1.Who were Nayanars and Alvars?

Ans:  Nayanars were saints devoted to Shiva and Alvars were saints devoted to Vishnu.

2.What was the role of Nayanars and Alvars in spreading a new kind of Bhakti in South India?

 Ans:  The seven^th to nine^th centuries saw the emergence of new religious movements, led by the Nayanars  and Alvars who came from all castes including those considered “untouchable” like the Pulaiyar and the Panars. They were sharply critical of the Buddhists and Jainas and preached ardent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation. They drew upon the ideals of love and heroism as found in the Sangam  and blended them with the values of bhakti. The Nayanars and Alvars went from place to place composing exquisite poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited, and set them to music.

3. What is Hagiography ?

Ans. Writing of saints lives is known as Hagiography.

4. Write a note on Shankaracharya.

Ans:  Shankaracharya was one of the most influential philosophers of India, in the eighth  century. He was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of the  oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God which is the Ultimate Reality. He taught that Brahman, the only or Ultimate Reality, was formless and without any attributes. He considered the world around us to be an illusion or maya, and preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge to understand the true nature of Brahman and attain salvation.

5. According to Ramanuja what was the best means of attaining salvation?

Ans:  According to him the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in his grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him. He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.

6. What do you about Virashaiva movement?

Ans:  Virashaiva  movement began in Karnataka in the mid-twelfth century, initiated by Basavanna and his companions like Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi.The Virashaivas argued strongly for the equality of all human beings and against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They were also against all forms of ritual and idol worship.

7. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis?

Ans:    Nathpanthis, Siddhacharas and Yogis advocated renunciation of the world. To them the path to salvation lay in meditation on the formless Ultimate Reality and the realization of oneness with it. To achieve this they advocated intense training of the mind and body through practices like yogasanas, breathing exercises and meditation.There belief and practices became popular particularly among low caste .

8.What is a silsilahs ?

Ans.     Silsilahs is a  religious order among the Sufi. There are 12 silsilahs in suffism. Suhrawardi and  Chishtis are two popular silsilahs of suffis.

9. Name any four saints of chisti silsilahs.

Ans.  Four saints of chisti silsilahs are :
(i) Khwaja Muin-ud-din-chisti
(ii) Sheikh Farid
(iii) Qutub-din-Bakhtiyar Kala.
(iv) Nasir-ud-din-chirag-e-Dilli

10. What are the main principles of Islam ?

Ans.     With the arrival and foundation of Turkish empire in India Islam also came and spread here. Some of the important principles of Islam are :
(i) Allah and Muhammad are the supreme.
(ii) The followers of Islam should pray five times a day.
(iii) During the month of Ramadan every Muslims must observe fasting.
(iv) They must gave donation to the poor.
(v)  Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) at least once in their lifetime.

11. What are the teaching of Sufism ?

Ans. 

(i) God is one.

(ii) All men and women are equal in the eyes of God.

(iii) All religious are equal.
(iv) Devotion is true path to achieve God.

12. What do you know about Khwaja Muin-ud-din-chisti ?

Ans.
(i) He came to India from Medina and established the order in India, in the city of Ajmer.
(ii) He preached devotion toward God, love, mankind and religious liberalism.
(iii) He held that music if played beautifully brought men observe to God.
(iv) He died in 123 A.D. and buried at Ajmer. His dargah is a place of pilgrimage for the Indian Muslims of the Chisti section.

13 What were the achievement of Farid ?

Ans.
(i) Baba Farid is a Sufi saint who lived at Ajodhan and confined his activities to Hansi and Ajodhan.
(ii) He preached that only way to love god was through his devotion.
(iii) His verse represent Sufi thinking and are included in Adi Granth Sahib.
(iv) According to him the true devotees are those whom god attaches into himself.

14. What are the causes that led to the origin of the Bhakti Movement?

Ans.
Following are the cause responsible for the origin of Bhakti movement.
(i) Rise of Islam and its patronization by the rulers.
(ii) Evils of Hinduism.
(iii) Efforts of Reformers, who condemned social evils.

15. What do you know about the carrier and teaching of Kabir ?

Ans.
(i) Kabir, a weaver by profession, did his best to harmonise Hindu Muslim unity.
(ii) He was a disciple of Ramananda.
(iii) He used to preach in poetic language full of beauty and charm.
(iv) He preached that God is one, whether we worship him as Allah,  Ram or Rahim.
(v) He preached against image worship and useless ceremonies.

16.Write a note on Chaitanya  Mahaprabhu.

Ans:
(i) He born in 1486 in Nanda in Bengal.
(ii) He belong to Krishna cult.
(iii) He popularised kirtan in praise of Lord Krishna. His method of teaching was by singing and dancing.
(iv) The teaching of Chaitanya are contained in Chaitanya Charitamrita.

17.Write a note on  Mirabai.

Ans:
(i)Mirabai was a great saint and devotee of Sri Krishna.
(ii) She was a Rajput princes. Despite facing criticism and hostility from her own family, she lived an exemplary saintly life .
(iii)She expressed her deep love to  Lord Krishna through lyrical composition .She composed many devotional bhajans.

18.What are the Teaching of Guru Nanak.

Ans:  
(i) God is one and he is the creator of universe.
(ii) Class distinctions are base less.
(iii) God is truth.
(iv) He laid devotion to True Bhakti.
(v) He did not belief in useless rituals of both Hindus and Muslims.