MH SET Paper 2 Mock Test - 8 (History) - MAHA TET MCQ

The correct answer is 1, 2, and 3.

Key Points

• Hind Swaraj is the most seminal work of Mahatma Gandhi and the most original contribution to political theory after Kautilya's Arthashastra.
• It is an alternative to feudalism, Marxism, and western-style democracy based on majority-ism.
• It is key to understanding Gandhi's life and philosophy, and to get over the present dilemma-growth without development.
• Published in 1909, it continues to evoke critical responses the world over.
• It is not a book on how to win political freedom for India; it is a book on how humanity can progress from conscious to super-conscious and moral beings.'
• Gandhi sees capitalism as the dynamic behind colonial imperialism.
• Gandhi’s rejection of capitalism is based on a profound repugnance to a system where profit is allowed to degrade labor, where the machines are valued more than humans, where automation is preferred to humanism. Hence statement 1 is correct.
• The ancient Indian civilization "unquestionably the best", was the fountainhead of Indian nationality, as it had immense assimilative power of absorbing foreigners of different creeds. Hence statement 2 is correct.
• Parliamentary Democracy did not reflect the general will of the people but of the political parties. Hence statement 3 is correct.
• In fact, Hind Swaraj is a manifesto for a new world order based on the supremacy of ethics and morality over matter.
• It represents the voice of the voiceless, the voice of the common man of India, and the whole world.
• Hind Swaraj teaches "the gospel of love in place of that of hate.
• It replaces violence with self-sacrifice.
• It pits soul force against brute force".

The correct answer is Option 3.

Key Points

• It was customary for the Satvahana king to be named after his mother like Gautamiputra and Vashishthiputra which indicates that the women occupied an important position in the society. Hence, statement I is true.
• They used matronyms although they were not matriarchal or matrilineal in any sense.
• They represented themselves as possessing the divine qualities of ancient gods such as Rama, Bhima, Arjuna, etc (only male deities).
  • Hence, statement II is false.
• The king was represented as the upholder of dharma and he strove for the royal ideal set forth in the Dharmashastras.
• They claimed to be a Brahman and thought it his duty to uphold the four-fold varna system.

Additional Information

• The Satavahanas were the first rulers to make land grants to the Brahmans.
• Merchants took pride in naming themselves after the towns to which they belonged.
• Even though the rulers were Hindus and claimed Brahmanical status, they supported Buddhism also.
  • Nagarjunakonda and Amravati in Andhra Pradesh and Nasik and Junar in Maharashtra became important Buddhist sites under the Satavahanas.
  • They made grants to Buddhist monks, especially to Mahayana Buddhists.

The correct answer is 1-C, 2-A, 3-D, 4-B.

Key-Points

• Censorship of Press Act, 1799 was implemented under the tenure of Lord Wellesley. Lord Wellesley enacted this, anticipating the French invasion of India. It imposed almost wartime press restrictions including pre-censorship.
• Licensing regulation, 1823 was implemented under the tenure of John Adams. The acting governor-general, John Adams, who had reactionary views, enacted these regulations. According to these regulations, starting or using a press without a license was a penal offense.
• Press Act of 1835 was implemented under the tenure of Lord Metcalfe. The Press Act (1835) required a printer/publisher to give a precise account of the premises of a publication and cease functioning if required by a similar declaration.
• Vernacular Act, 1878 was implemented under the tenure of Lord Lytton. Under this law, the district magistrate was empowered to call upon the printer and publisher of any vernacular newspaper to enter into a bond with the Government undertaking not to cause disaffection against the government or antipathy between persons of different religions, caste, race through published material; the printer and publisher could also be required to deposit security which could be seized if the offenses reoccurred.

The correct answer is option 2.

Key Points

Confusion Points

• Asaf Jah is different from Qutub shahis.
• Both ruled over the same regions of Hyderabad.
• Qutub Shahis were part of the Bahamani Sultanate whereas the Asaf Jahis are Nizam of Hyderabad at the time of the Mughals.

1) Statue of Gomateswara at Sravanabelgola- The Gomateswara statue at Sravanabelgola is one of the most important tirthas (pilgrimage destinations) in Jainism, one that reached a peak in architectural and sculptural activity under the patronage of Western Ganga dynasty of Talakad.

2) Bahubali statue at Karkal- Karkala is a town of historical importance and a pilgrim centre for Jains. Jainism is widely practised here. The single stone 41.5 feet (13 m) statue, Gomateswara (Lord Bahubali), is located about 1 km from the centre of the town and is the second tallest in Karnataka.

3) Caves of Udaigiri hills- The Udayagiri Caves feature some of the oldest Hindu images and cave temples in India. They are located near the city of Vidisha, northeast of Bhopal in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The caves are one of India's most important archaeological sites from the Gupta period. The complex consists of twenty caves, of which, one is dedicated to Jainism and all others to Hinduism.

4) A tower at Chittor - Kirti Stambh is a 12th-century tower situated at Chittorgarh fort in Rajasthan, India. The 22-meter high tower was built by a Jain merchant, Jeeja Bhagerwala, during the reign of Rawal Kumar Singh (r: 1179-1191) for the glory of Jainism.

5) A temple at Dilwara- The Dilwara temples of India are located about 2 ½ kilometres from Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station. These Jain temples were built by Vastapul Tejpal, a Jain layman, between the 11th and 13th centuries A.D. They are world-famous for their stunning use of marble.

Poetry in India

The Vedas

• The term Vedas has been derived from the Sanskrit word Vid which means ‘to know’.
• They are a compilation of hymns and prayers, offered to various Gods by sages and poets. They are not just a series of sacred texts but are essentially archetypal poetry of high literary value.
• They are also known as Samhitas.
• Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Classical Sanskrit Literature

• Classical Sanskrit literature includes epic poetry, drama, lyric poetry, romance, popular tales, didactic fables, grammar, medicine, law, astronomy, mathematics, etc.
• It is mostly secular in character.
• An important example of poetry in Classical Sanskrit in Malatibhava, written by Bhavabhuti (c. 700 CE). It is a love story written in poetry form.
• Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Sangam Literature

• The Sangam period roughly spans from 300 BCE - to 300 CE.
• The most interesting feature of Sangam literature is that it is mostly secular in nature, and not religious. Its themes revolve around the love, praise, and bravery of kings.
• The Sangam literature has mainly two schools of poems:
• Aham (love poems)
• Puram (public and heroic poems)
• In Sangam literature, Tenais are types of themes or genres of poetry.
• A single Thinai contained the entire political landscape - time, place, background, season, flora, and fauna.
• Ettutogai is a collection of eight anthologies of poems, Pathupattu is a collection of ten long poems.
• Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Telugu Literature

• Telugu is also a Davidian language.
• The literature began in the 10th-11th centuries CE.
• The literature is mainly poetry in secular and religious themes.
• Sataka (century of verses) is a very popular form of literature.
• The literature attained new heights under the Vijayanagar empire (14-17th century CE), of which Telugu was the court language.
• Pattu song literature developed in Malayalam literature, not Telugu literature.
• Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

Malayalam Literature

• The Malayalam language is a member of the Dravidian language family.
• Popular song literature flourished called pattu. It consisted of erotic poetry written in a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit.
• Campus are compositions written in alternating passages of verses and prose.
• Earlier Malayalam texts were entirely indigenous. However, with time Sanskrit and Tamil contributed to its development.
• Manipravalam developed as a dialect that is a mixture of Sanskrit and Malayalam.

All the given statements are correct.

Key Points

• The East India Company (EIC) did lose its monopoly of trade with the Charter Act of 1813.
• This allowed other British companies to trade with India, breaking the EIC's monopoly and opening up the Indian market to competition. Hence statement (A) is correct.
• The use of Indian ships for trade was banned by the British government.
• The Navigation Acts, which were first introduced in the 17th century, required all goods transported between Britain and its colonies to be carried on British ships.
• This policy was designed to protect the British shipping industry and prevent foreign competition. Hence statement (B) is correct.
• The British government did make it obligatory to purchase only British-made paper for use in India.
• This policy was part of a wider effort to promote British industry and protect British jobs. However, it also had a negative impact on Indian industries, which were unable to compete with cheaper British goods. Hence statement (C) is correct.
• The policies such as the ban on Indian ships for trade and the promotion of British-made goods did contribute to the decline of Indian industries.
• These policies gave an unfair advantage to British businesses and made it difficult for Indian industries to compete.
• Additionally, British policies such as the imposition of high tariffs on Indian goods further damaged Indian industries. Hence statement (D) is correct.

The correct answer is (A), (B) & (C).

Key Points

Administration during Kakatiyas:

• During the Kakatiya Dynasty agriculture was the main profession. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
  • They witnessed excellent economic progress because they paid a keen interest in the agricultural expansion.
  • They brought large tracts of uncultivable lands under cultivation by building tanks and digging wells
• The Kakatiya rulers especially Prataparudra attempted to increase the extent of cultivable land by cutting down forests and brought many virgin soils under the plough. Hence, statement 2 is correct
• The Land revenue was collected either in cash or in kind. Hence, statement 3 is correct
  • The state collected one-fourth to one-half of the produce as revenue.
• The Kakatiy also paid very keen interest and attention to improve the agricultural potentialities of the country by constructing tanks, wells, irrigation facilities, and canals, establishing agrahara villages, and bringing wastelands under cultivation. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

Both Jain and Buddhist monks went from place to place throughout the year for teaching the people.

• Only in the rainy season, they stay in one place.
• Earlier, their followers built a temporary shelter for them, later permanent shelters were constructed which were known as ‘viharas’ i.e. monasteries.
• These ‘viharas’ were made of wood and then of brick.

Thus, we can say that both statements A) and B) are true and B) is not the reason for A).

Confusion Points

• Jains and Buddhists move from one place to another for spreading their religion, not to live in caves or gardens.
• They usually took shelter there to spend time and seasonal differences.
• Thus, statement B is not explaining statement A.

Additional Information

• Jainism and Buddhism share many features, terminology, and ethical principles, but emphasize them differently.[
• Jainism discourages monks and nuns from staying in a single place for a long time, except for 4 months in the rainy season (chaturmas).
• Thus most of the time the Jain monks and nuns keep wandering, staying in a place for just a few days.
• Some Theravada Buddhist monks also observe Vassa rules, but often they stay in one monastery, but they also used to wander and preach in the past.

The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.

In news

• Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has said the restoration of Sher Shah Gate is in its final stages and would take another four to five months.

Key Points

• A substantial portion of Sher Shah Gate had collapsed in August 2012 and a brick wall was raised to support the structure.
• Close to nine years after the 16th century Sher Shah Gate in Central Delhi was partially damaged in heavy rains, the restoration work on the monument is still not complete.
• The restoration of the monument has now taken longer than the work involved in restoring Humayun’s Tomb, which took six years between 2007 and 2013.
• The original deadline for completion of work was 2015-16, as per a submission made in the Lok Sabha in March 2015 by then Union Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma.
• The gate served as the southern entrance to Shergarh, a city built by Sher Shah Suri of the Sur dynasty during his reign as emperor of North India from 1540 to 1545. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Shergarh was built when Sher Shah took control of the Mughal Empire after defeating Emperor Humayun in 1540. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Delhi circle of the ASI began work at the monument in 2015. However, a year later the agency created a subdivision called the ‘mini circle’, which divided jurisdiction over monuments in the city.

The correct answer is "Statement (I) is false but statement (II) is true".

Key Points Statement (I): Each social class and group felt the effects of colonialism equally.

• This statement is false.
• Colonialism had a significant impact on India's society, economy, politics, and culture.
• However, the effects were not felt equally by all social classes and groups.
• The British colonial rule created a hierarchical society with privileged access to education, wealth, and power.
• The upper classes and privileged groups, such as the landlords and the educated elites, had more opportunities to benefit from the colonial system, while the peasants, workers, and lower castes were marginalized and exploited.
• Therefore, the impact of colonialism was different for each social class and group.

Statement (II): The notion of freedom was not always the same for each class and group.

• This statement is true.
• The idea of freedom was not uniform across all social classes and groups in India.
• The educated elites and upper classes, who had access to Western education and exposure to Enlightenment ideas, saw freedom in terms of individual liberty and political rights.
• They demanded representative institutions, the rule of law, and constitutional rights.
• On the other hand, for the lower classes and marginalized groups, freedom meant liberation from exploitation, poverty, and social oppression.
• They demanded economic and social justice, land reform, and an end to the caste system.
• Therefore, the notion of freedom was not the same for all classes and groups.

Iron was used much later.

Bharhut is a village located in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, central India. It is known for its famous relics from a Buddhist stupa.

The Bharhut stupa may have been first built by the Maurya king Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE but many works of art were apparently added during the Sunga period. An epigraph on the gateway of the stupa mentions its erection "during the supremacy of the Sungas by Vatsiputra Dhanabhuti".

Its railing contains numerous birth stories of Buddha’s previous lives or Jataka stories.

In conformity with the early aniconic phase of Buddhist art, Buddha is only represented through symbols, such as the Dharma wheel, the Bodhi tree, an empty seat, footprints or the triratna symbol.

Gupta Polity

• Parnadatta was appointed the Provincial governor of Saurashtra by Skandagupta. Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.
• The official law book of the Guptas is the Yajnavalkya smriti. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

Gupta Era (310-320 CE)

• It was started by Gupta ruler Chandragupta I.
• After the fall of the Guptas, the Maitrakas of Vallabhi used this era with a new name Vallabhi Samvata. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

Samudragupta (Reign 335-380 CE)

• He was son of Chandragupta-I and Kumaradevi (Lichchavi princess).
• He is called ‘Napolean of India’ by V.A. Smith (Irish Indologist and Art Historian).
• His campaigns are mentioned in the Eran inscription (Madhya Pradesh).
• He gave himself the title of ‘Lichchavi-dauhitra’ as he was son of the daughter of Lichchavis. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

Chanhu-daro was excavated by M.G. Majumdar in 1931. It is the only Indus Valley site without a citadel. It s also the site where only stones and no bricks were used. Kalibangan witnessed both stages of culture (Proto-Harappan and Harappan). Similarity of pottery relates Kalibangan-I with the Sothi culture in Afghanistan. In Mohenjodaro, we find bronze image of dancing girl and seal of Pashupati(Mahadev) with four animals standing. Kuntasi is an archeological site which was first reported by P. P Pandya and later thoroughly explored by Y. M. Chitalwala. This site was identified as a jetty and a manufacturing centre.

The correct answer is 1, 2, and 3.

Key Points

First Anglo-Maratha War

• After many battles Both Marathas and Britishers signed the Treaty of Salbai to Conclude the first Anglo-Maratha War in 1782. Hence, Statement 3 is correct.
• The First Anglo-Maratha War was fought between the British East India Company and Maratha Empire, during 1775 - 1782. Hence, Statement 2 is correct.
• After the Third Battle of Panipat, the Maratha power in India started declining.
• Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao died in 1761 and was succeeded by his son Madhavrao I who was able to recover some of the territories lost in the third battle of Panipat.
• Madhavrao I died in the early 1770s, leading to a fight for Maratha’s throne between Narayan Rao (Son of Madhavrao I) and uncle Raghunathrao.

The main cause of the first Maratha war was the increased interference of the British in affairs, both internal and external. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.

Causes

• Treaty of Surat 1775:
  • It was signed between Raghunath Rao and the British East India Company (EIC). British EIC agreed to support the claim of Raghunathrao over Peshwaship.
  • In return, Raghunathrao conceded Salsette and Bassein to the English.
• Beginning of the First Anglo-Maratha War
  • The Treaty of Surat in 1775 is considered the beginning of the First Anglo-Maratha War.
  • Raghunathrao supported by the British EIC attacked and won the battle against the Peshwa of Maratha.
• Disagreement among Britishers
  • British Calcutta Council under Warren Hastings cancelled the agreement reached between Raghunathrao and the Bombay Presidency.
  • British Calcutta Council signed a new Agreement of Purandhar with Ministers of Maratha in 1776.
  • Raghunathrao was given the only pension and Salsette was held on by the British.
• Breach of Agreement of Purandhar 1776
  • The British establishment at Bombay breached this treaty and protected Raghunathrao.
  • On the other hand, Nana Phadnavis gave permission to the French to build a port on the west coast.
• Battle at Wadgaon
  • The above conflict led to a battle at Wadgaon near Pune in which the Marathas under Mahadji Shinde secured a conclusive victory over the English.
• Treaty of Wadgaon
  • The English were forced to sign a humiliating agreement with Marathas in Wadgaon in 1779.
• Treaty of Salbai
  • ​It was signed on 17 May 1782.
  • The Company retained control of Salsette and Broach and acquired guarantees that the Marathas would defeat Hyder Ali of Mysore and retake territories in the Carnatic.
  • The Marathas also guaranteed that the French would be prohibited from establishing settlements on their territories.
  • Raghunath Rao was pensioned and his cause was abandoned.
  • The British also recognised the territorial claims of the Mahadji Shinde west of the Jamuna River and all the territories occupied by the British after the Treaty of Purndar were given back to the Marathas.
  • The Treaty of salbai resulted in 20 years of relative peace between the Maratha Empire and the East India Company until the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1802.
  • Devudiya Anderson concluded the Treaty of Salbai on behalf of the East India Company.

The correct answer is 1 only.

Key Points

• The Battle of Plassey:-
  • When Alivardi Khan died in 1756, Siraj Ud-Daulah became the nawab of Bengal.
  • The Company was worried about his power and keen on a puppet ruler who would willingly give trade concessions and other privileges. So it tried, though without success, to help one of Siraj Ud-Daulah's rivals become the nawab.
  • An infuriated Siraj Ud-Daulah asked the Company to stop meddling in the political affairs of his dominion, stop fortification, and pay the revenues. After negotiations failed, the Nawab marched with 30,000 soldiers to the English factory at Kassimbazar, captured the Company officials, locked the warehouse, disarmed all Englishmen, and blockaded English ships. Then he marched to Calcutta to establish control over the Company’s fort there.
  • On hearing the news of the fall of Calcutta, Company officials in Madras sent forces under the command of Robert Clive, reinforced by naval fleets.
  • In 1757, Robert Clive led the Company’s army against Siraj Ud-Daulah at Plassey.
  • One of the main reasons for the defeat of the Nawab was that the forces led by Mir Jafar, one of Siraj Ud-Daulah's commanders, never fought the battle.
  • Robert Clive had managed to secure his support by promising to make him nawab after crushing Siraj Ud-Daulah.
  • The Battle of Plassey became famous because it was the first major victory the Company won in India. Hence, Statement 1 is correct.
  • After the defeat at Plassey, Siraj Ud-Daulah was assassinated and Mir Jafar made the nawab. Hence, Statement 2 is not correct.
  • The Company was still unwilling to take over the responsibility of the administration. Hence, Statement 3 is not correct.
  • Its prime objective was the expansion of trade. If this could be done without conquest, through the help of local rulers who were willing to grant privileges, then territories need not be taken over directly.
  • When Mir Jafar protested, the Company deposed him and installed Mir Qasim in his place.
  • When Mir Qasim complained, he in turn was defeated in a battle fought at Buxar (1764), driven out of Bengal, and Mir Jafar was reinstalled.

Many of the generalizations appeared in Early History of India by Vincent Arthur Smith prepared the first systematic history of ancient India in 1904. A.L. Basham’s Wonder That Was India is a sympathetic survey of the various facets of ancient Indian culture and civilization free from the prejudices that plagued the writings of V.A. Smith. A stronger element of Hindu revivalism appears in the writings of R.C. Majumdar, who was a prolific writer and general editor of the multi-volume publication History and Culture of the Indian People. In D.D. Kosambi’s book An Introduction to the Study of Indian History blazed a new trail in Indian History his treatment follows the materialistic interpretation of history, which is derived from the writings of history.

Alberuni’s book Tahkik-i-Hind (Reality of Hindustan or Enquiry into India) is a mirror of the eleventh century India. It gives a good graphic description of India as he saw it. Minhaj Siraj has written a political history called Tabaqat-i-Nasiri. It is a history of Muslim Kings, their military chiefs and officials. Ziauddin Barani is well-known for his works of history, namely Tarikh-i-Firozshahi and Fatwa-i-Jahandari. Amir Khusrau’s full name was Abul Hassan Yaminuddin Khurau. He wrote Miftah-ul-Futuh which enumerates the military campaigns and victories of Sultan Jalaluddin Khalji, which he achieved in the first year after his accession.

The correct matching is A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1.Key Points

• R Palme Dutt
  • ​Rajani Palme Dutt was a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain in 1920 and was editor of Labour Monthly, which was prefaced by Dutt's 'Notes of the Month'.From 1923, he edited Workers' Weekly.
  • He was a staunch supporter of Leninism and Stalinism and saw the British state as having fascist tendencies, evidenced by the British Empire.
  • His classic book "India Today" pioneered the Marxist approach to Indian history.
• Ranajit Guha
  • ​Ranajit Guha was the most influential figure in postcolonial and subaltern studies and is also the founding editor of Subaltern Studies.
  • Guha’s works have deeply influenced not only the writing of sub-continental history but also historical investigations elsewhere, as well as cultural studies, literary theories, and social analyses across the world.
  • Some books of him A Rule of Property for Bengal: An Essay on the Idea of the Permanent Settlement (1963), Subaltern Studies (edited volumes 1 to 10), and Elementary Aspects of Insurgency in Colonial India (1983).
• ​W W Hunter
  • ​Sir William Wilson Hunter was a Scottish historian, statistician, compiler and member of the Indian Civil Service.
  • He is most known for The Imperial Gazetteer of India on which he started working in 1869, and which was eventually published in nine volumes in 1881.
• B D Basu
  • ​Major Baman Das Basu was an Indian army physician, botanist, nationalist historian, and writer.
  • He resigned from the Indian Medical Service after serving in Chitral and Sudan due to the conflict with his nationalism and joined his brother Sris Chandra Basu in editing and publishing books on Hinduism.

  • He authored the book The Dietetic Treatment of Diabetes, in 1909. In the book, he stated that "diabetic patients who are vegetarians live longer than those who are meat eaters".

• Statement 1 and 2 both are correct.

• Muhtasibs were appointed in all provinces. These officials were asked to see that people lived their lives in accordance with the Shara. Thus it was the business of these officials to see that wine and intoxicants such as bhang were not consumed in public places. They were also r esponsible for regulating the houses of ill repute, gambling dens, etc, and for checking weights and measures. In other words, they were responsible for ensuring that things forbidden by Shara and Zawabits were as far as possible not flouted openly. Hence both the statements are correct.

The Barabar Caves are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India, mostly dating back to the Maurya Empire (322–185 BCE). Some of them have  Ashokan inscriptions. They are located in Makhdumpur Block of Jehanabad district , Bihar, India, 24 km north of Gaya.

The caves were used by ascetics from the Ajivika sect, founded by Makkhali Gosala , a contemporary of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, and of Mahavira, the last and 24th Tirthankara of Jainism. Several rock-cut Buddhist and Hindu sculptures are also present at the site. 

Barabar Hill contains four caves, namely  Karan Chaupar, Lomas Rishi, Sudama and Visva Zopri. Sudama and Lomas Rishi Caves are the earliest examples of rock-cut architecture in India.

Lomas Rishi cave is known for a horse shoe fashion decorated facade.

Dupleix was not satisfied with the forceful ceding of Madras to the English after the treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle. He was looking for a chance to get it back and that is why he supported Muzaffar Jang in the throne of Hyderabad and Chanda Sahib in the throne of Carnatic.

The correct answer is 1 and 3 only.​
Key-Points

• Bose met Hitler under the pseudo name, Orlando Mazzotta.
• With the help of Hitler, the ‘Freedom Army’ (Mukti Sena) was formed which consisted of all the prisoners of war of Indian origin captured by Germany and Italy.
• Dresden, Germany was made the office of the Freedom Army. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Bose came to be called ‘Netaji’ by the people of Germany. He gave the famous slogan, ‘Jai Hind’ from the Free India Centre, Germany. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

Additional Information

Subhash Chandra Bose’s Role in Indian Independence Struggle

• His political guru was Chittaranjan Das.
• Bose was sent to prison in Mandalay for nationalist activities in 1925.
• He was released in 1927 and became the INC’s general secretary.
• He worked with Jawaharlal Nehru (Born on November 14 – 1889) and the two became the Congress Party’s young leaders gaining popularity among the people.
• He advocated complete Swaraj and was in favor of the use of force to gain it.
• He had differences with Gandhi and he wasn’t keen on non-violence as a tool for independence.
• Bose stood for and was elected the party’s president in 1939 but was forced to resign due to differences with Gandhi’s supporters.
• Bose’s ideology tilted towards socialism and leftist authoritarianism. He formed the All India Forward Bloc in 1939 as a faction within Congress. At the start of the Second World War, Bose protested against the government for not consulting Indians before dragging them into the war.
• He was arrested when he organized protests in Calcutta for the removal of the monument memorializing the Black Hole of Calcutta. He was released after a few days but was kept under surveillance. He then made his escape from the country in 1941 to Germany via Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.
• He had previously traveled to Europe and met with Indian students and European political leaders. In Germany, he met with the Nazi leaders and hoped to stage an armed struggle against the British to gain independence.
• He hoped to befriend the Axis powers since they were against his ‘enemy’, the British.
• He founded the Indian Legion out of about 4500 Indian soldiers who were in the British army and had been taken prisoners by the Germans from North Africa.
• In 1943, he left Germany for Japan disillusioned with the lukewarm German support for Azad Hind.
• Bose’s arrival in Japan revived the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) which had been formed earlier with Japanese help.
• Azad Hind or the Provisional Government of Free India was established as a government-in-exile with Bose as the head. Its headquarters was in Singapore. The INA was its military.
• Bose motivated the troops with his fiery speeches. His famous quote is, “Give me blood, and I shall give you freedom!”
• The INA supported the Japanese army in its invasion of northeast India and also took control of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, they were forced to retreat by the British forces following the Battles of Kohima and Imphal in 1944.

Explanation:

• Mahendravarman I was a Pallava ruler who ruled the Southern portion of present day Andhra region and Northern regions of what forms present-day Tamil Nadu in India in the early 7th century from 600-630CE
• Gopala (ruled c. 750s–770s AD) was the founder of the Pala Dynasty of Bengal region.
• Mihira Bhoja (836-885 AD) or Bhoja I was a ruler of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty of India.
• Parantaka Chola I (c. 907–955 AD) ruled the Chola kingdom in Tamil Nadu southern India for forty-eight years.

Lahore summit took place in 1998 not 1997. Islamabad summit was held between Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto not with Nawaz Sharif.

The correct answer is option 1.

Key Points

Local Leader during Revolt of 1857

• Shah Mal lived in a large village in pargana Barout in Uttar Pradesh. Hence, pair 1 is correct.
  • Shah Mal mobilised the headmen and cultivators of chaurasee des, moving at night from village to village, urging people to rebel against the British.
  • As in many other places, the revolt against the British turned into a general rebellion against all signs of oppression and injustice.
  • Shah Mal’s men attacked government buildings, destroyed the bridge over the river, and dug up metalled roads – partly to prevent government forces from coming into the area, and partly because bridges and roads were seen as symbols of British rule.
  • Locally acknowledged as the Raja, Shah Mal took over the bungalow of an English officer, and turned it into a “hall of justice”, settling disputes and dispensing judgments.
  • He also set up an amazingly effective network of intelligence. For a period the people of the area felt that firangi raj was over, and their raj had come.
  • Shah Mal was killed in battle in July 1857
• Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah was one of the many maulvis who played an important part in the revolt of 1857.
  • During the freedom struggle, Maulavi made Faizabad the centre and launched revolts in all of the Awadh region. Hence, pair 3 is incorrect.
  • He was seen moving from village to village preaching jehad (religious war) against the British and urging people to rebel. He moved in a palanquin, with drumbeaters in front and followers at the rear. He was therefore popularly called Danka Shah – the maulvi with the drum (danka).
  • British officials panicked as thousands began following the maulvi and many Muslims began seeing him as an inspired prophet.
  • When he reached Lucknow in 1856, he was stopped by the police from preaching in the city. Subsequently, in 1857, he was jailed in Faizabad.
  • When released, he was elected by the mutinous 22nd Native Infantry as their leader.
  • He fought in the famous Battle of Chinhat in which the British forces under Henry Lawrence were defeated. He came to be known for his courage and power.
• Gonoo, a tribal cultivator of Singhbhum in Chotanagpur, became a rebel leader of the Kol tribals of the region. Hence, pair 2 is incorrect.
  • He mobilized the natives in an anti-colonial struggle and although he declared himself to be a follower of Raja of Porahat with whom the Kols had traditional ties, the latter had no authority over the tribal leader and might have been compelled to support Gonoo in his plan of action.
  • Gonoo was an ordinary cultivator in Singhbhum but the events of 1857 made him a rebel leader.

The correct answer is Both I and II

Key Points:

• Tipu Sultan was the ruler of the Mysore Kingdom and he is known as the Tiger of Mysore.
• He reigned from 1782 to 1799.
• Tipu Sultan expanded the iron-cased Mysorean rockets and commissioned the military manual Fathul Mujahidin.
• The French commander-in-chief, Napoleon Bonaparte, sought an alliance with Tipu Sultan.

Additional Information:

• Hyder Ali fought the first Anglo-Mysore War in 1767-69 at the age of 17 and then Second Angle Mysore in 1780-84.
• Hyder Ali died during the Second Anglo-Mysore War and then Tipu Sultan led Mysore.
• He reformed the tax system and imposed tax directly on the peasant and collected through salaried agents in cash.
• Tipu Sultan deployed rockets against the advances of British forces and their allies during the Anglo-Mysore Wars, including the Siege of Seringapatam and the Battle of Pollilur.

The Deccani school developed independent of the Mughal style in the beginning but later, as the Mughal artists started migrating to down south, the schools of Deccan showed the influence of Mughal style. The Deccani painting initially absorbed influences of the northern tradition of the pre-Mughal painting of Malwa, and of the southern tradition of the Vijayanagar school of painting. Influence of the Mughal painters who migrated to the Deccan during the period of Aurangzeb was responsible for the development of various other centres of paintings in Deccan, such as Hyderabad.