8th Standard, Social, History, CHAPTER-18
SOUTH INDIAN DYNASTIES: SHATHAVAHANAS, KADAMBAS, GANGAS
EXERCISES
I. Fill in the blanks with suitable words:
1. Simukha made Srikakulam his capital.
2. The literary work written by Hala is Gathasaptashati.
3. The first inscription in Kannada is Halmidi inscription.
4. Banavasi, the capital of the Kadambas, is in today’s North canara district.
5. The prominent king among the Gangas was Durvinita.
6. The literary work written by Chavundaraya is Chavunda Purana.
II. Answer the following questions in brief:
7. Who was the last king of the Shatavahanas? How did their dynasty become weak?
Answer: Yajnashri Shatakarni was the last king of Shatavahanas dynasty. During his time, on account of continual attacks by the Shakas, the empire become weak and declined.
8. Write about the art of the Shatavahanas.
Answer: Shatavahanas promoted art, literature and education. The Ajanta and the Amaravati paintings belong to the period of the Shatavahanas. Temples, viharas and chaityalayas were also constructed. A chaityagraha was built in Karle by the Banavasi merchant Bhootapala.
9. What were the values which influenced the Ganga society?
Answer: Though the society at the time of the Gangas had been divided into different sects and castes, they were all interdependent. The practice of a patriarchal undivided family was common. The people of the Ganga society followed Social values like honesty, loyalty, bravery and patience. These values were prominent among the people.
10. Name four literary works of the period of the Gangas.
Answer: The literary works of the period of the Gangas are as follows.
1 . Madhava II wrote commentary on Dattaka Sutra.
2 . Durvinita wrote the Sanskrit work ‘Shabdavatara’, and translated Gunadhya’s ‘Vaddakathe’ into Sanskrit.
3. Sree Purusha wrote ‘Gajashastra’.
4. Shivamara II wrote ‘Gajashtaka’, a Kannada work.
5. Poet Hemasena wrote ‘Raghava Pandaviya’.
6. Vadibasimha wrote ‘Gadya Chintamani’ and ‘Shatra Chudamani’.
7. Nemichandra wrote ‘Dravyasara Samgraha’.
8. Chavundaraya wrote ‘Chavunda Purana’.
Additional Questions:
1 . Write about the art and architecture works of the period of the Gangas.
Answer: The Ganga kings encouraged art and architecture. They built beautiful temples and basadis. The Kapileshwara temple at Manne, Pataleshwara and Maruleshwara temples at Talakad, Kolaramma temple at Kolar, Nageshwara temple at Begur and the statue of Gomateshwara at Shravanabelagola are examples of their architecture. The significant contributions of the Gangas were the tall pillars called Manastambhas and Brahmamanasthambas.
2. Describe the administration system of the Gangas.
Answer: The king had a council of ministers to help him. The ministers supervised different branches of administration. The administration in the villages was very systematic. The village committee looked after land revenue, justice, sanitation and defence. Agriculture was the main occupation. There were other occupations like weaving and black smith. They had trade relations with other countries.
3. Which are the education centres of Gangas?
Answer: Mathas, Ghatikas, Brahmapuris, Agraharas and Chaityalayas were centres of education. Talakadu, Shravanabelagola, Bankapura and Peruru have been named as centers of learning.
4. Write about the art and architecture works of the period of the Kadambas.
Answer: The Kadambas laid the foundation for architecture in Karnataka. They built many temples and basadis in Banavasi. During this period, educational centers like Mathas, ghatikas, brahmapuris and agraharas were established. The main agraharas of that time were found in Talagunda and Balligave. The agraharas were like residential schools.
5. Describe the administration system of the Kadambas.
Answer: The Kadambas made special contributions to Karnataka and Indian culture. There was political unity for around three hundred years under the Kadamba rule. Mandalikas, Royal priests, ministers and military generals played a significant role in administration. For administrative ease, provincial officers had been appointed to look after the provinces. Land revenue was the main source of income in the kingdom.
6. Describe the administration system of the Shatavahanas.
Answer: During the Shatavahana rule, the king was supreme. The kingdom had been divided into provinces called Janapada for purpose of administration and officers had been appointed to look after them. The cities and villages were looked after by self-governing institutions. There was no discrimination on the basis of varna in the society. Even women held high offices and had status in society.
III. Activities:
- Discuss with your teacher the way to read inscriptions.
Answer: To read an inscription, you must learn epigraphy, the study of inscriptions, and apply methods like linguistic analysis, contextual understanding, and, if needed, techniques such as rubbing or tracing to enhance readability. The process involves identifying the language and script, analysing its structure, considering the historical context, and using tools or methods to bring out the inscription’s details.
Inscriptions are writings on durable materials like stone, metal, or clay, and studying them is called epigraphy.
An epigraphist must first determine the language and the script used in the inscription.
To make faded inscriptions clearer, place a piece of paper or tin foil over the inscription and rub it gently with a soft eraser or crayon. The dye or crayon will be pressed into the inscription’s crevices, revealing the letters.
Similar to rubbing, tracing can be done to make a copy of the inscription. Modern techniques involve photographing the inscription and using digital tools to adjust contrast and bring out the engraved details.
Examine the inscription for patterns in grammar, word usage, and overall language structure to understand the text.
Consider the inscription’s historical, cultural, and geographical context to gain a deeper understanding of the message it conveys.
Compare the inscription to other known texts and scripts from the same period or region to aid in decipherment.
