Title Chapter 7 The Making of Regional Cultures.pdf ✅

(1) THE MAKING OF REGIONAL CULTURE 07 The Making of Regional Culture The Growth of Regional Culture India has been a land of diversity since ancient times. Each region in the country has its own distinct language, culture, tradition, food, dressing style and dance form. We find that regional diversities which exist today are a result of the intermingling or fusion of various local traditions which existed in the past. The Cheras and the Growth of Malayalam In the state of Kerala, we find a deep relation between the language and the kingdom. • The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the present day state of Kerala. • The rulers introduced the Malayalam language and script during this period. This is one of the earliest examples of the use of a regional language in official records in the Indian subcontinent. • While Malayalam was used to maintain official records, Sanskrit was also used by the Chera rulers. The first literary works in Malayalam were based on Sanskrit. • A text belonging to the fourteenth century, the Lilatilakam, dealt with the grammar and poetics in Sanskrit and Malayalam. The Jagannath Cult In some states such as Orissa, the regional culture grew around religious traditions. The cult of Jagannatha (a form of Lord Vishnu) at Puri in Orissa is one such example. In the twelfth century, a ruler of the Ganga dynasty, Anantavarman erected a temple for Purushottama Jagannatha at Puri. Later in 1230, King Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to the deity of Jagannatha and declared himself as the ‘deputy’ of the god.
(2) THE MAKING OF REGIONAL CULTURE 07 As the temple received patronage from kings, it became a great pilgrimage centre and began to influence the social and political matters of the state. Many political powers who conquered Orissa such as the Mughals, the Marathas, and the English East India Company attempted to control the temple as they thought that this would make their rule acceptable to the people. The Rajputs • The state of Rajasthan was ruled by the Rajputs in medieval India. Apart from the Rajputs, many people lived in Rajasthan but the Rajputs left a distinct impression on the culture of Rajasthan. • From the eighth century onwards, Rajasthan was ruled by various Rajput families which were known for their bravery and honour. • Prithviraj Chauhan was a famous ruler who is remembered for his bravery and who chose to die on the battlefield rather than face defeat.