Chapter 4, The Vedic Culture

A. Define. 

1. Upanishad - It contains the vocal of great saints.

2. Indo-Aryans - The rave of Aryan people who come and settle in India

3. Aryavartas - It was the landmass between the Himalayas and the Vindhyas and from the westem sea to the east.

4. Kshatriyas - Kshatriyas were the powerful group of kings and worriers in the carly vadic society

B. Write short answer for the following questions.

Q.1. Who were Dasyus? How were they treated by the Aryans?

Ans. Dasyus were the natives of India before the arrival of the Aryans The Aryans called them Dasas'and were very hostile to them.

Q.2. What was the role of sabha and Smiti?

Ans. Sabha and Samiti were the two institutions. They check the powers of the king.

Q.3. What type of dresses were worn by the Aryans?

Ans. The dresses worn by the aryans were almost similar to the Harappans. Their dresses consisted of two clothes They covered their heads with turban and another garment that touched their ankles was also worn.

Q.4. What were Gurukuls?

Ans. Gurukuls were the ancient schools in which the students live with their Gurus. These were meant for higher classes.

C. Answer the following questions in detail.

Q.1. Who were Aryans? Throw light on their spread in India.

Ans. The Aryan people were men of noble character and high ideals. Those who come of India are called Indo-Aryans. From the Saptasindhu, where the Aryans settled first, they moved eastwards into the river valley of the Ganga and the Yamuna, north of Delhi. This area came to be known as Kurukshetra. Thereafter, they moved Eastwards into the Ganga valley. They continued their eastward march, till they reached the Bay of Bangal and moved the north-eastern region.

Q.2. Discuss the political organisation of Aryans.

Ans. The basic political unit of each tribe had its king (Rajan or chief) who would lead the tribe in fights Only a strong and brave man was selected as a king During later vedic period, kingship became heredity When a king died, his son became his successor or the new king.

Q.3. Write about the food habit's and dresses born by the Aryans.

Ans. Aryans ate rice, fish and fruits. Their favourite drinks were madhu, sura and soma. The food of the Aryans was simple but nourishing. The Aryans wore dresses almost similar to those of the Harappans. They covered their heads with a turban. Another garments that touched their ankles was also worn. Women wore ornaments such as rings, ear-rings and necklaces.

Megalithic

Q. 4. Write about the burial practices of the Megalithic culture.

Ans. Burial practices were similar in different parts of India. The dead were buried with distinctive pots which are known of Black and Red Ware Sometimes a body was buried with ornaments, pots and tools Different types of ornaments have been found in a grave in Brahmagiri. Sometimes, there was more than one skeleton in a grave. In Inamgaon, graves have been found inside houses.

 D. Fill in the blanks.

1. The Shudras  had an inferior position in society.

2. Usha  is the goddess of the dawn.

3.  Chariot  racing was the favourite past time for people of high rank.

4. The region where the Aryans settled first was Saptasindhu 

5. During Later Vedic period Kingship  became hereditary.

E. Write 'T' for true and 'F' for false statements.

1. The Aryans tribes clashed over the possession of grasslands.

Ans. T

2. The region near the Caspian Sea in central Asia was the original home of the Aryans.

Ans. T

3. The vedic age started with the advent of the Dasyus.

Ans. T

4. The word 'Arya' in the Sanskrit language means 'noble'.

Ans. T

5. The Aryans gave no attention to cattle rearing.

Ans. F

F. Match the columns.

Ans. 1 (ii)

         2 (v)

         3 (iii)

         4 (i)

         5 (iv)

G. MCQS.

Ans. 1 (a).   2 (c).   3 (d).   4 (a).    5 (b)

SOLVED NCERT TEXT BOOK QUESTIONS 

A. Answer the following questions briefly. 

1. Name the four vedas. 
Ans. The four vedas are (i) Rigveda (ii) Samaveda (iii) Yaurveda (iv) Atharveed

2. In what language has the Rigveda been composed? 
Ans. The Rigveda is in vedic sanskrit.

3. What were the various purposes of fighting battles at depicted by the Rigveda?
Ans. Battles were fought for cattle, land, water and for capturing people.

4. What were the groups of people in terms of their work?
Ans. There were two groups of people in terms of their work the brahmins and the rajas.

5. Who were the Aryans and the Dasas?
Ans. Prople who composed the hyms called them selves aryans and they called their opponents Dasas.

B. Tick (√) correct anrwer. 

1. The Ghoda is tributary of the............ ...
(I) Gangs.                     (II) Narmada
(III) Krishna.              (IV) Bhima
Ans. (II)

2. Brahmagiri is a site in modern............
(I) Andhra Pradesh              (II) Uttar Pradesh
(III) Kerala                             (IV) Bihar
Ans. (I)

3 Which of these was not a category of people in the society?
(I) Shudra.         (II) Brahmin
(III) Raja.           (IV) Dasa
Ans. (I)

4. Bhamgoan is situated over the river
(I) Ghod.             (II) Bhima
(III) Son.             (IV) Narmada
Ans. Bhima

C. Fill in the blanks.

1. The oldest of the Vedas is The Rigveda.
2. The Rigveda was composed about 3500 years ago.
3. The hymns in the Vedas have been referred to as Sukta and well said.
4. The major god's praised in the hymns of the Rigveda were Indra, Agni and Soma.
5. Sanskrit is part of the indo-Europian family of language.

D. Matching skill.

Ans. 1. (b).      2. (d).     3. (b).      4. (c).    5. (b).   6. (c).         7. (d).       8. (c).         9. (e)

E. Short answer Type questions.

1. Write a short note on the Rigveda?
Ans. Rigveda is the oldest of the Vedas. It indicates over a thousand hymns in vedic sanskrit. These hymns (called Sukta well said) all in praise of various god's and goddesses mainly: Agni, Indra, and Soma. These hymns well composed by sages, who learnt them made their children learn. Finally, they were printed about 200 years ago.

2. Describe in brief about how the Rigveda depicts cattle, horses, chareots and battles.
Ans. Rigveda has prayers for cattle and horses. Horses were used in battles. Battles were fought for cattle, land, people and water. Most man look part in Wars. There was not any regular army.

3. Write a short note on megaliths.
Ans. Megaliths are stone boulder used to mark burial sites. They were prevalent around 3000 years ago in the Deccan, South India, in the north east and in Kashmir. Some Megaliths are seen on surface and Some are underground. Sometimes a circle of stone boulders or single large stone is found standing on the ground, to indicate the position of burials.

F. Long Answer Type questions.

1. How have people in a society been depicted in the Rigveda?
Ans. All, to the Rigvedas, there are two groups of people in terms of their work:
(I) The priests, called Brahmin's.
(II) The rajas
The priests performed various rivals while the rajas ruled. These Raja's did not, however, have capital cities, places or armies, nor did they collect taxes.