331. In which of the following mudra did Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon at Sarnath?
Correct Answer:-C ( Dharmachakra Mudra )
Description:- Dharmachakra in Sanskrit means ‘Wheel of Dharma’. This mudra symbolizes one of the most important moments in the life of Buddha, the occasion when he preached to his companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment in the Deer Park at Sarnath. This event is often referred to as the setting into motion of the Wheel of the teaching of the Dharma.
332. Kamarup is an ancient name of which region of India ?
Correct Answer:-D ( Assam )
Description:- Ancient Assam was known as Pragjyotisha in early times and as Kamarupa in later times. It came to be known as Kamarupa during the Puranic times,based on the legend that Kamadeva, the god of love, the Indian Cupid,who was destroyed by the fiery glance of Siva returned to life there. The first historic reference to the kingdom of Kamarupa is made in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta.
333. Who among the following was ruler from The Kushan dynasty ?
Correct Answer:-C ( Khadphises I )
Description:- Kujula Kadphises (also known as Kadphises I) is believed to be the founder of Kushana dynasty in India in 78 A.D. According to the Rabatak inscription, he was the grandfather of the great Kushan king Kanishka I.
334. What is the popular name of Monolithic rock shrines at Mahabalipuram ?
Correct Answer:-A ( Rathas )
Description:- The Monolithic rock shrines at Mahabalipuram in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu are also known as Rathas. Each of the five monuments in the complex resembles a chariot (ratha), and each is carved over a single, long stone or monolith, of granite which slopes in north-south direction with a slight incline.Dating from the late 7th century, it is attributed to King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I of the Pallava Kingdom.
335. The people of the Indus valley civilisation worshipped
Correct Answer:-B ( Pashupati )
Description:- On the basis of discovery of the Pashupati Seal at the Mohenjo-Daro, historians and archaeologists have opined that the Indus people worshipped Lord Shiva who is the Lord of the Beast (Pashupati). The Pashupati seal depicts a three faced male god seated in a yogic posture, surrounded by a rhino and a buffalo on the right, and an elephant and a tiger on the left.
336. The Upanishads are the
Correct Answer:-C ( Source of Hindu Philosophy )
Description:- The Upanishadsare a collection of texts that contain some of the central philosophical concepts of Hinduism. They are commonly referred to as Vedanta, variously interpreted to mean either the ‘last chapters, parts of the Veda’ or ‘the object, the highest purpose of the Veda’. The concepts of Brahman (Ultimate Reality) and Atman (Soul) are central ideas in the Upanishads.
337. The word ‘Satyameva Jayate’ have been derived from which Upanishad?
Correct Answer:-B ( Mundaka Upanishad )
Description:- Satyameva Jayate (Truth Alone Triumphs) is a mantra from the ancient Indian scripture Mundaka Upanishad. Upon independence of India, it was adopted as the national motto. It is inscribed in Devanagari script at the base of the national emblem.
338. Tripitakas’ are sacred books of
Correct Answer:-D ( Buddhists )
Description:- The Tripitaka or Three Baskets is the oldest collection of Buddhist scriptures and includes many texts believed to be the words of the historical Buddha. The three Pitakas are Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka. These are canonical texts revered as exclusively authoritative in Theravada Buddhism.
339. With which religion is Kaivalya associated?
Correct Answer:-B ( Jainism )
Description:- Kaivalya is the Jain concept of salvation. According to Jainism, all things in existence are divided into two parts Jiva (i.e. living beings having a soul) and Ajiva (non-living things having no soul). The entanglement of living beings (Jiva) with things not having souls (Ajiva) is a source of all misery. Kaivalya is a result of a living beings becoming free of this entanglement.
340. The first Buddhist Council was held at _______ .
Correct Answer:-B ( Rajagriha )
Description:- According to the scriptures of all Buddhist schools, the first Buddhist Council was held soon after the death of the Buddha at Rajagriha in Bihar around 400 B.C. It was held under the patronage of king Ajatashatru with the monk Mahakasyapa presiding. Its objective was to preserve the Buddha’s sayings (suttas) and the monastic discipline or rules (Vinaya).
341. Who was the founder of the Satvahana Empire?
Correct Answer:-B ( Simuka )
Description:- Simuka was the founder of the Satavahana Dynasty. He is mentioned as the first king in a list of royals in a Satavahana inscription at Nanaghat. He is believed to have destroyed the Shunga Power in the Deccan with the aid of the Rathikas and Bhojakas. He reigned for around 23 years and was beheaded by his brother Kanha, who succeeded him.
342. Gandhara Art is the combination of
Correct Answer:-B ( Indo–Greek )
Description:- Gandhara art was a style of Buddhist visual art that developed from a merger of Greek, Syrian, Persian, and Indian artistic influences during the first few centuries of Christian era. The foreign influence is evident from the sculptures of Buddha in which they bear resemblance to the Greek sculptures. Both Shakas and Kushanas were patrons of Gandhara School.
343. Ajanta Ellora Caves are situated near which of the following cities?
Correct Answer:-B ( Aurangabad )
Description:- The Ajanta Caves, comprising rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments, are located in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra. Ellora caves, one of the largest rockcut monastery-temple caves complexes in the world, are also located near Aurangabad. Ajanta and Ellora caves form one of the major tourist attractions in Marathwada region of Maharashtra.
344. Chalukya temples (Jain temples) at Dilwara are situated in
Correct Answer:-C ( Rajasthan )
Description:- The Dilwara Jain temples are located near Mount Abu in Rajasthan. These temples were built by Jain laymen between the 11th and 13th centuries AD and are world-famous for their stunning use of marble. The Dilwara temples are a sacred pilgrimage place of the Jains.
345. Vikram Shila University was founded by
Correct Answer:-C ( Dharampala )
Description:- Vikramashila University was established by King Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty in the 8th century A.D. Located at Bhagalpur in modern day Bihar, it was one of the two most important centres of Buddhist learning in India during the Pala empire, along with Nalanda. It developed into the intellectual center for Tantric Buddhism.
346. Who were the patrons of Sangama Literature?
Correct Answer:-C ( Pandyas )
Description:- Sangam was the ancient academy, which enabled Tamil poets and authors to gather periodically to publish their work. The Sangam met periodically in the city of Madurai in South India under the patronage of the Pandya kings. Sangam literature comprises some of the oldest extant Tamil literature, and deals with love, war, governance, trade and bereavement.
347. Which of the following is not true about Ajanta Caves?
Correct Answer:-C ( They depict the techniques used in Ancient India )
Description:- The Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra are about 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments which date from the 2nd century BC to about 480 or 650 CE. The caves include paintings and rock cut sculptures described as among the finest surviving examples of ancient Indian art, particularly expressive painting that present emotion through gesture, pose and form. Flora and fauna are depicted on the ceilings of the caves.
348. What is the Mehrauli Pillar in the complex of Qutub Minar primarily famous for?
Correct Answer:-C ( Excellent quality steel )
Description:- The Iron Pillar located in Delhi, is a 7 m (23 ft) column in the Qutb complex, notable for the rustresistant composition of the metals used in its construction. The pillar has attracted the attention of archaeologists and materials scientists because of its high resistance to corrosion. The corrosion resistance results from an even layer of crystalline iron hydrogen phosphate hydrate forming on the high phosphorus content iron, which serves to protect it from climate.
349. Which script was used in Ashoka’s inscriptions?
Correct Answer:-A ( Brahmi )
Description:- Most of Asokan inscriptions in the eastern parts of the Mauryan empire were written in Magadhi language, using the Brahmi script. Kharosthi script was used in the north-western parts of his empire. The Brahmi script was deciphered in 1837 by James Princep, an archaeologist, philologist, and official of the East India Company.
350. Who among the following was the court physician of Kanishka?
Correct Answer:-C ( Charaka )
Description:- Charaka was the court physician of Kanishka I. He was one of the principal contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in ancient India. He is sometimes referred to as the Father of Indian Medicine.
351. The veda which deals with the rituals is known as
Correct Answer:-B ( Yajurveda )
Description:- Yajur Veda is a step-by-step guide about the right way of performing religious ceremonies and sacred rituals. Derived from ‘yajus’ meaning ‘prose mantra’ and veda meaning ‘knowledge’), the Yajur veda is the Veda of prose mantras. An ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, it is a compilation of ritual offering formulas that were said by a priest at the time of ritual actions.
352. The capital of the Mauryan Kingdom was located at
Correct Answer:-A ( Pataliputra )
Description:- Pataliputra, the ancient city of Patna in Bihar, served as the capital city of the Mauryan empire. It reached the pinnacle of prosperity under Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka. Greek ambassador, Megasthenes, has left a detailed account of its splendor. Pataliputra was originally built by Magadha ruler Ajatsatru in 490 BC.
353. Where is the Brihadeshwar temple, built during the Chola period, located?
Correct Answer:-C ( Thanjavur )
Description:- The Brihadeshwara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. Also known as Raja Rajeswara Temple, it was built by Chola ruler Raja Raja Chola I and completed in 1010. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the ‘Great Living Chola Temples.’
354. Who among the following was the first grammarian of the Sanskrit language?
Correct Answer:-D ( Panini )
Description:- Panini is considered as the first grammarian of Sanskrit language. He is particularly known for his formulation of the 3,959 rules of Sanskrit morphology, syntax and semantics in the grammar known as Ashtadhyayi, the foundational text of the grammatical branch of the Vedanga, the auxiliary scholarly disciplines of the historical Vedic religion.
355. To which ganarajya Gautam Buddha belonged?
Correct Answer:-B ( Shakya )
Description:- Gautam Buddha was born as a Kshatriya, the son of Suddhodana, ‘an elected chief of the Shakya clan’, whose capital was Kapilvastu. The Shakyas formed an independent republican state known as the Shakya Ganarajya.His mother, Maya, Suddhodana’s wife, was a Koliyan princess.
356. The school of Indian art which is also known as the Greco–Roman– Buddhist art is the _______ school
Correct Answer:-C ( Gandhara )
Description:- The Gandhara School of Art is also known as the Graeco-Buddhist School of Art since Greek techniques of art were applied to Buddhist subjects. The most important contribution of the Gandhara School of Art was the evolution of beautiful images of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, which were modelled on identical characters of Graeco-Roman pantheon. The Gandhara School of art developed in first century AD during the reign of Kanishka.
357. Which of the following Pallava Kings assumed the title of ‘Vatapikonda’ after defeating and slaying the great Chalukyan King Pulakesin II?
Correct Answer:-A ( Narsimha Varman I )
Description:- The Pallava king Narsimhavarman I assumed the title of ‘Vatapikonda’ (Conqueror of Vatapi), when he defeated and killed Pulakesin II (Chalukya King) and captured the Chalukyan capital, Badami in 642 AD. The Pallava victory resulted in the commencement of Pallava occupation of Vatapi which lasted until 654.
358. Harsha moved his capital from _____ to _____ .
Correct Answer:-A ( Thanesar, Kannauj )
Description:- During the 7th century A.D, Harshavardhana united the kingdoms of Punjab, Bengal, Orissa along with a large portion of Indo-Gangetic Plain. He defeated the ruler of Kannauj and shifted his capital from Thanesar to Kannauj.
359. Which of the following Harappan sites had a dockyard?
Correct Answer:-C ( Lothal )
Description:- Lothal, located along the Bhogava river, a tributary of Sabarmati, in the Gulf of Khambat in Gujarat, was the only port-town of the Indus Valley Civilisation. It had a basin with vertical wall, inlet and outlet channels which has been identified as a tidal dockyard. Lothal’s dock was the earliest known dock found in the world, equipped to berth and service ships.
360. Aryabhatta and Kalidasa were in the court of which Gupta Emperor ?
Correct Answer:-B ( Chandra Gupta II )
Description:- Aryabhata and Kalidasa adorned the court of Gupta ruler Chandragupta II who was also known as Chandragupta Vikramaditya. Kalidasa was a classical Sanskrit writer, who was one of the nine gems of Chandragupta’s court. Aryabhata was a mathematician and astronomer whose works include the Aryabhaiya and the Arya-siddhanta.
361. The language in which Buddha preached?
Correct Answer:-C ( Pali )
Description:- Buddha preached his messages in Pali, the vernacular language spoken then in north India.The language of the ancient Buddhist scriptures was Pali. Tripitaka is the collection of the teachings of the Buddha in the Pali language. It consists of three sections of the Buddha’s Teachings:Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka.
362. Ashoka was a king of which dynasty?
Correct Answer:-C ( Maurya )
Description:- Ashokawas an ancient Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled almost all of the Indian subcontinent from c.?268 to 232 BC. One of India’s greatest emperors, Ashoka reigned overthe entire Indian subcontinent except parts of present-day Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.
363. ‘Mohan-jo-daro’ in Sindhi means
Correct Answer:-D ( The mound of the dead )
Description:- Mohen jodaro is interpreted as ‘Mound of the Dead Men’ in Sindhi, and as ‘Mound of Mohan’ (where Mohan is Krishna). The city’s original name is unknown. Mohen jodaro is located west of the Indus River in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan.
364. What was Hampi known for ?
Correct Answer:-D ( It was the capital of Vijayanagara )
Description:- Hampi in Karnataka served as the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire. It served as the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1343 to 1565, when it was besieged by the Deccan Muslim confederacy. Hampi was chosen because of its strategic location, bounded by the Tungabhadra river on one side and surrounded by defensible hills on the other three sides.
365. Buddha gave his first sermon at the Deer Park in
Correct Answer:-B ( Sarnath )
Description:- After attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, Gautam Buddha went to Sarnath (ancient Isipatana) near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. It was at the deer park in Sarnath that he preached his first discourse onthe Four Noble Truthsto a group of five monks and set in motion the Wheel of Dharma. Sarnath is mentioned by the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage.
