NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 6: The Age of Reorganisation
These Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 solutions cover The Age of Reorganisation from Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1), the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. The chapter belongs to the theme Tapestry of the Past and explores the period after the Maurya empire — roughly the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE — when many kingdoms such as the Śhungas, Sātavāhanas, Chedis, Cholas, Cheras and Pānḍyas rose, and foreign powers like the Indo-Greeks, Śhakas and Kuṣhāṇas arrived and assimilated into Indian society. Below you get step-by-step answers to all Questions and activities, clear notes on key terms, extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.
Class: 7Subject: Social ScienceBook: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1)Chapter: 6Theme: Tapestry of the PastSession: 2026–27
Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 6 – Overview
Chapter 6, The Age of Reorganisation, traces what happened after the last Maurya emperor was assassinated around 185 BCE by his commander-in-chief Puṣhyamitra Śhunga. The empire broke up and many new kingdoms emerged, often from earlier tributary regions, which competed for control through matrimonial alliances and warfare. Scholars call this the ‘age of reorganisation’ because regions were being reshaped into new, rival kingdoms. The chapter covers the Śhungas (who revived Vedic rituals and built the Bharhut Stūpa railings), the Sātavāhanas of the Deccan (famous for sea trade and naming princes after their mothers), the Chedis of Kalinga under Khāravela, and the three southern ‘crowned kings’ — the Cholas, Cheras and Pānḍyas of the Sangam Age. It then turns north to the Indo-Greeks, Śhakas and Kuṣhāṇas, foreign invaders who assimilated Indian culture, creating the Gāndhāra and Mathurā schools of art. Despite conflicts, the era saw a rich confluence of cultures, flourishing Sanskrit literature and growing trade.
Key Terms & Concepts
Age of Reorganisation: the period after the Maurya empire (roughly 2nd century BCE to 3rd century CE), so called because existing regions were being reorganised into new kingdoms that constantly competed to become powerful.
Aśhvamedha yajña: a Vedic horse-sacrifice ritual performed by rulers (such as Puṣhyamitra Śhunga) to declare their supremacy; a horse with soldiers wandered freely and any unchallenged territory it crossed was claimed by the king.
Matrimonial alliance: an alliance arranged through marriage, generally between two royal families — a peaceful way of gaining or securing territorial control between neighbouring kingdoms.
Sangam literature / Sangam Age: the oldest literature of south India — anthologies of Tamil poems composed by an assembly (sangam, from Sanskrit sangha, ‘coming together’) of poets, expressing personal emotions and values like heroism and generosity.
The three ‘crowned kings’: the Cholas, Cheras and Pānḍyas — three powerful southern dynasties that competed for control while encouraging trade and Tamil culture.
Hāthīgumphā inscription: a Brahmi-script inscription at the Udayagiri caves near Bhubaneswar that records the achievements of the Chedi king Khāravela, the ‘monk-king’ (bhikṣhu-rāja).
Indo-Greeks: regional Greek rulers descended from Alexander’s satraps who established independent domains in the northwest and blended Greek and Indian elements in art, language and governance.
Śhaka Samvat: a calendar developed during Śhaka (Indo-Scythian) rule, 78 years behind the Gregorian calendar; adopted as India’s National Calendar in 1957.
Gandhāra & Mathurā schools of art: two great schools of the Kuṣhāṇa period — the Gāndhāra style (grey-black schist, Greco-Roman + Indian features) and the Mathurā style (red sandstone, distinctly Indian) — celebrated for fusing Indian and Greek styles.
Silappadikāram: a famous Tamil epic composed soon after the Sangam collections, telling the story of Kaṇṇagi and centring on justice and the ruler’s dharma to protect it.
“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.
1. Why was the post-Maurya era also known as the era of reorganisation?
ANSWERAfter the last Maurya emperor was assassinated around 185 BCE by his commander-in-chief Puṣhyamitra Śhunga, the large Maurya empire broke up — barely half a century after Aśhoka.In its place, many new kingdoms emerged across the subcontinent. These were often earlier tributary kingdoms that had been under the overlordship of the Mauryas and now became independent.These ‘new’ kingdoms constantly competed with one another for territorial control, using peaceful methods such as matrimonial alliances or the use of force in warfare. The existing regions were thus being reorganised into new, rival kingdoms, and the map of India changed significantly. Because the political map of the subcontinent was being reshaped in this way, scholars call this period the ‘age (or era) of reorganisation’.
2. Write a note on the Sangam literature in 150 words.
ANSWERDuring the rise of the southern kingdoms — the Cheras, Cholas and Pānḍyas between about the 2nd–3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE — many gifted poets appeared whose works together came to be called ‘Sangam literature’. The age itself became known as the ‘Sangam Age’. The word sangam comes from the Sanskrit sangha, meaning ‘association’ or ‘coming together’; here it refers to an assembly of poets.Sangam literature is the oldest literature of south India and consists of several collections or anthologies of poems. The poetry expresses, with great skill and delicacy, personal emotions such as love, as well as societal values like heroism and generosity. The three Sangams refer to three ‘crowned kings’ — the Cholas, Cheras and Pānḍyas. Historians value this literature highly because it is much consulted to understand the society and culture of those times.
3. Which rulers mentioned in this chapter included their mother’s name in their title, and why did they do so?
ANSWERThe Sātavāhana rulers included their mother’s name in their titles. In the Sātavāhana tradition, princes were often named after their mothers. For example, Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi was named after his mother, Gautamī Balaśhrī — a powerful queen who donated land to Buddhist monks and had an important inscription carved at Nāśhik.Why they did so: this points to the high respect and influence that mothers and women enjoyed in Sātavāhana society. Naming a king after his mother showed her honoured status and her power in the kingdom, and it suggests that descent or identity through the mother was considered important and a matter of pride.
4. Write a note of 250 words about one kingdom from this chapter that you find interesting. Explain why you chose it. After presenting your note in class, find out what kingdoms have been the most selected by your classmates.
ANSWERThis is an activity, so answers will vary and you should write about a kingdom you genuinely find interesting and present it in class. A model answer is given below.The Sātavāhana Kingdom. I find the Sātavāhanas the most interesting kingdom in this chapter. They ruled large parts of the Deccan from the 2nd century BCE onward and were sometimes called ‘Andhras’. Their empire covered present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, with famous capitals at Amrāvatī and Pratiṣhṭhāna (Paithan).I chose them for several reasons. First, trade and commerce flourished under them: their coins, found from Gujarat to Andhra Pradesh, often showed two-masted ships, proving that maritime trade and advanced shipbuilding were important. Their trade networks reached as far as the Roman Empire, exchanging spices, textiles, sandalwood and ivory. Second, agriculture thrived in the fertile Krishna-Godavari river system, giving the kingdom economic stability. Third, their culture is fascinating — princes were named after their mothers (such as Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi), showing the high status of women. A widow queen even performed Vedic rituals including the aśhvamedha yajña. The Sātavāhanas followed Vāsudeva (Kṛiṣhṇa) yet generously supported Vedic scholars and Jaina and Buddhist monks, contributing to the beautiful Karla caves. Their inscriptions even contain early forms of our modern numerals.After presenting your note, ask your classmates which kingdoms they chose and note down which were selected most often — for example, you may find the Cholas or the Kuṣhāṇas were popular choices too.
5. Imagine you have the chance to create your own kingdom. What royal emblem would you choose, and why? What title would you take as the ruler? Write a note about your kingdom, including its values, rules and regulations, and some unique features.
ANSWERThis is an imaginative activity, so your own creative answer is accepted. A model answer is given below.Royal emblem: I would choose a banyan tree as my royal emblem, because, like the post-Maurya rulers who respected every school of thought, the banyan shelters all and stands for protection, unity and long life. (Just as the Cheras had their own emblem on their coins, my emblem would appear on my coins and inscriptions.)Title: I would take the title Lokarakṣhaka — ‘Protector of the People’ — rather than a boastful title, following rulers like Khāravela who took pride in the welfare of their subjects.Values: justice, respect for all religions and schools of thought, kindness to the poor, and care for the environment. Rules and regulations: fair and equal justice for everyone; low taxes on farmers; free schools and rest-houses for travellers; protection of forests and rivers; and no discrimination by birth. Unique features: a great library of Sanskrit and Tamil literature, water-diversion works like Karikāla’s Grand Anicut to help farmers, and busy ports for friendly trade with distant lands. My kingdom would aim to be remembered for peace, learning and the wellbeing of all its people.
6. You have read about the architectural developments of the post-Maurya era. Take an outline of the Indian subcontinent and mark the approximate locations of some of the ancient structures mentioned in this chapter.
ANSWERThis is a map activity. As we cannot show a map image here, use an outline map of the Indian subcontinent and mark the approximate locations listed below. (Use the post-Maurya map and the southern-kingdoms map in your textbook for guidance.)Structures and their approximate locations to mark:• Bharhut Stūpa — present-day Madhya Pradesh (central India), a fine example of Śhunga art with carved railings and reliefs.• Naneghat caves — near Pune, Maharashtra (western Deccan), used by the Sātavāhanas to collect tolls and as rest-houses for traders.• Karla caves — near Lonavala, Maharashtra, made for Buddhist monks with magnificent pillars and a rock-cut stūpa.• Pitalkhora caves — Maharashtra, with a yakṣha sculpture from the Sātavāhana period.• Udayagiri-Khandagiri caves (with the Hāthīgumphā inscription) — near Bhubaneswar, Odisha (eastern India), developed for Jain monks under the Chedi king Khāravela.• Kallaṇai / Grand Anicut — on the Kāveri river in Tamil Nadu (south India), built by the Chola king Karikāla.• Heliodorus pillar — near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, an Indo-Greek connection.Mark north-Indian structures (Bharhut, Heliodorus pillar) in the centre-north, the Maharashtra caves in the western Deccan, the Udayagiri caves in the east, and the Grand Anicut in the far south.Note: This answer depends on a figure; the locations above let you complete the map correctly without an image.
Extra Practice Questions
Short Answer Type Questions
Q1. Who founded the Śhunga dynasty, and what famous ritual did he perform?
ANSWERThe Śhunga dynasty was founded by Puṣhyamitra Śhunga, who had assassinated the last Maurya emperor around 185 BCE. He performed the aśhvamedha yajña, a Vedic horse-sacrifice ritual, to establish himself as a most powerful ruler. His dynasty ruled parts of north and central India.
Q2. What was special about the way Sātavāhana princes were named?
ANSWERIn the Sātavāhana tradition, princes were often named after their mothers. For example, Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi was named after his mother, Gautamī Balaśhrī. This shows the honoured status and influence that women enjoyed in Sātavāhana society.
Q3. Who was Khāravela, and why is the Hāthīgumphā inscription important?
ANSWERKhāravela was a main ruler of the Chedi dynasty of Kalinga and a devoted follower of Jain teachings, sometimes called bhikṣhu-rāja (monk-king), though he respected all schools of thought. The Hāthīgumphā inscription at the Udayagiri caves, written in Brahmi script, records his achievements year by year, including his military campaigns and welfare works.
Q4. Name the three southern ‘crowned kings’ and one feature of each.
ANSWERThe three crowned kings were the Cholas (King Karikāla built the Grand Anicut on the Kāveri), the Cheras (known as Keralaputra, famous for trade with Rome and West Asia in spices and pearls), and the Pānḍyas (capital at Madurai, a strong naval power famous for pearls).
Q5. How did foreign invaders like the Indo-Greeks and Kuṣhāṇas influence Indian culture?
ANSWERThough they arrived as conquerors, the Indo-Greeks and Kuṣhāṇas were deeply influenced by local culture and assimilated into Indian society. They blended Greek and Indian elements in art, language, governance and daily life. Some Indo-Greek coins showed Indian deities like Vāsudeva-Kṛiṣhṇa, and the Kuṣhāṇas developed the Gāndhāra and Mathurā schools of art.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Describe the contributions of the Sātavāhanas to trade, art and culture.
ANSWERThe Sātavāhanas ruled large parts of the Deccan from the 2nd century BCE, covering present-day Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra, with capitals at Amrāvatī and Pratiṣhṭhāna (Paithan). Trade: commerce flourished; their coins, found from Gujarat to Andhra Pradesh, often depicted two-masted ships, showing advanced shipbuilding and active maritime trade that reached the Roman Empire, exchanging spices, textiles, sandalwood, ivory and gold-plated pearls. The Naneghat caves near Pune were used to collect tolls and as rest-houses for traders. Economy: agriculture thrived in the fertile Krishna-Godavari river system, giving stability. Art and culture: economic prosperity and relative peace allowed literature, art and culture to flourish. The Sātavāhanas followed Vāsudeva (Kṛiṣhṇa) but generously granted tax-free land to Vedic scholars and Jaina and Buddhist monks, contributing to the beautiful Karla caves built for Buddhist monks. Their inscriptions, in Brahmi script, even contain early numeral forms resembling our modern numerals, evidence that modern numerals originated in India.
Q2. Explain how art and architecture flourished during the age of reorganisation despite political conflict.
ANSWERAlthough the post-Maurya period was full of competing kingdoms, warfare and foreign invasions, it was also a time of remarkable cultural creativity. The Śhungas added beautifully carved railings and reliefs to the Bharhut Stūpa in Madhya Pradesh, among the earliest examples of Buddhist art. The Sātavāhanas contributed to the Karla caves and Pitalkhora sculptures. In Kalinga, the Chedi king Khāravela developed the Udayagiri-Khandagiri rock-cut caves for Jain monks. In the south, the Sangam Age produced great Tamil poetry and the epic Silappadikāram, while the Chola king Karikāla built the Grand Anicut on the Kāveri. In the north-west, foreign rulers fused Greek and Indian styles to create the Gāndhāra school (grey-black schist, realistic Buddha images) and the Mathurā school (red sandstone, distinctly Indian figures). Sanskrit literature flourished, including major texts like the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. Thus, despite political conflict, cultures absorbed one another’s influences to create new styles of art, architecture and coinage, with a dominance of Indian themes.
Q3. How did foreign invaders enter India during this period and assimilate into Indian society?
ANSWERDuring the age of reorganisation, the weakened northwest frontier was exposed to invaders who entered the subcontinent in waves. First came the Indo-Greeks, descendants of the satraps Alexander left behind, who established independent domains in the northwest (roughly present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan). Next came the Śhakas (Indo-Scythians), who ruled from the late 2nd century BCE to the 5th century CE and during whose period the Śhaka Samvat calendar developed. Finally came the Kuṣhāṇas from central Asia, around the 2nd century CE, whose empire under Kaṇiṣhka stretched from central Asia into northern India. Although these powers arrived as conquerors, they were greatly influenced by India’s rich local culture. They blended Greek and Indian elements in governance, art, language and daily life: some Indo-Greek coins carried Indian deities like Vāsudeva-Kṛiṣhṇa and Lakṣhmī, the Heliodorus pillar praised Vāsudeva as the ‘god of gods’, and Kaṇiṣhka’s coins showed Buddha and Śhiva. This led to the celebrated Gandhāra and Mathurā schools of art and a great cultural confluence in which Indian themes ultimately dominated.
MCQs & Assertion–Reason
1. Around which year was the last Maurya emperor assassinated by his commander-in-chief?
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: The post-Maurya period is called the ‘age of reorganisation’.
Reason: Existing regions were being reorganised into new kingdoms that constantly competed to become powerful.
A-R 2. Assertion: Puṣhyamitra Śhunga performed the aśhvamedha yajña.
Reason: The aśhvamedha yajña was a Vedic ritual performed by rulers to declare their supremacy.
A-R 3. Assertion: The Sātavāhanas had no contact with distant foreign powers.
Reason: Sātavāhana trade networks reached as far as the Roman Empire and exchanged goods like spices and ivory.
A-R 4. Assertion: The Indo-Greeks, Śhakas and Kuṣhāṇas assimilated into Indian society.
Reason: Although they arrived as conquerors, they were much influenced by India’s rich local culture.
A-R 5. Assertion: Sangam literature is valuable to historians.
Reason: It is much consulted to understand the society and culture of the times in south India.
Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(A), 5-(A).
Exam Tips & Common Mistakes
How to score full marks in this chapter
Remember the key date — the last Maurya emperor was assassinated around 185 BCE by Puṣhyamitra Śhunga. Learn the dynasties in two groups: from within the subcontinent (Śhungas, Chedis, Sātavāhanas, Cholas, Cheras, Pānḍyas) and from outside (Indo-Greeks, Śhakas, Kuṣhāṇas). Link each ruler to one memorable fact — Śhungas/Bharhut Stūpa, Sātavāhanas/ships and mother-names, Khāravela/Hāthīgumphā, Karikāla/Grand Anicut, Kaṇiṣhka/Gandhāra-Mathurā art. Always stress the chapter’s big theme: rulers respected all schools of thought and cultures assimilated to create a shared heritage — the ‘Indian ethos’.
Common mistakes to avoid
Confusing dynasties from within the subcontinent with those from outside (foreign invaders).
Mixing up the two schools of art — Gandhāra (grey-black schist, Greco-Roman + Indian) and Mathurā (red sandstone, distinctly Indian).
Forgetting that princes were named after their mothers by the Sātavāhanas, not the Śhungas.
Writing that the Śhaka Samvat is ahead of the Gregorian calendar — it is 78 years behind.
Mixing up Khāravela (Chedi king of Kalinga) with Karikāla (Chola king of the South).
Leaving activity/map questions (Q4, Q5, Q6) blank — give a model answer with real names and locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chapter 6 of Class 7 Social Science Exploring Society about?
Chapter 6, The Age of Reorganisation, covers the period after the Maurya empire (about the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE), when many kingdoms such as the Śhungas, Sātavāhanas, Chedis, Cholas, Cheras and Pānḍyas rose, and foreign powers like the Indo-Greeks, Śhakas and Kuṣhāṇas arrived and assimilated, creating a rich confluence of cultures, art and trade.
Why is this period called the ‘age of reorganisation’?
After the Maurya empire broke up around 185 BCE, many new kingdoms (often former tributary regions) emerged and competed for control through matrimonial alliances and warfare. Because the political map of the subcontinent was being reshaped into new, rival kingdoms, scholars call this the ‘age of reorganisation’.
What is the exercise heading for Chapter 6 of Exploring Society?
The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1) Chapter 6 is headed Questions and activities and contains 6 numbered questions, all answered step by step on this page.
