B And J

Question 1

Arhants

Answer 1

Saints enlightened by buddha and later on preached the same

Question 2

Avadana

Answer 2

Mahayana buddhism poem

Question 3

Strong distinction and seperate identity from orthodox brahminical religion helped in spread of jaininsm

Answer 3

False
Couldn’t establish a seperate identity initially

Question 4

Paramitas

Answer 4

Act of perfection and merit leading to buddhahood

Question 5

With reference to ancient Indian History, the term ‘Ganadharas’ refers to which of the following.

Answer 5

Mahavira had eleven disciples known as Ganadharas or heads of schools. Arya Sudharma was the only Ganadhara who survived Mahavira and became the first ‘Thera’ (chief preceptor) of the Jaina order. He died 20 years after Mahavira’s death.
It is generally accepted that whatever Lord Mahavira taught after gaining omniscience was compiled by his Ganadharas in twelve parts, the Sanskrit word for a part being Anga. These twelve compilations are called the twelve Angas and are collectively known as Dwadashangi

Question 6

Mahavira rejected the Upanishadic idea of the soul and emphasized that there is no life after
death.

Answer 6

He thought that all objects, animate and inanimate, had a soul. He believed that they felt pain or the influence of injury. Mahavira did not reject the Upanishad’s ideas of the soul.

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding the sect of Ajivikas.
1. It was popularised by Makkaliputra Gosala.
2. Unlike Buddhism and Jainism, they believed in the theory of Karma.
3. They believed that the thought and deeds of an individual were predetermined.
4. They advocated human free will and urged followers to fight destiny.

Answer 7

1 and 3 only

They did not believe in human effort and held that all creatures were helpless against destiny. Gosala maintained that all creatures had to face misery, and it would end after the completion of fixed cycles. No human effort would reduce or lengthen the period.

Question 8

Consider the following statements regarding the post-Mauryan phase of ancient Indian History.
1. The Parthian ruler Rudradaman-1 undertook to improve the Sudarsana lake in Kathiawar.
2. Pushyamitra Sunga of the Sunga dynasty initially built the Sudarsana lake.
3. Rudradaman issued the first long inscription in chaste Sanskrit.
Which among the above statements is/are correct?

Answer 8

3 only

The most famous Shaka ruler in India was Rudradaman I . He is famous in History because of the repairs he undertook to improve the Sudarshana lake in the semiarid zone of Kathiawar, which had been in use for irrigation for a long time and dated back to the
Mauryas

Sudarshana lake in the 4th century BCE during the time of the Mauryan
emperor Chandragupta. It was completed during the reign of Ashoka, and its repair was carried out in the 2nd century CE during the reign of Rudradaman I

Question 9

Consider the following statements regarding the Satavahana rule.
1. The social structure of Satavahanas shows many features similar to Sanskrit texts such as
Manusmriti.
2. In most cases, people were known by their occupations rather than castes.
3. The Satavahanas polity was strictly guided by norms based on Dharmasastras.
4. Satavahanas refer to themselves as Brahmanas who crushed the pride of Kshatriyas.

Answer 9

2 and 4 only

The social structure of Deccan under the Satavahanas shows many features which are different from those prescribed in the Sanskrit texts such as the Manusmriti. For example, many inscriptions of the Satavahana rulers mention the names of their mothers rather than those of their fathers, such as Gautamiputra Satakarni (Satakarni, son of Gautami). This is not in keeping with the Dharmashastras, which state that in the approved forms of marriage, the bride acquires the gotra of her husband and
loses that of the father.

Question 10

With respect to the Satavahana period, consider the following statements.
1. Women frequently made gifts on their own for religious activities.
2. Ministers are appointed from the local satraps and passed on hereditarily from father to son.
3. Satavahanas started the practice of donating the revenue of a village to either a Brahmana or
the Buddhist sangha.
4. Guilds handled most of the trade and also acted as bankers.

Answer 10

1, 3 and 4 only

During the Satavahana period, there was a significant increase in the number of guilds, as well as in their scale of activities. They handled most of the trade. Inscriptions indicate that guilds functioned as bankers

Question 11

1. Tamil had become a literary language by the 3rd century BC.
2. The Tamil language predates Sangam, an assembly of scholars.
3. The language was initially spoken mainly by the upper classes

Answer 11

Tamil had become a literary language, a full-blown language with its own system of writing, at least bythe third century BC if not earlier

The Tamil heroic poems, popularly called the Sangam literature, constitute the major evidence for the old Tamil literary tradition. They were collected and classified by the Sangam, which was an academy of scholars. So, Statement 2 is correct.

It is thus not the literature of any particular social group but part of a common way of life. The language was spoken by and spread mainly because of the bard and folk tradition

Question 12

In the context of south Indian history, the term Variyam signifies which among the following?

Answer 12

During the late Pallava period, the sabha developed the system of governance through committees. Thisis known as the committee or variyam system

Question 13

This cave temple houses a relief of Harihara (half Vishnu, half Shiva). It also had relief from Lord
Vishnu as Trivikrama. Varaha, an avatar of Vishnu rescuing the goddess earth, can also be found
beside the intricate sculptures of Bahubali, Parshwanath and Mahavira. Which among the following is such a cave temple?

Answer 13

badami

Question 14

Consider the following statements regarding religious developments in the post-Gupta period.
1. Chalukyas and Pallavas patronized Tantricism.
2. Tantricism admitted both women and sudras into its fold.
3. The Brahmanas detested Tantricism because of the use of magic rituals.

Answer 14

2 only

There is no evidence of any major state patronage of Tantricism, definitely not from
Chalukyas and Pallavas

Tantricism admitted both women and Shudras into its ranks. It permeated Jainism, Buddhism,
Shaivism and Vaishnavism

Tantricism arose due to the large-scale admission of the aboriginal peoples into Brahmanical society. It laid great stress on the use of magic rituals. They were intended to satisfy the material desires of the devotees for physical possessions and to cure day-to-day diseases and injuries. Brahmanas do not detest Tantricism. So, statement 3 is not correct.

Question 15

Nanadesi

Answer 15

Merchant association

Question 16

first independent King with the title Maharajadhiraja.

Answer 16

Chandragupta was the first to be called Maharajadhiraja (the great King of kings). This title indicates his extensive conquests. He strengthened his position by a matrimonial alliance with the Licchavis. He married Kumaradevi, a princess of that family. This added to the power and prestige of the Gupta family.
The allahabad inscription mentions his extensive conquests. Chandragupta I is considered to be the
founder of the Gupta era, which started with his accession in AD 320.

Question 17

The word Yona in Pali and the Prakrits, and the analogue Yavana in Sanskrit and Yavanar in Tamil, were words used in Ancient India to designate

Answer 17

Greek speakers

Question 18

With respect to the ancient history of Deccan and southern India, the term Nivartanas is associated
with which of the following?

Answer 18

Land measurement
Ma and Veli were measures of land in the far south.

Question 19

Which among the following regions were directly under the control of Harshavardhana?
1. Rajasthan
2. Orissa
3. Kashmir
4. Bengal
5. Punjab

Answer 19

His authority did not extend to the whole of the country though he established his hold practically over north India except Kashmir.

Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa were under his direct control,

His southward march was stopped on the Narmada river by the Chalukyan King Pulakesin, who ruled over a great part of modern Karnataka and Maharashtra, with his capital in
Badami in the modern Bagalkot district of Karnataka

Question 20

Which among the following can be found at Mamallapuram?
1. Pancha Ratha Temples
2. Varaha Cave Temple
3. Panchapandava cave temple
4. Arjuna’s Penance
5. Shore Temple
6. Kailasanatha Templ

Answer 20

1,2,3,4 and 5 only
Rock-cut caves: include Varaha Cave Temple, Krishna Cave Temple, Panchapandava Cave
Temple, and the Mahishasuramardini Mandapa (Bas-relief of Goddess Durga killing
Mahishasura).

Question 21

1. Mullai - A. Pastoral tracts
2. Marutam - B. Sea coast
3. Palai - C. Arid zone
4. Kurinji - D. Hilly areas

Answer 21

Kurinji (hilly backwoods)
➢ Palai (arid zone)
➢ Mullai (pastoral tracts)
➢ Marutam (wet-land)
➢ Neital (sea coast)

Question 22

The sangam literature was mainly secular in nature devoid of religious tinge.

Answer 22

The Sangam literature is completely entirely religious. Sangam’s writings are possibly unique in
early Indian literature, which is entirely religious. It can be found that Sangam literature also has a
religious dimension found in the works of Silappathikaram and Manimegalai, as it is not secular in nature. So, Statement 2 is not correct.

Question 23

) Which among the following factors were responsible for the rise of Kanauj as the seat of
political power in the post-Gupta period.
1. Location in the middle of the Doab.
2. Easily fortifiable location.
3. Widespread use of money.
4. Accessibility to both land and water routes.
5. Increased trade and commerce

Answer 23

Pataliputra owed its power and importance to trade and commerce and the widespread use of money.

But once money became scarce, trade declined, and officers and soldiers began to be paid through land grants, the city lost its importance. Power shifted to military camps (skan- idhavaras), and places of strategic importance, which dominated long stretches of land, acquired prominence.

So, statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct.

Question 24

Harsha became an ardent follower of Hinayana Buddhism in his later period.

Answer 24

The Banskhera, Nalanda and Sonepat Inscriptions of Harsha describe him as a worshipper of Siva.
However, he became a Buddhist and convened a conference at Kanauj. Here the doctrines of Mahayana were propagated with utmost precision. Harsha was a follower of Mahayana Buddhism, not Hinayana Buddhism.

Question 25

With respect to ancient Indian history, the Apratihata type of coins refer to which among the following?
(a) Prabhavatigupta
(b) Srigupta
(c) Kumaragupta-1
(d) Mihirkula

Answer 25

The Prayagaprasasti, as well as the Apratihata-type coins of Kumaragupta-I, point to the appointment of a successor to the throne by the reigning King

Question 26

Which among the below mentioned kingdoms emerged in the post-Gupta period.
1. Maitrakas of Vallabhi
2. Gaudas of Bengal
3. Varmans of Kamrup
4. Gurjaras of Rajputana
5. Sailodbhavas of Orissa

Answer 26

all
Maitras of Valabhi in Gujarat
➢ Gurjaras in Rajputana and Gujarat
➢ Gaudas in Bengal
➢ Varmans in Kamrup (Assam)
➢ Mana and Sailodbhava families in Orissa

Question 27

With respect to the Gupta period, consider the following statements?
1. They cultivated crops like maize, potato, tomato etc.
2. Land was classified based on soil, fertility and use.
3. Irrigation through wells and proper channelization to fields was common.

Answer 27

Though a wide variety of crops were cultivated, maize, tobacco, or tomato cultivation was unknown

Land under cultivation was usually called Kshetra. Lands not under cultivation were called Khila,
Aprahata etc., and inscriptions give the impression that uncultivated land was being regularly brought
under cultivation. Classification of land according to the soil, fertility, and the use to which it was put
was not unknown. Different land measures were known in different regions, although one cannot be certain what a term denoted exact measure

This mechanism was known as ghati-yantra, as ghati was the name used for a pot. This type of
mechanism also came to be known as araghatta

Question 28

) With respect to the Gupta period, the terms Kutumbis and Mahattaras signify which, among the Following?

Answer 28

The Gupta inscriptions refer to different types of village residents like Gramikas, Kutumbis and
Mahattaras, who must have been village landholders

Question 29

The treatise ‘Romakasidhanta’, a book on astronomy, was mainly written by which among the following?

Answer 29

The Romaka Siddhanta, literally “The Doctrine of the Romans,” is one of the five siddhantas
mentioned in Varahamihira’s Panchasiddhantika, an Indian astronomical treatise. It is the only
one of all Indian astronomical works based on the tropical system. It was considered one of “The
Five Astronomical Canons” in India in the 5th century.

Question 30

With respect to the Gupta period, consider the following statements.
1. Land grants were also given to Brahmin women on a large scale.
2. Women of higher varnas faced more restrictions than women of lower varnas.
3. Foreigners were assimilated into the varna system as Shudras.

Answer 30

2 only

in many Brahmana texts, women were considered, for various reasons, to be in the same category as the Shudras. It is significant that although Brahmanas were given land-grant regularly, we do not come across evidence of land being given to Brahmana women

The varna system continued in society. Various foreign ruling families were assimilated into the varna system. At the same time, various groups were kept ‘out of the varna scheme’ and were considered untouchables. Some became Kshatriyas as well.

Question 31

Lalitaditya Muktapida

Answer 31

Lalitaditya alias Muktapida (IAST: Lalitāditya Muktāpīḍa; r. c. 724 CE–760 CE) was an Indian monarch belonging to the Karkota dynasty of Kashmir region in the Indian subcontinent.

The 12th-century chronicler Kalhana characterizes Lalitaditya as a “world conqueror”, crediting him with extensive conquests and miraculous powers in his Rajatarangin

Lalitaditya is generally accepted as the most powerful king of his dynasty. He commissioned a number of shrines in Kashmir, including the now-ruined Martand Sun Temple

Question 32

The theory that the active will of the ruled was to be the basis of the state was first put forward
by Alauddin Khalji.

Answer 32

Jalaluddin Khalji laid the foundation of the Khalji dynasty. He ascended the throne at the age of 70
years. He tried to mitigate some of the harsh aspects of Balban’s rule. And he was the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate to put forward the view that the state should be based on the generous support of the governed and that since the large majority of the people in India were Hindus, the state of India could not be truly Islamic

Question 33

first Delhi Sultan to assess the land revenue based on cultivation in the doab
region

Answer 33

Alauddin Khilji.

Question 34

A place called Sonargaon in medieval India was famous for which of the following ?
1. Muslin
2. Silk
3. Gold
4. Precious stones
5. Horse trade

Answer 34

Bengal,Gujarat= Fine quality Fabrics
Cambay in Gujarat= Textiles,gold,silver works
Sonargaon in Bengal= Raw silk, Fine cotton cloth(muslin)

Question 35

Which ruler has inducted Hindus in the administration on a larger scale to provide a good balance
against the influx of foreigners?
(a) Krishnadeva Raya
(b) Firoz Shah Bahmani
(c) Akbar
(d) Allaudin Khilji

Answer 35

Firuz Shah Bahmani

Question 36

With reference to Sufism, consider the following statements
1. Due to the austerity principle, all the Sufi sects in India did not accept any donations or grants
from the ruling political class.
2. In certain cases, for the goodness of the public, some Sufis accepted public offices offered by the
state.

Answer 36

Chishti order is one of the Sufi orders. The main feature of the Chishti tradition was austerity, which also included maintaining a distance from worldly power. But this does not isolate them from political power. The Sufis accepted unsolicited grants and donations from the political elites. The Chishti’s accepted donations in cash and kind. Rather than accumulating donations, they used these fully on immediate requirements such as food, clothes, living quarters and ritual necessities. In certain cases some Sufis accepted public offices offered by the state for the goodness of the public. So, statement
1 is not correct, and statement 2 is correct

Question 37

Taradabad is a place known for male and female singers in medieval India

Answer 37

In his description of Daulatabad, Ibn Battuta mentions a marketplace for male and female singers known as Taradabad. It is one of the greatest and most beautiful bazaars with numerous shops, and each shop has a door leading into the owner’s house

Question 38

With reference to Rani ki Vav, consider the following statements :
1. Though it is named Queen, it was constructed in the 11th century as a memorial to a king.
2. It was designed as an inverted temple structure located on the banks of the river Yamuna.
3. It is known for its architectural beauty and has been added to the UNESCO site list, located in
Gujarat.

Answer 38

) 1 and 3 only

It is located on the banks of the Saraswathi river in the state of the Gujarat

Question 39

The women devotees of the bhakti movement shunned social obligations and joined alternative
orders

Answer 39

Women devotees of the bhakti movement are Andal, a woman Alvar, and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, a
devotee of Shiva (Nayanars). The women of the Bhakti movement renounced their social obligations but did not join any alternative order or become nuns. They challenged the patriarchal norms through their existence and their compositions.

Question 40

The term tawarikh in medieval India refers to

Answer 40

The term Tawarikh is a plural term of Tarikh; it refers to the collection of historical stories written in the Persian language of administration under the Delhi Sultans.

Question 41

Spices became the main commercial attraction for the European traders who came to India during the sixteenth century.

Answer 41

Textiles became the main commercial attraction for the Portuguese and other European traders, and it made them to come to India in the early sixteenth century

Question 42

Mahendravarman Pallava I, a Jain in his early life, converted to Shaivism later.

Answer 42

true

Question 43

The only Khajaraou temple built entirely of granite is

Answer 43

Chausath Jogini temple

Question 44

Ramayana and Mahabharata refer to this
Lake as Adi-Tirtha, while the lake is also counted as one of the supremely sacred Panch-Sarovar

Answer 44

Pushkar Lake

Question 45

Consider the following statements about Hampi
1. This famous UNESCO site has been designated as the largest open-air museum in the world.
2. This was the last capital of the Vijayanagara kingdom.
3. Wide chariot streets and pillared mandapas are the unique features of this town.
4. Lime mortar with rubble masonry is used for the construction of the walls of this bustling town

Answer 45

1 and 3 only

After the fall of Hampi in the battle of Talikota, the capital of the fallen Vijayanagar monarch was
shifted to Penukonda (in the modern-day Sri Sathya Sai district in Andhra Pradesh).
When Penukonda came under attack from the Golconda Sultans, the capital of the later Vijayanagar kings was shifted to Chandragiri (in the suburb and neighborhood of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh). The Vellore fort came into prominence during this period, and Vellore also served as the capital of the kingdom in the 17th century. Hampi was not the last capital of the Vijaynagar Kingdom

Thus, in the walls of Hampi, lime mortar was not used as binding material.

Question 46

Jizya was a tax imposed on non-muslims for the first in India by Iltutmish and abolished by Akbar.

Answer 46

Jizya was a tax levied and collected per head by Islamic states on non-Muslim subjects living in their land. In India, Qutb-ud-din Aibak imposed jizya on non-Muslims for the first time. Jizya was abolished
by the Akbar, a Mughal ruler, in the 16th century, but Aurangzeb re-introduced it in the 17th century.

Question 47

The only Delhi Sultan who abdicated the throne and lived peacefully away from Delhi was Alam
Shah

Answer 47

Ala-ud-Din Alam Shah of Sayyid dynasty was the last ruler of that dynasty; in the entire history of
the Delhi Sultanate, he was the only Sultan who voluntarily abdicated his throne.
Following the Sayyid dynasty, the Lodi dynasty was established by Bahlul Lodi in 1451 CE.

Question 48

The poet Amir Khusrau called himself an Indian in his book “Nuh Sipihar”

Answer 48

Amir Khusrau felt elated to call himself an Indian in his book called Nu Siphr (‘Nine Skies’). In this work,
he praises India’s climate, its languages, notably Sanskrit, its arts, its music, its people, and even its
animals.

Question 49

With reference to the Adichanallur site in Tamil Nadu, consider the following statements
1. Some earthen urns contain Tamil-Brahmi letters in them.
2. No iron-made objects have been discovered from this site.
3. Gold diadems have been recently discovered here by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Answer 49

➢ It is the largest well-preserved urn burial site in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. So, Statement 1 is
correct.

3 is also correct

Question 50

jainism condemned the varna system but recognized the existence of God.

Answer 50

Jainism recognized the existence of the gods but placed them lower than the jina. It did not condemn the varna system, as Buddhism did. According to Mahavira, a person is born in a high or in a lower varna in consequence of the sins or the virtues acquired by him in the previous birth, Mahavira looks for human values even in a chandala. In his opinion through pure and meritorious life members of the lower castes
can attain liberation

Question 51

Which of the following is/are Indus Valley civilization sites?\
Manda
Alamgirpur

Answer 51

both

manda in jammu
alamgirpur- up

Question 52

With reference to the Marathas administration, consider the following statements
1. Maratha king Shivaji established the Ashtapradhan system.
2. All the members of the Ashtapradhan were asked to lead military campaigns.
3. Under Shivaji, these offices were neither hereditary nor permanent.
4. Under the Marathas, Brahmin elites manned the central bureaucracy and the local administration.

Answer 52

3 and 4 only

The ashtapradhan was not a creation of Shivaji. Many of these officers like Peshwa, Majumdar, Waqai navis, Dabir and Surnavis had existed under the Deccani rulers also

All the members of the astha pradhan except Pandit Rao and Nyaydhish were asked to lead military campaigns

Question 53

. Consider the following statements about the Bhakti movement
1. The Nirguna Bhaktas, like Kabir, rejected the varnashrama and all conventions based on caste
distinction and championed new values.
2. The Saguna Bhaktas, like Tulsidas, rejected the caste system and criticized the supremacy of the
Brahmins.

Answer 53

1 only

The Saguna Bhaktas like Tulsidas on the other hand upheld the caste system and the supremacy of the Brahmins. They preached religion of surrender and simple faith in a personal god and had a strong commitment to idol worship. So, statement 2 is not correct.

Question 54

3. With reference to Alvars and Nayanars, consider the following statements
4. The Alvars and Nayanars initiated a movement of protest against the caste system and the
   dominance of Brahmanas.
5. They travelled from place to place, singing hymns in Sanskrit and Tamil to praise their gods.
6. The Vellala peasants revered nayanars and Alvars.
7. Andal and Karaikal ammaiyar are women who renounced their social obligations but did not join an alternative order or become nuns.

Answer 54

1, 3 and 4 only

They travelled from place to place singing hymns in Tamil only (not in Sanskrit) in praise of their gods