History Mock Test - 8

• The Sufis came to be organized into orders or “silsilas”. They were divided into “Be-shara” and “Ba-shara”.
• The Be-shara did not believe in sharia. They came to be called “Mast-kalandars/Malangs/Haidaris”.
• These wandering saints were commonly known as “babas”. They hardly left any written accounts.
• The Ba-shara Sufis followed Sharia and the silsilah (continuity) founded by one saint was continued by his disciples.

There were 12 such silsilahs.

• The Chishti silsilah was founded in India by Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti.
• The Suhrawardi Silsilah was established in India by Sheikh Bahauddin Zakariya.
• The Qadariya Silsilah was established in India by Shah Namatullah.
• The Naqshbandi Silsilahwas established in India by Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi.

Chishti 'Silsilah’ is more popular in India. The Chisti presence in Delhi was established by Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. Hence, option 1 is the correct answer.

The Chistis believed in:

• The simplicity of life, humility, and selfless devotion to God.
• The renunciation of worldly possessions was regarded by them as significant for the control of the senses that was necessary to maintain a spiritual life.
• Love is the bond between God and the individual soul and adopting an attitude of benevolence towards all.
• The tolerance between people of different faiths, and acceptance of disciples irrespective of their religious beliefs.
• Use of simple language and the refusal to accept any grant for their maintenance from the Sultans

The correct answer is Akbar.

Important Points

Akbar:

•  During Akbar’s reign, they created an illustrated manuscript called Tutinama (Tale of a parrot).
• Akbar also set up an entire department devoted to the paintings and scribing of his documents. 
• Akbar established a proper artistic studio called Tasvir Khana. So, option 1 is correct.
• Jaswant, Basawan, and Kesu were the patronized painter during Akbar's reign.

Additional Information

Humayun:

• Humayun who was a great patron of arts came to the throne at a young age.
•  He was interested in paintings and building beautiful monuments
•  He acquired the services of two main painters called Abdus Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali.                                                                                                                         

Jahangir:

• The Mughal paintings reached its zenith in the period of Jahangir.
• He was a naturalist by nature and preferred the paintings of flora and fauna, i.e. birds, animals, trees, and flowers.
• He emphasized bringing naturalism to portrait painting.
• One of the most famous artists from his period was Ustad Mansoor.
• An animal fable called Ayar-i-Danish (Touchstone of Knowledge) was illustrated during his reign.

Shahjahan:

• The tenor of the Mughal paintings changed rapidly in the period of Shah Jahan.
• Shahjahan liked to create artificial elements in the paintings.
• It is said that he tried to reduce the liveliness of the paintings and bring in unnatural stillness as he was inspired by the European influence.
•  He also ordered to increase the use of gold and silver in the paintings.

Mughals:

• The Mughals were descendants of two great lineages of rulers.
• From their mother’s side, they were descendants of Genghis Khan (died 1227), the Mongol ruler who ruled over parts of China and Central Asia.
• From their father’s side, they were the successors of Timur (died 1404), the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey.
• However, the Mughals did not like to be called Mughal or Mongol. This was because Genghis Khan’s memory was associated with the massacre of innumerable people.
• It was also linked with the Uzbeks, their Mongol competitors.
• On the other hand, the Mughals were proud of their Timurid ancestry, not least of all because their great ancestor had captured Delhi in 1398. 

‘The Jataka’, related to Buddhism, refers to stories of Buddha’s Birth.

• Jataka in Pali and Sanskrit means Birth.
• A Buddhist scholar, Buddhagosa is said to have gathered about 550 Jataka stories.

Note:

• Buddhism is World's fourth-largest religion and its followers are known as Buddhists.
• Buddhist traditions have the goal of overcoming worldly suffering and the attainment of Nirvana(Enlightenment).
• The Buddhist religion is attributed to the teachings of Gautama Buddha.

The correct answer is Bhopal.

Key Points

• Sanchi Stupa is situated near the city of Bhopal.
  • It is a Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District of the State of Madhya Pradesh.
  • It is one of the oldest stone structures in India and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
  • Its nucleus was a simple hemispherical brick structure built over the relics of the Buddha.
  • It was crowned by the chhatra, a parasol-like structure symbolizing high rank, which was intended to honour and shelter the relics.
  • In the 1st century BCE, four elaborately carved toranas (ornamental gateways) and a balustrade encircling the entire structure were added.
  • The complex flourished until the 11th century.
  • It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The correct answer is A larger network of families.

Key Points

• Kinfolk is a large network of families.
• Kinship is a system of relation between such relatives which determine our relationship on the basis of lineage. These relations were based on lineage or vansha are developed by a family.

Additional Information

• Polygamy: Practice of having more than one wife.
• Vamasha: Sanskrit word meaning lineage of a person.

The correct answer is Kauravas and Pandavas.

Key Points

• Mahabharata describes a feud over land and power between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who belonged to a single ruling family, that of the Kurus, a lineage dominating one of the janapadas.
• In the end, the Pandavas emerged victorious. After that, patrilineal succession was proclaimed.

Mahabharata

• Historians consider several elements when they analyze texts. They examine the languages and kinds of texts. They also found out about the authors and audience because authors keep the interests of their audience in mind while composing their work.
• They also ascertain the possible date of the composition or compilation and the place where they may have been composed.
• A Dynamic Text: Historians usually classify the contents of the present text of the Mahabharata under two broad heads – sections that contain stories, designated as the narrative, and sections that contain prescriptions about social norms, designated as didactic (the narrative often contains a social message).
• Generally, historians agree that the Mahabharata was meant to be a dramatic, moving story and that the didactic portions were probably added later.
• The original story was probably composed by charioteer-bards known as sutas who generally accompanied Kshatriya warriors to the battlefield and composed poems celebrating their victories and other achievements.
• The enormous composition is traditionally attributed to a sage named Vyasa.
• The Mahabharata, like any major epic, contains vivid descriptions of battles, forests, palaces, and settlements.
• The growth of the Mahabharata did not stop with the Sanskrit version. Over the centuries, versions of the epic were written in a variety of languages through an ongoing process of dialogue between peoples, communities, and those who wrote the texts. At the same time, the central story of the epic was often retold in different ways.

The correct answer is option 1, i.e. Sheikh Nasiruddin.

Sheikh Nasiruddin Sufi saint of the Chishti order was called Chirag-i-Dehalvi.

• He was a prominent saint.
• He was the disciple of the great saint, Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya and later his Khalifa.
• Sufis were organised in religious orders or silsilahs.
  • The silsilahs were named after their founders such as Chisti, Suharawadi, Qadiri and Naqshbandi.
  • According to Abul Fazl, there were as many as fourteen silsilahs in India during the 16th century.

The correct answer is Stones.

Key PointsStone Inscriptions

• Stone was the principal writing material in use in ancient India. Putting inscriptions on stone pillars is a very old tradition.
• Stones were usually used as a medium of writing material for a long time. Stone Pillars, cave surface, Stone slabs are permanent media to preserve documents.
• In India Stone were used as a writing material since pre historic time. Stone became permanent writing material from nearly 2500 years B.P. Major portion of the temple inscriptions is found incised on the walls of temples in South India.
• The selection of temple walls for recording inscription was due to the fact that in ancient days temple was served as a social and religious centre and they were considered as the achieves of records of day to day life of the people.
• During Pallava period, many inscriptions have been incised on the pillars of the rock cut temples or brick temples. Separate stone slabs were used for writing inscriptions in the brick temples and other perishable materials. 

The correct answer is Endogamy.

Key PointsSATVAHANAS

• Endogamy was popular under the Satavahanas' reign.
• Names originating from a king's mother are known as metronymic.
• Gotras, a Brahmanical practice, were used to classify people.
• Women were expected to give up their father's gotra and accept their husbands, and marriages between members of the same gotra were forbidden.
• Satavahana brides, on the other hand, inherited their father's gotra and, for the most part, shared it with their husbands.
• Even though the use of metronymic implies that women were valued, historians have been unable to reach a definitive judgment because the royal succession was predominantly male primogeniture.

Additional Information

• Endogamy: It refers to the system of marriage within the unit such as caste.
• Polygamy: Practice of having more than one wife.
• Polyandry: Practice of having more than one husband.

The correct answer is Mausmriti.

Key Points

Mausmriti

• Mausmriti is considered the most important Dharma Sutra and Dharmashastra.
• It was compiled between 200 BCE and 200 CE.
• This laid down rules governing social life.
• Manusmriti is usually translated as "code of Manu", but it literally means "reflections of Manu". It presents itself as a document that compiles and organizes the code of conduct for human society.
• It came into being roughly 1,800 years ago, around the period that saw yagna-based Vedic Hinduism transform into temple-based Puranic Hinduism.
• Many assume Mansumriti to be the law book of Hindus, something like the Sharia is for Muslims, or the Church Dogma for Catholic Christians, or the Constitution of India. It is not.
• Manusmriti is a code of conduct put together by brahmins, mainly for brahmins, and maybe for other "upper" caste communities, especially the king. It is part of a set of documents known as dharma-shastras.
• Knowledge related to each of these four pursuits when organized is called shastra. Thus we have dharma-shastra, artha-shastra, kama-shastra, and moksha-shastra.

The correct answer is Vellalar.

Key Points

• According to the early Tamil Literature (Sangam Texts), the large landowners living in the villages are called Vellalar.
• Ordinary ploughmen were known as Uzhavar.
• Landless labourers, including slaves, were known as Kadaisiyar and Adimai.

Additional Information

• In the northern part of the country, the village headman was known as the Gramabhojaka.
  • Usually, men from the same family held the position for generations.
  • In other words, the post was hereditary.
  • The Gramabhojaka was often the largest landowner. 
  • He also functioned as a judge, and sometimes as a policeman.
  • There were other independent farmers, known as Grihapatis, most of whom were smaller landowners.
  • And then there were men and women such as the Dasa Karmakara, who did not own land and had to earn a living working on the fields owned by others.

The correct answer is Hoe.

Key Points

• The hoe, which they employed for shifting cultivation, symbolises Paharia life.
• The plough, symbolises settled agriculturists' life.
• Hoe - A hoe is an agricultural and horticultural hand tool that is used to shape soil, eliminate weeds, clear soil, and harvest root crops.

• Plough - It is the most ancient method of seed ploughing. It has a ploughshare, which is a triangular iron strip. Then there's the plough shaft, which is a long wooden rod. The shaft has a handle on one end and is fastened to a beam that is supported by a pair of bulls on the other.

• Khurpa - A khurpa is a short-handled cutting instrument with a flat blade that is used for weeding and digging soil in small gardens or vegetable farms.

​                                               

• Sickle - A sickle is a single-handed agricultural implement with a variety of curved blades that is mainly used for harvesting, or reaping, grain crops or cutting succulent forage, primarily for feeding cattle, either fresh or dried as hay.

​                                   

The Harappans Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that existed in the northwestern part of South Asia from 2500-to 1700 BCE. 

• The Bronze Age is characterized by the use of tools made from bronze, an alloy of copper and tin.
• This civilization is known for its development of techniques in Metallurgy and the use of bronze, copper lead, and tin for utensils, sculptures, vessels, and Jewellery.​

Key Points

• In the Harappan civilization iron was not discovered by the Harappan people that's why Harappan civilization doesn't belong to Iron age.
  • Iron age (1200BC to 600BC) marks the period of development of technology, when the working of iron came into general use, replacing bronze as the basic material for implements and weapons.
• Copper Age- 
  • The  Chalcolithic Age is known as the copper age
  • It was a transition period between the Neolithic and the Bronze age which saw the first use of metals as tools and weapons

Additional Information 

• The Harappan Civilization is also known as Indus Valley Civilization that was spread from North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India.
• The Civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghagger, Harkra river, and the Indus.
• It is well known for its organized planning based on the grid system.
• Important Sites of Harappan Civilization

The correct answer is Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad.

• Sayyid Ali and Abdus Samad were two famous painters who came to India during the reign of Humayun.

Key Points

Humayun was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire.

• Humayun was the eldest son of Babur.
• In December 1530, Humayun succeeded his father to the throne of Delhi as ruler of the Mughal territories in the Indian subcontinent.
• Humayun had two major rivals for his lands: Sultan Bahadur of Gujarat to the southwest and Sher Shah Suri (Sher Khan) settled along the river Ganges in Bihar to the east.
• In 1532, Humayun and Sher Shah Suri clashed on the battlefield. Humayun won the battle and captured Chunar. In 1534, Humayun defeated Bahadur Shah and captured Gujarat.  

Additional Information

The correct answer is Mahajans.

Key Points

A more complex social reality -

• Merchants often had a strong community or kin ties and were organised into their own caste-cum occupational bodies.
• In western India, these groups were called Mahajan, and their chief, the sheth. Hence the correct answer is option 1.
• In urban centres such as Ahmedabad, the Mahajans were collectively represented by the chief of the merchant community who was called the nagarsheth.
• Other urban groups included professional classes such as physicians (hakim or vaid), teachers (pundit or Mulla), lawyers (wakil ), painters, architects, musicians, calligraphers, etc.
• While some depended on imperial patronage, and many made their living by serving other patrons, still others served ordinary people in crowded markets or bazaars.

The correct answer is Copper.

Key Points

Aquatint -

• A tonal effect is achieved by etching with powdered resin, which prevents the acid from eating away at the surface.
• The aquatint is related to Copper.
• The aquatint is a picture created by cutting into a copper sheet with acid and then printing it.
• On the invitation of Cleveland (the Collector of Bhagalpur), a British artist named William Hodges visited the Jangal Mahals in 1782 and painted a series of aquatints.
• His aquatints were influenced by Romantic ideals, a school of thought that praised and loved nature's grandeur and force.
• Jan van de Velde IV, an Amsterdam printmaker, invented aquatint in 1650.

The correct answer is Iron

• Indus civilization was a Bronze age civilization hence they were unaware about of Iron.
• Gold, Silver, Copper, Bronze and Tin are some of the metals that were known to the Indus valley people.
• Iron was discovered in the post Vedic period.
• The Indus Valley Civilization was spread from present-day North-East Afghanistan to Pakistan and North-West India. The civilization flourished in the river basins of the Ghaggar-Hakra river and the Indus. Indus valley civilization is one of the four oldest civilizations in the world. It is also known as Harappan Civilization and is well-known for its organized planning based on the grid system. Important facts to be remembered.
• John Marshall was the first researcher to use the term, ‘Indus Valley Civilization’.
• Indus Valley Civilization spread from the year 2500 – 1750 BC according to radio-carbon dating.
• The most distinctive feature of the Harappan Civilization was its urbanization.
• Moreover, sheep and goats, dogs, humped cattle buffalo, and elephants were domesticated in the Indus Valley Civilization.
• The capital cities are Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
• The port cities are Sutkagendor, Balakot, Lothal, Allahdino, and Kuntasi.
• The Indus valley people were well-acquainted with the use of both cotton and wool.
• Name of the major cities are given below:
  • Mohenjodaro (Sind)-It is located on the right bank of the Indus.
  • Kalibangan (Rajasthan)-It was on the banks of the river Ghaggar river.
  • Chanhudaro - It lies on the left bank of the Indus in the south of Mohenjodaro.
  • Lothal(Gujarat) - It is located at the head of the Gulf of Cambay.
  • Surkotada (Gujarat) - It is at the head of the Rann of Kutch.
  • Banawali (Haryana) - It was situated on the banks of the now-extinct Sarasvati.
  • Dholavira (Gujarat) - It excavated is in the Kutch district.
• Social features-
  • Indus valley civilization is the first urbanization in India.
  • It has a well-planned drainage system, grid pattern, and town planning.
  • They have possessed equality in society.
• Religious Facts-
  • Matridevi or Shakti is the Mother goddess.
  • Yoni worship and Nature worship existed.
  • They worshipped trees like Peepal.
  • People also worshipped Fire worship called Havan Kund.
  • Pashupati Mahadeva is known as the lord of Animals.
  • The people of Indus Valley Civilization worshipped Animal worship like Unicorn and ox.
• Economic facts-
  • Indus valley civilization is based on agriculture.
  • Trade and commerce flourished in this period.
  • A dockyard has been found at Lothal.
  • There were export and import.
  • Production of cotton was there.
  • There was also the unit of measurement.
  • Weights and measures of truth existed in Harappan culture was seen at Lothal.
  • The weights were made of limestone, steatite, etc. and were usually cubical in shape.

The correct answer is ​Bernier.

Key Points

Social reality -

• During the seventeenth century about 15 per cent of the population lived in towns.
• This was, on average, higher than the proportion of urban population in Western Europe in the same period.
• In spite of this Bernier described Mughal cities as “camp towns”, by which he meant towns that owed their existence, and depended for their survival, on the imperial camp.
• Hence the correct answer is option 3.
• He believed that these came into existence when the imperial court moved in and rapidly declined when it moved out.
• He suggested that they did not have viable social and economic foundations but were dependent on imperial patronage.

The correct answer is Pallavas.

• Mallikarjuna and the Virupaksha temples at Pattadakal were built by the two queens of King Vikramaditya II, to commemorate the victory of the Chalukyas over the Pallavas.

Key Points

• Mallikarjuna temple is located at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh.
• Virupaksha temple is located in Hampi in the Bellary district of Karnataka.
  • It is a part of the monuments in Hampi and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Pallavas were the local tribe who established their authority in the Tondaimandalam or land of creepers.
• They were orthodox Brahmanical Hindus and their capital was Kanchi.
• Both Chalukyas and Pallavas tried to establish their supremacy over land between Krishna and Tungabhadra.
• Pallava King Narasimhavarman occupied Chalukya capital Vatapi in about 642 AD and assumed the title Vatapikonda (Conqueror of Vatapi).

Additional Information

Guptas 

• Gupta Dynasty ruled the middle of the 3rdcentury (approximately) to 543 AD.
• The Gupta dynasty period is referred to as the 'Classical Age or Golden Age' of Ancient India.
• Sri Gupta was the founder Gupta dynasty
• Sri Gupta was followed by his son Ghatokkacha and was followed by his son Chandragupta.
  • Both assumed the title of Maharaja.
• Chandragupta I was the first ruler to assume the title Maharajadhiraja.
• Samudragupta was called the Napolean of India.
• Chandragupta II adopted the title Vikramaditya.
• Skandagupta was the last great ruler of the Gupta dynasty.

Mauryas

• Chandragupta Maurya founded the Maurya Empire in 322 BCE when he conquered the kingdom of Magadha.
• Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by his son, Bindusara, in 298 BCE. 
• Bindusara expanded the Maurya Empire southward, with Chanakya as his advisor. 
• Bindusara was succeeded by his son, Ashoka the Great, in 272 BCE.
• Under Ashoka the Great, the Maurya Empire expanded into the southern part of the Indian subcontinent.

Pandavas 

• Pandavas were the five powerful and skilled sons of Pandu, the King of Hastinapur, and his two wives Kunti and Madri.
• Hastinapur is equated with the current modern Indian state of Haryana, south of New Delhi.
• The Pandavas five persons are Yudhistira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva.
• The Pandavas are the central characters in the most applauded epic in Hinduism, the Mahabharata.
• The brothers were famously involved in the Kurukshetra War with their cousins the Kauravas over who would control the throne of Hastinapur, and were, ultimately, victorious.

The Buddha (and other teachers) taught orally – through discussion and debate.

• Men and women (perhaps children as well) attended these discourses and discussed what they heard.
• None of the Buddha’s speeches was written down during his lifetime.

Important Points

• After the death of Buddha, his teachings were compiled by his disciples at a council of “elders” or senior monks at Vesali (Pali for Vaishali in present-day Bihar.
• These compilations were known as Tipitaka – literally, three baskets to hold different types of texts. 
  • Vinaya Pitaka included rules and regulations for those who joined the sangha or monastic order.
  • Sutta Pitaka: Buddha’s teachings.
  • Abhidhamma Pitaka dealt with philosophical matters.
• Each Pitaka comprised a number of individual texts.
• Later, commentaries were written on these texts by Buddhist scholars.

Thus, it is clear that the rule book of the Buddhist Sangha is called Vinaya Pitaka.

Additional Information

• Dhammapada: a part of the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. It contains a collection of the sayings of the Buddha in verse form.
• Buddhacharita: it is an epic poem composed in Sanskrit by Ashvaghosha in the early 2nd century AD. It is about the life of the Buddha.
• The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story. It was written by Vishnu Sharma.

In ancient India, Jainism spread during the rule of Chandragupta Maurya.

• Chandragupta Maurya was the founder of the Mauryan dynasty.
• After his rule of 24 years, he embraced Jainism in his later life.
• Jainism was promoted by Chandragupta Mauryan due to a great famine in Ganga Valley that led him to move to Karnataka.
• He ended his life by observing the Jaina ritual of self-mortification through fast.

Additional Information

• Chandragupta Mauryan established the Mauryan Empire in 321 BC.
• He set up his capital in Pataliputra.
• He conquered North India and gained control over Afghanistan.
• His empire was divided into four provinces ruled by different princes.
• After his death, he was succeeded by his son Bindusara.

• Option (4) is correct. Apart from the control of the market, Alauddin took important steps in the field of land revenue administration. He was the first monarch in the Sultanat who insisted that in the doab. Land revenue would be assessed on the basis of measuring the land under cultivation. 
• This implied that the rich and the powerful in the villages who had more land could not pass over their burden to the poor. Alauddin wanted that the landlords of that area called Khuta and Muqaddams should pay the same taxes as the others. Hence option (4) is correct.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

• The East India Company, led by Governor-General Lord Cornwallis, implemented the Permanent Settlement.
• It was first introduced in Bengal in 1793.
• This was essentially a land revenue arrangement between the company and the Zamindars.
• East India Company had fixed the revenue that each zamindar had to pay. It was not according to the production of crops.
• To recover the revenue, the estates of a zamindar who failed to pay were to be auctioned.

Zimmis:

Mlechchhas:

• It means outsiders or foreigners.
• In the Pratihara kingdom, Arabs of the Sindh region were considered mlechchhas as they were trying to attack Indian subcontinent rulers.

Caliphate:

• The followers of Muhammad set up an empire called the Caliphate.

Muslims:

• The followers of Islam are called Muslims.

The correct answer is Bombay was the commercial capital of colonial India.

Key PointsCensus survey

• Census is the total process of collecting, compiling, analyzing, and disseminating demographic, economic, and social data pertaining, at a specific time, to all persons in a country or a well-defined part of a country. 
• Census is conducted under the provisions of the Census Act, 1948.
• The bill for this Act was piloted by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Home Minister of India.
• The population census is a Union subject under Article 246 of the Indian Constitution. 
• The first complete census of an Indian city was conducted in 1830 by Henry Walter in Dacca (now Dhaka). Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The Second Census was conducted in 1836-37 by Fort St. George.

Black Town

• During the 18th century, the blacks or the native traders, craftsmen, merchants, and artisans were confined to these "black towns". Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• Black towns were built up by the European companies within the new cities such as Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras.
• This town later came to be known as 'George town'.
• From the very beginning of British rule, there were separate quarters for Europeans and Indians. 
• The white rulers lived in the superior residences of Fort St. George in Madras and Fort St. William in Calcutta.

John Lawrence

• Lord John Lawrence served as Governor-General and Viceroy of India from 1864 to 1869.
• He passed the Punjab Tenancy Act (1868).
• He established High courts at Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay in 1865
• Sir John Lawrence officially declared Shimla the summer capital of the British empire in 1864. Hence, statement 3rd is incorrect.

Bombay was the commercial capital of colonial India

• Initially, the Bank of Bengal was also much larger than the Bank of Bombay for much of the history of the Presidency banks.
• Both Calcutta and Bombay were mentioned as financial centers.
• In per capita comparisons, though, Bombay was better placed than Calcutta.
• This indicates the relative prosperity of Bombay compared to Calcutta.
• The Bank of Bombay collected four times more deposits per person than Calcutta.​

Hence the correct answer is Bombay was the commercial capital of colonial India.

The correct answer is Mahendra.

Key Points

• After the Kalinga war, the Mauryan emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism from Hinduism, to propagate Buddhism he sent his son Mahendra and his daughter Sanghmitra as missionaries to Ceylon about  251 BC.
• They converted the royal family of Ceylon, who helped them in propagating Buddhism across the state.
• Mahendra’s name has not been found in any of the inscriptions of Ashoka, but his existence had been found in the famous Ceylonese chronicles Dipavaṃsa and Mahavaṃsa written in Pali language. 

Important Points

• The founder of the Mauryan empire was Chandragupta Maurya after dethroning the last Nanda ruler Dhanannada 322 BC with help of Kautilya.
• Chandragupta Maurya was succeeded by his son Bindusara.
• Bindusara was succeeded by his son Ashoka to the throne.
• Ashoka is considered by many to be one of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka expanded Chandragupta's empire to reign over a realm covering the entire Indian subcontinent except for parts of present-day Kerala, Tamilnadu, and Karnataka.
• The Mauryan empire divided into two parts the western part which was ruled by Kunala and the eastern part which was ruled by Dashratha after the death of Ashoka.

Additional Information 

• Tivala was the son of Emperor Ashoka from his second queen Karuvaki and he was the viceroy of Takshila, he died before Ashoka.

The correct answer is  A small town in the countryside.

Key Points

Important Terms:

• Kasbah: A small town in the countryside. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Ganj: Small size fixed market.
• Census: Counting of population
• White Towns: Towns where only European could live.
• Black Towns: Towns where only Indians could live.
• Civil lines: Urban areas where only white people could settle and live.
• Pet: A Tamil word, which means settlement.
• Purim: A Tamil word stands for a village.
• Dubhasia: Those people who speak English as well as the local language.
• Vellars: A local rural community in Madras.
• Garermath: The east India company built Fort William in Calcutta. From the perspective of its security, a vast open space was left around it. It was locally known as a garer math or maiden.

The correct answer is Friend of God.

Key Points

• In Sufism, the term wali signifies "friend of God".
• Sufism or tasawuf is the name for various mystical and movements in Islam.
• Sufism aims at establishing direct communion between God and man through the personal experience of mystery which lies within Islam.
  • Khalifa ​signifies successor.
  • Silsila signifies A chain.
  • ziyarat signifies Pilgrimage.

The correct answer is Firdausi.

Shah Nama was written by Firdausi.

• The full name of Firdausi was Abu Al-Qasim Firdausi.
• The Shahnama is also known as the Book of Kings is an epic poem written in 1010 and containing about 60,000 couplets or Dohe.
• Firdausi was patronised by Mahmud of Ghazni.

Additional Information

• Tahqiq-i-Hind was written by Alberuni.
  • He came to India with Mahmud.

 The correct answer is houses of Sahukars.

Key Points  

• The violence in the Deccan riots was directed toward the houses of sahukars (money lenders).
• The Deccan riots occurred in 1875 due to the agrarian crisis and suppression of peasants of the labour class by the money lenders.
• The peasants revolted in Maharashtra and some parts of Pune and Ahmednagar, huge violence broke out.
• The main aim of the violence is to destroy the debt bonds and decrees and other documents of possesions of poor peasants' property sighed under pressure or fraud.
• They strategically attacked houses and shops of money lenders and burn all the debt bonds publicly.

Additional Information

• The money lenders were socially boycotted by peasants.
• Slowly the distress spread in other nearby villages, as the Indian money lenders were backed by British rule this raised the anti-British sentiments among people.

Confusion Points

• Options C and D can create confusion.
• The main motive is to destroy debt bonds which are mainly kept in sahurakrs houses, so violence is targeted toward sahukars houses hence option c is more appropriate.

The Ibādat Khāna (House of Worship) was a meeting house built in 1575 CE by the Mughal Emperor Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri to gather spiritual leaders of different religious grounds so as to conduct a discussion on the teachings of the respective religious leaders.

• Akbar was inspired by the ruler of Bengal, Sultan Kirani, who would spend nights with 150 holy men listening to their commentaries.
• The construction of the Ibadat Khana was started in 1575 and the complex was completed in 1576 AD.
• The discussions were held every Thursday evening which sometimes continued through the night.
• It consists of theologians and intellectuals from every religion such as Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, .

The correct answer is Priyadasi.

• The name Ashoka is generally referred to in his inscription as Priyadasi or Devanampriya.
  • The identification of Devanampiya and Ashoka as the same person is established by the Maski and Gujarra inscriptions, which use both these terms for the king.
  • The word Devanampriya means “someone who is the beloved of the gods”.
  • The word Priyadarshi means “someone of amiable disposition”.
  • Both words appear either simultaneously or singly in his rock, pillar and cave edicts.
• The Ashoka :
  • The empire that Ashoka ruled was founded by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, more than 2300 years ago.
  • Chandragupta was supported by a wise man named Chanakya or Kautilya. Many of Chanakya’s ideas were written down in a book called the Arthashastra.
  • He was the first ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions.
  • Most of Ashoka’s inscriptions were in Prakrit and were written in the Brahmi script.
  • Kalinga is the ancient name of coastal Orissa.
  • Ashoka fought a war to conquer Kalinga. However, he was so horrified when he saw the violence and bloodshed that he decided not to fight any more wars.
  • He is the only king in the history of the world who gave up conquest after winning a war.
  • Ashoka’s dhamma did not involve the worship of a god or the performance of a sacrifice.
    • He felt that just as a father tries to teach his children, he had a duty to instruct his subjects.
    • He was also inspired by the teachings of the Buddha.
    • He appointed officials, known as the dhamma mahamatta who went from place to place teaching people about dhamma.
    • Ashoka got his messages inscribed on rocks and pillars, instructing his officials to read his message to those who could not read it themselves.
  • Ashoka also sent messengers to spread ideas about dhamma to other lands, such as Syria, Egypt, Greece and Sri Lanka. 
  • He built roads, dug wells, and built rest houses. Besides, he arranged for medical treatment for both human beings and animals.

Amar Nayakas were military commanders in the Vijayanagara empire.

• They were given territories to govern by the Raya/King.
• Taxes and dues were collected from the peasants, traders, and craftspersons of the area.
• A part of the revenue was used for personal use, and to maintain a fixed contingent of elephants and horses.
• The contingent of elephants and horses helped the Raya with effective offensive capabilities in a war-like situation.
• Some of the revenue collected was also used to maintain the irrigation infrastructure and maintenance of temples.
• They also offered gifts and precious tributes to the King personally.
• Lands were called amaram.

The correct answer is Jahangir.

Key Points

Jahangir

• He was an exceptionally great patron of painting and during his reign Mughal Painting reached its pinnacle. 
• The theme of painting during this time was based on the events from Jahangir's own life and he also emphasized bringing naturalism to the painting and being a naturalist, he preferred the painting of flowers, trees, birds, animals, etc.
• More refinement in the brushwork, use of lighter and subdued colors, decorated margins which were as elaborate as the paintings themselves are considered as the unique feature of Mughal painting during the Jahangir period.
• Jahangir was also influenced by the European style of painting and he encouraged his painters to focus on single-point perspective as was done by European artists.
• The famous example of this time includes the pictorial illustrations in the biography of Jahangir i.e. the Jehangir-Nama.
• Abdul Hasan, Ustad Mansur, and Bisandas were among the famous painters of this period. Hence, Option 4 is correct.

Additional Information

Miniatures Painting

• It is small-sized paintings, generally done in watercolor on cloth or paper.
• The earliest miniatures were on palm leaves or wood.
• Some of the most beautiful of these, found in western India, were used to illustrate Jain texts.
• The Mughal emperors Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan patronized highly skilled painters who primarily illustrated manuscripts containing historical accounts and poetry.
• Mughal miniature painting reached its peak during the rule of Jahangir. 
• These were generally painted in brilliant colors and portrayed court scenes, scenes of battle or hunting, and other aspects of social life.
• They were often exchanged as gifts and were viewed only by the emperor and his close associates.

The correct answer is All of the above.

Key Points

• Khilafat Movement was led by Ali brothers- Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.
• Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay.in March 1919.
• At the Calcutta session of the Congress in September 1920, the Non-Cooperation Khilafat movement was adopted.

 Hence, the correct answer is All of the above.

Additional Information

•  The Muslims started the Khilafat movement in India for the restoration of Khalifa's position. Their main demands were:
  • Khalifa's control should be retained over the Muslim sacred places;
  • In territorial adjustments after the war, the Khalifa should be left with sufficient territories.

The correct answer is  1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c.

Important posts of Mughal Administration are as follows:

• Province (Suba):
  • Sipahsalar - The Head Executive(under Akbar and later he was known Nizam or Subedar).
  • Diwan - Incharge of the revenue department.
  • Bakshi—Incharge of military dept.
• District(Sarkar)
  • Fauzdar—Administrative head.
  • Amal/Amalguzar—Revenue collection.
  • Kotwal—Maintenance of law and order, the trial of criminal cases, and price regulation.
• Pargana
  • Shiqdar—Administrative head combined in himself the duties of ‘fauzdar and kotwal’.
  • Amin, Qanungo—Revenue officials.
• Village(Gram)
  • Muqaddam—Headman.
  • Patwari—Accountant.
  • Chowkidar—Watchman.
• Notes:
• Trick to remember Mughal Empire hierarchy- BHAJSA (Remember it as BHAJPA political party)
  •  Babur- B
  • Humayun- H
  • Akbar- A
  • Jahangir- J
  • Shahjahan- S
  • Aurangzeb- A 

The correct answer is Sir William Jones​.

• In 1784. Sir William Jones set up the Asiatic Society of Bengal.

Key Points

Asiatic Society of Bengal:

• Sir William Jones was a British Orientalist and jurist.
• He established the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784.
• It was formed to encourage Oriental studies in India.
• The formation of the Asiatic Society was supported by the then governor-general of British India Warren Hastings.
• The headquarters of the Asiatic Society of Bengal was in Kolkata.
• Indians were first admitted as members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1829.

The correct answer is Ain-i-Akbari.

• Akbar Nama of Abul Fazal is divided into three books, of which, first two are chronicles and the third book is Ain-i-Akbari.
• Akbar Nama is written in the Persian language.
• Ain-i-Akbari is a detailed document recording the administration of emperor Akbar's empire written by Abul Fazl. 
• Abdul Hamid Lahori is known as the author of the Badshah Nama.
• The Badshah Nama is this official history in three volumes (Daftar) of ten lunar years each.
• Alamgir Nama is a history of the first ten years of Aurangzeb’s reign compiled by Muhammad Kazim
• Chandrabhan Barahman described the Mughal nobility in his book Char Chaman (Four Gardens) which was written during the reign of Shah Jahan.

Akbar (1556-1605):

• Emperor Akbar founded the city in by the name of “ILLAHABAS” which later became ALLAHABAD.
• He introduced the new religion as Din Ilahi.
• He introduced the Mansabdari system.
• Akbar defeated Hemu in the second battle of Panipat.
• He built Ibadat Khana in Fatehpur Sikri.
• He followed the policy of Sulh-i-kul.

The correct answer is Virupaksha Temple.

Important Points

• Virupaksha Temple was built by Queen Lokamahadevi in the 8th century in Karnataka.
• Virupaksha Temple was made in the Dravidian Style of temple making.
• Virupaksha temple is located in Hampi, Karnataka.
• It is a part of temples located at Hampi which are designated by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.
• Dravidian style of temple making was popular in South India.
• The north Indian Style of temple making is known as the Nagara style.
• The mix of Dravida and Nagara styles is known as the Vesara Style of the temple.

Additional Information

• Galageshwara Temple is in the Haveri district of Karnataka.
• The Jaina temple at Pattadakal was built during the 9th century, possibly with sponsorship from the Rashtrakuta King Krishna II or the Kalyani Chalukyas.
• The Papanatha Temple was built during the 8th Century in the Early Chalukya period.

The correct answer is 16th.

Key Points

 Mirabai

• Meerabai was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna.
• She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition.
• She was widely known and a cherished figure in the Bhakti movement culture by about 1600 CE.
• Many poems attributed to Meera were likely composed later by others who admired Meera.
• One of her most popular compositions remains "Paayoji Maine Ram Ratan dhan paayo".
• There are no surviving manuscripts of her poetry from her time and the earliest records with two poems credited to her are from the early 18th century, more than 150 years after she died.

The Correct answer is A large landlord.

Key Points

• The Talukdars or Talukders were aristocrats who formed the ruling class during the Delhi Sultanate, Bengal Sultanate, Mughal Empire, and British times.
• They were owners of a vast amount of lands, consistently hereditary, and were responsible for collecting taxes.
• The Taluqdars played helpful roles in the progression of Indian architecture and the Indian economy during the reign of Emperor Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, particularly in Bengal Subah, the most economically developed province in South Asia.
• The district or estate ruled by a Taluqdar was known as talukdari or taluqdari. That Taluq or district usually comprised over 84 villages and a central town.
• The Talukdar was required to collect taxes, maintain law and order, and provide military supplies/manpower to the provincial government (similar to the role of feudal lords in Europe).
• In most cases, the Talukdars were entitled to keep one-tenth of the collected revenue. However, some privileged Talukdars were entitled to one quarter and hence were called Chaudhry, which literally means the owner of the fourth part.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points

Francis Buchanan

• He was the surgeon to Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General of India not to Sir John Shore. Hence, option 3 is incorrect.
• Francis Buchanan was a physician who served in the Bengal Medical Service in India (from 1794 to 1815).
• He worked as a surgeon for Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General of India, for a few years.
• He organised a zoo that became the Calcutta Alipore Zoo during his time in Calcutta (now Kolkata).
• He was also in charge of the Botanical Gardens for a short time.
• He conducted extensive surveys of the territories under the control of the British East India Company at the request of the Bengal government.

The correct answer is 1931.

Key Points

• Gandhi- Irwin Pact was signed on March 5, 1931.
• It was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin.
• It was signed before the Second Round Table Conference in London.
• Lord Irwin was the Viceroy of India from 1926 to 1931.
• It marked the end of the Civil Disobedience Movement in India against the British rule that Gandhi and his followers had initiated with the Salt March.

 Thus, we can say that the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in 1931.

The correct answer is Siraj-ud-daula.

Key Points

• Siraj-ud-daula was defeated by the British forces in the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
• In 1757 AD, the English East India Company’s forces under Robert Clive won the battle against Siraj-ud-Daula.
• Mir Zafar (Mir Bakhsh), Manik Chand, Aminchand, Jagat Seth, Khadim Khan all were on the English side i.e. betrayed Nawab.

Additional Information

• Mir Jafar granted undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the company.
• Mir Qasim formed an alliance with Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud- Daula, and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam-II and fought with the British army at Buxar in 1764 AD.Thi battle was known as the Battle of Buxar.
• Later the Treaty of Allahabad was signed in 1765.

The correct answer is 1922.

Key Points

• The Chauri Chaura incident took place on 4 February 1922 in Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the British Union Province of India (present-day Uttar Pradesh). 

Additional Information

• Four major freedom movements started by Mahatma Gandhi:
• Champaran Satyagraha:
  • In 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi Ji and is considered a major historical uprising of the Indian independence movement. During the British colonial period, this was a peasant uprising that took place in the Champaran region of Bihar, India.
•  Non-Cooperation Movement(1920-1922): 
  • The Non-Cooperation Movement was pitched in under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress from September 1920 to February 1922, marking a new awakening in the Indian Independence Movement
• The Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement(1930):
  •  A few years after the end of the non-cooperative movement, Mahatma Gandhi focused on his social reform work. In 1930, Gandhiji announced that he would lead the march, violating the salt law. According to this law, the state has a monopoly on the production and sale of salt.
• Quit India Movement(1942):
  • In August 1942, Gandhiji started the 'Quit India Movement and decided to launch a mass civil disobedience movement 'The do or Die' call to force the British to leave India. The movement was followed, nonetheless, by large-scale violence directed at railway stations, telegraph offices, government buildings, and other emblems and institutions of colonial rule.

The correct answer is Tipu Sultan.

Key Points

• The Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by French Governor Duplex and was first used by Lord Wellesley.
• It was an alliance between an Indian state and the European East India Company.
• According to the alliance, the British would be responsible for protecting their ally from external and internal threats to their power.
• The Nizam of Hyderabad was the victim of the alliance in the year 1798.
• Nawab of Ouch entered the alliance in 1801.
• In 1802, Peshwa Baji Rao II also subjugated his state under this policy.
• Tipu Sultan did not enter the Subsidiary Alliance with Lord Wellesley.

 Thus, we can say that Tipu Sultan did not enter the Subsidiary Alliance with Lord Wellesley.

The correct answer is option 4.

• Gaffar Khan also called Badshah Khan and Frontier Gandhi had started the first Pushto political monthly, Pukhtoon, and had organized a volunteer brigade 'Khudai Khidmatgars'.
• He was popularly known as the 'Red-Shirts', who were pledged to the freedom struggle and non-violence.
• They played an extremely active role in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• The atmosphere created by their political work contributed to the mass upsurge in Peshawar during which the city was virtually in the hands of the crowd for more than a week. 

The correct answer is Jawaharlal Nehru.

Key Points

Purna Swaraj resolution

• Congress gave an ultimatum to the Government in 1928 to take steps to actualise the Dominion Status of India by December 31, 1929.
• If it failed, Congress would launch a mass movement.
• Viceroy Irwin assured the country of the “Dominion Status”, but his plans got rejected by Britain.
• Also, the Simon Commission was touring the country to make recommendations as to what further constitutional reforms be introduced.
• Furthermore, the British Government announced the Round Table Conference to discuss further constitutional reforms and not how to actualise the Dominion Status.
• The Indian National Congress was irked by the refusal of the British government from granting Dominion status to India and hence changed its stance.
• The INC started to demand Purna Swaraj instead of Dominion status.
• Jawaharlal Nehru was elected President of the Lahore Session of Congress in December 1929.
• On the banks of Ravi in Lahore, under the presidentship of Nehru, Congress adopted the resolution of Purna Swaraj on January 1, 1930.

• On 8 August 1942 at the All-India Congress Committee session in Bombay, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi launched the 'Quit India' movement.
• It was in 1942 when the world was going through the havoc caused by World War II. India too was facing the heat and after the Cripps Mission had failed, and on 8 August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi made a Do or Die call through the Quit India movement. Several national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Abdul Kalam Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel were arrested.
• The Congress was declared an unlawful association, leaders were arrested and its offices all over the country were raided and their funds were frozen.
• The first half of the movement was peaceful with demonstrations and processions. The peaceful protest was carried till Mahatma Gandhi’s release.
• The second half of the movement was violent with raids and setting fire at post offices, government buildings and railway stations. Lord Linlithgow adopted the policy of violence.

The correct answer is Champaran.

• Champaran was the first initiative of Mahatma Gandhi as a nationalist in India.

Key Points

• Mahatma Gandhi was the leader who guided India towards Independence. India was under British rule for over 250 years.
• Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915 at the request of Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
• Mahatma Gandhi's famous contributions to the Indian freedom movement:
• Champaran Satyagraha (1917):
  • ​The Champaran agitation in Bihar was Gandhi's first active involvement in Indian freedom politics.
  • The Champaran farmers were being forced to grow Indigo and were being tortured if they protested.
  • The farmers sought Gandhi's help and through a calculated non-violent protest, Gandhi managed to win concessions from the authority.​

Additional Information

• Kheda Satyagraha (1918):
  • ​When Kheda, a village in Gujarat, was badly hit by floods, the local farmers appealed to the rulers to waive off the taxes.
  • Here, Gandhi started a signature campaign where peasants pledged non-payment of taxes.
• ​Khilafat Movement
  • ​Gandhi's influence on the Muslim population was remarkable.
  • This was evident in his involvement in the Khilafat Movement.
  • After the first World War, the Muslims feared for the safety of their Caliph or religious leader and a worldwide protest was being organized to fight against the collapsing status of the Caliph.
  • Gandhi became a prominent spokesperson of the All India Muslim Conference and returned the medals he had received from the Empire during his Indian Ambulance Corps days in South Africa.
  • His role in the Khilafat made him a national leader in no time.
• Non-cooperation Movement(1920):
  • ​Gandhi had realized that the British had been able to be in India only because of the cooperation they received from the Indians.
  • Keeping this in mind, he called for a non-cooperation movement.
  • The ominous day of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre triggered the non-cooperation movement.
  • Gandhi set the goal of Swaraj or self-governance, which since then became the motto of the Indian freedom movement.
• Salt March(1930):
  • ​Also known as the Dandi Movement, Gandhi's Salt March is considered to be a pivotal incident in the history of the freedom struggle.
  • Gandhi started a Satyagraha campaign against the salt tax in March 1930.
  • He marched 388 kilometers from Ahmedabad to Dandi in Gujarat to make salt.
  • Thousands of people joined him and made it one of the biggest marches in Indian history.
• Quit India Movement(1942):
  • ​During the Second World War, Gandhi was determined to strike the British Empire with a definitive blow that would secure their exit from India.
  • This happened when the British started recruiting Indians for the war. Gandhi protested strongly and said that the Indians cannot be involved in a war that is in favour of democratic purposes when India itself is not a free country.
  • This argument exposed the two-faced image of the colonizers and within half a decade, they were out of this country.