Short and Long Answer Questions: Turning Tides: 11th and 12th Centuries

Short Answer Questions

Q1: Who were the Hindu Shāhis and what important pass did they control?

Ans: The Hindu Shāhis ruled over present-day Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. They controlled the Khyber Pass, a major mountain pass through the Hindu Kush range. This pass was used by invaders and traders for over 2,500 years. They resisted many invasion attempts with help from other Indian rulers.

Q2: What were Mahmūd of Ghazni's main motives for attacking India?

Ans: Mahmūd had two main motives for attacking India. First was plunder, as temples held immense wealth accumulated over centuries. Second was religious-he wanted to spread his version of Islam and destroy non-Muslim places of worship. His campaigns involved destruction, slaughter, and capturing prisoners who were sold as slaves.

Q3: Who was Al-Bīrūnī and what were his main achievements in India?

Ans: Al-Bīrūnī was a Persian scholar from Khwārizm who accompanied Mahmūd. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, historian, and linguist. He learned Sanskrit and wrote an encyclopaedic survey of Indian religion, philosophy, literature, geography, and sciences. He studied works of Āryabhaṭa, Varāhamihira, and Brahmagupta, and translated Patanjali's Yogasūtras into Arabic.

Q4: What were the three famous works written by Bhāskarāchārya?

Ans: Bhāskarāchārya wrote three famous works in Sanskrit. Līlāvatī used riddles and problems to teach basic mathematics. Bījagaṇita was about advanced algebra. Siddhāntaśhiromaṇi covered advanced astronomical calculations. His works were translated into Persian during the Mughal period. He had a gift for poetry and made his writings enjoyable for students.

Q5: What were the achievements of the Eastern Gangas dynasty?

Ans: The Eastern Gangas ruled Kalinga, which is present-day Odisha. By the end of the 12th century, their kingdom extended "from the Gangā to the Godāvarī". They initiated the construction of two important temples: the Jagannātha temple at Puri and the Sun temple at Konark in the mid-13th century.

Q6: Describe the contributions of the Kākatīya dynasty.

Ans: The Kākatīyas ruled present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in the 12th century, with a capital at Orugallu or Warangal. They built a fort with impressive stone toraṇas. They patronised Telugu literature and built the Thousand Pillar temple at Hanamkonda. They also promoted village self-governance and developed efficient revenue and irrigation systems.

Q7: What were the major achievements of Rājarāja Chola I?

Ans: Rājarāja Chola I ruled from 985 to 1014. He conquered parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Sri Lanka. He also conquered the Maldives. He built the famous Bṛihadīśhvara temple at Thanjavur. He facilitated the construction of a Buddhist vihāra at Nāgapaṭṭinam for the Śhrīvijaya Empire.

Q8: What led to the decline of the Chola empire?

Ans: The Chola empire declined due to frequent conflicts with neighbouring kingdoms. They fought with the Western Chālukyas, Pāṇḍyas, and Sri Lankan rulers. These constant wars drained their treasury. By the 13th century, the Chola empire had declined significantly and was absorbed by the Pāṇḍyas.

Q9: Who was King Bhoja and what were his contributions?

Ans: King Bhoja was the most famous Paramāra ruler from 1010 to 1055. He extended his kingdom from Konkan to parts of Rajasthan. He founded Bhojpur and built a vast lake called Bhojtal for irrigation. He was a generous patron of scholars and made his capital a centre of learning.

Q10: What happened at the two Battles of Tarain?

Ans: The first Battle of Tarain took place in 1191. Pṛithvīrāja III, also known as Prithviraj Chauhan, defeated Muhammad Ghūrī. However, in the second Battle of Tarain in 1192, Muhammad Ghūrī returned with a larger army. This time he defeated and executed Pṛithvīrāja III, changing the course of Indian history.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Describe Mahmūd of Ghazni's campaigns in India and their impact.

Ans: Mahmūd of Ghazni ruled the Ghaznavid Empire from Ghazna. He defeated Hindu Shāhi rulers and gained access to the Indus plains. Between 1000 and 1030, he conducted 17 campaigns in India, returning with enormous wealth each time. In 1018, he destroyed Mathura's temple and attacked Kannauj. In 1026, he destroyed the Somanātha temple at Somnath despite strong resistance. He did not establish permanent rule beyond Punjab. His invasions caused Indian sciences to move to safer places like Kashmir and Varanasi.

Q2: Explain the achievements of the Hoysala dynasty.

Ans: The Hoysalas originated in southern Karnataka. Their capitals were Velāpura, which is present-day Belur, and Dvārasamudra, which is present-day Halebidu. Under King Viṣhṇuvardhana, they broke away from Chālukya overlordship and extended their rule over most of Karnataka. The Hoysalas are famous for their unique temple architecture featuring intricate stone carvings. Their temples at Belur and Halebidu are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage monuments, showcasing their remarkable architectural and artistic achievements.

Q3: Describe the military and administrative achievements of Rājendra Chola I.

Ans: Rājendra Chola I ruled from 1014 to 1044 and expanded the empire into Odisha and Bengal. He took the title 'Gangaikoṇḍachola', meaning "the Chola who seized Gangā". He conquered northern Sri Lanka for about half a century. Around 1025, he conducted a successful naval expedition against the Śhrīvijaya Empire in present-day Malaysia and Indonesia. The expedition aimed to control important trade routes through the Strait of Malacca, showing the Cholas' strong maritime power and strategic abilities.

Q4: Explain Bakhtiyār Khiljī's campaigns in eastern India and their consequences.

Ans: Bakhtiyār Khiljī was an army commander under Aibak who campaigned in eastern India. Around 1203-04, he conquered Bihar and Bengal. He destroyed Buddhist monasteries, including Nālandā and Vikramaśhilā, slaughtering many monks. Nālandā's library had lakhs of manuscripts and burned for months. This destruction caused Buddhism's decline in India. In 1205, Bakhtiyār attempted to invade Tibet through Kāmarūpa but was defeated. He escaped with only a handful of men and was assassinated in 1206.

Q5: Describe the significance of Angkor Wat and its connection to Indian culture.

Ans: Angkor Wat is a temple in Cambodia built in the 12th century by Khmer king Sūryavarman II. It is the largest religious monument in the world, originally dedicated to Viṣhṇu. The temple has inscriptions in Old Khmer and Sanskrit, with bas-reliefs from the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. Its five huge śhikharas symbolise Mount Meru. Angkor Wat shares many features with South Indian temples, showing India's cultural influence across Southeast Asia. The temple was later converted into a Buddhist temple.