Traders, Kings and Pilgrims: CBSE Class 6 History Chapter 9

How Trade and Kingdoms Flourished in Ancient India

During the ancient period, trade was a major driver of cultural exchange. South India was particularly famous for its rich resources, including gold, precious stones, and spices like pepper. Indian pepper was so highly valued in the Roman Empire that it was known as 'Black Gold'. Traders transported these items to Rome by sea in ships and overland through caravans. This intense trade led to a massive inflow of wealth, proven by the discovery of numerous Roman gold coins in South Indian archaeological sites. To secure and control this lucrative trade, regional chiefs and kings built strong kingdoms along the coasts and river valleys.

The Rise and Control of the Silk Route

1. The Invention and Secret of Silk — Techniques of making silk were first invented in China around 7000 years ago. It was a closely guarded secret. Silk was highly prized because of its smooth texture and vibrant colors.
2. The Expansion of Trade Routes — Chinese traders carried silk to distant lands on foot, horseback, and camels. The dangerous paths they traversed across mountains and deserts came to be known as the 'Silk Route'.
3. Kingdoms Demanding Tributes — Rulers whose kingdoms lay along these routes, like the Kushanas, tried to control them. By controlling the roads, they could collect heavy taxes, tolls, and tributes from passing merchants.
4. Protection for Traders — In return for these payments, the kings deployed soldiers to protect the traders' caravans from violent robbers and bandits along the hazardous route.

Key Historical Terms Explained

Muvendar

A Tamil word meaning 'three chiefs', used in Sangam poems to describe the heads of three ruling families—the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas—who became powerful in South India about 2300 years ago.

Bodhisattvas

Enlightened holy persons in Mahayana Buddhism who, after attaining enlightenment, chose to remain in the world to help teach and guide others instead of living in complete isolation.

Pilgrims

Devout travelers who undertake arduous journeys to holy sites and monasteries to offer worship and study religious scriptures.

Bhakti

A path of deep, individual devotion to a chosen deity (such as Shiva, Vishnu, or Durga) that emphasized a loving relationship over complex sacrificial rituals or caste boundaries.

Important Exam Tips & Common Confusions

1. Don't Confuse Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism: In older Buddhism (Hinayana/Theravada), Buddha was represented only through symbols like the Bodhi tree. In the newer Mahayana Buddhism, lifelike statues of Buddha were sculpted, and the worship of Bodhisattvas became extremely popular.
2. The Muvendar Centers of Power: Remember that each of the three Muvendar chiefs (Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas) had two main centers of power—one inland and one coastal. The two most famous were Puhar (the Chola port) and Madurai (the Pandya capital).
3. Chinese Pilgrims Timeline: If asked about the order of their visits, remember: Fa Xian arrived first (around 1600 years ago), followed by Xuan Zang (1400 years ago), and then I-Qing (about 50 years after Xuan Zang).

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: Why did kings want to control the Silk Route?
  A: Step 1: Identify what made the Silk Route special. It was a highly active and valuable international trade path used by wealthy merchants carrying precious silk and spices.
  Step 2: Understand the financial benefit. By controlling sections of this route, kings could levy heavy taxes, duties, and claim tributes from these rich merchants.
  Step 3: Consider the mutual benefit. In exchange for taxes, the kings provided security forces to protect traders from frequent attacks by bandits and robbers.
  Final answer: Kings wanted to control the Silk Route because they could collect valuable taxes, tributes, and gifts from passing traders, while offering them protection against robbers.

• Q: What were the two major changes that occurred in Buddhism during the Kushana period?
  A: Step 1: Recall the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism under King Kanishka's patronage.
  Step 2: Describe the first change regarding statues. Earlier, Buddha was depicted through symbols, but now large, exquisite physical statues of the Buddha were made in places like Mathura and Peshawar.
  Step 3: Describe the second change regarding Bodhisattvas. Instead of retiring to isolation after attaining enlightenment, these holy persons lived among common people to teach them, leading to popular worship.
  Final answer: The two major changes were: (1) The creation of physical statues of Buddha instead of using abstract symbols, and (2) The rise of belief in Bodhisattvas who helped guide people toward enlightenment.

• Q: Who were the 'Muvendar' and how did they collect wealth?
  A: Step 1: Translate the term. 'Muvendar' is a Tamil word meaning 'three chiefs'.
  Step 2: Name the dynasties. It referred to the heads of the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas ruling South India around 2300 years ago.
  Step 3: Explain their wealth collection method. Unlike regular kings, they did not collect regular taxes. Instead, they demanded and received valuable gifts and tributes from the people, and led military expeditions to collect tribute from neighboring areas.
  Final answer: The Muvendar were the chiefs of the Chola, Chera, and Pandya dynasties. They collected wealth through voluntary gifts from their subjects, tributes from subordinate chiefs, and military plunder.

• Q: Why did Chinese pilgrims like Fa Xian and Xuan Zang undertake such dangerous journeys to India?
  A: Step 1: Identify who these travelers were. They were devout Buddhist pilgrims from China.
  Step 2: Pinpoint their goal. They wanted to visit places directly associated with the life and teachings of Gautama Buddha.
  Step 3: Identify their academic goal. They visited famous Buddhist monasteries like Nalanda to study directly from Indian teachers and collect sacred manuscripts.
  Final answer: Chinese pilgrims undertook dangerous journeys to visit sacred Buddhist sites, study at legendary monasteries like Nalanda, and collect original scriptures to translate and preserve back home in China.

Frequently Asked Questions