A case study- The Gonds

Question 1

Where did the gonds live and what was it called?

Answer 1

The gonds lived a vast forested region called Gondwana.

Question 2

What is the meaning of the word Gondwana?

Answer 2

It means ‘country inhabited by the gonds’

Question 3

What kind of agriculture did the gonds practice?

Answer 3

Shifting cultivation

Question 4

About what time were a few large gond kingdoms beginning to dominate smaller gond chiefs?

Answer 4

About the time that the power of the Delhi Sultans were declining

Question 5

________ , a history of _________’s reign, gives us information about the gond kingdom of _________.

Answer 5

Akbarnama, Akbar’s , Garha Katanga

Question 6

Garha Katanga had about _______ villages.

Answer 6

70,000

Question 7

What is shifting cultivation? Give an example of a tribe that practiced it.

Answer 7

-Trees and bushes in a forest area are first cut and burnt.
- The crop is sown in the ashes.
-When this land loses its fertility, another plot of land is cleared and planted in the same way.

Question 8

Each garh was controlled by a khel. True or false?

Answer 8

False, each garh was controlled by a particular gond clan.

Question 9

How many villages does a single chaurasi contain?

Answer 9

A single garh contains 84 units of villages.

Question 10

What is a unit of 84 villages called?

Answer 10

Chaurasi

Question 11

What were chaurasis further divided into?

Answer 11

barhots

Question 12

What does a barhot consist of?

Answer 12

12 villages.

Question 13

The emergence of large states changed the nature of gond society. True or False?

Answer 13

True

Question 14

Name the gond raja of Garha Katanga.

Answer 14

Aman das

Question 15

The garhs Bairogarh, Chauragarh were located on the banks of river _________ .

Answer 15

Narmada

Question 16

How did the emergence of large states change the nature of gond society?

Answer 16

-Their basically equal society was gradually divided into unequal social classes.
- The Brahmanas received land grants from the Gond rajas and became more influential.

Question 17

1565 was the year in which ____________ , under __________ attacked _____________. Which mughal king ruled in this year?

Answer 17

The mughal forces , Asaf Khan , Garha katanga.
1565 was a year of Akbar’s reign.

Question 18

How did the gond rajas help the Brahmanas become more influential?

Answer 18

They gave them land grants.

Question 19

Who assumed the title of Sangram shah?

Answer 19

Aman das, the ruler of Garha Katanga

Question 20

Who was Sangram shah’s son?

Answer 20

Dalpat

Question 21

Who did Dalpat marry?

Answer 21

Dalpat married Princess Durgawati , the daughter of Salbahan, The chandel rajput raja of Mahoba.

Question 22

Name the chandel rajput raja of mahoba.

Answer 22

Salbahan

Question 23

Who was the son of the couple Dalpat and Durgawati?

Answer 23

Bir Narain.

Question 24

How did Princess Durgawati ascend to the throne? Did she contribute in any way to society?

Answer 24

Dalpat died early, so Durgawati started ruling on behalf of her 5 year old son Bir Narain. Under her, the kingdom became more extensive.

Question 25

Who was Asaf Khan resisted by in 1565?

Answer 25

Princess Durgawati

Question 26

How did Princess Durgawati and her son die?

Answer 26

She strongly resisted the Mughals in 1565. She was defeated and preferred to die rather than surrender. Her son, too , died fighting soon after.

Question 27

A gond carved door was found in which area of which state?

Answer 27

Bastar area of Madhya Pradesh

Question 28

How did Garha katanga earn much of its wealth?

Answer 28

It earned much wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms.

Question 29

The gonds were finally defeated by ________ and ___________.

Answer 29

Bundelas and Marathas.

Question 30

List a few possibilities with regard to why the Mughals were interested in the land of the Gonds?

Answer 30

-The geographical location of Gondwana and its thick vegetation means that some of its kingdoms are well protected by attacks by foot soldiers.
-The narmada would have provided a long- lasting supply of water for drinking and Irrigation. It would also pave way for economic boom due to trade.
-The wild elephants captured in the forest would have provided strength to the Mughal Army.
- Precious coins obtained could be used for further infrastructural development and also to fund military campaigns.

Question 31

What did the Mughals obtain after defeating the gonds? Did they annex the entire kingdom?

Answer 31

A large booty of precious goods and elephants. No, they annexed part of the kingdom and granted the rest to Chandra Shah, an uncle of Bir Narain.