XII-Half Yearly Test Solution

General Instructions

Answer all the questions. Some questions have a choice. Marks are indicated against each question.

1. Answer to questions no. 1 to 3 carrying 2 marks, should not exceed 30 words each

2. Answer to questions no. 4 to 9 carrying 4 marks should not exceed 100 words. Students should attempt only five questions in this section

3. Question 10 ( for 4 marks) is a value based question and compulsory question

4. Answer to questions no. 11 to 13 carrying 8 marks should not exceed 350 words.

5. Questions 14-16 are source based questions and have no internal choice

6. Question 17 is a Map question. Attach the map with the answer sheet.

Part A

Q1. Define the word “Exogamy”. Give one reason for adopting it.    

Ans: Exogamy is a rule of marriage. It means that daughters have to marry outside the unit i.e Gotra. Reasons for adopting Exogamy (1) while sons were important for the continuity of the patrilineage, daughters had to marry outside the Gotra, as they had no claims to the resources of the household.(2)

Q2. Explain the meaning of “Silsila”. Name any two famous Silsilas of India.

Word silsila literally means a chain of links between master and disciple. It stretches as an unbroken spiritual lineage to the Prophet Muhammad. Through Silsila the spiritual power and blessings of the prophet were transmitted to devotees. Special rituals of initiation were developed in which initiates took an oath of loyalty, wore a patched garment, and shaved their hair. Two famous silsila of India are – 

1. Chishti

2. Naqshbandi Silsila  (2)

Q3. Give any two political causes of 1857

 (1) The British policies of expansion through Subsidiary Alliance and The Doctrine of Lapse produced grave discontent and alarm among the native princes, who were directly affected.

(2) Dalhousie’s period is a major political factor. Especially His way of implementing the expansion policies spread a fear among the Indian ruling class as well as in public. (2)          

Part B (Section-1)

Q4. Describe and explain the importance of the sacred centre of the Hampi.

1. The sacred centre of the Hampi contains all the major religious centers like the virupaksha Temple, Pampadevi Temple, and The Jain Temple. This is why we call this region of the fortified city, the sacred centre.

2. Keeping all the different religious worshiping center at one place ensured the social and communal harmony.

3. Temples also functioned as the centre of learning. Many of these temples were the major centers for Art, dance, culture, sports and other activities

4. The Vijayanagara kings claimed to rule on behalf of the god Virupaksha diety. All royal orders were signed “Shri-Virupaksha. King used the religious center to perform various rituals viewed as a way of receiving God’s Blessings.

5. The sacred center also served as a major economic center. A characteristic feature of the temple complexes is the chariot streets that extended from the temple gopuram in a straight line.These streets were paved with stone slabs and lined with pillared pavilions in which merchants set up their shops.                         (4)

 Q5. Summarize the central teachings of Jainism

The most important ideas in Jainism are 

(1) The entire world is animated (Full of Life). Even stones, rocks, and water have life.

(2) Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans, animals, plants, and insects, is central to Jaina philosophy. In fact, the principle of ahimsa emphasized within Jainism has left its mark on Indian thinking as a whole.

(3) The cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma.

(4) Asceticism (सन्यास) and penance (self-punishment) are required to free oneself from the cycle of birth. This can be achieved only by :

(5) Renouncing (संसार त्याग) the world; therefore, monastic (Simple lifestyle) existence is a necessary condition of salvation, which is the ultimate goal of a human being.

(6) Jaina monks and nuns took five vows:

1. To abstain from killing (अहिंसा)

2. To abstain from stealing (अस्तेय)

3. To abstain from lying (सत्य)

4. To observe celibacy (ब्रह्मचर्य)

5. To abstain from possessing property (अपरिग्रह)                         (4)

Q6. Write a short note on “Upanishads”

1. The Upanishads are a collection of some of the central philosophical concepts of Hinduism.

2. Buddhism and Jainism thoughts and philosophy are said to be influenced by the many Upanishadic thoughts. 

3. The Upanishads are commonly known as Vedanta. Vedanta means the “last chapters or parts of the Veda”

4. The Upanishads have poems and prose (śruti)  explaining the nature of Brahm(ब्रह्म) and describing the path to  salvation.

5. More than 200 Upanishads are known, of which the first 18 are the oldest and most important and are referred to as the principal Upanishads. Some of these are Ishopnishad, Chhandogya Upanishad, Kathopnishad etc.

6. Many ideas found in the Upanishads show that people were curious about the meaning of life, the possibility of life after death, and rebirth was rebirth due to past actions? Such issues were hotly debated. Thinkers were concerned with understanding and expressing the nature of the ultimate reality. And others, outside the Vedic tradition, asked whether or not there even was a Single ultimate reality. People also began speculating on the significance of the sacrificial tradition.                                                                                                (4)

Q7. What were the outcomes of the 1857 Revolt?

 After the revolt, the British had to change their strategy. Following were the major outcomes:-

1. The British Parliament passed a new act in 1858 (Government of India Act 1858) that ended the rule of East Indian Company. The Governance of India was undertaken by the British Crown.

2. By a proclamation, Queen Victoria of England declared Indian people as the subjects of the English crown. This proclamation finally ended the Mughal Rule.

3. A member of the British cabinet was appointed as the secretary of state for India and made responsible for all matters related to the governance in India. In place of The Governor General of India, A viceroy, that is, a personal representative of the crown, was appointed.

4. All ruling Rajas and chiefs of various Princely states were assured that their territory would never be annexed in future. However, they were made to acknowledge the British Queen as their sovereign Paramount.

5. It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased.

6. Policies were made to protect landlords and zamindars and give them security of rights over their lands.

7. The land and property of Muslims was confiscated on a large scale and they were treated with suspicion and hostility. The British believed that they were responsible for the rebellion in a big way.

8. The British decided not to interfere in the customary religious and social practices of the people in India. This step was a setback for the social and religious reforms started by people like Raja Ram Mohan Rai and Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar.

9. Since Hindus and Muslims were unified during the Revolt, The British adopted the policy of divide and rule.                                                                                (4)

Q8. Write an essay on “Slaves” based on foreign traveler’s accounts

Slaves were openly sold in markets, like any other commodity, and were regularly exchanged as gifts. When Ibn Battuta reached Sind he purchased “horses, camels and slaves” as gifts for Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq. It appears from Ibn Battuta’s account that there was considerable differentiation among slaves. Some female slaves in the service of the Sultan were experts in music and dance. Female slaves were also employed by the Sultan to keep a watch on his nobles as a spy. Most female slaves were captured in raids and expeditions.                                        Slaves were generally used for domestic labour, and Ibn Battuta found their services particularly indispensable for carrying women and men on palanquins or dola. The price of slaves, particularly female slaves required for domestic labour, was very low, and most families who could afford to do so kept at least one or two of them.                                                                                                                             (4)

Q9. Write a note on the emergence of “Jotedars” in Revenue system in Bengal

1. Group of Rich ryots and village headmen were known as Jotedar. In some places, they were called haoladars(हवलदार), elsewhere they were known as gantidars or mandals.

2. The jotedars were most powerful in North Bengal. Francis Buchanan’s survey of the Dinajpur district gives a detailed account of this class.

3. In the village, Jotedars were more powerful than the Zamindars because they were present in the village and had closer relations with ryots while Zamindars were living in Kolkata. They strongly resisted efforts by zamindars to increase the jama of the village. They prevented zamindari officials from executing their duties and mobilized ryots against zamindars.

4. They deliberately delayed payments of revenue to the zamindar.

5. Jotedars had acquired vast areas of land. They controlled local trade as well as money lending.

6. A large part of their land was cultivated through sharecroppers who brought their own ploughs, labored in the field, and handed over half the produce to the jotedars after the harvest to pay their loan.              (4)

Part B (Section – 2) Value Based Question

Q10. The rebel proclamation of 1857 of Azamgarh emphasized the value of coexistence amongst the different communities under Mughal Rule. 

1. What are the main values expressed in the proclamation.     (2)

2. Suggest several ways to assure social harmony in Indian society. (2)

Part C

Q11. Give a detailed account of Economy of Harappan Civilisation. 

Ans: Give your answer in following headings

1. Economic base of the civilisation

2. Major crops

3. Major Industries

4. Major Imports / exports – materials and ports

5. Helping infrastructure                                                                                 (8) 

Q12. Who were the Alawars? Name any two Alawar saints and write about their compositions.

1. Alawars means literally, those who are “immersed” in devotion to Vishnu. Alawars were also called “Ubhaya Vedanti”, Followers of Both Sanskrit & Tamil Vedas.

2. They travelled from place to place, singing hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods. During their travels, the Alvars identified certain places as abodes of their chosen deities. Very often large temples were later built at these sacred places. These places developed as centers of pilgrimage. Singing compositions of these poet-saints became part of temple rituals in these shrines, as did worship of the saints’ images.

3. These saints started a social reform movement that is known as the Bhakti Movement. Salient features of the bhakti movements are as follows

4. Protest against the caste system.

5. Replacing the Vedas with easy to understand texts and poems in local languages.

6. Acceptance of women.

7. They claimed their importance by asserting that their compositions are as important as the Vedas.

8. One of the major collections of compositions by the Alvars, the Nalayira Divyaprabandham, was frequently described as the Tamil Veda.

9. Nalayira Divyaprabandham is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses, composed by the 12 Vaishnav Alvars.

10. These were compiled in its present form by Nathamuni in 9th – 10th centuries. (8)

Q13. Who were the leaders of 1857 Revolt? Write briefly about some of them

To fight the British, leadership and organization were required. The rebels sometimes turned to those who had been leaders before the British conquest for example In Delhi they turned towards the former Mughal emperor Bahadurshah Zafar. Following were the main leaders. 

1. Bahadurshah zafar, also known as Badurshah II, was the last Mughal emperor OF India. He accepted the leadership of revolting sepoys in Delhi. He was living on a pension from British East India Company. After the revolt of 1857, The British government arrested him and exiled to Rangoon where he died.

2. Rani Jhansi : She was the queen of Jhansi. Britishers denied to recognize her adopted son as the next heir to the throne of Jhansi and annexed it. She accepted the leadership of revolting sepoys in Jhansi. She was killed in the battle

3. Nana sahib was Maratha Peshwa who was settled in a small area of Bithoor near Kanpur. His close aide Tatya Tope and Nana sahib supported rebels in Kanpur and organized Lucknow and Jhansi rebellions. Tatya fled to Nepal after Britishers took over Kanpur again where he died.

4. Begum Hazrat mahal was the regent of the young Nawab Birjis Qadir when Britishers annexed Awadh because of poor administration. This step was a major cause of revolt in this area.

5. Shahmal : Shah Mal lived in a large village in pargana Barout in Uttar Pradesh. He belonged to a clan of Jat cultivators whose kinship ties extended over chaurasee des (eighty-four villages). Shah Mal mobilised the headmen and cultivators of chaurasee des, moving at night from village to village, urging people to rebel against the British. As in many other places, the revolt against the British turned into a general rebellion against all signs of oppression and injustice. Shah Mal was killed in battle in July 1857.

6. Maulvi Ahmed-Ullah shah: In 1856, he was seen moving from village to village preaching jihad (religious war) against the British and urging people to rebel. He moved in a palanquin, with drumbeaters in front and followers at the rear. He was therefore popularly called Danka Shah – the Maulvi with the drum (Danka). he was elected by the mutinous 22nd Native Infantry as their leader. He fought in the famous Battle of Chinhat in which the British forces under Henry Lawrence were defeated

Part D

Q14. Read the following text and give answers to the questions asked.

Referring to the condition of zamindars and the auction of lands, the Fifth Report stated – “The revenue was not realized with punctuality, and lands to a considerable extent were periodically exposed to sale by auction. In the native year 1203, corresponding with 1796 – 1797, the land advertised for sale comprehended a jumma or assessment of sicca rupees 28,70,061, the extent of land actually sold bore a jumma or assessment of 14,18,756 and the amount of purchase money sicca rupees 17,90,416,. In 1204 corresponding with 1797-98 the land advertised was for sicca rupees 26,66, 191 the quality sold was for sicca rupees 21, 47, 580. Among the defaulters were some of the oldest families or the country, Such were the rajahs of Nuddea, Rajeshaye, and Bishenpore (बिशनपुर) etc, the dismemberment of whose estates at the end of each succeeding year threatened them with poverty and ruin, and in some instances presented difficulties to the revenue officer, in their efforts to preserve undiminished the amount of public assessment.

1. Why did Zamindars default on payments?     (2)

2. Name some of the oldest families who were defaulters in payment?     (2)

3. What was the fifth report?     (3)

Q15. Read the following text and give answers to the questions asked.

The shari‘a is the law governing the Muslim community. It is based on the Qur’an and the hadis, traditions of the Prophet including a record of his remembered words and actions. With the expansion of Islamic rule outside Arabia, in areas where customs and traditions were different, qiyas (reasoning by analogy) and ijma(consensus of the community) were recognized as two other sources of legislation. Thus, the shari‘a evolved from the Qur’an, hadis, qiyas and ijma.

1. Do you support the view that Sufi saints were the opponents of Sharia rules?     (2)

A group of religious-minded people called Sufis turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political institution. They were critical of the dogmatic definitions and  methods of interpreting the Qur’an and Sunna (traditions of the Prophet). They laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense devotion and love for God by following His commands, and by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad. This was not against sharia. But Some other mystics initiated movements based on a radical interpretation of Sufi Ideas. Because of their deliberate defiance of the sharia they were often referred to as be-shari‘a, in contrast to the ba-shari‘a Sufis who complied with it.

1. By reading the above text do you think that sharia rules can be changed or altered by people?  

By reading the above text we can say that the sharia rule is based on 4 pillars i.e Quran, Hadis, Ijma, and Qiyas. The first two are related to Muhammad’s words and works but the last two gives interpreter a great deal of flexibility. Ijma being the consensus of the community have the power to alter sharia in favour  of the beliefs of the community. (3)

1. Write the two ways of explanation of laws that are closely related to Muhammad.

Sharia is based on the Qur’an and the hadiths, traditions of the Prophet including a record of his remembered words and actionsIjma and Qiyas. These two sources are closely related with Muhammad while the other two Ijma and Qiyas were based on academic interpretations.      (2)

Q16. Read the following text and give answers to the questions asked. 

Once, the Bodhisatta was born outside the city of Banaras as a chandala’s son and named Matanga. One day, when he had gone to the city on some work, he encountered Mangalika, the daughter of a merchant. When she saw him, she exclaimed, “I have seen something inauspicious” and washed her eyes. The angry helpers of magalika then beat him up. In protest, Matanga went and lay down at the door of her father’s house. On the seventh day, they brought out the girl and gave her to him. She carried the starving Matanga back to the chandala settlement. Once he returned home, he decided to renounce the world. After attaining spiritual powers, he returned to Banaras and married her. A son named Mandavya Kumara was born to them. He learnt the three Vedas as he grew up and began to provide food to 16,000 Brahmanas every day. One day, Matanga, dressed in rags, with a clay alms bowl in his hand, arrived at his son’s doorstep and begged for food. Mandavya replied that he looked like an outcaste and was unworthy of alms; the food was meant for the Brahmanas. Matanga said: “Those who are proud of their birth and are ignorant do not deserve gifts. On the contrary, those who are free from vices are worthy of offerings.” Mandavya lost his temper and asked his servants to throw the man out. Matanga rose in the air and disappeared. When Dittha Mangalika learnt about the incident, she followed Matanga and begged his forgiveness. He asked her to take a bit of the leftover from his bowl and give it to Mandavya and the Brahmanas.

1. After reading the story, what conclusions you derive about the society after Buddha? Do you think Matanga represent the resentment of chandalas.

Society after Buddha has changed significantly. Buddha accepted the depressed class and women in the realm of religion and gave them the right of salvation. Although the chains of caste and Varnas were rigid but The Matanga Jataka shows that people from depressed classes were asserting their rights like Matanga did but it was also true that it was not easy . The remarkable point is that the Brahmanical thoughts were so deeply rooted that even the son of Matanga was behaving like a High-class person but the end of the story establishes the fact that Birth rights are important. In this story, Matang represents the resentment and anger of the chandals.        (3)

1. Do you think that this text suggests that the people followed the rules set up by Brahmanas.

By reading the conversation between Matanga and His son in the the story, it is clear that even after Buddha, the society was still by and large supported the brahminical ideas of discriminations.           (2)

1. The text is about a Bodhisattva. Which Buddhist sect invented the concept of Bodhisattva?          (2)

In Mahayana Buddhism a person who is able to reach nirvana but deliberately delays for the welfare of the others through compassion for suffering beings.A bodhisattva helps people to attain Nirvana. 

Part E  MAP

Q 17 . Answer all (5)

Mention the places listed on the Map. Write a detailed note on “The Three Orders” of the

1. 
   

2. Kolkata

3. Meerut

4. Varanasi

5. Mysore

6. Tanjavur