Fill in the blanks.
The capital of the Cholas was _________.
Thanjavur
Although Karikala Chola was the founder of the dynasty, it was Vijayalaya Chola who established Thanjavur as the capital and flourished the kingdom.
Fill in the blanks.
The committee of the subjects in every village during the period of the Cholas was _______.
Ur
Cholas had an elaborate system of administration. The entire kingdom was divided and sub divided into administrative units. Ur was just one of such units at the village level.
Fill in the blanks.
The most famous Chola educational center or agrahara was ________.
Uttaramerur
The Cholas dynasty gave importance to education and there were numerous agraharas in the kingdom. The temples also developed as centers of education.
Fill in the blanks.
The temple in Begur near Bangalore built by the Cholas was ________.
Choleshwara
Cholas left behind a great legacy of temple architecture. Among others were temples like Aprameya temple, Mukteshwara temple etc.
Fill in the blanks.
The army of bodyguards during the time of the Hoysalas was _________.
Garuda
Garuda were the personal bodyguards of the king. Interestingly, these guard’s would also sacrifice their life when the king whom they served, died.
Fill in the blanks.
The poem written by Raghavanka ________.
Harishchandra Kavya
Kannada literature under Hoysalas, soar to new heights. There were many great authors and poets like Rudrabhatta, Janna, Harihara etc.
Who was the founder of the Chola kingdom?
Founder of Chola kingdom:
1. Sangam literature celebrates Karikala Chola as the founder of the Chola dynasty.
2. Vijayalaya Chola revived the kingdom and made Thanjavur as his capital.
3. However, Rajaraja I was the founder of the empire who laid the strong foundations of a great kingdom. He was brave, a great warrior and able administrator.
4. He excelled as a warrior and administrator, overpowered many neighbouring kingdoms and even defeated Sri Lanka with a naval force.
5. He built the famous Brihadeeshwara temple and established strong trade relations.
Write a note on the significant features of the Chola administration.
Features of Chola administration:
1. The kingdom was divided into mandalam, kotwangi, Nadu, kurram and tara-kurram.
2. One of the most efficient administrative measures was the self-governance of the villages. There were gram sabhas.
3. Tara-kurram was a village. There was a village community in every kurram called Mahasabha.
4. Mahasabha was called perumguri. There was another committee of subjects in every village called Ur.
5. Members of perumgiri were selected through election but only Sanskrit scholars or rich people could stand for elections.
Describe the encouragement given by the Hoysalas to literature.
Literature under Hoysalas:
1. Agraharas, mathas, and temples developed into centers of education where Kannada and Sanskrit were taught.
2. There were excellent educational institutions at Melukote, Salagame, Arasikere and other places. Here the study of the Vedas, Vedashastras, Kannada, and Sanskrit used to be carried on
3. Kannada literature grew immensely under Hoysalas.
4. There were great poets like Janna (Yoshodhara Charite), Harihara (Girija Kalyana) and Raghavanka (Harishchandra Kavya).
5. There were great authors too like Rudrabhatta who wrote Jagannatha Vijaya and Keshiraja who wrote Shabdamani Darpana.
6. There were great Sanskrit scholars like Ramanujacharya and Parasharabhatta who contributed works like Sreebhasya.
Discuss in class the visit you paid to a nearby temple.
Visit a South Indian temple.
The temple was devoted to Krishna and is situated in East Delhi. Its premises and design contrast the city and apartments that surround it. Everyone who enters the temple has to be barefoot. There is a central shrine in which is the main idol. Around the shrine runs a passageway where other deities are also worshipped. They have many poojas in a day and festivals round the year. In the evening, they lit small lamps around the shrine and there is always a serene smell of incense. They also distribute Prasad throughout the day. Some women also can be found chanting outside the shrine. It is a beautiful experience.
Learn more about the Belur shilabalikas from your teacher.
Shilabalikas are also known as Shalabhanjikas. They are the beautiful structures of young women sculpted on to the temple walls and surroundings. They are considered to be a symbol of purity and fertility. Shalabhanjikas can be found in many architectural buildings and have found its way into other traditions too like Buddhist stupas. Traditionally they were associated with a ritual but later on became decorative sculptures with a rich history.
Visit Belur and Halebidu and write a project-report on it.
Belur and Halebidu are situated in Karnataka and are famous tourist spots. They were important centers of the kingdom of the Hoysala dynasty. One of its most striking features is that it is star-shaped. They are especially known for the beautiful and detailed temple architecture. The most famous of these is the Chennakeshava temple which is an architectural wonder. Hoysaleshwara temple, found in Halebidu is also famous. Both Belur and Halebidu are splendid heritage sites with beautiful remains of the past.
Learn in detail about Hoysala art.
Hoysala art developed on many pre-existing traditions in the south like the temples of Chalukyas. However, with time, a unique style developed which spread across Karnataka. One of the most striking features is the elaborate and skilled architectural planning behind all the major temples. They are star-shaped and have multiple shrines. All the walls and pillars are intricately carved both inside and outside the temple. The temples were the result of years of work. To the trained eye, there are many nuanced details and unique architectural features that are unlike any other temple found in South India. The shape of structures, alignments of the various parts, inter-locking of the rocks, the raw material- all together makes the Hoysala architecture stand out.