Get notes, summary, questions and answers, MCQs, extras, and PDFs of Chapter 7 “Medieval India (A) The Cholas” which is part of ICSE Class 9 History (Total History). However, the notes should only be treated as references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
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Summary
The chapter on the Cholas provides a detailed account of the Chola dynasty, which was one of the most powerful kingdoms in South India during medieval times. The Cholas, originating in the southern part of the Indian peninsula, established their dominance by defeating other regional powers such as the Pallavas and the Pandyas. They developed a powerful navy, which allowed them to control trade routes in the Indian Ocean and expand their influence to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The Chola period is well-documented through inscriptions, especially those found on copper plates and temple walls. These inscriptions offer valuable insights into their administration, village life, and social structures. They record details about land grants, temple donations, and even judgments on crimes, reflecting the organized and efficient governance of the Cholas. The inscriptions also provide a chronological record of the Chola rulers and their achievements.
One of the most significant contributions of the Cholas is in the field of architecture, with the Brihadeshwara Temple at Thanjavur being a prime example. Built by Rajaraja I, this temple is a masterpiece of Dravidian architecture, featuring a towering vimana and elaborate sculptures. The temple also served as a social and educational center, indicating the integral role of temples in Chola society.
Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra Chola were two prominent rulers who expanded the empire through military conquests. Rajendra Chola’s campaigns extended the empire’s reach to the Ganges in the north and across the seas to Southeast Asia. The Chola administration was marked by a system of local self-government, where village assemblies played a crucial role in managing local affairs.
The Cholas were not just conquerors but also patrons of art, culture, and religion. They promoted Tamil and Sanskrit languages, built grand temples, and supported various art forms, including the famous bronze sculptures of Nataraja. The Chola dynasty left a lasting impact on the cultural and political landscape of South India, and their contributions continue to be celebrated in Indian history.
Video tutorial
Textbook (Total History) solutions
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Inscriptions of the Cholas are in which forms?
A. Stone inscriptions
B. Copper-plate grants
C. Inscriptions on temple pillars
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
2. What are the chief features of Chola temples?
A. Audience halls
B. Large vimanas and courtyards
C. Images of deities
D. All of the above
Answer: B. Large vimanas and courtyards
3. The main shrine in the Brihadeshwara Temple was called:
A. Gopuram
B. Garbhagriha
C. Lingam
D. Mandapa
Answer: B. Garbhagriha
4. What information do the inscriptions provide about the Cholas?
A. Chola administration
B. Public registrations
C. Taxation
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
5. Which of the following represents the timeline for the reign of famous Chola rulers?
A. Parantaka I – Vijayalaya – Rajaraja I
B. Rajaraja I – Parantaka I – Rajendra Chola
C. Vijayalaya – Parantaka I – Rajaraja I
D. Rajaraja II – Parantaka I – Vijayalaya
Answer: C. Vijayalaya – Parantaka I – Rajaraja I
6. Which of the following territories did NOT form a part of the Chola kingdom?
A. Malaysia
B. Mysore
C. Sri Lanka
D. Odisha
Answer: A. Malaysia
7. Rajendra Chola adopted the title Gangaikonda to commemorate which victory?
A. Odisha
B. Bengal
C. Sri Lanka
D. Mysore
Answer: B. Bengal
8. The Chola empire was divided into:
A. Mandalams, ur and sabha
B. Mandalams, Valanadu and nadu
C. Sabha, nagarams
D. Sabha, ur and nagarams
Answer: B. Mandalams, Valanadu and nadu
9. Under whose rule did the Cholas become the supreme power in Southern India?
A. Parantaka I
B. Parantaka II
C. Rajaraja I
D. Rajendra Chola
Answer: C. Rajaraja I
10. Which of the following pairs is incorrect?
A. urs – all classes
B. sabha – Brahmins
C. nagaram – merchants
D. urs – landless
Answer: D. urs – landless
11. What of the following did not contribute to the revenue?
A. Overseas trade
B. Copper-plate grants
C. trade-tax
D. taxes on produce
Answer: B. Copper-plate grants
Select the correct relationship
1. (A) The southern part of the Indian peninsula was home to three powerful kingdoms, namely, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Cholas.
(B) These kingdoms were located north of the Krishna river.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (a) (B) contradicts (A)
Explanation: The statement (A) correctly mentions that the southern part of the Indian peninsula was home to the Cheras, the Pandyas, and the Cholas. However, statement (B) incorrectly places these kingdoms north of the Krishna river, which contradicts the fact presented in (A). The Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas were indeed located south of the Krishna river, in the southernmost part of India.
2. (A) The Brihadeshwara temple is the first example of having a portrait of a ruler, i.e., Rajaraja Chola.
(B) It has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Explanation: Statement (A) refers to the Brihadeshwara temple being the first to have a royal portrait, specifically of Rajaraja Chola. Statement (B) mentions that the temple has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. While both statements are true, they are independent of each other, meaning that one does not cause or contradict the other.
3. (A) Chola ruler Rajaraja I took out a naval expedition and attacked both Sri Lanka and Maldives.
(B) Rajaraja I established Chola rule during the middle of the ninth century.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Explanation: Statement (A) correctly describes Rajaraja I’s naval expeditions against Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Statement (B), however, inaccurately dates Rajaraja I’s reign to the mid-ninth century when it actually began in the late 10th century. While both statements are related to Rajaraja I, they do not directly influence each other, making them independent.
4. (A) Under Rajendra Chola’s command, the Chola army defeated Mahipala, the king of Bengal.
(B) To commemorate his victory, Rajendra Chola adopted the title Gangaikonda and built his new capital, called Gangaikonda-Cholapuram.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (A) is the reason for (B)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (A) is the reason for (B)
Explanation: Statement (A) explains that Rajendra Chola defeated Mahipala, the king of Bengal. Statement (B) follows logically as it provides the reason behind Rajendra Chola adopting the title “Gangaikonda” and building a new capital, Gangaikonda-Cholapuram, to commemorate his victory over Bengal. Hence, (A) is the reason for (B).
5. (A) On the complaint of Indian merchants, Rajendra Chola sent out a huge army and defeated Shrivijaya, the ruler of present-day Indonesia.
(B) Shrivijaya was creating problems for Indian merchants who had been trading with various parts of South-East Asia and Southern China.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (B) is the reason for (A)
Explanation: Statement (B) describes the problems created by Shrivijaya for Indian merchants, which led to Rajendra Chola sending out a military expedition. Statement (A) describes this expedition and the defeat of Shrivijaya. Thus, the problems mentioned in (B) are the reason for the actions taken in (A).
6. (A) The Cholas established local self-government in villages.
(B) The ‘ur’ was the local assembly, with all the villagers as members.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (B) is the reason for (A)
Explanation: Statement (A) mentions the establishment of local self-government by the Cholas. Statement (B) explains the structure of ‘ur,’ a local assembly where villagers participated, which exemplifies how the Cholas implemented local self-government. Thus, (B) provides the reasoning behind (A).
7. (A) The temples were centres of education in the Chola kingdom.
(B) The students learnt their lessons in two languages, i.e., Hindi and Sanskrit.
(a) (B) contradicts (A)
(b) (B) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (B) is false
(d) (A) and (B) are independent of each other.
Answer: (a) (B) contradicts (A)
Explanation: Statement (A) correctly identifies that temples were centres of education in the Chola kingdom. However, statement (B) inaccurately claims that the students learned Hindi and Sanskrit. The correct languages were Tamil and Sanskrit. Therefore, (B) contradicts (A).
Short Answer Questions
1. State two significant features of inscriptions for providing information about the Cholas.
Answer: Inscriptions provided detailed information on Chola administration and recorded gifts and endowments to temples and Brahmanas.
2. Who established the rule of the Cholas? Name the capital of his empire.
Answer: Vijayalaya established the rule of the Cholas. The capital of his empire was Thanjavur.
3. Why did Rajaraja undertake a naval expedition against Ceylon and Maldives?
Answer: Rajaraja undertook a naval expedition against Ceylon and Maldives to show his strength along the coasts of South India and to control the sea, which was crucial for the Chola power.
4. Name any two great rulers of the Chola dynasty.
Answer: Rajaraja I and Rajendra Chola.
5. Give any two achievements of Rajendra Chola.
Answer: Rajendra Chola invaded and annexed the whole island of Sri Lanka. He also defeated Mahipala, the king of Bengal, and took the title of Gangaikonda.
6. Name the new capital built by Rajendra Chola. In which present-day state is it situated?
Answer: The new capital built by Rajendra Chola was Gangaikonda-Cholapuram. It is situated in the present-day state of Tamil Nadu.
7. Why did the Cholas build a strong naval fleet?
Answer: The Cholas built a strong naval fleet to control the sea and protect their overseas trade and conquests.
8. What made the Chola administration strong and effective?
Answer: The Chola administration was strong and effective because of its highly organized and efficient system, which included central and provincial government along with local self-government.
9. Name the two languages promoted by the Cholas.
Answer: The two languages promoted by the Cholas were Sanskrit and Tamil.
10. Name any two features of temples built by the Cholas.
Answer: Large vimanas (towers) and spacious courtyards.
11. Which is the best example of Chola temples? Give one reason.
Answer: The Brihadeshwara Temple is the best example of Chola temples. It is one of the finest specimens of Dravidian style of architecture.
12. What is known as the ‘gopuram’? Name another feature of temples built during the Chola period.
Answer: The ‘gopuram’ is the gateway of a temple. Another feature of temples built during the Chola period is the ‘garbhagriha’, the main shrine where the images of gods and goddesses were kept.
Structured Questions
1. With reference to the sources of information about the Cholas, briefly answer the following:
(a) List the forms of Chola inscriptions.
Answer: The forms of Chola inscriptions are Copper-plate grants, stone inscriptions, and inscriptions made on the walls and pillars of temples.
(b) What was the special feature of the inscriptions? Who conceptualised the idea? Name one temple built by him.
Answer: The special feature of the inscriptions was that they were prefixed with the main achievements of the ruler’s reign. Rajaraja I conceptualised this idea. He built the Brihadeshwara Temple.
(c) Mention the significance of Brihadeshwara Temple.
Answer: The Brihadeshwara Temple is significant for being the finest monument of South Indian history and the most beautiful specimen of Tamil architecture. It is also one of the few temples to have Ashta-dikpaalakas (Guardians of the eight directions) idols and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
2. With reference to the Chola period explain the following:
(a) Taxes imposed by the Cholas.
Answer: The Cholas imposed taxes on land, the produce of the land, and trade. A part of the revenue was kept for the king, and the rest was used for public works, paying the salaries of officials, the upkeep of the army, and building temples.
(b) Administration of the Kingdom.
Answer: The administration of the Chola Kingdom was highly organised and efficient. The king was the most important person and had all authority vested in him, assisted by a Council of Ministers. The Central Government took care of external defence, internal peace and order, general prosperity, and cultural progress of the empire. The empire was divided into mandalams or provinces, which were further divided into valanadu and nadu. Princes of the royal family were appointed as governors of provinces.
(c) The three types of village assemblies.
Answer: The three types of village assemblies in the Chola period were the ur, the sabha, and the nagaram. The ur was the common type of assembly where the land was held by all classes of people. The sabha was an exclusively Brahmin assembly where all the land belonged to Brahmins. The nagaram was an assembly of merchants and belonged to localities where traders and merchants were in a dominant position.
3. With reference to the Chola Administration, write short notes on:
(a) The King, the chief administrator.
Answer: The King was the pivot of the Chola administration and held all authority in his hands. He was the most important person in the administration and was assisted by a Council of Ministers. The King often went on tours to keep a check on the administration and to ensure that everything was running smoothly.
(b) Local Self-Government.
Answer: The Cholas were known for their belief in local self-government. In many villages, administration was carried out not by government officials but by the villagers themselves. Village assemblies, such as the ur, sabha, and nagaram, were responsible for managing local affairs, such as tax collection, dispute settlement, and allocation of water.
(c) Temples as the centre of social activity.
Answer: Temples in the Chola Kingdom were not only places of worship but also served as centres of social activity. They were places where people gathered, and some temples owned huge lands and participated in inland and overseas trade. Temples were also significant employers, providing livelihood to many people. Additionally, temples were centres for education, where priests acted as local teachers, and schools were housed in temple courtyards.
4. Study the picture and answer the following questions:
(a) Name the temple given in the picture. Who built this temple? Where is it located?
Answer: The temple given in the picture is the Brihadeshwara Temple. It was built by Rajaraja I and is located in Thanjavur.
(b) To which deity is the temple dedicated? Mention two special features of this temple.
Answer: The Brihadeshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Two special features of this temple are its massive vimana or tower, which rises to a height of 66 metres, and its inscriptions that provide meticulous details about the Chola administration, social life, and material culture.
(c) What were the following features of temples known as?
Answer: (i) Gateway: Gopuram
(ii) Shrine: Garbhagriha
(iii) Audience Hall: Mandapa
(iv) Towers: Vimana
Thinking Skills
1. What do you think would have been the reason for the Chola rulers to issue a large number of inscriptions, especially on copper-plates?
Answer: The reason for the Chola rulers to issue a large number of inscriptions, especially on copper-plates, was to record and formalize the transactions made by each Chola ruler, document gifts and endowments to temples and brahmanas, and preserve records of grants of villages, plots of land, or other privileges to individuals or institutions. These inscriptions served as an official record and provided legitimacy to their rule, administration, and religious contributions.
2. The temple in the Chola Kingdom was the centre of social activity, besides being a place of worship. How did the temples gain this position of eminence?
Answer: The temples in the Chola Kingdom gained this position of eminence by not only being a place of worship but also serving as a centre for education, social gatherings, and cultural activities. The temples were often the largest employers after the state, providing work and means of livelihood to a large number of people. They also took care of the welfare of their workers by providing food, clothing, housing facilities, proper education, and establishing hospitals. The priests of the temple acted as local teachers, and the temples housed schools where students learned in Sanskrit and Tamil. Additionally, temples participated in inland and overseas trade, and the lands donated to temples, known as devadana, helped them to maintain their prominent position in society.
3. Recently a movie, a magnum opus based on a fictional account of a Chola kingdom, was released. How authentic do you think it was with respect to the life of rulers and the ruled?
Answer: Ponniyin Selvan: I is a cinematic adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s historical novel, which blends real historical events with a significant amount of fiction. The film has been praised for its attention to detail, particularly in capturing the grandeur of the Chola dynasty and the political dynamics of the era. However, while the movie visually depicts the rise of Rajaraja Chola and the complex relationships within the royal family, it is important to understand that many of the characters and events are fictionalized for dramatic effect.
Historically, the Chola dynasty was one of the most powerful empires in South India, with a significant influence that extended across South Asia and beyond. The kingdom’s naval strength allowed them to annex territories like Sri Lanka and establish trade links with Southeast Asia. The film accurately portrays some aspects of this, such as the importance of the Chola navy and the political intrigue surrounding the succession to the throne.
However, as noted by historians, many of the characters in Ponniyin Selvan: I, such as Nandini and Azhwarkadiyan, are creations of Kalki’s imagination and do not have a basis in historical records. Even the portrayal of well-known figures like Aditha Karikalan and Vandiyathevan is heavily fictionalized, with much of their personal relationships and actions being products of the novel’s narrative rather than historical fact.
Moreover, while the film has been lauded for its production values, there are noted inaccuracies in the depiction of architecture, costumes, and language. For instance, certain design elements like Mughal-inspired jewellery and post-dated structures, as well as the use of Tamil, which does not accurately reflect the language of the period, have been pointed out as flaws by experts.
Extra/additional MCQs
1. Which river is located to the north of the Dravidian-inhabited region in the Indian peninsula?
A. Ganges
B. Godavari
C. Krishna
D. Kaveri
Answer: C. Krishna
40. In which languages were religious texts studied by students in Chola temples?
A. Tamil and Sanskrit
B. Telugu and Pali
C. Kannada and Malayalam
D. Prakrit and Tamil
Answer: A. Tamil and Sanskrit
Extra/additional questions and answers
1. Which region was home to the Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas?
Answer: The southern part of the Indian peninsula.
48. How did the Chola administration balance central authority with local governance?
Answer: The Chola administration was a well-organized system that effectively balanced strong central authority with a decentralized approach to local governance. At the center of the administration was the king, who was the ultimate authority, with all significant decisions resting in his hands. The king was supported by a Council of Ministers who provided advice, though the king often personally oversaw the administration by touring different parts of the empire. The central government managed key areas such as external defense, internal peace and order, and the promotion of prosperity and cultural progress.
Despite the strong central authority, the Cholas implemented a system of local self-government, particularly at the village level. Villages were administered not by government officials but by the villagers themselves through assemblies known as ur, sabha, and nagaram. These assemblies were responsible for managing local affairs, including tax collection, dispute resolution, and resource allocation. The ur was the common village assembly, the sabha was an exclusive Brahmin assembly, and the nagaram was an assembly of merchants. The village councils were chosen by votes among landowners and played a crucial role in uniting the community and ensuring that local issues were addressed.
This balance between central authority and local governance allowed the Cholas to maintain control over a vast empire while ensuring that local needs and issues were effectively managed. The integration of local self-governance with the central administrative structure helped in fostering a sense of community among the people and contributed to the stability and prosperity of the Chola empire.
The Chola administration’s success in balancing central and local governance is reflected in their ability to maintain a large and diverse empire for several centuries, marked by economic prosperity, cultural achievements, and social stability. This system allowed the Cholas to effectively manage their resources, maintain order, and promote development across the empire, making them one of the most successful and enduring dynasties in South Indian history.
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