Life Under Delhi Sultanate
A. Fill in the blanks:
1. The sultan was the central authority in the administration of Delhi Sultanate.
2. Jizya tax was levied on non-Muslims.
3. The ulemas were the chief advisors of the Sultan.
4. Amir Khusrau invented the sitar.
5. Painting did not hold much interest in the Sultanate period until the reign of the Lodis.
B. Match the columns.
=
|
Position |
Responsibility |
|---|---|
|
1. Chief Sadr |
Prime Minister
and Head of Finance. [5] |
|
2. Iqtadar |
Defence
Minister. [4] |
|
3. Dabir-i-Arz |
In-charge of
provinces. [2] |
|
4. Ariz-i-mamalik |
Maintained records
of the royal court. [3] |
|
5. Wazir |
Head of
department of justice. [1] |
C. Choose the correct answers:
1. The Sultanate rule lasted for ________ centuries.
a. two. [ ]
b. five. [ ]
c. four. [ ]
d. three. [✓]
2. The provinces were divided into _______ .
a. iqtas. [ ]
b. shiqs. [✓]
c. parganas. [ ]
d. villages. [ ]
3. The ________ class enjoyed the highest position in the kingdom.
a. aristocratic. [✓]
b. priestly. [ ]
c. town people. [ ]
d. peasantry. [ ]
4. ________ is a dance form that combines Hindu themes with Persian costumes.
a. Bharatnatyam. [ ]
b. Kathak. [✓]
c. Kuchipudi. [ ]
d. Odissi. [ ]
5. ________ is form of singing used by the Sufi sect and gained popularity in the medieval India.
a. Classical. [ ]
b. Raagas. [ ]
c. Qawwali. [✓]
d. Indo-Islamic music. [ ]
D. Answer the following questions in brief:
1. What is the main feature of Indo-Islamic culture?
= The main feature of Indo-Islamic culture is the blending of Arabic and Persian style with Indian style of art and architecture.
2. Who were the main ministers of the central administration?
= The main minister of the central administration are -
i) Wazir - Prime minister and head of finance.
ii) Ariz-i-Mamalik - Defence Minister.
iii) Dabir-i-Mamalik - Maintains records of the royal court(Diwan-i-insha).
iv) Chief Sadr or Chief Qazir - Head of departrment of justice.
3. How were the Turkish rulers gradually become Indianised?
= The Turkish rulers became Indianised when the Turkish and Afghan traditions amalgamated with Indian culture and tradition.
4. What were the levels of provincial administration?
= i) Kingdom was divided into several provinces, called Iqtas, governed by the Iqtadars.
ii) Iqtas were divided into Shiqs, under Shiqdars.
iii) Shiqs were further divided into Parganas, under amils.
iv) The village head person was called Muqaddam, who headed the village.
5. Name some important monuments made during the Sultanate Period.
= Some important monuments of the Sultanate Period are - Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the Kotla Fort, and the Tughlaqabad Fort.
E. Answer the following questions in details:
1. Describe the political structure of the Delhi Sultanate.
= The administrative machinery of the Delhi Sultans was inspired by the Abbasids. It was theocratic in character and the Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic State. The head of the state was regarded as the religious head of the people. It was believed that he derived his authority from God.
Sultan:- He is the head of the state and administration. All power - executive, judiciary or military - concentrated in his hands. He is assisted by the nobles and the ulemas. His language of administration was Persian.
Ministers:- Wazir was the Prime Minister and Head of Finance. Ariz-i-mamalik was the Defence Minister. Dabir-i-mamlik maintained records of the royal court(Diwan-i-insha). Chief Sadr or Chief Qazi was the head of the department of justice.
Provincial Government:- The kingdom was divided into several provinces, called Iqtas, governed by the Iqtadars. Iqtas were divided into shiqs, under Shiqdars. Shiqs were further divided into Parganas, under amils. Village headperson was called muqaddam, he headed the village.
2. Write a note on the social stratification under the Delhi Sultanate.
= The society under the Delhi Sultanate was divided along class and class lines. The caste system was rigid and was strictly followed. Many Hindus, particularly those in the lower rung of the society, were attracted to the tenets of Islam and converted to Islam. Many adopted Islam to save themselves from the jizya tax, which was levied only on the non-Muslims. Child marriage, sati and purdah system was widely practiced.
Society under the Delhi Sultanate was divided into four major groups - i) Aristocracy, ii) Priests, iii) Town People, and iv) Peasantry.
i) Aristocratic Class:- The aristocracy comprised the ruling class, which included the Sultan, the princes, and the governors of the provinces. They enjoyed a privileged position in the society. They also included Hindu rajas and princes. They were the wealthiest and powerful class of the society.
ii) Priestly Class:- The priestly class comprised the ulemas, who were the chief advisors of the Sultans; the maulavis, experts of Islamic Laws; the qazis, the Islamic judicial officers, and the Hindu Brahmins. They held a respected position in the society and enjoyed a rich and prosperous lifestyle.
iii) Town People:- The town people comprised officials, merchants, artisans, craftspersons, slaves, and domestic servants. They enjoyed a decent standard of living. The merchants and traders were prosperous.
iv) Peasants:- The peasants constituted the lower rung of the social classes in Delhi Sultanate. Their life was full of hardships, struggle and poverty. The tax collected from the class was the main source of revenue in the Sultanate.
3. Explain the contribution of the Sultanate in the field of music, dance and painting.
= The fusion of native Indian and Islamic cultures was visible in the music, dance, painting and architecture of the society. Many sultans were great patrons of art and architecture.
Music and Dance:- The reign of the Delhi Sultanate brought with it the introduction of several musical instruments in India, such as the tabla, rabab, and sarangi. Amir Khusrau is credited with the invention of the sitar by fusing together the Indian veena and Persian tanpura. He is also regarded as the father of Qawwali, a form of chorus singing from Persia, which became very popular during the era of the Delhi Sultanate.
It was used by the Sufi sect to sing devotional songs during religious meetings. Alauddin Khilji patronised musicians, such as Gopal Nayak and Amir Khusrau. Balban promoted setting up of a society of court dancers and musicians. Firoze Shah Tughlaq was a great patron of music. The musical text rag-darpan was translated into Persian during his reign. Kathak, a dance form that combines Hindu themes with Persian costumes, also emerged during this period in north India.
Painting:- Painting did not hold much interest in the court of the Delhi Sultanate until the reign of the Lodis. Persian miniature paintings influenced Rajput miniature painting, and was patronised by the later kings. These paintings were used in illustrative manuscripts, such as the Shahnama or the Book of Kings and the Niamat Namat.
4. What were the main features of the architectural style that emerged in the Sultanate period?
= The buildings of this period had some distinctive features:
There were extensive use or arches, domes and minarets. The construction of the dome eliminated the need for construction of pillars to support the roof.
Since Islam prohibits the depiction of human figures, geometrical and floral designs were used to decorate buildings. Some Indian motifs like the lotus, bell and wheel were also used in the Islamic buildings.
Verses from the Quran were engraved in ornamental style of writing, popularly known as calligraphy.
Some important monument of the Sultanate period are - Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, Qutub Minar, Alai Darwaza, tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, the Kotla Fort and the Tughlaqabad Fort.
5. Which were the cultural changes in the Indian society that can be attributed to Turkish influence?
= There were several cultural changes under the reign of the Sultanate which influenced the traditional lifestyle of Indians. Hindus and Muslims alike started dressing in pyjama-kurtas, kaftans, and salwar-kameez. Biryani, bread, and wine became an essential part of Indian cuisine. The unani system of medicine, a Persian Arabic traditional medicine, was introduced to the Indians by the Sultanate.
This influence was two-way. The Indian paan(betel leaf) and use of spices gained enormous popularity amongst the Muslims. They also started Indian turban. But the most significant influence was witnessed in the religious ceremonies, especially marriage rituals, which reflected a definitive Indian influence.