Question : Give an account of the rise of the Chalukyas of Vatapi and their struggle withother rulers. Write a note on their patronage of arts.
(2004)
Answer : The decline of the Gupta Empire led to a period of confusion and political flux in the northern part of India. With the exception of the reign of Harshavardhan, the entire north India witnessed a continuous struggle, as there were a number of small states, each one of them fighting with the others to gain the upper hand. However, the situation in the Deccan and south India was different from that in the north. Unlike ....
Question : Did the regular conflict between the Rashtrakutas, Gurjara Pratihara and Palas create a political vacuum in northern India which facilitated the invasion of Mahmud of Ghazni?
(2001)
Answer : By the middle of the 10th century India witnessed the decay of three of the most powerful states which had dominated east, north and central India during the two preceeding centuries. These were the pala empire with its capital at Mongyr, the Gurjara Pratihara empire with its capital at Kanauj and the Rashtrakuta empire with its capital at Manyakhet.
The pala empire was founded by the elected ruler Gopal in 750. He was succeeded by his ....
Question : Assess the achievements of the Pallavas in administration and art.
(1997)
Answer : The Pallavas was the first well-known dynasty which came into power in the South after the fall of the Andharas. For about two hundred years from 550 to 750 A.D., the Pallavas were the dominant power in the South. Their rule extended over a vast region including the modern territories of the Madras, Arcot, Trichnopoly and Tanjore but the whole of the South was under their influence.
The Aryanization of South India was completed during the ....
Question : “Achieving dominance in south of the Vindhyas did not satisfy the ambitions of the Rashtrakutas, they also wanted to achieve dominance over the Gangetic Plains.” Elaborate and comment.
(1997)
Answer : The new power which rose into prominence after the fall of the Chalukyas of Badami in the south was that of the Rashtrakutas. Manyakhet was their capital from where they ruled for about two centuries (from 753-973 A.D.). Dantidurga, Krishna I, Govinda III, Amonghvarsha and Indra III were some of great rulers of this dynasty. They tried to exploit their position as a bridge to dominate banks, the northern and the southern. By the time ....
Question : How far is it true to say that the strength and vigour of Indian history during c. A.D. 500-750 lay in the south of the Vindhyas?
(1995)
Answer : With the passing of the power and influence of the Guptas and their immediate successors in northern India, the centre of interest shifts southwards against to the western Deccan and even further south to Tamil Nadu. Until the rise of Harsha in the early seventh century the political scene is confused, and there are few records to illuminate it. The large-scale displacement of peoples continued for some time. This was a period when petty kingdoms ....
Question : Historical significance of the advent of the Arabs in India.
(1995)
Answer : Arabs in India: The Arabs, no doubt, conquered Sind but this conquest did not prove permanent. Neither they could retain their hold on Sind for long nor could they take any practical step towards the permanent conquest of India. But still the Arabs conquest of Sind left some effects. By conquering Sind the Arab exposed the weakness of India to the world and thus India became a prey to the foreign invaders one after the ....
