History: 2015: CBSE: [All India]: Set – II

• During 1^st century CE, coins were used to facilitate trade in Indian subcontinent. For instance, Kushanas issued the first gold coins around 1^st century CE.
• Coins were also issued by tribal republics like Yaudheyas, indicating their interest in economic exchanges.

• Kabir Bijak is preserved by Kabir Panth (path or sect of Kabir) in Varanasi and elsewhere in U.P.
• Kabir Granthavali, which is associated with Dadupanth in Rajasthan, has many compositions preserved in Adi Granth Sahib.

• The Lottery Committee initiated town planning in areas in and around Calcutta.
• Clearing the river bank of “encroachments” was a major feature of their planning.

• The principal deity worshipped in the Vitthala temple, a unique temple in the Vijayanagara Empire, was Lord Vitthala, a form of Lord Vishnu that was generally worshipped in Maharashtra.
• The worship of this deity in Karnataka shows how Vijayanagara monarchs drew on different traditions to create a regal culture.
• A unique feature of this temple was its shrine, which was designed like a chariot.
• Another characteristic feature of the temple complex is that the chariot streets extended from the temple gopuram in a straight line.
• These streets were paved with stone slabs and lined with pillared pavilions where merchants set up their shops.

. Another name of the revenue system that was introduced in the Bombay Deccan region, during the 1820s, was the Ryotwari System.

The features of the Ryotwari system of revenue collection were as follows:

• The revenue was directly settled with the ryots.
• The average income from different types of soil was estimated.
• The revenue-paying capacity of the ryot was assessed. A proportion of it was fixed as the share of the State.
• Lands were resurveyed after every thirty years and revenue rates were increased.
• Hence, revenue demands were no longer permanent.

Differing opinions of archeologists, over central authority of Harappan civilization, are as follows:

• Some archaeologists point to a huge building at Mohenjodaro, calling it a palace, although there are no corresponding impressive finds.
• Others point to a stone statue, labelled as the “priest-king”.
• Other archaeologists believe that Harappan society had no rulers, and that all had equal status.
• Others feel that each city, be it Mohenjodaro, Harappa, etc. had its own separate ruler.
• Others argue that there was a single state, given similarity of artifacts, evidence of planned settlements, standardized ratio of brick size, and establishment of settlements near sources of raw materials.

• Mir Bakhshi supervised corps of court writers who recorded all applications and documents presented to the court, and all imperial orders (Farman).
• Agents of nobles and regional rulers recorded entire court proceedings, with date and time of sessions.
• Akhbarat-i Darbar-i Mualla (News from the Exalted Court) contained all kinds of information, like court attendance, grant of offices and titles, diplomatic missions, or enquires made by emperor about an officer’s health.
• Agents of nobles posted outside the capital, Rajput princes and tributary rulers copied announcements and sent their contents by messenger to their masters. The empire was connected by a rapid information loop for public news.

• Various sources have been used by historians to reconstruct Mauryan history, including archaeological finds, especially sculptures.
• Also valuable are contemporary works, like the account of Megasthenes (Greek ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya’s court), which survives in fragments. Another source that is often used is the Arthashastra, parts of which were probably composed by Chanakya, traditionally believed to be Chandragupta’s minister.
• The Mauryas are also mentioned in later Buddhist, Jaina and Puranic literature, as well as in Sanskrit literary works.
• While these are useful, Asokan inscriptions, on rocks and pillars, are often considered the most valuable sources on Mauryas.

Under the Subsidiary Alliance, which was created by Lord Wellesley in 1798, princely states which entered into an alliance with the British would have to observe following conditions:

• The British would be responsible for protecting their ally from external and internal threats.
• An armed British contingent would be stationed in the ally’s territory.
• The ally would have to provide resources to maintain in this contingent.
• The ally could enter into agreements with other rulers or engage in warfare only with British permission.
• The ally had to keep a Resident, a representative of the Governor General who was not under direct British rule.

• “Love is stronger than hate” was proved by Dr. Khushdeva Singh’s service to humanity. Khushdeva Singh was a Sikh doctor specialising in the treatment of tuberculosis, posted at Dharampur in present-day Himachal Pradesh.
• He dedicated his life for the service of all communities – Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs.
• He provided the rare healing touch, food, shelter, love and security to numerous migrants.
• The values one needs to instill and nurture to avoid hatred are:
  • Integrity and feeling of oneness
  • Respect for all religions equally
  • Secularism and Democracy
  • Peaceful coexistence
  • Equality before Law
  • Humanist feeling
  • Social Justice
  • Selflessness
  • Tolerance
  • Kindness and compassion
  • Sharing and caring