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Question 681

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

Who among the following made an offer to Humayun that he would surrender Bihar and pay an annual tribute of 10 lakh dinars if he was allowed to retain Bengal?

  1. AOption (a)

    Bahadur Shah

  2. BOption (b)

    Sher Khan

  3. COption (c)

    Bairam Khan

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Sher Khan

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

  • The absence of Humayun from Agra between 1535 and 1537 provided Sher Shah with a chance to increase his influence and status.
  • Sher Khan improved his standing and established himself as the undisputed ruler of Bihar.
  • It took Humayun six months to besiege Chunar after he marched against Sher Khan, despite his best attempts.
  • Sher Khan used deceit to take control of the formidable fort of Rohtas, where he safely left his family. He then entered Bengal and seized Gaur, the city's capital.
  • After seizing Gaur, Sher Khan offered Humayun Bengal in exchange for the submission of Bihar and payment of a 10 lakh dinar annual tribute. Humayun, however, declined the offer because Bengal was the land of wealth, rich in manufacturing, and a hub for international trade.

Additional Information

Battle of Chausa

  • Around 1539 CE, Sher Khan defeated Humayun in the Battle of Chausa, close to Buxar, and took the name, Sher Shah. With the aid of a water carrier, Humayun managed to swim across the river and away from the battleground.

Battle of Bilgram.

  • In 1540, Sher Shah Suri and Humayun fought in the Battle of Bilgram. Sher Shah Suri defeated Humayun in the Battle of Bilgram.

Question 682

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

The Vikramshila University was established by

  1. AOption (a)

    Gopala

  2. BOption (b)

    Dharmapala

  3. COption (c)

    Devapala

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Dharmapala

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Dharmapala

Key Points

Vikramshila University

  • The Vikramshila University was one of the renowned universities of ancient India along with Nalanda and Takshashila. It is one of the largest Buddhist Universities, preaching Buddhist teachings, culture, and religion.
  • The university was established from 783 to 820 A.D. by an emperor of the Pala Dynasty 'Dharmapala'.
  • He was a pious Buddhist king and the second ruler of the Pala Dynasty.
  • The university was best known for 'Vajrayana Buddhism', and teachings related to black magic with which Hinduism and Buddhism were highly affected at that time.
  • Several libraries along with Hindu and Buddhist stupas were discovered in an excavation led by the Archaeological Survey of India; Under V. S Verma from 1972 to 1982. In 2015, the central government of India decided to reconstruct the ancient university to restore its historical importance

Question 683

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

Who among the following was the first Governor of Bihar during British India ?

  1. AOption (a)

    Sir Maurice Garnier Hallett

  2. BOption (b)

    Sir James David Sifton

  3. COption (c)

    Sir Hugh Dow

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Sir James David Sifton

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Sir James David Sifton.

Key Points

Sir James David Sifton

  • The first governor of Bihar during British India was Sir James David Sifton.
  • He served as governor of two British Indian provinces,  governor of United Provinces, and governor of Bihar Province.
  • He became the Governor of Bihar after the division of Bihar province from Orissa.
  • He was the Governor of Bihar from 1 April 1936 to 10 March 1937.
  • Sifton was appointed a member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Bihar and Orissa in 1927.
  • Sir James Sifton was awarded Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in 1921, Companion of the Order of the Star of India (CSI) in 1929, Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) in 1931, and Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI) in 1932.

Additional Information

  • The first governor of Bihar during British India was Sir James David Sifton.
  • The first Chief Minister of Bihar was Sri Krishna Singh.
  • The first female chief minister of Bihar was Smt. Rabri Devi.
  • The 4th woman judge of the Supreme Court of India was Justice Gyan Sudha Misra. She hails from Bihar.
  • The first Speaker of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in independent India was Bindeshwari Prasad Verma.

Question 684

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

Who was the author of Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences?

  1. AOption (a)

    Dr. Rajendra Prasad

  2. BOption (b)

    J. P. Narayan

  3. COption (c)

    Karpoori Thakur

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Dr.Rajendra Prasad 

Key Points

  • Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the author of "Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar, Some Reminiscences". It was written in 1949.

Additional Information

  • Literary work of Rajendra Prasad
  • “Satyagraha at Champaran” (1922),
  • “India Divided” (1946),
  • his autobiography “Atmakatha” (1946),
  • “Mahatma Gandhi and Bihar,
  • Some Reminiscences” (1949), and
  • “Bapu ke Kadmon Mein” (1954).

Question 685

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

Which is the oldest church in Bihar?

  1. AOption (a)

    Padri Ki Haveli

  2. BOption (b)

    Luke's Church

  3. COption (c)

    Stephen's Church

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (a)A.

Padri Ki Haveli

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points

  • Bihar's oldest church is Padri Ki Haveli.
  • Padri Ki Haveli is located in Patna.
  • The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is another name for Padri Ki Haveli.
  • Roman Catholics first constructed this church in Patna in 1713.
  • Tirreto, a Venetian architect, redesigned the existing church in 1772.
  • The church has endured various assaults, including those by Nawab Mir Qasim in 1763 and the First War of Independence in 1857.

Luke's church

  • In the Danapur cantonment, around 12 kilometres from Patna Gandhi Maidan, the British soldiers erected Luke's church in the year 1830.

Stephen's Church

  • It is also located in Patna.

Question 686

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

The late actor Kumudlal Ganguly, also known by his stage name Ashok Kumar, was born in which of the following cities of Bihar?

  1. AOption (a)

    Patna

  2. BOption (b)

    Munger

  3. COption (c)

    Bhagalpur

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Bhagalpur

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Bhagalpur.

Key Points

  • The late actor Kumudlal Ganguly, also known by his stage name Ashok Kumar, was born in Bhagalpur.
  • Kumudlal Ganguly, popularly known as Dadamoni and Ashok Kumar, was an Indian actor who became well-known in Indian cinema.
  • In Bhagalpur, Bengal Presidency, British India, Kumudlal Ganguly was born into a Bengali Hindu Brahmin family.
  • His mother, Gouri Devi, was a housewife, while his father, Kunjlal Ganguly, was a lawyer.
  • In 1988, the Government of India presented him with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national honor given to filmmakers.
  • Additionally, in 1999, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to Indian cinema.
  • In addition to Kismet (1943), the first blockbuster in Indian cinema, Kumar is well known for his appearances in Achhut Kannya (1936) and Bandhan (1940).

Question 687

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

In ancient times, the area to the south of the Ganga was known as

  1. AOption (a)

    Anarta

  2. BOption (b)

    Takshashila

  3. COption (c)

    Chola

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (e)E.

None of the above

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is option 5.

Key PointsMagadha

  • In ancient times, the area to the south of the Ganga was known as Magadha. Hence option 5 is correct.
  • The ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha was located in what is now the northeastern Indian state of Bihar, in the state's west central region.
  • Between the 6th century BCE through the 8th century CE, it served as the foundation for a number of greater kingdoms or empires.
  • The strategic location of Magadha in the Ganges (Ganga) River valley, which allowed it to dominate communication and trade on the river, may account for its early importance.
  • The river also served as a conduit between Magadha and the prosperous ports in the Ganges delta.

Additional Information

Anarta

  • The modern-day North Saurashtra to North Gujarat regions in the Indian state of Gujarat was once part of the ancient Indian region known as Anarta.

Takshashila

  • A city in Pakistan's Punjab province is called Taxila or Takshashila, in the Taxila Tehsil of the Rawalpindi District.
  • At the crucial intersection of the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, Old Taxila, a significant city in ancient India, was located on the eastern bank of the Indus River.

​Chola

  • The Chola dynasty was a Tamil dynasty that ruled primarily in southern India until the 13th century.
  • The dynasty was founded in the Kaveri River's lush valley. The Chola territories extended from the Maldives islands in the south to the banks of the Godavari River in Andhra Pradesh in the north.

Question 688

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

When did the use of iron begin in Indian subcontinent?

  1. AOption (a)

    Around 9000 years ago

  2. BOption (b)

    Around 12000 years ago

  3. COption (c)

    Around 6000 years ago

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (e)E.

None of the above

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is option 5.

Key Points

Iron Age in India:

  • It was the final stage of the Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age, which transitioned from bronze to iron tools and weapons.
  • The start of the iron age led to a revolution and an increase in both agricultural practices and warfare.
  • In India, iron artefacts dating between 2,400 BC and 1800 BC were found in Telangana.
  • The Iron Age in India started before the 3rd century BC between 1800–1200 BC. (Around 4000 years ago). Hence, option 5 is the correct answer.
  • The Iron Age in the Indian subcontinent succeeded the Late Harappan culture.
  • The main divisions of the Iron Age in India are the Painted Grey Ware (PGW) culture (1100 to 350 BC) and the Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) culture (700 to 200 BC).
  • The Indian Mauryan Empire erected monuments with metallurgy work.
  • Literary accounts of the contemporary period are recorded in Vedas, Upanishads and other Brahmanic literature.
  • A combination of archaeological evidence and such literary accounts has become a standard method of dealing with Iron Age culture in India.
  • The beginning of iron technology is not the same thing as the beginning of the iron age.
  • At least six early iron-using centres can be identified in the subcontinent: Baluchistan and the north-west; the Indo-Gangetic divide and the upper Ganga valley; Rajasthan; eastern India; Malwa and central India; Vidarbha and the Deccan; and South India.
  • All these centres are located in or near iron ore resources and all of them have given evidence of pre-industrial smelting.

Question 689

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

According to the rock inscription in Sanskrit, composed around second century CE, Sudarshan Lake, an artificial reservoir, was repaired by

  1. AOption (a)

    Harsha

  2. BOption (b)

    Kanishka

  3. COption (c)

    Rudradaman

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (c)C.

Rudradaman

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Rudradaman.

Key Points

Rudradaman:

  • Rudradaman I (130–150AD), a Saka monarch from the Western Kshatrapas dynasty, was a Saka ruler from the Western Kshatrapas dynasty.
  • After becoming king, Rudradman I acquired the title of Maha-kshatrapa ("Great Satrap") and consolidated his realm.
  • He is regarded as the most powerful of the Saka rulers.
  • He was in charge of repairing the Sudarshana Lake in Kathiawar.
  • He turned to Hinduism after marrying a Hindu woman.
  • Rudradman fought several wars against the Satavahanas, and Vashishtiputra Satakarni, the son of Andhra king Pulamayi, married Rudradman's daughter to put an end to the fighting.
  • He also wrote the first chaste Sanskrit lengthy inscription.

Junagadh inscription:

  • The Junagadh inscription, which dates from 150 CE, is written in Sanskrit.
  • Rudradman I was tasked with promoting the arts and Sanskrit literature, as well as restoring the Mauryan dam.
  • He did, in reality, restore the lake Sudharsana embankments, which the Mauryas had built to prevent floods. Hence, option 3 is correct.
  • Rudradman is also known as the king who ruled when Yavanesvara, a Greek writer, translated the Yavanajataka from Greek to Sanskrit, influencing Indian astrology.

Question 690

BPSC AEDO 2023• Full Test

The temple of Deogarh near Jhansi and the sculptures in the temple at Garhwa near Allahabad are the important remains of the

  1. AOption (a)

    Maurya art

  2. BOption (b)

    Gupta art

  3. COption (c)

    Rashtrakuta art

  4. DOption (d)

    More than one of the above

  5. EOption (e)

    None of the above

View answer & explanation

Correct answer

Answer: (b)B.

Gupta art

Why this answer is correct

The correct answer is Gupta art.

Key Points

Gupta art:

  • The Gupta period may be described as ‘classic’ in the sense of the degree of perfection it achieved – something that was never achieved before and has seldom been achieved since and in perfect balance and harmony of all elements in style and iconography also considered as “The Golden Age of Indian Art”.
  • The renowned Gupta sculptural style appears to have grown out of the Kushanstyle.
  • In Mathura, art had already flourished in the Indian style, which was touched with refinement in all aspects under the patronage of the illustrious Gupta rulers.
  • The Gupta period (4th – 6th Century CE) marks the bright period of art in India. Gupta's art is marked by a high aesthetic sense and discipline.
  • The main centres of Buddhist art during this period were Mathura, Sarnath and Nalanda in the north.
  • The Buddhist images of Mathura and Samath are some of the best specimens of Indian art, never equalled by any art creations of a later period.
  • The other places where we get to see Gupta sculptures are the Vishnu sculptures in Udayagiri rock-cut Caves, Dhamek stupa at Samath, Bhitargaon, Buddhist caves in Ajanta, Ahichchattra, and Dasavatara Temple in Deogarh.

The temple of Deogarh near Jhansi:

  • The Dashavatara Temple is an early 6th century Vishnu Hindu temple located at Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh which is 125 kilometres from Jhansi, in the Betwa River valley in northern-central India.
  • Built in the Gupta Period, the Dashavatara Temple at Deogarh shows ornate Gupta-style architecture.

Temple at Garhwa near Allahabad:

  • Garhwa fort is a temple complex in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, belonging to the Gupta Period.
  • The temple has many relics belonging to the Gupta period, which date back to as old as the 5th and 6th centuries.
  • The most notable item in the fort is a figure representing all 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Hence, option 2 is the correct answer.