Q1. The earliest evidence of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent has been obtained from
(a) Brahmagiri
(b) Chirand
(c) Mehargarh
(d) Burzahom
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Mehargarh is one of the most important Neolithic (7000 to 2500 BCE) sites in archaeology. It lies on the Kacchi Plain of Balochistan, Pakistan. It is one of the earliest sites with evidence of farming and herding in South Asia.
Q2. Which among the following has not been found in the excavation of Harappan sites?
(a) Drains and well
(b) Fort
(c) Reservoirs
(d) Temple with Shikhar
Answer: (d)
Explanation: No temples have been excavated from the sites of the Harappan Civilization. They used to worship ‘Mother and Pashupati Maharaj. Yoni and Lingam worship cultures were also prevalent in Harappa.
Q3. The term ‘Apabhramsa‘ was used in medieval Sanskrit texts to denote:
(a) Outcastes among the Rajputs
(b) Deviations from Vedic rituals
(c) Early forms of some of the modem Indian language
(d) Non-Sanskrit verse meters
Answer: (c) Early forms of some of the modem Indian language
Explanation: Apabhramsa means Languages.
Q4. The Harappan Civilization was discovered in the year:
(a) 1935
(b) 1942
(c) 1921
(d) 1922
Answer: (c)
Explanation: First Harappan civilization was discovered in 1921.
Q5. Which one of the following texts of ancient India allows divorce to a wife deserted by her husband?
(a) Kamasutra
(b) Manava Dharma Shastra
(c) SukraNitisara
(d) Arthashastra
Answer:(d) Arthashastra
Explanation: Arthashastra was written by Kautilya.
Q6. Which among the following was the most extensive Harappan city?
(a) Banavali
(b) Ropar
(c) Lothal
(d) Rakhigarhi
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Rakhigarhi was a large Harappan town known in 1963 when the area was first surveyed. Archaeologists found it the biggest Harappan city, larger and more extensive.
Before Rakhigarhi, Specialists in the Harappan civilization had argued that Mohenjodaro in Pakistan was the largest among the 2,000 Harappan sites known to exist in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Q7. The home of Gargi, Maitreya and Kapila was at
(a) Vidisha
(b) Ujjain
(c) Pataliputra
(d) Mithila
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Gargi, Maitreya and Kapila all were great philosophers of the Vedic Age. They all belonged to Mithila ( present-Bihar).
Q8. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
Mrichchakatikam–Shudraka
Buddhacharita–Vasuvandhu
Mudrarakshasha–Vishakadatta
Harshacharita–Banabhatta
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Codes:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4
(d) 2 and 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Buddhacharita was written by Ashvaghosh.
Q9. Which one among the following sites is located in the valley of Ghaggar and its associated rivers?
(a) Alamgirpur
(b) Lothal
(c) Kalibangan
(d) Banavali
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Kalibangan was located on the bank of river Ghaggar. Lothal is one of the most prominent cities of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Many Indus Valley (or Harappan) sites have been discovered along the Ghaggar-Hakra beds.
Q10. The origins of Indian music could be traced to
(a) Rigvedic Samhita
(b) Yajurvedic Samhita
(c) Samavedic Samhita
(d) Atharvavedic Samhita
Answer: (c)
Explanation: The Samaveda (Song knowledge) is a collection (Samhita) of hymns taken from Sakala Sakha of Rigveda. These verses were sung by Udgatar priests at sacrifices. Indian Classical music has one of its roots in Samveda.
Q11. The following persons came to India at one time or another:
Q12. In which Indus valley civilization sites, the people were known to water reservoir technique?
(a) Banawali
(b) Kalibangan
(c) Dholavira
(d) Chanhudaro
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Dholavira had a series of water-storing tanks and step wells, and its water management system has been called ‘unique’. The unique feature is the sophisticated water conservation system of channels and reservoirs, the earliest found anywhere in the world and completely built of stone.
Q13. Which area of India was known as Avantika in ancient times?
(a) Avadh
(b) Ruhelkhand
(c) Bundelkhand
(d) Malwa
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Avanti was one of the 16 Mahajanapadas.
It was located at present-day Malwa.
It was divided into two parts by Vindhyas
Northern Part with its capital Ujjaiyini
Southern part with its capital Mahismati
Q14. The site of Alamgirpur is located on the bank of river:
(a) Maskra
(b) Hindon
(c) Chinab
(d) Bhader
Answer: (b)
Explanation: An Indus site has been discovered at Alamgirpur, 27 km west of Meerut. Alamgirpur is located on the left bank of the Hindon River, a tributary of the Yamuna.
Rojdi was located on the bank of river Bhader. Manda, the northernmost site of the Indus Valley Civilization was located on the right bank of river Chenab.
Q15. Assertion (A): The origin of the feudal system in ancient India can be traced to military campaigns.
Reason (R): There was considerable expansion of the feudal system during the Gupta period.
(a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Answer: (b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
Explanation: Both the statements are true but do not explain each other.
Q16. Which ruler murdered his father, Bimbisara to ascend the throne?
(a) Ashoka
(b) Ajatshatru
(c) Kanishka
(d) Simukha
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Bimbisara was the first ruler of the Haryanka dynasty of the Magadha (Capital-Rajgriha). His son Ajatshatru imprisoned him and killed him to ascend the throne.
Q17. Whose army did Alexander the Greek ruler confront on the banks of the river Jhelum?
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Ambi
(c) Dhanananda
(d) Porus
Answer: (d)
Explanation: The Battle of Hydaspes was fought between Alexander the Great and the Porus of the Paurvan Kingdom in 326 BC on the banks of river Hydaspes (now known as Jhelum).
Q18. The first Tirthankara of the Jains was:
(a) Arishtanemi
(b) Parshvanath
(c) Ajitanath
(d) Rishabha
Answer: (d)
Explanation: (i) Tirthankaras are Jain spiritual Gurus.
(ii) Rishabhanatha is 1st out of 24 Jain Tirthankaras.
(iii) His other names are Adinatha, Adishvara, Yugadideva, Prathamaraja and Nebhya.
(iv) Parshvanatha was 23rd Tirthankara.
(v) Vardhmana Mahavira was the last (24th) Tirthankara.
Q19. In which one of the following cities is the Lingaraja Temple located?
(a) Bhubaneswar
(b) Bijapur
(c) Kolkata
(d) Shravananbelagola
Answer: (a) Bhubaneswar
Explanation: Lingaraja Temple was constructed by YayatiKesari, ruler of Orissa. It is located in Bhubaneshwar.
Q20. 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’.
Q21. ‘Mrichchhakatika‘ an ancient Indian book written by Shudraka deals with:
(a) The love affair of a rich merchant with the daughter of a courtesan
(b) The victory of Chandragupta II over the Shaka Kshatrapas of western India
(c) The military expeditions and exploits of Samudragupta
(d) The love affairs between a Gupta king and a princess of Kamarupa
Answer: (a) The love affair of a rich merchant with the daughter of a courtesan
Explanation: Mrichchhakatika (The Clay Court) is a Sanskrit play written by Shudraka in 2nd C BC. It is about a young man named Charudatta, and his love for Vasantasena, a rich courtesan.
Q22. ‘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.
Q23. In the Indus valley civilization period, Lapis-Lazuli was imported from:
(a) Badakhshah
(b) Iran
(c) Mesopotamia
(d) Gujrat
Answer: (a)
Explanation: The Sar-i Sang mines in the region of Badakhshan in northeast Afghanistan were probably the source for all Lapis-Lazuli used by the ancient people. So the people of the Indus Valley Civilization period imported Lapis-Lazuli from Badakhshan (Afghanistan).
Q24. ‘Prince of Piligrims’ was the name attributed to
(a) Fa-Hien
(b) Hiuen – tsang
(c) I-tsing
(d) Megasthenes
Answer: (b)
Explanation: The Chinese traveller and Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang is called the ‘Prince of pilgrims’. He came to India in the reign of Harshavardhan.
Q25. Consider the following statements:
VardhamanMahavira’s mother was the daughter of Lichchhavi chief Chetak
Gautama Buddha’s mother was a princess from the Koshalan dynasty
Parshvanatha, the twenty-third Tirthankara, belonged to Benaras
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (c)
Explanation: VardhamanMahavira’s mother, Trishala was the sister (not the daughter) of Lichchhavi chief Chetak.
