Q1: Name the main centres of education during Vijayanagar empire.

Ans: The main centres of education in the Vijayanagar Empire were the temples, Mathas (monasteries), and Agraharas (tax-free educational villages granted to learned Brahmins). Religious philosophy, grammar, literature, astronomy, and statecraft were actively taught there.

Q2: Mention the classes into which the society was divided in Vijayanagar empire.

Ans: Society in Vijayanagar was broadly structured into three main classes:
1. Upper Class: Royal family, feudal nobles (Nayakas), and high ranking priests/officials.
2. Middle Class: Wealthy merchants, international traders, moneylenders, and master artisans.
3. Lower Class: Cultivators, farm laborers, weavers, and domestic servants.

Q3: What was Firoz Shah famous for?

Ans: Sultan Firoz Shah Bahmani was famous for his versatile scholarship, intellectual curiosity, and patronage of learning. He was a skilled calligraphist, proficient in Persian, Arabic, Marathi, Telugu, and Kannada, built an astronomical observatory near Daulatabad, and attracted scholars, poets, and scientists from across the Islamic world to Deccan.

Q4: Who built the Kirti Stambha at Chittor?

Ans: Rana Kumbha, the ruler of Mewar, built the grand 37-meter-tall Kirti Stambha (Vijay Stambha) at Chittorgarh in 1448 CE to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of Malwa and Gujarat.

Q5: Why did Rana Kumbha become popular?

Ans: Rana Kumbha became widely popular because he was a fearless military genius who protected Mewar against foreign Sultanates, constructed 32 out of 84 major forts in Mewar (including Kumbhalgarh), and was a scholar, musician, and writer who authored renowned treatises like Sangeet-raja.

Q1: Describe the development of art and architecture under the Vijaynagar rulers.

Ans: Vijayanagar rulers were magnificent patrons of art, music, literature, and temple architecture, developing a vibrant sub-style of the Dravidian architectural tradition:

• Pillared Mandapas & Carved Pillars: Temple complexes featured grand marriage halls (Kalyana Mandapams) with intricately carved monolithic granite pillars depicting mythological animals like charging horses (Yalis) and dancing deities.
• Raya Gopurams: The monarchs constructed towering gateways called Raya Gopurams at temple entrances, visible from miles away.
• Famous Temples at Hampi:
  • Vitthala Temple: Renowned for its monolithic Stone Chariot (Ratha) and 56 musical pillars that produce musical notes when struck.
  • Virupaksha Temple: Dedicated to Lord Shiva, featuring large courtyards and intricate ceiling frescoes.
  • Hazara Rama Temple: Adorned with delicate stone reliefs portraying scenes from the Ramayana.
• Secular Architecture: Monumental civil structures were built at Hampi, such as the Queen’s Bath, Lotus Mahal, and the royal Elephant Stables, displaying a harmonious blend of Hindu and Islamic decorative arches.

Q2: List the achievements of Mahmud Gawan as Prime Minister of Bahamani kingdom.

Ans: Khwaja Mahmud Gawan was an Iranian merchant who rose to become the brilliant Prime Minister (Wazir) of the Bahmani kingdom under Sultan Muhammad Shah III. His achievements include:

• Territorial Expansion: He commanded Bahmani armies to conquer the Konkan coast, Hubli, Belgaum, and captured the strategic maritime port of Goa from Vijayanagar, boosting overseas Arabian trade.
• Administrative Decentralization: He divided the four oversized Bahmani provinces into eight smaller administrative units (Tarafs) to curb the power of rebellious governors and checked rampant corruption.
• Military Discipline: He placed the supreme command of provincial fortresses directly under royal officers and strictly inspected troop allowances, preventing governors from siphoning army funds.
• Patron of Education: In 1472 CE, he founded the magnificent Mahmud Gawan Madrasa at Bidar, a three-storeyed Islamic university equipped with lecture halls, hostels, and an internationally renowned library housing over 3,000 rare manuscripts.

Q3: What were the main achievements of Rana Kumbha of Mewar?

Ans: Rana Kumbha was one of the most illustrious rulers of Mewar whose reign represented a golden era of military resistance and cultural blossoming:

• Military Triumphs: He defeated Sultan Mahmud Khalji of Malwa and captured him as prisoner of war, also repulsing repeated invasions by the Sultan of Gujarat.
• Fortification Network: To defend Rajputana, he engineered a ring of 32 hill-fortresses along mountain passes. The most famous is the impregnable Kumbhalgarh Fort, boasting a 36-km-long perimeter wall—the second longest continuous wall in the world.
• Erection of Kirti Stambha: He built the 9-storeyed, 122-feet-high Kirti Stambha (Vijay Stambha) at Chittorgarh, carved with statues of Hindu gods and goddesses.
• Literary & Cultural Genius: He was a master of the veena, an authority on classical musicology who composed treaties like Sangeet Mimamsa, Sangeet-raja, and penned learned commentaries on Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda.

Q4: Describe the various achievements of Zainul Abidin, the ruler of Kashmir.

Ans: Sultan Zainul Abidin ruled Kashmir for fifty glorious years (1420–1470 CE) and earned the popular title Bud Shah (Great Sultan) and ‘Akbar of Kashmir’ due to his extraordinary achievements:

• Religious Harmony & Tolerance: He reversed earlier oppressive policies by abolishing Jizya, prohibiting cow slaughter, allowing Kashmiri Pandits who had fled to return with honor, and repairing dilapidated Hindu temples.
• Agricultural & Civil Engineering: He constructed extensive irrigation canals and bunds along the Jhelum river to prevent devastating floods, reclaiming large tracts of cultivable land. He built the scenic artificial island of Zaina Lank in Wular Lake.
• Promotion of Arts and Handicrafts: He invited master craftsmen from Central Asia to train Kashmiri artisans in fine handicrafts, including Pashmina shawl weaving, carpet weaving, paper-mache, and wood carving, laying the foundation of Kashmir’s economy.
• Literary Patronage: He set up a royal translation bureau where the Mahabharata and Kalhana’s Kashmiri chronicle Rajatarangini were translated from Sanskrit into Persian, while Persian works were translated into Sanskrit.

Q5: List the administrative reforms that brought glory to the Vijaynagar empire.

Ans: The Vijayanagar monarchs instituted a highly systematic administrative framework that maintained prosperity, law, and defense across Southern India:

• Monarchical Governance: The king was the supreme head of civil, judicial, and military authority, guided by a Council of Ministers comprising seasoned statesmen, scholars, and generals.
• Provincial Division: The vast empire was divided into six main provinces called Mandalams, ruled by governors (Mandaleshwaras) usually belonging to the royal lineage. Provinces were subdivided into Nadus (districts), Sthalas (sub-districts), and Grams (villages).
• Autonomous Village System (Ayagar System): Every village was managed as a self-sufficient unit governed by a body of twelve village officers called Ayagars (accountants, headmen, watchmen, blacksmiths), who held hereditary tax-free land assignments.
• Fair Revenue Assessment: Land was surveyed, categorized according to soil fertility and irrigation, and tax was fixed between 1/6th to 1/4th of total harvest. Additional revenues came from custom duties, harbor dues, and tolls.
• Formidable Army & Navy: The rulers maintained a massive standing army including skilled archers, elephants, Portuguese firearms, and premium Arabian warhorses. They maintained naval bases along the Malabar Coast to safeguard Indian Ocean maritime trade routes.