History

Rulers and Buildings

Question:

Compare the reasons why temples were built and destroyed?

Answer:

Kings built temples to show their devotion to God and their power and wealth. King Rajarajeshvara built Rajarajeshvara temple for the worship of his god, Rajarajeshvaram. Here, the names of the king and the god appear to be similar. The king took the god's name because it was auspicious and he wanted to appear like a god. The largest temples were usually built by kings while the other, lesser deities in the temples were gods and goddesses of the allies and subordinates of the ruler. The temple was a miniature model of the world ruled by the king and his allies. As they worshipped the deities together in the royal temples, it seemed as if they brought the just rule of the gods on earth. Kings built temples but when they attacked one another's kingdoms they often targeted these buildings. In the early 9th century when the Pandyan King Shrimara Shrivallabha invaded Sri Lanka and defeated the King Sena I he seized all the valuables such as the statue of the Buddha made entirely of gold and other golden images from various monasteries. King Sena II took revenge of this. He invaded Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas in order to restore the gold statue of the Buddha. In the same way when in the early 11th century the Chola King Rajendra I built a Shiva temple in his capital. He filled it with prized statues seized from defeated rulers. Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni not only seized the valuables from the temples but . also destroyed them. He did it in order to win credit as a great hero of Islam Thus, rulers displayed their political might and military success by attacking and looting the places of worship of defeated rulers.

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Rulers and Buildings

Q 1.

How did kings win the praise of their subjects? [V. Imp.]

Q 2.

Who constructed the Kandariya Mahadeva temple?

Q 3.

What are the special features of Humagun's tomb?

Q 4.

Name the ruler who won universal respect for constructing a large reservoir just – outside Delhi-i kuhna?

Q 5.

What were havellis?

Q 6.

Look at Figure 4. How could that building be constructed faster today?

Q 7.

What is a shikhara?

Q 8.

Where was Shah Jahan's capital in the early years of his reign?

Q 9.

When was the tomb of Hanumaun built?

Q 10.

What was mahamandapa?

Q 11.

Find out whether there is a statue of or a memorial to a great person in your village or town. Why was it placed there? What purpose does it serve?

Q 12.

Name the king who invaded Sri Lanka? Whom did he defeat?

Q 13.

What type of structures were built by kings and their officers between the eighth and the eighteenth centuries?

Q 14.

What role did the Yamuna play in the layout of the new Mughal city at Shahjahanabad?

Q 15.

What is pietra dura?

Q 16.

Name the temple built by king Rajarajadeva.

Q 17.

The rich and powerful construct large houses today. In what ways were the constructions of kings and their courtiers different in the past?

Q 18.

How did the Mughal court suggest that everyone the rich and the poor, the powerjul and the weak received justice equally from the emperor?

Q 19.

An inscription in Shah Johan's diwan-i khas in Delhi stated, "If there is Paradise on Earth it is here, it is here, it is here". How was this image created?

Q 20.

When was Humayun's tomb built? What are its special features?

Q 21.

Who were involved in the building of the Qutb Minor?

Q 22.

Throw light on how the construction of the Rqjarqjeshvara temple was a very difficult task.

Q 23.

How is the trabeate' principle of architecture different from the arcuate?

Q 24.

Why was limestone cement used in construction of large structures? [V. Imp.]

Q 25.

What is the special feature of Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's capital?

Q 26.

Compare the reasons why temples were built and destroyed?

Q 27.

How can you say that Mughal rulers adapted regional architectural styles in the construction of their buildings? Explain with examples.

Q 28.

In what ways do you think the policies of Rajendra I and Mahmud of Ghazni were a product of their time? How were the actions of the two rulers different? [Imp.]

Q 29.

Describe how Shah Jahan adapted the riverfront garden in the layout of the Teg Mahal.

Q 30.

What are the elements of a Mughal chahar bagh garden?

Q 31.

Give an account of Shah Johan’s audience halls.

Q 32.

Visit and describe any park or garden in your neighbourhood. In what ways is it similar to or different from the gardens of the Mughals?

Q 33.

How did the Persian court chronicles describe the Sultan?

Q 34.

What is the main feature of Shah Jahan's new city of Shahjahanabad? [Imp.]

Q 35.

Write a short note on the Kandariya Mahadeva temple.

Q 36.

How did a temple communicate the importance of a king?

Q 37.

Write a brief note on the chahar bagh built by the Mughal rulers.