ABSTRACT
Agrahara Freehold land given to Brahmins Ahimsa Non-killing, non-violence Alim Scholar of Islamic law who is entitled to expound the
Koran Arthashastra Ancient Indian text on politics (artha) ascribed to
Kautilya who was supposedly a minister of Chandragupta Maurya. It contains the doctrine of the circle of kings (rajamandala)
Arya The noble one, self-assumed name of the Aryan people Avatara Descent, incarnation of a god, especially Vishnu Bhadralok People of good family, a Bengali term which refers to the
upper castes of brahmins, kayasths and vaidyas, more specifically to their educated members
Bhakti Piety, devotion to a god Bhoodan Landgift, i.e. donation of surplus land by rich peasants to
landless labourers. The Bhoodan Movement was initiated by Vinoba Bhave, a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi
Bombay see Mumbai Calcutta see Kolkata Chakravartin Roller of the disc, i.e. ruler whose sway extends every-
where, imperial title Chennai Previously Madras, a name which referred to a madrasa
located there. Chennai is the old Tamil name of the locality
Chhatra Parasol, belonging to the royal insignia Dakshinapatha The southern way, the southern highlands (Deccan) Danda Stick, symbol of (state) power Dasa, dasyu Slave, enemy of the arya Desh Country. In Maharashtra the land beyond the Ghats Devanagari Script in which Sanskrit as well as some modern Indian
languages (Hindi, Marathi) are written
3 4 51 6 7 8 9 1011 1 2 31 4 5 6 7 8 9 20111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 30111 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 40111 1 2 3
mahamatra morality under Ashoka
Digvijaya Conquest of the four quarters (of the world) Din-i-Illahi Belief in God, a kind of religious order established by
Akbar. Its members belonged to the imperial elite and acknowledged Akbar as their pir
Diwan, diwani The minister of an Indian ruler, the jurisdiction of a diwan. In the Mughal administration the diwan was the minister in charge of civil and revenue affairs under the nawab
Diwani adalat Customary law administered by the diwan (as distinct from Islamic law recorded in the Koran)
Fauj, faujdar Army, commander of the army (see nawab) Garibi hatao Beat Poverty, election slogan of Indira Gandhi Ghat Step. It refers to the mountain ranges on the western coast
of India, but also to the steps at the banks of a river or tank
Hartal A strike, particularly of merchants who close their shops as a token of protest against unjust acts of the government
Hasil Collection, i.e. land revenue collection Hind Swaraj ‘India’s Freedom’, title of Mahatma Gandhi’s political
manifesto written in 1909 Hindi North Indian language, written in the Devanagari script.
