Indraprastha INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Sector 10, Dwarka, New Delhi – 110075

SESSION: 2025-26
ASSIGNMENT
SOCIAL SCIENCE
MA/SSc/VII/July/2025
Topic: History: Chapter-3: The Cholas of the South
Name_________________ Class and Section______
I Objective type questions: (1 mark each)
1. ___________________were landlords and warrior chiefs whom kings accepted as their
subordinates.
a. Sabhas b. Samantas c. Mandalam d. Kaikkolas
2. Which one amongst the following pairs is incorrectly matched?
a. Vijayalaya- Uraiyur
b. Mahipala- Bengal
c. Chalukyas- Vengi
d. Sinhala- Tamil Nadu
3. Correct the following statement and rewrite it:
Land for maintenance of a school was called Pallichchhandam.
Land for maintenance of a school was called Shalabhoga.

4. In the question given below, there are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R).
Read the statements and choose the correct option.
Assertion (A): The Chola administration was highly organised.
Reason (R): The king ruled with the help of council of ministers and high officials.
Options:
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.
5. Match Column A with Column B and select the correct answer using the codes given below in
the options.
Column A Column B
1. Brahmadeya A. Land gifted to Jain institutions
2. Devadana B. Land of Non-Brahmans
3. Vellanvagai C. Land gifted to temple
4. Pallichchhandam D. Brahman villages
Options:
1 2 3 4
a. D C B A
b. A B C D
c. C D A B
d. D A C B
6. Which of the following statements is/are correct about Chola rulers?
i. Rajaraja I, considered the most powerful Chola ruler.

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 ii. He became the king in 985 and expanded control over most of these areas.
iii. Rajaraja’s son Rajendra I continued his policies.
iv. He raided the Godavari valley, Sri Lanka and countries of Sri Lanka of Southeast
Asia.
Options:
a. i, ii and iii b. ii and iii c. ii, iii and iv d. iii only
8. Which state of India is this temple located in?

a. Andhra Pradesh b. Tamil Nadu c. Kerala d. Karnataka

II Very short answer type questions (2 marks each)
1. Briefly discuss the rise of Cholas again the middle of 9 th century AD.
Ans. Cholas were an important southern kingdom along with the Cheras and the Pandyas in ancient
India.
i. The rise of the Pallavas in the 4th century AD put an end to Chola dominance in the south. It
was only in the middle of the 9th century AD that the Cholas once again rose into prominence.
ii.This occurred when Vijayalaya, a Chola chief from Uraiyur, defeated the subordinates of the
Pallavas and gained control of the Kaveri delta. Vijayalaya’s successors managed to defeat the
Pallavas and the Pandyas and add some of their territories to the Chola kingdom. Their
dominance over the south lasted nearly 400 years. Vijayalaya and his successors are also
known as the ‘Imperial Cholas’.
2. Why did Rajendra I attack the kingdom of Sri Vijaya?
Ans. i. When Sri Vijaya decided to stop Chola ships from going beyond the Malacca Strait, which all
Indian ships had to cross in order to go to China.
ii. Rajendra I attacked the kingdom and defeated its king.
3. Give an account of status of women in the Chola society.
Ans. Women seem to have a respectable status in society.
i.They are said to have received education in different subjects.
ii.They also had the right to inherit property. Some inscriptions even mention villages headed by
women.
III Short answer type questions (3 marks each)
1. What kind of irrigation works were developed in Tamil Nadu?
Ans. The Cholas developed a variety of methods for irrigation.

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 i. They dug wells and constructed tanks to collect rainwater, built dams on the Kaveri and other
rivers flowing through their region, and even constructed canals and channels to carry water to
the fields.
ii. Besides the rulers, the rich Chola temples played a major role in promoting agriculture.
iii. They invested a lot of money in agriculture. These temples were often given land by kings
which was usually used to grow crops.
2. ‘Chola settlements often grew around the many splendid temples built by their rulers.’
Elaborate.
Ans. Chola settlements often grew around the many splendid temples built by their rulers.
i. The temples were not just places of worship, but centres around which the social and
economic life of the people revolved.
ii. The settlements around Chola temples comprised mainly craftsmen who were well-known for
their beautiful bronze images of deities and people. Often, kings granted land to temples.
iii. The land was cultivated and its produce was distributed among priests and the different
people who worked in the temples, such as cooks, sweepers, florists, musicians, dancers, etc.
iv. The temples even served as centres of learning. The courtyards of temples were used to hold
classes for students.
3. Highlight the literary activities of the Chola times.
Ans. i.The Chola period witnessed much literary activities with many works being written in Tamil,
Telugu, and Kannada languages.
ii.Many works in Sanskrit such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata were translated into these
languages by writers such as Kamban, Nanniah and Tikkana, respectively.
iii. Important poets during the period include Pampa, Sri Ponna, and Ranna – who are referred
to as the ‘three jewels of Kannada literature’.
IV Long answer type questions (5 marks each)
1. The Chola administration was highly organized. Explain.
Ans. The Chola administration was highly organised.
i.The king was all powerful. He ruled with the help of a council of ministers and high officials.
ii.For the purpose of administration, the entire kingdom was divided into provinces called
mandalams. They were usually looked after by governors.
iii. Each mandalam was further divided into valanadus, which comprised a group of villages.
Rich landlords from the Vellala caste controlled the valanadus under the supervision
of the kings.
iv. Some rich landowners were even given important posts in the central administration. The
village was the smallest unit of administration.
v.It was known as nadu or kurram and was administered by an assembly of villagers.
2. Discuss the rule and achievements of Rajendra I.
Ans. i.Cholas power reached its peak under Rajaraja’s son Rajendra I.With the help of his powerful
navy, Rajendra I managed to annex the whole of Sinhala (Sri Lanka).
ii.He also invaded north India, going as far as the Ganga valley and the territories of Mahipala,
the Pala ruler of Bengal. Rajendra I managed to defeat Mahipala, but did not advance any
further. To mark his achievements in the Ganga valley,he assumed the title of Gangaikonda.
iii. He also founded a new capital called Gangaikondacholapuram, now in the Tiruchirapalli
district of Tamil Nadu. However, Rajendra I’s raid into the north did not have any lasting
impact. Rajendra I also led a number of raids in Southeast Asia.

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 iv.This was to protect the interests of Chola traders who enjoyed a thriving trade with Southeast
Asia and China. China was an especially important market for Chola traders. At the time, Indian
ships sailing to China had to pass through the Malacca Strait, which were controlled by the
Asian kingdom of Sri Vijaya.
v. When Sri Vijaya decided to stop Chola ships from going beyond the Malacca Strait, Rajendra
I attacked the kingdom and defeated its king. The successors of Rajendra I continued to rule till
the 13th century AD when Cholas power again declined.
3. Agriculture underwent some changes during the Chola period. Highlight the changes done
during the Cholas.
Ans. Agriculture underwent some changes during the Chola period.
i. Farming began to be practised on a larger scale as more forests were cleared and more land
was levelled to grow crops.
ii.The expansion of agriculture was also necessary to support a growing population.
iii. The Chola kings gave land grants to encourage agriculture.
iv.They built embankments to prevent flooding and made special efforts to provide irrigation
facilities so that more areas could be brought under cultivation.
v. Rajendra I made a notable effort in this regard. He constructed an artificial lake in his capital,
Gangaikondacholapuram, which had a network of channels and sluice gates to supply water
for irrigation. The lake was fed by rivers in the area.
VI. Map Skills:
Two places (A) and (B) have been marked on the given outline map of India.
Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.
A. The place where Chola king Rajaraja I, built a temple.-Thanjavur
B. The place ruled by Mahipala.-Bengal

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