| Reference Book | Ratna Sagar Integrated Social Science |
| Class | Class 7 |
| Category | History |
| Chapter Number | Chapter 6 |
| Chapter Name | Monumental Architecture |
A) Tick (✓) the correct answers.
1) The chandellas built many temples
a) Khajuraho ✓
b) Sarnath
c) Vidarbha
d) Puri
2) The _____ temples at Mount Abu were built by the Solanki rulers.
a) Vishwanath
b) Dilwara ✓
c) Sun Temple
d) Jagannath
3) Qutb-ud-din Aibak built this mosque in Ajmer.
a) Quwwat-ul-Islam
b) Qutb Minar
c) Adhai Din ka Jhonpra ✓
d) Alai Minar
4) The rulers of Malwa built these two structures at Mandu.
a) Jamali Kamali and Moth ki Masjid
b) Atala Masjid and Dakhil Darwaza
c) Mecca Masjid and Char Minar
d) Asharfi Mahal and Jahaz Mahal ✓
5) This Mughal Emperor’s reign saw the fusion of Persian , Central Asian and regional styles of architecture
a) Humayun
b) Akbar ✓
c) Jahangir
d) Shah Jahan
6) Shah Jahan replaced the red sandstone by this material in architecture.
a) blue marble
b) black marble
c) red marble
d) white marble ✓
7) In _______ Shah Jahan laid the foundation of Shahjahanabad.
a) 1639 ✓
b) 1539
c) 1649
d) 1693
8) This mosque was built during Aurangzeb’s reign.
a) Badshah Masjid ✓
b) Adina Masjid
c) Badshahi Masjid
d) Jama Masjid
B) List the order in which the following monuments were constructed.Mark the earliest as 1.
1) Agra Fort – 5
2) Alai Darwaza – 3
3) kandariya Mahadev Temple – 2
4) Taj Mahal – 7
5) Tomb of Safdarjung – 9
6) Bara Imambara –10
7) Tomb of Rabia Daurani – 8
8) Shore Temple – 1
9) Tomb of Itimud-ud-Daulah – 6
10) Virupaksha Temple – 4
C) Correct the following sentences by changing the underlined word.
1) Forts , palaces and wells are religious structures.
1) Forts , palaces and wells are secular monuments.
2) Images of gods and goddesses were kept in the mandapa.
2) Images of gods and goddesses were kept in the garbhagriha.
3) The Atala Masjid was built by Rana Kumbha.
3) The Atala Masjid was built by Ibrahim Shah Sharqi
4) The Jahangiri Mahal is in Lucknow.
4) The Jahangiri Mahal is in Agra
5) Shah Jahan built the Red Fort in memory of his wife.
5) Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife.
D) Write True or False
1) The temples at Khajuraho were built in the dravidian style. – False
2) The Chola kings granted land to temples – True
3) The Sidi Sayyid Mosque is in Ahmedabad. – True
4) Fatehpur Sikri was built by Akbar. – True
5) There is no pietra-dura inlay work in the Taj Mahal. – False
E. Give short answers for the following questions.
Que 1 What kind of monuments were built during the medieval period? Give examples to support your answer.
Ans A number of monuments were built during the medieval period. Kings built both religious and secular structures. Religious monuments included temples and mosques while secular monuments included forts, palaces, tombs, tanks and wells.
Que 2 List the different parts of a South Indian temple. Explain any two of them.
Ans The different parts of a South Indian temple are :
1) Gopuram
2) Garbhagriha
3) Mandapa
4) Shikhara
The gateway of the temple was called gopuram.
The main shrine where images of gods and goddesses were kept was known as garbhagriha.
Que 3 Which monument is considered to be a masterpiece of Indo-lslamic architecture? Describe that monument.
Ans The Qutb Minar is a masterpiece of Indo Islamic architecture. It is 72.5 metres high and has 378 stairs. Largely built of red sandstone, it also uses white marble. Calligraphic inscriptions and decorative carvings are used to decorate the structure. It was named after the famous Chishti saint, Sheikh Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki. Qutb Minar is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Que 4 Why are Mughal monuments grander and more magnificent than those built in the earlier period?
Ans Architecture during the Mughal period was much more grand and magnificent than during the preceding centuries. This was because of two reasons :
1. There was stability in the empire which enabled the emperors to pay attention to architecture.
2. The Mughals had more funds at their disposal to spend on monuments.
Que 5 Write two distinguishing features of Mughal architecture.
Ans
1) Tombs began to be placed on stone platforms, enclosed in geometrical gardens with running water. This was the ‘chahar bagh’ pattern. Some tombs and mosques had minarets. Red sandstone and white marble were used for construction.
2) Most structures were decorated with geometrical designs. Quranic verses were also engraved on some. In a few buildings, jalis or trellis work was done.
Que 6 What is pietra-dura? Who introduced it? Name one monument in which pietra-dura has been used.
Ans Walls began to be decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. This method of decoration is known as pietra-dura. Shah Jahan introduced it.Taj Mahal is the monument in which pietra-dura was used.
Que 7 Who built the Bara imambara? Why was it built?
Ans The Bara Imambara, also called the Asafi Imambara, was built by Nawab Asaf-ud Daula in 1784. It was built to provide work for the famine-stricken people of the region.
F. Give long answers for the following questions.
Que 1 Why did kings in medieval India build monuments?
Ans
1) Kings built forts, palaces and tombs to impress others with their power, position and wealth.
2) Kings celebrated their victories in war by building monuments.
3) Kings wanted to demonstrate their devotion to God. They did so by building places of worship such as temples and mosques.
4) Kings wanted to build structures that would act as markers of grandeur of the era gone by; these structures would also enable the future generations to remember their builders.
5) Kings also engaged in construction work to earn the goodwill of the people. Digging wells and building tanks were praiseworthy activities.
Que 2 Describe the main features of a Chola temple.
Ans Chola temples were built in the dravidian style.The gateway of the temple was called gopuram. The main shrine where images of gods and goddesses were kept was known as garbhagriha. The mandapa was generally situated in front of the main shrine. It was an audience hall where people gathered for prayers. On top of the main shrine was a tall structure or tower called shikhara.
Que 3 What do you understand by Indo-Islamic style of architecture? What were its main features?
Ans The Turks and the Afghans introduced new styles and techniques of architecture. When fused with the existing Indian styles, they gave birth to the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. Palaces, mosques, forts and towers were constructed in this new style.
The two main features used in the buildings of this period were the arch (later refined and called the true arch) and the dome. There was no longer the need to construct pillars to support the roof. Starting with half – domes, there was a shift towards full domes. Some buildings also had minaret.
Que 4 How did the regional kingdoms contribute to architecture?
Ans The Indo-Islamic style of architecture influenced the regional kingdoms also. Ahmad Shah of Gujarat founded Ahmedabad and decorated
it with grand structures. The most famous among them is the Jami Masjid and the Sidi Sayyid Mosque, the latter being famous for its beautifully carved jali screens. The rulers of Malwa built numerous structures at Mandu. Some of these are the Jama Masjid, the Hindola Mahal (Swinging Palace), the Asharfi Mahal, the Jahaz Mahal and the tomb of Hushang Shah. The Adina Masjid at Pandua and the Dakhil Darwaza at Gaur are the most impressive monuments of the Ilyas Shahi and the Husain Shahi rulers of Bengal. In Jaunpur Ibrahim Shah Sharqi built the Atala Masjid.
Que 5 How were the monuments constructed by Shah Jahan different from those of Akbar and Jahangir?
Ans Under Shah Jahan, there was a change in style as well as in the materials used. The emphasis was now on uniformity and symmetry. Red sandstone, popular under Akbar and Jahangir, was replaced by white marble. Walls began to be decorated with precious and semi-precious stones. This method of decoration is known as pietra-dura. Domes and minarets also began to feature in most monuments. The interiors began to have multiple columns, curved roofs, and big and small arches. Floral motifs and calligraphic verses from the holy Quran were used in most monuments.
HOTS
Que 6 Kings wanted to earn the goodwill of the people and thus they constructed tanks and wells. In those days when people did not vote the kings to power, why was it necessary for them to earn the goodwill of the people?
Ans In those days there was not much corruption and Kings were really devoted towards their responsibility of keeping their citizens happy and maintaining prosperity in their kingdom.
They also tried to earn the people’s Goodwill in order to gain popularity among them and also get their full support in their reign. They had to construct tanks and wells to earn the goodwill of the people.
Que 7 ‘The monuments built by Shah Jahan were more opulent than those built by Aurangzeb.’ What does it tell you about the economic condition of the Mughal Empire?
Ans During the period of Shah Jahan rule the Mughal Empire was wealthy.There was wealth and less of internal conflicts.The Shah Jahan controlled a vast land without any enemies. But Aurangzeb had continuous problems with the Maratha Empire, particularly the Shivaji.But by the time of Aurangzeb the empire became huge there are rebellions attack from Sikhs and Marathas.So lot of money was gone to the army.the monuments were affected due to less money.
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