Early Karnataka: From the Kadambas to Vijayanagara — Practice

Question 1

Who consecrated the Gommateshwara statue at Shravanabelagola, and when?

Accepted Answer

The minister and general Chamundaraya of the Western Ganga king Rachamalla IV, in 981 CE.

Question 2

What does the Aihole inscription record, and who composed it?

Accepted Answer

Pulakeshin II's victory over Harsha, composed by the court poet Ravikirti in 634 CE.

Question 3

Distinguish Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal.

Accepted Answer

Badami has the rock-cut cave temples of the Chalukya capital. Aihole is called a cradle of temple architecture, where early forms were tried. Pattadakal has the group of temples inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, including the Virupaksha Temple built by Queen Lokamahadevi.

Question 4

Name the three great Hoysala temples with their sites and describe their common features.

Accepted Answer

Chennakeshava at Belur, Hoysaleshwara at Halebidu and Keshava at Somanathapura. They stand on a star-shaped platform, use soft soapstone and carry fine, dense sculpture. The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were inscribed as a UNESCO site in 2023.

Question 5

Where was the Rashtrakuta capital, and which Kannada text is linked to Amoghavarsha I?

Accepted Answer

Manyakheta, present-day Malkhed in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka. The Kavirajamarga, the earliest surviving work of Kannada poetics, is associated with his court.

Question 6

Evaluate the Vijayanagara Empire's administration and explain its defeat at Talikota.

Accepted Answer

Vijayanagara, founded in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka Raya, organised provinces called nadus, kept a strong army and prospered through trade at west-coast ports. Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529) was its peak. The Deccan sultanates combined against it and won at Talikota in 1565, after which Hampi was sacked. Its strength was administration and trade; its limit was the dependence of defence on one army and a divided Deccan opposition it had failed to keep apart.

Question 7

Why are the Kalyani Chalukyas significant for law and literature as well as politics?

Accepted Answer

Their capital was Kalyani in Bidar district and their greatest king was Vikramaditya VI. The poet Bilhana wrote the Vikramankadevacharita about him, and the scholar Vijnaneshwara, author of the Mitakshara commentary on law, belonged to his court. The dynasty is therefore tied to Sanskrit literature and to Hindu law as well as to a wide Deccan empire.

Question 8

Name the two Bahmani capitals in order and the famous Adil Shahi tomb at Bijapur.

Accepted Answer

Gulbarga, then Bidar; the Gol Gumbaz, tomb of Muhammad Adil Shah.

Practice — Early Karnataka: From the Kadambas to Vijayanagara

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