McqMate
These multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are designed to enhance your knowledge and understanding in the following areas: General Knowledge (GK) .
| 51. |
The university which became famous in the post-Gupta Era was: |
| A. | Kanchi |
| B. | Taxila |
| C. | Nalanda |
| D. | Vallabhi |
| Answer» C. Nalanda | |
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Explanation: Nalanda was an ancient centre of higher learning in Bihar, which was a Buddhist centre of learning from the fifth or sixth century A.D. to 1197 CE. Nalanda flourished between the reign of the Sakraditya (whose identity is uncertain and who might have been either Kumara Gupta I or Kumara Gupta II) and 1197 supported by patronage from the Hindu Gupta A.D, HISTORY well as Buddhist emperors like Harsha and later emperors from the Pala Empire |
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| 52. |
The Social System of the Harappans was: |
| A. | Fairly egalitarian |
| B. | Slave-Labour based |
| C. | Colour (Varna) based |
| D. | Caste based |
| Answer» A. Fairly egalitarian | |
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Explanation: The archaeological record of the Indus civilization provides practically no evidence of armies, kings, slaves, social conflict, prisons, and other oftnegative traits that we traditionally associated with early civili zations. If there were neither slaves nor kings, a more egalitarian system of governance may have been practiced. Besides, compared to other ancient civilizations the houses were of nearly equal size indicating a more egalitarian social structure i.e. The Social System of the Harappans was fairly egalitarian. |
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| 53. |
Which of the following Vedas provides information about the civilization of the Early Vedic Age? |
| A. | Rig-veda |
| B. | Yajur-veda |
| C. | Atharva-veda |
| D. | Sama-veda |
| Answer» A. Rig-veda | |
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Explanation: The Vedic period (or Vedic age) was a period in history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. The time span of the period is uncertain. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas, was composed roughly between 1700 and 1100 BCE s the early Vedic period. It is an important source of information on the Vedic religion and their Gods as well as presents a detailed account of the life of the people at that time. |
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| 54. |
Where is 'Brihadeshwar Temple' situated? |
| A. | Kanchi |
| B. | Madurai |
| C. | Shri Shailan |
| D. | Tanjore |
| Answer» D. Tanjore | |
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Explanation: The Brihadeshwar Temple at Thanjavur (Tanjore) in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva and a brilliant example of the major heights achieved by Cholas in Tamil architecture It is a tribute and a reflection of the power of its patron Raja Raja Chola I. It remains India's largest temple and is one of the greatest glories of Indian architecture. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Great Living Chola Temp. |
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| 55. |
In Tamil literature the glorious books 'Shilppadikaram and Manimekhalai' are related to - |
| A. | Jainism |
| B. | Buddhism |
| C. | Hindusim |
| D. | Christianity |
| Answer» B. Buddhism | |
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Explanation: Shilppadikaram is one of the five Great Epic cording to later Tamil literary tradition, the others being Manimegalai, Civaka Cintamani, Valayapathi and Kundalakesi. The poet prince Ilango Adigal is credited with this work. He is reputed to be the brother of Senguttuvan from Chera dynasty. Ilango Adigal was a Buddhist monk and Silappadhikaram and Manimekalai are Buddhist epics. Manimekalai, a purely Buddhist work of the 3rd Sangam period in Tamil literature is the most supreme and famous among the Buddhistork done in Tamil. It is a work expounding the doctrines and propagating the values of Buddhism. It also talks about the Tamil Buddhists in the island. (Source L. Basam Page No. 475). |
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| 56. |
Who was the author of the Kadambari, a great romantic play? |
| A. | Banabhatta |
| B. | Harshavardhana |
| C. | Baskaravardhana |
| D. | Bindusara |
| Answer» A. Banabhatta | |
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Explanation: Kadambari is a romantic novel in Sanskrit. It was substantially composed by Banabhatta in the first half of the 7th century, who did not survive to see it through completion. The novel was completed by Banabhatta's son Bhushanabhatta, according to the plan laid out by his late father. It is conventionally divided into Purvabhaga (earlier part) written by Banabhatta and Uttarabhaga (latter part) by Bhushanabhatta. |
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| 57. |
During which Gupta King's reign did the Chinese traveler Fa-hien visit India? |
| A. | Chandra Gupta I |
| B. | Samudra Gupta |
| C. | Chandra GuptaI |
| D. | Kumara Gupta |
| Answer» C. Chandra GuptaI | |
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Explanation: Chandragupta II The Great (was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire in northern India. His rule spanned c. 380-413/415 CE, during which the Gupta Empire achieved its zenith, art, a chitecture, and sculpture flourished, and the cultural development of ancient India reached its climax. Faxsien was the first of three great Chinese pilgrims who visited India from the fifth to the seventh centuries CE, in search of knowledge, manuscripts and relics. Faxian arrived during the reign of Chand gupta II and gave a general description of North India at that time. Among the other things, he reported about the absence of capital punishment, the lack of a polltax and land tax. Most citizens did not consume noions, garlic, meat, and wine. |
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| 58. |
Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of - |
| A. | Chandragupta I |
| B. | Chandragupta I |
| C. | Harshavardhana |
| D. | Rudradaman |
| Answer» C. Harshavardhana | |
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Explanation: It was during Harsha's reign that Hiuen Tsang came to India. He has given a vivid description of the social, economic and religious conditions, under the rule of Harsha spoke highly of the king. |
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| 59. |
Which one of the following was the last Buddhist text produced In India? |
| A. | Divya Vandana, |
| B. | Dohakosa |
| C. | Vajrachedika |
| D. | Vamsathapakasini |
| Answer» D. Vamsathapakasini | |
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Explanation: Vamsathapakasini is among the last Buddhist texts produced in India. It gives us information about the origin of the Mauryas. |
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| 60. |
The famous Kailasanath Temple at Kanchi was built by - |
| A. | Mahendravarman I |
| B. | Narasimhavarman II |
| C. | Nandivarman II |
| D. | Dantivarman |
| Answer» B. Narasimhavarman II | |
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Explanation: The Kailasanath temple is the oldest temple of Kanchipuram. It was built by the Pallavas in the early 8th century CE. This temple was built by Pallava King Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimhan), and is also called Rajasimha Pallaveswaram. |
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| 61. |
'Kalibangan' is situated in - |
| A. | Uttar Pradesh |
| B. | Sindh |
| C. | Rajasthan |
| D. | Gujarat |
| Answer» C. Rajasthan | |
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Explanation: Kalibangan is a town located on the left or southern banks of the Ghaggar (Ghaggar-Hakra River), identified by some scholars with Sarasvati River in Tehsil Pilibangan, between Suratgarh and Hanumangarh in Hanumangarh district, Rajasthan, near Bikaner. It was a major provincial capital of the Indus Valley Civilization. Kalibangan is distinguished by its unique fire altars and "world's earliest attested ploughed field. |
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| 62. |
'Mahavira' was born in a Kshatriya clan by the name of |
| A. | Shakya |
| B. | Janatrika |
| C. | Mallas |
| D. | Lichhavis |
| Answer» B. Janatrika | |
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Explanation: Born into the Kshatriya (warrior) caste Mahavira's father was chief of the Jnatrika clan, an indigenous oligarchical tribe. Mahavira's tribal affiliation is reflected in one of his later epithets, Nigantha Nataputta, which means literally the naked ascetic of the Jnatrika clan. |
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| 63. |
The Virupaksha Temple was built by the - |
| A. | Chalukyas |
| B. | Pallavas |
| C. | Vakatakas |
| D. | Satavahanas |
| Answer» A. Chalukyas | |
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Explanation: The Virupaksha Temple is located in Hampi near Bangalore, in the state of Karnataka in southern India. Virupaksha is a form of Shiva and has other temples dedicated to him. The temple's history is uninterrupted from about the 7th century when it was built by the Chalukyas. Evidence indicates there were additions made to the temple in the late Chalukyan and Hoysala periods, though most of the temple buildings are attributed to the Vijayanagar period. |
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| 64. |
Carving in the famous Ajanta caves was first started during the reign of the - |
| A. | Kadambas |
| B. | Satavahanas |
| C. | Rashtrakutas |
| D. | Marathas |
| Answer» B. Satavahanas | |
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Explanation: The earlier phase of Ajanta falls between third century BCE to second century BC. In this phase just five caves were excavated: Caves 9, 10, 12, 13 and 15A. The region during this time was ruled by the Satavahana dynasty (230 BC-c. 220 A.D). Therefore, they may be called the Satavahana-period caves. This phase is also widely known as the Hinayana phase. |
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| 65. |
The official court language of the Guptas was - |
| A. | Pali |
| B. | Hindi |
| C. | Prakrit |
| D. | Sanskrit |
| Answer» D. Sanskrit | |
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Explanation: The Sanskrit language, once ignored under the Buddhist and Jain influence, was patronized during the Gupta period. It was recognized as the court language and was used in their inscriptions. Gradually it became the lingua franca of India. Some of the well- known scholars who flourished during this period were: Kalidasa, Vishakhadutta, Shudraka, Bharavi Dandin, Subandhu, etc. |
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| 66. |
The famous Kailasa temple cut out of the solid rock at Ellora was built under the patronage of the- |
| A. | Cholas |
| B. | Kadambas |
| C. | Pallavas |
| D. | Rashtrakutas |
| Answer» D. Rashtrakutas | |
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Explanation: Kailashnath Temple is a famous temple, one of the 34 monasteries and temples, known collectively as the Ellora Caves which was built in the 8th century by the Rashtrakuta king Krishna-I. |
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| 67. |
'Purushapura' is the other name for - |
| A. | Patna |
| B. | (3) Peshawar |
| C. | (2) Pataliputra |
| D. | (4) Punjab |
| Answer» B. (3) Peshawar | |
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Explanation: The Kushan king Kanishka, moved the capital from Pushkalavati to Purushapura (Peshawar) in the 2nd century AD. Following this move by the Kushans, Peshawar became a great center of Buddhist learning. |
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| 68. |
Great Stupa at Sanchi is in - |
| A. | Uttar Pradesh |
| B. | Madhya Pradesh |
| C. | Arunachal Pradesh |
| D. | Andhra Pradesh |
| Answer» B. Madhya Pradesh | |
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Explanation: Structure in India and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great in the 3rd century BC. It is located in Raisen District of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Sanchi is the location of several Buddhist monuments dating from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD. |
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| 69. |
The year of accession of Kanish ka to throne was: |
| A. | 108 AD |
| B. | 78 AD |
| C. | 58 AD |
| D. | 128 AD |
| Answer» B. 78 AD | |
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Explanation: Kanishka was an emperor of the Kushan dynasty (127-151) who ruled an empire extending from Turfan in the Tarim Basin toPataliputra on the Gangetic plain and famous for his military, political, and spiritual achievements. Kanishka's era is believed by many to have begun in 127 AD on the basis of Harry Falk's ground-breaking research. Chinese records of Yuehchi show his coronation as 78 AD. He was the founder of the Saka era which starts from 78 A.D. |
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| 70. |
Ajanta Caves were built during period of - |
| A. | Mauryas |
| B. | Nandas |
| C. | Guptas |
| D. | Cholas |
| Answer» C. Guptas | |
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Explanation: Some coins of the Gupta dynasty throw significant light on the personal events of certain rulers like Samudra Gupta. Some coins depict him playing veena which bears out his love for music. |
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| 71. |
Durin the reign of which Pallava ruler began the long drawn struggle between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas? |
| A. | MahendravarmanI |
| B. | Simhavishnu |
| C. | Narasimhavarman I |
| D. | Mahendravarman II |
| Answer» A. MahendravarmanI | |
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Explanation: During the reign of Mahendravarman I (590-630) began the long drawn out struggle between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas. He was defeated by Pulakesin II and a part of his kingdom was occupied. |
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| 72. |
How many spokes are there in the Dharma Chakra of the National flag? |
| A. | 22 |
| B. | 18 |
| C. | 24 |
| D. | 14 |
| Answer» C. 24 | |
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Explanation: The National Flag of India has design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes. The 24 spokes represent the twelve laws of dependentorigination and the twelve laws of dependent termination. |
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| 73. |
The capital of the 'Ancient Chola kingdom' was - |
| A. | Uraiyur |
| B. | Kaveripoompattinam |
| C. | Thanjavur |
| D. | Madurai |
| Answer» A. Uraiyur | |
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Explanation: The Early Cholas of the pre and post Sangam period (300 BCE-200 CE) were one of the three main kingdoms of the ancient Tamil country. Uraiyur, now Tiruchchirappalli was the ancient capital of the Chola Dynasty. |
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| 74. |
The script of the Indus Valley Civilization is - |
| A. | Kharosthi |
| B. | Undeciphered |
| C. | Brahmi |
| D. | Tamil |
| Answer» B. Undeciphered | |
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Explanation: Although these seals and samples of Indus writing have been floating around the scholastic world close to 70 years, little progress has been made on deciphering this elegant script. The Indus script is an undeciphered script. |
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| 75. |
Who was the contemporary South Indian ruler of Harshavardhana? |
| A. | Krishnadevaraya |
| B. | Pulakeshin II |
| C. | Mayuravarma |
| D. | Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar |
| Answer» B. Pulakeshin II | |
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Explanation: Harshavardhana (606 to 647 AD) and Pulakesin II (610-642 AD) were contemporaries to each other According to the Aihole inscription, Pulakesin of the Chalukyan dynasty defeated Harshavardhana of Kan nauj on the banks of the Narmada. |
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| 76. |
Who is considered founder of the Gupta Empire? |
| A. | Srigupta |
| B. | Samudra Gupta |
| C. | Chandra Gupta I |
| D. | Chandra Gupta II |
| Answer» A. Srigupta | |
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Explanation: The history of the Gupta dynasty begins with its founding by Sri-Gupta around 240 CE. He has been described as Maharaja in edicts. The most likely time for the reign of Sri Gupta is c. 240-280 CE. Chinese traveller I- Tsing mentioned about Sri Gupta in his writings |
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| 77. |
Kautilya's "Arthashastra" mainly deals with: |
| A. | Political state craft |
| B. | Social aspects |
| C. | Economic doctrines |
| D. | Military aspects |
| Answer» A. Political state craft | |
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Explanation: The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on stecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written by Kautilya. It is essentially a book of state and administrative system and deals with the art of government and politics. It is a comprehensive manual on how a state ought to be ruled and administered by a king and his administration. |
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| 78. |
With which religion is Kaivalya associated? |
| A. | Buddhism |
| B. | Jainism |
| C. | Hinduism |
| D. | Sikhism |
| Answer» B. Jainism | |
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Explanation: Kaivalya is the Jain concept of salvation. According to Jainism, all things in existence are divided int two parts Jiva (i.e. living beings having a soul) and Ajiva (non- living things having no soul). The entangle ment of living beings (Jiva) with things not having souls (Ajiva) is a source of all misery. Kaivalya result of a living beings becoming free of this entanglement. |
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| 79. |
The first Buddhist Council was held at |
| A. | Kashmir |
| B. | Rajagriha |
| C. | Pataliputra |
| D. | Vaishali |
| Answer» B. Rajagriha | |
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Explanation: According to the scriptures of all Buddhist schoos the first Buddhist Council was held soon after the death of the Buddha at Rajagriha in Bihar around 400 B.C. It was held under the patronage of king Ajatashatru with the monk Mahakasyapa presiding. Its objective was to preserve the Buddha's sayings suttas) and the monastic discipline or rules (Vinaya). |
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| 80. |
Aryabhatta and Kalidasa were in the court of which Gupta Emperor? |
| A. | Kumara GuptaI |
| B. | Chandra Gupta II |
| C. | Samudra Gupta |
| D. | Skanda Gupta |
| Answer» B. Chandra Gupta II | |
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Explanation: Aryabhata and Kalidasa adorned the court of Gupta ruler Chandragupta II who was also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit writer, who was one of the nine gems of Chandragupta's court. Aryabhata was a mathematician and astronomer whose works include the Aryabhaiya and the Arya-siddhanta. |
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| 81. |
The language in which Buddha preached? |
| A. | Hindi |
| B. | Urdu |
| C. | Pali |
| D. | Hebrew |
| Answer» C. Pali | |
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Explanation: Buddha preached his messages in Pali, the vernacular language spoken then in north India.The language of the ancient Buddhist scriptures was Pali Tripitaka is the collection of the teachings of the Bud dha in the Pali language. It consists of three sections of the Buddha's Teachings: Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pita ka and Abhidhamma Pitaka. |
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| 82. |
Ashoka was a king of which dynasty? |
| A. | Pradyota |
| B. | Haryanka |
| C. | Maurya |
| D. | Nanda |
| Answer» C. Maurya | |
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Explanation: Ashokawas an ancient Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruledalmost all of the Indian sub continent from c.268 to 232 BC. One of India's greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned overthe entire Indian subcontinent except parts of present-day Tamil Nadu Karnataka and Kerala. |
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| 83. |
Who was the founder of the Sat vahana Empire? |
| A. | Kanha |
| B. | Simuka |
| C. | Hala |
| D. | Gautamiputra |
| Answer» B. Simuka | |
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Explanation: Simuka was the founder of the Satavahana Dynasty. He is mentioned as the first king in a list of Roy in a Satavahana inscription at Nanaghat. He lieved to have destroyed the Shunga Power in eccan with the aid of the Rathikas and Bhojaka He reigned for around 23 years and was beheade by his brother Kanha, who succeeded him. |
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| 84. |
One of the following Indus Valley sites is in Pakistan - |
| A. | Lothal |
| B. | Kalibangan |
| C. | Alamgirpur |
| D. | Harappa |
| Answer» D. Harappa | |
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Explanation: Harappa is an archaeological site in Punjab, Pakistan. The site takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi River. Harappa contains the ruins of a Bronze Age fortified city, which was part of the Cemetery H culture and the Indus Valley Civilization, centered in Sindh and the Punjab. |
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| 85. |
Ravikirti, a Jain, who composed the Aihole Prashasti, was patronized by - |
| A. | Pulakeshin I |
| B. | Harsha |
| C. | Pulakeshin II |
| D. | Kharavela |
| Answer» C. Pulakeshin II | |
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Explanation: Ravikirti was the court poet of Chalukya King, pulakesin II who reigned from 610 to 642 A.D. He authored the Aihole inscription at Meguti Temple which describes the defeat of Harshavardhana by Pulakes in IIand the shifting of the capital from Aihole to Badami. |
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| 86. |
Name the famous King of Kushan dynasty. |
| A. | Kanishka |
| B. | Pulakeshin |
| C. | Harsha |
| D. | Vikramaditya |
| Answer» A. Kanishka | |
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Explanation: Kanishka was the most famous emperor of the Kushan dynasty (127-151) who ruled an empire ex tending from Turfan in the Tarim Basin to Pataliputra on the Gangetic plain and famous for his military political, and spiritual achievements. He convened the 4th Buddhist Council in Kashmir and provided en couragement to both the Gandhara school of Greco Buddhist Art and the Mathura school of Hindu art. |
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| 87. |
From which modern State did the Alwar saints originate? |
| A. | Tamil Nadu |
| B. | Kerala |
| C. | Karnataka |
| D. | Maharashtra |
| Answer» A. Tamil Nadu | |
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Explanation: In South India, the Bhakti movement originated in Tamil Nadu sometime afterthe 7th century AD with the Alwars (Vaishnava saints) and the Adiyars (Shaiva saints). |
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| 88. |
Harappa is situated on the bank of the river - |
| A. | Ganga |
| B. | Ravi |
| C. | Yamuna |
| D. | Sindhu |
| Answer» B. Ravi | |
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Explanation: Harappa, is an archaeological site in Punjab, north-east Pakistan, which takes its name from a modern village located near the former course of the Ravi Rier. The two greatest cities, Mohenjodaro and Harappa, emerged circa 2600 BC along the Indus River valley in Punjab and Sindh. |
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| 89. |
Which of the following was the capital of the Chola Kings? |
| A. | Kanchi |
| B. | Tanjore |
| C. | Madurai |
| D. | Trichirapally |
| Answer» B. Tanjore | |
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Explanation: Thanjavur, formerly Tanjore, first rose to promi nence during the reign of the Medieval Cholas when it served as the capital of the Chola empire. After the fall of the Cholas, the city was ruled by various dynasties like Pandyas, Vijayanagar Empire, Madurai ayaks, Thanjavur Nayaks, Thanjavur Marathas and the British. |
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| 90. |
Which of the following option is match? |
| A. | Pallavas - Dravidian |
| B. | Mahabalipuram- Rashtrakuta |
| C. | Meenakshi Temple-Pallavas |
| D. | Khjuraho - Rajput |
| Answer» D. Khjuraho - Rajput | |
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Explanation: Khajuraho was the cultural capital of Chandel Rajputs, a Hindu dynasty that ruled this part of India from the 10-12th centuries. The political capital of the Chandelas was Kalinjar. The Khajuraho temples were built over a span of 200 years, from 950 to 1150. The Chandela capital was moved to Mahoba after this time, but Khajuraho continued to flourish for some time. Khajuraho has no forts because the Chandel Kings never lived in their cultural capital. |
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| 91. |
Taxila was a famous site of - |
| A. | Early Vedic art |
| B. | Mauryan art |
| C. | Gandhara art |
| D. | Gupta art |
| Answer» A. Early Vedic art | |
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Explanation: Taxila dates back to the Gandhara period when it was an important Hindu and Buddhist centre, and is still considered a place of religious and historical sanctity in those traditions. Gandhara art was a style of Buddhist visual art that developed in what is now northwestern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan between the 1st century B.C and the 7th century A.D The style, of Greco-Roman origin, seems to have flourished largely during the Kushana dynasty. |
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| 92. |
Bindusara sent Asoka to quell the rebellion in - |
| A. | Swarnagiri |
| B. | Taxila |
| C. | Ujjain |
| D. | Tosali |
| Answer» C. Ujjain | |
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Explanation: Because of his reputation as a frightening warrior and a heartless general, Ashoka was sent by Bin dusara to curb the riots in the Avanti province (Uijain) of the Mauryan empire. The Buddhist text Divyavadana talks of Ashoka putting down a revolt due to activities of wicked ministers. He was twice to paci the Taxilans. |
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| 93. |
Arthasastra was written by - |
| A. | Dhanananda |
| B. | Kautilya |
| C. | Bimbisara |
| D. | Pushyamitra |
| Answer» B. Kautilya | |
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Explanation: The Arthasastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy which identifies its author by the names 'Kautilya' and 'Vishnaugupta', both names that are traditionally identified with Chanakya (c. 350-283 BC), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of Mauyan Empire. Because of its harsh politicalpragmatism, the Arthasastra has often been compared to Machiavelli's The Prince. |
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| 94. |
St. Thomas is said to have come to India to propagate Christianity during the reign of the - |
| A. | Cheras |
| B. | Parthians |
| C. | Pandyas |
| D. | Cholas |
| Answer» B. Parthians | |
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Explanation: St. Thomas is traditionally believed to have sailed to India in 52AD to spread the Christian faith among the Jews, the Jewish diaspora present in Kerala at the time. He is supposed to have landed at the ancient port of Muziris near Kodungalloor. He then went to Palayoor (near present-day Guruvayoor), which was a Hindu priestly community at that time. He left Palayoor in AD 52 for the southern part of what is now Kerala State, where he established the Ezharappall ikal, or "Seven and Half Churches". Thomas landed in Cranganoor (Kodungallur, Muziris) and took part in the wedding of Cheraman Perumal and proceeded to the courts of Gondophorus in North India. Gundaphorus was indeed a historical figure and he belonged to the Parthian Dynasty from Takshasila (Taxila). |
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| 95. |
The organic relationship between the ancient culture of the Indus Valley and Hinduism of today is proved by the worship of - |
| A. | Pashupati, Indra and the Mother Goddess |
| B. | Stones, trees and animals |
| C. | Vishnu and Lakshmi |
| D. | Siva and Sakti |
| Answer» B. Stones, trees and animals | |
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Explanation: There has been evidence that the people of the Indus Valley Civilization believed in animal and nature worship. The figure of deities on the seals indicates that they worshipped gods and goddesses in the human form. No major sculpture survives but for a bust thought to be of a major priest and the stunning bronze dancing girl. The Divine Mother appears to have been an important goddess due to the countless terra-cotta statues of her that re-found follows a school of thought that would become prevalent later as well, of the female energybeing regarded as the source of all creation. What is most interesting is the existence of a male god which has been identified as a prototype of an important God of the religion of Hinduism, Lord Shiva. The fact that the same God is still worshipped today, and has been for the last five thousand years is one of t remarkable features of Indian culture. Even evidence of the Bhakti cult (loving devotion to a personal God as been found at Indus Valley Civilization sites, and the Bhakti cult also has a large following even today It can , therefore, be concluded that there is a close relationship between the beliefs of the Indus Valley Civilization and that of modern Hinduism. |
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| 96. |
The number system "Zero' was invented by - |
| A. | Ramanujam |
| B. | Aryabhatta |
| C. | Patanjali |
| D. | An unknown person |
| Answer» B. Aryabhatta | |
|
Explanation: The concept of zero as a number and not merely a symbol for separation is attributed to India, where, by the 9th century AD, practical calculations were carried out using zero, which was treated like any other number, even in case of division. The credit for inventing 'zero (O)' goes to Indian mathematicians and the number zero first appears in a book about 'arithmetic written by an Indian mathematician Braha-Dasgupta'. Zero signifies 'nothing and the current definition call it an 'additive identity'. The Indian math and Bhaskara, Mahavira and Brahamagupta worked on this new number and they tried to explain its properties. It wasn't that somebody suddenly came up with the idea of the zero and the mathematicians throughout the world accepted it. Around 500 AD Aryabhatta, an Indian mathematician devised a number system and the symbol he used for the number zero was also the number used to represent an unknown element (x). |
|
| 97. |
'Charak' was the famous court physician of - |
| A. | Harsha |
| B. | Chandra Gupta Maurya |
| C. | Ashoka |
| D. | Kanishka |
| Answer» D. Kanishka | |
|
Explanation: Charaka was one of the principal contributors to the system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. He is referred to as the Father of Medicine. The life and times of Charaka are not known with certainty. Some Indian scholars have stated that Charaka of Charaka Samhita existed before Panini, the grammarian, who B. C the ancient art and science of Ayurveda, a is said to have lived before the sixth century her school argues that Patanjali wrote a commentary on the medical work of Charaka. They say that If Patanjali lived around 175 B.C., Charaka must have live sometime before him. Another source about the identity of Charaka and his times is provided by French orientalist Sylvan Levi. He discovered Chinese translation of the Buddhist Tripitaka, a person named Charaka who was a court physician to the Indo-Scythian king Kanishka, who in all probability reigned in the second century A.D. From the above discussion, it would seem that Charaka may have lived between the second century B.C. to the second century A.D. |
|
| 98. |
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. Women and Sudras | |
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Explanation: Buddha was against caste. His religion was open to all, to Shudras, women and even repentant criminals. The Buddhist scriptures were available to all men and women. Buddhism encouraged the abolition of distinctions in society and strengthened the principle of social equality. |
|
| 99. |
How was Burma (now Myanmar) known to ancient Indians? |
| A. | Malayamandalam |
| B. | Yavadwipa |
| C. | Suvarnabhumi |
| D. | Suvarnadwipa |
| Answer» C. Suvarnabhumi | |
|
Explanation: 0 |
|
| 100. |
Vikram Shila University was founded by |
| A. | Chandra Gupta Maurya |
| B. | Kanishka |
| C. | Dharampala |
| D. | Pulakesin II |
| Answer» C. Dharampala | |
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Explanation: Vikramashila University was established by King Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty in the 8h century A.D. Located at Bhagalpur in modern day Bihar, it was one of the two most important centres of Buddhist learning in India during the Pala empire, along with Nalanda. It developed into the intellectual center for Tantric Buddhism. |
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