Class 7 Social Science Questions Answer Chapter 3 NCERT – Part II

Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries

Questions and activities

1. If you lived in Kannauj during the struggle between the Pālas, the Pratīhāras and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, how would it change your daily life and your estimate of the rulers? Write a letter on this to your friend living in Kanchipuram.

Answer:

Kannauj
Dear Friend,

I hope you are well in Kanchipuram. Life here in Kannauj has been very uncertain. Our city has become the centre of the Tripartite Struggle between the Pāla dynasty, Gurjara-Pratīhāra dynasty, and Rāṣhṭrakūṭa dynasty.

Armies often pass through our lands. Sometimes the ruler changes, and we common people must adjust to new taxes and officials. Trade suffers during wars, and farmers worry about their crops. Although the rulers are powerful, their constant fighting makes life difficult for us.

I hear that your city is peaceful under the Pallava dynasty kings and is famous for temples and learning. I wish our rulers would stop fighting and focus more on prosperity and peace.

Your friend,

2. Emperors and kings during this period controlled only core regions and governed other regions through subordinate vassals. What would be the advantages and the challenges of such a system?

Answer: During this period, kings ruled core areas directly and other regions through subordinate rulers (sāmantas).

Advantages:

• Helped in managing large territories.
• Local rulers understood regional needs.
• Quick military support from sāmantas.
• Reduced administrative burden on the king.

Challenges:

• Sāmantas could rebel when central power weakened.
• Loyalty was sometimes uncertain.
• Frequent conflicts between rulers.
• Difficulty in maintaining unity.

Example: The Rāṣhṭrakūṭa dynasty were once sāmantas of the Chālukya dynasty but later overthrew them.

3. In what ways were the invasions of the Hūṇas and the Arabs different in their aims, methods, and impact on the Indian subcontinent? Prepare a write-up, discuss and present it in the class.

Answer:

The Arabs were later resisted by Indian rulers such as the Gurjara-Pratīhāra dynasty.

4. Imagine you are a common citizen watching the Prayāga assembly. How would you react to Harṣha giving away most of his wealth?

Answer: If I were a citizen watching Emperor Harṣhavardhana give away most of his wealth at Prayāga, I would feel amazed and proud. It shows his generosity and concern for religion and the poor. At the same time, I might wonder how the kingdom manages financially after such large donations. Still, his act would increase my respect for him as a just and kind ruler.

5. Forming groups, let each group choose one Ālvār and one Nāyanār and prepare a biography poster or booklet. Include their life stories and a sample poem or two (in translation).

Answer:

(A) Ālvār – Āṇḍāḷ

Āṇḍāḷ

• Only woman among the 12 Ālvārs
• Devotee of Lord Vishnu
• Composed devotional hymns in Tamil
• Believed in complete surrender (bhakti)

Sample Poem (Translation):

“O Lord, I surrender myself to you,
You are my only refuge.”

(B) Nāyanār – Appar

Appar

• One of the 63 Nāyanārs
• Devotee of Lord Shiva
• Spread bhakti through devotional songs
• Emphasized devotion over rituals

Sample Poem (Translation):

“O Shiva, you are the light of my life,
Your name frees me from suffering.”

6. You will notice that our maps show only ancient names for the kingdoms’ capitals and main cities. Using a pencil, mark the modern names next to their original names. Refer the current map of India and try to locate those cities on it.

Answer:

7. Match the ruler or the dynasty with the city.

(a) Rāṣhṭrakūṭas                        (i) Kānchī
(b) Gurjara-Pratīhāras          (ii) Tanjāvūr
(c) Cholas                                   (iii) Mānyakheṭa
(d) Harṣhavardhana              (iv) Ujjayinī
(e) Pallavas                              (v) Kānyakubja

Answer:

(a) Rāṣhṭrakūṭas —                     (iii) Mānyakheṭa
(b) Gurjara-Pratīhāras —         (v) Kānyakubja
(c) Cholas —                                (ii) Tanjāvūr
(d) Harṣhavardhana —             (v) Kānyakubja
(e) Pallavas —                             (i) Kānchī