Medieval India (D) Composite Culture - Questions & Answers

EXERCISES

I. Multiple-Choice Questions

A. Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options.

1. The composite culture that developed in India at the beginning of 13th century in India is known by which name?
(a) Indo-Persian Culture
(b) Indo-Iranian Culture
(c) Indo-Islamic Culture
(d) Indo-Turkish Culture
Answer: (c) Indo-Islamic Culture

2. The Bhakti movement originated as a reaction against
(a) Turkish invasion
(b) Islamic culture
(c) Caste division and ritualism
(d) Sufi movement
Answer: (c) Caste division and ritualism

3. The Bhakti movement mainly stressed which of the following?
(a) Ritual sacrifices
(b) Devotion to God
(c) Religious rites
(d) Devotion to Holy books
Answer: (b) Devotion to God

4. Which of the following was not preached by the Sufi movement?
(a) Religious tolerance
(b) Brotherhood and Equality
(c) Oneness of God
(d) Importance of rituals
Answer: (d) Importance of rituals

5. Which of the following are the principles of the Bhakti cult?
(a) God is one
(b) Bhakti leads to salvation
(c) All are equal before God
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (d) All of the above.

6. Which of the following musical instruments were introduced in India by the Turks?
(a) Rabab and Sarangi
(b) Rabab and Tanpura
(c) Sarangi and Veena
(d) Sarangi and Tanpura
Answer: (a) Rabab and Sarangi

7. One major impact of the Sufi movement in India was the
(a) spread of Persian language only
(b) promotion of communal harmony
(c) growth of discrimination between people
(d) decline of music and art
Answer: (b) promotion of communal harmony

8. Ajmer Sharief is the holy shrine of which sufi saint?
(a) Ali Moinuddin Chishti
(b) Khwajah Khan Aulia
(c) Khwajah Moinuddin Chishti
(d) Ali Shah Suhrawardi
Answer: (c) Khwajah Moinuddin Chishti

9. Which language was originally known as 'Zaban-e-Hindvi'?
(a) Hindi
(b) Urdu
(c) Sanskrit
(d) Persian
Answer: (b) Urdu

10. Which of the following is not correct about the impact of Christian Missionaries in India?
(a) They brought out grammars and dictionaries
(b) They taught Western music dance and instrumental music in Church schools in India.
(c) They provided information about India through their letters
(d) They started Anglo-Sanskrit schools in India.
Answer: (d) They started Anglo-Sanskrit schools in India.

B. Read the two statements given below and select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (R).

1. (A) The Indo-Islamic culture influenced all aspects of life such as culture, art, architecture and literature.
(R) The interaction of the Turks with the Indians led to the development of a new composite culture, called Indo-Islamic culture.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (R) is the reason for (A)

2. (A) Kabir was born of a Brahmin widow and brought up by a Muslim weaver, Neeru and his wife Neema.
(R) He wanted to transform society by promoting peace and harmony among different communities.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other. (Note: Statement A contains historical facts not explicitly mentioned in the provided source text.)

3. (A) The dargah or shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti is located in New Delhi.
(R) The dargah is revered not only by Muslims but also by people of other faiths.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (R) is true but (A) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (c) (R) is true but (A) is false

4. (A) The Turks brought with them a number of new musical instruments like the rabab and sarangi.
(R) The fusion of Indian and Islamic cultures is best seen in the field of music.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (R) is the reason for (A)

5. (A) Bhakti movement originated in India as a reaction against caste divisions and ritualism.
(R) Bhakti saints preached personal devotion to God as a means to reach God.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

6. (A) The Bhakti movement brought in significant social changes in society.
(R) The Bhakti saints tried to evolve a new social order based on equality and devoid of caste distinctions.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (b) (R) is the reason for (A)

7. (A) The sufi saints, who settled in India, belonged to Chishti and Suhrawardi orders.
(R) The sufi saints believed in fundamental unity of all religions.
(a) (R) contradicts (A)
(b) (R) is the reason for (A)
(c) (A) is true but (R) is false
(d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.
Answer: (d) (A) and (R) are independent of each other.

II. Short Answer Questions

1. What is meant by the term composite culture?
The term composite culture refers to the Indo-Islamic culture that emerged from the interaction of the Turks with the Indians. It was a new cultural phase that was neither purely Persian nor entirely Indian, but a fusion of the best elements of the two.

2. Mention any two factors which promoted composite culture during the Mughal Age.
1. The immense wealth and unlimited power in the hands of the Mughal emperors enabled them to continue their patronage of fine arts and literature.
2. The relatively settled conditions and a long period of peace that prevailed all over northern India paved the way for undertaking extensive works of art.

3. What is Bijak? Name any two sections into which Bijak is divided.
Bijak is the famous compilation of the verses and teachings of Kabir. Two sections into which the Bijak is divided are Sakhi and Sabad. (Note: This specific information is not mentioned in the provided source text and is answered using general historical knowledge.)

4. Enumerate any two teachings of Kabir.
1. He believed that personal devotion to one God could lead to salvation regardless of caste, creed or sect.
2. He denounced caste distinctions and exposed the futility of empty rituals, helping to reform Indian society and evolve a new social order based on equality.

5. Which Sufi Saint's tomb is enshrined in the Ajmer Sharief Dargah? What was his main belief?
Khwajah Moinuddin Chishti's tomb is enshrined in the Ajmer Sharief Dargah. His main belief, according to the principles of Sufism, was the fundamental unity of all religions and that one can reach God through personal devotion rather than empty rituals.

6. Mention any two doctrines of the Bhakti cult.
1. Personal devotion to God as a means to reach God.
2. Universal brotherhood and the emphasis on the equality of all men, denouncing caste divisions.

7. What is meant by Sufism? Name one Sufi saint.
Sufism was a movement started by mystics from Persia and Central Asia who preached religious tolerance, brotherhood, and the oneness of God. The word 'Sufi' comes from the Arabic word 'Suf' meaning wool, or 'safa' meaning purity. One famous Sufi saint is Hazrat Nizamuddin.

8. Mention any two doctrines of Sufism.
1. Fundamental unity of all religions.
2. Equality and brotherhood of all human beings irrespective of caste, colour, creed, and religion.

9. Write a short note on the life of St. Francis Xavier.
St. Francis Xavier was born in Spain on April 7, 1506. He became the first Jesuit missionary to arrive in India, landing in Goa in 1542. He worked relentlessly for ten years, treating the sick in hospitals, preaching the essentials of Christianity, and establishing missions across principal centres of India. He died in 1552, and his mortal remains are still enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa.

III. Structured Questions

1. Summarise the impact of the Bhakti movement with regard to:
(a) Equality of all human beings.
The Bhakti saints strongly emphasized the equality of all men and universal brotherhood. They tried to evolve a new social order based on equality by strictly denouncing caste distinctions and the domination of priests.

(b) Fostering unity and harmony between different communities.
By exposing the futility of empty rituals and preaching tolerance, the Bhakti movement brought significant social changes. It created an atmosphere of mutual respect, bridging gaps and fostering peace, harmony, and unity among different religious communities.

(c) Promoting regional languages and devotional literature.
The Bhakti saints preached in the languages of the common people. This popularized languages such as Hindi, Bhojpuri, Maithili, and Oriya, and led to the creation of important literary works like Tulsidas's Ramcharit Manas and the Gurmukhi literature of the Sikh Gurus.

2. Sufism was a liberal reform movement within Islam. With reference to Sufism, write short notes on the following:
(a) Devotion to God
Sufism taught that individuals can reach God through personal devotion rather than through empty rituals. They believed that the individual soul is a manifestation of the supreme God and would eventually merge with it.

(b) Caste distinctions
Sufism strongly promoted the equality and brotherhood of all human beings. They firmly rejected any forms of discrimination or distinctions based on caste, colour, creed, and religion.

(c) Unity of all religions
Sufis held that all religions were simply different paths to reaching the same God. They believed in the fundamental unity of all religions, which played a great role in promoting feelings of tolerance among the rulers and the masses.

3. With reference to the influence of Christianity during the Mughal period, answer the following questions:
(a) Explain the role played by St. Francis Xavier in spreading Christianity in India.
St. Francis Xavier played a vital role by attending to the sick in hospitals and preaching Christianity. He would go through the streets ringing a bell to gather children and people to hear and explain the word of God. He also established missions in principal centres of India by bringing in other Jesuit missionaries.

(b) How did the missionaries bring Europeans closer to Indians?
Missionaries brought Europeans closer to Indians by learning Indian languages and creating grammars and dictionaries to better understand the local people. Furthermore, they acted as the best interpreters of India to the Western world by providing information through their popular letters sent from the mission field.

(c) Explain the role of Christian missionaries in promoting language, literature and art in India.
Missionaries promoted language and literature by bringing out grammars and dictionaries of Indian languages (e.g., St. Francis Xavier learning Malabar, and Thomas Stephens bringing out a Konkani epic and grammar). In art, they taught Western music and instrumental music in Church schools. They also introduced European architectural ideas (high-pitched roofs, large windows, balconies) and Christian themes in paintings, which even influenced Mughal emperors like Akbar and Jahangir.

IV. Thinking Skills

1. How did the teachings of Kabir and Guru Nanak Dev promote the feelings of peace and harmony among different communities and thereby, strengthened the composite culture of India?
Both Kabir and Guru Nanak Dev preached the unity of mankind and the oneness of a formless God. By condemning idolatry, empty rituals, and caste divisions, they taught that salvation could be achieved through personal devotion regardless of a person's religion, caste, or sect. These liberal sentiments helped shun religious narrowness, fostering mutual respect and tolerance between Hindus and Muslims, which directly strengthened the Indo-Islamic composite culture.

2. Suppose you have recently shifted to a big housing colony where people belonging to different regions professing different religions, cultures and views live. As the Secretary of the Students Wing of the RWA of your society, which measures you would initiate to strengthen the composite culture of India?
To strengthen the composite culture in the housing colony, I would initiate the following measures:
1. Organize joint celebrations of festivals of all religions to foster communal harmony and mutual understanding.
2. Arrange cultural exchange evenings featuring diverse regional music, art, and cuisines to help residents appreciate each other's heritage.
3. Promote inclusive community service projects where residents from all backgrounds work together to help the needy, reflecting the shared values of universal brotherhood taught by both Bhakti and Sufi saints. (Note: This is an application-based answer drawn from the themes of tolerance and unity discussed in the chapter.)