General Studies

Ancient and Medieval Indian History: Practice Questions with Answers

233 practice questions on Ancient and Medieval Indian History, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.

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  1. Q.151

    Who established the Chishti order of Sufism in India, with its centre at Ajmer?

    1. A Nizamuddin Auliya
    2. B Baba Farid
    3. C Bahauddin Zakariya
    4. D Moinuddin Chishti
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Moinuddin Chishti

    Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti settled at Ajmer in the late twelfth century. Baba Farid and Nizamuddin Auliya were later Chishti saints; Bahauddin Zakariya belonged to the Suhrawardi order.

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  2. Q.152

    The Adi Granth, the scripture of the Sikhs, was compiled in 1604 by which Guru?

    1. A Guru Arjan Dev
    2. B Guru Angad Dev
    3. C Guru Ram Das
    4. D Guru Gobind Singh
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Guru Arjan Dev

    Guru Arjan Dev compiled the Adi Granth and installed it in the Harmandir Sahib at Amritsar; he was executed in 1606 on Jahangir's orders. Guru Gobind Singh later added the hymns of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

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  3. Q.153

    The record of the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang's (Hiuen Tsang's) travels in India is known by which title?

    1. A Fo-kuo-ki
    2. B Indica
    3. C Kitab-ul-Hind
    4. D Si-yu-ki
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Si-yu-ki

    Xuanzang's account is the Si-yu-ki, 'Records of the Western World'. Fo-kuo-ki is Fa-Hien's record, Indica is by Megasthenes and Kitab-ul-Hind is by Al-Biruni.

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  4. Q.154

    The tomb of Akbar, completed by his son Jahangir, is located at which place?

    1. A Fatehpur Sikri
    2. B Delhi
    3. C Sikandra
    4. D Lahore
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Sikandra

    Akbar's tomb at Sikandra near Agra was completed by Jahangir in 1613. Jahangir himself is buried at Shahdara near Lahore.

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  5. Q.155

    Mesopotamian texts of the late third millennium BC mention trade with a land called Meluhha. Historians generally identify Meluhha with which region?

    1. A Bahrain
    2. B Oman
    3. C The Harappan (Indus) region
    4. D Egypt
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) The Harappan (Indus) region

    Meluhha is generally taken to be the Harappan region, which sent carnelian, lapis lazuli, copper and timber to Mesopotamia. Dilmun is identified with Bahrain and Magan with Oman.

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  6. Q.156

    Which city was the main capital of the Kushana ruler Kanishka?

    1. A Purushapura
    2. B Taxila
    3. C Sakala
    4. D Ujjayini
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Purushapura

    Kanishka ruled from Purushapura (modern Peshawar), while Mathura was an important second centre of the Kushanas. Sakala (Sialkot) was the capital of the Indo-Greek king Menander.

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  7. Q.157

    Raja Bhoja, the 11th-century scholar-king who ruled Malwa from his capital at Dhar, belonged to which dynasty?

    1. A Chandela
    2. B Chauhan
    3. C Paramara
    4. D Gahadavala
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Paramara

    Bhoja of the Paramara dynasty was a great patron of learning and is credited with works such as the Samarangana Sutradhara on architecture. The Gahadavalas ruled from Kannauj and Varanasi.

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  8. Q.158

    Which deity, called Purandara (breaker of forts), has the largest number of hymns addressed to him in the Rigveda?

    1. A Indra
    2. B Agni
    3. C Varuna
    4. D Soma
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    Correct answer: (A) Indra

    About 250 Rigvedic hymns are devoted to Indra, the war god and rain-bringer. Agni, the fire god, comes next with about 200 hymns.

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  9. Q.159

    Banabhatta, the court poet of Harshavardhana, wrote which of the following works?

    1. A Ratnavali and Nagananda
    2. B Harshacharita and Kadambari
    3. C Mudrarakshasa and Devichandraguptam
    4. D Abhijnanashakuntalam and Meghadutam
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) Harshacharita and Kadambari

    Banabhatta wrote the Harshacharita, a prose biography of Harsha, and the prose romance Kadambari. Ratnavali and Nagananda were written by Harsha himself, and Mudrarakshasa by Vishakhadatta.

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  10. Q.160

    Which Turkish commander raided Nadia early in the 13th century, forcing the Sena king Lakshmana Sena to flee, and set up Turkish rule in Bengal with Lakhnauti as his base?

    1. A Qutbuddin Aibak
    2. B Tajuddin Yildiz
    3. C Nasiruddin Qabacha
    4. D Bakhtiyar Khalji
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Bakhtiyar Khalji

    Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji overran Bihar and then surprised Nadia, after which Lakshmana Sena withdrew to eastern Bengal. Yildiz and Qabacha were Ghori's slave-commanders based at Ghazni and at Multan-Uch.

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  11. Q.161

    The Treaty of Purandar (1665), under which Shivaji surrendered 23 forts to the Mughals, was signed with which Mughal commander?

    1. A Shaista Khan
    2. B Afzal Khan
    3. C Prince Muazzam
    4. D Raja Jai Singh I
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Raja Jai Singh I

    Raja Jai Singh of Amber besieged Purandar and forced the treaty, after which Shivaji visited Aurangzeb's court at Agra. Afzal Khan was the Bijapur general killed by Shivaji in 1659 and Shaista Khan was attacked at Pune in 1663.

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  12. Q.162

    Avanti, with its capital at Ujjayini, was Magadha's chief rival. Under which ruler did Magadha finally destroy the power of Avanti?

    1. A Bimbisara
    2. B Ajatashatru
    3. C Shishunaga
    4. D Mahapadma Nanda
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    Correct answer: (C) Shishunaga

    Shishunaga, founder of the dynasty named after him, crushed Avanti and ended its long rivalry with Magadha. Bimbisara had instead kept friendly relations with Pradyota, the king of Avanti.

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  13. Q.163

    Consider the following statements about the zabt system of land revenue under Akbar:

    1. Tax was fixed in cash for each crop on the basis of surveyed yields and prices.

    2. It was applied uniformly in all provinces, including Bengal and Gujarat.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A Only 1
    2. B Only 2
    3. C Both 1 and 2
    4. D Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Only 1

    Under zabt, each crop had its own cash rate worked out from a survey of yields and prices. It worked only where officials could measure the land and keep careful accounts, which was not possible in provinces such as Gujarat and Bengal.

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  14. Q.164

    The Bhimbetka rock shelters, known for their prehistoric paintings and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are located in which state?

    1. A Madhya Pradesh
    2. B Maharashtra
    3. C Chhattisgarh
    4. D Odisha
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Madhya Pradesh

    Bhimbetka lies in Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh, south of Bhopal, in the foothills of the Vindhyas. Its rock shelters, discovered by V.S. Wakankar, carry paintings from the Mesolithic period onwards and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

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  15. Q.165

    Which Gurjara-Pratihara ruler defeated Chakrayudha, the ruler installed at Kannauj by the Pala king Dharmapala, and captured Kannauj in the early ninth century?

    1. A Nagabhata I
    2. B Nagabhata II
    3. C Mihira Bhoja
    4. D Mahendrapala I
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (B) Nagabhata II

    Nagabhata II ousted Chakrayudha, and Kannauj thereafter became the Pratihara capital. Nagabhata I, an earlier ruler of the dynasty, is remembered for resisting the Arabs in western India.

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  16. Q.166

    The Nasik inscription that praises the achievements of the Satavahana king Gautamiputra Satakarni was issued by whom?

    1. A Vasishthiputra Pulumavi
    2. B Nahapana
    3. C Gautami Balashri
    4. D Rudradaman
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Gautami Balashri

    The Nasik prashasti was issued by Gautami Balashri, mother of Gautamiputra Satakarni, who calls him the destroyer of the Shakas, Yavanas and Pahlavas. Nahapana was the Shaka ruler he defeated.

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  17. Q.167

    Which Pallava king defeated and killed the Chalukya ruler Pulakeshin II, captured Vatapi (Badami) and took the title 'Vatapikonda'?

    1. A Mahendravarman I
    2. B Paramesvaravarman I
    3. C Narasimhavarman I
    4. D Nandivarman II
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Narasimhavarman I

    Narasimhavarman I (Mamalla) avenged the earlier defeat of his father Mahendravarman I by capturing Vatapi in about 642. 'Vatapikonda' means conqueror of Vatapi.

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  18. Q.168

    In the Battle of Palkhed (1728), Peshwa Baji Rao I defeated which opponent?

    1. A Nadir Shah
    2. B The Siddis of Janjira
    3. C Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I
    4. D Muhammad Khan Bangash
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah I

    At Palkhed Baji Rao I outmanoeuvred Nizam-ul-Mulk, founder of the Asaf Jahi line of Hyderabad, who then accepted Maratha claims to chauth and sardeshmukhi in the Deccan. Muhammad Khan Bangash was the Mughal governor Baji Rao fought in Bundelkhand.

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  19. Q.169

    Harappa, the first site of this civilisation to be excavated, lies near the bank of which river?

    1. A Ravi
    2. B Indus
    3. C Sutlej
    4. D Ghaggar
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    Correct answer: (A) Ravi

    Harappa, in Sahiwal district of Pakistani Punjab, stands near an old course of the Ravi. Mohenjo-daro lies on the Indus in Sindh.

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  20. Q.170

    According to Buddhist tradition, Ashoka sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to spread Buddhism in which land?

    1. A Myanmar
    2. B Sri Lanka
    3. C Nepal
    4. D Thailand
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    Correct answer: (B) Sri Lanka

    Mahendra (Mahinda) and Sanghamitra went to Sri Lanka, where King Devanampiya Tissa accepted Buddhism. Sanghamitra is said to have taken a sapling of the Bodhi tree to Anuradhapura.

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  21. Q.171

    The Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, a structural temple built of cut granite blocks, was built by which Pallava ruler?

    1. A Mahendravarman I
    2. B Narasimhavarman I
    3. C Nandivarman II
    4. D Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (D) Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha)

    Narasimhavarman II, also called Rajasimha, built the Shore Temple in the early eighth century, along with the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. The monolithic rathas at Mahabalipuram belong to the earlier reign of Narasimhavarman I.

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  22. Q.172

    Kavirajamarga, the earliest surviving Kannada work on poetics, is attributed to which Rashtrakuta ruler?

    1. A Krishna III
    2. B Dhruva
    3. C Amoghavarsha I
    4. D Indra III
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    Correct answer: (C) Amoghavarsha I

    Amoghavarsha I (Nripatunga), who ruled from Manyakheta for over sixty years, is credited with Kavirajamarga and was a patron of Jainism. Krishna III was the Rashtrakuta who fought the Cholas at Takkolam.

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  23. Q.173

    Which Sultan brought two Ashokan pillars from Topra and Meerut to Delhi and also set up the Diwan-i-Khairat for the welfare of the poor?

    1. A Muhammad bin Tughlaq
    2. B Alauddin Khalji
    3. C Sikandar Lodi
    4. D Firoz Shah Tughlaq
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    Correct answer: (D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

    Firoz Shah Tughlaq moved the Ashokan pillars to Delhi, dug canals from the Yamuna and Sutlej, founded cities like Firozabad and Hisar, and imposed jizya on Brahmins as well.

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  24. Q.174

    The monolithic Kailasa temple at Ellora, carved out of a single rock, was built by which Rashtrakuta ruler?

    1. A Dantidurga
    2. B Krishna I
    3. C Amoghavarsha I
    4. D Govinda III
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    Correct answer: (B) Krishna I

    Krishna I (c. 756-774 AD) built the Kailasa temple (Cave 16) at Ellora. Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty by defeating the Chalukyas of Badami.

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  25. Q.175

    Padmavat, an Awadhi poem composed in about 1540 that tells the story of Ratansen and Padmavati, was written by whom?

    1. A Amir Khusrau
    2. B Raskhan
    3. C Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan
    4. D Malik Muhammad Jayasi
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    Correct answer: (D) Malik Muhammad Jayasi

    The Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi wrote Padmavat in Awadhi during Sher Shah's reign. Raskhan was a Krishna-devotee poet of Braj, and Amir Khusrau lived about two centuries earlier.

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  26. Q.176

    Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, attained nirvana (death) at which place?

    1. A Vaishali
    2. B Rajgir
    3. C Pavapuri
    4. D Shravanabelagola
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    Correct answer: (C) Pavapuri

    Mahavira died at Pavapuri in Bihar at the age of 72. He was born at Kundagrama near Vaishali; Shravanabelagola is linked to Bhadrabahu and Chandragupta Maurya.

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  27. Q.177

    The Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, known for its huge dome and whispering gallery, is the tomb of which ruler?

    1. A Ibrahim Adil Shah II
    2. B Yusuf Adil Shah
    3. C Muhammad Adil Shah
    4. D Ali Adil Shah I
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    Correct answer: (C) Muhammad Adil Shah

    The Gol Gumbaz is the mausoleum of Muhammad Adil Shah, who died in 1656. Ibrahim Adil Shah II is buried in the Ibrahim Rauza, also at Bijapur, and Yusuf Adil Shah founded the dynasty.

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  28. Q.178

    Amuktamalyada, a Telugu work on polity and statecraft, was written by which Vijayanagara ruler?

    1. A Allasani Peddana
    2. B Vidyaranya
    3. C Krishnadevaraya
    4. D Tenali Ramakrishna
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    Correct answer: (C) Krishnadevaraya

    Krishnadevaraya (1509-1529) wrote Amuktamalyada in Telugu and Jambavati Kalyanam in Sanskrit. Allasani Peddana was the chief of his Ashtadiggajas (eight court poets).

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  29. Q.179

    The Suhrawardi order of Sufis, which unlike the Chishtis accepted state patronage, had its main centre in India at which place?

    1. A Ajmer
    2. B Delhi
    3. C Multan
    4. D Lahore
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Multan

    Bahauddin Zakariya established the Suhrawardi order at Multan. Ajmer was the Chishti centre of Moinuddin Chishti and Delhi that of Nizamuddin Auliya.

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  30. Q.180

    Which of the following Sanskrit plays was written by Harshavardhana himself?

    1. A Ratnavali
    2. B Harshacharita
    3. C Kadambari
    4. D Kiratarjuniya
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    Correct answer: (A) Ratnavali

    Harsha wrote three plays: Ratnavali, Priyadarshika and Nagananda. Harshacharita and Kadambari are by his court poet Banabhatta, and Kiratarjuniya is by Bharavi.

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  31. Q.181

    The fourth Buddhist council at Kundalvana in Kashmir, after which Buddhism split formally into Hinayana and Mahayana, was held under which ruler?

    1. A Kanishka
    2. B Ashoka
    3. C Kalashoka
    4. D Ajatashatru
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    Correct answer: (A) Kanishka

    The fourth council was convened by the Kushana ruler Kanishka, with Vasumitra presiding and Ashvaghosha as vice-president. Ashoka patronised the third council at Pataliputra.

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  32. Q.182

    Silappadikaram, the Tamil epic telling the story of Kovalan and Kannagi, was composed by whom?

    1. A Sattanar
    2. B Ilango Adigal
    3. C Thiruvalluvar
    4. D Tolkappiyar
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    Correct answer: (B) Ilango Adigal

    Ilango Adigal, said to be a Chera prince, wrote Silappadikaram. Sattanar wrote its sequel Manimekalai, Thiruvalluvar wrote the Tirukkural and Tolkappiyar wrote the grammar Tolkappiyam.

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  33. Q.183

    Consider the following statements about the Pala dynasty:

    1. It was founded by Gopala in the eighth century.

    2. The Vikramashila university was founded by the Pala king Devapala.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A Only 1
    2. B Only 2
    3. C Both 1 and 2
    4. D Neither 1 nor 2
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Only 1

    Gopala founded the Pala dynasty of Bengal around the middle of the eighth century. Vikramashila was founded by his son Dharmapala, not by Devapala, so statement 2 is wrong.

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  34. Q.184

    Which Gupta ruler married the Lichchhavi princess Kumaradevi and was the first of his line to take the title Maharajadhiraja?

    1. A Sri Gupta
    2. B Ghatotkacha
    3. C Samudragupta
    4. D Chandragupta I
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    Correct answer: (D) Chandragupta I

    Chandragupta I married Kumaradevi, and coins showing the royal couple honour the Lichchhavi alliance; the Gupta era beginning in 319-20 AD is generally linked with his accession. His predecessors Sri Gupta and Ghatotkacha used only the title Maharaja.

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  35. Q.185

    The Saptanga theory, which describes the seven limbs of the state (king, minister, territory, fort, treasury, army and ally), is found in which text?

    1. A Arthashastra
    2. B Indica
    3. C Manusmriti
    4. D Mudrarakshasa
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (A) Arthashastra

    Kautilya's Arthashastra sets out the Saptanga theory of the state. Indica is Megasthenes' account of Mauryan India and Mudrarakshasa is a play about Chandragupta's rise.

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  36. Q.186

    Which of the Ashtadiggajas, the eight Telugu poets of Krishnadevaraya's court, is honoured as 'Andhra Kavita Pitamaha' and wrote Manucharitamu?

    1. A Tenali Ramakrishna
    2. B Nandi Thimmana
    3. C Dhurjati
    4. D Allasani Peddana
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    Correct answer: (D) Allasani Peddana

    Allasani Peddana, author of Manucharitamu, was the leading poet of Krishnadevaraya's court and is called the grandfather of Telugu poetry. Nandi Thimmana wrote Parijatapaharanamu.

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  37. Q.187

    At which Neolithic site in the Kashmir valley have pit-dwellings and graves in which domestic dogs were buried with their masters been found?

    1. A Chirand
    2. B Burzahom
    3. C Koldihwa
    4. D Paiyampalli
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    Correct answer: (B) Burzahom

    Burzahom, near Srinagar, is known for its pit-dwellings and for burials of dogs along with their masters. Chirand in Bihar is noted for bone tools, and Koldihwa in the Belan valley of Uttar Pradesh has yielded evidence of rice.

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  38. Q.188

    Which Gupta ruler repelled the Huna invasion, an achievement recorded in the Bhitari pillar inscription?

    1. A Samudragupta
    2. B Kumaragupta I
    3. C Budhagupta
    4. D Skandagupta
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    Correct answer: (D) Skandagupta

    Skandagupta defeated the Hunas around 455 AD; the Bhitari pillar inscription in Uttar Pradesh records this. The pressure of repeated Huna attacks contributed to the later decline of the Guptas.

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  39. Q.189

    In Buddhist tradition, what is Siddhartha's departure from his home at the age of 29 in search of truth called?

    1. A Mahaparinirvana
    2. B Sambodhi
    3. C Mahabhinishkramana
    4. D Dharmachakra Pravartana
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    Correct answer: (C) Mahabhinishkramana

    The 'great going forth' is called Mahabhinishkramana and is symbolised by a horse. Sambodhi is his enlightenment at Bodh Gaya and Mahaparinirvana his death at Kushinagar.

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  40. Q.190

    The discovery of a Palaeolithic hand-axe at Pallavaram near Chennai in 1863, which began the scientific study of Indian prehistory, is credited to whom?

    1. A H.D. Sankalia
    2. B Alexander Cunningham
    3. C Robert Bruce Foote
    4. D Mortimer Wheeler
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    Correct answer: (C) Robert Bruce Foote

    Robert Bruce Foote, a geologist of the Geological Survey of India, found the hand-axe at Pallavaram in 1863 and is often called the father of Indian prehistory. Alexander Cunningham was the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India.

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  41. Q.191

    According to Jain tradition, Mahavira attained Kaivalya (supreme knowledge) under a sal tree near Jrimbhikagrama on the bank of which river?

    1. A Niranjana
    2. B Rijupalika
    3. C Hiranyavati
    4. D Sadanira
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    Correct answer: (B) Rijupalika

    After twelve years of austerity, Mahavira attained Kaivalya at the age of 42 on the bank of the Rijupalika and came to be called Jina. The Buddha's enlightenment at Bodh Gaya took place near the Niranjana.

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  42. Q.192

    The Gayatri Mantra, addressed to the solar deity Savitri, is found in which Veda?

    1. A Rigveda
    2. B Samaveda
    3. C Yajurveda
    4. D Atharvaveda
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    Correct answer: (A) Rigveda

    The Gayatri Mantra occurs in the third mandala of the Rigveda, the oldest Veda. The Samaveda mostly borrows its verses from the Rigveda and sets them to melody.

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  43. Q.193

    Ashoka's two Separate Kalinga Edicts, addressed to his officials in the conquered region and appearing in place of Rock Edicts XI to XIII, are found at which pair of sites?

    1. A Girnar and Sopara
    2. B Kalsi and Topra
    3. C Dhauli and Jaugada
    4. D Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra
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    Correct answer: (C) Dhauli and Jaugada

    At Dhauli near Bhubaneswar and Jaugada in Ganjam district of Odisha, Rock Edicts XI to XIII are left out and two Separate Edicts stress just and humane treatment of the people. Shahbazgarhi and Mansehra lie in the north-west, far from Kalinga.

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  44. Q.194

    Who was the Peshwa when the Marathas were defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali in the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)?

    1. A Baji Rao I
    2. B Madhav Rao I
    3. C Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb)
    4. D Balaji Vishwanath
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    Correct answer: (C) Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb)

    Balaji Baji Rao was Peshwa from 1740 to 1761; his cousin Sadashivrao Bhau commanded at Panipat, where the Peshwa's son Vishwasrao was killed. He was succeeded by Madhav Rao I.

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  45. Q.195

    What does the Rummindei (Lumbini) pillar inscription of Ashoka record?

    1. A Tax concession to Lumbini village
    2. B Remorse after the Kalinga war
    3. C Ban on killing animals in the capital
    4. D Appointment of Dhamma Mahamatras
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    Correct answer: (A) Tax concession to Lumbini village

    The Rummindei inscription records Ashoka's visit to the Buddha's birthplace, exempting the village from bali and reducing bhaga to one-eighth. The Kalinga remorse is in Rock Edict XIII.

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  46. Q.196

    The Chennakeshava temple at Belur in Karnataka was built by which Hoysala ruler?

    1. A Ballala II
    2. B Narasimha III
    3. C Ballala III
    4. D Vishnuvardhana
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    Correct answer: (D) Vishnuvardhana

    Vishnuvardhana built the Chennakeshava temple at Belur in the early 12th century, traditionally to mark a victory over the Cholas at Talakad. The Hoysala capital later shifted to Dwarasamudra (Halebidu).

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  47. Q.197

    Harshavardhana's attempt to expand into the Deccan was checked on the banks of the Narmada by which ruler?

    1. A Mahendravarman I
    2. B Narasimhavarman I
    3. C Pulakeshin II
    4. D Vikramaditya I
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Pulakeshin II

    The Chalukya king Pulakeshin II of Badami defeated Harsha on the Narmada, as recorded in the Aihole inscription composed by Ravikirti. Mahendravarman and Narasimhavarman were Pallava rivals of Pulakeshin.

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  48. Q.198

    At which place did Harsha hold a great assembly every five years, at which he gave away his accumulated wealth in charity?

    1. A Kannauj
    2. B Nalanda
    3. C Prayag
    4. D Thanesar
    Show answer

    Correct answer: (C) Prayag

    Xuanzang describes Harsha's five-yearly assembly at Prayag, at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, where the king gave away his treasures. Harsha also held a grand assembly at Kannauj to honour Xuanzang.

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  49. Q.199

    Which Gupta ruler ended the rule of the Shaka Kshatrapas of western India, giving the Guptas access to the ports of the western coast?

    1. A Samudragupta
    2. B Kumaragupta I
    3. C Chandragupta II
    4. D Skandagupta
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    Correct answer: (C) Chandragupta II

    Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya) defeated the last Western Kshatrapa ruler, Rudrasimha III, and annexed Malwa, Gujarat and Saurashtra, opening the western sea trade to the Guptas. He also issued silver coins for this newly won region.

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  50. Q.200

    The Varkari tradition of Maharashtra, followed by saints such as Jnaneshwar and Namdev, centres on the worship of Vitthala at which place?

    1. A Pandharpur
    2. B Dehu
    3. C Alandi
    4. D Paithan
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    Correct answer: (A) Pandharpur

    Varkaris make an annual pilgrimage (wari) to the temple of Vitthala (Vithoba) at Pandharpur on the Bhima river. Alandi is the place of Jnaneshwar's samadhi and Paithan is linked with Eknath.

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