Lesson 10 reaching to distant lands.....

grade 6 social

1. Reaching Out to Distant Lands

2. The Sangam Age Sangam is derived from the word Sangha meaning an Assembly or a Sabha. Between 200 BCE and 300 BCE, Tamil scholars and poets had gathered at Madurai in South India to publish their works in Tamil. Such a gathering is called Sangam. The published works of these scholars are called as Sangam Literature. And the period during which they compiled is known a Sangam Age. It is said that three Sangam were held. Most of the poems and ballads during the second and third assemblies had survived. Sangam literature mostly tells us about wars, heroic deeds of king and soldiers and the life and culture of Sangam Age.

3. Tamilakam and Muvendars

4. The principal ruling chiefs of the Cheras, Cholas and the Pandyas are collectively known as the M uvendars or the three crowned kings. They were considered the supreme ruling authority and all other chiefs were subordinate to them. The Muvendars ruled over the areas of Tamilakam (present day Tamilnadu and Kerala. ) The Tamilakam consisted of 5 geographical areas- mountainous regions, pastoral grasslands, fertile river valleys, coastal areas and deserts,

5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj5CWhPxknA

6. The Cheras ruled over the region of present day Kerala and parts of Tamilnadu. In Sangam literature, the word Cheras means “hill country” and the C hera kings were called the ‘Kings of Slopes’. According to the literary sources, the first king of Chera Dynasty was Uthiyan Cheralathan. They had good trade relations with the Greeks and the Romans. The romans imported large quantities of pepper. The Cheras established their capital at Karur. The Tamil epic Shilapadhikaram mentions that the famous Chera king Senguttuvan ruled from Karur. Muziris on the Malabar coast was their chief port. The emblem of Cheras was the bow. Archaeological excavations reveal examples of pottery, bricks, mud toys, Roman and Chera coins. The Cheras were conquered and ruled by the Pandyas and then by the P allavas, and then later, the Cholas.

7. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVG542d0Gwg

8. The kingdom of Cholas mainly consisted of the Tiruchi- Thanjavur regions of Tamil nadu. The main capital of Cholas was at Uraiyur and the secondary capital was at Kaveripattinam. The emblem of Chola kings was the tiger. The poem Pattinappalai describes the achievements of the Chola king Karikala Chola. Karikala means the one with charred legs. It is believed that the king lost one of his legs in an accident in his early childhood. He had defeated Pandyas and Cheras in the battle of Venae. He is regarded as the first Tamil king to conquer S rilanka. After Karikala, the power of Chola declined.

9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGk9UQJBZwY

10. The Pandyas ruled over the territories of Madurai, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram in Tamil nadu. Madurai was the capital of Pandyas and Koraikai was one of the chief ports. The fish was their emblem. The most famous Pandya king was Nedunchezian, who was a brave warrior. He is said to have defeated the combined forces of Cheras, the Cholas and five other kingdoms near Tanjore. Pandya was a prosperous kingdom, who had flourishing trade relations with Greeks and Romans. Pearl fishery was common. Other items of trade include spices, ivory, shells, while the imports include horses, gold, glass and wine.

11. The Satavahanas ruled over parts of modern Maharashta , Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regions. The most important ruler was Gautamiputra Satakarni. The capital of Satavahanas Paithan or Pratishtan in Maharashtra. The e Satavahanas kings were called the ‘Lords of Dakshinapatha’ or the route leading to the South. The Satavahanas also had flourishing internal and external trade. They traded with Rome, Iran, Egypt , Arabia, Burma and Malaya because of the ports on the East and west. Several roman coins have been found in this regions.

12. INVASIONS FROM THE NORTH WEST THE INDO- GREEKS THE SAKAS THE PARTHIANS THE KUSHANAS

13. 1. The Indo- Greek invasion T he Greek rulers from Bactria were first to cross the North- Western Borders of India. The Greeks who settled in India were known as Indo Greeks. They slowly came to occupy the Ganga basin as far as Panchala, Saketa and Pataliputra. The most famous ruler of In do Greeks was Meander or Milinda. The Indo- Greeks were the first to issue coins bearing the portraits of kings. The indo Greeks introduced Greek elements in Indian art and the new style of art came to be known as the Gandhara school of art. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN5dOGmZnuI

14. 2. The Sakas The Sakas were the nomadic tribes of Central Asia who came to India after being forced out of their homeland. They gradually gained supremacy over the north and the north western parts of India after defeating the Indo – Greeks Thera were around 5 branches of Sakas who ruled from different places. The Saka rulers were called Sataraps. The most famous Saka king was Rudraman.

15. 3. The Parthians The Parthians came to India from Iran and the Parthian rule overlapped with that of the Sakas. They ruled over small portion of the north –western India. The most well known Parthian king was Gondophernes, who was succeeded by his nephew Abdagases. Gradually the Parthians assimilated into the Indian society.

16. 4. The Kushans The Parthians were succeeded by the kushans who came to India through Afghanistan. The founder of the dynasty was Kujula Kadphises. The kushans set up a mighty empire in India which extended up to Bihar. They had two capitals, one at Mathura and the other at Purushapura, or Peshawar. The kushans reached the height of their glory under Kanishka. In 78 CE, he started the Saka era, which is now used by the Indian government. Kanishka patronized Buddhism. He got a huge Stupa built at Purushapura. He held the fourth Buddhist Council in Kashmir to discuss the teachings of Buddha. Kanishka encouraged art and Sanskrit literature. Ashvaghosha, a famous Sanskrit scholar, lived in his court. The kushans patronized the Gandhara school of art which developed as a result of intermingling of Indian and foreign ideas. The kushans also issued a number of gold and copper coins.

17. Impacts of F oreign I nvasions

18. New elements of culture were introduced in the Indian society. It developed trade, technology and art forms in India. Indian rulers became rich by collecting taxes from foreign traders. The Sakas and Kushans who were excellent horse riders popularized use of horse in India. They introduced the cap, the helmet and riding boots which were essential for horse riding. Art and architecture also grew due to foreign invasions. Central Asian investors patronized Indian artists to build temples and carve sculptures of gods and deities.

19. Gandhara Art The Indo Greeks introduced Greek elements in Indian art and the new style of art came to be known as the Gandhara school of art. The Gandhara art is Buddhist in theme but Graeco- roman in style.

20. The silk route https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIAMMsHPDA0 THE SILK ROAD

21. During this period, the silk road trade was flourishing. The Chinese people were the first to produce silk. In course of time, Chinese silk became very popular. Chinese traders and travellers sold it in the foreign lands they visited, for a profit. The land route taken by the Chinese traders and travellers came to be known as silk route. It stretched from China, to Rome through Central Asia, Afghanistan and West Asia. The Silk R oad

22. Indian rulers in particular, the kushans came to control the Silk route . The romans were quite fond of Chinese silk . The Chinese traded their silk with Indians for their precious stones and metals and Indians traded the silk with the roman empire. The control over the trade was beneficial for Kushans. They were able to collect taxes from traders. They also received gold coins from the Roman Trade. How silk route profited Kushans?

23. The first R oman traders came to Muziris in 300 BCE. Later they travelled on to the market towns and the ports on the south eastern coast of India. The Romans exported coral, wine, olive oil, and metals like gold, silver, copper and took gemstones, silk, cotton, ivory, spices and sandal wood. THE ROMAN TRADE