Solution: Daily Problem Practice for 2021 History Optional [Ancient India: Day 28]

Q. Identify the following places marked on the map and write a short note of about 30 words each. Locational hints for each of the places marked  on the map are given below seriatim. [2.5×6= 15]

(i) Ancient commercial and education centre

Taxila

• In Rawalpindi district, Pakistan.
• Ancient political, commercial and cultural centre.
• Commercial centre:
  • At junction of 3 major trade routes: West Asia, northern India and Central Asia.
  • Centre of artisanal production.
• Centre of education:
  • Amongst the earliest universities.
  • Many do not consider it a university as:
    • teachers did not have official membership of particular colleges, and
    • there was no purpose-built lecture halls and residential quarters, like Nalanda University.
  • Charaka, Chanakya, Jivaka, Panini etc are related to Taxila University.
• Political centre:
  • Capital of Gandhara satrapy, under Achaemenian.
  • Alexander received submission of ruler of Taxila, Ambhi.
  • Taxila became a provincial capital of Mauryas.
  • Capital of Indo-Parthian Kingdom, and one of the capitals of Kushanas.
• The Chinese pilgrims Fa Hian (5^th century) and Hieun Tsang (7^th century) visited Taxila. In ruin during Huen Tsang.

(ii) Ancient capital city

Kapilvastu

• In Kapilvastu ditrict, Nepal (25 km northwest of Lumbini).
• UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Capital of the Shakya kingdom.
• King Suddhodana and Queen Mayadevi of Shakya kingdom gave birth to Gautam Buddha.
• Chinese pilgrims Faxian and Xuanzang made pilgrimages to the site .
• Ancient trade centre.

(iii) Famous inscription and temple site

Aihole

• In Bijapur district, Karnataka.
• It is east of Pattadakal, while Badami is to the west of both.
• First capital of western Chalukyas (later moved to Badami).
• Chalukyan architecture, with many stone temples dating from 5th century CE.
  • Earliest structural temples.
  • Among the seventy temples found at Aihole, four are important.
    • Ladh Khan temple is flat-roofed structure consisting of a pillared hall.
    • Durga temple resembles a Buddha Chaitya.
    • Huchimalligudi temple.
    • The Jain temple at Meguti.
• Caves: 
  • Ravana Phadi cave- rocks cut temples.
  • Jain cave temple
  • A Buddhist Chaitya Cave- partly rockcut structure.
• Aihole inscription:
  • Aihole Prasasti in Meguti Temple
  • Composed by Ravikirti, the court poet of Pulakesin II in 634 A.D.
  • In Sanskrit language and old Karnataka script
  • Detailed account of Pulakesin II’s exploit against his neighbouring kingdoms like the Pallavas.
  • Describes the victory of Pulakesin II against Harshavardhana.

(iv) Terracotta centre

Chandraketugarh

• In North 24 parganas district, West Bengal.
• Archaeological site:
  • NBPW found,
  • Silver and copper punch marked coins,
    • Some of the punch marked coins having ship motif indicate that Chandraketugarh might have been a port-town.

    Stone and terracotta beads.Semi-precious stone beads and items of ivory and bone found.Terracotta art:

    • Unusual degree of precision and craftsmanship.
    • Terracotta plaques are comparable to those found at other sites such as Kaushambi and Ahichhatra.
    • Terracotta plaques from these sites often carry similar motifs executed in nearly identical fashion.
  • A temple structure of Gupta or post-Gupta period found.

• Stone and terracotta beads.Semi-precious stone beads and items of ivory and bone found.Terracotta art:
  • Unusual degree of precision and craftsmanship.
  • Terracotta plaques are comparable to those found at other sites such as Kaushambi and Ahichhatra.
  • Terracotta plaques from these sites often carry similar motifs executed in nearly identical fashion.
• A temple structure of Gupta or post-Gupta period found.

(v) Chalcolithic site

Inamgaon

• In Pune district, Maharashtra.
• Post-Harappan Chalcolithic site.
• Multiple cultural phases:- Jorwe culture and Malwa Culture found.
• Habitation:
  • Early chalcolithic:
    • Mud and circular houses.
    • Storage pits.
    • Biggest houses with five room was of the ruling chief.
    • Granary.
  • Later Chalcolithic:
    • Fortified wall around the settled area.
• Pottery:
  • Red with black designs.
• Artefacts:
  • Stone tools for cutting plants, meat etc.
  • Few coppers tools and ornaments found.
    • Ornaments:- beads, bangles, and anklets. Later gold also.
    • Tools and weapons such as drills, fish hooks and arrowheads.
  • Beads of terracotta, semi-precious stones ivory, sea shells.
  • Terracotta figurines:-  toys, bull, female goddess etc.
• Trade with other parts of the country.
• Agriculture:
  • Wheat, barley, lentils, peas, gram and beans.
• Bones of wild and domesticates.

(vi) Early Harappan site

Kot Diji

• In Sind, Amri, on bank of Indus.
• Early and mature Harappan level.
• Settlement:
  • Fortified with a massive wall made of limestone rubble and mud-brick
  • a citadel complex and a lower residential area
  • House walls of stone and mud-brick.
• Artefacts:
  • Objects of stone, shell, and bone;
  • terracotta figurines (including a bull figurine),
  • bangles, and beads;
• Pottery:
  • Wheel-made and decorated.
  • a short-necked ovoid pot, painted with designs such as the ‘horned deity’, pipal leaves and ‘fish scales’.
• At Kot Diji and Gumla, a burnt deposit between early Harappan and mature Harappan levels suggests a major fire.

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