NCERT 7th Class CBSE SST: New Kings and Kingdoms

Question: Why the Chahamanas may have wanted to expand their territories? Who was the famous Chauhan ruler who defeated Sultan Ghori?

Answer: Chahamanas, or Chauhans dynasty ruled over the region around Delhi and Ajmer in 12th century. Being centrally located, they attempted to expand their control to the west and the east, where they were opposed by the Chalukyas of Gujarat and the Gahadavalas of western Uttar Pradesh.
The best-known Chahamana ruler was Prithviraja III (1168-1192), who defeated an Afghan ruler named Sultan Muhammad Ghori in 1191, but lost to him the very next year, in 1192.

Question: How did the Cholas rise to power?

Answer: A minor chiefly family known as the Muttaraiyar held power in the Kaveri delta. They were subordinate to the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. Vijayalaya, who belonged to the ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the delta from the Muttaraiyar in the middle of the ninth century. The successors of Vijayalaya conquered neighbouring regions and the kingdom grew in size and power. Rajaraja I and Rajendra I were the most powerful Chola leaders.

Question: Who built the town of Thanjavur and its famous goddess temple?

Answer: Vijayalaya built the town of Thanjavur and a temple for goddess Nishumbhasudini there.

Question: Name the territories annexed by Chola kings to expand their kingdom.

Answer: The Pandyan and the Pallava territories in south India, Ganga valley Sri Lanka, Lakshdweep, Countries of Southeast Asia (e.g. Sumatra)

Question: Name the two big temples built by Chola kings.

Answer: The big temples of Thanjavur and ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’, built by Rajaraja and Rajendra, are architectural and sculptural marvels.

Question: How did the city and temple get name its name ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’?

Answer: After defeating Pala kings, Chola king Rajendra I brought Ganga water from Ganga valley to sanctify tank of his royal temple. The temple and the city got its name as ‘Gangaikonda cholapuram’ i.e. the city of the Chola that seized the River Ganga.