Question
Describe functions performed in early cities like Mathura.
✓
Answer
Generally, some cities were considered important for a variety of reasons (or variety of functions performed in them). Let us look at the example of Mathura.
Mathura:
Mathura:
- It has been an important settlement for more than 2500 years.
- Farmers and herders from adjoining areas provided food for people in the city, which was located at the cross roads of two major routes of communication, from the northwest to north and east and from north to south.
- There were fortifications around the city and several shrines.
- Mathura was also a centre where some extremely fine sculpture was produced.
- Around 2000 years ago Mathura became the second capital of the Kushanas (remember their first capital was Purshpur or modern Peshawar in Pakistan).
- Mathura was also a religious centre - there were Buddhist monasteries. Jain shrines and it was an important centre for worship of Lord Krishna.
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Read the following account (terrace farming in Nagaland) and answer the questions that follow it:
Terrace Farming in Nagaland:
This is a village called Chizami which is in Phek district in Nagaland. The people of this village belong to the Chakhesang community. They do ‘terrace’ cultivation.
This means that the land on a hill slope is made into flat plots and carved out in steps. The sides of each plot are raised in order to retain water. This allows water to stand in the field, which is best for rice cultivation.
The people of Chizami have their own individual fields. But, they also work collectively in each other’s fields. They form groups of six or eight and take an entire mountainside to clean the weeds on it.
Each group eats together once their work for the day is over. This goes on for several days until the work is completed.
Terrace Farming in Nagaland:
This is a village called Chizami which is in Phek district in Nagaland. The people of this village belong to the Chakhesang community. They do ‘terrace’ cultivation.
This means that the land on a hill slope is made into flat plots and carved out in steps. The sides of each plot are raised in order to retain water. This allows water to stand in the field, which is best for rice cultivation.
The people of Chizami have their own individual fields. But, they also work collectively in each other’s fields. They form groups of six or eight and take an entire mountainside to clean the weeds on it.
Each group eats together once their work for the day is over. This goes on for several days until the work is completed.
- Which village is referred to in the picture above? Where is it located?
- Which community do the villagers of this village belong to?
- What type of farming do they practise?
- For what is this practice the best?
- Why do the people of Chizami work collectively?
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