम्िमलखखत में से ककसिे बांगाल में स्थायी बांर्दोबस्त की शुरुआत की?

A) लॉडय डलहौिी B) लॉडय काियवामलस C) लॉडय इरववि D) लॉडय बेंहटक

11. Who among the following was the President of the Constituent Assembly? 1
A )[Link] B) [Link] Prasad C) Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel
D)Jawahar lal Nehru

निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सांवविाि सभा के अध्यक्ष थे?

1. डॉ बीआर अांबेडकर
2. डॉ रािेंद्र प्रसार्द
3. सरर्दार वल्लभ भाई पटे ल
4. िवाहर लाल िेहरू

12. Which of the following option is correct? 1

A) Gandhiji started Quit India Mission in 1930
B) He gave his first speech in Champaran
C) Gandhiji was a radical nationalist
D) Gandhiji considered [Link] as his political mentor

निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा ववकल्प सही है ?

1. गाांिी िी िे 1930 में भारत छोड़ो ममशि शुरू ककया था

2. उन्होंिे अपिा पहला भाषर् चांपारर्ी में हर्दया था
3. गाांिीिी एक कट्टरपांथी राष्रवार्दी थे
4. गाांिी िी िी के गोखले को अपिा राििीनतक गुरु मािते थे

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13. Identify the following image and write its name 1

निम्िमलखखत छवव को पहचािें और उसका िाम मलखें

Instruction
In the following questions, a statement of assertion followed by a statement of
reason is given. Choose the correct answer. (14 to 18)

1. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct statements.

2. Both (A) and (R) are not correct.
3. (A) is correct , (R) is wrong statement.
4. (A) is wrong but (R) is correct statement.
14. Assertion : (A) Krishnadeva Raya ‘s rule was characterised by expansion and 1
consolidation.
Reason: (R) Krishna deva Raya belonged to the Tuluva dynasty.

अमभकथि: (A) कृष्र्र्दे व राय के शासि की ववशेषता ववस्तार और समेकि की थी।

कारर्: (R) कृष्र् र्दे व राय तुलुव वांश के थे।

15. Assertion : (A )Kabir says that different religions please their gods in different 1
ways.
Reason: (R)Gods are different and they need different forms of devotion.

अमभकथि: (A कबीर कहते हैं कक ववमभन्ि िमय अलग-अलग तरीकों से अपिे र्दे वताओां को
खुश करते हैं।
कारर्: (R) भगवाि अलग हैं और उन्हें भजक्त के ववमभन्ि रूपों की आवश्यकता है ।
16. Assertion: (A) Within the sangha men and women were given equal status. 1
Reason: (R) they had renounced their social status before joining the Sangha as
bhikus and bhikunis.

अमभकथि: (A) सांघ के भीतर पुरुषों और महहलाओां को समाि र्दिाय हर्दया गया था।
कारर्: (R) उन्होंिे सांघ में मभक्षुओां और मभक्षुओां के रूप में शाममल होिे से पहले अपिी
सामाजिक जस्थनत को त्याग हर्दया था।

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 Assertion: (A) women had no right to inherit family property. 1
17. Reason:(R) women were allowed to retain the gift they received on the occasion
of their marriage as stridhana.

अमभकथि: (A) महहलाओां को पाररवाररक सांपवत्त के वाररस का कोई अधिकार िहीां था।
कारर्: (R) महहलाओां को उिके वववाह के अवसर पर प्राप्त उपहार को स्त्रीिि के रूप में
रखिे की अिम ु नत थी।
18. Which of the following statement is NOT correct? 1
A) Ibn - batututa wrote a book ‘Rihla’.
B) He found paan and coconut quite common.
C) He considered Indian cities as populated cities.
D) He considered Indian postal system very efficient.

निम्िमलखखत में से कौि सा कथि सही िहीां है ?

1. इब्ि बतूता िे 'ररहला' िामक पस्

ु तक मलखी।
2. उन्हें पाि और िाररयल काफी सामान्य लगे।
3. वह भारतीय शहरों को आबार्दी वाले शहर मािते थे।
4. वह भारतीय डाक व्यवस्था को बहुत कुशल मािते थे।
19. When was the constitution passed by the Constituent Assembly? 1
सांवविाि सभा द्वारा सांवविाि कब पाररत ककया गया था?
20. Dandi March brought forward__________________ 1
A) Non Cooperation Movement C) Civil Disobedience Movement
B) Quit India Movement D) Rowlatt Satyagraha

र्दाांडी माचय __________________ को आगे लाया

1. असहयोग आांर्दोलि
2. सवविय अवज्ञा आांर्दोलि
3. भारत छोड़ो आांर्दोलि
4. रॉलेट सत्याग्रह
21. Name the painter who painted in’In Memoriam’. 1
उस धचत्रकार का िाम बताइए जिसिे 'इि मेमोररयम' में धचत्रकारी की।
SECTION B
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 6X3=18
22. 3
Describe briefly what has been found in burials at the harappan sites.
OR
Describe three features of Harappan drainage system.

सांक्षेप में वर्यि करें कक हड़प्पा स्थलों पर कब्रों में क्या पाया गया है ।
or
हड़प्पा िल निकासी प्रर्ाली की तीि ववशेषताओां का वर्यि करें ।
23. 3
Magadha was the most powerful Mahajanapada. Examine the statement.

मगि सबसे शजक्तशाली महाििपर्द था। कथि का परीक्षर् करें ।

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24. Describe the features of water resources of Vijayanagar empire. 3

ववियिगर साम्राज्य के िल सांसाििों की ववशेषताओां का वर्यि कीजिए

25. The power of Jotedars were more effective than the Zamindars . justify with 3
suitable examples.
िोतर्दारों की शजक्त िमीांर्दारों से अधिक प्रभावशाली थी। उपयुक्त उर्दाहरर्ों के साथ
औधचत्य मसद्ि कीजिए।
26. How did the rebels in 1857 tried to materialise their vision of unity/ explain 3
briefly.
OR
The rumours in 1857 began to make sense when seen in the context of the
policies pursued by the british from late 1820s. justify with evidence.

1857 में ववद्रोहहयों िे ककस प्रकार एकता के अपिे दृजष्टकोर् को साकार करिे का प्रयास
ककया/ सांक्षेप में व्याख्या की।
or
1857 में अफवाहें तब समझ में आिे लगीां िब उन्हें 1820 के र्दशक के अांत से अांग्रेिों द्वारा
अपिाई गई िीनतयों के सांर्दभय में र्दे खा गया। सबूत के साथ औधचत्य।
27. Explain any three ideals included in objective resolution. 3

वस्तुनिष्ठ सांकल्प में शाममल ककन्हीां तीि आर्दशों की व्याख्या कीजिए।

SECTION C
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 3 X 8=21
28. 8
Describe the familial relationship observed during Mahabharata era.
OR
Describe the social implications of access to Resources during Mahabharata
period.

महाभारत काल के र्दौराि र्दे खे गए पाररवाररक सांबांिों का वर्यि करें । या

महाभारत काल के र्दौराि सांसाििों तक पहुांच के सामाजिक निहहताथों का वर्यि करें ।

29. Explain how the coming of Gandhiji broadened the base of the Indian National 8
Movement.
OR
There are many different kinds of sources from which we can reconstruct the
political career of Gandhiji and the history of the nationalist movement. Justify
the statement with suitable examples.

बताएां कक गाांिीिी के आिे से भारतीय राष्रीय आांर्दोलि का आिार कैसे ववस्तत

ृ हुआ।
or
कई अलग-अलग प्रकार के स्रोत हैं जििसे हम गाांिीिी के राििीनतक िीवि और राष्रवार्दी
आांर्दोलि के इनतहास का पि
ु नियमायर् कर सकते हैं। उपयक्
ु त उर्दाहरर्ों के साथ कथि की
पुजष्ट कीजिए।

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30. Identify the relationship of the Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil Nadu with the state 8
from the eighth to the eighteenth century.
OR
‘the Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the ‘pollution’ attributed to
certain roups by Brahmanas’. critically examine the statement.

आठवीां से अठारहवीां शताब्र्दी तक राज्य के साथ तममलिाडु के अलवर और ियिार के

सांबांिों की पहचाि करें ।
or
'मलांगायतों िे िानत के ववचार को चुिौती र्दी और 'प्रर्दष
ू र्' के मलए ब्राह्मर्ों द्वारा कुछ
समूहों को जिम्मेर्दार ठहराया। कथि का समालोचिात्मक परीक्षर् कीजिए।

SECTION D
SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS 3X4=12
31. Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
Just as the Buddhas teachings were compiled by his followers, the teachings of 1+2+1
Mahavira were also recorded by his disciples. These were often in the form of =4
stories, which could appeal to ordinary people. Here is one example , from a Prakrit
text known as the Uttaradhyayana Sutta, describing how a queen named
Kamalavati tried to persuade her husband to renounce the world.
If the whole world and all its treasures were yours, you would not be satisfied, nor
would all this be able to save [Link] you die , O king and leave all things
behind,dhamma alone, and nothing else, will save you. As a bird dislikes the cage,
so do I dislike the world. I shall live as a nun without offspring, without desire,
without the love of gain, and without hatred…
Those who have enjoyed pleasures and renounced them, move about like the wind,
and go where ever they please, unchecked like birds in their flight…
A) Name the book from which this excerpt has been taken. 1
B) What things a queen named Kamalavati said to persuade the king to renounce
the world? 2
C) What kind of life the queen desired to live? 1

1. Life of a queen
2. Life of a nun
3. No desire for worldly life.
4. none

हर्दए गए गद्याांश को ध्यािपूवक

य पहढए और िीचे हर्दए गए प्रश्िों के उत्तर र्दीजिए:
जिस तरह बुद्ि की मशक्षाओां को उिके अिुयानययों िे सांकमलत ककया था, उसी तरह महावीर
की मशक्षाओां को भी उिके मशष्यों िे र्दिय ककया था। ये अक्सर कहानियों के रूप में होते थे, िो
आम लोगों को आकवषयत कर सकते थे। यहाँ एक उर्दाहरर् है , उत्तराध्यायि सुत्त के रूप में
ज्ञात एक प्राकृत पाठ से, जिसमें वर्यि ककया गया है कक कैसे कमलावती िाम की एक रािी
िे अपिे पनत को र्दनु िया को त्यागिे के मलए मिािे की कोमशश की।
यहर्द सारा सांसार और उसका सारा खिािा तुम्हारा होता, तो तुम सांतुष्ट िहीां होते, और ि ही
यह सब तुम्हें बचा पाता। िब तुम मरोगे, हे रािा और सब कुछ पीछे छोड़ र्दो, केवल िम्म,
और कुछ िहीां, तुम्हें बचाएगा। जिस प्रकार पांछी को वपांिरा पसांर्द िहीां है , उसी प्रकार मैं
सांसार को िापसांर्द करता हूँ। मैं बबिा सांताि के, बबिा इच्छा के, बबिा लाभ के, और बबिा
घर्
ृ ा के िि के रूप में रहूांगी ...
जिि लोगों िे सुखों का आिांर्द मलया है और उन्हें त्याग हर्दया है , वे हवा की तरह घूमते हैं, और
िहाां चाहें वहाां िाते हैं, अपिी उड़ाि में पक्षक्षयों की तरह अनियांबत्रत ...

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 1. उस पुस्तक का िाम बताइए जिससे यह अांश मलया गया है । 1
2. कमलावती िाम की एक रािी िे रािा को सांसार त्यागिे के मलए रािी करिे के
मलए क्या बातें कही? 2
3. रािी ककस तरह का िीवि िीिा चाहती थी? 1
1. एक रािी का िीवि
2. एक िि का िीवि
3. साांसाररक िीवि की कामिा।
4. कोई भी िहीां
33. Nehru admitted that most nationalist leaders had wanted a different kind of
Constituent Assembly. It was also true, in a sense, that the British Government had 1+1+2
a “hand in its birth”, and it had attached certain conditions within which the =4
Assembly had to function. “But,” emphasised Nehru, “you must not ignore the
source from which this Assembly derives its strength.” Nehru added: Governments
do not come into being by State Papers. Governments are, in fact the expression of
the will of the people. We have met here today because of the strength of the
people behind us and we shall go as far as the people – not of any party or group
but the people as a whole – shall wish us to go. We should, therefore, always keep
in mind the passions that lie in the hearts of the masses of the Indian people and
try to fulfil them.
1. The british government had a hand in its birth, signifies-------------------- 1
2. According to Nehru what is the government? 1
3. Who's strength was behind the meeting of the constituent assembly? 2

िेहरू िे स्वीकार ककया कक अधिकाांश राष्रवार्दी िेता एक अलग तरह की सांवविाि सभा
चाहते थे। यह भी सच था, एक मायिे में, बब्रहटश सरकार का "िन्म में हाथ" था, और उसिे
कुछ शतों को सांलग्ि ककया था जिसके भीतर वविािसभा को कायय करिा था। "लेककि,"
िेहरू िे िोर र्दे कर कहा, "आपको उस स्रोत की उपेक्षा िहीां करिी चाहहए जिससे यह सभा
अपिी ताकत प्राप्त करती है ।" िेहरू िे आगे कहा: सरकारें राज्य के कागिात से अजस्तत्व
में िहीां आती हैं। सरकारें वास्तव में लोगों की इच्छा की अमभव्यजक्त हैं। हम आि यहाां ममले
हैं अपिे पीछे के लोगों की ताकत के कारर् और हम िहाां तक िािा चाहें गे - ककसी पाटी या
समूह के िहीां बजल्क समग्र रूप से लोग - हमें िािे की इच्छा होगी। इसमलए हमें भारतीय
ििता के हर्दलों में िो िि
ु ि
ू है उसे हमेशा ध्याि में रखिा चाहहए और उसे परू ा करिे का
प्रयास करिा चाहहए।

1. इसके िन्म में बब्रहटश सरकार का हाथ था, यह र्दशायता है ---------------------- 1

2. िेहरू के अिुसार सरकार क्या है ? 1
3. सांवविाि सभा की बैठक के पीछे ककसकी ताकत थी? 2

SECTION E MAP QUESTION

34. In the given outline map of india locate and mark the following places.
A. mature harappan site.
B. a Buddhist site.
C. any two centres of revolt of 1857.
भारत के हर्दए गए रूपरे खा मािधचत्र में निम्िमलखखत स्थािों को खोिें और धचजह्ित करें ।
A. पररपक्व हड़प्पा स्थल।

560
 B. एक बौद्ि स्थल।
C. 1857 के ववद्रोह के कोई र्दो केंद्र।

ANSWER KEY

1 a)one should connect to inner being 1

2 A.)[Link] 1

3 A) harappan script was pictographic and not alphabetical. 1

4 B) marriage within a kin group 1

5 B) sutas 1
6 D) I,III,IV 1

7 B) worship of abstract form of god 1

8 D. Tunghabhadra 1
9 To describe land revenue system 1
10 A)Lord Cornwallis 1
11 B) [Link] Prasad 1

12 D)Gandhiji considered [Link] as his political mentor. 1

13 A)Karaikkal ammaiyar. 1

14 A ) both a and R are correct. 1

15 C) A is correct R is wrong. 1

16 A ) both a and R are correct. 1

17 A ) both a and R are correct. 1

18 B) paan and coconut r quite common. 1

19 26 nov 1949. 1

20 C) Civil Disobedience Movement 1

21 Joseph Noel. 1

22 3

Burials have been significant evidence to establish social differences within the
Harappan society’.
The dead were generally laid in pits. There were differences in the way the burial
pit was made. In some cases, the hallowed out spaces were lined with bricks.

However, whether these variations were an indication of social differences or not,

561
 it is not yet established. Pottery ornaments, jewellery of both men and women
have been found in some burials. But the Harappans did not believe in burying
precious things with the [Link] laid in pits.

Difference in the [Link] space lined with [Link] contained fine

pottery,ornaments,[Link] other relevant points

Or
Drainage System Mohenjodaro had carefully planned drainage system. The roads
and the streets were laid out along an approximate ‘grid’ pattern, intersecting at
right angles. It seems that streets with drains were laid out first and then houses
built along them. Every house had its own bathroom paved with bricks, with drains
connected through the walls, to the street drains.
individual house drain join with main drain.
Any other relevant points

23 I)Magadha was a region where agriculture was productive. 3

ii. The Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient
communication.
iii. Iron mines were accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons.
iv. Elephants, an important of the army, were found in forests in the region
v. Ambitious kings, of whom Bimbisara, Ajatasattu and Mahapadma Nanda are
the best known, and their ministers, who helped implement their policies
Any other relevant points. Any three to explain
24 i. The natural basin of Vijayanagar was formed by the river Tungabhadra. 3
ii. A number of streams flow down to the river from these rocky outcrops
iii. Embankments were built along the streams to create reservoirs
iv. Elaborate arrangements were made to store rainwater
v. The most important tank was Kamalapuram tank.
vi. One of the most prominent waterworks was the Hiriya canal.
vii. The canal drew water from a dam across the Tungabhadra
viii. Water resources irrigated the cultivated valley that separated the “Sacred
Centre” from the “Urban Core”.
ix. Any other relevant point
Any three points to be described

25 ⚫ The Jotedars controlled trade and commerce including money lending 3

business at the local level.
⚫ In order to weaken the Zamindars, Jotedars would mobilise ryots not to pay
or delay payment towards land revenue.
⚫ The Jotedars opposed the moves of Zamindars to increase the Jama of a
village.
⚫ The Jotedars lived in villages only. Hence they were in a better position to
interact with and influence the peasants.
⚫ Jotedars were rich and owned big areas of land under cultivation.
⚫ Many a time they would buy estates of Zamindar. That would be auctioned
due to failure to pay up land revenue

Any three /any other relevant points

26 proclamations made by the Muslim princes or in their names took care to 3
address the sentiments of Hindus.

The rebellion was seen as a war in which both Hindus and Muslims had equally
to lose or gain.

562
 The ishtahars harked back to the pre-British Hindu-Muslim past and glorified
the coexistence of different communities under the Mughal Empire.

The proclamation that was issued under the name of Bahadur Shah appealed
to the people to join the fight under the standards of both Muhammad and
Mahavir.

British made attempts to create divisions between Hindus and Muslims. For
example, in Bareily in western Uttar Pradesh, in December 1857, the British
spent? 50,000 to incite Hindu population against the Muslims but they failed.

OR
Introduction of new catridge coated with fat of pig and cow.
Christian missionaries
.William Bentinck introduced reform movements,abolished sati, remarriage of
widows.
Any other relevant points.

27 • India was declared an independent sovereign republic. 3

• Justice, equality and fraternity were assured to all the citizens of India.
• Adequate safeguards were provided to minorities. It also referred to the
well-being of the backward and depressed classes.
• It was made an objective that India would combine the liberal ideas of
democracy with the socialist idea of economic justice.
• India would adopt that form of government which would be acceptable to
its people. No imposition from the British would be acceptable by the
people of India.
• India would work for peace and human welfare

any other relevant points.

28 I) Families are usually parts of larger networks of people defined as 8
relatives/ kinfolk.
ii. People belonging to the same family share food, resources, work,
and live together and perform rituals together.
iii. Familial ties were often regarded as “natural” and based on blood
iv. Rules about patriliny-The Mahabharata shows patriliny. It describes
a feud over land and power between the Kauravas and the
Pandavas
v. Most ruling dynasties followed patrilineal with little variations
vi. In very exceptional circumstances, women such as Prabhavati
Gupta exercised power

vii. Rules of marriage- There were two systems of marriage-

Endogamy and Exogamy.

viii. Marriages-Girls were married at the “right” time and to the “right”
person.
ix. Kanyadana or the gift of a daughter in marriage was an important
religious duty of the father.
x. There are three types of marriage- Monogamy, polygamy or
Polyandry
Or
i. Gendered access to property-. According to the Dharmashastras
the paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after
the death of the Father, with a special share for the eldest.
ii. Women could not claim a share of these resources.

563
 iii. Women were allowed to retain stridhana
iv. This could be inherited by their children, without the husband
having any claim on it.
v. Wealthy women such as the Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta
had property including lands.
vi. Epigraphic and textual evidences suggest that upper-class women
had access to resources, land, cattle and money.

29 .Coming of Gandhi has broadened the base of Indian National Movement-gandhi 8

returned in January 1915 non-violence satyagraha, sympathy for the
poor,communal [Link] rural people involvement in the national
[Link] felt Indian national movement was confined in urban areas only. So
all his movements focused on mass participation. Not to cooperate to the british
[Link] opposed to color discrimination and caste [Link] believed
in simple living and high thinking. He identified with the common people.
OR
Different sources like private letters and autobiographies to whom it was written
and who has replied.
Autobiographies depict life story of that individual.
Individual letters written by great leaders [Link] prasad, Jawahar lal Nehru.
They are authentic and important source of [Link] conveys the language
style,message.

30 ⚫ The early Bhakti Movement was led by Alvars and Nayanars. 8

⚫ .It was the period of the 6th Century.
⚫ Alvars are those who were disciples of Vishnu and Nayanars were those who
claimed themselves the followers of Lord Shiva. They travelled place to place
and would sing devotional songs in Tamil in the name of Shiva or Vishnu as
the case may be.
⚫ Apart from being a religious movement, it was a social movement too.
⚫ Many historians are of the view that Alvars and Nayanars gave a blow to the
caste system and Brahminism.
⚫ This is corroborated by the fact that the movement was open to people from
diverse background.
⚫ The Bhaktas came from the castes of Brahmin to artisans to even those that
were considered untouchables..
OR
⚫ Lingayats -emerged in 12th century.
⚫ Founder basavanna, virashaiva , [Link] shiva in linga
[Link] of linga.
⚫ they challenged the idea of caste and pollution
⚫ They did not accept theory of [Link] large followers in large number
among marginalised /common group of [Link] not believe on rituals
⚫ Vira shaivas also attacked some evil practices.
Any other relevant points
31 A) uttaradhyayana 4
B) to leave all the worldly things and to follow dhamma alone.
C) Life of a nun.

32 A. The instruction was that Ibn Battuta should dictate an account of the cities 4
he had seen in his travel.
B. Authors interest was aroused.
C. Ibn Juzayi.

564
33 A) britishpolicy and their rulehad its influence/impact in the framing the 4
constitution.
B) According to Nehru the Government did not come out of state papers but
of the strength of people.
C)The peoples strength is behind the constitutent assembly meeting.

34 map a. dholavira. B. bhodh gaya. C. meerut, Delhi,Jhansi (any) 4

565