Ncert class-6-history

C O N T E N T S
Foreword iii
Why Study History? vii
1. WHAT, WHERE, HOW AND WHEN? 1
2. ON THE TRAIL OF THE EARLIEST PEOPLE 11
3. FROM GATHERING TO GROWING FOOD 22
4. IN THE EARLIEST CITIES 32
5. WHAT BOOKS AND BURIALS TELL US 43
6. KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC 54
7. NEW QUESTIONS AND IDEAS 65
8. ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR 75
9. VITAL VILLAGES, THRIVING TOWNS 87
10. TRADERS, KINGS AND PILGRIMS 99
11. NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS 111
12. BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS AND BOOKS 122

IN THIS BOOK
• You will find that each chapter is introduced by a
young girl or a boy.
• Each chapter is divided into sections. Read, discuss
and understand each section before proceeding to
the next.
• Some chapters contain definitions.
• Many chapters contain a portion from a source,
clues from which historians write history. Read
these carefully, and discuss the questions they
contain.
• Many of our sources are visual. Each illustration
has a story to tell.
• You will also find maps. Look at these and try to
locate the places mentioned in the lessons.
• Many chapters contain boxes with interesting,
additional information.
• All chapters end with a section titled Elsewhere.
This tells you about something that was happening
in another part of the world.
• At the end of each chapter, you will find a list of
keywords. These are to remind you of important
ideas/ themes introduced in the lesson.
• You will also find some dates listed at the end of
each chapter.
• In each chapter there are intext questions and
activities that are highlighted. Spend some time
discussing these as you go along.
• And there is a small section titled Imagine. This is
your chance to go back into the past and figure out
what life would have been like.
• You will also find three kinds of activities listed at
the end of each chapter — Let’s recall, Let’s discuss
Elsewhere
Definitions
Additional
information
KEYWORDS
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES
Imagine
Let’s recall
Let’s discuss
Let’s do
Source
LOOK OUT FOR THESE

1
Rasheeda’s question
Rasheeda sat reading the newspaper. Suddenly, her eyes
fell on a small headline: “One Hundred Years Ago.” How,
she wondered, could anyone know what had happened
so many years ago?
Finding out what happened
Yesterday: you could listen to the radio, watch
television, read a newspaper.
Last year: ask somebody who remembers.
But what about long, long ago? Let us see how it
can be done.
What can we know about the past?
There are several things we can find out — what
people ate, the kinds of clothes they wore, the
houses in which they lived. We can find out about
the lives of hunters, herders, farmers, rulers,
merchants, priests, crafts persons, artists,
musicians, and scientists. We can also find out
about the games children played, the stories they
heard, the plays they saw, the songs they sang.
Where did people live?
Find the river Narmada on Map 1 (page 2). People
have lived along the banks of this river for several
hundred thousand years. Some of the earliest
people who lived here were skilled gatherers, —
that is, people who gathered their food. They knew
about the vast wealth of plants in the surrounding
forests, and collected roots, fruits and other forest
produce for their food. They also hunted animals.
CHAPTER 1
WHAT, WHERE, HOW AND WHEN?
WHAT, WHERE, HOW
AND WHEN?

2
OUR PASTS–I
Now find the Sulaiman and Kirthar hills to the
northwest. Some of the areas where women and
men first began to grow crops such as wheat and
barley about 8000 years ago are located here.
People also began rearing animals like sheep, goat,
and cattle, and lived in villages. Locate the Garo
hills to the north-east and the Vindhyas in central
India. These were some of the other areas where
MAP : 1
Physical Map of the Subcontinent

3
agriculture developed. The places where rice was
first grown are to the north of the Vindhyas.
Trace the river Indus and its tributaries
(tributaries are smaller rivers that flow into a
larger river). About 4700 years ago, some of the
earliest cities flourished on the banks of these
rivers. Later, about 2500 years ago, cities
developed on the banks of the Ganga and its
tributaries, and along the seacoasts.
Locate the Ganga and its tributary called the
Son. In ancient times the area along these rivers
to the south of the Ganga was known as Magadha.
Its rulers were very powerful, and set up a large
kingdom. Kingdoms were set up in other parts of
the country as well.
Throughout, people travelled from one part of
the subcontinent to another. The hills and high
mountains including the Himalayas, deserts, rivers
and seas made journeys dangerous at times, but
never impossible. So, men and women moved in
search of livelihood, as also to escape from natural
disasters like floods or droughts. Sometimes men
marched in armies, conquering others’ lands.
Besides, merchants travelled with caravans or
ships, carrying valuable goods from place to place.
And religious teachers walked from village to
village, town to town, stopping to offer instruction
and advice on the way. Finally, some people
perhaps travelled driven by a spirit of adventure,
wanting to discover new and exciting places. All
these led to the sharing of ideas between people.
Why do people travel nowadays?
Look at Map 1 once more. Hills, mountains and
seas form the natural frontiers of the subcontinent.
While it was difficult to cross these frontiers, those
who wanted could and did scale the mountains
and cross the seas. People from across the frontiers
also came into the subcontinent and settled here.
Facing Page : This is a
map of South Asia
(including the present
countries of India,
Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Nepal, Bhutan and Sri
Lanka) and the
neighbouring countries of
Afghanistan, Iran, China
and Myanmar. South Asia
is often called a
subcontinent because
although it is smaller
than a continent, it is
very large, and is
separated from the rest
of Asia by seas, hills and
mountains.
WHAT, WHERE, HOW
AND WHEN?

These movements of people enriched our cultural
traditions. People have shared new ways of carving
stone, composing music, and even cooking food
over several hundreds of years.
Names of the land
Two of the words we often use for our country are
India and Bharat. The word India comes from the
Indus, called Sindhu in Sanskrit. Find Iran and
Greece in your atlas. The Iranians and the Greeks
who came through the northwest about 2500 years
ago and were familiar with the Indus, called it the
Hindos or the Indos, and the land to the east of
the river was called India. The name Bharata was
used for a group of people who lived in the north-
west, and who are mentioned in the Rigveda, the
earliest composition in Sanskrit (dated to about
3500 years ago). Later it was used for the country.
Finding out about the past
There are several ways of finding out about the
past. One is to search for and read books that
were written long ago. These are called
manuscripts, because they were written by hand
(this comes from the Latin word ‘manu’, meaning
hand). These were usually written on palm leaf,
or on the specially prepared bark of a tree known
as the birch, which grows in the Himalayas.
Over the years, many manuscripts were eaten
away by insects, some were destroyed, but many
A page from a palm leaf
manuscript.
This manuscript was
written about a thousand
years ago. The palm
leaves were cut into
pages and tied together
to make books. To see a
birch bark manuscript,
turn to page 45.

5
have survived, often preserved in temples and
monasteries. These books dealt with all kinds of
subjects: religious beliefs and practices, the lives
of kings, medicine and science. Besides, there
were epics, poems, plays. Many of these were
written in Sanskrit, others were in Prakrit
(languages used by ordinary people) and Tamil.
We can also study inscriptions. These are
writings on relatively hard surfaces such as stone
or metal. Sometimes, kings got their orders
inscribed so that people could see, read and obey
them. There are other kinds of inscriptions as
well, where men and women (including kings and
queens) recorded what they did. For example,
kings often kept records of victories in battle.
Can you think of
the advantages of
writing on a hard
surface? And what
could have been
the difficulties?
There were
many other
things that were
made and used in
the past. Those
who study these
objects are called
archaeologists.
They study the
remains of buildings made of stone and brick,
paintings and sculpture. They also explore and
excavate (dig under the surface of the earth) to
find tools, weapons, pots, pans, ornaments and
coins. Some of these objects may be made of stone,
others of bone, baked clay or metal. Objects that
are made of hard, imperishable substances usually
survive for a long time.
An old inscription.
This inscription dates to
about 2250 years ago,
and was found in
Kandahar, present-day
Afghanistan. It was
written on the orders
of a ruler named
Ashoka. You will read
about him in Chapter 8.
When we write
anything, we use a
script. Scripts consist of
letters or signs. When
we read what is
written, or speak, we
use a language. This
inscription was written
in two different scripts
and languages, Greek
(top) and Aramaic
(below), which were
used in this area.
WHAT, WHERE HOW
AND WHEN?

6
OUR PASTS–I
Left : A pot from an old
city.
Pots like these were
used about 4700 years
ago.
Right : An old silver coin.
Coins such as this one
were in use from about
2500 years ago.
In what ways is the coin
different from the ones
we use today?
Archaeologists also look for bones — of animals,
birds, and fish — to find out what people ate in the
past. Plant remains survive far more rarely — if
seeds of grain or pieces of wood have been burnt,
they survive in a charred form. Do you think cloth
is found frequently by archaeologists?
Historians, that is, scholars who study the past,
often use the word source to refer to the information
found from manuscripts, inscriptions and
archaeology. Once sources are found, learning
about the past becomes an adventure, as we
reconstruct it bit by bit. So historians and
archaeologists are like detectives, who use all these
sources like clues to find out about our pasts.
One past or many?
Did you notice the title of this book, Our Pasts?
We have used the word ‘pasts’ in plural to draw
attention to the fact that the past was different for
different groups of people. For example, the lives
of herders or farmers were different from those of
kings and queens, the lives of merchants were
different from those of crafts persons, and so on.
Also, as is true even today, people followed
different practices and customs in different parts

7
of the country. For example, today most people
living in the Andaman Islands get their own food
by fishing, hunting, and collecting forest produce.
By contrast, most people living in cities depend
on others for supplies of food. Differences such
as these existed in the past as well.
Besides, there is another kind of difference.
We know a great deal about kings and the battles
they fought because they kept records of their
victories. Generally, ordinary people such as
hunters, fishing folk, gatherers, farmers or
herders did not keep records of what they did.
While archaeology helps us to find out about their
lives, there is much that remains unknown.
What do dates mean?
If somebody asks you the date, you will probably
mention the day, month and year, 2000 and
something. These years are counted from the
date generally assigned to the birth of Jesus
Christ, the founder of Christianity. So, 2000
means 2000 years after the birth of Christ. All
dates before the birth of Christ are counted
backwards and usually have the letters BC (Before
Christ) added on. In this book, we will refer to
dates going back from the present, using 2000 as
our starting point.
WHAT, WHERE, HOW
AND WHEN?

8
OUR PASTS–I
Letters with dates
BC, we have seen stands for ‘Before Christ.’
You will sometimes find AD before dates. This
stands for two Latin words, ‘Anno Domini’, meaning
‘in the year of the Lord’ (i.e. Christ). So 2005 can
also be written as AD 2005.
Sometimes CE is used instead of AD and BCE
instead of BC. The letters CE stand for ‘Common
Era’ and BCE for ‘Before Common Era’. We use
these terms because the Christian Era is now used
in most countries of the world. In India we began
using this form of dating from about two hundred
years ago.
And sometimes, the letters BP meaning ‘Before
Present’ are used.
Find two dates mentioned on page 3. Which set
of letters would you use for them?
Elsewhere
We have seen that inscriptions are written on hard surfaces. Many of these
were written several hundreds of years ago. All inscriptions contain both
scripts and languages. Languages which were used, as well as scripts,
have changed over time. So how do scholars understand what was written?
This can be done through a process known as decipherment.
K L I O P A D (T) R A
P T O L M I I S
8
OUR PASTS–I

9
KEYWORDS
travelling
manuscript
inscription
archaeology
historian
source
decipherment
Imagine
You have to interview an archaeologist. Prepare a list
of five questions that you would like to ask her/him.
Let’s recall
1. Match the following:
Narmada Valley The first big kingdom
Magadha Hunting and gathering
Garo hills Cities about 2500
years ago
Indus and its tributaries Early agriculture
Ganga Valley The first cities
2. List one major difference between manuscripts and
inscriptions.
Let’s discuss
3. Return to Rasheeda’s question. Can you think of some
answers to it?
WHAT, WHERE, HOW
AND WHEN?
One of the most famous stories of decipherment comes from Egypt, a
country in north Africa where there were kings and queens about 5000
years ago.
Rosetta is a town on the north coast of Egypt, and here an inscribed
stone was found, which contained inscriptions in three different languages
and scripts (Greek, and two forms of Egyptian). Scholars who could read
Greek figured out that the names of kings and queens were enclosed in a
little frame, called a cartouche. They then placed the Greek and the Egyptian
signs side by side, and identified the sounds for which the Egyptian letters
stood. As you can see, a lion stood for L, and a bird for A. Once they knew
what the letters stood for, they could read other inscriptions as well.

10
OUR PASTS–I
4. Make a list of all the objects that archaeologists may
find. Which of these could be made of stone?
5. Why do you think ordinary men and women did not
generally keep records of what they did?
6. Describe at least two ways in which you think the
lives of kings would have been different from those
of farmers.
Let’s do
7. Find the word crafts persons on page 1. List at least
five different crafts that you know about today. Are
the crafts persons — (a) men (b) women (c) both men
and women?
8. What were the subjects on which books were written
in the past? Which of these would you like to read?
the beginning of
agriculture (8000
years ago)
the first cities on the
Indus (4700 years
ago)
cities in the Ganga
valley, a big kingdom
in Magadha (2500
years ago)
the present (about
2000 AD/CE)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

11
Tushar’s train journey
Tushar was going from Delhi to Chennai for his cousin’s
wedding. They were travelling by train and he had
managed to squeeze into the window seat, his nose glued
to the glass pane. As he watched trees and houses fly
past, his uncle tapped his shoulder and said: “Do you
know that trains were first used about 150 years ago,
and that people began using buses a few decades later?”
Tushar wondered, when people couldn’t travel quickly
from one place to another, did they spend their entire
lives wherever they were born? Not quite.
The earliest people: why were they on the
move?
We know about people who lived in the
subcontinent as early as two million years ago.
Today, we describe them as hunter-gatherers. The
name comes from the way in which they got their
food. Generally, they hunted wild animals, caught
fish and birds, gathered fruits, roots, nuts, seeds,
leaves, stalks and eggs. The immense variety of
plants in a tropical land like ours meant that
gathering plant produce was an extremely
important means of obtaining food.
None of these things was easy to do. There are
several animals that run faster than us, many
that are stronger. To hunt animals or catch fish
and birds, people need to be alert, quick, and
have lots of presence of mind. To collect plant
produce, you need to find out which plants or
parts of plants are edible, that is, can be eaten,
as many can be poisonous. You also need to find
out about the seasons when the fruits ripen.
ON THE TRAIL OF THE EARLIEST PEOPLE
CHAPTER 2
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
EARLIEST PEOPLE

12
OUR PASTS–I
List the skills and knowledge that the children
of these communities had.
Do you have these skills and knowledge?
There are at least four reasons why hunter-
gatherers moved from place to place.
First, if they had stayed at one place for a long
time, they would have eaten up all the available
plant and animal resources. Therefore, they would
have had to go elsewhere in search of food.
Second, animals move from place to place —
either in search of smaller prey, or, in the case of
deer and wild cattle, in search of grass and leaves.
That is why those who hunted them had to follow
their movements.
Third, plants and trees bear fruit in different
seasons. So, people may have moved from season
to season in search of different kinds of plants.
Fourth, people, plants and animals need water
to survive. Water is found in lakes, streams and
rivers. While many rivers and lakes are perennial
(with water throughout the year) others are
seasonal. People living on their banks would have
had to go in search of water during the dry seasons
(winter and summer). Besides, people may have
travelled to meet their friends and relatives.
Remember, they travelled on foot.
How do you come to school?
How long would it take you to walk from your
home to school?
How long would it take you if you took a bus or
rode a bicycle?
How do we know about these people?
Archaeologists have found some of the things
hunter-gatherers made and used. It is likely that
people made and used tools of stone, wood and
bone, of which stone tools have survived best.

13
Some uses of stone tools are given below. Make
a list of what these tools were used for and try
and decide which of these tasks could be
performed using a natural pebble. Give reasons
for your answer.
Some of these stone tools were used to cut meat
and bone, scrape bark (from trees) and hides
(animal skins), chop fruit and roots. Some may
have been attached to handles of bone or wood,
to make spears and arrows for hunting. Other
tools were used to chop wood, which was used as
firewood. Wood was also used to make huts and
tools.
Stone tools
A : These are examples
of the earliest stone
tools.
B : These were made
several thousand years
later.
C : These were made
later still.
D : These were made
about 10,000 years ago.
E : These are natural
pebbles.
Stone tools may also
have been used for :
Left : Digging the ground
to collect edible roots.
Right : Stitching clothes
made out of animal skin.
A
B
C
D
E
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
EARLIEST PEOPLE

14
OUR PASTS–I
Choosing a place to live in
Look at Map 2 below. All the places marked with
red triangles are sites from which archaeologists
have found evidence of hunter-gatherers. (Hunter-
gatherers lived in many more places. Only some
are shown on the map). Many sites were located
near sources of water, such as rivers and lakes.
MAP : 2
Some Important Archaeological Sites

As stone tools were important, people tried to
find places where good quality stone was easily
available. Places where stone was found and
where people made tools are known as factory
sites.
How do we know where these factories were?
Usually, we find blocks of stone, tools that were
made and perhaps discarded because they were
not perfect, and chips of waste stone left behind
at these sites. Sometimes, people lived here for
longer spells of time. These sites are called
habitation-cum-factory sites.
If you had to describe the place you live in,
which of the terms would you choose?
(a) habitation
(b) factory
(c) habitation-cum-factory
(d) any other
Bhimbetka (in present-
day Madhya Pradesh).
Some sites, known as
habitation sites, are
places where people
lived. These include
caves and rock shelters
such as the one shown
here. People chose these
natural caves because
they provided shelter
from the rain, heat and
wind. Natural caves and
rock shelters are found
in the Vindhyas and the
Deccan plateau. These
rock shelters are close
to the Narmada valley.
Can you think of why
people chose to live here?

16
OUR PASTS–I
Sites
are places where the remains of things (tools, pots,
buildings etc.) were found. These were made, used
and left behind by people. These may be found on
the surface of the earth, buried under the earth, or
sometimes even under water. You will learn more
about different sites in later chapters.
Making stone tools
Stone tools were probably made using two
different techniques:
1. The first is called stone on stone. Here, the
pebble from which the tool was to be made (also
called the core) was held in one hand. Another
stone, which was used as a hammer was held in
the other hand. The second stone was used to
strike off flakes from the first, till the required
shape was obtained.
2. Pressure flaking: Here the core was placed
on a firm surface. The hammer stone was used
on a piece of bone or stone that was placed on
the core, to remove flakes that could be shaped
into tools.
Finding out about fire
Find the Kurnool caves on Map 2 (page14). Traces
of ash have been found here. This suggests that
people were familiar with the use of fire. Fire could
have been used for many things: as a source of
light, to cook meat, and to scare away animals.
What do we use fire for today?
A changing environment
Around 12,000 years ago, there were major
changes in the climate of the world, with a shift
to relatively warm conditions. In many areas, this
led to the development of grasslands. This in turn
How stone tools were
made : one of the two
techniques is shown in
the illustration.
Try and identify it.

led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope,
goat, sheep and cattle, i.e. animals that survived
on grass.
Those who hunted these animals now followed
them, learning about their food habits and their
breeding seasons. It is likely that this helped
people to start thinking about herding and rearing
these animals themselves. Fishing also became
important.
This was also a time when several grain bearing
grasses, including wheat, barley and rice grew
naturally in different parts of the subcontinent.
Men, women and children probably collected
these grains as food, and learnt where they grew,
and when they ripened. This may have led them
to think about growing plants on their own.
Names and dates
Archaeologists have given lengthy names for the time that we are studying.
They call the earliest period the Palaeolithic. This comes from two Greek
words, ‘palaeo’, meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. The name points
to the importance of finds of stone tools. The Palaeolithic period extends
from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This long stretch of
time is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. This long
span of time covers 99% of human history.
The period when we find environmental changes, beginning about
12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called the Mesolithic (middle
stone). Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, and are
called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or
wood to make tools such as saws and sickles. At the same time, older
varieties of tools continued to be in use.
Look at the illustration on page13. Do you notice any difference in the
tools belonging to these periods?
The next stage, from about 10,000 years ago, is known as the Neolithic.
You will be learning about the Neolithic in Chapter 3.
What do you think the term Neolithic means?
We have also mentioned the name of some places. You will find the
names of many more places in later chapters. Very often, we use present-
day names of the places where people lived in the past, because we do not
know what they called them.

18
OUR PASTS–I
Rock paintings and what they tell us
Many of the caves in which these early people
lived have paintings on the walls. Some of the
best examples are from Madhya Pradesh and
southern Uttar Pradesh. These paintings
show wild animals, drawn with great accuracy
and skill.
Who did what?
We have seen that the earliest people hunted,
gathered plant produce, made stone tools, and
painted on cave walls. Is there any way of finding out
whether women hunted, or men made stone tools,
whether women painted or men gathered fruits and
nuts? At present, we do not really know. However,
there are at least two possibilities. It is likely that
both men and women may have done many of these
things together. It is also possible that some tasks
were done only by women and others only by men.
And again, there could have been different practices
in different parts of the subcontinent.
Ostriches in India!
Ostriches were found in India during the
Palaeolithic period. Large quantities of ostrich egg
shells were found at Patne in Maharashtra. Designs
were engraved on some pieces, while beads were
also made out of them.
What do you think the beads could have been
used for?
Where do we find ostriches today?
A closer look – Hunsgi
Find Hunsgi on Map 2 (page14). A number of early
Palaeolithic sites were found here. At some sites,
a large number of tools, used for all sorts of
activities, were found. These were probably
A painting from a rock
shelter.
Describe the painting.

19
habitation-cum factory sites. In some of the other,
smaller sites, there is evidence to suggest that
tools were made. Some of the sites were close to
springs. Most tools were made from limestone,
which was locally available.
Can you think of a term for the second type of
sites?
Elsewhere
Find France in your atlas. The painting below is
from a cave in France. This site was discovered by
four school children more than a hundred years
ago. Paintings like this were made between 20,000
and 10,000 years ago. Many of these were of
animals, such as wild horses, aurochs (an older,
wild form of cattle), bison, woolly rhinoceros,
reindeer and bear, painted in bright colours.
These colours were made from minerals like ochre
or iron ore, and charcoal. It is possible that these
paintings were done on ceremonial occasions. Or
perhaps they were made for special rituals, performed
by hunters before they went in search of prey?
Can you think of any other reasons?
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
EARLIEST PEOPLE

20
OUR PASTS–I
Imagine
You live in a rock shelter like the one shown on page15
about 12,000 years ago. Your uncle is painting one of
the inner walls of the cave and you want to help him.
Will you mix the colours, draw the lines, fill in the
colours? What are the stories he might tell you?
Let’s recall
1. Complete the sentences:
(a) Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock
shelters because ————————.
(b) Grasslands developed around ————————
years
ago.
(c) Early people painted on the ————————
of caves.
(d) In Hunsgi, tools were made of ————————.
2. Look at the present-day political map of the
subcontinent on page 136. Find out the states where
Bhimbetka, Hunsgi and Kurnool are located. Would
Tushar’s train have passed near any of these sites?
Let’s discuss
3. Why did the hunter-gatherers travel from place to
place? In what ways are these similar to/different from
the reasons for which we travel today?
4. What tools would you use today for cutting fruit? What
would they be made of?
5. List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire
(see page16). Would you use fire for any of these
purposes today?
KEYWORDS
hunter-gatherer
site
habitation
factory
Palaeolithic
Mesolithic
microliths

21
Let’s do
6. Make two columns in your notebook. In the left hand
column, list the foods hunter-gatherers ate (see page
11). In the right hand column, list some of the foods
you eat. Do you notice any similarities/differences?
7. If you had a natural pebble like the ones shown on
page 13, what would you use it for?
8. List two tasks that are performed by both men and
women at present. List another two that are performed
only by women, and two that are performed only by
men. Compare your list with that of any two of your
classmates. Do you notice any similarities/differences
in your lists?
ON THE TRAIL OF THE
EARLIEST PEOPLE
the Mesolithic period
(12,000-10,000 years
ago)
the beginning of the
Neolithic
(10,000 years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

22
OUR PASTS–I
Neinuo’s lunch
Neinuo was eating her favourite food — boiled rice,
squash, pumpkins, beans and meat. Her grandmother
had grown the squash, pumpkin and beans in the little
garden plot at the back of her house. She remembered
the food had been so different when she had been to
Madhya Pradesh as part of a school trip. It was hot and
spicy. Why was that so?
Varieties of foods
Today, most of our food such as fruit, vegetables,
grain, milk and meat comes from plants that are
grown and animals that are reared. Different plants
grow in different conditions — rice, for example,
requires more water than wheat and barley. This
explains why farmers grow some crops in some
areas and not in other areas. Different animals
too, prefer different environments — for instance,
sheep and goat can survive more easily than cattle
in dry, hilly environments. But, as you saw in
Chapter 2, women and men did not always produce
their own food.
The beginnings of farming and herding
We have seen in Chapter 2 that the climate of the
world was changing, and so were plants and
animals that people used as food. Men, women
and children probably observed several things: the
places where edible plants were found, how seeds
broke off stalks, fell on the ground, and new plants
sprouted from them. Perhaps they began looking
after plants — protecting them from birds and
animals so that they could grow and the seeds
could ripen. In this way people became farmers.
CHAPTER 3
FROM GATHERING TO GROWING FOOD

Women, men and children could also attract
and then tame animals by leaving food for them
near their shelters. The first animal to be tamed
was the wild ancestor of the dog. Later, people
encouraged animals that were relatively gentle to
come near the camps where they lived. These
animals such as sheep, goat, cattle and also the
pig lived in herds, and most of them ate grass.
Often, people protected these animals from attacks
by other wild animals. This is how they became
herders.
Can you think of any reasons why the dog was
perhaps the first animal to be tamed?
Domestication
is the name given to the process in which people grow plants and look
after animals. Very often, plants and animals that are tended by people
become different from wild plants and animals. This is because people
select plants and animals for domestication. For example, they select
those plants and animals that are not prone to disease. They also select
plants that yield large-size grain, and have strong stalks, capable of
bearing the weight of the ripe grain. Seeds from selected plants are
preserved and sown to ensure that
new plants (and seeds) will have
the same qualities.
Amongst animals, those that are
relatively gentle are selected for
breeding. As a result, gradually,
domesticated animals and plants
become different from wild animals
and plants. For example, the teeth
and horns of wild animals are
usually much larger than those of domesticated animals.
Look at these two sets of teeth. Which do you think belongs to a wild
pig and which to a domesticated animal?
Domestication was a gradual process that took place in many parts of
the world. It began about 12,000 years ago. Virtually all the plant and
animal produce that we use as food today is a result of domestication.
Some of the earliest plants to be domesticated were wheat and barley.
The earliest domesticated animals include sheep and goat.

24
OUR PASTS–I
A new way of life
If you plant a seed, you will notice that it takes
some time to grow. This may be for several days,
weeks, months and in some cases years. When
people began growing plants, it meant that they
had to stay in the same place for a long time
looking after the plants, watering, weeding, driving
away animals and birds — till the grain ripened.
And then, the grain had to be used carefully.
As grain had to be stored for both food and
seed, people had to think of ways of storing it. In
many areas, they began making large clay pots,
or wove baskets, or dug pits into the ground. Do
you think hunter-gatherers would have made and
used pots? Give reasons for your answer.
‘Storing’ animals
Animals multiply naturally. Besides, if they are
looked after carefully, they provide milk, which is
an important source of food, and meat, whenever
required. In other words, animals that are reared
can be used as a ‘store’ of food.
Apart from food, what are the other things that
could have been obtained from animals?
What are animals used for today?
Finding out about the first farmers and
herders
Turn to Map 2 (page14). You will notice a number
of blue squares. Each marks a site from where
archaeologists have found evidence of early
farmers and herders. These are found all over the
subcontinent. Some of the most important ones
are in the north-west, in present-day Kashmir,
and in east and south India.
To find out whether these sites were settlements
of farmers and herders, scientists study evidence
WAYS IN WHICH
GRAIN WAS USED
AS SEED
AS FOOD
AS GIFTS
STORED FOR FOOD

25
Grain and Bones Sites
Wheat, barley, sheep, goat, Mehrgarh (in present day-Pakistan)
cattle
Rice, fragmentary Koldihwa (in present-day Uttar Pradesh)
animal bones
Rice, cattle Mahagara (in present-day Uttar Pradesh)
(hoof marks on clay surface)
Wheat and lentil Gufkral (in present-day Kashmir)
Wheat and lentil, dog, cattle, Burzahom (in present-day Kashmir)
sheep, goat, buffalo,
Wheat, green gram, barley, Chirand (in present-day Bihar)
buffalo, ox
Millet, cattle, sheep, goat, pig Hallur (in present-day Andhra Pradesh)
Black gram, millet, cattle, Paiyampalli (in present-day Andhra
sheep, pig Pradesh)
These are just some of the sites from which grain and bones have
been found.
of plants and animal bones. One of the most
exciting finds includes remains of burnt grain.
(These may have been burnt accidentally or on
purpose). Scientists can identify these grains, and
so we know that a number of crops were grown in
different parts of the subcontinent. They can also
identify the bones of different animals.
Look at the table below to see where evidence
of grain and bones of domesticated animals have
been found.
FROM GATHERING TO
GROWING FOOD

26
OUR PASTS–I
Towards a settled life
Archaeologists have found traces of huts or houses
at some sites. For instance, in Burzahom (in
present-day Kashmir) people built pit-houses,
which were dug into the ground, with steps leading
into them. These may have provided shelter in cold
weather. Archaeologists have also found cooking
hearths both inside and outside the huts, which
suggests that, depending on the weather, people
could cook food either indoors or outdoors.
Draw a pit house.
Stone tools have been found from many sites
as well. Many of these are different from the earlier
Palaeolithic tools and that is why they are called
Neolithic. These include tools that were polished
to give a fine cutting edge, and mortars and pestles
used for grinding grain and other plant produce.
Mortars and pestles are used for grinding grain
even today, several thousand years later. At the
same time, tools of the Palaeolithic types
continued to be made and used, and remember,
some tools were also made of bone.
Many kinds of earthen pots have also been
found. These were sometimes decorated, and were
used for storing things. People began using pots
New stone tools.
Compare these with the
tools shown on page 13
(Chapter 2).
Can you see any
similarities or
differences?

27
for cooking food, especially grains like rice, wheat
and lentils that now became an important part of
the diet. Besides, they began weaving cloth, using
different kinds of materials, for example cotton,
that could now be grown.
Did things change everywhere and all at once?
Not quite. In many areas, men and women still
continued to hunt and gather food, and elsewhere
people adopted farming and herding slowly, over
several thousand years. Besides, in some cases
people tried to combine these activities, doing
different things during different seasons.
What about other customs and practices?
Archaeology does not tell us directly about these.
Scholars have studied the lives of present-day
farmers who practise simple agriculture. They
have also studied the lives of herders. Many of
these farmers and herders live in groups called
tribes. Scholars find that they follow certain
customs and practices that may have existed
earlier as well.
What do you think could
have been stored in this
jar?
Tribes
Usually two to three generations live together in small settlements or
villages. Most families are related to one another and groups of such
families form a tribe.
• Members of a tribe follow occupations such as hunting, gathering,
farming, herding and fishing. Usually, women do most of the
agricultural work, including preparing the ground, sowing seeds,
looking after the growing plants and harvesting grain. Children often
look after plants, driving away animals and birds that might eat them.
Women also thresh, husk, and grind grain. Men usually lead large
herds of animals in search of pasture. Children often look after small
flocks. The cleaning of animals and milking, is done by both men and
women. Both women and men make pots, baskets, tools and huts. They
also take part in singing, dancing and decorating their huts.
27
FROM GATHERING TO
GROWING FOOD

28
OUR PASTS–I
A closer look — (a) Living and dying in
Mehrgarh
Find Mehrgarh on Map 2 (page14). This site is
located in a fertile plain, near the Bolan Pass,
which is one of the most important routes into
Iran. Mehrgarh was probably one of the places
where women and men learnt to grow barley and
wheat, and rear sheep and goats for the first time
in this area. It is one of the earliest villages that
we know about.
Archaeologists who excavated the site found
evidence of many kinds of animal bones from the
earliest levels. These included bones of wild
animals such as the deer and pig. In later levels,
they found more bones of sheep and goat, and in
still later levels, cattle bones are most common,
suggesting that this was the animal that was
generally kept by the people.
• Some men are regarded as leaders. They may be old and experienced, or
young, brave warriors, or priests. Old women are respected for their
wisdom and experience.
• Tribes have rich and unique cultural traditions, including their own
language, music, stories and paintings. They also have their own gods
and goddesses.
• What makes tribes different from many other societies you will be
studying about is that land, forests, grasslands and water are regarded
as the wealth of the entire tribe, and everybody shares and uses these
together. There are no sharp differences between the rich and the poor.
Make a list of all the activities performed by men in tribal societies.
What do women do?
Are there any activities that are done by both men and women?
Village
One of the
distinctive
features of a
village is that
most people
who live there
are engaged
in food
production.

29
Earlier and later levels
When archaeologists are digging at an excavation site, how do they
know which level is earlier and which is later?
Look at the illustration.
Suppose people first start living on flat land (layer 4). Over the years,
the surface will gradually rise, because people discard waste material,
and generally stay and rebuild houses in the same place. After hundreds
of years, this leads to the formation of a mound. So, when this mound
is dug up, what is found from the upper layers of the mound is generally
from a later time than what is found from the lower layers of the mound,
which are older.
These upper and lower layers are often referred
to as levels.
Look at layers 2 and 3. Which do you
think is the earlier level?
A house in Mehrgarh.
This is what a house in
Mehrgarh may have
looked like.
In what ways is this house
similar to the one in which
you live?
Other finds at Mehrgarh include remains of
square or rectangular houses. Each house had
four or more compartments, some of which may
have been used for storage.
When people die, their relatives and friends
generally pay respect to them. People look after
them, perhaps in the belief that there is some
form of life after death. Burial is one such
arrangement. Several burial sites have been
found at Mehrgarh. In one instance, the dead
person was buried with goats, which were
probably meant to serve as food in the next world.
FROM GATHERING TO
GROWING FOOD
A burial from Mehrgarh.
Can you identify the
skeletons of the goats?

30
OUR PASTS–I
A closer look — (b) Daojali Hading
Find Daojali Hading on Map 2 (page14). This is a
site on the hills near the Brahmaputra Valley,
close to routes leading into China and Myanmar.
Here stone tools, including mortars and pestles,
have been found. These indicate that people were
probably growing grain and preparing food from
it. Other finds include jadeite, a stone that may
have been brought from China. Also common are
finds of tools made of fossil wood (ancient wood
that has hardened into stone), and pottery.
Elsewhere
Find Turkey in your atlas. One of the most famous
Neolithic sites, Catal Huyuk, was found in Turkey.
Several things were brought from great distances
—flint from Syria, cowries from the Red Sea, shells
from the Mediterranean Sea — and used in the
settlement. Remember, there were no carts — most
things would have been carried on the backs of pack
animals such as cattle or by people.
What do you think cowries and shells would have
been used for?
Imagine
You are in charge of a small plot of land and have to
decide what food crops to grow. What are the plants
you would choose? Where would you get the seeds
from? How would you plant them? How would you
look after your plants? And when would they be ready
for harvesting?
KEYWORDS
domestication
farmers
herders
Neolithic
pots
tribes
village
houses
burials

31
Let’s recall
1. Why do people who grow crops have to stay in the
same place for a long time?
2. Look at the table on page 25. If Neinuo wanted to eat
rice, which are the places she should have visited?
3. Why do archaeologists think that many people who
lived in Mehrgarh were hunters to start with and that
herding became more important later?
4. State whether true or false:
(a) Millets have been found at Hallur.
(b) People in Burzahom lived in rectangular houses.
(c) Chirand is a site in Kashmir.
(d) Jadeite, found in Daojali Hading, may have been
brought from China.
Let’s discuss
5. List three ways in which the lives of farmers and
herders would have been different from that of hunter-
gatherers.
6. Make a list of all the animals mentioned in the table
(page 25). For each one, describe what they may have
been used for.
Let’s do
7. List the cereals that you eat.
8. Do you grow the cereals you have listed in answer
no.7? If yes, draw a chart to show the stages in growing
them. If not, draw a chart to show how these cereals
reach you from the farmers who grow them. FROM GATHERING TO
GROWING FOOD
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES
Beginnings of
domestication
(about 12,000 years
ago)
Beginning of
settlement at
Mehrgarh (about
8000 years ago)

32
OUR PASTS–I
Saving an old building
Jaspal and Harpreet were playing cricket in the lane
outside their home when they noticed the people who
were admiring the dilapidated old building that the
children called the haunted house.
“Look at the architecture!” said one of the men.
“Have you seen the fine wood carving?” asked one of the
women.
“We must write to the Minister so that she makes
arrangements to repair and preserve this beautiful house.”
Why, they wondered, would anybody be interested in
the old, run down house?
The story of Harappa
Very often, old buildings have a story to tell. Nearly
a hundred and fifty years ago, when railway lines
were being laid down for the first time in the
Punjab, engineers stumbled upon the site of
Harappa in present-day Pakistan. To them, it
seemed like a mound that was a rich source of
ready made, high quality bricks. So they carried
off thousands of bricks from the walls of the old
buildings of the city to build railway lines. Many
buildings were completely destroyed.
Then, about eighty years ago, archaeologists
found the site, and realised that this was one of
the oldest cities in the subcontinent. As this was
the first city to be discovered, all other sites from
where similar buildings (and other things) were
found were described as Harappan. These cities
developed about 4700 years ago.
Very often, old buildings are pulled down to
make way for new construction. Do you think it
is important to preserve old buildings?
CHAPTER 4
IN THE EARLIEST CITIES

What was special about these cities?
Many of these cities were divided into two or more
parts. Usually, the part to the west was smaller
but higher. Archaeologists describe this as the
citadel. Generally, the part to the east was larger
but lower. This is called the lower town. Very often
walls of baked brick were built around each part.
The bricks were so well made that they have lasted
for thousands of years. The bricks were laid in an
interlocking pattern and that made the walls
strong.
In some cities, special
buildings were constructed on
the citadel. For example, in
Mohenjodaro, a very special
tank, which archaeologists call
the Great Bath, was built in this
area. This was lined with bricks,
coated with plaster, and made
water-tight with a layer of
natural tar. There were steps
leading down to it from two
sides, while there were rooms
on all sides. Water was probably
brought in from a well, and
drained out after use. Perhaps
important people took a dip in
this tank on special occasions.
Other cities, such as
Kalibangan and Lothal had
fire altars, where sacrifices
may have been performed. And
some cities like Mohenjodaro,
Harappa, and Lothal had
elaborate store houses.
These cities were found in
the Punjab and Sind in
Pakistan, and in Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Haryana and
the Punjab in India.
Archaeologists have found
a set of unique objects in
almost all these cities: red
pottery painted with
designs in black, stone
weights, seals, special
beads, copper tools, and
long stone blades.
MAP : 3
The Earliest Cities
in the Subcontinent

Houses, drains and streets
Generally, houses were either one or two storeys
high, with rooms built around a courtyard. Most
houses had a separate bathing area, and some
had wells to supply water.
Many of these cities had covered drains. Notice
how carefully these were laid out,
in straight lines. Although you
cannot see it, each drain had a
gentle slope so that water could flow
through it. Very often, drains in
houses were connected to those on
the streets and smaller drains led
into bigger ones. As the drains were
covered, inspection holes were
provided at intervals to clean them.
All three — houses, drains and
streets — were probably planned
and built at the same time.
List at least two differences
between the houses described here
and those that you studied about
in Chapter 3.
The Great Bath
How bricks were
arranged to build walls in
Harappan cities

35
Life in the city
A Harappan city was a very busy place.
There were people who planned the
construction of special buildings in the city.
These were probably the rulers. It is likely
that the rulers sent people to distant lands
to get metal, precious stones, and other
things that they wanted. They may have
kept the most valuable objects, such as
ornaments of gold and silver, or beautiful
beads, for themselves. And there were
scribes, people who knew how to write, who
helped prepare the seals, and perhaps
wrote on other materials that have not
survived.
Besides, there were men and women,
crafts persons, making all kinds of things
— either in their own homes, or in special
workshops. People were travelling to
distant lands or returning with raw
materials and, perhaps, stories. Many
terracotta toys have been found and a long
time ago children must have played with these.
Make a list of the people who lived in the city.
Were any of these people listed as living in
villages such as Mehrgarh?
IN THE EARLIEST
CITIES
Top : A street in
Mohenjodaro with a
drain.
Above : A well.
Far Left : A Harappan
seal. The signs on the top
of the seal are part of a
script. This is the earliest
form of writing known in
the subcontinent.
Scholars have tried to
read these signs but we
still do not know exactly
what they mean.
Left : Terracotta toys.

36
OUR PASTS–I
New crafts in the city
Let us look at some of the objects that were made
and found in Harappan cities. Most of the things
that have been found by archaeologists are made
of stone, shell and metal, including copper, bronze,
gold and silver. Copper and bronze were used to
make tools, weapons, ornaments and vessels.
Gold and silver were used to make ornaments
and vessels.
Perhaps the most striking finds are those of
beads, weights, and blades.
The Harappans also made seals out of stone.
These are generally rectangular (See illustration
on page 35) and usually have an animal carved
on them.
The Harappans also made pots with beautiful
black designs, such as the one
shown on page 6.
Was metal used in the villages
you learnt about in Chapter 3?
Was stone used to make
weights?
Cotton was probably grown
at Mehrgarh from about 7000
years ago. Actual pieces of
cloth were found attached
to the lid of a silver vase and
some copper objects at
Mohenjodaro. Archaeologists
have also found spindle whorls,
Top : Stone weights.
Notice how carefully and
precisely these weights
are shaped. These were
made of chert, a kind of
stone. These were
probably used to weigh
precious stones or
metals.
Right : Beads.
Many of these were
made out of carnelian, a
beautiful red stone. The
stone was cut, shaped,
polished and finally a
hole was bored through
the centre so that a
string could be passed
through it.
Far right : Stone blades.
Bottom Right :
Embroidered cloth.
A stone statue of an
important man found
from Mohenjodaro
shows him wearing an
embroidered garment.

37
made of terracotta and faience. These were used
to spin thread.
Many of the things that were produced were
probably the work of specialists. A specialist is a
person who is trained to do only one kind of work,
for example, cutting stone, or polishing beads, or
carving seals. Look at the illustration (page 36)
and see how well the face is carved and how
carefully the beard is shown. This must have been
the work of an expert crafts person.
Not everybody could have been a specialist. We
do not know whether only men were specialists
or only women were specialists. Perhaps some
women and men may have been specialists.
In search of raw materials
Raw materials are substances that are either
found naturally (such as wood, or ores of metals)
or produced by farmers or herders. These are then
processed to produce finished goods. For example,
cotton, produced by farmers, is a raw material
that may be processed to make cloth. While some
of the raw materials that the Harappans used were
available locally, many items such as copper, tin,
gold, silver and precious stones had to be brought
from distant places.
The Harappans probably got copper from
present-day Rajasthan, and even from Oman in IN THE EARLIEST
CITIES
Faience
Unlike stone or shell, that are found naturally,
faience is a material that is artificially produced.
A gum was used to shape sand or powdered
quartz into an object. The objects were then glazed,
resulting in a shiny, glassy surface. The colours
of the glaze were usually blue or sea green.
Faience was used to make beads, bangles,
earrings, and tiny vessels.

38
OUR PASTS–I
How were goods carried
from one place to
another?
Look at the illustrations.
One shows a toy and the
other is a seal.
Can you suggest what the
modes of transport used by
the Harappans were?
Did you come across
illustrations of wheeled
vehicles in earlier lessons?
West Asia. Tin, which was mixed with
copper to produce bronze, may have been
brought from present-day Afghanistan
and Iran. Gold could have come all the
way from present-day Karnataka, and
precious stones from present-day
Gujarat, Iran and Afghanistan.
Food for people in the cities
While many people lived in the cities, others living
in the countryside grew crops and reared animals.
These farmers and herders supplied food to crafts
persons, scribes and rulers in the cities. We know
from remains of plants that the Harappans grew
wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed
and mustard.
A new tool, the plough, was used to dig the
earth for turning the soil and planting seeds. While
real ploughs, which were probably made of wood,
have not survived, toy models have been found.
As this region does not receive heavy rainfall, some
form of irrigation may have been used. This means
that water was stored and
supplied to the fields when the
plants were growing.
The Harappans reared cattle, sheep,
goat and buffalo. Water and pastures were
available around settlements. However, in the dry
summer months large herds of animals were
probably taken to greater distances in search of
grass and water. They also collected fruits like
A toy plough.
Today, in many farming
communities, only men
use the plough. We do
not know whether the
Harappans followed such
customs or not.

ber, caught fish and hunted wild animals like the
antelope.
A closer look — Harappan towns in Gujarat
The city of Dholavira was located on Khadir Beyt
in the Rann of Kutch, where there was fresh water
and fertile soil. Unlike some of the other Harappan
cities, which were divided into two parts, Dholavira
was divided into three parts, and each part was
surrounded with massive stone walls, with
entrances through gateways. There was also a large
open area in the settlement, where public
ceremonies could be held. Other finds include large
letters of the Harappan script that were carved out
of white stone and perhaps inlaid in wood. This is
a unique find as generally Harappan writing has
been found on small objects such as seals.
The city of Lothal stood beside a tributary of
the Sabarmati, in Gujarat, close to the Gulf of
Khambat. It was situated near areas where raw
materials such as semi-precious stones were
easily available. This was an important centre for
making objects out of stone, shell and metal.
There was also a store house in the city. Many
seals and sealings (the impression of seals on
clay) were found in this storehouse.
A dockyard at Lothal.
This huge tank may have
been a dockyard, where
boats and ships came in
from the sea and through
the river channel. Goods
were probably loaded
and unloaded here.

40
OUR PASTS–I
A building that was found here was probably a
workshop for making beads: pieces of stone, half
made beads, tools for bead making, and finished
beads have all been found here.
Seals and sealings
Seals may have been used to stamp bags or packets
containing goods that were sent from one place to
another. After a bag was closed or tied, a layer of
wet clay was applied on the knot, and the seal was
pressed on it. The impression of the seal is known
as a sealing.
If the sealing was intact, one could be sure that
the goods had arrived safely.
Seals are used even today. Find out what they
are used for.
The mystery of the end
Around 3900 years ago we find the beginning of
a major change. People stopped living in many of
the cities. Writing, seals and weights were no
longer used. Raw materials brought from long
distances became rare. In Mohenjodaro, we find
that garbage piled up on the streets, the drainage
system broke down, and new, less impressive
houses were built, even over the streets.
Why did all this happen? We are not sure. Some
scholars suggest that the rivers dried up. Others
suggest that there was deforestation. This could
have happened because fuel was required for
baking bricks, and for smelting copper ores.
Besides, grazing by large herds of cattle, sheep
and goat may have destroyed the green cover. In
some areas there were floods. But none of these
reasons can explain the end of all the cities.
Flooding, or a river drying up would have had an
effect in only some areas.
KEYWORDS
city
citadel
ruler
scribe
crafts person
metal
seal
specialist
raw material
plough
irrigation

41
It appears as if the rulers lost control. In any
case, the effects of the change are quite clear.
Sites in Sind and west Punjab (present-day
Pakistan) were abandoned, while many people
moved into newer, smaller settlements to the east
and the south.
New cities emerged about 1400 years later. You
will read about them in Chapters 6 and 9.
Elsewhere
Find Egypt in your atlas. Most of Egypt is a dry desert, except for the
lands along the river Nile.
Around 5000 years ago, kings ruled over Egypt. These kings sent armies
to distant lands to get
gold, silver, ivory,
timber, and precious
stones. They also
built huge tombs,
known as pyramids.
When they died,
the bodies of kings
were preserved and
buried in these
pyramids. These
carefully preserved
bodies are known as
‘mummies’. A large number of objects were also buried with them. These
included food and drink, clothes, ornaments, utensils, musical instruments,
weapons and animals. Sometimes even serving men and women were buried
with the rulers. These are amongst the most elaborate burials known in
world history.
Do you think kings would have needed these things after death?
Imagine
You are travelling with your parents, about 4000 years
ago, from Lothal to Mohenjodaro. Describe how you
would travel, what your parents might carry with them,
and what you would see in Mohenjodaro. IN THE EARLIEST
CITIES

42
OUR PASTS–I
Let’s recall
1. How do archaeologists know that cloth was used in
the Harappan civilisation?
2. Match the columns
Copper Gujarat
Gold Afghanistan
Tin Rajasthan
Precious stones Karnataka
3. Why were metals, writing, the wheel, and the plough
important for the Harappans?
Let’s discuss
4. Make a list of all the terracotta toys shown in the lesson.
Which do you think children would have enjoyed
playing with the most?
5. Make a list of what the Harappans ate, and put a tick
mark against the things you eat today.
6. Do you think that the life of farmers and herders who
supplied food to the Harappan cities was different from
that of the farmers and herders you read about in
Chapter 3? Give reasons for your answer.
Let’s do
7. Describe three important buildings in your city or
village. Are they located in a special part of the
settlement (e.g. the centre)? What are the activities
that take place in these buildings?
8. Are there any old buildings in your locality? Find out
how old they are and who looks after them.
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES
Cotton cultivation at
Mehrgarh (about
7000 years ago)
Beginning of cities
(about 4700 years
ago)
Beginning of the end
of these cities (about
3900 years ago)
The emergence of
other cities (about
2500 years ago)

43
Mary in the library
As the bell rang, the teacher asked the students to follow
him, because they were going to the library for the first
time. When Mary stepped inside, she found that the
library was much larger than their classroom. And there
were so many shelves, all full of books. In one corner
was a cupboard filled with large, old volumes. Seeing
her trying to open the cupboard, the teacher said, “That
cupboard has very special books on different religions.
Did you know that we have a set of the Vedas?”
What are the Vedas? Mary wondered. Let us find out.
One of the oldest books in the world
You may have heard about the Vedas. There are
four of them – the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda
and Atharvaveda. The oldest Veda is the Rigveda,
composed about 3500 years ago. The Rigveda
includes more than a thousand hymns, called
sukta or “well-said”. These hymns are in praise
of various gods and goddesses. Three gods are
especially important: Agni, the god of fire; Indra,
a warrior god; and Soma, a plant from which a
special drink was prepared.
These hymns were composed by sages (rishis).
Priests taught students to recite and memorise
each syllable, word, and sentence, bit by bit, with
great care. Most of the hymns were composed,
taught and learnt by men. A few were composed
by women. The Rigveda is in old or Vedic Sanskrit,
which is different from the Sanskrit you learn in
school these days.
CHAPTER 5
WHAT BOOKS AND BURIALS TELL US
WHAT BOOKS AND
BURIALS TELL US

44
OUR PASTS–I
Sanskrit and other languages
Sanskrit is part of a family of languages known as Indo-European.
Some Indian languages such as Assamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri
and Sindhi, and many European languages such as English, French,
German, Greek, Italian and Spanish belong to this family. They are
called a family because they originally had words in common.
Take the words ‘matr’ (Sanskrit), ‘ma’ (Hindi) and ‘mother’ (English).
Do you notice any similarities?
Other languages used in the subcontinent belong to different
families. For instance, those used in the north-east belong to the
Tibeto-Burman family; Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam belong
to the Dravidian family; and the languages spoken in Jharkhand and
parts of central India belong to the Austro-Asiatic family.
List the languages you have heard about and try and identify the
families to which they belong.
The books we use are written and printed. The
Rigveda was recited and heard rather than read.
It was written down several centuries after it was
first composed, and printed less than 200 years
ago.
How historians study the Rigveda
Historians, like archaeologists, find out about the
past, but, in addition to material remains, they
examine written sources as well. Let us see how
they study the Rigveda.
Some of the hymns in the Rigveda are in the
form of dialogues. This is part of one such hymn,
a dialogue between a sage named Vishvamitra,
and two rivers, (Beas and Sutlej) that were
worshipped as goddesses.
Find the rivers on Map 1 (page 2), then read on:

45
A page from a
manuscript of the
Rigveda.
This manuscript of the
Rigveda, on birch bark,
was found in Kashmir.
About 150 years ago, it
was used to prepare one
of the earliest printed
texts of the Rigveda, as
well as an English
translation. It is now
preserved in a library in
Pune, Maharashtra.
Vishvamitra and the Rivers
Vishvamitra: O rivers, come down from the mountains like two swift horses,
like two shining cows that lick their calves.
You move like chariots to the sea, through the power of Indra. You are
full of water and wish to unite with one another.
The rivers: We, who are full of water, move along the path the gods have
made for us. Once we start flowing, we cannot be stopped. Why do you
pray to us, o sage?
Vishvamitra: O sisters, please listen to me, the singer who has come
from a distance with his chariots and carts. Let your waters not rise above
our axles, so that we can cross safely.
The rivers: We will listen to your prayers so that you can cross safely.
Historians point out that this hymn was composed in the area where these
rivers flow. They also suggest that the sage lived in a society where horses
and cows were valued animals. That is why the rivers are compared to
horses and cows.
Do you think chariots were also important? Give reasons for your answer.
Read the verses and find out what are the modes of transport that are
mentioned.
Other rivers, especially the Indus and its other tributaries, and the
Sarasvati, are also named in the hymns. The Ganga and Yamuna are
named only once.
Look at Map 1 (page 2) and list 5 rivers that are not mentioned in the
Rigveda.
WHAT BOOKS AND
BURIALS TELL US

46
OUR PASTS–I
Cattle, horses and chariots
There are many prayers in the Rigveda for cattle,
children (especially sons), and horses. Horses
were yoked to chariots that were used in battles,
which were fought to capture cattle. Battles were
also fought for land, which was important for
pasture, and for growing hardy crops that ripened
quickly, such as barley. Some battles were fought
for water, and to capture people.
Some of the wealth that was obtained was kept
by the leaders, some was given to the priests and
the rest was distributed amongst the people. Some
wealth was used for the performance of yajnas or
sacrifices in which offerings were made into the
fire. These were meant for gods and goddesses.
Offerings could include ghee, grain, and in some
cases, animals.
Most men took part in these wars. There was
no regular army, but there were assemblies where
people met and discussed matters of war and
peace. They also chose leaders, who were often
brave and skilful warriors.
Words to describe people
There are several ways of describing people — in
terms of the work they do, the language they
speak, the place they belong to, their family, their
communities and cultural practices. Let us see
some of the words used to describe people found
in the Rigveda.
There are two groups who are described in
terms of their work — the priests, sometimes
called brahmins, who performed various rituals
and the rajas.
These rajas were not like the ones you will be
learning about later. They did not have capital
cities, palaces or armies, nor did they collect taxes.

47
Generally, sons did not automatically succeed
fathers as rajas.
Read the previous section once more and see
whether you can find out what the rajas did.
Two words were used to describe the people or
the community as a whole. One was the word
jana, which we still use in Hindi and other
languages. The other was vish. The word vaishya
comes from vish. You will learn more about this
in Chapter 6.
Several vish or jana are mentioned by name.
So we find reference to the Puru jana or vish, the
Bharata jana or vish, the Yadu jana or vish, and
so on.
Do any of these names sound familiar?
Sometimes, the people who composed the
hymns described themselves as Aryas and called
their opponents Dasas or Dasyus. These were
people who did not perform sacrifices, and
probably spoke different languages. Later, the
term dasa (and the feminine dasi) came to mean
slave. Slaves were women and men who were often
captured in war. They were treated as the property
of their owners, who could make them do
whatever work they wanted.
While the Rigveda was being composed in the
north-west of the subcontinent, there were other
developments elsewhere. Let us look at some of
these.
Silent sentinels—the story of the megaliths
Look at the illustration on the next page.
These stone boulders are known as megaliths
(literally big stones). These were carefully arranged
by people, and were used to mark burial sites. The
practice of erecting megaliths began about
3000 years ago, and was prevalent throughout
the Deccan, south India, in the north-east and
Kashmir. WHAT BOOKS AND
BURIALS TELL US

Some important megalithic
sites are shown on Map 2
(page14). While some
megaliths can be seen on the
surface, other megalithic
burials are often underground.
Sometimes, archaeologists
find a circle of stone boulders
or a single large stone
standing on the ground.
These are the only indications
that there are burials beneath.
There were several things
that people did to make megaliths. We have made
a list here. Try and arrange them in the correct
order: digging pits in the earth, transporting
stones, breaking boulders, placing stones in
position, finding suitable stone, shaping stones,
burying the dead.
All these burials have some common features.
Generally, the dead were buried with distinctive
pots, which are called Black and Red Ware. Also
found are tools and weapons of iron and
sometimes, skeletons of horses, horse equipment
and ornaments of stone and gold.
Was iron used in the Harappan cities?
Iron equipment found from megalithic burials.
Left top : Horse equipment.
Left below : Axes.
Below : A dagger.
Top : This type of
megalith is known as a
cist. Some cists, like the
one shown here, have
port-holes which could
be used as an entrance.

49
Finding out about social differences
Archaeologists think that objects found with a
skeleton probably belonged to the dead person.
Sometimes, more objects are found in one grave
than in another. Find Brahmagiri on Map 2
(page 14). Here, one skeleton was buried with 33
gold beads, 2 stone beads, 4 copper bangles, and
one conch shell. Other skeletons have only a few
pots. These finds suggest that there was some
difference in status amongst the people who were
buried. Some were rich, others poor, some chiefs,
others followers.
Were some burial spots meant for certain
families?
Sometimes, megaliths contain more than one
skeleton. These indicate that people, perhaps
belonging to the same family, were buried in the
same place though not at the same time. The bodies
of those who died later were brought into the grave
through the portholes. Stone circles or boulders
placed on the surface probably served as signposts
to find the burial site, so that people could return
to the same place whenever they wanted to.
A special burial at Inamgaon
Find Inamgaon on Map 2 (page14). It is a site on
the river Ghod, a tributary of the Bhima. It was
occupied between 3600 and 2700 years ago. Here,
adults were generally buried in the ground, laid
out straight, with the head towards the north.
Sometimes burials were within the houses.
Vessels that probably contained food and water
were placed with the dead.
One man was found buried in a large, four
legged clay jar in the courtyard of a five-roomed
house (one of the largest houses at the site), in WHAT BOOKS AND
BURIALS TELL US

50
OUR PASTS–I
the centre of the settlement. This house also
had a granary. The body was placed in a cross-
legged position.
Do you think this was the body of a chief?
Give reasons for your answer.
What skeletal studies tell us
It is easy to make out the skeleton of a child from its small size. However,
there are no major differences in the bones of a girl and a boy.
Can we make out whether a skeleton was that of a man or a
woman?
Sometimes, people decide on the basis of what is found with the
skeleton. For instance, if a skeleton is found with jewellery, it is
sometimes thought to be that of a woman. However, there are
problems with this. Often, men also wore ornaments.
A better way of figuring out the sex of a skeleton is to look at the
bone structure. The hip or the pelvic area of women is generally
larger to enable child bearing.
These distinctions are based on modern skeletal studies.
About 2000 years ago, there was a famous physician named
Charaka who wrote a book on medicine known as the Charaka
Samhita. There he states that the human body has 360 bones. This
is a much larger number than the 200 bones that are recognised in
modern anatomy. Charaka arrived at this figure by counting the
teeth, joints and cartilage.
How do you think he found out about the human body in such
great detail?
Occupations at Inamgaon
Archaeologists have found seeds of wheat, barley,
rice, pulses, millets, peas and sesame. Bones of a
number of animals, many bearing cut marks that
show they may have been used as food, have also
been found. These include cattle, buffalo, goat,
sheep, dog, horse, ass, pig, sambhar, spotted deer,
blackbuck, antelope, hare, and mongoose, besides
birds, crocodile, turtle, crab and fish. There is
evidence that fruits such as ber, amla, jamun, dates
and a variety of berries were collected.

Use this evidence to list the possible
occupations of the people at Inamgaon.
Elsewhere
Find China in your atlas. Around 3500 years ago,
we find some of the first evidence of writing in China.
These writings were on animal bones. These are
called oracle bones, because they were used to
predict the future. Kings got scribes to write
questions on the bones — would they win battles?
Would the harvest be good? Would they have sons?
The bones were then put into the fire, and they
cracked because of the heat. Then fortunetellers
studied these cracks, and tried to predict the future.
As you may expect, they sometimes made mistakes.
These kings lived in palaces in cities. They
amassed vast quantities of wealth, including large,
elaborately decorated bronze vessels. However, they
did not know the use of iron.
List one difference between the raja of the Rigveda
and these kings.
Imagine
You live in Inamgaon, 3000 years ago, and the chief
has died last night. Today, your parents are preparing
for the burial. Describe the scene, including how food
is being prepared for the funeral. What do you think
would be offered?
KEYWORDS
Veda
language
hymn
chariot
sacrifice
raja
slave
megalith
burial
skeletal
iron

52
OUR PASTS–I
Let’s recall
1. Match the columns
Sukta Stone boulder
Chariots Sacrifice
Yajna Well-said
Dasa Used in battles
Megalith Slave
2. Complete the sentences:
(a) Slaves were used for ————————
(b) Megaliths are found in ————————
(c) Stone circles or boulders on the surface were
used to ————————
(d) Port-holes were used for ————————
(e) People at Inamgaon ate ————————
Let’s discuss
3. In what ways are the books we read today different
from the Rigveda?
4. What kind of evidence from burials do archaeologists
use to find out whether there were social differences
amongst those who were buried?
5. In what ways do you think that the life of a raja was
different from that of a dasa or dasi?
Beginning of the
composition of the
Vedas (about 3500
years ago)
Beginning of the
building of megaliths
(about 3000 years
ago)
Settlement at
Inamgaon (between
3600 and 2700 years
ago)
Charaka (about 2000
years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

53
Let’s do
6. Find out whether your school library has a collection
of books on religion, and list the names of five books
from this collection.
7. Write down a short poem or song that you have
memorised. Did you hear or read the poem or song?
How did you learn it by heart?
8. In the Rigveda, people were described in terms of the
work they did and the languages they spoke. In the
table below, fill in the names of six people you know,
choosing three men and three women. For each of
them, mention the work they do and the language
they speak. Would you like to add anything else to
the description?
NAME WORK LANGUAGE ANYTHING ELSE
WHAT BOOKS AND
BURIALS TELL US

54
OUR PASTS–I
Election day
Shankaran woke up to see his grandparents all ready to
go and vote. They wanted to be the first to reach the
polling booth. Why, Shankaran wanted to know, were
they so excited? Somewhat impatiently, his grandfather
explained: “We can choose our own rulers today.”
How some men became rulers
Choosing leaders or rulers by voting is something
that has become common during the last fifty
years or so. How did men become rulers in the
past? Some of the rajas we read about in Chapter
5 were probably chosen by the jana, the people.
But, around 3000 years ago, we find some
changes taking place in the ways in which rajas
were chosen. Some men now became recognised
as rajas by performing very big sacrifices.
The ashvamedha or horse sacrifice was one
such ritual. A horse was let loose to wander freely
and it was guarded by the raja’s men. If the horse
wandered into the kingdoms of other rajas and
they stopped it, they had to fight. If they allowed
the horse to pass, it meant that they accepted
that the raja who wanted to perform the sacrifice
was stronger than them. These rajas were then
invited to the sacrifice, which was performed by
specially trained priests, who were rewarded with
gifts. The raja who organised the sacrifice was
recognised as being very powerful, and all those
who came brought gifts for him.
The raja was a central figure in these rituals.
He often had a special seat, a throne or a tiger
skin. His charioteer, who was his companion in
the battle field and witnessed his exploits,
CHAPTER 6
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC

55
chanted tales of his glory. His relatives, especially
his wives and sons, had to perform a variety of
minor rituals. The other rajas were simply
spectators who had to sit and watch the
performance of the sacrifice. Priests performed
the rituals including the sprinkling of sacred water
on the king. The ordinary people, the vish or
vaishya, also brought gifts. However, some people,
such as those who were regarded as shudras by
the priests, were excluded from many rituals.
Make a list of all those who would be present
at the sacrifice. Which are the categories that are
described in terms of their occupation?
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND
AN EARLY REPUBLIC
Varnas
We have many books that were composed in north India, especially in
the areas drained by the Ganga and the Yamuna, during this period.
These books are often called later Vedic, because they were composed
after the Rigveda about which you learnt in Chapter 5. These include
the Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda, as well as other books.
These were composed by priests, and described how rituals were to be
performed. They also contained rules about society.
There were several different groups in society at this time — priests
and warriors, farmers, herders, traders, crafts persons, labourers, fishing
folk, and forest people. Some priests and warriors were rich, as were
some farmers and traders. Others, including many herders, crafts
persons, labourers, fishing folk and hunters and gatherers, were poor.
The priests divided people into four groups, called varnas. According
to them, each varna had a different set of functions.
The first varna was that of the brahmin. Brahmins were expected to
study (and teach) the Vedas, perform sacrifices and receive gifts.
In the second place were the rulers, also known as kshatriyas. They
were expected to fight battles and protect people.
Third were the vish or the vaishyas. They were expected to be farmers,
herders, and traders. Both the kshatriyas and the vaishyas could
perform sacrifices.

Painted Grey Ware.
Plates and bowls are the
most common vessels
made out of Painted
Grey Ware. These are
extremely fine to touch,
with a nice, smooth
surface. Perhaps these
were used on special
occasions, for important
people, and to serve
special food.
Janapadas
The rajas who performed these big sacrifices were
now recognised as being rajas of janapadas rather
than janas. The word janapada literally means
the land where the jana set its foot, and settled
down. Some important janapadas are shown on
Map 4 (page 57).
Archaeologists have excavated a number of
settlements in these janapadas, such as Purana
Qila in Delhi, Hastinapur near Meerut, and
Atranjikhera, near Etah (the last two are in
Uttar Pradesh). They found that people lived
in huts, and kept cattle as well as other
animals. They also grew a variety of crops
— rice, wheat, barley, pulses, sugarcane,
sesame and mustard.
Is there a crop in this list that was not
mentioned in Chapter 4?
Last were the shudras, who had to serve the other three groups and
could not perform any rituals. Often, women were also grouped with the
shudras. Both women and shudras were not allowed to study the Vedas.
The priests also said that these groups were decided on the basis of
birth. For example, if one’s father and mother were brahmins one would
automatically become a brahmin, and so on. Later, they classified some
people as untouchable. These included some crafts persons, hunters
and gatherers, as well as people who helped perform burials and
cremations. The priests said that contact with these groups was polluting.
Many people did not accept the system of varna laid down by the
brahmins. Some kings thought they were superior to the priests. Others
felt that birth could not be a basis for deciding which varna people
belonged to. Besides, some people felt that there should be no differences
amongst people based on occupation. Others felt that everybody should
be able to perform rituals. And others condemned the practice of
untouchability. Also, there were many areas in the subcontinent, such
as the north-east, where social and economic differences were not very
sharp, and where the influence of the priests was limited.
Why did people oppose the system of varnas?

57
They made earthen pots. Some of these were
grey in colour, others were red. One special type
of pottery found at these sites is known as Painted
Grey Ware. As is obvious from the name, these
grey pots had painted designs, usually simple
lines and geometric patterns.
Mahajanapadas
About 2500 years ago, some janapadas became
more important than others, and were known as
mahajanapadas. Some of these are shown on Map
4. Most mahajanapadas had a capital city, many
of these were fortified. This means that huge walls
of wood, brick or stone were built around them.
MAP : 4
Important Janapadas,
Mahajanapadas and Cities
57
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND
AN EARLY REPUBLIC

58
OUR PASTS–I
Forts were probably built because people were
afraid of attacks from other kings and needed
protection. It is also likely that some rulers wanted
to show how rich and powerful they were by
building really large, tall and impressive walls
around their cities. Also in this way, the land and
the people living inside the fortified area could be
controlled more easily by the king. Building such
huge walls required a great deal of planning.
Thousands, if not lakhs of bricks or stone had to
be prepared. This in turn meant enormous labour,
provided, possibly, by thousands of men, women
and children. And resources had to be found for
all of this.
The fortification wall at
Kaushambi.
This is a picture of
remains of a wall made of
brick, found near
present-day Allahabad
(Uttar Pradesh). A part
of it was probably built
about 2500 years ago.

59
The new rajas now began maintaining armies.
Soldiers were paid regular salaries and maintained
by the king throughout the year. Some payments
were probably made using punch marked coins
(see the illustration on page 92). You will read
more about these coins in Chapter 9.
List two ways in which the rajas of the
mahajanapadas were different from those
mentioned in the Rigveda.
Taxes
As the rulers of the mahajanapadas were
(a) building huge forts (b) maintaining big armies,
they needed more resources. And they needed
officials to collect these. So, instead of depending
on occasional gifts brought by people, as in the
case of the raja of the janapadas, they started
collecting regular taxes.
• Taxes on crops were the most important. This was
because most people were farmers. Usually, the tax
was fixed at 1/6th
of what was produced. This was
known as bhaga or a share.
• There were taxes on crafts persons as well. These
could have been in the form of labour. For example,
a weaver or a smith may have had to work for a day
every month for the king.
• Herders were also expected to pay taxes in the form
of animals and animal produce.
• There were also taxes on goods that were bought
and sold, through trade.
• And hunters and gatherers also had to provide
forest produce to the raja.
What do you think would have been provided
by hunters and gatherers?
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND
AN EARLY REPUBLIC

60
OUR PASTS–I
Changes in agriculture
There were two major changes in agriculture
around this time. One was the growing use of
iron ploughshares. This meant that heavy, clayey
soil could be turned over better than with a
wooden ploughshare, so that more grain could
be produced. Second, people began transplanting
paddy. This meant that instead of scattering seed
on the ground, from which plants would sprout,
saplings were grown and then planted in the
fields. This led to increased production, as many
more plants survived. However, it was back
breaking work. Generally, slave men and women,
(dasas and dasis) and landless agricultural
labourers (kammakaras) had to do this work.
Can you think why kings would encourage
these changes?
A closer look — (a) Magadha
Find Magadha on Map 4 (page 57). Magadha
became the most important mahajanapada in
about two hundred years. Many rivers such as
the Ganga and Son flowed through Magadha. This
was important for (a) transport, (b) water supplies
(c) making the land fertile. Parts of Magadha were
forested. Elephants, which lived in the forest,
could be captured and trained for the army.
Forests also provided wood for building houses,
carts and chariots. Besides, there were iron ore
mines in the region that could be tapped to make
strong tools and weapons.
Magadha had two very powerful rulers,
Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, who used all possible
means to conquer other janapadas. Mahapadma
Nanda was another important ruler. He extended
his control up to the north-west part of the
subcontinent. Rajagriha (present-day Rajgir) in
Bihar was the capital of Magadha for several years.

61
Later the capital was shifted to Pataliputra
(present-day Patna).
More than 2300 years ago, a ruler named
Alexander, who lived in Macedonia in Europe,
wanted to become a world conqueror. Of course,
he didn’t conquer the world, but did conquer parts
of Egypt and West Asia, and came to the Indian
subcontinent, reaching up to the banks of the
Beas. When he wanted to march further
eastwards, his soldiers refused. They were scared,
as they had heard that the rulers of India had
vast armies of foot soldiers, chariots and
elephants.
In what ways were these armies different from
those described in the Rigveda?
A closer look — (b) Vajji
While Magadha became a powerful kingdom, Vajji,
with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar), was under a
different form of government, known as gana or
sangha.
In a gana or a sangha there were not one, but
many rulers. Sometimes, even when thousands
of men ruled together, each one was known as a
raja. These rajas performed rituals together. They
also met in assemblies, and decided what had to
be done and how, through discussion and debate.
For example, if they were attacked by an enemy,
they met to discuss what should be done to meet
the threat. However, women, dasas and
kammakaras could not participate in these
assemblies.
Both the Buddha and Mahavira (about whom
you will read in Chapter 7) belonged to ganas or
sanghas. Some of the most vivid descriptions of
life in the sanghas can be found in Buddhist
books.
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND
AN EARLY REPUBLIC
Gana
Is used for a
group that has
many members.
Sangha
Means
organisation or
association.

62
OUR PASTS–I
This is an account of the Vajjis from the Digha
Nikaya, a famous Buddhist book, which contains
some of the speeches of the Buddha. These were
written down about 2300 years ago.
Ajatasattu and the Vajjis
Ajatasattu wanted to attack the Vajjis. He sent his
minister named Vassakara to the Buddha to get
his advice on the matter.
The Buddha asked whether the Vajjis met
frequently, in full assemblies. When he heard that
they did, he replied that the Vajjis would continue
to prosper as long as:
• They held full and frequent public assemblies.
• They met and acted together.
• They followed established rules.
• They respected, supported and listened to elders.
• Vajji women were not held by force or captured.
• Chaityas (local shrines) were maintained in both
towns and villages.
• Wise saints who followed different beliefs were
respected and allowed to enter and leave the
country freely.
In what ways was the Vajji sangha different from
the other mahajanapadas? Try and list at least
three differences.
Rajas of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer
the sanghas. Nevertheless, these lasted for a very
long time, till about 1500 years ago, when the
last of the ganas or sanghas were conquered by
the Gupta rulers, about whom you will read in
Chapter 11.
KEYWORDS
raja
ashvamedha
varna
janapada
mahajanapada
fortification
army
tax
transplantation
gana or sangha
democracy

63
Elsewhere
Find Greece and Athens in your atlas.
Around 2500 years ago, the people of Athens set up a form of
government, which was called a democracy, which lasted for about 200
years.
All free men over the age of 30 were recognised as full citizens.
There was an assembly that met at least 40 times a year to decide on
important matters.
All citizens could attend these meetings.
Appointments for many positions were made through lottery. All those
who wanted to be chosen gave in their names, and then some were
selected through lottery.
Citizens were expected to serve in the army and the navy.
However, women were not considered citizens.
Also, many foreigners, who lived and worked in Athens as merchants
and crafts persons did not have rights as citizens.
Besides, there were several thousand slaves in Athens, who worked
in mines, fields, households and workshops. They too were not treated
as citizens.
Do you think this was a true democracy?
Imagine
You are peeping through a crack in the walls of the
assembly of Vaishali, where a meeting is in progress to
discuss ways to deal with an attack by the king of
Magadha. Describe what you might hear.
Let’s recall
(a) Rajas who let the ashvamedha horse pass
through their lands were invited to the sacrifice.
(b) The charioteer sprinkled sacred water on the king.
(c) Archaeologists have found palaces in the
settlements of the janapadas.
(d) Pots to store grain were made out of Painted
Grey Ware.
(e) Many cities in mahajanapadas were fortified.
KINGDOMS, KINGS AND
AN EARLY REPUBLIC

64
OUR PASTS–I
2. Fill in the chart given below with the terms: hunter-
gatherers, farmers, traders, crafts persons, herders.
3. Who were the groups who could not participate in the
assemblies of the ganas?
Let’s discuss
4. Why did the rajas of mahajanapadas build forts?
5. In what ways are present-day elections different from
the ways in which rulers were chosen in janapadas?
Let’s do
6. Find the state in which you live in the political map
on page 136. Were there any janapadas in your state?
If yes, name them. If not, name the janapadas that
would have been the closest to your state, and mention
whether they were to the east, west, north or south.
7. Find out whether any of the groups mentioned in
answer 2 pay taxes today.
8. Find out whether the groups mentioned in answer 3
have voting rights at present.
THE RAJA OF THE
MAHAJANAPADA
THOSE WHO PAID TAXES
New kinds of rajas
(about 3000 years
ago)
Mahajanapadas (about
2500 years ago)
Alexander’s invasion,
composition of the
Digha Nikaya (about
2300 years ago)
End of the ganas or
sanghas (about 1500
years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

65
Anagha’s school trip
This was the first time Anagha was going on a school
trip. They boarded the train from Pune (in Maharashtra)
late at night, to go all the way to Varanasi (in Uttar
Pradesh). Her mother, who came to see her off at the
station, told the teacher: “Do tell the children about the
Buddha, and take them to see Sarnath as well.”
The story of the Buddha
Siddhartha, also known as Gautama, the founder
of Buddhism, was born about 2500 years ago.
This was a time of rapid change in the lives of
people. As you saw in Chapter 6, some kings in
the mahajanapadas were growing more powerful.
New cities were developing, and life was changing
in the villages as well (see Chapter 10). Many
thinkers were trying to understand these changes
in society. They also wanted to try and find out
the true meaning of life.
The Buddha belonged to a small gana known
as the Sakya gana, and was a kshatriya. When he
was a young man, he left the comforts of his home
in search of knowledge. He wandered for several
years, meeting and holding discussions with other
thinkers. He finally decided to find his own path
to realisation, and meditated for days on end under
a peepal tree at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, where he
attained enlightenment. After that, he was known
as the Buddha or the Wise One. He then went to
Sarnath, near Varanasi, where he taught for the
first time. He spent the rest of his life travelling on
foot, going from place to place, teaching people,
till he passed away at Kusinara.
CHAPTER 7
NEW QUESTIONS AND IDEAS
NEW QUESTIONS AND
IDEAS

66
OUR PASTS–I
The Buddha taught that life is full of suffering
and unhappiness. This is caused because we have
cravings and desires (which often cannot be
fulfilled). Sometimes, even if we get what we want,
we are not satisfied, and want even more (or want
other things). The Buddha described this as thirst
or tanha. He taught that this constant craving
could be removed by following moderation in
everything.
He also taught people to be kind, and to
respect the lives of others, including animals. He
believed that the results of our actions (called
karma), whether good or bad,
affect us both in this life and
the next. The Buddha
taught in the language of
the ordinary people,
Prakrit, so that everybody
could understand his
message.
What was the language
used to compose the
Vedas?
He also encouraged
people to think for
themselves rather
than to simply
accept what he
said. Let us see how
he did this.
The stupa at Sarnath.
This building, known as a
stupa, was built to mark
the place where the
Buddha first taught his
message. You will learn
more about stupas in
Chapter 12.

67
The story of Kisagotami
Here is a famous story about the Buddha.
Once there was a woman named Kisagotami, whose son had died. She
was so sad that she roamed through the streets of the city carrying the
child with her, asking for help to bring him back to life. A kind man took
her to the Buddha.
The Buddha said: “Bring me a handful of mustard seeds, and I will
bring your child back to life.”
Kisagotami was overjoyed and started off at once, but the Buddha gently
stopped her and added: “The seeds must come from the house of a family
where nobody has died.”
Kisagotami went from door to door, but wherever she went, she found
out that someone or the other — father, mother, sister, brother, husband,
wife, child, uncle, aunt, grandfather, grandmother — had died.
What was the Buddha trying to teach the sorrowing mother?
Upanishads
Around the time that the Buddha was preaching
and perhaps a little earlier, other thinkers also
tried to find answers to difficult questions. Some
of them wanted to know about life after death,
others wanted to know why sacrifices should be
performed. Many of these thinkers felt that there
was something permanent in the universe that
would last even after death. They described this
as the atman or the individual soul and the
brahman or the universal soul. They believed that
ultimately, both the atman and the brahman were
one.
Many of their ideas were recorded in the
Upanishads. These were part of the later Vedic
texts. Upanishad literally means ‘approaching and
sitting near’ and the texts contain conversations
between teachers and students. Often, ideas were
presented through simple dialogues.
NEW QUESTIONS AND
IDEAS

68
OUR PASTS–I
The wise beggar
Here is a dialogue based on a story from one of the most famous
Upanishads, the Chhandogya Upanishad.
Shaunaka and Abhipratarin were two sages who worshipped the
universal soul.
Once, as they sat down to eat, a beggar came and asked for some food.
“We cannot spare anything for you,” Shaunaka said.
“Learned sirs, whom do you worship?” the beggar asked.
“The universal soul,” Abhipratarin replied.
“Ah! It means that you know that the universal soul fills the entire world.”
“Yes, yes. We know that.” The sages nodded.
“If the universal soul fills the whole world, it fills me too. Who am I, but
a part of the world?” the beggar asked.
“You speak the truth, O young brahmin.”
“Then, O sages, by not giving me food, you are actually denying food to
the universal soul.”
The sages realised the truth of what the beggar said, and shared their
food with him.
How did the beggar convince the sages to share their food with him?
Most Upanishadic thinkers were men,
especially brahmins and rajas. Occasionally, there
is mention of women thinkers, such as Gargi,
who was famous for her learning, and participated
in debates held in royal courts. Poor people rarely
took part in these discussions. One famous
exception was Satyakama Jabala, who was named
after his mother, the slave woman Jabali. He had
a deep desire to learn about reality, was accepted
as a student by a brahmin teacher named
Gautama, and became one of the best-known
thinkers of the time. Many of the ideas of the
Upanishads were later developed by the famous
thinker Shankaracharya, about whom you will
read in Class VII.

69
Panini, the grammarian
This was also the time when other scholars were at
work. One of the most famous was Panini, who
prepared a grammar for Sanskrit. He arranged the
vowels and the consonants in a special order, and
then used these to create formulae like those found
in Algebra. He used these to write down the rules
of the language in short formulae (around 3000 of
them!).
Jainism
The most famous thinker of the Jainas,
Vardhamana Mahavira, also spread his message
around this time, i.e. 2500 years ago. He was a
kshatriya prince of the Lichchhavis, a group that
was part of the Vajji sangha, about which you
read in Chapter 6. At the age of thirty, he left
home and went to live in a forest. For twelve years
he led a hard and lonely life, at the end of which
he attained enlightenment.
He taught a simple doctrine: men and women
who wished to know the truth must leave their
homes. They must follow very strictly the rules of
ahimsa, which means not hurting or killing living
beings. “All beings,” said Mahavira “long to live.
To all things life is dear.” Ordinary people could
understand the teachings of Mahavira and his
followers, because they used Prakrit. There were
several forms of Prakrit, used in different parts of
the country, and named after the regions in which
they were used. For example, the Prakrit spoken
in Magadha was known as Magadhi.
Followers of Mahavira, who were known as
Jainas, had to lead very simple lives, begging for
food. They had to be absolutely honest, and were
especially asked not to steal. Also, they had to
observe celibacy. And men had to give up
everything, including their clothes. NEW QUESTIONS AND
IDEAS

70
OUR PASTS–I
It was very difficult for most men and women
to follow these strict rules. Nevertheless,
thousands left their homes to learn and teach
this new way of life. Many more remained behind
and supported those who became monks and
nuns, providing them with food.
Jainism was supported mainly by traders.
Farmers, who had to kill insects to protect their
crops, found it more difficult to follow the rules.
Over hundreds of years, Jainism spread to
different parts of north India, and to Gujarat,
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The teachings of
Mahavira and his followers were transmitted
orally for several centuries. They were written
down in the form in which they are presently
available at a place called Valabhi, in Gujarat,
about 1500 years ago (see Map 7, page 113).
The sangha
Both the Mahavira and the Buddha felt that only
those who left their homes could gain true
knowledge. They arranged for them to stay
together in the sangha, an association of those
who left their homes.
The rules made for the Buddhist sangha were
written down in a book called the Vinaya Pitaka.
From this we know that there were separate
branches for men and women. All men could join
the sangha. However, children had to take the
permission of their parents and slaves that of their
masters. Those who worked for the king had to
take his permission and debtors that of creditors.
Women had to take their husbands’ permission.
Men and women who joined the sangha led
simple lives. They meditated for most of the time,
and went to cities and villages to beg for food
during fixed hours. That is why they were known
as bhikkhus (the Prakrit word for beggar) and
Jaina
The word Jaina
comes from the
term Jina,
meaning
conqueror.
Why do you
think the term
Jina was used
for Mahavira?

bhikkhunis. They taught others, and helped one
another. They also held meetings to settle any
quarrels that took place within the sangha.
Those who joined the sangha included
brahmins, kshatriyas, merchants, labourers,
barbers, courtesans and slaves. Many of them
wrote down the teachings of the Buddha. Some
of them also composed beautiful poems,
describing their life in the sangha.
List at least two ways in which the sangha
described in this lesson was different from the
one mentioned in Chapter 6. Were there any
similarities?
Monasteries
To begin with, both Jaina
and Buddhist monks went
from place to place
throughout the year,
teaching people. The only
time they stayed in one
place was during the rainy
season, when it was very
difficult to travel. Then,
their supporters built
temporary shelters for
them in gardens, or they
lived in natural caves in
hilly areas.
As time went on, many
supporters of the monks
and nuns, and they
themselves, felt the need
for more permanent
shelters and so
monasteries were built.
These were known as
viharas. The earliest
A cave hollowed out in
the hills.
This is a cave in Karle,
present-day Maharashtra.
Monks and nuns lived
and meditated in these
shelters.

viharas were made of wood, and then of brick.
Some were even in caves that were dug out in
hills, especially in western India.
A Buddhist text tells us:
Just as the waters of rivers lose their names and
separateness when they flow into the mighty ocean,
so are varna and ranks and family forgotten when
the followers of the Buddha join the order of monks.
Very often, the land on which the vihara was
built was donated by a rich merchant or a
landowner, or the king. The local people came
with gifts of food, clothing and medicines for the
monks and nuns. In return, they taught the
people. Over the centuries, Buddhism spread to
many parts of the subcontinent and beyond. You
will learn more about this in Chapter 10.
The system of ashramas
Around the time when Jainism and Buddhism were becoming popular,
brahmins developed the system of ashramas.
Here, the word ashrama does not mean a place where people live and
meditate.
It is used instead for a stage of life.
Four ashramas were recognised: brahmacharya, grihastha,
vanaprastha and samnyasa.
Brahmin, kshatriya and vaishya men were expected to lead simple
lives and study the Vedas during the early years of their life
(brahmacharya).
Then they had to marry and live as householders (grihastha).
Then they had to live in the forest and meditate (vanaprastha).
Finally, they had to give up everything and become samnyasins.
The system of ashramas allowed men to spend some part of their lives
in meditation. Generally, women were not allowed to study the Vedas, and
they had to follow the ashramas chosen by their husbands.
In what way was the system of ashramas different from life in the sangha?
What are the varnas mentioned here? Were all four varnas allowed to
participate in the system of ashramas?

73
KEYWORDS
tanha
Prakrit
Upanishad
atman
brahman
ahimsa
Jaina
sangha
bhikkhu
vihara
monastery
ashrama
NEW QUESTIONS AND
IDEAS
Elsewhere
Find Iran in your atlas. Zoroaster was an Iranian
prophet. His teachings are contained in a book
called the Avesta. The language of the Avesta, and
the practices described in it are very similar to those
of the Vedas. The basic teachings of Zoroaster are
contained in the maxim “Good thoughts, Good
Words and Good Deeds.” Here is a verse from the
Zend Avesta:
“Lord, grant strength and the rule of truth and
good thinking, by means of which one shall create
peace and tranquillity.”
For more than a thousand years, Zoroastrianism
was a major religion in Iran. Later, some
Zoroastrians migrated from Iran and settled down
in the coastal towns of Gujarat and Maharashtra.
They were the ancestors of today’s Parsis.
Imagine
You want to go to listen to one of the preachers who
lived about 2500 years ago. Describe your conversation
with your parents as you try to persuade them to let
you go.
Let’s recall
1. Describe the ways in which the Buddha tried to spread
his message to the people.
2. Write whether true or false:
(a) The Buddha encouraged animal sacrifices.
(b) Sarnath is important because it was the place
where the Buddha taught for the first time.
(c) The Buddha taught that karma has no effect on
our lives.
(d) The Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh
Gaya.

74
OUR PASTS–I
e. Upanishadic thinkers believed that the atman
and brahman were ultimately one.
3. What were the questions that Upanishadic thinkers
wanted to answer?
4. What were the main teachings of the Mahavira?
Let’s discuss
5. Why do you think Anagha’s mother wanted her to
know the story of the Buddha?
6. Do you think it would have been easy for slaves to
join the sangha? Give reasons for your answer.
Let’s do
7. Make a list of at least five ideas and questions
mentioned in this lesson. Choose three from the list
and discuss why you think they are important even
today.
8. Find out more about men and women who renounce
the world today. Where do they live, what kinds of
clothes do they wear, what do they eat? Why do they
renounce the world?
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES
Upanishadic thinkers,
the Jaina teacher
Mahavira and the
Buddha (about 2500
years ago)
Writing down of the
Jaina texts (about
1500 years ago)

Roshan’s rupees
Roshan clutched the crisp notes that her grandfather
had given her on her birthday. While she badly wanted
to buy a new cassette, she also wanted to just see and
feel the brand new notes. It was then that she noticed
that all of them had a smiling face of Gandhiji printed
on the right, and a tiny set of lions on the left. What
were the lions there for, she wondered.
A very big kingdom = an empire
The lions that we see on our notes and coins
have a long history. They were carved in stone,
and placed on top of a massive stone pillar at
Sarnath (about which you read in Chapter 7).
Ashoka was one of the greatest rulers known
to history and on his instructions inscriptions
were carved on pillars, as well as on rock
surfaces. Before we find out what was written
in these inscriptions, let us see why his
kingdom was called an empire.
The empire that Ashoka ruled was founded
by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya,
more than 2300 years ago. Chandragupta was
supported by a wise man named Chanakya or
Kautilya. Many of Chanakya’s ideas were
written down in a book called the Arthashastra.
The lion capital
CHAPTER 8
ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR
Dynasty
When members of the same family become rulers one after another,
the family is often called a dynasty. The Mauryas were a dynasty with
three important rulers — Chandragupta, his son Bindusara, and
Bindusara’s son, Ashoka.

76
OUR PASTS–I
There were several cities in the empire (marked
with black dots on the map). These included the
capital Pataliputra, Taxila, and Ujjain. Taxila was
a gateway to the northwest, including Central Asia,
while Ujjain lay on the route from north to south
India. Merchants, officials and crafts persons
probably lived in these cities.
In other areas there were villages of farmers
and herders. In some areas such as central India,
there were forests where people gathered forest
produce and hunted animals for food. People in
different parts of the empire spoke different
The places where
inscriptions of Ashoka
have been found are
marked with red dots.
These were included
within the empire.
Name the countries where
Ashokan inscriptions have
been found. Which Indian
states were outside the
empire?
MAP : 5
The Mauryan Empire, showing the
Principal Cities and some of the Places
where Inscriptions were found.
Inscriptions were found

77
languages. They probably ate different kinds of
food, and wore different kinds of clothes as well.
How are empires different from kingdoms?
• Emperors need more resources than kings because
empires are larger than kingdoms, and need to be
protected by big armies.
• So also they need a larger number of officials who
collect taxes.
Ruling the empire
As the empire was so large, different parts were
ruled differently. The area around Pataliputra was
under the direct control of the emperor. This
meant that officials were appointed to collect taxes
from farmers, herders, crafts persons and traders,
who lived in villages and towns in the area.
Officials also punished those who disobeyed the
ruler’s orders. Many of these officials were given
salaries. Messengers went to and fro, and spies
kept a watch on the officials. And of course the
emperor supervised them all, with the help of
members of the royal family, and senior ministers.
There were other areas or provinces. Each of
these was ruled from a provincial capital such as
Taxila or Ujjain. Although there was some amount
of control from Pataliputra, and royal princes were
often sent as governors, local customs and rules
were probably followed.
Besides, there were vast areas between these
centres. Here the Mauryas tried to control roads
and rivers, which were important for transport,
and to collect whatever resources were available
as tax and tribute. For example, the Arthashastra
tells us that the north-west was important for
blankets, and south India for its gold and precious
stones. It is possible that these resources were
collected as tribute. ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR
WHO GAVE UP WAR

78
OUR PASTS–I
Tribute
Unlike taxes, which were collected on a regular
basis, tribute was collected as and when it was
possible from people who gave a variety of things,
more or less willingly.
There were also the forested regions. People
living in these areas were more or less
independent, but may have been expected to
provide elephants, timber, honey and wax to
Mauryan officials.
The emperor and the capital city
Megasthenes was an ambassador who was sent to the court of
Chandragupta by the Greek ruler of West Asia named Seleucus Nicator.
Megasthenes wrote an account about what he saw. Here is a part of
his description:
“The occasions on which the emperor appears in public are
celebrated with grand royal processions. He is carried in a golden
palanquin. His guards ride elephants decorated with gold and silver.
Some of the guards carry trees on which live birds, including a flock of
trained parrots, circle about the head of the emperor. The king is
normally surrounded by armed women. He is afraid that someone may
try to kill him. He has special servants to taste the food before he eats.
He never sleeps in the same bedroom for two nights.”
And about Pataliputra (modern Patna) he wrote:
“This is a large and beautiful city. It is surrounded by a massive
wall. It has 570 towers and 64 gates. The houses, of two and three
storeys, are built of wood and mud brick. The king’s palace is also of
wood, and decorated with stone carvings. It is surrounded with gardens
and enclosures for keeping birds.”
Why do you think the king had special servants to taste the food he
ate?
In what ways was Pataliputra different from Mohenjodaro? (hint: see
Chapter 4)

Ashoka, a unique ruler
The most famous Mauryan ruler was Ashoka. He
was the first ruler who tried to take his message
to the people through inscriptions. Most of
Ashoka’s inscriptions were in Prakrit and were
written in the Brahmi script.
Ashoka’s war in Kalinga
Kalinga is the ancient name of coastal Orissa (see
Map 5, page 76). Ashoka fought a war to conquer
Kalinga. However, he was so horrified when he
saw the violence and bloodshed that he decided
not to fight any more wars. He is the only king in
the history of the world who gave up conquest
after winning a war.
Ashoka’s inscription describing the Kalinga war
This is what Ashoka declared in one of his inscriptions:
“Eight years after becoming king I conquered Kalinga.
About a lakh and a half people were captured. And more than a lakh
of people were killed.
This filled me with sorrow. Why?
Whenever an independent land is conquered, lakhs of people die, and
many are taken prisoner. Brahmins and monks also die.
People who are kind to their relatives and friends, to their slaves and
servants die, or lose their loved ones.
That is why I am sad, and have decided to observe dhamma, and to
teach others about it as well.
I believe that winning people over through dhamma is much better
than conquering them through force.
I am inscribing this message for the future, so that my son and
grandson after me should not think about war.
Instead, they should try to think about how to spread dhamma.”
How did the Kalinga war bring about a change in Ashoka’s attitude
towards war?
(‘Dhamma’ is the Prakrit word for the Sanskrit term ‘Dharma’).

What was Ashoka’s dhamma?
Ashoka’s dhamma did not involve worship of a
god, or performance of a sacrifice. He felt that
just as a father tries to teach his children, he had
a duty to instruct his subjects. He was also
inspired by the teachings of the Buddha (Chapter
7).
There were a number of problems that troubled
him. People in the empire followed different
religions, and this sometimes led to conflict.
Animals were sacrificed. Slaves and servants were
ill treated. Besides, there were quarrels in families
and amongst neighbours. Ashoka felt it was his
duty to solve these problems. So, he appointed
officials, known as the dhamma mahamatta who
went from place to place teaching people about
dhamma. Besides, Ashoka
got his messages inscribed
on rocks and pillars,
instructing his officials to
read his message to those
who could not read it
themselves.
Ashoka also sent
messengers to spread ideas
about dhamma to other
lands, such as Syria, Egypt,
Greece and Sri Lanka (see
Map 6, pages 84-85). He
built roads, dug wells, and
built rest houses. Besides,
he arranged for medical
treatment for both human
beings and animals.
The Rampurwa bull.
Look at this finely
polished stone sculpture.
This was part of a
Mauryan pillar found in
Rampurwa, Bihar, and
has now been placed in
Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is
an example of the skill of
the sculptors of the time.

81
Ashoka’s messages to his subjects:
“People perform a variety of rituals when they fall
ill, when their children get married, when children
are born, or when they go on a journey.
These rituals are not useful.
If instead, people observe other practices, this
would be more fruitful. What are these other
practices?
These are: being gentle with slaves and servants.
Respecting one’s elders.
Treating all creatures with compassion.
Giving gifts to brahmins and monks.”
“It is both wrong to praise one’s own religion or
criticise another’s.
Each one should respect the other’s religion.
If one praises one’s own religion while criticising
another’s, one is actually doing greater harm to one’s
own religion.
Therefore, one should try to understand the main
ideas of another’s religion, and respect it.”
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister
of India, wrote: “His edicts (instructions) still speak
to us in a language we can understand and we can
still learn much from them.”
Identify the parts of Ashoka’s message that you
think are relevant today.
Below : The Brahmi
script.
Most modern Indian
scripts have developed
from the Brahmi script
over hundreds of years.
Here you can see the
letter ‘a’ written in
different scripts.
Early Brahmi Devanagari (Hindi) Bengali Malayalam Tamil
ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR
WHO GAVE UP WAR

82
OUR PASTS–I
Elsewhere
Somewhat before the time of the Mauryan empire,
about 2400 years ago, emperors in China began
building the Great Wall.
It was meant to protect the
northern frontier of the empire
from pastoral people. Additions
to the wall were made over a
period of 2000 years because
the frontiers of the empire kept
shifting. The wall is about 6400
km long, and is made of stone
and brick, with a road along the
top. Several thousand people
worked to build the wall. There
are watch towers all along, at
distances of about 100-200 m.
In what ways do you think
Ashoka’s attitude toward
neighbouring peoples was
different from that of the
Chinese emperors?
Imagine
You live in Kalinga, and your parents have suffered in
the war. Messengers from Ashoka have just arrived with
the new ideas about dhamma. Describe the dialogue
between them and your parents.
Let’s recall
1. Make a list of the occupations of the people who lived
within the Mauryan empire.
2. Complete the following sentences:
(a) Officials collected ————————
from the area under
the direct control of the ruler.
(b) Royal princes often went to the provinces as ———

83
(c) The Mauryan rulers tried to control ————————
and ————————
which were important for
transport.
(d) People in forested regions provided the Mauryan
officials with ————————
(a) Ujjain was the gateway to the north-west.
(c) Chandragupta’s ideas were written down in the
Arthashastra.
(d) Kalinga was the ancient name of Bengal.
(e) Most Ashokan inscriptions are in the Brahmi
script.
Let’s discuss
4. What were the problems that Ashoka wanted to solve
by introducing dhamma?
5. What were the means adopted by Ashoka to spread
the message of dhamma?
6. Why do you think slaves and servants were ill-treated?
Do you think the orders of the emperor would have
improved their condition? Give reasons for your
answer.
Let’s do
7. Write a short paragraph explaining to Roshan why
the lions are shown on our currency notes. List at
least one other object on which you see them.
8. Suppose you had the power to inscribe your orders,
what four commands would you like to issue?
KEYWORDS
empire
capital
province
dhamma
messenger
official
ASHOKA, THE EMPEROR
WHO GAVE UP WAR
Beginning of the
Mauryan empire
(more than 2300
years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

84
OUR PASTS–I
MAP : 6
Showing Important Trade Routes including the Silk Route
These routes were under the
control of Chinese rulers.
control of the Kushanas
(Chapter 10).
These were important sea
routes.
control of the rulers of Iran
(Persia).
These routes were controlled
by the Roman emperors.

Chinese, Indian, Iranian, Arab,
Greek and Roman traders
participated in these
exchanges.
The ports along the coast of
south India were important
centres for the export of
pepper and other spices.
Find Poduca (south India) on the
map. This was the Roman name
for Arikamedu (Chapter 9).Based on The Times Atlas of World History,
(ed. Geoffrey Barraclough) Hammond Inc,
New Jersey, 1986, pp 70-71.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Mauryan empire collapsed about 2200 years ago. In its place (and elsewhere)
rose several new kingdoms. In the north-west, and in parts of north India, kings
known as the Indo-Greeks ruled for about one hundred years. They were followed
by a Central Asian people known as the Shakas, who set
up kingdoms in the north-west, north and western India.
Some of these kingdoms lasted for about 500 years, till
the Shakas were defeated by the Gupta kings (Chapter
11). The Shakas in turn were followed by the Kushanas
(about 2000 years ago). You will learn more about the
Kushanas in Chapter 10.
In the north, and in parts of
central India, a general of the
Mauryas, named Pushyamitra
Shunga, set up a kingdom. The
Shungas were followed by another dynasty, known as the
Kanvas, and by rulers from other families till the
establishment of the Gupta empire about 1700 years ago.
The Shakas who ruled over parts of western India fought
several battles with the Satavahanas, who ruled over
western and parts of central India. The Satavahana
kingdom, which was established about 2100 years ago, lasted for about 400
years. Around 1700 years ago, a new ruling family, known as the Vakatakas,
became powerful in central and western India.
In south India, the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas
ruled between 2200 and 1800 years ago. And, about
1500 years ago, there were two large kingdoms, those
of the Pallavas and the Chalukyas. There were several
other kingdoms and kings as well. We know about them
from their coins and inscriptions, as well as from books.
There were other changes that were taking place,
in which ordinary men and women played a major role.
These included the spread of
agriculture and the growth of
new towns, craft production and
trade. Traders explored land routes within the
subcontinent and outside, and sea routes to West Asia,
East Africa and South East Asia (see Map 6) were also
opened up. And many new buildings were built — including
the earliest temples and stupas, books were written, and
scientific discoveries were made. These developments took
place simultaneously, i.e. at the same time. Keep this in
mind as you read the rest of the book.
An Indo-Greek coin
A Kushana coin
A Shaka coin
A Satavahana coin

87
Prabhakar at the blacksmith’s shop
Prabhakar sat watching the smiths at the local shop.
There was a small bench on which iron tools like axes
and sickles were laid out, ready for sale. A bright fire
was burning, and two men were heating and beating
metal rods into shape. It was very hot and noisy, and yet
it was fascinating to watch what was happening.
Iron tools and agriculture
We often take the use of iron for granted today.
Things made of iron (and steel) are a part of our
daily lives. The use of iron began in the
subcontinent around 3000 years ago. Some of
the largest collections of iron tools and weapons
were found in the megalithic burials, about which
you read in Chapter 5.
Around 2500 years ago, there is evidence for
the growing use of iron tools. These included axes
for clearing forests, and the iron ploughshare. As
we had seen (Chapter 6) the ploughshare was
useful for increasing agricultural production.
Other steps to increase production:
irrigation
The kings and kingdoms you have been reading
about could not have existed without the support
of flourishing villages. While new tools and the
system of transplantation (Chapter 6) increased
production, irrigation was also used. Irrigation
works that were built during this time included
canals, wells, tanks, and artificial lakes.
Iron tools.
Here is a set of captions.
Choose the right one for
each of the pictures.
Sickle, tongs, axe.
Prepare a list of at least
five objects made of iron
or steel that you use almost
everyday.
CHAPTER 9
VITAL VILLAGES, THRIVING TOWNS
VITAL VILLAGES,
THRIVING TOWNS

88
OUR PASTS–I
Who lived in the villages?
There were at least three different kinds of people
living in most villages in the southern and
northern parts of the subcontinent. In the Tamil
region, large landowners were known as vellalar,
ordinary ploughmen were known as uzhavar, and
landless labourers, including slaves, were known
as kadaisiyar and adimai.
1. Kings need money for armies,
palaces, forts.
2. They demand taxes from farmers.
3. 4. This is possible with irrigation.
5. 6.
7. Production increases. 8. So does revenue.
9.
If you look at the chart, you will find that some
of the stages in the construction of irrigation works
are mentioned.
Fill in the rest by using the following phrases:
• Labour is provided by the people.
• Farmers also benefit because crop production is
more certain.
• Farmers have to increase production to pay taxes.
• Kings provide money and plan irrigation works.

89
In the northern part of the country, the village
headman was known as the grama bhojaka.
Usually, men from the same family held the
position for generations. In other words, the post
was hereditary. The grama bhojaka was often the
largest landowner. Generally, he had slaves and
hired workers to cultivate the land. Besides, as
he was powerful, the king often used him to collect
taxes from the village. He also functioned as a
judge, and sometimes as a policeman.
Apart from the gramabhojaka, there were other
independent farmers, known as grihapatis, most
of whom were smaller landowners. And then there
were men and women such as the dasa
karmakara, who did not own land, and had to
earn a living working on the fields owned by others.
In most villages there were also some crafts
persons such as the blacksmith, potter, carpenter
and weaver.
The earliest Tamil compositions
Some of the earliest works in Tamil, known as
Sangam literature, were composed around 2300
years ago. These texts were called Sangam because
they were supposed to have been composed and
compiled in assemblies (known as sangams) of
poets that were held in the city of Madurai (see Map
7, page 113). The Tamil terms mentioned above are
found in Sangam literature.
Finding out about cities: stories, travellers,
sculpture and archaeology
You may have heard of the Jatakas. These were
stories that were probably composed by ordinary
people, and then written down and preserved by
Buddhist monks. Here is part of a Jataka story,
which tells us how a poor man gradually became
rich. VITAL VILLAGES,
THRIVING TOWNS

90
OUR PASTS–I
Once upon a time, there was a clever poor young man who lived in a
city. His only resource was a dead rat. He started off by selling it for a
coin to a hotel, for their cat.
Then one day, there was a storm. The king’s garden was littered with
branches and leaves, and the gardener was at a loss as to how to clear
the mess. The young man offered to clean the garden if he could keep
the wood and leaves. The gardener agreed at once.
The young man rounded up all the children who were playing, with
an offer of sweets for every stick and leaf that they could collect. In no
time, every scrap had been neatly piled near the entrance. Just then,
the king’s potter was on the look out for fuel with which to bake his
pots. So he took the whole lot and paid the young man for it.
Our young man now thought of another plan. He carried a jar full of
water to the city gate, and offered water to 500 grass cutters. They were
pleased and said: “You have done us a good turn. Tell us, what can we
do for you?”
He replied, “I’ll let you know when I need your help.”
He then made friends with a trader. One day, the trader told him:
“Tomorrow, a horse dealer is coming to town with 500 horses.” Hearing
this, our young man went back to the grass cutters. He said: “Please give
me a bundle of grass each, and don’t sell your grass till mine is sold.”
They agreed, and gave him 500 bundles of grass.
When the horse dealer could not buy grass anywhere else, he purchased
the young man’s grass for a thousand coins. …
List the occupations of the persons mentioned in the story.
For each one, try and decide whether they would have lived (a) only in
the city (b) only in villages (c) in both cities and villages.
Why do you think the horse dealer was coming to the city?
Do you think women could have taken up the occupations mentioned
in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
We can use other kinds of evidence to find out
about life in some of these early cities. Sculptors
carved scenes depicting peoples’ lives in towns
and villages, as well as in the forest. Many of these
sculptures were used to decorate railings, pillars
and gateways of buildings that were visited by
people.
Facing Page : Ring well
found in Delhi.
In what ways do you think
this system of drainage was
different from that of the
Harappans?
The clever poor man

Many of the cities that developed from about
2500 years ago were capitals of the
mahajanapadas that you learnt about in
Chapter 6. As we had seen, some of these
cities were surrounded by massive
fortification walls.
In many cities, archaeologists have
found rows of pots, or ceramic rings
arranged one on top of the other. These
are known as ring wells. These seem to
have been used as toilets in some cases,
and as drains and garbage dumps. These
ring wells are usually found in individual
houses.
We have hardly any remains of palaces,
markets, or of homes of ordinary people.
Perhaps some are yet to be discovered
by archaeologists. Others, made of wood,
mud brick and thatch, may not have
survived.
Another way of finding out about early
cities is from the accounts of sailors and
travellers who visited them. One of the
most detailed accounts that has been
found was by an unknown Greek sailor.
He described all the ports he visited. Find
Below : A sculpture from
Sanchi.
This is a sculpture from
Sanchi, a site with stupas,
in Madhya Pradesh,
showing the scene in a
city. You will learn more
about Sanchi in Chapter
12. Notice the way walls
are shown. Are they made
of brick, wood or stone?
Now look at the railings.
Are they made of wood?
Describe the roofs of the
buildings.

92
OUR PASTS–I
Bharuch on Map 7 (page 113) and then read his
description of the city.
The story of Barygaza
(the Greek name for Bharuch)
The gulf is very narrow at Barygaza, and very hard to navigate for those
coming from the sea.
Ships had to be steered in by skilful and experienced local fishermen
who were employed by the king.
The imports into Barygaza were wine, copper, tin, lead, coral, topaz,
cloth, gold and silver coins.
Exports from the town included plants from the Himalayas, ivory, agate,
carnelian, cotton, silk and perfumes.
Special gifts were brought by merchants for the king. These included
vessels of silver, singing boys, beautiful women, fine wines and fine cloth.
Make a list of all the things imported and exported from Barygaza.
Underline at least two things that were not in use during Harappan times.
Why do you think merchants brought gifts for the king?
Coins
You may have noticed how wealth is measured in
terms of coins in the story on page 90.
Archaeologists have found several thousands of
coins belonging to this period. The earliest coins
which were in use for about 500 years were punch
marked coins, such as the one shown below. They
have been given this name because the designs
were punched on to the metal — silver or copper.

93
Other means of exchange
Read this short poem from the Sangam collection:
As they carry the white paddy of their land
To exchange it for the salt of another,
Crossing the long roads in carts,
Through sands white as moonlight,
Taking whole families,
Who hate to be left behind,
The departure of the salt merchants
Leaves the city empty.
Salt was produced plentifully along the sea coast.
What are the merchants planning to exchange it
with?
How are they travelling?
Cities with many functions
Very often, a single town was important for a
variety of reasons. Let us look at the example of
Mathura (Map 7, page 113).
Mathura has been an important settlement for
more than 2500 years. It was important because
it was located at the cross roads of two major
routes of travel and trade — from the northwest
to the east and from north to south. There were
fortifications around the city, and several shrines.
Farmers and herders from adjoining areas
provided food for people in the city. Mathura was
also a centre where some extremely fine sculpture
was produced.
Around 2000 years ago Mathura became the
second capital of the Kushanas, about whom
you will be reading in Chapter 10. Mathura was
also a religious centre — there were Buddhist
monasteries, Jaina shrines, and it was an
important centre for the worship of Krishna.
Several inscriptions on surfaces such as stone
slabs and statues have been found in Mathura.
VITAL VILLAGES,
THRIVING TOWNS

94
OUR PASTS–I
Generally, these are short inscriptions, recording
gifts made by men (and sometimes women) to
monasteries and shrines. These were made by
kings and queens, officers, merchants, and crafts
persons who lived in the city. For instance,
inscriptions from Mathura mention goldsmiths,
blacksmiths, weavers, basket makers, garland
makers, perfumers.
Make a list of the occupations of people who
lived in Mathura. List one occupation that was
not practised in Harappan cities.
Crafts and crafts persons
We also have archaeological evidence for crafts.
These include extremely fine pottery, known as
the Northern Black Polished Ware. It gets its name
from the fact that it is generally found in the
northern part of the subcontinent. It is usually
black in colour, and has a fine sheen.
Remember that the archaeological evidence for
many crafts may not have survived. We know from
texts that the manufacture of cloth was important.
There were famous centres such as Varanasi in
the north, and Madurai in the south. Both men
and women worked in these centres.
Many crafts persons and merchants now
formed associations known as shrenis. These
shrenis of crafts persons provided training,
procured raw material, and distributed the
finished product. Then shrenis of merchants
organised the trade. Shrenis also served as banks,
where rich men and women deposited money.
This was invested, and part of the interest was
returned or used to support religious institutions
such as monasteries.

95
Rules for spinning and weaving
These rules are from the Arthashastra, mentioned in Chapter 8. They
describe how spinning and weaving could be done in workshops under
the supervision of a special official.
“Widows, young women who are differently abled, nuns, mothers of
courtesans, retired women servants of the king, women who have retired
from service in temples, may be used for processing wool, bark, cotton,
hemp and flax.
They should be paid according to the quality and quantity of work.
Women who are not permitted to leave their homes can send maid-
servants to bring the raw material from the superintendent, and take the
finished work back to him.
Women who can visit the workshop should go at dawn to give their
work and receive their wages. There should be enough light to examine
the work. In case the superintendent looks at the woman or talks about
anything other than the work, he should be punished.
If a woman does not complete her work, she will have to pay a fine, and
her thumbs can be cut off.”
Make a list of all the women who could be employed by the
superintendent.
Do you think women would have faced any problems while working?
A closer look — Arikamedu
Find Arikamedu (in Pondicherry) on Map 7
(page 113), and read the box on Rome on
page 96. Between 2200 and 1900 years ago,
Arikamedu was a coastal settlement where ships
unloaded goods from distant lands. A massive
brick structure, which may have been a warehouse,
was found at the site. Other finds include pottery
from the Mediterranean region, such as amphorae
(tall double-handled jars that contained liquids
such as wine or oil) and stamped red-glazed pottery,
known as Arretine Ware, which was named after a
city in Italy. This was made by pressing wet clay
into a stamped mould. There was yet another kind
of pottery which was made locally, though Roman
designs were used. Roman lamps, glassware and
gems have also been found at the site. VITAL VILLAGES,
THRIVING TOWNS

96
OUR PASTS–I
Small tanks have been found
that were probably dyeing vats,
used to dye cloth. There is plenty
of evidence for the making of
beads from semi-precious stones
and glass.
List the evidence that indicates that there was
contact with Rome.
An aqueduct
Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
Several pieces of pottery
have inscriptions in
Brahmi, which was used
to write Tamil.
Elsewhere
Find Rome on Map 6 (page 84). This is one of the oldest cities in
Europe, and developed around the same time as the cities in the
Ganga valley. Rome was the capital of one of the largest empires —
one that spread across
Europe, North Africa, and
West Asia. Augustus, one of
the most important
emperors, who ruled about
2000 years ago, said that he
found Rome a city of brick,
and made it into a city of
marble. He, and later rulers,
built temples and palaces.
They also built huge
amphitheatres — open
arenas surrounded by tiers
of seats — where citizens
could watch all kinds of
shows, and public baths
(with separate timings for
men and women), where
people met and relaxed.
Huge aqueducts — channels to supply water — were built to bring
water to the city — for the baths, fountains and toilets.
Why do you think the amphitheatres and aqueducts have
survived?

97
Imagine
You live in Barygaza and are visiting the port. Describe
what you would see there.
Let’s recall
1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) ————————
was a word used for large landowners
in Tamil.
(b) The gramabhojaka often got his land cultivated
by the ————————
(c) Ploughmen were known as ————————
in Tamil.
(d) Most grihapatis were ————————
landowners.
2. Describe the functions of the gramabhojaka. Why do
you think he was powerful?
3. List the crafts persons who would have been present
in both villages and cities.
4. Choose the correct answer:
(a) Ring wells were used for:
1. bathing
2. washing clothes
3. irrigation
4. drainage
(b) Punch marked coins were made of:
1. silver
2. gold
3. tin
4. ivory
KEYWORDS
iron
irrigation
village
port
ring well
city
shreni
Sangam
VITAL VILLAGES,
THRIVING TOWNS

98
OUR PASTS–I
(c) Mathura was an important:
1. village
2. port
3. religious centre
4. forested area
(d) Shrenis were associations of:
1. rulers
2. crafts persons
3. farmers
4. herders
Let’s discuss
5. Which of the iron tools shown on page 87 would have
been important for agriculture? What would the other
tools have been used for?
6. Compare the drainage system in your locality with
that of the cities mentioned in the lesson. What
similarities and differences do you notice?
Let’s do
7. If you have seen crafts persons at work, describe in a
short paragraph what they do. (Hint: how do they get
the raw materials, what kind of equipment do they
use, how do they work, what happens to the finished
product).
8. List the functions performed by men and women who
live in your city or village. In what ways are these
similar to those performed by people who lived in
Mathura? In what ways are they different?
Beginning of the use
of iron in the
subcontinent (about
3000 years ago)
Increase in the use of
iron, cities, punch
marked coins (about
2500 years ago)
Beginning of the
composition of
Sangam literature
(about 2300 years
ago)
Settlement in
Arikamedu (between
2200 and 1900 years
ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

99
Jagini at the market
Jagini looked forward to the fair in the village. She loved
to see and touch the pots and pans of shiny steel, bright
plastic buckets, cloth printed with brilliant floral designs,
and clockwork toys, all of which came from the city. The
men who spread out their wares came in buses and trucks
and went back at the end of the day. Why were they
always on the move? She wondered. Her mother
explained that they were traders — people who bought
things where they were made, and sold them elsewhere.
How to find out about trade and traders
You read about the Northern Black Polished Ware
in Chapter 9. This fine pottery, especially bowls
and plates, were found from several archaeological
sites throughout the subcontinent. How do you
think it reached these places? Traders may have
carried them from the places where they were
made, to sell them at other places.
South India was famous for gold, spices,
especially pepper, and precious stones. Pepper
was particularly valued in the Roman Empire, so
much so that it was known as black gold. So,
traders carried many of these goods to Rome in
ships, across the sea, and by land in caravans.
There must have been quite a lot of trade as many
Roman gold coins have been found in south India.
Can you think of how and why these reached
India?
CHAPTER 10
TRADERS, KINGS AND PILGRIMS
TRADERS, KINGS AND
PILGRIMS

100
OUR PASTS–I
A poem about trade
We can find evidence of trade in the Sangam poems.
Here is one which describes the goods brought
into Puhar, an important port on the east coast:
“(Here are brought)
Swift, prancing horses by sea in ships,
Bales of black pepper in carts,
Gems and gold born in the Himalayas,
Sandalwood born in the western hills,
The pearls of the southern seas
And corals from the eastern oceans
The yield of the Ganga and the crops from the
Kaveri,
Foodstuffs from Sri Lanka, pottery from
Myanmar,
And other rare and rich imports.”
Make a list of all the things that are mentioned.
What would they be used for?
Traders explored several sea routes. Some of
these followed the coasts. There were others across
the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, where
sailors took advantage of the monsoon winds to
cross the seas more quickly. So, if they wanted to
reach the western coast of the subcontinent from
East Africa or Arabia, they chose to sail with the
south-west monsoon. And sturdy ships had to be
built for these long journeys.
New kingdoms along the coasts
The southern half of the subcontinent is marked
by a long coastline, and with hills, plateaus, and
river valleys. Amongst the river valleys, that of
the Kaveri is the most fertile. Chiefs and kings
who controlled the river valleys and the coasts
became rich and powerful. Sangam poems
mention the muvendar. This is a Tamil word
meaning three chiefs, used for the heads of three

101
ruling families, the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas
(see Map 7, page 113), who became powerful in
south India around 2300 years ago.
Each of the three chiefs had two centres of
power: one inland, and one on the coast. Of these
six cities, two were very important: Puhar or
Kaveripattinam, the port of the Cholas, and
Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas.
The chiefs did not collect regular taxes. Instead,
they demanded and received gifts from the people.
They also went on military expeditions, and
collected tribute from neighbouring areas. They
kept some of the wealth and distributed the rest
amongst their supporters, including members of
their family, soldiers, and poets. Many poets
whose compositions are found in the Sangam
collection composed poems in praise of chiefs who
often rewarded them with precious stones, gold,
horses, elephants, chariots, and fine cloth.
Around 200 years later a dynasty known as the
Satavahanas became powerful in western India
(see Map 7, page 113). The most important ruler of
the Satavahanas was Gautamiputra Shri
Satakarni. We know about him from an inscription
composed by his mother, Gautami Balashri. He
and other Satavahana rulers were known as lords
of the dakshinapatha, literally the route leading to
the south, which was also used as a name for the
entire southern region. He sent his army to the
eastern, western and southern coasts.
Why do you think he wanted to control the
coasts?
The story of the Silk Route
The rich, glossy colours of silk, as well as its
smooth texture, make it a highly valued fabric in
most societies. Making silk is a complicated
process. Raw silk has to be extracted from the TRADERS, KINGS AND
PILGRIMS

102
OUR PASTS–I
cocoons of silk worms, spun into thread and then
woven into cloth. Techniques of making silk were
first invented in China around 7000 years ago.
While the methods remained a closely guarded
secret for thousands of years, some people from
China who went to distant lands on foot,
horseback, and on camels, carried silk with them.
The paths they followed came to be known as the
Silk Route.
Sometimes, Chinese rulers sent gifts of silk to
rulers in Iran and west Asia, and from there, the
knowledge of silk spread further west. About 2000
years ago, wearing silk became the fashion
amongst rulers and rich people in Rome. It was
very expensive, as it had to be brought all the
way from China, along dangerous roads, through
mountains and deserts. People living along the
route often demanded payments for allowing
traders to pass through.
Look at Map 6 (pages 84-85) which shows the
Silk Route and its branches. Some kings tried to
control large portions of the route. This was
because they could benefit from taxes, tributes
and gifts that were brought by traders travelling
along the route. In return, they often protected
the traders who passed through their kingdoms
from attacks by robbers.
The best-known of the rulers who controlled
the Silk Route were the Kushanas, who ruled over
central Asia and north-west India around 2000
years ago. Their two major centres of power were
Peshawar and Mathura. Taxila was also included
in their kingdom. During their rule, a branch of
the Silk Route extended from Central Asia down
to the seaports at the mouth of the river Indus,
from where silk was shipped westwards to the
Roman Empire. The Kushanas were amongst the
earliest rulers of the subcontinent to issue gold

103
coins. These were used by traders along the Silk
Route.
Why do you think it would have been difficult
to use carts along the Silk Route?
Silk was also sent from China by sea. Trace
the routes on Map 6 (pages 84-85). What do you
think would have been the advantages and
problems in transporting silk by sea?
The spread of Buddhism
The most famous Kushana ruler was Kanishka,
who ruled around 1900 years ago. He organised
a Buddhist council, where scholars met and
discussed important matters.
Ashvaghosha, a poet who
composed a biography of the
Buddha, the Buddhacharita,
lived in his court. Ashvaghosha
and other Buddhist scholars now
began writing in Sanskrit.
A new form of Buddhism,
known as Mahayana Buddhism,
now developed. This had two
distinct features. Earlier, the
Buddha’s presence was shown in
sculpture by using certain signs.
For instance, his attainment of
enlightenment was shown by
sculptures of the peepal tree.
Now, statues of the Buddha
were made. Many of these were
made in Mathura, while others
were made in Taxila.
The second change was a belief
in Bodhisattvas. These were
supposed to be persons who had
attained enlightenment. Once they attained
enlightenment, they could live in complete
A sculpture from the
stupa at Sanchi.
Look at the tree and the
empty seat below it.
Sculptors carved this to
indicate that the Buddha
had attained
enlightenment while
meditating under the
tree.
TRADERS, KINGS AND
PILGRIMS

isolation and meditate in peace. However, instead
of doing that, they remained in the world to teach
and help other people. The worship of
Bodhisattvas became very popular, and spread
throughout Central Asia, China, and later to
Korea and Japan.
Buddhism also spread to western and southern
India, where dozens of caves were hollowed out
of hills for monks to live in.
Some of these caves were made on the orders of
kings and queens, others by merchants and
farmers. These were often located near passes
through the Western Ghats. Roads connecting
prosperous ports on the coast with cities in the
Deccan ran through these passes. Traders probably
Below left : An image of
the Buddha from
Mathura.
Right : An image of the
Buddha from Taxila.
Look at these and note the
similarities and differences
that you may find.

105
halted in these cave monasteries
during their travels.
Buddhism also spread
south eastwards, to Sri Lanka,
Myanmar, Thailand, and other
parts of Southeast Asia
including Indonesia. The older
form of Buddhism, known as
Theravada Buddhism was
more popular in these areas.
Read page 100 once more.
Can you think of how
Buddhism spread to these lands?
The quest of the pilgrims
As traders journeyed to distant lands in caravans
and ships, pilgrims often travelled with them.
Pilgrims
are men and women who undertake journeys to
holy places in order to offer worship.
The best-known of these are the Chinese
Buddhist pilgrims, Fa Xian, who came to the
subcontinent about 1600 years ago, Xuan Zang
(who came around 1400 years ago) and I-Qing,
who came about 50 years after Xuan Zang. They
came to visit places associated with the life of the
Buddha (Chapter 7) as well as famous
monasteries.
Each of these pilgrims left an account of his
journey. They wrote of the dangers they
encountered on their travels, which often took
years, of the countries and the monasteries that
they visited, and the books they carried back
with them.
A cave at Karle,
Maharashtra
TRADERS, KINGS AND
PILGRIMS

How Fa Xian returned to China
Fa Xian began his journey back home from Bengal. He boarded a ship
belonging to some merchants. They had barely travelled for two days when
they were caught in a storm. The merchants began throwing their
merchandise overboard so as to lighten the load and save the ship from
sinking. Fa Xian threw away his meagre personal belongings, but clung to
his books and the statues of the Buddha that he had collected. Finally,
the storm subsided after 13 days. This is how he describes the sea:
“The sea itself is boundless in extent — it is impossible to know east or
west, except by observing the sun, moon, or stars in their motions. If it is
dark, rainy weather, the only plan is to steer by the wind.”
It took him more than 90 days to reach Java, where he halted for five
months, before boarding another merchant ship that took him to China.
Try and trace the route Fa Xian took on Map 6 (page 85).
Why do you think he did not want to throw away his books and statues?
Xuan Zang, who took the land route back to
China (through the north-west, and Central Asia)
carried back with him statues of the Buddha made
of gold, silver and sandalwood, and over 600
manuscripts loaded on the backs of 20 horses.
Over 50 manuscripts were lost when the boat on
which he was crossing the Indus capsised. He
spent the rest of his life translating the remaining
manuscripts from Sanskrit into Chinese.
Nalanda – A unique centre of Buddhist learning
Xuan Zang, and other pilgrims spent time studying in Nalanda, (Bihar)
the most famous Buddhist monastery of the period. This is how he
describes it:
“The teachers are men of the highest ability and talent. They follow the
teachings of the Buddha in all sincerity. The rules of the monastery are
strict, and everyone has to follow them. Discussions are held throughout
the day, and the old and the young mutually help one another. Learned
men from different cities come here to settle their doubts. The gatekeeper
asks new entrants difficult questions. They are allowed to enter only after
they have been able to answer these. Seven or eight out of every ten are
not able to answer.”
List the reasons why Xuan Zang wanted to study in Nalanda.

107
The beginning of Bhakti
This was also the time when the worship of certain
deities, which became a central feature of later
Hinduism, gained in importance. These deities
included Shiva, Vishnu, and goddesses such as
Durga.
These deities were worshipped through Bhakti,
an idea that became very popular at this time.
Bhakti is generally understood as a person’s
devotion to his or her chosen deity. Anybody,
whether rich or poor, belonging to the so-called
‘high’ or ‘low’ castes, man or woman, could follow
the path of Bhakti.
The idea of Bhakti is present in the Bhagavad
Gita, a sacred book of the Hindus, which is
included in the Mahabharata (see Chapter
12). In this Krishna the god, asks Arjuna,
his devotee and friend, to abandon all
dharmas and take refuge in him, as only
he can set Arjuna free from every evil.
This form of worship gradually spread
to different parts of the country.
Those who followed the system of
Bhakti emphasised devotion and
individual worship of a god or goddess,
rather than the performance of
elaborate sacrifices.
According to this system of belief, if
a devotee worships the chosen deity
with a pure heart, the deity will appear
in the form in which he or she may
desire. So, the deity could be thought
of as a human being, lion, tree or any
other form. Once this idea gained
acceptance, artists made beautiful
images of these deities.
Vishnu as Varaha — an
image from Eran, Madhya
Pradesh.
This magnificent statue is
of a special form of
Vishnu, the Varaha or
boar. According to the
Puranas (see Chapter 12)
Vishnu took the shape of
a boar in order to rescue
the earth, which had
sunk into water. Here
the earth is shown as a
woman.
TRADERS, KINGS AND
PILGRIMS

108
OUR PASTS–I
Bhakti
Comes from the Sanskrit term bhaj meaning ‘to divide or share.’ This
suggests an intimate, two-way relationship between the deity and the
devotee. Bhakti is directed towards Bhagavat, which is often translated as
god, but also means one who possesses and shares bhaga, literally good
fortune or bliss. The devotee, known as the bhakta or the bhagavata,
shares his or her chosen deity’s bhaga.
A poem by a bhakta
Most Bhakti literature tells us that riches, learning and high status do not
automatically ensure a close relationship with the deity. This is part of a
poem composed in Tamil by Appar, a devotee of Shiva, who lived about
1400 years ago. Appar was a vellala (Chapter 9).
“The leper with rotting limbs,
The man who is regarded as low by the brahmin, even the scavenger
...
Even these men, if they are servants (i.e. devotees)
Of him who shelters the Ganga in his long hair (i.e. Shiva)
I worship them,
They are gods to me.”
What does the poet regard as more valuable, social status or devotion?
Because the deities were special, these images
of the deity were often placed within special homes,
places that we describe as temples. You will learn
more about these temples in Chapter 12.
Bhakti inspired some of the best expressions
in art — sculpture, poetry and architecture.
Hindu
The word ‘Hindu’, like the term ‘India’ is derived
from the river Indus. It was used by Arabs and
Iranians to refer to people who lived to the east of
the river, and to their cultural practices, including
religious beliefs.

Elsewhere
About 2000 years ago, Christianity emerged in West Asia. Jesus Christ
was born in Bethlehem, which was then part of the Roman empire. Christ’s
teachings were that He was the Saviour of the world. He also taught people
to treat others with love and trust others, just as they themselves wanted
to be treated.
Here are a few verses from the Bible, the holy book that contains the
teachings of Christ:
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.”
Christ’s teachings appealed to ordinary people, and spread through
West Asia, Africa and Europe. The first Christian preachers came from
West Asia to the west coast of the subcontinent within a hundred years of
Christ’s death.
Look at Map 6 (pages 84-85) and trace out the route that they may
have used.
The Christians of Kerala, known as Syrian Christians because they
probably came from West Asia, are amongst the oldest Christian
communities in the world.
KEYWORDS
trader
muvendar
route
silk
Kushanas
Mahayana
Buddhism
Theravada
Buddhism
Bodhisattva
pilgrim
Bhakti
Imagine
You have a manuscript which a Chinese pilgrim would
like to carry back with him. Describe your conversation.
Let’s recall
1. Match the following:
Muvendar Mahayana Buddhism
Lords of the dakshinapatha Buddhacharita
Ashvaghosha Satavahana rulers
Bodhisattvas Chinese pilgrim
Xuan Zang Cholas, Cheras and
Pandyas

110
OUR PASTS–I
2. Why did kings want to control the Silk Route?
3. What kinds of evidence do historians use to find out
about trade and trade routes?
4. What were the main features of Bhakti?
Let’s discuss
5. Discuss the reasons why the Chinese pilgrims came
to India.
6. Why do you think ordinary people were attracted to
Bhakti?
Let’s do
7. List five things that you buy from the market. Which
of these are made in the city/village in which you live,
and which are brought by traders from other areas?
8. There are several major pilgrimages performed by
people in India today. Find out about any one of them,
and write a short description. (Hint: who can go on
the pilgrimage — men, women or children? How long
does it take? How do people travel? What do they take
with them? What do they do when they reach the holy
place? Do they bring anything back with them?)
Discovery of silk
making (about 7000
years ago)
The Cholas, Cheras
and Pandyas (about
2300 years ago)
Growing demand for
silk in the Roman
Empire (about 2000
years ago)
Kanishka, the
Kushana ruler (about
1900 years ago)
Fa Xian comes to
India (about 1600
years ago)
Xuan Zang comes to
India, Appar
composes devotional
poems in praise of
Shiva (about 1400
years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

111
Arvind plays a king
Arvind had been chosen to act as a king in the school
play. He had expected to march solemnly in splendid
robes, to twirl his moustaches and wield the silver-paper
wrapped sword with gusto. Imagine his surprise when
he was told he would also have to sit and play a veena,
and recite poetry! A musician-king? Who was that? he
wondered.
Prashastis and what they tell us
Arvind was supposed to be acting as
Samudragupta, a famous ruler of a dynasty
known as the Guptas. We know about
Samudragupta from a long inscription, actually
a poem in Sanskrit, composed by his court poet,
Harishena nearly1700 years ago. This was
inscribed on the Ashokan pillar at Allahabad.
This inscription is of a special kind known as
a prashasti, a Sanskrit word, meaning ‘in praise
of’. While prashastis were composed for some of
the rulers you read about in Chapter 10, such as
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni, they became far
more important from the time of the Guptas.
Samudragupta’s prashasti
Let us see what Samudragupta’s prashasti tells
us. The poet praised the king in glowing terms —
as a warrior, as a king who won victories in battle,
who was learned and the best of poets. He is also
described as equal to the gods. The prashasti was
composed in very long sentences. Here is part of
one such sentence:
CHAPTER 11
NEW EMPIRES AND KINGDOMS
NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS

112
OUR PASTS–I
Samudragupta the warrior
Whose body was most charming, being covered with
the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of
scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears,
barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed
arrows, long arrows and many other weapons.
What does this description tell you about the
king? And also about how kings fought wars?
If you look at Map 7 (page113), you will notice
an area shaded in green. You will also find a series
of red dots along the east coast. And you will find
areas marked in purple and blue as well.
This map is based on the information provided
in the prashasti. Harishena describes four
different kinds of rulers, and tells us about
Samudragupta’s policies towards them.
1. The rulers of Aryavarta, the area shaded in green on
the map. Here there were nine rulers who were
uprooted, and their kingdoms were made a part of
Samudragupta’s empire.
2. The rulers of Dakshinapatha. Here there were twelve
rulers, some of whose capitals are marked with red
dots on the map. They surrendered to
Samudragupta after being defeated and he then
allowed them to rule again.
3. The inner circle of neighbouring states, including
Assam, coastal Bengal, Nepal, and a number of
gana sanghas (remember Chapter 6) in the north-
west, marked in purple on the map. They brought
tribute, followed his orders, and attended his court.
4. The rulers of the outlying areas, marked in blue on
the map, perhaps the descendants of the Kushanas
and Shakas, and the ruler of Sri Lanka, who
submitted to him and offered daughters in
marriage.
The king who played the
veena.
Some other qualities of
Samudragupta are shown
on coins such as this one,
where he is shown
playing the veena.

113
Find Prayaga (the old name for Allahabad),
Ujjain and Pataliputra (Patna) on the map. These
were important centres of the Gupta rulers.
What was the difference between the way in
which Samudragupta treated the rulers of
Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha?
Can you suggest any reasons for this difference?
NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS
MAP : 7
Showing Important Cities and
Kingdoms

114
OUR PASTS–I
Genealogies
Most prashastis also mention the ancestors of the
ruler. This one mentions Samudragupta’s great
grandfather, grandfather, father and mother. His
mother, Kumara devi, belonged to the Lichchhavi
gana, while his father, Chandragupta, was the
first ruler of the Gupta dynasty to adopt the grand
title of maharaj-adhiraja, a title that
Samudragupta also used. His great grandfather
and grandfather are mentioned simply as maha-
rajas. It seems as if the family gradually rose to
importance.
Arrange these titles in order of importance: raja,
maharaj-adhiraja, maha-raja.
Samudragupta in turn figures in the genealogies
(lists of ancestors) of later rulers of the dynasty,
such as his son, Chandragupta II. We know about
him from inscriptions and coins. He led an
expedition to western India, where he overcame
the last of the Shakas. According to later belief,
his court was full of learned people, including
Kalidasa the poet, and Aryabhata the astronomer,
about whom you will read more in Chapter 12.
Harshavardhana and the Harshacharita
While we can learn about the Gupta rulers from their
inscriptions and coins, we can find out about some
kings from biographies. Harshavardhana, who ruled
nearly 1400 years ago, was one such ruler. His court
poet, Banabhatta, wrote his biography, the
Harshacharita, in Sanskrit. This gives us the
genealogy of Harsha, and ends with his becoming
king. Xuan Zang, about whom you read in Chapter
10, also spent a lot of time at Harsha’s court and left
a detailed account of what he saw.
Harsha was not the eldest son of his father,
but became king of Thanesar after both his father
and elder brother died. His brother-in-law was

115
the ruler of Kanauj (see Map 7) and he was killed
by the ruler of Bengal. Harsha took over the
kingdom of Kanauj, and then led an army against
the ruler of Bengal.
Although he was successful in the east, and
conquered both Magadha and Bengal, he was not
as successful elsewhere. He tried to cross the
Narmada to march into the Deccan, but was
stopped by a ruler belonging to the Chalukya
dynasty, Pulakeshin II.
Look at Map 8 (page136) and list the present-
day states which Harshavardhana passed
through when he went (a) to Bengal and (b) up to
the Narmada.
The Pallavas, Chalukyas and Pulakeshin’s
prashasti
The Pallavas and Chalukyas were the most
important ruling dynasties in south India during
this period. The kingdom of the Pallavas spread
from the region around their capital, Kanchipuram,
to the Kaveri delta, while that of the Chalukyas
was centred around the Raichur Doab, between
the rivers Krishna and Tungabhadra.
Aihole, the capital of the Chalukyas, was an
important trading centre (see Map 7). It developed
as a religious centre, with a number of temples.
The Pallavas and Chalukyas frequently raided one
another’s lands, especially attacking the capital
cities, which were prosperous towns.
The best-known Chalukya ruler was Pulakeshin
II. We know about him from a prashasti, composed
by his court poet Ravikirti. This tells us about his
ancestors, who are traced back through four
generations from father to son. Pulakeshin
evidently got the kingdom from his uncle.
According to Ravikirti, he led expeditions along
both the west and the east coasts. Besides, he NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS

116
OUR PASTS–I
checked the advance of Harsha. There is an
interesting play of words in the poem. Harsha
means happiness. The poet says that after this
defeat, Harsha was no longer Harsha! Pulakeshin
also attacked the Pallava king, who took shelter
behind the walls of Kanchipuram.
But the Chalukya victory was short-lived.
Ultimately, both the Pallavas and the Chalukyas
gave way to new rulers belonging to the
Rashtrakuta and Chola dynasties, about which
you will study in Class VII.
Who were the other rulers who tried to control
the coasts and why? (Hint: see Chapter 10).
How were these kingdoms administered?
As in the case of earlier kings, land revenue
remained important for these rulers, and the
village remained the basic unit of administration.
There were some new developments as well.
Kings adopted a number of steps to win the
support of men who were powerful, either
economically, or socially, or because of their
political and military strength. For instance:
• Some important administrative posts were now
hereditary. This means that sons succeeded fathers
to these posts. For example, the poet Harishena was
a maha-danda-nayaka, or chief judicial officer, like
his father.
• Sometimes, one person held many offices. For
instance, besides being a maha-danda-nayaka,
Harishena was a kumar-amatya, meaning an
important minister, and a sandhi-vigrahika,
meaning a minister of war and peace.
• Besides, important men probably had a say in local
administration. These included the nagara-
shreshthi or chief banker or merchant of the city,
the sarthavaha or leader of the merchant caravans,
the prathama-kulika or the chief craftsman, and the
head of the kayasthas or scribes.

117
These policies were reasonably effective, but
sooner or later, some of these powerful men grew
strong enough to set up independent kingdoms.
What do you think may have been the
advantages and disadvantages of having
hereditary officers?
A new kind of army
Like earlier rulers, some of these kings maintained
a well-organised army, with elephants, chariots,
cavalry and foot soldiers. Besides, there were
military leaders who provided the king with troops
whenever he needed them. They were not paid
regular salaries. Instead, some of them received
grants of land. They collected revenue from the
land and used this to maintain soldiers and
horses, and provide equipment for warfare. These
men were known as samantas. Whenever the
ruler was weak, samantas tried to become
independent.
Assemblies in the southern kingdoms
The inscriptions of the Pallavas mention a number
of local assemblies. These included the sabha,
which was an assembly of brahmin land owners.
This assembly functioned through sub-
committees, which looked after irrigation,
agricultural operations, making roads, local
temples, etc.
The ur was a village assembly found in areas
where the land owners were not brahmins. And
the nagaram was an organisation of merchants.
It is likely that these assemblies were controlled
by rich and powerful landowners and merchants.
Many of these local assemblies continued to
function for centuries.
NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS

118
OUR PASTS–I
Ordinary people in the kingdoms
We can catch an occasional glimpse of the lives
of ordinary people from plays, and other accounts.
Let us look at some of these.
Kalidasa is known for his plays depicting life in
the king’s court. An interesting feature about these
plays is that the king and most brahmins are shown
as speaking Sanskrit, while women and men other
than the king and brahmins use Prakrit. His most
famous play, Abhijnana Shakuntalam, is the story
of the love between a king named Dushyanta and
a young woman named Shakuntala. We find an
interesting description of the plight of a poor
fisherman in this play.
A fisherman finds a ring
A fisherman found a precious ring, which the king
had given to Shakuntala, but which had been
accidentally swallowed by a fish. When he went to
the palace with it, the gatemen accused him of theft,
and the chief police officer was rather rude. However,
the king was happy when he saw the ring and sent
a reward for the fisherman. Then, the police officer
and the gatemen decided to take a share of the
reward, and went along with the fisherman to have
a drink.
Do you think that if a poor man finds something
and reports this to the police he would be treated
like this today?
Name a famous man who taught in Prakrit and
a king who issued inscriptions in Prakrit (hint: see
Chapters 7 and 8)

119
The Chinese pilgrim Fa Xian noticed the plight
of those who were treated as untouchables by
the high and mighty. They were expected to live
on the outskirts of the city. He writes: “If such a
man enters a town or a market place, he strikes a
piece of wood, in order to keep himself separate;
people, hearing this sound, know what it means
and avoid touching him or brushing against him.”
And Banabhatta provides us with a vivid
picture of the king’s army on the move:
The king’s army
The king travelled with an enormous amount of
equipment. Apart from weapons, there were things
of daily use such as pots, pans, furniture, golden
footstools, food, including animals such as goat,
deer, rabbits, vegetables, spices, carried on carts or
loaded on to pack animals such as camels and
elephants. This huge army was accompanied by
musicians beating drums, and others playing horns
and trumpets.
Villagers had to provide hospitality along the way.
They came with gifts of curds, gur and flowers, and
provided fodder for the animals. They also tried to
meet the king, and place their complaints and
petitions before him.
The army left a trail of destruction behind.
Elephants often trampled down the huts of villagers,
and the oxen yoked to the caravans of merchants
ran away, scared by the tumult.
As Banabhatta says: “The whole world was
swallowed up in dust.”
Make a list of all the things that were carried with
the army.
What did the villagers bring for the king?
NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS

120
OUR PASTS–I
Elsewhere
Find Arabia on Map 6 (pages 84-85). Although it is a desert, it was at
the hub of communications for centuries. In fact, Arab merchants and
sailors played an important role in the sea trade between India and
Europe (see page 100). Others who lived in Arabia were the Bedouins,
pastoral tribes depending mainly on like hardy animals camels, that
could survive in the desert.
Around 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad introduced a new
religion, Islam, in Arabia. Like Christianity, Islam was a religion that
laid stress on the equality and unity of all before Allah, the one supreme
god. Here is a verse from the Quran, the sacred book of Islam:
“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for
devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women
who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble
themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women
who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men
and women who engage much in Allah’s remembrance, for them has
Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.”
Within a hundred years Islam spread to north Africa, Spain, Iran and
India. Arab sailors, who were already familiar with the coastal settlements
of the subcontinent, now brought the new religion with them. Arabs soldiers
conquered Sind (in present-day Pakistan) about 1300 years ago.
Trace the routes that would have been taken by these sailors and
soldiers on Map 6.
Imagine
Harshavardhana’s army will visit your village next week.
Your parents are preparing for the visit. Describe what
they say and do.
Let’s recall
(a) Harishena composed a prashasti in praise of
Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni.
(b) The rulers of Aryavarta brought tribute for
Samudragupta.
(c) There were twelve rulers in Dakshinapatha.

121
KEYWORDS
prashasti
Aryavarta
Dakshinapatha
genealogy
hereditary officer
samanta
assembly
nagaram
(d) Taxila and Madurai were important centres
under the control of the Gupta rulers.
(e) Aihole was the capital of the Pallavas.
(f) Local assemblies functioned for several centuries
in south India.
2. Mention three authors who wrote about
Harshavardhana.
3. What changes do you find in the army at this time?
4. What were the new administrative arrangements
during this period?
Let’s discuss
5. What do you think Arvind would have to do if he was
acting as Samudragupta?
6. Do you think ordinary people would have read and
understood the prashastis? Give reasons for your
answer.
Let’s do
7. If you had to make a genealogy for yourself, who are
the people you would include in it? How many
generations would you like to show? Make a chart
and fill it.
8. How do you think wars affect the lives of ordinary
people today?
NEW EMPIRES AND
KINGDOMS
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES
Beginning of the
Gupta dynasty (about
1700 years ago)
The rule of
Harshavardhana
(about 1400 years
ago)

Marutasami and the iron pillar
Marutasami was so excited. His brother had propelled
his wheelchair all along the dusty, stony path, past the
towering Qutb Minar, and up the metal ramp. It had
been tough, but now he was here, in front of the famous
iron pillar. It was an unforgettable experience.
The iron pillar
The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi, is a remarkable
example of the skill of Indian crafts persons. It is
made of iron, 7.2. m high, and weighs over 3
tonnes. It was made about 1500 years ago. We
know the date because there is an inscription on
the pillar mentioning a ruler named Chandra,
who probably belonged to the Gupta dynasty
(Chapter 11). What is amazing is the fact that the
pillar has not rusted in all these years.
Buildings in brick and stone
The skills of our crafts persons are also apparent
in the buildings that have survived, such as
stupas. The word stupa means a mound. While
there are several kinds of stupas, round and tall,
big and small, these have certain common
features. Generally, there is a small box placed at
the centre or heart of the stupa. This may contain
bodily remains (such as teeth, bone or ashes) of
the Buddha or his followers, or things they used,
as well as precious stones, and coins.
This box, known as a relic casket, was covered
with earth. Later, a layer of mud brick or baked
brick was added on top. And then, the dome like
structure was sometimes covered with carved
stone slabs.
The iron pillar
CHAPTER 12
BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS AND BOOKS

123
Often, a path, known as the
pradakshina patha, was laid
around the stupa. This was
surrounded with railings.
Entrance to the path was through
gateways. Devotees walked
around the stupa, in a clockwise
direction, as a mark of devotion.
Both railings and gateways were
often decorated with sculpture.
Find Amaravati on Map 7
(page 113). This was a place
where a magnificent stupa once
existed. Many of the stone
carvings for decorating the stupa
were made about 2000 years ago.
Other buildings were hollowed
out of rock to make artificial
caves. Some of these were very
elaborately decorated with
sculptures and painted walls.
Some of the earliest Hindu temples were also built
at this time. Deities such as Vishnu, Shiva, and
Durga were worshipped in these shrines. The
most important part of the temple was the
room known as the garbhagriha, where the
image of the chief deity was
placed. It was here that
priests performed
religious rituals, and
devotees offered
worship to the
deity.
Often, as at
Bhitargaon, a
tower, known as
the shikhara, was
built on top of the
Top : The Great Stupa at
Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh.
Stupas like this one were
built over several
centuries. While the
brick mound probably
dates to the time of
Ashoka (Chapter 8), the
railings and gateways
were added during the
time of later rulers.
Left : Sculpture from
Amaravati.
Look at the picture and
describe what you see.
BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS
AND BOOKS

124
OUR PASTS–I
garbhagriha, to mark this out as a sacred place.
Building shikharas required careful planning.
Most temples also had a space known as the
mandapa. It was a hall where people could
assemble.
Find Mahabalipuram and Aihole on Map 7
(page 113). Some of the finest stone temples were
built in these towns. Some of these are shown
here.
Top : An early temple at
Bhitargaon, Uttar
Pradesh.
This was built about 1500
years ago, and was made
of baked brick and stone.
Top Right : Monolithic
temples at
Mahabalipuram.
Each of these was carved
out of a huge, single
piece of stone (that is
why they are known as
monoliths). While brick
structures are built up by
adding layers of bricks
from the bottom
upwards, in this case the
stone cutters had to
work from top
downwards.
List the problems that
stone cutters may have
faced.
Right : The Durga temple
at Aihole, built about
1400 years ago.

How were stupas and temples built?
There were several stages in building a stupa or a
temple. Usually, kings or queens decided to build
these as it was an expensive affair. First, good
quality stone had to be found, quarried, and
transported to the place that was often carefully
chosen for the new building. Here, these rough
blocks of stone had to be shaped and carved into
pillars, and panels for walls, floors and ceilings.
And then these had to be placed in precisely the
right position.
Kings and queens probably spent money from
their treasury to pay the crafts persons who
worked to build these splendid structures.
Besides, when devotees came to visit
the temple or the stupa, they often
brought gifts, which were used to
decorate the buildings. For
example, an association of ivory
workers paid for one of the
beautiful gateways at Sanchi.
Among the others who paid
for decorations were merchants,
farmers, garland makers,perfumers,
smiths, and hundreds of men and
Left : A Jaina monastery
from Orissa.
This two storey building
was carved out of the
rock surface. Notice the
entrance to the rooms.
Jaina monks lived and
meditated in these
rooms.
In what ways is the cave
shown here different from
the illustration on p.15?
Below : A sculpture from
the National Museum,
New Delhi.
Can you see how some of
the caves may have been
hollowed out?

126
OUR PASTS–I
women who are known only by their
names which were inscribed on
pillars, railings and walls. So when
you get a chance to visit any of these
buildings, remember how several
hundreds of people probably worked
to construct and decorate them.
Make a diagram like the one on
page 88 (Chapter 9) to show the stages
in the building of a temple or stupa.
Painting
Find Ajanta on Map 7 (page 113). This
is a place where several caves were
hollowed out of the hills over
centuries. Most of these were
monasteries for Buddhist monks, and
some of them were decorated with
paintings. Here are some examples.
As the caves are dark inside, most of these
paintings were done in the light of torches. The
colours, which are vivid even after 1500 years,
were made of plants and minerals. The artists
who created these splendid works of art remain
unknown.
Paintings from Ajanta.
Describe what you see in
each of these paintings.

127
The world of books
Some of the best–known epics were written during
this period. Epics are grand, long compositions,
about heroic men and women, and include stories
about gods.
A famous Tamil epic, the Silappadikaram, was
composed by a poet named Ilango, around 1800
years ago. It is the story of a merchant named
Kovalan, who lived in Puhar and fell in love with
a courtesan named Madhavi, neglecting his wife
Kannagi. Later, he and Kannagi left Puhar and
went to Madurai, where he was wrongly accused
of theft by the court jeweller of the Pandya king.
The king sentenced Kovalan to death. Kannagi,
who still loved him, was full of grief and anger at
this injustice, and destroyed the entire city of
Madurai.
A description from the Silappadikaram
Here is how the poet describes Kannagi’s grief:
“O witness of my grief, you cannot console me. Is it right that your
body, fairer than pure gold, lies unwashed here in the dust? Is it just that
in the red glow of the twilight, your handsome chest, framed with a flower
wreath, lies thrown down on the bare earth, while I remain alone, helpless
and abandoned to despair? Is there no god? Is there no god in this country?
Can there be a god in a land where the sword of the king is used for the
murder of innocent strangers? Is there no god, no god?”
Another Tamil epic, the Manimekalai was
composed by Sattanar around 1400 years ago.
This describes the story of the daughter of
Kovalan and Madhavi. These beautiful
compositions were lost to scholars for many
centuries, till their manuscripts were
rediscovered, about a hundred years ago.
Other writers, such as Kalidasa, (about whom
you read in Chapter 11) wrote in Sanskrit. BUILDINGS, PAINTINGS
AND BOOKS

128
OUR PASTS–I
A verse from the Meghaduta
Here is a verse from Kalidasa’s best-known poem,
the Meghaduta, in which a monsoon cloud is
imagined to be a messenger between lovers who are
separated from one another.
See how the poet describes the breeze that will
carry the cloud northwards:
“A cool breeze, delightful as it is touched
With the fragrance of the earth
Swollen by your showers,
Inhaled deeply by elephants,
And causing the wild figs to ripen,
Will blow gently as you go.”
Do you think Kalidasa can be described as a lover
of nature?
Recording and preserving old stories
A number of Hindu religious stories that were in
circulation earlier were written down around the
same time. These include the Puranas. Purana
literally mean old. The Puranas contain stories
about gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu, Shiva,
Durga or Parvati. They also contain details on
how they were to be worshipped. Besides, there
are accounts about the creation of the world, and
about kings.
The Puranas were written in simple Sanskrit
verse, and were meant to be heard by everybody,
including women and shudras, who were not
allowed to study the Vedas. They were probably
recited in temples by priests, and people came to
listen to them.
Two Sanskrit epics, the Mahabharata and
Ramayana had been popular for a very long time.
Some of you may be familiar with these stories.
The Mahabharata is about a war fought between
the Kauravas and Pandavas, who were cousins.

129
This was a war to gain control of the throne of the
Kurus, and their capital, Hastinapur. The story
itself was an old one, but was written down in the
form in which we know it today, about 1500 years
ago. Both the Puranas and the Mahabharata are
supposed to have been compiled by Vyasa. The
Bhagavad Gita, about which you learnt in Chapter
10, was also included in the Mahabharata.
The Ramayana is about Rama, a prince of
Kosala, who was sent into exile. His wife Sita was
abducted by the king of Lanka, named Ravana,
and Rama had to fight a battle to get her back. He
won and returned to Ayodhya, the capital of
Kosala, after his victory. Like the Mahabharata,
this was an old story that was now written down.
Valmiki is recognised as the author of the Sanskrit
Ramayana.
There are several versions (many of which are
performed) of the Mahabharata and the
Ramayana, popular amongst people in different
parts of the subcontinent. Find out about a
version in your state.
Stories told by ordinary people
Ordinary people also told stories, composed
poems and songs, sang, danced, and performed
plays. Some of these are preserved in collections
of stories such as the Jatakas and the
Panchatantra, which were written down around
this time. Stories from the Jatakas were often
shown on the railings of stupas and in paintings
in places such as Ajanta.
Here is one such story:
AND BOOKS

The story of the monkey king
Once upon a time there was a great monkey king,
who lived on the banks of the Ganga in the
Himalayas, with 80,000 followers. They fed on the
fruit of a special mango tree, which were very
sweet. Such exquisite mangoes did not grow on
the plains. One day, a ripe mango fell into the
river and floated all the way to Varanasi. There
the king of the city who was bathing in the river
found it, and was amazed when he tasted it. He
asked the foresters of his kingdom whether they
could find the tree for him, and they led him all
the way to the Himalayas. There, the king
and his courtiers had their fill of
mangoes. At night, the king
discovered that the monkeys
were also feasting on the fruit,
and decided to kill them.
However, the king of the
monkeys worked out a
plan to save his followers.
He broke off branches of
the mango tree, and tied
them to form a ‘bridge’
across the river, and held
on to one end till all his
followers crossed over.
Exhausted with the effort, he
fell down and lay dying.
The human king saw what had
happened, and tried unsuccessfully to
revive the monkey. When he died, the king
mourned his death and paid him full respect.
This story is shown on a piece of sculpture
found from a stupa at Bharhut in central India.
Can you identify which parts of the story are
shown in the sculpture?
Why do you think these were chosen?130
OUR PASTS–I

131
Writing books on science
This was also the time when Aryabhata, a
mathematician and astronomer, wrote a book in
Sanskrit known as the Aryabhatiyam. He stated
that day and night were caused by the rotation of
the earth on its axis, even though it seems as if
the sun is rising and setting everyday. He
developed a scientific explanation for eclipses as
well. He also found a way of calculating the
circumference of a circle, which is nearly as
accurate as the formula we use today.
Zero
While numerals had been used earlier,
mathematicians in India now invented a special
symbol for zero. This system of counting was
adapted by the Arabs and then spread to Europe.
It continues to be in use throughout the world.
The Romans used a system of counting without
using zero. Try and find out more about it.
Elsewhere
Paper has become a part of our daily lives. The books
we read are printed on paper, and we use paper for
writing. Paper was invented in China about 1900
years ago, by a man named Cai Lun. He beat plant
fibres, cloth, rope and the bark of trees, soaked these
in water, and then pressed, drained and dried the
pulp to create paper. Even today, hand made paper
is made through a similar process.
The technique of making paper was a closely
guarded secret for centuries. It reached Korea about
1400 years ago, and spread to Japan soon after. It
was known in Baghdad about 1800 years ago. From
Baghdad it spread to Europe, Africa, and other parts
of Asia including the subcontinent.
What were manuscripts in early India made out
of ? (Hint: See Chapter 1)
KEYWORDS
stupa
temple
painting
epic
story
Purana
science
mathematics
AND BOOKS

132
OUR PASTS–I
Imagine
You are sitting in a mandapa of a temple. Describe the
scene around you.
Let’s recall
1. Match the following
Stupa Place where the image
of the deity is installed
Shikhara Mound
Mandapa Circular path around
the stupa
Garbhagriha Place in temples where
people could assemble
Pradakshina patha Tower
2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) ————————
was a great astronomer.
(b) Stories about gods and goddesses are found in
the ————————
(c) ————————
is recognised as the author of the
Sanskrit Ramayana.
(d) ————————
and ————————
are two Tamil epics.
Let’s discuss
3. Make a list of the chapters in which you find mention
of metal working. What are the metals objects
mentioned or shown in those chapters?
4. Read the story on page 130. In what ways is the
monkey king similar to or different from the kings
you read about in Chapters 6 and 11?
beginning of stupa
building (2300 years
ago)
Amaravati (2000
years ago)
Kalidasa (1600 years
ago)
Iron pillar, Temple at
Bhitargaon, Paintings
at Ajanta, Aryabhata
(1500 years ago)
Durga temple (1400
years ago)
SOME IMPORTANT
DATES

133
5. Find out more and tell a story from one of the epics.
Let’s do
6. List some steps that can be taken to make buildings
and monuments accessible to differently abled people.
7. Try and list as many uses of paper as you can.
8. If you could visit any one of the places described in
this chapter, which would you choose and why?
AND BOOKS

Ncert class-6-history

More Related Content

What's hot

Similar to Ncert class-6-history

Recently uploaded

Ncert class-6-history