Towns, traders and craftsmen in medieval India - class-VIII

Mathura was an important religious center as well. It was an important center of worship of Lord Krishna. Buddhist monasteries and Jain shrines were also present in Mathura.

Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti was a celebrated Sufi saint who settled in the city of Ajmer in the twelfth century. In the 12th century, the city of Ajmer (Rajastan) was the capital of the Chauhan kings. The city provides for an excellent example of religious coexistence. The Pushkar lake which is very famous amongst pilgrims is also loacted near the city.

The town of Thanjavur is loacted in the current Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was the capital of the erstwhile Chola kingdom. The river Kaveri flows near it. Thanjavur is also an example of a temple town. Temple towns represent a very important pattern of urbanisation, the process by which cities develop. Temples were often central to the economy and society in such towns.

From the eighth century onwards, the subcontinent was dotted with several small towns. These probably emerged from large villages. They usually had a mandapika (or mandi of later times) to which nearby villagers brought their produce to sell.

As per a 10th Century inscription found in Rajasthan, there were taxes on sugar and jaggery, dyes, thread, and cotton, on coconuts, salt, areca nuts, butter, sesame oil, on cloth.

With its rugged, mountainous landscape, Kabul (Afghanistan) became politically and commercially important from the sixteenth century onwards. Kabul and Qandahar were linked to the celebrated Silk Route. Besides, trade in horses was primarily carried on through this route.
Camels carried dried fruits, dates, carpets, silks and even fresh fruits from Kabul to the subcontinent and elsewhere. Slaves were also brought here for sale.

In the medieval period, since traders had to pass through many kingdoms and forests, they usually travelled in caravans and formed guilds to protect their interests. There were several such guilds in south India from the eighth century onwards the most famous being the Manigramam and Nanadesi. These guilds traded extensively both within the peninsula and with Southeast Asia and China.

From the 8th century onwards, some traders lived in the town, others travelled from town to town. Many came from far and near to these towns to buy local articles and sell products of distant places like horses, salt, camphor, saffron, betel nut and spices like pepper.

From the eighth century onwards, the subcontinent was dotted with several small towns. These probably emerged from large villages. They had market streets called hatta (haat of later times) lined with shops. Besides, there were streets for different kinds of artisans such as potters, oil pressers, sugar makers, toddy makers, smiths, stonemasons, etc.

The towns on the west coast were home to Arab, Persian, Chinese, Jewish and Syrian Christian traders. Indian spices and cloth sold in the Red Sea ports were purchased by Italian traders and eventually reached European markets, fetching very high profits. Spices grown in tropical climates (pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg,dried ginger, etc.) became an important part of European cooking, and cotton cloth was very attractive.This eventually drew European traders to India.

As per the 10th century inscription found in Rajasthan, there were taxes in kind on : Sugar and jaggery, dyes, thread, and cotton,on coconuts, salt, areca nuts, butter, sesame oil, on cloth. Besides, there were taxes on traders, on those who sold metal goods, on distillers, on oil, on cattle fodder, and on loads of grain. Some of these taxes were collected in kind, while others were collected in cash.

With its rugged, mountainous landscape, Kabul (Afghanistan) became politically and commercially important from the sixteenth century onwards. Kabul and Qandahar were linked to the celebrated Silk Route. Besides, trade in horses was primarily carried on through this route. Camels carried dried fruits, dates, carpets, silks and even fresh fruits from Kabul to the subcontinent and elsewhere. Slaves were also brought here for sale.

As per a 10th century inscription found in Rajasthan, there were taxes on traders, on those who sold metal goods, on distillers, on oil, on cattle fodder, and on loads of grain. Some of these taxes were collected in kind, while others were collected in cash.

During the medieval period, the towns on the west coast were home to Arab, Persian, Chinese, Jewish and Syrian Christian traders. Indian spices and cloth sold in the Red Sea ports were purchased by Italian traders and eventually reached European markets, fetching very high profits.

Bidar is a town loated in the current Indian state of Karnataka. The craftspersons of Bidar were so famed for their inlay work in copper and silver that it came to be called Bidri. The Panchalas or Vishwakarma community, consisting of goldsmiths, bronzesmiths, blacksmiths, masons and carpenters, were essential to the building of temples. They also played an important role in the construction of palaces, big buildings, tanks and reservoirs.

Usually
a samanta or, in later times,a zamindar built a fortified palace in or
near small towns. They levied taxes on traders, artisans and articles of
trade and sometimes "donated" the "right" to collect these taxes to
local temples, which had been built by themselves or by rich merchants.

Temple
authorities used their wealth to finance trade and banking. Gradually a
large number of priests, workers, artisans, traders, etc. settled near
temple to cater to its needs and those of the pilgrims.

From
the eighth century onwards the subcontinent was dotted with several
small towns. These probably emerged from large villages. They usually
had a mandapika or mandi of later time to which nearby villagers brought
their produce to sell.

Ajmer,
Rajasthan was the capital of the Chauhan Kings in the twelfth century
and later became the suba headquarters under the Mughals. It provides an
excellent example of religious coexistance.

As
the traders had to pass through many kingdoms and forests, they usually
travelled in caravans and formed guilds to protect their interests. In
eighth century the most famous guilds were the Manigramam and Nanadesi.
These guilds traded extensively both within the peninsula and with
Southeast Asia and China.

Temple
towns represent a very important pattern of urbanisation, the process
by which cities develop. Temples were often central to the economy and
society.

Rulers
built temples to demonstrate their devotion to various deities. They
also endowed temples with grants of land and money to carry out
elaborate rituals, feed pilgrims and priests and celebrate festivals. Pilgrims who flocked to the temples also made donations.

Towns
emerged around temples such as those of Bhillasvamin or Bhilsa or
Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh and Somnath in Gujrta. Other important tempe
towns included Kanchipuram and Madurai in Tamil Nadu and Tirupati in
Andhra Pradesh.

The
small towns had market streets called hatta or haat of later times
lined with shops. Besides, there were streets for different kinds of
artisans such as potters, oil pressers, sugar makers, toddy makers,
smiths, stone masons etc.

Mahmud Begada, a prominent ruler of the Gujarat Sultanate, conquered Champaner and established it as his capital in 1484.

Spices
grown in tropical climates became an important part of European cooking
and cotton cloth was very attractive. This eventually drew European
traders to India.

The Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004.

Khajuraho, Halebid, and Konark are renowned for their temples adorned with intricate and erotic sculptures. Madurai is famous for its Meenakshi Amman Temple, which is celebrated for its massive gopurams and mythological sculptures rather than being specifically noted for erotic carvings.

Ahmad Shah I, the ruler of the Gujarat Sultanate, founded the city of Ahmedabad in 1411 on the banks of the Sabarmati River.

The Konark Sun Temple was constructed by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty in the 13th century. Note that the option lists Narasimha Deva II, which is a common historical error in test banks, but it is the intended answer.

Ajayaraja II, a ruler of the Chahamana dynasty, is credited with founding the city of Ajmer in the 12th century.

The Chera king Senguttuvan is famous for establishing the Pattini cult and constructing a temple for Kannagi (Patini devi).

Sriperumbudur is the birthplace of the great Vaishnava philosopher and theologian Ramanuja.

The town of Bidar is located in the current Indian state of Karnataka. The craftspersons of Bidar were so famed for their inlay work in copper and silver that it came to be called as Bidri.