Ancient History Viksah Sir1 10

History
UPSC/CSE PRE 2013-2023

ANCIENT INDIA
By Dr. Vikash
Faculty, VIHAN IAS
PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University
1. In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a
prominent Buddhist centre under the Mahasanghikas, located?
(a) Andhra
(b) Gandhara
(c) Kalinga
(d) Magadha
1. In which one of the following regions was Dhanyakataka, which flourished as a
prominent Buddhist centre under the Mahasanghikas, located?
(a) Andhra
(b) Gandhara
(c) Kalinga
(d) Magadha
● ANSWER- (a) Dhanyakataka means a rice bowl. The region till date famous for
rice is the Andhra region. Amravati located in this region was the famous seat of
Mahasanghikas, a sect of Buddhism.
2. With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:
1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.

2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
3. Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two ·
(c) All three
(d) None
2. With reference to ancient India, consider the following statements:
1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.

2. Stupa was generally a repository of relics.
3 . Stupa was a votive and commemorative structure in Buddhist tradition.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two ·
(c) All three
(d) None
● Answer- (b) Stupas are not of Buddhist origin. There are some references to the
stupa-like structure in Shatpath Brahman and other literary sources of pre
Buddhist era. Stupas are not always repositories of relics but also have other
nature. They may be votive or commemorative.
3. With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were
well known as
(a) capital cities
(b) ports
(c) centres of iron-and-steel making
(d) shrines of Jain Tirthankaras

Answer- (b) Korkai, Poompuhar, and Muchiri were ancient ports
located in the Tamil region. They played crucial roles in
facilitating trade, cultural exchange, and the spread of ideas and
commodities. Poompuhar, also known as Kaveripattinam, was
particularly famous for its maritime activities.
4. Which one of the following explains the practice of 'Vattakirutal' as mentioned in Sangam poems?
(a) Kings employing women bodyguards
(b) Learned persons assembling in royal courts to discuss religious and philosophical matters
(c) Young girls keeping watch over agricultural fields and driving away birds and animals
(d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death.
4. Which one of the following explains the practice of 'Vattakirutal' as mentioned in Sangam
poems?
(a) Kings employing women bodyguards
(b) Learned persons assembling in royal courts to discuss religious and philosophical matters
(c) Young girls keeping watch over agricultural fields and driving away birds and animals
(d) A king defeated in a battle committing ritual suicide by starving himself to death.
● Answer-(c) The practice of 'Vattakirutal' as mentioned in Sangam poems refers to young girls who
were assigned the task of guarding agricultural fields.
● This practice highlights the agricultural activities and the importance of protecting crops in ancient Tamil
society.
● It reflects the societal structure and division of labor, where even young girls had specific roles and
responsibilities in agricultural communities.
5. Consider the following dynasties : 1. Hoysala 2. Gahadavala 3. Kakatiya 4. Yadava
How many of the above dynasties established their kingdoms in early eighth century AD?.
● (a) Only one
● (b) Only two
● (c) Only three
● (d) None
5. Consider the following dynasties : 1. Hoysala 2. Gahadavala 3. Kakatiya 4. Yadava
How many of ·the above dynasties established their kingdoms in early eighth century AD?.
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) None
Answer-(d) - The Hoysala dynasty established its kingdom in the 10th century AD in the region
of present-day Karnataka.
The Gahadavala dynasty was prominent in the region of present-day Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
from the 11th to the 12th century AD.
The Kakatiya dynasty ruled in the Deccan region, particularly in present-day Telangana, from
around the 12th to the 14th century AD.
The Yadava dynasty had its kingdom in the region of present-day Maharashtra from the 9th to the
14th century AD.
6. With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs :
Literary work Author
1. Devichandraguptam: Bilhana
2. Hammira-Mahakavya : Nayachandra Suri
3. Milinda-panho : Nagarjuna
4. Nitiuakyamrita: Somadeva Suri.
● How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

● (a) Only one
● (b) Only two
● (c) Only three
● (d) All four
6. With reference to ancient Indian History, consider the following pairs :
Literary work Author
1.Devichandragupta: Bilhana
2. Hammira-Mahakauya : Nayachandra Suri
3. Milinda-panha : Nagarjuna
4. Nitiuakyamrita: Somadeva Suri.
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) Only one (b) Only two (c) Only three (d) All four
Answer-(c) 1. Devichandraguptam: Vishakhadatta (Is story of Gupta King Ramagupta who decides
to surrender his queen Dhruvadevi to a Shaka invader but his younger brother Chandragupta enters the
enemy camp disguised as the queen and kills the enemy.)
2. Hammira-Mahakavya : Nayachandra suri It's Sanskrit epic poem that narrates the story of
Hammira, a legendary ruler of the Chahamana dynasty of Rajasthan portraying his valor and courage
in battles against the Muslim invaders. Written in the 12th or 13th century.
3. Milinda-panho : Nagasen or Nagarjuna - written in Pali language in the 1st century CE is a
dialogue between Greek king Milinda and Nagasen, a buddhist monk.
4. Nitiuakyamrita: Somadeva Suri- Written in 10th century, in Sanskrit, is a collection of moral
aphorism.
7. "Souls are not only the property 'of animal and plant life, but also of rocks,
running water and· many other natural objects not looked 'on as living by
other religious sects." The above statement reflects one of the core beliefs of
which one of the following religious sects of ancient India?
(a) Buddhism
(b) Jainism
(c) Shaivism
(d) Vaishnavism
8. According to Kautilya’s Arthashastra, which of the following is correct? (2022)
1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.

2. If a female slave bore her master a son, she was legally free.
3. If a son born to a female slave was fathered by her master, the son was entitled to
the legal status of the master’s son.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer-(b) Arthashastra mentions a person cannot be made a slave by judicial
punishment.
9. With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs:
(2022)
Historical person Known as
Aryadeva Jaina scholar
Dignaga Buddhist scholar
Nathamuni Vaishnava scholar
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) None of the pairs

(b) Only one pair
(c) Only two pairs
(d) All three pairs
9. With reference to Indian history, consider the following pairs: (2022)
Historical person Known as
Aryadeva Jaina scholar
Dignaga Buddhist scholar
Nathamuni Vaishnava scholar
How many pairs given above are correctly matched ?
(a) None of the pairs (b) Only one pair
(c) Only two pairs (d) All three pairs
Answer-(c)- Aryadeva, a disciple of Nagarjuna in the 3rd century,
significantly contributed to early Indian Madhyamika philosophy which
is a major Mahayana Buddhist school. Dignaga, a Buddhist logician born
around 480 CE, authored the foundational work "Pramāṇasamuccaya,"
shaping Buddhist logic. Nathamuni established a Sanskrit-Tamil school in
Srirangam, Tamil Nadu, a prominent Vaishnavite center in South India.
10. Which one of the following ancient towns is well known for its elaborate
system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and
channelising water into connected reservoirs? (2021)
(a) Dholavira
(b) Kalibangan
(c) Rakhigarhi
(d) Ropar
Answer-(a)- Dholavira, in Gujarat, an
ancient city dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd
millennium BCE, discovered in 1968,
stands out for its exceptional preservation.
Its distinctive features include
sophisticated water management,
layered defenses, extensive stone
construction, and unique burial
structures. It also has a well-planned
network of drains, dams, and tanks for
water management. Kalibangan is in
Rajasthan and is famous for well-planned
urban layout, advanced drainage system,
and remarkable structures such as a citadel,
lower town, and the discovery of the
world's earliest ploughed agricultural
field. Rakhigarhi is in modern day
haryana and is one of the biggest sites
covering an area of 550 hectare. Ropar
also called Rupnagar in modern day punjab
is famous for excavation of copper hoard. It
was an important site on the crossroads of
various trading centres and a famous centre
for skilled labor.

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History

UPSC/CSE PRE 2013-2023

prominent Buddhist centre under the Mahasanghikas, located?

1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

1. The concept of Stupa is Buddhist in origin.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) capital cities

(c) centres of iron-and-steel making

(d) shrines of Jain Tirthankaras

(a) Kings employing women bodyguards

● (a) Only one

● (b) Only two

● (c) Only three

Literary work Author

● How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. A person could be a slave as a result of a judicial punishment.

(a) None of the pairs

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