CBSE Notes Class 7 History Chapter 5-Rulers and Buildings 

According to the CBSE Syllabus 2023-24, this chapter has been removed from NCERT Class 7 Social Science textbook. 

Rulers and Buildings

Kings and officers constructed two different types of constructions between the eighth and eighteenth centuries: 1) Safe, secure, and opulent sites of remembrance in this world are forts, palaces, garden homes, and tombs. 2) Buildings designed for public use, such as mosques, tanks, wells, caravanserais, and bazaars. Building facilities for their use and comfort was a strategy used by kings to gain public favor because they were expected to look out for their subjects. The majority of the building was done by outsiders, including merchants. Temples, mosques, and wells were constructed; but, it wasn't until the 18th century that great merchant homes (Havelis) continued to exist.

Engineering Skills and Construction

Monuments shed light on the technologies employed in their construction.

Buildings began to get extra rooms, doors, and windows between the seventh and eleventh centuries. Architecture known as "trabeate" or "corbelled" was created by spanning a horizontal beam between two vertical columns to create roofs, doorways, and windows.The 'arcuate architectural' form and the use of limestone blended with stone chips, which facilitated quicker building, are two technological and stylistic advancements from the twelfth century. Indian and Persian architectural styles were frequently combined.

Temple Construction in the Early Eleventh Century

In 999, the Chandela dynasty's King Dhangadeva built the Shiva-focused Kandariya Mahadeva temple. It contained a large hall (mahamandapa), where dances were performed, as well as an embellished gateway leading to an entrance. The principal shrine (garbhagriha), where only the monarch, his close family, and priests congregated for ritual devotion, housed the image of the chief deity. There were royal temples in the Khajuraho complex that were off-limits to commoners. Sculptures that were intricately carved were used to embellish the temples.  

Construction of the Rajarajeshvara temple in Thanjavur, which boasts the tallest shikhara among temples of the time, was difficult because there were no cranes available and the 90-ton stone needed for the shikhara's top was too massive to move by hand. As a result, the rock was mounted on rollers and pushed all the way to the top of the temple using an inclined slope that the architects designed that began more than 4 kilometres from the summit. Even though the walkway was removed after the temple was built, the locals in the area had lengthy memories of the temple's construction. Even today, the "Village of the Incline" (Charupallam), a settlement close to the temple, is known as the area. Two noticeable technological and stylistic developments from the 12th century-(1) Architectural form called “arcuate”-the weight of the superstructure above the doors and windows was sometimes carried by arches. (2) High-quality limestone cement- mixed with stone chips, hardened into concrete-increasingly used in construction- helped make the construction of large structures easier and faster.

Building Temples, Mosques and Tanks 

Building temples, mosques, and tanks refers to the construction of religious structures and military vehicles. 

Temples and Mosques:

Temples and mosques are places of worship for different religious communities. They serve as sacred spaces where believers gather to perform religious rituals, offer prayers, and seek spiritual guidance. The construction of temples and mosques is typically driven by religious organizations or communities.

The process of building a temple or mosque involves various stages, including site selection, architectural design, obtaining necessary permits, fundraising, and construction. The architectural style and design of these structures often reflect the cultural and historical context of the region and the religious traditions they represent. The construction of these religious buildings typically involves skilled artisans, architects, and construction workers.

It's important to note that the construction of religious structures is subject to local laws, regulations, and permits. These regulations vary from country to country and may be influenced by factors such as zoning, environmental impact assessments, and community input.

Tanks:

Tanks are armored military vehicles designed for combat operations on land. They are a crucial component of modern armored warfare and play a significant role in defense and offensive operations. Tanks are equipped with heavy firepower, strong armor protection, and advanced mobility systems.

Building tanks involves sophisticated engineering, advanced manufacturing processes, and highly skilled labor. Major defense companies and military establishments are usually responsible for the design, development, and production of tanks. The process includes engineering design, prototyping, testing, manufacturing, and assembly.

It's worth mentioning that the production of tanks is often influenced by geopolitical considerations, defense strategies, and budgetary allocations of nations. The construction of tanks is subject to strict regulations, security measures, and export controls due to their nature as military equipment.

Why were Temples Targeted?

Temples have been targeted throughout history for various reasons, often stemming from religious, political, or cultural conflicts. It's important to note that the targeting of temples is not representative of a single overarching motivation, as different incidents have occurred in different contexts.

Religious Conflict: Temples are often targeted in the context of religious conflicts, where different religious groups or sects have competing beliefs or seek to assert dominance over one another. Attacks on temples may be driven by religious intolerance, attempts to suppress or eliminate a particular faith, or to assert the superiority of one's own religious beliefs.

Political or Ideological Motives: Temples can be targeted for political or ideological reasons. In some cases, a ruling power may target a temple associated with a rival group or opposition movement to weaken or suppress their influence. Temples may also be seen as symbols of resistance or dissent, leading to their targeting by authoritarian regimes.

Cultural or Ethnic Tensions: Temples can become focal points in conflicts driven by cultural or ethnic tensions. Differences in customs, traditions, or historical claims can lead to tensions between different communities. Temples, being religious and cultural landmarks, may be targeted to undermine the identity or heritage of a particular group.

Terrorist Activities: Some extremist groups have targeted temples as part of their campaign of violence and terror. These attacks aim to create fear, provoke religious or sectarian tensions, and gain media attention. Temples may be targeted due to their symbolic value, large congregations, or as part of a broader strategy to destabilize society.

Looting and Plunder: Historical temples often contain valuable artifacts, treasures, or religious relics. Throughout history, invading armies or marauding groups have targeted temples to plunder their riches, which can include precious metals, gemstones, or ancient artifacts.

Gardens, Tombs and Forts

Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, and especially Shah Jahan were personally interested in literature, art, and architecture-Babur described his interest in planning and laying out formal gardens placed within rectangular walled enclosures divided into four quarters by artificial channels-garden called Chahar bagh, four gardens, because of their symmetrical division into quarters. During Akbar's reign, architects turned to the tombs of Central Asian Ancestor Timur for inspiration-central towering dome and tall gateway (pishtaq) important aspects of Mughal architecture (visible in Humayun's tomb)-tomb placed in the center of a huge formal Chahar bagh-built in the tradition known as "eight paradises" or hasht bihisht The ceremonial halls of public and private audiences (diwan-i khas o am) were meticulously planned; they were situated within a large courtyard and were referred to as chihil sutun or 40 pillared halls. During Shah Jahan's reign, different elements of Mughal architecture were fused in grand harmonious synthesis. His reign witnessed huge amounts of construction in Agra and Delhi. connection between royal justice and the imperial court emphasised by Shah Jahan in his newly constructed court in the Red Fort at Delhi-behind emperor’s throne was series of  pietra dura inlays that depict the legendary Greek god Orpheus playing the lute- belief is that Orphus’s music could calm ferocious beasts until they coexisted together peaceably-Shah Jahan’s audience hall aimed to communicate that the king’s justice would treat the high and the low as equals creating a world where all could live together in harmony-Shah Jahan’s capital was Agra-nobility had homes amidst formal gardens built in the Chahar bagh format, also known as “Riverfront garden.” Shah Jahan adapted the river-front garden to the layout of the Taj Mahal-white marble mausoleum was placed on a terrace by the edge of the river, and the garden was to its south. Shah Jahan developed this architectural form as a means to control the access that nobles had to the river. In the new city of Shahjahanabad, constructed in Delhi, the imperial palace commanded the riverfront and only especially favoured nobles– like his eldest son Dara Shukoh – was given access to the river. All others had to construct their homes in the city away from the River Yamuna. 

Region and Empire 

Construction activity expanded, idea sharing increased, and customs from one region were copied by another between the eighth and eighteenth centuries. Examples: The architecture of the neighboring Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda had a significant influence on the elephant stables used by the emperors of Vijayanagara.-Temples at Vrindavan, close to Mathura, were built in architectural designs that were strikingly comparable to those of Fatehpur Sikri's Mughal palaces. The Mughals appreciated this "Bangla dome" and incorporated it into their architecture because local rulers in Bengal had created a roof that was intended to imitate a thatched house. Many of the structures of Fatehpur Sikri, the capital of Akbar, are built in the Malwa and Gujarati architectural traditions. In spite of the Mughal monarchs' declining power in the 18th century, new architectural trends emerged thanks to their support.