GPSC Prelims Paper 1 Mock Test - 5 - GPSC (Gujarat) MCQ

Statement 1 is correct. As Sangam Literature can be divided into two groups, Pathinenkilkanakku (narrative) and Patinenkilkanakku (deductive). Patinenmelkannakku is the older set of works from 200 to 100 BC whereas Patinenkilkanakku refers to a collection of 18 works from 100 to 500 AD. The narrative portion consists of heroic poetry, perpetual war and cattle raids. They show that early Tamil people were primarily pastoral. The narrative Sangam texts give some idea of the state formation in which the army, the taxation system and judiciary arose in rudimentary form.

Statement 2 is not correct. Poems included in the Tamil Sangam anthologies often illuminate social and economic relationships, suggesting that while there were differences between rich and poor, those who controlled resources were also expected to share them.

The term, which Indo-Persian sources of the Mughal period most frequently used to denote a peasant, was raiyat (plural, riaya) or muzarian. In addition, the terms kisan or asami were also used. Sources of the seventeenth century refer to two kinds of peasants – khud-kashta and pahi-kashta.

Khud-kashta were residents of the village in which they held their lands. Pahi- Kashta were non-resident cultivators who belonged to some other village, but cultivated lands elsewhere on a contractual basis. People became pahi-kashta either out of choice, for example, when terms of revenue in a distant village were more favourable or out of compulsion, for example, forced by economic distress after a famine.

Statement 2 is incorrect. It has four beautifully decorated toranas depicting various events from the life of the Buddha and the Jatakas. About Sanchi Stupa: Narratives get more elaborated, however, the depiction of the dream episode remains very simple showing the reclining image of the queen and the elephant at the top. Carving techniques appear more advanced than Bharhut.

Symbols continue to be used representing the Buddha and the Manushi Buddhas or the past Buddhas (according to the textual tradition, there are twenty-four Buddhas but only the first one, Dipankar, and the last six are pictorially represented).

Fortifications were significant in Vijayanagara as it was to protect from outsiders and they were unique as they enclosed agricultural tracts.

Statement 1 is correct. Often, the objective of mediaeval sieges was to starve the defenders into submission. These sieges could last for several months and sometimes even years. Rulers tried to be prepared for such situations by building large granaries within fortified areas and agricultural tracts.The rulers of Vijayanagara adopted a more expensive and elaborate strategy of protecting the agricultural belt itself. A second line of fortification went round the inner core of the urban complex, and a third line surrounded the royal centre, within which each set of major buildings was surrounded by its own high walls.

Statement 2 is correct. Abdur Razzaq noted that between the first, second and third walls there were cultivated fields, gardens and houses. Domingo Paes observed that there was a great distance from the first circuit until the entrance of the city. There were fields for sowing rice, many gardens and a lot of water, in which water came from two lakes. Present-day archaeologists, who have also found evidence of an agricultural tract between the sacred centre and the urban core, have corroborated these statements. An elaborate canal system drawing water from the Tungabhadra serviced this tract.

Statement 1 is not correct: According to Tamil legends, there were three Sangams held in ancient South India popularly called Muchchangam. The first Sangam is believed to be held at Madurai, attended by gods and legendary sages. No literary work of this Sangam is available.

Statement 2 is not correct: The second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram, only Tolkappiyam survived this. Statement 3 is correct: The third Sangam was also held at Madurai. A few of these Tamil literary works have survived and are useful sources to reconstruct the history of the Sangam period

Statement 1 is incorrect. The caves of Bhimbetka were discovered in 1957–58 by eminent archaeologist V. S. Wakankar. The first discovery of rock paintings, not Bhimbetka caves, was made in India in 1867–68 by an archaeologist, Archibold Carlleyle, twelve years before the discovery of Altamira in Spain. Cockburn, Anderson, Mitra and Ghosh were the early archaeologists who discovered a large number of sites in the Indian subcontinent.

Statement 2 is incorrect. The rock art of Bhimbetka has been classified into various groups on the bases of style, technique and superimposition. The drawings and paintings can be categorised into seven historical periods. Period I, Upper Palaeolithic; Period II, Mesolithic; and Period III, Chalcolithic. After Period III there are four successive periods. In India the earliest paintings have been reported from the Upper Palaeolithic times.

Statement 3 is correct. The themes of paintings found here are of great variety, ranging from mundane events of daily life in those times to sacred and royal images. These include hunting, dancing, Music, horse and elephant riders, animal fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, and other household scenes. About Bhimbetka Caves: The largest and most spectacular rock-shelter is located in the Vindhya hills at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh. Bhimbetka is located 45 kilometres south of Bhopal, in an area of ten square kilometres, having about eight hundred rock shelters, five hundred of which bear paintings.

Ellora Caves are a series of rock-cut cave monuments that are associated with Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. The caves were constructed between the 6th and 10th centuries CE and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are renowned for their beautiful sculptures and carvings, including depictions of the Buddha, Shiva and Vishnu. Elephanta Caves are a series of rock-cut temples that are located on an island in the Arabian Sea.

The caves were originally a Buddhist site, but were later dominated by the Shaivite faith. The caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are known for their sculptures and carvings depicting Hindu deities, stories from the Puranas and various scenes from Hindu mythology. Bagh Caves are a series of rock-cut cave monuments that are associated with Jainism. The caves were built between the 5th and 8th centuries CE and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The caves are renowned for their sculptures and carvings, including depictions of popular Jain figures and various scenes from Jain mythology. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 is not correct: Bathukamma which means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’ is a colourful floral festival of Telangana.

Statement 2 is correct: Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack of different unique seasonal flowers, most of them with medicinal value, arranged in seven concentric layers in the shape of temple gopuram. Women gather and dance around this flower stack. They also sing Bathukamma songs while dancing. It is the festival for feminine felicitation.

On this special occasion women dress up in the traditional sari combining it with jewels and other accessories The final day of Bathukamma, known as Pedha or Saddula Bathukamma falls two days before Dussehra and is also known as Durgashtami. Bathukamma festival indicates the beginning of Sarad or Sharath Ruthu whereas Boddemma festival followed by Bathukamma marks the ending of Varsha Ruthu.

Cholas were Samantas or Subordinates to Pallavas who ruled in Tamilnadu.

Statement 1 is correct. Cholas and Muttaraiyar both were subordinates to Pallava king. The rise of Cholas started during the middle of the 9th century when Vijayalaya from Uraiyur captured the kaveri delta from Mutharaiyar and built the town of Thanjavur.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Vijayalaya built the town of Thanjavur and Goddess Nishumbhasudini temple While Rajaraja I became king in 985 CE and was considered as the most powerful Chola ruler.

He recognized his administration and expanded his control over most of South India. His son Rajendra Chola led an expedition to the Ganga valley.

Statement 3 is correct. Rajendra I was Rajaraja’s Son who continued his Father’s policy and raided Ganga Valley, Sri Lanka as well as Southeast Asian Countries. Rajendra I also developed the Navy for these raids.

Option d is correct: The national motto of India, Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the Emblem of India is taken from Mundaka Upanishad. This motto means Truth Alone Triumphs". It is written in Devanagari script.

Thirumalapuram caves and Jaina caves at Sittanavasal are some of the surviving examples. However, mural painting as an art did not decline during the reign of the Cholas. In fact, the Cholas were known for their patronage of the arts. They patronised both Hindu and Jain temples and these temples are renowned for their beautiful paintings and sculptures. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The village panchayat was an assembly of elders, usually important people of the village with hereditary rights over their property. In mixed-caste villages, the panchayat was usually a heterogeneous body. The panchayat being an oligarchy represented various castes and communities in the village, though the village menial-cum-agricultural worker was unlikely to be represented there. The decisions made by these panchayats were binding on the members.

Statement 2 is correct. A headman known as muqaddam or mandal headed the panchayat. According to some sources, the headman was chosen through the consensus of the village elders, and this choice had to be ratified by the zamindar. Headmen held office as long as they enjoyed the confidence of the village elders, failing which they could be dismissed by them. Statement 3 is correct. The chief function of the headman was to supervise the preparation of village accounts, assisted by the accountant or patwari of the panchayat.

Statement 1 is correct. Magadha became the most important mahajanapada in about two hundred years. There were many reasons for it; many rivers such as the Ganga and Son flowed through it which was important for transportation, water supplies and making the land fertile. Also, as the parts of Magadha were forested, wood obtained from it was used to make houses, carts, and chariots. Elephants who lived in the forests could be captured and trained for the army. Also, there were iron ore mines that could be tapped to make strong tools and weapons. In Magadha usually, one person ruled.

Statement 2 is incorrect. Vajji was under a different form of government, known as gana or sangha. This was different from Magadha as here there were not one but many rulers, sometimes thousands of men ruled together and each one was called as raja. These rajas performed rituals together. The system was such that these rajas met in assemblies, and decided through discussion and debate what had to be done and hoe.

However, women, dasas, and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies. Statement 3 is correct. Both the Buddha and Mahavira belonged to ganas or sanghas.

Archaeologists call the earliest period Palaeolithic. It comes from two Greek words, ‘paleo’ meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. This period extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This time period is divided into the lower, middle and the upper Palaeolithic.

This period covers 99% of human history. Some of the most important Palaeolithic sites are Bhimbetka, Hunsgi, Kurnool caves. The period between 12,000 years ago until about 10,000 years ago, is called a Mesolithic period. Stone tools found during this age are called microliths. The next age, from about 10,000 years ago, is called a Neolithic age. Daojali heading and Chirand are Neolithic sites. Some other Neolithic sites are Burzahom (Kashmir), Mehrgarh, Koldhihwa, Mahagara, Hallur, Paiyampalli.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The manuscripts dealt with all kinds of subjects like religious beliefs and practices, lives of kings, medicine and science, epics, poems, plays, etc.

Statement 2 is correct. They were written in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Tamil. Manuscripts are writings on soft surfaces such as palm leaf, or on the specially prepared bark of a tree known as the birch. The word manuscript comes from the Latin word ‘manu’ meaning hand.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Inscriptions are writings on relatively hard surfaces such as stone or metal. Kings used to get their orders inscribed so that people could see, read and obey them. They often kept records of victories in battle through inscriptions. There are other kinds of inscriptions as well, where men and women, including kings and queens, recorded what they did.

Statement 1 is not correct :Modhera Sun Temple is located in Mehsana, neighbouring Ahmedabad district of Gujarat .Situated on the banks of Pushpavati River. Statement 2 is correct : Built in the 11th century during the Chalukya dynasty in honour of the Sun God, it is one of the major tourist destinations in North Gujarat.

● It is surrounded by a terra-formed garden of flowering trees and songs of birds.

● The remains of the Sun Temples at Modhera are relics of times gone by when reverence of the natural elements fire, air, earth, water and sky were at their peak sharing space with myriad manifestations of Vedic gods.

As the Chola dynasty declined in the thirteenth century, the Vijayanagar dynasty captured and brought under its control the region from Hampi to Trichy.

Statements 1 and 2 are correct. In Hampi, the Virupaksha temple has paintings on the ceiling of its mandapa narrating events from dynastic history and episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Among important panels the mural of Vidyaranya, teacher of Bukkaraya Harsha, being carried in a palanquin is very well made.

In Lepakshi, Vijaynagar paintings can be found on the walls of the Shiva temple. In keeping with the tradition the Vijayanagar painters evolved a pictorial language wherein the faces are shown in profile and figures and objects two dimensionally. Lines become still but fluid, compositions appear in rectilinear compartments. These stylistic conventions were adopted by artists in various centres in South India as can be seen in the paintings of the Nayaka period.

Statement 1 is incorrect. Mughal court chronicles were written in Persian though Turkish was their mother tongue. Under the Sultans of Delhi it flourished as a language of the court and of literary writings, alongside other north Indian languages, especially Hindavi(near Delhi) and its regional variants.

Statement 2 is correct. Mughals were Chaghtai Turks by origin, Turkish was their mother tongue. Their first ruler Babur wrote poetry and his memoirs in the Turkish language. KB) Chagatai Turks were descendants of Chagtai Khan the second son of Genghis Khan.

Statement 1 is incorrect. The rules made for the Buddhist sangha were written down in a book called the Vinaya Pitaka. All men, women and children could join the sangha. However, children had to take the permission of their parents and slaves of their masters. Those who worked for the king had to take his permission and debtors that of creditors. Women had to take their husbands’ permission.

Statement 2 is correct. The Puranas contain stories about gods and goddesses, such as Vishnu, Shiva, Durga or Parvati. They also contain details on how they were to be worshipped. Besides, there are accounts about the creation of the world, and about kings. The Puranas were written in simple Sanskrit verse, and were meant to be heard by everybody, including women and shudras, who were not allowed to study the Vedas.

Statement 3 is incorrect. Most Upanishadic thinkers were men, especially brahmins and raja. But there is mention of women thinkers, such as Gargi, who was famous for her learning, and participated in debates held in royal courts.

• Tuzuk-i--Baburi gives an account of the casting of cannons. The melted metal was made to run into the mould till full and then cooled down. Besides explosives, other items were also produced.

• Ain-i-Akbari speaks of the ‘Regulations of the Perfume Office of Akbar’.

• The ittar of roses was a popular perfume, the discovery of which is attributed to the mother of Nurjehan. Mention may also be made here of the glazed tiles and pottery during the period.

In the Deccan and Central India, the Satavahanas succeeded the Mauryas after a gap of 100 years. After the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire, Indo-Greeks occupied large part of North- West Indi. They were followed by the Shakas, who controlled much larger part of India than the Indo-Greeks did. Both the Satavahanas and the Shakas were contemporaries. Moreover, Shakas were the greatest competitors of the Satavahanas.

In the Deccan and Central India, the Satavahanas established their independent rule after the decline of the Mauryas. They were also known as the Andhras. The Puranas and inscriptions remain important sources for the history of Satavahanas. Among the inscriptions, the Nasik and Nanaghad inscriptions throw much light on the reign of Gautamiputra Satakarni. The coins issued by the Satavahanas are also helpful in knowing the economic conditions of that period. They issued mostly coins of lead. They made land grants to the Brahmanas and the Buddhist monks.

After the decline of the Mauryan Empire in the second century B.C., various rulers controlled the regions which were once under the Mauryas, like the Shungas, Kanvas, Kushanas and Guptas in the north and central India; and the Satavahanas, Abhiras, Ikshvakus and Vakatakas in the south and western India. During this time 3 different schools of sculpture developed in 3 different regions of India.

• The Gandhara School of Art: It developed in the North-West Frontier of India, in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. It is influenced by Buddhism only and has a lot of Greek influence. Thus, it is also called the Greco - Indian School of Art or Hellenistic Sculpture. In this style, the image of Buddha is composed of blueish grey sandstone and is seen in spiritual state with eyes half closed and seated in a yogic posture. His hair is wavy.

• The Mathura School of Art: It developed on the banks of the river Yamuna, in Mathura and nearby areas. It is influenced by three religions: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism, and had been indigenously developed. In this style, the image of Buddha is composed of spotted red sandstone. The image of Buddha is in a delighted mood, with a smiling face and is seated gracefully in padmasana. His body has a muscular frame.

• The Amravati School of Art: It developed in South India, in the Krishna-Godavari area, and Amravati and Nagarjunkonda. It is influenced by Buddhism only and had been indigenously developed. It was composed of white marble and is a part of a narrative art and, thus, there is less emphasis on the individual features of Buddha. It depicts the life stories of Buddha and the Jataka tales.

• Headless statue of Kanishka has been found in Mathura.

• The institution of Iqta had been in force in the early Islamic world, as a form of reward for services to the state. In the Caliphate administration, it was used to pay civil and military officers. After the establishment of the Sultanate, the Iqta system was introduced by the Sultans. To begin with, the army commanders and nobles were given territories to administer and collect the revenue. The territories thus assigned were called Iqtas and their holders as Iqtadar or Muqti. In essence, this was a system of payment to the officers and maintenance of army by them. Gradually, rules and regulations were laid down to organize the whole system. Through the years it became the main instrument of administrating the Sultanate.

• Further, the Sultans could get a large share of the surplus production from different parts of the vast territories through this system. From the 14th century, we hear of Walis or Muqtis, who are commanders of military and administrative tracts called Iqta. Their exact powers varied according to the circumstances. In due course, the Muqti was given complete charge of the administration of the Iqta, which included the task of maintaining an army.

• The Muqti was to help the Sultan with his army in case of need. He was expected to maintain the army and meet his own expenses with the revenue collected. From the time of Balban, the Muqti was expected to send the balance (Fawazil) of the income to the centre, after meeting his and the army’s expenses. This means that the central revenue department had made an assessment of the expected income of the Iqta, the cost of the maintenance of the army and the Muqti’s own expenses. This process became even more strict during the time of Alauddhin Khalji. As the central control grew, the control over Muqti’s administration also increased.

• The Khwaja (probably same as Sahib-i-Diwan) was appointed to keep a record of the income of the Iqtas. It was on the basis of this record that the Sultan used to make his revenue demands. A Barid or intelligence officer was also appointed to keep the Sultan informed. During the reign of Muhammad-bin-Thughlaq, a number of governors were appointed on revenue sharing terms where they were to give a fixed sum to the state. During the time of Feroze Shah Tughlaq, the control of the state over Iqtas was diluted, when Iqtas became hereditary.

Ibn Battutah, a resident of Tangier in North Africa, visited India in the fourteenth century and lived at the court of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq for eight years. He travelled widely all over India and has left a very interesting account of the products of the country, including fruits, flowers, herbs, etc., the condition of the roads, and the life of the people. Ibn Battutah says that the soil was so fertile, that it could produce two crops every year, rice being sown three times a year. Sesame, indigo and cotton were also grown. Ibn Battutah calls Delhi the largest city in the eastern part of the Islamic world. He says that Daulatabad (Deogir) equalled Delhi in size—an index of the growth of trade between the north and the south. Some of the new crafts introduced by the Turks (Delhi Sultanate) included the manufacturer of paper. It is to be noted that Sher Shah Suri and Lodhi dynasty were Afghans. The art of manufacturing paper had been discovered by the Chinese in the second century. It was known in the Arab world in the eighth century and travelled to Europe only during the fourteenth century.

• The Mamandur inscription and the Kudumianmalai inscription belong to the Pallava dynasty.

• The Mamandur inscription contains a note on the notation of vocal music. The Kudumianmalai inscription refers to musical notes and instruments. Elephanta is an island near Mumbai. It was originally called Sripuri. The Portuguese, after seeing the large figure of an elephant, named it Elephanta. The sculptural art of the Rashtrakutas reached its zenith in this place. There is a close similarity between the sculptures at Ellora and those in Elephanta.

• The Chalukya temples can be divided into two stages. Under that, the second stage is represented by the temples at Pattadakal. There are ten temples here, four in the northern style and the remaining six in the Dravidian style. The Sangamesvara temple and the Virupaksha temple are famous for their Dravidian style. The Virupaksha temple is built on the model of the Kailasanatha temple at Kanchipuram. It was built by one of the queens of Vikramaditya II. Sculptors brought from Kanchi were employed in its construction.

According to the accounts of the foreign travellers, the Vijayanagar Empire was one of the wealthiest parts of the world at that time. The chief items of exports were cotton and silk clothes, spices, rice, iron, saltpetre and sugar. The imports consisted of horses, pearls, copper, coral, mercury, China silk and velvet clothes.

• Abul Fazl, while writing in the Ain-i- Akbari, speaks of fourteen silsilahs of the Sufis. These silsilahs were divided into two types: Ba-shara and Be- shara.

• Ba-shara was those orders that followed the Islamic Law (Sharia) and its directives, such as namaz and roza. Chief amongst these were the Chishti, Suhrawardi, Firdawsi, Qadiri and Naqshbandi silsilahs.

• The Be-shara silsilahs were not bound by the Sharia. The Qalandars belonged to this group.

• Sheikh Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar of Ajodhan (Pattan in Pakistan) popularised the Chishti silsilah in modern Haryana and Punjab. He opened his door of love and generosity to all. Baba Farid, as he was called, was respected by both Hindus and Muslims. His verses, written in Punjabi, are quoted in the Adi Granth.

• The term Kalam refers to the orthodox doctrines that prevailed in Islam. Kalam were challenged by the rationalist arguments developed by the Ashari School.

The position of shudras improved in this period, as they were now permitted to listen to the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. They could also worship a new god Krishna. They were also allowed to perform certain domestic rites, which brought fee to the priests. The women belonging to the upper varnas lacked proprietary rights and this, along with their complete dependence on men for their livelihood, was the main reason behind their subordination.