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 NCERT textbook (2026–27 reprint). 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: 7 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 1) Chapter: 6 Theme: Tapestry of the Past Session: 2026–27
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The Age of Reorganisation – Chapter 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: an era beginning in 78 CE. India’s National Calendar, adopted in 1957, uses this era. Its year number is generally 78 less than the Gregorian year, but before the Śhaka New Year in March it is 79 less. Do not subtract 78 blindly for a January date.

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?

ANSWER After 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.

ANSWERSangam literature consists of early Tamil poems collected into anthologies. The word sangam refers to an assembly, here an assembly of poets. These works are associated with the Sangam Age, when the Cheras, Cholas and Pāṇḍyas were prominent in southern India. The three crowned dynasties must not be confused with traditions about three literary Sangams.The poems describe personal feelings, especially love, as well as public themes such as warfare, heroism and generosity. They also offer glimpses of landscapes, occupations, trade, rulers and everyday relationships. Historians use them to study the society and culture of early south India. However, poetry is not a neutral administrative record: praise, imagination and literary conventions must be considered alongside coins, inscriptions and archaeological evidence. Sangam literature is therefore valuable both as an artistic achievement and as a historical source. Its survival helps us understand the richness of early Tamil language, thought and cultural life.

3. Which rulers mentioned in this chapter included their mother’s name in their title, and why did they do so?

ANSWERThe Sātavāhana rulers used names referring to their mothers, called matronymics or metronymics. For example, Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi’s name identifies him as the son of Gautamī. The chapter describes Gautamī Balaśhrī as an influential queen associated with donations and an inscription at Nāśhik.Such names emphasised maternal identity and could honour the mother and her family. This is a reasonable interpretation, not proof that all women had equal power. Nor does a mother-derived name establish succession through women: NCERT’s fuller discussion notes that Sātavāhana royal succession was generally patrilineal. NCERT background on matronymics.

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.

ANSWERModel note: The Sātavāhana kingdomI find the Sātavāhana kingdom interesting because its history connects farming, trade, royal families and religious patronage. The dynasty ruled much of the Deccan, including areas now in Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The chapter identifies Pratiṣhṭhāna and Amrāvatī among its important capitals at different times. These modern place names help us locate the kingdom; its borders did not match present state boundaries.Agriculture in the Krishna–Godavari region supported economic life. Merchants traded within the subcontinent and with distant regions, including the Roman world. Ship images on some coins suggest the importance of maritime connections, while coins, inscriptions and other finds provide evidence that historians compare. A ship design alone cannot tell us the exact route or cargo of a voyage.The dynasty also interests me because rulers used names referring to their mothers. Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi is one example. Gautamī Balaśhrī’s donations and inscription show the influence of a particular royal woman. They do not prove that every woman enjoyed the same position.Religious and artistic life was varied. The chapter describes support for Vedic scholars and Jaina and Buddhist monks, as well as contributions to the Karla caves. Naneghat linked trade, toll collection and inscriptions. These examples show that political history is also a history of merchants, craftspeople, religious communities and material culture.I chose this kingdom because its surviving evidence raises interesting questions about people’s lives. Learning how to interpret that evidence seems as important as remembering rulers’ names. After my presentation, I would compare classmates’ choices and discuss the reasons behind them.Class follow-up: Make a tally table with kingdom, number of classmates and main reason for choosing it. Fill it with your class’s actual responses; do not invent survey results.

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.

ANSWER This 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, inspired by examples of patronage for different schools of thought in the chapter, 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.

ANSWERUse the location guide below, then mark the sites on your own outline map. Place small dots first and label them clearly. These sites were associated with different rulers and periods; they were not all built at the same time.
SitePresent-day locationWhat to remember
Bharhut StūpaNear Satna, Madhya PradeshCarved railings associated with the Śhunga period; the stūpa had an earlier history.
Heliodorus pillarNear Vidisha, Madhya PradeshEvidence of Indo-Greek connections and devotion to Vāsudeva.
Naneghat cavesNear Junnar, MaharashtraTrade-route pass and inscriptions.
Karla cavesNear Lonavala, MaharashtraBuddhist rock-cut architecture.
Pitalkhora cavesNear Kannad, MaharashtraRock-cut caves and sculpture.
Udayagiri–KhandagiriNear Bhubaneswar, OdishaJain caves and the Hāthīgumphā inscription.
Kallaṇai / Grand AnicutOn the Kāveri, Tamil NaduWater-diversion work associated with Karikāla; restored over time.
Bharhut and Vidisha are in central India; the three Maharashtra sites lie in the western Deccan; the Odisha caves lie in eastern India; Kallaṇai lies in the south. Do not confuse these Udayagiri caves in Odisha with the different Udayagiri site near Vidisha.
Location guide to Bharhut, Heliodorus pillar, Naneghat, Karla, Pitalkhora, Udayagiri–Khandagiri and Kallanai
Approximate site locations for the Chapter 6 map activity. Small dots show locations; numbered circles are offset for readability. Coastline base: Natural Earth; no political boundaries shown. Tap to view at full size.

In-text activity guidance

Timeline: The 2nd century BCE runs from 200 to 101 BCE. The 3rd century CE ends in 300 CE. The complete span from the beginning of 200 BCE to the end of 300 CE covers 500 calendar years; there is no year zero. If comparing the same point within 200 BCE and 300 CE, the elapsed interval is 499 years. State which convention you are using.

Art identification, Fig. 6.27: Images 1, 2 and 6 show features consistent with Gāndhāra; 3, 4 and 5 with Mathurā. Compare drapery, modelling and stone colour, using the photographs and captions together. Colour alone is not a conclusive test.

Reading objects: A ship on a coin suggests maritime interests, while foreign coins, pottery, port remains and written accounts together strengthen an argument for long-distance trade. A ruler’s symbols may express religious patronage or political identity; they do not establish what every subject believed.

Craft skills: The goldsmith named on the Pitalkhora sculpture suggests that one artisan could work across materials. It does not prove that all occupations were interchangeable.

Link the periods: Revisit the Mauryas and the decline of empires before comparing the regional kingdoms.

Reviewed against NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Class 7, Part 1, Chapter 6, pp. 117–143 (2026–27 reprint), on 10 October 2026. Model activities are examples; use your own observations and classroom results.

Extra Practice Questions

These questions and MCQs are ClearStudy practice, separate from the NCERT exercise.

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?

ANSWERSātavāhana princes often used names derived from their mothers. Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi is a prominent example. This highlights maternal family identity and the importance of certain royal women; it does not prove equal social power for all women or succession through the female line.

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, suggesting maritime connections and knowledge of seafaring 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, Gāndhāra artists combined Indian subjects with strong Greco-Roman influences, often in grey schist. Mathurā artists developed a more locally rooted style, often in red sandstone, with less Greco-Roman influence. Neither school should be reduced to a single influence or material. Sanskrit literature flourished; major epics such as the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa developed through long traditions of composition and transmission, rather than being written at one moment. 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?

(a) 322 BCE    (b) 261 BCE    (c) 185 BCE    (d) 78 CE

2. Who founded the Śhunga dynasty?

(a) Khāravela    (b) Puṣhyamitra Śhunga    (c) Karikāla    (d) Kaṇiṣhka

3. The Sātavāhanas ruled large parts of which region?

(a) the Deccan    (b) Kashmir    (c) the Indus plains    (d) Bengal

4. Gautamīputra Sātakarṇi was named after his:

(a) father    (b) mother    (c) capital city    (d) royal emblem

5. The Hāthīgumphā inscription records the achievements of which king?

(a) Karikāla    (b) Puṣhyamitra Śhunga    (c) Khāravela    (d) Kaṇiṣhka

6. Which three dynasties were the southern ‘crowned kings’?

(a) Śhungas, Chedis, Sātavāhanas    (b) Cholas, Cheras, Pānḍyas    (c) Indo-Greeks, Śhakas, Kuṣhāṇas    (d) Mauryas, Guptas, Cholas

7. The Grand Anicut (Kallaṇai) on the Kāveri river was built by:

(a) the Chera king    (b) the Chola king Karikāla    (c) the Pānḍya king    (d) Khāravela

8. After its New Year in March, the Śhaka year number is how many years less than the Gregorian year number?

(a) 57 years    (b) 78 years    (c) 100 years    (d) 185 years

9. The Gandhāra and Mathurā schools of art developed mainly under which rulers?

(a) the Śhungas    (b) the Sātavāhanas    (c) the Kuṣhāṇas    (d) the Chedis

10. The Tamil epic that tells the story of Kaṇṇagi and centres on justice is:

(a) Silappadikāram    (b) Rāmāyaṇa    (c) Mahābhārata    (d) Yoga Sūtras

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

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 write a clear answer

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: several inscriptions express respect for different schools of thought, and cultures interacted 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 — its year number is normally 78 less, but 79 less before its New Year in March.
  • 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.

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