The correct answer is option 1) Gandhara.

• Gandhara was one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas which existed in ancient India from the 6th to 4th century BCE.
• Gandhara, a historical region in what is now northwestern Pakistan, corresponding to the Vale of Peshawar and having extensions into the lower valleys of the Kābul and Swāt rivers.
• It supplied men and materials to the Persian army fighting against the Greeks.
• During the Achaemenid period and Hellenistic period, its capital city was Pushkalavati.
•  Later the capital city was moved to Peshawar by the Kushan emperor Kanishka the Great in about 127 AD.
• Gandhara is mentioned in the Hindu epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, as a western kingdom.

Kamboja

• The capital of Kamboj is Poonch.
• It is situated in present-day Kashmir and Hindukush.
• Several literary sources mention that Kamboja was a republic.

Magadha

• Magadha finds mention in the Atharva Veda which conveys that Magadha was semi-Brahmanical habitation.
• It was located in present-day Bihar close to Anga, divided by river Champa.
• Later, Magadha became a centre of Jainism and the first Buddhist Council was held in Rajagriha.

Vatsa

• Vatsa is also known as Vamsa, its capital being Kausambi.
• This Mahajanapada followed the monarchical form of governance.
• Vatsa was located around the present-day Allahabad.

The correct answer is Banawali.

• Terracotta models of the plough were excavated in Banawali, Harappan civilization.​
  • Banawali is situated in Hissar district, Haryana.

Important Points

• The Indus Valley Civilization was established around 3300 BC. It flourished between 2600 BC and 1900 BC (the mature Indus Valley Civilization). It began to decline around 1900 BC and disappeared around 1400 BC.
  • It is also called Harappan Civilization after the first excavated city Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan).
  • Pre-Harappan civilization found at Mehrgarh in Pakistan shows the first evidence of cotton cultivation.
  • Geographically, this civilization covered Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Rajasthan, Gujarat and western Uttar Pradesh. It extended from Sutkagengor (in Balochistan) in the west to Alamgirpur (Western Uttar Pradesh) in the east; and from Mandu (Jammu) in the north to Daimabad (Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) in the south. Some Indus Valley sites have also been found as far away as Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

The correct answer is Kashyap.

Key Points

• Malavikagnimitram refers to Sungas as brahmins belonging to Kashyap gotra.
• The Malavikagnimitram is a Sanskrit play by Kalidasa.
• It is based on some events of the reign of Pushyamitra Shunga, it is his first play.
• Malavikagnimitram tells the story of the love of Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor at Vidisha, for the beautiful handmaiden of his chief queen.

Important Points

• Maharishi Bhrigu was one of the seven great sages, the Saptarshis, one of the many Prajapatis created by Brahma.
• Bhrigu is considered a Manasa Putra of Brahma.
• Atri or Attri is a Vedic sage, who is credited with composing numerous hymns to Agni, Indra and other Vedic deities of Hinduism

Additional Information

• Works of Kalidas includes - three plays, two epic poems, and two shorter poems.
• Other important work of Kalidas are - Kumarasambhavam, Abhijnanasakuntalam, Raghuvaṃsa, Meghaduta, Vikramorvasiyam.

​Early Vedic Period (1500 - 1000 B.C.):

• It is also known as Rig Vedic period.
• During the Rig Vedic period, people were mostly confined to the Indus region.
• The Rig Veda refers to Saptasindhu or the land of seven rivers. This includes the five rivers of Punjab, namely Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej along with the Indus and Saraswathi.
• The political, social and cultural life of the Rig Vedic people can be traced from the hymns of the Rig Veda.

Political Organization during Early Vedic Period :

• The basic unit of political organization was kula or family.
• Several families joined together on the basis of their kinship to form a village or grama. The leader of grama was known as Gramani.
• A group of villages constituted a larger unit called Visu. It was headed by Vishayapati.
• The highest political unit was called Jana or tribe. 
• There were several tribal kingdoms during the Rig Vedic period such as Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus, and the Purus.

The correct answer is Rupaka.

• The silver coins issued by the Guptas were called Rupaka.

Key Points

• The silver coin was called Rupaka based on Sakas of Ujjaini weighing 32-36 grains.
• The Gupta gold coins are known as Dinars.
• However, according to Fa – Hsien, cowries were the common means of exchange in the Gupta period.​

Important Points

Gupta Dynasty:

• The founder of the Gupta dynasty was Sri Gupta. 
• He was succeeded by Ghatotkacha. These two were called Maharajas.
• The next ruler was Chandragupta I and he was the first to be called Maharajadhiraja.
• Chandragupta, I was succeeded by Samudragupta in about 330 A.D., who reigned for about fifty years.
• He was a great military genius and is said to have commanded a military campaign across the Deccan, and also subdued the forest tribes of the Vindhya region. 
• Samudragupta's successor Chandragupta II, also known as Vikramaditya, conquered the extensive territories of Malwa, Gujarat and Kathiawar.

Key Points

Some famous events during the rule of Gupta Kings:

• The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fahien visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.
• Out of his nine years of stay in India, he spent six years in the Gupta empire.
• Chandragupta II waged war against the Saka satraps of western India.
• Rudrasimha III, the last ruler of the Saka satrap was defeated, dethroned, and killed. His territories in western Malwa and the Kathiawar Peninsula were annexed into the Gupta Empire.
• Kumaragupta laid the foundation of Nalanda University.

Correct answer- Guru Nanak

 Key Points

• Gurū Nānak was born as Nānak on 15 April 1469
•  He also referred to as Bābā Nānak ('father Nānak') 
• He was the founder of Sikhism and he is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus.
• His birth is celebrated worldwide as Guru Nanak Gurpurab on Katak Pooranmashi ('full-moon of Kattak'), i.e. October–November.

Important Points

• He insisted that caste, creed, or gender was irrelevant for attaining liberation.
• Through popular tradition, Nanak's teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways-
  • Vand Shhako  Share with others, help those who are in need, so you may eat together.
  • Kirat Karo ('work honestly'): Earn an honest living, without exploitation or fraud; and
  • Naam Japo - Meditate on God's name, so as to feel His presence and control the five thieves of the human personality.

The correct answer is Ashoka.

Key Points

• The Lion Capital at Sarnath was constructed under the patronage of Ashoka king.

Important Points

• The Lion Capital was originally a part of the pillar constructed by Ashoka, the great emperor of the Mauryan dynasty.
  • The Lion Capital was discovered more than a hundred years ago at Sarnath, near Varanasi.
  • It is generally referred to as Sarnath Lion Capital.
  • It is one of the finest examples of sculpture from the Mauryan period and was built by Ashoka in commemoration of ‘Dhammachakrapravartana’ or the first sermon of Buddha.
• The capital has four Asiatic lions seated back to back and their facial muscularity is very strong.
  • Abacus (drum on the bell base) has the depiction of a chakra (wheel) in all four directions and a bull, a horse, an elephant and a lion between every chakra.
  • Each chakra has 24 spokes in it.
• The capital was adopted as the National Emblem of India after independence without the crowning wheel and the lotus base. 

The correct answer is Abul Fazl.
Key Points

• Akbarnama is the official chronicle of the reign of Akbar.
• It was written by his court historian and biographer, Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak.
• He was one of the "nine jewels in Akbar's court".
• It was written in Persian.

Important Points

• Amir Khushro was a Sufi mystic and a spiritual disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya.
• His Khaliq-e-bari, which is known as the oldest printed dictionary of the world deals with Hindi and Persian words.
• He is regarded as the “father of qawwali”.​

Additional Information

• Akbar (1542- 1605)
  • He reigned from 1556 to 1605.
  • He constructed Fatehpur Sikri and made it his capital in 1569.
  • Buland Darwaza was constructed at the gate.
  • He started a new religion Din-i Ilahi in 1581-82.
  • Abul Fazl wrote his biography titled Akbarnama.
  • Nine of his courtiers were known as Navratnas.
    • They were Todar Mal, Abul Fazal, Faizi, Birbal, Tansen, Abdur Rahim Khana-i-Khana, Mullah-do-Pyaza, Raja Man Singh, and Fakir Aziao-Din.
  • He married a Hindu princess Harka Bai who is commonly known as Jodha Bai.
  • Akbar captured the historic fortress of Chitor in 1568.
  • He abolished the pilgrimage tax by Hindus in 1563.
  • He also abolished the Jizyah tax in 1564.
  • He also introduced the Mansabdari System or the rank-holder system to organize the nobility and army.

The correct answer is 1832.

Key Points

• Damin-i Koh 
  • Damin-i Koh in the Rajmahal area was a large area of land demarcated and declared to be the land of the Santhals.
  • Damin-i Koh is in the area of Sahebganj, Pakur, and Godda districts in the Jharkhand.
  • British persuaded the local tribe of Rajmahal Hills i.e. Santhals to live in the foothills of Rajmahal by giving land to them.
  • It is a Persian term that means ‘skirts of the hills’.
  • ​There was a stipulation in the certificate of land grants given by the British that the minimum of 1 by 10 of the total area had to be cleared and had to be cultivated within the first 10 years.
  • By 1832 a large area of land was demarcated as Damin-i-Koh. Hence, Option 4 is correct.
  • This was declared to be the land of the Santhals.
  • They were to live within it, practice plow agriculture, and become settled peasants.
  • The land grant to the Santhals stipulated that at least one-tenth of the area was to be cleared and cultivated within the first ten years.
  • Enclosed with boundary pillars, it was separated from both the world of the settled agriculturists of the plains and the Paharis of the hills.
  • After the demarcation of Damin-i-Koh, Santhal settlements expanded rapidly.
  • From 40 Santhal villages in the area in 1838, as many as 1,473 villages had come up by 1851.
  • Over the same period, the Santhal population increased from a mere 3,000 to over 82,000.

The correct answer is Employment. 

Key Points

Social life in the new cities

• For the Indian population, the new cities were bewildering places where life always seemed in flux.
• There was a dramatic contrast between extreme wealth and poverty
• Another new class within the towns was the labouring poor or the working class
• Paupers from rural areas flocked to the cities in the hope of employment.
• Hence the correct answer is option 1.
• Some saw cities as places of opportunity; others were attracted by the allure of a different way of life, by the desire to see things they had never seen before.
• To minimize the city's living costs, most male migrants left their families behind in their village homes. 

The correct answer is Iron.

Key Points

The Harappan people were aware of almost all the metals except iron.

• They manufactured gold and silver objects.
• But the use of silver was more common than gold.
•  A large number of silver ornaments, dishes, etc. have been discovered.

Important Points

• Harappan civilization has been dated between 2600 B.C–1900 BC and is one of the oldest civilizations of the world.
• Harappan civilization was discovered in 1920–22 when two of its most important sites were excavated.
• These were Harappa on the banks of the river Ravi and Mohenjodaro on the banks of the Indus.
• The first was excavated by D. R. Sahani and the second by R.D. Bannerji.
• John Marshall was the first scholar to use the term  'Indus Civilization.
• The Indus Valley Civilization belongs to Proto-Historic Period( Chalcolithic Age/ Bronze Age.
• The chief food crops included wheat, barley, sesamum, mustard, peas, jujube, etc
• The Indus Valley Civilization stretched in all direction such as:

Additional Information

• Copper:
  • ​A number of copper tools and weapons have also been discovered.
  • The common tools included an axe, saws, chisels, knives, spearheads and arrowheads. 
  • Copper was brought mainly from Khetri in Rajasthan.
• Gold:
  • ​Gold might have been obtained from the Himalayan riverbeds and South India, and silver from Mesopotamia.

The correct answer is Vijayanagara.

Key Points

• The Amara-nayaka system was a major political innovation of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Most probably many features of this system were derived from the data system of Delhi Sultanate.

Additional Information

• The Nayakas had political aspirations which at times conflicted with the aims of the rulers.
• They were the agents of the rayas.
• They were given territories called amaram to be governed by the rayas.
• Krishnadeva Raya was one of the most successful rulers India has seen.
• He maintained a good army and exploited natural resources and made a big and prosperous empire.
• But after him there, were internal strains among the successors and finally, the empire was ruined by external invaders.

The correct answer is Kabir.

Key Points

• Kabir was one of the most influential saints who lived in the fifteenth-sixteenth century.
• His teachings were based on a complete rejection of major religious traditions.
• The language of his poetry was a form of spoken Hindi understood by ordinary people.
• He also used cryptic language sometimes which is difficult to follow.
• Kabir's principal means of communication were songs called padas and rhymed couplets called dohas.
• Kabir believed in a formless Supreme God and preached that the only path to salvation was through bhakti or devotion.

 Thus, we can say that Kabir wrote poetry in spoken Hindi.

The correct answer is Colin Mackenzie.

Key Points

• Colin Mackenzie was appointed as the first Surveyor General of India in 1815.
  • In 1815, Colin Mackenzie was appointed as the first Surveyor General of India.
  • He holds this post from 1815 to 1821.
  • The Surveyor General of India is the Head of the Department of Survey of India, a Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of India.

Additional Information

• Thomas Hickey was an Irish painter. Born in Dublin, Hickey was the son of Noah, a confectioner in Capel Street, and Anne Hickey.
  • A younger brother was John Hickey, the sculptor.
  • He was trained at the Royal Dublin Society Schools under Robert West.
  • Hickey painted primarily portraits and genre scenes.
• Henry Walpole (1558 – 7 April 1595) was an English Jesuit martyr, executed at York for refusing to take the Oath of Supremacy.
• Colonel Colin Mackenzie CB (1754–8 May 1821) was a Scottish army officer in the British East India Company who later became the first Surveyor General of India.
  • He was a collector of antiquities and an orientalist.
  • He surveyed southern India, making use of local interpreters and scholars to study religion, oral histories, inscriptions, and other evidence, initially out of personal interest, and later as a surveyor.
  • He was ordered to survey the Mysore region shortly after the British victory over Tipu Sultan in 1799 and produced the first maps of the region along with illustrations of the landscape and notes on archaeological landmarks.
  • He was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 4 June 1815.

The correct answer is Stone bull of Rampurva.

Key Points

• Rashtrapati Bhavan houses the magnificent third century B.C. sandstone capital of the Ashokan Pillar known as the Rampurva Bull.
• It gets the name from the site of its discovery, Rampurva in Bihar.
• The Rampurva Bull is mounted on a pedestal between the central pillars at the Forecourt entrance of the Rashtrapati Bhavan

​Additional Information

• Mauryan Court Art
  • During the Mauryan era, the excellent stone sculpture comes into full being all at once.
  • The stone was now used all over the country for sculpture as well as architecture.
  • Further, the bright polish was imparted to the stone surface during the Mauryan era.
  • Mauryan art is notable for a bright mirror-like polish as well as a huge variety of its creations.
  • This art is visible in stone pillars, railings, parasols, capitals, animal and human sculptures, and several other motifs besides.
• Examples of Mauryan Court Art
  • Lion Capital at Sarnath
  • Pillar at Vaishali
  • Asoka Pillar at Allahabad
  • Pillars at Lauriya-Areraj and Lauriya-Nandangarh

The correct answer is option 4.

Key Points

 Mahanavami Dibba

• Mahanavami Dibba is not the largest structure in the Hampi area and hence the first thing you would notice as you enter the Royal Enclosure. statement 4 is not correct.
• It is located on the highest points in the city of Hampi. Hence, statement 3 is correct 
• The “king’s palace” is the largest of the enclosures but has not yielded definitive evidence of being a royal residence.
• The structure of Mahanavami Dibba contains carvings that reveal Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese connections to the Vijayanagara empire.
• The “Mahanavami Dibba” is a massive platform rising from a base of about 11,000 sq. ft to a height of 40 ft. There is evidence that it supported a wooden structure.
• From a distance, this looks like an ordinary elevated square stage. As you go close, the details emerge. The whole structure is made as a giant square structure in three layers.
• King Krishnadevaraya constructed this in commemoration of the victory over Udaygiri (now in Orissa). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Archaeologists believe that this platform had undergone systematic enhancements by successive kings who came into power.
• It was used for ritual purposes by the kings of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• The king used this platform to watch the army march-pasts, war games, aquatic sports, shows of the royal animals, musical performances and also the most important Navarathri celebrations, the nine day-nine night state festival. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

• Trade and commerce flourished under the Cholas. Trade was carried on with West Asia and China and South-east Asia. Trade with China reached unprecedented volume during these centuries. Foreign trade provided an additional incentive to an already developing local market.
• There existed a brisk internal trade in several articles carried on by the organized mercantile corporations in various parts of the country. The metal industries and the jewelry art had reached a high degree of excellence. The manufacture of sea salt was carried on under government supervision and control.
• Trade was carried on by merchants organized in guilds. The guilds described sometimes by the terms nanadesis were a powerful autonomous corporation of merchants which visited different countries in the course of their trade.
• They had their own mercenary army for the protection of their merchandise. There were also local organizations of merchants called "nagaram" in big centers of trade like Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram.

Key Points

Commercial Town Nagaram

• Nagaram were commercial towns inhabited by Merchants such as Chettis (general merchants), Sankarappadiyars (oil merchant) and artisans like Saliyars (weaver), and Tattars (goldsmiths).
• During the Chola period most of Nagaram were identified by the suffix ‘puram’ (a fortified town), which was usually attached to the king’s name as Kulottunga-cholapuram, Rajendra-sivapuram and Mummudi-cholapuram.
• Nagaram is a commercial town involved in a more market-oriented exchange of goods and services in the Chola domain. It also involved in collection of taxes on commercial transactions and established the rules and regulations for its community of exchange, dominating trade within the nadu unit of the Chola polity.
• The Nagaram was a body of merchants which actively participated in the trade and commerce of medieval south India. It was essentially an administrative unit of the merchant community specializing in the field of commerce and industry especially in big and small towns.
• The members of the Nagaram were generally known by several names such as Nagarattar, Nagara-karanattar and Nagara Madhyasta. They had a large measure of control over trade settlements, within the locality of the area to which they belong.
• It was an important commercial centre as well as a religious centre, attracted and nourished several religious beliefs, both Brahmanical and heretical.

The correct answer is All of the above.​Key Points

• According to the Shastras, only Kshatriyas could be kings.
  • Their functions were to ‘ engage in warfare, protect people and administer justice.
  • But the kings in early states were not invariably Kshatriyas.
• Several important ruling lineages probably had different origins as mentioned below :
  • Regarding the Mauryas, the Buddhist texts suggested they were Kshatriyas but Brahmanical texts described them as being of “low” origin. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • The Shungas and Kanvas were Brahmanas. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • The Shakas who came from Central Asia were regarded as mlechchhas, barbarians, or outsiders by the Brahmanas.
  • The best-known ruler of the Satavahana dynasty, Gotami-puta Siri-Satakani, claimed to be both a unique Brahmana and a destroyer of the pride of Kshatriyas. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• Thus, it appears that political power was effectively open to anyone who could muster:
  • support and resources, and rarely depended on birth as a Kshatriya.

Guru Gobind Singh, born Gobind Rai on 22 December 1666 Patna Sahib,(present-day Patna, Bihar, India).

• The education of Guru Gobind Singh continued after he became the 10th Guru.

Important Points

• After his father's Death Guru Tegh Bahadur, He was formally installed as the leader of the Sikhs at the age of nine, then he becoming the tenth and final human Sikh Guru.
• His notable contributions to Sikhism are founding the Sikh warrior community called Khalsa in 1699.
• He also announced a code of discipline for Khalsa warriors.
• Guru Gobind Singh had deep respect for the Khalsa, and stated that there is no difference between the True Guru and the sangat (panth).
•  He introducing the Five ks, They are: kesh , kangha , kara , kachera and kirpan. These five articles of faith that Khalsa Sikhs wear at all time.

Thus, we can conclude that the founder of Khalsa Panth was Guru Gobind Singh.

Additional Information

• ​​​​Guru Nanak (1469-1539) was one of the greatest religious innovators of all time and the founder of the Sikh religion.​​
• Guru Arjun Dev Founding Taran Taran Sahib city,Founding Kartarpur, Jalandhar city.
• Guru Tegh Bahadur was the Founder of Anandpur Sahib.​

The correct answer is Later Vedic.

Key Points

• The institution of gotra appeared in the later Vedic age.
• It means the “cow pen” or the place where cattle belonging to the whole clan is kept, but over time, it signified descent from a common ancestor.
• No marriage could take place between persons belonging to the same gotra or having the same ancestor.
• Caste exogamy was widely practised. 
• Gotras were named after legendary seers like Kashyapa, Bharadvaja, Gautama, Bhrigu, among others.

Important Points

​The correct answer is UNESCO.

Key Points

• Hampi was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
• Hampi is the 14th century (around 1500 AD) capital of the Vijayanagar Empire, located in the Tungabhadra basin in Bellary District, Central Karnataka.
• In 1986, Hampi was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
• Temples of Hampi are noted for their large dimensions, florid ornamentation, bold and delicate carvings, and stately pillars which include subjects from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
• The majority of these temples in Hampi were provided with widespread bazaars flanked on either side by storied Mandapas.

Additional Information

• Hampi is located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River. Famous for its massive, beautifully carved temples, Hampi tells the stories of its existing structures. Many a visitor climbs atop the Matangaparvata and gets a glimpse of Hampi and its environs.
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is about to install a wooden barricade around the stone chariot inside the Vittala Temple complex at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Hampi to protect it from damage.
• The Vittala Temple is among the most-visited and the most photographed-protected monuments at Hampi.
• The Mahanavami Dibba, a variety of ponds and tanks, and the row of pillared Mandapas are some of the important architectural remains of Hampi.

The correct answer is option 3.

Key Points 

Settlement and segregation in Madras

• Chintadripet was an area meant for weavers.
• Washermanpet was a colony of dyers and bleachers of cloth.
• Royapuram was a settlement for Christian boatmen who worked for the Company.
• Madras developed by incorporating innumerable surrounding villages and by creating opportunities and spaces for a variety of communities.
• Several different communities came and settled in Madras, performing a range of economic functions.
• The dubashes were Indians who could speak two languages the local language and English. 
• Hence the correct answer is option 3.
• They worked as agents and merchants, acting as intermediaries between Indian society and the British.
• They used their privileged position in government to acquire wealth.
• Their powerful position in society was established by their charitable works and patronage of temples in the Black Town.
• Pet is a Tamil word meaning settlement, while Puram is used for a village.

The Bhakti movement refers to the theistic devotional trend that emerged in medieval India.

Important Points

The name of Pandharpur is associated with a local God named Vitthal.

• Devotees used to worship Vitthal here.
• Vitthal was considered the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
• Nowadays thousands of people travel on foot to Pandharpur every year.
• The thoughts of these saints are still alive in society.
• Till now people go for pilgrimage to the places related to devotional movement. 

Thus, we can say that the statement 'Devotees used to worship Shiva in Pandharpur' is False.

Additional Information

• Meerabai is most important among devotee saints of Rajasthan.
  • She devoted her life to the worship of Lord Krishna.
  • While dancing in Dwarika in front of the idol of Ranchhod Ji in the devotion of Lord Krishna, she left the world.
• One of the devotional saints Andal is called Meera of South.
  • Thirupwai composed by Andal is sung even today.
  • Andal was born in the 8th century.
• Saint Ramanand is considered a pioneer of the Bhakti movement in North India.

• Colonel Colin Mackenzie was Engineer and cartographer. He prepared the first survey map of the Hampi site.
• He was an employee of East India Company and appointed as the first Surveyor-General of India in 1815.

Additional details about other historians is given in the following table:

The correct answer is Gold coins.

Key Points

• The biggest number of coins issued during the Gupta period are Gold coins.
• Chandragupta first was the first Gupta ruler who issued golden coins.
• The Indian deities were depicted on these coins.
• On the coins, events like the Asvamedha Yagya and the rulers' achievements were portrayed.

The correct answer is Brahmins.

Additional Information

• In the 'Agrahara system' land was granted to Brahmins.
• An Agrahara was normally excused from paying land revenue and other dues to the king.
• Agrahara was sometimes given the authority to collect taxes from the local people.
• Agraharam, Ghatoka, Boya and Chaturvedimangalams are other name of Agrahara.

The correct answer is Hampi.

Key Points

• Virupaksha Temple
  • It is located at Hampi in Karnataka.
  • It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986 under Cultural Heritage.
  • It was built under the rule of Deva Raya-II (1424–1446 AD) of the Vijayanagara empire.
  • The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.
  • It is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra river.
  • It was made in the Dravidian Style of temple making.

​

Important Points

•  Hampi
  • ​It is also known as Pampa Kshetra, Kishkindha kshetra, and Bhaskara kshetra.
  • It is the 14th-century capital of the Vijayanagar Empire.
  • It is located in the Tungabhadra basin in Bellary District, Karnataka.
  • Famous temples in Hampi are the Virupaksha temple, Krishna temple, Achyutaraya temple, Vitthala temple, Hemakuta hill monuments, and Hazara Rama temple.

Additional Information

• Shore Temple
  • ​It is located in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
  • It is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.
  • The construction of the Shore temple was started by the Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman II.
• Brihadeshwar Temple (1010 AD)
  • It is at the Tanjore, Tamilnadu.
  • It was based on the Dravidian Style of Temple Architecture.
  • It was built by Raja Raja Chola-I of the Chola Dynasty.
• Lingaraj Temple (11th century AD)
  • It is situated in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.
  • It is based on the Nagara Style Temple Architecture.
  • It was a patron architecture of the Kalinga Dynasty.
  • It was built by King Jajati Keshari.

The correct answer is the god of death.

Key Points

• In 'Prayaga Prashasti' Yama is the god of death.
• In 'Prayaga Prashasti' Kubera is the god of wealth.
• In 'Prayaga Prashasti' Varuna is the god of the ocean
• In 'Prayaga Prashasti' Indra is the god of rains.​

Additional Information

• Paryaga Prashasti is also known as Allahabad Prashasti.
• It was composed by Harishena.
• It was in Sanskrit.

The correct answer is the Ryotwari Settlement.

 Important Points

• It is Introduced in Bombay and Madras. Munro(viceroy) and Charles Reed recommended it.
• In this system, a direct settlement was made between the government and the ryot(cultivator).
• The revenue was fixed for a period not exceeding more than 30 years, on the basis of the quality of the soil and the nature of the crop.
• The position of the cultivator became more secure but the rigid system of revenue collection often forced him into the clutches of the moneylender.

 Additional Information

The correct answer is 1861.

Key Points

American Civil War -

• When the American Civil War started in 1861 cotton from the American South stopped coming into the international market.
• Hence the correct answer is option 1.
• This led to an upsurge of demand for Indian cotton, grown primarily in the Deccan.
• Once again Indian merchants and middlemen found an opportunity for earning huge profits.
• In 1869 the Suez Canal was opened and this further strengthened Bombay's links with the world economy.

The correct answer is the land of the Santhals.

Key Points

• The Santhals :
  • They had begun to come into Bengal around the 1780s.
  • Zamindars hired them to reclaim land and expand cultivation, and British officials invited them to settle in the Jangal Mahals.
  • Having failed to subdue the Paharis and transform them into settled agriculturists, the British turned to the Santhals.
  • The Paharias refused to cut forests, resisted touching the plough, and continued to be turbulent.
  • The Santhals appeared to be ideal settlers, clearing forests and ploughing the land with vigour.
  • The Santhals were given land and persuaded to settle in the foothills of Rajmahal.
  • By 1832 a large area of land was demarcated as Damin-i-Koh. This was declared to be the land of the Santhals.
  • They were to live within it, practice plough agriculture, and become settled peasants.
  • After the demarcation of Damin-i-Koh, Santhal settlements expanded rapidly. From 40 Santhal villages in the area in 1838, as many as 1,473 villages had come up by 1851.
  • As cultivation expanded, an increased volume of revenue flowed into the Company’s coffers.

Important Points

• The Santhal Revolt (1855-56) : (Asked in UPSC Prelims and CAPF Exam)
  • The state was levying heavy taxes on the land that the Santhals had cleared,
  • Moneylenders (dikus) were charging them high rates of interest and taking over the land when debts remained unpaid, and
  • zamindars were asserting control over the Damin area.  
  • By the 1850s, the Santhals felt that the time had come to rebel against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state, in order to create an ideal world for themselves where they would rule.
  • Sidhu Manjhi, the leader of the Santhal rebellion
  • It was after the Santhal Revolt (1855-56) that the Santhal Pargana was created, carving out 5,500 square miles from the districts of Bhagalpur and Birbhum.
  • The colonial state hoped that by creating a new territory for the Santhals and imposing some special laws within it, the Santhals could be conciliated.

The correct answer is Dadabhai Naoroji.

• Dadabhai Naoroji was a businessman and publicist settled in London, and also a member of the British Parliament for some time.
• Dadabhai Naoroji was born in Bombay, British India.
• He formed the London India Society in 1865 to put forth views on Indian political, social and literary subjects.
• He also founded the East India Association in 1866.
• He also became a member of the Legislative Council of Mumbai during 1885 - 1888.
• He was the first Asian to become a British MP when he was elected to the House of Commons in 1892.
• He authored 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’ in which he talked about the drain of wealth out of India created by the British rule.
• He was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1886, 1893, and 1906.

The correct answer is 1, 2 and 3.​

Key Points

• Jotedars:
  • Jotedars were "wealthy peasants" who comprised one layer of social strata in agrarian Bengal during Company rule in India.
  • Jotedars owned relatively extensive tracts of land; their land tenure status stood in contrast to those of under-ryots and bargadars (sharecroppers), who were landless or land-poor. Hence, pair 2 is correctly matched.
• Ijaradars:
  • Ijaradars were revenue farmers during the Mughal period. Hence, pair 3 is correctly matched.
  • During the beginning of British rule in Bengal, the East India Company arrived at the revenue settlement called the Permanent settlements with the Ijaradars.
  • The 'Ijaradars' during the British rule, were tasked with collecting revenue from farmers and paying a fixed sum to the government. 
• Amils– Revenue officers. Hence, pair 1 is correctly matched.
• Arz-i-mamalik– Minister-in-charge of the army of the whole country.
• Ahl-i-qalam– Reporter
• Baqqal– Trader, grain-dealer

The correct answer is Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Important Points

• Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar took the challenge and performed the first widow remarriage in Kolkata on 7 December 1856 on his own dime.
• Vidyasagar vigorously fought against child marriage, defended women’s right to education.
• The draft of the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, 1856 was prepared by Lord Dalhousie and passed by Lord Canning.
• At the time of implementation of this Widow Remarriage Act 1856; the Governor-General of India was Lord Canning.
• Before this law, the custom of Sati was also abolished by Lord William Bentinck in 1829.

Additional Information

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy
  • He was the founder and editor of two vernacular weekly newspapers viz. Sambad Kaumudi (in Bengali) and Mirat-ul-Akhbar (in the Persian language).
  • Raja Ram Mohan Roy, 'the father of Indian renaissance', the founder of 'Brahmo Samaj' and the man who tirelessly fought against the social evils prevailing in the Indian society.
  • Roy was the one who pioneered western education in India.
  • He established the Brahmo Samaj on August 20, 1828, which acted against the evil practices that existed in the Hindu society, especially, the practice of ‘Sati’.
• Swami Dayanand
  • Arya Samaj was founded by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in 1875.
  • He translated the Vedas and wrote three books: Satyartha Prakash, Veda Bhasya Bhumika, and Veda Bhasya.
  • He gave the slogan “ Go back to Vedas”. 
  • Dayananda Anglo Vedic (D.A.V) schools were established based on his philosophy and teachings.
• Keshav Chandra Sen
  • Keshab Chandra Sen founded the Brahmo Samaj of India in 1866.

The correct answer is ​F.W. Stevens.

Key Points 

Victoria Terminus Railway Station 

• The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) is located in Mumbai in the Western Part of India touching the shores of the Arabian Sea.
• This building, designed by F. W. Stevens, is spread across a 2.85-hectare area.
• The terminal was built over a period of 10 years starting in 1878.
• The Victoria Terminus Railway Station was designed by F.W. Stevens.
• Hence the correct answer is option 2.
• The most spectacular example of the neo-Gothic style is the Victoria Terminus, the station and headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway Company.
• The Municipal Corporation Building, Bombay, designed by F. W. Stevens in 1888 Notice the fusion of Oriental and Gothic designs.

The correct answer is the Junagadh rock inscription.

Key Points

• Rudradaman renovates the Sudarshan lake describe in the Junagadh rock inscription.
• Junagadh rock inscription is also known as the Girnar rock inscription of Rudradaman.
• Junagadh rock inscription is written in the Sanskrit language.
• Sudarshan lake was built by Mauryan ruler Chandragupta Maurya in the 4th Century BC.
• Due to a terrible storm during the reign of Rudradaman, the embankments of Sudarshan lake were broken and water gushed out of the lake.

The correct answer is Fort St. George.

Key Points

• Fort St. George (historically, White Town)  was built by the East India Company in 1640 in Chennai.
• This is considered the first fort constructed by the British in India.
• The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land.
• The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and other official buildings.

Important Points

• Thalassery Fort at Kannur established by the East India Company is a historical monument that stands as a testimonial of colonial rule in Kerala. Established in 1683.
• Mahim Fort is a fort in Mumbai. It is one of the ancient forts, which became a happening place with the entry of the colonialists into India.
• Sewri Fort is a fort in Mumbai built by the British in 1680 for defence.
• Today, it is a Grade I heritage structure that offers wonderful views of the flamingo migration at serwi mudflats.

The correct answer is Communal Award.

Key Points

• Poona Pact was signed by Dr. B R Ambedkar on 24 September 1932.
• The Poona Pact provided for the abandoning of the idea of separate electorates for the depressed classes.
• The Poona Pact was accepted by the British authorities as an amendment to the Communal Award.
• It gave nearly 147 seats to the depressed classes in provincial legislatures as opposed to 71 seats given by the Communal Award.  

• The National Anthem of India was adopted by the constituent assembly on 24th January 1950.
• It was first sung on 27 December 1911 in the Kolkata session of INC( Indian National Congress).
• Composed by: Poet Rabindranath Tagore.

Key Points

• The National Flag of the Indian Union was adopted on 22 July 1947.
• The National Anthem of the Indian Union was adopted on 24 January 1950.
• The Constitution was passed and adopted by the assembly on 26 November 1949.

Additional Information 

Important facts about the Constituent Assembly

• In 1934, M N Roy first proposed the idea of a constituent assembly.
• The demand was taken up by the Congress Party in 1935 as an official demand.
• The British accepted this in the August Offer of 1940.
• Under the Cabinet Mission plan of 1946, elections were held for the formation of the constituent assembly.
• The members of this assembly were elected indirectly, that is by the members of the provincial assemblies by the method of a single transferable vote of proportional representation
• The constituent assembly was formed for the purpose of writing a constitution for independent India
• Initially, the number of members was 389.
• After partition, some of the members went to Pakistan and the number came down to 299.
• Out of this, 229 were from the British provinces and 70 were nominated from the princely states.
• Dr Sachchidananda Sinha was the first temporary chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
• Later, Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected as the President and its Vice President was Harendra Coomar Mookerjee.
• The assembly first met on 9 December 1946.
• On 13 December 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the ‘Objective Resolution.
• The National Flag of the Union was adopted on 22 July 1947
• On 24 January 1950, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was adopted as the national anthem
• The final document had 22 parts, 395 articles and 8 schedules.
• The assembly had met for 11 sessions
• The last session was held during 14 – 26 November 1949.
• The constitution was passed and adopted by the assembly on 26 November 1949.
• The constitution came into force on 26 January 1950 (which is celebrated as Republic Day).

The correct answer is Physician.

Francis Buchanan:

• He was often referred to as Francis Buchanan-Hamilton.
• He was a Scottish physician.
• He came to India between 1794-1815.
• He was appointed surgeon to the Governor-General of India, Lord Wellesley.
• In 1814, Buchanan was appointed Superintendent of the Botanical Gardens in Calcutta.

The correct answer is Distributing the revenue demand (Jama) over villages.

• The zamindars were responsible for distributing the revenue demand (Jama) over villages. Hence option 2 is not done by Jotedars.
• Jotedars were a class of wealthy peasants in Bengal.
  • They were considered to be on the top at the hierarchy level. Although the zamindars were above Jotedars in social status, the Jotedars exercised full command and authority over the villages and its people by virtue of having large landholdings.
  • They had full control over the local trade and moneylending and often resisted the efforts by zamindars to increase the Jama of the village.
  • They eventually weakened the zamindari authority.

The correct answer is Rowlatt Satyagraha.

• Rowlatt Satyagraha organized by Mahatma Gandhi led to the first all-India struggle against the British Government.

Key Points

• Rowlatt Satyagraha was in response to the British government enacting the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919, popularly known as the Rowlatt Act.
• Gandhiji called for a countrywide campaign against the Rowlatt Act.
• Rowlatt Act
  • This act was passed on the recommendations of the Sedition Committee chaired by Sir Sidney Rowlatt.
  • This act had been hurriedly passed in the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members.
  • It gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.
• Response to Gandhi's Call
  • ​Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws, which would start with a hartal on 6 April 1919.
  • But before it could be launched, there were large-scale violent, anti-British demonstrations in Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi, Ahmedabad,' Especially in Punjab, the situation became explosive due to wartime repression, forcible recruitments, and ravages of disease.
  • In towns across North and West India, life came to a standstill, as shops shut down and schools closed in response to the bandh call.
  • During the intense anti-British demonstrations, Punjab also witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

Additional Information

• Gandhiji broke “the salt law” at Dandi shore By conducting the historic Dandi Salt March.
  • Gandhi inaugurated The Civil Disobedience Movement from his Sabarmati Ashram.
  • Gandhi ceremonially violated the law, manufacturing salt by boiling seawater by reaching Dandi on 6th April 1930.
• The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India and is considered a historically important rebellion in the Indian Freedom Struggle.
  • It was a farmer's uprising that took place in the Champaran district of Bihar, India, during the British colonial period.
• The Kheda Satyagraha of 1918, in the Kheda district of Gujarat, India during the period of the British Raj, is a Satyagraha movement organized by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
  • It was a major revolt in the Indian independence movement.
  • It was the second Satyagraha movement after Champaran Satyagraha.

The correct answer is December 1916.

Key Points

The Lucknow Pact 

• The Lucknow Pact of December 1916 was an understanding between the Congress and Muslim League.
• Congress accepted electorates.
• The Lucknow Pact was an agreement reached between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League (AIML) at a joint session of both the parties held in Lucknow in December 1916.
• Through the pact, the two parties agreed to allow representation to religious minorities in the provincial legislatures.
• The pact was signed at the annual sessions held by both the parties to put forth the common political rules including the demands of the ‘Self Governance’ of India after the war.
• Mohammed Ali Jinnah, a member of both the parties had suggested in the session to put pressure on the Britishers the liberalization of the country and allow its citizens to run their own country.
• Due to this, there arose a friendly relationship between the Indian National Congress and the All India Muslim League.
• Therefore Mohammed Ali Jinnah was given the title of, ‘Ambassador of Hindu Muslim Unity’ by the nightingale of India, Sarojini Naidu.

The correct answer is Raja Ram Mohan Roy.

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828.

Key Points

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy:
  • Akbar-II gave Raja Rammohan Roy the title of Raja.
  • He is also called the Father of the Indian Renaissance.
  • He founded Atmiya Sabha in Calcutta in 1815 AD, which was named Brahmo Sabha and finally Brahmo Samaj in 1828 AD.
  • He wrote books like Mirat-Ul-Akbar, Sambad Kaumudi and Percepts of Jesus.
  • The motive of Brahmo Samaj was to purify Hinduism and to preach monotheism.
  • They did campaign against idolatry, caste rigidities, meaningless rituals and other social ills.

Additional Information

• Swami Dayanand Saraswati:
  • He founded the Arya Samaj in the year 1875.
  • He wrote Satyarth Prakash.
  • He gave the slogan "Back to the Vedas".
• Keshav Chandra Sen:
  • Keshab Chandra Sen founded the Brahmo Samaj of India in 1866.
• Swami Vivekananda:
  • His real name was Narendranath Dutt.
  • He established Ramakrishna Mission after the death of his guru Rama Krishna Paramahansa in 1897 AD.

The correct answer is Kesari.

• Kesari was written by Lokmanya Tilak during the Indian National Movement.

Key Points

• Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
  • He launched two newspapers–the Kesari (in Marathi) and the Maratha (in English).
  • He organized Ganpati Festival (1893 AD) and Shivaji Festival (1895 AD).
  • He was deported to Mandalay Jail (Burma) for writing seditious articles.
  • He started the Home Rule League in 1916 AD.
  • He wrote Gita Rahasya.
  • Tilak asserted: ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it’.
  • He was awarded the title of Lokmanya.
  • He was called ‘Bal’, Lala Lajpat Rai was called ‘Lal’ and Bipin Chandra Pal was called ‘Pal’.
  • He was a part of the trio of ‘Lal-Bal- Pal’
  • He wrote the books The Arctic Home of Vedas and Gita Rahasya.

Additional Information

• Yugantar Patrika was a Bengali newspaper founded in Calcutta by Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Abhinash Bhattacharya and Bhupendranath Dutt in the year 1906.
• The Bengalee newspaper was founded by Girish Chandra Ghosh.
• Amrita Bazar Patrika was founded by Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh.

The Correct Answer is Lucknow.

Key Points

• In 1936, Jawaharlal Nehru declared at the Lucknow Session of Indian National Congress that the solution to India's problems lay in the adoption of socialist ideas.
• The Lucknow session of 1936 was held from April 12-14 and was presided by Jawaharlal Nehru.
• In that session, he urged the congressmen to adopt socialism.
• The demand for the Constitution of the Constituent Assembly laid by the Indian National Congress in 1936.
• According to him adoption of Socialism and abolishment of capitalism must be the goal of Indian People.

Quit India Movement:

• The Quit India Resolution was ratified at the Congress meeting at Gowalia Tank, Bombay, on August 8, 1942.
• The movement gave the slogans ‘Quit India’ or ‘Bharat Chodo’. Gandhi gave the slogan to the people – ‘Do or die’.

The Objectives:

• Demand an immediate end to British rule in India. Hence, option B is correct.
• Declared commitment of free India to defend itself against all types of Fascism and imperialism.
• Condemning Partition of Bengal was the objective of the Swadeshi Movement,1905. Hence, option A is not correct.
• Supporting Khilafat Movement was the objective of the Non-Cooperation Movement launched in 1920. Hence, option C is not correct.
• Boycott the Round Table Conferences was one of the objectives of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Hence, option D is not correct.

The correct answer is Sabarmati.

• Mahatma Gandhi started the Salt March on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati.

Important Points

• The Salt March, also known as Dandi March was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience led by Mahatma Gandhi against the salt tax by the British government in India.
• The march began on 12 March 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram and lasted on 6 April 1930 at Dandi. 

Additional Information

• The Champaran Satyagraha of 1917 was the first Satyagraha movement led by Gandhi in India.
  • It was against the imposed indigo cultivation by the British power.
• Sevagram is located near Wardha in Maharashtra.
  • Mahatma Gandhi established his ashram at Sevagram in 1936.
  • The ashram employed some Harijans in the common kitchen to break the caste barrier.
• Santiniketan was originally an ashram built by Debendranath Tagore.
  • Debendranath was the father of the Poet, Rabindranath and was also known as Maharshi.
  • Santiniketan was expanded by Rabindranath Tagore and it became a university town after Visva Bharati was established.
  • Rabindranath Tagore wrote many of his literary classics at Santiniketan.

The correct answer is Montague-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919.

Key Points

• Montague-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 is also called as Government of India Act 1919.
• Montague was the secretary of state for India and Chelmsford was the viceroy of India during the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms 1919.
• Montague-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 introduced dyarchy in provinces by dividing the provincial subjects into transferred and reserved.
  • It also introduced bicameralism and direct election for the first time in India.
  • It provided the right to vote for women in India.
  • It provided for the establishment of a public service commission which was set up in 1926.
  • It extended the principle of communal representation by providing a separate electorate for Sikhs, Indian Christians, Anglo Indians, and Europeans.

Additional Information

• Indian Councils Act of 1892 increases the number of additional members in the central and provincial legislative councils.
  • It increased the functions of legislative councils and gave them the power of discussing the budget and addressing questions to the executive.
• Minto- Morley Reforms of 1909 is also called as Indian council Act 1909.
  • Morley was the secretary of state for India and Minto was the viceroy of India during the Minto- Morley Reforms of 1909.
  • It provided for the association of Indians with the executive councils of viceroy and governors for the first time.
• The Government of India Act of 1935 is also called the blueprint of the Indian constitution.
  • The act abolished dyarchy in the provinces and introduced provincial autonomy in its place.
  • The act introduced dyarchy at the center.
  • The act laid the foundation of democracy in India.