BUILDINGS, PAINTIGS AND BOOKS

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Fliphtml: History

Source: https://www.studyrankers.com/2019/05/notes-of-ch-11-buildings-paintings-and-books-class6th-history.html

Iron Pillar (Hindi)

Iron

The Monkey King

The Iron Pillar

 The iron pillar at Mehrauli in 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 built 1500 years ago by a ruler named Chandra of the Gupta dynasty.

The unique feature of the pillar is that it has not rusted till date.

Inscriptions on the Iron Pillar is in Sanskrit language. The scripts are written in the eastern variety of the Gupta script, also known as Gupta Brahmi. 

The Iron Pillar in Delhi, India has Sanskrit inscriptions that mention Vishnu and the hill Vishnupadagiri, which means "hill with the footprint of Vishnu"

It states that the pillar was created for a temple to Vishnu.

Buildings in brick and stone

Stupa

• The word stupa means a mound.

• Generally, there is a small box placed at the centre or heart of the stupa.

• A small box placed at the centre or heart of the stupa which contains bodily remains or objects used by the Buddha or his followers.

• A path, known as the pradakshina patha, was laid around the stupa surrounded with railings.

→ Both railings and gateways were often decorated with sculpture.

E.g. Great Stupa at Sanchi

Amaravati Stupa Andhra Pradesh
Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath

AMARAVATI STUPA

Devni Mori

Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath

Hindu Temples

• 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.

• Often, a tower, known as the shikhara, was built on top of the garbhagriha to mark this out as a sacred place.

→ Most temples also had a space known as the mandapa where a hall where people could assemble.

E.g. Durga temple, Aihole

Bhitargaon Temple , U.P (Oldest Brick Temple in U.P.)

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha.
Mahabalipuram Shore Temple, Tamilnadu

Durga temple, Aihole

Bhitargaon, U.P

Konark Sun Temple, Odisha

How were stupas and temples built?

• Kings or queens used to take decision to build the stupas and temples.

• First, good quality stone had to be found, quarried, and transported to the place chosen for the new building.

→ These rough blocks of stone had to be shaped and carved into pillars, and panels for walls, floors and ceilings.

→ These had to be placed in precisely the right position.

• Devotees often brought gifts that were used to decorate the buildings. It includes merchants, farmers, garland makers, perfumers, smiths and ordinary men and women. 

Painting

• Ajanta is a place where several caves were hollowed out of the hills over centuries.

• Most of these were monasteries for Buddhist monks, and some of them were decorated with paintings.

 The colours, which are vivid even after 1500 years, were made of plants and minerals.

Artists of these paintings are still unknown. 

The World of Books

Best known epics were also written during this period. An epic is a long story, often told in poems, that talks about the adventures of a hero or a great event. It contains stories of Kings battles, worship of Gods etc. 

Silappadikaram, one of the greatest Tamil epics, was written by Ilango Adigal. The story revolves around love, loyalty, and justice, centered on a young couple, Kovalan and Kannagi.

Kovalan, the son of a wealthy merchant in Puhar, marries Kannagi, a kind and devoted woman. They live a happy life until Kovalan meets a dancer named Madhavi and falls in love with her. Over time, he spends all his wealth on Madhavi, leaving him and Kannagi in poverty.

Realizing his mistakes, Kovalan decides to start fresh. He and Kannagi move to the city of Madurai, hoping to rebuild their lives. To earn money, Kovalan tries to sell Kannagi's precious anklet, but a tragic event unfolds. The king of Madurai accuses Kovalan of stealing the queen's anklet, as it looks similar to Kannagi's. Without a proper investigation, Kovalan is executed.

Heartbroken and furious, Kannagi goes to the king's court to prove her husband’s innocence. She shows the second anklet and reveals it is filled with rubies, unlike the queen's anklet, which contains pearls. Realizing his mistake, the king and queen die of guilt. Kannagi, in her anger and grief, curses the city of Madurai, and it is consumed by fire.

Manimekalai is another important Tamil epic, written by the poet Chattanar.

It is the second part of Silappadikaram. 

It is a Buddhist epic that focuses on the life of Manimekalai, the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi.

Meghaduta is a lyric song written by Kalidasa, regarded as one of the best Sanskrit poets. It tells the story of a yaksa (A nature spirit) who was banished by his master Kubera (A God of wealth) to a faraway place for a year and begged a cloud to deliver a message of love to his wife. He shares the message that he will rejoin with her soon. 

Recording and preserving Old Stories

A number of books were written during this period. 

Puranas

→ Valmiki was the author of the Ramayana.

→ Puranas contained old Hindu religious stories about gods and goddesses that were written in simple Sanskrit and were meant to be heard by everybody.

There are 18 Mahāpurāṇas and many Upapurāṇas. Some famous ones include the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Vishnu Purāṇa, Shiva Purāṇa, and Devi Purāṇa. These texts describe the lives of Hindu gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and Goddess Durga, along with details about the universe, kings, and sages.

Purāṇas teach moral values, devotion (bhakti), and the importance of righteousness (dharma) through stories. They are an important part of Hindu culture and traditions.

Extra notes only read 

The Story of Prahlada and Narasimha Avatar

Prahlada, the son of Hiranyakashipu (a powerful demon king), was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. However, his father hated Vishnu and forbade him from worshipping the Lord.

Hiranyakashipu tried to kill Prahlada in many ways—throwing him off a cliff, into fire, and into the ocean—but Vishnu always protected him.

One day, Hiranyakashipu asked, "Where is your Vishnu?"
Prahlada replied, "He is everywhere!"

Enraged, Hiranyakashipu struck a pillar, and suddenly, Lord Vishnu appeared in the form of Narasimha (half-man, half-lion). He killed Hiranyakashipu at twilight on his lap, thus fulfilling the prophecy that he could not be killed by man or beast, inside or outside, by day or night, on earth or in the sky.

This story symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

The Birth of Lord Ganesha – A Story from Shiva Purāṇa

In ancient times, Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva, wanted to take a bath in her palace on Mount Kailash. She desired complete privacy, but there were no guards to stop anyone from entering. To solve this problem, she decided to create a guardian.

Parvati Creates Ganesha

One day, Parvati took sandalwood paste (or turmeric paste) from her body and molded it into the form of a young boy. She then breathed life into him, and thus, Ganesha was born.

She lovingly declared, "You are my son, my protector. Stand guard at the entrance and do not let anyone enter."

Obediently, Ganesha took his position outside the door.

Shiva’s Return and the Conflict

Meanwhile, Lord Shiva had gone out to meditate in the mountains. When he returned, he found a young boy blocking his way.

Shiva, unaware that Ganesha was Parvati’s son, demanded entry. But Ganesha, following his mother’s orders, refused and stopped Shiva from going inside.

This angered Shiva, and he ordered his army (Ganas) to remove the boy. However, Ganesha defeated all the ganas, proving his great strength.

Shiva Beheads Ganesha

Now truly enraged, Shiva himself fought Ganesha. In his divine fury, Shiva struck Ganesha’s head with his trident (Trishul), cutting it off.

Hearing the commotion, Goddess Parvati rushed out and saw her beloved son lying lifeless. She was filled with sorrow and rage. She revealed to Shiva that Ganesha was their son and demanded that he be brought back to life.

Parvati’s grief turned into a destructive rage, and she threatened to destroy the world. The gods, afraid of her wrath, pleaded with Shiva to revive Ganesha.

Ganesha Gets an Elephant’s Head

To pacify Parvati, Shiva sent his followers (Ganas) to bring the head of the first living being they found facing north. The followers soon found an elephant and brought its head.

Shiva placed the elephant’s head on Ganesha’s body and brought him back to life.

Two major Sanskrit Epics: Mahabharata and Ramayana

The Mahabharata was written by Sage Vyasa and was first written in Sanskrit thousands of years ago. (Between B.C. 400 and 400 C.E.)

It is one of the longest epic poems in the world and teaches important lessons about truth, duty, and justice.

The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu scripture that is part of the great epic, the Mahabharata. It is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna that takes place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra before the great war.

Before the battle, Arjuna felt confused and sad. He did not want to fight against his own relatives, teachers, and friends. He put down his bow and told Lord Krishna, who was his charioteer, that he could not fight.

To guide him, Krishna gave him divine knowledge about duty (Dharma), righteousness, and the purpose of life. This teaching is known as the Bhagavad Gita, which means "The Song of God."

The Ramayana

The Ramayana is one of the greatest Hindu epics, written by Sage Valmiki in Sanskrit. It tells the story of Lord Rama, the prince of Ayodhya, and his journey of righteousness, love, and duty.

The Story of the Ramayana

Prince Rama, the eldest son of King Dasharatha, was exiled for 14 years to the forest due to a promise made by his father. His wife Sita and brother Lakshmana accompanied him.

While in the forest, Ravana, the ten-headed king of Lanka, kidnapped Sita and took her to his kingdom. With the help of Hanuman and an army of monkeys, Rama crossed the ocean to Lanka, fought Ravana, and defeated him.

After rescuing Sita, Rama returned to Ayodhya, where he was crowned king.

STORY TO READ 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vg-5zkw6H4 -Mahabharata

A long time ago, there were two sets of royal brothers, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who lived in the kingdom of Hastinapura. The Kauravas, led by Duryodhana, were jealous of the Pandavas and wanted to take their kingdom.

One day, Duryodhana tricked the Pandavas in a game of dice and forced them into exile for 13 years. After returning, the Pandavas asked for their kingdom back, but Duryodhana refused. This led to the great war of Kurukshetra.

Before the battle, Arjuna, the greatest warrior among the Pandavas, was confused about fighting his own relatives. Lord Krishna, his charioteer and guide, gave him divine wisdom, known as the Bhagavad Gita, teaching him about duty and righteousness.

The war lasted 18 days, and in the end, the Pandavas won, while the Kauravas were destroyed. Dharma (righteousness) triumphed over evil.

Jataka Tales

The Jataka Tales are ancient Buddhist stories about the past lives of Gautama Buddha. In these stories, he is born as different animals or humans and shows kindness, honesty, and wisdom. The tales teach important lessons about good behavior, kindness, and truthfulness. One famous Jataka tale is "The Monkey King," where a wise monkey saves his troop from danger.

Panchatantra

The Panchatantra is a collection of animal fables written to teach wisdom and cleverness. It was written by Vishnu Sharma for young princes to help them become good rulers. The stories show how to solve problems using intelligence, teamwork, and patience. A famous Panchatantra story is "The Monkey and the Crocodile," where a clever monkey escapes from a tricky crocodile.

Books on Science
Books on science were also written during this period. Aryabhatta (C.E. 5th Century), a mathematician and astronomer wrote a book in Sanskrit called Aryabhatiyam. He stated that day and night were caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis. He also developed a scientific explanation for eclipses.  He also found a way of calculating the circumference of a circle.

1. 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?

Ans: The monkey king in the story on page 130 is similar to the kings mentioned in chapters 6 and 11. The monkey king like the other kings has a huge army.

He himself is wise, diplomatic and brave. He has the virtue of taking right moment. 

When he observes the situation of the attack on his community by the king’s men, he makes a quick plan to save his army. First, he let all of them cross the river. As he is the last, he gets tired and exhausted, he falls down and is dead. In this way, he sacrifices his life for the safety of his kingdom. This is the supreme virtue of a king. So, he is in no way different from the other human kings.

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

Coins (gold, silver, copper, bronze)

Iron pillars (e.g., Delhi Iron Pillar)

Metal statues (bronze and copper)

Weapons (swords, spears, arrowheads)

Farming tools (iron plows, sickles)

Metal inscriptions (Ashoka’s iron and stone pillars)

Basic copper tools (used by early hunter-gatherers)

3. Who was Aryabhatta? What was he known for?

Answer: Aryabhata was a mathematician and astronomer, wrote a book in Sanskrit known as the Aryabhatiyam.

His contribution are:

He stated that day and night were caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis, even though it seems as if the sun is rising and setting every day.

He developed a scientific explanation for eclipses as well.

He also found a way of calculating the circumference of a circle, which is nearly as accurate as the formula we use today.

 4. Highlight the chief features of stupa architecture.

Answer: Features of stupa architecture

Generally, there is a small box placed at the centre or heart of the stupa. This may contain bodily remains of the Buddha or his followers, or things they used, as well as precious stones, and coins.

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.

Both railings and gateways were often decorated with sculpture.

 What are main features of the Hindu temples built around 1800 years ago?

Answer: Main features of the Hindu temples

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.

Most temples also had a space known as the mandapa. It was a hall where people could assemble.
Temples also were made attarctive by specific carvings of detailed sculptures of deities, mythological scenes, and floral patterns.

: Write short notes on Silappadikaram?

Answer: Silappadikaram was an epic written by Iango Adikal. It is a story of a merchant named Kovalan, who lived in Puhar and fell in love with a courtesan named Madhavi, neglecting his wife Kannagi. Later according to the epic, Kovalan and Kannagi left Puhar and went to Madurai, where he was wrongly accused of theft by the court jeweller of the Pandya king. The king sentenced Kovalan to death. Kannagi who still loved him, was full of grief and anger at this injustice and destroyed the entire city of Madurai.

4: What were Puranas? What do they contain?

Answer: Puranas were Hindu religious scriptures. They were written in simple Sanskrit verse, and meant to be heard by everybody, including women and Shudras. The Puranas were probably recited in temples by priests; people came to listen them.

They contained stories about gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Durga or Parvati and detailed accounts on how these deities were to be worshipped. The Puranas gave details about the creation of the world and about the kings. It also contains important lesson on life. 

What are common features of the stupas?

A stupa is a special kind of structure that looks like a big mound. It can be round or tall, big or small, but all stupas have some common features.At the center of the stupa, there is a small box called a relic casket. This box holds the remains of the Buddha or his followers, or objects they used, along with precious stones and coins.The box is covered with earth, and then a layer of mud bricks. Around the stupa, there is a path called the pradakshina patha, which is surrounded by railings. Devotees walk on this path in a clockwise direction to show their respect.The entrance to the path is through beautifully decorated gateways.  The railings and gateways often have wonderful carvings that show stories from the past.  Stupas also reflect the skill of craftsmen, as their designs have lasted for many years.

How were stupas and temples built? Explain.

 The stupas and the building of temples were usually decided by the queens or the kings, as it was an expensive affair. 

• A good quality stone had to be found, quarried and transported to the place that was often carefully chosen for a new building.
• Rough blocks of stone had to be shaped and carved into pillars and panels for walls, floors and ceilings.
• All these things had to be placed in precisely a correct and religiously right position.
• The names of the queen and king, and several other persons were inscribed on the pillars, railings and wall of buildings.
  
• The kings and queens probably spent money from their treasury.
• When devotees came to visit the temple or the stupa, they often brought gifts.
• Among the others who paid for decorations were merchants, farmers, garland makers, perfume sellers, smiths, and hundreds of men and women whose names  were inscribed on pillars, railings and walls.
  
  

Who was Aryabhata? Name one book that he wrote.

Answer: Aryabhata was a mathematician and astronomer. He wrote a book in Sanskrit known as Aryabhatiyam. In this book, he stated that day and night were caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis. He also formulated a scientific explanation for eclipses. He also found a way of calculating the circumference of a circle, which is nearly as accurate as the formula used now-a-days.

What are monolithic temples?

Answer: A monolith is a monument or natural feature consisting of a single massive stone or rock. A monolithic temple is thus a rock-cut temple, carved from a single large rock. Templs of Mahabalipuram and Ellora are examples of Monolithic Temples. 

Describe the two Sanskrit epics the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Or Why are the epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana so popular even today?

Ans. The Mahabharata and Ramayana are the most popular of the epics and other religious books of the Hindus. They are also famous among the followers of other religions. The causes of their popularity are almost the same. The story of the Mahabharata tells family drama followed by a great war between the two groups of the same family, the Kauravas, and Pandavas.

Here, we learn how are fights for the right cause. The Pandavas are dethroned and banished diplomatically by their cousin Duryodhana. They are always subjected to humiliation and injustice. Finally, they are put in a great battle to get their own right.

In the Mahabharata, we know how much tolerance one should have, how one can fight for a justified cause, how we should respect our elders, etc. There are so many teachings of the ideal life in it. The Gita, which constitutes a part of the Mahabharata is in itself considered a great epic. It unfolds all the mysteries of life, the life before, and life after.

In the same way, the Ramayana, written in the most popular language of the time, teaches us the high ideals of life. Rama, the most prominent character, shows how a man should follow the ideals of life. He possesses all the virtues of a highly idealistic and realistic human being. He follows the system in a humble way. He fights for justice and his right. This story is told in a very realistic way. It seems to be the story of a common man. So, it has a great appeal in our society today.

List some steps that can be taken to make buildings and monuments accessible to differently-abled people learnt in Chapter 11 of NCERT Solutions for Class 6 History.

Ramps – For easy wheelchair movement.

Handrails – To hold while walking.

Braille Signs – For blind visitors to read.

Lifts – To reach upper floors.

Wide Paths – For wheelchairs to move freely.

Tactile Paths – Special flooring for the blind.

Audio Guides – To listen to information.

Accessible Toilets – With more space and support.

Reserved Seats – For special needs visitors.

What are main features of the Hindu temples built around 1800 years ago.

Answer: Main features of the Hindu temples built around this time were:

• The room where the image of the chief deity was placed was known as the garbhagriha. It was the most important part of the temple.
• The shikhara was built on top of the garbhagriha, to mark this out as a sacred place.
• Most temples also had a hall where people could assemble. This hall was known as the mandapa.