Previous year ssc Indian History:Dynasties of Ancient India-Part4

 

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Dynasties of Ancient India-Part4

Daily Online General Knowledge Quiz:Previous year paper gk questions with answers and explanation in English on Indian History:Dynasties of Ancient India.

1. In Mauryan Dynasty, Kalinga War took place in the year?
A. 260 BC
B. 261 BC
C.126 BC
D. 232BC

261 BC

Note: Kalinga war took place in the year 261 BC, fought between Ashoka, the Great and State of Kalinga.

The bloodshed of Kalinga war prompted Ashoka to adopt Buddhism

2. The caves and rock-cut temples at Ellora are?
A. Hindu and Buddhist
B. Buddhist and Jain
C. Hindu and Jain
D. Hindu, Buddhist and Jain

Hindu, Buddhist and Jain

Note: Hindu, Buddhist and Jain rock-cut temples ,viharas and mathas were built between the 5th century and 10th century.

The 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindus and 5 Jain caves, built in proximity, demonstrate the religious harmony prevalent during this period of Indian history.

3. Which of the following are incorrectly paired?
A. Krishnadeva Raya : Amukta Malyada
B. Harshavardhana     : Nagananda
C. Kalidasa                 : Ritusamhara
D. Visakhadatta          : Kiratarjuniyam

Visakhadatta : Kiratarjuniyam

Note: Visakhadatta is the author of Mudra Rakshasa, which narrates the ascent of the king Chandragupta Maurya to power. While Kiratarjuniyam is a Sanskrit kavya by Bharavi written in AD 6th century.

4. St Thomas is said to propagate Christianity during the reign of the?
A. Chera
B. Parthians
C.Pandyas
D. Cholas

Parthians

Note:St Thomas believed to have sailed to India in AD 52 to spread the Christianity. He is supposed to have landed at the ancient port of Muziris Near Kodungalloor,Kerala.

He then went to Palayoor which was a Hindu priestly community at that time. Thomas landed in Kodungalloor and took part in the wedding of Cheraman Perumal and proceeded to the courts of Gondaphorus. Gondaphorus belonged to the Parthians Dynasty from Takshashila.

5. Who started Saka era and when?
A. Kadphises in 58 BC
B. Rudradaman I in AD 78
C.Vikramaditya in 58 BC
D. Kanishka in AD 78

Kanishka in AD 78

Note: When Kanishka came to the throne is uncertain. His accession has been estimated as occurring between 78 and 144 ce; his reign is believed to have lasted 23 years. The year 78 marks the beginning of the Shaka era, a system of dating that Kanishka might have initiated.

6. In the Gupta period, the largest number of coins were issued in?
A. gold
B. silver
C. copper
D. iron

gold

Note: The largest number of coins minted during the Gupta period were of gold. These coins consisted of the depiction of Indian deities and legends in Brahmi.

Events like the Ashvamedha Yagna and the accomplishments of the kings were also depicted on the coins.

7. With which of the following centres of learning, Chanakya the famous teacher of Chandragupta Maurya was associated?
A. Takshashila
B. Nalanda
C. Vikramashila
D. Vaishali

Takshashila

Note: Chanakya served at Takshashila as a teacher before becoming, the chief advisor and mentor of Chandragupta Maurya, During the reign of Ashoka, Takshashila became a great Buddha centre of learning.

8. Rath temples at Mahabalipuram were built in the reign of which Pallava ruler?
A. Mahendravarman I
B. Narasimhavarman I
C.Parameshwarvarman I
D. Nandivarman I

Narasimhavarman I

Note: Ratha temples at Mahabalipuram were carved during the reign of Narasimhavarman I, these temples are an example of monolith Indian rock-cut architecture.

9. Most of the Chola temples were dedicated to?
A. Vishnu
B. Shiva
C.Brahma
D. Durga

Shiva

Note: Most of the Chola temples were dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Chola temples are important Hindu temples that were built during the 10th-12th centuries.

The Brihadiswara temple at Thanjavur, Brihadiswara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Airvateshwar at Darasuram, in all these temples the chief deity who has been depicted and worshipped is Lord Shiva. These all temples are located in Tamil Nadu.

10. Which of the following would be the most accurate description of the Mauryan monarchy under Ashoka?
A. Enlightened despotism
B. Centralised autocracy
C.Oriental despotism
D. Guided democracy

Enlightened despotism

Note: 'Despotism' means dictatorship or the exercise of absolute power. In the enlightened despotism, the monarchs use thin authority to institute a number of reforms in the political system and societies of their countries.

During Ashoka's reign, the Mauryan empire was the first attempt in India to secure administrative centralisation on an extended scale. Within its framework, it united a number of people and tribes. The nature of the Mauryan Government was enlightened despotism.

11. Whose achievements are recorded in the Allahabad pillar inscription?
A. Chandragupta Maurya
B. Samundragupta
C.Vikramaditya
D. Skandaupta

Samundragupta

Note: Allahabad stone pillar inscription of Samudragupta is located in Allahabad, which mentions events during his tenure. It is one of the most important evidences of the imperial Guptas.

Allahabad pillar inscription was composed by Harisena, it delineates the reign of the Guptas in ancient India. Achievements of different rulers of the Gupta lineage are also mentioned in the Allahabad pillar inscription.

12. Name the capital of the Pallavas?
A. Kanchipuram
B. Vatapi
C.Trichnapalli
D. Mahabalipuram

Kanchipuram

Note: Pallavas ruled regions of Northern Tamil Nadu and Southern Andhra Pradesh, Kanchipuram served as the capital city of the Pallava kingdom from the 4th to the 9th century. Kanchipuram was mentioned in the Mahabhasya, written by Patanjali.

13. The illustrious names of Aryabhatta and Varahamihira are associated with the age of the?
A. Guptas
B. Kushanas
C.Mauryas
D. Palas

Guptas

Note: Important scholars of Gupta period include Varahamihira and Aryabhatta, who is believed to be the first to come up with the concept of zero, postulated the theory that the Earth moves around the Sun and studied solar and lunar eclipses.

The most famous works of Aryabhatta are the Aryabhattiya and the Arya-Siddhanta.

Varahamihira was an Indian astronomer, mathematician and astrologer who lived in Ujjain.

14. Who defeated Harsha Vardhana on the banks of Narmada?
A. Pulakeshin II
B. Pulakeshin I
C.Vikramaditya
D. Nandivarman

Pulakeshin II

Note: Pulakeshin II stopped the Harsha's ambition of extending his power to the Deccan and Southern India. Pulakeshin II defeated Harsha's army on the banks of the river Narmada in 620. A truce was agreed upon and the river Narmada was marked as the Sothern boundary of Harsha's kingdom

15. The capital of Pallavas was?
A. Arcot
B. Kanchi
C.Malkhed
D. Banavasi

Kanchi

Note: Kanchi located on the banks of river Vegavathy, Kanchipuram served as the capital city of the Pallava kingdom. Pallavas were orthodox Brahmanical Hindus.

Pallavas king Narasimhavarman occupied Chalukyan capital Vatapi in AD 642 and assumed the title Vatapikonda. Vatapikonda means 'Conqueror of Vatapi'.