Textbook Solutions: Social Change in Tribal and Nomadic Communities | Window on the Word Class 7: Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

A. Choose the correct answer.

1.
Ans: (d)
Scholars who study human societies and cultures are known as Anthropologists

2.
Ans: (c)
The Kurumba and the Badaga lived in different parts of the Nilgiris

3.
Ans: (c)
Durgavati was the ruler of the Gond kingdom of Garha-Mandla

4.
Ans: (c)
The Mughal governor who forced the Ahom king Jayadhwaja Singha to flee was MirJumla

5.
Ans: (b)
The Ahom commander-in-chief who defeated the Mughals at the Battle of Saraighat was Lachit Barphukan

B. Fill in the blanks.

1.
Ans: The tribal groups were able to pass on their culture to their descendants through a rich oral tradition.

2.
Ans: The Ahir are a traditional tribal community of cow-herders and shepherds found in northern and western India.

3.
Ans: Tribal people believe in the common ownership of resources.

4.
Ans: The Gond refer to themselves as 'Kol' or 'Koltur'.

5.
Ans: Charaldeo was the first capital of the Ahom kingdom.

C. Answer in one or two sentences.

1.
Ans: The tribal people are the original or earliest settlers of the land, which includes groups like the Gond, the Santhal, and the Badaga, who preferred to stay away from the rest of society and lived in remote locations or led nomadic lives.

2.
Ans: The Bhil are a tribe that originally were hunter-gatherers by profession and occupied parts of western and central India, however, many Bhil settled down and took to agriculture during the 16th century.

3.
Ans: The main occupation of the Banjara was trading, as they played a major role in the transportation of goods during the medieval period.

4.
Ans: The tribal states and kingdoms came into existence when the tribal people learned to defend themselves from the growing power of the Sultanate and the Mughals and realised they had to move beyond their village-based units to defend their collective interests.

5.
Ans: The Gondi people traditionally worshipped spirits and gods who were part of Gond myths and legends, including a supreme deity, Baradeo, and a clan deity, Persa Pen.

6.
Ans: The greatest ruler of the Ahom was Rudra Singha, under whom the Ahom kingdom reached its maximum extent, built a new capital at Rangpur and was a liberal ruler under whom Assam's trading relations with Bengal flourished.

7.
Ans: The paiks were officers of the state nominated by each village in the Ahom society that served in the army and carried out other kinds of public assignments such as building dams and roads.

8.
Ans: The buranjis were chronicles compiled by the Ahoms that recorded their society and times, providing insights into Ahom society, history, and culture.

D. Answer In n paragraph.

1.
Ans: The history of tribal people in the medieval era is known through the work of anthropologists who study human societies and cultures, living in close quarters with them, listening to them, and recording their observations. In the absence of adequate written records, historians depend largely on oral traditions and art to reconstruct the history of the tribal communities. These studies are of immense importance as the history of medieval India would have been incomplete without accounts of the lives of the tribal people.

2.
Ans: A tribal society is characterised by being the original inhabitants of the area, having common ownership of resources and believing in sharing resources equally among members. They are tied together by strong bonds of kinship and have distinct customs, rituals, and beliefs. Their social and political organisation is simple, with the tribal chief usually being the head and decision-maker. Occupations include shifting agriculture, hunting and gathering, pastoralism, cattle herding, and traditional handicrafts.

3.
Ans: The caste structure during the medieval period underwent changes when tribal areas were conquered and there was greater interaction between tribal people and mainstream society. There was a growing demand for people with new sets of skills, especially craftspeople, leading some tribal groups to master these skills and become part of mainstream society. New subgroups called jatis were created within the caste system to accommodate these people. Tribal people who adopted Islam formed another subgroup within society.

4.
Ans: The lives of the Gond changed during the medieval era as they transitioned from a nomadic lifestyle to farming and other occupations like metalwork and carpentry. As their interaction with mainstream society increased, Gond society became divided into several classes or clans with a clear hierarchical structure. Their religious practices also changed as they started praying to Hindu gods and goddesses. Over time, they established several kingdoms and formed matrimonial alliances with several Rajput clans.

5.
Ans: Rani Durgavati is proudly remembered by the Gond because she ruled the kingdom efficiently after the death of her husband, Dalpat Shah. When the Mughals attacked the kingdom in 1564 CE, Rani Durgavati led her soldiers to battle. Despite their brave defence, the Mughals won the battle, and Rani Durgavati died fighting. Her bravery and leadership are respected and remembered by the Gond.

6.
Ans: The relationship between the Ahom and the Mughals was turbulent, with the Ahom facing a series of invasions by the Mughals during the 17th century. The Mughals intended to expand their empire and acquire resources from Assam. However, under the leadership of Chakradhwaj Singha, the Ahoms inflicted heavy defeat on the Mughal forces in the Battle of Saraighat in 1671. The Mughals were driven out of Kamrup and Guwahati, and were forced to retreat beyond the Manas River.