Medieval India (A) The Cholas - Questions & Answers

EXERCISES

I. Multiple-Choice Questions

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

1. Inscriptions of the Cholas, are in which forms?
(a) Stone inscriptions
(b) Copper-plate grants
(c) Inscriptions on temple walls and 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) Images of deities
(c) Large vimanas and courtyards
(d) All of the above.
Answer: (c) Large vimanas and courtyards

3. Refer to the picture given on the right. It is the Vimana of the Brihadeshwara Temple. What is the temple's main shrine 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 Mandalams and further into Valanadu and nadu.
(a) Mandalams, ur and sabha
(b) Mandalams, Valanadu and nadu
(c) Sabha, nagarams
(d) Sabha, ur and nagarams

9. Under whose rule did the Cholas become the supreme power in Southern India?
(a) Parantaka I
(b) Parantaka II
(c) Rajaraja I
(d) Rajindra Chola
Answer: (c) Rajaraja I

10. Which of the following pairs is incorrect?
(a) Ur : all classes
(b) Sabha : Brahmins
(c) Nagaram : merchants
(d) Ur : landless
Answer: (d) Ur : landless

11. Which of the following did not contribute to the revenue?
(a) Overseas trade
(b) Taxes on land
(c) Trade-tax
(d) Taxes on produce
Answer: (a) Overseas trade

12. What is the place, where the main diety is installed in a temple called?
(a) Vimana
(b) Garbhagriha
(c) Mandapa
(d) Kalasha
Answer: (b) Garbhagriha

13. The Chola bronze sculptures were mainly made using which technique?
(a) Fresco technique
(b) Mapping technique
(c) Lost-wax technique
(d) Drafting technique
Answer: (c) Lost-wax technique

14. The famous Chola bronze image Nataraja, depicts Shiva as which of the following?
(a) Universal dancer
(b) Destroyer of the world
(c) Creator of the world
(d) Cosmic dancer
Answer: (d) Cosmic dancer

15. Which painting technique was used in Chola murals?
(a) Oil painting
(b) Tempera
(c) Fresco
(d) Water colour
Answer: (c) Fresco

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

1. (A) The southern part of the Indian peninsula was home to three powerful kingdoms, namely, the Cheras, the Pandyas and the Cholas.
(R) These kingdoms were located north of the Krishna river.
(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: (c) (A) is true but (R) is false

2. (A) The Brihadeshwara temple is the first example of having a portrait of a ruler, i.e., Rajaraja Chola.
(R) It has been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
(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.

3. (A) Chola ruler Rajaraja I took out a naval expedition and attacked both Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
(R) Rajaraja I established Chola rule during the middle of ninth century.
(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: (c) (A) is true but (R) is false

(b) Administration of the Kingdom.
Answer: The Chola administration was highly organised and efficient. The king was the pivot of administration, assisted by a Council of Ministers. The central government ensured external defence, internal peace, and general prosperity. The empire was divided into provinces known as mandalams, which were further subdivided into valanadu and nadu, often governed by princes of the royal family.

(c) The three types of village assemblies.
Answer: The three main types of village assemblies in Chola local self-government were the ur (a common assembly for villages where land was held by all classes), the sabha (an exclusively brahmin assembly in villages where all land belonged to brahmins), and the nagaram (an assembly of merchants and traders).

3. With reference to the Chola Administration, write short notes on:

(a) The king, the chief administrator.
Answer: The king was the most important person in the administration, wielding supreme authority. He was advised by a Council of Ministers and routinely went on tours to directly oversee governance. Central officers were compensated through revenue-bearing lands. The king actively involved royal princes in both civil administration and military campaigns.

(b) Local Self-Government.
Answer: The Cholas were exceptional administrators who championed local self-government. Village administration was carried out not by government officials, but by the villagers themselves through committees. They organised assemblies like the ur, sabha, and nagaram to efficiently manage local affairs such as tax collection, settlement of disputes, and the allocation of water.

(c) Temples as the centre of social activity.
Answer: Chola temples evolved beyond mere places of worship to become the nucleus of social and economic life. They participated extensively in inland and overseas trade and functioned as the biggest employers after the State. Temples provided for the welfare of their workers through food, clothing, housing, and hospitals. Furthermore, they served as key centres of education, teaching subjects like Sanskrit and Tamil.

4. With reference to the Chola Art, answer the following questions:

(a) Why did art and architecture prosper under the Chola rulers?
Answer: Art and architecture thrived due to a combination of political stability, economic prosperity, and a robust administrative system. Royal patronage played a monumental role, with rulers like Rajaraja I and Rajendra Chola I commissioning magnificent stone temples and bronze images to express deep spiritual devotion and project imperial majesty.

(b) Describe any three features of Chola temple architecture.
Answer: 1. Vimana: A massive, tall pyramidal tower that rises directly above the sanctum, serving as the most striking feature of Chola temples. 2. Garbhagriha: The main inner shrine or sanctum at the heart of the temple where the principal deity is installed. 3. Mandapa: A spacious, pillared audience hall leading to the sanctum, designed for religious rituals, assemblies, and temple ceremonies.

(c) Write a short note on the main features of the Nataraja image of Shiva.
Answer: The world-famous Nataraja bronze sculpture showcases Shiva as the cosmic dancer. Shiva holds a damru (hourglass drum) in one hand symbolizing the rhythm of creation, and agni (fire) in another representing destruction. One hand is in the abhaya mudra to assure protection to devotees. A raised foot signifies moksha (liberation), while the other foot firmly crushes Apasmara, a dwarf symbolizing ignorance. The figure is magnificently enclosed within a prabhamandala, a circle of flames that represents cosmic energy.

5. Study the picture given below and answer the following questions:

(a) Name the temple given in the picture. Who built this temple? Where is it located?
Answer: The picture shows the Brihadeshwara Temple (also known as Rajarajeshwara temple). It was built by the great Chola king, Rajaraja I, and is located at Thanjavur.

(b) To which deity is the temple dedicated? Mention two special features of this temple.
Answer: The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Two distinct special features include its towering 66-metre high vimana crowned by a massive single block of stone weighing about 80 tons, and its historical inscriptions, which feature the first known instance of a royal portrait depicting King Rajaraja paying obeisance to Lord Nataraja.

(c) What were the following features of temples known as?
(i) Gateway (ii) Shrine (iii) Audience Hall (iv) Towers
Answer: (i) Gateway - Gopuram (ii) Shrine - Garbhagriha (iii) Audience Hall - Mandapa (iv) Towers - Vimanas

IV. Thinking Skills

1. What do you think would have been the reason for the Chola rulers to issue large number of inscriptions, especially on copper-plates?
Answer: The Chola rulers issued numerous inscriptions, particularly on durable copper-plates, to create permanent, undeniable records of administrative transactions. These included royal orders on taxation, land revenue, and especially formal records of villages, land plots, or privileges granted to temples and brahmanas. By prefixing their victories and achievements to these inscriptions, rulers also ensured that their imperial legacy and authority were immortalized for future generations.

2. The temples in the Chola Kingdom were the centre of social activity, besides being a place of worship. How did the temples gain this position of eminence?
Answer: Temples gained this eminence primarily through immense wealth and royal endowments of revenue-bearing lands (devadaya). This economic power allowed temples to participate heavily in trade and become massive institutions that provided livelihood, food, housing, and healthcare to a vast workforce. By taking on civic responsibilities and functioning as the primary centres of education, the temple inevitably evolved into the vibrant hub of daily social and cultural life.

3. Recently Ponniyin Selvan (1 and 2) — movies based on a fictional account of a Chola kingdom were released. They rekindled interest in the Chola dynasty. How authentic do you think it was with respect to the life of rulers and the ruled? If you get a chance to change the script, which changes would you like to introduce, based on the information given in history books?
Answer: While such cinematic adaptations successfully capture the breathtaking architecture, military ambition, and naval supremacy of the Cholas, they often prioritize dramatized political conspiracies and royal rivalries over factual history. The life of the common people is usually marginalized. Based on historical sources, I would introduce script changes to prominently feature the highly sophisticated local self-government system operated directly by villagers (the ur, sabha, and nagaram), highlight the powerful economic and educational role of the temple in ordinary citizens' lives, and show the true extent of Chola maritime merchants dominating Southeast Asian trade.