History
475 key terms for this subject — each defined in plain language, with where it helps in the exam and a link to the study note it comes from.
- Appeasement
British-French policy of making concessions to Hitler (Rhineland 1936, Austria 1938, Munich 1938) to avoid war — ultimately failed
Where it helps WWII causes 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Heir to Austro-Hungarian throne; assassinated in Sarajevo 28 Jun 1914 — immediate trigger of WWI
Where it helps WWI causes 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Blitzkrieg
Germany's "lightning war" — rapid combined-arms offensive using tanks, aircraft, motorised infantry to overwhelm opponents
Where it helps WWII tactics 2-mark
Read the study note →- Containment
George Kennan's strategy (1946–47) that the US should resist Soviet expansion wherever it occurred — cornerstone of Cold War policy
Read the study note →- Cuban Missile Crisis
October 1962 superpower standoff over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba; closest Cold War came to nuclear war
Where it helps Cold War crisis 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- D-Day (Operation Overlord)
6 June 1944 Allied amphibious assault on Normandy beaches; largest ever; 156,000 troops on Day 1; opened Western Front
Where it helps WWII turning points
Read the study note →- Détente
Easing of Cold War tensions in the 1970s; SALT I (1972), Nixon-China visit, Helsinki Accords (1975); collapsed after Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979)
Where it helps Cold War 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- Glasnost
Gorbachev's 1985–87 policy of openness — press freedom, political transparency, release of prisoners; part of the reforms that ended the Cold War
Where it helps Cold War end 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Holocaust
Nazi Germany's systematic murder of 6 million Jews and 5–6 million others in extermination camps 1941–45
Where it helps WWII impact 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- Iron Curtain
Churchill's 1946 metaphor for the division of Europe into democratic West and communist East
Where it helps Cold War origins 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- MAD
Mutual Assured Destruction — nuclear deterrence doctrine where both superpowers maintained retaliatory capacity ensuring no "winning" nuclear war
Where it helps Arms race 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- Marshall Plan
US $13 billion European Recovery Programme (1948–52) to rebuild Western European economies after WWII
Where it helps Cold War/economic 5-mark
Read the study note →- Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact (23 August 1939); secretly divided Eastern Europe; allowed Hitler to invade Poland without Soviet intervention
Where it helps WWII immediate cause
Read the study note →- NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization — US-led Western military alliance formed 4 April 1949; collective defence under Article 5
Where it helps Cold War blocs 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Non-Aligned Movement
Organisation of newly independent nations (Belgrade 1961) refusing alignment with either Cold War bloc; co-founded by Nehru, Tito, Nasser
Read the study note →- NPT
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (signed 1968, in force 1970); 190+ signatories; India, Pakistan, Israel not signatories
Where it helps Arms control 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Nuremberg Trials
First international war crimes tribunal (1945–46); 24 Nazi leaders tried; established precedent of individual accountability for crimes against humanity
Where it helps WWII legacy 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- Panchsheel
Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence: mutual respect for sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference, equality, peaceful coexistence — signed India-China 1954
Where it helps NAM/India 5-mark
Read the study note →- Perestroika
Gorbachev's 1985–87 economic restructuring — decentralisation, limited markets, reduced state monopoly; weakened the Soviet system
Where it helps Cold War end 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- Proxy War
Conflict where two rival powers support opposing sides without directly fighting each other; Cold War mechanism: Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan
Where it helps Cold War 5/10-mark
Read the study note →- Reparations
Compensation payments imposed on defeated nations; Germany's 132 billion gold marks under Versailles
Where it helps Versailles/WWII causes
Read the study note →- SALT
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks; SALT I (1972) first agreement to cap nuclear arsenals; part of détente
Where it helps Arms race/détente 5-mark
Read the study note →- Truman Doctrine
March 1947 US policy committing support to free peoples resisting communist subjugation; first applied to Greece and Turkey
Where it helps Cold War origins 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- War Guilt Clause
Article 231 of Treaty of Versailles — assigned sole responsibility for WWI to Germany
Where it helps Versailles 5-mark
Read the study note →- Warsaw Pact
Soviet-led Eastern military alliance formed 14 May 1955 as counter to NATO; dissolved 1991
Where it helps Cold War blocs 2/5-mark
Read the study note →- 73rd/74th Amendment
1992–93; 33% reservation for women in PRIs and ULBs
Where it helps Women empowerment
Read the study note →- 8th Schedule
Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution listing 22 officially recognised languages; Rajasthani demands inclusion — currently excluded despite Rajasthan Assembly's 2003 unanimous resolution
Where it helps High — directly tested likely 2026
Read the study note →- 92nd Constitutional Amendment
Constitutional amendment of 2003 adding Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santali to the 8th Schedule — Rajasthani was excluded despite comparable or larger speaker population
Where it helps High — context for 8th Schedule demand
Read the study note →- 95 Theses
Luther's propositions against indulgences posted at Wittenberg, 31 Oct 1517
Where it helps Reformation start
Read the study note →- A. Ghosh
Archaeological Survey of India director who identified Kalibangan in 1952 during a field survey; formal excavations began 1961 under B.B. Lal
Read the study note →- Act of Supremacy
1534 English law declaring Henry VIII Supreme Head of Church of England
Where it helps Anglican Reformation
Read the study note →- Adopt a Heritage
Central government scheme (now Adopt a Heritage 2.0, 2023) under which companies maintain monuments through CSR in exchange for co-branding rights
Where it helps Medium — policy; Dalmia Bharat-Amber Fort example
Read the study note →- Advaita
Non-dualism: Brahman alone is real; Atman = Brahman; world is maya
Where it helps Shankaracharya school — Vedanta sub-school; standard exam comparison
Read the study note →- Adyar
Suburb of Chennai where Theosophical Society headquarters has been located since 1882
Where it helps Theosophical Society geography — tested in 2021
Read the study note →- Agama
Jain canonical scriptural texts in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Where it helps Jain scripture — contrasted with Buddhist Tripitaka
Read the study note →- Ahar (Dhulkot)
Type site of Ahar-Banas Culture (Udaipur); locally called Dhulkot; first excavated by R.C. Agrawala (1953–54); gives the culture its name
Read the study note →- Ahar-Banas Culture
Rajasthan's primary Chalcolithic complex (c. 2800–1500 BCE); 90+ sites in Banas-Berach basin; identified by black-and-red ware and copper artefacts
Read the study note →- Ahimsa
Non-violence — absolute principle in Jainism; also central to Buddhism and Gandhi
Where it helps Most frequently tested Jain concept
Read the study note →- Ahmadiyyah Movement
Religious movement founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835–1908 CE) at Qadian (Punjab) in 1889; controversially claimed prophethood; declared non-Muslim in Pakistan (1974); minority in India
Where it helps High — PYQ 2024 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Ain-i-Dahsala
Todar Mal's ten-year revenue settlement (1580 CE); fixed assessment based on 10-year average yields to stabilise revenue and prevent arbitrary variation
Read the study note →- Algoza
Double flute played simultaneously through nose and mouth; Bhil and Meghwal communities (Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh); creates continuous drone melody
Read the study note →- Alvar
One of 12 Tamil Vaishnava poet-saints (6th–9th century CE) who composed Nalayira Divya Prabandham
Where it helps Tamil Bhakti — directly tested in 2023 RPSC
Read the study note →- AMASR Act
Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 — the primary legislation governing protection of centrally protected monuments in India
Where it helps High — defines prohibited zone (100 m) and regulated zone (100–300 m)
Read the study note →- Amber Fort
UNESCO Hill Fort (2013) in Jaipur; built by Man Singh I (1592 CE) and expanded by Jai Singh I; most visited ASI monument in Rajasthan (19 lakh visitors 2023-24)
Where it helps High — visitor data; UNESCO context
Read the study note →- Amber Fort (Amer)
UNESCO Hill Fort (2013); Kachhwaha dynasty; Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace), Diwan-i-Khas, Ganesh Pol gateway; Rajput-Mughal fusion architecture; 2.4 million visitors (2024–25)
Read the study note →- Anatta
"No-self" — Buddhist doctrine that there is no permanent, unchanging self
Where it helps Core Buddhist doctrine — distinguishes from Jain jiva concept
Read the study note →- Ancien Régime
Pre-revolutionary French society: absolute monarchy + clerical First Estate + noble Second Estate
Where it helps French Revolution
Read the study note →- Anekantavada
Jain doctrine of many-sidedness: reality cannot be fully captured from any single perspective
Where it helps Jain epistemology — directly distinguishable from dogmatic schools
Read the study note →- Aniconic
Representing a deity through symbols (footprints, throne) rather than human/divine images
Where it helps Early Buddhist art period before Buddha was depicted in human form
Read the study note →- Antisemitism
Prejudice against Jewish people; central to Nazi ideology
Read the study note →- Apabhramsha
Late Middle Indo-Aryan language (c. 6th–13th century CE), the immediate predecessor of both Rajasthani and Gujarati; documented by Hemachandra's grammar
Where it helps Medium — linguistic history
Read the study note →- Apna Khata
Rajasthan government's digital land records portal (2016); digitalised 2.3 crore land records (jamabandi) across 44,000+ villages; 95%+ coverage
Read the study note →- Appeasement
Policy of conceding to Hitler's demands (Munich Agreement 1938) to avoid war; failed
Read the study note →- April Theses
Lenin's 1917 programme: no support for Provisional Government; Peace, Land, Bread; All power to Soviets
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Apsara Reactor
India's (and Asia's) first nuclear research reactor; went critical 4 Aug 1956, BARC Trombay
Read the study note →- Arya
Noble/civilised person; used by Dayananda Saraswati to mean a follower of Vedic wisdom
Where it helps Arya Samaj — name and philosophy
Read the study note →- Aryan
Nazi concept of Germanic "master race" — blond, blue-eyed Nordic peoples; pseudo-scientific racial category
Read the study note →- Auschwitz
Largest Nazi extermination camp (Poland); ~1.1 million killed
Read the study note →- Azad Hind Fauj
Indian National Army (INA) founded by Subhas Bose (1943) — fought with Japan against British in Burma/NE India
Where it helps INA trials 1945–46; contribution to independence
Read the study note →- Bagore
Mesolithic site on Kothari River, Bhilwara; V.N. Misra (1967–70); documents cattle/sheep/goat domestication c. 5000 BCE; three occupational phases
Read the study note →- Bagru Block Print
Natural-dye block print from Bagru village (Jaipur); dark background with geometric-floral motifs; distinct from Sanganeri; GI Tagged
Read the study note →- Bairath (Viratnagar)
Ancient Matsya Mahajanapada capital (Jaipur district); two Ashokan Minor Rock Edicts; circular Buddhist shrine; Mahabharata agyatvas site
Read the study note →- Baithak tradition
Sitting performance tradition of Langha-Manganiar musicians; intimate court/haveli performances for patron families; contrast with stage/festival performance
Read the study note →- Balathal
Ahar-Banas site (Udaipur); excavated 1993–2006 by V.S. Shinde; first direct evidence of copper smelting furnaces within an Ahar-Banas settlement
Read the study note →- Bani Thani
Iconic Kishangarh school portrait by Nihal Chand (c. 1750 CE); subject is Maharaja Sawant Singh's poetess-consort; India Post stamp subject (1973)
Read the study note →- Bappa Rawal
Guhila founder (c. 713–753 CE) credited with defeating Arab forces post-712 CE; established Eklingji temple; began Mewar rulers' identity as Shiva's steward
Read the study note →- Barmer Morchang Festival
Annual international music festival in Barmer promoting Morchang (jaw harp) and endangered Rajasthani folk instruments; 9th edition attracted 120 performers from 14 countries (2026)
Read the study note →- Bastille
Paris fortress-prison; stormed 14 July 1789 — symbolic start of French Revolution
Read the study note →- Batan ri Phulwari
14-volume anthology of 800+ Rajasthani folk tales by Vijay Dan Detha "Bijji"; magnum opus of modern Rajasthani prose literature
Where it helps Medium — modern literature
Read the study note →- Battle of Khanwa (1527)
Battle 37 km west of Agra; Babur's tulugma cavalry tactics and artillery defeated Rana Sanga's confederacy; confirmed Mughal strategic supremacy in India
Read the study note →- Battle of Tarain (1192)
Decisive battle where Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj III; marks beginning of Delhi Sultanate period; end of Rajput political supremacy in north India
Read the study note →- Begar
Unpaid forced labour extracted from lower-caste cultivators and tribals by jagirdars; legally abolished under Rajasthan Tenancy Act 1955
Read the study note →- Beneshwar Fair
Rajasthan's largest tribal fair (Magh Purnima, Dungarpur); Mahi-Som-Jakham confluence; 4–5 lakh Bhils; called "Kumbh of Tribals"; honours Mavji Maharaj
Read the study note →- Bhakti
Devotional love for a personal God — the defining spiritual practice of the Bhakti movement
Where it helps Most broadly tested concept in this topic
Read the study note →- Bhati Dynasty
Ruling dynasty of Jaisalmer; Rao Jaisal founded Jaisalmer fort (1156 CE) on Trikuta Hill; medieval trade-route camel hub; 12th–15th century Jain temples inside fort
Read the study note →- Bhavai
Folk theater tradition of Rajasthan (Jaisalmer origin); satirical social commentary; performers balance brass pots on head while dancing on the rim of a glass
Read the study note →- Bhent
Obligatory ceremonial gifts presented to the ruling chief on festivals and special occasions by jagirdars and cultivators; a non-formal revenue extraction
Read the study note →- Bhil
Rajasthan's largest ST (39% of ST population); Banswara-Dungarpur-Udaipur zone; forest-dwelling; Dapa pratha, Gavri, Gair tradition
Read the study note →- Bhom
Hereditary village land held by Bhomia Rajputs with customary occupancy rights; a third land category alongside Jagir and Khalisa
Read the study note →- Bhopa-Bhopi
Male-female bard duo who perform Lok Devta epics; male plays Ravanhatha/Jantar and narrates; female holds oil lamp and sometimes sings; hereditary role
Read the study note →- Bishnoi Sampradaya
Eco-religious sect founded by Guru Jambheshwar (1485 CE) at Pipasar (Nagaur); prescribes 29 commandments (niyams) including tree protection, animal welfare, and vegetarianism
Where it helps High — environmental-religious overlap
Read the study note →- Black-and-Red Ware (BRW)
Pottery fired by inversion technique producing black exterior and red interior; diagnostic marker of Ahar-Banas Culture across all 90+ sites
Read the study note →- Blue Pottery
Jaipur craft using quartz powder, glass powder, and Fuller's earth (no clay); turquoise-blue glaze from cobalt oxide; GI Tagged; Persian-Mughal origin
Read the study note →- Bodhisattva
Mahayana Buddhist ideal: one who delays personal Nirvana to save all beings
Where it helps Mahayana Buddhism — distinguishes it from Hinayana
Read the study note →- Bolsheviks
Majority faction of RSDLP; Lenin's party; led October 1917 revolution
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Boston Tea Party
16 Dec 1773; Sons of Liberty dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbour
Where it helps American Revolution
Read the study note →- Bourgeoisie
Middle class/capitalists who own means of production; Marx's oppressor class
Read the study note →- Brahmo Samaj
"Society of God" — monotheistic reform organisation founded by Ram Mohan Roy (1828)
Where it helps First major reform movement; foundational
Read the study note →- Cabinet Mission
March–June 1946 mission of three British Cabinet ministers (Pethick-Lawrence, Stafford Cripps, A.V. Alexander) proposing a federal India with limited central government — rejected by Muslim League
Where it helps Last serious British attempt to keep India united; failure led to Partition
Read the study note →- Carrying Capacity
Maximum number of visitors a heritage site can sustain without unacceptable physical, ecological, or cultural degradation
Where it helps High — Jaisalmer Fort and Amber Fort examples
Read the study note →- Chaadar (at Urs)
Floral or embroidered covering sent to the Ajmer Dargah at Urs; symbolises respect from sender; Prime Minister traditionally sends a national chaadar
Read the study note →- Chahamana (Chauhan)
Rajput dynasty ruling from Ajmer (c. 800–1192 CE); reached peak under Prithviraj III; fought two Battles of Tarain against Muhammad Ghori
Read the study note →- Chalcolithic
Copper-Stone Age (c. 3000–1000 BCE); simultaneous use of copper and stone; Rajasthan's richest prehistoric period with Ahar-Banas and Ganeshwar
Read the study note →- Chandawal Incident
1942 event in Pali district where peasants resisting jagirdari oppression during Quit India period were confronted by state forces; asked in RPSC Mains 2024
Read the study note →- Charan
Hereditary caste of court bards, genealogists, and historians in Rajasthan; custodians of Rajput oral-literary tradition; composers of Dingal texts; held semi-divine social status
Where it helps High — PYQ 2021 (Charan literature)
Read the study note →- Charandasi Sect
Nirguna Bhakti sect founded by Charan Das (1703–1782 CE) at Dehra (Alwar); notable for women saints Sahajo Bai (Sahaj Prakash) and Daya Bai (Daya Bodha)
Where it helps High — PYQ 2024 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Charbagh
Four-part garden divided by water channels — the Persian/Mughal garden plan
Where it helps Mughal tomb gardens: Humayun's Tomb, Taj Mahal
Read the study note →- Chari Dance
Gujjar community dance (Kishangarh, Ajmer); women balance lit clay pots on head while dancing; GI-recognised folk tradition of Kishangarh
Read the study note →- Chartism
1838–57; working-class political movement in Britain for universal male suffrage
Where it helps Industrial Revolution
Read the study note →- Charvaka
Ancient Indian materialist school: only perception valid; no soul/God/afterlife
Where it helps Nastika (heterodox) school — contrasted with Vedic schools
Read the study note →- Chaudhary
Village headman who coordinated between patwari/hakim and the village community; often a dominant caste leader with hereditary status in revenue administration
Read the study note →- Chauri Chaura
Village (Gorakhpur, UP) where protesters burned a police station (22 policemen killed), 4 Feb 1922 — Gandhi called off Non-Cooperation
Where it helps Key turning point — Gandhi's decision to suspend movement
Read the study note →- Chetak
Maharana Pratap's horse; wounded in Haldighati battle, carried Pratap to safety before dying; symbol of Rajput loyalty and sacrifice; cenotaph at Haldighati
Read the study note →- Chiaroscuro
Painting technique using strong light-dark contrast for three-dimensionality
Read the study note →- Chishti Silsilah
Sufi order founded by Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1141–1236 CE); established at Ajmer c. 1193 CE; characterised by sulh-i-kul, open khanqah, and sama (qawwali)
Where it helps High — Ajmer Dargah; PYQ-adjacent
Read the study note →- Chittorgarh Fort
Largest fort in India (700 acres); UNESCO Hill Fort 2013; site of three historic Jauhars; symbol of Rajput resistance
Where it helps High — size, Jauhar, Mewar dynasty
Read the study note →- Cire-perdue
Lost-wax casting — wax model covered in clay, molten metal poured in after wax melts
Where it helps Technique used for Indus Valley "Dancing Girl" bronze
Read the study note →- Civil Disobedience
Deliberate, non-violent breaking of unjust laws — the core tactic of Gandhi's 1930 movement
Where it helps Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March — key examples
Read the study note →- Colonel James Tod
British Political Agent (1818–1822) and author of Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1829, 1832); first systematic documentation of Rajput revenue customs and history
Read the study note →- Communist Manifesto
1848; Marx and Engels; "Workers of the world, unite!"; called for proletarian revolution
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Composite Deity
Folk deity worshipped by both Hindu and Muslim communities; Rajasthan examples: Ramdevji (Ramapir/Ramsa Pir), Gogaji (Goga Pir), Tejaji
Read the study note →- Copernicus
1473–1543; heliocentric model (De Revolutionibus, 1543); Scientific Revolution
Where it helps Science connection
Read the study note →- Corbelling
Stone construction using successive horizontal layers projecting inward — creates a false arch
Where it helps Pre-Sultanate Indian architecture; replaced by true arches after 1200 CE
Read the study note →- Corporatism
Fascist economic model: state-controlled bodies replacing class conflict with national unity
Where it helps Italian ideology
Read the study note →- Council of Trent
1545–63 Catholic council that defined Counter-Reformation positions
Where it helps Counter-Reformation
Read the study note →- Counter-Reformation
Catholic Church's response to Protestantism: Council of Trent, Jesuits, Inquisition
Read the study note →- Cripps Mission
March–April 1942 mission by Sir Stafford Cripps offering dominion status after WWII and right to secede — rejected by Congress as "a post-dated cheque on a crashing bank" (Nehru)
Where it helps Context for Quit India Movement 1942
Read the study note →- cuius regio, eius religio
Peace of Augsburg (1555) principle — ruler determines territory's religion
Read the study note →- Dadu Panth
Nirguna Bhakti sect founded by Dadu Dayal (1544–1603 CE) at Sambhar (Nagaur); has 52 branches called dwaras; Dadu Vani (~5,000 verses) is the canonical text
Where it helps High — PYQ 2016; Rajasthan-specific sect
Read the study note →- Dalit
Term meaning "oppressed" — first used by Jyotirao Phule for untouchable castes
Where it helps B.R. Ambedkar, lower-caste reform — contemporary political term
Read the study note →- Damor
Small ST of Dungarpur district; distinct language (Damori); shifting cultivation; found near the Gujarat border; population ~58,000 (Census 2011)
Read the study note →- Dapa Pratha
Bride price system among Bhil and Garasia tribes; groom's family pays bride's family; opposite of mainstream dowry (dahej)
Read the study note →- Dargah
Shrine built over a Sufi saint's tomb; centre of community devotion
Where it helps Sufi culture — Ajmer dargah most tested example
Read the study note →- Declaration of Independence
4 July 1776; Thomas Jefferson; "all men are created equal"
Where it helps American Revolution
Read the study note →- Deoband
Dar ul-Ulum Deoband (1867, UP): Islamic seminary preserving traditional learning independent of British patronage; graduates tended toward Congress and Khilafat; world's second-largest Islamic university
Where it helps Muslim reform tradition — Aligarh vs Deoband distinction tested in exams
Read the study note →- Derozians
Followers of H.L.V. Derozio — free-thinking, rationalist Young Bengal students
Where it helps Early Bengal intellectual awakening (1820s–30s)
Read the study note →- Desert Festival (Jaisalmer)
Annual 3-day tourism event (Magh); camel races, folk performances, turban-tying, Mr. Desert contest; RTDC "signature event"; held near Sam sand dunes
Read the study note →- Devnarayan Phad
UNESCO ICH 2013; one of the world's longest oral folk epics in active performance tradition (1 million+ words); performed by Bhopa-Bhopi pairs with 30-feet Phad scroll; Jantar (instrument) accompaniment
Read the study note →- Dhamma Chakra
The Wheel of Law — Buddhist symbol for the first sermon of Buddha; appears on Indian flag
Where it helps Ashokan pillars, national emblem, national flag (24-spoke wheel)
Read the study note →- Dhundhari
Eastern Rajasthani dialect spoken in Jaipur, Dausa, Tonk; also called Jaipuri; sub-dialects include Ajmeri (Tonkati) — tested in RPSC 2023
Where it helps High — PYQ 2023 (dialect names)
Read the study note →- Didwana
Salt lake area in Nagaur district; richest Palaeolithic assemblage in Rajasthan; handaxes and Levallois flakes in quartzite; lake-margin habitation zone
Read the study note →- Dilwara Temples
Jain temples at Mount Abu (11th–13th centuries); finest Māru-Gurjara Jain architecture; Vimal Vasahi (1031 CE) and Luna Vasahi (1231 CE) in white marble
Read the study note →- Dingal
Literary form of Marwari used by Charan court bards in western Rajasthan; characterised by the Kavitta meter, heroic themes, and Raso/Veli genres
Where it helps High — PYQ 2021 (Charan literature); distinguish from Pingal
Read the study note →- Diwan
Chief minister and revenue head of a Rajput state; equivalent of prime minister; presided over the revenue administration above faujdars and hakims
Read the study note →- Diwani
Revenue collection rights; EIC received Diwani of Bengal-Bihar-Orissa in 1765
Where it helps Foundation of British economic power in India
Read the study note →- Do or Die
Gandhi's slogan for the 1942 Quit India Movement — complete resolution to achieve independence or die in the attempt
Where it helps Quit India Movement 1942
Read the study note →- Doctrine of Lapse
Dalhousie's policy: states with no natural male heir revert to British sovereignty; adopted heirs excluded
Where it helps Direct exam question — Jhansi, Nagpur, Satara examples
Read the study note →- Double Fortification
Kalibangan's unique feature: both citadel (upper town) AND lower town separately walled; absent at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa
Read the study note →- Drain of Wealth
Dadabhai Naoroji's concept: annual net transfer of India's wealth to Britain through Home Charges
Where it helps Core economic critique of British rule
Read the study note →- Dvaita
Madhva's pure dualism: God and souls are eternally distinct, never identical
Where it helps Vedanta sub-school — contrasted with Advaita
Read the study note →- Dyarchy
Government of India Act 1919: provincial subjects split into "reserved" (British control) and "transferred" (Indian ministers)
Where it helps Constitutional reform — Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
Read the study note →- Einsatzgruppen
Mobile SS killing squads; mass-shot Jews in occupied USSR from 1941
Read the study note →- Elephant Festival (Jaipur)
Held on Holi at Chaugan Stadium, Jaipur; decorated elephant procession, polo, tug-of-war with elephant; RTDC signature tourism event
Read the study note →- Enabling Act
23 March 1933; gave Hitler dictatorial powers; ended Weimar Republic
Read the study note →- Fairs and Festivals Policy (2015)
Rajasthan government policy classifying fairs as National, State, District, and Local; mandates RTDC "signature events" for international promotion
Read the study note →- Fana
Sufi concept of annihilation of ego in divine love
Where it helps Sufism — central mystical concept
Read the study note →- Fascism
Right-wing totalitarian ideology glorifying nation, violence, and strong leadership; rejects democracy and communism
Read the study note →- Faujdar
District-level military-administrative officer in Rajput states; responsible for revenue collection, law enforcement, and military mobilisation in a pargana or district
Read the study note →- Fazl Ali Commission
States Reorganisation Commission (1953–55); recommended linguistic states
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Fifth Schedule
Constitutional schedule providing for Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) and Scheduled Area designation in states with significant tribal population
Read the study note →- Final Solution
Nazi euphemism for the genocide of Jews; coordinated at Wannsee Conference (Jan 1942)
Read the study note →- Fire Altars
Ritual fire altars found on Kalibangan's citadel; ash pits below; evidence of fire-cult unique in Harappan world
Read the study note →- Forest Rights Act (2006)
Grants individual (IFR) and community (CFR) forest rights to tribals in occupation of forest land before 13 December 2005
Read the study note →- Fresco
Mural painting technique using pigments applied on fresh wet plaster — the primary decorative art form of Shekhawati havelis
Where it helps Medium — Shekhawati context
Read the study note →- Führerprinzip
"Leader Principle" — absolute, unquestioning obedience to Hitler
Read the study note →- Gagron Fort
UNESCO Hill Fort (2013) in Jhalawar; sole water fort — situated at confluence of Ahu and Kali Sindh rivers with no land wall; site of two historic Jauhars
Where it helps High — water fort identification
Read the study note →- Gair
Bhil tribal circular stick-and-dance form (Banswara-Dungarpur); performed during Holi; UNESCO ICH nomination candidate; featured at Tribes Art Fest 2026
Read the study note →- Ganeshwar
Chalcolithic site in Sikar district; yielded 900+ copper artefacts (arrowheads, spearheads, fishhooks); called "copper capital of Chalcolithic India"
Read the study note →- Gangaur
18-day women's festival (Holi → Chaitra Shukla Tritiya); Parvati's reunion with Shiva; absent from other Indian states; Jaipur Gangaur procession most elaborate
Read the study note →- Gangaur procession (Jaipur)
Annual procession during Gangaur from City Palace with royal family clay idols; heritage spectacle; 18th-century tradition maintained by Jaipur Heritage Committee
Read the study note →- Garasia
ST of Sirohi-Abu Road-Pali-Udaipur; Chhod pratha (wife-leaving), Morum pratha (trial marriage); Walar courtship dance; ~3.09 lakh (Census 2011)
Read the study note →- Gavri
Bhil ritual folk theater performed for 40 days after Raksha Bandhan; Shiva mythology episodes re-enacted; intangible heritage candidate; Udaipur-Rajsamand zone
Read the study note →- Ghoomar
Women's group dance of Rajasthan; circular pirouette (ghumna) with odhni manipulation; officially designated State Dance (2023); performed by all castes
Read the study note →- Ghosundi Inscription
1st century BCE Sanskrit Brahmi inscription at Nagari (Chittorgarh); mentions Vāsudeva-Saṃkarṣaṇa worship; Rajasthan's earliest Sanskrit epigraphic record
Read the study note →- GI Tag (Geographical Indication)
Legal protection linking a product to its geographic origin; Rajasthan has 35 GI-tagged crafts — highest among all Indian states
Read the study note →- Gogaji
Rajput Lok Devta (c. 900 CE, Dadreva, Churu) worshipped as a snake deity by Hindus and as "Zahir Pir" by Muslims; Gogamedi Mela (Hanumangarh, Bhadrapada K9) is a major festival
Where it helps Medium — Panchpir identification
Read the study note →- Gogaji (Goga Jahar Vir)
Folk deity worshipped as Hindu snake protector and Goga Pir by Muslims; Hanumangarh; Bhadra Shukla Navami; 5–6 lakh annual pilgrims; snake-bite protection deity
Read the study note →- Gogamedi Fair
Fair at Goga Jahar Vir's cenotaph (Hanumangarh, Bhadra Shukla Navami); Goga worshipped as Hindu snake deity and Goga Pir by Muslims; 5–6 lakh pilgrims
Read the study note →- Gopuram
Monumental ornate gateway tower of South Indian Dravidian temples
Where it helps Dravida architecture identifier; distinguishes from Nagara style
Read the study note →- Greater Rajasthan
Fourth integration stage (30 March 1949): addition of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer; the entity first named "Rajasthan"; Rajasthan Day commemorates this date
Read the study note →- Guhila / Sisodia
Ruling dynasty of Mewar (Chittorgarh); one of Rajasthan's oldest continuous lineages; Bappa Rawal (c. 728 CE) established Mewar sovereignty; Sisodias from 1326 CE
Read the study note →- Gulamgiri
"Slavery" — Jyotirao Phule's 1873 book comparing caste oppression to racial slavery
Where it helps Phule, anti-caste literature
Read the study note →- Gurukul
Traditional residential Indian school system; revived by Arya Samaj (Gurukul Kangri, Haridwar, 1902)
Where it helps Arya Samaj educational system
Read the study note →- Gutenberg Press
Movable-type printing press, c. 1440, Mainz; transformed knowledge dissemination
Where it helps Cause of Reformation
Read the study note →- Haldighati
Mountain pass near Khamnor (Rajsamand); site of 18 June 1576 battle; tactically inconclusive but symbolically critical in Mewar resistance narrative
Read the study note →- Hammiradeva
Last Chauhan ruler of Ranthambhor (r. 1282–1301); refused to surrender Mongol asylum-seeker Muhammad Shah to Alauddin Khalji; fort fell 11 July 1301; immortalised in Hammiramahakavya
Read the study note →- Hasil
Actual revenue collected from a village; compared to the assessed Rekh to measure revenue performance and identify underperforming jagirdars
Read the study note →- Haveli
Traditional multi-storeyed urban mansion with central courtyard (chowk), jharokha balconies, and ornate facades — the signature built heritage of Rajasthan's merchant communities
Where it helps High — Shekhawati havelis; Jaisalmer havelis
Read the study note →- Hawa Mahal
Palace of Winds, Jaipur (1799 CE); built by Sawai Pratap Singh; 5 storeys, 953 jharokhas; Lal Chand Ustad architect; designed as Krishna's crown
Read the study note →- Hindu Marriage Act
1955; mandated monogamy; granted divorce rights to women
Where it helps Women empowerment
Read the study note →- Hindu Succession Act
1956 (amended 2005); daughters' equal share in ancestral property
Where it helps Women empowerment
Read the study note →- Holocaust (Shoah)
Nazi genocide of ~6 million Jews and ~5–6 million others (1941–45)
Read the study note →- Home Charges
Payments made by India to Britain for civil/military pensions, India Office costs, debt interest
Where it helps Components of Drain of Wealth theory
Read the study note →- Home Rule
Demand for self-governance within the British Empire — less than full independence; Tilak and Besant leagues (1916)
Where it helps Precursor to Purna Swaraj demand
Read the study note →- Home Rule League
Annie Besant (1916, Madras) and Tilak (1916, Maharashtra) leagues demanding Indian self-governance
Where it helps Transition from reform to political nationalism
Read the study note →- Homestay Policy 2026
Rajasthan government notification (February 27, 2026) raising homestay room limit from 5 to 8 and removing mandatory owner-residence clause
Where it helps Medium — current affairs 2026
Read the study note →- HSRA
Hindustan Socialist Republican Army — Bhagat Singh's organisation (1928–31)
Where it helps Revolutionary stream — Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad
Read the study note →- Humanism
Renaissance philosophy centring human reason, dignity, and potential; studia humanitatis
Read the study note →- Ilbert Bill
1883 draft legislation by Viceroy Ripon's law member Ilbert allowing Indian district magistrates to try European British subjects; withdrawn after violent European opposition
Where it helps Exposed racial double standards; galvanised Indian political opinion; contributed to founding of INC
Read the study note →- INCOSPAR
Indian National Committee for Space Research, 1962; precursor to ISRO
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Indian Civil Service (ICS)
The elite bureaucracy that governed British India; exams from 1853 (London only until 1922)
Where it helps Predecessor of IAS — administrative unification instrument
Read the study note →- Indian States People's Conference
All-India platform founded 1927 for political movements in princely states; Gandhi endorsed it at Ludhiana Session 1939; Nehru led it from 1937
Read the study note →- Individualism
Renaissance celebration of individual genius and achievement; contrasted with medieval collectivism
Read the study note →- Indulgence
Catholic certificate for remission of sins (including purgatory time) sold for money
Where it helps Root of Reformation
Read the study note →- Instrument of Accession
Legal document under Indian Independence Act, 1947 by which princely states surrendered defence, foreign affairs, and communications to India
Read the study note →- Jagir
Land assigned by Rajput ruler to nobles (jagirdars) in exchange for military service; jagirdars collected revenue from peasants on the assigned territory
Read the study note →- Jagirdar
Holder of a Jagir (land grant); collected revenue, maintained order, and provided troops to the ruler; intermediate feudal class between ruler and peasant
Read the study note →- Jagirdari System
Feudal land-grant system where jagirdars held land from princes in exchange for military service and collected revenue from peasants without legal oversight
Read the study note →- Jaipur (Planned City)
Founded 1727 CE by Sawai Jai Singh II on Bhoomikar 9-sector grid; pink sandstone uniformity; UNESCO Walled City inscription 2019; India's first systematically planned capital city
Read the study note →- Jallianwala Bagh
13 April 1919: Brigadier Dyer ordered firing on 20,000 unarmed people in Amritsar — 379 officially dead, 1,200 wounded; Tagore returned his knighthood
Where it helps Turning point — ended Indian faith in British justice; made Non-Cooperation Movement inevitable
Read the study note →- Jantar Mantar
Five astronomical observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh II (1724–1735 CE); Jaipur Jantar Mantar has 19 instruments including 27m Samrat Yantra; UNESCO 2010
Read the study note →- Jantar Mantar (Jaipur)
Astronomical observatory (1727–1734 CE) by Sawai Jai Singh II; 19 instruments; Samrat Yantra sundial (27m) accurate to 2 seconds; UNESCO World Heritage 2010
Read the study note →- Jataka
Stories of the Buddha's previous lives used in Buddhist didactic literature and art
Where it helps Ajanta murals, Sanchi stupa carvings — standard exam example
Read the study note →- Jauhar
Self-immolation by Rajput women to avoid capture/dishonour during fort sieges; performed at Chittorgarh three times (1303, 1534, 1568); symbol of Rajput honour code
Read the study note →- Jesuits
Society of Jesus, founded 1540 by Ignatius of Loyola; missionaries and educationists
Where it helps Counter-Reformation
Read the study note →- Jharokha
Overhanging enclosed balcony projecting from the upper floors of a haveli or palace, characteristic of Rajput and Mughal architecture
Where it helps Medium — architectural terminology
Read the study note →- Kachhwaha Dynasty
Ruling dynasty of Amber-Jaipur; Man Singh I (Akbar ally; 7,000-zat mansab); Sawai Jai Singh II (founded Jaipur 1727; built Jantar Mantar)
Read the study note →- Kaila Devi Fair
Chaitra fair at Trikuta hills, Karauli; 15–20 lakh pilgrims; Rajasthan's largest fair by attendance; river Kalisil setting
Read the study note →- Kalbelia
Snake-charmer community of Rajasthan; women's dance with serpentine movements inscribed UNESCO ICH 2010; black embroidered ghagra; Gulabo Sapera is iconic exponent
Read the study note →- Kalbelia Dance
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage 2010; performed exclusively by Kalbelia women; serpentine movements; black embroidered ghagra; associated with snake-charmer community
Read the study note →- Kalibangan
Rajasthan's only major Harappan site (Hanumangarh); on Ghaggar (ancient Sarasvati) river; excavated by B.B. Lal and B.K. Thapar (1961–69)
Read the study note →- Kamayacha
12-stringed spike lute played by Manganiar musicians; critical endangerment — fewer than 15 active masters (2025); Barmer Morchang Utsav provides platform
Read the study note →- Kanhad De Prabandh
Earliest precisely dated Old Rajasthani narrative poem (1455 CE) by Padmanabha; describes the 1311 CE siege of Jalor by Alauddin Khilji
Where it helps High — oldest dated text
Read the study note →- Karma Yoga
Vivekananda's philosophy — active service to humanity as a path to spiritual liberation
Where it helps Ramakrishna Mission's philosophical basis
Read the study note →- Karni Mata
Lok Devi worshipped at Deshnok (Bikaner); associated with Rao Bika (1488 CE); Charan community goddess; temple famous for 20,000+ sacred rats (kabbas); patroness of the Rathore dynasty
Where it helps Medium — Lok Devi tradition
Read the study note →- Kartik Purnima
Full moon day in Kartik month (Oct–Nov); sacred bathing day at Pushkar; Pushkar Fair's peak day
Read the study note →- Kartik Purnima (Pushkar)
Sacred bathing date at Pushkar lake; peak of Pushkar Fair; pilgrims take ritual dip in the sacred lake connected to the only Brahma temple in India
Read the study note →- Kathputli
String puppet tradition originating with Bhat community of Nagaur; characters depict Rajput heroes and folk stories; globally recognised Rajasthan cultural export
Read the study note →- Keoladeo Ghana
National park in Bharatpur; UNESCO natural heritage 1985; Ramsar wetland 1981; 370+ bird species including migratory Siberian cranes
Where it helps High — natural UNESCO site
Read the study note →- Keoladeo National Park
Bird sanctuary in Bharatpur; UNESCO World Heritage 1985; formerly hunting reserve of Bharatpur Jat rulers; hosts 230+ migratory species including Siberian cranes
Read the study note →- Kesariya Balam
Most iconic Maand composition; sung by Rajasthani women welcoming their husbands; internationalised by Allah Jilai Bai of Bikaner; Rajasthan's informal cultural anthem
Read the study note →- Khalisa
Crown land under direct state administration; revenue collected by state officers (not jagirdars); a financial reserve for the ruling chief
Read the study note →- Khanqah
Sufi hospice and spiritual centre where a Sufi master (sheikh/pir) lived, taught, and hosted disciples and travellers — the institutional base of Sufi activity in Rajasthan
Where it helps Medium — Sufi institutional knowledge
Read the study note →- Khatu Shyamji Fair
Fair at Khatu Shyamji temple (Sikar); massive pilgrimage especially during Phalgun Shukla Ekadashi-Dwadashi (Laccha Mela); one of India's largest Shyam bhakti centres
Read the study note →- Khetri Copper Belt
Copper ore deposits in Sikar-Jhunjhunu area; ore source for Ganeshwar's production; ore-source studies link to Harappan city copper objects
Read the study note →- Khilafat Movement
1919–24 agitation by Indian Muslims for preservation of Ottoman Caliphate (Khalifa); Congress-Khilafat alliance gave Gandhi's Non-Cooperation Movement its Hindu-Muslim united character
Where it helps Largest Hindu-Muslim unity moment in Indian independence struggle
Read the study note →- Khyat
Historical chronicle in Rajasthani prose documenting Rajput clan genealogies, battles, and court events; Munhata Nainsi ri Khyat is the most important example
Where it helps High — frequently tested
Read the study note →- Kirti Stambha
Jain Tower of Fame at Chittorgarh (12th century CE, renovated by Rana Kumbha); 24 metres; dedicated to Adinath; distinct from Vijay Stambha
Read the study note →- Kishangarh Eye
Distinctive elongated eye with arched brows and sharp chin; signature feature of Kishangarh school of miniature painting; associated with Bani Thani portrait
Read the study note →- Kota School
Sub-school of Bundi; celebrated for vibrant naturalistic hunting scenes — tiger, boar, elephant hunts; verdant landscape backgrounds; 17th–18th century CE
Read the study note →- Kristallnacht
"Night of Broken Glass," 9–10 Nov 1938; Nazi pogrom: 7,500 shops, 1,400 synagogues
Read the study note →- Kudumbashree
Kerala's SHG-based women empowerment model (1998); 4.5 million members
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Kumbhalgarh
UNESCO Hill Fort (2013) in Rajsamand district; 36-km wall — second longest continuous wall in the world after Great Wall of China; birthplace of Maharana Pratap
Where it helps High — wall length fact; Pratap birthplace
Read the study note →- Kumbhalgarh Fort
Fort in Rajsamand built by Rana Kumbha; 36-km perimeter wall (2nd longest in world); UNESCO World Heritage (2013); contains 360 temples
Read the study note →- Lagaan
Land rent arbitrarily revised upward by jagirdars without notice or legal limit; primary form of agrarian exploitation
Read the study note →- Lags-Baags
Miscellaneous cesses levied by jagirdars on peasants for life events (births, marriages, deaths, festivals); 84 documented at Bijolia jagir by Vijay Singh Pathik
Read the study note →- Langha
Muslim hereditary musician community of western Rajasthan (Barmer); patron = Sindhi-Sipahi Rajputs; instruments: Sarangi, Khartal; oral baithak tradition
Read the study note →- Lebensraum
"Living space" — Nazi doctrine of German territorial expansion eastward
Read the study note →- Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité
Motto of French Revolution and French Republic
Where it helps French Revolution
Read the study note →- Line of Control (LoC)
Ceasefire line in J&K established after 1948 war; formalised in 1972 Simla Agreement
Read the study note →- Linear Perspective
Mathematical technique (Brunelleschi, 1420s) for creating depth illusion in painting
Read the study note →- Living Fort
A heritage fort with an active resident population — Jaisalmer is India's best-known living fort with 3,000+ residents inside
Where it helps High — tourism-conservation tension
Read the study note →- Lok Devta
Folk deity of Rajasthan; five major ones with oral epic traditions: Pabuji, Devnarayan, Ramdevji, Gogaji, Tejaji; each revered as regional divine hero
Read the study note →- Lucknow Pact
1916 agreement between Congress and Muslim League accepting separate Muslim electorates
Where it helps Hindu-Muslim unity — brief period; also healed Moderate-Extremist split
Read the study note →- Luddites
1811–16; English textile workers who smashed machinery fearing job loss
Where it helps Industrial Revolution
Read the study note →- Maand
Rajasthan's classical-folk raga; combines elements of Kafi and Yaman; "Kesariya Balam" is its most iconic composition; Jaipur-Bikaner tradition; Allah Jilai Bai was legendary exponent
Read the study note →- Machiavelli
1469–1527; The Prince (1513); realism in politics; "ends justify means"
Where it helps Literature/politics
Read the study note →- Mahad Satyagraha
March 1927, Ambedkar — Dalits exercise right to drink from Chavadar Tank, Mahad; Manu Smriti burnt
Where it helps Ambedkar — landmark anti-caste event
Read the study note →- Mahagujarat Movement
Agitation for a separate Gujarati-speaking state; led to Maharashtra-Gujarat split (1960)
Read the study note →- Mahalwari
Land revenue settled with village communities (mahals) collectively; NW Provinces
Where it helps One of three British revenue systems — contrasted with Permanent and Ryotwari
Read the study note →- Maharana Pratap
Mewar ruler (1572–1597 CE); refused Mughal suzerainty; Battle of Haldighati (1576); 25-year guerrilla resistance from Aravalli forests; re-established capital at Chavand
Read the study note →- Makar Sankranti
14 January kite festival; Jaipur International Kite Festival (since 1989); Rajasthan accounts for ~30% of India's kite production
Read the study note →- Manganiar
Hereditary musician community (Barmer-Jaisalmer); serves Hindu and Muslim patrons; instruments: Kamayacha, Morchang; Sakar Khan won Padma Shri 2012
Read the study note →- Mangarh Hill
Site of 1913 massacre of 1,500 Bhil tribals; Banswara; "Adivasi Jallianwala Bagh"; national importance declared by PM Modi 2022; annual memorial fair held here
Read the study note →- Manu Smriti
Ancient Hindu law code (~2nd century BCE–3rd century CE) that codified caste hierarchy and gender discrimination
Where it helps Target of Ambedkar's symbolic burning (1927)
Read the study note →- March on Rome
27–28 Oct 1922; Blackshirts march on Rome; King appoints Mussolini PM
Read the study note →- Marwari
Largest Rajasthani dialect; spoken in Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Barmer, Bikaner, Nagaur, Churu; ~1.4 crore speakers (Census 2011); basis for Dingal literary tradition
Where it helps High — dialect classification
Read the study note →- Mataji ki Araj
21-point charter of Motilal Tejawat's Eki Movement (1921) demanding abolition of begar, reduction of lagaan, and forest rights for Bhil tribals
Read the study note →- Matsya Mahajanapada
One of 16 Mahajanapadas (c. 600 BCE); capital at Bairath; modern Rajasthan's Jaipur-Bharatpur region; contemporary with Kashi, Magadha
Read the study note →- Matsya Union
First stage of Rajasthan integration (18 March 1948): merger of Alwar, Bharatpur, Dhaulpur, and Karauli; capital at Alwar
Read the study note →- Mauryan Polish
Mirror-like finish on stone achieved by polishing with sand — characteristic of Ashoka-era stone
Where it helps Identifies Mauryan-era sculptures and architecture
Read the study note →- Mavji Maharaj
17th-18th century Bhil religious reformer from Sabla (Dungarpur); honoured at Beneshwar Fair; considered avatar of Vishnu by Bhil community
Read the study note →- Meena (Mina)
Rajasthan's second-largest ST (26%); eastern districts (Jaipur-Karauli-Alwar zone); agricultural; relatively economically integrated; Nata pratha
Read the study note →- Meera Bai
15th–16th century Rajput queen-saint (c. 1498–1547 CE); composed ~250 bhajans in Braj Bhasha and Rajasthani in the Saguna Krishna-bhakti tradition
Where it helps High — literary-religious overlap
Read the study note →- Meherangarh Fort
Fort founded 1459 CE by Rao Jodha in Jodhpur; rises 122 metres on natural rock; contains Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sheesh Mahal; tested in RPSC Mains 2024
Read the study note →- Mein Kampf
Hitler's autobiographical manifesto (1925) — "My Struggle"; laid out racial ideology and plans
Read the study note →- Mensheviks
Minority faction; believed bourgeois revolution must precede socialist revolution
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Mesolithic
Middle Stone Age (c. 10,000–3000 BCE); characterised by microlithic tools, early pastoralism, rock art; Rajasthan's Bagore is primary example
Read the study note →- Mewar School
Oldest Rajasthani painting school; bold primary colours, flat figures; earliest example Chaura Panchasika (c. 1550 CE); Rasikapriya (1594) from Pratap's Chavand
Read the study note →- Microlith
Tiny geometric blades (triangles, lunates) made from chert; hafted into composite weapons; diagnostic Mesolithic artefact across Rajasthan
Read the study note →- Miniature Painting
Small-scale detailed painting on paper or ivory; Rajasthan has 8 principal schools (Mewar, Bundi, Kota, Bikaner, Marwar, Kishangarh, Jaipur, Nathdwara)
Read the study note →- Minor Forest Produce (MFP)
Non-timber forest products (tendu leaves, amla, mahua, gum); primary livelihood for tribal forest-dwelling communities; PESA grants gram sabha rights over MFP
Read the study note →- Molela Terracotta
Votive clay tablets depicting folk deities (Devnarayan) from Molela village (Rajsamand); made by Kumhars; GI Tagged; used in tribal ritual contexts
Read the study note →- Morchang
Iron or bronze jaw harp; Manganiar and Jogi tradition; Rajasthan is India's primary seat; Barmer Morchang Festival promotes it internationally
Read the study note →- Munhata Nainsi
Jodhpur dewan (1610–1670 CE) and historian; authored Nainsi ri Khyat and Marwar ra Pargana ri Vigat; called "Abul Fazl of Rajasthan"
Where it helps High — historical figure
Read the study note →- Mussolini (Il Duce)
Italian fascist dictator (PM 1922–43); coined "fascism"; "the Leader"
Read the study note →- Nagara
North Indian temple architectural style with curvilinear shikhara over the garbhagriha
Where it helps Khajuraho, Somnath, Dilwara temples — exam standard examples
Read the study note →- Nagari (Madhyamika)
Shibi tribe capital (Chittorgarh district); Greek-influenced city; Ghosundi inscription; first-century BCE urban settlement on Berach river
Read the study note →- Nagaur Fair
Asia's second-largest cattle fair (Magh, 4 days); bullocks, horses, camels; also brass utensil and textile trade; state-level designation
Read the study note →- Nainsi's Vigat (Munhata Nainsi)
17th-century revenue-administrative record compiled by Marwar court minister Munhata Nainsi (c. 1664 CE); invaluable source on Rajput administrative geography and revenue practices
Read the study note →- Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam
Women's Reservation Act, 2023; 33% reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies
Read the study note →- Nata Pratha
Customary remarriage/separation practice among Bhil, Meena, Garasia; woman leaves husband after paying nata price; socially binding but legally unrecognised
Read the study note →- National Monuments Authority
Statutory body established under AMASR Amendment 2010 to regulate development activities in the regulated zones of centrally protected monuments
Where it helps Medium — institutional knowledge
Read the study note →- Natyashastra
Treatise on performing arts by Bharata Muni (c. 200 BCE–200 CE) — codifies rasas, dance, theatre
Where it helps Foundation of all 8 classical dance forms; 9 rasas concept
Read the study note →- Nava Rasa
Nine emotional essences of Indian aesthetics: shringara, hasya, karuna, raudra, vira, bhayanaka, bibhatsa, adbhuta, shanta
Where it helps Natyashastra — tested in dance/literature questions
Read the study note →- Nayanmars
63 Tamil Shaivite saints (6th–9th century); composed Tevaram
Where it helps Tamil Bhakti — directly tested in 2021 and 2023 RPSC
Read the study note →- Naynar-Alwar
Tamil Shaiva (63 Nayanars) and Vaishnava (12 Alvars) bhakti saint traditions of South India (6th–9th century CE); their devotional poetry (Tevaram, Nalayira Divya Prabandham) influenced North Indian bhakti
Where it helps High — PYQ 2023 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Nazism (National Socialism)
German fascism combining racial supremacy (Aryan), anti-Semitism, Lebensraum, Führerprinzip
Read the study note →- Nazrana
Lump-sum payment made by a new jagirdar to the ruling chief upon assuming the jagir; a para-fiscal feature distinguishing Rajput from Mughal revenue
Read the study note →- NEP (New Economic Policy)
Lenin's 1921 partial return to market economics after War Communism failed
Read the study note →- New Imperialism
Post-1880 European scramble for colonies in Africa/Asia, driven by industrial capitalism
Where it helps Industrial Revolution PYQ 2023
Read the study note →- Night of Long Knives
30 Jun 1934; Hitler eliminates SA leadership; SS and Army consolidated
Read the study note →- Nirguna
Devotion to God without attributes/form — Kabir, Nanak tradition
Where it helps Contrasted with Saguna (God with attributes) Bhakti
Read the study note →- Nirguna Bhakti
Devotional tradition worshipping a formless, attribute-less God; rejects idol worship, caste hierarchy, and priestly intermediation; major Rajasthan exponents: Dadu Dayal, Kabir, Raidas
Where it helps High — PYQ 2016 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Nirvana
Buddhist liberation: extinction of craving and cessation of rebirth
Where it helps Core Buddhism concept — distinguish from Jain Moksha
Read the study note →- No First Use (NFU)
India's commitment not to use nuclear weapons first
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- No taxation without representation
Colonial American slogan against British taxation without elected representation
Where it helps American Revolution
Read the study note →- Nuremberg Laws
September 1935; deprived Jews of German citizenship; banned Jewish-German intermarriage
Read the study note →- Nuremberg Trials
1945–46 international tribunal; tried Nazi leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity
Read the study note →- Ochre Coloured Pottery (OCP)
Pottery type associated with Ganeshwar copper hoards complex; orange-buff fabric with ochre slip; bridges late Chalcolithic and early Harappan phases
Read the study note →- October Revolution
7 Nov 1917 (NS); Bolsheviks seized power in Petrograd; first communist government
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Old Rajasthani
Literary language of 12th–15th century Rajasthan; also called Gujjar-Apabhramsha or Old Western Rajasthani; represented by Kanhad De Prabandh (1455 CE)
Where it helps Medium — language periodisation
Read the study note →- Operation Polo
Indian Police Action (13–18 September 1948) to forcibly integrate Hyderabad after Nizam refused accession; ended Razakar paramilitary resistance
Read the study note →- Operation Shakti
Five nuclear tests at Pokhran, 11–13 May 1998; India declared nuclear weapons state
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Operation Smiling Buddha
Codename for India's first nuclear test, Pokhran, 18 May 1974
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Operation Vijay
Military operation liberating Goa, Daman & Diu from Portugal, 18–19 Dec 1961
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Pabuji
Folk deity of Pali district; 14th-century historical chieftain who died protecting a woman's cattle; his saga performed by Bhopa community with Ravanhatha
Read the study note →- Paik System
Mewar variant of jagir principle: hereditary village guard/administrative duties assigned to lower-ranking community members in exchange for small land grants
Read the study note →- Palace on Wheels
India's premier luxury heritage train operated jointly by RTDC and Indian Railways (NWR); launched 1982, covers 8 heritage destinations in 8 nights
Where it helps High — direct PYQ likely
Read the study note →- Palaeolithic
The Old Stone Age (c. 600,000–10,000 BCE); characterised by large chipped stone tools; Rajasthan evidence from Luni basin and Didwana
Where it helps Low — context for Mesolithic
Read the study note →- Panchpir
The five principal Lok Devtas of Rajasthan: Pabuji, Gogaji, Ramdevji, Tejaji, and Harbhuji — each with an associated Phad painting tradition recited by Bhopa-Bhopi priests
Where it helps High — identification; frequent PYQ target
Read the study note →- Paramountcy
British Crown's supreme authority over princely states' external relations and overall governance; lapsed on 15 August 1947 under Indian Independence Act
Read the study note →- Partition of Bengal
1905 division of Bengal by Viceroy Curzon into East Bengal (Muslim majority) and West Bengal (Hindu majority) — official justification was administrative; annulled 1911
Where it helps Trigger for Swadeshi Movement and mass nationalism
Read the study note →- Patwari
Village revenue recorder; maintained Khasra (field-by-field crop records) and Khatauni (cultivator-wise land registers); base-level revenue functionary
Read the study note →- Peace of Westphalia
1648 treaty ending Thirty Years' War; established modern state sovereignty
Where it helps Political legacy
Read the study note →- Permanent Settlement
Fixed land revenue with zamindars forever; 1793; Bengal-Bihar-Orissa
Where it helps One of three British revenue systems; created zamindar class
Read the study note →- PESA Act (1996)
Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas Act; extends gram sabha powers (MFP, land, water bodies) to tribal Scheduled Areas; Rajasthan Scheduled Areas: Banswara, Dungarpur (full) + 5 partial
Read the study note →- Petrarch
1304–74; "Father of Humanism"; recovered Latin manuscripts; coined "Dark Ages"
Where it helps Renaissance origin
Read the study note →- Phad
Large scroll painting (cloth canvas, 15–30 ft) depicting the life and miracles of a Lok Devta; recited nightly by Bhopa-Bhopi folk priests using an oil lamp; Pabuji and Devnarayan are the most famous Phad traditions
Where it helps High — performing art connected to Lok Devta
Read the study note →- Phad Painting
30-feet cloth scroll from Bhilwara depicting folk deity sagas (Pabuji, Devnarayan); performed by Bhopa-Bhopi bards with Ravanhatha; Devnarayan Phad UNESCO ICH 2013
Read the study note →- Pichwai
Large cloth paintings depicting Lord Srinathji used as temple backdrop at Nathdwara; produced in Nathdwara town; tradition began in 17th century CE
Read the study note →- Pietra Dura
Inlaying of semi-precious stones (lapis, carnelian, malachite) into marble — Mughal decorative technique
Where it helps Taj Mahal, Agra Fort interiors — Mughal architecture identifier
Read the study note →- Pingal
Eastern Rajasthani literary tradition influenced by Braj Bhasha; cultivated in Mewar and Jaipur courts; uses lyrical meters (Savayya, Chhappay) and devotional themes
Where it helps High — required distinction with Dingal
Read the study note →- PM-JANMAN
PM Janjati Aadhivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (launched Nov 2023, Janjatiya Gaurav Divas); ₹24,000 crore for 75 PVTGs; covers Rajasthan's Saharia
Read the study note →- Polaj
Land category in Todar Mal's classification: annually cultivated land; highest revenue rate; contrast with Parauti (periodically fallow), Chachar, and Banjar
Read the study note →- Potti Sreeramulu
Telugu activist who fasted unto death (56 days); death triggered Andhra State creation
Read the study note →- Praja Mandal
Political organisations in Rajputana's princely states demanding responsible government; first founded at Jaipur (1931), spread to 8 states by 1939
Read the study note →- Prakriti
Primal matter in Samkhya philosophy — the active principle, opposed to Purusha
Where it helps Samkhya darshana — frequently paired with Purusha
Read the study note →- Prarthana Samaj
"Prayer Society" founded 1867 in Bombay (Atmaram Pandurang; inspired by Keshab Chandra Sen); promoted widow remarriage, inter-dining; Justice Ranade was its leading figure
Where it helps Maharashtra reform movement — contrasted with Brahmo Samaj and Arya Samaj
Read the study note →- Prasthan Trayi
The three canonical texts of Vedantic philosophy: Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahmasutras — the foundational scriptures of all Vedanta sub-schools
Where it helps High — PYQ 2018 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Pratibha Patil
India's first woman President (2007–2012)
Read the study note →- Pratityasamutpada
Buddhist "dependent origination": all phenomena arise in dependence on conditions
Where it helps Core Buddhist ontology
Read the study note →- Pre-Harappan ploughed field
Kalibangan feature (c. 2800 BCE) — world's oldest evidence of a ploughed field; criss-cross furrow pattern still archaeologically visible
Read the study note →- Predestination
Calvin's doctrine: God eternally determines who is saved and who is damned
Where it helps Calvinism key concept
Read the study note →- Prithviraj III
Last great Chauhan ruler (r. 1179–1192 CE); won First Battle of Tarain (1191); lost Second Battle of Tarain (1192) to Ghori; patronised Chand Bardai's Raso
Read the study note →- Prithviraj Raso
Medieval Rajasthani epic composed by court poet Chand Bardai; chronicles Prithviraj III's campaigns and court; foundational document of Rajasthani literature
Read the study note →- Privy Purse
Annual financial grant guaranteed to former rulers under original Article 291 of the Constitution as compensation for integration; abolished by 26th Amendment, 1971
Read the study note →- Prohibited Zone
The 0–100 metre buffer around an ASI-protected monument within which no construction is permitted (AMASR Amendment 2010, Section 20A)
Where it helps High — Supreme Court Nahargarh case 2017
Read the study note →- Proletariat
Industrial working class; owns no means of production; sells labour; Marx's revolutionary class
Read the study note →- Protestant Work Ethic
Max Weber's thesis linking Calvinist theology to capitalist accumulation
Read the study note →- Pungi
Reed wind instrument traditionally played by snake-charmers; used as accompaniment to Kalbelia dance; distinct from Algoza (double flute)
Read the study note →- Puram
Exterior/heroic poetry of the Sangam tradition — dealing with war, death, the king, and public life
Where it helps Sangam literature classification; contrasted with akam (love)
Read the study note →- Purna Swaraj
Complete independence — declared as Congress goal at Lahore session, December 1929
Where it helps Shift from dominion status to full independence demand
Read the study note →- Purusha
Pure consciousness/spirit in Samkhya — passive, unchanging, multiple
Where it helps Samkhya darshana — Purusha-Prakriti dualism
Read the study note →- Pushkar Fair
World's largest camel fair (Kartik Purnima, Ajmer); 20,000+ animals traded; coincides with Brahma temple pilgrimage; UNESCO ICH contender
Read the study note →- PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group)
75 nationally designated tribal groups with declining population, pre-agricultural economy, low literacy; Saharia is Rajasthan's only PVTG
Read the study note →- Qawwali
Sufi devotional music performance; integral to Urs at Ajmer Dargah; pioneered in India by Chishtiya order; bridge between classical and folk music
Read the study note →- Raga
Melodic framework in Indian classical music specifying scale, characteristic phrases, time of day, and emotional mood
Where it helps Hindustani/Carnatic music — fundamental concept
Read the study note →- Rairh
Rajasthan's largest early historic site (Tonk district); 3,000+ Malava-era copper punch-marked coins; iron implements; 2nd–1st century BCE urban settlement
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Jagirdari Abolition Act (1952)
Post-independence legislation abolishing 16,000+ jagirs; conferred occupancy rights on cultivators; ended the feudal land system permanently
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Sahitya Academy
State body established 1958 at Udaipur; promotes Rajasthani literature through awards (including Meera Award), publications, and its journal Madhumati
Where it helps Medium — institutional knowledge
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Tenancy Act (1955)
Legislation formalising cultivator rights after jagirdari abolition; regulated tenancy terms, rent fixation, and protection from arbitrary eviction
Read the study note →- Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020
State tourism policy released in 2020 providing framework for heritage hotel promotion, adventure tourism, eco-tourism, and tourism-linked employment
Where it helps Medium — policy document
Read the study note →- Rajpramukh
Constitutional head of the integrated Rajasthan state (equivalent to Governor), drawn from the ruling families; post abolished when Rajasthan became a full state
Read the study note →- Ramdev Pir
Syncretic Lok Devta of Rajasthan (c. 1405–1458 CE, Runicha, Jaisalmer); worshipped as both a Hindu deity and "Ramsa Pir" by Muslims; annual Ramdevra Mela draws ~5 lakh pilgrims
Where it helps High — communal harmony symbol; likely 2026
Read the study note →- Ramdevra Fair
Fair at Ramdevji's samadhi (Jaisalmer); Bhadra Shukla 2–11; Ramdevji worshipped as Ramapir (Hindu) and Ramsa Pir (Muslim) — classic composite deity
Read the study note →- Rana Kumbha
Mewar ruler (1433–1468 CE); defeated Malwa Sultan at Sarangpur; built Kumbhalgarh fort; composed Sangita-raja; erected Vijay Stambha (1448 CE)
Read the study note →- Rana Punja
Bhil chieftain who provided critical military support to Maharana Pratap; led Bhil archers at Battle of Haldighati (1576 CE); Bhil folk hero
Read the study note →- Rana Sanga (Rana Sangram Singh)
Mewar ruler (1508–1528 CE); assembled 100,000-strong pan-Rajput confederacy; lost Battle of Khanwa (1527) to Babur's Timurid artillery; ended Rajput political hegemony hopes
Read the study note →- Ranakpur Temple
Chaturmukha Jain temple (1437–1458 CE) in Pali district; 1,444 uniquely carved pillars (no two alike); Nagara style; built by Dharana Shah under Rana Kumbha
Read the study note →- Raso
Martial epic in Dingal tradition; praise poem for a Rajput ruler incorporating genealogy, battles, and romance episodes; Charan-composed
Where it helps High — Prithviraj Raso; defines the genre
Read the study note →- Rathore Dynasty
Ruling dynasty of Marwar (Jodhpur); traced to Siahaji (c. 1212 CE from Kanauj); consolidated by Rao Jodha (founded Jodhpur 1459 CE)
Read the study note →- Ravanhatha
Ancient two-stringed bowed instrument (coconut shell resonator, horsehair bow); traditionally played by Bhopas reciting Pabuji ki Phad; claimed 5,000+ years old
Read the study note →- Razakars
Hyderabad's militant paramilitary under Qasim Razvi (MIM-affiliated) that violently opposed accession to India; defeated in Operation Polo, September 1948
Read the study note →- Regulated Zone
The 100–300 metre band around an ASI monument where construction requires National Monuments Authority (NMA) permission
Where it helps Medium — AMASR Act 2010
Read the study note →- Reichstag Fire
27 Feb 1933; used to suspend civil liberties; blamed on Communists
Read the study note →- Reign of Terror
Sep 1793–Jul 1794; Robespierre; 17,000 guillotined
Where it helps French Revolution
Read the study note →- Rekh
Standard revenue assessment unit in Marwar; each village assigned a fixed Rekh value; Hasil (actual collection) measured against Rekh gauged administrative efficiency
Read the study note →- Renaissance
"Rebirth" — European cultural movement c. 1300–1600; revival of Greco-Roman classical learning
Where it helps Topic definition
Read the study note →- Resident
British political agent stationed at Indian rulers' courts under Subsidiary Alliance
Where it helps Symbol of British indirect control over nominally independent states
Read the study note →- Responsible Government
System where the executive is answerable to an elected legislature; the central demand of all Praja Mandals in Rajputana's autocratic princely states
Read the study note →- Rina
Sanskrit concept of innate obligations: Dev Rina (to gods, discharged by yajna), Rishi Rina (to sages, by scripture study), Pitru Rina (to ancestors, by shraddha); some texts add Manushya Rina
Where it helps High — PYQ 2013 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- RISA Brand
Rajasthan government commercial brand for tribal-folk arts (March 2026); e-commerce platform for tribal artisans; covers Phad, Bhil paintings, tribal textiles
Read the study note →- Robespierre
1758–1794; led Committee of Public Safety; Reign of Terror; guillotined 28 July 1794
Where it helps French Revolution
Read the study note →- Rock Art (Shailchitra)
Prehistoric cave paintings; Rajasthan sites at Kanyadeh (Baran), Darrah (Kota), Chambal valley; hunting, animals, geometric motifs; Mesolithic to early historic
Read the study note →- Rowlatt Act
1919 law allowing detention without trial for 2 years — triggered nationwide protests and Jallianwala Bagh events
Where it helps Context for 1919 agitation
Read the study note →- RTDC
Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation — public sector undertaking established 1979; operates hotels, Palace on Wheels, and tourism promotion
Where it helps High — institutional knowledge
Read the study note →- Rupayan Sansthan
Folk literary archive established 1958 at Borunda (Jodhpur) by Vijay Dan Detha and Komal Kothari; holds 15,000+ recorded folk songs and 500+ folk instrument recordings
Where it helps High — institutional knowledge
Read the study note →- Ryotwari
Direct revenue settlement with individual cultivators (ryots); Madras and Bombay
Where it helps One of three British revenue systems; Munro, 1820
Read the study note →- Saguna
Devotion to God with attributes/form (Rama, Krishna) — Tulsidas, Surdas tradition
Where it helps Contrasted with Nirguna; the dominant Bhakti stream
Read the study note →- Saguna Bhakti
Devotional tradition worshipping God with form and attributes (e.g., Krishna, Rama); Meera Bai's Krishna devotion is the primary Rajasthan example
Where it helps High — contrast with Nirguna
Read the study note →- Saharana
Traditional Saharia tribal village cluster (hamlet) settlement pattern; Baran district; typically 5–15 families in a forest-adjacent grouping
Read the study note →- Saharia
Rajasthan's only PVTG; Baran district; pre-agricultural economy; forest dependence; Saharana settlement pattern; PM-JANMAN primary beneficiary
Read the study note →- Salt Satyagraha
Gandhi's campaign against salt tax — Dandi March (1930); breaking unjust law non-violently to invite mass arrest
Where it helps Most iconic single act of Civil Disobedience Movement
Read the study note →- Sama
Sufi devotional music involving qawwali and chanting; central spiritual practice of the Chishti order; the annual Urs at Ajmer Dargah features sama performances
Where it helps Medium — Chishti practice
Read the study note →- Samp Sabha
Brotherhood Assembly founded by Govind Guru in 1883 to organise Bhil communities around social reform, anti-alcohol, literacy, and tribal unity
Read the study note →- Sangam
Literary academy of ancient Tamil Nadu; also the corpus of literature produced there (c. 300 BCE–300 CE)
Where it helps Sangam literature — India's earliest secular literary corpus
Read the study note →- Sanganeri Block Print
Traditional hand-block printing on cotton using natural dyes; Sanganer town, Jaipur; GI Tagged; floral motifs on white background; international export market
Read the study note →- Sangeet Natak Akademi
India's national academy for performing arts; initiated Kamayacha documentation drive (2026); provides grants to endangered folk performance traditions
Read the study note →- Sangita-raja
Musicological treatise in 5 books authored by Rana Kumbha; covers Patha, Gita, Vadya, Nritya, and Rasa Ratna; most cited cultural achievement of any Rajput ruler in RPSC PYQs
Read the study note →- Sarnath
Site near Varanasi where Buddha delivered his first sermon (Dhammachakkapavattana Sutta); home of the Lion Capital
Where it helps Mauryan art — location of India's national emblem original
Read the study note →- Sati
Practice of widow immolation on husband's funeral pyre; abolished by Regulation XVII, 1829
Where it helps Colonial social reform — Ram Mohan Roy's campaign
Read the study note →- Sati Regulation
Regulation XVII of 1829 (Bentinck) abolished the practice of widow immolation
Where it helps Social reform legislation — connects to socio-religious reform topic
Read the study note →- Satyagraha
Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent resistance — "truth force"; suffering accepted willingly to transform the opponent
Where it helps Core Gandhian concept — Champaran, Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience
Read the study note →- Satyashodhak Samaj
"Truth-seeking Society" — founded by Phule (1873) to challenge Brahmin supremacy in Maharashtra
Where it helps Phule — key lower-caste reform organisation
Read the study note →- Scheduled Area
Areas designated under Fifth Schedule with special protections; Rajasthan has Banswara and Dungarpur fully and Udaipur, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Baran partially
Read the study note →- Scheduled Tribe (ST)
Constitutional category (Article 342) for tribes notified by the President; entitled to reservation in education, employment, and political representation
Read the study note →- Scientific Policy Resolution
1958 Parliament resolution — India's first formal science policy
Where it helps 5-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Self-Help Group (SHG)
Women's credit cooperative group linked to banking; 12 million in India; backbone of rural women's economic empowerment
Where it helps Women empowerment
Read the study note →- Serial Nomination
A UNESCO inscription category covering multiple related sites under one nomination — e.g., Hill Forts of Rajasthan (6 forts as one inscription)
Where it helps PYQ-adjacent; explains why 6 forts count as one UNESCO entry
Read the study note →- Settlement Operations
British systematic cadastral surveys of land in Rajputana from 1870s onward; first Marwar settlement by A.P. Nicholson (1891–95); replaced customary with documented assessment
Read the study note →- Sfumato
Leonardo's painting technique of blurred, smoky outlines (as in Mona Lisa)
Where it helps Leonardo specifically
Read the study note →- Shekhawati
Region comprising Jhunjhunu, Sikar, and Churu districts — known for 1,000+ painted Marwari merchant havelis; called the "open-air gallery"
Where it helps High — direct exam topic
Read the study note →- Shikhara
The curvilinear tower rising above the garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) in Nagara temple architecture
Where it helps Nagara style identifier; contrasted with vimana (Dravida)
Read the study note →- Shuddhi
Arya Samaj purification/reconversion ceremony enabling return to Hinduism
Where it helps Arya Samaj — major innovation; caused communal tension
Read the study note →- Silsila
Chain of spiritual authority in Sufism — links a Sufi master to the Prophet
Where it helps Sufi orders: Chishti, Suhrawardi, Qadiri, Naqshbandi
Read the study note →- Simon Commission
All-British constitutional review commission (1927–28) — no Indian members; boycotted by all Indian parties
Where it helps Triggered Lala Lajpat Rai protest; his death prompted Bhagat Singh's action
Read the study note →- Six Orthodox Schools
The six Astika (orthodox, Veda-accepting) schools of Indian philosophy: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta
Where it helps High — PYQ 2021 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Sola Fide
"Faith alone" — Luther's doctrine that salvation requires only faith, not works
Where it helps Reformation core
Read the study note →- Sola Scriptura
"Scripture alone" — Bible is the only authority; rejects Pope and Church tradition
Where it helps Reformation core
Read the study note →- Soviet
Council of workers', soldiers', and peasants' deputies; revolutionary governing body
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Spinning Jenny
1764; James Hargreaves; spun 8–80 threads simultaneously; key textile invention
Where it helps Industrial Revolution
Read the study note →- Squadrismo
Italian Fascist paramilitary squads; attacked left-wing organisations 1919–21
Read the study note →- Stab in the Back
German myth that Jewish socialists "betrayed" Germany in WWI; exploited by Nazis
Read the study note →- States Reorganisation Act
Act of 1956 creating 14 states + 6 UTs on linguistic basis
Read the study note →- States Reorganisation Act, 1956
Legislation based on S. Fazl Ali Commission report; reorganised Indian states on linguistic lines; merged Ajmer-Merwara with Rajasthan (1 November 1956)
Read the study note →- Steam Engine
James Watt, 1769; separate condenser; rotary motion (1782); powered factories and railways
Where it helps Industrial Revolution
Read the study note →- Stupa
Dome-shaped Buddhist reliquary mound, typically built over Buddha's remains or at pilgrimage sites
Where it helps Sanchi Stupa (UNESCO 1989) — standard exam example
Read the study note →- Subsidiary Alliance
Treaty system under Lord Wellesley where Indian rulers ceded foreign policy and military control to British in exchange for protection; Rajputana states signed 1817–18
Read the study note →- Subsidiary Alliance (1817–18)
Treaties between British India and Rajput states formalising paramountcy; rulers retained internal autonomy but ceded foreign policy and military actions
Read the study note →- Suhrawardi Silsilah
Sufi order founded by Shihabuddin Suhrawardi (Baghdad); Rajasthan centre at Nagaur (Hamiduddin Nagori, 1192–1274 CE); stricter sharia observance and closer state ties than Chishtis
Where it helps High — PYQ 2021 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Sulh-i-Kul
Principle of "universal peace" or absolute peace advocated by Mughal Emperor Akbar and Chishti Sufi tradition — relevant to Ajmer as a syncretic heritage site
Where it helps Medium — heritage-culture overlap
Read the study note →- Swadeshi
Movement for self-sufficiency through Indian goods; triggered by Partition of Bengal (1905); revived by Gandhi in 1920s
Where it helps Economic nationalism — boycott of British goods
Read the study note →- Swadeshi Movement
Boycott of British goods and promotion of Indian products; triggered by 1905 Partition of Bengal
Where it helps Political response to British economic/political policy
Read the study note →- Swaraj
Self-rule; used by Tilak for political independence; Gandhi also used it with broader meaning of self-discipline and decentralisation
Where it helps Core demand of Indian national movement across all phases
Read the study note →- Syadvada
Jain conditional predication — all statements qualified with "in some sense" (syat)
Where it helps Jain logic — paired with Anekantavada
Read the study note →- Tala
Rhythmic cycle in Indian classical music, measured in beats (matras) — e.g., teentaal (16 beats), ektal (12 beats)
Where it helps Hindustani/Carnatic music — paired with raga
Read the study note →- Teej
Monsoon onset festival (Shravan Shukla Tritiya); women's vrat for husbands; Jaipur Teej procession since 1778 CE; green/turquoise colour theme
Read the study note →- Telegraph
Electric telegraph network introduced with railways under Dalhousie; connected administrative centres
Where it helps Infrastructure of administrative unification
Read the study note →- Terahtali
Dance of Kamad community women (Nagaur, Pali); 13 brass cymbals (manjiras) tied to body; performed seated; accompanies Ramdev devotional songs
Read the study note →- The Last Supper
Leonardo's fresco (1494–99, Milan) depicting Christ's last meal; PYQ 2021
Read the study note →- Theosophical Society
1875 organisation promoting ancient wisdom, universal brotherhood, Hindu/Buddhist philosophical heritage
Where it helps RPSC 2021 direct question; Annie Besant connection
Read the study note →- Thewa Jewellery
Gold artwork fused onto multi-coloured glass; made exclusively in Pratapgarh by Soni community; GI Tagged; intricate Mughal-era court scene motifs
Read the study note →- Thikana System
Sub-jagirdari layer in Jaipur state where thikanedars (sub-jagirdars) imposed heavy levies on Jat peasants; structural cause of Shekhawati movement
Read the study note →- Thomas Jefferson
Primary author of the Declaration of Independence (1776); 3rd US President
Where it helps American Revolution
Read the study note →- Three-Stage Nuclear Plan
Bhabha's plan: PHWR (U) → FBR (Pu) → AHWR (Th); exploits thorium reserves
Where it helps 10-mark prediction
Read the study note →- Tilwara
Mesolithic site on Luni River (Barmer district); B.V. Upadhyaya's excavation (1962–63); confirms Mesolithic occupation in western desert zone
Read the study note →- Tilwara Fair
Cattle fair on Luni River (Barmer, Magh); third-largest cattle fair in Rajasthan; famous for Mallinath cattle breed; shares name with Mesolithic archaeological site
Read the study note →- Torana
Ornamental gateway or arch at the entrance to a stupa or temple, with elaborate sculptural decoration
Where it helps Sanchi Stupa toranas (Sunga period, 2nd–1st century BCE)
Read the study note →- Totalitarianism
System of complete state control over all aspects of life; no autonomous sphere
Read the study note →- Tourism Circuit
Planned thematic route connecting multiple heritage, cultural, or natural attractions — e.g., Heritage Circuit, Desert Circuit, Shekhawati Circuit
Where it helps Medium — policy/planning
Read the study note →- Treaty of Brest-Litovsk
March 1918; Russia exited WWI; ceded Poland, Ukraine, Baltic states to Germany
Where it helps Russian Revolution
Read the study note →- Tribeni Sangam
Confluence of three rivers; sacred bathing spot; Beneshwar = Mahi-Som-Jakham confluence; mirrors Prayag's Ganga-Yamuna-Saraswati pattern
Read the study note →- Tribes Advisory Council (TAC)
Constitutional body under Fifth Schedule; advises state Governor on tribal welfare in Scheduled Areas; predominantly tribal membership
Read the study note →- Tribhanga
Three-bend posture in Indian sculpture/dance — body curves at head, torso, and hip in S-shape
Where it helps Odissi classical dance; also common in Buddhist/Jain sculpture
Read the study note →- TRIFED
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation (est. 1987); markets Minor Forest Produce (MFP) and tribal crafts; parent of Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (2018)
Read the study note →- Tulugma Tactics
Timurid flanking cavalry tactic used by Babur at Khanwa (1527); simultaneous encirclement from both wings while artillery attacked the centre; decisive against Rana Sanga's traditional infantry
Read the study note →- UNESCO World Heritage Site
A site recognised by UNESCO as having outstanding universal value, inscribed on the World Heritage List under the 1972 World Heritage Convention
Where it helps Core — Rajasthan has 3 inscribed sites (Keoladeo 1985, Jantar Mantar 2010, Hill Forts 2013)
Read the study note →- Unitarianism
Monotheistic theology — God is one indivisible person; influenced Brahmo Samaj via Roy's engagement with Unitarians
Where it helps Brahmo Samaj intellectual heritage
Read the study note →- Universal Priesthood
Doctrine (primarily Protestant Christianity, Martin Luther 1520 CE) that every believer has direct access to God without priestly intermediation; Indian parallel in Nirguna Bhakti's rejection of Brahmin monopoly
Where it helps High — PYQ 2023 (directly tested)
Read the study note →- Uppramal Panchayat Board
Coordinating body organised by Vijay Singh Pathik during Bijolia Movement's Phase 2 (1916) to unify peasant resistance across the Bijolia jagir
Read the study note →- Urs
Annual death anniversary festival of a Sufi saint, celebrated as a spiritual reunion with the divine; Ajmer Urs (Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Rajab 1–6) is Rajasthan's largest Sufi festival
Where it helps High — Ajmer Dargah; current affairs
Read the study note →- Urs (Ajmer)
Annual 6-day commemoration of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (d. 1236 CE) in Rajab; Hindu-Muslim composite; PM chaadar tradition; qawwali; 3–4 lakh visitors
Read the study note →- V.P. Menon
Secretary, Ministry of States; co-architect of princely state integration; drafted the IoA
Read the study note →- Vachnika
Semi-prose, semi-verse Rajasthani historical narrative; prose narrates events, verse expresses emotional peaks; associated with Munhata Nainsi's chronicles
Read the study note →- Vamsh Bhaskar
~20,000-verse poetic chronicle by Surya Mal Mishran (1842–1868 CE) documenting the Bundi ruling dynasty; longest Rajasthani poetic text
Where it helps Medium — 19th century literature
Read the study note →- Van Dhan Vikas Kendra (VDVK)
Processing and value addition clusters for Minor Forest Produce launched 2018–19; tribal economic empowerment; Rajasthan has 50+ VDVKs
Read the study note →- Vat
Short Rajasthani prose narrative based on historical or legendary events; oral-recitation style with embedded verse; transmits genealogical data and moral maxims
Read the study note →- Vedanta
The philosophical tradition interpreting the Upanishads, Brahma Sutras, and Gita
Where it helps Advaita/Vishishtadvaita/Dvaita — most tested Astika school
Read the study note →- Veli
Dingal lyrical-narrative form celebrating a specific event or mythological story; Veli Krishan Rukmini ri by Rathore Prithviraj is the classic example
Where it helps Medium — genre terminology
Read the study note →- Veli Krishan Rukmini ri
Dingal lyrical epic by Rathore Prithviraj "Pithal" (c. 1610 CE); narrates Krishna-Rukmini story; called "5th Veda and 19th Purana"; represents apex of Dingal art
Where it helps High — PYQ 2018 style questions
Read the study note →- Vernacular
Common language of the people (e.g., Italian, German, English) as opposed to Latin
Where it helps Renaissance literature
Read the study note →- Vernacular Press Act
1878 act (Lytton) imposing censorship on Indian-language newspapers while exempting English-language press — repealed by Ripon 1882
Where it helps Colonial press policy; example of racial discrimination in law
Read the study note →- Vesara
Hybrid temple architectural style of the Deccan combining Nagara and Dravida elements
Where it helps Chalukya/Hoysala architecture; Doddabasappa Temple, Gadag
Read the study note →- Vijay Stambha
Tower of Victory (1448 CE) at Chittorgarh; 9 storeys, 37 metres; 157 sculptural panels; appears on Rajasthan's state emblem; built by Rana Kumbha
Read the study note →- Vimana
The pyramidal tower of a Dravida-style temple — also refers to the entire temple structure in South Indian usage
Where it helps Brihadeeswara Temple vimana (66m) — apex of Dravida style
Read the study note →- Vivisection
Surgical division; Theosophy opposed the vivisection of animals — one of Annie Besant's early campaigns
Where it helps Theosophical ideology context
Read the study note →- Walar Dance
Garasia tribal dance from Sirohi-Abu Road area; courtship dance performed during Holi; male-female couple form; associated with Garasia marriage customs
Read the study note →- Walled City of Jaipur
UNESCO inscription 2019; 18th-century planned city by Sawai Jai Singh II (1727); Bhoomikar 9-block grid; pink sandstone requirement; 3.02 sq km heritage zone
Read the study note →- Weimar Republic
Germany's democratic government (1919–33); replaced by Nazi dictatorship
Read the study note →- White Mutiny
1809 protest by European soldiers of EIC against transfer to crown's service; also refers to the 1883 European agitation against the Ilbert Bill
Where it helps Context for racial tensions in colonial administration
Read the study note →- Wood's Despatch
1854 education dispatch by Charles Wood: recommended universities in Bombay, Madras, Calcutta; English-medium higher education with Indian-language primary schools
Where it helps Foundation of British India's university system; colonial education policy
Read the study note →- Young Bengal
Free-thinking movement among students of H.L.V. Derozio at Hindu College (1820s–30s)
Where it helps Precursor to Bengal Renaissance intellectual movement
Read the study note →- Zabt
Mughal crop-measurement system for revenue assessment; required field-by-field measurement of standing crops; adopted in eastern Rajasthan under Mughal suzerainty
Read the study note →- Zamindari
Hereditary landholding class created/reinforced by Permanent Settlement (1793) as revenue intermediaries; extracted rent from actual cultivators
Where it helps Agrarian structure of British India; contrasted with Ryotwari direct settlement
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