Mughal Period: Miscellaneous

11. Consider the following statements about Indian trade and commerce in t

Consider the following statements about Indian trade and commerce in the medieval period :

  • India exported cotton piece goods to the wider world in the medieval period.
  • India received gold and silver from the wider world in lieu of her cotton goods.
  • India also supplied raw materials to the European industries in the medieval period.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

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1 and 2
1 only
2 and 3
3 only
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CAPF – 2009
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Statement 1 is correct. India was a major global exporter of cotton textiles, spices, indigo, and other goods throughout the medieval period, traded via overland and maritime routes. Statement 2 is correct. India generally maintained a favourable balance of trade in the medieval period, leading to an inflow of precious metals, particularly gold and silver, in exchange for its high-value exports. Statement 3 is incorrect. While India produced raw materials, its primary role in international trade during the medieval period was as a major exporter of *finished goods*, especially textiles. The pattern of being a supplier of raw materials to European industries and an importer of their manufactured goods became dominant during the *colonial* period, not the medieval period.
– Medieval India was a significant player in global trade, exporting finished products.
– The balance of trade was generally in India’s favour, leading to bullion imports.
– India became a major source of raw materials for European industries primarily during the colonial era, not the medieval period.
The shift from being an exporter of finished goods to an exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished goods is a defining characteristic of the economic impact of colonialism on India.

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12. 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 ?

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Ibn Battuta - Moroccan
Duarte Barbosa - Portuguese
Jean Baptiste Tavernier - Dutch
Niccolao Manucci - Venetian
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UPSC NDA-2 – 2019
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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.

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13. Consider the following statements about the travellers who visited Ind

Consider the following statements about the travellers who visited India:
1. Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi from Herat visited Delhi and Daulatabad.
2. Ibn Battuta provides detailed accounts of both Delhi and Daulatabad.
3. According to Francois Bernier there was no private property in land in Mughal India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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1 only
1, 2 and 3
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
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The correct option is D) 2 and 3 only.
1. Statement 1 is incorrect: Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi, a Persian traveler and ambassador, visited the Vijayanagara Empire (during the reign of Devaraya II in the 15th century). His detailed account focuses on the city of Vijayanagara. He did not primarily visit Delhi and Daulatabad for his renowned observations in India.
2. Statement 2 is correct: Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan traveler of the 14th century, spent several years in India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq of the Delhi Sultanate. His travelogue, the Rihla, provides extensive and detailed accounts of life in Delhi and also describes Daulatabad, where Tughluq briefly shifted his capital.
3. Statement 3 is correct: Francois Bernier, a French physician and traveler who visited India in the 17th century during the Mughal Empire, wrote extensively about his observations. In his “Travels in the Mogul Empire,” he famously argued that there was no private ownership of land in Mughal India and that the land ultimately belonged to the Emperor. While historians debate the accuracy and nuances of this claim, Bernier *did* state this in his account.
These travellers’ accounts are valuable primary sources for understanding the history, society, and economy of the regions they visited in India. However, it’s important to evaluate their perspectives and potential biases, as they were often writing from an outsider’s viewpoint.

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14. Who among the following was associated with the Mughal Court as a phys

Who among the following was associated with the Mughal Court as a physician to Prince Dara Shukoh?

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Hakim Afzal Khan
Ibn Battuta
Francois Bernier
Duarte Barbosa
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The correct answer is C) Francois Bernier. Francois Bernier was a French physician, traveller, and philosopher who visited India during the reign of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He was, for a time, the personal physician of Prince Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of Emperor Shah Jahan, before Dara’s defeat and execution in the war of succession. Bernier’s travelogue, “Travels in the Mughal Empire,” is a valuable source of information about 17th-century India.
Francois Bernier was a European traveler who served as a physician in the Mughal court, including attending to Prince Dara Shukoh.
Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan traveller who visited India much earlier, in the 14th century, during the Delhi Sultanate period (reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq). Duarte Barbosa was a Portuguese writer who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in the early 16th century. Hakim Afzal Khan was likely a physician, but Francois Bernier is specifically documented as being associated with Dara Shukoh’s court.

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15. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched ? Traveller

Which of the following pairs are correctly matched ?

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TravellerCountry from
1. Marco PoloItaly
2. Ibn BattutaMorocco
3. NikitinRussia
4. Seydi Ali ReisTurkey

Select the correct answer using the code given below :

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1, 2 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2, 3 and 4
1 and 4 only
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UPSC NDA-1 – 2018
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All the given pairs are correctly matched. Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant and explorer who travelled to Asia in the 13th century. Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan explorer and scholar who travelled extensively in Africa, Asia, and Europe in the 14th century. Nikitin was a Russian merchant who travelled to India in the 15th century. Seydi Ali Reis was an Ottoman (Turkey) admiral and writer who travelled to India in the 16th century.
Travellers’ accounts are invaluable sources for reconstructing the history, society, economy, and culture of the regions they visited. They provide external perspectives that complement indigenous sources.
Marco Polo’s account of his travels is documented in ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’. Ibn Battuta’s extensive travels are recorded in ‘Rihla’. Afanasy Nikitin’s account is known as ‘The Journey Beyond Three Seas’. Seydi Ali Reis wrote ‘Mirat ul Memalik’ (Mirror of Countries).

16. Which of the following statements is / are correct? 1. Shantidas wa

Which of the following statements is / are correct?

  • 1. Shantidas was a leading Jain jeweler and banker in Ahmedabad
  • 2. Shajahan granted land to build poshalas to Shantidas
  • 3. In 1656 Murad Baksh granted village Palitana to Shantidas for the use of Jain pilgrims. The grant was later confirmed by Aurangzeb in 1660

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

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1 only
1 and 3 only
2 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC Geoscientist – 2020
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Statement 1 is correct: Shantidas Zaveri was indeed a hugely wealthy and influential Jain jeweler, banker (shroff), and merchant based in Ahmedabad during the 17th century. He was a leading figure in the Jain community.
Statement 2 is correct: Emperor Shah Jahan had interactions with Shantidas, notably concerning the restoration of a Jain temple in Ahmedabad that had been converted into a mosque. Shah Jahan ordered the restoration and compensated Shantidas. Shah Jahan also issued firmans granting land and privileges to Shantidas and the Jain community for religious purposes, which could include facilities like poshalas (animal shelters important in Jain practice).
Statement 3 is correct: Prince Murad Baksh, then Viceroy of Gujarat, granted the village of Palitana, located at the foot of Shatrunjaya hill (a major Jain pilgrimage site), to Shantidas in 1656 for the use of Jain pilgrims. After becoming emperor, Aurangzeb confirmed this grant to Shantidas in 1660 through a royal farman, demonstrating pragmatism despite his general policies towards non-Muslims.
All three statements accurately reflect historical facts about Shantidas Zaveri and his relationship with the Mughal emperors.
Shantidas Zaveri was a prominent Jain merchant. He received grants and patronage from Mughal rulers, including Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb (via confirmation of Murad Baksh’s grant), demonstrating the influence of powerful merchants and the complex nature of Mughal religious policy.
Shantidas Zaveri’s wealth and influence allowed him to act as a mediator and patron for the Jain community. His interactions with the Mughal court highlight the economic power and religious standing of merchant communities in 17th-century India.

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17. According to the French traveller Tavernier, the majority of houses in

According to the French traveller Tavernier, the majority of houses in Varanasi during the 17th century were made of

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brick and mud
stone and thatch
wood and stone
brick and stone
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The correct answer is A) brick and mud.
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, in his “Travels in India,” described the city of Banaras (Varanasi) in the 17th century. He noted that the streets were very narrow and the houses were generally made of brick and mud, plastered with cow-dung, although there were some large houses made of stone. The majority of houses were of simpler construction.
Tavernier’s detailed observations provide valuable insights into urban life, trade, and architecture in India during the Mughal period. His accounts are considered reliable primary sources for the economic and social history of the time.

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18. Statement I : The Zamindars were an exploitative class in Mughal India

Statement I :
The Zamindars were an exploitative class in Mughal India.

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Statement II :
The Zamindars often received the support of the peasantry in a large number of agrarian uprisings in North India in the seventeenth century.

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Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
Statement I is true but Statement II is false
Statement I is false but Statement II is true
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Both statements are individually true, but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I.
– Statement I: Zamindars, as intermediaries in the revenue collection system, often extracted surplus from the peasantry beyond the state’s demand, acting as an exploitative layer, although their role was complex. This statement can be considered true in the context of peasant experience.
– Statement II: Historical evidence shows that Zamindars sometimes led or supported peasant uprisings against the Mughal state or other powers, motivated by their own grievances or interests. So, peasants did sometimes support Zamindars. This statement is also true.
– Statement II describes instances of cooperation or support between peasants and Zamindars in uprisings. This does not explain *why* Zamindars were an exploitative class; in fact, it highlights a potentially conflicting aspect of their relationship with the peasantry. Therefore, Statement II is not the correct explanation for Statement I.
The relationship between Zamindars and peasants in Mughal India was complex and varied, ranging from exploitation and conflict to instances of shared resistance against external pressures, particularly state revenue demands or oppression by other groups.

19. How many of the following statements regarding medicine and related pr

How many of the following statements regarding medicine and related practices in medieval India is/are correct?

  • 1. Indian medicine of the Graeco-Arabic tradition (Tibb-i-Yunani) was almost identical in its practice with contemporary Persian medicine.
  • 2. Harvey’s discovery of the circulation of blood was explained to a scholarly noble by European traveller Francois Bernier.
  • 3. The practice of smallpox inoculation was described in contemporary Yunani and Ayurvedic texts.

Select the correct answer.

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1
2
3
None
This question was previously asked in
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Statements 1 and 2 are correct.
Tibb-i-Yunani was a systematized medical tradition originating from Greek medicine that flourished in the Islamic world and was widely adopted in medieval India, sharing fundamental principles and practices with contemporary Persian medicine. European traveller Francois Bernier, a physician, is known to have discussed Western scientific discoveries, including Harvey’s work on circulation, with Indian scholars and nobles during his time in the Mughal Empire.
Statement 3 is incorrect. While the practice of smallpox inoculation (variolation) existed in India, particularly as a folk tradition, its detailed description in contemporary major Yunani or Ayurvedic texts is not widely established. Historical accounts of the practice primarily come from observations by Europeans in the 18th century describing local methods.

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

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

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  • 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?

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1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
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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.

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