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History 135 UNC-CH
History of Southern India up to 1750AD Important Terms
64
History
Undergraduate 1
04/30/2012

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Term

William Jones

 

Definition

1746-94

an adminstrator-sholar who studied Sanskrit and established a common Indo-European heritage

Term

The Vedas

 

Definition
The sacrificial literature comprising the rig, smama, yajur, artharva Vedas- each of which has samhita (recensions), Brahmana (commentaries, Arayaka (forest text) and upanisad (philosophical discourses)
Term

Rig Veda

 

Definition
The oldest of the vedic texts, dated to c.1200 BCE by Max Muller. Contains 1028 hymns
Term
Aryan
Definition
Anglicized term originally used to describe the language spoke by the vedic people, later was (incorrectly) applied to the people themselves
Term
Yajna
Definition
The sacrifice. The main ritual of the Vedic people
Term

Purusha Sukhta

Definition

Hymn in the Rig Veda. 

Describes the sacrifice of the primordial man and his divison into the 4 Yarnas:

1. Brahmin (priests)

2. Kshatriya (warriors)

3. Vaishya (agrifulturalist/traders)

4. Shudra (labourers)

Term
Varna
Definition

Literally 'colour'

Referring to largest 'castes' or classes as they emerge in early historic India

1. Brahmin (priests)

2. Kshatriya (warriors)

3. Vaishya (agriculturalists/taders)

4. Shudra (labourers)

Term
Ashyameda
Definition

The horse Sacrifice.

Vedic sacrifice through which a Vedic raja or Hindu king attempted to constitute a territorial imperium.

Its political and ritual significance shifted over time in Indian history.

 

Term

Samsara

 

Definition
Rebirth according to your previous actions (Karma)
Term
Nirvana
Definition

Enlightenment.

The state of having escaped samsara (rebirth)

Achieved through renunciation of desire

Term
Shramana
Definition

Renouncer

Member of one of the sects renouncing worldly life in pursuit of spiritual enlgihtenment.

These sects include:

-Buddhism

-Jainism

-Ajivikas

Term
Stupa
Definition
Dome like mound containing the relics of the Buddha
Term
Arthashastra
Definition

First text on goverment in early india

Attributed variously to the mauryan and early Grupta periods

Term
Prashasti
Definition

Eulogistic portion contained in an inscription which praises the donor and gives his genealogy

 

(poetry about king in sanskrit)

Term
Samskaras
Definition

16 lifecycle rites, 

including thread ceremony (symbolizing start of education)

Marriage, death. 

The samskaras vegetalis the sacrifice and requires only one priest

Term

Dharma

 

Definition

Righteousness, ethical behaviou.

One of the four goals of man.

Term
Kama
Definition

Pleasure.

Defined in its widest sense

Including aesthetics and entertainments. One of the four goals of man.

Term
Moksha
Definition

Liberation or release

The final and highest of the four goals of man

(corresponds with Buddhist notion of nirvana)

Term
Laws of Manu
Definition

One of most famous of the Dharma Shastra texts, which recounts the obligations of the twice born varnas.

Complied 2nd century BCE- 1st Century CE.

Term
The Ramayana
Definition

One of the epics.

Tells the story of Rama and his wife Sita who is kidnapped by the demon Ravana and the journey of Rama to rescue Sita. Most fmaous version is by valmiki

Term
The Mahbharata
Definition

One of the epics

Tells the story of major battle between two families of cousins, 

The pandavas and the Kauravas

Term
Kamasutra
Definition
Treaties on Courtly love, composed during Gupta Period, by Vatsyayana
Term
Vaishnava
Definition

Worshipper of Vishnu

Vaishava religons emerge between 300-700 CE

Term
Shaiva
Definition
Worshipper of Shiva. 
Shaiva religons emerge between 300-700CE 
Term
Bhagavad-Gita
Definition

Section of the Mahabarata.

Where Krishna, a neighboring king, advises Arjuna on correct action. Krishna details 3 paths:

1. Karma (action)

2. Jnana (knowledge) 

3. Bhakti (devotion)

Bhakti is seen as best

Term
Puja
Definition
Bathing, Adornment, dressing and entertainment offered to an icon
Term

Avatar

 

Definition

Manifestation of god in the world.

Usually associated with Vishnu whom has 10 avatars.

Term
Rajamandala
Definition

A vast hierarchy of kings organised into concentric set of circles, where the central king sought to develop alliances by circumventing his enemies.

He developed alliances with more distant kings, described in the Arthashastra.

Term
Digvijaya
Definition

Conquest of the four quarters.

A key action to be undertaken by a powerful king.

Term
Mount Kailasa
Definition

Place of Shiva's Mediation. 

Temples were often built in the image of Mount Kailasa, eg. the Kailasa Temple of Ellora.

Term
Iqta
Definition

non hereditary land grant.

Often issued by sultans in return for military service

Term
Qutb Minar
Definition

Mosque complex in Delhi.

Built in the early 13th Century

by Qutb al-din

Aybek, expanded by Iltutmish and Ala al Din Khalji

Term
Spolia
Definition
Architectural elements reused in a new monument
Term
Ulama
Definition

Specialists in the religous sciences

(judges, preachers and prayer leaders)

 

Term
Sulfism
Definition
Esoteric or mystical approach to Islam
Term
Zikr
Definition

A sufi practice

Meaning ritualised recitation of the names used to describe god.

Term
Silsilah
Definition

Lineage/chain of Sufi masters

 

stetching back to the Prophet

Term
Barakat
Definition

Spiritual power

Possessed by Sufi Shaikhs and (after their death) bt their tombs.

Term
Wilayat
Definition
Spiritual domain where Sufi was thought to have direct influence on political and material fortuens of the territory
Term
Nizam al-Din Awliya
Definition

An immemsely popular Chishti Sufi

(1238-1325)

Based in Delhi

Term

Amir Khusrau

(1253-1325)

Definition

Court poet under 7 Delhi Sultans 

 

One of the gavourite disciples of Nizam al-Din Awliya

Term
"Sultan amoung Hindu Kings"
Definition

A new title used by the vijayanagara emperors.

 

To emphasise their over-lordship of other local claimants to power

Term
Ain-i Akbari
Definition

A detailed description of the administrative departments of Akbar's reign.

 

Written c.1590 by his close friend and advisor, Abul Fazl

Term
Raja Man Singh of Kachhwaha
Definition

Leasding noble of Akbar's reign


From Rajput Kacchwaha house, which established many matrimonial alliances with Akbar

Term
Sulh-i kul
Definition

Universal tolerance.

A policy of tolerance towards all eligions, promoted by Akbar in 1580 and made famous by Abul Fazl in his accounts of Akbar's rule, The Akbarnamah and the Ain-i Akbari.

Term
Dini-i Illahi
Definition
A discipleship order established by Akbar as a way of ensuring the loyalty of his top nobles
Term
Malik Ambar
Definition
Ethiopian regent of Ahmadnagar who waged a 30 year guerilla war against the Mughals and attracted the hatred of Jahngir
Term
Mansabdar system
Definition

Single systematised hierarchial apparatus established by the Mughals.

All officers assigend specific numeric rank (mansab), whihc determined an officer's personal status, his personal salary, AND his military obligation and the required resources to equip them.

Term
Jagirs
Definition

Temporary and non-hereditary landholdings introduced by the mughals. 

A Jagirdar (holder of a jagir) only had authority over the revenue of his jagir, not over other administrative or military matters.

Term
Fatehpur Sikri
Definition

Capital city built by Akbar in 1571.

Placed around the shrine of Shaikh Salim Chrishti, in order to celebrate the birth of his son Jahangir.

Term
Saguna Bhaktas
Definition

Bhakti saints.

 

Worship God with attributes.

 

These are often Vaishnavas. eg. Mirabai: a Rajput rincess whose poetry focuses on Krishna's amourous games with Radha and the gopis (cow herders)

Term
Nirguna Bhaktas
Definition

Bhakti saints who worship God without name or form

 

eg. the weaver Kabir.

Their poetry often focused on challenging caste or divisions between religons.

Term
Nanak
Definition
A Niguna Bhakta sant (1446-1539) who is also credited with being the founder of Sikhism, where he is known as Guru Nanak
Term
Khalsa
Definition

Militaristic Sikh order.

Established by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh guru, in 1699. The adherents of the Khalsa wear 5 symbols:

  1. Dagger
  2. Bracelet
  3. Comb
  4. Soldier's undershorts
  5. Unshave hair on head and face
Term
Ibadat Khana
Definition

House of worship

Built by Akbar in 1575 to facilitate religous discussion among Muslims, Brahmins, Parsis/Zoroastrians, Jains and Jesuit priest

Term
Gulbadan Begum
Definition

Daughter of Mughal emperor Babur

 

in 1587 wrote Humayun Nama, a biography of her early life under Babur and Humayun. In 1574 led a group of women from the mughal harem on hajj.

Term
Jizya
Definition

Tax

Which the sharia says is incumbet on nonmuslims in domains ruled by muslims. Sporadically imposed and rescinded in islamicate india, depending on polical exigencies. Rescinded by akbar in 1580, as part of his policy of sulh-i kul. Reimposed by Aurangzeb in 1679

Term
Cartaz System
Definition

Portuguese system of regulating trade in the Indian Ocean

 

Local shipts brought licenses from the Portuguese and paid customs duties in return for protection fro pirates and rival states.

Term

East Indian Company

 

Definition
Private British company established in 1600 and given the monopoly to trade between Asia and Europe. Established first factory at Surat in 1613. Later established power bases at Bombay (1668), Madras (1640) and Calcutta (1686)
Term
Maratha
Definition

New warrior community.

Emerged in the 16-17th century Deccan and posed a significant challenge to Deccani sultans and the Mughals.

Term
Shivaji Bhonsle
Definition

Most famous Maratha leader (1630-80)

Who charved out an independent realm based in Pune. Nowadays is clebrated as a popular Hindu Hero fighting against Muslim tyranny, but this contradicts much of the contemporary evidence.

Term
Tipu Sultan
Definition

Ruler of Mysore state (1750-99)

Became hated enemy of the british and was finally defeated in 1799

Term

Siraj al-Daula 

Definition

Nawab of Bengal, defeated by the East India Company at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

Term

Diwani 

Definition

the right to collect revenues of Bengal, which was conceded to the East India Company by the Mughal emperor in 1765.

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