V.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. What were the common features of the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas ?
2. Write a short note on the Satavahanas.
3. What kinds of evidence do historians use to find out about trade and trade routes ?
4. What were the main features of Bhakti ?
Answers
Answer:
1 The Chera Dynasty had ruled in two different time-periods. The first Chera Dynasty had ruled in Sangam Era while second Chera Dynasty had ruled from the 9th century AD onwards. We get to know about the first Chera Dynasty through Sangam Text. The area ruled by Cheras included Cochin, North Travancore and Southern Malabar. Their capital was Vanchi Muthur in Kizhanthur-Kandallur and Karur Vanchi.The capital of later Cheras was Kulashekarapuram and Mahodayapuram. The insignia of Cheras was bow and arrow. The coins released by them had a bow device engraved on them
2 The Sunga dynasty came to an end around 73 BCE when their ruler Devabhuti was killed by Vasudeva Kanva. The Kanva dynasty then ruled over Magadha for about 45 years. Around this time, another powerful dynasty, the Satavahanas came to power in the Deccan area.
The term “Satvahana” originated from the Prakrit which means ” driven by seven” which is an implication of the Sun God’s chariot that is driven by seven horses as per Hindu mythology.
The first king of the Satavahana dynasty was Simuka. Before the emergence of the Satavahana dynasty, a brief history of the other dynasties are mentioned below:
Kanva Dynasty:
According to the Puranas, there were 4 kings of the Kanva dynasty who were, Vasudeva, Bhumimitra, Narayana and Susarman.
The Kanvas were said to be Brahmins.
The Magadha Empire had declined by this time to a great extent.
The Northwest region was under the Greeks and parts of the Gangetic plains were under various rulers.
Susarman, who was the last Kanva king, was killed by a Satavahana (Andhra) king.
Read in detail about the Kanva Dynasty in the linked article.
Chedi Dynasty:
The Chedi/Cheti dynasty rose in Kalinga in the 1st century BCE.
The Hathigumpha inscription situated near Bhubaneswar talks about this.
This inscription was engraved by king Kharavela who was the third Cheti king.
King Kharavela followed Jainism.
Chedi dynasty was also known as Cheta or Mahameghavahana or Chetavamsa.
3 From the literature of the period like Sangam poems and Sangam literature.
From the objects like pottery, bowls and plates, found from several archaeological sites.
From the Roman gold coins that have been found in south India.
4 The main features of bhakti are: (i) A loving relationship between a devotee and his personal god. (ii) Bhakti emphasised devotion and individual worship of a god or goodess rather than performance of elaborate sacrifices. (iii) Discarding of any discrimination based on gender, caste or creed.