For Class 7 The Making Of Regional Cultures
1. Match the following:
Anantavarnam – Kerala
Jagannatha – Bengal
Mahodayapurma – Orissa
Lilatilakam – Kangra
Mangalakavya – Puri
Miniature – Kerala
Answer:
Anantavarnam – Orissa
Jagannatha – Kangra
Mahodayapurma – Kerala
Lilatilakam – Kerala
Mangalakavya – Bengal
Miniature – Kangra
2. What is Manipravalam? Name abook written in that language.
Answer: Manipravalam is a language. The book written in that language is Lilatilakam.
3. Who were the major patrons of Kathak?
Answer: The Mughals were the major patrons of Kathak.
4. What are the Important architectural features of the temples of Bengal?
Answer: Architectural features of the temples of Bengal:
1. Double roofed or dochala, four roofed (chauchala).
2. Comparative more complex-four roofed structures-four triangular roofs placed on four walls
moved up to coverage on curved line or a point.
3. Built on a square platform.
4. Interior plain.
5. Outer walls decorated with paintings, ornamental tiles or terracotta tablets.
5. Why did minstrels proclaim the achievements of heroes?
Answer: Minstrels used to recite poems and songs which depicted the stories of the ” Rajputs’
heroic deeds. By reciting such poems and songs these minstrels inspired others to follow the
examples of Rajputs. Ordinary people were also attracted by these stories.
6. Why do we know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of
ordinary people?
Answer: We know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of ordinary
people because the ordinary people followed the cultural practices adopted by their
kings/emperors. Moreover people had faith in their rulers. They could not adopt other cultural
practices which their rulers did not practise.
7. Why did conquerors try to control the temple of Jagannatha at Puri?
Answer: The temple of Jagannatha at Puri gained importance as a centre of pilgrimage. Its
authority in social and political matters also increased. Hence, conquerors tried to establish
control over the temple. They felt that this would make their rule acceptable to the local people.
8. Why were temples built in Bengal?
Answer: Temples were built in Bengal because of the following reasons:
1. Increase in religious faith.
2. Mosques had already been built.
3. Powerful people wanted to demonstrate their power and proclaim their piety.
4. ‘Low’ people also participated in the temple building.
5. New economic opportunities to people also helped in temple setting up.
6. Support of Brahmanas to get idols placed in temples from huts.
Eighteenth-Century Political Formations
1. Match the following
subadar – a revenue farmer
faujdar – a high noble
ijaradar – provincial governor
misl – Maratha peasant warriors
chauth – a Mughal military commander
kunbis – A band of Sikh warriors
umara – tax levied by the Marathas
Answer: subadar – provincial governor
faujdar – a Mughal military commander
ijaradar – a revenue farmer
misl – A band of Sikh warriors
chauth – tax levied by the Marathas
kunbis – Maratha peasant warriors
umara – a high noble
2. Fill in the blanks:
1. Aurangzeb fought a protracted war in the …………………
2. Umaraand jagirdars constituted powerful sections of the Mughal
3. Asaf Jah founded the Hyderabad state in ………………….
4. The founder of the Awadh state was ………………..
Answer:
1. Deccan
2. administration
3. 1724
4. Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa’adat Khan
3. State whether true or false:
(a) Nadir Shah invaded Bengal.
(b) Sawai Raja Jai Singh was the ruler of Indore.
(c) Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
(d) Poona became the capital of the Marathas in the eighteenth century.
Answer: (a)—False, (b)—False, (c)—True, (d)—True
4. What were the offices held by Sa’adat Khan?
Answer:Offices held by Sa’adat Khan are : Subadari Faujdari Diwani He was responsible for
managing political, military and financial affairs.
5. Why did the Nawab of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system?
Answer:
Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal tried to do away with the jagirdari system because:
1. They were suspicious of this system that they inherited.
2. Their methods of tax collection were different, they hired “revenue farmers to collect the taxes”.
3. They used practice of Ijaradari rather than jagirdari.
4. They wanted to expand and receive land as security against loans.
5. They knew the loopholes of the system and that how jagirdars become powerful if not checked in
time.
6. How were the Sikhs organised in the eighteenth century?
Answer: During the 17th century the Sikhs got organised into a political community. This led to the
regional state-building in Punjab. Guru Gobind Singh fought many battles against the Rajputs as well as
Mughal rulers, both before and after the institution of the Khalsa in 1699. After the death of Guru Gobind
Singh in 1708, the Khalsa revolted against the Mughal authority under the leadership of Banda Bahadur
and declared their sovereign rule.
Banda Bahadur was captured in 1715 and executed in 1716. In the 18th century, the Sikhs organised
themselves into a number of bands called jathas and later on rrdsls. Their well-knit organisation enabled
them to put up successful resistance to the Mughal governors first and then to Ahamd Shah Abdali. Who
had seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the Mughals.
7. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?
Answer:
Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan because of the following reasons:
1. They wanted to clip away the authority of the Mughal Empire.
2. Maratha king to be recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.
3. To possess the right to collect Chauth and sardeshmukhi in the entire region.
8. What were the policies adopted by Asaf Jah to Strengthen his position?
Answer: After being the actual ruler of the Deccan, Asaf Jah began to adopt some policies in order to
strengthen his position :
He brought skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India who welcomed the new
opportunities in the south.
He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs.
He ruled independently without Mughal interference. The Mughal emperor merely confirmed the
decisions already taken by Asaf Jah.
9. Do you think merchants and bankers today have the kind of influence they had in the eighteenth
century?
Answer: During the 18th-century merchants were more influential than the bankers. They used to
provide more loan opportunities at higher interest rates. But now, with the spread of education people
prefer banks which provide loans and other financial assistance at cheaper rates. Bankers also provide
subsidy on the interest rate. They have different scopes of loans for different purposes. So they are more
influential today than the merchants.
