Class 12 – Page 4 – PSEB Solutions

PSEB 12th Class History Solutions Chapter 2 Sources of the History of the Punjab

December 9, 2024December 8, 2024 by Prasanna

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class History Book Solutions Chapter 2 Sources of the History of the Punjab Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 2 Sources of the History of the Punjab

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
What five problems are faced by historians in understanding the history of Punjab?
Or
What are the main problems regarding the historical sources of Punjab?
Or
What five difficulties do we face regarding the historical sources of Punjab?
Or
What problems are faced by the students in composing the history of Punjab?
Answer:
Writing the history of Punjab the historians confront numerous problems in writing the history of Punjab. These problems are briefly described below :

2. Biased views of Muslim Historians: Most of the sources available to understand the history of Punjab are written in Persian by Muslim historians were: They were staunch Muslims. They considered the Sikhs their inveterate enemies. They willfully distorted the facts of Sikh history in a malicious manner. Therefore, their writings cannot be trusted.

3. Destruction of Historical Sources: Till the seventh decade of the 18th century, there was no peace, and anarchy prevailed in Punjab. The invasion of Na*dir Shah in 1739 A.D..aad subsequently eight invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali from 1747 to 1767 A.D. ruined the Punjab. How could the Sikhs preserve their sacred documents when even the lives of their families were at risk? A large number of their holy writings were lost.

4. Punjab, a part of Mughal Empire: Till 1752 A.D. Punjab formed a part of the Mughal empire. As a result, no history could be written apart from the history of India. The contemporary writers wrote largely on the Mughal emperors, but just not write about the political, social, religious, and economic conditions of Punjab. Therefore, a detailed account of the history of Punjab is not available from the works of contemporary historians.

5. Untapped Historical Sources: Many deeds of covenants, deeds of the grant, personal letters, Bhat Vahid, and religious documents of Sikh Misls and Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s times are still remained locked in the boxes of many Sikh families and feudal lords. These sources still remain unexplored.

Question 2.
Write a short note on Hukamnamas.
Answer:
Hukamnamas were the orders of the Sikh Gurus or of their family members which were issued to the Sikh Sangat or individuals from time to time. In most of these Hukamnamas, they were asked to bring rations for the community kitchen, money for the construction of religious places, horses and arms to be used in battles. In all 89 Hukamnamas have been compiled so far by Dr. Ganda Singh. Of these 34 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Gobind Singh and 23 by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The other Hukamnamas belong to Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Hargobind Sahib, Guru Har Rai, Guru Harkrishan, Mata Gujri, Mata Sundri, Mata Sahib Devan, Baba Gurditta Ji and Banda Bahadur. The Sikhs obeyed these Hukamnamas as orders from God. From these Hukamnamas we learn about the political, religious, literary, and economic history of the Punjab of the period of Sikh Gurus.

Question 3.
Mention briefly any five important historical sources related to the religious literature of the Sikhs.
Or
Give a brief account of five important sources based on religious literature of Punjab History.
Answer:
Religious literature of the Sikhs contributes much to the writing of the history of Punjab.

1. The Adi Granth Sahib Ji: The Adi Granth Sahib Ji is the most sacred and authentic scripture of Sikhism. Guru Arjan Dev Ji compiled this great holy scripture in 1604 A.D. In it, the hymns of the first five Sikh Gurus and those of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, are compiled. In addition to it, the hymns of many Hindu Bhagats, Muslim Sufi Saints, Bhats, etc. were also included. Adi Granth Sahib Ji gives us the most valuable information regarding the political, religious, social, and economic life of the people of those days.

2. Dasam Granth Sahib Ji: Dasam Granth Sahib Ji is another holy scripture of Sikhism. It is a compilation of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his court poets. This holy scripture was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in 1721 A.D. ‘Bachitar Natak’ and ‘Zafarnama’ are the most significant from the historical point of view.

3. Vars of Bhai Gurdas Ji: Bhai Gurdas Ji was the son of Bhai Datar Chand Bhalla, a brother of Guru Amar Das Ji. He was a contemporary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and Guru Hargobind Ji. He composed 39 Vars. These Vars are considered the key to understanding Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Vars No. 1 and 11 are considered important from the historical point of view. The first Var contains a very detailed description of the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In the eleventh Var, we get information of the important Sikhs and places connected with the first six Gurus.

4. Janam Sakhis: The stories relating to the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called Janam Sakhis. Many such Janam Sakhis were written in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They were written in the Punjabi language. Janam Sakhis of Puratan Janam Sakhis, Janam Sakhis of Meherban, Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala Ji and Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh Ji were the most important Sakhis.

Question 4.
What is meant by Janam Sakhis? Explain briefly the four Janam Sakhis.
Or
What are the Janam Sakhis? Discuss the importance of different Janam Sakhis?
Answer:
The stories relating to the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called Janam Sakhis.
1. Puratan Janam Sakhi: This Janam Sakhi-was edited by Bhai Vir Singh in 1926 A.D. It is considered more reliable than other Janam Sakhis.

2. Janam Sakhi of Meharban: Meharban was the son of Prithi Chand, the elder brother of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He was a great scholar. As he himself belonged to the Guru family, he gave a very detailed description of the Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is considered more reliable.

3. Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala : This Janam Sakhi was written by Bhai Bala Ji. Many events denoted in this Janam Sakhi are imaginary and many others are historically incorrect. Thus this Janam Sakhi is regarded as the least authentic.

4. Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh: This Janam Sakhi, popularly known as ‘Gyan Ratnavali’, was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji. This Janam Sakhi is very reliable due to many reasons. It contains no imaginary events. Thirdly, all events are recorded in a chronological manner.

Question 5.
What do you know about Vars of Bhai Gurdas Ji?
Or
Write a note on Bhai Gurdas Ji Bhalla.
Answer:
Bhai Gurdas Ji Bhalla (1551—1635 A.D.) was the son of Datar Chand Bhalla, the brother of Guru Amar Das. He was contemporary of third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Sikh Gurus. He was a top-class writer. He composed 39 Vars. These vars are written in Punjabi. In order to understand Guru Granth Sahib, the study of these Vars is very essential. That is why they are called a key to Guru Granth Sahib. We get useful information about the first six Gurus’ lives, teachings of Sikh religion, names of cities, and the lives of Saints and Bhaktas from these Vars. The first and eleventh Vars are considered important from the historical point of view. In the first Var, light is thrown on the Sikh history from first to 6th Guru. The eleventh Var gives information about the names of Sikhs related to the Gurus and their activities.

Question 6.
Write a note on the special features of Adi Granth Sahib.
Or
Give a brief description of Adi Granth Sahib and its historical importance.
Answer:
Guru Arjan Dev Ji used various sources for writing the Bani. The Bani of the first three Gurus—Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Guru Angad Dev Ji, and Guru Amar Das Ji were with the eldest son of Guru Amar Das Ji i.e. Baba Mohan Ji. To compile the Bani, Guru Arjan Dev Ji first sent Bhai Gurdas Ji and then Baba Buddha Ji to Baba Mohan Ji but they were not successful in their objective. After this, Guru Sahib himself went from Amritsar to Goindwal Sahib barefooted. Impressed by the humility of Guru Ji, Baba Mohan Ji gave away the entire Bani to Guru Ji. Guru Arjan Dev Ji already had the Bani of Guru Ram Das Ji with him.

Guru Sahib included his own Bani in it. After this Guru Sahib called upon the devotees of Hindu Bhagats and Muslim Saints and asked them to recite the hymns of their saints correctly. The hymns of only those Bhagats and Saints were included in the Guru Granth Sahib which was similar to the Bani of the Gurus. The works of Kahna, Chhajju, Shah Hussain, and Pilu were rejected. The compilation of the Adi Granth Sahib Ji in 1604 A.D. is a great landmark In the history of the Sikhs. It provided the Sikhs with a unique religious scripture. No doubt Guru Granth Sahib is a religious scripture, yet it furnishes valuable information regarding the social, religious, political, and economic life of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Question 7.
Write a short note on Dasam Granth Sahib.
Or
What do you know about Dasam Granth Sahib?
Answer:
Dasam Granth Sahib is another holy scripture of the Sikhs. It is an anthology of the works of Guru Gobind Singh and his court poets. Bhai Mani Singh compiled Dasam Granth in 1721 A.D. The Dasam Granth Sahib was primarily compiled to awaken heroic sentiments among the Sikhs so as to enable them to fight against political injustice and religious intolerance. It is a collection of 18 works. Jaap Sahib, Akal Ustat, Chandi di Var, Chaubis Avtar, Shabad Hazare, Shastar Nama, Bachitar Natak, and Zafarnama are worthy of special mention. Bachelor Natak is Guru Gobind Singh’s autobiography.

It is a useful source giving us information about the ancient history of Bedi and Sodhi castes, the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, and the battles of Guru Gobind Singh against the Hill Chiefs and the Mughals. Guru Gobind Singh wrote the Zafarnama at Dina. It is a letter of Victory which Guru Gobind Singh addressed to Aurangzeb in Persian. In this letter, the Guru has daringly and fearlessly described the tyranny of Aurangzeb. It also refers to the treachery of his generals and the breaking of oaths taken on the Quran. Dasam Granth Sahib is, thus, an important source of the life and work of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 8.
Give a brief account of five historical sources written in 18th century in Punjabi.
1. Sri Gursobha: Sri Gursobha was written by Sainapat, a famous court poet of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D. He has given an eye-witness account of the events that took place from 1699 A.D. to 1708 A.D. about its historical value.

2. Sikhan Di Bhagat Mala : This work was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in the eighteenth century. It is also known as ‘Bhagat Ratnavali’. It provides valuable information about the lives of the Gurus, names of the prominent Sikhs, their castes and places of residence along with the social conditions of the time.

3. Bansavali Nama : It was written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar in 1780 A.D. It covers the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the middle of the eighteenth century. It is more reliable as far as later history is concerned than that of the Guru’s period because the writer gives an eye-witness account of many such events.

4. Mehma Prakash: In fact, it comprises two books:

Mehma Pvakash Vartik was written by Bawa Kirpal Singh in 1741 A.D. It describes the lives of the Sikh Gurus in brief.
Mehma Prakash Kavita was written by Sarup Das Bhalla in 1776 A.D. It describes the lives of Sikh Gurus in detail.

5. Prachin Panth Prakash: It was written by Rattan Singh Bhangu in 1841 A.D. It provides very important information regarding the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the eighteenth century.

Question 9.
Give a brief account of five important Persian sources of the history of Punjab.
Or
Give a brief mention of five important Persian sources which are essential for composing the History of Punjab.
Answer:
1. Ain-i-Akbari is written by Abul Fazl, a famous historian and courtier of Akbar. It is the main source of information regarding Akbar’s relations with the Sikh Gurus. Besides, this source, tells us about the political, religious, social, and economic conditions of Punjab.

2. Tuzak-i-Jahangiri is the autobiography of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. We get valuable information about the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji from it. By reading it, it becomes clear that Guru Ji was martyred for religious reasons.

3. Jang Nama is written by Qazi Nur Muhammad. He accompanied Ahmad Shah Abdali during the latter’s invasion of Punjab in 1764 A.D. In this work, he gave an eyewitness account of the warfare of the Sikhs and their character.

4. Umdat-ut-Tawarikh’s writer was Sohan Lai Suri, a courtier of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In it, he has written the history of Punjab from 1469 A.D. to 1849 A.D. It is a very trustworthy source about Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s period.

5. Zafar-Nama-i-Ranjit Singh. It is an important source related to the period of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It was written by Diwan Amar Nath. This work describes the eye-witness account of events of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign up to 1837 A.D.

Question 10.
Mention five important English sources which give information about the history of Punjab.
Answer:
1. The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh: Capt. William Osborne wrote this book in 1840 A.D. He has given a detailed account of the grandeur of Maharaja’s court, his courtiers, and his military administration. His book is a very useful source from a historical point of view.

2. History of Punjab: Murray wrote this book in 1842 A.D. It has two parts. The history of the Sikhs has been written in detail in these parts. It is a significant source regarding Maharaja Ranjit Singh and his successors.

3. History of the Sikhs: Dr. Me Gregor wrote this book. It was written in 1846 A.D. and it has two parts. It provides useful information about the battles of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikhs against the English.

4. Punjab: This book was written in 1846 A.D. by Steinbach. He occupied a high post in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Therefore, he has mentioned very important details about the army of the Maharaja in this book.

5. Sketch of the Sikhs: It was written in 1812 A.D. by Malcolm, a Colonel in the British army. He came to Punjab after Holkar IP 1805 A.D. He wrote very briefly about the history of the Sikhs and their institutions.

Question 11.
Write a short note on the historical importance of Records of the British Indian Government.
Or
Throw light on four important sources of information on Punjab History written in English.
Answer:
The records of the British Indian government provide the most important information regarding Sikh History from the beginning of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign from 1799 A.D. to the downfall of the Sikh Empire in 1849 A.D. The records of Delhi Residency and Ludhiana Residency are significant in particular for the history of Punjab. Among these, the records of Murrey, Ochterloney, Richmond, Me Gregor, Nicholson, Cunningham, Princep, and Broadfoot are of great historical value. These records are stored in the National Archives Department Delhi. These records throw valuable light on Anglo-Sikh relations, about the Kingdom of Ranjit Singh and his reign and the relations of the English with Afghanistan and Sind. Besides the letters written by Governor Generals to the British Government, to their friends and family members also provide valuable information regarding the important events of Punjab. Though these records are biasedly written, yet they constitute an important source of the History of Punjab.

Question 12.
Examine the importance of coins in the construction of the History of Punjab.
Answer:
The coins are of special importance in the construction of the history of Punjab. We find the coins of Mughals, Banda Singh Bahadur, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Ahmad Shah Abdali and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. These coins throw valuable light on the dates and other important facts about the different rulers. The coins of Banda Bahadur prove that he had great respect for Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The coins of Jassa Singh Ahluwalia tell us that he had occupied the territory of Ahmad Shah Abdali. The coins of Maharaja Ranjit Singh throw light on the fact that he was a very kind-hearted king and he was a great follower of Sikhism. As the facts provided by these coins are very trustworthy, so they help a lot in solving many problems related to the history of Punjab.

1. Difficulties Regarding the History of Punjab: The Janam Sakhis related to the Sikh Gurus have several inconsistencies in them—The Muslim writers who were fanatics and biased have distorted the facts of history—The Sikhs did not have any time for writing their own history during this period of anarchy—Moreover, whatever meager historical books had already been written were destroyed during the foreign invasions—Several historical sources were also destroyed during the partition of Punjab in 1947 A.D.

2. Kinds of Sources: The main sources related to the history of Punjab are as follows :

→ Religious literature of the Sikhs: The Adi Granth Sahib gives us the most authentic information of this period. It wags compiled by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1604 A.D.The Dasam Granth Sahib is a compilation of the works of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, and the poets of his court, of these, the ‘Bachitar Natak’ and ‘Zafarnama’ are historically the most important.The 39 Vars written by Bhai Gurdas Ji give us important information about the lives of the first six Gurus and the famous pilgrimages. Among the Janam Sakhis based on the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the most important are Puratan Janam Sakhi, Meharban’s Janam Sakhi, Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala, and Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh Ji.The Hukamnamas issued by the Sikh Gurus provide us with very valuable information about contemporary society Of these 34 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and 23 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

→ Historical and Semi-Historical works in Punjabi and Hindi: ‘Sri Gursobha’ gives us an eye-witness account of the events that took place from 1699 to 1708 A.D. Gursobha was written by Sainapat a famous court poet of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D. Sikhan Di Bhagatmala provides valuable information about the social condition of the periods of the Gurus. It was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji ‘Bansavali Nama’ written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar describes the incidents from the Guru period to the middle of the 18th century ‘Gurpratap Suraj Granth’ written by Bhai Santokh Singh and ‘Prachin Panth Prakash’ written by Rattan Singh Bhangu has an important position in the construction of the history of Punjab.

3. Historical works in Persian: ‘Babarnama’ written by the Mughal emperor Babar gives us historical information about Punjab at the beginning of the 16th century.‘Ain-i-Akbari’ and ‘Akbarnama’ written by Abul Fazl gives us information about the relations of Akbar with the Sikh Gurus‘Dabistan-i- Mazahib’ written by Mubid Zulfiqar Ardistani gives us valuable information pertaining to the Sikh Gurus‘Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh’ written by Sujan Rai Bhandari, ‘Muntakhib-ut-Lubab’ written by Khafi Khan and ‘Jang Nama’ written by Qazi Nur Muhammad gives us information about the Punjab of the 18th century‘Umdat-ut-Tawarikh’ written by Sohan Lai Suri and ‘Char-Bagh-i- Punjab’ written by Ganesh Das Wadhera give us a detailed account of the incidents related to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

4. Bhat Vahis: The Bhats used to write down all the important events with dates in their Vahis These give us useful information about the lives of the Sikh Gurus, their travels and battles.

5. Khalsa Darbar Records: These are the official records of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time They were written in Persian and their number is more than 1 lakh—The Khalsa Darbar Records give useful information on the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

6. Writings of Foreign Travellers and Europeans: The writings of foreign travelers and Europeans contribute greatly to the construction of the history of Punjab—Prominent among them are ‘A Journey from Bengal to England’ by George Forster, ‘Sketch of the Sikhs’ by Malcolm, ‘Origin of Sikh Power in the Punjab’ by H.T. Princep, ‘The Court and Camp of Ranjit SingJT by Captain William Osborne, ‘The Punjab’ by Steinbach, ‘History of the Sikhs’ by J.D. Cunningham.

7. Historical Buildings, Paintings, and Coins: The historical buildings, paintings, and coins of Punjab are also a very valuable source for tracing out the history of Punjab. The architecture of Khadur Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kartarpur, and Paonta Sahib, various forts, paintings in the Gurdwaras, and coins of Sikh leaders also throw ample light on the contemporary society.

Essay Type Questions:

Difficulties Regarding The History Of Punjab:

Question 1.
Explain the difficulties of the historians while constructing the history of Punjab.
Or
Or
Which difficulties are being faced by historians while composing the History of Punjab?
Answer:
Writing the history of Punjab has always remained a serious challenge for historians were: The historian confronts numerous problems in writing the history of Punjab. These problems are briefly described below :

1. Sikhs did not find time to write their own History: Punjab became an arena of wars in the 18th century. Anarchy was the order of the day. The Sikhs were fighting for their existence. They had to flee to the mountains and jungles leaving their homes. The government had put a price on their heads. The royal forces were always at their heels to hunt them. It was a time for the Sikhs to hold a sword rather than a pen in their hands. As a result, they could hardly find time to pen down their history.

3. Destruction of Historical Sources: Till the seventh decade of the 18th century, there was no peace, and anarchy prevailed in Punjab. Firstly, the Mughals and then the Afghans left no stone unturned to crush the Sikhs. The invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739 A.D. and subsequently eight invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali from 1747 to 1767 A.D. ruined the Punjab. How could the Sikhs preserve their sacred documents when even the lives of their families were at risk? A large number of their holy writings were lost. Thus, the Sikhs were deprived of their numerous invaluable works.

4. Punjab, a part of Mughal Empire: Till 1752 A.D. Punjab formed a, part of the Mughal empire. As a result, no history could be written apart from the history of India. The contemporary writers wrote largely on the Mughal emperors but just wrote about the political, social, religious, and economic conditions of Punjab. Therefore, a detailed account of the history of Punjab is not available from the works of contemporary historians.

5. Partition of Punjab: With the partition of India in 1947 A.D., Punjab too was bifurcated. As a sequel to it, Lahore, the capital of Punjab, the Punjab University, many historical buildings, and valuable books were left in Pakistan. Many historical sources were destroyed due to riots caused by partition vandalization. So, we had to remain deprived of many historical sources which could have proved extremely useful in the construction of the history of Punjab.

Main Sources of the History of the Punjab:

Question 2.
Describe briefly the important sources of Punjab.
Or
Describe the main sources of Punjab History.
Or
Examine the sources of the History of Punjab from 1469 to 1849 A.D.
Answer:
Many types of sources of the history of Punjab from 1469 to 1849 A.D. are available. These sources can be categorized into main two parts :

Literary sources and
Archaeological sources.

1. Literary Sources :
These sources consist of:

Religious literature of the Sikhs.
Historical and Semi-historical works written in Punjabi and Hindi.
Historical works were written in Persian.
Bhat Vahid.
Khalsa Darbar Records.
Writings of Foreign Travellers and Europeans.

2. Archaeological Sources:
These sources consist of :

Buildings and Monuments.
Coins and Pantings.

1. Literary Sources:

1. Religious Literature of the Sikhs: Religious literature of the Sikhs played an important. role in the making of the history of Punjab. Adi Granth Sahib Ji occupies the chief place among these sources. These. days it is called Guru Granth Sahib Ji. It was compiled by Guru Arjan Dev Ji in 1604 A.D. It reveals the priceless information on political, religious, social, and economic conditions of the Punjab of that time. The Dasam Granth Sahib Ji edited by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in 1721 A.D. holds second place. It is a compilation of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his court poets. It consists of a total of 18 compositions. Bachelor Natak and Zafarnama are the most significant from the historical point of view. These books contain information about the life of Guru Gobin.d Singh Ji and relation between Mughals and Sikhs. Then come 39 Vars written by Bhai Gurdas Ji. These contain precious information about the lives of Sikh Gurus. Besides, Janam Sakhis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Hukamnamas of Sikh Gurus provide valuable information about the history of Punjab.

2. Historial and Semi-Historial Sikh Literature: Sri Gursobha compiled by Sainapat plays a significant role in writing the history of Punjab. It gives eye witness account of the events that took place from 1699 to 1708 A.D. Besides, Sikhan Di Bhagat Mala written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji, Bansavali Nama written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar, Mehma Prakash Vartik written by Bawa Kirpal Singh, and Prachin Panth Prakash written by Rattan Singh Bhangu throw ample light on the history of Punjab.

3. Historical works were written in Persian: Persian compositions are mainly compiled by Muslims. These works do not contain any history about Punjab or Sikhs, but these have helped in writing the history of Punjab. Babarnama written by Babar, Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama written by Abul Fazl, Tuzak-i-Jahangiri written by Jahangir, Umdat-ut-Tawarikh written by Sohan Lai Suri, Twarikh- i-Punjab written by Bute Shah, Zafarnama-i-Ranjit Singh by Diwan Amarnath, and Ibratnama by Ala-ud-din Mufti is worth mentioning.

4. Bhat Vahid: Bhats used to write down important events with dates in their Vahid. These Bhat Vahis have reliable contributions in writing Punjab history. The complete description of many important incidents that happened in the lives of Guru Hargobind Ji to Guru Gobind Singh Ji is mentioned in these Bhat Vahid.

5. Khalsa Darbar Records: Offical records of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s time throw ample light on medieval Punjab. These are written in Persian. These are over one lakh in number. Sita Ram Kohli prepared a catalog of these records.

6. Writings of Foreign Travellers and Europeans: Foreign travelers to Punjab and Europeans have thrown ample light on the history of Punjab in their writings. A Journey from Bengal to England by George Foster, Sketch of Sikhs by Malcolm. Origin of Sikh Power in Punjab by H.T. Princep, The Court, and Camp of Ranjit Singh by Capt. William Osborne, History of Punjab by Murray are some significant works. History of the Sikhs written by J.D. Cunnigham is considered the most reliable and important source. It has details of incidents occurring from 1699 to 1846 A.D.

2. Archaeological Sources:

The historical buildings, monuments, coins, and paintings of Punjab also contribute to writing the history of Punjab. Towns like Khadur Sahib, Goindwal Sahib, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kartarpur, Anandpur Sahib, etc. which were founded by Sikh Gurus, are worth mentioning religious cities of Punjab history. Besides the royal palaces and forts built by Sikhs of the 18th century throw light on the architecture of that time. Paintings related to the Sikh Gurus and others have been found which provide us information about the social and religious conditions of that time. Coins issued by different rulers of Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Mughal, and Sikh Chiefs reveal historical dates, religious beliefs, and economic conditions of that time. So these coins contribute an important role in writing the history of Punjab.

Religious Literature Of The Sikhs:

Question 3.
Evaluate the Sikh religious literature as a source of Punjab history.
Or
What is the contribution of the Sikh Gurmukhi Literature in the history of Punjab?
Or
Describe the significance of Adi Granth Sahib and Janam Sakhis as sources of Punjab history.
Answer:
Religious literature of the Sikhs contributes much to the writing of the history of Punjab.

1. The Adi Granth Sahib Ji: The Adi Granth Sahib Ji is the most sacred and authentic scripture of Sikhism. Guru Arjan Dev Ji compiled this great holy scripture in 1604 A.D. In it the hymns of the first five Sikh Gurus and those of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, are compiled. In addition to it, the hymns of many Hindu Bhagats, Muslim Sufi Saints, Bhats, etc. were also included. Although the Adi Granth Sahib Ji or Guru Granth Sahib Ji was not compiled for any historical purpose, yet its thorough study gives us the most valuable information regarding the political, religious, social, and economic life of the people of those days. As this information is the most authentic, the Adi Granth Sahib Ji is a valuable source for the history of Punjab. Moreover, Adi Granth Ji is a priceless treasure of Indian spirituality, culture, literature, and languages. Dr. Indu Bhushan Banerjee aptly says, “It may be recalled the Bible of Sikhism and is admitted to be the greatest authority on Sikhism.”

2. Dasam Granth Sahib Ji: Dasam Granth Sahib Ji is another holy scripture of Sikhism. It is a compilation of the writings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his court poets. This holy scripture was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in 1721 A.D. The Dasam Granth Sahib was primarily compiled to awaken heroic sentiments among the Sikhs so as to enable them to fight against political injustice and religious intolerance. It is a work of 18 compositions of which ‘Jaap Sahib’, ‘Akal Ustat’, ‘Chandi Di Var’, ‘Chaubis Avtar’, ‘Shabad Hazare’, ‘Shastra Nama’, ‘Bachitar Natak’ and ‘Zafarnama’ are worth noting. ‘Bachelor Natak and ‘Zafarnama are the most significant from the historical point of view. ‘Bachelor Natak’ is the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

It is a very important source of information about the ancient history of the Bedis and the Sodhi’s, martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, and the battles of Guru Gobind Singh Ji against the Hill Chiefs. ‘Zafarnama’ (letter of victory) was written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Dina. It is a letter written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Persian. In this letter, Guru Gobind Singh Ji has described the cruelties of Aurangzeb, the treachery of Mughal commanders, and the breaking of oaths taken on the holy Quran in a very courageous and fearless manner. Dasam Granth Sahib Ji is thus an important source of the life and works of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

3. Vars of Bhai Gurdas Ji: Bhai Gurdas Ji was the son of Bhai Datar Chand Bhalla, a brother of Guru Amar Das Ji. He was a contemporary of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and Guru Hargobind Ji. He composed 39 Vars. These Vars are considered the key to understanding Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Vars No. 1 and 11 are considered important from the historical point of view. The first Var contains a very detailed description of the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Besides, we get a glimpse of Guru Angad Ji, Guru Amar Das Ji, Guru Ram Das Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji, and Guru Hargobind Ji’s life from this Var. In the eleventh Var, we get information of the important Sikhs and places connected with the first six Gurus.

4. Janam Sakhis: The stories relating to the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called Janam Sakhis. Many such Janam Sakhis were written in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They were written in the Punjabi language. They were compiled for the faithful and not for students of history. Though they are a mixture of facts and fiction, yet they provide valuable information about the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. A brief description of the important Janam Sakhis is as follows :

(a) Puratan Janam Sakhi: This Janam Sakhi was edited by Bhai Vir Singh in 1926 A.D. It is prepared by coordinating ‘two Janam Sakhis’—Wilayat Wali Janam Sakhi and Hafizabad Wali Janam Sakhi. This is the oldest Janam Sakhi. It is considered more reliable than other Janam Sakhis.

(b) Janam Sakhi of Meharban: Meharban was the son of Prithi Chand, the elder brother of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He was a great scholar. As he himself belonged to the Guru family, he had a thorough and authentic knowledge of the stories about Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He gave a very detailed description of the Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his stay at Kartarpur. For a long time, this Janam Sakhi was not considered reliable because it was written by the son of Prithi Chand, a sworn opponent of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. However, the latest researches have proved beyond doubt that this Janam Sakhi is very dependable. First, it offers a more satisfactory chronology. Secondly, the names of persons and places mentioned in it are generally correct. Thirdly, there are a few miraculous stories.

(c) Janam Sakhi of Bhai Bala Ji : Bhai Bala Ji was a childhood companion of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He accompanied Guru Nanak Dev Ji in some of his Udasis. It is said that this Janam Sakhi was written during the times of Guru Angad Dev Ji on the verbal details given by Bhai Bala Ji himself. But .this does not seem correct, as the events mentioned in this Janam Sakhi show, that it was written either in the time of Guru Gobind Singh Ji or afterward. Some historians even deny the very existence of Bhai Bala Ji. Many events denoted in this Janam Sakhi are imaginary and many others are historically incorrect. Thus, this Janam Sakhi is regarded as the least authentic.

(d) Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh Ji: This Janam Sakhi, popularly known as ‘Gyan Ratnavali’, was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji, a devotee of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It was written between 1675 A.D. and 1708 A.D. This Janam Sakhi is very reliable due to many reasons. First, it is written on the basis of the first Var of Bhai Gurdas Ji. Secondly, it contains no imaginary events. Thirdly, all events are recorded in a chronological manner. Fourthly, it avoids many errors of other Janam Sakhis.

5. Hukamnamas: Hukamnamas were those orders or proclamations that were issued by the Sikh Gurus or by the members of their families to the Sikhs from time to time. In the majority of such Hukamnamas, demands were made to supply grains for the Langar (common kitchen), to donate money for building religious places, and to bring horses and arms for battles. 89 Hukamnamas are available up to this day. Of these, 34 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and 23 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. These Hukamnamas provide very valuable information about the political, religious, economic, and literary history of the period of the great Gurus.

Historical And Semi-Historical Works It Punjabi And Hindi:

Question 4.
How far are Sikh Historical and Semi-Historical literature helpful in giving information about Punjab History?
Answer:
Many historical and semi-historical works were written in Punjabi and Hindi languages in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. These works throw ample light on the history of Punjab. Most prominent among them are mentioned below :

1. Sri Gursobha: Sri Gursobha was written by Sainapat, a famous court poet of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D. He has given an eye-witness account of the events that took place from 1699 A.D. to 1708 A.D. about its historical value.

2. Sikhan Di Bhagat Mala: This work was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in the eighteenth century. It is also known as ‘Bhagat Ratnavali’. It provides valuable information about the lives of the Gurus, names of the prominent Sikhs, their castes, and places of residence along with the social conditions of the time.

3. Bansavali Nama: It was written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar in 1780 A.D. It covers the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the middle of the eighteenth century. It is more reliable as far as later history is concerned than that of the Guru’s period because the writer gives an eye-witness account of many such events.

4. Mehma Prakash: In fact, it comprises two” books —(a) Mehma Prakash Vartik (b) Mehma Prakash Kavita. (a) Mehma Prakash Vartik was written by Bawa Kirpal Singh in 1741 A.D. It describes the. lives of the Sikh Gurus, in brief, (b) Mehma Prakash Kavita was written by Sarup Das Bhalla in 1776 A.D. It describes the lives of Sikh Gurus in detail.

5. Gur Partap Suraj Granth: It is a comprehensive work. It was written by Bhai Santokh Singh. It has two parts :

Nanak Prakash: It was written in 1823 A.D. It gives a graphic account of the life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji only.
Suraj Prakash: It was written in 1843 A.D. It refers to the events that took place from the time of Guru Angad Dev Ji to Banda Singh Bahadur. Although the work is very comprehensive and detailed, it is less useful from a historical point of view.

6. Prachin Panth Prakash: It was written by Rattan Singh Bhangu in 1841 A.D. It provides very important information regarding the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the eighteenth century. The foremost importance of this book lies in the fact that it gives the description of the facts in a systematic manner. Dr. Hari Ram Gupta aptly says,
“This work is the first attempt made by a Sikh to compile a Sikh history and is of supreme importance.”

7. Panth Prakash and Twarikh Guru Khalsa: Both these books were written by Giani Gian Singh. ‘Panth Prakash’ is written in a poetic form whereas ‘Twarikh Guru Khalsa’ is a prose work. Both these books narrate history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji till the end of the Sikh empire (1849 A.D.). From a historical point of view, Twarikh Guru Khalsa is more useful than Panth Prakash.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
What problems are faced by the students in composing the History of Punjab?
Or
Describe any three important problems being faced by the students in composing the history of Punjab.
Answer: We face several problems in respect of sources of the history of Punjab.

The sources related to the period of the Gurus are quite insufficient
The Muslim writers have deliberately not presented the Sikh history correctly.
Several books of Sikh history were destroyed in the 18th century during the invasions of Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Many sources of Punjab history are still lying without scrutiny.

Question 2.
Write a short note on Hukamnamas.
Answer:
Hukamnamas were the orders of the Sikh Gurus or of their family members. In most of these Hukamnamas, they were asked to bring ration, for ‘ community kitchen, money for the construction of religious places, horses and arms to be used in battles. In all 89 Hukamnamas have been compiled so far by Dr. Ganda Singh. Of these 34 Hukamnamas were issued by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and 23 by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. The Sikhs obeyed these Hukamnamas as orders from God.

Question 3.
Mention briefly any five important historical sources related to the religious literature of the Sikhs.
Answer:

In the religious Sikh literature, Adi Granth Sahib occupies the highest place. Guru Arjan Dev Ji compiled it in 1604 A.D. We get valuable information about the political, religious, social, and economic conditions of that time from Adi Granth Sahib Ji.
Bhai Mani Singh Ji compiled Dasam Granth Sahib in 1721 A.D. It is a precious source of knowledge about Guru Gobind Singh JI’s life,
Bhai Gurdas Ji wrote 39 Vars. These Vars are called the key to understanding Guru Granth Sahib,
Gyan Ratnavali written by Bhai Gurdas Ji has presented historical facts in a sequence,
Hukamnamas also provide us with knowledge about the Sikh Gurus and the contemporary social structure.

Question 4.
What is meant by Janam Sakhis? Explain briefly the three Janam Sakhis.
Or
What are the Janam Sakhis? Discuss the importance of different Janam Sakhis.
Or
Throw light on any three Janam Sakhis.
Answer:
The stories concerning the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called Janam Sakhis.

Bhai Vir Singh edited Puratan Janam Sakhi in 1926 A.D. This is the oldest and the most trustworthy Janam Sakhi.
The Janam Sakhi of Meharban was written by Meharban, the son of Prithi Chand. In it, he gave a detailed description of the Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Bhai Balaji’s Janam Sakhi. It is not trustworthy,
Bhai Mani Singh Ji’s Janam-Sakhi. It is a very trustworthy source.

Question 5.
Write a short note on Janam Sakhi of Meharban.
Answer:
Meharban was the son of Prithi Chand, the elder brother of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He gave a very detailed description of the Udasis of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his stay at Kartarpur. It gives a more satisfactory chronology. Names of persons and places mentioned in it are generally correct. There are a few myths.

Question 6.
What do you know about Vars of Bhai Gurdas Ji?
Or
Write a note on Bhai Gurdas Bhalla.
Answer:
Bhai Gurdas Bhalla (1558-1635 A.D.) was the son of Datar Chand Bhalla, the brother of Guru Amar Das Ji. He was contemporary of third, fourth, fifth, and sixth Sikh Gurus. He was a top-class writer. He composed 39 Vars. These Vars are written in Punjabi. We get useful information about the first six Gurus’ lives, teachings of Sikh religion, names of cities, and the lives of Saints and Bhaktas from these Vars. The first and eleventh Vars are considered important from the historical point of view.

Question 7.
Describe the importance of Adi Granth Sahib Ji as a source of the History of Punjab.
Or
Write a note on Adi Granth Sahib Ji.
Or
Give a brief description of Adi Granth Sahib Ji and its historical importance.
Answer:
Adi Granth Sahib Ji is considered the supreme, sacred and authentic scripture of the Sikhs. Guru Arjan Dev Ji compiled Adi Granth Sahib Ji in 1604 A.D. The Bani of the first five Sikh Gurus and of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji is included in it. Besides, the Bani (hymns) of many Hindu Bhagats, Sufi Saints, Bhats, etc. are also included in it. We get valuable information about the political, religious, social, and economic life of that time by studying Adi Granth Sahib Ji.

Question 8.
Write a short note on Dasam Granth Sahib Ji.
Or
What do you know about Dasam Granth Sahib Ji?
Answer:
Dasam Granth Sahib Ji is a compilation of the works of Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his court poets. Bhai Mani Singh Ji compiled Dasam Granth Sahib Ji in 1721 A.D. It is a collection of 18 works. Jaap Sahib, Akal Ustat, Chandi di Var, Chaubis Avtar, Shabad Hazare, Shastarnama, Bachitar Natak, and Zafarnama are worthy of special mention. Bachelor Natak is Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s autobiography. Zafarnama is a letter of victory written by Guru Gobind Singh Ji to Aurangzeb.

Question 9.
What is the importance of Bachittar Natak in the life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji?
Or
Write a short note on Bachittar Natak.
Or
Discuss Bachittar Natak.
Answer:
It is an autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It explains the life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It also explains the creation of this world and History of Bedis and Sodhi’s and the battles of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. In it, the objective of the life of Guru Gobind Singh Ji is also given. It throws light on the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji.

Question 10.
Give a brief account of five historical sources written in the 18th century in Punjabi.
Answer:
The five historical sources written in Punjabi in the 18th century are as follows :

Sikhan Di Bhagatmala: This work was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in the eighteenth century. It provides valuable information about the lives of the Gurus, names of the prominent Sikhs, their castes, and places of residence.
Bansavali Nama: It was written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar in 1780 A.D. It covers the historic middle of the eighteenth century.
Mehma Prakash Kavita was written by Sarup Das Bhalla in 1776 A.D. It describes the lives of Sikh Gurus in detail.
Prachin Panth Prakash. It was written by Ratna Singh Bhangu in 1841 A.D. It explains the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to mid 18th century.
Sri Gursobha. It was written by Sainapat a court poet of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D. He explains the events that took place between the period 1699 A.D. to 1708 A.D.

Question 11.
Write a short note on Sri Gursobha.
Answer:
Sri Gursobha was written by the famous court poet Sainapat of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1741 A.D. It has given an eye-witness account of the events from the creation of the Khalsa in 1699 A.D. to the death of Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1708 A.D. It gives a detailed account of the creation of Khalsa, the battles of the post-Khalsa period, how Zafarnama, was delivered by Bhai Daya Singh Ji, the meeting Guru Gobind Singh Ji with the new Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah in Agra, and about the death of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 12.
What do you know about the Sikhan Di Bhagatmala?
Answer:
It was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in the 18th century. It is also known as Gyan Ratnavali. It throws light about the lives of the Gurus, names of the prominent Sikhs, their castes, and their places of residence. It also provides valuable information about the social conditions of that time.

Question 13.
Write a short note on Bansavalinama.
Answer:
Bansavalinama was written by Kesar Singh Chhibbar in 1780 A.D. It covers the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the middle of the eighteenth century. This work is divided into 14 chapters. The first 10 chapters are related to the Sikh Gurus. The rest 4 are related to the martyrdom of Sahibzadas, Banda Singh Bahadur, Mata Sundri Ji, and the Khalsa Panth.

Question 14.
Give a brief account of Prachin Panth Prakash.
Answer:
Prachin Panth Prakash was written by Rattan Singh Bhangu in 1841 A.D. It provides very important information regarding the history from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to the eighteenth century. The foremost importance of this book lies in the fact that it is the first history book ever written by a Sikh. Secondly, the description of the facts is systematic and correct.

Question 15.
Give a brief account of important Persian sources of the History of Punjab.
Or
Explain any three important Persian sources which are essential for composing the History of Punjab.
Answer:

Ain-i-Akbari. It is the main source of information regarding Akbar’s relations with the Sikh Gurus. It is written by Abul Fazl.
Tezak-i-Jahangiri is the autobiography of the Mughal emperor Jahangir. It explains the reasons which led to the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji.
Qazi Nur Muhammad wrote Jang Nama. He gave an eye-witness account of warfare of the Sikhs and their character,
Tarikh-i-Sikhan is written by Khushwat Rai. It describes the history of the Sikhs from Guru Nanak Dev Ji to 1811 A.D.
Char-Bagh-i- Punjab is written by Ganesh Das Wadehra about the administration of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Question 16.
Write a short note on Char Bagh-i-Punjab.
Answer:
This work was written by Ganesh Das Wadehra in 1855 A.D. He served as a Qanungo under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The writer has narrated the history of Punjab from the ancient period to 1849 A.D. However, he has described the events relating to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh as an eye-witness account in chronological order. He has taken special care about the authenticity of the facts.

Question 17.
Mention important English sources which give information about the History of Punjab.
Or
Throw light on three important sources of information on Punjab History written in English.
Answer:

The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh: In it Capt. William Osborne has thrown light on the grandeur of Maharaja’s court, his courtiers, and his military administration.
History of the Sikhs: In this book, Dr. Mac Gregor provides useful information about the battles of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the Sikhs against the English.
The Punjab: In this book, Steinbach has given very important details about the army of the Maharaja.
History of Punjab: Dr. Murray has given an account of the successors of Ranjit Singh.
Sketch of the Sikhs : In this book, Malcolm has given a brief account of the Sikhs.

Question 18.
Write a short note on the historical importance of Records of the British Indian Government.
Answer:
The records of the British Indian government provide the most important information regarding the Sikh History from the beginning of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign from 1799 A.D. to the downfall of the Sikh Empire in 1849 A.D. These records throw valuable light on Anglo-Sikh relations, about the Kingdom of Ranjit Singh and his reign and “the relations of the English with Afghanistan and Sind.

Question 19.
Examine the importance of coins in the construction Of the History of Punjab.
Answer:
The coins are of special importance in the construction of the history of Punjab. We find the coins of Mughals, Banda Singh Bahadur, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, Ahmad Shah Abdali and Maharaja Ranjit Singh. These coins throw valuable light on the dates and other important facts about the different rulers. As the facts provided by these coins are very trustworthy, so they help a lot in solving many problems related to the history of Punjab.

Objective Type Questions:

Question 1.
Write anyone difficulty in the creation of the History of Punjab.
Answer:
The Punjabis were not much interested in writing History.

Question 2.
Name any one historical source of Punjab related to the Sikhs.
Or
Name any one source of the History of Punjab which is written in Gurmukhi script.
Answer:
Adi Granth Sahib Ji.

Question 3.
When was Adi Granth Sahib Ji compiled?
Answer:
In 1604 A.D.

Question 4.
Which Sikh Guru Sahib had compiled Adi Granth Sahib Ji?
Answer:
Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

Question 5.
What is the name of the main religious book (Granth Sahib) of the Sikhs?
Or
Which is the most famous Granth of Sikhs?
Or
Name the central scripture of the Sikhs.
Answer:
Adi Granth Sahib Ji or Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Question 6. When was Dasam Granth Sahib Ji compiled?
Answer:
In 1721 A.D.

Question 7.
Who compiled Dasam Granth Sahib Ji?
Answer:
Bhai Mani Singh Ji.

Question 8.
To which Guru is Dasam Granth Sahib related?
Or
Who is associated with Dasam Granth Sahib Ji?
Answer:
Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 9.
Name any one composition of Guru Gobind Singh Ji included in Dasam Granth Sahib Ji.
Answer:
Bachelor Natak.

Question 10.
Who composed Bachitar Natak?
Answer:
Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 11.
What is Bachitar Natak?
Answer:
Biography of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 12.
What is Zafarnama?
Answer:
Zafarnama is a letter of Guru Gobind Singh Ji written to Aurangzeb.

Question 13.
At which place did Guru Gobind Singh Ji write Zafarnama to Aurangzeb?
Answer:
Dina Kangar.

Question 14.
In which language Zafarnama was written?
Answer:
Persian.

Question 15.
Who was Bhai Gurdas Ji?
Answer:
He was the son of Guru Amar Das Ji’s brother Datar Chand Bhalla.

Question 16.
How many vars were composed by Bhai Gurdas Ji?
Answer:
39.

Question 17.
What is meant by Janam Sakhis?
Answer:
Janam Sakhis mean the episodes related to Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birth and his life.

Question 18.
Write the name of anyone Janam Sakhi.
Answer:
Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh Ji.

Question 19.
Which is the most authentic Janam Sakhi?
Answer:
Puratan Janam Sakhi.

Question 20.
Who wrote Gyan Ratanavali?
Answer:
Bhai Mani Singh Ji.

Question 21.
Who was Bhai Bala Ji?
Answer:
A childhood companion of Bhai Mani Singh Ji.

Question 22.
What are the Hukamnamas?
Or
What is meant by Hukamnamas?
Answer:
Hukamnama means ‘an order’.

Question 23.
How many Hukamnamas issued by Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji have been found?
Answer:
23.

Question 24.
Which Guru Sahib has issued the maximum Hukamnamas found so far?
Answer:
Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 25.
How many Hukamnamas of Guru Gobind Singh Ji have been found?
Answer:
34.

Question 26.
How many Hukamnamas have been found so far?
Answer:
89.

Question 27.
Who was Sainapat?
Answer:
A famous poet in the Darbar of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Question 28.
Who composed the book Sikhan Di Bhagatmala?
Answer:
Bhai Mani Singh Ji.

Question 29.
Who wrote Prachin Panth Parkash?
Answer:
Rattan Singh Bhangu wrote Prachin Panth Parkash.

Question 30.
When did Rattan Singh Bhangu write Panth Prakash?
Answer:
1841 A.D.

Question 31.
Who wrote Gur Partap Suraj Granth?
Answer:
Bhai Santokh Singh Ji.

Question 32.
Who wrote Bansawali Nama?
Answer:
Kesar Singh Chhibbar.

Question 33.
Who was the author of Tuzak-i-Babari?
Answer:
Babar.

Question 34.
Who was the most famous scholar in the court of Akbar?
Answer:
Abul Fazl.

Question 35.
Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama?
Answer:
Abul Fazl.

Question 36.
Give the name of the autobiography of Jahangir.
Answer:
Tezak-i-Jahangiri.

Question 37.
Name the famous book written by Khafi Khan.
Answer:
Muntkhib-ul-Luba.

Question 38.
Who wrote the book ‘Jang Nama’?
Answer:
Qazi Nur Mohammad.

Question 39.
Name any two famous Persian sources related to the period of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s rule.
Answer:
Umdat-ut-Tawarikh.

Question 40.
Who was the court historian of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
Or
Who wrote Umdat-ut-Tawarikh?
Answer:
Sohan Lai Suri.

Question 41.
Who wrote Zafar-Nama-i-Ranjit Singh?
Answer:
Diwan Amar Nath.

Question 42.
Who wrote Tawarikh-i-Punjab?
Answer:
Bute Shah.

Question 43.
Who wrote the book ‘Char-Bagh-i-Punjab’?
Answer:
Ganesh Das Wadehra.

Question 44.
Who wrote Tawarikh-i-Sikhan?
Answer:
Khushwaqat Rai.

Question 45.
Who discovered Bhat Vahis?
Answer:
Gyani Garza Singh Ji.

Question 46.
What were Bhat Vahis?
Answer:
The records compiled by Bhats.

Question 47.
Who compiled Khalsa Darbar Records?
Answer:
Sita Ram Kohli.

Question 48.
What information we get from Khalsa Darbar Records?
Answer:
About the life and times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Question 49.
In which language Khalsa Darbar Records were written?
Answer:
Persian language.

Question 50.
Name the famous work of J.D. Cunningham?
Answer:
History of the Sikhs.

Question 51.
Write the name of any one town founded by Sikh Gurus.
Answer:
Amritsar.

Question 52.
By whom were the first Sikh coins issued?
Answer:
Banda Singh Bahadur.

Question 53.
In whose names Banda Singh Bahadur issued his coins?
Answer:
Guru Nanakdev Ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Fill in the blanks:

1. The main source of history concerning the period of Gurus is ………………
Answer:
Janam Sakhis

2. The Adi Granth Sahib was compiled in ……………..
Answer:
1604 A.D.

3. Guru Granth Sahib was compiled by ………………
Answer:
Guru Arjan Dev Ji

4. ……………… compiled the Dasam Granth Sahib.
Answer:
Bhai Mani Singh Ji

5. Dasam Granth Sahib is related with ……………..
Answer:
Guru Gobind Singh Ji

6. ………………. is the autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Answer:
Bachitar Natak

7. A letter written by Guru Gobind Singh to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb is called ………………
Answer:
Zafarnama

8. Bhai Gurdas Ji composed a total of ……………. Vars.
Answer:
39

9. The stories relating to the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called ………………
Answer:
Janam Sakhis

10. The Janam Sakhi was written by Bhai mani Singh Ji is known as ……………..
Answer:
Gyan Ratnawali

11. Hukamnamas means ……………..
Answer:
Proclamations

12. Gursobha was written by …………………
Answer:
Sainapat

13. ……………….. was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji.
Answer:
Sikhan Di Bhagatmala

14. ………………. wrote Prachin Panth Prakash.
Answer:
Rattan Singh Bhangu

15. Twarikh Guru Khalsa was written by ………………
Answer:
Giani Gain Singh

16. Guru Partap Suraj Granth was written by ……………….
Answer:
Bhai Santokh Singh

17. Gyan Ratnawali was written by ………………
Answer:
Bhai Mani Singh Ji

18. Autobiography of the Mughal Emperor Babar is known as ……………….
Answer:
Tuzak-i-Babari

19. ………………. wrote both Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama.
Answer:
Abul Fazl

20. …………… is Jahangir’s autobiography.
Answer:
Tuzak-i-Jahangiri

21. Muntakhib-ul-labab was written by …………….
Answer:
Khafi Khan

22. ……………… was written by Qazi Nur Mohammad.
Answer:
Jang Nama

23. …………… was court historian of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Sohan Lal Suri

24. Sohan Lai Suri wrote ……………
Answer:
Umdat-ut-Tawarikh

25. Buta Shah wrote …………….
Answer:
Tawarikh-i-Punjab

26. Zafarnama-i-Ranjit Singh was written by ………………….
Answer:
Diwan Amarnath

27. Ganesh Das Wadhera composed ……………..
Answer:
Char-Bagh-i-Punjab

28. ………………….. was the writer of The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
William Osborne

29. J.D. Cunningham wrote …………………
Answer:
History of the Sikhs

30. The first Sikh coins were issued by ……………….
Answer:
Banda Singh Bahadur

True or False:

1. The Adi Granth Sahib is considered as the most sacred and authentic scripture of Sikhism.
Answer:
True

2. Guru Arjan Sahib compiled, the great holy scripture the Adi Granth Sahib in 1604 A.D.
Answer:
True

3. Dasam Granth Sahib was compiled by Bhai Mani Singh Ji in 1721 A.D.
Answer:
True

4. The autobiography of Guru Gobind Singh Ji is called ‘Zafarnama’.
Answer:
False

5. Bhai Gurdas Ji composed 39 Vars.
Answer:
True

6. The stories relating to the birth and life of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are called ‘Janam Sakhis’.
Answer:
True

7. Puratan Janam Sakhi was edited by Bhai Vir Singh Ji in 1926 A.D.
Answer:
True

8. Janam Sakhi of Bhai Mani Singh Ji is also called ‘Gyan Ratnavali’.
Answer:
True

9. Hukamnamas were those orders that were issued by the Sikh Gurus or by the members of their families to the Sikh Sangat.
Answer:
True

10. Gursobha was written by Sainapat in 1741 A.D.
Answer:
True

11. Sikhan Di Bhagatmala was written by Bhai Mani Singh Ji.
Answer:
True

12. Gur Partap Suraj Granth was written by Bhai Santokh Singh.
Answer:
True

13. The writer of Panth Parkash was Giani Gian Singh.
Answer:
False

14. The autobiography of Babar is called Tuzak-i-Babari.
Answer:
True

15. The writer of Ain-i-Akbari and Akbamama was Abul Fazl.
Answer:
True

16. Tuzak-i-Jahangiri was the creation of Shah Jahan.
Answer:
False

17. Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh was written by Sujan Rai Bhandari.
Answer:
True

18. Jang Nama was written by Qazi Nur Mohammad.
Answer:
True

19. Umdat-ut-Tawarikh was written by Sohan Lai Suri.
Answer:
True

20. Diwan Amarnath wrote Zafarnama-i-Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
True

21. Ganesh Das Wadhera was the writer of Char Bagh-i-Punjab.
Answer:
True

22. Khalsa Darbar Records are written in Gurmukhi.
Answer:
False

23. Malcolm wrote Sketch of Sikhs.
Answer:
True

24. The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh was written by Captain William Osborne.
Answer:
True

25. History of the Sikhs was written by J.D. Cunningham.
Answer:
True

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. When was Adi Granth Sahib Ji compiled?
(a) In 1601 A.D.
(b) In 1602 A.D.
(c) In 1604 A.D.
(d) In 1605 A.D.
Answer:
(c) In 1604 A.D.

2. Who compiled Adi Granth Sahib Ji?
(a) Guru Nanak Dev Ji
(b) Guru Angad Dev Ji
(c) Guru Arjan Dev Ji
(d) Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Answer:
(c) Guru Arjan Dev Ji

3. Who edited Dasam Granth Sahib Ji?
(a) Guru Gobind Singh Ji
(b) Bhai Mani Singh Ji
(c) Baba Deep Singh Ji
(d) Guru Arjan Dev ji.
Answer:
(b) Bhai Mani Singh Ji

4. To which Guru is Dasam Granth Sahib Ji related?
(a) First Guru
(b) Third Guru
(c) Fifth Guru
(d) Tenth Guru.
Answer:
(d) Tenth Guru.

5. Who wrote Zafarnama?
(a) Guru Nanak Dev Ji
(b) Guru Amar Dass Ji
(c) Guru Arjan Dev Ji
(d) Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Answer:
(d) Guru Gobind Singh Ji

6. Bachitar Natak is the autobiography of :
(a) Guru Nanak Dev Ji
(b) Guru Hargobind Ji
(c) Guru Gobind Singh Ji
(d) Banda Singh Bahadur.
Answer:
(c) Guru Gobind Singh Ji

7. How many Vars were composed by Bhai Gurdas Ji?
(a) 15
(b) 20
(c) 29
(d) 39.
Answer:
(d)

8. Who edited Puratan Janam Sakhi?
(a) Bhai Kaan Singh Nabha
(b) Bhai Veer Singh
(c) Bhai Mani Singh Ji
(d) Meharban.
Answer:
(b) Bhai Veer Singh

9. Who was the author of Gyan Ratanavali?
Or
Who wrote Gyan Ratanavali?
(a) Kesar Singh Chhibbar
(b) Bhai Mani Singh Ji
(c) Bhai Bala Ji
(d) Bhar Gurdas Ji.
Answer:
(b) Bhai Mani Singh Ji

10. Who was the writer of Meharban’s Janam Sakhi?
(a) Manohar Das
(b) Akhil Das
(c) Bhai Bala Ji
(d) Bhai Gurdas Ji
Answer:
(a) Manohar Das

11. What are the Hukamnamas?
(a) Letters of Sikh Gurus
(b) The most famous Janam Sakhi
(c) Orders of Mughal kings
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(a) Letters of Sikh Gurus

12. Who wrote Sri Gursobha?
(a) Bhai Mani Singh Ji
(b) Rattan Singh Bhangu
(c) Sainapat
(d) Giani Gian Singh
Answer:
(c) Sainapat

13. Who wrote Bansavalinama?
(a) Kesar Singh Chibbar
(b) Bhai Mani Singh Ji.
(c) Bhai Gurdas Ji
(d) Rattan Singh Bhangu.
Answer:
(a) Kesar Singh Chibbar

14.Who composed the book ‘Sikhan Di Bhagatmala’?
(a) Bhai Mani Singh Ji
(b) Bhai Daya Singh Ji
(c) Bhai Santokh Singh
(d) Rattan Singh Bhanghu.
Answer:
(a) Bhai Mani Singh Ji

15. Who wrote Gurpartap Suraj Granth?
(a) Saroop Das Bhaila
(b) Bhai Santokh Singh
(c) Rattan Singh Bhangu
(d) Giani Gian Singh.
Answer:
(b) Bhai Santokh Singh

16. When did Rattan Singh Bhangu compose Prachin Panth Prakash?
(a) In 1641 A.D.
(b) In 1741 A.D.
(c) In 1841 A.D.
(d) In 1849 A.D.
Answer:
(c) In 1841 A.D.

17. Who wrote Tawarikh-Guru Khalsa?
(a) Giani Gian Singh
(b) Bhai Santokh Singh
(c) Rattan Singh Bhangu
(d) Bhai Mani Singh Ji.
Answer:
(a) Giani Gian Singh

18. Tuzak-i-Babri was related with which ruler?
(a) Humayun
(b) Babar
(c) Jahangir
(d) Akbar
Answer:
(b) Babar

19. In which language Babar wrote Tuzak-i-Babari?
(a) Persian
(b) Turkish
(c) Urdu
(d) Arabian
Answer:
(b) Turkish

20. Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama?
(a) Abul Fazl
(b) Sujjan Rai Bhandari
(c) Sohan Lai Suri
(d) Quzi-Nur-Mohammad
Answer:
(a) Abul Fazl

21. Who wrote Tuzak-i-Jahangiri?
(a) Babar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Shah Jahan
(d) Aurangzeb
Answer:
(b) Jahangir

22. Who wrote Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh?
(a) Sujjan Rai Bhandari
(b) Quzi Nur-Mohammad
(c) Khafi-Khan
(d) Sohan Lal Sur.
Answer:
(a) Sujjan Rai Bhandari

23. Name the famous book written by Khafi Khan.
(a) Dabistan-i-Majahib
(b) Jang Nama
(c) Khulasat-ut-Tawarikh
(d) Muntkhib-ul-Lubab
Answer:
(d) Muntkhib-ul-Lubab

24. Who wrote Jang Nama?
(a) Sohan Lai Suri
(b) Qazi Nur Mohammad
(c) Khafi Khan
(d) Abul Fazl.
Answer:
(b) Qazi Nur Mohammad

25. Which famous granth was written by court historian, Sohan Lai Suri of Maharaja Ranjit Singh?
(a) Umdat-ut-Tawarikh
(b) Tawarikh-i- Sikhan
(c) Tawarikh-i-Punjab
(d) Ibratnama.
Answer:
(a) Umdat-ut-Tawarikh

26. When did Khushwaqt Rai compose Tawarikh-i-Sikhan?
(a) In 1764 A.D.
(b) In 1784 A.D
(c) In 1811 A.D
(d) In 1821 A.D.
Answer:
(c) In 1811 A.D

27. Who wrote Tawarikh-i-Sikhan?
(a) Diwan Amarnath
(b) Khushwaqt Rai
(c) Sohan Lai Suri
(d) Bute Shah.
Answer:
(b) Khushwaqt Rai

28. Who wrote Zafarnama-i-Ranjit Singh?
(a) Sohan Lai Suri
(b) Diwan Amarnath.
(c) Allaudin Mufti
(d) Qazi-Nur-Mohammad.
Answer:
(b) Diwan Amarnath.

29. Name the famous- book of Ganesh Das Wadehra :
(a) Tawarikh-i-Punjab
(b) Tawarikh-i-Sikhan
(c) Char-Bagh-i-Punjab
(d) Ibratnama.
Answer:
(c) Char-Bagh-i-Punjab

30. In which language Khalsa Darbar Records were written?
(a) English
(b) Persian
(c) Urdu
(d) Punjabi
Answer:
(b) Persian

31. When did Malcolm compose Sketch of Sikhs?
(a) In 1802 A.D.
(b) In 1812 A.D.
(c) In 1822 A.D.
(d) In 1832 A.D.
Answer:
(b) In 1812 A.D.

32. Who wrote the famous book The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh?
(a) H.T. Princep
(b) Wiliam Osborne
(c) Dr. Mac. Gregor
(d) J. D. Cunningham
Answer:
(b) Wiliam Osborne

33. Who was the writer of the History of the Sikhs?
(a) J.D. Cunningham
(b) Alexander Burns
(c) Dr. Muray
(d) Malcolm.
Answer:
(a) J.D. Cunningham

34. Who issued the first Sikh coins?
(a) Guru Gobind Singh Ji
(b) Banda Singh Bahadur
(c) Jassa Singh Ahluwalia
(d) Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Answer:
(b) Banda Singh Bahadur

PSEB 12th Class History Solutions Chapter 1 Physical Features of the Punjab and their influence on its History

December 9, 2024December 8, 2024 by Prasanna

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class History Book Solutions Chapter 1 Physical Features of the Punjab and their influence on its History Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 1 Physical Features of the Punjab and their influence on its History

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
Describe any five physical features of the Punjab.
Or
Give a brief description of geographical features of Punjab.
Answer:
1. The Himalayas : The Himalayas are situated to the north of the Punjab. ‘Himalaya’ means ‘abode of snow’. Its tops remain covered with snow throughout the year. It stretches from Assam in the east to Afghanistan in the west. Its length is 2500 kilometres and the breadth ranges from 240 kilometres to 320 kilometres. The Himalayas have proved to be of great advantage to the Punjab in many ways.

2. Sulaiman Mountain Ranges : The Sulaiman mountain ranges are situated in the north-west of the Punjab. These are the western ranges of the Himalayas. These ranges have manf ‘Passes’ which connect India with other countries of Asia. The Khyber is the most prominent pass. The other known passes are Bolan, Kurram, Tochi and Gomal. The majority of foreign invaders came to the Punjab through these passes. Besides, these passes served as trade routes for India with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

3. Sub-mountainous Region : This region is located between the Shivalik ranges and the plains of the Punjab. It is called Tarai. The height of these mountains ranges between 1000 feet and 3000 feet. This region consists of Hoshiarpur, Kangra, Ambala, northern part of Gurdaspur and some areas of Sialkot. As the region is hilly, its soil is less fertile and means of transport are under-developed. Thus, the population in this region is not dense.

4. The Plains : The Plains constitute the largest and most important region of the Punjab. It is rightly called the real Punjab. This part is located between the rivers of Indus and Jamuna. It is considered one of the best fertile plains of the world. Five great rivers of the Punjab (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum) flow in this very part. The plains of the Punjab can further be sub-divided into the following three parts:

Five Doabs,
Malwa and Bangar,
South-West Deserts.

5. Climate of the Punjab: The climate of the Punjab also shows much variation. It is extremely cold in winter and becomes too hot in summer. December and January are bitterly cold. The hilly areas receive plenty of snowfall. The temperature falls below 0°C on many occasions. The plains experience fog and mist in winter. In the months of summer, especially in May and June, scorching winds blow. The Punjab receives rainfall from July to September. The hilly areas receive more rainfall than the plains. The climate of the Punjab in the months of October, November, February and March is very pleasant.

Question 2.
Why is the Punjab called as the Gateway of India?
Answer:
The Punjab has acted as the gateway of India for centuries due to its geographical location. Towards its north-west are Khyber, Kurram, Tochi and Bolan passes. It was not difficult to cross these passes. Therefore, since the ancient times, the foreign invaders had been crossing these passes to invade India. The Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Kushana, Hunas, Turks, Mughals and Durranis passed through these passes and invaded India. The people of Punjab had to struggle against these invaders first of all. They could advance only after conquering Punjab. So the Punjab is called the gateway of India.

Question 3.
What is the importance of the Punjab in the Indian History?
Answer:
The holy land of the Punjab, the territory of five rivers has, undoubtedly, contributed to a great’extent in diversified fields, not only to India but to the world also. About five thousand years ago, the Indus Valley Civilisation, India’s oldest and marvellous civilisation, was born and flourished on this very land. This civilisation is considered as one of the greatest civilisations of the world. The Aryans compiled their famous religious scripture ‘Rigveda’ on this holy land. The great characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata also belonged to the Punjab. The great Mahabharata war was also fought on this land and Lord Krishna delivered his spiritual message i.e. the Gita here. The world famous Takshshila University and the centre of Gandhara Art were also situated here.

This land has the honour of giving birth to great scholars like Kautilya, Charka and Panini. It was the place where Chandragupta Maurya founded India’s first empire. The most important and decisive wars of Indian history were fought here. This land gave birth to the nine Gurus of the Sikh religion. Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent most part of his life in Punjab. The Khalsa was created here. On this land Maharaja Ranjit Singh founded the first Sikh empire whose splendour is still remembered by the people. Finally, the Punjabi patriots made greatest sacrifices to break the chains of slavery of India.

Question 4.
What do you know about Himalayas ? What were its main benefits to Punjab?
Or
What were the main benefits Of the Himalayas to Punjab?
Answer:
The Himalayas are situated to the north of the Punjab. ‘Himalaya’ means ‘abode of snow’. Its tops remain covered with snow throughout the year. It stretches from Assam in the east to Afghanistan in the west. Its length is 2500 kilometres and the breadth ranges from 240 kilometres to 320 kilometres. On the basis of its height the Himalayas can be divided into three parts. The first part, the Greater Himalayas, consists of those high peaks whose height is 20,000 ft. or above. Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is 29,028 ft. or 8848 meters high. These peaks remain covered with snow throughout the year. The second part consists of those peaks whose height ranges between 10,000 feet and 20,000 feet. It is called the Middle Himalayas. Shimla, Dalhousie and Kashmir are situated in it. The third part, the Outer Himalayas, consists of hill areas with a height ranging from 3,000 feet to 10,000 feet. This part is known as Shivalik range of mountains.

The Himalayas have proved to be of great advantage to the Punjab in many ways. Firstly, the Himalayas stand like a watchman both for the Punjab and India because it is the highest mountain range in the world and it always remains snow clad. So, no foreign invader dared to cross these mountains. Consequently, the Punjab remained protected from the foreign invasions from the north for a long time. Secondly, the monsoon winds hit the Himalayas and cause adequate rainfall in the Punjab. Thirdly, the great rivers flowing down the Himalayas have made the land of the Punjab very fertile.

Question 5.
What do you mean by Doab? Give a brief description of five Doabs of Punjab.
Or
Explain the five Doabs of Punjab.
Answer:
‘Doab’ is a Persian word meaning ‘two waters’ or ‘land between the two rivers’. The name of each Doab is composed of the first letters of those two rivers between which it is located.

Bist Jalandhar Doab: The area located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas is called Bist Jalandhar Doab. This is the most famous Doab. Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur are the two biggest cities of this Doab.
Bari Doab: This Doab is located between the Beas and the Ravi rivers. It is also called Majha. Lahore and Amritsar are two famous cities of this Doab.
Rachna Doab: The area located between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers is called Rachna Doab. Gujranwala and Sheikhupura are two important cities of this Doab.
Chaj Doab: The area lying between the Chenab and the Jhelum is known as Chaj Doab. Gujarat and Shahpur are two important cities of this Doab.
Sindh Sagar Doab: The area lying between the Jhelum and the Sindh rivers is called Sindh Sagar Doab. Rawalpindi is the most famous city of this Doab. All the Doabs except Sindh Sagar Doab are very fertile.

Question 6.
What do you understand by Malwa and Bangar?
Answer:
Besides the five Doabs, the plains of the Punjab also included a vast tract between the Sutlej and Jamuna. This area can be divided into two parts—Malwa and Bangar.

Malwa: The area lying between the Sutlej and the Ghaggar rivers is called Malwa. Patiala, Ludhiana, Sirhind, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Bathinda, Faridkot and Nabha fall in this area. In this area lived a famous tribe ‘Malavas’ in the ancient times, for which this region got the name Malwa. The inhabitants of this area are called Malwai.
Bangar: The area which falls between the Ghaggar and the Jamuna rivers is called Bangar. It is also called Haryana. It includes Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Gurgaon, Jind, and Hissar. Many important and decisive battles of Indian history were fought in this part.

Question 7.
What influence did the physical features of the Punjab have on its political history?
Or
What were the political effects of the geographical features of the Punjab?
Answer:
1. Punjab—Gateway of India : There are a number of passes (Khyber, Kurram, Tochi, Bolan etc.) in the north-west of the* Punjab which were easy to cross. So, the foreign invaders kept on attacking India for centuries passing through these passes. First of all these invadersJiad to fight with-the people of the Punjab. So, the Punjab has been called the gateway of India.

2. Influence of the Rivers of the Punjab : The rivers flowing into this land have also influenced its history. These rivers checked the entry of foreign invaders many times and thus protected the country. When these rivers were in flood, it was almost impossible to cross them. Thus the future of the Punjab depended upon these rivers.

3. Influence of the Forests and Hills of the Punjab : The forests and the hills of the Punjab have influenced the history of Punjab to a great extent. After the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 A.D., started the persecution of the Sikhs. So they took shelter in these forests and hills. From here, they resisted the enemy and adopted guerilla warfare.

4. Special traits of the Character of Punjabis : The peculiar geographical features of the Punjab were responsible for developing certain special traits of the character of the Punjabis. These special traits provided separate identity to the Punjabis from the rest of the IndiAnswer: They developed traits like bravery, courage, hard work, sympathy, co-operation, social service, tolerance and sacrificing the self for the country.

5. Prosperity of the Punjab : The Punjab has been very much prosperous since the ancient times due to its geographical situation. The plains of the Punjab are so fertile that’ they are described as producing gold. The foreign trade of the Punjab had also been very- flourishing. Consequently, the Punjab is were very rich.

Question 8.
What impact did the physical features of the Punjab have on its economic history?
Or
Name main economic influences on the geography of Punjab.
Answer:
1. Punjab—Gateway of India : There are a number of passes (Khyber, Kurram, Tochi, Bolan etc.) in the north-west of the Punjab which were easy to cross. So, the foreign invaders kept on attacking India for centuries passing through these passes. First of all these invaders had to fight with the people of the Punjab. They could go further only after defeating the Punjab.

2. Punjab—Field of Historic Battles : Punjab has been the battlefield of many important and decisive battles of Indian history because of its geographical location. First of all, the Aryans fought the Dravidians in the ancient times. Then, the battles between Alexander and Porus, and Chandragupta Maurya and the Greeks were also fought on this land.

3. North-West Frontier Problem : The northrwest frontier has always remained a great headache for the rulers of India in general, and for those who ruled the Punjab in particular. It was due to two main reasons. Firstly, all the foreign invaders except the British came to the Punjab from this side. Secondly, the tribesmen living in this area were very wild and uncivilized.

4. Punjabis had to suffer for Centuries: It was also due to the geographical location of the Punjab, that the Punjabis had to suffer hardships and the cruelties of invaders for centuries. Mahmud Ghaznavi, Mohammad Ghori, Timur, Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali were such invaders, who had let loose a reign of terror on the Punjabis.

Question 9.
Describe the major economic effects of geography of Punjab on the people of Punjab.
Answer:
1. Agriculture : The soil of the plains of the Punjab was very fertile. Moreover, the Punjab received sufficient rainfall and has developed means of irrigation. That was why a majority of the population of the Punjab is engaged in agriculture. Wheat, rice, cottonseed, sugarcane, maize, barley and oil-seeds were main crops of the Punjab. People living in the hilly areas earned their livelihood by rearing sheep and goats, because nothing can grow on it.

Question 10.
How did the rivers of the Punjab influence its history.
Answer:
The rivers flowing into this land have also influenced its history. These rivers checked the entry of foreign invaders many times and thus protected the country. When these rivers were in flood, it was almost impossible to cross them. Alexander, the Great, could not cross the Beas. These rivers determined the routes of the invaders at many occasions. They advanced from those sides, where these rivers were shallow and it was easier to cross them. Thus the future of the Punjab depended upon these rivers. These rivers also proved helpful in determining the boundaries of Sarkars and Parganas. These rivers made the plains of the Punjab very fertile, which enhanced its political significance to a great extent.

Question 11.
How did the forests of Punjab affects its history?
Answer:
The forests and the hills of the Punjab have influenced the history of Punjab to a great extent. After the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 A.D., when Abdus Samad Khan, Zakariya Khan, Yahiya Khan and Mir Mannu started the persecution of the Sikhs. They took shelter in these forests and hills. They adopted guerilla warfare to resist enemy. They used to attack their enemy all of a sudden and took shelter once again in their hideouts in the forests and hills. The Sikhs even looted Nadir Shah in 1739 A.D. through guerilla warfare. They had become a great headache for Ahmad Shah Abdali. He invaded Punjab for not less than eight times to crush the Sikh power, but he failed in his attempts. Finally, the Sikhs succeeded in establishing their independent Misls in many parts of the Punjab.

Question 12.
What effects did the physical features of Punjab have on its socio-cultural history?
Or
Mention the socio-cultural effects of the geographical features of the Punjab.
Answer:
1. Special traits of the Character of Punjabis : The peculiar geographical features of the Punjab were responsible for developing certain special traits of the character of the Punjabis. These special traits provided separate identity to the Punjabis from the rest of the IndiAnswer: After fighting countless wars and facing many difficulties, they developed traits like bravery, courage, hard work, sympathy, co-operation, social service, tolerance and sacrificing the self for the country.

2. Increase in the number of Castes and Sub-castes: The Punjab has been the victim of foreign invasions from the ancient times. The Iranians, Greeks, Hunas, Kushanas, Mongols, Turks, Mughals and Afghans invaded the Punjab and many of them settled here. They married the women folk of this land. Thus, many new castes and sub-castes emerged.

3. Distinct Culture of the Punjab : People belonging to different countries and practising different religions got settled in the Punjab. As a result a new culture evolved as a result of their synthesis. For example, a new language (Urdu) developed.

4. Loss of the Art and Literature: The art and literature of Punjab could not develop because of its geographical location. For cfenturies together the Punjab remained the battlefield of foreign invaders. Lack of peace and constant threat to the lives of the people resulted in the lack of art and literature. If some art and literature were ever produced they were destroyed and burnt by the foreign invaders. Consequently, the art and literature of Punjab received a great jolt.

Question 13.
How did Geography of the Punjab affect its religious life?
Or
“Punjab was a land of religious movements.” Explain the statement.
Answer:
The Punjab is considered the birth place of Hinduism. First of all, the Aryans settled in the Sapt Sindhu. They composed their holy scriptures here. Islam was much propagated in Punjab as compared to other parts of India due to many reasons. Firstly, the Muslims had occupied the Punjab in the very beginning. Secondly, the Punjab remained under the Sultans of Delhi and the Mughals for centuries. Guru Nanak Dev and his eight spiritual successors blessed this sacred land of five rivers by their incarnation. The tenth and the last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent the major part of his life in the holy land of Punjab. People of this land were economically rich, so they contributed a lot towards the development of Sikhism.

Essay Type Questions:

different Names of Punjab and its Boundaries:

Question 1.
Describe the geographical features of Punjab.
Or
Examine the physical features of Punjab.
Or
Describe in detail the physical features of Punjab.
Or
How did the geographical features of Punjab affect its history?
Answer:
The word ‘Punjab’ is a combination of two words of Persian language: ‘Punj’ and ‘Aab’ which literally means ‘five’ and ‘water’ respectively. Thus ‘Punjab’ means the territory or land of five rivers. These five rivers are the Sutlej, the Beas, the Ravi, the Chenab and the Jhelum.

Punjab has been known by various names during different periods of history. It was called ‘Sapta Sindhu’ in the Rigvedic period, on the basis of the seven rivers that flowed in this land. They were: Sindhu (Indus), Vitasta (Jhelum), Asikni (Chenab), Parushni (Ravi), Vipasha (Beas), Sutudri (Sutlej) and Saraswati. The rivers Sindhu and Saraswati were the outer boundaries of Punjab. It is called ‘Panchnada’ in the Epics and the Puranas. ‘Panchnada’ means the land of five rivers. The Greeks named it ‘Pentapotamia’—‘Penta’ means five and ‘Potamia’ means river. So, the Greeks also called it the land of five rivers. The territories of Afghanistan and Baluchistan were annexed to Punjab during the Mauryan period. Thus its northwest boundary stretched up to the Hindukush.

As the Tak’ tribe ruled this vast land for centuries, Punjab was also called ‘Tak Desh. In the medieval period, Punjab was known as Lahore Suba, after the name of its capital (Lahore). Akbar, the great Mughal emperor, divided Punjab into two provinces i.e. Suba of Lahore and Suba of Multan. Punjab was called Lahore Raj during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Under his rule, its boundaries stretched from Ladakh in the north to Shikarpur in the south and from the Sutlej in the east to Peshawar in the west. When the British annexed it to the British empire, it was termed as ‘Punjab Province’. A famous historian S.M. Latif has rightly remarked,

“No country in the East presents the same variety of features as does the land of five rivers.” Punjab can be divided into the following three parts on the basis of its physical or geographical features:

The Himalayas and the Sulaiman Mountain Ranges.
Sub-mountainous Region.
The Plains.

1. The Himalayas and the Sulaiman Mountain Ranges:

1. The Himalayas: The Himalayas are situated to the north of Punjab. ‘Himalaya’ means ‘abode of snow. Its tops remain covered with snow throughout the year. It stretches from Assam in the east to Afghanistan in the west. Its length is 2500 kilometres and the breadth ranges from 240 kilometres to 320 kilometres. On the basis of its height, the Himalayas can be divided into three parts: the Greater Himalayas, the Middle Himalayas and the Outer Himalayas also known as the Shivalik mountains.

The Himalayas have proved to be of great advantage to Punjab in many ways. Firstly, the Himalayas stand like a watchman both for the Punjab and India, because it is the highest mountain range in the world and it always remains snow-clad. So, no foreign invader dared to cross these mountains and consequently, Punjab remained protected from the foreign invasions from the north for a long time. Secondly, the monsoon winds hit the Himalayas and cause adequate rainfall in Punjab. Thirdly, the great rivers flowing down the Himalayas have made the land of the Punjab very fertile. Fourthly, the valleys of the Himalayas gave Punjab such famous hill stations like Shimla, Manali, Kullu, Kangra and Dalhousie.

2. Sulaiman Mountain Ranges: The Sulaiman mountain ranges are situated in the northwest of Punjab. These are the western ranges of the Himalayas. These ranges have many ‘Passes’ which connect India with other countries of Asia. The Khyber is the most prominent pass. The other known passes are Bolan, Kurram, Tochi and Gomal. The majority of foreign invaders came to Punjab through these passes. Besides, these passes served as trade routes for India with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

2. Sub-mountainous Region:

This region is located between the Shivalik ranges and the plains of Punjab. It is called Tarai. The height of these mountains ranges between 1000 feet and 3000 feet. This region consists of Hoshiarpur, Kangra, Ambala, the northern part of Gurdaspur and some areas of Sialkot. As the region is hilly, its soil is less fertile and means of transport are under-developed. Thus, the population in this region is not dense.

3. The Plains:

The Plains constitute the largest and most important region of Punjab. It is rightly called the real Punjab. This part is located between the rivers of Indus and Jamuna. It is considered one of the best fertile plains in the world. Its average height from the sea level is less than 1000 feet. Five great rivers of Punjab (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum) flow in this very part. The plains of Punjab can further be sub-divided into the following three parts—(a) Five Doabs, (b) Malwa and Bangar, (c) South-West Deserts.

(a) Five Doabs: A bigger part of the plains is surrounded by the five Doabs. These Doabs were created during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar and can be found in the same way even today. ‘Doab’ is a Persian word meaning ‘two glasses of water or ‘land between the two rivers. These five Doabs are briefly described below:

1. Best Jalandhar Doab: The area located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas is called Best Jalandhar Doab. This is the most famous Doab. Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur are the two biggest cities of this Doab. This Doab is very fertile.

2. Bari Doab: This Doab is located between the rivers Beas and the Ravi. It is located in the middle of Punjab, so it is called Majha and its residents are called Majhail. Lahore and Amritsar are two famous cities of this Doab. It is also very fertile.

3. Rachna Doab: The area located between the rivers Ravi and the Chenab is called Rachna Doab. Gujranwala and Sheikhupura are two important cities of this Doab. This Doab is also very fertile.

4. Chaj Doab: The area lying between the rivers Chenab and the Jhelum is known as Chaj Doab. Gujarat and Shahpur are two important cities of this Doab. It is also very fertile.

5. Sind Sagar Doab: The area lying between the rivers Jhelum and the Sind is called Sind Sagar Doab. Rawalpindi is the most famous city of this Doab. This Doab is less fertile.

(b) Malwa and Bangar: In addition to the areas covered by the Five Doabs, the vast plains located between the rivers Sutlej and the Jamuna also form a part of the plains of Punjab. It is further sub-divided into two parts—Malwa and Bangar.

1. Malwa: The area located between the rivers Sutlej and the Ghaggar is called Malwa which includes Patiala, Ludhiana, Sirhind, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Bhatinda, Faridkot and Nabha. There lived a famous tribe named ‘Malwa’ in the ancient period in this area, so the area came to be called Malwa. Its inhabitants are called ‘Malwai’.

2. Bangar: The area located between the rivers Ghaggar and the Jamuna is known as Bangar. It is known as Haryana as well. Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Gurugram (Gurgaon), Jind, and Hissar are included in it. Many important and decisive wars of Indian History have been fought in this part of Punjab.

(c) South-West Deserts: Sind, Bahawalpur, and the desert of Multan which are located in the southwest also form part of the plains of Punjab. As this area receives inadequate rainfall, so it is less fertile.

4. Climate of Punjab:

The climate of Punjab also shows much variation. It is extremely cold in winter and becomes too hot in summer. December and January are bitterly cold. The hilly areas receive plenty of snowfall. The temperature falls below 0°C on many occasions. The plains experience fog and mist in winter. In the months of summer, especially in May and June, scorching winds blow. Punjab receives rainfall from July to September. The hilly areas receive more rainfall than the plains. The climate of Punjab in the months of October, November, February, and March is very pleasant.

Influence Of Physical Features On The History Of Punjab:

Question 2.
How have the physical features of the Punjab affected its Political History?
Or
How have the physical features of the Punjab affected its History?
Or
Examine the influence of physical features of the Punjab on the course of its history.
Or
How did the geographical features of the Punjab affect its History?
Or
How did the geographical features of the Punjab influence its political, social, religious and economic history?
Or
Explain the socio-cultural, economic and religious effects of the physical features of the Punjab.
Or
Explain the political effects of the physical features of the Punjab.
Or
Explain the social and economic effects of the physical features of the Punjab.
Or
What were the political, military and social effects of the geographical features of the Punjab?
Answer:
History is always closely related to Geography, because the geographical conditions of a country have a great influence upon the history of that country. The political, social, economic and religious life of the people is greatly influenced and controlled by the geographical factors. Thus, the geographical conditions of the Punjab have greatly influenced the history of this land. These factors have influenced social, political, economic, religious and cultural life of the Punjab in many ways.

1. Political Effects:

1. Punjab—Gateway of India: As a result of its geographical location, the Punjab has been the gateway of India for many centuries. There are a number of passes (Khyber, Kurram, Tochi, Bolan etc.) in the north-west of the Punjab which were easy to cross. So, the foreign invaders kept on attacking India for centuries passing through these passes. The Aryans, Iranians, Greeks, Kushanas, Hunas, Turks, Mughals and Durranis invaded India passing through these passes. First of all these invaders had to fight with the people of the Punjab. They could go further only after defeating the Punjab. So, the Punjab has been called the gateway of India.

2. Punjab—Field pi Historic Battles: Punjab has been the battlefield of many important and decisive battles of Indian history because of its geographical location. First of all, the Aryans fought the Dravidians in the ancient times. Then, the battles between Alexander and Porus, and Chandragupta Maurya and the Greeks were also fought on this land. In the medieval period, two battles were fought between Prithviraj Chauhan and Mohammad Ghori at Tarain in 1191 A.D. and 1192 A.D. Mohammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain and thus he laid the foundation of the Muslim rule in India. Similarly, the first battle of Panipat was fought in 1526 A.D. between Ibrahim LodKi and Babar, and the second battle of Panipat was fought in 1556 A.D. between Hemu and Akbar, which resulted in establishing the Mughal empire in India. The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761 A.D. between the Marathas and Ahmad Shah Abdali, which marked the end of the Maratha power in the Punjab. Thus, we see that many historic battles of Indian history were fought on this land of five rivers.

3. North-West Frontier Problem: The north-west frontier has always remained a great headache for the rulers of India in general, and for those who ruled the Punjab in particular. It was due to two main reasons. Firstly, all the foreign invaders except the British came to the Punjab from this side. Secondly, the tribesmen living in this area were very wild and uncivilized. Their main profession was to loot and plunder the neighbouring territories. People had to face many hardships due to their cruel activities.

Consequently, every ruler of the Punjab who did not pay heed to the north-west frontier had to lose his kingdom very soon. Thus, the success or failure of any ruler depended upon his north-western frontier policy. It was one of the main causes of the downfall of the great Gupta Empire. So, having understood its significance, Balban, Alauddin Khalji, Akbar, Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the British paid special attention towards the solution of this knotty problem. As a result, they succeeded in protecting their empires to a large extent.

4. Punjabis had to suffer for Centuries: It was also due to the geographical location of the Punjab, that the Punjabis had to suffer hardships and the cruelties of invaders for centuries. As the Punjab lay in the way of the foreign invaders coming from north-western side, it had to bear the brunt of their onslaughts. Mahmud Ghaznavi, Mohammad Ghori, Timur, Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali were such invaders, who had let loose a reign of terror on the Punjabis. Wherever, they went they looted all villages and towns and killed many people. They caused dishonour to womenfolk, who were chained and sold in foreign countries as slaves. They forcibly converted the people to Islam.

5. Influence of the Rivers of the Punjab: The rivers flowing into this land have also influenced its history. These rivers checked the entry of foreign invaders many times and thus protected the country. When these rivers were in flood, it was almost impossible to cross them. Alexander, the Great, could not cross the Beas. These rivers determined the routes of the invaders at many occasions. They advanced from those sides, where these rivers were shallow and it was easier to cross them. Thus the future of the Punjab depended upon these rivers. These rivers made the plains of the Punjab very fertile, which enhanced its political significance.

6. Influence of the Forests and Hills of the Punjab: The forests and the hills of the Punjab have influenced the history of Punjab to a great extent. After the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 A.D., when Abdus Samad Khan, Zakariya Khan, Yahiya Khan and Mir Mannu started the persecution of the Sikhs. They took shelter in these forests and hills. From here, they resisted the enemy and adopted guerilla warfare. They used to attack their enemy all of a sudden and took shelter once again in their hideouts in the forests and hills. The Sikhs even looted Nadir Shah in 1739 A.D. through guerilla warfare. They had become a great headache for Ahmad Shah also. He invaded Punjab for not less than eight times to crush the Sikh power, but he failed in his attempts. Finally, the Sikhs succeeded in establishing their independent Misls in many parts of the Punjab.

2. Social and Cultural Effects:

1. Special traits of the Character of Punjabis: The peculiar geographical features of the Punjab were responsible for developing certain special traits of the character of the Punjabis. These special traits provided separate identity to the Punjabis from the rest of the IndiAnswer: After fighting countless wars and facing many difficulties, they developed traits like bravery, courage, hard work, sympathy, co-operation, social service, tolerance and sacrificing the self for the country. Besides, one more distinct trait developed in the Punjabis. It was—‘eat, drink and be merry’. As the foreign invaders invariably looted the wealth, riches and all other belongings, so the Punjabis preferred to spend all the money rather than saving it. It was a famous saying at the time of Ahmad Shah Abdali:
“Khaada peeta laahe da, Rehnda Ahmad Shahe da.”.

2. Increase in the number of Castes and Sub-castes: The Punjab has been the victim of foreign invasions from the ancient times. The Iranians, Greeks, Hunas, Kushanas, Mongols, Turks, Mughals and Afghans invaded the Punjab and many 5 of them settled here. They married the women folk of this land. Thus, many new S castes and sub-castes emerged. Of such castes and sub-castes, Pathan, Gujjar, Dogra, Baluch, Syal, Jat, Mahajan and Arora were prominent. .

3. Distinct Culture of the Punjab: People belonging to different countries and practising different religions got settled in the Punjab. As a result a new culture evolved as a resul of their synthesis. For example, a new language (Urdu) developed.

4. Loss of the Art and Literature: The art and literature of Punjab could not develop because of its geographical location. For centuries together the Punjab remained the battlefield of foreign invaders. Lack of peace and constant threat to the lives of the people resulted in the lack of art and literature. If some art and literature were ever produced they were destroyed and burnt by the foreign invaders. Consequently, the art and literature of Punjab received a great jolt.

3. Religious Effects:

1. Origin of Hinduism: The Punjab is considered the birthplace of Hinduism. First of all, the Aryans settled in the Sapta Sindhu. They composed their holy scriptures here. These works depict geographical or natural aspects of the Punjab clearly. The rivers, the” forests and the mountains of the Punjab are mentioned in these books more than once.

2. Propagation of Islam: Islam was much propagated in Punjab as compared to other parts of India due to many reasons. Firstly, the Muslims were the first to occupy Punjab. Secondly, the Punjab was located nearer to Afghanistan and Central Asia. All these countries were populated by Muslims. Thirdly, many Muslims got settled in the Punjab. Fourthly, the Punjab remained under the Sultans of Delhi and the Mughals for centuries. All these causes \yere responsible for the spread of Islam in Punjab.

3. Origin and Development of Sikhism: Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his eight spiritual successors blessed this sacred land of five rivers by their incarnation. The development and growth of Sikhism is very closely related to the geographical features of the Punjab. People of this land were economically rich, so they contributed a lot towards the development of Sikhism. They never hesitated in contributing for the Langar, historical buildings and other necessary projects of the Sikh Panth. They always helped the needy and the poor which made many of them become the followers of Sikhism.

4. Economic Effects:

1. Agriculture: The soil of the plains of the Punjab was very fertile. Moreover, the Punjab received sufficient rainfall and has developed means of irrigation. That was why a majority of the population of the Punjab is engaged in agriculture. Wheat, rice, cottonseed, sugarcane, maize, barley and oil-seeds were main crops of the Punjab. People living in the hilly areas earned their livelihood by rearing sheep and goats, because were nothing can grow on it.

2. Foreign Trade: Due to its geographical location the people of the Punjab had the opportunity to develop good foreign trade since ancient times. Being a border province, the Punjab had a flourishing trade with Afghanistan and countries of Central Asia. The Punjab traders exported foodgrains, sugar, cottonseed, woollen, silken and cotton textile, shawls and blankets, etc. to these countries and in return imported horses, dry fruit, daris, carpets, fur and weapons, etc. Much of this trade was carried on through the passes located in the north-west of the Punjab.

3. Prosperity of the Punjab: The Punjab has been very much prosperous since the ancient times due to its geographical situation. The plains of the Punjab are so fertile that they are described as producing gold. The foreign trade of the Punjab had also been very flourishing. Consequently, the Punjabis were very rich. So, we conclude with the befitting remarks by Dr. B.S. Nijjar, “The effects of physical features of the Punjab have exercised a great influence on its history.”

Question 3.
Throw light on the physical features of the Punjab. How did they influence the History of the Punjab?
Or
Explain the geographical features of the Punjab. How did they influence the History of the Punjab?
Note: To answer this question the students are requested to see the answers of question numbers 1 and 2.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1.
Describe any three physical features of the Punjab.
Or
Give a brief description of geographical features of the Punjab.
Answer:
The Himalayas is located to the north-west of the’Punjab. As this mountain is very high, it acts as a watchman for the Punjab and India. The monsoon strikes ‘ against these mountains and brings rain in the Punjab. The sub-mountainous region of the Punjab is situated between the Shivalik hills and the plains. This region is also known as Tarai. The land being rocky is less fertile and means of transportation are also not much developed. The plains of Punjab is counted among the most fertile regions of the world.

Question 2.
Why is the Punjab called as the ‘Gateway of India’?
Answer:
The Punjab has acted as the gateway of India for centuries due to its geographical location. Towards its north-west are located Khyber, Kurram, Tochi and Bolan passes. It was not difficult to cross these passes. Therefore, since the ancient times, the foreign invaders had been crossing these passes to invade India. The people of the Punjab had to fight with these invaders. They could advance only after conquering the Punjab. So, the Punjab is called the gateway of India.

Question 3.
What is the importance of the Punjab in the Indian History?
Answer:
The Punjab has occupied a pivotal position in the history of India due to many reasons. The Aryans compiled their famous religious scripture Ttigveda’ on this holy land. The great Mahabharata war was also fought on this land. Lord Krishna delivered his spiritual message i.e. the Gita here. It was the place where Chandragupta Maurya founded India’s first empire. The most important and decisive wars of Indian history were fought here. This land gave birth to the nine great Gurus of the Sikh religion. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent most part of his life in Punjab.

Question 4.
What were the main benefits of the Himalayas to the Punjab?
Or
Write any three benefits of the Himalayas to the Punjab.
Or
What were the three merits of the Himalayas to the Punjab?
Answer:

The Himalayas stood like a watchman both for the Punjab and India.
The sub-mountainous region has given us many beautiful townships and tourist resorts like Kulu, Manali, Dalhousie and Shimla etc.
It has contributed a lot to the economic prosperity of the state.

Question 5.
What do you mean by Doab? Give a brief description of Doabs of the Punjab.
Or
Explain any three Doabs of the Punjab.
Answer:
‘Doab’ is a Persian word meaning the ‘land between the two rivers’.

Bist Jalandhar Doab: The area located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas.
Bari Doab: It is located between the Beas and the Ravi rivers.
Rachna Doab: The area located between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers.
Chaj Doab: The area lying between the Chenab and the Jhelum.
Sind Sagar Doab: The area lying between the Jhelum and the Sind.

Question 6.
Describe briefly about plain areas of Punjab.
Answer:
The plains constitute the largest and most important region of the Punjab. It is rightly called the virtual Punjab. This part is located between the rivers of Indus and Jamuna. It is considered one of the best fertile plains of the World. Its average height from the sea level is less than 1000 feet. Five great rivers of Punjab (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum) flow in this very part. The land of this area is very fertile, it receives ample rainfall and the means of transport are fairly developed. So, the population of this area is very dense. The plains of the Punjab can further be sub-divided into the following three parts:

Five Doabs,
Malwa and Bangar and
South West Deserts.

Question 7.
What do you understand by Malwa and Bangar?
Answer:

Malwa: The area lying between the Sutlej and the Ghaggar rivers is called Malwa. Patiala, Ludhiana, Sirhind, Sangrur, Malerkotla, Bathinda, Faridkot and Nabha fall in this area. In this area lived a famous tribe ‘Malavas’ in ancient times, for which this region got the name Malwa. The inhabitants of this area are called Malwai.
Bangar: The area which falls between the Ghaggar and the Jamuna rivers is called Bangar. It is also called Haryana. It includes Ambala, Panipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Gurugram (Gurgaon), Jind and Hisar. Many important and decisive battles of Indian history were fought in this part.

Question 8.
What influence did the physical features of the Punjab have on its political history?
Or
What were the political effects of the geographical features of the Punjab.
Or
Write any three political effects of the geographical features of the Punjab.
Answer:

The Punjab remained the gateway of India for centuries due to its geographical location.
Many important and decisive battles of the Indian history were also fought in the Punjab,
The rivers flowing through the Punjab, its forests and hills have deeply influenced the history of the Punjab,
The forests and mountains lying in the Punjab have also affected its history.

Question 9.
What impact did the physical features of the Punjab have on its economic history?
Or
Write any three main economic influences on the geography of the Punjab.
Answer:

As the plains of the Punjab were very fertile, so the main occupation of people here was agriculture,
People reared sheep and goats in the mountainous regions of the Punjab,
It being a frontier province, foreign trade was carried on with Afghanistan and Central Asian countries on a large scale,
The cities like Lahore, Multan, Sirhind, Jalandhar and Amritsar became trade centres.

Question 10.
How did the rivers of the Punjab affect its history?
Or
What were the effects of Punjab rivers on the history of the Punjab?
Answer:
The rivers flowing through the Punjab also greatly influenced its history. These rivers checked the advancement of the foreign invaders many times and defended the country. These rivers, when in spate, were very difficult to cross. These rivers also determined the passage of many invaders. The soil of the Punjab became very fertile due to these rivers and it yielded bumper crops. The economic prosperity of the Punjab was mainly due to these rivers.

Question 11.
The forests and hills of the Punjab have deeply influenced its history. Do you agree with this statement?
Or
How did the forests and hills of the Punjab influence its history?
Or
How did the forests of the Punjab affect its history?
Answer:
The forests and hills of the Punjab have also deeply influenced its history. After the martyrdom of Banda Singh Bahadur in 1716 A.D., when Mughals and Afghans vigorously persecuted the Sikhs, they took shelter in these forests and hills. They faced their enemy from here through guerilla warfare. By adopting the guerilla warfare the Sikhs had plundered even the great tyrant Nadir Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali.-Ultimately, the Sikhs succeeded in setting up independent Misls in many parts of the Punjab.

Question 12.
What effects did the physical features of the Punjab have on its socio-cultural history?
Or
“Punjab was a land of religious movements.” Explain the statement.
Answer:
The Punjab is considered the birthplace of Hinduism. First of all, the Aryans settled in the Sapta Sindhu. They composed their holy scriptures here. Islam was much propagated in the Punjab as compared to other parts of India due to many reasons. Guru Nanak Dev Ji and his eight spiritual successors blessed this sacred land of five rivers by their incarnation. The tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent most part of his life in Punjab. Many religions were prevalent in the Punjab. That is why it came to be called, “The land of religious movement.”

Question 14.
Physical features of the Punjab greatly influenced its history. Write briefly three important effects.
Answer:

The Punjab has acted as the gateway to India for ages, due to its physical features,
The foreign invaders had been invading India through Khyber, Kurram, Tochi and Bolan passes since ancient times,
The Sikh religion was bom on the sacred land of the Punjab,
As the Punjab had remained a battlefield for ages, art and literature could not flourish here,
Since the ancient times, the Punjab has been an economically prosperous state due to its physical features.

Objective Type Questions:

Question 1.
What is the meaning of the word Punjab?
Answer:
The land of five rivers.

Question 2.
Why did Punjab get its name Punjab?
Answer:
Because of the five rivers flowing here.

Question 3.
Name any one river of Punjab.
Answer:
Sutlej.

Question 4.
By which name was the Punjab known in the Rigvedic period and why?
Or
By which name Punjab was called during Rigvedic period and why?
Answer:
Sapta Sindhu.

Question 5.
What is meant by Sapta Sindhu?
Answer:
The land of seven rivers.

Question 6.
With what name did Greeks call Punjab?
Answer:
Pentapotamia.

Question 7.
What is meant by Pentapotamia?
Answer:
The land of five rivers.

Question 8.
What name was given to Punjab by the Epics and Puranas?
Answer:
Panchnada.

Question 9.
What is meant by Panchnada?
Answer:
The land of five rivers.

Question 10.
Why was Punjab called Tak Desh?
Answer:
Because Tak tribe ruled here for a long time.

Question 11.
By which name was Punjab known in medieval period?
Or
What was Punjab known as in the Medieval Period?
Or
What was the name of the Punjab in the Medieval Period?
Answer:
Lahore Suba (Province).

Question 12.
What was the name given to Punjab during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s times?
Answer:
Lahore Raj.

Question 13.
When was Lahore state annexed to the British empire?
Answer:
March 29, 1849 A.D.

Question 14.
Why was Punjab annexed by the British last of all?
Answer:
Due to the geographical location of Punjab.

Question 15.
Which part of Punjab was given to Pakistan in 1947?
Answer:
Western part.

Question 16.
Write the names of the physical features of the Punjab.
Or
Give the three physical features of the Punjab.
Answer:
Himalayas and Sulaiman Mountain Ranges, Sub-Mountainous Region and the Plains.

Question 17.
Punjab is known as the Sword Arm of whom?
Answer:
India.

Question 18.
Why is Punjab known as ‘Sword Arm of India’?
Answer:
Because people of Punjab played the role of defending India’s security.

Question 19.
Which was called the Gateway of India?
Answer:
Punjab.

Question 20.
Why is the Punjab called the Gateway of India?
Answer:
Because the foreign invaders had to cross Punjab to reach India.

Question 21.
Name the frontier direction through which foreign invaders entered Punjab.
Answer:
North West Frontier.

Question 22.
Name any one pass through which the invaders came to Punjab.
Answer:
Khyber.

Question 23.
Name the ‘pass’ through which maximum foreign invasions took place.
Answer:
Khyber.

Question 24.
Which is the highest peak of the Himalayas?
Answer:
Mount Everest.

Question 25.
Mention any one advantage of Himalayas to Punjab.
Answer:
It saved Punjab from the invaders of the North.

Question 26.
Name the beautiful city in the mountainous regions of the Punjab which is the outcome of Himalayas.
Answer:
Shimla.

Question 27.
Where is Tarai or sub-mountainous region located?
Answer:
Himalayas and the plains of the Punjab.

Question 28.
What do you mean by ‘Doab’?
Answer:
The region between the two rivers.

Question 29.
Into how many Doabs has Punjab been divided?
Answer:
Five Doabs.

Question 30.
Name any one Doab of Punjab.
Answer:
Bist Jalandhar Doab.

Question 31.
In which Doab Jalandhar is situated?
Answer:
Bist Jalandhar Doab.

Question 32.
In which Doab Hoshiarpur is situated?
Answer:
Bist Jalandhar Doab.

Question 33.
Name any one city located in Bari Doab.
Answer:
Lahore.

Question 34.
What is meant by Bari Doab?
Answer:
The area located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas.

Question 35.
Why is Bari Doab called ‘Majha’?
Answer:
Because it is located in the middle of Punjab.

Question 36.
By what other name Bari Doab is known as?
Answer:
Majha.

Question 37.
In which Doab is Amritsar situated?
Answer:
Bari Doab.

Question 38.
With which name are the people of Malwa known?
Answer:
People of Malwa are called Malwai.

Question 39.
Write the names of any two main citiSs of Malwa.
Or
Mention any two cities of Malwa.
Answer:

Patiala,
Ludhiana.

Question 40
Where is Malwa situated?
Answer:
Between Sutlej and Ghaggar rivers.

Question 41.
Why is Malwa so called?
Answer:
Because it was inhabited by a brave tribe called Malav.

Question 42.
Write the names of any two main cities of Malwa.
Or
Mention any two cities of Malwa.
Answer:

Patiala,
Ludhiana.

Question 43.
What is meant by Rachna Doab?
Answer:
The region located between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers.

Question 44.
Name two famous towns of Rachna Doab.
Answer:
Gujranwala and Sheikhupura.

Question 45.
What is meant by Chaj Doab?
Answer:
The region located between the Chenab and the Jhelum rivers.

Question 46.
Where is Chaj Doab situated?
Answer:
Between the Chenab and the Jhelum rivers.

Question 47.
Where is Sind Sagar Doab situated?
Answer:
Between the Sind and the Jhelum rivers.

Question 48.
Where is Bangar situated?
Answer:
Between Ghaggar and Jamuna rivers.

Question 49.
Name two important agricultural products of the Punjab.
Answer:
Wheat and cotton.

Question 50.
Name the most important town of Sind Sagar Doab.
Answer:
Rawalpindi.

Question 51.
When was the first battle of Tarain fought?
Answer:
1191 A.D.

Question 52.
When was the second battle of Tarain fought?
Answer:
1192 A.D.

Question 53.
When was the first battle of Panipat fought?
Answer:
1526 A.D.

Question 54.
When was the second battle of Panipat fought?
Answer:
1556 A.D.

Question 55.
Name any effect of the Himalayas on the History of Punjab.
Answer:
It increased the economic prosperity of Punjab.

Question 56.
How have the plains of Punjab affected its History?
Answer:
The economic prosperity of Punjab became the main source of attraction of foreign invaders.

Question 57.
Write any’one reason for the economic prosperity of Punjab.
Answer:
Foreign trade.

Question 58.
How is the soil of Punjab?
Answer:
Very fertile.

Question 59.
How have the rivers of Punjab affected its history?
Answer:
These rivers acted as the defense barrier of “the country.

Question 60.
How have the mountains and forests affected the history of Punjab?
Answer:
They gave invaluable contribution to the rise of the power of the Sikhs.

Fill in the blanks:

1. Punjab is combination of two Persian words ……………. and ……………….
Answer:
Punj, Aab

2. Punjab means a land of ……………….. rivers.
Answer:
five

3. Punjab was called the ………….. of India.
Answer:
Gateway

4. The Punjab was called ……………. in Rigveda period.
Answer:
Sapt Sindhu

5. The Greeks have named Punjab …………….
Answer:
Pentapotamia

6. In Puranas Punjab was called …………….
Answer:
Panchnada

7. During medieval times Punjab was called …………..
Answer:
Lahore Suba

8. Punjab was named ……………… at the time of Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
Lahore Raj

9. Himalaya means ……………
Answer:
Abode of snow

10. The highest peak of the Himalayas was …………….
Answer:
Mount Everest

11. The most famous …………….. pass lies in the North-west of Punjab.
Answer:
Khyber

12. There are ………….. Doabs in Punjab.
Answer:
five

13. The word ‘Doab’ means ……………
Answer:
land between the two rivers

14. Bari Doab is also called ……………..
Answer:
Majha

15. The most important city of Rachna Doab is ………………
Answer:
Gujranwala

16. ……………. is most important city of Sind Sagar Doab.
Answer:
Rawalpindi

17. The inhabitants of Malwa are called ………………..
Answer:
Malwai

18. The first battle of Tarain was fought in …………….
Answer:
1191A.D.

19. In …………… second battle of Tarain was fought.
Answer:
1192 A.D.

20. …………….. battle of panipat was fought between Hemu and Akbar in 1556 A.D.
Answer:
Second

21. Third battle of Panipat was fought in …………………
Answer:
1761 A.D.

22. The main occupation of people of Punjab was …………….
Answer:
Agriculture

True/False:

Pick out the True or False statements:

1. The word ‘Punjab’ means a ‘land of five rivers’.
Answer:
True

2. The Punjab was called Sapt Sindhu in the Rigvedic period.
Answer:
True

3. The Punjab was called Tak Desh in the Epics and the Puranas.
Answer:
False

4. The Greeks called Punjab Pentapotamia.
Answer:
True

5. In medieval period, Punjab was known as Lohore Suba.
Answer:
True

6. The word ‘Himalaya’ means ‘abode of snow’.
Answer:
True

7. The Punjab was given name ‘Lahore Raj’ during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Answer:
True

8. The name of the famous pass in the north-west of Punjab is Gomal.
Answer:
False

9. The word ‘Doab’ means ‘land between the two rivers’.
Answer:
True

10. Hoshiarpur is a city of Bari Doab.
Answer:
False

11. Bari Doab is also known as ‘Majha’.
Answer:
True

12. The area located between the rivers Sutlej and Beas is called ‘Bist Jalandhar Doab’.
Answer:
True

13. The area located between the rivers Ravi and Chenab is called ‘Rachna Doab’.
Answer:
True

14. Gujranwala is an important city of Rachna Doab.
Answer:
True

15. The area lying between the rivers Sutlej and Chenab is called Chaj Doab.
Answer:
False

16. Rawalpindi is the most famous city of Sind Sagar Doab.
Answer:
True

17. The Plain located between the Sutlej and the Jamuna river is called Malwa.
Answer:
False

18. The inhabitants of Malwa are called ‘Malwai’.
Answer:
True

19. The area located between the Ghaggar and the Jamuna rivers is known as Bangar.
Answer:
True

20. The second battle of Tarain was fought in 1193 A.D.
Answer:
False

21. The first battle of panipat between 1536 A.D.
Answer:
False

22. In 1556 A.D. the second battle of Panipat was fought between Hemu and Akbar.
Answer:
True

23. The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761 A.D.
Answer:
True

24. Sikhism was originated in Punjab
Answer:
True

25. The main occupation of the people of Punjab was agriculture.
Answer:
True

26. Punjab has been very much properous since the ancient times due to its geographical situation.
Answer:
True

Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the meaning of the the word ‘Punjab’?
(a) Land of two rivers
(b) Land of three rivers
(c) Land of four rivers
(d) Land of five rivers
Answer:
(d) Land of five rivers

2. Punjab is the word of which language?
(a) Persian
(b) Urdu
(c) Hindi
(d) Gurmukhi
Answer:
(a) Persian

3. By which name was Punjab known in the Rigvedic period?
(a) Sapt Sindhu
(b) Pentapotamia
(c) Tak Desh
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Sapt Sindhu

4. Which name was given to Punjab by the Greeks?
(a) Panchnad
(b) Sapta Sindhu
(c) Tak Desh
(d) Pentapotamia
Answer:
(d) Pentapotamia

5. Why was Punjab called Tak Desh in ancient times?
(a) Tak tribe
(b) Tak ruler
(c) Tak coin
(d) Tak mountain.
Answer:
(a) Tak tribe

6. What was the name of capital of Punjab in medieval period?
(a) Multan
(b) Rawalpindi
(c) Kabul
(d) Lahore
Answer:
(d) Lahore

7. Which was the famous pass on the North-West Frontier of the Punjab?
(a) Khyber
(b) Kurram
(c) Tochi
(d) Bolan.
Answer:
(a) Khyber

8. Which is the highest peak of the Himalayas?
(a) Kanchanjanga
(b) Nanda Devi
(c) Mount Everest
(d) K/2
Answer:
(c) Mount Everest

9. What is average length of the Himalayas?
(a) 1200 km
(b) 1800 km
(c) 200 km
(d) 2500 km
Answer:
(d) 2500 km

10. What do you mean by ‘Doab’?
(a) Region between two rivers.
(b) Region between two mountains.
(c) Region between two plains.
(d) None of these.
Answer:
(a) Region between two rivers.

11. How many Doabs are there in Punjab?
(a) Two
(b) Three
(c) Four
(d) Five
Answer:
(d) Five

12. In which Doab Amritsar is situated?
(a) Chaj Doab
(b) Bist-Jalandhar
(c) Rachna Doab
(d) Bari Doab
Answer:
(d) Bari Doab

13. Where is Rachna Doab situated?
(a) Between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers
(b) Between the Chenab and the Jhelum rivers
(c) Between the Ravi and the Sutlej rivers
(d) Between the Sutlej and the Beas rivers?
Answer:
(a) Between the Ravi and the Chenab rivers

14. Which Doab has Gujarat and Shahpur as main cities?
(a) Chaj Doab
(b) Rachna Doab
(c) Bari Doab
(d) Bist-Jalandhar Doab.
Answer:
(a) Chaj Doab

15. Which is the most important town of Sind Sagar region?
(a) Sind
(b) Jalandhar
(c) Ludhiana
(d) Rawalpindi
Answer:
(d) Rawalpindi

16. When was the first battle of Tarain fought?
(a) In 1191 A.D.
(b) In 1192 A.D.
(c) In 1291 A.D.
(d) In 1491 A.D.
Answer:
(a) In 1191 A.D.

17. When was the second battle of Tarain fought?
(a) In 1152 A.D.
(b) In 1192 A.D.
(c) In 1292 A.D.
(d) In 1526 A.D.
Answer:
(b) In 1192 A.D.

18. In which year was the second battle of Panipat fought?
(a) 1526 A.D
(b) 1536 A.D
(c) 1556 A.D
(d) 1656 A.D
Answer:
(c) 1556 A.D

19. In which year was the third battle of Panipat fought?
(a) 1526 A.D
(b) 1561 A.D
(c) 1556 A.D
(d) 1761 A.D
Answer:
(d) 1761 A.D

20. Name the city of Punjab which was considered important from the geographical point of view.
(a) Multan
(b) Lahore
(c) Peshawar
(d) All of the above
Answer:
(d) All of the above

21. Which language was not spoken in Punjab in 16th century?
(a) Urdu
(b) Hindi
(c) Punjabi
(d) Tamil
Answer:
(d) Tamil

22. Which trait is not the outcome of the geographical condition of Punjab?
(a) Bravery
(b) Hard work
(c) Tolerance
(d) Treachery
Answer:
(d) Treachery

23. Which foreign invaders did not come through North-Western Frontier?
(a) Mughals
(b) Hunas
(c) Greeks
(d) British
Answer:
(d) British

24. What led to the spread of Islam in Punjab?
(a) Muslims of Punjab were economically happy.
(b) Muslims had occupied Punjab in the very beginning.
(c) People of Punjab liked this religion.
(d) Muslims had more propaganda centres in Punjab.
Answer:
(b) Muslims had occupied Punjab in the very beginning.

25. Which of these was not exported by Punjab in the sixteenth century?
(a) Horses
(b) Cotton
(c) Sugar
(d) Clothes
Answer:
(a) Horses

26. Which of these was not imported in Punjab in the sixteenth century?
(a) Dry Fruit
(b) Weapons
(c) Horses
(d) Cotton
Answer:
(d) Cotton

27. Which city was not an important trading centre in 16th century?
(a) Amritsar
(b) Lahore
(c) Hisar
(d) Rawalpindi
Answer:
(d) Rawalpindi

PSEB 12th Class Political Science Solutions Chapter 19 India’s Approach to Major World Issues

October 23, 2024October 22, 2024 by Prasanna

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class Political Science Book Solutions Chapter 19 India’s Approach to Major World Issues Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 19 India’s Approach to Major World Issues

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Write the arrangements made for the protection of Human Rights in India in detail.
Or
Discuss any six steps taken in India for the protection of Human Rights.
Answer:
India is one of the largest democracy of the world. After Independence the makers of our Constitution had made provision for Human Rights. Not only after independence even before independence our national makers worked for Human Rights. The Fundamental Rights enumerated in the Indian Constitution are the most elaborate in the world. Part III of Indian Constitution provides for Fundamental Rights those are as following:

Right to Equality; Articles 14-18
Right to Liberty ; Articles 19-22
Right against Exploitation; Articles 23-24
Right to Freedom of Religion; Articles 25-28
Cultural and Educational Rights; Articles 29-30
Right to Constitutional Remedies; Article-32.

The Indian Constitution has not only made provision for the Fundamental Rights but also made provision for the machinery to implement the rights properly. A number of legislations have been made to eliminate exploitation of the weaker section of the society. Apart from this the Indian government has set up National Human Rights Commission at the level of the central Government and State Human Rights Commission at the state level. These Commissions look into complaints and incidents of violation of Human Rights. Their function includes protection and promotion of Human Rights.

Following steps have been taken in India for the protection of ‘Human Rights’:
1. Establishment of Human Rights: Indian Constitution has established six human rights. Indian citizens have the right to writ five petitions for the protection of these human rights in the court.

2. Establishment of a Commission for ‘Human Rights’: For the protection of ‘Human Rights’-Indian Constitution has established a commission for ‘Human Rights’.

3. Establishment of Commission for Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes: For the protection of Human Rights of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes a special Commission is established.

4. National Women Commission: For the security and safety of women’s rights National Women Commission has been established.

5. National Minority Commission: For the security of rights of minorities a “Minority Commission’ is also established.

6. Independent Judiciary. Independent judiciary works like chowkidar for the protection of ‘Human Rights’. Thus independent judiciary is the strongest step for the protection of all Human Rights.

Question 2.
Discuss the functions of National Human Rights Commission.
Answer:
National Human Rights Commission performs the following functions under the Human Rights Protection Act 1993.

To investigate complaints regarding the violation of Human Rights.
To investigate the failure on the part of any public official in respect of his duties for preventing a violation of Human Rights.
Commission encouraged the functions of non-government institutions for the protection of Human Rights.
To review the steps taken under the Constitution or law for protecting the Human Rights and to make recommendations for making such steps more effective.
To encourage research in the field of human rights.
To visit jails and to examine the conditions of living of the persons undergoing imprisonments or under detentions.
To study the international treaties and conventions and try to give it practical shape.
To spread knowledge among various classes of people about their human rights.
To prepare necessary programmes for the development of human rights.

Question 3.
What do you mean by Disarmament? Discuss the necessity of Disarmament in present world.
Answer:
Present age is an age of Science. Today, armaments and war, because of their totally destructive power, have come to be regarded as the biggest dangers to mankind. The havoc caused by the two World Wars convinced the people over the world that if humanity is to be saved from complete annihilation, something should be done to reduce or limit certain or all types of armaments.

Meaning and Definition of Disarmament:
In simple language the term disarmament is used for reduction or elimination of armaments. In actual practice, it has come to mean everything from total elimination of all the weapons to the regulation or control of only some kind of (offensive and totally destructive) weap¬ons. Disarmament includes everything which has to do something with the limitation, reduction, abolition or control of certain or all armaments through the voluntary agreement of two or more states.

1. According to Morgenthau, “Disarmament is the reduction or elimination of certain or all armaments for the purpose of ending the armament race.”

2. According to V.V. Dyke, “Any regulation or limitation have to do with armed power is treated as a measure of disarmament.”

3. According to Jacob and Atherton, “disarmament seeks to establish conditions that will assure a country that others are neither intending to attack it or capable of doing so, at least in the immediate future. The strategy is to unwind rather then to build up a confrontation of armed forces.”

In its absolute sense, disarmament requires the global destruction of weapons and the dis-establishment of all armed forces. General disarmament means a kind of disarmament in which all the nations participate whereas local disarmament means disarmament by a limited number of nations.

Need and Necessity of Disarmament:
Disarmament is needed due to following reasons:
1. World Peace and Security:
World peace and security is possible only by disarmament. Armaments lead to armament race and armament race leads to war. Arms race can itself be the cause of bloody and costly wars. Disarmament is the most effective means or preventing war and maintaining peace.

2. Disarmament reduces International Tension:
Disarmament reduces international tensions whereas arms race increases international tensions and international tensions encourage war. Disarmament can certainly check the growing war hysteria in international relations.

3. Reduces the Destructiveness of War: Disarmament is needed as it reduces the sufferings and destructiveness of war.

4. Helpful in Economic Development:
Disarmament is needed because it is very helpful in economic development. By disarmament states can save a very large amount of funds and that money can be used for the welfare and economic development of the people of the states. In the timeless dilemma of choosing between ‘guns and butter’, the advocates of arms reduction opt for the latter. It is argued that even if a small portion of millions of dollars now spent on armament everyday is transferred to economic development the world would be entirely different.

5. Helpful in ending Colonialism and Imperialism:
Armaments encouraged Imperialism and Colonialism because states having big stocks of arms used arms for expanding their territories. Hence disarmament is very helpful in ending Colonialism and Imperialism.

6. Moral Reasons:
Disarmament is needed for moral reasons also. Philosophically most solid argument is that war is morally wrong and hence armaments as the means of war are also evil. It is always rational and moral to nip the evil in the bud. Thus elimination of war demands the elimination of arms and armament races.

7. Social Reasons:
Disarmament is also needed due to social reasons. Money saved by disarmament can be utilised for solving the problems of poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, housing etc.

Question 4.
What do you understand by the concept of Globalization? Discuss its main features.
Or
What do you mean by Globalization? Explain four features of Globalization in India.
Answer:
In the late 20th century the revolution in the means of communication has changed the world in ‘global village’ by lessening its distances. It has encouraged the emergence of world society. Although the concept of globalisation became popular in the last phase of the 20th century but its background is quite old. The ill effects of the two world wars on the rich nations led them to think about the ways and means of coming out of the economic recession.

To achieve this aim they made full use of the international organisations such as General Agreement on Trade and Tariff, World Trade Organisation, International Monetary Fund and World Bank etc. All these organisations brought the countries of world close to each other. Martin Shaw has observed, “Society has been globalised not because human beings thought or act 1 globally, but because in pursuit of other suit – profit, power communication worldwide connectedness has developed.”

Definition and Meaning of Globalization:
Scholars differ regarding the meaning of globalization. Their views are given below:
1. According to Anthony Giddens, “Globalisation means the intensification of world-wide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings shaped events occurring many miles away and vice-versa.”

2. According to Robertson, “Globalisation is a concept that refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of the consciousness of the world as a whole.”

3. According to Mild and McGrew, “Globalisation refers to a historical process which transforms the spatial organisation of social relations and transactions, generating, transcontinental or inter-regional networks of interaction and the exercise of power.”:

In general we can say that globalisation is a process by which the planet Earth is:
considered to be one single unit where social and economic interaction among the people are based on interdependence. The world is considered to be a global village with global issues and problems likely to be talked with global efforts and co-operation. Globalisation can also be explained as globalisation of world market and to link the economy of all the countries of the world with world market. It is also manifest in the rapid flow of information capital and goods. Different cultures and societies have come face to face with each other.

It has created global electronic communications. Observing the impact of globalization Martin Shaw said, “With the development of global relations, the understanding of human relations in common world wide frame comes to predominate over other, more partial understanding.”

Thus, globalization is a step towards one world, one state and to strengthen the world peace. It is a step towards socio-economic, scientific and technological development of the whole mankind. It has made easier to solve the world problems.

Features of Globalization: Globalization is a multi-dimensional phenomenon-
It’s features are as given below:
1. Global Economy:
Global economy is the most important feature of globalization. In the process of globalization, it has been observed that national economies have been integrated into global economy. Trade has come out of national boundaries. Global economy promotes international harmony.

2. Expansion of Industrialisation and MNC’s:
Expansion of industrialisation is another feature of globalisation. Globalisation has increased the value of multi-national business organisations. The output of multi-national corporations is more than a state corporation, that’s why now MNC’s dominate the world market. The notable examples of MNC’s are General Motors and Ford in the automotive industry. ESSO, Shelt and B.P. in Oil industry, McDonald’s fast food-chain AT & T, and International News Corporation in the communication sector.

3. World Wide Institutions:
Establishment of world wide institutions is one of the features of globalisation. Globalisation has brought the countries of the world close to each other. These countries have formed institutions those have global appeal and those work to resolve global problems such as U.N.O. It is an international system of states and they are committed to the cause of universal welfare and upliftment. U.N.O. tries to fight against natural calamities as well as man-made problems.

4. Global Movements:
Global movements is the another feature of globalisation. The members of the global village have come out of their national boundries and fences and started thinking about welfare in broader terms including national and international concern. Women’s liberation movement has been launched on global level. Various other global movements have been launched to eradicate economic inequality, environment problems and armaments.

5. Competitive Economy:
Competitive economy is another important aspect of globalisation. The developing countries are trying to compete with the developed countries. The developed countries are trying to advance and strengthen their economy more and more and developing countries are trying to improve their performance, products and industries to compete with the industry of developed countries.

6. World Trade Organisation:
The emergence of WTO is another feature of globalisation. WTO is an indication of globalisation process. Martin Shaw observes that although, “The WTO remains dominated by the west and is partly a forum for resolving intra-western economic differences, it is now more or less universally accepted as the frame work for regulating trade, as China’s admission in 1999 recognised.”

7. The declining relevance of geographical distance and the insignificance of territorial boundries is the feature of globalisation.

8. International Law for the security of international peace and to resolve trade problems is another important aspect of globalisation.

9. Increase of Foreign Investment in countries is another feature of the process of globalisation.

10. Technological Innovations is another feature of globalisation.

11. Information Revolution is an important aspect of globalisation. Information technology has brought countries closer.

Thus, the process of globalisation has changed the world scenario. It has brought nations closer to each other and has formed world wide society.

Question 5.
What do you mean by Globalisation? Why India adopted the policy of Globalisation?
Answer:
Meaning of Globalisation:
In the late 20th century the revolution in the means of communication has changed the world in ‘global village’ by lessening its distances. It has encouraged the emergence of world society. Although the concept of globalisation became popular in the last phase of the 20th century but its background is quite old. The ill effects of the two world wars on the rich nations led them to think about the ways and means of coming out of the economic recession.

2. According to Robertson, “Globalisation is a concept that refers to the compression of the world and the intensification of the consciousness of the world as a whole.”

It has created global electronic communications. Observing the impact of globalisation Martin Shaw said, “With the development of global relations, the understanding of human relations in common world wide frame comes to predominate over other, more partial understanding.”

Thus, globalisation is a step towards one world, one state and to strengthen the world peace. It is a step towards socio-economic, scientific and technological development of the whole mankind. It has made easier to solve the world problems.

Features of Globalization: Globalization is a multi-dimensional phenomenon-
It’s features are as given below:
1. Global Economy:
Global economy is the most important feature of globalisation. In the process of globalisation, it has been observed that national economies have been integrated into global economy. Trade has come out of national boundaries. Global economy promotes international harmony.

7. The declining relevance of geographical distance and the insignificance of territorial boundries is the feature of globalisation.

8. International Law for the security of international peace and to resolve trade problems is another important aspect of globalisation.

9. Increase of Foreign Investment in countries is another feature of the process of globalisation.

10. Technological Innovations is another feature of globalisation.

11. Information Revolution is an important aspect of globalisation. Information technology has brought countries closer.

Thus, the process of globalisation has changed the world scenario. It has brought nations closer to each other and has formed world wide society.

Why India Adopted the Policy of Globalisation:
Following are the factors responsible for India’s globalisation policy:

India’s economy will become competitive due to globalisation policy.
Foreign Wealth and technique both will be imported in India due to globalisation and this will be helpful for the development of India.
The policy of globalisation will encourage a good competition in production and consumers will get better quality of production.
With the globalisation process Indian economy will automatically link with the world economy and it will be beneficial for Indian economy.
Industrial development will take place due to globalisation.
Globalisation will create more employment.

Question 6.
What do you mean by Globalisation? Discuss the demerits of policy of Globalisation adopted by India.
Answer:
Meaning of Globalisation:
In the late 20th century the revolution in the means of communication has changed the world in ‘global village’ by lessening its distances. It has encouraged the emergence of world society. Although the concept of globalisation became popular in the last phase of the 20th century but its background is quite old. The ill effects of the two world wars on the rich nations led them to think about the ways and means of coming out of the economic recession.