Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire. State any four such sources.
Sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire are:
(i)Archaeological finds, especially sculpture.
(ii)The account of Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya, which survives in fragments.
(iii)The Arthashastra, parts of which were probably composed by Kautilya or Chanakya, traditionally believed to be the minister of Chandragupta.
(iv)Buddhist , Jaina and Puranic literature , as well as Sanskrit literary works. The inscriptions of Asoka on rocks and pillars.
How have the Prashastis drawn the factual information about the Gupta rulers ?
Factual information from prashatis about the Gupta rulers:
(i)Histories of the Gupta rulers have been reconstructed from literature , coins and inscriptions , including prashastis , composed in praise of kings by poets.
(ii)While historians often attempt to draw factual information from such compositions , those who composed and read them treasured them as works of poetry rather than as accounts.
Explain Shrenis or Guilds. Mention the functions performed by the members of the guild.
On the given political outline map of India, five Buddhist sites are marked as 1 to 5. Identify them and write the names on the lines marked near them.
1. Lumbini, 2. Sanchi, 3. Karle, 4. Nagarjunakonda, 5. Amaravati.