Chapter 7: The Making of Regional Cultures
Overview of the Chapter
Understanding the Chapter
This chapter explores the development of regional cultures in medieval India. It discusses how regional identities were formed through language, literature, art, architecture, and traditions, highlighting the contributions of various regions to the cultural diversity of India.
Language and Literature
Emergence of Regional Languages
Development of Regional Languages: With the decline of Sanskrit as a dominant language, various regional languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, and others began to flourish.
Patronage by Rulers: Regional rulers played a crucial role in promoting local languages by patronizing poets and writers.
Important Literary Works
Tamil: The Chola dynasty in Tamil Nadu patronized Tamil literature. Important works include Kamban’s Ramayana and the compositions of the Alvars and Nayanars.
Telugu: The Kakatiya and Vijayanagara rulers supported Telugu literature. Notable works include the writings of poet Srinatha and Tenali Ramakrishna.
Kannada: The Rashtrakutas and Hoysalas patronized Kannada literature. Important works include Pampa’s Adipurana and Ranna’s Gadhayuddha.
Marathi: The Bhakti saints like Namdev and Tukaram contributed significantly to Marathi literature.
Bengali: The Bengali language saw significant growth with the works of Chaitanya and the Vaishnava poets.
Art and Architecture
Regional Architectural Styles
Dravidian Style: Prominent in South India, particularly Tamil Nadu. The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur is a prime example.
Nagara Style: Common in North India. Examples include the temples of Khajuraho built by the Chandela rulers.
Vesara Style: A blend of Dravidian and Nagara styles, seen in the temples of Karnataka like the Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu.
Influence of Regional Kingdoms
Chola Temples: The Cholas built grand temples such as the Brihadeeswarar Temple, which served as centers of religious and cultural activities.
Vijayanagara Empire: Known for its architectural marvels like the Virupaksha Temple in Hampi.
Pala and Sena Dynasties: In Bengal, they constructed Buddhist and Hindu temples and monasteries, contributing to the architectural heritage.
Dance, Music, and Other Art Forms.
Classical Dance Forms
Bharatanatyam: Originated in Tamil Nadu, it is one of the oldest classical dance forms in India.
Kathakali: A classical dancedrama from Kerala known for its elaborate costumes and expressive gestures.
Odissi: A classical dance form from Odisha, characterized by its fluid movements and sculpturesque poses.
Regional Music Traditions
Carnatic Music: A classical music tradition from South India, known for its complex ragas and talas.
Hindustani Music: The classical music tradition of North India, with notable contributions from regions like Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
Traditions and Festivals
Regional Festivals
Pongal: A harvest festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu.
Bihu: The Assamese festival celebrating the harvest.
Durga Puja: A major festival in Bengal dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga.
Onam: The harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated with elaborate feasts and traditional games.
Influence of Religion
Bhakti Movement: Played a significant role in shaping regional cultures by promoting devotion to local deities and saints.
Sufi Traditions: Contributed to the cultural fabric of regions like Punjab, Kashmir, and Bengal through their teachings of love and devotion.
Impact of Regional Cultures
Integration with Mainstream Culture
Cultural Synthesis: Regional cultures contributed to the overall cultural diversity of India by integrating local traditions with mainstream cultural practices.
Preservation of Heritage: The patronage of regional languages, arts, and traditions helped preserve and promote the unique cultural heritage of different regions.
Notable Regional Cultures
The Culture of Bengal
Language and Literature: The development of Bengali literature with the works of poets like Chaitanya and the Vaishnava poets.
Architecture: The influence of the Pala and Sena dynasties in constructing temples and monasteries.
The Culture of Kerala
Dance and Music: The classical dance forms of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam, along with Carnatic music.
Festivals: The celebration of Onam, reflecting the agricultural traditions of the region.
The Culture of Maharashtra
Bhakti Movement: The influence of saints like Namdev, Eknath, and Tukaram on Marathi literature and culture.
Festivals: The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, reflecting the religious and cultural traditions of the region.
Summary of the Chapter
Key Points
The chapter covers the development of regional cultures in medieval India, focusing on language, literature, art, architecture, dance, music, and festivals.
It highlights the contributions of various regions to the cultural diversity of India.
The chapter also discusses the impact of regional cultures on the overall cultural heritage of India.
Additional Information
Key Terms and Concepts
Dravidian Style: A style of temple architecture prominent in South India.
Nagara Style: A style of temple architecture common in North India.
Vesara Style: A blend of Dravidian and Nagara styles seen in Karnataka.
Carnatic Music: Classical music tradition of South India.
Hindustani Music: Classical music tradition of North India.
Bhakti Movement: A devotional movement that emphasized devotion to personal gods and goddesses.
Important Places
Thanjavur: Location of the Brihadeeswarar Temple.
Hampi: Site of the Virupaksha Temple built by the Vijayanagara Empire.
Khajuraho: Known for its temples built by the Chandela rulers.
Kolkata: Major center of Bengali culture and literature.
Notable Personalities
Kamban: Tamil poet who wrote the Ramayana in Tamil.
Tenali Ramakrishna: Renowned Telugu poet and scholar.
Namdev: Bhakti saint who contributed to Marathi literature.
Chaitanya: Bengali saint who promoted Vaishnavism in Bengal.
Basava: Founder of the Lingayat movement in Karnataka.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The decline of Sanskrit as a dominant language and the patronage by regional rulers led to the emergence of regional languages.
Kamban was a Tamil poet who wrote the Ramayana in Tamil.
The Chola dynasty.
A style of temple architecture prominent in South India, characterized by large gopurams (gateway towers) and intricate carvings.
The Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur.
The Alvars were Tamil poetsaints devoted to Vishnu, and the Nayanars were Tamil poetsaints devoted to Shiva.
A style of temple architecture common in North India, characterized by beehiveshaped shikharas (spires).
The temples of Khajuraho built by the Chandela rulers.
A blend of Dravidian and Nagara styles seen in Karnataka.
Tenali Ramakrishna was a renowned Telugu poet and scholar in the court of Krishnadevaraya of the Vijayanagara Empire.
Bhakti saints like Namdev and Tukaram composed devotional songs and poems in Marathi, promoting the language and literature.
The Chaitanya movement promoted Vaishnavism and contributed to the development of Bengali literature and culture.
Carnatic music is a classical music tradition from South India, known for its complex ragas and talas.
Hindustani music is the classical music tradition of North India, with notable contributions from regions like Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form originating from Tamil Nadu, known for its intricate footwork and expressive gestures.
Kathakali is a classical dancedrama from Kerala, characterized by elaborate costumes and expressive gestures.
Odissi is a classical dance form from Odisha, known for its fluid movements and sculpturesque poses.
Pongal.
Bihu is an Assamese festival celebrating the harvest.
Durga Puja.
Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated with elaborate feasts and traditional games.
Basava was the founder of the Lingayat movement in Karnataka, emphasizing devotion to Shiva and rejecting caste distinctions and rituals.
Regional rulers patronized poets and writers, promoting the growth and development of local languages.
Regional cultures integrated local traditions with mainstream practices, enriching India’s cultural heritage.
The Brihadeeswarar Temple, built by the Cholas, is a prime example of Dravidian architecture and a center of religious and cultural activities.
Chapter 7:The Making of Regional Cultures MCQs
1. Which style of temple architecture is prominent in South India?
2. Who was Kamban?
3. Which dynasty is known for promoting Tamil literature and architecture in South India?
4. What is the Nagara style of architecture characterized by?
5. The temples of Khajuraho were built by which rulers?
6. What is the Vesara style of architecture?
7. Who was Tenali Ramakrishna?
8. Which Bhakti saint contributed significantly to Marathi literature?
9. What is Carnatic music known for?
10. What is Kathakali?
11. Which festival in Tamil Nadu is a major harvest celebration?
12. Who was Basava?
Access comprehensive short notes for all chapters of the Class 7 History NCERT book ‘Our Pasts-II,’ designed to help CBSE students excel. View the complete notes here.
