Chapter 6 The Age of Reorganisation Revision Notes Class 6 Social Science NCERT
NCERT Notes of The Age of Reorganisation for Class 7 SST is available on this page of studyrankers website. This chapter is from NCERT Textbook for Class 7 Science named Exploring Society: India and Beyond Part I. This textbook is published by NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training). Class 7 Social Science Textbook published by NCERT is prescribed for CBSE students. Chapter 6 The Age of Reorganisation Revision Notes is very helpful in understanding the chapter clearly and in easy manner. Students can also find NCERT Solutions for The Age of Reorganisation on this website for their reference. It is very helpful for class 7 students in preparing for the examination. We have covered all the important points and topics of the The Age of Reorganisation chapter of class 7 SST ncert textbook. Students can also find all the questions answers of The Age of Reorganisation chapter which is in the textbook updated to latest pattern of cbse and ncert.
NCERT Notes for Chapter 6 The Age of Reorganisation Class 7 Social Science
The period after the Maurya Empire (around 185 BCE to 3rd century CE) is called the Age of Reorganisation because many new kingdoms formed as the Maurya Empire broke apart.
- These kingdoms competed to become powerful, reshaping India’s map and people’s lives.
- The northwest became weak, allowing foreign invaders like the Indo-Greeks, shakas, and Kushanas to enter.
- This era saw a mix of cultures, creating new styles in art, architecture, and literature.
- Rulers valued fairness, supported all schools of thought, and encouraged trade and culture.
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| Prominent Dynasties of India during Reorganisation |
Surge of the Shungas
In 185 BCE, Pushyamitra Shunga, a Maurya commander, killed the last Maurya emperor and started the Shunga dynasty.
- The Shunga Empire ruled parts of north and central India but was smaller than the Maurya Empire.
- Pushyamitra performed the ashvamedha yajna, a Vedic ritual where a horse roamed freely, claiming unchallenged lands for the king or leading to battles if stopped.
- He protected the empire from invaders and built friendly ties with the Greeks after some battles.
- The Shunga Empire lasted about a century before declining.
- Vedic rituals became popular again, but Buddhist, Jain, and other beliefs continued to grow.
- Sanskrit became a key language for philosophy and literature, with works like Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras compiled during this time.
- The Shungas supported literature, art, and architecture.
Some Shunga Contribution to Art
- The Shungas added beautiful carvings to the Bharhut Stupa in Madhya Pradesh, originally built during Ashoka’s time.
- The stupa’s railings and reliefs show stories from the Buddha’s life, among the earliest Buddhist art.
- Carvings include Lakshmi, singers, dancers, and elephants holding the wheel of dharma.
Other Shunga art includes:
- Pillars with Greek warriors, showing cultural mixing.
- Terracotta figures of men, women, and royal families, with detailed hair ornaments.
- Bronze bangles with gold coating, ivory combs, and necklace beads.
- These artworks show daily life, clothing, jewellery, and the skill of Shunga craftsmen.
The Satavahanas
The Satavahanas (also called Andhras) ruled the Deccan (present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra) from the 2nd century BCE.
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| Satavahana Coin |
- Their capitals included Amravati and Pratishṭhana (Paithan).
- They likely fought the Shungas, their northern neighbors.
- Trade and agriculture thrived, supported by the fertile Krishna-Godavari river system.
- Satavahana coins, found from Gujarat to Andhra Pradesh, often showed ships, indicating strong maritime trade.
- They traded spices, textiles, sandalwood, gold-plated pearls, and ivory with the Roman Empire, importing glass and perfumed ointments.
- Tolls and taxes from trade added wealth to the kingdom.
- The Naneghat Caves near Pune, on a trade route, were used for collecting tolls and as rest stops for traders.
- Peace and wealth led to growth in literature, art, and culture.
- By the 3rd century CE, weak central control and economic decline broke the empire into smaller kingdoms.
Life under the Satavahanas
- Princes were named after their mothers, like Gautamiputra Satakarni, son of Gautami Balashri.
- Gautami Balashri, was a powerful queen who donated land to Buddhist monks and had an inscription carved in Nashik.
- A Satavahana widow queen performed the ashvamedha yajna and other Vedic rituals, as recorded in Naneghat inscriptions.
- She donated land, cows, horses, elephants, and silver coins to priests, scholars, and monks.
- Inscriptions in Brahmi script included early numerals, some resembling modern numbers, showing India’s role in numeral development.
- The Satavahanas followed Vasudeva (Krishna)but supported Vedic scholars, Jains, and Buddhists by giving them tax-free land.
- They built the Karla Caves in Maharashtra for Buddhist monks, with carved pillars and a stupa.
- A yaksha sculpture from the Pitalkhora Caves, made by a goldsmith named Kanahadasa, shows artisans worked in both metal and stone.
Coming of the Chedis
After the Maurya Empire’s fall, Kalinga (modern Odisha) became powerful under the Chedi dynasty.
- King Kharavela, a key ruler, followed Jain teachings and was called a “monk-king” but respected all beliefs.
- The Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves near Bhubaneswar, built for Jain monks, have detailed carvings and spacious rooms, showcasing rock-cut architecture.
- The Hathigumpha inscription in Brahmi script records Kharavela’s victories, welfare works, and creation of a council of sages from many regions.
- Kharavela supported all schools of thought, repaired temples, and showed the Indian ethos of fairness and inclusivity.
Kingdoms and Life in the South
From the 2nd or 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE, south India saw the rise of the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas.
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| Chera, Chola, Pandya |
- These kingdoms competed for control but boosted trade and culture.
- They remained independent even during the Maurya Empire, as noted in Ashoka’s edicts.
- Kharavela claimed to defeat a south Indian alliance, but he did not invade the south.
- The period is called the Sangam Age, named after Sangam literature, poems by poets in assemblies (sangha).
- Sangam literature, the oldest in south India, includes poems about love, heroism, and generosity, giving insights into society and culture.
The Cholas
- The Cholas ruled parts of south India from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE.
- King Karikala defeated the Cheras and Pandyas, becoming a powerful ruler.
- Karikala built the Kallanai (Grand Anicut), a water diversion system on the Kaveri River, to irrigate the delta, making it the “rice bowl of the South.”
- The Kallanai, still in use, supports farming in Tamil Nadu.
- The Chola capital, Puhar (Kaveripattinam), was a rich trading city.
Silappadikaram: The Tale of the Anklet
- Silappadikaram, an epic from the Sangam Age, tells the story of Kannagi and her husband Kovalan in the Chola city of Puhar.
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| Statue of Kannagi, Chennai |
- Kovalan left Kannagi for a dancer, lost his wealth, and returned to her. She forgave him, and they moved to Madurai (Pandya capital).
- Kovalan was wrongly accused of theft while selling Kannagi’s anklet and executed by the Pandya king.
- Kannagi proved his innocence with her second anklet, and the king died of shock.
- Kannagi cursed Madurai, and the city was destroyed by fire. She then went to the Chera kingdom, where she was worshipped as a goddess.
- The story highlights justice and a ruler’s duty to protect it, showing life in the Chola, Pandya, and Chera kingdoms.
The Cheras
- The Cheras, also called Keralaputra, ruled western Tamil Nadu and Kerala, with their capital at Vanji (Karur).
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| Coins under Chera Kings |
- They shaped the region’s culture and economy, supporting Sangam poets and Tamil literature.
- The Cheras traded spices, timber, ivory, and pearls with the Roman Empire and West Asia.
- Their coins featured a royal emblem, showing their identity.
The Pandyas
- The Pandyas ruled parts of Tamil Nadu, with their capital at Madurai, from several centuries BCE.
- They were a prosperous kingdom with strong administration, as noted by Megasthenes in his book Indika.
- The Pandyas traded pearls and other goods with the Greeks, Romans, and within India (Kharavela mentioned their pearls).
- They were a major naval power in the subcontinent.
- Pandya kings cared for their people’s welfare and supported all schools of thought, as recorded in inscriptions.
- Later Pandyas contributed to art, architecture, and prosperity.
Invasions of the Indo-Greeks
After Alexander’s campaign, his satraps in northwest India became independent, forming the Indo-Greeks.
- After the Maurya Empire’s fall, the Indo-Greeks took control of northwestern, northern, and central India.
- They adopted Indian culture, blending Greek and Indian styles in governance, art, and daily life.
- The Heliodorus pillar near Vidisha, built by an Indo-Greek ambassador, praises Vasudeva as the “god of gods” and lists virtues like self-restraint, charity, and consciousness.
- Indo-Greek coins of gold, silver, copper, and nickel showed kings, Greek deities, or Indian deities like Vasudeva-Kṛishna and Lakshmi.
- Their rule ended with invasions by the Shakas (Indo-Scythians).
The Emergence of the Kushanas
The Kushanas, from Central Asia, entered India in the 2nd century CE. Their empire stretched from central Asia to northern India, influencing the subcontinent’s history.
- King Kanishka promoted art and culture when not fighting wars.
- Kushana coins showed Kanishka as “King of Kings,” with Buddha or Shiva and Nandi, reflecting support for multiple beliefs.
- They controlled parts of the Silk Route, boosting trade with Asia and the West.
- Kushana art, like the Gandhara and Mathura schools, mixed Indian and Greek styles.
- Gandhara art (Punjab) used grey-black schist stone, showing detailed Buddha images with realistic anatomy and flowing robes.
- Mathura art (Uttar Pradesh) used red sandstone, depicting Indian deities like Kubera, Lakshmi, and Shiva with fuller figures.
- These art styles showed deities like Surya, laying the foundation for later temple architecture.
Important Points
- After the Maurya Empire fell, many new kingdoms formed, leading to the Age of Reorganisation.
- Foreign invasions and internal conflicts reorganized political powers.
- Cultures mixed, creating new art, architecture, and coinage styles, with Indian themes dominating.
- Sanskrit literature, like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, flourished.
- Trade grew, both within India and with other regions, boosting prosperity.
Difficult Words
- Age of Reorganisation: The period after the Maurya Empire when new kingdoms formed and competed.
- Ashvamedha yajna: A Vedic ritual where a horse roamed to claim land for the king.
- Brahmi script: An ancient Indian writing system used for inscriptions.
- Sangam literature: South Indian poems from the Sangam Age about love and societal values.
- Rock-cut architecture: Buildings carved directly into rock, like caves.
- Indo-Greeks: Greek rulers in northwest India who adopted Indian culture.
- Shakas: Indo-Scythians who invaded and ruled northwest India.
- Kushanas: Central Asian rulers who formed an empire in northern India.
- Silk Route: A trade route connecting Asia and the West.
- Gandhara art: Art style blending Greek and Indian elements, using schist stone.
- Mathura art: Indian art style using red sandstone for deities.