CBSE Class 9 · Resistance and Resilience (1000–1700 CE)

Resilience 1000-1700 CE Class 9: Bhakti, Temples, Hundi and Trade

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Communities showed resilience through Bhakti, with devotional songs in local languages, nam kirtan and satsang that built solidarity; through Sufism and the policy of Sulh-i-kul; through temples that were economic and cultural institutions and were restored or built as haveli temples; and through a resilient economy based on agriculture, hundi, caravans and Indian Ocean trade.

Notice that resilience came from four sources: shared devotion, peace with all (Sulh-i-kul), temples as institutions, and strong trade and credit.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy

Bhakti. Personal devotion to the divine through hymns in local languages, stressing inclusivity, equality and simplicity. It began from the 7th century in peninsular India with Nayanar and Alvar saints such as Karaikal Ammaiyar and Andal, and a strong wave arose in the north from the 14th century; Rāmānanda bridged south and north. There were two streams: Nirguṇa (formless divine) and Saguṇa (divine with attributes).

How Bhakti built resilience: when temples faced restrictions or destruction, devotees used non-material worship such as nām kīrtan, satsang and community singing (sankīrtan), which bridged social divides and was hard to suppress. Chaitanya Mahāprabhu led public sankīrtan in Bengal; Sankardev composed the Kīrtana Ghosha; orders such as the Dādu Panth and Niranjani Sampradāya arose in Rajasthan. Tulsidas wrote the Rāmcharitmānas in Awadhi and Atukuri Molla wrote a Telugu Rāmāyaṇa. Women saints included Akkā Mahādevi, Lāl Ded, Bahinābāi and Mīrābāī, and devotees came from diverse backgrounds, including Raskhān and Rahīm.

Sufism and Sulh-i-kul. Sufism is the mystical dimension of Islam that came with the Turks; its orders (silsilahs) included the Chishti and Suhrawardi in the Sultanate and the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandiya in the Mughal period. Sufis used Hindavi and Bengali, and some adopted yogic practices. Sulh-i-kul ("peace with all") was adopted as state policy in Akbar's later reign; it seems to have been meant to win the support of non-Muslim powers.

Temples. Temples were central to social, economic and political life: they managed land grants, employed architects, sculptors, priests and musicians, funded irrigation, gave credit to cultivators and merchants, and created temple towns (Thanjavur, Kanchipuram, Puri). They preserved arts such as Bharatanatyam. The deity was often seen as the true ruler: the Gajapatis called themselves the *Rauta* (deputy) of Jagannath. From the 11th century the chapter records instances of temple destruction, but rulers, guilds and communities also maintained and restored temples (for example Kumāra Kampana at Kannanur; Toḍar Mal and Rājā Mān Singh at Kashi; Ahilyābāī Holkar built the present Kashi Vishwanath temple in 1780). Haveli temples from the 16th century were placed in narrow lanes and looked like houses, often without tall shikharas, to avoid destruction (for example the Jagat Shiromani Temple at Amer).

Economy. Land revenue was the main state income; under Alauddin Khiljī and Muhammad bin Tughlaq the tax rose to as much as 50 per cent of the produce. Irrigation used the Persian wheel and rope pulleys; Vijayanagara invested in small-scale irrigation. A hunḍī was a bill of exchange, like a cheque, used for large transactions and long-distance remittance without carrying cash, run by money-changers (*sarrāfs*) and agents (*gumasthas*). Inland caravans and *banjārās* connected villages and towns, and from the 13th century seaborne trade grew, making India a major centre of Indian Ocean trade. From the 16th century Europeans entered this established system; Gujarati merchants and others adapted, working as traders, shippers, bankers, brokers and interpreters (*dubhaśhīs*). The chapter concludes that economic strength gave people the resources to resist politically and culturally.

Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy: key facts

Bhakti streams: Nirguna: formless divine | Saguna: divine with attributes; Local languages.
Bhakti as resilience: Nam kirtan
Satsang
Sankirtan
Regional epics
Saints of all backgrounds; Hard to suppress.
Temples' roles: Economic hubs
Education and arts
Credit
Legitimacy of rulers
Temple towns; Social institutions.
Hundi: Bill of exchange
Long-distance remittance
Sarrafs and gumasthas; Like a cheque.
Economy: Land revenue up to 50 per cent
Persian wheel
Caravans and banjaras
Indian Ocean trade
Merchant groups; Basis of resilience.

How to answer Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy questions

Questions ask you to explain how a tradition or institution gave resilience, describe the roles of temples, define hundi and relate economic strength to resistance.

1State the institution or practice and the threat or difficulty it responded to.
2Give two features with an example from the chapter.
3Show how it preserved or adapted traditions (resilience).
4For economy, link the mechanism (hundi, caravans, ports) to its use.
5Use neutral wording; attribute statements to the chapter.

Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Keeping a tradition alive without a hall

Suppose a village loses its festival ground, so people hold songs and storytelling in courtyards and on terraces, with neighbours taking turns to host.

Which feature of Bhakti does this resemble and why is it resilient?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Community singing and satsang need no building.
Hosting in homes makes it hard to suppress.
It builds solidarity across social divides.

Answer: It resembles nam kirtan and satsang: worship and community gathering that do not depend on a building, so they continue even when a main place is unavailable.

Memory hook: Where people gather, the tradition lives.

Sending money safely

Suppose a merchant in one city wants to pay a supplier in a far town without carrying heavy coins on the road, and gives a note to a local money-changer who gives a written order to an agent in the other town.

What instrument from the chapter is this?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

A written order to pay in another place is a bill of exchange.
The chapter calls it a hundi.
It allowed safe long-distance remittance.

Answer: It is a hundi, a bill of exchange, run by money-changers (sarrafs) and agents (gumasthas) to remit money safely over long distances.

Memory hook: Pay by paper, not by pack.

Tricks to remember Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Bhakti kit: N-S-S
Nam kirtan, Satsang, Sankirtan.
Use it when: How Bhakti worked.
Hundi = cheque
Hundi was like a cheque: a bill of exchange.
Use it when: Definition.
Sulh-i-kul = peace with all
Sulh = peace; kul = all.
Use it when: Meaning.

Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Meaning of the term · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

Sulh-i-kul means:
(a) war with all
(b) peace with all
(c) tax on all
(d) trade with all

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Sulh-i-kul means "peace with all" (1 mark).

Answer: (b) peace with all

Example 2: Hundi (2 marks) · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

What was a hundi and who ran it? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

A bill of exchange used for large transactions and long-distance remittance (1 mark).
Run by money-changers (sarrafs) and agents (gumasthas) (1 mark).

Answer: A hundi was a bill of exchange, somewhat like a cheque, used for large transactions and to send money over long distances without carrying cash. Money-changers called sarrafs and agents called gumasthas ran it.

Example 3: Tax burden (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

If the land tax under Alauddin Khiljī was 50 per cent of the produce, find the tax and the farmer's share from 600 quintals of produce, and comment on the effect. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Tax = 50 / 100 x 600 = 300 quintals (1 mark).
Farmer's share = 600 - 300 = 300 quintals (1 mark).
Half of the produce was taken, so there was a heavy burden on peasants (1 mark).

Answer: Tax = 50% of 600 = 300 quintals, so the farmer keeps 600 - 300 = 300 quintals, before other taxes. Such a high share placed a heavy burden on peasants. (600 quintals is an invented figure; the 50% is from the chapter.)

Example 4: Assertion-reason: temples · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): Temples were more than places of worship in 1000-1700 CE.
Reason (R): They managed land, employed many people, funded irrigation and gave credit.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

The chapter describes temples as economic and cultural institutions; R explains A (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 5: Bhakti and resilience (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

How did the Bhakti tradition help communities endure hard times? Give five points with examples. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Used local languages so that devotion reached all (1 mark).
Non-material worship such as nam kirtan when temples faced restrictions (1 mark).
Satsang and sankirtan built solidarity across social divides; Chaitanya in Bengal (1 mark).
Regional epics: Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi; Atukuri Molla's Telugu Ramayana (1 mark).
Saints of diverse backgrounds and women saints such as Mirabai; orders like Dadu Panth (1 mark).

Answer: Bhakti used local languages, so devotion reached everyone. When temples faced restrictions or destruction, worship could continue through nam kirtan, which needs no building. Satsang and community singing (sankirtan) built solidarity across social divides, and Chaitanya Mahāprabhu led public sankirtan in Bengal. Regional epics, such as Tulsidas's Rāmcharitmānas in Awadhi and Atukuri Molla's Telugu Rāmāyaṇa, kept traditions alive. Saints of diverse backgrounds, including women like Mīrābāī, and orders like the Dādu Panth widened participation.

Example 6: Case: the lane temple · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer the questions.

In a hilltop town, a temple is built in a narrow lane. It looks like a large house, without a tall spire, and has a courtyard for community singing. A queen sponsored it.

(i) What type of temple is this? (1)
(ii) Why were such temples built? (1)
(iii) Name one example from the chapter and explain how it shows resilience. (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

(i) A haveli temple (1 mark).
(ii) To avoid destruction by blending into the neighbourhood (1 mark).
(iii) Jagat Shiromani Temple, Amer, built by Queen Kanakwati; it shows adaptation to preserve worship (2 marks).

Answer: (i) A haveli temple. (ii) Haveli temples were designed to look like houses in narrow lanes, to avoid destruction. (iii) The Jagat Shiromani Temple at Amer, built by Queen Kanakwati, is an example; it shows resilience through adapting the temple's form so that worship and community life could continue.

Where students lose marks in Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Defining hundi as coin
Wrong idea.
Wrong working
Hundi was a type of coin.
Right working
Hundi was a bill of exchange.
Do this: Like a cheque.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Mixing Nirguna and Saguna
Terms reversed.
Wrong working
Nirguna is the divine with attributes.
Right working
Nirguna is formless; Saguna has attributes.
Do this: Nir = without.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Temple destruction only
One-sided answer.
Wrong working
Temples were only destroyed.
Right working
They were also restored, rebuilt and adapted by many rulers and communities.
Do this: Give both.
Usually costs: 1-2 marks.
Mistake: Not linking to resilience
Description only.
Wrong working
Bhakti used local languages.
Right working
It used local languages, which built solidarity and sustained traditions.
Do this: End with the link.
Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

End each answer with a sentence linking the topic to resilience.
Give the chapter's specific names (Chaitanya, Tulsidas, Ahilyabai Holkar) as evidence.
Use balanced wording for temple destruction and restoration; give examples of both.
Define economic terms (hundi, iqta, banjara) in one line.

Practice questions on Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Which of these is NOT a Sufi order named in the chapter?
(a) Chishti
(b) Qadiriyya
(c) Dadu Panth
(d) Naqshbandiya
Hint
One belongs to the Bhakti tradition.
Answer
(c) Dadu Panth
Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level
Name two women saints of the Bhakti tradition. (2 marks)
Hint
Mirabai, Akka Mahadevi.
Answer
Mīrābāī and Akkā Mahādevi (also Lāl Ded, Bahinābāi, Muktābāī and Janābāī).
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Explain three ways in which temples functioned as economic institutions. (3 marks)
Hint
Land, employment, credit.
Answer
Temples managed land grants and employed architects, sculptors, priests, musicians and staff. They received donations and funded irrigation. They also gave credit to cultivators, village assemblies and merchants, and they gave rise to temple towns such as Thanjavur, Kanchipuram and Puri.
Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): India was a major centre of Indian Ocean trade.
Reason (R): From the 13th century seaborne trade grew with the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and beyond.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.
Hint
Ports and merchants.
Answer
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level
Describe the economy of India between 1000 and 1700 CE, with reference to agriculture, hundi, trade routes and merchants, and explain how it supported resilience. (5 marks)
Hint
Land revenue; irrigation; hundi; caravans; ports.
Answer
Land revenue was the main income of the state, with tax as high as 50 per cent of the produce under Alauddin Khiljī and Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Irrigation used the Persian wheel and rope pulleys, and Vijayanagara invested in small-scale irrigation. Hundis allowed safe remittance over long distances. Inland caravans and banjārās connected villages and towns, and seaborne trade made India a major centre of Indian Ocean commerce, in which merchants worked as traders, shippers, bankers, brokers and interpreters. This economic strength gave communities the resources to resist and to sustain their institutions.
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a student argues that Sulh-i-kul proves that all rulers of the period followed the same policy. Evaluate using the chapter. (3 marks)
Hint
Policy of one reign.
Answer
The claim is too broad. The chapter says Sulh-i-kul was adopted as state policy in Akbar's later reign and seems to have been meant to win support of non-Muslim powers. It does not claim that all rulers followed it; relations in the period ranged between conflict and cooperation.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.What are nām kīrtan and satsang?Show answer
Community devotional singing and gatherings of devotees.
2.Who wrote the Rāmcharitmānas?Show answer
Tulsidas, in Awadhi.
3.What were havelī temples?Show answer
Temples designed like houses in narrow lanes to avoid destruction.
4.What did sarrāfs do?Show answer
They were money-changers who ran the hundi system.
5.Who built the present Kashi Vishwanath temple in 1780?Show answer
Ahilyabai Holkar.

Resilience through Bhakti, Sufism, Temples and the Economy: frequently asked questions

What is Bhakti?

Personal devotion to the divine, expressed through hymns in local languages, stressing equality and simplicity.

What was Sulh-i-kul?

Peace with all, adopted as state policy in the later years of Akbar's reign.

How did temples help communities?

They were centres of economy, education and arts, and provided credit and a focus for community life.

What was a hundi?

A bill of exchange used to remit money over long distances.