BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Lesson Plan Subject History. Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings No of Periods: 9

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1 Class XII C Month - May Chapter-4 BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Lesson Plan Subject History Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings No of Periods: 9 TTT- 6 Prds WT: 3Prds Chapter 4 Learning Objectives Resources Activities Class Work Written Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings 1. A Glimpse of Sanchi 2. The Background: Sacrifices and Debates 3. Beyond Worldly Pleasures 4. The Buddha and the Quest for Enlightenment 5. The Teachings of the Buddha 6. Followers of the Buddha 7. Stupas 8. Discovering Stupas 9. Sculpture 10. New Religious Traditions 11. Can We see Everything Discuss the major religious developments in early India. Introduce strategies of visual analysis and their use in reconstructing histories of religion. NCERT Text Book Extra marks smart class, Mind Map, SLM. Topic wise question and Answer Internet research/videos and images from the internet. Study Material Map work. 1. "The Begums of Bhopal played a significant role in preserving the remains of Stupa at Sanchi." Support this statement with suitable evidence. (Prd2) 2. The principle of ahimsa and renunciation emphasized by Jainism has left its mark. Support the statement with Lord Mahavira s messages. (prd4) 3. Buddha laid stress on right conduct and values. In the light of the above message, explain his teachings on life.(prd 5) 4. Discuss how and why were Stupas built? (Prd7) 5. Critically examine why Sanchi survived while Amaravati did not? (Prd 8)

2 6. Many people who turned to Buddhism enriched it with their own pre-buddhist and even non-buddhist beliefs, practices and ideas. Explain by giving examples from the sculptures at Sanchi. (Prd9) Homework Assessment Period wise plan Period 1&2 1. Describe the growth of temple architecture in the early Indian period. 2. Describe the problems faced by scholars in knowing what has been expressed in architecture, sculpture and paintings. How were they solved? Class Test 1. A Glimpse of Sanchi The rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan Begum and her Successor Sultan Jehan Begum, provided money for the preservation of the ancient site. John Marshall dedicated his important volumes on Sanchi to Sultan Jehan. She funded the museum that was built there as well as the guesthouse where he lived and wrote the volumes. 2. The Background: Sacrifices and Debates The mid-first millennium BCE is often regarded as a turning point in world history: This period saw the emergence of thinkers such as Zarathustra in Iran, Kong Zi in China, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle in Greece, and Mahavira and Gautama Buddha, among many others, in India. They tried to understand the mysteries of existence and the relationship between human beings and the cosmic order. This was also the time when new kingdoms and cities were developing and social and economic life was changing in a variety of ways in the Ganga valley 2.1 The sacrificial traditions (Vedic sacrifices) The Rig-Veda consists of hymns in praise of a variety of deities, especially Agni, Indra and Soma. More elaborate sacrifices, such as the Rajasuya and Ashvamedha, were performed by chiefs and kings who depended on Brahmana priests to conduct the ritual. 2.2 New questions in the early period people were curious about the meaning of life, the possibility of life after death and rebirth Thinkers were concerned about the nature of the ultimate reality. People also began speculating on the significance of the sacrificial tradition.

3 Period Debates and Discussions Teachers travelled from place to place, trying to convince one another as well as laypersons, about the validity of their philosophy or the way they understood the world. Debates took place in the kutagarashala literally, a hut with a pointed roof. Pg How Buddhist texts were prepared and preserved After Buddha s teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of elders or senior monks at Vesali. These compilations were known as Tipitaka literally, three baskets to hold different types of texts. The Vinaya Pitaka included rules and regulations for those who joined the sangha or monastic order; the Buddha s teachings were included in the Sutta Pitaka; and the Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with philosophical matters. 3. The Message of Mahavira The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated: even stones, rocks and water have life. Non-injury to living beings, especially to humans, animals, plants and insects, is central to Jaina philosophy. In fact the principle of ahimsa, emphasized within Jainism, has left its mark on Indian thinking as a whole. According to Jaina teachings, the cycle of birth and rebirth is shaped through karma. Asceticism and penance are required to free oneself from the cycle of karma. This can be achieved only by renouncing the world. Rules for Jain Monks Jain monks and nuns took five vows such as to abstain from killing. To abstain from Stealing To abstain from Lying To observe celibacy To abstain from possessing property. 3.1 The Spread of Jainism The teachings of Mahavira were recorded by his disciples. These were often in the form of stories, which could appeal to ordinary people. Jaina scholars produced a wealth of literature in a variety of languages such as Prakrit, Sanskrit and Tamil. For many centuries, manuscripts of these texts were carefully preserved in libraries attached to temples. Gradually, Jainism spread to many parts of India such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Some of the earliest stone sculptures associated with religious traditions were produced by devotees of the Jaina tirthankaras, and have been recovered from several sites

4 throughout the subcontinent. Pg Period 4 4. The Buddha and the Quest for Enlightenment Buddhism grew rapidly both during the lifetime of the Buddha and after his death, as it appealed to many people dissatisfied with existing religious practices. Buddha s messages metta (fellow feeling) and karuna (compassion) spread across the subcontinent and beyond through Central Asia to China, Korea and Japan, and through Sri Lanka, across the seas to Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia. Historians have also tried to reconstruct details of his life from hagiographies. 5. The Teachings of the Buddha According to Buddha the world is transient (anicca) and constantly changing; It is also soulless (anatta) as there is nothing permanent or eternal in it. Within this transient world, sorrow (dukkha) is intrinsic to human existence. It is by following the path of moderation between severe penance and self-indulgence that human beings can rise above these worldly troubles. Period 5 6. Followers of the Buddha Buddha founded a sangha, an organisation of monks who too became teachers of dhamma. As they lived on alms, they were known as bhikkhus. The Buddha s foster mother, Mahapajapati Gotami was the first woman to be ordained as a bhikkhuni Once within the sangha, all were regarded as equal, having shed their earlier social identities on becoming bhikkhus and bhikkhunis. Pg Stupas There were places that were regarded as sacred. This was because relics of the Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used by him were buried there. These were mounds known as stupas. 7.1 How were stupas built Inscriptions found on the railings and pillars of stupas record donations made for building and decorating them. Some donations were made by kings, others were made by guilds, hundreds of women and bhikkhus and bhikkhunis 7.2 The structure of the stupa The stupa originated as a simple semi-circular mound of earth, later called anda. Gradually, it evolved into a more

5 Period 6 Period 7 complex structure, balancing round and squareshapes. Above the anda was the harmika, a balcony like structure that represented the abode of the gods. Arising from the harmika was a mast called the yashti, often surmounted by a chhatri or umbrella. Around the mound was a railing, separating the sacred space from the secular world. Pg Discovering Stupas The Fate of Amaravati and Sanchi In 1854, Walter Elliot, the commissioner of Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), visited Amaravati and collected several sculpture panels and took them away to Madras. (These came to be called the Elliot marbles after him.) Archaeologist named H.H. Cole felt saddened by the fact that the stupa at Amravati had be looted and ravaged by the Europeans. Why did Sanchi survive while Amaravati did not? Amaravati was discovered before scholars understood the value of the finds and realised how critical it was to preserve things where they had been found instead of removing them from the site 9. Sculpture Stories in stone Symbols of worship Popular traditions Pg New Religious Traditions 10.1 The development of Mahayana Buddhism Hinayana or Theravada? Supporters of Mahayana regarded other Buddhists as followers of Hinayana. However, followers of the older tradition described themselves as theravadins,that is, those who followed the path of old, respected teachers, the theras The growth of Puranic Hinduism In Hinduism different traditions evolved.these included Vaishnavism (a form of Hinduism within which Vishnu was worshipped as the principal deity) and Shaivism (a tradition within which Shiva was regarded as the chief god) In the case of Vaishnavism, cults developed around the various avatars or incarnations of the deity. Some of these forms were represented in sculptures. Much of what is contained in the Puranas evolved through interaction amongst people priests, merchants, and ordinary men and women who travelled from place to place sharing ideas and beliefs Building temples The early temple was a small square room, called the

6 garbhagriha, with a single doorway for the worshipper to enter and offer worship to the image. Gradually, a tall structure, known as the shikhara, was built over the central shrine. Temple walls were often decorated with sculpture. Later temples became far more elaborate with assembly halls, huge walls and gateways, and arrangements for supplying water. One of the unique features of early temples was that some of these were hollowed out of huge rocks, as artificial caves. Period Can we see Everything 11.1 Grappling with the unfamiliar These early scholars tried to make sense of what appeared to be strange images by comparing them with sculpture with which they were familiar, that from ancient Greece In effect, these scholars adopted a strategy we all frequently use devising yardsticks derived from the familiar to make sense of the unfamiliar If text and image do not match Art historians often draw upon textual traditions to understand the meaning of sculptures. While this is certainly a far more efficacious strategy than comparing Indian images with Greek statues, it is not always easy to use. Map Work/ Extra Marks 109 Pg.107- Period 9 Class Test

7 BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Lesson plan Subject History Class XII C Month May Chapter-5 Through the Eyes of Travellers No of Periods: 7 TTT- 5 Prds WT:2 Prds Chapter-5 Learning Objectives Resources Through The Eyes of Travellers 1. Al-Biruni and the Kitab UL 2. Ibn Battuta s Rihla 3. Francoise Bernier 4. Making Sense of an Alien World 5. Ibn Battuta and the Excitement of the Unfamiliar 6. Bernier and the degenerate East 7. Women: Slaves Sati and Labourers Familiarise the learner with the salient features of social histories described by the travellers. Discuss how travellers accounts can be used as sources of social history. NCERT Text Book Extra marks smart class, Mind Map, SLM. Topic wise question and Answer Internet research/videos and images from the internet. Activities - Class Work Written 1. Write a note on Kitab-Ul-Hind. 2. Do you think Ibn Battuta s account is useful in arriving at an understanding of life in contemporary urban centres? Give reason for your answer. 3. Discuss Al Biruni s understanding the caste system. 4. According to Bernier, The condition of the Indian peasants was very deplorable. Explain. How did Bernier s account influence the western theories from the 18 th century? Give arguments to support your answer. 5. Analyze the evidence of slavery provided by Ibn Battuta. 6. According to Bernier, crown ownership of land had

8 disastrous consequences for the state and the society. Justify the statement Home Work Passage based Questions I. The Poor Peasant (Source 11, Page 131) a) Why did the peasantry abandon their land? b) Explain the reasons given by Bernier for the exploitation of peasants. c) How did his observations influence thinkers in Europe? Explain. II. On horse and On Foot Source 10, Page 129) a) Describe the two kinds of postal system. b) Give an example to show that the postal system of that period was a unique system of communication. c) Do you think that the postal system could have operated throughout the sub-continent? Explain. III. Nuts like a Man s head (Source6, Page 126) a) Explain the use of coconut. b) Explain the difference between coconut and Palm tree. c) How has the coconut been described as similar to man s head? Assessment Period wise plan Period 1 Period 2 Class Test 1. Al-Biruni and the Kitab-ul-Hind 1.1 From Khwarizm to the Punjab Al-Biruni was born in 973, in Khwarizm in present day Uzbekistan. It was in Ghazni that Al-Biruni developed an interest in India. This was not unusual. Sanskrit works on astronomy, mathematics and medicine had been translated into Arabic from the eighth century onwards. Al-Biruni spent years in the company of Brahmana priests and scholars, learning Sanskrit, and studying religious and philosophical texts. 1.2 The Kitab-ul-Hind Al-Biruni s Kitab-ul-Hind, was written in Arabic. Al-Biruni adopted a distinctive structure in each chapter, beginning with a question, following this up with a description based on Sanskritic traditions, and concluding with a comparison with other cultures. Pg Ibn Battuta s Rihla 2.1 An Early Globe Trotter Ibn Battuta s book of travels, called Rihla, written in Arabic, provides extremely rich and interesting details

9 Period 3 about the social and cultural life in the subcontinent in the fourteenth century. Ibn Battuta considered experience gained through travels to be a more important source of knowledge than books 2.2 The enjoyment of curiosities Ibn Battuta was an inveterate traveller who spent several years travelling through North Africa, West Asia and parts of Central Asia the Indian subcontinent and China, before returning to his native land, Morocco. 3. Francois Bernier A Doctor with a Difference François Bernier, a Frenchman, was a doctor, political philosopher and historian. He was in India for twelve years, from 1656 to 1668, and was closely associated with the Mughal court, as a physician to Prince Dara Shikoh, court. 3.1 Comparing East and West Bernier travelled to several parts of the country, and wrote accounts of what he saw, frequently comparing what he saw in India with the situation in Europe. In virtually every instance Bernier described what he saw in India as a bleak situation in comparison to developments in Europe. This assessment was not always accurate. However, when his works were published, Bernier s writings became extremely popular. Pg Making Sense of an Alien World 4.1 Overcoming barriers to understanding Language Difference in religious beliefs and practices. insularity of the local population 4.2 Al-Biruni s description of the caste system Al-Biruni tried to explain the caste system by looking for parallels in other societies. He attempted to suggest that social divisions were not unique to India. He remarked that everything which falls into a state of impurity strives and succeeds in regaining its original condition of purity. The sun cleanses the air, and the 5. Ibn Battuta and the Excitement of the Unfamiliar 5.1 The Coconut and the Paan 5.2 Ibn Battuta and Indian Cities Ibn Battuta found cities in the subcontinent full of exciting opportunities for those who had the necessary drive, resources and skills. They were densely populated and prosperous, except for the occasional disruptions caused by wars and invasions. It appears from Ibn Battuta s account that most cities had crowded streets and bright and

10 Period 4 Period 5 colourful markets that were stacked with a wide variety of goods. Ibn Battuta described Delhi as a vast city, with a great population, the largest in India. The bazaars were not only places of economic transactions, but also the hub of social and cultural activities. Pg A unique system of Communication 6. The state evidently took special measures to encourage merchants. 7. Almost all trade routes were well supplied with inns and guest houses. 8. Ibn Battuta was also amazed by the efficiency of the postal system which allowed merchants to not only send information and remit credit across long distances, but also to dispatch goods required at short notice. 9. The postal system was so efficient that while it took fifty days to reach Delhi from Sind, the news reports of spies would reach the Sultan through the postal system in just five days. 10. Bernier and the Degenerate East François Bernier was more preoccupied with comparing and contrasting what he saw in India with the situation in Europe in general and France in particular. Bernier s Travels in the Mughal Empire is marked by detailed observations, critical insights and reflection. His account contains discussions trying to place the history of the Mughals within some sort of a universal framework. He constantly compared Mughal India with contemporary Europe, generally emphasizing the superiority of the latter 10.1 The question of Landownership According to Bernier, one of the fundamental differences between Mughal India and Europe was the lack of private property in land in the former. He was a firm believer in the virtues of private property, and saw crown ownership of land as being harmful for both the state and its people Owing to crown ownership of land, argued Bernier, landholders could not pass on their land to their children. So they were averse to any long-term investment. Curiously, none of the Mughal official documents suggest that the state was the sole owner of land. Pg A more complex social reality Bernier felt that artisans had no incentive to improve the quality of their manufactures, since profits were appropriated by the state.

11 He conceded that vast quantities of the world s precious metals flowed into India, as manufactures were exported in exchange for gold and silver. He also noticed the existence of a prosperous merchant community, engaged in long-distance exchange. Merchants often had strong community or kin ties, and were organized into their own caste-cum occupational bodies 7. Women: Slaves, Sati and Labourers Slaves were openly sold in markets, like any other commodity, and were regularly exchanged as gifts. Some female slaves in the service of the Sultan were experts in music and dance. Slaves were generally used for domestic labour, and Ibn Battuta found their services particularly indispensable for carrying women and men on palanquins or dola. Bernier chose the practice of sati for detailed description. He noted that while some women seemed to embrace death cheerfully, others were forced to die. Pg Period 6 Period 7 Extra Marks SLM/QA/Source Based Questions Class Test

12 Class XII Month July, 2016 Chapter-6 Bhakti-Sufi Tradition TTT- 5Prds BLOOM PUBLIC SCHOOL Vasant Kunj, New Delhi Lesson plan Subject History No of Periods: 8 WT: 2 Prds Chapter-6 Learning Objectives Resources Bhakti-Sufi Tradition Broad Overview: (a) Outline of religious developments during this period. (b) Ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints. Story of Transmission: How Bhakti-Sufi compositions have been preserved. Excerpt: Extracts from selected Bhakti Sufi works. Discussion: Ways in which these have been interpreted by historians Familiarize the learner with religious developments. Discuss ways of analyzing devotional literature as sources of history. NCERT Text Book Extra marks smart class, Mind Map, SLM. Topic wise question and Answer Internet research. Activities - Assignment 1. Explain with examples what historians mean by integration of cults? 2. Describe the relationship between the Alvars and Nayanars and the state? 3. Who were Lingayats and what were their ideologies? 4. Describe the life in a Chishti Khanqah. 5. Describe the relationship between the Sufis and the state. 6. Describe the major teaching of Kabir and the ways in which they have been transmitted. Home Work Assessment Period wise plan 1. Write a note on Mirabai. 2. What were the main teachings of Baba Guru Nanak? How were they transmitted Class Test

13 Period 1 Period 2 1. A Mosaic of Religious Beliefs and Practices 1.1 The integration of cults There were at least two processes at work. Process of disseminating Brahmanical ideas. And that of the Brahmanas accepting and reworking the beliefs and practices of these and other social categories One of the most striking examples of this process is evident at Puri, Orissa, where the principal deitywas identified, by the twelfth century, as Jagannatha(literally, the lord of the world), a form of Vishnu Worship of thegoddess, often simply in the form of a stone smearedwith ochre, was evidently widespread 1.2 Difference and conflict The divergence is most stark if we compare Vedic and Puranic traditions. The principal deities of the Vedic pantheon, Agni, Indra and Soma, become marginal figures, while there s a mention of Vishnu, Shiva and the goddess in Vedic mantras, these have little in common with the elaborate Puranic mythologies Those who valued the Vedic tradition often condemned practices that went beyond the closelyregulated contact with the divine through the performance of sacrifices. 2.Poems of Prayers 2.1 The Alvars and Nayanars of Tamil Nadu Some of the earliest bhakti movements (c. sixth century) were led by the Alvars (literally, those who are immersed in devotion to Vishnu) and Nayanars(literally, leaders who were devotees of Shiva). They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil in praise of their gods. 2.2 Attitudes towards caste Alvars andnayanars initiated a movement of protest against the caste system and the dominance of Brahmana or at least attempted to reform the system. 2.3 Women devotees The compositions of Andal, a woman Alvar, were widely sung Andalsaw herself as the beloved of Vishnu. Another woman, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a devotee of Shiva, adopted the path of extreme asceticism in order to attain her goal. 2.4 Relations with the state Both Nayanars and Alvars were revered by thevellala peasants. The Chola kings claimed divine support and proclaimed their own power and status by building splendid temples to recreate the visions of these popular saints who sang in the language of the people.

14 These kings also introduced the singing of Tamil Shaiva hymns in the temples under royal patronage. Period 3 Period 4 3.The Virashaiva Tradition in Karnataka The twelfth century witnessed the emergence of a new movement in Karnataka, led by a Brahmana named Basavanna ( ) His followers were known as Virashaivas (heroes of Shiva) or Lingayats (wearers of the linga The Lingayats challenged the idea of caste and the pollution attributed to certain groups by Brahmanas. They also questioned the theory of rebirth. 4.Religious Ferment in North India Several Rajput states emerged. In most of these states Brahmanas occupied positions of importance, performing a range of secular and ritual functions. At the same time other religious leaders, like the Naths, Jogis and Siddhas were gaining importance. Many of them came from artisanal groups. 5. New Strands in the Fabric Islamic Traditions 5.1 Faiths of rulers and Subjects 5.2 The popular practice of Islam. 5.3 Names for communities 6. The growth of Sufism 6.1 Khanqahs and silsilas By the eleventh century Sufism evolved into a well developed movement with a body of literature on Quranic studies and sufi practices. Institutionally, the sufis began to organise communities around the hospice or khanqah (Persian) controlled by a teaching master known as shaikh (in Arabic), pir or murshid (in Persian). He enrolled disciples (murids) and appointed a successor (khalifa). When the shaikh died, his tomb-shrine (dargah, apersian term meaning court) became the centre ofdevotion for his followers. This encouraged the practiceof pilgrimage or ziyarat to his grave, particularly onhis death anniversary or urs. 6.2 Outside the Khanqahs 7. The Chisthi in the subcontinent Period Life in the Chisthi khanqah 7.2 Chithi devotionalism The khanqah was the centre of social life. Shaikh Nizamuddin s Hospice comprised several rooms and a big hall (jama at khana) There was an open kitchen (langar), run on futuh((unasked

15 charity) Pilgrimage, called ziyarat, to tombs of sufi saints is prevalent all over the Muslim world for seeking the sufi s spiritual grace (barakat). For more than seven centuries people of various creeds, classes and social backgrounds have expressed their devotion at the dargahs of KhwajaMuinuddin, popularly known as GharibNawaz (comforter of the poor). In 1568 Mughal emperor Akbar offered a hugecauldron (degh) to facilitate cooking for pilgrims.he also had a mosque constructed within thecompound of the dargah. ziyarat also uses the music and dance including mystical chants performed by musicians or qawwals to evoke divine ecstasy. The sufis remember God either by recitingthe zikr (the Divine Names) or evoking His Presencethrough sama (literally, audition ) or performanceof mystical music. Period 6 Period 7 Period Languages and communication In Delhi, those associated with the Chishti silsila conversed in Hindavi, the language of the people. Sufis such as Baba Farid composed verses in the local language, which were incorporated in the Guru Granth Sahib. Others composed long poems or masnavis to express ideas of divine love using human love as an allegory. A different genre of sufi poetry was composed in Dakhani (a variant of Urdu. Other compositions were in the form of lurinama or lullabies and shadinama or wedding songs. 7.4 Sufis and the state The sufis accepted unsolicited grants and donations from the political elites. The Sultans in turn set up charitable trusts (auqaf) as endowments for hospices and granted taxfree land (inam). Kings did not simply need to demonstrate their association with sufis; they also required legitimationfrom them. However, there were instances of conflict between the Sultans and the sufis. To assert their authority, both expected that certain rituals be performed such as prostration and kissing of the feet. 8 New Devotional Paths 8.1Weaving a divine fabric: Kabir 8.2 Baba Guru Nanak and the Sacred Word 8.3 Mirabai, the devotee princess Discussion of Question Answers from the book and Extra Marks Class Test