The rulers and buildings chapter question answers

 Question 1: How is the “trabeate” principle of architecture different from the “arcuate”?

Answer: In the ‘trabeate’ style of architecture a horizontal beam was placed across two vertical columns. In the ‘arcuate’ style arches are used.

Question 2: What is a shikhara?

Answer: A shikhara is a tower-like structure on top of a temple.

Question 3: What is pietra-dura?

Answer: Pietra-Dura is a technique where coloured, hard stones were placed in depressions carved into marble or sandstone, thereby creating beautiful and ornate patterns.

Question 4: What are the elements of a Mughal chahar bagh garden?

Answer: The major element of a Mughal Chahar-Bagh garden was the symmetric division of the garden into quarters.

Question 5: How did a temple communicate the importance of a king?

Answer: Construction of a temple emphasized the king’s moral right to rule. Constructing places of worship provided rulers with a chance to proclaim their close relationship with god.

Question 6: An inscription is Shah Jahan’s diwan-I khas in Delhi stated: “If there is Paradise on Earth, it is here, it is here, it is here.” How was this image created?

Answer: a) The image of Paradise on Earth was created through the construction of audience halls, which were modeled like a mosque. 
b) The pedestal of Shah Jahan’s throne was described as the Quibla,the direction which Muslims face while praying. 
c) These architectural features described a sense of divine justice and showed the  king was the representative of God.

Question 7: How did the Mughal court suggest that everyone − the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak − received justice equally from the emperor?

Answer: a) The construction of the royal court in Red Fort made the connection between the imperial court and royal justice. 
b) Behind the emperors throne were a pietra-dura an inlays which pictured a Greek God Orpheus playing the lute. 
c) All this gave the impression that the king’s justice would treat the high and the low as equals.

Question 8: What role did the Yamuna play in the layout of the new Mughal city at Shahjahanabad?
Answer a) In the new Mughal city of Shahjahanabad, the king’s palace commanded the river front view  of the Yamuna. b) Only special nobles like the emperor’s oldest son were given access to the river.
c) A new architect River front garden was constructed on river Yamuna. Ex Tajmahal at Agra.
Question 9 The rich and powerful construct large houses today. In what ways were the constructions of kings and their courtiers different in the past?
Answer a) The constructions of today’s buildings are quite different from the buildings constructed during medieval period.

b) New technologies are using today with concrete a mixture of cement, iron and sand. These buildings are multi-storied with flat roofs. These are in the form of bungalows or flats.

c) In the past mostly buildings were built using Terabeate or Arcuate techniques.

These buildings were built with red stone and marbles.