Explanation: (a) Inamgaon is a post-Harappan agrarian village and archaeological site located in Maharashtra situated along the right bank of the Ghod River, it is considered to be the regional center of the Bhima valley.
Q2. Which statement on the Harappan Civilization is correct?
(a) Horse sacrifice was known to them.
(b) Cow was sacred to them.
(c) ‘Pashupati’ was venerated by them.
(d) The culture was generally static.
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Harappan’s people worshipped Pashupati (Modern Shiva.
Q3. Out of the following remains excavated in Indus Valley, which one indicates the commercial and economic development?
(a) The Pottery
(b) Seals
(c) The boats
(d) The houses
Answer: (b)
Explanation: More than 2000 seals were excavated from Harappan sites. These seals were made of soapstone, terracotta, and copper. Harappan seals were also found in Mesopotamia.
Q4. The river most mentioned in early Vedic literature is:
(a) Sindhu
(b) Sutudri
(c) Sarasvati
(d) Ganga
Answer: (a) Sindhu
Explanation: Sapta Sindhu plays a prominent part in the hymns of the Rigveda, and consequently in early Vedic religion.
Q5. Who among the following was not a physician?
(a) Sushruta
(b) Charaka
(c) Charvaka
(d) Dhanvantari
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Charvaka (originally known as Lokayata was an ancient school of philosophy and Indian materialism it rejected the notion of karma, moksha, and the authority of the Vedas.
Q6. Which one of the following is not a part of early Jains literature?
(a) Therigatha
(b) Acarangasutra
(c) Sutrakritanga
(d) Brihatkalpasutra
Answer: (a) Therigatha
Explanation: Therigatha was a part of Buddhist literature.
Q7. In the context of ancient Indian society which one of the following terms does not belong to the category of the other three?
(a) Kula
(b) Vamsa
(c) Kosa
(d) Gotra
Answer: (c) Kosa
Explanation: Kosa was used for treasury and the rest of the three terms were related to the family.
Q8. Who propounded the ‘Eight-Fold Path’ for the end of the misery of mankind?
(a) Mahavir
(b) Gautam Buddha
(c) Adi Shankaracharya
(d) Kabir
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Buddha gave the eightfold path to end the misery of life
These Are
(i) Right View
(ii) Right Resolve
(iii) Right Speech
(iv) Right Conduct
(v) Right Livelihood
(vi) Right effort
(vii) Right Mindfulness
(viii)Right Samadhi
This eight-fold path leads to ‘Nirvana’.
Q9. The Gayatri mantra is dedicated to:
(a) Indra
(b) Aditi
(c) Gayatri
(d) Savitri
Answer: (d)
Explanation: The Gayatri Mantra is a highly revered mantra, based on a Vedic Sanskrit verse from a hymn of the Rigveda. The Gayatri mantra is dedicated to Savitr, and is hence called Savitri. It is considered to be among the holiest mantras of Hinduism.
Q10. How many of the sixteen Mahajanapadas were situated in the Ganga valley?
(a) 8
(b) 9
(c) 10
(d) 11
Answer: (c)
Explanation: In ancient India, several kingdoms emerged during the Vedic age that was spread across the Indo-Gangetic plain. These kingdoms were also called republics and 16 of them were regarded as the Mahajanapadas. 10 out of the 16 Mahajanapadas were situated in the Ganga valley.
Q11. Who among the following is known for his work on medicine during the Gupta period?
(a) Saumilla
(b) Sudraka
(c) Shaunaka
(d) Susrutha
Answer: (d) Susrutha
Explanation: Susrutha Samitha was written by Susrutha. He was said to have been the best surgeon during the Gupta period.
Q12. Which one of the following sculptures invariably used green schist as the medium?
(a) Maurya sculptures
(b) Mathura sculptures
(c) Bharhut sculptures
(d) Gandhara sculptures
Answer: (c) Bharhut sculptures
Explanation: Matsya Mahajanapada comprised the present-day Jaipur-Bharatpur-Alwar area of Rajasthan, Avanti was one of the most important ones and its core area comprises the present-day Ujjain district of Madhya Pradesh. Vatsa with its capital at Kausambi was another powerful Mahajanapada, annexed by Magadha. Anga Mahajanapada was in Gangetic valley.
Q13. Milindapanho is in the form of a dialogue between King Menander and the Buddhist monk:
(a) Nagasena
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Nagabhatta
(d) Kumarilabhatta
Answer: (a) Nagasena
Explanation: Milindapanho wasn’t written by one person. It is the collected dialogue between the Indo-Greek king Milinda (or Meander) and the Buddhist sage Nagasena.
Q14. Which one of the following edicts mentions the personal name of Ashoka?
(a) Kalsi
(b) Rummindei
(c) Special Kalinga Edict
(d) Maski
Answer: (d) Maski
Explanation: The Maski inscription at Raichur doab in Karnataka mentions his name, DevanamPriyadasi.
Q15. The following map shows four of the sixteen Mahajanapadas that existed in ancient India:
The places marked A, B, C, and D respectively are:
(a) Matsya, Cedi, Kosala, Anga
(b) Surasena, Avanti, Vatsa, Magadha
(c) Matsya, Avanti, Vatsa, Anga
(d) Surasena, Cedi, Kosala, Magadha
Answer: (c) Matsya, Avanti, Vatsa, Anga
Q16. In which Mahajanapada is situated the city of Mahishmati?
(a) Asmaka
(b) Avanti
(c) Matsya
(d) Vatsa
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Mahishamati and Ujjaini were the capital of Southern and Northern Avanti Mahajanapada, respectively.
Q17. Tiruvachakam, which occupies a place in Tamil sacred literature analogous to the Upanishads, contains the compositions of
(a) Sambandar
(b) Appar
(c) Sundar
(d) Manikkavachakar
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Tiruvachakam, which occupies a place in Tamil sacred literature analogous to the Upanishads, contains the compositions of Manikkavachakar.
Q18. The area between rivers Saraswati and Drisadvati has been defined by the Manusmriti as
(a) Aryavarta
(b) Brahmavarta
(c) Brahmarshidesa
(d) Saptasaindhava
Answer: (b)
Explanation: The land between the Saraswati and Drishadvati was called the Brahmavarta. The place which first witnessed the creation of mankind came to be known as Brahmavarta or the seat of Brahma.
Q19. Which one of the following was a corporation of merchants in ancient India?
(a) Chaturvedimangalam
(b) Parishad
(c) Ashtadikgaja
(d) Manigrama
Answer: (d) Manigrama
Explanation: A manigramam was a large, influential guild of South Indian merchants during the period of Western Chalukyan rulers in the 10th – 12th Century CE.
Q20. Mahajanapada situated on the bank of river Godawari was
(a) Avanti
(b) Vatsa
(c) Asmaka
(d) Kamboja
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Asmaka was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas in the 6th century BCE, mentioned in the Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya. The region was located on the banks of the Godavari River, between the rivers Godavari and Manjira.
Q21. The list of sixteen Mahajanapadas is available in
(a) Mahabharata
(b) Chhandogya Upanishad
(c) Samyukta Nikaya
(d) Anguttara Nikaya
Answer: (d)
Explanation: The ancient Buddhist text Anguttara Nikaya gives the list of sixteen Mahajanapadas including the Gandhara and the Kamboja as the only two salient Mahajanapadas in the Uttarapatha. Another Buddhist text Digha Nikaya mentions only twelve Mahajanapadas.
Q22. Buddhism made an important impact by allowing two sections of society into its fold. They were
(a) Merchants and Priests
(b) Moneylenders and Slaves
(c) Warriors and Traders
(d) Women and Sudras
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Buddha considered the caste system unjust. He asserted that morality and deed should be determined by the cast of a person instead of birth.
Q23. The Badami rock inscription of Pulakesin I is dated in the Saka year 465. If the same were to be dated inVikramaSamvat, the year would be:
(a) 601
(b) 300
(c) 330
(d) 407
Answer: (a) 601
Explanation: The Saka era started in 78 AD, while the Vikram era started in 58 BC. So if we want to convert the Badamirock inscription of Pulakesin I to the Vikram era, it will be 465 + 78 + 58 = 601 Vikram Samvat.
Q24. Milinda Panho is in the form of a dialogue between King Menander and the Buddhist Monk
(a) Nagasena
(b) Nagarjuna
(c) Nagabhatta
(d) Kumarilbhatta
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Milinda Panha is in the form of a dialogue between the Greek King Milinda (Menander I) and the Buddhist monk Nagasena.
Q25. ‘Buddha’ means-
(a) The Enlightened one
(b) The Religious Preacher
(c) The Genius
(d) The Powerful
Answer: (a)
Explanation: The term ‘Buddha’ means ‘The enlightened one’ i.e. the one who has attained ‘Bodhi’ (wisdom). Siddhartha Gautama the founder of Buddhism was later known as Gautam Buddha.
