Practice questions
Q1Which pairing correctly identifies the early Tamil bhakti groups discussed in medieval Indian religious history?
A Alvars - Persian Sufis; Nayanars - Chishti saints
B Alvars - temple accountants; Nayanars - royal tax collectors
C Alvars - Buddhist monks; Nayanars - Jain teachers
D Alvars - devotees of Vishnu; Nayanars - devotees of Shiva
Explanation The Alvars and Nayanars were among the earliest bhakti movements in Tamil Nadu from around the sixth century. They travelled, sang hymns in Tamil, identified sacred shrines, and helped make devotional compositions central to temple ritual.
Q2Which statement best explains the historical development of Kathak as described in NCERT's discussion of regional cultures?
A It developed only in Buddhist monasteries and disappeared after the Gupta period
B It began as a Chola bronze-casting guild and later became a court ritual
C It grew from temple story-tellers, later gained courtly features, and developed Jaipur and Lucknow traditions
D It was introduced by Portuguese missionaries as a church performance
Explanation Kathak derives from a term connected with story-tellers in north Indian temples. It absorbed Radha-Krishna performance themes, acquired courtly features under Mughal and noble patronage, and later became associated especially with Jaipur and Lucknow traditions.
Q3The UNESCO World Heritage property called the Great Living Chola Temples consists of which group?
A Sun Temple at Konark, Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar, and Jagannatha Temple at Puri
B Virupaksha Temple, Vittala Temple, and Hazara Rama Temple at Vijayanagara
C Brihadisvara at Thanjavur, Brihadisvara at Gangaikondacholisvaram, and Airavatesvara at Darasuram
D Shore Temple at Mamallapuram, Kailasanatha at Kanchipuram, and Meenakshi Temple at Madurai
Explanation The Great Living Chola Temples represent the high point of Chola architecture and art in Tamil Nadu. The property includes the Brihadisvara temple at Thanjavur, the Brihadisvara temple at Gangaikondacholisvaram, and the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram.
Q4Which archaeological evidence from Kalibangan is most directly used to infer a Harappan agricultural practice?
A A ploughed field with two sets of furrows crossing at right angles
B A mint producing punch-marked coins for grain exchange
C A Sanskrit manual describing crop rotation in the Saraswati basin
D A stone inscription recording royal land grants to cultivators
Explanation Kalibangan in Rajasthan is important because archaeologists found a ploughed field associated with Early Harappan levels. The two sets of furrows at right angles are read as evidence that different crops may have been grown together, making it a direct archaeological clue rather than a literary claim.
Q5In Mughal agrarian terminology, which distinction between khud-kashta and pahi-kashta peasants is correct?
A Khud-kashta were non-resident contractors, while pahi-kashta held hereditary mansabs
B Khud-kashta cultivated in their own village, while pahi-kashta cultivated elsewhere on contract
C Khud-kashta were royal slaves, while pahi-kashta were cavalry officers
D Khud-kashta paid jizya, while pahi-kashta paid only customs duty
Explanation Seventeenth-century sources use khud-kashta for peasants resident in the village where they held land. Pahi-kashta were non-resident cultivators from another village, sometimes moving by choice for better revenue terms or by compulsion after distress.
More questions
6In Ashoka's policy after the Kalinga war, what was the role of the dhamma mahamattas?
AThey commanded provincial armies stationed at Taxila and Ujjayini
BThey supervised guilds that issued gold coins in urban markets
CThey collected land revenue under a village-level zamindari system
DThey were special officers appointed to spread the message of dhamma
7For the agrarian history of Akbar's empire, why is the Ain-i Akbari especially important?
AIt is a Chola inscription listing temple bronzes and irrigation tanks
BIt records state arrangements for cultivation, revenue collection, and relations with zamindars
CIt is a Persian translation of the Rigveda prepared for Sultan Iltutmish
DIt is a Buddhist chronicle of Ashoka's dhamma officers
8Which combination of factors is commonly used to explain the rise of Magadha among the mahajanapadas?
AA desert capital protected by camel cavalry and salt mines
BProductive agriculture, access to iron, elephants, and Ganga river communication
CExclusive control over Roman sea trade and pepper exports
DA confederacy of Chola ports and South-East Asian colonies
9Which statement best describes the iqta-related arrangement under the Delhi Sultanate?
AMilitary commanders governed assigned territories and collected their revenues as salary
BIqtas were hereditary village assemblies controlled by elected peasant elders
CIqtas were temple estates granted only for maintaining irrigation tanks
DIqtas were coastal customs houses run by merchant guilds
10In the Vijayanagara Empire, what was the main administrative-military role of the amara-nayakas?
AThey governed assigned territories, collected dues, and maintained military contingents
BThey were foreign merchants licensed to trade horses at coastal ports
CThey were hereditary priestly councils that selected the raya
DThey were Buddhist monks who supervised donations to monasteries
