2021

121. In the Mesopotamian records, the Indus Valley region is addressed as

In the Mesopotamian records, the Indus Valley region is addressed as

[amp_mcq option1=”Meluha.” option2=”Dilmun.” option3=”Magan.” option4=”Uruk.” correct=”option1″]

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In ancient Mesopotamian texts, trade relations with various regions to the east are mentioned. The region corresponding to the Indus Valley Civilization is consistently referred to as ‘Meluha’. Other regions mentioned include Dilmun (likely Bahrain/Persian Gulf) and Magan (likely Oman/UAE).
– Mesopotamian records provide evidence of trade and contact with regions to the east.
– Meluha is identified as the Indus Valley Civilization.
– Dilmun and Magan were other significant trade partners.
Trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley involved the exchange of goods like carnelian beads, lapis lazuli, gold, copper, and timber. The Mesopotamian texts mention Meluha as a distant land, and there is archaeological evidence supporting this long-distance trade.

122. Which one of the following was the homeland of Babur ?

Which one of the following was the homeland of Babur ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Farghana” option2=”Samarkand” option3=”Bukhara” option4=”Sogdiana” correct=”option1″]

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Zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, was born in Andijan in the Fergana Valley (modern Uzbekistan), which was part of Transoxiana. Fergana was his ancestral homeland.
– Babur was a descendant of Timur on his father’s side and Genghis Khan on his mother’s side.
– He inherited the rule of Fergana at a young age and spent much of his early life trying to secure and expand his control in the region, including attempts to capture Samarkand.
Samarkand and Bukhara were important cities in Transoxiana, which Babur contested for control, but they were not his original homeland. Sogdiana was a larger historical region in Central Asia encompassing areas including Samarkand and Bukhara, but Fergana was the specific state where he was born and began his rule.

123. When was tobacco introduced in Northern India ?

When was tobacco introduced in Northern India ?

[amp_mcq option1=”15th century” option2=”16th century” option3=”17th century” option4=”18th century” correct=”option2″]

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Tobacco was introduced to India by the Portuguese towards the end of the 16th century, during the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605).
– It quickly gained popularity and was widely used across India by the early 17th century.
– Emperor Jahangir (1605-1627) issued orders against the use of tobacco, indicating its widespread adoption by his time.
While introduced in the late 16th century, its widespread use and cultural integration happened more in the 17th century. However, the question asks for when it was ‘introduced’, which places it firmly in the 16th century. The Portuguese brought it from the Americas following the Columbian Exchange.

124. Krishnadevaraya’s capital city Vijayanagara was situated on the banks

Krishnadevaraya’s capital city Vijayanagara was situated on the banks of

[amp_mcq option1=”Tungabhadra.” option2=”Krishna.” option3=”Godavari.” option4=”Mahanadi.” correct=”option1″]

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The capital city of the Vijayanagara Empire, founded by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, was located on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River.
– The ruins of the city are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Hampi, situated in present-day Karnataka.
– The Tungabhadra River provided water resources and also formed a natural defense for the city.
The Vijayanagara Empire ruled much of South India from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Krishnadevaraya (reigned 1509–1529) was the most famous ruler of the empire, known for his administrative skills, military campaigns, and patronage of art and literature. The Krishna, Godavari, and Mahanadi rivers flow further north and east of the Vijayanagara region.

125. Early Bhakti Saints, Alvars in South India were immersed in the devoti

Early Bhakti Saints, Alvars in South India were immersed in the devotion of

[amp_mcq option1=”Ram.” option2=”Krishna.” option3=”Shiva.” option4=”Vishnu.” correct=”option4″]

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The Alvars were a group of 12 Tamil poet-saints of South India who were proponents of Vaishnavism, deeply devoted to Vishnu and his avatars.
– Their devotional poems, compiled as the Divya Prabandha, are central texts of Tamil Vaishnavism.
– Their devotion encompassed various forms and avatars of Vishnu, including Rama and Krishna.
The Nayanars were their Shaivite counterparts, devoted to Shiva. The Alvars and Nayanars played a significant role in the early Bhakti movement in South India between the 6th and 9th centuries AD. While they sang praises of Rama and Krishna, these are considered incarnations of the supreme deity Vishnu in Vaishnavism.

126. Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is considered to be another version of

Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is considered to be another version of

[amp_mcq option1=”Panchatantra.” option2=”Lilavati.” option3=”Brihatsamhita.” option4=”Panchasiddhantika.” correct=”option1″]

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Narayan Pandit’s Hitopadesha is a collection of Sanskrit fables that is explicitly stated to be a version or adaptation of the Panchatantra.
– Hitopadesha means “Beneficial Counsel”. It was compiled in the 12th century.
– It draws heavily from the Panchatantra but reorganizes the stories and adds new ones, focusing on niti (wise conduct) and worldly wisdom.
Panchatantra, meaning “Five Treatises”, is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, believed to have been compiled by Vishnu Sharma. Lilavati is a 12th-century mathematical treatise by Bhaskara II. Brihatsamhita and Panchasiddhantika are works on astronomy by Varahamihira (6th century).

127. Who among the following European travellers was the physician of Princ

Who among the following European travellers was the physician of Prince Dara Shukoh ?

[amp_mcq option1=”François Bernier” option2=”Niccolao Manucci” option3=”Jean-Baptiste Tavernier” option4=”Jean de Thévenot” correct=”option1″]

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François Bernier was a French physician and traveller who served as the physician to Prince Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
– Bernier was in India from 1658 to 1669.
– His book, ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’, provides a detailed account of the Mughal court, society, and the war of succession between Shah Jahan’s sons.
Niccolao Manucci was an Italian adventurer who also served at the Mughal court, initially as a physician to Shah Alam (Aurangzeb’s son). Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a French gem merchant and traveller known for his accounts of India’s trade and wealth. Jean de Thévenot was a French traveller who visited India after Bernier.

128. Which among the following was/were the capital(s) of the Magadha Janap

Which among the following was/were the capital(s) of the Magadha Janapada ?

  • 1. Rajgriha
  • 2. Patliputra
  • 3. Champa
  • 4. Vaishali

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

[amp_mcq option1=”1 and 4″ option2=”1 and 2″ option3=”2 and 3″ option4=”2 only” correct=”option2″]

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Rajgriha (Girivraja) was the early capital of the Magadha Janapada, and later Pataliputra became the capital.
– Rajgriha served as the capital of Magadha during the reigns of Bimbisara and Ajatashatru.
– Pataliputra was established near the confluence of the Ganga and Son rivers and was made the capital by Udayin. It remained a major capital for subsequent empires like the Mauryas.
Champa was the capital of the neighbouring kingdom of Anga, which was conquered by Magadha. Vaishali was the capital of the Vajjian (Lichchavi) confederacy, which was also eventually annexed by Magadha, but it was not a capital of Magadha itself.

129. Which among the following was/were the shell-based production centre(s

Which among the following was/were the shell-based production centre(s) of the Indus Valley Civilization ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Shortughai” option2=”Lothal” option3=”Balakot and Nageshwar” option4=”Allahdino and Dholavira” correct=”option3″]

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Balakot and Nageshwar were well-known specialized centres for shell working during the Indus Valley Civilization period due to their coastal location.
– Coastal settlements of the Harappan Civilization often specialized in crafts utilizing marine resources like shells.
– Shell objects such as bangles, beads, inlay, and ladles were produced in large quantities at these sites.
Lothal was a major port city and manufacturing centre, including bead making and metallurgy, but Balakot and Nageshwar are particularly renowned for shell-based industries. Shortughai (in Afghanistan) was important for Lapis Lazuli. Dholavira was a major urban centre with diverse crafts, and Allahdino was a coastal settlement with craft production, but Balakot and Nageshwar are most directly identified as primary shell production centres.

130. 50° South Latitude passes through

50° South Latitude passes through

[amp_mcq option1=”South Africa.” option2=”Australia.” option3=”Argentina.” option4=”Uruguay.” correct=”option3″]

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The 50° South Latitude line passes through the southern part of Argentina.
– 50° South Latitude is located in the Southern Hemisphere.
– This latitude primarily passes through ocean areas (Southern Ocean).
– On land, it crosses the southern tip of South America, specifically Argentina and a small part of Chile.
South Africa is located much further north (mostly between 22°S and 35°S). Australia’s mainland does not extend south of 39°S, though Tasmania is between 40°S and 43°S. Uruguay is located north of 30°S latitude.
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