New Kings and Kingdoms

India is a democratic country in which the President is the head of the state, and the Prime Minister is the head of the government. But earlier, when India was ruled by different kings, samanta was a title and position used by the Indian nobility. They were expected to bring gifts for the kings. Who were Samantas?

• sons of the kings

• representatives of neighbor kingdoms

• big landlords or warrior chiefs who were subordinates to a king

• sons of other kings

Many powerful samantas asserted their independence from their overlords. For example, a Rashtrakuta chief named Dantidurga performed a ritual of hiranya-garbha to be reborn as a kshatriya so that he could become a king. Who were the Rashtrakutas?

• subordinates to the Chalukyas of Kashmir

• subordinates to the Cholas of Karnataka

• subordinates to the Chalukyas of Karnataka

• subordinates to the Gurjara-Pratihara

Today, taxes in India are levied by the Central Government and the state governments. Some minor taxes are also levied by the local authorities such as the Municipality and the nagar nigams. Under the Cholas, there were more than 400 different types of taxes imposed, out of which 'vetti' and 'kadamai' were the most common. What were 'vetti' and 'kadamai'?

• 'Vetti' was tax on thatching the house and 'kadamai' taken as forced labour

• 'Vetti' was land revenue and 'kadamai' was forced labour

• 'Vetti' referred to forced labour and 'kadamai' was land revenue.

• 'Vetti' was a tax on thatching the house and 'kadamai' was tax refund

Prashastis contain details of rulers and their royal way of life. Kings gave gifts to the writers of prashastis and many a time these writers also helped in the administration of the kingdom. Who wrote the prashastis?

• chief commanders of king's army

• big landlords

• all rich persons of the kingdom

• learned Brahmanas

Although different kingdoms ruled different regions, they tried to control the areas under other kings too. The city of Kanauj in the Ganga Valley was one particularly prized area. Who were the parties involved in the 'tripartite struggle' of ruling Kanauj?

• the Gurjara-Pratihara, the Rashtrakuta, and the Chola dynasties

• the Gurjara-Pratihara, the Rashtrakuta, and the Pala dynasties

• the Gurjara-Pratihara, the Chola, and the Pala dynasties

• the Chola, the Rashtrakuta, and the Pala dynasties

Rulers tried to demonstrate their power and resources by building large temples. Temples were rich and were a hub of social and cultural activities. Who built the famous temple for goddess Nishumbhasudini at Thanjavur?

• Rajendra I

• Rajaraja I

• Vijayalaya

• Dantidurga

Book written on the Indian subcontinent by al-Biruni is known as ______________.

Chola ______________ are considered amongst the finest in the world.

The Cholas set up an efficient system of administration. The empire was divided into provinces called 'mandalams' which were further divided into districts called 'nadus'. Each nadu consists of a group of villages known as ____________.

Associations of traders were known as ________________.