Terminology Flashcards
Ancient and Medieval History India (295 cards)
1
Q
What is Agrahara?
A
Land or village gifted by a king
2
Q
Who are the Alvars?
A
The Vaishnava saint-poets of early medieval South India
3
Q
What is Apabhramsha?
A
later Prakrit language
up to the end of the 1st millennium CE
4
Q
Define Aranyakas
A
Literally ‘forest books’; part of the Vedic corpus
5
Q
What are Abwab?
A
Extra legal charges exacted by landlords
6
Q
What does an “Akhra” refer to?
A
Gymnasium
7
Q
Who is an Amil?
A
Revenue official
8
Q
Who is an “Amla”?
A
Zamindari official
9
Q
Who are the Ajlaf?
A
Muslim commoners
10
Q
Who are “Atraps”?
A
Muslim commoners—same as ajlaf
11
Q
What are Azad dastas?
A
Guerrilla bands
12
Q
What is the role of Amils?
A
Revenue officers
13
Q
What is Arz-I-Mamalik?
A
Minister in-charge of the army of the whole country
14
Q
Define Ahl-I-Qalam
A
Reporter
15
Q
What are Aham/Agam?
A
Sangam love poems
16
Q
What are Amphorae?
A
A type of Roman pottery—jars with a large oval body, narrow cylindrical neck, and two handles
17
Q
What is Antarala?
A
The vestibule or antechamber of a temple
18
Q
Define Anvikshiki
A
Literally, ‘science of inquiry’, logical reasoning; Sanskrit term, Indian school of philosophy, 650 BCE
19
Q
What is an “Araghatta”?
A
A Persian water-wheel used in irrigation in Medieval India
20
Q
What is Ardhamagadhi?
A
An eastern dialect of Prakrit; the earliest Jaina texts are written in this dialect
21
Q
What is Ardhamandapa?
A
The hall preceding the sanctum in a temple
22
Q
Define “Arhat/Arahant”
A
A person who has attained enlightenment
23
Q
What are the Ariya-sachchani?
A
The Four Noble Truths related to suffering; an important part of the Buddha’s teaching
24
Q
What are Astika schools?
A
Philosophical schools that accepted the authority of the Vedas, comprising the six classical systems of Hindu philosophy
25
Who were the Ayyavole?
A powerful merchant guild of early medieval South India
26
What is an "Aurang"?
A **Warehouse** in Persian
27
What is Bhikkhu Pali?
Literally 'one who lives by begging alms'; a Buddhist monk
28
Define Brahmacharya
The stage of celibate studenthood in the Ashrama scheme
29
What is Brahmadeya?
Land gifted to Brahmanas, generally by kings
30
What does Baqqal mean?
Trader, grain-dealer
31
What is Batai?
Division of crop between the cultivator and landlord or the government; payments may be in kind or cash
32
Who is a Barid?
An intelligence officer appointed by the State to collect information (during the Delhi Sultanate)
33
What does Banjar refer to?
Waste and fallow land
34
Who are "Banjaras"?
A nomadic people from AFGHANISTAN that speak Gor Boli/Lambadi
Found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
35
What is a Bahas?
Muslim religious meeting
36
What is Bakasht?
Land where permanent tenancies have been converted into short-term tenancies in Bihar - Bakasht land movement (1936)
37
Define Bodhisattva
A future Buddha
38
What is Boustrephedon style?
A style of writing in which consecutive lines start in opposite directions
39
What is a "Burin"?
A small stone tool, made on a blade, with a 'screw-driver' edge
40
Who is a "Banian"?
A **Merchant** engaged by a Western merchant to work for them as a borker, interpreter and agent.
41
Who is a "Bara Balutedar"?
A hereditary system of village servants prevalent in villages of medieval **Maharashtra**. The Balutedars were paid through a **barter system** using village produce
42
What does Chakri mean?
Office job
43
What is a Cairn stone circle?
A type of megalithic burial, marked by a stone circle
44
What is a Chaitya?
A Buddhist shrine
45
Define Charana
School of Vedic study
46
What is the "Charvaka" or "Lokayata" school of philosophy?
- An atheistic materialist philosophical school from the post-Upanishadic period (600-400 B.C.E.).
- It believed that only perceivable matter exists, and there are no supernatural entities or planes of existence.
- It rejects the Vedas and the concept of reincarnation.
- Emphasizes sensory perception (Pratyaksa) as the primary source of knowledge.
47
What are Cowries?
Marine shells, once used as currency in many parts of the world
48
What does Chaouth or Chauthaai refer to?
One-fourth of the land revenue, originally a zamindari charge in Gujrat demanded by Shivaji as a war expense
49
What is Charai?
A tax on cattle
50
What does Dadan mean?
Advance
51
Who were the "Dadani"?
Merchants who procured goods by paying advances to primary producers
52
What is a "Dalam"?
A Revolutionary unit
53
Who is a Dalwai?
Prime minister of the Mysore state
54
What is a Dastak?
Permits issued by the local councils of the East India Company certifying their goods for the purpose of tax exemption
55
Who was a Deshpande?
Revenue collector
56
What does Deshmukh mean?
Revenue officer
57
What does Dikhu mean?
Foreigner; term used by the tribals (San-thals) to identify outsiders
58
Define Dakshinapatha
The great southern trade route
59
What is Dana?
Ritual giving
60
What does Darshana refer to?
Literally, 'view'; philosophy
61
What is Dhamma?
A Pali word (Sanskrit, dharma), referring to the ideal conduct of an individual living in society
62
What is Dhamma Chakka-pavattana?
Literally 'turning the wheel of dhamma'; the Buddha's first sermon in the deer park near Benaras
63
What are Dhamma-mahamatas?
A new cadre of officials created by Ashoka to propagate dhamma
64
Define Dvija
Literally 'twice born'; those entitled to the performance of the upanayana (sacred thread) ceremony
65
What is the Dagh System?
A system of branding of horses and animals
66
What is Dame?
A copper coin considered as 1/40 of the silver rupee for official purposes - introduced by Sher Shah Suri (1540-45)
67
What does Dastur-At-Amal refer to?
Rule book
68
Who is a Dhimmi?
A non-Muslim client or subject
69
What is Darul Mulk?
Capital
70
What does Diwan refer to?
Function of finance
71
What is Diwan-I-Arz?
Ministry of military affairs
72
What is Diwan-I-Insha?
Ministry of royal correspondence
73
Who is a Diwan-I-Kul Wazir?
Chief imperial fiscal minister
74
What does Daroga mean?
Minor officer or in charge of local office
75
What is Diwan-I-Risalat?
Ministry of religious affairs
76
What does Diwan-I-Wizarat refer to?
Department of finance
77
What is a Faujdar?
In charge of Sarkar
78
What does Fitna mean?
Sedition
79
What are Fituris?
A tradition of tribal rebellion
80
What are the Four Noble Truths (Ariya-sachchani)?
An important part of the Buddha's teaching: there is suffering; it has a cause; it can be eliminated; the way to eliminate it is to follow the Eight-fold Path
81
What is Gumashta?
An agent or representative
82
What is Garbha-Griha?
The inner sanctum of a temple, where the image of the main deity is placed and worshipped
83
What does Grihastha refer to?
The householder stage in the Ashrama scheme
84
What is Ghatwali?
Service tenure for village watchmen
85
What are Giras?
Heriditary lands held by tribal chieftains called Girasiyas
86
What is Gomustah?
Indian agent of the East India Company
87
What is Gahapati?
Pali for Sanskrit grihapati, i.e., householder; a wealthy property-owner
88
What does Gana mean?
A word which has many meanings, including an oligarchy
89
What is Garbha-griha?
The inner sanctum of a temple, where the image of the main deity is placed and worshipped
90
What is Grantha script?
A South Indian script used for writing Sanskrit
91
What is Ganj?
A grain market
92
What is a Hun?
A gold coin
93
What does Hamam refer to?
A room for the bath of hot and cold water
94
What is a Hundi?
A bill of exchange
95
What are Hundikas?
Bills of exchange used by traders in early medieval India
96
What is Ibadat Khana?
House of worship
97
What is Iqta?
The land-grant system adopted by Ala-Ud-Din Khilji to grant his officers as reward for services rendered
98
What does Khalisa mean?
Land revenue directly for imperial treasury
99
What does Khots refer to?
Village head
100
What is Khums?
Tax on plunder
101
What is Khutba?
A sermon made in Friday mosque
102
Define Janapada
Literally, 'foothold of a tribe'; a territorial state; a region consisting of urban and rural settlements, along with its inhabitants
103
What are Jatakas?
One of the 15 books of the Khuddaka Nikaya, containing stories of the previous births of the Buddha
104
What is the "Jajmani System" of North India?
Traditional Hindu system of economic exchange between upper and lower castes. Lower castes performed services in exchange for grain/money from upper castes.
105
Who is a Jina?
Literally 'victor'; a Jaina saint
106
What is Jama?
Estimated land revenue income
107
Who is a Janmi?
Holder of janmam tenure
108
Who are Jatha(s)?
Sikh bands of warriors
109
What is Jatra?
Rural theatrical performance
110
What are Jotedar(s)?
Intermediary tenure holders
111
What is Jamabandi?
Settlement of the amount of revenue assessed upon an estate or district
112
What is Jarib?
Measurement, land measurement or survey
113
What does Jihat mean?
Extra cesses
114
What is Jizya?
(A) Any tax which is not Kharai or land tax (B) A personal and yearly tax on non-Muslims
115
What are Ikrarnamas?
Contractual obligations imposed on the Bundela chiefs by the EIC to suppress their resistance.
116
What is Kankut?
Estimation of land revenue
117
Who is a Karori?
A revenue officer
118
What is Khirai?
Land revenue
119
What does Kula refer to?
A word with a range of meanings, including an extended patrilineal family
120
What is a Kanamdar/Kanak?
Holder of kanam tenure
121
Who are Khanazad?
Hereditary Muslim aristocrats in the Mughal court
122
What are Khudkasht(s)?
Peasants with occupancy rights
123
What is Khutba?
Friday prayers in the mosque
124
Who are Kulin?
Some castes among the Brahmans and Kayasthas of Bengal who are considered to be the purest
125
What are Kani rights?
Rights over land in early medieval South India, sometimes also associated with certain duties and obligations
126
What are Kara-shasanas?
Tax-paying agraharas
127
What is Kottam?
Settlement clusters in the Pallava kingdom, similar to the nadus
128
What does Kshatra mean?
Secular power
129
Who is a Kshatrapa?
A viceroy or subordinate ruler of the Scytho-Parthians
130
What is Linga?
A phallic emblem of the God Shiva
131
What is Lokayata?
An atheistic materialist philosophical school, also known as Charvaka
132
What is Madad-I-Massh?
Tax free grants of land
133
What does Malfuzat mean?
Sayings of Sufi saint
134
What is a Mamluk?
White slaves
135
Who is Mir Bhakshi?
Head of the Military department
136
Who is a Mir Saman?
Officer in charge of Royal Karkhanas
137
Who is a Muquaddam?
Village head
138
What is Mahal?
A group of land regarded as a unit for land revenue purposes
139
What is Mansab?
A military rank conferred by the Mughal emperor
140
What is Mauza?
Revenue term for village
141
What is Mokasa?
Grant of land for military service, rent-free land in Maratha empire
142
What is Madhayamaka?
A major Mahayana school founded by Nagarjuna, in which the idea of Shunyata (emptiness) is of great importance
143
What are Mahajanapadas?
The great states of the 6th century BCE
144
What is Mahakshatrapa?
Viceroy, subordinate ruler; a title assumed by some kings of the Kshaharata and Kardamaka dynasties
145
What does Mahayana mean?
Literally 'the greater vehicle'; a set of Buddhist schools
146
What is Mandapika?
A local centre of exchange, in between small periodic markets and larger trade centres
147
What is Manigramam?
A powerful merchant guild of early medieval South India
148
What is Matha?
Monastery
149
What is Moksha?
Liberation from the cycle of birth and death
150
Who is a Masand?
A deputy of the Sikh guru
151
What is Mulgujar?
Landholding primary zamindar
152
What are Meli(s)?
Anti-feudal demonstrations
153
Who is a Mirasidar?
Under the Ryotwari system, Mirasidars were land owners/sole proprietors
154
What are Misls?
Combinations of Sikh sardars based on kinship ties
155
What is Mofussil?
Small town or subdivisional town
156
What is Muktiyar Namah?
Power of attorney
157
What is Mushaira?
Public recital
158
Who are "Muttadars"?
Estate holders
159
What is a Menhir?
A type of megalithic burial, marked by a single, large, standing stone
160
What are Mithuna figures?
Amorous couples that occur in sculptural decoration of shrines
161
What is Mukhamandapa?
The porch of a temple
162
What does Nabud mean?
Remission of land revenue on account of natural disasters
163
What is the Nagara Style?
The northern style of temple architecture, marked by a curvilinear shikara (tower)
164
What are Nagarams?
Market or commercial centres in early medieval South India
165
What is Nagarattar?
The organization of the Nagaram
166
What is Northern Black Polished Ware (NBP or NBPW)?
A distinctive type of fine pottery with a glossy surface, made and used between c. 700 and 200 BCE (Iron Age- Later Vedic period - Mahajanapadas)
Succeeds the Painted Grey Ware Culture
167
What is Nakdi Mansabdar?
Mansabdars who were paid in cash
168
What is Nankar?
Revenue free land
169
What is Nadu?
The locality, consisting of several settlements, in early medieval South India
170
What is Nagarakkani?
Land owned and managed by the nagaram
171
What is Nalayira Divya Prabandham?
A work by Nathamuni, containing the hymns of the Alvar saints
172
Who are Nattar?
The leading men of the nadu (locality) in early medieval South India
173
What is Nibbana?
A term used often in the Buddhist tradition for liberation from the cycle of birth and death
174
What is Nitishastra?
Sanskrit works on statecraft
175
What is Niyoga?
Levirate; the ancient custom of a widow cohabiting with her brother-in-law or another man in order to produce sons
176
What is Nyaya?
A philosophical school concerned primarily with logic and epistemology
177
What does Ochre Coloured refer to?
Color description, often associated with certain artifacts or materials
178
What does 'Nattar' refer to in early medieval South India?
The leading men of the nadu (locality)
179
What is 'Nibbana' in the Buddhist tradition?
Liberation from the cycle of birth and death
180
Define 'Nitishastra'.
Sanskrit works on statecraft
181
What is 'Niyoga'?
The ancient custom of a widow cohabiting with her brother-in-law or another man to produce sons
182
What philosophical school is 'Nyaya' concerned with?
Logic and epistemology
183
What is 'Ochre Coloured Pottery' (OCP)?
A Protohistoric Pottery Type Found At Several Sites In The Doab
184
What does 'Paibaqi' refer to?
Land Reserved For Allotment In Jagir
185
What is 'Polai' in terms of land use?
Land Continuously In Cultivation
186
Define 'Painted Grey Ware' (PGW).
A distinctive type of fine, grey pottery with designs painted on in black, made and used in parts of North India between c. 1000 and 500 BCE
187
What are 'Paramitas' in Mahayana Buddhism?
Perfections Whose Attainment Led To The Bodhisattva Path
188
What are 'Pariharas'?
Exemptions and privileges granted to donees in royal land grants
189
What does 'Parinibbana' signify?
The Passing Away Of The Buddha
190
Who are 'Pahikasht(s)'?
Vagrant Peasants
191
What does 'Patadar(s)' mean?
Landowners
192
Define 'Patil'.
Village headmen
193
What does 'Podu' refer to in the Andhra region?
A tribal term for shifting cultivation
194
What is 'Pali'?
An ancient language belonging to the Indo-European family; the language of the canon of the Theravada school
195
What does 'Paribbajaka' mean in Pali?
Literally, 'wanderer', renunciant
196
What is 'Patichcha-samuppada' in Buddhist teachings?
The law of dependent origination
197
What is 'Periyapuranam'?
A 12th century work containing hagiographies of the Nayanar saints
198
What is 'Prakrit'?
An ancient language belonging to the Indo-European family with various dialects such as Maharashtri, Shauraseni, and Magadhi
199
What are 'Pramanas'?
Grounds of knowledge
200
Define 'Prashasti'.
Panegyric- Inscriptions composed by poets in praise of their rulers
201
What does 'Pravara' refer to?
Names of supposed ancestral rishis, connected with the gotra system of the Brahmanas
202
What are 'Puram'?
War poems of the Sangam corpus
203
What is a 'Pargana'?
Around Hundred Village
204
What does 'Qanungos' refer to?
Caretaker Of Revenue Records
205
What are 'Risalas'?
Units of the army of Haidar Ali of Mysore
206
What does 'Sabha' mean in the Chola period?
Assembly Of Brahmins
207
Who is a 'Sadr Us Sadur'?
Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs
208
Define 'Sarkar'.
Administrative Unit Or Units Of Paragana
209
What are 'Shaikhzadas'?
Indian Muslims Nobility
210
What does 'Sharia' refer to?
Muslim Law
211
Who is a 'Shiqdar'?
Head Of Administrative Unit - maintains law and order in Sher Shah Suri's dynasty
212
What does 'Sandhar' mean?
Loans
213
What are 'Subas'?
Provinces
214
What is 'Sabha' in Vedic texts?
A tribal assembly or the assembly of a Brahmana village
215
Define 'Samana'.
A Pali word meaning 'one who strives', a renunciant
216
What is a 'Samanta'?
Subordinate Ruler; Feudatory
217
What does 'Samhita' refer to?
A Collection Of Hymns, Associated With The Vedas
218
What are 'Samsaras'?
Rituals marking important life stages
219
What does 'Sandhara' signify?
A Temple Style With An Enclosed Passage For Circumambulation
220
What is 'Shruti'?
Literally 'that which has been heard', The Veda
221
What does 'Shvetambara' refer to in Jainism?
Literally 'white-clad', a Jaina Sect
222
What is 'Smriti'?
Texts; a category of Sanskrit texts that includes the Vedangas, Puranas, Epics, Dharmashastras, and Nitishastra
223
Define 'Stridhana'.
'women's wealth'; various types of moveable property given to a woman on various occasions during her life-time
224
What does 'Syadavada' mean?
Literally 'doctrine of maybe'; the Jaina doctrine of the partial nature of all statements about reality
225
Who are 'Sahajdharis'?
Non-khalsa Sikhs
226
What is a 'Sahukar'?
Moneylender
227
What are 'Sajjad Nisbins'?
Custodians of sufi shrines
228
What does 'Sanad' refer to?
Mughal imperial order
229
What is 'Saranjam'?
Transferable land rights
230
What is 'Sawar' in the Mughal military context?
A numerical rank indicating the number of horsemen they were supposed to maintain
231
What does 'Sharif' mean?
Respectable Muslim
232
What is the meaning of 'Sud' in the Choto Nagpur region?
A tribal term for foreigners
233
What is 'Swaraj Ziladish'?
Independent district magistrate
234
What does 'Samkhya' explain?
The world as consisting of two fundamental categories: purusha (the spiritual principle) and prakriti (matter or nature)
235
What is 'Sangam literature'?
Texts in old Tamil, comprising the earliest parts of the Ettutokai, Pattuppattu and Tolkappiyam
236
What does 'Sangha' refer to?
Oligarchy, the Buddhist monastic order, and the Jaina monastic order
237
What is 'Sannyasa'?
The stage of complete renunciation in the ashrama scheme
238
What are 'Sapindas'?
People related to each other, important in discussions on marriage and inheritance
239
Define 'Saptanga rajya'.
The seven-limbed state, the Arthashastra concept of the state consisting of seven elements
240
What is 'Setthi'?
A high-level businessman associated with trade and money-lending
241
What is 'Shakha'?
A school of Vedas - Hindu Theological school
242
What is 'Siddhamatrika'?
An ancient script known from the 6th century CE; also known as Kutila
243
What does 'Tevaram' refer to?
A collection of hymns, part of the canon of South Indian Shaiva Bhakti
244
What is 'Tipitaka'?
Buddhist canonical texts; the Pali Tipitaka is the canon of the Theravada school
245
What does 'Triratna' refer to in Jainism?
The Triple Path of Right Faith, Knowledge, and Conduct
246
What is 'Tankha Jagir'?
Hereditary possessions of the Rajput chiefs under the Mughals
247
What are 'Tufan dal(s)'?
Revolutionary village units
248
What is 'Taniyur'?
A special status given to certain brahmadeyas (tax-free lands) in early medieval South India
249
Define 'Terra sigilatta'.
Moulded, decorated wares made in Italy or imitations thereof
250
What is 'Tirthankara' in Jainism?
Literally, 'ford builder'; a Jaina saint
251
What does 'Tirumurai' refer to?
The canon of South Indian Shaiva bhakti
252
What is 'Tiruttondar-Tiruvantai'?
A work giving a short hagiography of the Nayanar saints
253
What is 'Tiruttondar-Tokai'?
A work listing 62 Nayanar saints
254
What does 'Torana' refer to?
The gateway of a shrine
255
What are 'Transepts' in megalithic tombs?
Vertical stone slabs that divide a megalithic chamber tomb into sections
256
What is 'Tankah'?
Silver Coin
257
Who are 'Ulama'?
Muslim priests
258
What does 'Ummah' mean?
Community based on allegiance to the common Islamic faith
259
What is 'Utar'?
Forced labour
260
What is 'Ur'?
A non-brahmadeya village of South India; the corporate assembly of such a village
261
What does 'Upasaka' mean in Buddhist context?
A male lay follower of the Buddha's teaching
262
What is 'Vanaprastha'?
The stage of partial renunciation in the ashrama scheme
263
What does 'Varaha' signify?
The Boar Incarnation Of The God Vishnu
264
What does 'Varna' literally mean?
Colour; the concept of four hereditary classes—Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, And Shudra
265
What is 'Varna-Samkara'?
The mixture of varnas due to inter-varna unions
266
What is 'Vassavasa'?
The Monsoon Retreat Of Buddhist Monks
267
What does 'Vesara' refer to in temple architecture?
A style of temple architecture blending Nagara and Dravida styles
268
What is a 'Vihara'?
A Buddhist monastery
269
What does 'Vimana' refer to in temple architecture?
The sanctum of a temple and its superstructure
270
What is a 'Viragal'?
A 'hero stone' in the Tamil Nadu area
271
What is 'Vishnuism' (Vaishnavism)?
The worship of Vishnu as a supreme god
272
What does 'Vatan' signify?
Hereditary land rights
273
What is 'Vaisheshika'?
A philosophical school of pluralistic realism
274
What is 'Vatteluttu'?
An ancient South Indian script used for writing Tamil
275
Who are the 'Velir'?
Chiefs of Tamil dynasty during Sangam period
276
What does 'Vellala/vellalar' refer to?
Cultivating groups of South India
277
What are 'Vellanvagai'?
Non-brahmadeya villages of early medieval South India
278
Who are the 'Vendar'?
The three 'crowned kings' of early historical South India, i.e., the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas
279
What is 'Waqf'?
Grants to Muslim religious establishments
280
What does 'Watandar' refer to?
Landowner in Maharashtra; Desais and Deskmukh
281
What is 'Wilayat'?
Spiritual territory of a Sufi
282
What does 'Yajamana' mean?
The person for whom the yajna (sacrifice) is performed and who bears its expenses
283
Who are the 'Yakshas'?
Deities associated with water, fertility, trees, forests, and the wilderness
284
Who are the 'Yakshis'?
Female deities associated with fertility, consorts of yakshas
285
What does 'Yavana' refer to?
Greeks, foreigners from the West
286
What is 'Yogachara'?
A major Mahayana school emphasizing meditation
287
What is a 'Yupa'?
Sacrificial post
288
What is 'Yajna'?
Sacrifice
289
What are 'Yakshas' known for?
Deities associated with water, fertility, trees, forests, and the wilderness
290
What are 'Yakshis' known for?
Female deities associated with fertility, consorts of yakshas
291
What does 'Zabt' refer to?
Revenue based on land measurement
292
What are 'Zawabit'?
Non-Shariat state laws
293
Who are 'Zimmis'?
Protected non-Muslims
294
What is 'Zenana'?
The women's quarter in the inner part of the house
295
What does 'Zillah' refer to?
Administrative District
