Test: History - 10 - UPSC MCQ

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 this Chola period bronze sculpture shiva has been shown balancing himself on his right leg and suppressing the apasmara, the demon of ignorance or forgetfulness, with the foot of the same leg. At the same time he raises his left leg in bhujanga trasita stance, which represents tirobhava that is kicking away the veil of maya or illusion from the devotee’s mind.
His four arms are outstretched and the main right hand is posed in abhaya hasta or the gesture suggesting. The upper right holds the damaru his favourite musical instrument to keep on the beat tala. The upper left hand carries a flame while the main left hand is held in dola hasta and connects with the abhaya hasta of the right hand. His hair locks fly on both the sides touching the circular jvala mala or the garland of flames which surrounds the entire dancing figuration.

1 is a Palaeolithic site in Andhra Pradesh
2 is in Tamil Nadu in Cauvery valley, south of Kurnool caves.
3 is on Af-Pak border.
4 is in Assam.

Statement 1: As per ASI Website, “While there is some evidence of architectural activity going back to the period of Mahendravarman-I (AD 600-30), the father of Mamalla, most of the monuments are attributed to the period of Narasimhavarman-I Mamalla (AD 630-68) – the Pallava ruler.

• On the other hand Ajanta caves were excavated in different periods (circa. 2nd century B.C. to 6th century A.D.) according to the necessity. So, 1 is wrong.

Statement 2: Mahabalipuram contains rock-cut rathas, sculptured scenes on open rocks like Arjuna’s penance, the caves of Govardhan Dhari and Mahishasuramardini. So, it is more linked to the Vaishnavites.

• On the other hand, Ajanta is linked more to the Buddhist religious denomination.

Statement 2 is also wrong.
Statement 3: Both have rock-cut monuments, because cave cut Chaityas, Viharas and Stupas can be clearly seen at Ajanta. Also, the mural paintings that are made at Ajanta involve some rock-cutting as per ASI.
Mahabalipuram is famous for rock monuments as described above.
Only 3 is correct.

Arjuna’s Penance is one of the magnificent monuments of Mahabalipuram.
The Dashavatara Temple is an early 6th century Vishnu Hindu temple located at Deogarh, Uttar Pradesh. Famous sculpture of Vishnu reclining on the Serpent Sheshnag is found here.
The image of Maheshmurti at Elephanta dates back to the early sixth century CE.

The vedic people worshipped various forces of nature as god. Rituals and sacrifices (Yajnas) were practiced by early vedic people.

Vakatakas initially established themselves in the Vindhyan region, and later extended their power southwards, eventually becoming a major political power in the Deccan. Vakataka rule lasted from the mid-3rd to the late 5th/ early 6thcenturies AD.

Bijak is the best known of the compilations of the Kabir, and it is the Holy Scripture for followers of the Kabirpanthi religion.
Pushti marg (“the Path of Grace”) is a Vaishnav sect of the Hinduism, founded by shree Vallabhacharya around 1500 AD.

A high official called ‘Sandivigraha’ is mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions, for ‘foreign affairs’.

• Alauddin Khalji took important steps in the land revenue administration.
• He was the first Sultan of Delhi who ordered for the measurement of land. Even the big landlords could not escape from paying land tax.
• Land revenue was collected in cash in order to enable the Sultan to pay the soldiers in cash. His land revenue reforms provided a basis for the future reforms of Sher Shah and Akbar.
• Alauddin Khalji established four separate markets in Delhi, one for grain; another for cloth, sugar, dried fruits, butter and oil; a third for horses, slaves and cattle; and a fourth for miscellaneous commodities.  (Statement 2 is incorrect)

The revolt of 1857 marks a turning point in the history of India. It led to far-reaching changes in the system of administration and the policies of the British government.
The direct responsibility for the administration of the country was assumed by the British Crown and Company rule was abolished.
The assumption of the Government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain was announced by Lord Canning at a durbar at Allahabad in the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’ issued on November 1, 1858.
As per the Queen’s proclamation, the era of annexations and expansion had ended and the British promised to respect the dignity and rights of the native princes.
The Indian states were henceforth to recognise the paramountcy of the British Crown and were to be treated as parts of a single charge.

• The revolt of 1857 marks a turning point in the history of India. It led to far-reaching changes in the system of administration and the policies of the British government.
• The direct responsibility for the administration of the country was assumed by the British Crown and Company rule was abolished.
• The assumption of the Government of India by the sovereign of Great Britain was announced by Lord Canning at a durbar at Allahabad in the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’ issued on November 1, 1858.
• As per the Queen’s proclamation, the era of annexations and expansion had ended and the British promised to respect the dignity and rights of the native princes.
• The Indian states were henceforth to recognise the paramountcy of the British Crown and were to be treated as parts of a single charge.

The Calico Act banned the import of most cotton textiles into England, followed by the restriction of sale of most cotton textiles. It was a form of economic protectionism, largely in response to India (particularly Bengal), which dominated world cotton textile markets at the time. The Act was a precursor to the Industrial Revolution, when Britain eventually surpassed India as the world’s leading textile manufacturer in the 19th century.

The Great Trigonometrical Survey was a project which aimed to measure the entire Indian subcontinent with scientific precision. It was begun in 1802 by the infantry officer William Lambton. Under the leadership of his successor, George Everest, the project was made a responsibility of the Survey of India.

In 1854, the Court of Directors of the East India Company in London sent an educational despatch to the Governor-General in India. Issued by Charles Wood, the President of the Board of Control of the Company, it has come to be known as Wood’s Despatch. Outlining the educational policy that was to be followed in India, it emphasised once again the practical benefits of a system of European learning, as opposed to Oriental knowledge. (Statement 1)

• Madhya Pradesh – Chanderi
• Andhra Pradesh – Pochampalli
• Odisha – Bomkai

• Madhya Pradesh – Jawara
• Uttar Pradesh – Raslila, Dadra.
• Goa – Tarangamel

• Temple is on the northern bank of Brahmaputra river – Arunachal Pradesh
• Deity durga in her shakti form is worshipped
• Temple built in granite stone – during the period of Aryan influence in the region

• Himachal Pradesh – Tabo monastery
• Sikkim – Pemayangtse, Rumtek.
• Arunachal Pradesh – Bomdila monastery
• Karnataka – Namdroling Monastery

Cambodia was colonised by Indians in the first century A.D. They influenced the native people called the Khemers. The ruling dynasty was known as Kambojas and their country was Kamboja or modern Cambodia. Under the early rulers Saivism and Vaishnavism made steady progress.
Temples were built in South Indian style. The most famous of these temples was the temple (wat) of Vishnu built by Suryavarman II in his capital city Angkor. (Statement 1). It was popularly called as the Angkorwat Temple. It is standing on top of a terraced structure. The temple is constructed on the Dravidian style (Statement 2) and the sculptures depict episodes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Among the several forms of struggle thrown up by the movement were

1. Boycott of foreign goods: This included boycott and public burning of foreign cloth, boycott of foreign made salt or sugar, refusal by washermen to wash foreign clothes. This form of protest met with great success at the practical and popular level.
2. Public meetings and processions: These emerged as major methods of mass mobilisation and simultaneously as forms of popular expression.
3. Corps of volunteers or ‘samitis: Samitis such as the Swadesh Bandhab Samiti of Ashwini Kumar Dutta emerged as a very popular and powerful method of mass mobilisation.
4. Imaginative use of traditional popular festivals and, melas: The idea was to use such occasions as a means of reaching out to the masses and spreading political messages. For instance, Tilak’s Ganapati and Shivaji festivals became a medium of swadeshi propaganda not only in western India, but also in Bengal. In, Bengal also, the traditional folk theatre forms were used for this purpose. (Statement 3).
   • Emphasis given to self-reliance or ‘atma shakti: This implied reassertion of national dignity, honour and confidence and social and economic regeneration of the villages. (Statement 1).

There was limited participation of peasantry.

The first session of the Indian National Congress was, attended by 72 delegates and presided over by Womesh Chandra Bannerjee.
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay (3 April 1903 – 29 October 1988) was an Indian social reformer and freedom fighter. She was most remembered for her contribution to the Indian independence movement.

Who started the newspaper Al Hilal?
A: Maulana Azad
B: Mohammmad Ali
C: Hasrat Mohani
D: Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Answer: A

The newspaper Al Hilal was started by Maulana Azad. Here is a detailed explanation:
Background:
- Al Hilal was a prominent Urdu-language newspaper that played a significant role in the Indian independence movement.
- It was published from 1912 to 1914 in Calcutta, British India.
Founder:
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, commonly known as Maulana Azad, is the person who started the newspaper Al Hilal.
- He was a prominent Indian scholar, freedom fighter, and the first Minister of Education in independent India.
- Maulana Azad launched Al Hilal to spread the message of nationalism and freedom struggle among the masses.
Objective of Al Hilal:
- Al Hilal aimed to awaken the Indian population and create awareness about the political situation of the country.
- It focused on exposing the British colonial rule and advocating for the rights and freedom of Indians.
- The newspaper provided a platform for intellectuals and activists to express their views on various social and political issues.
Significance:
- Al Hilal played a crucial role in mobilizing public opinion and generating support for the independence movement.
- It inspired many individuals to actively participate in the struggle against British rule.
- The newspaper faced censorship and suppression from the British authorities, leading to its eventual ban in 1914.
In conclusion, Maulana Azad started the newspaper Al Hilal as a means to educate and mobilize the Indian population during the freedom struggle.

Servants of indian society was founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. It was meant to prepare Indians for the service of the society and the Nation.
Hitavada was the newspaper which projected the ideas of the society.
Sudharak, meaning Reformer, was a newspaper in India. It was founded in 1888 by Gopal Ganesh Agarkar, who had previously edited Kesari. The newspaper was an Anglo Marathi-language work and was published in Poona, Maharashtra.