NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 15: Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 15 solutions cover Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries from Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter surveys India from about 600 CE to about 900 CE — the reign of Harṣhavardhana, the long Tripartite Struggle over Kannauj between the Pālas, Gurjara-Pratīhāras and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, the rise of southern powers like the Chālukyas, Pallavas, Pāṇḍyas and Cholas, and the impact of the Hūṇa and Arab invasions. Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions and activities, clear notes on key terms, a timeline table, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 7 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2) Chapter: 15 Theme: Tapestry of the Past (History) Session: 2026–27
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Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 15 – Overview

Chapter 15, Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries, picks up the story after the decline of the Gupta Empire. With no single power dominating the whole subcontinent, many strong regional kingdoms emerged. In the north, Harṣhavardhana ruled from Kannauj (606–647 CE), patronised scholars like Bāṇabhaṭṭa and hosted the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang. After his death, the Pālas, Gurjara-Pratīhāras and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas fought the long, indecisive Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj. Meanwhile Kashmir, the Deccan and the far south flourished — the Chālukyas of Vātāpi, the Pallavas of Kānchī (builders of Māmallapuram), and the Pāṇḍyas, Cheras and rising Cholas. The chapter shows how rulers patronised Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions alike, how the Bhakti tradition, mathematics (Brahmagupta) and temple art blossomed, and how India absorbed the Hūṇas and resisted the Arab conquest of Sindh — a period of regional consolidation, cultural richness and resilience.

Key Terms & Concepts

Harṣhavardhana (Harṣha): ruler of the Puṣhyabhūti (Vardhana) dynasty who ascended the throne at Kannauj in 606 CE, expanded over much of north and east India, was a poet-dramatist and patron of scholars, and gave away his wealth every five years at the Prayāga assembly.

Xuanzang: a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who travelled across India between 630 and 644 CE, carried back over 600 Sanskrit manuscripts to China, and left a detailed travelogue that is a major source for this period.

Tripartite Struggle: a long, indecisive contest during the 8th–9th centuries for control of Kannauj between three powers — the Pālas (east), the Gurjara-Pratīhāras (west) and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas (Deccan). (‘Tripartite’ means involving three distinct parties.)

The Pālas: an eastern dynasty begun by Gopāla (chosen king in 750 CE); great patrons of Mahāyāna Buddhism who founded monastic universities such as Vikramaśhilā and Somapura and continued to support Nālandā.

The Gurjara-Pratīhāras: a western dynasty founded by Nāgabhaṭa I (mid-8th century) famous for pushing back Arab invasions; King Bhoja built a large empire across north India.

The Rāṣhṭrakūṭas: a Deccan power (capital Mānyakheṭa) begun when Dantidurga overthrew the Chālukyas; King Krishna I carved the rock-cut Kailaśhanātha temple at Ellora, and Amoghavarṣha I (Nṛipatunga) ruled for 64 years.

The Chālukyas: a Deccan dynasty (capital Vātāpi/Badami) whose ruler Pulakeśhin II checked Harṣha’s southward advance and was praised in the Aihole inscription by the poet Ravikīrti.

The Pallavas: a southern dynasty with capital at Kānchī, builders of the rock-cut and monolithic temples at Māmallapuram; their kings Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I (‘Mamalla’) led them to their peak.

Sāmantas: subordinate rulers (tributaries or vassals) through whom emperors governed outlying regions; they led armies and managed local administration but their loyalty could be fragile.

Monolithic: made of a single (‘mono’) stone or rock (‘lithic’) — as in the monolithic temples carved at Māmallapuram and the Kailaśhanātha temple at Ellora.

Other key names: Rājatarangiṇī (Kalhaṇa’s 12th-century Sanskrit history of Kashmir’s kings), Brahmagupta (mathematician-astronomer who set out rules for zero, negative numbers and fractions), the Bhakti tradition (personal devotion spread by the Ālvārs and Nāyanārs of the south), and the Mlechchha / infidel / idol terms explained in the chapter’s side-boxes.

Timeline of the Period (Fig. 3.2)

Reproduced from the timeline given at the start of the chapter.

DateEvent
6th centuryRise of the Chālukya dynasty
606Harṣhavardhana’s rule begins at Kannauj
630–644Xuanzang’s travels in India
637First Arab naval attack repulsed at Thana
650Start of the Bhakti tradition in south India
6th to 8th centuryPallava–Chālukya struggle
712Arabs conquer Sindh after several attempts
750Rise of the Pāla dynasty
8th–9th centuriesTripartite Struggle over Kannauj
9th centuryThe Cholas emerge as a dominant power

“Questions and activities” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions and activities section. Answers are original, written in exam-ready style. Several questions are activity- or discussion-based; for these a model answer is given.

1. If you lived in Kannauj during the struggle between the Pālas, the Pratīhāras and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, how would it change your daily life and your estimate of the rulers? Write a letter on this to your friend living in Kanchipuram.

ANSWER This is a creative-writing activity; a model letter is given below. Kannauj, on the banks of the Ganga Dear friend in Kanchipuram, Greetings from our beautiful but troubled city. You would hardly believe how often the rulers change here. Three great powers — the Pālas from the east, the Pratīhāras from the west, and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas from the Deccan — all want to hold Kannauj because of its wealth and its central position on the river. Their armies march in and out, banners change colour, and we never know whose coins we will be using next season. Daily life is uncertain. Trade is sometimes disrupted, prices rise when soldiers pass through, and farmers worry about their fields. Yet between the wars the city still hums with temples, markets and scholars. As for my estimate of the rulers, I admire the ones who, even while fighting, build monasteries, patronise poets and protect ordinary people; I respect them less when their ambition brings only destruction. I have learned that a good king is judged not by how much land he wins, but by how well he cares for his subjects. Write soon and tell me about the Pallava temples being carved near you. Your friend.

2. Emperors and kings during this period controlled only core regions and governed other regions through subordinate vassals. What would be the advantages and the challenges of such a system?

ANSWER In this period rulers like the Chālukyas and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas ruled their core regions directly but governed distant regions through subordinate rulers called sāmantas (tributaries or vassals). Advantages: (i) A king could control a very large area without having to administer every corner himself. (ii) The sāmantas knew their own region well, so they could manage local administration and collect revenue efficiently. (iii) They led armies and supplied troops, strengthening the empire in war. (iv) Local customs and people were handled by familiar local chiefs, which reduced resentment. Challenges: (i) The loyalty of sāmantas was often fragile, especially when the central authority weakened. (ii) Powerful vassals could rebel and even overthrow their overlords — the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, once sāmantas of the Chālukyas, did exactly this. (iii) Constant watch and reward were needed to keep them loyal, and disputes among vassals could cause instability. So while the system extended a ruler’s reach, it also carried the seeds of disintegration.

3. In what ways were the invasions of the Hūṇas and the Arabs different in their aims, methods, and impact on the Indian subcontinent? Prepare a write-up, discuss and present it in the class.

ANSWER Although both were foreign invasions, the Hūṇas and the Arabs differed greatly. Aims: The Hūṇas were a nomadic people from Central Asia seeking plunder, pasture and territory; they had no distinct religious mission. The Arabs came partly for trade and conquest but also carried the new religion of Islam, and some leaders, like Muhammad bin Qasim, declared their campaigns a religious war. Methods: The Hūṇas relied on swift cavalry, horse-riding and archery, with lightning-fast attacks that pushed into the Ganga plains. The Arabs launched naval raids on the western coast (Thānā, Bharuch, Debal) and then a land campaign into Sindh under bin Qasim, capturing cities such as Debal and Aror and defeating King Dāhar. Impact: The Hūṇas were defeated by kings of the Aulikara dynasty, lost their power, and within a century assimilated completely into Indian society — serving as soldiers and officials, adopting Sanskrit, Gupta-style titles and Indian deities. The Arab conquest, however, was limited: Indian chiefs soon rebelled and recovered most territory, the Gurjara-Pratīhāras crushed Arab advances, and after three centuries Arab rule was reduced to two small states in Sindh and Punjab. Even there, the Arabs had to give up iconoclasm and allow Hindus and Buddhists to rebuild temples. The Hūṇas vanished by blending in, while the Arabs left an early but limited political and religious footprint — though cultural exchange (numerals, science, words like ‘monsoon’) was significant.

4. Imagine you are a common citizen watching the Prayāga assembly. How would you react to Harṣha giving away most of his wealth?

ANSWER This is an imagination activity; a model answer is given. Standing in the great crowd at Prayāga, where the Ganga and Yamuna meet, I would be amazed and moved. Every five years our king Harṣha performs sacred rites and then gives away almost all his treasure — to Buddhists, Brahmins and the poor alike. As a common citizen I would feel proud that my ruler is so generous and humble, sharing his riches instead of hoarding them. It would teach me that wealth is meant to be used for the welfare of all, not for personal display. I might also feel some surprise that a powerful emperor would empty his treasury so willingly, and respect him for placing duty and charity above pride. Such an act would strengthen my faith in him as a just and noble king.

5. Forming groups, let each group choose one Ālvār and one Nāyanār and prepare a biography poster or booklet. Include their life stories and a sample poem or two (in translation).

ANSWER This is a group project; guidance for completing it is given below. The Ālvārs were twelve poet-saints of south India devoted to Viṣhṇu, and the Nāyanārs (or Nāyanmārs) were sixty-three poet-saints devoted to Śhiva; together they sparked the Bhakti tradition in Tamil. Each group should: (i) Choose one Ālvār (for example Āṇḍāḷ, the only woman among the Ālvārs, or Nammāḷvār) and one Nāyanār (for example Kāraikāl Ammaiyār, a female saint of the 6th century, or Appar or Sambandar). (ii) Write a short life story: where the saint lived, the deity worshipped, and why the saint is remembered — emphasising that their devotion cut across social divisions and was open to everyone. (iii) Add one or two of their devotional verses in English translation, and decorate the poster with drawings of the temple or deity. Note that their poetry, composed in the regional language, invoked a direct, personal relationship with the divine and reshaped Indian society and literature down to the present day. (Library books and your teacher can help you find suitable poems.)

6. You will notice that our maps show only ancient names for the kingdoms’ capitals and main cities. Using a pencil, mark the modern names next to their original names. Refer the current map of India and try to locate those cities on it.

ANSWER This is a map activity. Using the place-names given in the chapter, the ancient and modern names can be matched as follows: • Kānyakubja / Kannauj — Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh)   • Sthāneśhvara — Thanesar (Haryana) • Prayāga — Prayagraj   • Mānyakheṭa — Malkheda (Karnataka)   • Bhillamāla — Bhinmal (Rajasthan) • Vātāpi — Badami (Karnataka)   • Āryapura / Ayyavole — Aihole   • Kalyāṇī — Basavakalyan (Karnataka) • Kānchī / Kānchipura — Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu)   • Māmallapuram — Mahabalipuram (Tamil Nadu) • Tanjāvūr — Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu)   • Prāgjyotiṣha — near Guwahati (Assam)   • Daśhapura — Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh) (Locate each pair on an outline map of India, writing the modern name in pencil beside the ancient one.)

This answer is based on the modern names supplied in the chapter text, since the textbook’s maps use only ancient names.

7. Match the ruler or the dynasty with the city.

ANSWER The correct matches are:
Ruler / DynastyCity
(a) Rāṣhṭrakūṭas(iii) Mānyakheṭa
(b) Gurjara-Pratīhāras(iv) Ujjayinī
(c) Cholas(ii) Tanjāvūr
(d) Harṣhavardhana(v) Kānyakubja
(e) Pallavas(i) Kānchī
So: (a)–(iii), (b)–(iv), (c)–(ii), (d)–(v), (e)–(i).

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Who was Harṣhavardhana and from where did he rule?

ANSWERHarṣhavardhana (Harṣha) was a ruler of the Puṣhyabhūti or Vardhana dynasty who ascended the throne in 606 CE. He ruled from Kannauj (anciently Kānyakubja, in present-day Uttar Pradesh) and expanded his empire over large parts of northern and eastern India. He was also a poet, dramatist and great patron of scholars.

Q2. Why was the city of Kannauj so important during this period?

ANSWERKannauj lay in a central position on the River Ganga in the fertile Gangetic plains, making it wealthy and strategically valuable. Whoever held it could dominate central and northern India, which is why the three great powers — the Pālas, Gurjara-Pratīhāras and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas — fought the long Tripartite Struggle for its control.

Q3. What was Vikramaśhilā and why was it famous?

ANSWERVikramaśhilā was a great Buddhist monastic university founded by the Pāla king Dharmapāla in the late 8th century on the banks of the Ganga. It had six colleges, monasteries, temples and a vast library, and nearly 3,000 scholars studied subjects like grammar, logic and philosophy. Admission was so selective that each college had a dvārapaṇḍita (‘scholar gatekeeper’) to test students, and it was famous for its ties with Tibet.

Q4. Who was Xuanzang and why is he important to historians?

ANSWERXuanzang was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who travelled across India between 630 and 644 CE to visit sacred Buddhist sites and learn from Indian teachers. He carried back more than 600 Sanskrit manuscripts to China. He is important because he left a meticulous travelogue recording the politics, diplomacy, culture and religion of the kingdoms he crossed — a major source for the history of this period.

Q5. What was the contribution of Brahmagupta to mathematics?

ANSWERBrahmagupta was born in 598 CE at Bhillamāla. In his work Brahmasphutasiddhānta he introduced the rules of arithmetic operations with zero, negative numbers and fractions — the same we learn at school today — and pioneered methods for solving certain equations, making him one of the founders of modern algebra. His works were later translated into Persian and Latin.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj.

ANSWERAfter Harṣha’s death in 647 CE, north India fell into political turmoil and Kannauj became the centre of a long, indecisive contest known as the Tripartite Struggle. Three powers wanted to control this wealthy, centrally placed city on the Ganga: the Pālas from the east (Bengal and Bihar), the Gurjara-Pratīhāras from the west (the Gujarat–Rajasthan region), and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas from the Deccan. During the 8th and 9th centuries these three repeatedly warred against each other, with fluctuating outcomes and no lasting victor; sometimes one captured Kannauj only to lose it later. The Rāṣhṭrakūṭas even destroyed Kannauj at one point, hastening the decline of the Pratīhāras. The struggle weakened all three powers over time, and none could build a stable empire across north India — a sign of the regional, decentralised politics of the age.

Q2. Discuss the cultural and religious developments of this period.

ANSWERThis was a period of remarkable cultural richness despite political rivalry. Rulers generally patronised Hindu, Buddhist and Jain schools of thought alike, regardless of their own beliefs — the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, for example, supported all three and encouraged Sanskrit, Prakrit and Kannada literature. These traditions interacted, sharing concepts like dharma and karma and coexisting peacefully most of the time. Around the 6th century Tantric schools emerged, and the great Bhakti tradition began in the south through the twelve Ālvārs (devotees of Viṣhṇu) and the sixty-three Nāyanārs (devotees of Śhiva), spreading personal devotion across all layers of society. Temple architecture and sculpture flourished — the rock-cut Kailaśhanātha temple at Ellora, the monolithic temples of Māmallapuram, and the Bāhubalī statue at Shravanabelagola. Centres of learning like Vikramaśhilā and Nālandā kept India’s knowledge traditions alive, and a galaxy of mathematicians and astronomers, led by Brahmagupta, made world-changing advances. Thus the era enriched India’s cultural and spiritual life on its ancient foundations.

Q3. Write about the major southern kingdoms of this period and their achievements.

ANSWERWhile the north was locked in the Tripartite Struggle, the Deccan and the far south were equally alive. The Chālukyas, with their capital at Vātāpi (Badami), reached their height under Pulakeśhin II, who checked Harṣha’s southward advance and was praised in the Aihole inscription; their temples at Badami and Aihole are famous. The Pallavas of Kānchī peaked under Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I (‘Mamalla’), who defeated Pulakeśhin II; they built the magnificent rock-cut caves and monolithic temples at Māmallapuram and traded with Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Further south, the Pāṇḍyas rose by the 6th century with their capital at Madurai and carried on maritime trade; the Cheras of the Kerala coast kept their independence. Finally the Cholas, reborn under Vijayālaya in the 9th century from their capital Tanjāvūr, expanded under Aditya I by defeating the Pallavas, and went on to build one of the largest empires in south Indian history, famous for efficient administration, a powerful navy, grand temples and the fertile Kāveri delta. These kingdoms patronised both Sanskrit and regional literatures and created lasting works of art.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Harṣhavardhana ascended the throne at Kannauj in the year:

(a) 606 CE    (b) 647 CE    (c) 712 CE    (d) 750 CE

2. The Chinese pilgrim who travelled in India between 630 and 644 CE was:

(a) Faxian    (b) Xuanzang    (c) Al-Balādhurī    (d) Kalhaṇa

3. The three powers that fought the Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj were the Pālas, the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas and the:

(a) Cholas    (b) Pallavas    (c) Gurjara-Pratīhāras    (d) Pāṇḍyas

4. The rock-cut Kailaśhanātha temple at Ellora was created under which Rāṣhṭrakūṭa king?

(a) Dantidurga    (b) Krishna I    (c) Amoghavarṣha I    (d) Gopāla

5. The Pāla king who founded the university of Vikramaśhilā was:

(a) Gopāla    (b) Bhoja    (c) Dharmapāla    (d) Nāgabhaṭa I

6. The capital of the Chālukyas under Pulakeśhin II was:

(a) Kānchī    (b) Vātāpi (Badami)    (c) Mānyakheṭa    (d) Tanjāvūr

7. The Pallava king known as ‘Mamalla’, who defeated Pulakeśhin II, was:

(a) Mahendravarman I    (b) Narasimhavarman I    (c) Aditya I    (d) Vijayālaya

8. Kalhaṇa’s Rājatarangiṇī is a history of the rulers of:

(a) Bengal    (b) the Deccan    (c) Kashmir    (d) Tamil Nadu

9. The Arab commander who conquered Sindh and defeated King Dāhar was:

(a) Toramāṇa    (b) Muhammad bin Qasim    (c) Bakhtiyār Khiljī    (d) Sulaiman

10. Brahmagupta is famous for setting out the rules of arithmetic with:

(a) only whole numbers    (b) zero, negative numbers and fractions    (c) Roman numerals    (d) the calendar alone

Answer key: 1-(a), 2-(b), 3-(c), 4-(b), 5-(c), 6-(b), 7-(b), 8-(c), 9-(b), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: Many regional kingdoms emerged in India after about 600 CE.

Reason: The Gupta Empire had lost its dominance, and no single power could control the whole subcontinent.

A-R 2. Assertion: Powerful sāmantas could overthrow their overlords.

Reason: The Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, once sāmantas under the Chālukyas, grew strong enough to replace them.

A-R 3. Assertion: The Hūṇas left no lasting separate community in India.

Reason: Within a century the Hūṇas assimilated into Indian society, serving as soldiers and officials and adopting Indian titles and deities.

A-R 4. Assertion: The Arab conquest of Sindh quickly led to control over most of India.

Reason: Indian rulers like the Gurjara-Pratīhāras repeatedly pushed back Arab advances, limiting their rule to small areas.

A-R 5. Assertion: Rulers of this period generally patronised Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions together.

Reason: In ancient India the idea of religion was more fluid, and rulers often took pride in supporting several schools of thought.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(A), 4-(D), 5-(A).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Memorise the three powers of the Tripartite Struggle and where each came from (Pālas–east, Gurjara-Pratīhāras–west, Rāṣhṭrakūṭas–Deccan). Link each dynasty to its capital and one achievement — Harṣha–Kannauj, Pālas–Vikramaśhilā, Rāṣhṭrakūṭas–Ellora’s Kailaśhanātha, Chālukyas–Vātāpi/Aihole, Pallavas–Māmallapuram, Cholas–Tanjāvūr. For the invasion question, always contrast the Hūṇas (assimilated) with the Arabs (limited impact). Remember key sources — Xuanzang’s travelogue, Bāṇa’s Harṣhacharita, Kalhaṇa’s Rājatarangiṇī, the Aihole inscription — and the achievement of Brahmagupta in mathematics.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Confusing the two Chinese pilgrims — Faxian visited in the 5th century (Gupta era), Xuanzang in the 7th century (Harṣha’s time).
  • Mixing up the capitals: Rāṣhṭrakūṭas–Mānyakheṭa, Chālukyas–Vātāpi, Pallavas–Kānchī, Cholas–Tanjāvūr.
  • Thinking the Tripartite Struggle had a clear winner — it was long and indecisive.
  • Assuming the Arabs conquered most of India — their control was limited to small parts of Sindh and Punjab.
  • Confusing monolithic (carved from a single rock) temples with ordinary built temples.
  • Leaving activity questions (1, 4, 5, 6) blank — write your own letter, reaction, project notes or map matches.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 15 of Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society about?

Chapter 15, Empires and Kingdoms: 6th to 10th Centuries, surveys India after the Gupta Empire — the reign of Harṣhavardhana, the Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj between the Pālas, Gurjara-Pratīhāras and Rāṣhṭrakūṭas, the rise of southern powers like the Chālukyas, Pallavas, Pāṇḍyas and Cholas, the flowering of the Bhakti tradition and mathematics, and the Hūṇa and Arab invasions.

Who were the three powers in the Tripartite Struggle?

The Tripartite Struggle for Kannauj was fought during the 8th and 9th centuries between the Pālas from eastern India, the Gurjara-Pratīhāras from western India, and the Rāṣhṭrakūṭas from the Deccan. It was long and indecisive, with no lasting victor.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 15 of Exploring Society Part 2?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2) Chapter 15 is headed Questions and activities and contains 7 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.

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