CBSE Class 12 History Imperial Capital Vijaynagar Assignment Set A

Key concepts in nutshell
♦ Discovery of Hampi – In 1799 the frst British antiquarian colin Mackenzie. First surveyor general of India visited the ruins Hampi, collected some manuscripts had some water colours painted on monuments and made the first map of the site.
♦ The Rayas, Nayakas and Sultans – Harihara and Bukka asserted their independence of the Delhi sultanate and established the kingdom of vijaynagar on AD 1336.
♦ Kings and trading class – The warfare depended mainly upon powerful cavalry. The Portuguese settled on the west coast of India in attempted to establish their trading and military stations.
♦ The climax and decline of Vijay Nagar empire – Krishadeva Raya was un able administrator, He built dams for irrigation. He build magnificent places and temples. Its ruler Rama Raya was miserably defeated on the battlefield of (Rakshasi – Tangadi) Talikota in A.D.1565. The victorious armies plundered and destroyed the city of Vijay nagar.
♦ Vijaynagar Hampi Architecture - The Vijaynagar architecture (Hampi Architecture) of the period (1336-1365)was unique building style evolved by the imperial vijaynagar empire.
♦ Hampi Bazar – Portuguese travellers paes and nuntiz visited hampi in the mid 1500 century. They give an account of hampi Bazar thus “ in this street lived many merchants and there you will find all sorts of rubies, diamonds pearls and cloths that you may wish to buy.
♦ Building and places - we know today about the vijaynagar palces and buildings is derived from the archeological excavations at Hampi as no royal palace structures have survived.
♦ Kings royal enclosure – Another important building at Hampi is the kings royal enclosure. Paes tells against the gate there were two circles in which there were the dancing women richly arrayed with many jewels of gold and diamonds and many pearls.
♦ Mahanavami dibba - The Mahanavami dibba is located on one of the highest points in the city. It is a very large platform rising from a base of about 11000 feet to height of a 40 feet. It seems that is supported a wooden structure.
♦ Forts of Vijay nagar – in the constant struggle for power, fort and fortified settlements were a potent symbol of authority. The rulers of Vijaynagar empire created the cities with the main object of protection against invasions. The city itself was a fortress and designed as such in every manner.

ASSERTION AND REASON BASED MCQs

Directions : In the following questions, a statement of Assertion (A) is followed by a statement of Reason (R). Mark the correct choice as:
(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 and R is true.

Question. Assertion (A): The famous lotus building is constructed in Indo-Islamic style of architecture.
Reason (R): The rulers of Vijayanagara were fond of Islamic architecture more than Indian architecture.
Answer: C

Question. Assertion (A): As warfare during these times depended upon effective cavalry, the import of horses from Arabia and Central Asia was very important for rival kingdoms.
Reason (R): The Portuguese possessed superior military technology that enabled them to become important players during this period. 
Answer: A

Question. Assertion (A): Many rituals were associated with the Mahanavami Dibba. Hindu Festival Mahanavami or Navaratri were celebrated with great pomp and show in the months of September- October.
Reason (R): All these ceremonies were presented before the king and his guests. On the last day of the festival, the king inspected his army as well as the Nayaks of the army. Through the festival, the rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire displayed their power, prestige, and suzerainty.
Answer: A

Question. Assertion (A): The engineer and antiquarian Colonel Colin Mackenzie brought the ruins of Hampi to light in 1800. He worked for many years in East India Company and prepared the first Survey maps of this site.
Reason (R): Dozens of inscription were collected from Virupaksha temples and other temples situated around temples. 
Answer: B

Question. Assertion (A): After the death of Krishnadeva Raya, the relation between Sultans and Rayas became bitter.
Reason (R): The adventurous policy of Rama Raya who tried to play off one Sultan against another, made the Sultans angry and they combinedly defeated him. In this way, Vijayanagara empire was gradually destructed.
Answer: A

Question. Assertion (A): The Battle of Talikota (23 January 1565) was a watershed battle fought between the Vijayanagara Empire and the Deccan Sultanates.
Reason (R): Various causes such as weak central government, weak successors of Krishnadeva Raya, different dynasties struggles against the Bahamani Empire, weak empire, etc. contributed in the downfall of the empire. 
Answer: B

CASE-BASED MCQs

Observe the picture and answer the following questions by choosing the correct option. 

Question. To which historical empire does this stone wall belong to as a boundary to the empire?
(A) Mughal
(B) Mauryan
(C) Vijayanagara
(D) None of these
Answer: C

Question. What is the other name by which the empire is remembered as?
(A) Stupa
(B) Kalinga
(C) Hampi
(D) Agra
Answer: C

Question. When was the empire found?
(A) 12th century
(B) 14th century
(C) 16th century
(D) 19th century
Answer: B

Question. Which of these rivers acts as the natural boundary of this ancient kingdom?
(A) Krishna
(B) Ganga
(C) Mahanadi
(D) Sutlej
Answer: A

Question. Hampi town is located in the bank of which river? 
Answer: It is located on the bank of Tunghbhadra river.

Question. Which goddess is called Pampa ? 
Answer: Goddess Pampa is the name of goddess Parvati.

Question. Who was Colin Mackenzie ? Mention his importance in Indian history ? 
Answer: Colin Mackenzie used to work in British East India Company. He took birth in1754.
He is a famous engineer, surveyor and humanist. He became the first Surveyer General of British India in 1815. He died in the year 1821. He began to survey in the traditional culture and historical places of India in order to run administration of Colonial India more smoothly and effectively.

Question. Mention the silent features of the temple of Hampi. 
Answer: The temple of Hampi is well articulated with artistic pillars like structure.
Magnificent structure with gallery surrounded with pillars around divinity and the place of god is one of the features of the temples. The main temple of Hampi is Vitthal and Hazareram.

Question. How did the water requirements problems solved in Vijayanagar empire ?
Answer: The natural reservoir are providing water for Vijayanagar is Tunghabhadra river. This river was situated in the north-east direction of the kingdom. Many rivers from nearby mountain range get merged into this river. Dams were built in almost all tributaries of rivers. Hauz were built in order to cope with the drastic climate in draught situation. This was stored in the beginning of the 15th century. This place was called Kamalapuram water reservoir.

Question. What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the city? 
Answer:There are many advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the Vijayanagara empire.
• Abdur Razzaq noted that "between the first, second and third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses.
• The detailed statements have been corroborated by present day archaeologists, who have also found evidence of an agricultural tract between the sacred centre and the urban core.
• We knew different sources that in Vijayanagara empire and other southern kingdom agricultural tracts were incorporated within the fortified areas. Often, the objective of medieval sieges was to strave the defenders into submission. These sieges could last four several months and sometimes even years.
• Normally rulers tried to be prepared for adverse situations or natural calamities by building large granaries within fortified areas. The rulers of Vijayanagara adopted a more expensive and elaborate strategy of protecting the agricultural belt itself.
• Whenever, Kingdom was attacked by the enemies at the time of reaping harvest they could easily brunt the dry crops of the farmers. But these fields was safe in ordinary situation from wild animals.

Question. What do you think was the significance of the ritual's associated with the Mahanavami dibba ? 
Answer: The importance of the rituals associated with the Mahanawami dibba.
Located on one of the highest points in the city, the "Mahanawami dibba" is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11000 sq.ft. to a height of 40 feet. Rituals associated with the structure probably coincided with Mahanawami (Literally the great ninth day) of the ten-day Hindu festival during the autumn months of September and October, known variously as Dushehra (northern India), Durga Puja (in Bengal) and Navaratri or Mahanawami (in Peninsular India). The Vijayanagara kings displayed their prestige, power and suzerainty on this occasion.
• The ceremonies performed on the occasion included worship of the image, worship of the state horse, and the sacrifice of buffaloes and other animals.
• Dancer, wrestling matches, and processions of caparisoned horses, elephants and chariots and soldiers, as well as ritual presentations before the king and his guests by the chief nayakas and subordinate kings marked the occasion.
• These ceremonies were imbued with deep symbolic meanings on the last day of the festival the king inspected his army and the armies of the nayakas in a grand ceremony in an open field. On this occasion the nayakas brought rich gifts for the king as well as the stipulated tribute.

Question. What impression of the lives of the ordinary people of Vijayanagara can you cull from the various descriptions in Vijayanagara empire. 
Answer: Ordinary people of this empire scope different languages and followed different religious tradition.
• There were small traders and local merchant use to live in cities, trade centre, port town and villages.
• Peasants, workers, slaves etc. were including in ordinary people. These were ordinary Brahmans, trader and women also.
• In the society there were a few low class people, who were non-influential. They were Dombar, Mana, Jogi, Paraiyan, Boi, Kallar etc. Some low caste people were coverted to christianity due to the influence of the Portugeuses. The evils of caste system and untouchability were practiced in the society.
• The ordinary people of the Vijayanagar empire lived in ordinary houses. This is how the sixteenth century portuguese traveller Barbosa described the houses of ordinary people existed in the society. The men were sold and purchased. There were some special rules for the slaves.

Question. Evaluate the importance of Amar Nayaka System in emergence of Vijayanagara Empire.
Answer:
There is a important role of this sytem to emerging the Vijayanagara empire. That shows in the following points:
• The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• It is likely that many features of this system were derived from the Iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
• The amara-nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the raya.
• The collected taxes and other dues from peasants.
• A share of revenue was spent for the maintenance of irrigation works and temples.
• The amar nayak retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants.
• These contingents provided the Vijayanagara Kings with an effective fighting force with which they brought the entire southern peninsula under their control.
• The amara-nayakas sent tribute to the King annually and personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty.
• Kings occasionally asserted their control over them by transferring them from one place to another.
• Many of these nayakas established independent kingdoms in the 17th century.

Passage based Question:-

Colin Meckenzie
Born in 1754, Colin Meckenzie became a famous engineer, surveyer and cartographer.
In 1815 he was appointed the first surveyor General of India. A post he held till his death in 1821. he embarked on collecting local histories and surveying historic sites in order to better understand India’s past and make governance of the of the colony easier. He says that “ It struggled long under the miseries of dead management…. Before the south came under the benign in influence of the British government”. By standing Vijayanagar, Meckenzie believed that the east India company would gain “ much useful information on many of these institutions, laws and customs whose influence still prevails. Among the various tribes of natives forming the general mass of the population to this date.

Question. Who was Colin Meckenzie ? 
Answer: Colin Mackenzie used to work in British East India Company. He took birth in 1754. He is a famous engineer, surveyor and humanist.

Question. Which ancient city was founded by Colin Meckenzie ? 
Answer: Hampi

Question. Why did he start the surveys? 
Answer: He started the surveys in order to better understand India’s past and make governance of the colony easier.

Question. In which stages Colin Meckenzie completed his work? 
Answer: First of all he prepared the maps. He collected the information’s about the local traditions from the priest of Virupaksha and Pampadevi temple.

Question. Evaluate the importance of Amar Nayaka System in emergence of Vijayanagara Empire.
Answer: The amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire. It is likely that many features of this sytem were derived from the iqta system of the Delhi Sultanate.
There is a important role of this sytem to emerging the Vijayanagara empire. That shows in the following points :
(i) The amara-nayakas were military commanders who were given territories to govern by the raya. The collected taxes and other dues from peasants.
(ii) The amar nayak retained part of the revenue for personal use and for maintaining a stipulated contingent of horses and elephants.
(iii) These contingents provided the Vijayanagara Kings with an effective fighting force with which they brought the entire southern peninsula under their control. Some of the revenue was also used for the maintenance of temples and irrigation works.
(iv) The amara-nayakas sent tribute to the King annually and personally appeared in the royal court with gifts to express their loyalty.
(v) Kings occasionally asserted their control over them by transferring them from one place to another.

Question. What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the city ?
Answer: There are many advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the Vijayanagara empire.
1. Abdur Razzaq noted that "between the first, second and third walls there are cultivated fields, gardens and houses.
2. The detailed statements have been corroborated by present day archaeologists, who have also found evidence of an agricultural tract between the sacred centre and the urban core.
3. We knew different sources that in Vijayanagara empire and other southern kingdom agricultural tracts were incorporated within the fortified areas.
Often, the objective of medieval sieges was to strave the defenders into submission. These sieges could last four several months and sometimes even years.
4. Normally rulers tried to be prepared for adverse situations or natural calamities by building large granaries within fortified areas. The rulers of Vijayanagara adopted a more expensive and elaborate strategy of protecting the agricultural belt itself.
5. Whenever, Kingdom was attacked by the enemies at the time of heaping harvest they could easily brunt the dry crops of the farmers. But these fields was safe in ordinary situation from wild animals.

Question. What do you think was the significance of the ritua's associated with the Mahanavami dibba ?
Answer: The importance of the rituals associated with the Mahanawami dibba.
Located on one of the highest points in the city, the "Mahanawami dibba" is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11000 sq.ft. to a height of 40 H. Rituals associated with the strucutre probably coincided with Mahanawami (Literally the great ninth day) of the ten-day Hindu festival during the autumn months of September and October, known variously as Dushehra (northern India), Durga Puja (in Bengal) and Navaratri or Mahanawami (in Peninsular India). The Vijayanagara kings displayed their prestige, power and suzerainty on this occastion.
- The ceremonies performed on the occasion included worship of the image, worship of the state hourse, and the sacrifice of buffaloes and other animals.
- Dancer, wrestling matches, and processions of caparisoned horses, elephants and chariots and soldiers, as well as ritual presentations before the king and his guests by the chief nayakas and subordinate kings marked the occasion.
- These ceremonies were imbued with deep symbolic meanings on the last day of the festival the king inspected his army and the armies of the nayakas in a grand ceremony in an open field. On this occasion the nayakas brought rich fifts for the king as well as the stipulated tribute.

Question. What impression of the lives of the ordinary people of Vijayanagara can you cull from the various descriptions in Vijayanagara empire.
Answer: Ordinary people of this empire scope different languages and followed different religious tradition.
- There were small traders and local merchant use to live in cities, trade cetnre, port town and villages.
- Peasants, workers, slaves etc. were including in ordinary people. These were ordinary Brahmans, trader and women also.
- The workers were called "Vipravinodin" this class consisted of Iron smiths, Gold smiths, carpenters, sculpture makers etc.
- In the society there were a few low class people, who were non-influential.
They were Dombar, Mana, Jogi, Paraiyan, Boi, Kallar etc. Some low caste people.