In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 11 REBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATIONNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON REBELS AND THE RAJ THE REVOLT OF 1857 AND ITS REPRESENTATION
Question 1 : Which of the following was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857? (a) Mixing of bone dust of cow in the atta (b) Banning the practice of Sati (c) Cartridges of Enfield rifle (d) Allowing widow remarriage
Answer : C Question 2 : Awadh was one of the few Indian kingdoms that was not annexed by the British by the
(a) 1830s.
(b) 1840s.
(c) 1850s.
(d) 1860s.
Answer : C Question 3 : Consider the following statements: (i) Rumours played a great role in the revolt of 1857 A.D. (ii) Peshwa Baji Rao II adopted Nana Saheb as his son. (iii) The British had no answer to the action of the rebels during the months of May and June in 1857 A.D. (iv) Awadh was a major centre of revolt in 1857 A.D. (a) i, ii, iii (b) i, ii, iii, iv (c) ii, iii, iv (d) i, ii, iv
Answer : B
Question 4 : Which of these was the reason for Nana Saheb’s joining the 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
Answer : A Question 5 : The artist of the painting “Relief of Lucknow” was:
(a) Thomas Jones Barker
(b) Henry Lawrance
(c) Henry Havelock
(d) Joseph Noel
Answer : A Question 6 : What do you understand by the term ‘Firangi’? (a) Outcaste (b) A type of drink (c) Foreigner (d) Mirror work
Answer : C Question 7 : Delhi was finally captured by the British in
(a) June 1857
(b) July 1857
(c) August 1857
(d) September 1857
Answer : D Question 8 : Awadh was annexed into the British empire in _________ (a) 1855 (b) 1854 (c) 1856 (d) 1853
Answer : C
Question 9 : Awadh and Satara were captured under ________ (a) Doctrine of Lapse (b) Subsidiary Alliance (c) Issue of Misgovernance (d) Mahalwari System
Answer : A
Question 10 : Who was the last Nawab of Awadh?
(a) Muhammad Ali Shah
(b) Muhammad Muqim
(c) Birjis Qadr
(d) Wajid Ali Shah
Answer : D Question 11 : Wajid Ali Shah was the Nawab of (a) Awadh (b) Bengal (c) Hyderabad (d) Karnataka
Answer : A Question 12 : Villages whose headmen and cultivators were mobilised against the British rule by Shah Mal were
(a) Chaurasee Des.
(b) 24 parganas.
(c) Faizabad.
(d) Meerut.
Answer : A Question 13 : Who among the following mobilised the villages of Pargana Barout in Uttar Pradesh in the Revolt of 1857? (a) Maulvi Ahmadullh Shah (b) Kunwar Singh (c) Shah Mai (d) Manvant Singh
Answer : C
Question 14 : Which of the following statements was not a justified reason for the annexation of Awadh by the British in 1857? (a) Wajid Ali was the unpopular ruler. (b) Subsidiary Alliance system was accepted by Wajid Ali Shah at ease. (c) Mangal Pandey initiated the revolt from Awadh. (d) Material benefits were given to the taluqdars by the British.
Answer : C Question 15 : Lakshmi Bai, the queen of Jhansi who fought against the British, passed away in the year
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 10 COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVESNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE: EXPLORING OFFICIAL ARCHIVES
Q.1 Who among the following was the leader of the Santhal rebellion?
Q.14 Who introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal?
(a) Lord Charles Cornwallis (b) Francis Buchanan (c) David Ricardo (d) Thomas Munro
Answer (a) Lord Charles Cornwallis
Q.15 Which of the following statements related to Santhals is incorrect?
(a) They lived on the peripheries of Rajmahal hills. (b) They cleared forests and ploughed the land. (c) They borrowed money from dikus. (d) They practiced shifting cultivation.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 9 KING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURTNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON KING AND CHRONICLES THE MUGHAL COURT
1. Who is considered the founder of the Mughal dynasty? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Jahangir
Ans. (A) Babar
2. When did Babur attack India? (A) in 1526 AD (B) in 1530 AD (C) in 1757 AD (D) in 1857 AD
Ans. (A) in 1526 AD
3. Who controlled the land revenue system during Akbar’s time? (A) Birbal (B) Raja Todarmal (C) tansen (D) Salim
Ans. (B) Raja Todarmal
4. When was Din-e-Ilahi founded? (A) 1526 (B) 1542 (C) 1556 (D) 1582
Ans. (D) 1582
5. Which was the court language during the Mughal period? (A) Turkey (B) Hindi (C) Persian (D) Arabic
Ans. (C) Persian
6. Who wrote the Akbarnama? (A) Babar (B) Gulbadan Begum (C) abul fazl (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
Ans. (C) abul fazl
7. Who wrote ‘Humayunnama’? (A) abul fazl (B) alberuni (C) Abdul Hameed Lahori (D) Gulbadan Begum
Ans. (D) Gulbadan Begum
8. Who was the author of Badshahnama? (A) Bernier (B) Gulbadan Begum (C) abul fazl (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
Ans. (D) Abdul Hameed Lahori
9. Who was Humayun’s wife? (A) Mehrunnisa (B) Mumtaz Mahal (C) Hamida Banu Begum (D) noorjahan
Ans. (C) Hamida Banu Begum
10. Which Mughal ruler abolished Jaziya tax? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (C) Akbar.
11. Which Mughal ruler again imposed Jizya tax? (A) Babar (B) Humayun (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (D) Aurangzeb.
12. Who was the last Mughal ruler? (A) Bahadur Shah Zafar (B) farrukhsiyar (C) Akbar (D) Aurangzeb
Ans. (A) Bahadur Shah Zafar
13. Where did Bahadur Shah Zafar die? (A) Rangoon jail (B) yerwada (C) in Delhi (D) in tashkent
Ans. (A) Rangoon jail
14. When did Akbar die? (A) 1526 (B) 1556 (C) 1582 (D) 1605
Ans. (D) 1605
15. Who built the Taj Mahal? (A) Humayun (B) Akbar (C) Jahangir (D) shahjahan
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRENCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
Question 1 : During the Mughal Empire, what was Jins-i-Kamil? (a) Half crop (b) Perfect crop (c) Rabi crop (d) Kharif crop
Answer : B
Question 2 : Find out from the following pairs which one is not correctly matched: (a) Kharif : Autumn (b) Rabi : Spring (c) Makka : Maize (d) Muqaddam : Labourer
Answer : D
Question 3 : 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.
Answer : D
Question 4 : The term which Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period frequently used to denote a peasant was (a) do-fasla. (b) khud-kashta. (c) pahi-kashta. (d) raiyat.
Answer : D
Question 5 : Vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and chillies reached India from the (a) Continental World. (b) Middle World. (c) New World. (d) Old World.
Answer : C
Question 6 : Most regions, under the Mughals, produced a minimum of (a) one crop. (b) two crops. (c) three crops. (d) four crops.
Answer : B
Question 7 : Identify which of the metal was used more often to make coins during the Mughal Empire? (a) Gold (b) Silver (c) Tin (d) Copper
Answer : B
Question 8 : Which of the following Muslim community was considered menial? (a) Mandal (b) Halalkhoran (c) Majur (d) Jangli
Answer : B
Question 9 : 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.
Answer : D
Question 10 : _ was the court historian of Akbar. (a) Al-Biruni (b) Abul Fazl (c) Bernier (d) Ibn-Battuta
Answer : B
Question 11 : What do you understand by the term Khud-Kashta? (a) Peasants who were residents of the village (b) Non-resident cultivators (c) Revenue collectors (d) Head of jati panchayat
Answer : A
Question 12 : Which of the following were the duties performed by state officials in the 16th century? (a) Collection of land revenue (b) Measuring the land (c) Keeping the records (d) All the above
Answer : D
Question 13 : Which of the following crops was introduced into India via Africa and Spain? (a) Chillies (b) Maize (c) Papaya (d) Tomatoes
Answer : B
Question 14 : Which of the following statements regarding the roles played by women in agrarian society is incorrect? (a) Women sowed, weeded, threshed, and winnowed the harvest. (b) Women worked shoulder to shoulder with men in fields. (c) During some days of the month women were not allowed to touch the plough. (d) Women took the produce to the overseas markets for trade.
Answer : D
Question 15 : There are _ daftars (parts) of Ain. (a) Three (b) Four (c) Five (d) Six
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 8 PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRENCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONPEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE AGRARIAN SOCIETY AND THE MUGHAL EMPIRE
Question 1. Describe the Land Revenue System of the Mughal empire during the reign of Akbar. Answer: Akbar was a great and able ruler. He laid special emphasis on the land revenue system. For this purpose, he followed the policy initiated by Sher Shah Suri. But this policy had certain defects in it. That is why Akbar began works from the start. Main features of his land revenue system are given below:
1. Following policy initiated by Sher Shah: In the beginning, Akbar followed the policy of land revenue initiated by Sher Shah. During the reign of Sher Shah, the average value was determined by measuring agricultural land. It was determined on the average production of produce. Later on, Akbar felt that it needed a lot of time to fix the market price. It was also a cause of worry for the peasants. Hence, Akbar again started the policy of yearly assumption.
2. Determination of Tax: Akbar followed the following policies for fixing land revenue : (a) Zabti System: This policy was the creation of Raja Todar Mai. Under this system of revenue, the tax was fixed by measuring the land. This system was implemented in Gujarat, Lahore, Malwa, Allahabad, etc. (b) Ten Years System: This system was a developed form of Zabti system. According to this, an average of the last ten years of production of crops and their value was taken out. One-third of that average produce was taken as revenue. This revenue could have been taken in the form of cash or produce. (c) Batai or Galla Bakshi System: In this system, the whole of the total produce was divided in definite proportion among peasant and the State. Honest officials were required for the success of this system. (d) Nasik or Kanqoot System: Record of agricultural tax was kept in this system.
3. Measurement of Land: During the reign of Akbar, the land was measured with a proper method. With this, state and the peasant came to know about how much peasants will have to pay and how much revenue will be collected for the state.
4. Keeping in mind the fertility of the soil: Fertility of the soil was always kept in mind while determining land revenue. That land was called as ‘Polaj’ which was cultivated every year and that land was called as Tarauti’ which was not cultivated every year. All in all, a tax was fixed on the basis of fertility and the produce.
5. Facilities to Peasants: Special facilities were also given to peasants in case of famine or drought. They were given certain facilities in paying taxes in case of natural calamity. They were also given loans for tools, implements and animals.
Actually, land revenue system of Akbar was prepared while keeping in mind the interests of the people.
Question 2. While explaining the contribution of women in labour based agrarian society, clarify that what was their position in society? Also, give a proper example. Answer: Men and women both performed certain specific roles in the production process. Women had to work shoulder to shoulder with men in the fields. Men used to till and plough the land whereas women sowed, weeded, threshed and winnowed the harvest. With the development of small rural units and individual agriculture of peasants, labour and resources of the entire household became the basis of production. Naturally, gendered segregation was not possible between home (for women) and the world (for men).
Artisanal works like sifting and kneading clay for pottery, spinning yarn and embroidery were some of the works which depended upon female labour. The more commercialised the product, the greater the demand on women’s labour to produce it. Actually peasant, artisan women not only worked in the fields but also went to houses of their employers and even to markets if required. Females were seen as an important source in agrarian society because they were child-bearers in a society which was dependent on labour.
Status of women in society: The position of the women in society was of mixed nature. 1. There was a high mortality rate among women. That is why married women were less in number. It helped in the emergence of social customs in artisan and peasant society which were different from the customs of elite groups. In many rural communities, the male had to pay bride price instead of dowry to the bride’s family. Remarriage was legally sanctioned for both divorced and widowed women.
2. According to popular traditions, the male was head of the family. In this way, females remained under the control of males and the family. If any female was coming under the scanner of misconduct then she was strictly punished by society.
3. Amongst the landed gentry, women had the right to inherit property. We have found certain examples from Punjab which show that women (including widows) actively participated in the rural land market as sellers of property inherited by them. They were free to sell or mortgage their land.
Question 3. What aspects of the Mughal period are highlighted by Abul Fazl’s ‘Ain-i-Akbari’? Answer: ‘Ain-i-Akbari’ was written by Abul Fazl in the year 1598 C.E. It was a part of the project of the writing of history under the orders of Akbar. That is why it is also known as Akbar-Nama. It is a compendium of imperial regulations and a gazette of the Mughal Empire.
This book gives detailed information about various facts of life during the Mughal period :
It is a comprehensive analysis of the court, administration and army.
It depicts the literary, cultural and religious traditions of the people.
It gives a physical layout of the provinces of Akbar’s empire.
It enumerates the sources of revenue.
It tells us about various customs and practices of the Mughal period.
It also gives a short biographical sketch of imperial officials such as mansabdars.
In fact, the real purpose of the book was to facilitate Emperor Akbar in the governance of its empire. It was not a reproduction of official papers but an authentic attempt to present quantitative data at one place. It was an extraordinary document of its times and provides a fascinating peep into the glimpses of the structure and organisation of the Mughal Empire.
Question 4. Make a critical evaluation of the- significance and limitations of Ain-i-Akbari. Answer: Penned by Abul Fazl, Ain-i-Akbari was written to facilitate Akbar in the governance of his empire. It was written in 1598 C.E. Abul Fazl was so cautious about this book that he revised it five times. He tried his best to leave no scope for any transcriptional error. It is an authentic mine of information about the Mughal Empire.
Abul Fazl did not believe oral testimonies. He verified and cross-checked them before their inclusion in the book. He wanted to make his book factual rather than informative. In the quantitative sections, he presented all the numerical data in words so as to minimise the chances of any subsequent trans¬criptional errors. In other words, the Ain is a record of information about the people and society during the Mughal regime.
In spite of the best efforts of Abul Fazl, the book is not without problems or limitations. There are many limitations which can be studied as follows: 1. There are many errors in total. It has been considered that these might be simple arithmetic errors of transcription by Abul Fazl’s assistants. Even then these errors were very simple which hardly reduces the authenticity of data at a wider level.
2. Another limitation of Ain is the skewed nature of the quantitative data. Uniform data was not collected from all provinces. Wide information was collected about the caste of zamindars from many provinces but these information are not available for Bengal and Orissa.
3. Fiscal data from the provinces is quite remarkable but equally important information like prices and wages from these areas are not as well documented.
Conclusion: Ain remained an extraordinary document of its times even after certain limitations. Abul Fazl achieved a major breakthrough in the tradition of medieval chroniclers who wrote mostly about wars, conquests, political machinations and dynastic turmoil. It was one of the greatest achievements of Abul Fazl.
Question 5. How was agriculture organised around two major seasonal cycles’s during the 16th and 17th centuries? Was it only for subsistence or otherwise? Explain. Answer: Seasonal cycles: During the 16th and 17th centuries, agriculture was organised mainly during two seasonal cycles-Kharif (autumn) and Rabi (spring). Minimum two crops were grown at most of the places except most arid or inhospitable land. Even three crops were also grown where rainfall or other means of irrigation were easily available.
Different types of Crops: There is a mention of word Jins-i-Kamil in historical sources available to us which means perfect crops. Mughal state also used to encourage farmers to grow those crops with which the State could earn more revenue. Cotton and sugarcane were such crops.
Cotton was mainly grown on large pieces of land spread over central India and the Deccan Plateau. Bengal was known for its sugar made from sugarcane. Different types of oilseeds (like mustard) and lentils were also included in cash crops. This shows that subsistence and commercial production were closely related with an average peasant’s holding.
Objectives: Major objective of agriculture during the 16th and 17th centuries was only for subsistence. That is why mainly rice, wheat and barley were grown. But this agriculture was not alone for subsistence. Till then, the nature of agriculture was changed a bit.
Agriculture was mainly organised for two seasons.
The commercial production and subsistence were closely related to an average present holding.
Question 6. How ‘Ain’ of Abul Fazl was different from the creations of early historians? Answer: Creations of early historians, before Abul Fazl, only mention about wars, conquests, political machinations and dynastic turmoil. They hardly give any information about people and products of the country. If any mention was there, it was from a political point of view.
Question 7. What is meant by ‘Jangli’ in the context of Mughal period? How forest was seen by the state? Answer: Jangli: The word ‘Jangli’ is used by contemporary texts for forest dwellers but it does not mean that they were uncivilised. Actually, during those days, this word was used for the people whose livelihood came from forest products, hunting and shifting cultivation. These occupations were based on seasons. For example, Bhils used to collect forest products during summer, catch fish during summer, do cultivation during monsoon months and used to go for hunting during autumn and winter. Moving from one place to another was one of the important features of tribes living in forests.
Forests in the eyes of the States: As far as for the State, the forest was a subversive place where troublemakers used to take refuge or shelter. Once Babur said about jungles which provided a good defence “behind which the people of the pagan become stubbornly, rebellious and pay no taxes”.
Question 8. Describe the functions and authority of the Village Panchayats during the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries. Answer: A major function of Panchayat was to ensure that caste boundaries could be upheld by different communities residing in the village. All the marriages in eastern India took place in the presence of Mandal. The major function of village headman was to keep a watch on the conduct of the members of the village community mainly to prevent any offence against their caste. Panchayats had the right to levy fines and expel anyone from the community.
Question 9. Describe the main sources of agriculture history of the 16th and 17th centuries. Answer: Peasants are the main actors of agrarian history. But peasants did not write about themselves which is why we hardly get information from them about activities of rural society. Our main sources of the agrarian history of 16th and 17th centuries are chronicles, historical texts and documents which were written under the supervision of the Mughal court.
Ain-i-Akbari: Ain-i-Akbari was one of the most important chronicles of its time. It was written by a court historian of Akbar, i.e., Abul Fazl. This chronicle describes very minutely about the arrangements made by the State to ensure cultivation, enable the collection of revenue by the agencies of state and regulate the relations between the State and the Zamindars.
The main objective of Ain or Ain-i-Akbari was to present a vision of Akbar’s empire where a strong ruling class was providing social harmony. According to the author of Ain, any revolt against the State or assertion of autonomous power was predestined to fail. In other words, whatever information we got from Ain about peasants was a point of view of top officials of Mughal court.
Other Sources: 1. Besides Ain, we can also use other sources, which were written at far off places from Mughal kingdom. These include those documents of 17th and 18th centuries found in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan which provide detailed revenue records. 2. Except these, many documents of East India Company are also there which throw light on agrarian relations in eastern India. All these sources record instances of conflicts between the Zamindars, peasants and the State. These sources help us in understanding the peasants’ perception and their expectations of fairness from the State.
Question 10. Discuss mutual relations between rural artisans and peasants during the 16th and 17th centuries. Also, discuss the importance of rural communities. Answer: One of the interesting aspects of the village was the elaborate relationship of exchange between different producers. Early surveys conducted in the village during the early years of British rule and Maratha documents conclude that artisans also lived in great number in villages. Sometimes, around 25% of total household in the villages belonged to artisans.
Sometimes it was very difficult to differentiate between peasants and artisans because they were groups who used to do both kinds of work. Cultivators and their family members were engaged in the production of many things. These included textile printing, dyeing, making and preparing agricultural implements, baking of pottery, etc. It was so because agricultural work was not for the whole of the year and that is why they used to do work of artisans during the free months.
Services and Supply of Service: Potters, carpenters, blacksmiths, barbers and even goldsmiths provided their services to village men. They were compensated by villagers by the number of means. They were either given a share of the produce or a piece of land in the village. This method of compensation was probably decided by the Panchayat. Such lands, in Maharashtra, became the Miras or Watan of the artisans were:
This system also prevailed in another variant in which artisans and individual peasant households entered into a mutually negotiated settlement of remuneration, most of the time goods for services. For example, blacksmiths, carpenters and even goldsmiths were remunerated by the Zamindars of Bengal, for their work by paying them a small daily allowance and diet money. This system was known as the Jajmani system.
Importance of Rural Community: Rural community was of great importance. Some British officials in 19th century saw the Indian villages as ‘a republic’ in which people used to divide their resources and labour with a collective fraternity. But there was no sign of social equality in villages. Individual ownership of land was there. Deep inequalities were there in society on the basis of caste and gender. Few powerful persons decided on matters of the village and exploited the weaker sections. They also had the authority to dispense justice.
More importantly, a cash nexus developed in villages due to trade between towns and villages. In the Mughal regions, revenue was assessed and collected in the form of cash. Artisans producing for the export market were also paid in cash as their wages. In the same way, producers of commercial products, like cotton, indigo, silk, etc., were also paid in cash.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 7 AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL : VIJAYNAGARA NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONAN IMPERIAL CAPITAL : VIJAYNAGARA
Question 1. ‘The rulers of Vijayanagara innovated and developed new traditions in the Virupaksha temple’. Elaborate. Answer: Virupaksha temple was built over centuries. Inscription suggested that the earliest shrine of the Virupaksha temple dated to the 9th-10th centuries.
Later, it was substantially enlarged with the establishment of the Vijayanagara empire. It was believed that the site of Vijayanagara was inspired by the existence of the shrines of Virupaksha and Pampadevi. Royal portrait sculpture was displayed in temple. The king’s visit to temples were treated as important state occasions on which he was accompanied by the important nayakas of the empire
The hall in front of the main shrine with delicately carved pillars was built by Krishnadeva Raya to mark his accession. Virupaksha, the guardian deity of the kingdom, was recognised as a form of Shiva and Vijayanagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of the God Virupaksha. Krishnadeva Raya constructed the Eastern gopuram.
The halls of the temple were used for a variety of purposes like programmes of music, dance, drama and marriages of deities. Special images of deities different from central shrines were used in these occasions. In this way, the rulers introduced new traditions in the Virupaksha temple.
Question 2. Why were the water resources of the Vijayanagara empire developed? Give reasons. Answer: Vijayanagara empire was one of the most arid zones of the Peninsula, much importance was provided to water resources in the selection of capital.
People of Vijayanagara obtained water in the following ways: 1. The water requirements of Vijayanagara were met by the natural basin formed by the river Tungabhadra. This river flows in a North-Easterly direction. It is surrounded by the stunning granite hills. These hills seem to form a girdle around the city. It is from these rocky outcrops that many streams flow down to the river.
2. In order to meet the water requirements of the city, embankments were built along these streams to create reservoirs of different sizes. One most important of such tanks was built during the early years of the 15 th century. It is now known as the Kamalapuram tank. The nearby fields were irrigated from the water of this tank. In order to meet the water requirements of the ‘Royal centre’, its water was also conducted through a channel to that place.
3. Most of the water requirements of Vijayanagara were met with the water of Hiriya canal, one of the most prominent water works. It was perhaps built by kings of the Sangama dynasty. It drew water . from a dam across the Tungabhadra. The cultivated valley separate the ‘sacred centre’ from the ‘urban core’. This was irrigated by the water from this canal. Thus, the rulers of Vijayanagara displayed a special interest in the preservation of the water resources. They made a number of important efforts in order to meet the water requirements of common men.
Question 3. Why was Vitthala temple of the Vijayanagara unique? Answer: The Vitthala temple is the another shrine located at Vijayanagara empire. The uniqueness of this temple can be understood through the following points:
The Vitthala temple is well-known ‘ for its exceptional architecture and unmatched craftsmanship. The iconic temple has amazing stone structures such as musical pillars. It has 56 musical pillars. The cluster of musical pillars was carved out of huge single pieces of resonant stone.
A characteristic feature of this temple complexes is the chariot streets that extended from the temple gopuram in a straight line. These streets were paved with stone slabs and lined with pillared pavilions in which merchants set up their shops.
This temple has several halls and a unique shrine designed as a chariot.
The principle deity of this temple was Vitthala, a form of Vishnu, which is generally worshipped in Maharashtra.
Question 4. Why did the imperial power of Vijayanagara decline after the death of Krishnadeva Raya? Answer: There are various reasons for the decline of Vijayanagara empire e.g.
Strain began to show within the imperial structure after the death of Krishnadeva Raya in 1529.
His successors w’ere not much capable to stand up against the rebellious nayakas or military chief s which were posing threat to Vijayanagara.
By 1542, control at the centre shifted to another ruling lineage, that of the Aravidu, which remained in power till the end of the 17th century.
During this period, the military ambitions of the rulers of Vijayanagara as well as those of the Deccan sultanates resulted in shifting alignments.
Eventually, this led to an alliance of the sultanates against Vijayanagara. Finally, in 1565, the combined armies of Bijapur, Ahmadnagar and Golconda defeated the army of the Chief Minister of Vijayanagara, Rama Raya at Rakshari-Rangadi (Talikota).
Consequently, the city of Vijayanagara was sacked by the victorious armies and totally abandoned within a few years.
Question 5. ‘Vijayanagara was characterised by a distinct building style’. Support this statement with the sacred architectural examples of Vijayanagara. Answer: Vijayanagara empire was founded by two brothers, Harihara and Bukka in 1336. The Vijayanagara kings competed with contemporary Sultans of the Deccan and Gajapati rulers of Orissa. Interaction with these states led to the sharing of ideas, especially in the field of architecture.
The building style of Vijayanagara is discussed below:
The great ruler of Vijayanagara, Krishnadeva Raya, developed the kingdom by establishing some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important South Indian temples. He also founded a suburban township, Nagalapuram, named after his mother.
Foreign travellers were greatly impressed by the fortification of the capital. The fort was entered through well-guarded gates, which linked the city to the major roads. The architecture of the gateways was influenced by the Turkish architecture. Some of the most important roads extended from temple gateways and were lined by bazaars.
The style of Raya gopurams or royal gateways were the symbols of the power of kings. Royal palaces had two types of platforms, viz. the audience hall and the Mahanavami dibba. The ceremonies performed in Mahanavami dibba included worship of the image, worship of state horse, sacrifices of buffaloes and other animals, dances, wrestling match, royal procession, etc.
Other distinctive features include mandapas or pavilions, long pillared corridors, etc. The Lotus Mahal and Hazara Rama temple had spectacular architecture. In this way, Vijayanagara developed a distinctive architectural style.
Question 6. How and when were the ruins of Hampi brought to light? Explain briefly. Answer: It was Colin Mackenzie who brought to light the ruins at Hampi in around 1800. He was an engineer, surveyor and cartographer who served in India (mostly Southern parts). The following points discussed below tell us about the evidences of the ruins of Hampi:
His chief source of reconstruction of local histories was information gathered from recollections of priests of Virupaksha temple and Pampadevi (mother Goddess) temple.
In 1836, epigraphists began collecting several dozen inscriptions found in these temples and various other temples of Hampi. From 1856, photographers began to record the monuments for their research work in these fields.
The various descriptions left by travellers allowed historians to reconstruct some as’pects of vibrant life at Hampi in those years.
Other literature in various vernacular languages like Telugu, Kannada, Tamil and Sanskrit also proved to be the directions in assessing the remains of Hampi by various notable historians.
The oral traditions combined with archaeological findings, monuments, inscriptions and other records helped scholars to rediscover Hampi, i.e. the Vijayanagara empire.
Question 7. Explain briefly any five striking features about the location of Vijayanagara. Answer: The most striking feature about the location of Vijayanagara is the natural water resources which played an important role regarding the property of the empire. These features were as follows:
Vijayanagara was located in the natural basin formed by the river Tungabhadra, which flows in the North-Easterly direction.
The surrounding landscape was characterised by stunning granite hills that seem to form a girdle around the city.
Many embankments were built along those streams to create reservoirs of different sizes. Since Vijayanagara was one of the most arid zones of the Peninsula, perfect arrangement were made to store rainwater to be used in the city.
Kamalapuram tank was the best example of a tank built in early years of the 15th century. Water from this tank was used not only for irrigating fields but was also conducted through a channel to the ‘royal centre’.
According to the historians, the Hiriya canal was one of the most prominent waterworks. This canal drew water from a dam built across the river Tungabhadra and irrigated the cultivated fields that separated the ‘sacred centre’ from the ‘urban core’.
Question 8. Domingo Paes has called the Mahanavami dibba of Vijayanagara empire as ‘The House of Victory’. Justify. Answer: Domingo Paes called the Mahanavami dibba of the Vijayanagara empire as The House of Victory’. These buildings had two platforms, one above the other. These were beautifully sculpted. On the upper platform, the king had a room made of cloth, where the idol had a shrine. It is the highest point in the city and is a massive platform. The other in the middle was placed a dais (a low platform for a throne) on which stood a throne of state.
He suggested that for the people the showed the victory of good over evil. Both these ‘audience hall’ and the ‘Mahanavami dibba’ comprised of the valour, justice and the suzerainty of the king over all other. The calling of the house as the house of victory was due to the fact that it was situated at the site highest of all in the kingdoms. It was constructed so as to keep up the memory of the victory of the kingdom in war over other kingdoms and empires.
Question 9. ‘Krishnadeva Raya’s rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation’. Justify the statement on the basis of evidences. Answer: The most famous ruler of Vijayanagara, Krishnadeva Raya (1509-29) belonged to the Tuluva dynasty. His rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation in the following ways:
The land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers (the Raichur Doab) was acquired by Krishnadeva Raya in 1512.
In 1514, rulers of Odisha were subdued and Sultan of Bijapur was defeated in 1520. He made his kingdom so extensive that many smaller kingdoms allied with it and showed their respect to Raja Krishnadeva Raya.
His kingdom remained in a constant state of military preparedness. It flourished under the conditions of unparalleled peace and prosperity at the time of Krishnadeva Raya.
Question 10. Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow. 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.
On their Northern frontier, the Vijayanagara kings competed with contemporary rulers-including the Sultans of the Deccan and the Gajapati rulers of Odisha-for control of the fertile river valleys and the resources generated by lucrative overseas trade. At the same time, interaction between these states led to sharing of ideas, especially in the field of architecture. The rulers of Vijayanagara borrowed concepts and building techniques which they then developed further.
Who is considered the founder of Vijayanagara empire?
Why was the area of river valley important for Vijayanagara kings?
Answer: 1. According to tradition and epigraphic evidence, two brothers, Harihara and Bukka were considered the founders of Vijayanagara empire (1336).
2. The river valley was important for Vijayanagara kings because of its fertile plains, agricultural lands and the resources generated by lucrative overseas trade. It was also important from the cultural point of view e.g. interaction between neighbouring states led to sharing of ideas, especially in the field of architecture. Building techniques were adopted from the neighbouring states. Therefore, the Vijayanagara kings were always competed with their contemporary rulers including the Sultans of the Deccan and the Gajapati ruler of Odisha for control of the fertile river valleys.
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 7 AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL : VIJAYNAGARA NCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON AN IMPERIAL CAPITAL : VIJAYNAGARA
1. Another name of Vijayanagara city was
(a) Fatehpur Sikri
(b) Hampi
(c) Hastinapur
(d) Nagalparam
Ans.(b)
2. When was the Vijayanagara kingdom established?
(b) 1340
(a) 1336
(c) 1346
(d) 1350
Ans.(a)
3. Who established the Vijayanagara Kingdom?
(a) Hasan Gangu
(b) Prantak I
(c) Harihara and Bukka
(d) Krishadeva Rayaa
Ans.(c)
4. The first dynasty that ruled over Vijayanagara Empire was:
(a) Suluva dynasty
(b) Sangarna dynasty
(c) Tuluva dynasty
(d) Aravidu dynasty
Ans.(b)
5. Local Goddess of Vijayanagara was
(a) Parvati
(b) Durga
(c) Pampadevi
(d) Laxmi
Ans.(c)
6. Which of these rivers was the major source of water for Vijayanagara?
(a) Kaveri
(b) Krishna
(c) Tungabhadra
(d) Mahanadi
Ans.(c)
7. When was Hampi declared as of the place of national importance?
(a) 1976
(b) 1980
(c) 1982
(d) 1986
Ans.(a)
8. The battle of Talikota was fought between organisation of Deccan sultans and_______________.
(a) Krishna Eleva Raya
(b) Rueca Raya
(c) Sadashiva Raya
(d) Rama Raya b n
Ans.(c)
9. Which of the following dynasties ruled Vijayanagara?
(a) Sangam dynasty
(b) Saluva dynasty
(c) Tuluva dynasty
(d) All of these
Ans.(d)
10. 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
(d) Hazara Rama Temple – New Delhi
Ans.(d)
11.Which Persian ambassador visited the Vijayanagara Empire?
(a) Domingo Paes
(b) Nicolo de Conti
(c) Abdur Razzaq
(d) Duarte Barbosa
Ans.(c)
12. The Battle of Talikota between Vijayanagara and the Deccan sultans took place in which year?
(a) 1550
(b) 1565
(c) 1570
(d) 1575
Ans.(b)
13, Which traveller called the ‘Mahanavami Dibba’ as the “House of Victory’?
(a) Duarte Barbosa
(b) Fernao Nuniz
(c) Domingo Paes
(d) Abdur Razzaq
Ans.(c)
14. On which of the following occasions was the ceremony performed at Mahanavami Dibba?
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 6 BHAKTI SUFI TRADITIONS CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND DEVOTIONAL TEXTSNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON BHAKTI SUFI TRADITIONS CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND DEVOTIONAL TEXTS
1. Tulsidas, a prominent leader of the Bhakti Movement, lived in:
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 5 THROUGH THE EYES OF TRAVELLERS PERCEPTION OF SOCIETYNCERT MCQ for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MCQ ON THROUGH THE EYES OF TRAVELLERS PERCEPTION OF SOCIETY
Question 1 : Bernier’s works were published in France in _____.
(a) 1668-69
(b) 1669-70
(c) 1670-71
(d) 1672-74
Answer : C Question 2 : Who wrote Kitab-ul-Hind? (a) Ibn Battuta (b) Al-Biruni (c) Francois Bernier (d) Marco Polo
Answer : B
Question 3 : What are the subjects on which travellers compiled their accounts? (a) Affairs of the court (b) Religious issues (c) Architecture (d) All of the above
Answer : D
Question 4 : The European traveller who visited India and China was (a) Peter Mundy. (b) Marco Polo. (c) Francois Bernier. (d) Antonio Monserrate.
Answer : B
Question 5 : The chief of the merchant community, in urban centres, was known as: (a) Nagarsheth. (b) Mahajans. (c) Mullas. (d) Vaids.
Answer : A
Question 6 : Which of the following travellers was appointed as the qazi or judge of Delhi by the Muhammad bin Tughlaq? (a) Al-BIruni (b) Mahmood of Gaznavi (c) Both A & B (d) Ibn-Batuta
Answer : D
Question 7: “Travels in the Mughal Empire” is an account of which of the following travellers to India? (a) Albiruni (b) Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi (c) Berneir (d) Ibn Battuta
Answer : C
Question 8 : Which of the following traveller defined the distance between Sind and Delhi in Days? (a) Ibn-Batuta (b) Al-Beruni (c) Mahmood Of Gaznavi (d) Both A & B
Answer : A
Question 9 : Ibn Battuta had set off for India in the year:
(a) 1221-1222 CE.
(b) 1332-1333 CE.
(c) 1347-1348 CE.
(d) 1411-1412 CE.
Answer : B Question 10 : Which of the following travellers came to India during the 17th century? (a) Marco Polo (b) Antonio Monserrate (c) Ibn Battuta (d) Francois Bernier
Answer : D Question 11 : The eldest son of Shah Jahan was:
(a) Dara Shukoh.
(b) Aurangzeb.
(c) Shah Shuja.
(d) Murad.
Answer : A Question 12 : Which of the following cities, according to Ibn-Battut a, was the largest? (a) Surat (b) Delhi (c) Daulatabad (d) Agra
Answer : B
Question 13 : Who wrote the book, “Travells In The Mughal Empire”? (a) Francois Bernier (b) John Marshall (c) Callin Mcenzie (d) James Princep
Answer : A
Question 14 : Who among the following travellers have mentioned “a strange nation” when he saw the populated port of Calicut (present-day Kozhikode)? (a) Albiruni (b) Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi (c) Berneir (d) Ibn Battuta
Answer 15 : Question : Who is the author of Rihla? (a) Mahmud Wali Balkhi (b) Duarte Barbosa (c) Ibn Battuta (d) Al-Biruni
In This Post we are providing CHAPTER 6 BHAKTI SUFI TRADITIONS CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND DEVOTIONAL TEXTSNCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS for Class 12 HISTORY which will be beneficial for students. These solutions are updated according to 2021-22 syllabus. These MCQS can be really helpful in the preparation of Board exams and will provide you with a brief knowledge of the chapter.
NCERT MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONSONBHAKTI SUFI TRADITIONS CHANGES IN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS AND DEVOTIONAL TEXTS
Question 1. Who were Alvars and Nayanars? Mention the support they got from the Chola rulers. Answer: Alvars: Alvars were those people who immersed themselves in devotion to Vishnu. Nayanars Nayanars were the devotees of Shiva. They initiated the early Bhakti Movement during the 6th century CE.
Support from Chola Rulers Alvars and Nayanars got support from the Chola rulers in the form of land grants for the construction of splendid temples with stone and metals sculpture to recreate the visions of these popular saints who sang in the language of people.
Question 2. Explain the meaning of Sufi Silsila. Answer: Sufi Silsila began to flourish in different parts of Islamic world around the 12th century. The literal meaning of Silsila was a chain, signifying a continuous link between master and disciple. It stretched as an unbroken spiritual lineage to the prophet Muhammad. It was through this channel that spiritual power and blessings were transmitted to devotees. Special rituals for initiation were followed, e.g. taking an oath of allegiance, wearing a patched garment and shaving the hair.
Question 3. Why do thousands of devotees visit dargahs of Muslim saint? Answer: Pilgrimage, called Ziyarat to the tombs of Sufi saints is very common all over the Muslim world. For more than seven centuries people of various creeds, classes and social backgrounds have travelled to the dargahs of the five great chisthi saints and expressed their devotions. This practice is an occasion for seeking the sufi’s spiritual grace (barakat).
Question 4. Explain the features of Islamic religion which contributed to its spread through the sub-continent. Answer: The development of Islam was not restricted to ruling aristocrats, actually it spread far and wide, through the sub-continent, amongst various social strata i.e. peasants, artisans, warriors, merchants, etc.
All those who adopted Islam accepted the five pillars of this religion. These are:
There is one God, Allah and Prophet Muhammad is his messenger (Shahada).
Offering prayers five times a day (namaz/salat).
Giving alms (Zakat).
Fasting during the month of Ramzan (Sawm).
Performing the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)
The universal features were often overlaid with diversities in practice derived from affiliations (Sunni, Shia) and local customary practices to convert from different social backgrounds. For example, Arab Muslim traders adopted local customs such, as matriliny and matrilocal residence. There was also difference in the architecture of mosque due to the change of regions.
Question 5. “The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the ‘pollution’ attributed to certain groups by Brahmanas,” Critically examine the statement. Answer: The Lingayats or Virshaivas emerged in the 12th century in Karnataka under the leadership of Basavanna. They worshipped Shiva in his manifestation as a linga and usually wore a small linga in a silver case on a loop strung over their left shoulder.
They believed that on death the devotee would be united with Shiva and would not return to this world. They challenged some important ideas given in our dharmashastras. The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the ‘pollution’ attributed to certain groups by Brahmanas. They did not accept the theory of rebirth. They did not follow the varna system in our society given by the Brahmanas. These won the large number of followers among the marginalised section of the society.
Moreover, the Lingayats encouraged certain practices like post-puberty marriage and the remarriage of widows. Our dharmashastras disapproved these practices. Even the Lingayats did not practise funerary rites such as cremation, prescribed in the dharmashastras. They ceremonially buried their dead.
In this way the lingayats rejected the caste system and other practices followed in our society given by the Brahmanical scriptures.
Question 6. Mention any two universal architectural features of Mosque. Answer: Mosque is regarded as the basis of Islamic religious life. It has an open compound and pillars on all sides. The roof stands on all these pillars. In the middle of the compound, there is a pond, which is artificially made. Here, devotees can take bath or wash themselves before offering Namaz. Some special architectural features of Mosque are:
Mosque has orientation towards Mecca. It makes evident in the placement of the milirab (prayer niche) and the minbar (pulpit).
Mosque blends a universal faith with local traditions. In Kerala, we find the shikhara like roof and in Bangladesh, we find dome like roof. In Kashmir we find the Shah Hamadan mosque which is the best example of Kashmiri wooden architecture, decorated with paper mache.
Question 7. Identify the relationship between the Sufis and the state from the eighth to the eighteenth century. Answer: A major feature of the Chishti tradition was austerity, including maintaining a distance from worldly power. However, this was by no mean a situation of absolute isolation from political power. The sufis accepted unsolicited grants and donations from the political elites. The Sultans in turn set up charitable trusts (auqaf) as endowments for hospices and granted tax-free land (inam).
The Chishtis accepted donations in cash and kind. Rather than accumulate donations, they preferred to use these fully on immediate requirements such as food, clothes, living quarters and ritual necessities (such as sama). All this enhanced the moral authority of the shaikhs, which in turn attracted people from all walks of life.
Further, their piety and scholarship, and people’s belief in their miraculous powers made sufis popular among the masses, whose support kings wished to secure.
Kings did not simply need to demonstrate their association with sufis; they also required legitimation from them. When the Turks set up the Delhi Sultanate, they resisted the insistence of the ulama on imposing shari’a as state law because they anticipated opposition from their subjects, the majority of whom were non-Muslims. The Sultans wanted their tombs to be in the vicinity of sufi shrines and hospices.
However, there were instances of conflict between the Sultans and the sufis. To assert their authority, both expected that certain rituals be performed such as prostration and kissing of the feet. Occasionally the sufi shaikh was addressed with high-sounding titles. For example, the disciples of Nizamuddin Auliya addressed him as Sultan-ul-Mashaikh (literally, Sultan amongst Shaikhs).
Other sufis such as the Suhrawardi under the Delhi Sultans and the Naqshbandi under the Mughals were also associated with the state. However, the modes of their association were not the same as those of the Chishtis. In some cases, sufis accepted courtly offices.
Question 8. Identify the relationship of the Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil Nadu with the state from the eighth to the eighteenth century. Answer: The realtionship of the Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil Nadu with the state is discussed below:
Some of the earliest bhakti movements were led by the Alvars (literally, those who were immersed in devotion to Vishnu) and Nayanars (who were devotees of Shiva).
They preached their message in Tamil. During their travel they identified certain shrines as abodes of their chosen deities. And these were developed as centres of pilgrimage.
One of the major themes in Tamil bhakti hymns was the poet’s opposition to Buddhism and Jainism. The main reason for this opposition was competition between members of other religious traditions for royal patronage.
The Chola rulers (ninth to thirteenth centuries) supported Brahmanical and Bhakti traditions, making land grants and constructing temples for Vishnu and Shiva.
The Chola rulers constructed many Shiva temples e.g. Chidambram, Thanjavur and Gangaikandacholapuram. They done this to proclaim their own power and status.
This was also the period when some of the most spectacular representations of Shiva in bronze scuplture were produced.
Both Nayanars and Alvars were revered (admire) by the Vellala peasants. Not surprisingly rulers tried to win their support as well.
Thus, are can say that the Chola rulers had intimate relations with the both Alvars and Nayanars as they had much honour and status in the society.
Question 9. Explain the teachings of Kabir. How did he describe the ultimate reality through his poems? Answer: The historians tried to reconstruct Kabir’s life and timings through a study of compositions attributed to him and later hagiographies.
Verses ascribed to Kabir have been compiled in three distinct traditions, viz, Kabir Bijak, Kabir Granthavali and Adi Granth Sahib. All these compilations were made long after the death of Kabir. Kabir’s poems have survived in several languages and dialects.
The significance of Kabir’s poems is as follows:
Source of Inspiration: Kabir’s poems have been a source of inspiration to those who questioned rigid and unrooted social institutions, ideas and practices in search of God. Taken from both Hinduism and Islam: The significance of Kabir’s poem also lies in the fact that his teachings were inspired by both Hinduism and Islam which sometimes expressed diverse and conflicting ideas. For instance, some poems imbibed Islamic ideas and used monotheism and attacked Hindu polytheism and idol worship while others used the Sufi concept of zikr and ishq to express the Hindu practice of nam-simaran i.e. remembrance of God’s name. Kabir’s ideas crystallised through dialogue and debate and his legacy was claimed by several groups. The traditions, he drew to describe ultimate reality through his poems are: Islamic Traditions: He described the ultimate reality as Allah, Khuda, Hazrat and Pir. Vedantic Tradition: He used the terms Alakh (Unseen), Nirakar (Formless), Brahman, Atman, etc to describe the ultimate reality. Yogic Tradition: Other terms with mystical connotations such as shabda (sound) or Shunya (emptiness) were drawn from yogic tradition.
Question 10. Explain how the biography of the saint poetess Mirabai has been primarily constructed. How did she defy the norms of society? Answer: Reconstruction of Mirabai’s: Biography The reconstruction of biographies of Mirabai has been done from the bhajans composed by herself (transmitted orally for centuries). Royal affiliations of Mirabai From the bhajans it has been reconstructed that she was a Rajput princess from Merta in Marwar. She was married to a prince of the Sisodia clan of Mewar, Rajasthan, which had been done against her wishes so she defied her husband. She even refused to submit to the traditional role of wife and mother.
Recognition of Krishna as lover: She recognised Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu, as her lover. Because of her behaviour, her in-laws once tried to poison her, but she managed to escape the in-laws home and preferred to live as a wandering saint and composing the songs of bhakti and love for the Krishna. Her compositions are known for intense expression of her emotion.
Defiance of social barriers: In some traditions, Mirabai has been mentioned as a disciple of Raidas, a leather worker. It indicates that she did not recognise the bonds of caste system and the practices of the society. For her intense love of Krishna, she rejected all the comforts of her husband’s palace and donned the saffron robe of the renouncer or the white robe of widow.
Popular source of inspiration: Mirabai, now-a-days recognised as the source of inspiration instead of attracting a sect or group of followers. Still she and her songs are popular among the poor or ‘low caste’ population in the State of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
