Notes-Class 7-History-Chapter 1-Sources of History-Maharashtra Board

Introduction :

• The period from the ninth century CE till the end of the eighteenth century CE is considered to be the medieval period of Indian history.
• History gives us a chronological, scientific and systematic account of past events.
• Individual, society, place and time are important in the study of history.
• History must be based on authentic evidence/proofs which are known as the sources of history. Before using it is necessary to ascertain authenticity of sources by critical analysis.
• These sources are classified into Material, Written and Oral Sources.

Material Sources :

• Forts, Memorials, Buildings, Cave, Sculptures, Inscriptions, Coins and Copper Plates are regarded as material sources.
• Forts, memorials and buildings provide insight about the period, give us idea about the development of architecture, the quality of art, economic conditions and standard of living of the people in that particular period.
• From the coins we learn about the rulers, their period, governance, religious ideas and personal details. We also learn about the financial transactions and economic conditions, progress of metallurgy, religious coordination and language of that period.
• An inscription is a carving on a stone or a wall. It is a reliable source as it helps us to understand the language, script and social life of a period.
• Inscriptions such as royal edicts, verdicts are inscribed on copper plates.

Written Sources :

• Documents of proceedings in the royal courts, judicial verdicts/orders, Geneologies/Shakavali, correspondence, dispatches, treatises, biographies, travelogues and chronicles like Tavarikh or Tarikh and Bakhar are written sources of the medieval period. ‘
• These are written in Devnagari, Arabic, Persian and Modi scripts as well as in varieties of regional languages.
• From these written sources, we get information about diet, attire, conventions and rules of conduct of the people, life of people in general and festivals.
• Al Biruni, lbn Batuta and Niccolao Manucci have written travelogues.
• Biographies and correspondence of the rulers help us to understand their policies, administrative system and their diplomatic relations with other rulers.
• Tavarikh or Tarikh is a chronicle of events. Bakhar is also chronicle that originated in Maharashtra. These chronicles help us in understanding contemporary political happenings, language, cultural life and social conditions. However, many Bakhars were written many years after the events had occurred and hence were based on hearsays.
• The Works of contemporary western historians like Robert Arm, M.C. Sprengel and Grant Duff are important sources.

Oral Sources : Oral sources reveal various aspects of people’s life.

• Folk songs, gatha, shlokas, abhangas, powadas, proverbs, legends, myths and owis are oral sources.
• We understand aspects of folk life through literature passed from generation to generation.
• It narrates their life, beliefs and economic conditions.
• Owis and Abhangas reveal their religious beliefs.
• Folk tales are about the mythological heroes whom the common people admire.
• Some of the oral sources have been written down after research. This conversion work is going on continuously and new information that come to light is added.

Q. Give Reasons : Bakhars are not reliable source of history.