Previous year ssc Indian History:Dynasties of Ancient India-Part2

 

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   Dynasties of Ancient India-Part2

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

1.The seashore temple at Mahabalipuram was built by?
A. Mahendra Varman I
B. Dandri Varman
C. Narasimha Varman I
D. Nandi Varman II

Narasimha Varman I

Note: Narasimha Varman I, built the seashore temple at Mahabalipuram. He captured the Chalukyan Capital Vatapi in AD 642  and assumed the title of Vatapikonda.

Seashore temples were built with blocks of Granite.

Shore temple being one of the 'Group of Monuments' at Mahabalipuram has been classified as a UNESCO  World's Heritage Site.

Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram is a historic city and UNESCO World Heritage site in Tamil Nadu, India.

During the reign of the Pallava dynasty, between the 3rd century CE and 7th century CE, it became an important centre of art, architecture and literature. Mahabalipuram was already a thriving sea port on the Bay of Bengal before this time.

2.When did the best productions of Gandhara sculpture appear?
A. Mauryan Period
B. Kushan Period
C. Gupta Period
D. Harsha Period

Kushan Period

Note: The best sculpture of Gandhara school Art was appeared during Kushana period. Gandhara sculptures were influenced by Greek school. So, it is known as Indo-Greek art.

3. Varahamihira is an/a?
 A. Astronomer
B. Space Shuttle
C. Astronaut.
D. Power station

Astronomer

Note: Varahamihira was an Indian astronomer, mathematician and philosopher. 

He was one of the nine gems in the court of Chandragupta II.

Varahamihira in his book Brihat Samhita stated that, "The moon rotates around the Earth and Earth rotates around the Sun".

4.Arthashastra was written by?
A.    Dhanananda
B.     Kautilya
C.      Bimbisara
D.      Pushyamitra

Kautilya

Note: The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy which was written by, Kautilya or 'Vishnugupta', who was the teacher and guardian of emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

5.Fa-Hein visited India during the reign of?
  A. Kumaragupta
  B. Ramagupta
  C. Samudragupta
  D. Chandragupta II

Chandragupta II

Note: The famous Chinese pilgrim, Fa-Hein visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II. He travelled all over India for 13 years.

Fa-Hein wrote a detailed account of his kingdom. He speaks highly about the government system in the Madhya-desa and the benevolence of the people, especially moneyed classes.

The title of the book, Fa-Hein wrote about India was Fo-Kwo-Ki( The travels of Fa-Hein)

6.Who was the court poet of Harsha Vardhana?
A. Bhani
B. Vishnu Sharma
C. Bana
D. Ravi Kirti

Bana

Note: Bana Bhatta was the famous poet in the court of king Harsha Vardhana, who reigned in the AD 606-647.

Harsha Charita is the biography of Harsha Vardhana written by Bana Bhatta.

Other book written by Bana Bhatta was one of the world's earliest novels, Kadambari.

7.'Prince of pilgrims' was the name attributed to?
A. Fa-Hein
B. Hiuen Tsang
C. I-Tsang
D. Megasthenes

Hiuen Tsang

Note: The Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang was a Buddhist scholar who visited all Indian places connected with the life of Buddha, to enhance his knowledge of Buddhist philosophy.

When Hiuen Tsang went back to China, he wrote a detailed description of India during the reign of Harsha in his book 'Si-yu-ki' or 'Record of the Western Countries.

The writings of Hiuen Tsang, gives historians much authentic information about the political, social, economic and religious conditions of those days.

8.Who among the following was not a physician?
A. Sushruta
B. Charaka
C. Charvaka
D. Danvantari

Charvaka

Note: Charvaka is system of Indian philosophy that assumes various forms of philosophical skepticism and religious indifference. It is characterised as a materialistic and atheistic school of thought.

9.Kalinga war took place in the year?
A. 261 BC
B. 263 BC
C. 232 BC
D. 241 BC

261 BC

Note: The Kalinga war was fought between  Ashoka, the emperor of the Mauryan empire, and the independent prosperous state of Kalinga, presently located near Odisha.

As per Ashok's inscriptions, Kalinga war was took place in 262-261 BC. 

10.The Greeks were driven out of India by?
A. Chanragupta Maurya
B. Chandragupta Vikramaditya
C. Ashoka
D. Bindusara

Chanragupta Maurya

Note: In the year 305 BC, Selucus-I Nicator waged a war against the Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya. His Indian campaign was a failure.

Selucus ceded a considerable amount of territory to Chandragupta in exchange for 500 war elephants.

11.Who among the following was the pioneer of Yoga?
A.Patanjali
B.Vagbhata
C. Atreya
D. Vrudukanta

Patanjali

Note: Patanjali is the founder of Ashtanga yoga. The yoga sutras of Patanjali include 196 Indian sutras that constitute the foundational text of Raja Yoga.

In the Yoga sutras, Patanjali prescribes adherence to Eight steps, the sum of which constitute 'Ashtanga Yoga' to quiet one's mind and achieve Kaivalya.

The eight fold path in Ashtanga yoga, involves yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahar, dharana, dhyan and samadhi.

12.Harsh vardhana was defeated by?
A. Prabhakara Vardhana
B.  Sasanka
C.  Pulakeshin II
D. Narasimhavarma Pallava

 Pulakeshin II

Note: In 630 BC,  Harshvardhana was defeated by Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya king of Vatapi. 

The war ended in a truce between the two kings, with Harsha accepting river Narmada as the Southern boundary for his kingdom.

13. The coins of which of the following reveal their love for music?
 A. Mauryas
B. Nandas
C. Guptas
D. Cholas

Guptas

Note: Some coins provide information about the personal events of certain rulers like Samudragupta.

Vehicle of vishnu inscribed on some coin indicate that Samudragupta was a devotee of that deity. 

His coins show him playing veena. Veena reveals his love for music.

14.The Chola kings were ruling over?
A.      Kerala
B.      Tamil Nadu
C.      Odisha
D.      Andhra Pradesh

Tamil Nadu

Note: Chola dynasty was one of the longest ruling dynasties in Southern India. 

The earliest datable references to this Tamil dynasty are in inscriptions from the 3rd century BC left by Ashoka.

The heartland of Cholas was the fertile valley of the Kaveri river.

15.Who was the author of Gita Govinda?
  A. Jayadeva
  B. Kalhana
  C. Kalidasa
  D. Raja Rao

Jayadeva

Note: The Gita Govinda (song of Govinda) was composed by Jayadeva, which describes the relationship between Krishna and Gopis(Female cowherders) of Vrindavana and in particular one Gopi named Radha.