WordPress.com



1) Indian ancient architecture is much more than what they are. Whatteachings can one draw from India’s ancient inscriptions and temples inconserving water and fighting droughts today? Examine. (10 marks)Our ancient temple architecture act as a source of documentation of socio economicconditions of that period. Through this, we can also draw the inscription on waterconservation and drought management procedures during that period.Ancient inscriptions on Water conservation and drought management:1.Tamilnadu area irrigated with Cauvery and Tamirabarani delta, as the Cauverydelta is much more fertile and larger with tributaries but the number of droughtrelated inscriptions more can be found in Tamirabarani area.2. Temple inscriptions were always documents connected with the sale, transferand maintenance of irrigated lands.3. The local residents were always duty bound to conserve and protect the water.4. During the Pandyan empire, the maintaince of irrigation was completely by thelocals.5. Maintainence of the tanks through desilting, enlargement, building andmaintaininf of new canals was a continuous and consistent process. Maintainencecost provided by giving fishing rights to that area, and also profits shifted toconstruct new canals and tanks.6. In sirvipulthur area inscription states that every abled man should participate inthe conservation process.7. Inscriptions also states that, how the land can be reclaimed after disasters andget concessions from land and water taxes.Finally, conserving water is emotionally connected to them, for the ancient peoplewater is not a right it’s the responsibility and community participation is high for theseprocess, as the conservation of water is not the responsibility of king the primaryresponsibility is the local people.Q.2) No other country was born perhaps in as difficult conditions as India when it got independence. What challenges do you think India faced as an infant democracy? How far, in your opinion, has India met these challenges? (10 marks)India was born in difficult circumstances – as with freedom came:a. Partition of the country based on two nation theory which our freedom fighters didnot believe inb. Communal violence and division of country into communal pocketsc. Displacement of millions of peopleChallenges Building a United Country: India was geographically vast, linguistically andculturally diverse, religiously divided at that time. Seeds of nationalism, which hadbeen sown during the struggle period, had to be nurtured into a plant. This would mean:a. Integration of princely states, andb. Integration of tribal areas into a nation,c. Reorganizing states on the basis of linguistic and regional aspirations, andd. Creating a link language for the entire nation Establishment of democracy:Adopting a democracy does not mean establishment of democratic way of life in thesocial, economic and political space. This would requirea. Building democratic Institutionsb. Inculcating democratic values in people and institutionsc. Accommodating diverse views in political mainstream Inclusive development and wellbeing of all:India after independence suffered froma. widespread poverty,b. unequal development between Presidency towns and rural Indiac. Hunger andd. Food shortageDid we meet the challenges? Maintaining Unity and Integrity:India has survived as a nation despite diverse challenges such as over twenty- fiveyears long proxy war from across the borders and terrorism-related challenges ondomestic soil. In the process, India’s secular fabric and unity in diversity haveremained intact. Indian Constitution:One of the mightiest tasks achieved by new India was its Constitution, embodyingthe basic principles for which we had long struggled, the aspirations of the peopleand provided the institutional framework for the political life of modern India. Wehave been able to inculcate Constitutional values in public life. Establishment of democracy:India has remained on the path of democracy. It is evident in the institution ofElection Commission and conduct of free and fair elections – which are festivals ofdemocracy- both at national and state level which enables smooth powertransmission. Protecting the rights of minorities and other marginalized groups:The Indian political class and judiciary has ensured protection of the minorities,preserving their culture and heritage in distinct ways. Welfare of all:Inclusive development continues to be the goal of the government with publicexpenditure on welfare schemes being among the highest in the world Whilechallenges of nation building remain – as nation building is an ongoing process,but we have developed institutional strength necessary for a modern state:a. democracy,b. independent judiciary,c. limits on arbitrary state action,d. high quality varsities ande. technical institutes3) Gupta period is often called the Golden Age of ancient India. Examine( 15marks)Answer:Prosperity in the Gupta Empire initiated a period known as the Golden Age of India,marked by extensive inventions and discoveries in science, technology, engineering,art, dialectic, literature, logic, mathematics, astronomy, religion, and philosophy.1. Chandragupta II promoted the synthesis of science, art, philosophy, and religionbecause his court contained the Navartna, or the Nine Jewels who producedadvancements in many academic fields.2.Astronomy:Aryabhata envisioned the concept of zero, as well as working on theapproximation for the long-form number Pi. Aryabhata is also believed to be the firstof the Indian mathematician-astronomers who postulated the theory that the Earthmoves round the Sun and is not flat, but instead is round and rotates on its own axis.3. Math: Varahamihira was an astronomer, astrologer, and mathematician, whosemain work is a treatise on mathematical astronomy.4. Medicine:Sushruta wrote the Samhita, a Sanskrit text on all of the majorconcepts of ayurvedic medicine, with innovative chapters on surgery.5.Literature: Kalidasa, considered the greatest poet and dramatist of the Sanskritlanguage, also belonged primarily to this period. He wrote plays, such as Shakuntala6. Sex education: Vatsyayana, authored the Kama Sutra, which became astandard work on human sexual behavior,7.Moral education: while Vishnu Sharma is author of the Panchatantra fables, oneof the most widely-translated, non-religious books in history8. This time also produced magnificent architecture, including palaces andtemples, as well as sculptures and paintings. The walls of Buddhist shrines andmonasteries were decorated with colorful frescoes, a type of wall paintings.Nagara style evolved9. Educational Institutions: Nalanda etc10. Gupta Empire became an important cultural center and influenced nearbykingdoms and regions in Burma, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia. Classical forms ofIndian music anddance, created under the Guptas, are still practiced all over Asiatoday.11. Economic prosperity: large number of gold coins and prosperity of secondaryactivies12. Unifed India under single umbrella after Mauryas.Due all this factor The Gupta age is called as golden age. However there wassome limitations:limitationsPolitical rulebased onsuzernaityFeudalism hasjust started.Decline ofwomen statusEran inscription-> tradition ofQ4)What are the aims and objectives of Land Reforms(LR) in Independent India. Also discuss different approaches of land reforms and success and failure of LR.(15 marks)Among the various policy initiatives taken by the government after the indepence the land reforms was the most important one. The Land reform were necessary to ensure that the fruits of independence could reach the commonest sections of population. Aims and Objectives of Land Reforms:Equitable distribution land by imposing land ceilingConsolidation of land holdingsAbolition of intermediariesFixation of tenures and other conditions for the safeguarding the rights of tenant cultivators.Promotion of co-operative farming.Different approaches for Land reforms:Gandhian Approach:Ideology of peaceful voluntary action-> Sarvodaya momentno pressure for force moral persuasionBhudan ?movement and gramdan movement by Acharya Vinoba Bhave2) Marxist approachrevolutionary approach violent methods1967 nakshalbari moment And moaist momentTenant cultivators owners of talent violin classes clashes and Conflicts3) Nationalist approachUsed by government of of India l law ownership rights could be transferred to actual cultivatorConstitution amended agree state subject> Right to property as legal rightSuccess and failure of Land Reforms:Conclusion so land reforms in India is mix basket of success and failures which is still haunting the or agricultural system and rural India .Q.5) Highlight the contribution of Jainism and Buddhism towards thedevelopment of regional languages in India.Jainism and Buddhism developed in response to rigidity of Brahmanical order ofsociety. One of the tools of rigidity of Brahmanical order was the use of language todeprive the lower castes of education & thus, access to scriptures - thus strengthening their dominance by interpreting scriptures & their rituals.Both the religion focused on society that negates the rigidity of Brahmanical order and is inclusive in nature. This required development and use of local languages that can be easily read and understood by masses.Some of the examples of development of local languages can be viewed through theteachings and literatures of Buddhism and Jainism.Buddhism:1. Early Buddhist scriptures were all written in Pali, perhaps the dialect spoken by Gautama Buddha himself.2.Although Pali, thus, acquired an important place in Buddhism, the Buddhist monks and scholars were encouraged to use the dialects and languages of the people whom they were trying to lead to the Buddha Marga.3.Gautama Buddha was a staunch supporter of instruction through mother tongue.He also said that "undue importance should not be attached to the dialect of a particular janapada, i.e., a monk should be accommodating to dialectical variations, and not insist upon the use of a particular word." There was no hesitation to produce early Buddhist Scriptures in the languages or dialects of the people.4The Buddhist Canonical texts like ‘Sutta Pitaka’, ‘Vinaya Pitaka’ and‘AbhidhammaPitaka’ and several others were written in Pali language.Jainism:Development of Sramana Literature which served as a counter to Brahmanical literature. Development of Prakrit Language, as it was the language which was used in teachings of Mahavira as well as in the Jainism Texts Agamas. It is an established fact that the Jainism have enriched various regional languages and especially Hindi, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu.Jains alone utilized the prevailing languages of the different places, besides Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramsha, for their religious propagation as well as for the preservation of knowledge.Thus, a vivid development of local languages with rise of Jainism and Buddhism took place. Further, the emperors and rulers converting to these religions patronized these local languages which led to their further growth.Q.6) Mahatma Gandhi had made Panchayats a part of political programme since Non-cooperation Movement. However, despite the legacy of freedom struggle, not much progress could be made in the local self-government till the 73rd and74th Amendment to the constitution. Discuss.The legacy of freedom struggle and of Gandhi himself, who had made panchayats a part of his political programme since Non-Cooperation Movement of 1920-22 made it imperative that effective local self-governing bodies be set up.MAHATMA GANDHI’S IDEA ON LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT1. He made it very clear that concentration of either economic or political power would violate all the essential principles of participatory democracy.2. To check centralization, he suggested the institution of village republics both as institutions of parallel governance and as units of economic autonomy.3. He believed village is the lowest unit of a decentralized system. It is the basic institution of participatory democracy.LEGACY OF FREEDOM STRUGGLE AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT1. Indian National Congress’ Lahore session in 1909 passed a resolution on the subject and urged the Government of India to take early steps to make all local bodies from village panchayats upwards elective with elected non-official chairman and to support them with adequate financial aid.2. The idea received mass popular support, for the first time, with the entry of Mahatma Gandhi to freedom struggle.3. The Government of India Act of 1919 made Local Self Government a subject of responsibility for the ministry and this gave an impetus to Governments of Local bodies.4. The non-cooperation movement was the first major political attempt in India to politically mobilize the villagers.5. The non-cooperation resolution, moved by Gandhi and passed by the Congress in its Calcutta session (1920), articulated the approach to rural development by promoting ‘hand spinning’ and ‘hand-weaving’.6. The new wave of “back to the villages” movement quickly spread far and wide.Example: Rabindra Nath Tagore set up the Sriniketan Institute of Rural Reconstruction in 1922 with the aim of making the rural population “self-reliant and self-respectful”.7. Congress symbolized its newly acquired rural orientation by holding its annual sessions in villages.PROGRESS DURING POST INDEPENDENCE1. Although the Constitution did not institutionalised the Local Self Government butthe DPSP specifically laid down that the steps to organize village panchayat andendow them to function as unit of self-government (Article 40)2. The first Five Years Plan document stated that, “The Panchayat as an institutionhas not yet become the instrument of village reconstruction and development whichit was intended to be…”3. A 3-tier Panchayat Raj system was established on the basis of the recommendationof Balwant Rai Mehta Committee. Example: Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh.4. The Government of India appointed various Committees - L.M. SinghviCommittee, G.V.K. Rao Committee to review the functioning of Panchayati RajInstitutions to make their working efficient and effective.DESPITE THE LEGACY, NOT MUCH PROGRESS1. State Government often did not hold local elections on time, sometimes manyyears at a time if they feared an unfavourable result.2. Lack of financial resources to be independent and innovative.3. Local leaders dominated panchayats and cornered the benefits.4. PRI did not have compulsory powers of taxation.5. No Regular audit of PRI by any agency.73rd AND 74TH AMENDMENT1. They were passed by Parliament in December, 1992 for institutionalising local selfgovernance in rural and urban India.2. The Local bodies ‘Panchayats’ and ‘Municipalities’ came under Part IX and IXAof the Constitution.3. For the first time in the constitutional history of India, the constitution ofpanchayat, duration of their term, their membership, the constitution offinance commission to review their financial position is detailed.4. They were aimed at strengthening local governments and ensuring an element ofuniformity in their structure and functioning across the country.Therefore, after 43 years of India becoming a republic Local Self-government havebecome as much the part of the structure of the constitution of India as Lok Sabha andRajya Sabha. ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download