The Chola rulers supported Brahmanical and Bhakti traditions. Give examples in support of this.

(i) The Chola rulers made land grants and constructed temples for Vishnu and Shiva. They had constructed magnificent Shiva temples at Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Gangaikonda-cholapuram.

(ii) The Chola kings claimed divine support. They exhibited their power and status by building splendid temples and sculptures of Shiva.

(i) The Chishtis were the most influential sufis in India. They adapted themselves successfully to the local environment. They also adopted many features of Indian devotional traditions. Besides they used local languages which were the languages of the people.

(ii)    The Chishtis accepted donations in cash and kind. They used these donations to fulfil their immediate requirements like food, clothes, living quarters and ritual necessities. It enhanced their moral authority and popularity.

The Ulatbansi compositions of Kabir are intrinsically upside-down sayings. They are written in a form in which everyday meanings are inverted. They express difficulty in capturing the nature of the ultimate reality. They express Kabir’s mystical experiences.

The compositions of Kabir have been compiled in three distinct traditions:

(i)    The Kabir Bijak has been preserved by the Kabirpanth in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

(ii)    The Kabir Granthavali is associated with Dadupanth in Rajasthan.

(iii)    Many compositions of Kabir are found in Adi Granth Sahib.

Kabir’s compositions like “the lotus which blooms without flower” and the “fire raging in the ocean” conveys a sense of Kabir’s mystical experiences.