Question 1

Question 6(A) The Cholas established local self-government in villages.(R) The ‘ur' was the local assembly, with all the villagers as members.(R) contradicts (A)(R) is the reason for (A)(A) is true but (R) is false.(A) and (R) are independent of each other.

Accepted Answer

(A) is true but (R) is false.Explanation — The ‘ur' was the local assembly, with only landed villagers as members.

Question 2

Question 5Give any two achievements of Rajendra Chola.

Accepted Answer

Two achievements of Rajendra Chola were:He invaded and annexed the whole island of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka was not able to free herself from the Chola control for another 50 years.His army defeated Mahipala, king of Bengal. He built a new capital called Gangaikonda-cholapuram which he adorned with beautiful temples and magnificent palaces.

Question 3

Question 7Why did the cholas build a strong naval fleet?

Accepted Answer

The cholas built a strong naval fleet in order to show their strength and conquer the islands of Sri Lanka, Maldives and control the trade of those areas. During the reign of Rajendra Chola, Indian merchants were trading with various parts of South East Asia and Southern China, through the straits of Malacca, which was held by the kingdom of Shrivijaya. The merchants of Shrivijaya began creating problems for the Indian merchants. The Indian merchants appealed to Rajendra Chola for help. He sent out a huge Navy and defeated Shrivijaya king. As a result, Indian trade with South-East Asia and southern China continued, thereby enriching the Chola kingdom.

Question 4

Question 8What made the Chola administration strong and effective?

Accepted Answer

The Chola administration was strong and effective because of following reasons:The King was the pivot of administration and all the authority vested in his hands.The King often went on tours in order to keep a check on the administration.The Cholas were good administrators. The villages were not ruled by any government official but they were self governed by the villagers themselves. The villages had three types of assemblies, namely, the Ur, the Sabha and the Nagaram.

Question 5

Question 9Name the two languages promoted by the Cholas.

Accepted Answer

The two languages promoted by the Cholas were:SanskritTamil

Question 6

Question 10Name any two features of temples built by the Cholas.

Accepted Answer

Two features of temples built by the Cholas were:Massive Vimanas or towers.Spacious courtyards.

Question 7

Question 11Which is the best example of Chola temples? Give one reason.

Accepted Answer

The best example of Chola temples is Brihadeshwara temple. It is also known as Rajarajeshwar temple. It was dedicated to Lord shiva and was built by Rajaraja I.The Brihadeshwara temple is considered as the best example of Chola temples because it is the finest monument with splendid sculptures and decorative mouldings. The main structure of the temple has a great vimana or tower which rises to a height of 190 feet. It is crowned by a massive dome consisting of a single block of stone, 25 feet high and weighing about 80 tons. The Brihadeshwara temple is the most beautiful specimen of Tamil architecture and has also been declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Question 8

Question 12What is known as the 'gopuram'? Name another feature of temples built during the Chola Period.

Accepted Answer

The gateway of the temple is known as 'gopuram'.The another feature of temples built during the Chola Period was massive towers known as 'vimanas' and spacious courtyards.

Question 9

Question 2With reference to the Chola period explain the following:(a) Taxes imposed by the Cholas.(b) Administration of the Kingdom.(c) The three types of village assemblies.

Accepted Answer

(a) Taxes imposed by Cholas were taxes on land, taxes on the produce of the land and taxes on trade. The taxes on land were collected by the officials from the village councils. Part of revenue was kept for the king. The rest was used on the public works, on salaries of officials, on paying for the upkeep of the army and on the building of temples.(b) The Cholas had a very efficient and organised administration. All authority was vested in the king. There was a council of ministers to advise the king. The administration was made even more simpler and efficient by distribution of power at different stages of administration. The empire was divided into province (mandalams), which were further divided into Valanadu and Nadu. Princes of the royal family were appointed governors of provinces. There was self governance in the villages and they were not ruled by any government officials. The central government looked after external defence, internal peace and order, promotion of general prosperity and cultural progress of the empire.(c) The villages had three types of village assemblies, namely, the Ur, the Sabha and the Nagaram. The Ur was common type of assembly of the villages where the land was held by all classes of people who were, therefore, members of the local assembly. The Sabha was exclusively Brahmin assembly of the villages, where all the land belonged to the Brahmins. The Nagaram was the assembly of merchants and traders. It was prevalent at the places where they were dominant. Villagers who owned land were chosen by a vote to the council. The life and the work of the villages were discussed in these councils. This was a source of popular strength because it united the people. All affairs concerning the village, such as, collection of taxes, settlement of disputes and allocation of water were looked after by the committees.

Question 10

Question 3With reference to the Chola Administration, write short notes on:(a) The King, the chief administrator.(b) Local self-government.(c) Temples as the centre of social activity.

Accepted Answer

(a) The king was the most important person in Chola administration. He was the pivot of administration and all the authority was vested in him. The king often went on tours in order to keep check on the administration. He had a council of ministers to advise him. The Central government looked after external defence, internal peace and order, promotion of general prosperity and cultural progress of the empire.(b) The cholas believed in local self-government at village level. The villages were governed by villagers and not by government officials. The villages had three types of village assemblies, namely, the Ur, the Sabha and the Nagaram. The Ur was common type of assembly of the villages where the land was held by all classes of people who were, therefore, members of the local assembly. The Sabha was exclusively Brahmin assembly of the villages, where all the land belonged to the Brahmins. The Nagaram was the assembly of merchants and traders. It was prevalent at the places where they were dominant. Villagers who owned land were chosen by a vote to the council. The life and the work of the villages were discussed in this council. This was a source of popular strength because it united the people. All affairs concerning the village, such as, collection of taxes, settlement of disputes and allocation of water were looked after by the committees.(c) The temples in the Chola kingdom were the centre of social activity. It was not only a place of worship, but was also a place where people gathered together. The temples were also the biggest employers after the state, providing work and means of livelihood to a large number of people. The temples used to take care of the welfare of its workers by providing food, clothing and housing facilities and by arranging proper education and establishing hospitals. The temples were also a centre for education. The priests of the temple were local teachers and the schools were housed in the temple courtyard. There were no separate schools.

Question 11

Question 4Study the given picture and answer the following questions:(a) Name the temple given in the picture. Who built this temple? Where is it located?(b) To which deity is the temple dedicated? Mention two special features of this temple?(c) What were the following features of temples known as?GatewayShrineAudience hallTowers

Accepted Answer

(a) The given temple is Brihadeshwara Temple, also known as Rajarajeshwara Temple. Chola King, Rajaraja I built this temple.It is located at Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu.(b) The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.Two special features of this temple are:The massive tower or Vimana of 190 feet height and a huge dome of 25 feet, carved out of a single block of stone.A gigantic Shiva Lingam, cut in monolithic rock about 8.87 metres high.(c) Given features of temples were known as:Gateway - GopuramShrine - GarbhagrihaAudience Hall - MandapaTowers - Vimana.

Question 12

Question 1What do you think would have been the reason for the Chola rulers to issue large number of inscriptions, especially on copper-plates?

Accepted Answer

The Chola King Rajaraja I concieved the idea of prefixing to his inscriptions the main achievements of his reign. The example of Rajaraja was followed by his successors as well. Inscriptions were issued on copper-plates beacuse copper-plates were long lasting and also large amount of copper was available at that time. A large number of inscriptions were issued for the following reasons:Legal and Administrative Purposes — The copper-plate inscriptions served as legal and administrative documents, recording land grants, tax exemptions, and other rights and privileges granted by the rulers to various individuals, institutions, and communities. These inscriptions helped to establish and maintain social and political order, as well as to resolve disputes and conflicts.Propaganda and Legitimacy — The Chola rulers used copper-plate inscriptions to promote their achievements and to establish their legitimacy. The inscriptions often contained accounts of the rulers' conquests, charitable works, and religious endowments, which helped to create a positive image of the rulers in the eyes of their subjects and future generations.Religious Purposes — The Chola rulers were great patrons of Hinduism, and many copper-plate inscriptions recorded their religious endowments to temples and Brahmins. These inscriptions helped to establish the authority of the Chola rulers as protectors and patrons of the Hindu religion.Historical Record — The copper-plate inscriptions served as a historical record of the Chola dynasty, documenting its genealogy, chronology, and major events. These inscriptions helped to preserve the memory of the Chola rulers and their achievements, as well as to provide valuable information to future generations of scholars and historians.

Medieval India — (A) The Cholas

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