Discuss the picture of urban centres that emerges from Bernier’s account.
During the 17th century nearly 15% of population was living in town. This was average proportion of urban population of western Europe. Bernier described Mughal towns as court towns. By it he meant those towns which depended upon the imperial court for their existence and survival. These towns came into existence with the imperial court and declined with the impanel court when they moved to other places. In his travel accounts, Bernier described many big towns and cities such as Delhi, Mathura, Kashmir, Surat, Masulipatnam and Golconda. These gained importance as manufacturing centres, trading towns, and sacred towns. The merchant communities had deep influence in these cities. They remained organised due to their own caste and occupational bodies. These trading groups were known as Mahajans in western India. Their head was called Sheth. In Ahmedabad, the chief of Merchant community was known as nagarsheth. Besides the trading groups, musicians, architects, painters, lawyers, calligraphies, etc. lived in towns.
Popular Questions of Class 12 History - Themes in Indian History - II
- Q:-
Write a note on the Kitab-ul-Hind.
- Q:-
How were the lives of forest dwellers transformed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?
- Q:-
Discuss the extent to which Bernier’s account enables historians to reconstruct contemporary rural society.
- Q:-
Discuss the ways in which panchayats and village headmen regulated rural society.
- Q:-
On an outline map of the world mark the countries visited by Ibn Battuta. What are the seas that he may have crossed?
- Q:-
Discuss Al-Biruni’s understanding of the caste system.
- Q:-
Examine the role played by zamindars in Mughal India.
- Q:-
What were the distinctive features of the Mughal nobility? How was their relationship with the emperor shaped?
- Q:-
Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn Battuta.
- Q:-
What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated with the mahanavami dibba?
Recently Viewed Questions of Class 12 History - Themes in Indian History - II
- Q:-
What were the concerns that shaped Mughal policies and attitudes towards regions outside the subcontinent?
- Q:-
Read any five of the sources included in this chapter and discuss the social and religious ideas that are expressed in them.
- Q:-
Discuss the ways in which the Alvars, Nayanars and Virashaivas expressed critiques of the caste system.
- Q:-
On an outline map of the world, mark approximately Italy, Portugal, Iran and Russia. Trace the routes the travellers mentioned on p.176 would have taken to reach Vijayanagara.
- Q:-
Compare and contrast the perspectives from which Ibn Battuta and Bernier wrote their accounts of their travels in India.
- Q:-
Identify the elements that went into the making of the Mughal ideal of kingship.
- Q:-
Explain with examples what historians mean by the integration of cults.
- Q:-
Discuss the ways in which panchayats and village headmen regulated rural society.
- Q:-
What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated with the mahanavami dibba?
- Q:-
Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn Battuta.
- NCERT Chapter