Social Science VSQ (2 Marks)

Sources are important to trace the ancient records. Different types of sources are coins, inscriptions, architecture and textual records. References to historical events and traditions are scattered in many ancient Indian texts. Historians use these sources to learn about the past depending upon the period of their study and the nature of their investigation.

In the middle of the nineteenth century British historians divided the history of India into three periods: “Hindu”, “Muslim” and “British”. This division was based on the idea that the religion of rulers was the only important historical change, and that there were no other significant developments – in the economy, society or culture.

Their knowledge of Sanskrit texts earned the Brahmanas a lot of respect in society. Their dominant position was consolidated by the support of their patrons – new rulers searching for prestige.

There were the Shia Muslims who believed that the Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, was the legitimate leader of the Muslim community, and the Sunni Muslims who accepted the authority of the early leaders (Khalifas) of the community, and the succeeding Khalifas.

Time, for historians, doesn’t mean just a passing of hours, days or years. Instead it reflects changes in social and economic organization, in the persistence and transformation of ideas and beliefs. In order to study historical developments historians divide the past into large segments. It makes the study convenient. The historians study different aspects of the specific period and then assess the comparative developments their impact on society and their contribution to future generation.

Manuscripts were collected by wealthy people, rulers, monastries and temples. They were placed in libraries and archives. These provide a lot of detailed information to historians.

According to a Sanskrit Prashasti Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban's empire was stretched from Bengal (Gauda) in the east to Ghazni (Gajjana) in Afghanistan in the west. It also included all of south India (Dravida).

The Shia Muslims went by the Prophet's son-in-law Ali, and Sunni Muslims accepted the authority of the early leaders or the "Khalifas".

Sindhi, Lahori, Kashmiri, Dvasamudri (in Southern Karnataka), Telangani, Gujari, Ma’ bari, Gauri, Awadhi and Hindawi. Further, Brahmins knew the Sanskrit language.

Historical records exists in a variety of languages. These languages changed over time. For example, Medieval Persian is different from modem Persian in grammar, vocabulary and even meaning of words.

Jatis framed their own rules and regulations to manage the conduct of their members. These regulations were enforced by an assembly of elders, described in some areas as the jati panchayat.

The term 'Hindustan' in the thirteenth century implied the areas of Punjab, Haryana and the lands between the Ganga and Yamuna. Minhaj-i Siraj used the term in a political sense for lands consisting of a part of the dominions of the Delhi Sultanate. The areas included in this term shifted with the extent of the Sultanate. However, it never included south India.

The British historians divided the history of India into three periods.

• Hindu.
• Muslim.
• British.

In this period, various languages were used, in every region. Sindhi, Lahori, Kashmiri, Dvarsamudri, Telangani, Gujari, Awadhi and Hindawi.

1. The Rajputs derived their name from ‘Rajputras’.
2. This term was used for the Kshatriya caste, warriors and included rulers, chieftains, commanders and soldiers of the different monarchs all over the subcontinent.

The various groups that became politically important between 700 and 1750 were Rajputs, Sikhs, Marathas, Jats, Ahoms, Kayasthas etc.

Brahmanas became important during this period due to the following reasons:

• They had knowledge of Sanskrit texts, which made them respectable in the society.
• They had support of their patrons, who were new rulers and searching for prestige.

There was no printing press in those days so the writers copied manuscripts by hands. As a result of coping there occurred small but significant differences in the manuscripts. Small changes were introduced- a word here, a sentence there. Reading these manuscripts over the centuries proved to be difficult and the historians had to face difficulties.

The period between 700 AD and 1775 witness new technology like the Persian wheel in irrigation, the spinning wheel in weaving and firearms in combat.

New foods ad beverage arrived in he subcontinent- potatoes, corn, chillies, tea and coffee.

All these innovation came along with people, who brought other ideas with them as well. this was a period of economic political, social and culture changes.

Such division was made on the basis of the religion as the historians did not consider any aspect more prominent other than the developments in religions.

The term Hindustan which we use as India a modern nation state was first used by Minhaj-i-Siraj , a chronicler who wrote in Persian. The areas that he used this term for were Punjab, Haryana, and the lands between Ganga and Yamuna. He used the term in political terms for the land that came under the Delhi Sultanate.

Vegetables such as corn, chilies, potatoes, and beverages such as tea and coffee and new technologies like Persian wheel for irrigation and spinning wheel in textile industry and firearms to be used in battle came to the subcontinent from other continents.

In the map drawn by al-Idrisi we find a completely different view. Here south India is shown at the present north India and Sri Lanka is the island at the top.

A number of changes took place in society during 700 and 1750. This period traced the technological appearance of Persian wheel in irrigation, the spinning wheel in weaving and firearms in combat. Potatoes, com, chillies, tea and coffee were some of the new foods and beverages. These developments came with the arrival of the people who migrated to this land. As a result this period saw various changes in the economic, political, social and cultural life.

As society became more differentiated, people were grouped into jatis or sub-castes. They were ranked on the basis of their backgrounds and occupations. The status of same jati could vary from area to area. Jatis framed their own rules and regulations to administer the behaviour of their members. An assembly of elders, described in some areas as the jati panchayat, enforced these regulations. Besides they had to follow rules of their village. Several villages were governed by a chieftain.

Their knowledge of Sanskrit texts eared the Bramanas a lot respect in society. Their dominant position was consolidated by the support of their patrons- new rulers searching for prestige.

Many foreign travellers visited India during the medieval period. Their writing or travelogues gives lot of information about the places they visit and the people they met. They give a detailed account about political trade, events and commerce of that place.

In the medieval period a “foreigner” was any stranger who appeared, say in a given village, someone who was not a part of that society or culture. A city-dweller, therefore, might have regarded a forest-dweller as a “foreigner”, but two peasants living in the same village were not foreigners to each other, even though they may have had different religious or caste backgrounds.

Value of paper in the thirteenth and fourteenth century:

1. In the middle of the thirteenth century a scholar wanted to copy a book. But he did not have enough paper. So he washed the writing off a manuscript he did not want, dried the paper and used it.
2. A century later, if you bought some food in the market you could be lucky and have the shopkeeper wrap it for you in some paper.

Pan regional Empire is a nation which influences other nations, actions completely or partially.
The term pan regional Empire mean the empires which were spanning diverse regions which was expanded to a larger areas or regions like dynasties of Cholas, Khaljis,Tughluqs and Mughals.

Ahina muslims are those believe that the Prophet Muhammad’a son-in-law, Ali was legitimate leader of the muslim community while Sunni muslims accepted the authority of the early leaders (khalifas) of the communit and that of succeeding Khalifas.

• Numismatics: The study of coins is called Numismatics.
• Epigraphy: Study of inscription is called epigraphy.
• Manuscript: The original script written by the author in his/ her own handwriting.
• Medieval Period: A period of Indian History from 700AD to 1750AD.

As there was no printing press during the period between 700 and 1750, Scribes used to copy down the manuscripts which were hand-written. Sometimes it was difficult to recognize the original script. So the Scribes used their own way of interpreting the facts. Consequently, there were differences were found in the copies written by different Scribes. As all the copies were handwritten, it was difficult to recognize which was the original one. It was the drawback of such copying.

During this period many changes were witnessed in religion.Peoples belief in the divine was sometimes personal and at other times collective. Other changes occurred in what we call 'Hinduism' today,as Brahmans earned a lot of respect in society. There was an emergence of the idea of Bhakti of a loving, personal deity that devotees could reach without the aid of priests or elaborate rituals.

Rajputs, Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, Ahoms and Kayasthas were the groups which came to be prominent in this age. They availed most of the opportunities of the society.

Pan-regional rule applies to the trend of extending the empire to the region beyond one’s own state. With the decline of the Mughal Empire in the eighteenth century many regional states emerged. Consequently a chance of sharing different traditions in the realms of governance, economy, elite cultures and languages was brightened. People knew a lot of new thing, manners, etc, without losing their own culture and identity.