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Class 12 History Chapter 7 Bhakti and Sufi Traditions, Transformation of Religious Beliefs and Religious Texts (From the 8th to the 18th Century)
Selected Questions & Answers
A. Very Short Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 1)
1. What is the meaning of the word ‘Jagannath’?
Ans: The word Jagannath means the ‘Lord or Master of the entire universe’.
2. Which goddess is worshipped as the wife of Vishnu?
Ans: Lakshmi.
3. Which goddess is regarded as the wife of Shiva?
Ans: Parvati.
4. What is the method of goddess worship known as?
Ans: It is known as the Tantric method.
5. Write the names of three gods of the early Vedic period.
Ans: Indra, Agni and Soma.
6. The Alvars of Tamil Nadu were devotees of which deity?
Ans: They were devotees of Vishnu.
7. The Nayanars were devotees of which deity?
Ans: They were devotees of Shiva.
8. Which poetic compilation is called the “Tamil Veda”?
Ans: The ‘Nalayira Divya Prabandham’ composed by the Alvar saints, is called the Tamil Veda.
9. Write the name of a woman devotee associated with the Bhakti movement of South India.
Ans: Andal.
10. When did the Arab general Muhammad bin Qasim conquer Sind?
Ans: In 711 CE.
11. What is the meaning of the word ‘Zimmi’?
Ans: The word means protected or under protection.
12. Which Mughal Emperor permitted Christian priests to build a church at Cambay in Gujarat?
Ans: The Mughal Emperor Akbar.
13. When were Sufi silsilas formed in Islamic society?
Ans: Around the twelfth century.
14. What is the meaning of the word ‘Urs’?
Ans: The word ‘Urs’ means marriage or union.
15. Who composed the book ‘Kashf-ul-Mahjub’?
Ans: Ali Hujwiri, also known as Data Ganj Bakhsh.
16. Kabir was the disciple of whom?
Ans: Ramananda.
17. What are the collected sayings of Kabir known as?
Ans: They are known as ‘Kabir Bijak’.
18. Where was Guru Nanak born?
Ans: Guru Nanak was born in a village named Nankana Sahib in Punjab.
19. What is meant by the Tantric method?
Ans: The method of worshipping the Goddess in rituals is called the Tantric method.
20. Who were the Lingayats?
Ans: The devotees of Shiva were called Lingayats.
21. What is a Khanqah?
Ans: A Khanqah is a kind of religious monastery of the followers of Islam where spiritual teachers live with their disciples.
22. What does ‘Silsila’ mean? H. S. ’19
Ans: The literal meaning of ‘Silsila’ is chain.
23. Which Sultan was the first to visit the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti?
Ans: Muhammad bin Tughluq.
24. What is the name of the holy scripture of the Sikhs?
Ans: Guru Granth Sahib.
25. What was ‘Dami-i-Koh’? H. S. ’17
Ans: Dense forested hilly regions were called ‘Dami-i-Koh’. In such areas, no one except the hill people could interfere.
26. Who composed the ‘Ain-i-Akbari’? H. S. ’18
Ans: Abu’l Fazl.
B. Short Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 2)
1. Write the names of two famous Sufi saints.
Ans: Two famous Sufi saints were Moinuddin Chishti and Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
2. What is a Masnavi?
Ans: Long narrative poems composed by Sufi scholars are called‘Masnavi’. Through such poems, divine love was explained by using the metaphor of human love. An example is ‘Padmavat’ composed by Malik Muhammad Jayasi, which describes the love story of Rana Ratan Singh of Chittor.
3. Who was Mirabai?
Ans: Mirabai was a famous woman poet of the Bhakti tradition. She was a princess of Merta in Rajasthan. She was a devotee of Krishna. She left the royal palace and travelled to different places, composing devotional poems in Rajasthani and Braj languages.
4. Write two reasons for the popularity of the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin. H. S. ’16
Ans: Two reasons for the popularity of the dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin were:
(1) The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti was located at a place connecting Delhi and Gujarat, which easily attracted pilgrims.
(2) He was a noble and ideal personality. Many people were attracted by his character and became his disciples. Even the Mughal Emperors visited his dargah seeking blessings.
5. Who were the Panch Pirs? H. S. ’15
Ans: The Panch Pirs were Moinuddin Chishti, Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Nizamuddin Auliya and Nasiruddin Chiragh-i-Delhi.
6. What is Sharia? Mention any one of its bases.
Ans: Sharia means the social law followed by Muslims. It is based on religion.
C. Medium Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 4)
1. What were the main principles of the Bhakti Movement?
Ans: The main principles of the Bhakti Movement were:
(a) Belief in monotheism.
(b) Complete self-surrender in the service of God.
(c) Unwavering devotion to the Guru.
(d) Opposition to the caste system.
2. Write a short note on Kabir. Or, what is meant by Kabir’s UltaBansi compositions? H. S. ’20
Ans: Kabir was a saint associated with the Bhakti Movement of the fifteenth century. He is said to have been the illegitimate son of a Brahmin widow and was brought up by a Muslim weaver. Later, he was influenced by both Islamic and Hindu philosophical traditions and became involved in preaching devotion.
He composed many hymns and verses. His collected sayings are known as ‘Kabir Bijak’. His teachings gained popularity among both Hindus and Muslims. Some of his verses are included in the Guru Granth Sahib of the Sikhs. Some of his poems are known as ‘Ulta Bansi’ compositions, in which meanings are expressed in a paradoxical or inverted manner. The deeper significance of such compositions is not easily understood. Examples include expressions like “the lotus blooming without water” and “fire in the ocean.”One of the chief features of Kabir’s dohas was the use of ideas from different
traditions to explain the ultimate truth.
3. What is meant by Tazkira? H. S. ’16
Ans: ‘Tazkira’ refers to the biographical accounts of Islamic Sufi saints. The most famous Tazkira is ‘Akhbar-ul-Akhyar’ written by Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dehlavi. A Tazkira written in India is ‘Siyar-ul-Auliya’, composed by Mir Khurd Kirmani. The main objective of the authors of Tazkiras was to establish their respective silsilas and propagate their spiritual glory. Although many descriptions in the Tazkiras appear miraculous and unbelievable, they greatly help historians in understanding the importance and nature of the Sufi tradition.
4. What is a Khanqah? Describe the life led in a Khanqah.
Ans: A Khanqah is a place where a Muslim saint lives together with his disciples. It is similar to a monastery. It usually consists of small rooms for residence and a large hall known as ‘Jamiat Khana’. In the Jamiat Khana, the saint discusses religious matters with his disciples. People of almost all religions visit the Khanqah to seek the blessings of the saint. Some also seek remedies for illnesses. Free food is provided in the Khanqah, which is maintained by donations from devotees. During the medieval period, Khanqahs also received royal patronage. The tomb of the saint is usually located near the Khanqah, and later, such places developed into pilgrimage centres.
D. Essay Type Questions: (Marks for each – 6)
1. Discuss the development of the Sufi tradition.
Ans: The Sufi tradition is a doctrine associated with Islam. In the early centuries of Islam, due to the rigidity and materialism of the religious and political institution of the Caliphate, a sense of renunciation and mystical thought arose among certain spiritual individuals. This came to be known as Sufism. The Islamic term for Sufism is ‘Tasawwuf’. According to historians, the word is derived from ‘suf’, meaning wool, referring to the coarse woolen garments worn by the Sufis. Some scholars believe that the word comes from‘safa’, meaning purity. Others trace it to ‘suffa’, the platform outside the mosque where the Prophet Muhammad discussed religious matters. Whatever its origin, Sufism has certain characteristics:
(a) The Sufis criticised the intellectual interpretations of the Quran and Sunnah made by theologians.
(b) They emphasised devotion to God and the ideal conduct of the Prophet as the path to salvation.
(c) They interpreted the Quran based on their personal spiritual experiences.
2. Discuss briefly about Guru Nanak. Or, Who was Guru Nanak? What were his main religious principles? H. S. ’19
Ans: Guru Nanak was the founder of Sikhism. He was born in 1469 in a Hindu merchant family at Nankana Sahib on the banks of the Ravi River in Punjab. He was married at an early age but spent much of his time in the company of Sufi saints and Bhakti devotees. He travelled across India extensively and even visited Mecca, Medina, and Baghdad. He was deeply influenced by both Hindu Bhakti philosophy and Islamic thought. In response to the religious confusion and rigidity of the time, he preached his own doctrine based on the principles of both traditions.
His teachings are found in the form of hymns and sermons. His doctrine was monotheistic. He emphasised sincere worship of God and purity of heart as the essence of religion. He rejected external rituals and formalities. According to him, the Supreme Being, ‘Rab’, has no gender and is formless. He advised constant remembrance of God’s name as the simplest path of worship. Guru Nanak organised his disciples into a distinct community and introduced the practice of congregational worship. He appointed his follower Angad as his successor. Although he did not intend to found a new religion, after his death, his followers gradually organised themselves into a separate community known as the Sikhs. The fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan, compiled his hymns into the ‘Adi Granth’, later known as the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak earned reverence from both Hindus and Muslims. It is said of him:
“Guru Nanak Shah Fakir, Hindu ka Guru, Musalman ka Pir.”
3. Discuss the main principles of Islam.
Ans: Muhammad was the founder of Islam. The religion is based on certain clear principles:
(a) Islam believes in one God.
(b) Muhammad is regarded as the messenger of God.
(c) Followers offer prayers five times a day.
(d) The wealthy give one-fortieth of their property annually during the month of Ramadan as charity to the poor.
(e) They observe fasting during the daytime throughout the month ofRamadan.
(f) Those who are capable must undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca.
(g) Islam believes in social equality.
(h) Islam strongly opposes idol worship.
4. Discuss the Virashaiva tradition of Karnataka.
Ans: In the twelfth century CE, a new religious movement began in Karnataka under the leadership of Basavanna, a Brahmin. Basavanna was a minister under the Chola rulers and a devotee of Shiva. He propagated the greatness of Shiva and introduced certain new rituals and practices. His followers were known as ‘Virashaivas’ or ‘Lingayats’. They worshipped Shivain the form of the Linga. They wore a small Linga in a silver casket tied to their left shoulder. In this tradition, wandering ascetics known as Jangamas were held in high respect. The Lingayats believed that after death, devotees merge into the body of Shiva and are not reborn. They did not observe funeral rites or shraddha ceremonies. They strongly opposed the caste system and the concept of untouchability in Brahmanical Hinduism. As a result, many people from lower communities were attracted to this tradition.
5. Who was Ajan Pir? Where is his dargah situated? H. S. ’17
Ans: Ajan Fakir was an Islamic saint who came to Assam in the early seventeenth century to preach religion, either from Arabia or, according to some, from Ajmer in India.
According to historian Surya Kumar Bhuyan, he was blinded by order of the Ahom king Gadadhar Singha due to a conspiracy by a person named Rupai Dadhara. Later, understanding his spiritual greatness, the king granted him land at Saraguri Chapori near Dikhomukh, where he spent the rest of his life. Ajan Fakir was also known as Shah Milan and Shah Fakir. He is credited with composing Zikir and Zari songs, which describe the impermanence of the world and praise Allah. His dargah is situated at Saraguri Chapori in Sivasagar.
6. What was the real name of Ajan Pir? Why was he known by that name? H. S. ’17
Ans: The real name of Ajan Pir was Shah Milan. He came from distant Iraq and built a dargah on the bank of the Dikhau River in Sivasagar district of Assam. As he regularly called the Azan and offered prayers there, he came to be known as ‘Ajan Pir’.
7. What is meant by the Saguna and Nirguna traditions of the Bhakti path? H. S. ’17
Ans: Those who worship an incarnate deity or an idol follow the ‘Saguna’path of devotion. On the other hand, those who worship the formless Supreme God follow the ‘Nirguna’ path of devotion.
