NCERT Book Class 6 History Buildings Paintings and Books

CHAPTER 12

BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS AND BOOKS

Marutasami and the iron pillar

Marutasami was so excited. His brother had propelled his wheelchair all along the dusty, stony path, past thetowering Qutb Minar, and up the metal ramp. It had been tough, but now he was here, in front of the famous iron pillar. It was an unforgettable experience

The iron pillar

The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi, is a remarkable example of the skill of Indian crafts persons. It is made of iron, 7.2. m high, and weighs over 3 tonnes. It was made about 1500 years ago. We know the date because there is an inscription on the pillar mentioning a ruler named Chandra, who probably belonged to the Gupta dynasty (Chapter 11). What is amazing is the fact that the pillar has not rusted in all these years. Buildings in brick and stone

The skills of our crafts persons are also apparent in the buildings that have survived, such as stupas. The word stupa means a mound. While there are several kinds of stupas, round and tall, big and small, these have certain common features. Generally, there is a small box placed at the centre or heart of the stupa. This may contain bodily remains (such as teeth, bone or ashes) of the Buddha or his followers, or things they used, as well as precious stones, and coins.

This box, known as a relic casket, was covered with earth. Later, a layer of mud brick or baked brick was added on top. And then, the dome like structure was sometimes covered with carved stone slabs. Often, a path, known as the pradakshina patha, was laid around the stupa. This was surrounded with railings.

Entrance to the path was through gateways. Devotees walked around the stupa, in a clockwise direction, as a mark of devotion. Both railings and gateways were often decorated with sculpture. Find Amaravati on Map 7 (page 113). This was a place where a magnificent stupa once existed. Many of the stone carvings for decorating the stupa were made about 2000 years ago. Other buildings were hollowed out of rock to make artificial caves. Some of these were very elaborately decorated with sculptures and painted walls.

Some of the earliest Hindu temples were also built at this time. Deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, and Durga were worshipped in these shrines. The most important part of the temple was the room known as the garbhagriha, where the image of the chief deity was placed. It was here that priests performed religious rituals, and devotees offered worship to the deity.

Often, as at Bhitargaon, a tower, known as the shikhara, was built on top of the garbhagriha, to mark this out as a sacred place. Building shikharas required careful planning. Most temples also had a space known as the mandapa. It was a hall where people could assemble.

Let’s recall

1. Fill in the blanks:

(a) ———————— was a great astronomer.

(b) Stories about gods and goddesses are found in the ————————

(c) ———————— is recognised as the author of the Sanskrit Ramayana.

(d) ———————— and ———————— are two Tamil epics.

Let’s discuss

2. Make a list of the chapters in which you find mention of metal working. What are the metals objects mentioned or shown in those chapters?

3. Read the story on page 130. In what ways is the monkey king similar to or different from the kings you read about in Chapters 6 and 11?

Please refer to attached file for NCERT Class 6 History Buildings Paintings and Books