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Class 9 · Social ScienceNCERT 2026 Revised Syllabus

Chapter 3: Resistance and Resilience (1000–1700 CE) (0908CH03)

Understanding Society Part II

Examines political resistance, alliances, forts, economic networks and cultural resilience in the Indian subcontinent between 1000 and 1700 CE.

Chapter code: 0908ch03 · Book: Understanding Society Part II · Class 9 Social Science

Find complete NCERT solutions for Class 9 Social Science, Understanding Society Part II Chapter 3. Every question has a clear, step-by-step answer for chapter code 0908CH03.

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QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES(10 questions)

1

Choose the most appropriate answer.Resistance and resilience are closely connected because: (a) Resistance always involves warfare. (b) Resilience enables communities to endure difficulties and sustain resistance. (c) Resistance is possible only when a kingdom has a large army. (d) Resilient societies avoid all forms of conflict.

Ans.
Correct option: (b) Resilience enables communities to endure difficulties and sustain resistance. Resilience gives a community the capacity to adapt, preserve its identity and continue resisting a threat despite setbacks. Resistance need not always involve warfare, and it does not depend only on the size of an army.
2

Why and how did groups such as the Sikhs, Marathas, and Rajputs assert their political power and identity during periods of changing political authority?

Ans.
These groups asserted their political power to protect their territories, autonomy, traditions and community interests amid changing regional and imperial authority. 1. Rajputs used military resistance, strategic alliances, diplomacy and control of forts to preserve or expand their influence. 2. Marathas built mobile military forces, used forts and local networks, and developed administrative and revenue systems under leaders such as Shivaji. 3. Sikhs developed strong community institutions and, over time, organised military resistance to protect their religious community and political interests. Their methods included warfare, negotiation, alliances, administration and mobilisation of local support. Their histories show that political identity was maintained through both resistance and adaptation.
3

Why did some Rajput rulers decide to negotiate alliances with the Mughal power?

Ans.
Some Rajput rulers negotiated alliances with the Mughals because diplomacy could protect their kingdoms and secure favourable terms without continuous warfare. Alliances could provide military support, access to imperial offices and influence at court, while allowing rulers to retain significant control over their territories and internal affairs. Such decisions were strategic responses to the political conditions of the time; different Rajput houses adopted different approaches.
4
Hard

Imagine a market in a port town of India such as Surat, Masulipatnam, or Puducherry. You are a foreign trader from Italy or France and want to make a deal of cotton textiles. How would you secure the product in the local market? Whose help would you seek and what kind of challenges would you face in terms of language, quality of product, prices of commodities, etc.?

  1. a.Explain how you would secure a supply of cotton textiles in the local market.
  2. b.Identify whose help you would seek, such as a merchant, broker, translator or wholesaler.
  3. c.Discuss challenges involving language, product quality, prices, trust, payment and transport.
Ans.
As a foreign trader, I would first visit the local port and market and contact a reputable Indian merchant, broker or textile wholesaler. I would seek help from an interpreter, local agents, bankers or money changers, transporters and officials who could explain customs duties and trading rules. I would inspect samples for quality, compare prices and measures, agree on quantity, delivery time and payment terms, and obtain a written contract or receipt. I would arrange secure storage and transport to the port. The main challenges would be language differences, unfamiliar weights and measures, fluctuating prices, differences in textile quality, customs duties, competition, trust and the risk of delayed delivery or damage. Reliable local partners and clear agreements would help reduce these risks.
5
Hard

Watch any video at the given link (https://www.indianculture.gov.in/forts-of-india/tales-of-forts) and analyse the various functions of forts and fortresses. How did rulers perceive the importance of forts in terms of strategic concerns?

  1. a.Analyse the different functions of forts and fortresses using the video or other reliable information.
  2. b.Explain why rulers considered forts strategically important.
Ans.
Forts served several strategic and administrative purposes: 1. Defence: high walls, gates, bastions and watchtowers helped repel attacks and control entry. 2. Observation: elevated positions allowed guards to monitor enemy movements and important routes. 3. Shelter and survival: forts could contain wells, food stores, armouries and residential areas, helping defenders withstand a siege. 4. Administration: rulers used forts as centres of governance, command and collection of revenue. 5. Control of territory and trade: forts near passes, roads, rivers and ports helped secure strategic routes and surrounding regions. Rulers therefore viewed forts as symbols of sovereignty as well as practical military bases. Their location, water supply, access routes and defensive design were crucial.
6
Hard

What architectural changes occurred in temple construction during the period under study? How do these changes reflect upon the resilient nature of Indian civilisation?

  1. a.Describe the main changes in temple construction and design between the 11th and 17th centuries.
  2. b.Explain how the construction, maintenance, restoration and adaptation of temples demonstrate the resilience of Indian civilisation.
Ans.
Temple architecture and patronage changed in several ways during this period: 1. Expansion and regional development: Between the 7th and 13th centuries, temple construction expanded under different dynasties. Large temple complexes and distinctive regional styles developed. Temples such as the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur became important religious, cultural and economic centres. 2. Maintenance and restoration: From the 11th century, some temples were damaged or plundered during invasions. However, local rulers, merchant groups and religious communities continued to maintain, rebuild and patronise sacred places. Examples discussed in the textbook include restoration at Kannanur, patronage of Govind Devji at Vrindavan and the rebuilding of temples at Varanasi and Mathura. 3. Adaptation in design and location: From the 16th century, some temples were built in less visible locations, along narrow lanes, with entrances away from main streets. Some resembled ordinary houses or havelis; detailed external decoration and tall shikharas were often avoided. This helped communities reduce the risk of destruction while continuing worship. Historians sometimes describe such structures as “haveli temples”. 4. Cultural continuity: Despite political changes and threats, people adapted the form and location of sacred buildings, restored important sites and continued religious and artistic practices. Thus, temple construction reflects resilience through continuity, community support and adaptation rather than through one unchanging architectural style.
7
Hard

A kingdom has limited military resources but possesses fertile agricultural land, strong local support, and detailed knowledge of its terrain.Explain two ways in which these resources could contribute to the kingdom’s resilience when faced with a threat.

Ans.
1. Food and economic strength: fertile land can provide grain and other supplies to sustain the population and defenders during a prolonged crisis. Agricultural surplus can also support trade and generate revenue to obtain essential resources. 2. Local knowledge and cooperation: people familiar with hills, forests, rivers and routes can guide defenders, protect supplies, use suitable terrain and avoid enemy movements. Strong community support helps organise communication, shelter, intelligence and resistance. These advantages can compensate partly for limited military strength.
8
Hard

Consider the following statement:“A tradition becomes more resilient when people can carry it with them.”Do you agree? Explain using examples from the Bhakti tradition.

Ans.
Yes. A tradition is more resilient when it can be practised in everyday life and adapted to different places and circumstances. The Bhakti tradition spread through devotional songs, poetry, stories, congregational singing and teachings in regional languages. Saints and poet-singers such as Kabir, Mirabai, Namdev and Chaitanya communicated devotion beyond formal institutions and across social boundaries. People could remember and share songs and teachings while travelling or living under changing political conditions. This flexibility helped preserve devotional ideas and make them accessible to wider communities.
9
Hard

Voices from the PastChoose any two of the following and write a short first-person account explaining what resilience means from that person’s perspective: - A Bhakti saint - A Rajput soldier - An Ahom commander - A Maratha administrator - A merchant - A Jat leader.

  1. a.Choose any two of the listed figures.
  2. b.Write a short first-person account from each person’s perspective explaining what resilience means to them.
Ans.
A Bhakti saint: “I teach that sincere devotion is more important than outward status or ritual alone. I share my message through the language people speak and through songs they can remember. Even when my ideas are criticised, I continue to teach compassion, equality and devotion. For me, resilience means holding firmly to spiritual values while communicating them in ways people can understand.”A Rajput soldier: “I serve my ruler and protect the people and territory entrusted to us. When our kingdom faces a stronger enemy, I rely not only on courage but also on discipline, knowledge of the land, supplies and cooperation with allies. If circumstances require negotiation or rebuilding after defeat, I adapt without abandoning my community's identity. Resilience means recovering from hardship and continuing to protect what matters.”
10
Hard

Design a FortYou are a military architect advising a ruler.Draw a simple, labelled plan of a fort that includes the following: - Residential complex - Defensive walls - Water source - Food storage - Escape route - Watchtower - Administrative areaNow, write a few sentences explaining how your design would help the kingdom withstand a long siege.

  1. a.Draw a simple labelled fort plan.
  2. b.Include a residential complex, defensive walls, water source, food storage, escape route, watchtower and administrative area.
  3. c.Explain how the design would help the kingdom withstand a long siege.
Ans.
Model design (labels to include in the drawing): - Outer defensive wall with a guarded main gate and bastions. - Watchtower at the highest point with a clear view of approach routes. - Protected well or reservoir inside the walls. - Granary and food store placed in a dry, secure area. - Residential complex for the ruler, soldiers and essential workers. - Administrative area near the main courtyard for records and command. - A concealed, guarded escape route leading to a safe natural passage.Explanation: Thick walls, bastions and a controlled gate make direct entry difficult. The watchtower gives early warning. A protected water source and sufficient food stores allow residents to survive when supplies are cut off. The administrative area helps coordinate defence and rationing. A concealed escape route provides an emergency option if the fort is about to fall. The design therefore combines defence, supplies, communication and continuity of administration.

THE BIG QUESTIONS — Chapter overview (Textbook p. 45)(4 questions)

BQ1

How did Indian rulers use resistance and alliances to safeguard their lands?

Ans.
Rajput, Ahom, Vijayanagara, Maratha, Sikh and Jat powers used different methods according to their circumstances. They defended forts and strategic routes, organised armies, used mobile or guerrilla warfare, exploited local terrain and built alliances with neighbouring rulers or communities. Some negotiated treaties when these protected autonomy or reduced destructive conflict. Resistance was therefore not limited to battlefield fighting; it also involved diplomacy, administration and local cooperation.
BQ2

What factors contributed to the resilience of different kingdoms and communities during this period?

Ans.
Kingdoms and communities survived difficult periods through strong local networks, knowledge of geography, military organisation, diplomacy, agriculture, irrigation, trade, financial instruments and shared cultural traditions. Community participation and support from groups such as the Bhils strengthened resistance. Adaptable institutions and devotional practices also allowed people to preserve identity while circumstances changed. No single factor explains resilience; it arose from the interaction of political, economic, social and cultural strengths.
BQ3

How did the Bhakti tradition foster a sense of solidarity?

Ans.
Bhakti saints composed hymns and teachings in languages understood by ordinary people. Their emphasis on devotion, ethical conduct and access to the divine challenged barriers based on status or social background. Saints came from varied communities and traditions, and devotional singing, poetry and gatherings created shared spaces. The use of local languages and practices such as nām kīrtan helped transmit spiritual ideas across regions and generations, strengthening social and cultural solidarity.
BQ4

How did the expansion of agriculture, trade and commerce keep the economy sound?

Ans.
Agricultural expansion, improved irrigation and water-management systems supported food production and rural livelihoods. Local and long-distance markets connected villages with towns. Merchant communities and caravans moved goods and artisanal knowledge across inland routes, while seaborne trade linked Indian ports with the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and wider Indian Ocean. Hundis enabled payments and credit without transporting large amounts of cash. These activities generated income, supported rulers and communities, and helped society withstand political instability.

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES — Chapter 3 (Textbook pp. 53–76)(10 questions)

p. 47
Hard

Recall the invasions of Mahmūd of Ghaznī and Muhammad Ghūrī mentioned in the chapter. How did Indian rulers respond, and what impact did these invasions have?

  1. a.Recall the invasions of Mahmūd of Ghaznī and Muhammad Ghūrī mentioned in the chapter.
  2. b.Explain how Indian rulers responded to these invasions.
  3. c.Compare the aims or outcomes of the two invasions, as discussed in the textbook.
Ans.
Mahmūd of Ghaznī began his invasions of the north-western Indian subcontinent in the early 11th century, including his campaign against Jayapāla in 1001. Indian powers such as the Hindu Shāhis, Chandellas, Solankīs and Chauhāns opposed the invaders. In 1178, Queen Nāikī Devī of the Chaulukya kingdom defeated Muhammad Ghūrī at Kasahrada near Mount Abu. Ghūrī later won the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 against Prithvīrāj Chauhān, helping establish Turkish political control in parts of northern India. Resistance continued in regions such as Gujarat, Malwa, Bundelkhand, Odisha, Assam and Rajputana. The textbook notes that these invasions and conquests seriously disrupted the political, social and religious fabric of the subcontinent; the extent and nature of change varied by region.
p. 53

Explain the contribution of the Bhil community to Mahārāṇā Pratāp’s resistance, as recalled in the textbook.

  1. a.Explain the contribution of the Bhil community to Mahārāṇā Pratāp’s resistance, as recalled in the textbook.
Ans.
The Bhil community supported Mahārāṇā Pratāp through detailed knowledge of the Aravalli hills, forest routes and local terrain. They acted as guides, supplied tactical and logistical assistance, used archery and helped in guerrilla-style operations. Their alliance strengthened Mewar’s ability to resist a more powerful Mughal force. The textbook notes that the partnership was later represented in Mewar’s state emblem.
p. 54

Identify any two actions in Dursā Arhā’s poem that show Mahārāṇā Pratāp maintained independence from the Mughal court.

  1. a.Identify any two actions described in Dursā Arhā’s poem.
  2. b.Explain how each action shows that Mahārāṇā Pratāp maintained independence from the Mughal court.
Ans.
Any two of the following are acceptable: (i) he kept his horses unbranded, avoiding a symbol of Mughal imperial control; (ii) he did not participate in the Nauroz festival; and (iii) he did not mount guard for the emperor during Jharokha Darshan. These actions are presented in the poem as signs that he did not accept the ceremonial subordination expected by the Mughal court.
p. 57

Recall the achievements of Vijayanagara under Kṛiṣhṇadevarāya. What happened to the empire after the Battle of Talikota in 1565?

  1. a.Recall the achievements of Vijayanagara under Kṛiṣhṇadevarāya.
  2. b.Explain what happened to the empire after the Battle of Talikota.
Ans.
Kṛiṣhṇadevarāya (r. 1509–1529) expanded and secured Vijayanagara’s dominance in the Deccan, won campaigns against neighbouring powers and supported temples, including Tirupati and the Vitthala temple at the capital. His reign is associated with military strength and cultural patronage. In 1565, an alliance of Deccan sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara army at the Battle of Talikota. The city was subsequently sacked and largely abandoned, and the empire gradually broke into smaller Nāyaka-ruled kingdoms.
p. 58

Recall the strategies and institutions that helped Chhatrapati Śhivājī and the Marathas establish and strengthen their power.

  1. a.Recall the strategies used by Chhatrapati Śhivājī and the Marathas to establish and strengthen their power.
  2. b.Identify the institutions that supported their administration.
Ans.
Model answer: Chhatrapati Śhivājī used the Deccan’s hills, forests and passes to conduct swift attacks and avoid unfavourable battles. A network of forts protected territory, supplies and routes. Mobile cavalry and guerrilla methods (often called ganimi kāva) helped challenge larger armies. The Marathas also developed naval capabilities along the coast and organised administration, including the council of ministers known as the Aṣṭapradhān. Local revenue arrangements and disciplined administration helped sustain the state. Use the exact institutions taught in the Grade 8 Part 1 chapter as the primary reference.
p. 64

Explore how the Nayanar saints Karaikal Ammaiyar and the Alvar saint Andal contributed to the spread of Bhakti in peninsular India.

  1. a.Explain how Karaikal Ammaiyar contributed to the spread of Bhakti.
  2. b.Explain how the Alvar saint Andal contributed to the spread of Bhakti in peninsular India.
Ans.
Karaikal Ammaiyar was an early Tamil Shaiva poet-saint whose hymns expressed intense personal devotion to Shiva and contributed to the Nayanar tradition. Andal, one of the Alvar saints, composed Tamil devotional works such as the Tiruppavai and Nachiyar Tirumoli, expressing love and surrender to Vishnu. Their poetry used the language of the people, connected devotion with everyday emotion and worship, and helped spread Bhakti beyond formal institutions. Their lives also show that women played an important role in devotional traditions.
p. 67

Locate the present-day states associated with the Bhakti saints shown in the infographic. Add a saint from your own State/UT and explain a song, poem or verse by one of the saints.

  1. a.Locate the present-day states associated with the Bhakti saints shown in the infographic.
  2. b.Add a Bhakti saint from your own State or region and briefly describe their contribution.
Ans.
Use the saint names and regions printed in the textbook infographic as the authority for the map. Examples for a short explanation include: Andal’s Tamil hymns express loving devotion to Vishnu; Kabir’s verses criticise empty ritual and stress inner devotion and ethical living; Lāl Ded’s vakhs encourage spiritual truth to be lived rather than merely memorised. Add a saint from your own State/UT only after checking a reliable regional source. Mark the relevant State/UT clearly and write two or three sentences explaining the chosen verse in your own words.
p. 67

Lāl Ded says it is easy to learn scriptures but hard to live them. What is the difference between knowing a rule and actually following it? Give an example from daily life.

  1. a.Explain the difference between knowing a rule or teaching and putting it into practice.
  2. b.Use Lāl Ded’s statement to show why lived values are more difficult and important than merely memorising scriptures.
Ans.
Knowing a rule is intellectual understanding, while following it requires discipline and action. For example, a student may know that littering harms the environment but still drop a wrapper; the student follows the rule only when they put waste in the correct bin and encourage others to do the same. The saying teaches that values become meaningful when they shape behaviour, not merely when they are memorised.
p. 74

Why was a hundi a safer and more convenient choice than physically transporting money over long distances?

  1. a.Explain why a hundi was safer than physically carrying money over long distances.
  2. b.Explain why it was more convenient for merchants and traders.
Ans.
A hundi allowed a trader to deposit or arrange money with a trusted banker or merchant in one place and receive payment through an associate elsewhere. It reduced the need to carry heavy quantities of coins, lowering the risk of theft, robbery and loss during travel. It made trade faster and supported long-distance commercial networks. Trust, reputation and enforceable commercial practices were still essential; hundis were not risk-free.
p. 76

Identify cultural and economic pillars in a community. How do they contribute to resilience when society faces invasions or external pressures?

  1. a.Identify cultural pillars in a community.
  2. b.Identify economic pillars in a community.
  3. c.Explain how these pillars help a society remain resilient during invasions or other crises.
Ans.
Cultural pillars include places of worship, festivals, languages, oral traditions, music, literature, customary practices and shared values. Economic pillars include farming, irrigation, artisans, merchants, markets, trade routes, credit networks and community-owned resources. They contribute to resilience by maintaining social unity, transmitting knowledge, providing food and income, preserving identity and enabling people to reorganise after disruption. Strong institutions and cooperation help communities adapt without losing their cultural continuity.

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