1. The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site of the Palaeolithic period. It is located in which state?
[A] Gujarat
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Madhya Pradesh]
Notes:
The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site of the Palaeolithic, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian Subcontinent. It is located in the Raisen District in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, near Abdullaganj town and inside the Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary.
2. Which of the following monasteries is known as Galden Namgey Lhatse?
[A] Hemis Monastery
[B] Tawang Monastery
[C] Bomdila Monastery
[D] Namdroling Monastery
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [ Tawang Monastery ]
Notes:
Tawang monastery is the largest of its kind in the country and is one of the largest monasteries in Asia. It is said to be one of the biggest Buddhist monasteries in the world outside of Lhasa, Tibet. It is also known by another Tibetan name, ‘Galden Namgey Lhatse’, which means ‘celestial paradise in a clear night’.
3. Which among the following Kings built the Kailashnath Temple of Ellora ?
[A] Rashtrakuta king Krishna I
[B] Narasimhavarman II
[C] Rashtrakuta king Krishna II
[D] None of the above
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Rashtrakuta king Krishna I]
Notes:
Rashtrakuta king, krishna-1 had built the kailash temple of ellora. It is considered as the wonder of rock-out architecture. Kailasanath Temple is a famous temple, one of the 34 monasteries and temples, known collectively as the Ellora Caves, extending over more than 2 km, that were dug side by side in the wall of a high basalt cliff in the complex located at Ellora, Maharashtra, India.
4. Which among the following ancient authors has complained of the drain of gold to India (due to trade hegemony of ancient India)?
[A] Ptolemy
[B] Nero
[C] Strabo
[D] Pliny
Show Answer
Correct Answer: D [Pliny]
Notes:
The lamentation of the Roman writer Pliny in the 1st century A.D refers to heavy drain of Gold from Roman into India in payment of her imports from India. He writes that the drain of Gold is in return for unproductive luxuries. The Roman gold and silver were steadily drained into South India in exchange not only for spices, but also muslin, silk and other costly luxuries.
5. Who among the following Arab scholars studied Sanskrit and astronomy for a decade at Varanasi ?
[A] Alberuni
[B] Amir Khusrau
[C] Al’bidari
[D] Al’Masher
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A [Alberuni]
Notes:
Alberuni , the Arab astronomer who studied Sanskrit and astronomy for a decade at Varanasi.
6. Pancha mahal is located in:
[A] Agra
[B] Delhi
[C] Fatehpur Sikri
[D] Sikandara
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Fatehpur Sikri]
Notes:
Panch Mahal is a palace in Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh. The Panch Mahal meaning ‘Five level Palace’ was commissioned by Akbar . This structure stands close to the Zenana quarters which supports the supposition that it was used for entertainment and relaxation.
7. In which of the following states of India , a festival called Chapchar Kut is celebrated in March ?
[A] Assam
[B] Mizoram
[C] Karnataka
[D] Sikkim
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Mizoram]
Notes:
The Chapchar Kut is a festival of Mizoram, India. It is celebrated during March after completion of their most arduous task of jhum operation i.e., jungle-clearing (clearing of the remnants of burning). It is a spring festival celebrated with great favour and gaiety.
8. A Fire temple is a place of worship for _____?
[A] Sikhs
[B] Zoroastrians
[C] Buddhists
[D] Shinto’s
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [Zoroastrians]
Notes:
A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians, often called dar-e mehr (Persian) or agiyari (Gujarati). In the Zoroastrian religion, fire together with clean water (see aban), are agents of ritual purity.
9. The best known of the compilations of the compositions of Kabir are known as ?
[A] Shatapadi
[B] Dohavali
[C] Bijak
[D] Kavitavali
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C [Bijak]
Notes:
Bijak is the compilations of the compositions of Kabir. Kabir Das was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism’s Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism’s scripture Guru Granth Sahib.
10. With reference to India’s culture and tradition, what is “Huyen Langlon”?
[A] It is an ancient martial art and a living tradition in some parts of South India
[B] It is an Indian martial art from Manipur
[C] It is a stick dance native to Andhra Pradesh
[D] It is a Clay relief work, a unique form of art practiced by tribal women in the Kutch area
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B [It is an Indian martial art from Manipur]
Notes:Huyen Langlon is an Indian martial art that originated in Manipur. The name comes from the Meitei language, where “huyen” means “war” and “langlon” means “knowledge” or “art”.
There are two main components to the sport:
- Thang-ta: Armed combat
- Sarit sarak: Unarmed fighting
The primary weapons used in Huyen Langlon are the thang (sword) and ta (spear). Other weapons include the shield and the axe. According to local legends, the art form originated from Tin Sidaba, the creator of the Meitei people. The British banned the art during the Anglo-Manipur War in 1891, but it was reintroduced by Maharaja Churachand in 1934.