Q15 of 29 Page 1

A warning for europe

Berinier warned that if European kings followed the Mughal model:


Their kingdoms would be very from being well-ciltivated and peopled, so well built, so rich, so polite and flourishing as we see them. Our kings are otherwise rich and powerful; and we must avow that they are much better and more royally served. They would soon be kings of deserts and solitudes, of beggars and barbarians such as those whom I have been representing(Mughals). We should find the great cities and great Borroughs (boroughs) rendered uninhabitable because of ill air; and to fall to ruine (ruin) without any bodies (anybody) taking care of repairing them; the hillocks abondon’d and field overspread with bushes or fill’d with pestilential marishes (marshes), as hath been already intimidated.


(i) In what ways did Bernier condemn the Mughal rulers?


(ii) What contrast does the account of Bernier and Abu’l Fazl’s Ain-i-Akbari?


(iii) Pride has its fall if power and negligence of duty rule anyone. Explain the statement in relevance to the Bernier’s warning.

(i) Francois Bernier condemned Mughal rulers in his work Travels in the Mughal Empire. He criticized the crown ownership of land which has led to the ruination of the peasantry and the emergence of the small class of aristocracy. He also pointed to the fact that the Mughal society consisted of the undifferentiated masses of impoverished people

(ii) The chronicles commissioned by Abu’l Fazl nowhere mentioned that state was the sole owner of the land. Rather he described the land revenue as “remunerations of sovereignty”. It was a claim made by the ruler for the protection he provided to his subjects. Whereas Francois Bernier regarded the land revenue as rent which was expropriated by the ruler. He claimed that the emperor owned the entire land.


(iii) Bernier warned that if the European kings followed the Mughal model: they would be left deserted, far from being rich, well-cultivated and flourishing. They would become the kings of deserts and solitudes, of beggars and barbarians. The cities will become polluted and there would be no one to take care of their bodies. The land would be left abandoned and the prosperity will vanish away.


More from this chapter

All 29 →
13

Within the constituent assembly of India, the language issue was intensely debated. Examine the views put forwards by the members of the assembly on this issue.

OR


How did the constituent assembly of India protect the powers of the central government? Explain.

 14

Draupadi’s Marriage

Drupada, the king of Panchala organised a competition where the challenge was to string a bow and hit a target; the winner would be chosen to marry his daughter Draupadi. Arjun was victorious and was garlanded by Draupadi. The Pandavas returned with her to their mother Kunti, who even, before she saw them asked them to share whatever they had got. She realised her mistake when she saw Draupadi, but her command could not be violated. After much deliberation, Yudhisthira decided that Draupadi would be their common wife. When Drupada was told about this, he protested. However, the Seer Vyasa arrived and told him that Pandavas in relaity were incarnations of Indra, whose wife had been reborn as Draupadi and they were thus, destined for each other. Vyasa added in another instance that a young woman had prayed to Shiva for a husband, and in her enthusiasm, had prayed five times instead of one. This woman has reborn as Draupadi, and Shiva had fulfilled her prayers. Convinced by these stories, Drupada consented to marriage.


(i) How does the story reveal that the mother was considered as the highest guru?


(ii) Why didn’t Kunti save Draupadi from the dire situation?


(iii) Why did Drupada and Sage Vyasa decide Draupadi’s strange marriage with five men?

 16

“Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law”

On 5 April 1930, Mahatma Gandhi spoke at Dandi:


When I left Sabarmati with my companions for this seaside hamlet of Dandi, I was not certain in my mind that we would be allowed to reach this place. Even while I was at Sabarmati there was a rumour that I might be arrested. I had thought that the Government might perhaps let my party come as far as Dandi, but not me certainly. If someone says that this betrays imperfect faith on my part, I shall not deny the charge. That I have reached here is in no small measure due to the power of peace and non-violence: that power is universally felt. The Government may, if it wishes, congratulate itself on acting as it has done, for it could have arrested every one of us. In saying that it did not have the courage to arrest this army of peace, we praise it. It felt ashamed to arrest such an army. He is a civilised man who feels ashamed to do anything which his neighbours would disapprove. The Government deserves to be congratulated on not arresting us, even if it desisted only from fear of world opinion. Tomorrow we shall break the salt tax law. Whether the Government will tolerate that is a different question. It may not tolerate it, but it deserves congratulationthe patience and forbearance it has displayed in regard to this party. … What if I and all the eminent leaders in Gujarat and in the rest of the country are arrested? This movement is based on the faith that when a whole nation is roused and on the march no leader is necessary.


(i) Why did Gandhiji start the Dandi March?


(ii) Why was Salt March notable?


(iii) The power of peace and non-violence was universally felt. Why did Gandhiji say so?

 17

Map Question

(1)(a) The place where Gandhiji called off the Non- Cooperation Movement.


(b) Agra, the imperial capital of Mughal.


(2) On the same outline map of India three places related to mature harappan sites are marked as A, B, C. identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them.