Medieval History of India

131. Which one of the following statements about the Bhakti movement is NOT

Which one of the following statements about the Bhakti movement is NOT correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”The Bhakti movement avoided traditions that promoted diversity” option2=”In northern India, the Bhakti movement revolved around the worship of Rama and Krishna” option3=”The Bhakti movement relied on the devotion of God, both with and without attributes” option4=”While Tulsidas represented the tradition of devotion with attributes, Sant Kabir followed the path of devotion without attributes” correct=”option1″]

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Statement A is NOT correct. The Bhakti movement was characterized by its inclusive nature and often incorporated or celebrated diverse regional traditions, languages, and social backgrounds. It challenged rigid caste hierarchies and ritualistic practices, opening paths to devotion for people from all walks of life, thus promoting, rather than avoiding, a degree of social and cultural diversity in religious expression.
The Bhakti movement was a significant socio-religious reform movement in medieval India that emphasized personal devotion to God, challenging established orthodoxies and promoting egalitarianism and diverse expressions of faith.
Statements B, C, and D are correct descriptions of aspects of the Bhakti movement. Many prominent North Indian saints (e.g., Surdas, Mirabai, Tulsidas) were devotees of Rama or Krishna. The movement included both Saguna (God with attributes/form, like Rama, Krishna) and Nirguna (formless, attributeless God, like advocated by Kabir and Nanak) streams of devotion. Tulsidas was a Saguna devotee (Rama), and Kabir was a prominent Nirguna saint.

132. Who among the following has described the medieval Indian postal syste

Who among the following has described the medieval Indian postal system as of two kinds-the horse-post called ‘Uluq’ and the foot-post called ‘Dawa’?

[amp_mcq option1=”Al-Biruni” option2=”Duarte Barbosa” option3=”Ibn Battuta” option4=”Seydi Ali Reis” correct=”option3″]

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The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited India during the reign of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq in the 14th century, is well-known for his detailed descriptions of the Delhi Sultanate. In his travelogue, the ‘Rihla’, he specifically described the postal system employed by the Sultanate as being of two kinds: the horse-post called ‘Uluq’ and the foot-post called ‘Dawa’ or ‘Da’wa’.
Ibn Battuta’s ‘Rihla’ is a primary source for understanding the administrative systems, social life, and geography of the regions he visited, including the intricate postal system of the Delhi Sultanate.
The ‘Uluq’ system used horses and could deliver letters rapidly, while the ‘Dawa’ system relied on runners stationed at short intervals along the routes, allowing for faster delivery of urgent messages or goods over short distances. Both systems facilitated efficient communication and movement within the vast empire.

133. Who among the following laid the foundation of the Vijayanagara

Who among the following laid the foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire?

[amp_mcq option1=”Harihara and Bukka” option2=”Krishnadeva Raya” option3=”Rama Raya” option4=”Virupaksha Raya” correct=”option1″]

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The correct answer is A) Harihara and Bukka.
The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 CE by Harihara I and Bukka Raya I, two brothers from the Sangama dynasty. They served under the Kakatiya rulers of Warangal and later shifted allegiance to the Kampili kingdom before establishing their own kingdom.
The empire was founded on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River. Harihara I was the first ruler of the empire. Krishnadeva Raya was a famous later ruler, considered one of the greatest emperors of Vijayanagara (Tuluva dynasty). Rama Raya was involved in the Battle of Talikota which led to the decline of the empire.

134. Which one of the following pairs of travellers and their nationality i

Which one of the following pairs of travellers and their nationality is not correctly matched ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Ibn Battuta – Moroccan” option2=”Duarte Barbosa – Portuguese” option3=”Jean Baptiste Tavernier – Dutch” option4=”Niccolao Manucci – Venetian” correct=”option3″]

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The correct option is C) Jean Baptiste Tavernier – Dutch.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a 17th-century French traveller and gem merchant who travelled extensively in India. He was not Dutch.
The other pairs are correctly matched: Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer; Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese writer and explorer who sailed with Ferdinand Magellan; Niccolao Manucci was an Italian (Venetian) writer and traveller who lived in the Mughal Empire.

135. The ruins of Vijayanagara (Hampi) were brought to public light in the

The ruins of Vijayanagara (Hampi) were brought to public light in the year 1800 by the following British surveyor and engineer :

[amp_mcq option1=”James Prinsep” option2=”Colin Mackenzie” option3=”James Rennell” option4=”Charles Metcalfe” correct=”option2″]

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The correct option is B) Colin Mackenzie.
Colin Mackenzie, an engineer and surveyor serving in the British East India Company, conducted the first survey of the ruins of Vijayanagara (modern-day Hampi) in 1800, bringing them to wider attention.
Mackenzie was a collector of historical artifacts and information. He prepared maps and documented the site, and his initial findings laid the groundwork for future archaeological work at Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.

136. Which one of the following statements is not true about Ijarah system

Which one of the following statements is not true about Ijarah system ?

[amp_mcq option1=”It was a system of revenue farming.” option2=”It encouraged the role of middlemen.” option3=”Under this system, land revenue was fixed for the peasant.” option4=”The ijaradar paid a fixed amount to the State treasury.” correct=”option3″]

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The correct option is C) Under this system, land revenue was fixed for the peasant.
The ijarah system (revenue farming) involved leasing out the right to collect land revenue to the highest bidder (ijaradar) for a fixed amount. The ijaradar then collected revenue from the peasants. The amount collected by the ijaradar from the peasants was not fixed by the state; it was often maximized by the ijaradar, leading to exploitation.
The ijarah system was primarily a feature of the Mughal administration, especially in later periods, and continued into the British era. It encouraged revenue maximization at the expense of peasant welfare and agricultural development and strengthened the position of intermediaries.

137. Consider the following statements related to the Virashaiva tradition

Consider the following statements related to the Virashaiva tradition in Karnataka :

  • The Virashaiva movement was led by a Brahmana named Basavanna, a minister in the court of the Kalachuri ruler in the twelfth century.
  • The Virashaivas encouraged practices, approved by the Dharmashastras, like post-puberty marriages and remarriage of widows.

Which of the statement/s given above is/are correct ?

[amp_mcq option1=”1 only” option2=”2 only” option3=”Both 1 and 2″ option4=”Neither 1 nor 2″ correct=”option1″]

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Statement 1 is correct. The Virashaiva (Lingayat) movement in Karnataka in the 12th century was indeed led by Basavanna, who was a minister in the court of the Kalachuri ruler Bijjala II. Statement 2 is incorrect. The Virashaivas were reformers who challenged many orthodox Brahminical practices and the authority of the Dharmashastras. They strongly advocated against caste distinctions, rejected Brahminical rituals, and promoted practices like delayed marriages (post-puberty) and widow remarriage, which were generally *not* approved by the orthodox Dharmashastras for upper castes.
The Virashaiva tradition was a reformist movement that emerged in Karnataka during the 12th century, advocating for social equality and challenging traditional Hindu hierarchies and rituals under the leadership of figures like Basavanna.
Virashaivas worshipped Shiva in the form of a लिंग (linga), which they wear on their body. They buried their dead instead of cremating them, another departure from orthodox Hindu practice. The movement’s teachings were recorded in vachanas, a form of rhythmic prose.

138. Who among the following travellers was from Italy and visited Vijayana

Who among the following travellers was from Italy and visited Vijayanagar Kingdom in the fifteenth century?

[amp_mcq option1=”Nikitin” option2=”Fa-Hien” option3=”Bernier” option4=”Nicolo Conti” correct=”option4″]

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The traveller from Italy who visited the Vijayanagar Kingdom in the fifteenth century was D) Nicolo Conti.
Nicolo Conti was an Italian merchant and explorer who travelled extensively in Asia during the early 15th century. He visited the Vijayanagar Empire (likely during the reign of Devaraya I) around 1420-1421 CE and left valuable accounts of the city and the empire.
– Afanasy Nikitin was a Russian merchant who travelled to India in the late 15th century (1468-1474), primarily visiting the Bahmani Kingdom.
– Fa-Hien was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India during the Gupta Empire (early 5th century CE).
– Francois Bernier was a French physician and traveler who visited India during the 17th century, serving in the court of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

139. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched? Bhakti Sain

Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

Bhakti SaintPhilosophy
(a) Shankara:Advadhuta
(b) Ramananda:Kevaladvaita
(c) Ramanuja:Vishishtadvaita
(d) Chaitanya:Advaita

[amp_mcq option1=”Shankara : Advadhuta” option2=”Ramananda : Kevaladvaita” option3=”Ramanuja : Vishishtadvaita” option4=”Chaitanya : Advaita” correct=”option3″]

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The correctly matched pair is C) Ramanuja : Vishishtadvaita.
Bhakti saints were associated with various philosophical schools (Darshanas) within the broader Hindu tradition. Ramanuja is the foremost proponent of the Vishishtadvaita (qualified non-dualism) philosophy.
– Shankara (Adi Shankaracharya) is the principal exponent of Advaita Vedanta (absolute non-dualism).
– Ramananda was a Vaishnava saint from Northern India, a follower in the Ramanuja tradition, who popularized the worship of Rama. He is not specifically associated with ‘Kevaladvaita’, which is linked to Advaita.
– Chaitanya Mahaprabhu founded Gaudiya Vaishnavism and propagated the philosophy of Achintya Bheda Abheda (inconceivable difference and non-difference), distinct from Advaita.

140. The following six (6) items consist of two statements, Statement I and

The following six (6) items consist of two statements, Statement I and Statement II. Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement I :
Mughal Painting reached its climax during the reign of Jahangir.
Statement II :
Aurangzeb’s Court was adorned by some of the best known artists of the Mughal School of Painting.

[amp_mcq option1=”Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I” option2=”Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I” option3=”Statement I is true but Statement II is false” option4=”Statement I is false but Statement II is true” correct=”option3″]

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Statement I is true: The reign of Jahangir (1605-1627) is widely considered the zenith of Mughal painting. Jahangir was a connoisseur and patron of art, with a keen interest in naturalistic painting, portraits, and album making. Statement II is false: Emperor Aurangzeb (1658-1707) was known for his relatively orthodox religious views and significantly reduced court patronage of fine arts like painting and music. Many artists dispersed from the imperial court to work in the courts of regional rulers or shifted to more calligraphic or decorative styles.
– Jahangir’s period saw significant developments in Mughal painting, including increased realism, focus on nature studies (flora and fauna), and refined portraiture.
– Artists like Ustad Mansur (famous for animal and bird paintings) and Abul Hasan (court painter) flourished under Jahangir.
– Aurangzeb’s focus was more on religious and administrative matters, leading to a decline in imperial patronage of the arts compared to his predecessors.
While Mughal painting continued in some form after Jahangir, its distinctive quality and imperial patronage significantly declined under Aurangzeb, leading to the rise of Rajput and other regional schools of painting as Mughal artists sought new patrons.
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