Test: Ancient History - 1 - UPSC MCQ

Vijayanagara School: More than one mandaps were built in each temple. The central mandap came to be known as Kalyan Mandap.

A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India by Upinder Singh, page 508: Forced labour (Vishti) became more common than before in this Gupta period. The fact that it is mentioned along with the taxes in the land grant inscriptions suggest that Vishti was considered as source of income for the state, a sort of tax paid by the people. The fact that most of the inscriptions referring to Vishti come from Madhya Pradesh and Kathiyawar regions may suggest this practice for more prevalent in this areas. So, A is right B is wrong.

Mahayana Buddhism is one of two main existing branches of Buddhism (the other being Theravada). It started considering Buddha as a god rather than a great teacher and began worshiping Buddha's images. It also has a whole cosmology of gods and goddesses as well as various Bodhisattvas seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.

In fact, the teachings of Mahayana are also nothing but treating the path of various Bodhisattvas.

1993: A team of archeologists surveyed Sann ai, Karnataka. The most dramatic evidence came from Kanagahalli. The discoveries at the site included a broken relief sculpture showing a king and queen flanked by female attendants. An inscription in brahmi letter read "Ranyo Ashoka" (King Ashoka).

Nitin ch1: Sohgaura Copper Plate: The earliest known copper-plate, known as the Sohgaura copper-plate, is a Mauryan record that mentions famine relief efforts. So it can't be a Harappan site, answer is c.

Khongjom Parva is an important folk music from the state of Manipur. It is a popular ballad genre which is a musical narration of the battle of Khongjom fought between the British army and the Manipuri resistance forces in 1891. So, statement#2 is right, this eliminates A and (C)
• Thang Ta is the exclusive martial dance form of Manipur. Thang means sword and Ta means spear. So, statement#3 is wrong, this eliminates (D) Therefore answer must be B: only 1 and 2.

Sujni embroidery- Incorrect. It belongs to Bihar.
• Upada Jamdani Sarees- Incorrect. It belongs to Andhra Pradesh.
• So, by elimination, we are left with answer A: 1 only.

Maitreya, is the future Buddha, whose coming was said to have been prophesied by the historical Buddha and who in years to come, would purify the world with his teachings. let's also learn about the wrong options, lest they're asked in future exams: Avalokitesvara (watchful lord), also called Padmapani (lotus-bearer), whose attribute is compassion, which reaches down even to Avichi, the lowest Buddhist purgatory. Loksesvara is also used as a synonym for Avalokitesvar(a)

Sthanakvasi don't differ much from the other Svetambara Jainas, hence now-a-days they invariably call themselves as Svetambara Sthanakvasi.

Academic books on medieval history mention that Ganapati was the most powerful of Kakatiya sovereigns. Motupalli, now in Krishna district, was an important seaport in his kingdom, frequented by foreign merchants. So, "B" is the answer.

Justification:
Statement 2: The Indus valley people knew the use of copper, bronze, silver and gold but not iron. It was in the invention on iron that allowed the civilization to push deeper into the gangetic delta by clearing the thick vegetation. So, 2 is wrong. 

Statement 1: The Ramayana mentions Kshatriyas went to combat on the chariots chariots covered with leather. The Rig Vedic charioteers used varma (coats of mail) and sipra/sironastra (helmets). They were equipped with asi (swords), hanas (arrows) and ilhianus (bows).

Since statement 2 is wrong, hence statement  1 must be correct.

Statement 3 is disputed. There has been evidence of skeletal remains unearthed near Surkotada, Gujarat. But there is a controversy that it might have been of any horse-like an animal, eg. donkey.

• Andhra Pradesh state Govt. website says Arasavalli in Srikakulam district has sun temple. So 1 is right.
• Sri Omkareshwar temple in Mysore is for Lord Shiva and it's not a Sun Temple.
• Amarakantak in Madhya Pradesh has temples, but not any Sun temple. So #3 is wrong. Hence, by elimination, answer "A" only 1.

New NCERT, Std. 11. An Introduction to Indian Art (Page 54 shows big photo with caption: Padmapani boddhisattva at ajanta Cave no. 1)

Sautrantikas and Sammtiyas as Buddhism sects. So first statement is wrong.
And Sarvastivadin sect of Buddhism believes that all things exist, and exist continuously, in the past and the future as well as in the present. So second statement is right.

A special category of land, eripatti, or land, is mentioned. Donated by individuals, the revenue from this land was set apart for the maintenance of the village tank. Occasionally a very large village would be administered as a single unit and this was called Taniyur. 

The Malavikagnimitra is a Sanskrit play by Kalidas. The play tells the love story of Agnimitra, the Shunga Emperor. He falls in love with the picture of an exiled servant girl named Malavika.

Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli was built during the reign of Ashoka in 250 BC. Lingaraja Temple at Bhubneshwar was built by Yayati (1025-1040). Rock-cut monuments at Mahabalipuram were built during 7th-8th century AD during the reign of Pallavas. Varaha Image at Udaygiri was built by Chandragupta II of Gupta Empire.

Buddh born in Lumbini, in Kosala kingdom Buddh died in Kusinara, in Magadha kingdom. Avanti lay outside the area visited by buddha, and was converted to his teaching by his disciple Mahakaccana. Gandhara is western part of Pakistan & Afghanistan and Buddha never went to Pakistan.

The words Satyameva Jayate came from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning ‘Truth Alone Triumphs’.

Lokayata and Kapalika do not form of Six system of Indian philosophy