Long answer questions - 8 markers

Describe the familial relationship observed during Mahabharat era.

Describe the familial relationship observed during Mahabharat era.

i. Families are usually parts of larger networks of people defined as relatives/kinfolk

ii. People belonging to the same family share food, resources, work and live together and perform rituals together

iii. Familial ties were often regarded as “natural” and based on blood

iv. Rules about patriliny - The Mahabharata shows patriliny. It describes a feud over land and power between the Kauravas and the Pandavas

v. Most ruling dynasties followed patrilineal with little variations

vi. In very exceptional circumstances, women such as Prabhavati Gupta exercised power

vii. Rules of marriage- There were two systems of marriage -Endogamy and Exogamy.

viii. Marriages-Girls were married at the “right” time and to the “right” person.

ix. Kanyadana or the gift of a daughter in marriage was an important religious duty of the father.

x. There are three types of marriage- Monogamy, polygamy or Polyandry

xi. Marriage norms were compiled in Dharmasutras, Dharmashastras and Manusmriti.

xii. These texts recognized as many as eight forms of marriage.

xiii. The Gotra rules for women- Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer, and all those who belonged to the same gotra were regarded as his descendants.

xiv. Two rules about gotra were particularly important: a) women were expected to give up their father’s gotra and adopt that of their husband on marriage and b) members of the same gotra could not marry.

xv. Some of the Satavahana rulers were polygynous

xvi. Importance to mothers

xvii. Any other relevant point

Describe the Social implications of access to Resources during Mahabharat period

i. Gendered access to property-. According to the Dharmashastras the paternal estate was to be divided equally amongst sons after the death of the Father, with a special share for the eldest.

ii. Women could not claim a share of these resources.

iii. Women were allowed to retain stridhana

iv. This could be inherited by their children, without the husband having any claim on it.

v. Wealthy women such as the Vakataka queen Prabhavati Gupta had property including lands.

vi. Epigraphic and textual evidences suggest that upper-class women had access to resources, land, cattle and money.

vii. Varna and access to property-There were criterion for regulating access to wealth was varna.

viii. While a variety of occupations were listed for varnas

ix. Poems included in the Tamil Sangam anthologies often illuminate social and economic relationships, while there were differences between rich and poor, those who controlled resources were also expected to share them.

x. Any other relevant point

Analyze the importance and limitations of Ain-i-Akbari as a source of Akbar’s reign.

IMPORTANCE

i. The Ain gives detailed accounts of the organization of the Mughals

ii. It included the court, administration and army, the sources of revenue and the physical layout of the provinces of Akbar’s empire

iii. It included the literary, cultural and religious traditions of the people

iv. It mentioned descriptions of provinces (subas) of the empire

v. Ain gives us detailed quantitative information about Mughal provinces.

vi. Description of diverse customs and practices prevailing across extensive territories.

vii. The Ain is a mine of information about Akbar’s reign.

viii. Any other relevant point

LIMITATIONS

i. Numerous errors in totalling have been detected

ii. Ain is the somewhat skewed nature of the quantitative data

iii. While the fiscal data from the subas is remarkable for its richness, some equally vital parameters such as prices and wages from these same areas are not as well documented.

iv. The detailed list of prices and wages is mainly derived from data pertaining to areas in or around the imperial capital of Agra

v. Ain is therefore of limited relevance vi. Any other relevant point

Examine the ways in which panchayats regulated Mughal rural society.

i. The village panchayat was an assembly of elders with hereditary rights over their property.

ii. the panchayat was usually a heterogeneous body.

iii. An oligarchy, the panchayat represented various castes and communities

iv. The decisions made by panchayats were binding on the members.

v. The panchayat was headed by a headman known as muqaddam or mandal

vi. The headman was chosen through the consensus of the village elders, and that this choice had to be ratified by the zamindar

vii. Headmen held office as long as they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders, failing which they could be dismissed by them.

viii. The chief function of the headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts, assisted by the accountant or patwari of the panchayat.

ix. The panchayat derived its funds from contributions made by individuals to a common financial pool.

x. Panchayat ensured that caste boundaries among the various communities inhabiting the village were upheld.

xi. Panchayats also had the authority to levy fines and inflict more serious forms of punishment like expulsion from the community.

xii. Any other relevant point

Explain the importance of Non-Cooperation Movement.

i. Gandhiji coupled non-cooperation with Khilafat and adjoined Hindus and Muslims to end colonial rule.

ii. These movements unleashed a surge of popular action that was altogether unprecedented in colonial India

iii. Indians did not cooperate with government at any level.

iv. Boycott of schools, college and law courts.

v. National schools, colleges were opened

vi. Nonpayment of taxes

vii. Renunciation of titles and voluntary association with the government

viii. This movement changed the course of Indian history.

ix. poor peasants, workers, students, lawyers and industrialists joined movement.

x. Hindus, Muslims, Parsees and Sikhs were told to unite.

xi. Thousands of Volunteers joined for the cause.

xii. Many officials resigned from their posts

xiii. Meetings were attended by all sections of people.

xiv. Women participated in large number.

xv. It was training for self-rule.

xvi. Any other relevant point

Explain the significance of Civil Disobedience Movement

i. Gandhiji organized Civil Disobedience Movement against Salt Law.

ii. Salt law gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture and sale of salt.

iii. The state monopoly on salt was deeply unpopular as in every Indian household salt was indispensable and the people were forbidden for making salt even for domestic use.

iv. Gandhiji hoped to mobilize a wider discontent against British rule and started Dandi March.

v. At Dandi he broke the salt law.

vi. Parallel Salt Marches were organized in other parts of the country.

vii. Peasants breached the colonial forest laws which restricted their access to forests.

viii. Factory owners went on strike.

ix. Lawyers boycotted British courts.

x. Students refused to attend educational Institutions and schools run by government.

xi. Indians were arrested.

xii. Gandhiji made a plea to the upper caste to serve untouchables.

xiii. Hindus, Muslims, Parsees and Sikhs were told to unite.

xiv. Thousands of Volunteers joined for the cause.

xv. Many officials resigned from their posts.

xvi. Gandhiji’s meetings were attended by all sections of people.

xvii. Women participated in large number.

xviii. Dandi March brought Gandhi to world attention. The March was covered by European and American press.

xix. Salt march made British realized that they would have to devolve some powers to Indians.

xx. Any other relevant point