CBSE Class 7 Social Science The Gupta and Post-Gupta Period Important Questions Set 01

Answer: The Prayag Prashasti, composed by Harisena and inscribed on an Ashokan pillar at Prayagraj (Allahabad), gives an account of the conquests and qualities of Samudragupta.

Teacher's Note:
1. It is a praise-poem in Sanskrit.
2. It is a major source for early Gupta history.

Answer: Inscriptions, coins, temples and other monuments, and sculptures are the main archaeological sources.

Teacher's Note:
1. Gupta gold coins show the rulers and their titles.
2. Inscriptions record their achievements.

Answer: Chandragupta I took the title Maharajadhiraja, meaning great king of kings.

Teacher's Note:
1. This title shows the growing power of the family.
2. He is regarded as the first great Gupta ruler.

Answer: Banabhatta was the court poet of King Harshavardhana. He wrote the Harshacharita, a biography of Harsha, and the Sanskrit prose romance Kadambari.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Harshacharita is a main source on Harsha's reign.
2. It was written in Sanskrit.

Answer: The Aihole inscription, composed by Ravikirti, the court poet of the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II, describes his victories, including his success against Harsha.

Teacher's Note:
1. It is a source for Chalukya history.
2. It is found in Karnataka.

Answer: The Pallavas built the Shore Temple and the Pancha Rathas at Mamallapuram and the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram.

Teacher's Note:
1. Pallava art includes rock-cut and structural temples.
2. Mamallapuram is on the Tamil Nadu coast.

Answer: The Cholas rose in the 9th century CE (around 850 CE onwards) and finally defeated the Pallavas.

Teacher's Note:
1. Vijayalaya Chola began this rise from Thanjavur.
2. The Chola kingdom then grew very powerful.

Answer: His son was Samudragupta and his grandson was Chandragupta II, also called Vikramaditya.

Teacher's Note:
1. Samudragupta expanded the empire widely.
2. Chandragupta II carried it to its height.

Answer: Fa-hien, a Chinese Buddhist monk, visited India around 399-414 CE during the reign of Chandragupta II.

Teacher's Note:
1. He visited Buddhist sites including Magadha.
2. His account describes peace and Gupta administration.

Answer: A Bhukti (province) was governed by an Uparika, and a Vishaya (district) by a Vishayapati.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Gupta empire was divided into provinces and districts.
2. These officers reported to the king.

Answer: The Pallava king Narasimhavarman I took this title after defeating Pulakeshin II and capturing Vatapi (Badami), the Chalukya capital.

Teacher's Note:
1. Vatapikonda means conqueror of Vatapi.
2. This was a major Pallava victory over the Chalukyas.

Answer: Harsha followed Mahayana Buddhism in his later life; he had earlier worshipped Shiva.

Teacher's Note:
1. The Chinese monk Hiuen Tsang describes this.
2. Harsha also supported Nalanda.

Answer: Sri Gupta was the founder of the dynasty, and Chandragupta I (about 319-320 CE) first took the title Maharajadhiraja.

Teacher's Note:
1. Chandragupta I strengthened the family's power.
2. He married a Lichchhavi princess, which raised his status.

Answer: Chandragupta II took the title Vikramaditya, and his court included the poet and dramatist Kalidasa.

Teacher's Note:
1. Kalidasa wrote Abhijnanashakuntalam and Meghaduta.
2. Chandragupta II defeated the Shakas of western India.

Answer: They were called dinaras.

Teacher's Note:
1. Gupta coins were noted for good gold and fine design.
2. They show kings with titles and symbols.

Answer: Aryabhata was a Gupta-period mathematician and astronomer who wrote the Aryabhatiya.

Teacher's Note:
1. He explained that the Earth rotates on its axis.
2. He also worked on place value and the value of pi.

Answer: The Iron Pillar in Delhi, linked with the time of Chandragupta II, has hardly rusted in about 1600 years, showing the skill of Gupta metalworkers.

Teacher's Note:
1. It is a famous example of ancient Indian metallurgy.
2. It stands in the Qutub complex.

Answer: Hiuen Tsang visited India in the 7th century CE and studied at Nalanda.

Teacher's Note:
1. He travelled across India.
2. His account describes Harsha's rule.

Answer: Nalanda in Bihar was a great Buddhist centre of learning established in the Gupta period (5th century CE, associated with Kumaragupta I). Students came from many countries to study subjects such as Buddhist philosophy, logic, medicine and mathematics.
Harsha supported it with grants of villages and revenue, and Hiuen Tsang studied and taught there.

Teacher's Note:
1. It was a residential university.
2. Its ruins are now a World Heritage site.

Answer: Southern rulers were great builders. The Pallavas built rock-cut caves, monolithic rathas and structural temples such as the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram and the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram.
The Cholas built grand temples, the greatest being the Brihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur, built by Rajaraja I.

Teacher's Note:
1. Temples also became centres of learning and trade.
2. Sculpture and bronze images flourished under the Cholas.

Answer: The period saw peace and prosperity along with progress in learning and the arts. Kalidasa wrote poetry and drama, Aryabhata advanced mathematics and astronomy, Gupta metalwork produced the Iron Pillar, and fine gold coins were issued.

Teacher's Note:
1. The term refers to cultural achievement.
2. Not every part of society benefited equally.

Answer: Hiuen Tsang was a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India in the 7th century CE during Harsha's reign. He studied at Nalanda and recorded details about Harsha's court, Buddhist centres and the life of the people.

Teacher's Note:
1. His travel account is a valuable source of history.
2. He returned to China with many Buddhist texts.

Answer: In Chola villages, assemblies managed local affairs. The ur was the assembly of ordinary landowners, and the sabha or mahasabha was an assembly of Brahmin landholders; they looked after irrigation, tanks, temples, roads and justice through committees. The Uttaramerur inscriptions describe how members were chosen.
Towns had the nagaram, an assembly of merchants, and trade guilds such as the Ayyavole organised trade and markets.

Teacher's Note:
1. Local assemblies allowed people to run daily affairs.
2. Inscriptions on temple walls record these arrangements.

Answer: The king, often titled Maharajadhiraja, was at the head and was helped by ministers and officers. The empire was divided into provinces called bhuktis under uparikas, and each province into districts called vishayas under vishayapatis. Villages had headmen and elders who handled local matters.
The state's income came mainly from land revenue and trade.

Teacher's Note:
1. This arrangement helped control a large empire.
2. Local councils continued to play a role.

Answer: It says that Samudragupta uprooted several kings of northern India (Aryavarta) and added their lands to his empire. He captured the kings of the south (Dakshinapatha) but allowed them to rule again after they accepted his authority.
Forest tribes and frontier kingdoms paid tribute, and he performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice to show his power.

Teacher's Note:
1. It was composed by his court poet Harisena.
2. It is a praise-poem, so it may exaggerate.