Medieval History of India

241. Consider the following statements about Rana Kumbha of Mewar : 1. He

Consider the following statements about Rana Kumbha of Mewar :

  • 1. He wrote a commentary on Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda.
  • 2. He wrote four dramas in which he is said to have made use of four provincial languages.
  • 3. He erected Kirtistambha in Chitor in commemoration of his victory over Gujarat.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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Statements 1, 2 and 3 are all correct.
Rana Kumbha was not only a great warrior but also a scholar and patron of arts. He wrote extensively on music and is credited with a commentary on Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda (Rasika Priya). He also composed dramatic works and is known to have used provincial languages (dialects) in them. The Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower), also known as Kirtistambha, in Chittorgarh Fort was built by him to commemorate his victory over the Sultan of Malwa, Mahmud Khilji I, in 1448.
Rana Kumbha’s reign (1433-1468 AD) is considered a golden age for Mewar, marked by significant military successes, extensive construction (including numerous forts), and flourishing artistic and literary activity.

242. At which of the following places was diamond mining carried out during

At which of the following places was diamond mining carried out during the Delhi Sultanate period?

[amp_mcq option1=”Awadh” option2=”Khambhat” option3=”Panna” option4=”Lakhnauti” correct=”option3″]

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Diamond mining was carried out at Panna during the Delhi Sultanate period.
Panna, located in present-day Madhya Pradesh, has been historically famous for its diamond mines. Diamond mining in this region dates back centuries and was certainly active during the period of the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire.
Awadh (modern Ayodhya/Uttar Pradesh region) and Lakhnauti (in Bengal) were significant administrative and cultural centres but not known for diamond mining. Khambhat (Cambay) was a major port city in Gujarat, crucial for trade, but also not known for diamond mining.

243. Man Kautuhal, a work on music, was prepared under the aegis of

Man Kautuhal, a work on music, was prepared under the aegis of

[amp_mcq option1=”Raja Man Singh of Gwalior” option2=”Tansen” option3=”Meera Bai” option4=”Amir Khusrau” correct=”option1″]

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The correct answer is Raja Man Singh of Gwalior. ‘Man Kautuhal’ is a treatise on music compiled under the patronage and potentially direct involvement of Raja Man Singh Tomar of Gwalior in the 15th-16th century.
Raja Man Singh Tomar (reigned c. 1486–1516) was a significant ruler of Gwalior and a great patron of art and music. He is credited with fostering the Gwalior Qawwali style and commissioning important works on music.
While Tansen was a legendary musician associated with Gwalior, he lived later during the Mughal era under Akbar. Meera Bai was a poet-saint, and Amir Khusrau was a prolific poet, musician, and scholar of the Delhi Sultanate period. ‘Man Kautuhal’ is a key text in the history of Indian classical music, particularly the Dhrupad style.

244. Consider the following statements about Sawai Jai Singh’s astronomical

Consider the following statements about Sawai Jai Singh’s astronomical work :

  • He learnt of the accuracy of European observations, and obtained de La Hire’s tables from which he reproduced a refraction table.
  • His astronomers also developed a telescope of their own to observe the lunar phases of Venus.

Which of the statements 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: Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur was a keen astronomer who sought to improve upon existing astronomical tables (both Indian and Islamic) by making fresh, accurate observations. He was aware of European advancements in astronomy and did acquire and consult European astronomical tables, including those compiled by French astronomer Philippe de La Hire. Reproducing such tables, like refraction tables, was part of his effort to create accurate zījes (astronomical tables). Statement 2 is incorrect: While Sawai Jai Singh built sophisticated observatories (Jantar Mantars) with large masonry instruments, these were primarily designed for naked-eye observations to measure astronomical positions accurately. There is no significant evidence to suggest that his astronomers developed or regularly used telescopes for observations like the lunar phases of Venus. European astronomy was heavily reliant on telescopes for such observations, but Jai Singh’s approach focused on different methods and instruments.
Sawai Jai Singh II built five astronomical observatories (Jantar Mantars) in Jaipur, Delhi, Mathura, Ujjain, and Varanasi, equipped with large, precise instruments of his own design or inspired by older traditions, aimed at improving the accuracy of astronomical observations.
Sawai Jai Singh’s major astronomical work was the Zīj-i Muhammad Shahi, a set of astronomical tables. He consulted various astronomical traditions, including Ptolemaic, Islamic, and European ones, in his pursuit of creating more accurate tables.

245. In respect to Balutedars, which of the statements given below are corr

In respect to Balutedars, which of the statements given below are correct?

  • 1. They were village servants and artisans.
  • 2. They were employed by individual peasant family.
  • 3. They existed in the Medieval Deccan and Maharashtra.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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

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Statement 1 is correct. Balutedars were village servants and artisans in the traditional village system of the Deccan and Maharashtra. They provided essential services and goods to the villagers.
Statement 3 is correct. The Balutedar system was a prominent feature of the village economy and social structure in the Medieval Deccan and Maharashtra regions.
Statement 2 is also considered correct in the context of how the system functioned. While Balutedars served the village community, their compensation (Baluta – a share of the harvest) was often tied to specific peasant families or households with whom they had customary relationships. This formed a sort of patron-client relationship, effectively meaning they were “employed by” or served individual peasant families in return for their share of the produce, alongside serving the broader needs of the village. Therefore, all three statements accurately describe aspects of the Balutedar system.
– Balutedars were integral to the traditional village economy and social structure in Maharashtra and the Deccan.
– They provided essential services (like carpentry, blacksmithing, pottery, etc.) and received payment, usually in kind (grain), known as Baluta.
– The system involved customary service relationships with village families.
The Balutedar system is often compared to or seen as a regional variant of the Jajmani system found in other parts of India, though with its own specific features and names for the service providers and their customary shares. The system ensured a degree of economic security for the Balutedars and provided necessary services for the agricultural community.

246. The titles of ‘Rayagajakesari’ and ‘Dayagajakesari’ were associated wi

The titles of ‘Rayagajakesari’ and ‘Dayagajakesari’ were associated with which one of the following dynasties?

[amp_mcq option1=”Kakatiya” option2=”Vijayanagara” option3=”Gajapati” option4=”Rashtrakuta” correct=”option3″]

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The titles ‘Rayagajakesari’ (Lord of Kings and Elephants) and ‘Dayagajakesari’ (Compassionate Lord of Elephants) were titles adopted by kings of the Gajapati dynasty of Odisha, particularly during their height of power in the 15th and 16th centuries. These titles reflect the military strength of the Gajapatis, who were known for their large elephant forces (‘Gajapati’ literally means ‘Lord of Elephants’).
– ‘Gajapati’ itself means ‘Lord of Elephants’.
– The dynasty was known for its powerful elephant corps.
– These titles were used by rulers of the Gajapati Kingdom of Odisha.
– The Kakatiya dynasty ruled in the Deccan region (modern Telangana and Andhra Pradesh).
– The Vijayanagara Empire was a prominent South Indian empire based in the Deccan.
– The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled large parts of South India in the 6th to 10th centuries.
– While other dynasties also maintained elephants, the titles specifically mentioned are strongly associated with the Gajapatis.

247. Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of ‘Bhakti’ is

Which one of the following pairs denoting various forms of ‘Bhakti’ is not correctly matched?

[amp_mcq option1=”Saguna : Belief in Gods with attributes” option2=”Nirguna : Belief in Gods without attributes” option3=”Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti” option4=”Nayanars : Believed in devotion of Shiva” correct=”option3″]

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The pair that is not correctly matched is Alvars : Believed in devotion of Shakti. Alvars were devotees of Vishnu.
– Saguna Bhakti refers to devotion towards a personal God with form and attributes, such as Shiva, Vishnu, or their various incarnations and consorts. This is correctly matched.
– Nirguna Bhakti refers to devotion towards a formless, attributeless, ultimate reality, often referred to as Brahman. This is correctly matched.
– Alvars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 9th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Vishnu (Vaishnavism). Their hymns are compiled in the Divya Prabandha.
– Nayanars were a group of Tamil saints (primarily between the 6th and 10th centuries CE) who were staunch devotees of Shiva (Shaivism). Their hymns are compiled in the Tirumurai.
– The Bhakti movement in South India saw the rise of these two parallel streams of devotional saints, promoting intense personal devotion as a path to salvation.
– Shakti refers to the divine feminine power, worshipped in various forms like Durga, Kali, etc. Devotion to Shakti is known as Shaktism, which is distinct from Vaishnavism (Alvars) and Shaivism (Nayanars).

248. Which of the following terms were used in the Indo-Persian sources of

Which of the following terms were used in the Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period to denote a peasant ?

  • 1. Raiyat
  • 2. Asami
  • 3. Muzarian
  • 4. Majur

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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

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The terms Raiyat, Asami, and Muzarian were used in the Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period to denote a peasant.
During the Mughal period, several terms were used to refer to peasants or cultivators in official documents and historical accounts. ‘Raiyat’ (or Ryot) was a very common term for a peasant cultivator or subject. ‘Asami’ was also frequently used for a tenant or cultivator, especially in revenue records. ‘Muzarian’ (plural of Muzari) referred to a tenant cultivator or peasant.
‘Majur’ typically refers to a labourer or daily wage worker, who might work on land but is generally distinguished from a ‘raiyat’ or ‘asami’ who held cultivation rights or responsibilities for specific plots. Therefore, ‘Raiyat’, ‘Asami’, and ‘Muzarian’ were the terms primarily used for peasants in the sense of cultivators holding land, while ‘Majur’ referred to a labourer.

249. Which one of the following works was composed by Krishnadevaraya on st

Which one of the following works was composed by Krishnadevaraya on statecraft in Telugu ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Amuktamalyada” option2=”Jambavati Kalyanam” option3=”Rayavachakamu” option4=”Satyavadu Parinaya” correct=”option1″]

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The correct answer is Amuktamalyada.
Amuktamalyada is a significant Telugu epic poem composed by Krishnadevaraya, the most famous ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire. While primarily a literary work narrating the story of Andal, it is renowned for its sections discussing political maxims, principles of governance, and administrative advice, making it a work on statecraft. Jambavati Kalyanam and Ushaparinayam are Sanskrit dramas by Krishnadevaraya. Rayavachakamu is a historical chronicle about the Vijayanagara Empire but was written by Sthānapati Ananta, not Krishnadevaraya. Satyavadu Parinaya is likely a reference to Krishnadevaraya’s Sanskrit work Satyaraja Parinayam.
Krishnadevaraya was not only a great conqueror and administrator but also a renowned scholar and patron of arts and literature. His court was adorned by eight poets known as the Ashtadiggajas. His reign (1509–1529 CE) is considered the golden age of the Vijayanagara Empire and Telugu literature. Amuktamalyada is one of the Pancha Kavyas (five great epics) of Telugu literature.

250. The ruins of Hampi were brought to light by which of the following Bri

The ruins of Hampi were brought to light by which of the following British officers of the East India Company ?

[amp_mcq option1=”Colonel Colin Mackenzie” option2=”James Prinsep” option3=”William Jones” option4=”James Rennell” correct=”option1″]

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Option A is correct. Colonel Colin Mackenzie, a Scottish army officer and surveyor in the service of the British East India Company, was instrumental in bringing the ruins of Hampi (the site of the Vijayanagara Empire capital) to light through his extensive surveys and mapping activities in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Early British administrators and scholars played a significant role in the documentation and study of Indian historical sites and artifacts, often through their surveying and archaeological work.
James Prinsep is famous for deciphering the Brahmi script. William Jones was a pioneering linguist and founder of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. James Rennell is known for his cartographic work in India. While all contributed significantly to understanding India’s past, Colin Mackenzie is specifically credited with the initial comprehensive survey and documentation of the Hampi ruins.
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