Describe the earliest Hindu temples.
Some Hindu temples were also built during this period. The deities worshipped in these shrines were Vishnu, Shiva and Durga. The most important part of the temples was the garbhagriha, which was a room where the image of the chief deity was placed. It was at this place that priests performed religious rituals and devotees offered worship to the deity.
The garbhagriha had a tower known as the shikhara built on its top. This marked the place as a sacred one. Building shikharas require careful planning. Most temples also had a mandapa. This was a hall like structure meant for the common people to assemble.
Mahabalipuram and Aihole in south India were famous for their temples. These were stone temples. The monolithic temples of Mahabalipuram were very beautiful. Each of these temples was carved out of a huge, single piece of stone. It is therefore they are known as monoliths. The Durga temple at Aihole was built about 1400 years ago.
Read the story on page 130. In what ways in the monkey king similar to or different from the kings you read about in Chapters 6 and 11?
State whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F).
(i) Most temples of this period had a hall like structure known as the mandapa.
(ii) Mahabalipuram and Aihole are known for the finest stone temples.
(iii) Merchant and farmers usually decided to build stupas and temples during this period.
(iv) The Tamil epic the Silappadikaram was composed by a poet named Ilango.
(v) Meghaduta is a famous poem compsed by Tulsidas.
(vi) Women and Shudras could hear the stories of the Puranas.
(vii) It was Ravana who abducted Rama's wife Sita.
(viii) The Jatakas and the Panchatantra are collections of stories told by birds and animals.
(ix) Aryabhatta was a famous story-letter.
(x)The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Ramayana.
Describe the two Sanskrit epics the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Or Why are the epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana so popular even today?
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence.
(i) The ………. at Aihole was built about 1400 years ago
(ii)The small box placed at the centre of the stupa contains bodily remains of the and his followers.
(iii)The……. were recited in temples by priests and people came to listen to them.
(iv) Both the……….. and the…………. are supposed to have been composed by Vyasa.
(v)developed a scientific explanation for eclipses.