Rulers And Buildings

CLASS 7 CHAPTER 5(HISTORY)

RULERS AND BUILDINGS

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: ---

1.       How is the ‘trabeate’ principle of architecture different from the ‘arcuate’?

Ans: - In the ‘trabeate’ style a horizontal beam was placed across two vertical columns whereas in the ‘arcuate’ style arches were made to support a big building.

2.       What is Shikhara?

Ans: Shikhara is a tower like structure at the top of a temple.

3.       What is ‘pietra-dura’?

Ans: - Pietra-dura is a technique where coloured, hard stones were placed in depressions carved into marble and sand stone thereby creating beautiful and ornate patterns.

4.       What are the elements of Mughal Chahar Bagh gardens?

Ans: Mughal Chahar Bagh gardens were consisting of four gardens. There gardens were placed within rectangular walled enclosures and divided into four quarters by artificial channels.

5.       How did the temple communicate the importance of a king?

Ans: - 1. Temples communicate the importance of a king as they were meant to demonstrate            power, wealth and devotion of the king.

                    2. It helps the kings to appear like a god.

3. The kings took god’s name to proclaim their close relationship with god.

4. The temples were the miniature model of the world ruled by the king and his allies.

5. They worship their deities together in the royal temple to show the rule of god on the earth.

    6. An inscription in Shah Jahan’s Diwan-i-Khas stated:  If there is paradise on the earth, it is here,

        It is here, it is here.” How was this image created?

Ans: 1. Shah Jahahn’s audience hall was specially constructed to resemble mosque.

2. The pedestal on which the throne was placed was frequently described as qibla which means the direction of Muslim pray as everybody faced that direction when court was in session.

3. The idea of the king as a representative of king on the earth was suggested by the architectural features.

Therefore by means of architecture style this image was created.

6.       How did the Mughal court suggest that everyone—the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak- receive justice equally from the emperor?

Ans: - 1. The Diwan-i-aam of the Mughal court suggested that justice was made equal for everyone.

2. The construction of Shah Jahan’s audience hall was designed to communicate that everybody high or low received justice equally from the emperor.

3. Its aim was to create a world where all could live in harmony.

4. The connection between the royal justice and the Imperial court was emphasized by Shah Jahan in his newly constructed court in the Red Fort at Delhi.

5. There were series of Pietra-dura inlays behind the emperor’s throne which depicted that legendary god Orpheus plying the lute.

This shows that there was no difference between the rich and poor, powerful or weak in the court of the king.

7.       What role did Yamuna play in the layout of the new Mughal city at Shahjahanbad?

Ans: - Role of Yamuna in the layout of the new Mughal city Shahjahanbad was as follows:

1.       The imperial commanded the front of river Yamuna in the new city of Shahjahanbad in Delhi.

2.       Only the king and the specially favoured nobles were given the access to the river.

3.       All others had to construct their houses in the city away from the river Yamuna.

4.       The access to Yamuna to the nobles was controlled by developing architectural form.