Rulers and Buildings (SOCIAL SCIENCE)

 Rulers and Buildings

Question 1. Write a short note on Qutb Minar.

Answer:

Qutb Minar.

Qutbuddin Aybak got this constructed around 1199 A.D.

It has a pattern created under the balcony by the small arches and geometrical designs.

It has two bands of inscriptions under the balcony.

These are in Arabic.

The surface of the minar is curved and angular.

Placing an inscription on such a surface required great precision.

Only the most skilled crafts persons could perform this task.

Very few buildings were made of stone or brick 800 years ago.

A building like the Qutb Minar had a great impact on observers in the thirteenth century.

Question 2 What two types of structures were built by the kings and their officers between 8th and 18th century? Ans Two kinds/types of structures.

First kinds: Forts, palaces and tombs.

Second kinds: Structures meant for public activities such as temples, mosques, tanks, wells, caravan serais and bazaars.

Question 3. Who got different type of structures build? Answer: Kings built different structures for the use and comfort of their subjects. This got them praise. Merchants got temples, mosques and well constructed. Only domestic structures like havelis, large mansions have survived from the 18th century.

Question 4. Who constructed Agra Fort? How many labourers were used to construct it? Answer: Akbar constructed Agra Fort. It required

2,000 stone cutters.

2,000 cement and lime-makers.

8,000 labourers.

Engineering Skills And Construction

Question 5. Give an account of new technological developments used during 7th to 13th centimes. Answer:

Monuments provide an insight into the technologies used for construction.

Between the seventh and tenth centuries architects started adding more rooms, doors and windows to buildings.

Roofs, doors and windows were still made by placing a horizontal beam across two vertical columns.

It was a style of architecture called ‘trabeate’ or ‘corbelled’.

Between the eighth and thirteenth centuries the trabeate style was used in the construction of temples, mosques, tombs and in buildings attached to large stepped-wells (baolis).

Question 6. How were the roofs constructed in earlier times? Answer: Roofs were constructed by placing wooden beams or a stone slab across four walls. This task was becoming difficult if the size of structure was elaborate.

Question 7. What is superstructure? What does it need? Answer: Superstructure is a part of building above the ground floor. It needs sophisticated skills.

Question 8. Which two technological and stylistic developments took place from the 12th century? Answer: From the 12th century two artistic developments took place.

Arcuate style in which the weight of the super structure above the windows and doors was carried by arches.

Limestone cement came into use. This high quality cement mixed with stone chips hardened into concrete. This made construction of big structures easier and faster.

Temple construction in the Early Eleventh Century

Question 9. Name three ruling dynasties of Southern India and mention names of temples constructed by them. Answer: The three ruling dynasties of Southern India and names of the famous

temples constructed by them are given below:

Question10. Give an account of temple construction in the early eleventh century. Answer: Temple Construction in the Early Eleventh Century: Mahadeva Temple:

The Kandariya Mahadeva temple dedicated to Shiva was constructed in 999 by the King Dhangadeva of the Chandela dynasty.

An ornamented gateway led to an entrance, and the main hall. It is called Mahamandapa.

Here dances were performed.

The image of the chief deity was kept in the main shrine, called garbhagriha.

This was the place for ritual worship where only the king, his immediate family and priests gathered.

The Khajuraho complex contained royal temples, here commoners were not allowed entry.

The temples were decorated with elaborately carved sculptures.

Rajarajeshvara Temple:

The Rajarajeshvara temple at Thanjavur had the tallest shikhara amongst temples of its time.

Construction of this temple was difficult because there were no cranes in those days.

The 90 tonne stone for the top of the shikhara was too heavy to lift manually.

The architects built an inclined path to the top of the temple.

They placed the boulder on rollers and rolled it all the way to the top.

The path started more than four kilometres away so that it would not be too steep.

This was demolished after the construction.

But the residents of the area remembered the experience of the construction of the temple for a long time.

Even today a village near the temple is called Charupallam, the “Village of the Incline”.

Building Temples, Mosques and Tanks

Question 11. Why were temples and mosques beautifully constructed? Ans. Temples and mosques were beautifully constructed because of the following reasons:

They were the places of worship.

They also meant to demonstrate power, wealth and devotion of the patron- mostly the kings and emperors.

Question1 2. Which temple was constructed by Rajarajadeva? Answer: The temples communicated the importance of a king in following manner.

Name of the temples and the king were almost similar

Examples: King: Rajarajadeva.

Temple: Rajarajeshvara.

God: Rajarajeshvaram

The main Gods were identical in name with the kings.

Lesser deities were gods and goddesses of the allies and subordinates of the ruler.

Temple was the miniature model of the world ruled by the king and his allies.

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