Who among the following were the first to invade India?
(a) Afghans
(b) Mongols
(c) Arabs
(d) Turks
Solution: (c)
The advent of Muslims in India was marked by the Arab conquest of Sind, though long before that the Arabs already had settlements on the western coast of India. Muhammad Bin Qasim, under the order of Hajjaj, advanced in 710 A.D., at the head of a considerable army, subdued Mukran, pushed on through Baluchistan and in 711-12 reduced Sind, the lower valley and delta of the Indus.
‘Purushapura’ is the other name for
(a) Patna
(b) Pataliputra
(c) Peshawar
(d) Punjab
Solution: (c)
The Kushan king Kanishka , moved the capital from Pushkalavati to Purushapura (Peshawar) in the 2nd century AD. Following this move by the Kushans, Peshawar became a great center of Buddhist learning.
‘Tripitaka’ is the religious book of
(a) Jains
(b) Buddhists
(c) Sikhs
(d) Hindus
Solution: (b)
Tripitaka is the three main categories of texts that make up the Buddhist canon. As the name suggests, a Tripitaka traditionally contains three “baskets” of teachings: a Sutra Pitaka, a Vinaya Pitaka and an Abhidharma Pitaka.
The capital of Pallavas was
(a) Arcot
(b) Kanchi
(c) Malkhed
(d) Banavasi
Solution: (b)
Located on the banks of river Vegavathy, Kanchipuram served as the capital city of the Pallava Kingdom during the 4th to 9th century A.D.
Both Jainism and Buddhism had no faith in
(a) yajnas
(b) salvation
(c) caste system
(d) rituals
Solution: (c)
Jainism and Buddhism arose us a protest against the ritualism of the Hindu religion. Gautam Buddha and Vardhaman Mahavir both belonged to ruling families of Kshatriyas. Buddhism, as well as, Jainism had no faith in Vedic religion. Besides, both these heterodox sects had no faith in caste distinctions and opposed the caste-system vehemently.
The language from which the term ‘India’ is derived is
(a) English
(b) Greek
(c) Persian
(d) Arabic
Solution: (c)
The name India is derived from Indus, which originates from the Old Persian word Hindu. The latter term stems from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which was the historical local appellation for the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to the Indians as Indoi which translates as “the people of the Indus”.
The staple food of the Vedic Aryans was
(a) barley and rice
(b) milk and its products
(c) rice and pulses
(d) vegetables and fruits
Solution: (d)
The day of Vaisakh Purnima, which usually falls in the month of May, is considered most sacred by Buddhists all over the world. Buddha attained Supreme Enlighten or Buddha hood, beneath the Bodhi-tree at Boddha Gaya. Forty-five years later at the age of eighty, he finally passed away in Parinivana on the same day of the year at Kushinagar. Vaisaka Purnima is celebrated especially in Boddha Gaya, Lumbini and in Kushinara as they are the holy places that were connected with the blessed ones birth, enlighten and the Parinirvana.
Which one of the following Chola Kings conquered Ceylon (Singhal) first?
(a) Aditya-I
(b) Rajaraja-I
(c) Rajendra
(d) Vijayalya
Solution: (b)
Rajaraja began his conquests by attacking the confederation between the rulers of the Pandya and Krala kingdoms and of Ceylon. Rajendra Chola I, the son of Rajaraja, invaded the island in 1018 A.D. As a result of the campaign, Rajendra captured the crown of the Sinhala king, his Queen and daughter. The Sinhala king Mahinda-V was taken prisoner and transported to the Chola country”. The naval supremacy of the Colas continued under the immediate successors of Rajendra. Rajadhiraja, not only defeated and destroyed the Chera fleet at Kandalur but sent out his squadrons on an expedition against Ceylon.
In the Gupta period, the largest number of coins were issued in
(a) gold
(b) silver
(c) copper
(d) iron
Solution: (a)
Coins minted in the Gupta Age were mostly made in gold. These coins consisted of the depiction of Indian deities and legends in Brahmi. Events like the Asvamedha Yagya and the accomplishments of the kings were also depicted on the coins.
Buddha preached his first sermon at–
(a) Gaya
(b) Sarnath
(c) Pataliputra
(d) Vaishali
Solution: (b)
Sarnath is the deer park where Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, and where the Buddhist Sangha came into existence through the enlightenment of Kondanna. Sarnath is located 13 kilometres north-east of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh.
