The Rise Of Marathas class 8

 Question Answers 

Ch: 3 The Rise of Marathas

 

Key words

 

1.Swarajya: The vision and ideal of indigenous self-rule.Ashta Pradhan 2.Mandal: The centralized council of eight state ministers.

3.Chauth: A 25% tax collected from neighboring territories.

4.Sardeshmukhi: An additional 10% tax levied as a claim to hereditary overlordship.

5.Guerrilla Warfare (Ganimi Kava): Surprise hit-and-run tactics in hilly terrain.

6.Forts (Durg): Strategic hill bases like Raigad and Pratapgad.

7.Navy: Maritime force built to challenge European and regional powers.

8.Peshwas: Prime ministers who later led the Maratha confederacy.

9.Bhakti Saints: Spiritual leaders like Tukaram and Ramdas who built cultural unity.

10 Jagir: A jāgīr was a piece of land  given by a king or ruler to someone (usually a noble or  soldier) as a  reward for their service.

11. Literary history: The historical  development  of writings in  prose or poetry in a particular language

Questions and Answers

 

Q1.Who were the Marathas? How did they manage to become the largest pan- Indian power before the British took over? 

 

Ans:The Marathas were a Marathi-speaking warrior community from the Deccan region (modern Maharashtra). Under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1674, they established a strong state that eventually dominated the subcontinent.  

 

​Here is how they became the supreme pan-Indian power:

1.​Visionary Leadership: Chhatrapati Shivaji united local clans under Hindavi Swarajya (self-rule), setting up a disciplined military and central administration.  

 

2.​Guerrilla Warfare: Using the terrain, their rapid cavalry and guerrilla tactics they defeated large armies .

 

3.​Rise of the Peshwas: Effective leadership shifted to prime ministers (Peshwas) who expanded Maratha territory across northern and central India.  

4.​Maratha Confederacy: Powerful military dynasties (Scindia, Holkar, Gaekwad, Bhonsle) established semi-autonomous bases.

 

5.​Revenue Systems: Collecting levies (taxes) like Chauth (25%) and Sardeshmukhi (Chauth plus addition 10%) from neighboring states funded their ongoing campaigns.  

 

Q2.What were some features of their governance?

Ans:Here are five key features of Maratha governance (under Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj)

Ans.

1.     ​Ashta Pradhana: A central council of eight ministers managed departments like defense, finance, and foreign affairs.

2.     ​Paid Officials: Abolished hereditary posts, paying officers directly from the state treasury to prevent corruption.

3.     ​Taxation System: Revenue was collected systematically through taxes like Chauth (25%) and Sardeshmukhi (25℅+10%).

4.     ​Local Justice & Welfare: Panchayats handled local disputes, and pensions supported families of fallen soldiers.

5.     ​Forts & Military: Built a disciplined standing army, strategic hill forts, and a pioneer navy.

​Q3. Analyse how geography (particularly mountains and coastlines) influenced Maratha military strategy and state formation. 

Ans:1.Western Ghats Defense: Steep mountains provided natural fortresses (e.g., Raigad), securing Maratha bases against heavy artillery.

2.​Guerilla Warfare (Ganimi Kava): Rugged terrain enabled rapid, hit-and-run tactics to exhaust larger, slower Mughal armies.

3.​Maritime Power: The Konkan coastline led to naval development and island forts (e.g., Sindhudurg) to protect sea trade.

4.Decentralized Fort Network: Fragmented geography created autonomous hill-forts, ensuring state survival despite central losses.

Q.4: What impact did the Maratha Empire leave in Indian  history?

Ans: The impact of Maratha empire on Indian history are as under:

1.End of Mughal Dominance: Accelerated the downfall of the Mughal Empire across Northern and Central India.

2.Concept of Swarajya: Championed native self-rule, reviving local culture, governance, and regional languages.

3.Guerrilla Warfare: Pioneered innovative Ganimi Kava (guerrilla tactics) and built a formidable Maratha navy.

4.Administrative Reforms: Introduced structured administration along with taxation systems like Chauth and Sardeshmukhi.

 

5.Subcontinental Power: Unified vast territories from Attock to Cuttack.

 

Q5. The chapter states, “The British took India from the Marathas more than from the Mughals or any other power.” What do you think this means? What evidence from the chapter supports this idea? 

 

Ans. 1)The Marathas were the strongest power in India before British rule.

2)They controlled large parts of India, including Delhi.

3)The British considered the Marathas their main rivals.

4)The three Anglo-Maratha Wars (1775–1818) ended in British victory.

5) After defeating the Marathas, the British became the dominant power in India.

Q.6Compare how Shivaji and later Marathas treated religious places and people of different faiths. What evidence from the chapter shows their approach to religious diversity? 

Ans .1) Shivaji respected all religions and promoted religious tolerance.

2)He protected temples, mosques, and charitable institutions during campaigns.

3)He rebuilt damaged temples and encouraged Hindu culture.

4)Later rulers like Ahilyabai Holkar restored famous temples such as Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath.

5)Maratha rule reflected cultural pride, religious tolerance, and respect for diversity.

Q7. Why were forts the 'core of the state' for the Marathas? How did they help them survive against larger enemies?

Ans. 1. Forts gave the Marathas protection and security.

2. Built on hills, they were difficult for enemies to capture.

3. They helped the Marathas use guerrilla warfare effectively.

4. Forts stored food, water, weapons, and sheltered soldiers.

5. They allowed the Marathas to resist larger armies, regroup, and continue fighting, making forts the core of their state.