Traders, Kings and Pilgrims

Q1. Fill in the blanks.

                           i.        Puhar was an important port on the east coast.

                         ii.        Around 200 years later a dynasty known as the Satavahanas became powerful in western India.

                       iii.        South India was famous for gold, spices and precious stones.

                       iv.        Fa Xian began his journey back home from Bengal.

                        v.        Statues of the Buddha were made in Mathura and Taxila.

                      vi.        About 2000 years ago, wearing silk became the fashion amongst rulers and rich people in Rome.

Q2. True/False

                         i.        Amongst the river valleys, that of the Kaveri is the most fertile. True

                       ii.        Only rich, belonging to the so-called ‘high’ castes, man could follow the path of Bhakti. False

                      iii.        Nalanda, (Bihar) was the most famous Buddhist monastery of the period. True

                      iv.        Muvendar is a Sanskrit word meaning three chiefs. False

                        v.        Sometimes, Chinese rulers sent gifts of silk to rulers in Iran and west Asia. True

                      vi.        Satavahanas became powerful in eastern India. False

         vii.        At Taxila a new form of Buddhist art influenced by the Greek style was developed. True

Q3. Name the ruler who controlled silk route effectively.

Ans. Kushanas

Q4. Where is the site of Eran located?

Ans. Madhya Pradesh

Q5. Which was the capital kingdom of Pandyas?

Ans. Madurai was the capital of the Pandyas.

Q6. Where was Jesus Christ born?

Ans. Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem.

Q7. Which port was under the cholas?

Ans. Puhar or Kaveripattinam port was under the Cholas.

Q8. What is Buddhacharita?

Ans. Buddhacharita is a biography of the Buddha.

Q9. Which Kushana ruler organized a Buddhist council?

Ans. The most famous Kushana ruler, Kanishka organized a Buddhist council.

Q10. Where can evidences of trade be found?

Ans. Evidence of trade can be found in the Sangam poems.

Q11. Which is the oldest form of Buddhism?

Ans. Theravada is believed to be the oldest form of Buddhism.

Q12. What was the most valued export commodity to the Roman Empire from India?

Ans. Pepper

Q13. Name the three chiefs mentioned in Sangam poems.

Ans. Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas

Q14. Which form of Buddhism was popular in South-Eastern countries?

Ans. Theravada Buddhism

Q15. Where the philosophy of the Bodhisattvas was most popular?

Ans. China

Q16. Where we find discussions between Krishna and Arjuna?

Ans. Bhagavad Gita

Q17. From which word the term Bhakti has been derived.

Ans. Bhakti comes from the Sanskrit term bhaj meaning ‘to divide or share.’

Q18. In which sacred book the idea of bhakti presented?

Ans. The idea of Bhakti is present in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred book of the Hindus, which is included in the Mahabharata.

Q19. What was South India famous for?

Ans. South India was famous for gold, spices, especially pepper, and precious stones.

Q20. Name the most important ruler of the Satavahanas.  

Ans. The most important ruler of the Satavahanas was Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni.

Q21. Name the three powerful ruling families of South India.

Ans. The three powerful ruling families of South India were the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas.

Q22. What were items given by chiefs to the poets as rewards?

Ans. Chiefs rewarded them with precious stones, gold, horses, elephants, chariots, and fine cloth.