Q.1 Answer the following question in Detail.
1. Explain town planning of ancient India.
Ans :- India has aquired expertise in the field of town planning. Many such towns have been found out during archaeological excavation work.
The towns were divided into three sections:
(1) Fort of rulers (Citadel)
(2) Houses of administrative officers situated on the upper part of town
(3) Residences of common people situated on the lower part of town.
Forts for rulers were constructed on the upper part of the town.
Upper part of the town is safe and protected with houses having two to five rooms.
Houses on the lower part of the town are mainly constructed with hand made bricks.
2. Give detailed information about road ways and drainage system of town planning of Mohan-Jo-Daro.
Ans :- Mohan Jo-Daro means 'the heap of the deads.
The basic road ways and drainage system of Mohan-Jo-Daro are :-
(a)Road ways:- Roads are the main features of this town planning.
(i) The roads were 9.75 metres wide. The small link roads crossed the major ones at right angles.
(ii) The roads were wide enough for a number of vehicles to pass at a time.
(iii) Pits on the road side suggest that there might have been lamp posts.
(iv) Roads of town were straight main roads without any turns.
(v) There were two main roads. One was going other was going from East to West. Both crossed each other at right angle.
(b)Drainage System :- Drainage system is a unique feature of this town planning.
(i) Such a drainage system was found nowhere except the in island of Create in the Mediterranean sea.
(ii) This system was built to drcesspit..
(iii)This planned, systematic and efficient drainage system clearly proves that they were very careful about their health and hygiene.
3.Give information about the caves of Gujarat.
Ans :- Caves of Gujarat :
(1) Caves at Janagadh : There are three groups of caves in Junagadh.
(a) Group of Bavapyara caves :- This cave is situated near Bavapyara math.
They are in three layers intersecting each other at right angles.
There are total 16 caves, out of them four are in first line, seven in second line and five in third line.
Possibly they were carved during first and second century A.D.
(b) Caves of Uperkot : They are double storyed. On seeing their remain say one can that they might have been carved during the end of second century and the beginning of fourth century.
(c) Caves of Khapra and Kediya : Caves of Kund: On seaing the remains, it can be said that they were floored caves. It might have been carved in the third century.There are twenty pillars and they are in ruins now.
(2) Caves of Khambhadiya: It is discovered in 1959 A. D. They are situated at Khambhalida near Gondal, 70 km. from Rajkot. Three of them are remarkable.Chaitya Gruh with stupa is situated in the middle cave.Figures of Boddhi sattvas and statues of devotees are standingon both the side of enterance path supported by trees. And they are of second third century.
(3) Talaja Cave: Mountain of Talaja is situated near the mouth of Setrunji river in Bhavnagar district. It is famous as piligrim of Taaldhwajgiri. Thirty caves have been carved from stones with huge gates. Ebhal Mandap (Sabhakhand) and Chaitya Gruh are the best examples from sculpture and protection point of view. Cave architecture of Buddhist religion belongs to the third century A. D.
(4) Sana Cave: This group of caves is situated on the top of Sana mountain in Vankiya village, Una taluka in Gir Somnath district. These caves are spread on Sana mountain like bee-hive.
(5) Dhank cave : Dhank giri is situated in Dhank village of Upleta taluka at Rajkot district. It is considered that they might have been built in the beginning of fourth century.
(6) Jhinjhuri Jhar: There are many buddhist caves in the west of Dhank, about 7 km from Siddhsar, is the valley of Jhinjharijhar. It is considered that they have been built in the second century.
(7) Khapra - Kodiya caves at Kachchh : These caves are situated on the top of mountain near old Paat gadh, in Lakhpat taluka of Kachchh. There are two caves, these are discovered by K. K. Shastri in 1967 A.D.
(8) Caves at Kaliya Dungar: There are three caves in Kaliya Dungar at Jhagadiya taluka in Bharuch district. These are the best old architectured specimens of buddhist religion. Architecture of these caves is marvelous. An eleven feet high statue of a lion with two bodies and one mouth in the form of pillar has been carved which in a single rock
2. Answer the following questions pointwise :-
(1) Give information about Dholaveera.
Ans :- A huge and systematic ancient town, contemporary to Harappan civilization has been found 2 km away from Dholaveera village at Khadirbet, in vast desert of Bhachau taluka which is about 140 km. away from Bhuj.
(2) Lothal was an important port of Gujarat. Explain.
Ans :- Lothal is situated in Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad district. Dholka is a place between two rivers. Bhogavo and Sabarmati. It is 18 km far from Bay of Khambhat, from where three layers of human habitat were found.
A huge dockyard was constructed to facilitate ships in the time of high tides at the lower eastern part of the town. And this is a unique feature of Lothal. Such dockyard,storage shops etc.
(3) Write about the art of pillar inscriptions.
Ans :- Stone inscriptions were made from single rock. Stone inscriptions carved out by the religious order of emperor Ashoka are the best specimen of engraving on stone.
They were polished so well that they gleamed (shined). Such pillars were erected in Ambala, Meerut, Allahabad, Sarnath, Loriya near Nandangadh, Sanchi, Kashi, Patna and Bodhivruksha near Bodh-Gaya.
They were carved in Brahmi Script. Pillar at Sarnath
(4) Write a note on Sun temple of Konark.
Ans :- The Sun temple of Konark is in Odisha, which is one of the forms of chariot temple. Brahadeshwar temple of Tanjavur has thirteen storeyed 'Gopuram'. Metallic and stone idols of this age have special
characteristic features.
Bronze statue of Natraj is the best example of idol sculpting of that time. Chola temples have their own splender in age in the field of art and architecture.
Meenakshi, one of the huge temples of India is in Madurai spread in vast area. It has four main 'Gopurams' from the architectural point of view. It is a wonderful temple.
3.Answer the following questions in short.
(1) What is sculpture ?
Ans :- the art of making two- or three-dimensional representative or abstract forms, especially by carving stone or wood or by casting metal or plaster.
(2) What is architecture ?
Ans :- the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.
(3) Explain the meaning of Mohan-Jo-Daro and write about its road ways.
Ans :- Mohan Jo-Daro means 'the heap of the deads.
(i) The roads were 9.75 metres wide. The small link roads crossed the major ones at right angles.
(ii) The roads were wide enough for a number of vehicles to pass at a time.
(iii) Pits on the road side suggest that there might have been lamp posts.
(iv) Roads of town were straight main roads without any turns.
(4) Write the meaning of Stupa.
Ans :- An oval shaped construction under which the remains of Lord Buddha's body were kept in a box is known as Stupa.
4.Choose the correct option from those given below :-
(1) What is another word used for architecture in Sanskrit language ?
(A) Vastu (B) Carving (C) Temple (D) Ruins
(2) What was built in Lothal to facilitate the ships ?
(A) Hail (B) Pillar (C) Dockyard (D) Grill
(3) In which language are stone inscriptions engraved ?
(A) Hindi (B)Brahami (C) Urdu (D) Udia
(4) Sun temple of Gujarat is situated at........
(A) Modhera (B) Vadnagar (C) Kheralu (D) Vijapur
(5) Which mosque is situated near Teen Darwaza in Ahmedabad ?
(A) Jama Masjid (B) Jumma Masjid (C) Masjid of Sipri (D) Masjid-e-Nageena
Link to download Chapter 3 Cultural Heritage of India : Sculpture and Architecture :-
