Find Below Extra Questions for NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 7 India’s Cultural Roots:
A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
1. Which are the earliest texts of Indian civilization?
a. Upanishads
b. Puranas
c. Vedas
d. Sutras
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the major Vedic schools of thought?
a. Vedanta
b. Yoga
c. Jainism
d. None of the above
3. The Vedas were primarily transmitted through_______.
a. Written manuscripts
b. Stone inscriptions
c. Oral tradition
d. Copper plates
4. Who is considered the founder of Buddhism?
a. Mahāvīra
b. Siddhārtha Gautama
c. Adi Shankaracharya
d. Chanakya
5. What is the central principle of Jainism?
a. Bhakti
b. Ahimsa
c. Polytheism
d. Idol worship
6. The term ‘Jina’ in Jainism means:
a. One who renounces wealth
b. Conqueror of ignorance and attachment
c. A great teacher
d. A deity
7. In Buddhism, the Jātaka tales are stories about _______.
a. The Upanishadic sages
b. The lives of Mahāvīra’s followers
c. The previous births of the Buddha
d. The history of ancient India
8. Which of the following is NOT a key principle of Jainism?
a. Ahimsa
b. Anekāntavāda
c. Aparigraha
d. Moksha through devotion
9. Which of the following states is home to the famous rock-cut caves of Ellora?
a. Bihar
b. Maharashtra
c. Karnataka
d. Gujarat
10. Buddhist monks and Jain ascetics often lived in __________.
a. Palaces
b. monasteries and caves
c. Temples dedicated to Hindu gods
d. Large cities
11. What was the primary purpose of Buddhist and Jain monks traveling across India?
a. To engage in trade
b. To spread their teachings
c. To collect donations
d. To participate in wars
12. Which of the following best describes a ‘tribe’ in ancient India?
a. A group that shares common descent, culture, and language
b. A social group that follows Vedic texts
c. A community living only in urban areas
d. A caste-based society
13. According to tradition, Lord Jagannath of Puri was originally a ________.
a. Hindu deity
b. Buddhist monk
c. Tribal deity
d. Jain monk
14. The term ‘Janjāti’ in Hindi refers to _______.
a. Vedic priests
b. Tribal communities
c. Warrior clans
d. Jain ascetics
15. The Todas of the Nilgiris consider certain mountain peaks as__________.
a. Trading routes
b. Sacred abodes of gods
c. Dangerous places to avoid
d. Ancient battlefields
16. Which of the following is NOT a common belief shared by Hinduism and tribal traditions?
a. Worship of nature
b. Concept of a supreme divine force
c. Multiple deities associated with natural elements
d. Belief in only one single god without any form
17. The Chārvāka school of thought is known for______.
a. Promoting materialism
b. Believing in rebirth and karma
c. Supporting Buddhist ideals
d. Following Jain philosophy
18. What was the mistaken belief about tribes in the 19th century?
a. They were considered more advanced than civilised societies
b. They were believed to be ‘primitive’ or ‘inferior’
c. They were thought to be the only source of knowledge traditions
d. They were considered part of mainstream Indian culture
19. Which of the following concepts were shared by the Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain traditions?
a. Dharma and karma
b. Rebirth and the search for an end to suffering
c. Ignorance and many important values
d. All of the above
20. What does the term “oral traditions” refer to?
a. Teachings and practices documented in ancient texts
b. Teachings and practices passed down through written scriptures
c. Teachings and practices transmitted through everyday practice without written texts
d. A language spoken only by specific tribes
Answers:
1. c. Vedas
2. c. Jainism
3. c. Oral tradition
4. b. Siddhārtha Gautama
5. b. Ahimsa
6. b. Conqueror of ignorance and attachment
7. c. The previous births of the Buddha
8. d. Moksha through devotion
9. b. Maharashtra
10. b. monasteries and caves
11. b. To spread their teachings
12. a. A group that shares common descent, culture, and language
13. c. Tribal deity
14. b. Tribal communities
15. b. Sacred abodes of gods
16. d. Belief in only one single god without any form
17. a. Promoting materialism
18. b. They were believed to be ‘primitive’ or ‘inferior’
19. d. All of the above
20. c. Teachings and practices transmitted through everyday practice without written texts
B. Fill in the Blanks with appropriate words from the box below:
| rebirth | ‘Avidya’(ignorance) | ‘vid’ | hymns | interconnectedness |
| knowledge | karma | orally | organisms | attachment |
1. The word ‘Veda’ comes from the Sanskrit _____ which means _________.
2. The Vedas consist of thousands of _______ – prayers in the form of poems and songs – that were recited________, not written.
3. A group of texts known as ‘Upanishads’ built upon Vedic concepts and introduced new ones such as _________and _____.
4. On attaining enlightenment, Buddha realised that ________ and ______ are the source of human suffering and conceived a method to remove these two causes.
5. Jainism insists on the ______________ and interdependence of all creatures from humans to invisible ______ as they support each other and cannot live without one another.
Answers:
1. The word ‘Veda’ comes from the Sanskrit ‘vid’ which means knowledge.
2. The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns – prayers in the form of poems and songs – that were recited orally, not written.
3. A group of texts known as ‘Upanishads’ built upon Vedic concepts and introduced new ones such as rebirth and karma.
4. On attaining enlightenment, Buddha realised that ‘Avidya’(ignorance) and attachment are the source of human suffering and conceived a method to remove these two causes.
5. Jainism insists on the interconnectedness and interdependence of all creatures from humans to invisible organisms as they support each other and cannot live without one another.
C. Match the words in column A with those in Column B:
| A | B |
| anthropologist | Concept of cause and effect in life |
| karma | A key moral principle in Indian traditions |
| Donyipolo | A supreme deity worshipped by the Munda and Santhal tribals |
| dharma | Combined form of the Sun and the Moon worshipped by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh |
| Sinbonga | Scholars who study human societies and cultures |
Answer:
| A | B |
| anthropologist | Scholars who study human societies and cultures |
| karma | Concept of cause and effect in life |
| Donyipolo | Combined form of the Sun and the Moon worshipped by tribes of Arunachal Pradesh |
| dharma | A key moral principle in Indian traditions |
| Sinbonga | A supreme deity worshipped by the Munda and Santhal tribals |
D. State whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE:
1. The 19th-century perception of tribes as ‘primitive’ has been largely revised by modern anthropologists.
2. Tribes in India all share the same culture and traditions.
3. Aparigraha means ‘non-possession’ and advises detachment from material possessions, limiting oneself to what is truly necessary in life.
4. Mahavira founded the Sangha, a community of bhikṣhus or monks (and, later, bhikṣhuṇīs or nuns) who dedicated themselves to practising and spreading his teachings.
5. A monk usually takes vows, that is, commits himself to follow strict rules for a disciplined life.
Answers:
1. True
2. False – Indian tribes are diverse, with each tribe having its own distinct culture, language, customs, and traditions. There are over 700 tribes, each with its unique identity.
3. True
4. False – The Buddha founded the Sangha, a community of bhikṣhus or monks (and, later, bhikṣhuṇīs or nuns) who dedicated themselves to practising and spreading his teachings, not Mahavira.
5. True
E. Short Answer Type Questions:
1. Which concepts are common to Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain traditions?
Answer:
Concepts like dharma, karma, rebirth, and the search for an end to suffering are common to Vedic, Buddhist and Jain traditions.
2. What is the main difference between folk and tribal traditions?
Answer:
Folk traditions are passed down by common people, while tribal traditions are preserved by specific tribes.
3. How does modern anthropology define a tribe?
Answer:
Modern anthropology defines a tribe as a group of families or clans sharing common descent, culture, and language, living as a close-knit community under a chief and holding no personal property.
4. Did ancient India have a word for ‘tribe’?
Answer:
No, ancient India did not have a word for ‘tribe’. Tribes were referred to as different ‘janas’ (groups) based on their environment.
5. How many tribes were there in India in 2011?
Answer:
In 2011, there were 705 tribes in India, with a population of around 104 million people.
6. What term does the Indian Constitution use for ‘tribes’ in Hindi?
Answer:
The Indian Constitution used the term ‘Janjati’ for ‘tribes’ in Hindi.
7. Why were tribes considered ‘primitive’ in the 19th century?
Answer:
Early anthropologists wrongly considered them primitive due to biased judgments, which have since been revised.
8. What is the primary mode of knowledge transmission in India’s oral traditions?
Answer:
Knowledge is passed down primarily through spoken words, songs, and practices, not written texts.
9. Are all tribal languages in India written?
Answer:
No, many tribal languages are not written and are passed down orally.
10. Where do tribal communities typically live in India?
Answer:
Tribal communities often live in forests and mountains.
11. What is the role of a ‘chief’ in a tribe?
Answer:
A chief leads the community and helps in making decisions and guiding the tribe.
12. What similar concepts do folk, tribal and Hindu belief systems have?
Answer:
Folk, tribal and Hindu belief systems regard elements of nature such as mountains, rivers, trees, plants and animals and some stones as sacred because there is consciousness behind them all.
13. Why do Toda tribals of the Nilgiris refrain from pointing their fingers at the peaks of the Nilgiris?
Answer:
The Toda tribals refrain from pointing fingers at the peaks of the Nilgiris because they believe that each of the peaks is a residence of a god or goddess.
14. What does ‘rebirth’ signify in Indian philosophy?
Answer:
Rebirth signifies the cycle of being born again and again after death, as per one’s karma.
15. What is ‘karma’ in simple terms?
Answer:
Karma is the idea that your actions have consequences in your life.
16. How many major Indian traditions share the concept of ‘dharma’?
Answer:
At least three major traditions: Vedic, Buddhist, and Jain share the concept of dharma.
17. What is the concept of ‘dharma’ in Indian traditions?
Answer:
Dharma refers to moral law, duty, and righteousness
18. How many Vedas are there? Name them.
Answer:
There are four Vedas – The Rig Veda, The Yajur Veda, The Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
19. Who composed the Vedic hymns and in which language?
Answer:
The Vedic hymns were composed by rishis (male seers) and rishikas (female seers) in an early form of the Sanskrit language.
20. How many hymns do the Vedas consist of and how were they transmitted?
Answer:
The Vedas consist of thousands of hymns which have been committed to memory through rigorous training and passed down orally with hardly any alterations.
21. What recognition did UNESCO give Vedic chanting in 2008?
Answer:
In 2008, UNESCO recognised Vedic chanting as ‘a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity’.
22. What does UNESCO stand for? What is its role?
Answer:
UNESCO stands for ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’. It promotes dialogue between people and nations through education, science and culture.
23. Describe the Vedic hymns.
Answer:
The Vedic hymns were addressed in poetical form to deities like Indra, Agni, Varuna, Mitra, Saraswati, Ushas and many more who upheld ‘ritam’ or truth and maintained order in the ‘cosmos’.
24. Which values were most important in the Vedic worldview?
Answer:
According to the Vedic worldview, “Truth” which often was another name for God was highly regarded, followed by ‘unity’ among people.
25. How was Vedic society organised?
Answer:
Vedic society was organised in different ‘janas’ or clans. The Rig Veda lists over 30 such ‘janas’ like the the Bharatas, the Purus, the Kurus and the Yadus etc.
26. Which professions are mentioned in Vedic texts?
Answer:
Many professions are mentioned in the Vedic texts, for example, agriculturist, weaver, potter, builder, carpenter, healer, dancer, barber, priest.
27. What were ‘yajnas’?
Answer:
Vedic culture followed many rituals or ‘yajnas’ directed towards various deities for individual or collective benefit and well-being.
28. What new concepts did the Upanishads introduce?
Answer:
The Upanishads introduced the concept of rebirth and karma. It also introduced the concept of ‘atman’ or self, the divine essence that dwells in every being, but is ultimately one with ‘brahman’.
29. What is “anekantavada’?
Answer:
‘Anekantavada’ means ‘not just one’ aspect or perspective. Truth has many aspects and cannot be fully described by a single statement.
30. What does ‘aparigraha’ mean?
Answer:
‘Aparigraha’ means ‘non possession’. Jainism advises detachment from possessions, by limiting oneself to what is truly necessary in life.
Hope the solutions to Extra Questions for NCERT Class 6 Social Science 7 India’s Cultural Roots provided above were helpful! Best of Luck!
