Search Previous Year Questions

The correct answer is Buddhism.

Key Points Stupa:

• A stupa is a sacred architectural structure primarily associated with Buddhism, serving as a religious monument and a symbol of spiritual significance.
• These structures have been an integral part of Buddhist culture and are found in various forms across the Asian continent.
• They represent the Buddha's presence, his teachings (Dharma), and the path to enlightenment (Nirvana). They are not places of worship but rather serve as reminders of Buddhist principles.
• Stupas are typically constructed in a dome-like shape, symbolising the universe.
• They consist of several essential elements, including a square base, a dome, a spire or pinnacle, and various decorative features.
• Many stupas enshrine relics of the Buddha or esteemed Buddhist monks and nuns. These relics are usually placed within the stupa's core, often sealed in a container.
• Stupas have not only been places of religious devotion but also cultural landmarks in many Asian countries.

Chaitya:

• A chaitya, also known as a chaitya-griha, is a type of Buddhist architectural structure commonly found in India and other regions where Buddhism was historically practiced.
• The term "chaitya" is derived from the Sanskrit word "chaitanya," which means "mind" or "consciousness."
• Chaityas have significant religious and architectural importance in the history of Buddhism, particularly during the early development of the religion.
• Chaityas are places of worship and meditation for Buddhists. They serve as sacred spaces where followers can gather for prayer, rituals, and the veneration of relics, often associated with important figures in Buddhism, such as the Buddha himself.
• Chaityas are typically rock-cut or free-standing structures, but the rock-cut version is more common.
• The stupa in a chaitya is usually placed in a small, semicircular apse-like niche at the rear end of the prayer hall.
• A unique feature of chaityas is the use of natural light.

Vihara:

• "Vihara" is a Sanskrit and Pali word commonly used in Buddhism to refer to a monastery or temple.
• Viharas serve as places of residence and worship for Buddhist monks and nuns, as well as locations for meditation and religious activities.
• These monastic complexes can vary in size and complexity, from small hermitages to large, ornate structures with multiple buildings and facilities.
• Viharas can be found in Buddhist communities throughout Asia and other parts of the world where Buddhism is practiced.
• They play a central role in the daily lives of monks and nuns, providing a space for them to live, study, meditate, and teach.
• Additionally, viharas may also be open to the public, allowing laypeople to visit and engage in religious and educational activities.

The correct answer is ​A type of embroidery.

Key Points Sujini Handicrafts:

• One of the many diverse art forms that lie relatively undiscovered in Bihar is the craft of Sujini or Sujani embroidery.
• Created with the simplest of stitches, with readily available fabrics and at times with well-worn pieces of clothes, Sujani works are generally crafted by women in their free time at home.
• The craftswomen produce furnishings such as bedspreads, wall hangings, cushion and bolster covers, as well as clothing items like saris, dupattas, and kurtas.
• Different coloured threads were also symbolically used, such as red, signifying blood, a life force, and yellow for the sun.
• Sujani is said to have originated around the 1920s and was only practiced by the Rajput women.
• The word “Sujani” is derived from the words ‘su’ which means facilitating and ‘jani’ meaning birth.
• Quilts for new-born babies were made by stitching together colourful patches of old clothes and then Sujani embroidery was done with colourful threads to create motifs and designs.

The correct answer is ​1 and 2

Key Points Vikramshila University:

• Vikramshila University, also known as Vikramshila Mahavihara, was an ancient Buddhist learning centre and monastery located in the present-day Bhagalpur district of Bihar, India. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.
• It was established during the Pala dynasty in the late 8^th century, specifically during the reign of King Dharmapala. Hence statement 2 is incorrect.
• The university was a significant centre for Buddhist studies and was known for its excellence in the field of Vajrayana Buddhism, which was a form of Mahayana Buddhism.
• Vikramshila University attracted scholars and students from various parts of the Indian subcontinent and beyond, making it a prominent institution of learning during its time. The university complex was adorned with several temples, stupas, and monastic cells. It played a crucial role in the preservation and propagation of Buddhist teachings, scriptures, and art.
• Unfortunately, Vikramshila University, like many other ancient Indian universities, declined and eventually fell into ruins over time.
• It is believed that factors such as invasions by Turkic and Afghan rulers and a decline in royal patronage contributed to its demise. The exact date of its decline is debated among historians but is generally placed around the 12^th century.
• Today, the ruins of Vikramshila University are of historical and archaeological significance, and they have been partially excavated and preserved. The site is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and is open to visitors interested in exploring its ancient history.

The correct answer is 3 and 4.

Key Points

• Gunpowder was introduced into India much earlier than Babur's arrival, probably in the 13^th century by the Mongols. So Statement 1 is incorrect.
• By the 14^th century, gunpowder weapons were widely used in India.
• They were used in both warfare and hunting.
• Gunpowder weapons also had a significant impact on Indian culture.
• For example, the use of gunpowder weapons led to the development of new forms of Indian music and dance.
• Mahmud Gawan (1411-1481)  introduced the use of gunpowder in the war against the Vijayanagar kings in Belgaum. It was the first recorded use of gunpowder in the Deccan.
• He also invited Persian chemists to teach his soldiers how to prepare and use gunpowder.
• The arch and dome were also introduced into India much earlier than Babur's arrival, by the Turks after the invasion of Muhammad Ghori. Thus Statement 2 is incorrect.​
• ​The Turks were skilled builders, and they brought with them new architectural techniques, including the arch and dome.
• The arch is a curved structure that supports the weight of a building or bridge.
• The dome is a hemispherical structure that can be used to create large, open spaces.
• Babur was a Timurid ruler, and his arrival in India led to the establishment of the Mughal Empire, which was also a Timurid dynasty. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• The Timurids were a dynasty of Turkic-Mongol rulers who ruled over Central Asia and Persia from the 14^th to the 16^th centuries.
• They were descended from Timur (also known as Tamerlane), a brilliant military leader and conqueror.
• In 1526, Babur, a Timurid ruler, invaded India and defeated the Delhi Sultanate.
• He established the Mughal Empire, which was the first Islamic empire to rule over most of India.
• The Mughals were skilled administrators and warriors, and they ruled India for over 200 years.
• Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India, is credited with introducing cannons in warfare during the early 16^th century. Hence statement 4 is correct.
• Babur's introduction of cannons in warfare represented a technological advancement that had a profound impact on the dynamics of warfare in the Indian subcontinent.

The correct answer is Surat.

Key Points

• During the Mughal period in India, the port of Surat was referred to as "Babul Makka," which means the "Gate of Mecca."
• This name was given to Surat due to its significance as a major port for trade and commerce, connecting India with the rest of the world, including the Middle East and Mecca.
• Surat was a crucial departure point for pilgrims from different regions of India who embarked on their journey to Mecca by sea.
• The port of Surat facilitated the movement of pilgrims, serving as a gateway to their religious journey.
• It is familiar for its textiles and now, it is one of the main centres of “diamond cutting and polishing”. It is an important seaport in the history of the world, during the medieval period.
• The title “Babul Makka” highlights the religious and commercial importance of Surat during the Mughal Period.

The correct answer is in the Maratha administration.

Key Points

• The administrative and advisory council known as Ashta Pradhan, or "Council of Eight" was established by the Hindu Maratha leader Shivaji.
• It helped his military assaults against the Muslim Mughal Empire.
• It helped in the efficient administration of the region over which he established his rule.
• The Peshwa, or mukhya pradhan, was the senior member of the council.
• He was in charge of general administration as well as holding the state seal.

Important Points 

• The sumanta handled international affairs, the Mantri handled intelligence and police reports, the Amatya, or Mazumdar, and the Pant Sachir handled finances.
• The council was completed by the commander in chief (Senapati), a legal member (Nyayadhisha), and a member for religious concerns (pandit rao).
• The civil duties of all but the final two were frequently handled by deputies while they held military posts.
• The core of the Peshwa's bureaucracy was made up of these deputies and a team of secretaries.
• The council was dispersed by Shivaji's son Sambhaji (1680–1689).
• But when Maratha's power was restored in the 18^th century, the council members became hereditary and had only minimal authority.
• With the exception of the Peshwas, who, in the form of the Bhat family, became the real rulers of the Maratha state, which was nominally controlled by Shivaji's weaker heirs.

The correct answer is Ajanta.

Key Points

• Late 5^th century, most likely 477, Bodhisattva Padmapani from cave 1 at Ajanta monastery in central India
• Early mediaeval India produced this magnificent mural artwork, which was preserved inside the Buddhist rock-cut monastery of Ajanta.
• Ajanta, a Buddhist hamlet in Maharashtra, is close to Aurangabad.
• This was found by British soldiers in a horseshoe-shaped mountainside where 29 caverns have been carved out.
• There has been artwork discovered in six of these caves.
• The caverns come in two different chaitya and vihara varieties.
• A Bodhisattva, or someone on the way to becoming a Buddha, is Padmapani.
• He is an iconic figure in Buddhist  and the personification of compassion.
• He is referred to as Padmapani, or "One who holds a lotus in his palm," in Indian representations where he is shown holding the Padma, or lotus flower.

Additional Information

• Pre-Buddha caves are those that have artwork that was produced prior to the Ajanta and Bagh Caves. The Jogimara cave, which is located in Sarguja in Chhattisgarh at Amarnath close to the source of the Narmada, is an outstanding example of pre-Buddhist art.
• One of the greatest prehistoric complexes may be found at the Bhimbetka site, which also houses the oldest known rock art in India. The mysterious primitive animal Dickinsonia is among the fossils from the Precambrian, hundreds of millions of years before the human era, that may be found in the Bhimbetka caves.
• It is renowned for both its structure temples, such as the Bhutanatha temples, Badami Shivalaya, and Jambulingesvara temple, as well as its rock-cut monuments, such as the Badami cave temples. It is situated at the base of a rough, red sandstone outcrop that encircles Agastya Lake in a ravine.

The correct answer is none of the above.

Key Points Fa-Hien:

• Fa-Hien, also known as Faxian, was indeed a Chinese Buddhist monk and pilgrim who visited India during the reign of the Gupta Empire, not during the reign of Harsha.
• He traveled to India in the early 5^th century CE, around 399-414 CE.
• His journey was primarily motivated by his desire to visit the land of the Buddha's birth and to collect Buddhist scriptures.
• During his travels, Fa-Hien documented his experiences and observations in a travelogue called the "Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms" or "Foguo Ji," which provides valuable information about the geography, culture, and Buddhism of India during that period.
• While Harsha was a significant Indian ruler who lived a century after Fa-Hien's travels, they were not contemporaries, and Fa-Hien's journey took place during the Gupta period.

Hiuen Tsang:

• Hiuen Tsang (also known as Xuanzang) was a Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India during the reign of Harsha Vardhana (not Chandragupta II). Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• He traveled to India in the 7^th century, around 629-645 CE, during the time when Harsha was the ruler of northern India. Hiuen Tsang is famous for his detailed accounts of India, which he wrote in his travelogue, "Si-yu-ki" (Record of the Western Regions).
• He is best known for his extensive and perilous journey to India, which took place in the 7^th century.
• Xuanzang's primary purpose for undertaking this arduous journey was to study and obtain Buddhist scriptures and teachings from the land of their origin, India.
• Xuanzang was deeply devoted to the study and practise of Buddhism. His mission to India was driven by his desire to obtain accurate translations of Buddhist scriptures and bring them back to China.
• Xuanzang's translations and writings have left a profound impact on Chinese Buddhism.
• He is celebrated for his dedication to preserving and spreading Buddhist knowledge, and his pilgrimage and accomplishments were later immortalised in the novel "Journey to the West."

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

Key Points

Charaka:

• Charaka, also known as Charaka Muni, was an ancient Indian physician and sage often regarded as one of the founding figures of Ayurveda, an ancient system of medicine that originated in India.
• He is believed to have lived around the 2^nd century BCE and is considered one of the principal contributors to the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text on Ayurveda.
• The Charaka Samhita is one of the most important and comprehensive texts on traditional Indian medicine and covers a wide range of topics related to health, disease, diagnosis, and treatment.

Brahmagupta:

• Brahmagupta was an ancient Indian mathematician and astronomer who lived around the 7^th century CE.
• He made significant contributions to the fields of mathematics and astronomy during the classical period of Indian mathematics.
• Brahmagupta is best known for his mathematical treatise, the "Brahmasphutasiddhanta," which means "The Opening of the Universe."
• In this work, he made important contributions to various mathematical topics, including arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.
• One of Brahmagupta's most significant contributions to mathematics was his work on zero and negative numbers.
• He was the first mathematician to formalise the rules for arithmetic operations involving zero and negative numbers.
• Brahmagupta made substantial advances in algebra, including solving quadratic equations and systems of simultaneous linear equations.
• He worked on geometry and made contributions to the study of plane and spherical geometry.

Varahamihira:

• Varahamihira was an ancient Indian mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer who lived around the 6^th century CE.
• He was one of the most significant scholars in the field of Indian astronomy and mathematics.
• Varahamihira's most famous work is the "Brihat Samhita," an encyclopedic text that covers a wide range of subjects, including astronomy, mathematics, astrology, and the natural sciences.
• Varahamihira was a renowned astrologer who authored the "Brihat Jataka," a treatise on Vedic astrology that is still consulted by astrologers in India today.

Vishakhadatta:

• Vishakhadatta was an ancient Indian playwright and author known for his famous Sanskrit play titled "Mudrarakshasa."
• He is believed to have lived around the 4^th-5^th century CE, though the exact dates of his life are not well-documented. "Mudrarakshasa" is a historical drama that narrates the rise to power of the Maurya Empire and the role of Chanakya, the political strategist, in making Chandragupta Maurya the emperor.
• The play is one of the few surviving examples of Sanskrit drama that focuses on historical and political themes.
• Vishakhadatta's "Mudrarakshasa" is an essential work in the tradition of ancient Indian literature and provides valuable insights into the politics and culture of the time.
• The play is also a significant source of information about the Maurya Empire, one of the earliest and most prominent empires in Indian history.

The correct answer is ​Balban.

Key Points

• Nauroj is a New Year celebration on March 21 every year for Parsis.
• Balban was the first ruler to introduce the famous Persian festival of Nauroj in India.
• He started Persian customs like Sijada and Paibos. He called himself Niyabat - i- Khudai.
• The festival is a New Year celebration of Spring Equinox. During the period of the Balbans, people were not much happy by the ways he ruled, so he tried to divert their focus from the situation of the law in his region. he introduced the Persian New Year festival known as Nauruz in some books it is mentioned as Nowruz.
• Balban was a king with desire, he want to rule the complete Indian region, but he was not so strong at that time, so he need the help of the other Muslim rulers at that time and Persian king was the one of the powerful ruler in the whole Indian.