Q1. Who among the following were famous jurists of medieval India?
(a) Vijnanesvara
(b) Hemadri
(c) Rajasekhara
(d) Jimutavahana
Answer: (c) Rajasekhara
Explanation: He was a Sanskrit poet and dramatist.
Q2. What was the main objective of Sultan Mahmud’s Indian conquests?
(a) Propagation of Religion
(b) Extension of Empire
(c) Acquisition of Wealth
(d) None of these
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Acquisition of wealth was the main objective of Sultan Mahmud’s Indian conquests. In 1001, Mahmud of Ghazni had first invaded India. Mahmud was defeated, captured, and later released by Shahi ruler Jaya Pala who had moved his capital to Peshawar. In 1005, Mahmud of Ghazni invaded Bhatia (probably Bhera) and in 1006 he invaded Multan at which time Ananda Pala’s army attacked him.
Q3. Where is a Muslim mosque situated where the hair of paigamber Mohammad Saheb has been preserved?
(a) Ajmer
(b) Ahmedabad
(c) Srinagar
(d) Mecca
Answer: (c)
Explanation: The Hazratbal Shrine is a Muslim shrine in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir, India. It contains a relic believed by many Muslims of Kashmir to be the hair of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The name of the shrine comes from the Arabic word Hazrat, meaning holy or majestic, and the Kashmiri word bal, (bal is a corrupted form of Sanskrit Vala which means an enclosure) meaning place.
Q4. According to the Mimamsa system of philosophy, liberation is possible by means by:
(a) Jana
(b) Bhakti
(c) Yoga
(d) Karma
Answer: (d) Karma
Explanation: It was started by Jaimini.
Q5. Which of the following sources provides a vivid description of Sindh?
(a) Khazainul Futuh
(b) Tarikh-i-Firoz-Shahi
(c) Insha-i-mehru
(d) Chachnamah
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Chachnamah provides a vivid description of Sindh. The Chach Namah was written by Kazi Ismail. Kazi Ismail was appointed the first Kazi of Alor by Muhammad Kasim after the conquest of the Sindh. It was translated into Persian by Muhammad Ali bin Hamid bin Abu Bakr Kufi in 1216 CE from an earlier Arabic text. The original work in Arabic is believed to have been composed by the Sakifi family, the Kinsmen of Muhammad bin Qasim.
Q6. Bronze icons of Nataraja cast during the Chola period invariably show the deity with:
(a) Eight hands
(b) Six hands
(c) Four hands
(d) Two hands
Answer: (c) Four hands
Explanation: The bronze icon of Nataraja is the finest example of Chola sculpture.
Q7. Which is the correct chronological order of the following ‘Acharyas’?
(a) Shankara – Ramanuja – Madhav–Chaitanya
(b) Chaitanya–Ramanuj a– Madhav–Shankara
(c) Ramanjua–Shankara–Chaitanya–Madhav
(d) Madhav–Chaitanya–Ramanuja–Shankara
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Shankara (9th century)– Ramanuja (AD 1017-1137) Madhavacharya (AD 1238-1317)– Chaitanya (AD 1486- 1533) Adi Shankara was a 9th-century reformer of Hinduism who is honored as Jagadguru, a title that was used earlier only to Lord Krishna.
Ramanuja (traditionally 1017–1137) was a theologian, philosopher, and scriptural exegete. He is seen by Hindus in general as the leading expounder of Vishishtadvaita, one of the classical interpretations of the dominant Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy.
Madhavacharya (1238– 1317), also known as Purna Prajna and Ananda Tirtha, was the chief proponent of Tattvavada “Philosophy of Reality”, popularly known as the Dvaita (dualism) school of Hindu philosophy. It is one of the three most influential Vedanta philosophies.
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (AD 1486-1533) was a Vaishnava saint and social reformer in eastern India in the 16th century, worshipped by followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as the full incarnation of Lord Krishna.
Q8.Assertion (A): At first the Turkish administration in India was essentially military.
Reason (R): The country was parcelled out as ‘Iqtas’ among leading military leaders.
(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: (a) Both A and R are true but R is the correct explanation of A
Explanation: Iqta is that part of the land granted by the sultan to its military chiefs for the maintenance of troopers. The land was taken back when the Iqtadars were not in a position to maintain the army.
Q9. Kumardevi, the Queen of Govindachandra Gahadavala, constructed Dharmachakra-Jina-vihar at
(a) Bodhgaya
(b) Kushinagar
(c) Kannauj
(d) Sarnath
Answer: (d)
Explanation: Kumardevi, the queen of Govindachandra Gahadavala, constructed Dharmachakrajinavihar at Sarnath Kumardevi, the Buddhist queen of the great Gahadavala king Govindrachandra of Kashi (CE 1114-1154). All the halls and apartments of the monks have disappeared. This monastery had two gateways towards the east, there being a distance of 88. 45 m between the two. At the westernmost edge of the site, a distinct covered passage leads to a small medieval shrine.
Q10. Who destroyed Nalanda University in 1193 AD and burnt it down?
(a) Muizuddin Muhammad Ghori
(b) Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji
(c) Mahmud Ghazni
(d) Qutubuddin Aibak
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Bakhtiyar Khilji destroyed the Nalanda University in 1193 AD and burnt it down. In 1193, the Nalanda University was sacked by Bakhtiyar Khilji, a Turk. This event is seen by scholars as a late milestone in the decline of Buddhism in India. The Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj reported this event in his chronicle the Tabaquat-i-Nasiri.
Q11. The famous Kohinoor diamond was produced from one of the mines in
(a) Orissa
(b) Chhota Nagpur
(c) Bijapur
(d) Golconda
Answer: (d)
Explanation: The Koh-i-Noor, meaning “Mountain of Light” in the Persian language, also spelled Koh-i-Noor, Kuh-e Nur, or Koh-i-Nur, is a 105.6 metric carats diamond, weighing 21.6 grams in the most recent cut state, and once the largest known diamond. The Koh-i Nur is believed by some to have originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India together with its double, the Darya-ye Noor (the “Sea of Light”). The diamond came from the Kollur mines, near the village of Kollur in the present-day Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh in India.
Q12. Gita Govinda was written by
(a) Jayant
(b) Jayadeva
(c) Jayasimha
(d) Jayachandra
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Jayadeva is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna, and his consort, Radha. This poem, which presents the view that Radha is greater than Hari, is considered an important text in the Bhakti movement of Hinduism.
Q13. The rulers of Vijayanagar promoted
(a) Hindi, Marathi and Sanskrit
(b) Malayalam, Tamil and Sanskrit
(c) Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit
(d) Telugu, Urdu and Sanskrit
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Telugu culture reached its zenith during the Vijayanagara rule under Sri Krishnadevaraya. The rulers patronized Kannada, Telugu Sanskrit, and Tamil scholars who wrote in the Jain, Virashaiva, and Vaishnava traditions. The Vijayanagar period was the golden age of Telugu literature. Sanskrit literature was given patronage by the Vijayanagar kings. The early kings of the Sangama dynasty patronized the Sringeri saints while the Saluva and Tuluva kings patronized the Madhva saints of Udupi. Krishnadevaraya also patronized Tamil poet Harihara who wrote Irusamaya vilakkam (an exposition on Saivism and Vaishnavism).
Q14. Upanishads were translated into Persian during the reign of
(a) Aurangazeb
(b) Shahjahan
(c) Jahangir
(d) Akbar
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Upanishads were translated into Persian during the reign of Shahjahan. These were translated in Persian by Darashikoh the son of Shahjahan.
Q15. Consider the following statements: Ahadis were those troopers who:
Offered their services singly
Did not attach themselves to any chief
Had the emperor as their immediate colonel
Attached themselves to Mirzas
Of these statements:
(a) 1, 3, and 4 are correct
(b) 1, 2, and 3 are correct
(c) 2 and 3 are correct
(d) 1 and 4 are correct
Answer: (b) 1, 2, and 3 are correct
Explanation: Ahadis were the gentlemen troopers who were recruited individually and were under the command of a separate mansabdar or officer, and had a diwan and a bakshi of their own. They were considered very efficient and loyal troops and were paid high salaries.
Q16. After the death of Rajaram in 1700 A.D., Marathas continued the war against the Mughals under his brave wife
(a) Tarabai
(b) Lakshmibai
(c) Ramabai
(d) Jijabai
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Tarabai was skilled in cavalry movement, and made strategic movements herself during wars. She led the war and continued the insurgency against the Mughals. A truce was offered to the Mughals in such a way that it was promptly rejected by the Mughal emperor, and Tarabai continued the Maratha resistance.
Q17. In the given map, the shaded part represents Akbar’s empire at a certain juncture, A stands for an independent country, and ‘B’ marks the site of the city.
Which one of the following alternatives gives all the correct information?
(a) Akbar in 1557: (A) Gokunda, (B) Lahore
(b) Akbar in 1557: (A) Khandesh, (B) Multan
(c) Akbar in 1605: (A) Gondwana, (B) Multan
(d) Akbar in 1605: (A) Gondwana, (B) Lahore
Answer: (d) Akbar in 1605: (A) Gondwana, (B) Lahore
Explanation: The shaded part represents Akbar’s territory at the time of his death in 1605. A – Gondwana; B – Lahore
Q18. Under the administration of Shivaji, “Peshwa” was referred to as
(a) Minister of Religious Affairs
(b) Minister of Defence
(c) Chief Minister
(d) Minister of Justice
Answer: (c)
Explanation: A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emperor Shivaji created the Peshwa designation to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire.
Q19. Consider the following statements about Sufism
1. Sufism was critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Quran and Sunnah (traditions of the prophet) adopted by the theologians.
2. The Sufis sought an interpretation of the Quran based on their personal experience.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (c)
Explanation: Sufismismystical Islamic belief and practice in which Muslims seek to find the truth of divine love and knowledge through the direct personal experience of God.
Q20. Who of the following built the Agra Fort?
(a) Akbar
(b) Jahangir
(c) Sikandar Lodi
(d) Shah Jahan
Answer: (a)
Explanation: Akbar built the Agra Fort. The fort is built alongside the Yamuna River and stretches almost 2. 5 km. It consists of a wall built in red sandstone and several buildings inside. The wall has 2 gates, the Delhi Gate and the Amar Singh Gate. You can only enter the fort via the Amar Singh Gate.
Q21. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Bhakti Saint)
List-II (Profession)
A. Namdev
1. Barber
B. Kabir
2. Weaver
C. Ravidas
3. Tailor
D. Sena
4. Cobbler
Codes:
(a) A – 2; B – 3; C – 1; D – 4
(b) A – 3; B – 2; C – 4; D – 1
(c) A – 3; B – 2; C – 1; D – 4
(d) A – 2; B – 3; C – 4; D – 1
Answer: (b) A – 3; B – 2; C – 4; D – 1
Explanation: These Bhakti saints were disciples of Saint Ramananda.
Q22. The first battle of Tarain took place between?
(a) Alauddin Khilji and Prithviraj Chauhan
(b) Mohammad Ghori and Prithviraj Chauhan
(c) Mahmud Ghazni and Prithviraj Chauhan
(d) Mohammad Shah and Prithviraj Chauhan
Answer: (b)
Explanation: The Battles of Tarain were fought in 1191 and 1192 between a Turkic Ghurid raiding force led by Sultan Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghauri and a Rajput army led by Prithviraj Chauhan. In the first of the two battles, Muhammad Ghauri was defeated but left to flee by the Chauhan king.
Q23. Ashtapradhan was a council of ministers:
(a) In the Gupta administration
(b) In the Chola administration
(c) In the Vijayanagar administration
(d) In the Maratha administration
Answer: (d) In the Maratha administration
Explanation: It was constituted by Shivaji in the Maratha administration.
Q24. The capital city ‘Daydo’ established by Kublai Khan is situated at—
(a) Samar qand
(b) Beijing
(c) Ulan Battor
(d) Alma Atta
Answer: (b)
Explanation: Kublai Khan (1215-1294) was the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. After defeating his younger brother Alibuge who intended to grab the crown in 1264, Kublai Khan took the throne, with “Zhiyuan” as the reign title. Afterward, he moved the capital to Yanjing (the current Beijing) and renamed it “Dadu”. In 1271, Kublai Khan set “Yuan” as the official name of the nation and then confirmed Dadu as the capital in 1272.
Q25. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the codes given below:
List-I
List-II
A. Alberuni
1. Tarikh-i-Fakhruddi
B. Ainul Mulk Multani
2. Khazan-ul-Futuh
C. Amir Khusro
3. Insha-i-Mahru
D. Fakhre Mudabbir
4. Tarikh-i-Hind
Codes: A B C D
(a) 1 2 3 4
(b) 4 3 2 1
(c) 1 3 2 4
(d) 2 1 4 3
Answer: (b)
Explanation:Tarikh-i-Hind was written by Alberuni Insha-i-Mahru was written by Ainul Mulk Multani. Khazinat-ul-Futuh was written by Amir Khusrav.
Al-Biruni wrote an encyclopedic work on India called “Tarikh Al-Hind” (History of India) in which he explored nearly every aspect of Indian life, including religion, history, geography, geology, science, and mathematics.
Tarikh-i-Fakhurddin Mubarakshahi was written by Fakhre Mudabbir.
Amir Khusro wrote a short auto-biographical Masnavi called “Shah Name mun” about Alauddin’s life. Khusro in his book “Khazinat-ul-Futuh” (The Treasures of victory) recorded Alauddin’s construction works, wars, peace and security, and administrative services.
Ibn Battuta writes that Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji (1316-1320) used to encourage Hindus to accept Islam by presenting a convert with a robe of honor and gold ornament.
